S. 789 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Feb 27, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summarySecuring America's access to critical minerals
This bill asks the Department of the Interior to help the U.S. secure its supply of critical minerals and rare earth elements, which are materials used in electronics, renewable energy, and defense. The department would need to report on global supplies of these minerals every two years and help American investors sell their stock in foreign mining operations to buyers not controlled by China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran. It also requires Interior to work with allied countries on developing better mining and recycling technology and sharing that know-how.
How it affects you
This mainly affects companies and investors involved in mining and mineral processing globally. For most Americans, the indirect benefit would be a potentially more secure supply chain for products that rely on these minerals—from phones and computers to solar panels and military equipment—though the summary doesn't detail how quickly or directly these changes would reach consumers.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Feb 27, 2025)
Critical Minerals Security Act of 2025
This bill establishes requirements for the Department of the Interior related to securing U.S. access to critical minerals and rare earth element (REE) resources. Critical minerals mean any mineral, element, substance, or material designated as critical by the U.S. Geological Survey. REEs mean cerium, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, holmium, lanthanum, lutetium, neodymium, praseodymium, promethium, samarium, scandium, terbium, thulium, ytterbium, and yttrium.
First, Interior must report on the critical mineral and REE resources, including recyclable or recycled materials containing those resources, around the world. Among other information, the report must include an assessment of the global ownership and supply of critical mineral and REE resources. Interior must submit the report within a year and every two years thereafter.
Next, Interior must establish a process to assist a U.S. person—a U.S. citizen, a non-U.S. National (alien under federal law) lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or an entity organized under U.S. laws—seeking to divest stock in mining, processing, or recycling operations for critical minerals and REEs in a foreign country with finding a purchaser that is not under the control of North Korea, China, Russia, or Iran.
Finally, Interior must develop (1) a strategy to collaborate with U.S. allies and partners to develop advanced mining, refining, separation, processing, and recycling technologies; and (2) a method for sharing related intellectual property with U.S. allies and partners to enable those countries to license those technologies and develop their resources.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 789
A BILL
Critical Minerals Security Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) · Introduced Feb 27, 2025 · Energy · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jun 10, 2026: “Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.”