Jackson, Sánchez, and Huffman lead 51 House Democrats Raising Concerns Over Trump Administration’s Critical Minerals Agreements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT: (Jackson)  

(Sánchez)

(Huffman)

August 17, 2026

Jackson, Sánchez, and Huffman lead 51 House Democrats

Raising Concerns Over Trump Administration's

Critical Minerals Agreements

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Linda Sánchez (D-CA-38), and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) led 51 of their House Democratic colleagues in calling on the Trump administration to address concerns about its recently announced critical minerals agreements.

The deals lack transparency and enforceable protections for labor rights, human rights and the environment, while potentially enriching Trump administration insiders and placing financial risk onto American taxpayers without congressional oversight.

The New York Times has even reported that companies linked to the families of President Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick would profit from a U.S.-backed critical minerals agreement in Kazakhstan.

"In light of these concerns, we call for a transparent and accountable negotiation process, alongside a clear commitment to advancing high-road, sustainable critical minerals mining and processing," the members wrote. "The United States must also engage partner countries with respect for their sovereignty and support value-addition in critical minerals supply chains that strengthens emerging economies and ensures exploitative practices of the past are not repeated."

The Letter was endorsed by Public Citizen, Oxfam, Friends of the Congo, Mighty Earth, Earthworks, Earthjustice, the Oakland Institute, the United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and Society, and the Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Public Witness.

In addition to Jackson, Sánchez, and Huffman, the letter was signed by Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Donald Beyer (D-Va.), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Jesús García (D-Ill.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Pablo Hernández (D-Puerto Rico), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), John Larson (D-Conn.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Mike Levin (D-Calif.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), James McGovern (D-Mass.), Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Nellie Pou (D-N.J.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Luz Rivas (D-Calif.), Deborah Ross (D-N.C.), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.), Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.).

Full Letter is Available Here

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