H.R. 4402, the National Strategic and Critical Mineral Production Act of 2012, was passed last Friday by a vote of 256 to 160. 22 members of the Democratic Party caucus joined the Republican majority with most Democrats standing in opposition.
The bill streamlines the permitting process for mining companies by allowing them to negotiate timetables on reviews as well as expediting the review process. It also allows for less stringent enforcement of the National Environmental Policy Act, an environmental law that requires environmental reviews of proposed federal actions.
"It is free mining, no royalties, no protection of public interest, exemption from royalty payments, near exemption from environmental regulations, near exemption of legal enforcement of the protections," New Jersey Democratic Rep. Rush Holt said.