License to Drill Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7831
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Energy
- Status
- Passed House
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-03: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-09T05:23:22Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation aims to extend the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to collect fees for new oil and gas drilling permit applications and to direct those fees to a dedicated fund for improving permit processing.
Key Provisions
- The bill is titled the License to Drill Act.
- It amends Section 35(d) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 191(d)) in three ways:
- Extends the fee collection requirement from fiscal year 2026 to fiscal year 2037.
- Requires that all fees collected under this provision for fiscal years 2027 through 2037 be transferred to the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund.
- Extends a related sunset provision from 2026 to 2037.
Significant Changes to Existing Law This Act prolongs an existing fee program that was scheduled to end in 2026. It also simplifies the fee transfer process by directing the full amount collected each year directly to the BLM fund instead of splitting or limiting transfers as previously required.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) would continue receiving dedicated funding through 2037 to process drilling permits.
- Citizens and industry: Oil and gas operators would face ongoing application fees, potentially supporting faster permit reviews.
- No direct effects on international relations are addressed in the bill.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- The Department of the Interior and BLM, which administer the fee and fund.
- Oil and gas companies submitting permit applications on federal lands.
- Congress, which oversees the Mineral Leasing Act and related funding.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill extends an existing statutory mechanism without altering core authorities or introducing new regulatory requirements. It operates within the framework of federal land management law and does not raise apparent constitutional concerns in the text itself.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. Maloy, Celeste [R-UT-2], Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large], Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-03: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 2026-06-02: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 2026-06-02: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3757)
- 2026-06-02: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3757)
- 2026-06-02: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 7831.
- 2026-06-02: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3757-3578)
- 2026-06-02: Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 2026-05-20: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 579.
- 2026-05-20: Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-665.
- 2026-05-20: Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-665.
- 2026-05-14: Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
- 2026-05-14: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2026-05-14: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Discharged
- 2026-03-25: Subcommittee Hearings Held
- 2026-03-18: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Bill Versions
- License to Drill Act — issued 2026-06-02 — PDF (4 pages)
- License to Drill Act — issued 2026-03-05 — PDF (2 pages)
- License to Drill Act — issued 2026-06-03 — PDF (2 pages)
- License to Drill Act — issued 2026-05-20 — PDF (4 pages)