Next week, the House of Representatives will continue its focus on job creation and economic growth by voting on another bipartisan Natural Resources Committee bill, H.R. 4402, the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act, that will allow the U.S. to more efficiently develop our Nation's strategic and critical minerals, such as rare earth elements, that are vital to job creation, American economic competitiveness and national security.

“Our Nation can either streamline government red-tape to create jobs and develop rare earths and critical minerals here in America, or we can allow our dependence on foreign countries to threaten our economy and watch as more jobs are lost. Without these critical mineral ingredients, entire sectors of our economy from manufacturing to high-tech to national defense to medical care are put at risk,” said Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04). “Our nation has a vast supply of these mineral resources and this common sense bill provides a real action plan to clear away unnecessary government red-tape that is standing in the way of new job creation and ensuring America is no longer nearly 100% dependent on foreign countries for many strategic and critical minerals.”

Due to onerous government red-tape, frivolous lawsuits and a burdensome permitting process, America has allowed good-paying mining jobs to disappear overseas and put American manufacturing jobs at the mercy of foreign sources. Critical and strategic minerals are fundamental components of technologies and everyday items including computers, medical equipment, renewable energy sources (wind turbines, solar panels, hybrid vehicles, etc.), high-tech military equipment, building and manufacturing materials, and common household products. Currently, America is nearly 100 percent dependent on foreign countries like China for rare earth elements and other critical and strategic materials that are vital components to America’s manufacturing sector.

The lead sponsor of the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act is Rep. Mark Amodei of Nevada, a member of the Natural Resources Committee.

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