Sponsors (4)
The bill seeks to secure domestic critical-mineral supplies, create jobs, and strengthen alliances by accelerating seabed mining and clarifying legal frameworks, but it does so by shortening environmental review, expanding authority, and increasing taxpayer exposure and geopolitical risk.
U.S. manufacturers, miners, and energy workers gain jobs and improved competitiveness as faster permitting and support build domestic seabed mining, processing, and supply-chain capacity for critical minerals.
The United States reduces reliance on foreign adversaries for critical minerals used in defense and clean-energy technologies, strengthening national security and resilience of defense supply chains.
Improved seabed and OCS mapping and accelerated data collection provide better information for planners and researchers, supporting safer development decisions and scientific understanding of the deep sea.
Marine ecosystems, fisheries, and coastal communities face heightened risk because expedited permitting and clearer definitions could enable faster seabed extraction with reduced environmental review.
Taxpayers may incur higher federal costs from subsidies, leasing, monitoring, and potential liabilities tied to building domestic seabed mining capacity or supporting partner projects abroad.
Emphasizing competition with China and supporting foreign partner projects could increase geopolitical tensions and expose U.S. resources and taxpayers to diplomatic or economic retaliation.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Directs federal agencies to expedite seabed mineral permitting, map offshore areas, identify critical seabed minerals, and coordinate with allies to build a domestic supply chain.
Introduced September 18, 2025 by Timothy Patrick Sheehy · Last progress September 18, 2025
Accelerates U.S. development and use of offshore seabed critical minerals by directing federal agencies to speed permitting and leasing, map priority offshore areas, define and identify seabed minerals and processing activities, engage allies, and deliver reports to Congress. It sets 60-day deadlines for agency actions to improve efficiency, competitiveness, and coordination while stating policy goals to build a domestic supply chain and counter foreign influence. The bill clarifies definitions tied to existing seabed and outer continental shelf laws, requires interagency planning for mapping and resource identification, and orders diplomatic engagement and feasibility studies on international benefit-sharing, all while preserving existing agency authorities and environmental and transparency standards.