119-hr4391

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4391 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4391

To promote international cooperation to secure critical mineral supply 
 chains.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 July 15, 2025

 Mr. Bera (for himself, Mr. Moylan, and Mrs. Kim) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To promote international cooperation to secure critical mineral supply 
 chains.

 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 ``Minerals Security Partnership 
Authorization Act''.

SEC. 2. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO SECURE CRITICAL MINERAL 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 minerals supply 
 chains, including in the mining, processing, and valuation of 
 critical minerals, as well as with respect to advanced 
 manufacturing that includes critical minerals;

    (2) to prioritize the development and production of 
 critical minerals domestically, 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 and dependence on 
 critical mineral supply chains controlled by the People's 
 Republic of China

    (PRC) , the Russian Federation, Iran, or any 
 other strategic competitor of the United States;

    (4) to work with allies and partners on enhancing 
 evaluation capability 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 in 
 collaboration with allies and partners;

    (6) to prioritize securing critical mineral supply chains 
 in United States foreign policy, including through the use of 
 economic tools to invest responsibly in projects in partner 
 countries in a manner that both benefits local populations and 
 bolsters the supply of critical minerals to the United States 
 and allies and partners of the United States; and

    (7) 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 of critical minerals.

    (b) International Negotiations Relating to Protecting Critical 
Mineral Supply Chains.--

    (1) In general.--The President is authorized to negotiate 
 an agreement with international partners for the purposes of 
 establishing a coalition--
        (A) to facilitate--
            (i) the mining, processing, and supply of 
 critical minerals; and
            (ii) advanced manufacturing that includes 
 critical minerals; and
        (B) to secure an adequate supply of critical 
 minerals and relevant products, manufacturing inputs, 
 and components that are heavily dependent on critical 
 mineral resources for the United States and other 
 members of the coalition (in this subsection referred 
 to as ``member countries'').

    (2) Negotiating objectives.--The overall objectives for 
 negotiating an agreement described in paragraph

    (1) should be--
        (A) to establish mechanisms for member countries to 
 build secure and resilient supply chains for critical 
 minerals, including in--
            (i) the mining, refinement, processing, and 
 valuation of critical minerals; and
            (ii) advanced manufacturing of products, 
 components, and materials that are dependent on 
 critical minerals;
        (B) to improve economies of scale and joint 
 cooperation with international partners in securing 
 access and means of production throughout the supply 
 chains of critical minerals and manufacturing processes 
 dependent on critical minerals;
            (C) to establish mechanisms, with appropriate 
 market-based disciplines, that provide and maintain 
 opportunities among member countries for creating 
 industry economies of scale to attract joint investment 
 among those countries, including--
            (i) cooperation on joint projects, 
 including cost-sharing on building appropriate 
 infrastructure to access deposits of critical 
 minerals; and
            (ii) creation or enhancement of national 
 and international programs to support the 
 development of robust industries by providing 
 appropriate sector-specific incentives, such as 
 political risk and other insurance 
 opportunities, financing, and other support, 
 for--
            (I) mining and processing critical 
 minerals;
            (II) manufacturing of products, 
 components, and materials that are 
 dependent on critical minerals and are 
 essential to consumer technology 
 products or have important national 
 security implications; and
            (III) associated transportation 
 needs that are tailored to the 
 handling, movement, and logistics 
 management of critical minerals and 
 products, components, and materials 
 that are dependent on critical 
 minerals;
            (D) to establish market-based rules for member 
 countries regarding adoption of qualifying tax and 
 other incentives to stimulate investment, as balanced 
 by market-based disciplines to ensure a fair playing 
 field among those countries;
        (E) to establish recommended best practices to 
 protect--
            (i) labor rights;
            (ii) the natural environment and ecosystems 
 near critical mineral industrial sites; and
            (iii) safety of communities near critical 
 mineral industrial activities;
        (F) to advance economic growth in developing 
 countries with critical mineral reserves, including for 
 the benefit of the citizens of those countries;
        (G) to establish rules allowing for the 
 establishment of a consortium that is resourced and 
 empowered to bid and compete in acquiring and securing 
 potential deposits of critical minerals in countries 
 that are not members of the coalition described in 
 paragraph

