Congressman Jefferson Shreve and Congressman Blake Moore announced on Apr. 22 that the Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025 has advanced out of the House Committee on Natural Resources. The legislation aims to strengthen the United States’ critical mineral supply chain, reduce permitting delays, and lessen reliance on foreign sources.
The issue is significant as critical minerals are essential for national security, economic growth, and energy independence. The proposed bill amends the FAST Act to allow mining and refining projects a more coordinated federal permitting process while blocking a Biden-era rule that would restrict which projects qualify for this streamlined approach.
“The Biden Administration’s proposed rule would make it harder to produce critical minerals in the United States and easier for China to keep gaining ground. That makes no sense,” said Congressman Jefferson Shreve. “We should be cutting red tape, strengthening American mining and processing, and securing the supply chains our economy and national security depend on.”
Congressman Blake Moore highlighted Utah’s reliance on mining jobs and economic contribution: “The U.S. mining industry is critical to our national security and energy dominance. In Utah alone, mining supports more than 43,000 jobs and contributes more than $5.2 billion to our state’s GDP each year,” said Moore. “As demand for critical minerals continues to grow, our permitting process must keep pace. I’m proud to work with Congressman Shreve on the Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025 to ensure more mining projects can qualify for FAST-41 status.”
House Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman supported the measure by saying: “America’s ability to build, power, and defend itself starts with reliable access to critical minerals… H.R. 1501 strengthens domestic mining by expanding FAST-41 expedited permitting for mining and processing projects.” Heather Reams from Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions also endorsed the act as an important step toward faster approval of mineral projects.
The Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025 will now proceed to consideration by the full House.
