To unleash America's offshore critical minerals and resources.

H.R. 4018, introduced in the 119th Congress, aims to accelerate and expand U.S. access to offshore seabed minerals and related resources. It seeks to fast-track authorization and permitting processes for exploration and commercial recovery under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, while also directing a proactive plan to map seabed priority areas and identify which minerals can be derived from seabed resources. The bill emphasizes building domestic capability, processing capacity, and a robust supply chain for critical minerals—key for national security, defense, energy, and industrial sectors—through streamlined permitting, enhanced interagency coordination, and international partnership efforts. It also requires reports on private-sector interest, potential international benefit-sharing mechanisms, and the feasibility of sharing seabed resources beyond national jurisdictions. In short, the bill seeks to unlock offshore seabed mineral resources by accelerating government processes, advancing mapping and identification of minerals, and strengthening U.S. leadership and partnerships in seabed exploration, while preserving environmental and transparency standards and outlining related reporting requirements.