Congress

License to Drill Act Signed Into Law as Public Law 119-134

The License to Drill Act (H.R. 7831) became law on October 20, 2026, as Public Law 119-134. Rep. Mike Kennedy (R-Utah) introduced it on March 5, 2026, with 3 cosponsors.

What the Law Does

This act extends through FY2037 the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) authority to collect oil and gas permit processing fees. For each new permit application, BLM collects a fee that is transferred to the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund. (Under current law, the fees are authorized through FY2026.)

How It Passed

  • March 5, 2026: Introduced in the House
  • May 20, 2026: Reported by committee
  • June 2, 2026: Passed the House by voice vote
  • September 30, 2026: Passed the Senate by unanimous consent
  • October 20, 2026: Signed into law

The text and full legislative history are on Congress.gov.