A federal lawmaker has introduced the “Intergovernmental Critical Minerals Task Force Act,” seeking to diminish U.S. reliance on China for critical minerals via domestic mining, recycling and finding other trade partners.  | Joaquin Corbalan/Shutterstock

A federal lawmaker has introduced the “Intergovernmental Critical Minerals Task Force Act,” seeking to diminish U.S. reliance on China for critical minerals via domestic mining, recycling and finding other trade partners. 

House Resolution 3198 was introduced on May 5 by Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-California, and would create an intergovernmental task force with state, local, Tribal, territorial and federal representatives to “combat United States reliance on the People’s Republic of China and other covered countries for critical minerals and rare Earth metals.” 

According to the bill, current supply chains of critical minerals “pose a great risk to the national security of the United States,” as in 2022, the U.S. relied 100% on imports for 12 out of 50 minerals designated “critical” by the United States Geological Survey and was more than 50% reliant on imports for 31 more. 

Meanwhile, China was the top producing nation for 30 of the 50 critical minerals, the bill states. 

The proposal comes after the White House released an executive order in April directing the Department of Commerce to explore the effects of critical mineral imports on national security. Among other points, it calls for the agency to explore policies boosting recycling of minerals like cobalt, nickel, aluminum and palladium as well as the 17 rare earth elements.

The proposed task force would be charged with creating a report on the extent of U.S. reliance on China and other countries for critical minerals and what national security risks that may pose. The task force is also to make recommendations of how to secure the supply chain and reduce import reliance. 

That could include “increasing capacities for mining, exploration, beneficiation, processing, refinement, reuse, and recycling of critical minerals in the United States,” the bill notes, “to facilitate the environmentally responsible production of domestic resources to meet national critical mineral needs, in consultation with Tribal and local communities.” 

The task force should also identify how to change statutes, regulations and policies to “accelerate environmentally responsible domestic and international production.”

A long list of Congressional committees would be involved, including the Senate committees on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Energy and Natural Resources, Armed Services,  Environment and Public Works, Commerce, Science and Transportation, Finance, and Foreign Relations. In addition, the House committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Natural Resources, Armed Services, Ways and Means, Foreign Affairs, and Energy and Commerce would also be involved. 

Outside of the two chambers, the task force would include representatives from: 

  • Bureau of Indian Affairs.
  • Bureau of Land Management.
  • Critical Minerals subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council.
  • Departments of Agriculture.
  • Department of Commerce.
  • Department of Defense.
  • Department of Energy.
  • Department of Homeland Security.
  • Department of the Interior.
  • Department of Labor.
  • Department of State.
  • Department of Transportation.
  • U.S. EPA.
  • Export-Import Bank of the United States.
  • Forest Service.
  • General Services Administration.
  • National Economic Council.
  • National Science Foundation.
  • National Security Council.
  • Office of Management and Budget.
  • Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
  • U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
  • U.S. Geological Survey. 

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