S. 5039 – License to Drill Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated September 23, 2026 at 4:54 AM UTC

The License to Drill Act changes the Mineral Leasing Act so that the Interior Department must keep collecting a fee for each new oil and gas drilling permit application through 2037 instead of stopping in 2026. All of the fees collected each fiscal year from 2027 to 2037 are sent to a new BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund. This affects companies applying for drilling permits and the Bureau of Land Management’s funding for permit processing.

Key Provisions

Extends the deadline for the fee‑collection requirement from 2026 to 2037.
Requires that all fees collected each fiscal year from 2027 through 2037 be transferred to the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund.
Updates related statutory language to reflect the new 2037 end date.

Legislative Activity

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4 earlier actions

SenateCalendars Latest Action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 659.

September 17, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 21, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

July 21, 2026

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

July 29, 2026

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee without amendment. Without written report.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

September 17, 2026

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 659.

September 17, 2026

Bill Text

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Reported to SenateIssued September 17, 2026

II

Calendar No. 659

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5039

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 21, 2026

Mr. Lee introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

September 17, 2026

Reported by Mr. Lee, without amendment

A BILL

To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to extend the period of time during which the Secretary of the Interior is required to collect a fee for each new application for a permit to drill, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the License to Drill Act.

2.

BLM oil and gas permit processing fee

Section 35(d) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 191(d)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1), by striking 2026 and inserting 2037;

(2)

in paragraph (3)—

(A)

by striking Of the fees collected under this subsection for a fiscal year, the and inserting The; and

(B)

by striking transfer— and all that follows through the Fund and inserting transfer, for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2037, all of the fees collected under this subsection for each such fiscal year to the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund; and

(3)

in paragraph (4), by striking 2026 and inserting 2037.

September 17, 2026

Reported without amendment