Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC), and Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee Chair Buddy Carter (R-GA) yesterday sent a letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm urging the Department of Energy to prioritize the onshoring of our critical mineral supply chains following the Chinese Communist Party’s July 1 declaration that rare earth metals were the “property of the state.”

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KEY QUOTE

“Critical minerals are essential to America’s economy and to America’s capacity to manufacture goods and high-tech devices. Many critical minerals are essential to the energy sector, as they are needed to manufacture solar panels, batteries, and electrical equipment. As the DOE is aware, the CCP announced limitations on gallium, germanium, natural and synthetic graphite last October. These critical minerals are vital for our defense and energy technologies and are listed as critical and at high risk of supply disruption. On November 21, 2023, the Committee on Energy and Commerce sent a letter raising security concerns over the CCP limiting exports of gallium, germanium, natural graphite, and synthetic graphite. Your response to that letter failed to address these concerns and lacked basic information to help Members of Congress assess the risks of America’s increasing dependence on CCP controlled minerals.”

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“The administration should prioritize the onshoring of domestic mining and processing industry for these critical minerals and materials. The answer to a lack of mining and processing is not to extend credits to companies using minerals from a major geopolitical adversary that relies on child labor and exploitation.”

Chairs Rodgers, Duncan, and Carter asked Secretary Granholm to answer the following questions by August 13, 2024:

1. Are you concerned by reports that the Chinese government has declared rare earth metals property of the government of China?
2. What actions will the DOE take in response to the Chinese government’s announcement?
3. Please describe any actions DOE has taken to prioritize onshoring domestic mining and processing of synthetic and natural graphite.
4. Please describe any actions DOE has taken to prioritize onshoring domestic mining and processing of gallium and germanium.
5. How will DOE work to expedite projects to ensure a secure and stable supply chain of these critical minerals and materials given these recent announcements?
6. What actions will DOE take to mitigate potential domestic supply shortages of these minerals?
7. Were you consulted about the Treasury Department’s decision to extend the graphite exemption through 2027?
8. Did you advise or recommend that the White House extend the graphite exemption through 2027? Please explain.

CLICK HERE to read the letter to Secretary Granholm.

CLICK HERE to read the November 21, 2023, letter to Secretary Granholm raising concerns over the CCP’s decision to limit exports of gallium, germanium, natural graphite, and synthetic graphite.