The United States, often reliant on foreign adversaries such as China for access to critical materials and minerals, has its foreign policy shaped by this dependence. In a significant and timely move, Representative Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) has introduced a bill that is crucial for our national security and resource independence.
This bill aims to reduce America's reliance on foreign countries for these items, a pressing issue that needs immediate attention. It does so, in part, by ensuring parity between the Department of Energy's (DOE) definition of critical materials and the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) definition of critical minerals.
For additional context, the critical minerals USGS defines include platinum, cobalt, tin, bauxite, and fluorite, which have many uses in medical technology, electronics, and energy sources. However, Rep. Ciscomani claimed the list requires an update, initially compiled in 2022 and relying on supply data from 2015 to 2018.
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The DOE's list of critical materials is similar, containing many of the same minerals and elements, yet is more recent and balancing essentiality and supply risks, relying on projection rather than past data.
As a result, Rep. Ciscomani's bill, the Critical Mineral Consistency Act, would combine the two lists, a move that would significantly benefit the Department of Energy. This would make the Department eligible for more extensive energy benefits found in the USGS's list, such as clean energy tax credits and financing support. This potential for increased support and benefits is a promising step towards our goal of reducing reliance on foreign countries for critical materials and minerals.
In his press release, the Arizona Congressman said, "With both critical minerals and critical materials playing such a key role in everything from energy to national security, we need to ensure our federal agencies are operating with the same understanding of what we need to prioritize. This legislation ensures parity between critical minerals versus critical materials while bolstering America's supply chain for strategic resources for a more resilient future."
Western Caucus Chair Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA) added, "Securing our domestic mineral supply chains is critical for our country's energy and national security. However, one of the challenges to unleashing the full potential of American mining is the confusion between the Department of Energy's 'critical materials' list and the Department of Interior's 'critical minerals' list. As Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, I would like to thank Rep. Ciscomani for his leadership on legislation to ensure consistency in the two agencies' designations and provide clarity to American mining."
