Slotkin leads bills to strengthen defense supply-chain of critical minerals, reduce reliance on China

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) today unveiled two new bipartisan bills to address vulnerabilities in the Department of Defense’s critical mineral supply chain.

The Restoring Essential Energy and Security Holdings Onshore for Rare Earths (REEShore Act) will require the National Defense Stockpile to gather enough rare earth elements and critical minerals to sustain three years of major conflict, while the Homeland Acceleration of Recovering Deposits and Renewing Onshore Critical Keystones (HARD ROCK) Act will increase efforts to correct determined stockpile shortfalls. U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida is the Republican co-lead.

The bills come following Slotkin’s Defense Critical Supply Chain Task Force found that the Department of Defense needs to prioritize supply chain security and reduce its reliance on adversaries for critical components. Both bills were also introduced as amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the annual package of legislation that funds the Department of Defense, and were adopted in the House Armed Services Committee markup last week.

“When I led a bipartisan task force last year to examine our defense supply-chains, we took a close look under the hood and did not like what we saw. Our reliance on foreign adversaries like China for critical defense supplies is a threat to our national security, and these two bills are an important step to get us back on the right track,” said Slotkin. “These bills will revamp our stockpiles of rare-earth minerals that are essential for everything from F-35 radars to electric motors to windmills. China’s current control over the market for these minerals leaves us dangerously vulnerable if they decide to weaponize their exports, as they’ve done in the past. By shoring-up our stockpile and improving transparency, we can make sure we aren’t left defenseless in the event of a trade dispute or military conflict.”

China currently dominates the rare-earth materials industry, supplying almost 80% of U.S. imports from 2017-2020 and controlling 85% of the processing capacity for transitioning raw ore into parts and equipment used by the Department of Defense. They have used rare-earth exports as a weapon before, and America’s existing stockpiles contain only 10% of the material needed to sustain our defense needs, leaving us vulnerable in the event of a conflict or trade war.

“It’s critical to our national security that the Department of Defense expand its stockpile of rare earth elements and critical minerals to expedite the process of offshoring supply chains from China and ensure military readiness for a time of conflict,” said Waltz. “By passing these bills, we will provide the National Defense Stockpile Manager the authority to acquire the critical materials necessary to meet the strategic goals of the United States.”

The REEShore Act would:

• Require the National Defense Stockpile to gather enough rare earth elements and critical minerals to sustain three years of major conflict.
• Require DoD contractors to track and disclose where the rare earth metals used in its magnets come from.
• Revive a ban on DoD procuring munitions from Chinese military companies

The HARD ROCK Act would:

• Increase the National Defense Stockpile Manager’s authority to make purchases to address stockpile shortfalls
• Require the Secretary of Defense to report on critical minerals sourced from China and Russia

Slotkin has been an outspoken advocate on supply-chain issues for both defense resources and other critical goods. Last year, her Strengthening America’s Strategic National Stockpile, which would overhaul the U.S. stockpile of critical medical supplies, passed the House with overwhelming support. She has also consistently urged Democratic leadership to pass funding for domestic microchip manufacturing.

DON’T MISS A BEAT

Sign up for our weekly newsletter

We don’t spam!

Sharing is caring!

The Livingston Post is the only locally owned, all-digital information and opinion site in Livingston County, Mich. It was launched by award-winning journalists who were laid off from the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus by Gannett Co. Inc. in 2009.