DENVER-The U.S. Senate has voted to pass a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution targeting the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Miles City Field Office in Montana (HJ Res. 104/SJ Res 61).
The Senate is expected to vote later this week on CRA resolutions targeting the North Dakota Field Office RMP (HJ Res. 105/SJ Res 62) and the Central Yukon RMP (HJ Res. 106/SJ Res 63). The House of Representatives voted on September 3 to pass all three resolutions.
RMPs provide the foundation for stability and order on America's public lands and determine how millions of acres are managed for energy, recreation, and conservation. These plans were never treated as “rules” under the CRA, and approving CRA resolutions repealing these plans breaks decades of precedent and creates chaos throughout the nation’s public lands system.
Using the CRA for RMPs in this way casts doubt on the legitimacy of every RMP adopted since the CRA's passage in 1996 and throws the management of hundreds of millions of acres of public lands into chaos. Companies could have their mining and drilling leases invalidated, ranchers could have their grazing permits revoked, habitat restoration projects could be halted, and public access across the West could be disrupted. Millions of acres of oil and gas leases could be reversed, and the resulting flood of lawsuits would create legal uncertainty for ranchers, energy producers and communities across the West.
The Center for Western Priorities released the following statement from Political Director Rachael Hamby:
“This vote is a power grab by a pro-fossil fuel majority in Congress that is likely to backfire spectacularly. By using the Congressional Review Act in this way, Congress is opening a Pandora's Box of public lands and throwing millions of acres of land into chaos. Ironically, thanks to this vote, oil and gas companies could lose thousands Leasing permits will be revoked.”
“No one knows what will happen next, and it will likely be the courts, not Congress, who ultimately decide. At a time when families are already struggling with high energy costs and a government shutdown, Congress should focus on stability, not on creating more chaos.”
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Feature image: Senate Day, Oct. 8, 2025; Screenshot from Senate.gov
Correction: Our previous statement incorrectly stated that the Senate also voted on CRA resolutions targeting the North Dakota Field Office RMP (HJ Res. 105/SJ Res 62) and the Central Yukon RMP (HJ Res. 106/SJ Res 63).