Lee, Kelly Introduce Bill to Strengthen the U.S. Critical Mineral Supply Chain

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) introduced the Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2025.

This bill eliminates disparities between the Critical Materials List created by the Department of Energy (DOE), and Critical Minerals List created by the U.S. Geological Survey within the Department of the Interior (DOI). Aligning these lists will improve our nation’s critical mineral supply chain by reducing confusion among industry and federal agencies, ensuring that all vital resources are treated equally. Senators Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Curtis (R-Utah), and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and are cosponsors of this legislation.

“The Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2025 will make it easier for America’s energy producers to harness our nation’s abundant resources and support affordable, reliable energy production. Aligning the DOE’s Critical Materials List and the DOI’s Critical Minerals List will increase transparency within our federal agencies, ensuring all of our nation’s critical resources are developed, traded, and produced equally, and strengthen our supply chains,” said Chairman Lee.

“Copper and other critical materials are essential to our energy security, manufacturing, and national defense, but federal bureaucracy has created confusion for producers,” said Senator Kelly. “We’re cutting through the red tape to make sure Arizona’s copper producers and other critical material suppliers can access the resources they need to strengthen our supply chains and support American jobs.”

 

The Critical Minerals Act of 2025 is also supported by the National Mining Association (NMA), Utah Mining Association, Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), Copper Development Association (CDA), and American Exploration & Mining Association (AEMA).

 

"We firmly believe all minerals are critical, and this commonsense legislation is an important step forward,” said Rich Nolan, NMA President and CEO. “The bipartisan and bicameral Critical Mineral Consistency Act is a win for American miners, for domestic supply chain security and is essential to ensuring domestic production can increasingly meet soaring demand. We applaud the leadership of Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) in making sure made-in-America can increasingly mean mined-in-America. We urge action on this important legislation.”

 

“The Utah Mining Association thanks Senator Lee and Senator Kelly for the introduction of Critical Mineral Consistency Act.  The bill brings consistency to federal mineral designations and signals to the private sectors the importance of continued investment and development of mining operations targeting copper and other important minerals which have heretofore been left off the federal critical minerals list,” said Brian Somers, President of the Utah Mining Association.

 

"ZETA is proud to support the introduction of the Critical Mineral Consistency Act by Senators Lee and Kelly for the 119th Congress, which passed the House with an overwhelming bipartisan vote at the end of the 118th Congress. This legislation aims to ensure the U.S. is able to meet its national security, energy independence, and economic growth needs. The current inconsistency between the U.S. Geological Survey’s list of “critical minerals” and the Department of Energy’s list of “critical materials” excludes several important commodities from the benefits offered exclusively to critical minerals. Maximizing responsible and timely production of these commodities is key to meeting the growing demand for advanced technologies across sectors, including electric vehicles, defense, healthcare, consumer electronics, and many other crucial applications. Consistent federal policy is necessary to achieve that goal in the United States. We look forward to working with Senators Lee and Kelly, as well as Representatives Ciscomani (AZ-06) and Lee (NV-03), to advance this important piece of legislation," said Albert Gore, ZETA Executive Director.

 

“Thank you, Chairman Lee and Senator Kelly, for once again supporting this important legislation, endorsed by CDA and several other organizations” said Adam Estelle, President & CEO of the Copper Development Association (CDA). “With demand for copper expected to double by 2035, securing a stable supply for domestic use is imperative.  Extending USGS Critical Minerals status will go a long way to helping increase the production, refining and recycling of copper here in the U.S.”

 

“As demand and global competition for minerals rapidly increases, the U.S. must be strategic about maximizing domestic production and securing our mineral supply chains.  Although all minerals are critical to our economy, national security, and our standard of living, it’s important that we are thoughtful, consistent and forward looking in designating mineral criticality.  We are grateful for the leadership of Chairman Lee and Senator Kelly in promoting the Critical Mineral Consistency Act to help do just that,” said Mark Compton, Executive Director of American Exploration & Mining Association.

 

For the bill text, click here.