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Congressional Daily Record
This section is about changes proposed to a bill or resolution. It mentions committees such as Committee on Foreign Relations, members such as Jeanne Shaheen.
Issued
June 24, 2026
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Download official Senate Record PDFReturn to issue contextSA 6491. Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself and Mr. Curtis) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of title XII, add the following:
Subtitle F—Critical Minerals Partnership Act of 2026
SEC. 1281. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the “Critical Minerals
Partnership Act of 2026”.
SEC. 1282. DEFINITIONS.
In this subtitle:
(1) Critical mineral.—The term “critical mineral” has
the meaning given the term in section 7002 of the Energy Act
of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606).
(2) FORGE.—The term “FORGE” means the Forum on Resource
Geostrategic Engagement, established on February 4, 2026, as
a successor to the Minerals Security Partnership.
SEC. 1283. STATEMENT OF POLICY ON CRITICAL MINERAL SUPPLY
CHAINS.
It is the policy of the United States—
(1) to collaborate with allies and partners of the United
States to responsibly build secure and resilient critical
minerals supply chains, including in the mining, processing,
reclamation and recycling, and valuation of critical
minerals;
(2) to prioritize the development and production of
critical mineral resources domestically, including through
improvement of systems for collecting and recycling critical
minerals from used and discarded goods or equipment, both to
supply domestic needs and for export to allies and partners
that participate in secure and resilient supply chains for
critical minerals;
(3) to reduce or eliminate reliance and dependence on
critical mineral supply chains controlled by the People's
Republic of China, the Russian Federation, Iran, or any other
adversary of the United States;
(4) to work with allies and partners on enhancing
evaluation capability and technology in trusted countries
that produce critical minerals to avoid the export of
critical minerals, or products or components that are
dependent on critical minerals, that are controlled by
adversaries of the United States;
(5) to identify and implement market-based incentives for
the purposes of facilitating the creation and maintenance of
secure and resilient critical mineral supply chains,
including for reclamation and recycling of critical mineral
resources from waste streams, in collaboration with allies
and partners;
(6) to prioritize securing critical mineral supply chains
in United States foreign policy, including through the use of
economic tools to invest responsibly in projects in partner
countries in a manner that both benefits local populations
and bolsters the supply of critical minerals to the United
States and allies and partners of the United States; and
(7) that collaboration with allies and partners to build
secure and resilient critical mineral supply chains shall not
replace United States efforts to increase domestic
development and production or recycling of critical minerals.
SEC. 1284. INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS RELATING TO PROTECTING
CRITICAL MINERAL SUPPLY CHAINS.
(a) In General.—The President is authorized to negotiate
an agreement with international partners for the purposes of
establishing a coalition—
(1) to facilitate—
(A) the mining, processing, recycling, and enhanced access
to the supply of critical minerals; and
(B) advanced manufacturing that relies on the practical
application of critical minerals; and
(2) to secure an adequate supply of critical minerals and
relevant products, manufacturing inputs, and components that
are heavily dependent on critical mineral resource inputs for
the United States and other members of the coalition (in this
section referred to as “member countries”).
