Letter of support approved for Critical Minerals Security Act
During the April 15 regular public hearing, the Board of Mesa County Commissioners approved a letter of support to Sen. John Hickenlooper pertaining to Senate Bill 789, the Critical Minerals Security Act of 2025, which establishes requirements related to securing U.S. access to critical minerals and rare earth element resources.
The letter stated, “S. 789 encourages collaboration with our allies and trusted partners to responsibly mine, refine, separate, and process critical minerals and rare earth elements. Additionally, the requirement to track instances where foreign governments, particularly those from covered nations, have taken control of such operations will help identify trends and threats that may otherwise go unnoticed.”
The full letter:
On behalf of the Mesa County Board of Commissioners, we write to express our strong support for the Critical Minerals Security Act, S. 789, which you introduced with Senators Todd Young, Mark Warner, Angus King, James Lankford, and John Cornyn. This legislation is an important step toward strengthening the United States' critical minerals and rare earth elements supply chain, enhancing national security, and ensuring the future of American innovation.
As you know, critical minerals such as gallium, germanium, and antimony are integral to numerous industries, including defense, clean energy, and advanced technology, particularly microchips. The recent decision by China to block the export of these minerals to the U.S. underscores the urgent need for this legislation. China's dominance over the global supply chain for critical minerals and rare earths puts our country at a strategic disadvantage, leaving us vulnerable to supply disruptions and national security risks.
By directing the Department of the Interior to evaluate the global landscape of supply chains and ownership related to these vital resources, S. 789 lays the groundwork for a deeper understanding of our current vulnerabilities. This legislation establishes a framework to help U.S. companies responsibly divest from operations in foreign nations, particularly those that pose geopolitical or economic risks.
S. 789 encourages collaboration with our allies and trusted partners to responsibly mine, refine, separate, and process critical minerals and rare earth elements. Additionally, the requirement to track instances where foreign governments, particularly those from covered nations, have taken control of such operations will help identify trends and threats that may otherwise go unnoticed.
The Mesa County Board of Commissioners is proud to back this important legislation and looks forward to working with you to enhance the security and prosperity of Colorado and the United States as a whole. Thank you for your leadership on this critical issue.
