Government Shutdown and Federal Layoffs
Congress ended a 43-day shutdown on Nov. 13 by passing a stopgap funding package. This package included continuing appropriations for H.R.5371—the Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act—which was composed of a “minibus” of full-year FY 2026 funding for Agriculture, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and the Legislative Branch, as well as extended funding for the rest of the government via a continuing resolution (CR) through Jan. 30, 2026. As a result, federal agencies have reopened, and furloughed employees have been reinstated with back pay. However, Congress must still complete the remaining nine appropriation bills before the Jan. 30 deadline to avoid another shutdown.
Nomination of Steve Pearce to Direct the Bureau of Land Management
On Nov. 5, President Trump nominated former congressman Steve Pearce of New Mexico to serve as the 20th Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the agency responsible for managing 245 million acres of federal public lands. Pearce is a former Air Force pilot, oilfield business owner, and long-time member of Congress whose record includes support for sportsmen’s legislation, alongside consistent advocacy for expanded energy development and reduced federal authority over public lands. His past positions include calling for public land sales, urging the return of federal lands to states, co-sponsoring the Hunting, Education, and Recreational Development Act, or HEARD Act, to sell select federal parcels, and supporting reductions to the Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument.
The BLM Director’s decisions directly affect wildlife habitat, access, and the future of hunting and fishing opportunities across the West. BHA is unwavering in its opposition to large-scale public-land sales or transfers, and in its commitment to conserving the lands and waters that support wildlife, access, and sustainable outdoor recreation. We will work with any leader or administration to advance these values, and we are following this nomination closely to understand Mr. Pearce’s approach to managing the landscapes that underpin our hunting and fishing opportunities.
Read more about Pearce’s nomination and record in BHA’s recent blog post.
Congressional Review Act (CRA) Resolutions
Several Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions have recently advanced through Congress, representing a new and unprecedented tactic to overturn federal public lands management plans—moves that could have long-term negative impacts and undermine locally informed management decisions.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Coastal Plain Oil & Gas Leasing Program (S.J. Res 91 / H.J.Res.131)
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H.J. Res. 131, sponsored by Rep. Nicholas Begich (R-AK), disapproves the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision issued by BLM on Dec. 9, 2024, which implements oil and gas leasing rules for the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). If signed into law, this CRA would restore the prior leasing regime across roughly 1.6 million acres of ANWR’s coastal plains, reopening the area to new oil and gas leasing. As of the latest congressional actions, H.J. Res. 131 passed the House on Nov. 18, 2025. It is now pending action in the Senate.
Buffalo Field Office Resource Management Plan (S.J. Res. 89 / H.J.Res 130)
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H.J. Res. 130, sponsored by Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY), disapproves the BLM’s Nov. 20, 2024, amendment to the 2015 Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Buffalo Field Office in Wyoming. That 2024 amendment had closed BLM-managed coal resources in the Buffalo planning area to future leasing. If signed into law, the amendment would be nullified, and the 2015 RMP reinstated, reopening roughly 496,000 surface acres and 481,000 acres of coal mineral estate for potential coal leasing. H.J. Res. 130 has already passed both the House on Nov. 18, 2025, and the Senate on Nov. 20, 2025. It is now awaiting the President’s signature.
Status of Earlier CRA Resolutions (H.J.Res104, H.J.Res 105, HJ.Res 106)
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As noted in the previous roundup, three joint resolutions, disapproving RMPs for the Miles City (Montana), North Dakota, and Central Yukon planning areas respectively, passed both chambers of Congress in early October 2025. These CRA’s await the President’s signature.
Following BHA’s Call to Action, members and supporters have generated 8,891 comments opposing CRA rollbacks of public land management plans. Continue to make your voice heard on this issue by going to our action center and staying tuned for upcoming opportunities to engage as we continue tracking this threat to our public lands.
Congressional Caucuses Move to Protect America’s Public Lands
On Oct. 27, 2025, the Senate Stewardship Caucus was formed to advance bipartisan public lands and conservation policy, serving as the Senate counterpart to the House’s Public Lands Caucus. The caucus is co-chaired by Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and includes a bipartisan group of senators focused on expanding access to public lands and waters, strengthening habitat, and supporting rural communities.
Separately, on Nov. 6, 2025, the House Public Lands Caucus endorsed H.R.718, the Public Lands in Public Hands Act, introduced by Reps. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) and Gabe Vasquez (D-NM). The bill requires congressional approval for the sale or transfer of federal lands exceeding 300 acres—or over five acres if accessible by public waterways—ensuring these lands remain in public hands for generations. This legislation would conserve lands that provide critical wildlife habitat, public access, and outdoor recreation opportunities, reducing the risk of privatization by the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Service.
BHA published a press release applauding the House Public Lands Caucus for endorsing H.R.718.
Proposed Revision to Waters of the United States (WOTUS)
On Nov. 20, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced a proposed rule to redefine “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act, following the Supreme Court’s 2023 Sackett v. EPA decision. The proposal adopts narrower definitions of “relatively permanent” and “continuous surface connection” to determine federal jurisdiction, which in practice would remove protections from thousands of miles of streams and vast acres of wetlands—particularly seasonal, intermittent, or ephemeral waters. The rule was published in the Federal Register on Nov. 20, and public comments will be accepted through Jan. 5, 2026.
If finalized, the rule would significantly limit federal oversight of pollution, dredging, draining, and development, with analyses indicating that only about 19% of wetlands in the National Wetlands Inventory would remain protected. With only 13 states having laws comparable to the Clean Water Act, and many lacking any statewide water protections, this proposed rule could sharply reduce conservation safeguards and harm recreational hunting and fishing opportunities nationwide.
BHA signed a letter with our coalition partners requesting an extension of the 45-day public comment period and issued a Call to Action in opposition to the proposed rule. You can make your voice heard by visiting BHA’s Action Center to sign the petition opposing the revised WOTUS definition and help protect wetlands, headwater streams, and the fish and wildlife that depend on them.
Senate Energy & Natural Resources Hearing
After delays caused by the recent government shutdown, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a long-awaited hearing on public land and wildfire legislation for Dec. 2, 2025. The Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee, chaired by Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) and ranking member Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), will review more than two dozen bipartisan bills addressing land management, wildfire mitigation, and conservation. BHA submitted a letter to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voicing support for a slate of conservation measures, including S. 764 (CORE Act), S. 2042 (Roadless Area Conservation Act), S. 945 (Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act), S. 888 (Oregon Public Lands Designation and Withdrawal Act), S. 1319 (Pecos Watershed Withdrawal), S. 1341 (Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act), and S. 1228 (Public Lands Corps Cost-Sharing Amendment).
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