02/04/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/04/2026 10:10
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and John Curtis (R-UT), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement as the United States hosts a Critical Minerals Ministerial. The Senators urge their colleagues to support complementary legislation which directs the U.S. government to work with trusted international partners to develop secure, reliable and transparent supply chains for critical minerals by authorizing U.S. participation in the Minerals Security Partnership.
"It is unacceptable for America's economic well-being and national security to be at the whim of China due to their overwhelming control of critical minerals supply chains. We welcome Secretary Rubio hosting a ministerial meeting to address this challenge and deepen partnerships with like-minded countries. The United States cannot solve the critical minerals challenge alone and we will be unable to counter PRC dominance over critical mineral supply chains without trusted allies and partners.
"That is why we urge Congress to pass our legislation that would codify U.S. participation in the Minerals Security Partnership to better coordinate the mining, processing, and recycling of critical minerals. Our legislation provides a bipartisan signal that the United States Congress wants to work with its allies and partners in securing these strategic assets to protect our collective economic and national security."
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