Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4776) to amend the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to clarify ambiguous provisions and facilitate a more efficient, effective, and timely environmental review process; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1366) to provide for the location of multiple hardrock mining mill sites, to establish the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 845) to require the Secretary of the Interior to reissue regulations removing the gray wolf from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3616) to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to review regulations that may affect the reliable operation of the bulk-power system; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3632) to amend the Federal Power Act to adjust the requirements for orders, rules, and regulations relating to furnishing adequate service, to require owners or operators of generating facilities to provide notice of planned retirements of certain electric generating units, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4371) to amend the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of children.

Bill Number: H.Res. 951
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Congress
Status: Passed House
Latest Action: 2025-12-16: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Last Updated: 2026-07-11T20:09:47Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

H. Res. 951 is a procedural resolution adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives on December 16, 2025. Its main goal is to establish streamlined rules for debating and voting on six specific bills related to environmental policy, mining, wildlife protection, energy regulation, power infrastructure, and human trafficking prevention. This allows for efficient consideration in the House without standard procedural delays.

Key Provisions

Section 1 (H.R. 4776): Sets up debate on amending the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA, a law requiring environmental impact assessments for federal projects) to make reviews faster and clearer. Includes 1 hour of general debate, adopts a committee substitute amendment, waives objections to the bill, limits further amendments to those pre-approved by the Rules Committee, and orders a vote after amendments.
Section 2 (H.R. 1366): Allows immediate consideration of a bill on hardrock mining (extracting metals like gold or copper from rock) mill sites, creates an Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund for cleanup, and other related measures. Waives objections, adopts a committee amendment, permits 1 hour of debate, and allows a motion to send the bill back to committee for changes.
Section 3 (H.R. 845): Enables debate on requiring the Interior Secretary to reinstate rules delisting the gray wolf from endangered species protection under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Includes 1 hour of debate, adopts a committee amendment, waives objections, and allows a recommit motion.
Section 4 (H.R. 3616): Provides for considering a bill mandating the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC, which oversees energy transmission) to review rules impacting the reliability of the national power grid. Allows 1 hour of debate, adopts a committee amendment, waives objections, and permits recommit.
Section 5 (H.R. 3632): Sets rules for a bill amending the Federal Power Act (law governing electricity sales and transmission) to update service requirements and mandate notices for planned shutdowns of power plants. Includes 1 hour of debate, waives objections, and allows recommit; no substitute amendment is mentioned.
Section 6 (H.R. 4371): Facilitates consideration of amendments to the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (a law addressing child trafficking, especially unaccompanied minors) to strengthen anti-trafficking efforts. Allows 1 hour of debate, adopts a committee amendment, waives objections, and permits recommit.
General Rules Across Sections: Waives "points of order" (formal challenges to procedure or content), limits debate times, restricts amendments to pre-specified ones, and fast-tracks votes to passage with minimal interruptions.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This resolution itself does not amend laws; it is purely procedural and does not introduce new substantive law. However, it facilitates potential changes via the underlying bills, such as:

Streamlining NEPA reviews to reduce delays in federal projects.
Establishing a fund for abandoned mine cleanup under mining laws.
Removing federal protections for gray wolves, shifting management to states.
Updating FERC and Federal Power Act rules to enhance grid reliability and require retirement notices for power plants.
Expanding anti-trafficking measures for children in immigration contexts.

These would represent shifts toward efficiency in environmental and energy processes, reduced federal wildlife oversight, and stronger human trafficking responses, if passed.

