Bill · S. 5039· Senate(119-S-5039)
License to Drill Act
- Introduced
- 7/21/2026
- Last activity
- 9/17/2026 — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 659.
- Sponsored by
- Mike Lee
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the License to Drill Act. It changes the Mineral Leasing Act to extend the time period that the Secretary of the Interior must collect a fee for each new application for a permit to drill. The collection period is extended from the year 2026 to the year 2037. The bill also changes how the collected fees are handled. It directs that all of the fees collected for each fiscal year from 2027 through 2037 be transferred to the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund. Finally, it extends the termination date for these provisions from 2026 to 2037.
Yes· 3 of 9
Is this likely to create jobs?+3
Streamlining permit processing may facilitate increased energy production and related employment.
Would business owners be better off under this?+3
Energy sector businesses benefit from improved and more predictable permit processing.
Is this likely to grow the economy?+2
The bill supports the energy sector by improving administrative processing through dedicated funding.
The opposite· 3 of 4
Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced?-3
The bill is designed to support and facilitate the continued and efficient production of fossil fuels.
Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change?-2
By facilitating more oil and gas drilling, this bill may indirectly lead to higher fossil fuel consumption.
Would Native Americans be better off under this?-2
Expanded drilling activities may impact tribal lands and traditional environmental resources.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Extended Fund Support: Under section 2, amending paragraph (3), all of the fees collected for each fiscal year from 2027 through 2037 will be transferred to the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund. This is positive because it ensures continued funding for that specific fund through the year 2037.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Extended Fee Collection: Under section 2, amending paragraph (1) and paragraph (4), 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 is extended until 2037 instead of 2026. This means the fee collection requirement is prolonged for an additional eleven years.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+3Improves Economic Growth+2Reduces Inflation+1
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Public Land Management+1Reduces Gas Prices+1Reduces Fossil Fuel Production-3Reduces Carbon Emissions-2Improves Environmental Protections-1
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Business Owners+3Good For Rural Residents+1Good For Union Workers+1Good For Native Americans-2
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+1
- 9/17/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee without amendment. Without written report.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 659.
- 7/29/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 7/21/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.