Analyses / Whip Count Analysis / 119 · HR 1043 Whip Count Analysis

119-HR-1043 DC Insider Whip Count Analysis

119 · HR 1043 La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act

park Public Lands and Natural Resources
La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation ActThis bill directs the Department of the Interior, after receiving a request from La Paz County, Arizona, to convey approximately 3,400 acres of...

H.R. 1043 cleared the House on July 21 by voice under suspension and cleared the Senate on December 16 by voice after ENR was discharged by unanimous consent; the bill is now on the President’s desk. Unified GOP control, leadership-facilitated fast‑track in both chambers, and visible Arizona/tribal backing make enactment highly likely. [1]govinfo (GPO) — Congressional Record (House) — July 21, 2025: La Paz County Sol…[2]Congress.gov — Congressional Record (Senate) — December 16, 2025: ENR discharge…[3]U.S. Senate — U.S. Senate — Party Division page (119th Congress: Republicans in…[4]Office of Sen. John Thune — Sen. John Thune — First remarks as Senate Majority…[5]U.S. Senate (Office of Sen. Gallego) — Sen. Ruben Gallego — Press release: Gall…

Analyzed as
DC Insider
Published
18 Dec 2025
Updated
18 Dec 2025
Tags
whip count · public lands · Arizona
Unvetted
01 · Section

Breakdown: where the votes are

Context: The bill is a narrow BLM land conveyance (≈3,400 acres) to La Paz County conditioned on cultural-resource protections; it moved on fast‑track procedures in both chambers, signaling broad bipartisan comfort. [6]Congress.gov — Congress.gov — H.R. 1043 text and latest action: Passed Senate 1…

  • House: Passed on July 21, 2025 by voice vote under suspension of the rules (2/3 threshold), following Natural Resources reporting the bill by UC; floor manager was sponsor Rep. Paul Gosar. This procedure indicates leadership support and minimal organized opposition. [1]govinfo (GPO) — Congressional Record (House) — July 21, 2025: La Paz County Sol…[7]Congress.gov — Congress.gov — H.R. 1043: All actions (House suspension, committ…
  • Senate: On December 16, 2025, the Energy & Natural Resources Committee was discharged by unanimous consent and the bill passed the Senate by voice vote—no recorded objections. [2]Congress.gov — Congressional Record (Senate) — December 16, 2025: ENR discharge…
  • Substance: Conveys ≈3,400 acres at fair‑market value; excludes lands with significant cultural/environmental resources; requires coordination with the Colorado River Indian Tribes’ THPO and allows reburial of unearthed artifacts. [6]Congress.gov — Congress.gov — H.R. 1043 text and latest action: Passed Senate 1…
  • Partisan alignment: Movement under suspension (House) and UC/voice vote (Senate) reflects bipartisan land‑package consensus politics rather than ideological conflict; no roll‑call dissent is recorded. [7]Congress.gov — Congress.gov — H.R. 1043: All actions (House suspension, committ…[2]Congress.gov — Congressional Record (Senate) — December 16, 2025: ENR discharge…
House passage
2025Jul 21 (voice; suspension)
Senate passage
2025Dec 16 (voice; UC discharge)
Acreage conveyed
3400acres (approx.)
Status
1To President (enrolled)
02 · Section

Key legislators and pivot points

With both chambers cleared, the relevant “swing” was procedural: gatekeepers who decide whether/when to use fast‑track. Arizona delegation backing also neutralized regional friction.

  • Rep. Paul Gosar (R‑AZ) — sponsor; managed House floor under suspension. His regional ownership plus coordination with county/tribal stakeholders reduced friction. [8]Web search · turn 0 #0[1]govinfo (GPO) — Congressional Record (House) — July 21, 2025: La Paz County Sol…
  • House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R‑AR) — advanced the bill; committee reported by unanimous consent, a key predicate for suspension. [7]Congress.gov — Congress.gov — H.R. 1043: All actions (House suspension, committ…[9]House Committee on Natural Resources — House Natural Resources Committee — Chai…
  • Senate ENR Chair Mike Lee (R‑UT) and Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D‑NM) — committee was ultimately discharged by UC; leadership and committee cooperation enabled the same‑day voice passage. [10]U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources — Senate Energy & Natural R…[2]Congress.gov — Congressional Record (Senate) — December 16, 2025: ENR discharge…
  • Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly (D) and Ruben Gallego (D) — publicly supportive and co‑led a companion, highlighting cross‑party Arizona alignment and including CRIT‑backed cultural‑resource protections. [11]U.S. Senate (Office of Sen. Mark Kelly) — Sen. Mark Kelly — Press release: Kell…[12]Web search · turn 8 #6
  • Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) & La Paz County — on‑record support for the framework; County touts jobs/solar build‑out, CRIT underscores protections. This stakeholder alignment blunts environmental/tribal objections that often sink conveyances. [5]U.S. Senate (Office of Sen. Gallego) — Sen. Ruben Gallego — Press release: Gall…[13]Web search · turn 7 #4
03 · Section

Leadership influence and procedural dynamics

Unified GOP control and leaders’ floor management choices were decisive.

