US Senate narrowly votes to end mining ban near Boundary Waters
Senator Tina Smith argued that using the Congressional Review Act in this manner sets a dangerous precedent for all public land orders.
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Senator Tina Smith argued that using the Congressional Review Act in this manner sets a dangerous precedent for all public land orders.
Republished from InForum. The relationship between the two publishers has not been determined.
19 stories · 69.9–75.9 · updated Sep 25, 2026
This is InForum's own score, and this article is credited to InForum. The host score in the Source Check is Bemidji Pioneer's.
The U.S. Senate voted 50-49 to overturn a 20-year moratorium on mining in the Boundary Waters watershed. The resolution, which now heads to President Trump's desk, effectively clears a path for the Twin Metals copper-nickel mining project in Minnesota.
Opposing Senator
Dissenting Republican
Dissenting Republican
Supporting Senator (Absent)
Left-leaning outlets like Mother Jones frame Senator Smith’s five-hour floor speech as a defense of the environment against Republican exploitation of obscure laws. In contrast, center-leaning sources such as CNBC and GV Wire highlight Smith’s geopolitical arguments, focusing on her warnings that the project benefits foreign conglomerates at the expense of America First interests.
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