DEVELOPING OVERSEAS MINERAL INVESTMENTS AND NEW ALLIED NETWORKS FOR CRITICAL ENERGIES ACT

On 2026-06-08, Representative Ami Bera (D-CA-6) delivered a floor speech titled "DEVELOPING OVERSEAS MINERAL INVESTMENTS AND NEW ALLIED NETWORKS FOR CRITICAL ENERGIES ACT" in the House.

DEVELOPING OVERSEAS MINERAL INVESTMENTS AND NEW ALLIED NETWORKS FOR CRITICAL ENERGIES ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 96 (Monday, June 8, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 96 (Monday, June 8, 2026)] [House] [Pages H3957-H3965] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] {time} 1640 DEVELOPING OVERSEAS MINERAL INVESTMENTS AND NEW ALLIED NETWORKS FOR CRITICAL ENERGIES ACT Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7037) to promote United States and allied energy and mineral security, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 7037 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Developing Overseas Mineral Investments and New Allied Networks for Critical Energies Act'' or the ``DOMINANCE Act''. (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Findings and purpose. Sec. 3. Definitions. TITLE I--MINERALS SECURITY PARTNERSHIP AUTHORIZATION Sec. 101. International cooperation to secure critical minerals supply chains. Sec. 102. Minerals Security Partnership authorization. Sec. 103. United States membership in the International Nickel Study Group. Sec. 104. Diplomatic strategy for securing critical minerals. Sec. 105. Mechanism to support critical mineral projects in foreign countries. TITLE II--ENERGY SECURITY COMPACTS Sec. 201. Energy Security Compacts. Sec. 202. Office of Energy Security Compacts. Sec. 203. Energy security compact structure. Sec. 204. Energy Security Compacts Council. Sec. 205. Congressional notification. Sec. 206. Government Accountability Office. TITLE III--DEPARTMENT OF STATE AUTHORIZATIONS Sec. 301. Assistant Secretary for Energy Security and Diplomacy. Sec. 302. Bureau of Energy Security and Diplomacy. Sec. 303. Critical Mineral Mining Fellowship Program. Sec. 304. Visiting Mining Scholars Program. Sec. 305. Amendment to the Mutual and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. Sec. 306. Definitions. SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. (a) Findings.--It is the sense of Congress that-- (1) the United States is heavily dependent on the People's Republic of China for the production, processing, and refinement of many key critical minerals and materials; (2) the Government of the People's Republic of China has weaponized its dominance of critical mineral production and has intentionally created overcapacity and sold products at below-market rates in order to gain market share and move up the value chain; (3) it is in the economic and national security interests of the United States to prevent further inroads by strategic competitors into key sectors such as energy infrastructure, critical and rare earth minerals, and other supply chains essential to United States industrial capacity and strategic security; (4) a reliable, resilient, and diversified supply chain for energy and critical minerals is essential to meet the defense, manufacturing, technological, and energy needs of the United States; (5) energy security is a fundamental component of United States national security, economic stability, and foreign policy strategy; (6) the United States must utilize available trade enforcement mechanisms, as well as other appropriate policy tools, to counter coercive economic practices by strategic competitors and complement the growth of a robust domestic critical minerals industry; (7) United States strategic interests are best served by reducing reliance on adversarial nations for energy and critical minerals, ensuring reliable and affordable electricity for industrial and strategic supply chains, expanding commercial opportunities for United States energy technologies, and securing diversified and reliable access to critical minerals for the United States and allied economies; and (8) Government financing, development, and diplomatic tools should all be deployed in a manner that maximizes the mobilization of private capital, strengthens cooperation with allies and partners, and advances the statutory objectives of United States foreign policy, economic development, and national security--thereby making the United States safer, stronger, and more prosperous. (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to-- (1) reduce the dependence of the United States and partner countries on strategic competitors for energy, critical minerals, and related technologies; (2) support economic growth and energy-sector modernization in partner countries through responsible and transparent development of domestic energy and mineral resources; (3) advance United States national security and foreign policy objectives through strategic investments, policy coordination, and expanded cooperation with allies and partners; (4) establish a coordinated interagency mechanism to align United States diplomatic, development, trade, and financing tools; (5) strengthen the commercial competitiveness of United States energy and critical mineral companies in global markets; and (6) secure a diversified and resilient supply and processing capacity for critical minerals necessary for United States industry, energy systems, and defense requirements, as well as those of allied and partner countries. SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Ally; allied country.--The term ``ally'' or ``allied country'' means-- (A) any country described in section 2350a(a)(2) of title 10, United States Code; and (B) any member country of an organization listed in such section. (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means-- (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Ways and Means, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Finance, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. (3) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' means the Assistant Secretary for Energy Security and Diplomacy, as established in section 301. (4) Country compact team.--The term ``Country Compact Team'' means a dedicated team formed by the Director for Energy Security Compacts to manage the day-to-day activities related to the development, negotiation, implementation, and monitoring of the Energy Security Compacts. (5) Critical mineral.--The term ``critical mineral'' means any mineral on the list of critical minerals required by section 7002(c)(3) of the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606(c)(3)) on or after January 1, 2026. (6) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the Department of State. (7) Partner country.--The term ``partner country'' means any country eligible for an Energy Security Compact under title II. (8) Processed.--The term ``processed'', with respect to a critical mineral, means the mineral has undergone the activities that occur after critical mineral ore is extracted from a mine up through its conversion into a metal, metal powder, or a master alloy. (9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of State. (10) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs. TITLE I--MINERALS SECURITY PARTNERSHIP AUTHORIZATION SEC. 101. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO SECURE CRITICAL MINERALS 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 mineral supply chains, including in the mining, processing, reclamation and recycling, and valuation of critical [[Page H3958]] minerals, as well as with respect to advanced manufacturing that includes critical minerals; (2) to prioritize the development and production of critical minerals domestically, including 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 on critical mineral supply chains controlled by the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, Iran, or any other strategic competitor to the United States; (4) to work with allies and partners on enhancing evaluation capability, tracing, 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, including for reclamation and recycling of critical mineral resources from waste streams, in collaboration with allies and partners; (6) to prioritize securing critical mineral supply chains in the United States foreign policy, including through the use of economic tools to invest responsibility in beneficiation and value-adding projects in partner countries in a manner that both benefits local populations and bolsters the supply of critical minerals to the United States; (7) to work with allies and partners to address the distortive effects of predatory economic, pricing, and market manipulation practices used by the People's Republic of China the Russian Federation, Iran, or any other strategic competitor of the United States; (8) to coordinate policy tools and investments with allies and partners to accelerate the development of transparent, traceable, diversified, and fair markets for critical minerals and rare earths; and (9) 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 or recycling of critical minerals. (b) International Negotiations Relating to Protecting Critical Mineral Supply Chains.-- (1) In general.--The President may negotiate an agreement with the gove

Referenced legislation: HR7037, HR7037