Representative Juan Ciscomani's (R-AZ) Critical Mineral Consistency Act has passed the House by a vote of 245-155, a clear indicator of its bipartisan appeal.
To reiterate, Rep. Ciscomani's bill would combine the definitions of "critical minerals" and "critical materials" used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Department of Energy (DOE), respectively, 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.
"Critical Minerals are essential for our economy, national security, and clean energy technologies. As demand for these strategic resources continues to increase, the United States must ensure access to a reliable supply. My legislation, the Critical Mineral Consistency Act, will ensure parity between U.S. Geological Survey Critical Minerals and Department of Energy materials lists to strengthen our domestic supply chain and include copper, electrical steel, fluorine, silicon, and silicon carbide on the Critical Minerals list, a long overdue classification. I am proud to see my legislation pass out of the House of Representatives and look forward to its consideration in the Senate," said Rep. Ciscomani in his press release.
Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ), who originally cosponsored the bill, also released a statement to X (formerly Twitter), saying, "Proud to be an original cosponsor of @RepCiscomani's bill, which just passed in the House. This legislation would help secure America's place as a leader in energy and end our inexcusable reliance on adversarial nations for critical minerals. That's a win for #AmericaFirst."
Proud to be an original cosponsor of @RepCiscomani's bill, which just passed in the House.
This legislation would help secure America's place as a leader in energy and end our inexcusable reliance on adversarial nations for critical minerals.
That's a win for #AmericaFirst 🇺🇸 https://t.co/s3akQQ4dBa
— Rep. Eli Crane (@RepEliCrane) November 14, 2024
Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) introduced the Senate version last week with Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), saying it "boosts the responsible production of copper and other critical materials, strengthens our national security, reduces reliance on foreign countries, and fuels economic opportunities."