Congressional approval required for land withdrawals over 5,000 acres

(a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except as provided in subsection (b), a covered land withdrawal may only be carried out with the express authorization of Congress. (b) Exception The restriction with respect to a covered land withdrawal under subsection (a) shall not apply if the withdrawal is— (1) made pursuant to temporary public land order, the expiration of which— (A) is 5 years or less after the date on which the land order was issued; and (B) has not been extended beyond the 5-year period after the date on which the land order was issued; and (2) necessary for national security purposes, as determined by the President. (c) Definitions In this Act: (1) Covered land withdrawal The term covered land withdrawal means a Federal land withdrawal carried out by a Federal agency that would result in a withdrawal of more than 5,000 acres in aggregate. (2) Withdrawal The term withdrawal means— (A) withholding an area of Federal land from settlement, sale, location, or entry, under some or all of the general land laws, including— (i) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; (ii) location, entry, or patent under the mining laws; and (iii) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, or geothermal leasing laws; (B) reserving an area for a use described in subparagraph (A); (C) transferring jurisdiction over an area of Federal land, other than property governed by the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act (40 U.S.C. 472), from one Federal agency to another Federal agency; or (D) restricting an area from operations of the mineral leasing provisions of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.).