[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 40 (Monday, March 7, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         ENCOURAGING SECURE SUPPLY CHAINS FOR CRITICAL MINERALS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL K. SIMPSON

                                of idaho

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 7, 2022

  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of myself and 
Congressman Russ Fulcher to express grave concern with the 
vulnerability of supply chains and the long-term implications if we do 
not act now to develop a secure supply chain of critical minerals. In 
light of the aggression shown by our adversaries, supply chain security 
is more important than ever.
  Our Nation is at a crossroads--Russia has invaded Ukraine. At the 
same time, China continues to use economic coercion to control global 
markets and shape countries' political decisions. With Congress' 
support, this Administration must take drastic and targeted measures to 
ensure our nation takes the right path to advance U.S. competitiveness 
and maintain a strong position in domestic and foreign markets, 
including critical minerals production.
  Critical minerals are vital to the emerging technologies that will 
underpin the future economic well-being and prosperity of this Nation. 
In recognition of these important minerals, under President Trump, the 
Department of Interior developed a list of 35 critical minerals, a 
process that Congress later codified. That list, just last week, 
expanded to 50. Our home state of Idaho is rich in many of these 
minerals--some of which are fundamental to energy and national security 
applications--such as antimony and cobalt.
  Antimony and cobalt serve as critical components in grid storage 
batteries, and other electrification implements essential to providing 
reliable energy sources to American homes and businesses. In addition 
to its energy contribution, antimony serves as a critical component of 
ammunition, armaments, and other national security platforms. Although 
these minerals serve as essential components in highly utilized U.S. 
products, 53 percent of antimony comes from China, and another 23 
percent comes from Russia. Most cobalt is sourced from the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo (DRC), where the Chinese government has 
subsidized companies that engage in non-transparent practices, dominate 
the industry, and undermine the prosperity and rights of the Congolese.
  Aside from mineral production, Idaho is responsible for cutting-edge 
mineral research. We are proud to be the home of the Idaho National 
Lab, the nation's premier nuclear energy laboratory, whose research is 
paramount to any future clean energy strategy. Unfortunately, the Biden 
Administration chose to remove uranium from the critical minerals list, 
which leaves the nation's nuclear fleet even more reliant on Russian 
fuel.
  As tensions rise with Russia and the potential of additional 
sanctions loom, China will look to take advantage of the void left by 
Russia's isolation in the market. While we need to take strong actions 
on Russia, the reality is that we source many of our raw minerals from 
them. As we tighten our grip on their financial system and exports, we 
must prioritize domestic sourcing and reduce our reliance on countries 
like Russia and China.
  The time is now for this Administration to take real action to 
prioritize a strong domestic supply chain for these essential minerals. 
We do not want to compromise any of our environmental or other 
standards. We are simply calling on the Administration to prioritize 
the timely completion of the permits of currently proposed projects so 
we may take back control of a fundamental piece of many of our 
essential industries: critical minerals production.

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