GOP Lawmaker's DOMINANCE Act Advances to Secure Critical Minerals from China

Critical minerals power everyday American life. Copper wiring and silicon chips run coffee makers. Metal components, copper wiring, and electronic controls keep refrigerators cold. Televisions rely on indium, lithium, and rare earth phosphors for screens.

Cars, phones, Bluetooth connections, and podcast speakers depend on copper, lithium, and other critical minerals for batteries, electric motors, navigation, and communications.

These materials shape daily routines, yet most Americans overlook them.

China has invested decades and hundreds of billions of dollars to dominate critical minerals, from mining to refining. The country controls about 70 percent of global rare earth mining and nearly 90 percent of refining capacity, gripping supply chains tied to U.S. economic and national security.

The stakes go beyond consumer goods like coffee makers and iPhones. Critical minerals fuel advanced fighter jets, missile systems, radar, satellites, and communications for military strength. China has shown readiness to restrict exports for geopolitical gain.

Last year, Beijing enacted broad export controls on rare earth elements. The move disrupted global markets and affected defense and manufacturing chains. Americans faced higher costs, slower production, job threats, and pricier cars and electronics.

California's aerospace industry highlights the risks. It supports more than 350,000 jobs and generates tens of billions of dollars yearly. The sector builds advanced aircraft, satellites, and missile systems key to the defense base. Unreliable mineral access endangers those jobs and output.

President Trump and his administration aim to restore U.S. energy and mineral strength. Efforts include boosting domestic mining and backing firms like MP Materials and Lithium Americas.

Domestic gains alone fall short. Global demand for critical minerals will surge in coming decades. Estimates predict copper use over the next 25 years will match all of human history.

The U.S. must partner with allies to build supply chains independent of China.

This week, the Developing Overseas Mineral Investments and New Allied Networks for Critical Energies (DOMINANCE) Act, introduced by Rep. Young Kim of California, cleared the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The bill advances Trump's minerals strategy with a unified plan to safeguard economic and defense supply chains. It bolsters allied cooperation, cuts China reliance, and ensures free-world control over 21st-century resources.

Secure chains for minerals sustain home appliances, cars, daily technology, and national defense systems. The U.S. faces a choice to act now or face long-term regret.

Rep. Kim expressed optimism that the Trump administration and allies can reclaim critical mineral supply chains and secure America's energy future.