Brief

H.R. 4018 converts the rapid‑action directives of Executive Order 14285, “Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources” (Apr 24, 2025) into binding law.

It locks federal agencies into a 60‑day schedule to fast‑track seabed‑mineral permits, launch a national seabed‑mapping surge, and coordinate allied partnerships — cementing U.S. strategic control over offshore critical‑mineral supply chains while preserving existing environmental safeguards.

Origins

Executive Order (EO) 14285 directed the Departments of Commerce and the Interior to fast‑track seabed‑mineral licensing, map priority offshore zones, and deepen allied benefit‑sharing.

H.R. 4018 lifts almost every mandate from the order and gives them statutory force, adding firm 60‑day deadlines and congressional reporting.

Together, the EO and the bill frame seabed minerals as a national‑security asset intended to counter China’s supply‑chain dominance.

Strategic Seabed Critical‑Mineral Access

  1. 60‑Day Licensing Blitz (DSHMRA): Commerce (NOAA) and Interior (BOEM) must expedite exploration licences and commercial‑recovery permits under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, ensuring “efficiency, predictability, and competitiveness.”
  2. Fast‑Track OCS Prospecting & Leases (OCSLA): Interior must establish an equivalent accelerated pathway for prospecting permits and leases on the U.S. outer Continental Shelf.
  3. National Seabed‑Mapping Plan: Within 60 days agencies must develop a plan to map priority mineral zones, including any extended continental shelf claims, leveraging private‑sector data.
  4. Critical‑Mineral Prioritization List: Interior, Defense, and Energy must identify which seabed‑derived minerals are essential for defense, manufacturing, and energy security.
  5. Allied Engagement & Benefit‑Sharing: Commerce and State must engage “key partners and allies,” develop a prioritized list, and report on an international benefit‑sharing mechanism.
  6. Oversight Reports to Congress: Two 60‑day reports — on private‑sector interest and benefit‑sharing feasibility — go to authorizing committees.
  7. Safeguards: The bill does not amend or waive NEPA; Sec. 3 simply states that no existing authority is impaired.

Implementation Timeline

All core actions must commence or be completed within 60 days of enactment, signalling near‑term impact on agency workloads and industry planning.

Stakeholder Implications

  • Investors: Predictable, time‑bound permitting windows and early access to mapping data reduce exploration risk and attract capital.
  • Federal Regulators: NOAA, BOEM, and inter‑agency partners must coordinate under compressed timelines — mirroring the EO’s mandates but now backed by statutory deadlines.
  • Defense & Energy Agencies: Rapid critical‑mineral identification supports stockpile goals and clean‑energy supply‑chain resilience.
  • Allies:  Friendly coastal states gain U.S. technical support; the benefit‑sharing study shapes future seabed governance beyond national jurisdiction.

Key Takeaways

  • Locks-in the directives of Executive Order 14285, ensuring continuity across administrations.
  • Imposes a 60‑day sprint for federal agencies to fast‑track seabed‑mineral licences, mapping, and allied outreach.
  • Creates an inter‑agency critical‑mineral priority list directly tied to defense and energy security.
  • Launches a statutory allied engagement and benefit‑sharing agenda to shape international seabed governance.
  • Gives industry clearer timelines without lowering existing environmental bars, reinforcing U.S. strategic competition posture.