Securing America's Critical Minerals Supply Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1057, I call up the bill (H.R. 3617) to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act to secure the supply of critical energy resources, including critical minerals and other materials, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

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Mr. WEBER of Texas. 3617.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3617, the Securing America's Critical Minerals Supply Act, introduced by Representative John James, my colleague and member of the Energy and Commerce Committee from Michigan's 10th Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation enhances the Department of Energy's ability to assess, to identify, as well as address vulnerabilities in the supply chain for energy resources that are absolutely essential to the economic and national security of these United States of America.

When the Department of Energy was organized in 1977, Mr. Speaker, the American people were suffering from the energy security fallout of OPEC's oil embargoes. You may remember prices went up, gas lines formed, and our Nation's economy was threatened because adversarial nations took advantage of U.S. reliance on energy imports for their own interests, Mr. Speaker.

Ultimately, the answer to energy security concerns was advancing United States' production and unleashing American energy dominance. Now the United States is the premier oil-producing nation on this planet.

Today, we find ourselves, Mr. Speaker, in a similar disadvantaged position. An adversarial nation controls the access to key resources, as well as retains the ability to restrict American imports at will, threatening to bring the American economy to its knees. Instead of oil, it is critical minerals. It is rare earth elements, and it is energy resources that are essential to the daily lives of the hardworking Americans as well as a linchpin to the next-generation economy.

These resources, Mr. Speaker, are absolutely required in virtually everything we need to compete as well as defend our country from foreign threats: semiconductors, nuclear reactors, oil and gas infrastructure, the transmission system, and military weaponry, just to name a few.

Make no mistake about it, Communist China knows this and is taking advantage of it. The numbers are absolutely staggering. Communist China produces 60 percent of the world's rare earths and 90 percent of the respective processing capacity, along with 80 percent of the processing capacity for critical minerals, and the vast majority, the production, for at least 50 more critical minerals.

The Chinese wield this authority through export controls to disrupt supply chains as well as market manipulation tactics to ensure no investments flow into these job-creating industries.

Almost 50 years later, the answer to this problem lies in our ability to reshore essential energy production as well as refining facilities that can absolutely compete with our adversaries.

Importantly, Mr. Speaker, the Trump administration has prioritized opportunities to combat undue influence from those same adversaries. For instance, last week, the United States and the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding on strengthening cooperation between the countries on critical minerals, supply chains, and working to develop their critical mineral accessibility away from China.

In addition, the Department of Energy's recent organizational realignment established the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation to fortify American supply chains that are essential to a reliable, affordable, and resilient energy industry.

H.R. 3617, Mr. Speaker, will absolutely enhance the work being done by the Trump Administration by leveraging the expertise of the Department of Energy, to secure our supplies of critical energy resources.

We know what is at stake with the next-generation economy: cutting- edge technologies, like AI and advanced manufacturing, hold tremendous promise to lift up communities across the country with stable, good- paying jobs, while lowering costs for hardworking families.

Mr. Speaker, the Securing America's Critical Minerals Supply Act takes an important step towards solidifying the U.S. position as a global leader in economies and technologies of the future.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time

Mr. Speaker, it is a shame. Instead of trying to score political points, the Democrats should support our efforts to address supply chain vulnerabilities that Communist China actively exploits to the detriment of these American people that we serve.

Mr. Speaker, the intent of this bill is for the Department of Energy to take a holistic view of resources that are critical to the economic as well as the national security of the United States, regardless of the application.

Mr. Speaker, this bill establishes DOE's overarching responsibility for the security of the supply chains of the energy sector. When the Department of Energy was organized in 1977, energy security was a core concern as a result of the oil crisis in the seventies.

I was a teenager back then. I remember waiting in lines to get gasoline. Now, we face similar threats amidst the development of next- generation industries like AI as well as advanced manufacturing.

Mr. Speaker, after decades of degrowth policies that drove energy production and refining abroad, our adversaries have exploited vulnerabilities and left American families susceptible to actions from places like Communist China.

We have already seen Communist China take steps to limit exports of minerals, such as antimony, that are essential to defense manufacturing for things like radar systems.

Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans are focused on all critical energy resources, including critical minerals. Similarly, the Trump administration has announced substantial funding opportunities for critical mineral development touching every part of the supply chain, including mapping, mining, refining, and even recycling.

This bill mirrors the administration's momentum on critical mineral policy and will further focus the Department of Energy on developing that very sector.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3617 is important. You can't make this stuff up, what they are saying across the aisle.

H.R. 3617 is important to securing our critical energy resource supply chains and eliminating our dependence on foreign adversaries like we have been talking about, Communist Red China.

This bill takes a holistic approach, Mr. Speaker, in ensuring vulnerable supply chains, impacting absolutely every single corner of the United States' energy sector, are addressed by the Department of Energy, and its passage is vital to their success.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R.

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