# H.R. 1501 (119th): Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025

Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025 This bill provides statutory authority for federal agencies to expedite the environmental review of certain mining infrastructure projects. Specifically, the bill permanently makes certain mining infrastructure projects eligible for expedited environmental review under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act). This provides statutory authority for similar authorities that were included in the rule titled Adding Mining as a Sector of Projects Eligible for Coverage Under Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act and issued by the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) on January 8, 2021. The bill also prohibits the Permitting Council from finalizing its proposed rule titled Revising Scope of the Mining Sector of Projects That Are Eligible for Coverage Under Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act and issued on September 22, 2023. Among other modifications, the rule proposes to limit the types of mining projects that are eligible for the expedited environmental review process. Specifically, the proposed rule limits the expedited process to critical minerals mining projects.

## How this bill is scored

Tier: no Tier 1 record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Lane: appropriations. Category: corruption_stewardship. Lane tag: general equity.
Lane: critical_minerals. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: environmental_review. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: mining_permitting. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: resource_development. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: resource_management. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Tier 1 sign-off: no record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Stored polarity: mixed. Only tags the rules mark scoreable on a mixed bill are scored. A yea can draw a penalty or a credit according to the tag. A nay on a tag scored as good can draw a penalty.
Roll 294: On Passage. Vote type: final_passage.
Polarity rationale: Reviewed enrichment (llm_import) polarity: The measure combines ordinary, prudential goods (predictable permitting, faster review of infrastructure, possible support for critical minerals supply) with legitimate environmental and community concerns about weakening or accelerating review. It does not directly advance or restrain a named moral evil, so it fits the mixed category rather than good or evil.
Theological note: Relevant to stewardship of creation and due care for land, water, and nearby communities, weighed against the value of orderly development and reasonable permitting timelines. The issue turns on prudent balance in environmental review rather than on a clear direct moral harm in the text.

## Recorded votes

Roll 294: On Passage. Yea 218 · Nay 201 · Other 14.

HTML: https://justmeasure.org/bill/hr-1501-119/