WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Mark Warner (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN), Angus King (I-ME), James Lankford (R-OK), and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) introduced the Critical Minerals Security Act, which would help secure U.S. access to critical mineral supply chains and counter Chinese industry dominance by directing the U.S. Department of the Interior to evaluate the global supply and ownership of critical minerals, establishing a process to assist U.S. companies seeking to divest critical minerals operations in foreign countries, and developing a method for sharing intellectual property for clean mining and processing technologies with U.S. allies and partners:

“Despite the important role critical minerals play in everything from consumer electronics to military defense, we need more information to secure a reliable, long-term supply of these minerals,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would ensure the U.S. and our allies understand how critical minerals are controlled around the world so we can counter foreign countries of concern.”

“Our national security depends on our ability to identify secure sources of critical minerals and support domestic industry in mining, refining, and processing these minerals,” said Sen. Warner. “This legislation takes strong steps to protect our nation’s supply chain for critical minerals, which are essential to combatting China’s continued attempts to monopolize this industry.”

“The Chinese Communist Party is aggressively attempting to monopolize critical mineral resources, and the United States urgently needs to diversify our supply chain and strengthen ties with allies,” said Sen. Young. “Our legislation would respond to China’s actions by better tracking global mineral reserves and devising a national strategy for advancing mining technologies and international cooperation.”

“Critical minerals are essential to America’s national security and energy resiliency since these raw materials are used to power everything from complex military technologies to personal goods like smartphones,” said Sen. King. “The bipartisan Critical Minerals Security Act would help us better understand and leverage the rare earth minerals supply chain, while also reducing our continued reliance on China and other bad actors for these minerals. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for recognizing the importance of strengthening American industry to build jobs here at home and countering supply chain control of these minerals by foreign adversaries.”

“The United States shouldn’t remain dependent on communist China or other adversaries for critical and rare earth minerals used by our defense, health care, aerospace, technology, and energy industries,” said Sen. Lankford. “It is critical to know which mines are run by our allies and which are run by adversaries around the world. Securing the supply chain for critical minerals makes American energy and national security even stronger.” 

“The U.S. can’t lead the world in AI, quantum computing, and clean energy with China holding all the cards,” said Sen. Hickenlooper. “We can secure our future by working hand in glove with our allies to build a stable supply of critical minerals.” 

Background:

To address information gaps, the Critical Minerals Security Act would direct the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to submit a report to Congress no later than one year after enactment and every two years afterwards on all critical mineral and rare earth element (REE) resources around the world that includes:

• Which resources are controlled by the U.S., an ally or partner, or a foreign entity of concern;
• From which mines critical minerals and REEs are being extracted and estimates of their output volumes;
• Which foreign entities of concern are involved in mining critical minerals and REEs;
• Which entities in the U.S. and countries that are allies or partners are involved in mining critical minerals and REEs;
• An assessment, prepared in consultation with the Secretary of State, of ways to collaborate with countries in which mines or mineral processing operations are located and operated by other countries to ensure U.S. access;
• A compilation, prepared in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, of cases in which entities were forced to divest stock in mining or processing operations for critical minerals and REEs based on government rulings of a foreign entity of concern;
• Cases in which the government of a foreign entity of concern purchased an entity forced to divest stock;
• And cases in which mining or processing operations for critical minerals and REEs were not subject to a government ruling but were taken over by a foreign entity of concern.

The legislation would also require the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to establish a process under which a U.S. entity seeking to divest stock in mining or mineral processing operations for critical minerals and REEs in a foreign country may notify the Secretary of the Interior and allow the Secretary to assist in finding another purchaser that is not under the control of a foreign entity of concern.

Lastly, it would require the Secretary of the Interior to develop and submit a progress report to Congress on:

• A strategy to collaborate with U.S. allies and partners to advance clean mining, refining, separation, and processing technologies;
• And a method for sharing intellectual property (IP) resulting from the development of these technologies to share with allies and partners.