U.S. Chamber Key Vote Alert! Letter on H.R. 8446, the 'Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2024.'

To the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce strongly supports H.R.8446, the Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2024, a to streamline interagency operations and eliminate the disparity in benefits available to critical materials and critical minerals by the Federal government. The Chamber will consider including votes related to this legislation in our annual How They Voted scorecard. Currently, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Department of Energy (DOE) develop separate lists of what qualifies as critical minerals and materials. Critical materials that are only on the DOE list are not eligible for the more extensive benefits granted to the critical minerals listed by the USGS. Reconciling the two lists would lead to expanded access to critical materials like copper, and would simplify and streamline interagency coordination efforts to determine which elements and minerals are critical to U.S. national and economic security. Rapidly increasing demand for critical minerals coupled with mounting geopolitical instability makes developing a strong, reliable, domestic critical minerals supply chain vital to America's future. Our current attempts to secure the mineral supply chain rely too heavily on foreign sources while slowing or halting completely the ability to expand domestic mining. To bolster domestic supply chains and ensure stable long term economic growth, we must invest in, rather than constrain by bureaucracy, the responsible development of our abundant natural resources. We applaud the work of the House Committee on Natural Resources to develop this legislation and we urge you to vote in favor when this bill comes to the House floor. Sincerely, Rodney Davis Senior Vice President Government Affairs U.S. Chamber of Commerce