U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) have introduced legislation aimed at strengthening domestic supply chains for critical minerals by establishing a new Strategic Resilience Reserve (SRR). The proposal is intended to address national and economic security needs.
The bill has received support from several organizations, including the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, American Critical Minerals Association, Arizona State University, Bipartisan Policy Center Action, Breakthrough Institute, Center for Public Enterprise, Employ America, Foundation for American Innovation, Institute for Progress, Jervois USA, New American Industrial Alliance, TechMet, and Zeno Power.
John Bozzella, President and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, stated: “Sens. Shaheen and Young understand reliable access to critical minerals is key to a healthy and competitive auto industry in America. The SECURE Minerals Act’s new Strategic Resilience Reserve can support secure and accessible critical mineral supply chains, and lessen reliance on China while strengthening American innovation, manufacturing and jobs, and national security.”
Sarah Venuto, Executive Director of the American Critical Minerals Association (ACMA), said: “The American Critical Minerals Association (ACMA) is excited to see the bipartisan, bicameral introduction of the Securing Essential and Critical U.S. Resources and Elements (SECURE) Minerals Act, led by Senators Shaheen, Young, Cortez Masto, and Rounds, alongside Representatives Wittman and Moolenaar. For several years, ACMA and its members have called for federal policy to derisk investments in the critical minerals sector. Alongside permitting reform, workforce development and common-sense tax policies, a strategic resilient reserve will act as an engine of growth for domestic and allied investments in securing the materials supply chain that drives our economy. This bill is a meaningful step in countering China’s monopoly over global markets. It will help catalyze investment as well as support long-term predictability and price transparency for U.S. critical minerals producers, processors, and consumers. ACMA applauds the introduction of this bill and looks forward to engaging with Congress on this effort.”
Michael Crow of Arizona State University commented: “The SECURE Minerals Act reflects a clear understanding that economic security and national security are now deeply linked. Securing a reliable, domestic supply of critical minerals is essential to protecting American industries, strengthening our workforce, and reducing dependence on concentrated global supply chains. This legislation positions the United States to compete, innovate, and build lasting partnerships with allies in areas vital to our future.”
Michele Stockwell from Bipartisan Policy Center Action added: “China’s dominance of the global critical minerals supply chain has created an unstable market that hinders domestic critical mineral projects. BPC Action applauds the introduction of the SECURE Minerals Act which aims to combat price volatility drive domestic investment in critical minerals and strengthen American’s mineral security.”
Dr. Seaver Wang from Breakthrough Institute said: “Critical minerals are key to American technological competitiveness and national defense and require a policy environment that supports innovation protects the market from manipulation and expands domestic production. A Strategic Resilience Reserve Corporation equipped with versatile financial instruments can maximize the efficiency of public sector support while promoting more open and transparent critical commodity markets.” He continued: “The SECURE Minerals Act is a crucial part of efforts to modernize and strengthen U.S. critical minerals policy and will establish the market conditions America needs to compete with China across these vital supply chains.”
Paul Williams at Center for Public Enterprise noted: “Throughout history the United States has used the power of its balance sheet to support important sectors and industries of the economy from housing to energy to transportation. With the growing innovation in the energy sector today,and increasing global pressures on critical minerals,a strategic resilience reserve to support our own domestic supply chain will help create price stability not just for companies in the short run but for consumers in the long run.”
Employ America stated: “Employ America is pleased to endorse the SECURE Act which establishes a strategic resilience reserve,a high priority for the organization since we first proposed it in 2023,and co-authoredthe proposal with Daleep Singh.We applaudthe efforts of Senator Shaheen Senator Young Representative Wittman,and Representative Moolenaar towards legislative enactment.The bill would establish an independent government corporation that deploys a robustand varied toolkitfor developmentof independent liquid freeand competitive commodity markets,and thereby combat China’s current market dominancein critical mineralsand markets.”
Pavan Venkatakrishnan from Foundation for American Innovation remarked: “Senator Shaheen Senator Young,and Representative Wittman should be commendedfor their workon THE SECURE Minerals Act.The bill’s Strategic Resilience Reserve will effectively combat CCP market manipulation while building transparent American-ledcritical minerals marketsandsupplychains.Lawmakersshouldexpeditiouslyworktoenactthisimportantpieceoflegislationintolaw.”
The Institute for Progress shared: “China’s rare earth dominance gives Beijing dangerous leverage over America’s industrial base.The InstituteforProgress(IFP)strongly endorses legislationtoestablishaStrategicResilienceReserve—anindependententitywithanexpansivetoolkitdesignedtobuildresilientcriticalmineralsupplychains.JustasOperationWarpSpeedprovedthegovernmentcanaccelerateinnovationthroughsmartincentivesanSRRwoudsupportthedevelopmentofacompetitivecriticalmineralsmarkettooutcompeteChina’sstatedirecteddominanceandsecureAmerica’stechnologicalfuture.”
Matthew Lengerich at Jervois USA explained: “As ownerofAmerica’sonlycobalt mine,builtatacostofover$150millionfrom2021-23,butneveroperated,JervoisiscaseinpointforthedamagecausedbyChinesemanipulationofcriticalmineralsmarkets.Withmechanismssuchascontractsfordifferencesandadvancedmarketcommitments,theSECUREMineralsActwillbekeytosecuringU.S.CriticalMineralsSupplyChains”
New American Industrial Alliance added:”NAIAisproudtoendorsetheSECUREMineralsActtoestablishastrategicresiliencereserveforcriticalminerals.Astheimportanceofcriticalmineralsonlycontinuestorise,it isessentialthatweusealltools,bothpublicandprivate,tosecureoursupplychains.TheSECUREMineralsActenhancesournationalsecurityandbroadereconomicresilience.”
Tyler Bernstein from Zeno Power concluded:”AsaU.S.companydevelopingnuclearbatteriesfornationalsecurityandspacemissions,weknowthatsecureandreliablesupplychainsfromcriticalmineralstostrategicisotopesareessentialtoAmericancompetitivenessinthe21stcentury.TheSECUREMineralsActprovidesdomesticandalliedcriticalmineralprojectswithlongtermcertaintyshiftingleverageawayfromadversariesandtowardU.S.andalliedsupplychains.Itgivescompanieslikeoursconfidencethatwe’llhaveaccesstothematerialsrequiredtomanufacturenuclearbatteriestechnologythat’scriticaltoAmerica’sabilitytocompeteandleadinfrontierenvironments.”
Senator Todd Young represents Indiana in the Senate where he serves on committees related to finance; commerce; science; transportation; small business; entrepreneurship; intelligence; his official website details his background including degrees from institutions such as U.S Naval Academy University Chicago University London Indiana University as well as prior service as Marine Corps officer.Young’s focus areas include national security economic growth housing affordability veterans’ issues artificial intelligence.He sponsored legislation like CHIPS Science Act.
Full text of this legislation along with a one-page summary are available online.
