Begich cheers passage of his Critical Mineral Dominance Act, says Alaska key to U.S. supply chain security

By SUZANNE DOWNING

Congressman Nick Begich is applauding House passage of H.R. 4090, the Critical Mineral Dominance Act, a bill he co-sponsored that aims to accelerate domestic mining and reduce America’s dependence on foreign adversaries for the minerals that power everything from smartphones to fighter jets. The bill takes what is now in a Trump executive order, which can be undone by the next president, and puts it into law.

Begich called the legislation a major step toward restoring US mineral independence — and a signal that Alaska’s vast resource potential is once again central to the national conversation.

“There is a broad and growing recognition across the country that the United States must secure a reliable domestic supply of critical minerals and that starts with producing them here at home,” Begich said in a statement. “For far too long, America has allowed burdensome regulations and regulatory uncertainty to push mining overseas, leaving us dangerously dependent on adversaries like China.”

The issue not simply as economic policy, but as national defense.

“This is about national security,” the congressman said. “The Critical Mineral Dominance Act puts America first by unlocking our vast critical mineral resources and ending our dangerous supply chain dependence on adversarial nations.”

The legislation supports President Donald Trump’s executive actions aimed at boosting American mineral production by formally writing key orders into federal law.

Supporters say the bill is intended to reverse what they describe as years of regulatory delay and hostility toward domestic mining under the Biden administration, replacing it with a faster, more predictable permitting process — especially on federal lands.

The bill directs the Department of the Interior to prioritize critical mineral development and streamline approvals for mining projects deemed essential to U.S. supply chains.

According to Begich’s office, the Critical Mineral Dominance Act includes several major provisions:

• Codifies multiple Trump executive orders aimed at increasing American mineral production

• Requires DOI to expedite permitting for mining projects on federal lands

• Expands geological mapping to identify untapped mineral deposits

• Mandates annual reporting on U.S. reliance on imported minerals and the economic impacts of that dependence

The legislation comes as the U.S. continues to rely heavily on foreign sources — particularly China — for minerals used in advanced manufacturing, defense systems, and energy technologies.

Begich, who serves on the House Committee on Natural Resources, has made resource development a cornerstone of his agenda, arguing that Alaska holds some of the largest untapped reserves of critical minerals in the nation.

From graphite to rare earth elements, Alaska’s geology is increasingly viewed as a strategic asset in the race to build secure domestic supply chains.

The bill’s passage also aligns with broader efforts to position the United States — and Alaska in particular — as a leader in mineral production at a time when global competition for resources is intensifying.

For Alaska, the legislation is another reminder that the state’s future may be tied not just to oil, but to the minerals beneath its mountains — and the national security stakes attached to them.