Text of Senate Amendment 6411

On 2026-06-24, Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6411" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 6411

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3537-S3538] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6411. Mr. HEINRICH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following: SEC. 1094. SEABED MINING. (a) Regulations.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall, subject to subsection (b)-- (1) update section 581.13(a) of title 30, Code of Federal Regulations, to ensure that the invitation of adjacent State and Territory Governors described in that section for activities described in that section is mandatory; and (2) promulgate new regulations to establish and maintain a seabed mining leasing program substantially similar to the oil and gas leasing program described in section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344), subject to the conditions that-- (A) all references to State Governors and States in that section shall include Territory Governors and Territories; and (B) in the event of a significant natural or other similarly impactful local disaster that would impact the ability of a State or Territory government to participate to the fullest extent possible in a leasing program comment period-- (i) the lease process shall be delayed at the request of the affected State or Territory Governor; and (ii) the lease process may only recommence upon agreement between the Secretary and the affected State or Territory Governor. (b) Moratorium and Study on Seabed Mining.-- (1) Temporary moratorium.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending on the date that the report described in paragraph (2)(C) is submitted to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, the Secretary shall not review, issue, grant, or approve any new license, permit, lease, or other instrument for the exploration, commercial recovery, or mining of minerals in the exclusive economic zone or the outer Continental Shelf pursuant to the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.) or the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.). (2) Study.-- (A) In general.--The Secretary shall seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on seabed mining for critical minerals. (B) Requirements.--The study described in subparagraph (A) shall include-- (i) an overview of the technological feasibility and economic potential of extracting seabed minerals; (ii) identification of information needed to establish baselines in habitats found at proposed mining sites and surrounding areas; and (iii) the potential social, cultural, environmental, and economic impacts of seabed mining, including cumulative effects and possible methods to mitigate negative impacts. (C) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which the Secretary enters into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report that includes the findings of the study described in that subparagraph. [[Page S3538]] ______