[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4391 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4391
To promote international cooperation to secure critical mineral supply
chains.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 15, 2025
Mr. Bera (for himself, Mr. Moylan, and Mrs. Kim) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To promote international cooperation to secure critical mineral supply
chains.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Minerals Security Partnership
Authorization Act''.
SEC. 2. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO SECURE CRITICAL MINERAL SUPPLY
CHAINS.
(a) Statement of Policy on Critical Mineral Supply Chains.--It is
the policy of the United States--
(1) to collaborate with allies and partners of the United
States to build secure and resilient critical minerals supply
chains, including in the mining, processing, and valuation of
critical minerals, as well as with respect to advanced
manufacturing that includes critical minerals;
(2) to prioritize the development and production of
critical minerals domestically, both to supply domestic needs
and for export to allies and partners that participate in
secure and resilient supply chains for critical minerals;
(3) to reduce or eliminate reliance and dependence on
critical mineral supply chains controlled by the People's
Republic of China (PRC), the Russian Federation, Iran, or any
other strategic competitor of the United States;
(4) to work with allies and partners on enhancing
evaluation capability and technology in trusted countries that
produce critical minerals to avoid the export of mined and
processed critical minerals to adversaries of the United
States;
(5) to identify and implement market-based incentives for
the purposes of facilitating the creation and maintenance of
secure and resilient critical mineral supply chains in
collaboration with allies and partners;
(6) to prioritize securing critical mineral supply chains
in United States foreign policy, including through the use of
economic tools to invest responsibly in projects in partner
countries in a manner that both benefits local populations and
bolsters the supply of critical minerals to the United States
and allies and partners of the United States; and
(7) that collaboration with allies and partners to build
secure and resilient critical mineral supply chains shall not
replace United States efforts to increase domestic development
and production of critical minerals.
(b) International Negotiations Relating to Protecting Critical
Mineral Supply Chains.--
(1) In general.--The President is authorized to negotiate
an agreement with international partners for the purposes of
establishing a coalition--
(A) to facilitate--
(i) the mining, processing, and supply of
critical minerals; and
(ii) advanced manufacturing that includes
critical minerals; and
(B) to secure an adequate supply of critical
minerals and relevant products, manufacturing inputs,
and components that are heavily dependent on critical
mineral resources for the United States and other
members of the coalition (in this subsection referred
to as ``member countries'').
(2) Negotiating objectives.--The overall objectives for
negotiating an agreement described in paragraph (1) should be--
(A) to establish mechanisms for member countries to
build secure and resilient supply chains for critical
minerals, including in--
(i) the mining, refinement, processing, and
valuation of critical minerals; and
(ii) advanced manufacturing of products,
components, and materials that are dependent on
critical minerals;
(B) to improve economies of scale and joint
cooperation with international partners in securing
access and means of production throughout the supply
chains of critical minerals and manufacturing processes
dependent on critical minerals;
(C) to establish mechanisms, with appropriate
market-based disciplines, that provide and maintain
opportunities among member countries for creating
industry economies of scale to attract joint investment
among those countries, including--
(i) cooperation on joint projects,
including cost-sharing on building appropriate
infrastructure to access deposits of critical
minerals; and
(ii) creation or enhancement of national
and international programs to support the
development of robust industries by providing
appropriate sector-specific incentives, such as
political risk and other insurance
opportunities, financing, and other support,
for--
(I) mining and processing critical
minerals;
(II) manufacturing of products,
components, and materials that are
dependent on critical minerals and are
essential to consumer technology
products or have important national
security implications; and
(III) associated transportation
needs that are tailored to the
handling, movement, and logistics
management of critical minerals and
products, components, and materials
that are dependent on critical
minerals;
(D) to establish market-based rules for member
countries regarding adoption of qualifying tax and
other incentives to stimulate investment, as balanced
by market-based disciplines to ensure a fair playing
field among those countries;
(E) to establish recommended best practices to
protect--
(i) labor rights;
(ii) the natural environment and ecosystems
near critical mineral industrial sites; and
(iii) safety of communities near critical
mineral industrial activities;
(F) to advance economic growth in developing
countries with critical mineral reserves, including for
the benefit of the citizens of those countries;
(G) to establish rules allowing for the
establishment of a consortium that is resourced and
empowered to bid and compete in acquiring and securing
potential deposits of critical minerals in countries
that are not members of the coalition described in
paragraph (1) (in this subsection referred to as
``nonmember countries'');
(H) to establish a mechanism for joint resource
mapping with procedures for equitable sharing of
information on potential deposits of critical minerals
not less frequently than annually;
(I) to establish appropriate mechanisms for the
recognition and enforcement by a member country of
judgments relating to environmental and related harms
caused by mining operations within such member country
in contravention of that country's laws; and
(J) to improve supply chain security among member
countries by providing for national treatment
investment protections among those countries that are
equal to, or better than, the standards in the United
States model bilateral investment treaty.
