North Charlotte Today

Senator Thom Tillis and his colleagues recently introduced the Global Strategy for Securing Critical Minerals Act, a bipartisan legislation aimed at developing a strategy and global approach to ensure that the U.S., its allies, and global partners can rely on a diverse and secure supply of critical minerals.

“As the demand for critical minerals continues to grow, the U.S. must ensure we have the necessary diplomatic and financial tools to push back against the Chinese Communist Party and secure America’s role in the minerals economy,” said Senator Tillis. “This commonsense legislation safeguards our national security by protecting the production and procurement of these critical minerals.”

Critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements are essential for technologies crucial to national security, including military equipment and defense systems, as well as emerging technologies like electric vehicles and power grid storage. Currently, China dominates the mining, processing, and manufacturing of most of these minerals. The U.S.'s dependence on China for these resources raises significant economic and national security concerns. This legislation aims to combat China's dominance by ensuring a secure supply of these minerals.

The proposed legislation would enhance diplomatic and financial tools to support both public and private sectors in securing and processing these minerals through several measures:

- Streamlining diplomatic efforts for securing minerals;

- Establishing diplomatic support for private sector investments abroad;

- Enhancing financial tools of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM);

- Creating a fund to assist investments in critical minerals;

- Enhancing public-private information sharing on manipulative adversary practices;

- Creating a public website to assist private sector companies in navigating government resources and financial support;

- Expanding allied partnerships to secure critical minerals.

Additionally, the legislation seeks to increase U.S. procurement of critical minerals to counteract China's market influence by:

- Requiring a report on new or expanded authorities needed to increase domestic production and procurement;

- Requiring an assessment on imposing duties on imported minerals, particularly from China;

- Mandating a whole-of-government effort to develop workforce training programs aimed at advancing end-to-end critical mineral capabilities.

Full text of the bill is available HERE.