HJRES 62119th CongressIn Committee

Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management relating to "Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources".

Introduced: Feb 26, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill is a joint resolution using the Congressional Review Act process (chapter 8 of title 5, U.S.C.) to disapprove a specific Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) rule titled “Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources.” Introduced by Rep. Ezell, the measure would block the rule that was published in the Federal Register as 89 Fed. Reg. 71160 on September 3, 2024. If enacted, the rule would have no force or effect, effectively returning to the status quo prior to that rule and preventing BOEM from implementing its provisions on marine archaeological protections. In short, the bill gives Congress the power to nullify the BOEM rule, preventing its protections for marine archaeological resources from taking effect.

Key Points

1The bill is a joint resolution to disapprove a BOEM rule under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) process (chapter 8 of title 5 U.S.C.).
2The rule under disapproval is BOEM’s “Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources,” published in the Federal Register as 89 Fed. Reg. 71160 on September 3, 2024.
3If passed, the joint resolution would have the force of law to ensure the rule has no force or effect.
4The bill was introduced by Rep. Ezell and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.
5The text states the resolution disapproves the rule and directs that it shall have no force or effect.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Activities and regulations related to offshore energy development and exploration governed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, including protections for marine archaeological resources and related permitting processes.Secondary group/area affected: Marine archaeologists and cultural resource preservation stakeholders who rely on BOEM guidance and protections for submerged or coastal cultural resources; offshore operators and contractors who would have to adjust to the rule’s protections if it had taken effect.Additional impacts: If the rule is disapproved, the federal regulatory landscape for marine archaeological resources would revert to prior rules or practices, potentially affecting how underwater cultural resources are identified, consulted on, and protected during offshore energy activities. The action does not repeal underlying statutes but blocks this particular rule from taking effect under the CRA process.

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