To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to provide for the payment of bonus payments of certain coal leases issued under that Act.

HR 7872 amends the Mineral Leasing Act to change how bonus payments are structured for certain coal leases. It requires that bonus payments for leases issued under a deferred payment system be paid in 10 equal annual installments, with the first installment due when submitting the lease bid. This directly affects coal leaseholders who currently use or would use a deferred payment system under the Mineral Leasing Act. The key provision shifts the payment timeline from a lump sum to a staggered annual schedule starting at the time of bid submission.