(b) Negotiating Objectives.—The overall objectives for
negotiating an agreement described in subsection (a) should
be—
(1) to establish mechanisms for member countries to build
secure and resilient supply chains for critical minerals,
including in—
(A) the mining, refinement, reclamation and recycling,
processing, and valuation of critical minerals; and
(B) advanced manufacturing of products, components, and
materials that are dependent on critical minerals;
(2) to improve economies of scale and joint cooperation
with international partners in securing access and means of
production throughout the supply chains of critical minerals
and manufacturing processes dependent on critical minerals;
(3) to establish mechanisms, with appropriate market-based
disciplines, that provide and maintain opportunities among
member countries for creating industry economies of scale to
attract joint investment among those countries, including—
(A) cooperation on joint projects, including cost-sharing
on building appropriate infrastructure to access deposits of
critical minerals; and
(B) creation or enhancement of national and international
programs to support the development of robust industries by
providing appropriate sector-specific incentives, such as
political risk and other insurance opportunities, financing,
and other support, for—
(i) mining and processing critical minerals;
(ii) manufacturing of products, components, and materials
that are dependent on critical minerals and are essential to
consumer technology products or have important national
security implications;
(iii) building capacities and creating incentives for
recovering used, spent, or discarded equipment and consumer
goods containing critical minerals to be safely handled and
recycled; and
(iv) associated transportation needs that are tailored to
the handling, movement, and logistics management of critical
minerals and products, components, and materials that are
dependent on critical minerals;
(4) to establish market-based rules for member countries
regarding adoption of qualifying tax and other incentives to
stimulate investment, as balanced by market-based disciplines
to ensure a fair playing field among those countries;
(5) to establish recommended best practices to protect—
(A) labor rights;
(B) the natural environment and ecosystems near critical
mineral industrial sites;
(C) safety of communities near critical mineral industrial
activities; and
(D) supplier diversity;
(6) to advance economic growth in developing countries with
critical mineral reserves and capacities for the recovery and
recycling of critical minerals, including for the benefit of
the citizens of those countries;
(7) to establish rules allowing for the establishment of a
consortium that is resourced and empowered to bid and compete
in acquiring and securing potential deposits of critical
minerals in countries that are not members of the coalition
described in subsection (a) (in this section referred to as
“nonmember countries”);
(8) to establish a mechanism for joint resource mapping
with procedures for equitable sharing of information on
potential deposits of critical minerals not less frequently
than annually;
(9) to establish mechanisms for member countries to
recognize and address environmental and related harms caused
by mining operations within the territory of a member
country; and
(10) to improve supply chain security among member
countries by providing for national treatment investment
protections among those countries that are equal to, or
better than, the standards in the United States model
bilateral investment treaty.
(c) Congressional Consultations Required.—In the course of
negotiations described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall
consult closely and on a timely basis with, and keep fully
apprised of the negotiations, the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs
of the House of Representatives.
(d) Rule of Construction.—Nothing in this section shall be
construed to alter United States domestic law, standards, or
processes applicable to critical minerals.
SEC. 1285. AUTHORIZATION OF FORUM ON RESOURCE GEOSTRATEGIC
ENGAGEMENT.
(a) In General.—The Secretary of State, acting through the
Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the
Environment, is authorized to lead United States
participation in FORGE, for the following purposes:
(1) To identify and support investment and advocate for
commercial critical mineral mining, processing, and refining
projects that enable robust and secure critical mineral
supply chains, in consultation with other Federal agencies,
as appropriate.
(2) To coordinate with relevant regional bureaus to develop
regional diplomatic engagement strategies related to critical
minerals projects and to identify projects that are
priorities.
(3) To coordinate with United States missions abroad on
projects, programs, and investments that enable robust and
secure critical mineral supply chains.
(4) To coordinate with current and prospective members of
FORGE.
(5) To establish a mechanism for information-sharing with
members of FORGE.
(6) To establish policies and procedures, and if necessary,
to provide funding to facilitate cooperation on joint
projects with members of FORGE and the successor to the
Minerals Security Forum, including those related to cost-
sharing agreements, political
risk insurance, financing, equity investments, and other
support, in coordination with other Federal agencies, as
appropriate.
(7) If an agreement described in section 1284 is entered
into, to support the establishment of the coalition described
in that section.
(b) Database.—As part of the FORGE initiative, the
Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, is authorized
to establish and maintain a database of FORGE projects for
the purpose of providing high quality and up-to-date
information to the private sector and, at the discretion of
the Under Secretary, to members of FORGE, in order to spur
greater investment, increase the resilience of global
critical minerals supply chains, and boost United States
supply.
(c) Qualifications for Personnel.—With respect to staffing
personnel to carry out FORGE, the Secretary shall prioritize
individuals with the following qualifications:
(1) Substantive knowledge and experience in issues related
to critical minerals supply chain and their application to
strategic industries, including in the defense, energy, and
technology sectors.
(2) Substantive knowledge and experience in large-scale
multi-donor project financing and related technical and
diplomatic arrangements, international coalition-building,
and project management.
(3) Substantive knowledge and experience in trade and
foreign policy, defense industrial base policy, or national
security-sensitive supply chain issues.
(d) Private Sector Coordination.—The Secretary shall
ensure close coordination between the Department of State,
the private sector, and relevant civil society groups on the
implementation of this section.
(e) Project Selection.—
(1) In general.—The United States, through its
participation in FORGE, shall prioritize projects that
advance the national and economic security interests of the
United States and allies and partners of the United States.
(2) Criteria requirements.—The United States should
advocate for FORGE to use environmental, human rights, and
anticorruption standards, including as criteria for project
selection, that are consistent with United States law or
international agreements approved by Congress.
