Gallego, Kelly Back Bipartisan Legislation to Boost America’s Mining Workforce

WASHINGTON – Arizona Senators Ruben GallegoandMark Kellyare backing the bipartisanMining Schools Act of 2025to bolster America’s mining workforce and energy security by expanding opportunities in mining education.
The bill addresses the nation’s declining mining workforce by establishing a grant program for universities to recruit students and support research or demonstration projects related to mineral production. This will help attract more students to the field and reduce U.S. reliance on adversarial nations for critical minerals. The bipartisan bill was introduced bySenator John Barrasso (R-WY).
The University of Arizona is home to one of only 14 mining schools in the country.
“Mining plays an important role both in Arizona’s economy and our country’s energy security,”said Senator Gallego.“This bipartisan bill will help train the next generation of mining professionals, prepare students for good-paying jobs, and keep America competitive in mineral production.”
“Arizona is leading the way in mining the materials that power our economy, from copper to critical minerals,”said Senator Kelly.“To keep that edge, we’re investing in the next generation of engineers, geologists, and skilled workers, and giving schools like the University of Arizona the tools to recruit more students, expand and strengthen our supply chains.”
“As one of the first mining engineering programs in the country, the U of A has a long tradition of excellence in mining education and research. The Mining Schools Act would leverage university assets to drive advancements in critical mineral extraction and processing, national security, and economic prosperity while helping train the next generation of skilled workers,”said University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella.
TheMining Schools Act of 2025would:
Full text of the legislation can be foundHERE.