HR 361119th CongressIn Committee

Make Greenland Great Again Act

Introduced: Jan 13, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill would authorize the President to begin negotiations with Denmark to secure the acquisition of Greenland by the United States. It sets a formal process for how any negotiated agreement would be handled in Congress: once an agreement is reached, the President must transmit the agreement and related materials to specific congressional committees within five days. Congress then has a 60-day review window; if Congress does not pass a joint resolution of disapproval within that window, the agreement would take effect and have the full force of law. The bill designates the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations as the principal committees responsible for review. In short, the bill creates a pathway for negotiating Greenland’s transfer and a built-in congressional review mechanism that could, in practice, allow Congress to block or permit the agreement, though it does not specify a formal Senate ratification process or funding authorizations.

Key Points

1Authorization to negotiate: The President is empowered to begin talks with Denmark to acquire Greenland for the United States, starting January 20, 2025 at 12:01 p.m. EST.
2Transmission of the agreement: If an acquisition agreement is reached, the President must send the full agreement and all related materials to the appropriate congressional committees within five days.
3Congressional review period: Congress has 60 days from the date of transmission to consider the agreement. If no joint resolution of disapproval is enacted within that window, the agreement becomes binding law.
4Disapproval mechanism: A joint resolution of disapproval within the 60-day period would block the agreement from taking effect.
5Committees involved: The appropriate committees are the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- United States national security and defense posture, particularly in the Arctic; potential reorientation of strategic assets and overseas basing considerations (e.g., Greenland’s military facilities).Secondary group/area affected- Denmark and Greenland (including its autonomous Greenlandic government and indigenous communities) due to changes in sovereignty and governance.- NATO and allied partners, given Greenland’s strategic location and existing defense ties with the United States and Denmark.Additional impacts- Constitutional and legal considerations: The bill creates a process that resembles a treaty-like arrangement, but it does not expressly authorize Senate advice and consent or provide funding. This could raise questions about how such an acquisition would be legally finalized and whether it would ultimately require a formal treaty ratified by the Senate.- International relations and regional dynamics: A prospective transfer could affect relations with other Arctic states (e.g., Russia, Canada, Norway) and with China, given interests in Arctic resources and shipping lanes.- Indigenous and environmental considerations: Any change in sovereignty could have implications for Greenland’s population, including Inuit communities, and for environmental governance and resource development.- Budget and implementation planning: The bill does not specify funding or implementation costs, which would be significant considerations for actual negotiations and any subsequent transition.- Precedent for congressional oversight: The 60-day disapproval mechanism introduces a formal leeway for Congress to block or approve such a major territorial change, setting a possible precedent for future acquisitions.

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