    (1) (in this subsection referred to as 
 ``nonmember countries'');
        (H) to establish a mechanism for joint resource 
 mapping with procedures for equitable sharing of 
 information on potential deposits of critical minerals 
 not less frequently than annually;
            (I) to establish appropriate mechanisms for the 
 recognition and enforcement by a member country of 
 judgments relating to environmental and related harms 
 caused by mining operations within such member country 
 in contravention of that country's laws; and
        (J) to improve supply chain security among member 
 countries by providing for national treatment 
 investment protections among those countries that are 
 equal to, or better than, the standards in the United 
 States model bilateral investment treaty.
            (c) Minerals Security Partnership Authorization.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary of State, acting through the 
 Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the 
 Environment, is authorized to lead United States participation 
 in the ``Minerals Security Partnership'', for the following 
 purposes:
        (A) To identify and support investment and advocate 
 for commercial critical mineral mining, processing, and 
 refining projects that enable robust and secure 
 critical mineral supply chains, in consultation with 
 other Federal agencies, as appropriate.
        (B) To coordinate with relevant regional bureaus to 
 develop regional diplomatic engagement strategies 
 related to critical minerals projects and to identify 
 projects that are priorities.
            (C) To coordinate with United States missions 
 abroad on projects, programs, and investments that 
 enable robust and secure critical mineral supply 
 chains.
            (D) To coordinate with current and prospective 
 members of the Minerals Security Partnership.
        (E) To establish a mechanism for information-
 sharing with members of the Minerals Security 
 Partnership.
        (F) To establish policies and procedures, and if 
 necessary, to provide funding to facilitate cooperation 
 on joint projects with members of the Minerals Security 
 Partnership and the Mineral Security Forum, including 
 those related to cost-sharing agreements, political 
 risk insurance, financing, equity investments, and 
 other support, in coordination with other Federal 
 agencies, as appropriate.
        (G) If an agreement described in subsection

    (b) is 
 entered into, to support the establishment of the 
 coalition described in that subsection.

    (2) Database.--As part of the Minerals Security 
 Partnership, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, 
 is authorized to establish and maintain a database of critical 
 mineral projects for the purpose of providing high quality and 
 up-to-date information to the private sector in order to spur 
 greater investment, increase the resilience of global critical 
 minerals supply chains, and boost United States supply.

    (3) Qualifications for personnel.--With respect to staffing 
 personnel to carry out the Minerals Security Partnership, the 
 Secretary shall prioritize individuals with the following 
 qualifications:
        (A) Substantive knowledge and experience in issues 
 related to critical minerals supply chain and their 
 application to strategic industries, including in the 
 defense, energy, and technology sectors.
        (B) Substantive knowledge and experience in large-
 scale multi-donor project financing and related 
 technical and diplomatic arrangements, international 
 coalition-building, and project management.
            (C) Substantive knowledge and experience in trade 
 and foreign policy, defense-industrial base policy, or 
 national security-sensitive supply chain issues.

    (4) Private sector and civil society coordination.--The 
 Secretary of State shall ensure close coordination between the 
 Department of State, the private sector, and relevant civil 
 society groups on the implementation of this subsection.

    (5) Project selection.--
        (A) In general.--The United States, through its 
 participation in the Minerals Security Partnership, 
 shall prioritize projects that advance the national and 
 economic security interests of the United States and 
 allies and partners of the United States.
        (B) Criteria requirements.--The United States shall 
 advocate for the Minerals Security Partnership to use 
 environmental, social, or governance standards, 
 including as criteria for project selection, that are 
 consistent with United States law or international 
 agreements approved by Congress.
            (d) United States Membership in the International Nickel Study 
Group.--

    (1) United states membership.--The President is authorized 
 to accept the Terms of Reference of and maintain membership of 
 the United States in the International Nickel Study Group

    (INSG) .

    (2) Payments of assessed contributions.--For fiscal year 
 2026 and thereafter, the United States assessed contributions 
 to the INSG may be paid from funds appropriated for 
 ``Contributions to International Organizations''.

    (e) Critical Mineral Defined.--In this section, the term ``critical 
mineral''--

    (1) has the meaning given the term in 

section 7002 of the 
 Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606); and

    (2) includes any other mineral or mineral material 
 determined by the Secretary of State--
        (A) to be essential to the economic or national 
 security of the United States; and
        (B) to have a supply chain vulnerable to 
 disruption.

    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Department of State $75,000,000 for fiscal year 
2026 to enhance critical mineral supply chain security, including to 
implement this section.
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