IB 

Union Calendar No. 677 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7375 

[Report No. 118–830] 

To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to improve the assessment of expression 

of interest fees, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 15, 2024 

Ms. HAGEMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Natural Resources 

DECEMBER 10, 2024 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 15, 2024] 


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•HR 7375 RH

A BILL 

To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to improve the assessment of expression of interest fees, and for other purposes. 


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•HR 7375 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Expression of Interest 

5 Sensibility Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FEE FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST. 

7 (a) DEADLINE TO ISSUE LEASE.—Section 17(b)(1)(A) 

8 of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(b)(1)(A)) is 

9 amended by striking ‘‘the remainder of the bonus bid, if 

10 any,’’ and inserting ‘‘, as applicable, the remainder of the 

11 bonus bid, the fee for the expression of interest under sub12 section (q)(2)(B),’’. 

13 (b) EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST.—Section 17(q) of the 

14 Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(q)) is amended— 

15 (1) in the heading, by striking ‘‘FEE FOR’’; 

16 (2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para17 graph (3); 

18 (3) by amending paragraph (1) to read as fol19 lows: 

20 ‘‘(1) SUBMISSION OF EXPRESSION OF INTER21 EST.—A person may, in accordance with procedures 

22 established by the Secretary to carry out this sub23 section, submit an expression of interest in leasing 

24 land available for disposition under this section for 

25 exploration for, and development of, oil or gas. 


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•HR 7375 RH

1 ‘‘(2) ASSESSMENT OF FEES.— 

2 ‘‘(A) NO BID.—If land covered by an ex3 pression of interest submitted under paragraph 

4 (1) is offered at a lease sale and no bid is re5 ceived for such land, the Secretary shall assess at 

6 the time of the sale a fee for the expression of in7 terest against the person that submitted the first 

8 expression of interest for the land. 

9 ‘‘(B) SUCCESSFUL BID.—If land covered by 

10 an expression of interest submitted under para11 graph (1) receives a successful bid at a lease sale, 

12 the Secretary shall assess a fee for the expression 

13 of interest against the successful bidder.’’; 

14 (4) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, by 

15 striking ‘‘paragraph (1)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph 

16 (2)’’; and 

17 (5) by adding at the end the following: 

18 ‘‘(4) TERM.—An expression of interest submitted 

19 under this section shall remain active for a term of 

20 not less than 5 years unless the land covered by the 

21 expression of interest is offered at a lease sale.’’. 


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Union Calendar No. 677 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7375 

[Report No. 118–830] 

A BILL 

To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to improve the 

other purposes. assessment of expression of interest fees, and for 

DECEMBER 10, 2024 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


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