A house committee must act next: committee consideration.
Legislative Progress
House
Senate
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Law
Key Points
Rep. Hageman introduced a bill to change how coal companies pay the federal government for the right to mine on public land. These costs, known as "bonus payments," are the prices companies bid to win a lease.
Under this plan, companies would pay their bid amount in 10 equal parts over 10 years. The very first payment would be due at the same time the company submits its bid for the land.
This policy aims to help coal businesses by letting them keep more cash on hand while they get their mining operations started. It moves away from requiring large, immediate payments that can be hard for companies to afford upfront.
This change mostly affects mining companies operating in states with lots of federal land, such as Wyoming and Montana. By making the payments more manageable, the bill could lead to more companies bidding on federal coal projects.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
4 milestones4 actions
Mar 25, 2026House
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Mar 18, 2026House
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Mar 9, 2026House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Mar 9, 2026
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
