Support Grows for Bipartisan Strategic Resilience Reserve Bill Led by Sens. Shaheen and Young to Increase Domestic Supply of Critical Minerals

Support Grows for Bipartisan Strategic Resilience Reserve Bill Led by Sens. Shaheen and Young to Increase Domestic Supply of Critical Minerals
**Bipartisan proposal would make a historic $2.5 billion investment to strengthen national and economic security by reducing reliance on China for critical minerals**
(Washington, DC) – Newbipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Todd Young (R-IN)to strengthen America’s economic and national security by establishing a critical minerals Strategic Resilience Reserve (SRR) is gaining support on and off Capitol Hill. As critical minerals have emerged as a key chokepoint in the global economy, giving the People’s Republic of China enormous leverage, thebipartisan bill seeks to support domestic supply chainsfor critical minerals to stabilize prices and establish a U.S. market through thecreation of a new independent agency.
There is growing support forShaheen and Young’s proposalfrom lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. In addition to Senators Shaheen, Young (R-IN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Mike Rounds (R-SD), U.S. Senators Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Angus King (I-ME), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Jim Justice (R-WV), Dave McCormick (R-PA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) now cosponsor the legislation. In the U.S. House of Representatives, the legislation is backed by U.S. Representatives Rob Wittman (R-VA-1), John Moolenaar (R-MI-2), Pat Harrington (R-NC-10), Jefferson Shreve (R-IN-6) and Chris Pappas (D-NH-1).
TheSecuring Essential and Critical U.S. Resources and Elements (SECURE) Minerals Actenjoys robust support from industry leaders and experts. Since the bipartisan, bicameral legislation was announced earlier this year it has attracted additional endorsements from: American Critical Minerals Association; American Iron and Steel Association; Vulcan Elements; American Clean Power Association; Phoenix Tailings; Westwin Elements; former U.S. National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, Mike Schmidt, founding Director of the CHIPS Program Office, U.S. Department of Commerce; Elizabeth Economy, Hargrove Senior Fellow and co-chair of the Program on the US, China, and the World at the Hoover Institution; Edward Fishman, Director of the Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies.
Statements of support for the bipartisanSECURE Minerals Act:
“ACMA welcomes the growing bipartisan momentum behind the SECURE Minerals Act, strengthened by the recent addition of new sponsors Senators Angus King, Tim Sheehy, Elissa Slotkin, Tim Kaine, Jim Justice, Dave McCormick, and Representatives Pat Harrigan and Jefferson Shreve,”said the American Critical Minerals Association (ACMA).“We applaud their leadership in advancing policies that bolster domestic production, separation, and processing of critical minerals. This expanding coalition reflects a shared understanding that securing an independent U.S. critical minerals supply chain is essential to America’s long-term competitiveness, resilience, and national security — priorities all Americans stand to benefit from.”
“Ensuring we have the necessary domestic and allied sources of critical minerals is crucial for affordable energy and national security. The SECURE Minerals Act provides important tools to help strengthen and enhance mineral and material supply chains, including those used in clean energy technologies, that are essential to meeting our rapidly growing electricity demand and supporting U.S. manufacturing,”said Frank J. Macchiarola, Chief Advocacy Officer, American Clean Power Association.
“Vulcan Elements strongly supports efforts by Senator Shaheen, Senator Young, Congressman Wittman, and Congressman Moolenaar to secure a domestic supply of critical minerals and related components to meet U.S. national security and economic needs. Ensuring that the United States has the critical materials and components that will define the 21st century, including rare earth minerals and magnets, will be decisive for America’s economy and military strength in the decades ahead. The SECURE Minerals Act is an important step forward for the rare earth industry and reflects sustained and serious focus by Congress on this essential supply chain,”said John Maslin, CEO of Vulcan Elements.
Kevin Dempsey, president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), said,“AISI is proud to support the SECURE Minerals Act. This common sense, bipartisan and bicameral legislation recognizes the important role that critical minerals play in supporting American manufacturing. The American steel industry depends upon affordable and reliable sources of critical minerals. This legislation will strengthen the critical minerals supply chain and decrease reliance on China. We applaud Sens. Shaheen and Young, and Reps. Moolenaar and Wittman, for their leadership on this issue.”
Just like the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and the CHIPS and Science Act have created more resilient domestic supplies of energy and semiconductors, this bipartisan legislation will play a vital role in insulating the U.S. economy from external threats and creating good-paying jobs at home.
TheSECURE Minerals Actwould establish the SRR in an independent government corporation—run by a seven-member board appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate—to focus on supporting domestic critical minerals supply chains, including through stable prices, expanding domestic and allied production capacity and recycling, stockpiles, competitive markets and supply chain work, with minerals where the U.S. is reliant on China (including rare earths, where China controls 90 percent of processing) and recycling prioritized. The legislation also prioritizes support for projects that recycle, reuse or repurpose critical minerals or extract minerals from mining or industrial waste.
ClickHEREto view a one-pager on the SECURE Minerals Act.
ClickHEREto view a section-by-section of the SECURE Minerals Act.
ClickHEREto view bill text.
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