Developing Overseas Mineral Investments and New Allied Networks for Critical Energies Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7037, the Developing Overseas Mineral Investments and New Allied Networks for Critical Energies, or DOMINANCE Act.

Critical minerals are the foundation of military power, industrial strength, and economic security. They enable fighter jets, semiconductors, batteries, and energy infrastructure. They increasingly determine which nations lead the modern world and which ones fall behind.

Today, far too many of these supply chains are controlled by China, creating a strategic vulnerability the United States cannot afford to ignore.

Over the past year, Congress has taken a serious look at this challenge. Last July, the Foreign Affairs Committee's East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee held a hearing on breaking China's chokehold on critical mineral supply chains. The message was clear: America must boost domestic production while building a coordinated strategy with our allies and trusted partners.

We have also spent the past year listening to the companies, manufacturers, and investors building these supply chains, including Freeport-McMoRan, MP Materials, KoBold Metals, and the National Association of Manufacturers.

Earlier this year, my colleague Congressman Bera and I traveled to Peru to see firsthand the opportunities and challenges facing critical mineral development. Across all of these conversations, one consistent theme emerged--America needs a durable, long-term strategy.

The Trump administration has advanced important initiatives, such as FORGE, Pax Silica, and Project Vault. I recognize administration officials David Copley, Jacob Helberg, and Ben Black for their leadership in advancing America's energy and mineral security interests.

Yet Congress must ensure these efforts endure beyond any single administration. As China executes a decades-long plan, America cannot afford to shift strategies every few years. That is why Representative Bera and I introduced the bipartisan DOMINANCE Act.

This legislation aligns America's diplomatic, financing, and strategic tools to strengthen critical mineral and energy supply chains with our trusted partners.

I thank Congressman Pete Stauber of Minnesota, chairman of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, for his leadership on domestic mining. I also thank Congressman Rob Wittman for his leadership on strengthening our defense industrial base, and Congressman John Moolenaar for confronting the challenges posed by the Chinese Communist Party.

The DOMINANCE Act complements their work by ensuring international efforts reinforce, not replace, U.S. domestic production and industrial resilience.

The bill establishes the Bureau of Energy Security and Diplomacy at the State Department. It creates long-term energy security pacts with our allies and partners. It authorizes the Forum on Resource Geostrategic Engagement, FORGE, and improves interagency coordination.

It supports key investments in energy supply chains, launches mining fellowship and exchange programs to build future talent, codifies key White House positions, and requires specialized training for Foreign Service officers in critical posts around the world.

This legislation is about economic security, industrial strength, and national security. The United States must stop depending on China for the materials that power the modern world.

The DOMINANCE Act ensures that America and its allies, not our adversaries, shape the future of global energy and critical mineral supply chains.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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