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 "Buffalo Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment".
Term Dictionary
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- Congress.gov Legislative Glossary - Comprehensive congressional terms
- NVFC Congressional Terms Glossary - Concise, easy-to-understand definitions
Summary
Congress used the Congressional Review Act to overturn a Bureau of Land Management decision about managing public lands in Wyoming's Buffalo Field Office. The resolution nullifies a November 2024 land management plan, stripping it of all legal authority. This became law in December 2025.
Overview
- Congress invoked the Congressional Review Act to reject a Bureau of Land Management resource management plan for the Buffalo Field Office in Wyoming
- The resolution became law on December 11, 2025, after passing both chambers and receiving presidential signature
- This nullifies a November 20, 2024 BLM decision governing how federal lands in the Buffalo region are managed
Who does this affect?
- Main groups: Wyoming residents near Buffalo Field Office lands, ranchers and energy companies operating on federal land, environmental groups, outdoor recreation users
- Who benefits/loses: Energy and ranching interests likely benefit from blocking new restrictions; conservation groups lose protections they may have supported in the original plan
- Teen impact score: 2/10 (symbolic federal land management decision with no direct teen connection)
What This Bill Does
- Declares the Buffalo Field Office Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan Amendment (issued November 20, 2024) shall have no force or effect
- Relies on Government Accountability Office determination from September 18, 2025 that classified the BLM plan as a "rule" subject to Congressional Review Act oversight
- Uses Congressional Review Act authority under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, which allows Congress to overturn federal agency rules within specific timeframes
- Prevents BLM from reissuing substantially similar rules without new congressional authorization
Legislative Status
- Status: Became law on December 11, 2025
- Passed both House and Senate, then signed by the President
In short
- Congress rejected a BLM land management plan for Wyoming's Buffalo Field Office using special fast-track authority.
- The Government Accountability Office determined the BLM plan counted as a federal rule that Congress could review.
- The resolution strips the November 2024 plan of all legal power and prevents BLM from issuing similar plans without congressional approval.
- This represents a dispute over how federal lands should be managedā€”for energy development, ranching, conservation, or recreation.
Why should I care?
This resolution demonstrates how Congress can check federal agencies' power over public lands that belong to all Americans. The Buffalo Field Office manages thousands of acres in Wyoming where decisions about drilling, grazing, and conservation affect local economies and ecosystems. When agencies create rules governing these lands, Congress has a limited window to overturn them through the Congressional Review Act. This tool gets used when lawmakers believe agencies overstepped or made poor policy choices. The outcome determines whether energy companies, ranchers, or environmental protections take priority on federal property.