Overview
- The Senate, which voted 50–49 on Thursday, sent the disapproval measure to President Trump after the House passed it earlier this year.
- Lawmakers used the Congressional Review Act to nullify Public Land Order 7917, a 2023 decision that withdrew about 225,500 acres in Superior National Forest from new mineral and geothermal leasing for 20 years.
- The repeal does not authorize a mine, as projects like Twin Metals must still regain or resolve federal leases, complete extensive environmental reviews, and secure state and federal permits that could take years.
- Backers led by Rep. Pete Stauber said the move restores access to jobs and critical minerals, while opponents including Sens. Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar, multiple tribes, and environmental groups warned of pollution and treaty-rights harms; two Republicans, Thom Tillis and Susan Collins, voted no.
- Using the CRA on a land-withdrawal order is unprecedented and could bar a similar withdrawal unless Congress approves one, a shift that critics say invites broader fights over public-lands policy and likely court challenges.