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: Agencies like the Interior Department, FERC, and environmental offices may face faster project approvals (e.g., under NEPA) but increased responsibilities (e.g., mine fund management or wolf delisting). Energy agencies could see mandates for grid reviews and plant notifications, potentially stabilizing power supply.
Citizens: Could lead to quicker infrastructure development (benefiting construction and energy sectors) but raise concerns over environmental protections or wildlife. Anti-trafficking enhancements might improve support for vulnerable children, especially immigrants.
International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though mining and energy provisions could affect U.S. resource exports or relations with countries involved in hardrock minerals.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Environmental and Conservation Groups: Impacted by NEPA changes and wolf delisting, potentially opposing reduced protections.
Mining and Energy Industries: Benefit from streamlined reviews, mine funds, and power plant rules, including companies in hardrock extraction and electricity generation.
Wildlife and Animal Rights Organizations: Affected by gray wolf status changes, likely advocating for continued protections.
Human Trafficking Advocates and Immigration Agencies: Positively influenced by enhanced child protection measures.
Federal Regulators and Congress: House members from resource-heavy states (e.g., Western U.S.) may support; procedural waivers speed legislative processes but limit minority input.
General Public: Indirectly through faster federal projects, reliable energy, and better anti-trafficking efforts.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Waiving points of order and limiting amendments could bypass standard checks, potentially challenging bills on grounds like inadequate environmental review (under NEPA) or species protection (under Endangered Species Act). If passed, underlying bills might face court challenges over regulatory changes.
Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's rulemaking authority under the Constitution (Article I), but fast-tracking could raise questions about fair debate in a bicameral legislature.
Political: Reflects priorities of the majority party (likely emphasizing deregulation in energy/environment and social issues like trafficking). Limits debate to 1 hour per bill promotes efficiency but may reduce bipartisan input, influencing passage in a divided Congress. The 119th Congress context (post-2024 elections) suggests alignment with resource development agendas.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23]

Recent Actions

2025-12-16: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2025-12-16: On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 215 - 209 (Roll no. 338). (text: CR H5912-5913) (Roll call 338)
2025-12-16: Passed/agreed to in House: On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 215 - 209 (Roll no. 338). (text: CR H5912-5913) (Roll call 338)
2025-12-16: On ordering the previous question Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 215 - 207 (Roll no. 337). (Roll call 337)
2025-12-16: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5919-5921)
2025-12-16: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H. Res. 951, the Chair put the question on ordering the previous question and by voice vote, announced the ayes had prevailed. Ms. Scanlon demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
2025-12-16: DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 951.
2025-12-16: Considered as privileged matter. (consideration: CR H5912-5919)
2025-12-16: Placed on the House Calendar, Calendar No. 50.
2025-12-16: The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4776, under a structured rule and H.R. 1366, H.R. 845, H.R. 3616, H.R. 3632, and H.R. 4371 under a closed rule. The resolution provides one motion to recommit on each bill.
2025-12-16: The House Committee on Rules reported an original measure, H. Rept. 119-410, by Mr. Langworthy.
2025-12-16: The House Committee on Rules reported an original measure, H. Rept. 119-410, by Mr. Langworthy.

Bill Versions

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4776) to amend the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to clarify ambiguous provisions and facilitate a more efficient, effective, and timely environmental review process; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1366) to provide for the location of multiple hardrock mining mill sites, to establish the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 845) to require the Secretary of the Interior to reissue regulations removing the gray wolf from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3616) to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to review regulations that may affect the reliable operation of the bulk-power system; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3632) to amend the Federal Power Act to adjust the requirements for orders, rules, and regulations relating to furnishing adequate service, to require owners or operators of generating facilities to provide notice of planned retirements of certain electric generating units, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4371) to amend the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of children. — issued 2025-12-16 — PDF (6 pages)
Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4776) to amend the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to clarify ambiguous provisions and facilitate a more efficient, effective, and timely environmental review process; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1366) to provide for the location of multiple hardrock mining mill sites, to establish the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 845) to require the Secretary of the Interior to reissue regulations removing the gray wolf from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3616) to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to review regulations that may affect the reliable operation of the bulk-power system; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3632) to amend the Federal Power Act to adjust the requirements for orders, rules, and regulations relating to furnishing adequate service, to require owners or operators of generating facilities to provide notice of planned retirements of certain electric generating units, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4371) to amend the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of children. — issued 2025-12-16 — PDF (8 pages)