Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to Public Land Order No. 7917 for Withdrawal of Federal Lands; Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties, MN.

H.J.Res. 140 is a Congressional Review Act resolution that would nullify Public Land Order 7917, a 2023 federal action that prohibited mineral and geothermal leasing on approximately 225,504 acres of national forest land in Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties in northeastern Minnesota. The protected area includes the Rainy River Watershed, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and lands in the 1854 Ceded Territory of the Lake Superior Chippewa. If enacted, this resolution would overturn the 20-year mining ban and allow mineral exploration and development projects to proceed through the federal permitting process.

Proponents argue the mining ban harms the regional economy and mineral security, noting that the area contains part of the Duluth Complex, described as the world's largest untapped copper-nickel deposit. They contend the original order was issued without proper congressional notification as required by federal law. Opponents counter that overturning the ban would open sensitive watersheds and wilderness areas to mining operations, potentially causing environmental damage to water quality and recreational areas that attract over 150,000 visitors annually.

The House passed this resolution on January 21, 2026, by a vote of 214-208. It is now pending consideration in the Senate. If approved by both chambers and signed by the President, the mining ban would be revoked and the executive branch would be prohibited from issuing substantially similar restrictions in the future without new congressional authorization.