Cortez Masto, Bipartisan Colleagues Introduce New Legislation to Strengthen Domestic Supplies of Critical Minerals

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced new bipartisan, bicameral legislation to support domestic supply chains for critical minerals to meet economic and national security needs. The Securing Essential and Critical U.S. Resources and Elements (SECURE) Minerals Act would establish a new Strategic Resilience Reserve (SRR) to support the critical mineral projects and markets that the U.S. relies on for vital technologies.

"The United States, not communist China, should be leading the way in critical minerals like those we have Nevada," said Senator Cortez Masto. "Our bipartisan legislation would help bolster our supply chains, create more good-paying jobs here at home, and build a strategic reserve that enhances our global competitiveness . This is a necessary and strategic step for our economy and for our national security. "

Critical minerals are necessary for energy production and manufacturing advanced technology, making them pivotal not only to America's economy, but also to its national security. The SECURE Minerals Act would strengthen domestic mineral production by creating a SRR in a government corporation modeled after the Federal Reserve and run by a seven-member board appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The SRR would focus on supporting the critical minerals market, including through stable prices, domestic and allied production (including recycling), stockpiles, competitive markets, and supply chain work, with prioritization of minerals for which the United States is reliant on China and recycling. The SRR would work with our international allies to coordinate on competing against Chinese market manipulation. Overall, the SRR will work to ensure critical mineral supplies are reliable not just for national security, but across the economy.

Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Rob Wittman (R-Va.-01) and John Moolenaar (R-Mich.-02).

The full text of the legislation can be found here and a section by section can be found here.

Through her Innovation State Initiative, Senator Cortez Masto has been a champion of domestic critical mineral extraction and production, particularly in Nevada. Earlier this year, she called on the Trump Administration to take strategic action to protect, invest in, and strengthen America's critical mineral supply chain. Cortez Masto has led bipartisan bills to establish a Critical Minerals Security Alliance with America's global trading partners, to strengthen the domestic supply chain of rare earth magnets, and to allow critical mineral production to continue in the West. She has also been a consistent advocate for the Thacker Pass Lithium Project in Humboldt County, which will soon be a major hub of critical mineral mining and production.

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