Committee reports four bipartisan bills favorably by unanimous consent

The committee approved, by unanimous consent, four bipartisan bills during a full committee markup session that the chair characterized as addressing tribal land return, wildlife habitat, domestic energy resources, and military testing safety.

The chair opened the session and said the package would “restore access to a culturally significant bridal site, boost local economies through energy production, strengthen our military preparedness, while ensuring multiple use on public land.” The measures were presented as a single unanimous-consent (UC) package to be reported favorably to the House with any filed and agreed amendments.

Representative Stauffer spoke in support of the package and highlighted H.R. 7882, which would make certain federal subsurface minerals beneath Carlsbad, New Mexico eligible for leasing by the Bureau of Land Management at the city’s request. Stauffer said the federal bid bonuses and royalties from those resources were estimated at roughly $135 million to $155 million and that access could generate roughly $25 million in additional revenue for other mineral owners, including the city of Carlsbad. He asked that a Carlsbad City Council resolution supporting the bill be entered into the record.

A separate measure, H.R. 3276, the Local Communities and Bird Habitat Stewardship Act of 2025, was described by the ranking member as a bill to address long-term declines in bird populations by supporting local habitat projects, stewardship, education, and community-led conservation work. During discussion, Mr. Tiffany said he would support the UC package but urged the committee to consider research showing bird mortality associated with some wind and solar facilities and cited a range of estimates for turbine-related mortality; the ranking member pushed back, noting other major sources of bird mortality (including domestic cats and building collisions) and saying the Ivanpah solar facility is being decommissioned.

On national-security-related land use, the committee heard that H.R. 8686 would expand the Army’s Yuma Proving Ground by roughly 22,000 acres to increase surface safety zones and permit parachute testing at higher altitudes (the chair said it would allow tests at altitudes up to 35,000 feet). Supporters said the change would improve testing safety and military readiness.

The chair requested—and members granted—unanimous consent to discharge the relevant subcommittees from further consideration of each bill and to report each measure favorably to the House. The committee laid the motion to reconsider on the table and agreed that staff may make technical and conforming changes to the documents, subject to minority approval. The ranking member gave notice of his intent to file supplemental or minority views on the measures, a procedural step allowed under House rules.

The committee adjourned after the actions. The chair also announced a forthcoming field hearing in Hot Springs National Park on the Great American Outdoors Act and invited members to sign up as cosponsors for a bipartisan bill the chair and the ranking member said they planned to file.

Actions and outcomes - H.R. 3276, Local Communities and Bird Habitat Stewardship Act of 2025 — reported favorably by unanimous consent; no recorded roll-call vote. (See committee UC motion.) - H.R. 3925, San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act — reported favorably by unanimous consent; no recorded roll-call vote. - H.R. 7882, leasing of federal subsurface minerals within Carlsbad, N.M. — reported favorably by unanimous consent; no recorded roll-call vote. - H.R. 8686, Military Land Withdrawals amendment for Yuma Proving Ground — reported favorably by unanimous consent; no recorded roll-call vote.

The committee’s actions were procedural: members expressed support and a few policy cautions, then agreed to move the measures to the House by unanimous consent. Ranking Member Huffman notified the panel that he intends to file supplemental or minority views on the measures, preserving a formal dissent for the record.