To require the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to more efficiently develop domestic sources of the minerals and mineral materials of strategic and critical importance to United States economic and national security and manufacturing competitiveness.
National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013 - Title I: Development of Domestic Sources of Strategic and Critical Minerals - (Sec. 101) Deems a domestic mine that will provide strategic and critical minerals to be an "infrastructure project" as described in Presidential Order "Improving Performance of Federal Permitting and Review of Infrastructure Projects" dated March 22, 2012.
(Sec. 102) Sets forth the responsibilities of the lead agency (federal, state, local, tribal, or Alaska Native Corporation) with responsibility for issuing a mineral exploration or mine permit with respect to project coordination, agency consultation, project proponents, contractors, and the status and scope of any environmental impact statement.
Requires the lead agency to determine that any action to approve an exploration or mine permit does not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) if the procedural and substantive safeguards of the lead agency's permitting process alone, any applicable state permitting process alone, or a combination of the two processes together provide an adequate mechanism to ensure that environmental factors are taken into account.
Requires the lead agency's project lead, upon request of a project proponent, to enter into an agreement with the project proponent and other cooperating agencies that sets time limits for each part of the permitting process.
Applies this Act to a mineral exploration or mine permit for which an application was submitted before enactment of this Act if the applicant so requests in writing. Requires the lead agency to begin implementing this Act with respect to such application within 30 days after receiving such request.
Requires the lead agency, with respect to strategic and critical minerals within a federally administered unit of the National Forest System, to: (1) exempt from federal regulations governing Special Areas all areas of identified mineral resources in Land Use Designations (other than Non-Development Land Use Designations); (2) apply such exemption to all additional routes and areas that the agency finds necessary to facilitate the construction, operation, maintenance, and restoration of the areas of the identified mineral resources; and (3) continue to apply such exemptions after approval of the Minerals Plan of Operations for the unit.
(Sec. 103) Declares that the priority of the lead agency is to maximize mineral resource development while mitigating environmental impacts, so that more of the mineral resource can be brought to the market place.
(Sec. 104) Prescribes the Federal Register notice process for mineral exploration and mining projects.
Title II: Judicial Review of Agency Actions Relating to Exploration and Mine Permits - (Sec. 202) Bars a civil action claiming legal wrong caused by an agency action unless it is filed by the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date of the final federal agency action to which it relates.
(Sec. 203) Authorizes the holder of a mineral exploration or mine permit to intervene as of right in any covered civil action by a person affecting rights or obligations of the permit holder under the permit.
(Sec. 204) Requires the court to hear and determine any covered civil action as expeditiously as possible.
(Sec. 205) Prohibits the court, in a covered civil action, from granting or approving prospective relief unless it finds that such relief is narrowly drawn, extends no further than necessary to correct the violation of a legal requirement, and is the least intrusive means necessary to correct such violation.
(Sec. 206) Declares inapplicable to such civil action specified requirements of the Equal Access to Justice Act relating to award of costs and fees to a prevailing plaintiff.
Prohibits payment from the federal government for court costs of a party in such a civil action, including attorneys' fees and expenses.
Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions - (Sec. 301) Prohibits the construction of this Act as affecting any aspect of Secretarial Order 3324, issued by the Secretary of the Interior on December 3, 2012, regarding potash, oil, and gas leasing and development within the Designated Potash Area in Eddy and Lea Counties, New Mexico.
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 597.
Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 322, H. Res. 292 is laid on the table.
On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 231 - 190 (Roll no. 464). (text: CR H5600)
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 347, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Hastings (Fl) amendment.
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Hastings (FL) amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Hastings (FL) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 347, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Pearce amendment.
Mr. Lamborn moved that the committee rise.
On motion that the committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 761 as unfinished business.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5618-5624)
The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on adoption of amendments, which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 761.
checking server…
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H5621)
The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H5611-5612)
Mr. Cicilline moved to recommit with instructions to Natural Resources. (consideration: CR H5621-5623; text: CR H5621)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Cicilline motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the House to report the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to add a section to the bill containing prohibitions regarding China and Iran.
The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection. (consideration: CR H5622)
On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 197 - 229 (Roll no. 470). (consideration: CR H5622-5623)
Roll Call #470 (House)Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 246 - 178 (Roll no. 471).
Roll Call #471 (House)On passage Passed by recorded vote: 246 - 178 (Roll no. 471).
Roll Call #471 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.