Critical minerals legislation introduced to Senate
On Oct. 29, Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mark Udall (D-CO), Dean Heller (R-NV) along with 13 of their Senate colleagues introduced the bipartisan Critical Minerals Policy Act of 2013 in an effort to revitalize the U.S.’s critical minerals supply chain and help reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign suppliers.
The Critical Minerals Policy Act of 2013 is intended to revitalize the United States’ critical minerals supply chain and help reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign suppliers for minerals needed for defense, energy and medical industries.
It is the first time in two years that the Senate has taken up legislation regarding mining.
The bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a list of minerals critical to the American economy and provides a comprehensive set of policies to address issues associated with their discovery, production, use and re-use.
In introducing the bill, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Ranking Member Murkowski said, “Minerals affect our daily lives, our standard of living, and our ability to prosper, yet the United States lacks clear policies to ensure an affordable and abundant domestic supply. This is one of our greatest needs, and it’s going unmet. Our bipartisan bill will help solve that problem by providing clear direction to keep the United States competitive and begin the process of modernizing our federal mineral policies. While it took time to develop a bill we could all agree on, we have done just that – and the result will be more opportunities for domestic jobs, technological innovation, increased national security, and greater competitiveness.”
The Critical Minerals Policy Act would also update the U.S.’s critical minerals policies by coordinating efforts across federal agencies, focus on the broader supply chain for critical minerals, and address mineral resource assessments from recycling to alternatives. In total, nine Republicans and eight Democrats are supporting the Critical Minerals Policy Act.
Sen. Wyden said of the bill, “So many parts of our 21st Century economy depend on critical minerals that it just makes sense to bring federal policies up to date.”
“This bill will help restore the United States as a global leader in critical mineral production, create jobs in Colorado and across the country, and strengthen our national security,” said Sen. Udall.
According to the National Academy of Sciences, more than 25,000 lbs of new minerals are needed every year for each person in the United States to make the items we use every day for infrastructure, energy, transportation, communications, health care and defense. While America’s foreign oil dependence often receives the most attention, our nation’s growing dependence on foreign minerals also constitutes a significant threat to our security and economy. According to the U.S Geological Survey, the United States was 100 percent dependent on foreign sources for 17 mineral commodities in 2012 and more than 50 percent dependent on foreign sources for some 24 more.
The full text of the bill can be found on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee website.
In addition to the sponsors listed above, Sens. Mike Enzi (R-WY), Kay Hagan (D-NC), John Thune (R-SD), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Hoeven (R-ND), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Dan Coats (R-IN), Mark Begich (D-AK), Jim Risch (R-ID), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Al Franken (D-MN) and Mike Crapo (R-ID). have also signed on as co-sponsors. In total, nine Republicans and eight Democrats are supporting the Critical Minerals Policy Act.
