McCollum Introduces Legislation to Protect America's Critical Minerals Supply

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement today after introducing the Securing American Critical Minerals Act, H.R. 5021, to protect our national security and America’s critical mineral resources on public lands:

“Our federal lands are held in trust for all Americans,” McCollum said. “But this public trust has not been applied to America’s critical minerals, particularly regarding hard-rock mines on public lands. When critical minerals are extracted from our public lands and shipped overseas for processing, then sold on the global market, this is not good stewardship of our limited resources. If we do not safeguard America’s critical minerals, they will end up in the hands of foreign adversaries and jeopardize U.S. national security. I’m proud to introduce the Securing American Critical Minerals Act to prohibit the sale or transfer of the critical minerals located on federal public lands to foreign entities of concern to protect our national security, safeguard our natural resources, and ensure transparency.”

Background:

Our federal public lands are held in trust for all Americans—a trust that requires that the natural and cultural resources they protect are managed for the benefit of the public. Too often, this public trust has not been applied to our management of the public mineral estate, particularly regarding hard-rock mines on federal lands. Mines located on public lands are often leased to or operated by companies that are owned or partially owned by foreign entities. The minerals these companies extract are typically sent overseas for processing to be sold on the open market, without even paying royalties or reclamation fees to the American taxpayers who collectively own the mineral estate.

Congress must be realistic about what will happen if the U.S. continues to mine critical minerals without any restrictions on the possession, sale, or transfer of these minerals. Critical minerals are essential to electronic manufacturing, the green energy transition, and the U.S. defense industrial base. To meet these demands, the U.S. currently mines some lithium, cobalt, and nickel, as well as Rare Earth Elements, with many more proposed mines, often on public lands.

These are our critical minerals, extracted from our public lands. America’s publicly owned critical mineral resources should not end up the hands of our enemies or, more importantly, in the weapons that country could wield against the U.S. We cannot increase mining when it will bolster the economies and militaries of our enemies at the expense of U.S. national security.

The Securing American Critical Minerals Act:

• Prohibits the sale or transfer of certain critical minerals to foreign entities of concern
• Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to deny new leases or lease renewals if the mine operator poses a national security threat to the United States
• Requires mine operators to report sales and transfers of critical minerals, providing transparency to the public about the American critical mineral supply chain.

The bill text can be found here. A section by section can be found here.

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