The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on Mar. 25 to examine America's critical mineral supply chains and discuss ways to increase domestic production of these resources. Subcommittee Chairman Paul Gosar said that the United States is heavily dependent on foreign sources for minerals such as copper, rare earth elements, lithium, and gallium.
Gosar said reliable access to these minerals is important for national defense and economic strength. "America’s national defense and economic strength depend on reliable access to critical minerals like copper, rare earth elements, lithium and gallium, yet the United States remains dangerously reliant on foreign supply chains dominated by adversaries like China. To protect our national security, we must rapidly expand domestic mining and processing, rebuild resilient supply chains and ensure the United States produces the essential resources needed to power our military, advanced technologies and economy," Gosar said.
The hearing addressed concerns that long permitting processes in the United States have made it difficult for domestic mining operations to compete globally despite large reserves within the country. According to information provided at the hearing, restrictive policies have led to reduced capacity for mining and processing within U.S. borders.
Speakers at the event discussed how delays in developing allied supply chains could leave America exposed to risks such as price manipulation or export controls by other countries. The discussion also highlighted that as demand for critical minerals increases in daily life—especially with new technologies—the impact of current U.S. policies grows more significant.
Looking ahead, participants suggested that changes in policy could help strengthen both economic stability and national security by encouraging faster development of domestic mineral resources.