  • Senate: Republicans hold the majority; Majority Leader John Thune controls the floor and packaged a slate of public‑lands bills for UC passage on Dec 16, including H.R. 1043. UC + voice vote reflects cross‑caucus buy‑in and time protection. [3]U.S. Senate — U.S. Senate — Party Division page (119th Congress: Republicans in…[4]Office of Sen. John Thune — Sen. John Thune — First remarks as Senate Majority…[2]Congress.gov — Congressional Record (Senate) — December 16, 2025: ENR discharge…
  • House: Republicans hold a narrow majority; Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise routinely route consensus items through suspension to conserve floor time. H.R. 1043 followed that track. [14]PBS NewsHour / Associated Press — PBS/AP — Mike Johnson reelected House Speaker…[15]House Republican Majority Leader — House Majority Leader site — MajorityLeader.…[7]Congress.gov — Congress.gov — H.R. 1043: All actions (House suspension, committ…
  • Committee leverage: House Natural Resources’ unanimous consent report and Senate ENR’s willingness to be discharged minimized amendment risk and expedited enrollment. [7]Congress.gov — Congress.gov — H.R. 1043: All actions (House suspension, committ…[2]Congress.gov — Congressional Record (Senate) — December 16, 2025: ENR discharge…
04 · Section

Assessment: likelihood of enactment

Bottom line: The votes are done; only the signature remains.

  • Probability of presidential signature: High. It is a locally driven, bipartisan conveyance with explicit cultural‑resource safeguards, cleared both chambers on voice votes, and arrives under unified Republican government with an Arizona GOP House sponsor. [6]Congress.gov — Congress.gov — H.R. 1043 text and latest action: Passed Senate 1…[2]Congress.gov — Congressional Record (Senate) — December 16, 2025: ENR discharge…[8]Web search · turn 0 #0
  • Timing: Enrollment typically moves quickly after voice passage; expect presentation and signature in the near term absent unforeseen holds. The bill’s Senate consideration already used a UC clearance, another sign of low controversy. [2]Congress.gov — Congressional Record (Senate) — December 16, 2025: ENR discharge…
05 · Section

Sourcing notes

Key public records and leadership/committee sources underpin this whip analysis.

  • Congress.gov bill text and latest action (House and Senate voice passages; status to President). [6]Congress.gov — Congress.gov — H.R. 1043 text and latest action: Passed Senate 1…
  • Congressional Record: House floor (July 21, 2025) and Senate UC package (Dec 16, 2025). [1]govinfo (GPO) — Congressional Record (House) — July 21, 2025: La Paz County Sol…[2]Congress.gov — Congressional Record (Senate) — December 16, 2025: ENR discharge…
  • Chamber control and leaders (Senate GOP majority; Thune as Majority Leader; House GOP control; Johnson/Scalise leadership operations). [3]U.S. Senate — U.S. Senate — Party Division page (119th Congress: Republicans in…[4]Office of Sen. John Thune — Sen. John Thune — First remarks as Senate Majority…[14]PBS NewsHour / Associated Press — PBS/AP — Mike Johnson reelected House Speaker…[15]House Republican Majority Leader — House Majority Leader site — MajorityLeader.…
  • Committee chairs/jurisdiction (House Natural Resources; Senate ENR). [9]House Committee on Natural Resources — House Natural Resources Committee — Chai…[10]U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources — Senate Energy & Natural R…
  • Stakeholder support (La Paz County & CRIT statements; companion effort by AZ senators). [5]U.S. Senate (Office of Sen. Gallego) — Sen. Ruben Gallego — Press release: Gall…[11]U.S. Senate (Office of Sen. Mark Kelly) — Sen. Mark Kelly — Press release: Kell…
Sources cited
  1. [1] Congressional Record (House) — July 21, 2025: La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act considered under suspension govinfo (GPO)
  2. [2] Congressional Record (Senate) — December 16, 2025: ENR discharged and H.R. 1043 passed by voice vote Congress.gov
  3. [3] U.S. Senate — Party Division page (119th Congress: Republicans in majority) U.S. Senate
  4. [4] Sen. John Thune — First remarks as Senate Majority Leader (press release) Office of Sen. John Thune
  5. [5] Sen. Ruben Gallego — Press release: Gallego, Kelly introduce La Paz County bill; quotes from CRIT and La Paz County U.S. Senate (Office of Sen. Gallego)
  6. [6] Congress.gov — H.R. 1043 text and latest action: Passed Senate 12/16/2025 by voice vote Congress.gov
  7. [7] Congress.gov — H.R. 1043: All actions (House suspension, committee report/UC) Congress.gov
  8. [8] Web search · turn 0 #0
  9. [9] House Natural Resources Committee — Chairman Bruce Westerman (committee page) House Committee on Natural Resources
  10. [10] Senate Energy & Natural Resources — 119th Congress organization (chair/ranking; subcommittees) U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources
  11. [11] Sen. Mark Kelly — Press release: Kelly, Gallego introduce La Paz County bill; project/jobs details U.S. Senate (Office of Sen. Mark Kelly)
  12. [12] Web search · turn 8 #6
  13. [13] Web search · turn 7 #4
  14. [14] PBS/AP — Mike Johnson reelected House Speaker on Jan. 3, 2025 PBS NewsHour / Associated Press
  15. [15] House Majority Leader site — MajorityLeader.gov (Steve Scalise) recent updates House Republican Majority Leader

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