Rules Committee weighs Congressional Review Acts to rescind BLM resource-management plans covering millions of acres

The House Committee on Rules on July 14 heard testimony on three Congressional Review Act measures—HJ Res 104, HJ Res 105 and HJ Res 106—intended to overturn Bureau of Land Management resource management plans (RMPs) that supporters say restrict energy and mineral development on millions of acres in Montana, North Dakota and Alaska.

The measures were introduced for committee consideration by the majority; Chairman Westerman and Representative Elfreth of the Natural Resources Committee testified in favor, and multiple members questioned the use of the Congressional Review Act for land‑use plans.

Representative Westerman, testifying for the majority, said the RMPs at issue “would lock up 29,000,000 acres of land and mineral estates in Montana, North Dakota, and Alaska,” and argued the rules halted “leasing, exploration, and energy production” and threatened grid reliability. He described HJ Res 104 as targeting “the Biden administration's sweeping coal leasing ban across Montana's entire Powder River Basin,” and said HJ Res 106 would reverse restrictions on “13,300,000 acres in Alaska, unlocking development of…