Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to Public Land Order No. 7917 for Withdrawal of Federal Lands; Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties, MN.
What does the HJRES 140 do?
HJRES 140 is a House joint resolution sponsored by Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN). In 2023, the Bureau of Land Management blocked mineral mining and geothermal drilling on 225,504 acres of National Forest land in Minnesota — including land bordering the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the 1854 Ceded Territory of the Lake Superior Chippewa — for 20 years to protect the watershed. This joint resolution, signed into law under the Congressional Review Act, cancels that protection and reopens the land for mineral and geothermal leasing.
Did HJRES 140 pass? Where it stands
As of July 17, 2026, HJRES 140 has been signed into law on April 27, 2026.
Status: Signed into Law
Latest vote: Senate Joint Resolution Passed 50–49 on April 16, 2026
Outlook: Enacted
Enacted: Signed into law on April 27, 2026
Key provisions
- Mining Ban Reversed
- 225,504 acres of Minnesota National Forest reopened for mineral and geothermal leasing
- Nullifies a 2023 BLM order that had barred mining for 20 years
- What Was Protected
- Land borders the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the 1854 Ceded Territory of the Lake Superior Chippewa
- Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties, MN — Rainy River Watershed included
Last updated June 10, 2026