Minerals Security Partnership Authorization Act
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMr. Bera (for himself, Mr. Moylan, and Mrs. Kim) introduced …
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill authorizes the State Department to establish and lead an international partnership called the Minerals Security Partnership to coordinate with U.S. allies on securing critical mineral supply chains. The bill aims to reduce American dependence on critical minerals from China, Russia, and Iran by helping allied countries develop their own mining, processing, and manufacturing capabilities. It provides $75 million in funding for fiscal year 2026 and authorizes the President to negotiate international agreements creating a coalition with market-based investment mechanisms.
Who Benefits and How
U.S. mining companies benefit by gaining support for domestic critical mineral production, with the bill prioritizing domestic development both for U.S. needs and for export to allied countries. Advanced manufacturing companies in the defense, energy, and technology sectors benefit from improved access to critical minerals through diversified supply chains independent of China and Russia. Allied countries' mining industries benefit from U.S. investment support, including cost-sharing agreements, political risk insurance, and financing for joint projects. Private sector investors gain new opportunities in critical mineral projects across allied nations, backed by government support mechanisms. The State Department receives expanded authority and $75 million in appropriations to lead diplomatic efforts and coordinate international mineral security initiatives.
Who Bears the Burden and How
U.S. taxpayers bear the cost of the $75 million appropriation to fund the program. Chinese, Russian, and Iranian critical mineral suppliers face reduced market access as the bill explicitly targets them for exclusion from supply chains serving the U.S. and allied countries. U.S. companies currently sourcing critical minerals from China, Russia, or Iran face higher costs and supply chain disruption as they're pressured to restructure their procurement away from these countries. Federal agencies must coordinate with the State Department on critical mineral initiatives, creating additional administrative burden.
Key Provisions
- Authorizes the Secretary of State to lead U.S. participation in the Minerals Security Partnership, coordinating with allies on investment in critical mineral mining, processing, and manufacturing projects
- Authorizes the President to negotiate international agreements establishing a coalition with market-based mechanisms for joint investment, including cost-sharing, political risk insurance, and financing support
- Explicitly prioritizes reducing dependence on critical mineral supply chains controlled by China, Russia, and Iran
- Requires the State Department to maintain a database of critical mineral projects to spur private sector investment and increase supply chain resilience
- Appropriates $75 million for fiscal year 2026 to the State Department to implement critical mineral supply chain security initiatives
- Authorizes U.S. membership in the International Nickel Study Group (INSG) with contributions paid from existing international organization appropriations
- Defines critical minerals to include those in the Energy Act of 2020 plus any others the Secretary of State determines are essential to national or economic security with vulnerable supply chains
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Authorizes the State Department to lead international cooperation through the Minerals Security Partnership to secure critical mineral supply chains and reduce dependence on China, Russia, and other strategic competitors.
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Establish a formal diplomatic framework (Minerals Security Partnership) to coordinate with allies on critical mineral supply chains, emphasizing market-based incentives and reducing dependence on China/Russia while supporting domestic production"
Likely Beneficiaries
- U.S. mining companies (domestic critical mineral producers)
- U.S. advanced manufacturing companies dependent on critical minerals
- Allied countries' mining and processing industries
- State Department (expanded authority and $75M appropriation)
- Private sector investors in critical mineral projects
- Developing countries with critical mineral reserves (via economic development)
Likely Burden Bearers
- U.S. taxpayers ($75M appropriation)
- Chinese, Russian, and Iranian critical mineral suppliers (targeted for exclusion)
- U.S. companies currently sourcing from China/Russia (forced supply chain restructuring costs)
- Federal agencies coordinating with State Department (coordination burden)
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_president"
- → President of the United States
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of State
- "the_under_secretary"
- → Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Has the meaning given in section 7002 of the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606), plus any other mineral determined by the Secretary of State to be essential to economic/national security and have a supply chain vulnerable to disruption
Members of the coalition established under the international agreement for critical mineral supply chains
Countries that are not members of the coalition described in paragraph (1)
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology