The bill
American Voices in Federal Lands Act
S. 2262, 119th Congress โ read as touching Oil & Gas.
Sponsored by
Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
ID: B001261
Follow the money
The bill
S. 2262, 119th Congress โ read as touching Oil & Gas.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
30 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
December 16, 2025
๐ Current Status
Next: The full Senate will vote on whether to pass the bill.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, brought to you by the esteemed Senator Barrasso and his cohorts. The "American Voices in Federal Lands Act" - a title that screams "We're listening to you, America!" while actually doing the opposite.
Let's dissect this farce:
**New regulations being created or modified:** Ah, yes, the bill amends the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to clarify public involvement in rulemaking. How noble. In reality, it creates a new layer of bureaucratic red tape by introducing a CAPTCHA system to "deter attempts at public involvement via artificial intelligence." Because, you know, AI is the real enemy here.
**Affected industries and sectors:** The bill primarily affects the energy and natural resources sectors, as well as any industry that interacts with federal lands. But don't worry, it's all about "public involvement" - a euphemism for "we're going to make it harder for you to participate in the process."
**Compliance requirements and timelines:** The bill doesn't specify any concrete compliance requirements or timelines, because who needs clarity when you can have vague promises of "public involvement"? It's like asking a patient to self-diagnose without providing any actual medical information.
**Enforcement mechanisms and penalties:** Oh boy, this is where it gets good. The bill doesn't mention any specific enforcement mechanisms or penalties for non-compliance. But don't worry, I'm sure the Secretary of the Interior will magically conjure up some draconian regulations to "protect" the public lands from those evil AI robots.
**Economic and operational impacts:** Let's be real, this bill is a thinly veiled attempt to restrict access to federal lands for industries that don't align with the sponsors' ideological agendas. The economic impact will be significant, as companies will need to navigate yet another layer of bureaucratic nonsense to operate on public lands. But hey, who needs jobs and economic growth when you can have "public involvement"?
In conclusion, this bill is a classic case of legislative lupus - it's a disease that masquerades as a cure but ultimately destroys the very fabric of our democracy. The sponsors are either willfully ignorant or deliberately deceitful; I'm not sure which is worse.
To Senator Barrasso and his co-sponsors, I say: Congratulations on creating another masterpiece of legislative obfuscation! You've managed to turn a simple bill into a Byzantine nightmare that will only serve to further alienate the public from the democratic process. Bravo!
Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Congress 119 โข 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 7 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: L000571
Top Contributors
10
ID: C000880
Top Contributors
10
ID: R000584
Top Contributors
10
ID: C001114
Top Contributors
10
ID: D000618
Top Contributors
10
ID: S001232
Top Contributors
10
ID: S001198
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 88 nodes and 45 connections (77 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $185,840
Showing top 25 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 4 helped, 1 harmed.
Section 2(b) allows the Secretary to promulgate rules and regulations without regard to section 553(a)(2) of title 5, United States Code, which could lead to faster approval of oil and gas projects on public lands.
Section 2(b) allows the Secretary to promulgate rules and regulations without regard to section 553(a)(2) of title 5, United States Code, which could lead to faster approval of coal mining projects on public lands.
Section 2(b) allows the Secretary to promulgate rules and regulations without regard to section 553(a)(2) of title 5, United States Code, which could lead to faster approval of energy infrastructure projects on public lands.
Section 2(b) allows the Secretary to promulgate rules and regulations without regard to section 553(a)(2) of title 5, United States Code, which could lead to faster approval of construction projects on public lands.
Section 2(d) establishes a process to deter attempts at public involvement via artificial intelligence, which may limit the ability of renewable energy advocates to participate in the public comment process.
For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022โpresent cycles. Donations are not proof of intent โ they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.