[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2860 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2860
To unleash United States offshore critical minerals and resources, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 18 (legislative day, September 16), 2025
Mr. Sheehy (for himself, Mr. Cotton, Mrs. Blackburn, and Mrs. Britt)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To unleash United States offshore critical minerals and resources, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Revitalizing America's Offshore
Critical Minerals Dominance Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) the United States has a core national security and
economic interest in maintaining leadership in deep sea science
and technology and seabed mineral resources;
(2) the United States faces unprecedented economic and
national security challenges in securing reliable supplies of
critical minerals independent of foreign adversary control;
(3) vast offshore seabed areas hold critical minerals and
energy resources;
(4) offshore seabed resources are key to strengthening the
economy of the United States, securing the energy future, and
reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for critical minerals;
(5) the United States controls seabed mineral resources in
1 of the largest ocean areas of the world;
(6) the United States can, through the exercise of existing
authorities and by establishing international partnerships,
access potentially vast resources in seabed polymetallic
nodules, other subsea geologic structures, and coastal deposits
containing strategic minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper,
manganese, titanium, and rare earth elements, which are vital
to the national security and economic prosperity of the United
States;
(7) the United States must take immediate action to
accelerate the responsible development of seabed mineral
resources, quantify the endowment of seabed minerals of the
United States, reinvigorate United States leadership in
associated extraction and processing technologies, and ensure
secure supply chains for the defense, infrastructure, and
energy sectors of the United States; and
(8) it is the policy of the United States to advance United
States leadership in seabed mineral development by--
(A) rapidly developing domestic capabilities for
the exploration, characterization, collection, and
processing of seabed mineral resources through
streamlined permitting without compromising
environmental and transparency standards;
(B) supporting investment in deep sea science,
mapping, and technology;
(C) enhancing coordination among executive
departments and agencies with respect to seabed mineral
development activities described in this Act;
(D) establishing the United States as a global
leader in responsible seabed mineral exploration,
development technologies, and practices, and as a
partner for countries developing seabed mineral
resources in areas within their national jurisdictions,
including their exclusive economic zones;
(E) creating a robust domestic supply chain for
critical minerals derived from seabed mineral resources
to support economic growth, reindustrialization, and
military preparedness, including through new processing
capabilities; and
(F) strengthening partnerships with allies and
industry to counter the growing influence of China over
seabed mineral resources, and to ensure that United
States companies are well-positioned to support allies
and partners interested in developing seabed minerals
responsibly in areas within their national
jurisdictions, including their exclusive economic
zones.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Commercial recovery.--The term ``commercial recovery''
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Deep Seabed
Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 U.S.C. 1403).
(2) Critical mineral.--The term ``critical mineral'' has
the meaning given the term in section 7002(a) of the Energy Act
of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606(a)).
(3) Exploration.--The term ``exploration'' has the meaning
given the term in section 4 of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral
Resources Act (30 U.S.C. 1403).
(4) Lease.--The term ``lease'' has the meaning given the
term in section 2 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43
U.S.C. 1331).
(5) Mineral.--The term ``mineral'' means--
(A) a critical mineral;
(B) uranium;
(C) copper;
(D) potash;
(E) gold; and
(F) any other element or compound that the Chair of
the National Energy Dominance Council determines
appropriate.
(6) Outer continental shelf.--The term ``outer Continental
Shelf'' has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331).
(7) Processing.--The term ``processing'' includes the
concentration, separation, refinement, alloying, and conversion
of minerals into usable forms.
(8) Prospecting.--The term ``prospecting'' has the meaning
given the term ``geological and geophysical (G&G) prospecting
activities'' in section 580.1 of title 30, Code of Federal
Regulations (or a successor regulation).
(9) Seabed mineral resource.--The term ``seabed mineral
resource'' means a mineral-bearing material located in the
seabed of the outer Continental Shelf, including--
(A) a polymetallic nodule;
(B) a cobalt-rich ferromanganese crust;
(C) a polymetallic sulfide;
(D) a heavy mineral sand; and
(E) a phosphorite.
(10) United states company.--The term ``United States
company'' has the meaning given the term ``United States
citizen'' in section 4 of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral
Resources Act (30 U.S.C. 1403).
SEC. 4. STRATEGIC SEABED CRITICAL MINERAL ACCESS.
(a) Expediting Issuance of Certain Authorizations.--
(1) Deep seabed hard mineral resources act.--Not later than
60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary
of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in consultation with
the Secretary of State and Secretary of the Interior, acting
through the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
shall--
(A) expedite the process for reviewing and issuing
licenses for exploration and permits for commercial
recovery under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources
Act (30 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.); and
(B) carry out subparagraph (A) in a manner ensuring
efficiency, predictability, and competitiveness for
United States companies.
(2) Outer continental shelf lands act.--Not later than 60
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
the Interior shall--
(A) establish an expedited process for reviewing
and approving permits for prospecting and granting
leases under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43
U.S.C. 1331 et seq.); and
(B) carry out subparagraph (A) in a manner ensuring
efficiency, predictability, and competitiveness for
United States companies.
(b) Seabed Mapping Plan.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation
with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce, and the heads
of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, and in cooperation
with commercial and other nongovernmental organizations, shall develop
a plan to map priority areas of the seabed and outer Continental Shelf
of the United States, to include extended areas of the outer
Continental Shelf, such as those with abundant or accessible seabed
mineral resources, to accelerate data collection and characterization.
(c) Identification of Certain Critical Minerals.--Not later than 60
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the
Interior shall--
(1) identify critical minerals that may be derived from
seabed mineral resources; and
(2) in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and
Secretary of Energy, determine which critical minerals derived
from seabed mineral resources are essential for applications
such as defense infrastructure, manufacturing, and energy.
(d) Engagement With Key Partners and Allies.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in
coordination with the Secretary of State, Secretary of the
Interior, and Secretary of Energy, shall engage with key
partners and allies to offer support for seabed mineral
resource exploration, extraction, processing, and environmental
monitoring in areas within the jurisdictions of such key
partners and allies, including by--
(A) seeking scientific collaboration and commercial
development opportunities for United States companies;
and
(B) developing a prioritized list of foreign
countries for engagement.
(2) Key partner or ally determination.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary of State shall
determine whether an entity is a key partner or ally
for the purposes of paragraph (1) based on several
factors, including--
(i) existing agreements with the United
States;
(ii) alignment with strategic interests of
the United States; and
(iii) participation in joint initiatives.
(B) Notification.--The Secretary of State shall
notify the Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of the
Interior, and Secretary of Energy of any determination
made under subparagraph (A).
(e) Reports.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of
this Act--
(1) the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the
Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Energy, and in
consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal
departments and agencies, shall submit to the Committees on
Energy and Natural Resources and Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Natural
Resources of the House of Representatives a report that
identifies private sector interest in and opportunities for
seabed mineral resource exploration and mining on the outer
Continental Shelf, in areas beyond national jurisdiction, and
in areas within the jurisdiction of a foreign country that
expresses interest in partnering with United States companies
with respect to seabed mineral resource development; and
(2) the Secretary of the Interior, jointly with the
Secretary of State, Secretary of Commerce, and Secretary of
Energy, shall submit to the Committees on Energy and Natural
Resources and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives a report regarding the feasibility of an
international benefit-sharing mechanism for seabed mineral
resource extraction and development that occurs in an area
beyond the jurisdiction of any country.
(f) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in this Act--
(1) impairs or otherwise affects the authority granted by
law to any executive department or agency; or
(2) creates any right or benefit, substantive or
procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party
against the United States, any department, agency, or entity of
the United States, any officer, employee, or agent of the
United States, or any other person.
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