The U.S. House of Representatives on Feb. 4 voted 224-195 to advance legislation led by U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN) to establish the United States as the top global producer of critical and rare earth minerals and reduce the nation’s mineral dependence on foreign adversaries like China.
The House-approved Critical Mineral Dominance Act, H.R. 4090, which Rep. Stauber sponsored in June 2025 with two Republican original cosponsors, would codify certain provisions of presidential executive orders related to domestic mining and hardrock mineral resources.
“President Trump has been a champion for American mineral dominance from day one, and by codifying the administration’s domestic mining policies into law, we can ensure that these pro-mining policies stay in place no matter who is in the White House,” Rep. Stauber said. “This legislation will help enable us to mine here domestically, create good-paying, union jobs, enhance our national security, and position the United States to lead and win in the 21st Century economy.”
If enacted, H.R. 4090 would direct the U.S. Department of the Interior to address mineral supply chain vulnerabilities, including by accelerating and expanding mineral production on federal lands, including National Forest System land, public lands, and any land that may be leased for the exploration, development, or production of hardrock minerals, according to the Congressional Record bill summary.
“For far too long, America’s reliance on imports has left us vulnerable, with China controlling roughly 60 percent of global critical mineral production, 90 percent of processing, and 75 percent of manufacturing,” said Rep. Stauber. “The Chinese Communist Party has repeatedly weaponized this dominance through export restrictions and trade leverage, creating uncertainty for key U.S. industries.
“Previous administrations exacerbated this issue by reversing project approvals and restricting development on millions of acres of public lands, stifling domestic mining efforts,” he added.
Among several provisions, H.R. 4090 would require the Department of the Interior to assess the economic costs of the nation’s import reliance for each critical mineral and incorporate this data into annual USGS summaries, and to explore opportunities for the utilization of products from active, inactive, or proposed mines.
H.R. 4090 advanced to the U.S. Senate, which on Feb. 5 referred it to the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for consideration.