Congress blocks deep-sea mining to protect ocean ecosystems and fisheries
H.R. 664 — American Seabed Protection Act · Filed by Ed Case (D-HI) · 10 cosponsors · Introduced Jan 23, 2025 · Referred to committee
Your members of Congress
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What it does
This bill prohibits the federal government from issuing licenses or permits for deep seabed mining or hardrock mineral extraction on the Outer Continental Shelf, while allowing scientific research to continue. It requires the Secretary of Commerce to commission a comprehensive study of mining's environmental impacts on deep-sea ecosystems, marine species, carbon sequestration, and fisheries within 90 days of enactment.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is a straightforward prohibition on extractive mining in sensitive marine zones, paired with a mandate for environmental impact assessment. It is a conservation measure, not a regulatory carve-out or subsidy.
What the text implies
- The prohibition applies only to federal licensing authority; it does not restrict private entities from advocating for rule changes or international negotiations that could reverse the ban in future Congresses.
- The study requirement delegates environmental assessment to the National Academies, which may take years to complete; the prohibition remains in force during that period, but findings could be used to justify future legislative reversal.
- The bill does not address existing international deep-seabed mining frameworks (e.g., the International Seabed Authority); U.S. prohibition may be circumvented if other nations permit mining in international waters adjacent to U.S. interests.
- Scientific research exception creates a narrow loophole; the definition of 'scientific research' is not specified in the bill, potentially allowing exploratory activities that blur the line between research and commercial prospecting.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
The bill protects public marine resources and ecosystems from potentially irreversible damage, preserving fisheries, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity that benefit all citizens. The prohibition is grounded in scientific consensus about mining's severe environmental risks, and the mandated study will inform future policy with better data.
Named in the bill
Secretary of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, International Seabed Authority
Where it stands
10 cosponsors: 8 Democrats, 2 Republicans.
- Jan 23, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Jan 23, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Natural Resources · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (7,482 characters) on Sep 21, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 14,522 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-09-21.
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