119-SJRES-89 Journalist Public Summary

Headline Summary

A short resolution that would use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to void a Bureau of Land Management plan for Wyoming’s Buffalo Field Office that stopped new federal coal leasing. [1]Library of Congress — S.J.Res.89 — 119th Congress (2025–2026) | Congress.gov[2]Bureau of Land Management — Notice of Availability — Buffalo Field Office ROD a…

What It Does

S.J.Res. 89 would overturn BLM’s Buffalo Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment, signed on November 20, 2024. That plan made roughly 48.12 billion short tons of coal off-limits for future leasing and paused acceptance of new coal-lease applications through 2038, while allowing existing leases to continue under their terms. GAO has determined the plan is a “rule” under the CRA, which lets Congress nullify it; if a CRA disapproval becomes law, agencies are barred from issuing a rule in “substantially the same” form unless Congress later authorizes it. [2]Bureau of Land Management — Notice of Availability — Buffalo Field Office ROD a…[3]Library of Congress — Congressional Record excerpt printing GAO decision on Buf…[4]U.S. Government Accountability Office — GAO Decision B-337503 — CRA applicabili…[5]Congressional Research Service — The Congressional Review Act (CRA): Frequently…

Who’s For It

• Wyoming’s congressional delegation (Sen. Cynthia Lummis, Sen. John Barrasso, Rep. Harriet Hageman) — say the BLM plan threatens jobs, local revenues (like school funding), and grid reliability; they frame the CRA as restoring “multiple use” of public lands. [6]Sen. Cynthia Lummis — Lummis press release: Wyoming delegation introduces CRA t…[7]Sen. John Barrasso — Barrasso press release: WY Delegation blasts BLM Wyoming c…
• Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon and Campbell County officials — back the resolution as protecting a key regional industry and “baseload” energy. [6]Sen. Cynthia Lummis — Lummis press release: Wyoming delegation introduces CRA t…
• National Mining Association — supports the measure as enabling responsible development on federal lands and meeting energy/mineral demand. [6]Sen. Cynthia Lummis — Lummis press release: Wyoming delegation introduces CRA t…

Who’s Against It

• Environmental and conservation groups (e.g., Sierra Club, Western Organization of Resource Councils and partners) — supported BLM’s no‑new‑leasing decision on climate and public‑health grounds and oppose efforts to reverse it. [8]Sierra Club — Press release: Biden administration to end coal leasing in Powder…[9]Sierra Club — Press release: Legal intervention defends PRB coal-leasing decisi…
• Many Democrats — have generally backed BLM’s move to end new coal leasing in the Powder River Basin as a climate measure and criticized attempts to roll it back. [10]Associated Press — AP: US proposes ending new federal leases in nation’s bigges…[11]Reuters — Reuters: U.S. proposes end to federal coal leasing in Wyoming Powder…
• BLM’s stated rationale — the plan was adopted after court-ordered review and was intended, in part, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; overturning it would undo that policy direction. [3]Library of Congress — Congressional Record excerpt printing GAO decision on Buf…

What’s Next

As of October 8, 2025, the resolution was introduced and referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. A companion measure was introduced in the House the same day. For it to take effect, both chambers must pass it and the President must sign it (or a veto be overridden). Under the CRA, such a disapproval would void the plan and bar issuing a substantially similar rule without new authorization from Congress. [1]Library of Congress — S.J.Res.89 — 119th Congress (2025–2026) | Congress.gov[12]Library of Congress — Text — H.J.Res.130 (House companion) | Congress.gov[5]Congressional Research Service — The Congressional Review Act (CRA): Frequently…