What does Preamble of HR 5631 do?

This bill, formally titled 'To appoint a Geothermal Ombudsman and establish a Geothermal Permitting Task Force from within the Bureau of Land Management, and for other purposes,' aims to establish a Geothermal Ombudsman and a Geothermal Permitting Task Force. The Geothermal Permitting Task Force would be established within the Bureau of Land Management.

What does SHORT TITLE. of HR 5631 do?

This bill is formally titled the ``Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act''.

What does GEOTHERMAL OMBUDSMAN AND PERMITTING TASK FORCE. of HR 5631 do?

This section establishes a Geothermal Ombudsman and a Geothermal Permitting Task Force within the Bureau of Land Management. The Geothermal Ombudsman, appointed within 60 days of enactment, will act as a liaison between various Bureau offices and provide dispute resolution services related to geothermal authorizations. The Task Force, also established within 60 days, will support the Ombudsman's duties and focus on improving geothermal permit processing. The Ombudsman can assign personnel from other Departmental bureaus to assist with geothermal authorizations, provided it doesn't significantly delay work at their home office and with approval from the relevant office head. Personnel assigned to assist with geothermal authorizations must work in-person and may travel to relevant Bureau offices. The Ombudsman may provide retention allowances, up to 25% of basic pay, to employees assigned to assist with geothermal authorizations, considering their expertise and the need to improve permit timelines. Cross-office personnel assignments do not alter the underlying jurisdiction of other Bureau offices. The Geothermal Ombudsman must submit an annual report to Congress evaluating the effectiveness of geothermal permit processing.

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Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act — HR. 5631

Last updated: 3/5/2026 · Introduced: 9/30/2025

Author: Jeff Hurd (R-CO)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill establishes a Geothermal Ombudsman within the Bureau of Land Management to act as a liaison and resolve disputes related to geothermal authorizations.
It creates a Geothermal Permitting Task Force to support the Ombudsman and improve the efficiency of geothermal permit processing.
The Ombudsman can temporarily assign personnel from other federal bureaus to assist with geothermal authorizations and may offer retention incentives to these employees.

119th Congressin committeeOfficial page

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Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 1 more.

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