{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-coons-introduce-bill-to-strengthen-critical-minerals-supply-chains/", "Young, Coons Introduce Bill to Strengthen Critical Minerals Supply Chains", "2024-12-05", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IN", "Todd Young", "Y000064", "www.young.senate.gov", "toddyoung", "https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) introduced the Securing Trade and Resources for Advanced Technology, Economic Growth, and International Commerce (STRATEGIC) Minerals Act to strengthen America\u2019s supply chain of critical minerals and rare earth elements.\n\nCritical minerals are essential resources but are highly vulnerable to supply chain disruption, and China\u2019s aggressive manipulation of these elements presents significant national and economic security threats. The legislation would empower the president to negotiate and enforce sector-specific free trade agreements exclusively focused on critical minerals and rare earth elements (REEs) with trusted partners and allies, thereby bolstering cooperation, reducing trade barriers, and enhancing national security.\n\n\u201cOur nation relies on critical minerals for everything from consumer goods to defense technologies, and a dependence on foreign adversaries for these materials is a national security vulnerability we cannot afford,\u201d said Senator Young. \u201cNegotiating more trade agreements on critical minerals with trusted partners will help shore up our supply of these resources, protect American interests, and strengthen our national security.\u201d\n\n\u201cWorking with allies and partners to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals will help our national security and position us to play a leading role in producing the technologies that will define the rest of the 21st Century,\u201d said Senator Coons. \u201cThe STRATEGIC Act will decrease our dependence on unreliable entities and strengthen America\u2019s access to the resources we need.\u201d\n\n\u201cChina dominates the critical minerals supply chain, which leaves America vulnerable to national security risks,\u201d said Senator Cornyn. \u201cBy shoring up America\u2019s critical minerals supply chain, this legislation would increase our competitiveness on the world stage, reduce our dependence on foreign adversaries, and foster greater trade with trusted allies.\u201d\n\n\u201cChina controls many of the minerals that are essential to our national security, our ability to address climate change, and to the microchips that power our modern way of life,\u201d said Senator Hickenlooper. \u201cChina\u2019s only leading because we\u2019re letting them. Our bipartisan bill is a course correction our country desperately needs.\u201d\n\nMore specifically, the STRATEGIC Minerals Act would:\n\nAuthorize the president, through the U.S. Trade Representative, to negotiate, enter into, and enforce specialized trade agreements focused on critical minerals and REEs, subject to congressional approval.\n\nSet trade negotiation objectives to strengthen supply chains of critical minerals and REEs, aiming to reduce or eliminate trade barriers with trusted allies to ensure reliable access and reduce dependence on adversarial nations.\n\nExclude nonmarket economies like China and prevent foreign entities of concern from benefiting, allowing only trusted partners to participate in order to safeguard our national security.\n\nRequire the president to consult with Congress before initiating negotiations, providing details on objectives and potential impacts and ensuring legislative oversight.\n\nAmends the Defense Production Act of 1950 to include certain businesses from countries party to such agreements in the definition of domestic sources under strict conditions, strengthening U.S. access to critical minerals essential for national security while prioritizing American interests.\n\nThe legislation builds on Senator Young\u2019s efforts to ensure the United States has access to critical mineral supply chains and is countering China\u2019s industry manipulation, including by introducing the Critical Minerals Future Act and the Critical Minerals Security Act earlier this year.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-coons-introduce-bill-to-strengthen-critical-minerals-supply-chains/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9564049541950226, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}