(c) Minerals Security Partnership Authorization.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of State, acting through the
Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the
Environment, is authorized to lead United States participation
in the ``Minerals Security Partnership'', for the following
purposes:
(A) To identify and support investment and advocate
for commercial critical mineral mining, processing, and
refining projects that enable robust and secure
critical mineral supply chains, in consultation with
other Federal agencies, as appropriate.
(B) To coordinate with relevant regional bureaus to
develop regional diplomatic engagement strategies
related to critical minerals projects and to identify
projects that are priorities.
(C) To coordinate with United States missions
abroad on projects, programs, and investments that
enable robust and secure critical mineral supply
chains.
(D) To coordinate with current and prospective
members of the Minerals Security Partnership.
(E) To establish a mechanism for information-
sharing with members of the Minerals Security
Partnership.
(F) To establish policies and procedures, and if
necessary, to provide funding to facilitate cooperation
on joint projects with members of the Minerals Security
Partnership and the Mineral Security Forum, including
those related to cost-sharing agreements, political
risk insurance, financing, equity investments, and
other support, in coordination with other Federal
agencies, as appropriate.
(G) If an agreement described in subsection (b) is
entered into, to support the establishment of the
coalition described in that subsection.
(2) Database.--As part of the Minerals Security
Partnership, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary,
is authorized to establish and maintain a database of critical
mineral projects for the purpose of providing high quality and
up-to-date information to the private sector in order to spur
greater investment, increase the resilience of global critical
minerals supply chains, and boost United States supply.
(3) Qualifications for personnel.--With respect to staffing
personnel to carry out the Minerals Security Partnership, the
Secretary shall prioritize individuals with the following
qualifications:
(A) Substantive knowledge and experience in issues
related to critical minerals supply chain and their
application to strategic industries, including in the
defense, energy, and technology sectors.
(B) Substantive knowledge and experience in large-
scale multi-donor project financing and related
technical and diplomatic arrangements, international
coalition-building, and project management.
(C) Substantive knowledge and experience in trade
and foreign policy, defense-industrial base policy, or
national security-sensitive supply chain issues.
(4) Private sector and civil society coordination.--The
Secretary of State shall ensure close coordination between the
Department of State, the private sector, and relevant civil
society groups on the implementation of this subsection.
(5) Project selection.--
(A) In general.--The United States, through its
participation in the Minerals Security Partnership,
shall prioritize projects that advance the national and
economic security interests of the United States and
allies and partners of the United States.
(B) Criteria requirements.--The United States shall
advocate for the Minerals Security Partnership to use
environmental, social, or governance standards,
including as criteria for project selection, that are
consistent with United States law or international
agreements approved by Congress.
(d) United States Membership in the International Nickel Study
Group.--
(1) United states membership.--The President is authorized
to accept the Terms of Reference of and maintain membership of
the United States in the International Nickel Study Group
(INSG).
(2) Payments of assessed contributions.--For fiscal year
2026 and thereafter, the United States assessed contributions
to the INSG may be paid from funds appropriated for
``Contributions to International Organizations''.
(e) Critical Mineral Defined.--In this section, the term ``critical
mineral''--
(1) has the meaning given the term in section 7002 of the
Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606); and
(2) includes any other mineral or mineral material
determined by the Secretary of State--
(A) to be essential to the economic or national
security of the United States; and
(B) to have a supply chain vulnerable to
disruption.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Department of State $75,000,000 for fiscal year
2026 to enhance critical mineral supply chain security, including to
implement this section.
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