WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today introduced the Critical
Minerals Policy Act, along with Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska), Jim Webb
(D-Virginia), James Risch (R-Idaho), Kay Hagan (D-North Carolina), Roy Blunt
(R-Missouri), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming), Kent Conrad
(D-North Dakota), Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Dean
Heller (R-Nevada), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan), John
Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri), and Joe Manchin (D-West
Virginia).
The
legislation seeks to revitalize the United States’ critical minerals supply
chain and reduce the nation’s growing dependence on foreign suppliers by
directing the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to establish a list of minerals
critical to the U.S. economy and providing a comprehensive set of policies to
address each economic sector that relies upon critical minerals.
Murkowski: “Minerals
shape our daily lives, our standard of living, and our ability to
prosper. We rely on minerals for everything from the smallest computer
chips to the tallest skyscrapers, and yet the United States somehow lacks clear
policies to ensure an affordable and abundant domestic supply. The
Critical Minerals Policy Act will help solve that problem by modernizing our
policies for production, processing, environmental protection, manufacturing
and recycling. Through this Act, we will ensure more opportunities for
domestic jobs, technological innovation, increased national security and
greater competitiveness.”
Nelson: “Improving
access to these minerals will help keep American companies competitive, protect
the U.S. economy and help create jobs. They are found in every high tech device
and are critical for defense and aerospace technologies, necessary for the
continued development of the renewable energy industry, and have many
agricultural applications. This is an issue of making sure American companies
have access to the resources they need to be successful. With the finding of
nobium in my home-state, which is used to harden steel, Nebraska also has the
resources to help meet this challenge.”
Webb: “Just fifteen
years ago, more than two-thirds of our rare minerals came from below U.S. soil,
but today we are entirely dependent on foreign imports. Our economic and
energy security are national imperatives, therefore we must reclaim our mineral
independence. This legislation is a practical approach to ensure the
United States is able to meet its own mineral needs, remains a leader in
high-technology, and is another step toward a clean energy future.”
Risch: “Everything we
use each day was either grown or taken out of the land. Locating and
mining critical minerals is not only important from an economic standpoint, it
is a matter of national security.”
Hagan: “Our
dependence on foreign sources for critical minerals is
unacceptable. The bipartisan Critical Minerals Policy Act ensures the
American critical mineral supply is stable and affordable to support
next-generation manufacturing. The legislation includes my Powering America’s
Lithium Production Act, which increases domestic production
of advanced lithium products that will power the cars and smart grid
of the future. With gas prices sky high, it’s more vital than ever to support
clean energy research and development.”
Blunt: “Critical
minerals are vital to our economy and national security. From rare earth
elements to lead, we need to set a greater priority on domestic mineral
production. This bill is an important step to keeping America competitive
with foreign nations, and will help to fuel our economy with significant
opportunities for job creation.”
Barrasso: “America’s
abundant and affordable minerals are crucial for our economic security as well
as our national security. This legislation is an important step to make
sure that the U.S. has the domestic supply chain for critical minerals.”
Enzi: “If we want to
compete with China, the country that controls more than 90 percent of the
world’s known rare earth minerals, American companies need access to American
rare earth minerals. Expanding the development of domestic sources will expand
American businesses, help us compete internationally and is key to our economic
growth.”
Conrad: “These
minerals play a fundamental role in our economy. They are part of virtually
every product we use, from cell phones, computers and pace makers to
cars. We should not be dependent on foreign states to provide the U.S.
with critical minerals that are available domestically, especially those that
are crucial to our national security and energy production.”
Begich: “The United
States used to be the leader in mining, processing and manufacturing. We can
lead again, and this bill is an important step to getting us there.”
Heller: “Access to our
own natural resources is critical to both our economic and national
security. Some of the largest concentrations of rare earth minerals are in
the United States, but instead of developing our own resources, we are increasingly
becoming more dependent on foreign countries. Our nation needs a policy
that supports mineral development, not one that discourages it.”
Crapo: “The United
States has fallen behind other nations as a producer and exporter of critical
minerals, and that is simply unacceptable. These minerals support key
industries that are essential to our economic recovery and future, such as
communications, construction, technology and transportation, among
others. Critical minerals are in abundant supply right here in America,
and we need to start accessing them in order to help put our country back to
work. This legislation will put us on the right path to doing so, and I am
proud to take part in this critical effort.”
Hoeven: “Our country
is fortunate to have a diversity of minerals, which can serve as a foundation
to grow our economy and create much needed jobs. This legislation will
help empower American businesses to use our mineral resources in productive and
innovative ways to make our country safer and our economy stronger.”
McCaskill: “These
elements have become increasingly important as global demand has soared.
Our ability to build fighter engines, missile guidance systems and space
satellites will be jeopardized in the coming years if we don’t encourage
entrepreneurship and innovation. China’s choke hold on world markets diminishes
our national security and threatens our economy. We should support
domestic research and production, especially in Missouri, to secure an
independent supply of these vital elements.”
A
full bill text and a summary of the bill are attached.
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