Bill Summary
The **Critical Minerals Trade Security Act** establishes a new position within the Office of the United States Trade Representative: the Chief Critical Minerals Negotiator. This role is created in response to the increasing importance of critical minerals—such as rare earth elements—for national security and economic stability, particularly in defense-related technologies. The Act acknowledges the U.S.'s heavy dependence on foreign sources for these minerals, which poses risks to supply chains and national defense.
Key provisions of the legislation include:
1. **Creation of the Chief Critical Minerals Negotiator**: This individual will conduct trade negotiations, enforce agreements related to critical minerals, and coordinate the U.S. government's critical minerals policy in consultation with other relevant officials.
2. **Annual Reporting Requirements**: The Chief Critical Minerals Negotiator is required to submit an annual report detailing trade relationships and practices of countries that significantly trade with the U.S. or pose supply chain risks. The report must assess whether these practices create vulnerabilities or violate trade agreements.
3. **Response Plans**: Following the report, the negotiator must submit a plan to Congress within 30 days to address any adverse findings, including potential actions to mitigate identified risks or violations.
Overall, the Act aims to enhance the U.S. position in critical minerals trade, protect national interests, and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.
Possible Impacts
The "Critical Minerals Trade Security Act" can have various implications for different groups of people. Here are three examples of how this legislation could affect individuals and communities:
1. **Economic Security for Workers in Critical Mineral Industries**:
The establishment of a Chief Critical Minerals Negotiator aims to strengthen the U.S. supply chain for critical minerals. This could lead to increased domestic production and investment in the mining and processing sectors. Workers in these industries may benefit from job creation, higher wages, and better job security as the U.S. seeks to reduce its dependence on foreign sources and bolster its domestic capabilities.
2. **Consumer Impact through Supply Chain Stability**:
By addressing supply chain vulnerabilities and negotiating better trade agreements, the legislation could lead to more stable prices and availability of products that rely on critical minerals, such as electronics and renewable energy technologies (e.g., batteries for electric vehicles). Consumers may experience fewer disruptions in the availability of these products, potentially reducing costs in the long run.
3. **National Security and Community Safety**:
As critical minerals are essential for national defense systems and infrastructure, enhancing U.S. control over their supply could improve national security. Communities that host critical mineral extraction and processing facilities may see an increase in government investment and infrastructure development, leading to improved local services and safety. Additionally, if the U.S. is less vulnerable to foreign economic coercion, it may contribute to a more stable geopolitical environment, indirectly benefiting the safety and well-being of citizens across the nation.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6659 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6659
To establish within the Office of the United States Trade
Representative a Chief Critical Minerals Negotiator, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 11, 2025
Mr. Moore of North Carolina (for himself, Mr. McGuire, Mr. Barr, and
Mr. Lawler) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish within the Office of the United States Trade
Representative a Chief Critical Minerals Negotiator, and for other
purposes.
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 ``Critical Minerals Trade Security
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Critical minerals, including rare earth elements, are
essential for national security and economic resilience.
(2) Processed critical minerals and their derivative
products are key building blocks of the defense industrial base
of the United States and integral to applications such as jet
engines, missile guidance systems, advanced computing, radar
systems, advanced optics, and secure communications equipment.
(3) The United States remains heavily dependent on foreign
sources of critical minerals which exposes the economy and
defense sector to supply chain disruptions and economic
coercion.
(4) Foreign producers of critical minerals have engaged in
price manipulation, overcapacity, and arbitrary export
restrictions, using their supply chain dominance as a tool for
geopolitical and economic leverage over the United States.
SEC. 3. CHIEF CRITICAL MINERALS NEGOTIATOR.
Section 141 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2171(b)) is amended
as follows:
(1) In subsection (b)(2)--
(A) in the first sentence, by inserting ``one Chief
Critical Minerals Negotiator,'' after ``one Chief
Agricultural Negotiator,''; and
(B) by inserting ``the Chief Critical Minerals
Negotiator,'' after ``the Chief Agricultural
Negotiator,'' each place it appears.
(2) In subsection (c), by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
``(7) The principal functions of the Chief Critical Minerals
Negotiator shall be to conduct trade negotiations regarding critical
minerals, enforce trade agreements relating to United States critical
minerals resources, take appropriate action to address the acts,
policies, or practices of trade partners with respect to critical
minerals, and lead the coordination of the Office's critical minerals
policy in consultation with the following individuals:
``(A) The Secretary of State or his designee.
``(B) The Secretary of Energy or his designee.
``(C) The Secretary of the Interior or his designee.
``(D) Any other individual the United States Trade
Representative determines appropriate.''.
(3) By adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(i) Annual Report by Chief Critical Minerals Negotiator.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than September 30, 2026, and
annually thereafter, the Chief Critical Minerals Negotiator
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees, and
concurrently publish on a publicly available website of the
United States Trade Representative, a report that--
``(A) describes in detail the results of a review
with respect to the acts, policies, and practices
relating to the trade in critical minerals in the
preceding fiscal year of countries determined by such
negotiator to--
``(i) have a significant trade relationship
with the United States; or
``(ii) pose a risk to the supply chains of
the United States; and
``(B) determines whether each such act, policy, or
practice reviewed under subparagraph (A)--
``(i) creates a supply chain vulnerability
which would be detrimental to the United States
defense, energy, and critical infrastructure
sectors; or
``(ii) violates, is inconsistent with, or
otherwise denies the United States of a benefit
under a bilateral or multilateral trade
agreement with such identified country; and
``(C) provides an update for each plan previously
submitted under paragraph (2).
``(2) Response to adverse actions.--Not later than 30 days
after the submission of the report under paragraph (1), the
Chief Critical Minerals Negotiator shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a plan to respond to the
findings of the report, including any action taken under title
III of this Act, to each act, policy, or practice identified in
such report that was determined under paragraph (1)(B) to
violate, be inconsistent with, or otherwise deny to the United
States a benefit under a bilateral or multilateral trade
agreement with such identified country or create a supply chain
vulnerability which would be detrimental to the United States
defense, energy, and critical infrastructure sectors.
``(3) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--In
this subsection, the term `appropriate congressional
committees' means Committee on Ways and Means of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate.''.
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