ACMA Submits Letter to Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources
March 11, 2025
Senator Mike Lee
Chairman
Senator Martin Heinrich
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources
306 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Lee and Ranking Member Heinrich,
We write today in support of the Committee’s efforts to advance policies that will grow a more independent and reliable critical minerals supply chain for the United States. The American Critical Minerals Association (ACMA) applauds your leadership in holding a hearing on pending legislative proposals and we look forward to working with you in the coming months to advance bipartisan policy.
The mission of ACMA and its members is to support the growth of the domestic critical mineral supply chain. ACMA is an industry association that welcomes members from across the critical minerals supply chain, including raw material producers, processors, recyclers, suppliers, manufacturers, and end users, as well as academic institutions and other stakeholders. Our organization serves as a unified voice to advance U.S.-based critical mineral processing and recycling capacity for the benefit of multiple sectors, including but not limited to, the defense, transportation, aerospace, energy, and manufacturing sectors.
It is clear there is no singular policy solution that will correct the critical minerals market imbalance between China and the U.S and its allies. That is why ACMA advocates for a suite of policy solutions including predictable tax and trade policy, permitting reform, price support, and robust R&D funding for advanced extraction (including seabed) and processing technologies. Our ability to truly compete in the face of China’s monopoly over global minerals markets requires a coordinated government-wide effort to enact or improve laws and incentives that will create a predictable environment for the US investment community.
Therefore, we appreciate the Committee’s consideration of numerous bipartisan proposals during this week’s hearing.
S. 544, “The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act” introduced by Senators Cortez Masto, Risch, Rosen, Crapo and Murkowski provides much-needed direction sto address the Rosemont decision prohibiting mining-support activities, like waste and processing, on federal lands.
S. 596, “The Critical Materials Future Act” introduced by Senators Hickenlooper, Graham, Coons and Young establishing a pilot program at the Department of Energy in support of growing domestic critical material processing capacity in an effort to respond to China’s anticompetitive and manipulative market practices.
S. 714, “The Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2025” introduced by Senators Lee. Kelly, Ossoff, Cassidy, Curtis and Risch aligning the Department of Energy’s critical materials list with the U.S. Geological Survey’s critical minerals list, thereby promoting good governance in support of agency coordination and prioritization and reducing confusion amongst relevant stakeholders.
S. 789, “The Critical Minerals Security Act” introduced by Senators Warner, Young, Hickenlooper, King and Lankford to increase our national understanding of global critical mineral and rare earth resources and create responsible methods for the sharing of intellectual property for advanced methods of mining and processing.
We appreciate your Committee’s leadership on ensuring the United States is the leader on global efforts to establish meaningful ways to address China’s monopoly over critical minerals. We believe you’re your efforts are essential to protecting and growing U.S. and allied investments in the production, processing, and recycling of critical minerals. ACMA looks forward to working with you to advance these policies for the benefit of our nation’s national and economic security.
Sincerely,
Sarah Venuto
Executive Director
American Critical Minerals Association
