[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 114 (Thursday, September 14, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1735]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INTRODUCING BILL TO ESTABLISH MINERAL COMMODITY INFORMATION 
                             ADMINISTRATION

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                          HON. THELMA D. DRAKE

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 14, 2006

  Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce this bill to 
establish the Mineral Commodity Information Administration in the 
Department of the Interior.
  This bill would make the Mineral Information Team (MIT) with the 
United States Geological Service an independent agency in the 
Department of the Interior, with much the same charter as the Energy 
Information Agency housed in the Department of Energy.
  The MIT collects and disseminates data on virtually every 
commercially important non-fuel mineral commodity produced worldwide, 
information that is critical to businesses, the government, and 
importantly, the Department of Defense (DOD) to help manage the 
National Defense Stockpile. Due to the importance of the data, the MIT 
should be an independent agency reporting to the Secretary of the 
Interior.
  Virtually every manufacturing sector, from aviation to textiles, 
relies on the unbiased, thorough, and comprehensive data reported by 
the MIT. This data is essential for effective use of our natural 
resources and for accurate forecasting. The information for a number of 
the MIT reports is derived from proprietary information given by our 
members precisely because the government is a trusted third party.
  The United States is the world's largest user of mineral commodities, 
with processed materials of mineral origin accounting for over $487 
billion in the economy in 2005 (an increase of 8 percent over 2004 on 
top of an increase of over 13 percent in 2003).
  In 2002, the administration's FY 2003 budget proposed to eliminate 
the collection of international mineral commodity information. The 
attempts to eliminate international mineral commodity information 
collection have continued with each subsequent budget proposal. The 
congressional appropriations committees have wisely continued to reject 
calls to eliminate this critical data.
  This information from the MIT is critical to the effective use of the 
nation's natural resources and for accurate forecasting. Without a 
reliable source of worldwide commodity information, the U.S. would be 
blind to any impending supply shortages. MIT data was critical in 
calming the markets during the cement and steel shortages of 2004, 
identifying the problem as one of logistics, not supply.
  Our Nation is facing a global resources future where we are more 
dependent than ever on foreign sources of energy and minerals while at 
the same time no longer ``guaranteed'' to be the major recipient of 
energy and minerals from our traditional foreign suppliers. Considering 
businesses operate in a global economy, and imported raw and processed 
mineral materials increased in value by more than 14 percent from 2005 
to $103 billion, the comprehensive data provided by the MIT becomes 
ever more important.
  Clearly the Federal government understands the importance of 
worldwide data on energy production as demonstrated by the increased 
funding for the Energy Information Administration. Currently, the 
continued viability and availability of mineral commodity information 
is mired in the bureaucracy and under budgetary assault. It is 
imperative that the importance of the MIT mission be recognized by 
establishing it as an independent agency of the Department of the 
Interior.
  This is the goal that my bill will accomplish. The mission of the 
newly created Mineral Commodity Information Administration will be to 
continue to collect, analyze, and disseminate information on the 
domestic and international supply of and demand for minerals and 
mineral materials essential to the U.S economy and national security.

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