SW Arkansas Times

The Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources recently convened an oversight hearing to address the importance of U.S. mineral security and explore strategies for establishing secure domestic mineral supply chains. The session was chaired by Subcommittee Chairman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), who emphasized the need for decisive action in light of export restrictions imposed by China.

Stauber stated, "As the Chinese Communist Party continues to block exports of important critical minerals necessary for our strategic national security, it is clearer than ever that the U.S. must act decisively to secure our own critical mineral future." He further noted that despite abundant mineral deposits in the United States, restrictive permitting processes and policies from previous administrations have hindered access to these resources.

Minerals play a crucial role in both civilian and military sectors within the U.S. economy. In 2023 alone, industries consumed mineral materials valued at approximately $3.84 trillion, marking a six percent increase from 2022. Despite this growth, reliance on foreign sources for critical minerals remains a significant national security concern.

Efforts to bolster domestic mineral production were initiated with Executive Order 13817 issued by President Trump on December 20, 2017. This order tasked federal agencies with developing a Critical Minerals List (CML) to identify essential minerals for national security and economic prosperity. Further prioritization came with Executive Order 14154 during Trump's second term, which called for revising policies hindering domestic mining capacity.

In response to these challenges, House Republicans incorporated mining provisions into H.R.1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, which passed in Congress with a vote of 225-204.

During the hearing, industry experts and scientists provided insights into the current state of U.S. critical mineral supply chains and discussed ways to enhance domestic mining efforts while reducing dependence on foreign imports.