SEC. 1286. UNITED STATES MEMBERSHIP IN THE INTERNATIONAL
NICKEL STUDY GROUP.
(a) United States Membership.—The President is authorized
to accept the Terms of Reference of and maintain membership
of the United States in the International Nickel Study Group.
(b) Payments of Assessed Contributions.—For fiscal year
2026 and thereafter, the United States assessed contributions
to the International Nickel Study Group may be paid from
funds appropriated for “Contributions to International
Organizations”.
SEC. 1287. REPORT ON CRITICAL MINERAL SUPPLY CHAINS AND
DIPLOMATIC TOOLS.
(a) In General.—Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal
agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on priority critical minerals and
existing diplomatic tools for advancing the critical minerals
policies of the United States.
(b) Elements.—The report required by subsection (a)
shall—
(1) identify, as priority critical minerals, minerals—
(A) that are essential inputs into products critical for
national security; and
(B) the supply of which are highly concentrated in or
controlled by one country;
(2) assess the key opportunities and challenges related to
each priority critical mineral identified under paragraph
(1);
(3) describe the financial, commercial, and development
assistance tools and resources available to advance the
critical mineral policies of the United States;
(4) describe mechanisms of the United States Government
available as of the date of the enactment of this Act to
support diplomatic efforts, including FORGE, to promote the
diversification of critical mineral supply chains; and
(5) identify the key multilateral institutions engaged on
critical mineral issues and describe the participation of the
United States in those institutions.
(c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.—In this
section, the term “appropriate congressional committees”
means—
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Select
Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Permanent
Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of
Representatives.
SEC. 1288. UNITED STATES DIPLOMATIC STRATEGY FOR SECURING
CRITICAL MINERALS.
(a) In General.—Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal
agencies, shall develop a strategy for securing the supply
chains of a diverse set of critical minerals.
(b) Elements.—The strategy required by subsection (a)
shall—
(1) include—
(A) a review of the roles and responsibilities of offices
and positions within the Department of State engaged, as of
the date of the enactment of this Act, in efforts to secure
critical mineral supply chains; and
(B) processes to ensure that those offices coordinate and
deconflict those efforts;
(2) leverage utilization of United States financial,
commercial, and development assistance tools and resources to
advance the critical mineral policies of the United States;
(3) include targeted engagement plans for both countries
that are allies and partners of the United States and
countries with significant proven and estimated deposits of
or processing capacity for minerals critical to national
security interests, including utilizing whole-of-government
tools and resources to support those countries beyond
critical mineral projects;
(4) provide for coordination with relevant Federal agencies
to consider restrictions on imports of critical minerals to
address both price volatility and incentivize sourcing from
trusted suppliers;
(5) strengthen collaboration with countries that are allies
and partners of the United States, and leverage the
participation of the United States in the key multilateral
institutions engaged on critical mineral issues, in order to
diversify the United States supply chain of critical minerals
and encourage the participation of the United States in
international boards, projects, and standard-making bodies;
(6) extend the diplomatic and commercial advocacy support
of the United States to private sector entities throughout
critical mineral supply chains; and
(7) facilitate coordination with countries that are allies
and partners of the United States—
(A) to identify best practices and develop coordinated
standards for critical mineral projects;
(B) to protect against inhumane labor practices; and
(C) to minimize adverse environmental and social impacts
from the critical minerals supply chain.
(c) Briefing Required.—Not later than 210 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall brief
the appropriate congressional committees on the strategy
developed under subsection (a).
(d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.—In this
section, the term “appropriate congressional committees”
means—
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Select
Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Permanent
Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of
Representatives.
SEC. 1289. ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC TOOL TO SUPPORT UNITED
STATES PRIVATE SECTOR CRITICAL MINERAL PROJECTS
ABROAD.
(a) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that
United States private sector entities competing for critical
mineral projects abroad need support from the United States
Government.
(b) Support.—The Secretary of State shall identify an
appropriate official or office of the Department of State to
establish a mechanism and process for the United States to
provide support for critical mineral projects abroad. Such
support may include—
(1) a mechanism for certifying that critical mineral
projects uphold labor rights and minimize environmental
impacts; and
(2) a process for United States private sector entities to
engage with United States embassies in foreign countries for
support when pursuing critical mineral projects in such
countries.