Gallego, Kelly Back Bipartisan Mining Education Bill

Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) are cosponsoring a bipartisan bill to expand mining education in the United States, bolstering the domestic workforce.

Introduced by Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), the Mining Schools Act of 2025 establishes a grant program for mining schools at colleges and universities, such as the University of Arizona, one of the 14 institutions in the country to offer mining engineering degrees, to boost recruitment, research projects, and demonstrations of mineral production.

Additionally, the bill creates a Mining Professional Development Advisory Board to oversee the grant program, evaluate applicants, and recommend recipients to the Secretary of Energy. If more college students pursue degrees in mining engineering, the United States can increase its domestic critical mineral production.

"Mining plays an important role both in Arizona's economy and our country's energy security," said Sen. Gallego in his press release, adding, "This bipartisan bill will help train the next generation of mining professionals, prepare students for good-paying jobs, and keep America competitive in mineral production."

Sen. Kelly made similar remarks, emphasizing Arizona's critical mineral industry more by saying, "Arizona is leading the way in mining the materials that power our economy, from copper to critical minerals."

"To keep that edge, we're investing in the next generation of engineers, geologists, and skilled workers, and giving schools like the University of Arizona the tools to recruit more students, expand and strengthen our supply chains," Sen. Kelly continued.

Critical minerals and mines have been a subject of legislation of Gallego and Kelly's Republican colleagues over in the House of Representatives, with Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ) introducing the Legacy Mine Cleanup Act in October, which would codify the Office of Mountains, Deserts, and Plains (OMDP) division of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which former President Donald Trump created in 2020 to address the issues posed by abandoned mines specifically.

In November, the House passed Representative Juan Ciscomani's (R-AZ) Critical Mineral Consistency Act, which combines 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 in the USGS's list, such as clean energy tax credits and financing support.

Most recently, Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) has called for a 10-year moratorium on the production of pennies, which would have a minimal impact on Arizona's copper mining industry, as pennies have been primarily made of zinc since 1982.