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Congress·In Progress·3 months ago

North Dakota Public Land Management: Overturning Federal Land Use Rules

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
✓ Review
✓ House

215–211

Senate
President

Key Points

  • Congress passed a resolution to cancel a specific plan created by the Bureau of Land Management for federal lands in North Dakota. This plan originally set the rules for how millions of acres of underground minerals and hundreds of thousands of acres of surface land would be used for activities like energy drilling and cattle grazing.
  • By blocking this plan, Congress is stopping new federal restrictions or guidelines that were finalized in early 2025. This means the Bureau of Land Management cannot move forward with the specific environmental or land-use rules they had designed for the region.
  • This action mostly affects energy companies, ranchers, and conservation groups in North Dakota who use or protect federal land. It removes the new set of requirements they were expected to follow, which may allow for more flexible land use or require the agency to start the planning process all over again.
  • The resolution uses a special legal power that allows Congress to overrule actions taken by government agencies. Because this passed, the Bureau of Land Management is also generally banned from making a similar rule in the future unless Congress passes a new law specifically allowing it.

Milestones

12 milestones25 actions
Dec 11, 2025

Became Public Law No: 119-49.

Dec 11, 2025

Became Public Law No: 119-49.

Dec 11, 2025

Signed by President.

Dec 11, 2025

Signed by President.

Dec 1, 2025House

Presented to President.

Vote Results

3 votes
SenatePassedProceduralOct 8, 2025

On the Motion to Proceed

51
47
Democrat
0 – 45
Republican
51 – 0 · 2
Independent
0 – 2
View full roll call
SenatePassedOct 8, 2025

On the Joint Resolution

50
45
Democrat
0 – 43 · 2
Republican
50 – 0 · 3
Independent
0 – 2
View full roll call
HousePassedPassageSep 3, 2025

On Passage

215
211
Democrat
0 – 210 · 2
Republican
215 – 1 · 3
View full roll call

Related News

14 articles
Associated Press·5 months ago

Republicans vote to roll back Biden-era restrictions on mining and drilling in 3 Western states

AP reports Congress used the Congressional Review Act to repeal BLM land plans in Alaska, Montana and North Dakota, with the North Dakota plan among those rolled back.

C=
Associated Press·6 months ago

Republicans move to lift drilling and mining restrictions in Western states

House Republicans passed CRA resolutions to overturn BLM resource management plans, including North Dakota’s, arguing the Biden-era plans limited energy development.

C=
Roll Call·4 months ago

Congress leads reversal of land use rules amid BLM director questions

Roll Call details Congress clearing CRA resolutions to vacate BLM resource management plans in North Dakota, Montana and Alaska, sending the measures to the president.

C=

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to "North Dakota Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan".

Bill NumberHJRES 105
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionPresented to President.

Sponsor

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.