Analyses / Procedural Viability Check / 119 · S 1363 Procedural Viability Check

119-S-1363 DC Insider Procedural Viability Check

119 · S 1363 New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act

park Public Lands and Natural Resources
New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination ActThis bill directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service to enter a memorandum of...
Procedural read

S.1363 is a narrow, Senate-origin public-lands process bill with agency support and a House companion; it received a PLFM subcommittee hearing on December 2, 2025, under a GOP-run ENR, making it a credible add-in for a 2026 lands package; composite score: 3/5. [1]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee Hear…[2]Congress.gov — S.1363 — 119th Congress: New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historic…[3]Congress.gov — H.R.2785 — 119th Congress: New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Histor…[4]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — Lee, Heinrich Announce ENR Subcommittee Assignments…[5]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — BLM testimony: Jon Raby, SENR PLFM Legislative Hear…

3/5
Composite viability
2026Q2–Q3
Earliest realistic window (Senate package)
Analyzed as
DC Insider
Published
04 Dec 2025
Updated
04 Dec 2025
Tags
viability · Senate ENR · public lands
Unvetted
01 · Section

Bottom line

Composite viability score: 3/5. Rationale: It’s Senate-origin and now vetted in the ENR Public Lands, Forests, and Mining (PLFM) Subcommittee; both BLM and the Forest Service signaled support/no objection, which lowers friction. The likely path is as a rider in a broader bipartisan lands package rather than stand‑alone floor time. [1]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee Hear…[5]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — BLM testimony: Jon Raby, SENR PLFM Legislative Hear…[6]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — USDA Forest Service testimony: Christopher French,…

02 · Section

Rubric assessment (procedural viability)

Factor Assessment Viability signal
Chamber of Origin Senate bill by Sen. Luján; House companion exists (Rep. Leger Fernandez). That bicameral pairing is the right setup for a lands package. [2]Congress.gov — S.1363 — 119th Congress: New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historic…[3]Congress.gov — H.R.2785 — 119th Congress: New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Histor… ↑
Vehicle Type Authorizing/process bill; clean, localized. Best as an add‑on to a public‑lands package coming out of ENR. The December 2 docket grouped 20+ lands/wildfire items—classic packaging posture. [1]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee Hear… ↑
Senate Threshold Not reconciliation‑eligible; needs 60 or UC. Majority Leader Thune has committed to preserving the 60‑vote filibuster, so package strategy is preferred. Agency backing helps UC. [7]Senate Republican Leader — Thune Delivers First Remarks as Senate Majority Lead…[5]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — BLM testimony: Jon Raby, SENR PLFM Legislative Hear… ↔
Committee Path In ENR; Chair Mike Lee, Ranking Heinrich; PLFM chaired by Barrasso with Cortez Masto as RM. Bill received a PLFM hearing—good traction. [8]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — Heinrich, Lee Announce Subcommittee Assignments for…[4]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — Lee, Heinrich Announce ENR Subcommittee Assignments…[1]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee Hear… ↑
Must‑Pass Potential Natural rider to an ENR lands bundle; low odds to claim floor time alone; plausible hitch to year‑end lands package more than NDAA. The hearing slate supports a package. [1]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee Hear… ↔/↑
Budget Scorekeeping Congress.gov shows no CBO estimate posted; direction is largely MOUs/coordination—minimal direct spend expected. Neutral score risk. [2]Congress.gov — S.1363 — 119th Congress: New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historic… ↑
Calendar Math First‑session hearing held Dec 2, 2025; realistic movement is early–mid 2026 markup/bundle. Stand‑alone this month is unlikely. [1]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee Hear… ↔
03 · Section

Expected path to passage

  1. Senate: One more step is a PLFM→full ENR markup to tee it up for inclusion in an ENR lands package. Chairman Lee and Subcommittee Chairman Barrasso have the gate; NM delegation (Heinrich/Luján) provide cross‑aisle lift. [8]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — Heinrich, Lee Announce Subcommittee Assignments for…[4]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — Lee, Heinrich Announce ENR Subcommittee Assignments…
  2. Floor: Package or UC route; with Thune protecting the 60‑vote rule, hitching to a non‑controversial lands bundle is the practical play. [7]Senate Republican Leader — Thune Delivers First Remarks as Senate Majority Lead…
  3. House: Route is HNR (Chair Westerman) → suspension calendar if uncontroversial. The existence of H.R. 2785 greases bicameral alignment. [9]Congress.gov — H.Res.13 (119th Congress): Electing Members to certain standing…[3]Congress.gov — H.R.2785 — 119th Congress: New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Histor…
  4. Executive: No veto posture risk; DOI/USDA testimony signals administrative comfort with the framework. [5]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — BLM testimony: Jon Raby, SENR PLFM Legislative Hear…[6]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — USDA Forest Service testimony: Christopher French,…
04 · Section

What helps

  • Agency posture: BLM “no objection”; USFS “supports” — lets ENR staff clear concerns quickly or adopt a manager’s tweak. [5]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — BLM testimony: Jon Raby, SENR PLFM Legislative Hear…[6]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — USDA Forest Service testimony: Christopher French,…
  • Local scope: New‑Mexico‑specific, noncommercial traditional uses; low national salience reduces floor‑time friction. [10]Web search · turn 0 #4
  • Hearing placement: Slotted on a crowded PLFM docket, signaling staff intent to assemble a package. [1]U.S. Senate ENR Committee — Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee Hear…
05 · Section

Risks and watch items

06 · Section

Immediate tactical to‑dos

07 · Section

Score and timing

Composite viability
3/5
Earliest realistic window (Senate package)
2026Q2–Q3
Sources cited
  1. [1] Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee Hearing to Receive Testimony on Pending Legislation U.S. Senate ENR Committee
  2. [2] S.1363 — 119th Congress: New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act Congress.gov
  3. [3] H.R.2785 — 119th Congress: New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act (House companion) Congress.gov
  4. [4] Lee, Heinrich Announce ENR Subcommittee Assignments (119th Congress) U.S. Senate ENR Committee
  5. [5] BLM testimony: Jon Raby, SENR PLFM Legislative Hearing (Dec. 2, 2025) U.S. Senate ENR Committee
  6. [6] USDA Forest Service testimony: Christopher French, SENR PLFM Hearing (Dec. 2, 2025) U.S. Senate ENR Committee
  7. [7] Thune Delivers First Remarks as Senate Majority Leader Senate Republican Leader
  8. [8] Heinrich, Lee Announce Subcommittee Assignments for 119th Congress U.S. Senate ENR Committee
  9. [9] H.Res.13 (119th Congress): Electing Members to certain standing committees (committee chairs) Congress.gov
  10. [10] Web search · turn 0 #4

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