Minerals Security Partnership Authorization Act of 2025
https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/BILLS-119hr4391ih
SEC. 2. SHORT TITLE
The short title of this Act is the “Minerals Security Partnership Authorization Act of 2025”.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES
(a) Findings—Congress makes the following findings:
- The world is experiencing an unprecedented level of demand for certain minerals, including rare earth elements, nickel, cobalt, and lithium.
- These minerals are essential to the production of critical technologies, including advanced manufacturing, renewable energy systems, and defense systems.
- The global supply chains for these minerals are vulnerable to disruption, which could have significant economic and national security implications for the United States and its allies.
(b) Purposes—The purposes of this Act are:
- To support the development of a robust and secure domestic supply chain for critical minerals.
- To promote international cooperation on critical mineral issues through the Minerals Security Partnership.
- To enhance the national security of the United States by reducing its dependence on foreign sources of critical minerals.
SEC. 4. MINERALS SECURITY PARTNERSHIP
(a) Establishment—The Secretary of State shall lead the United States in participating in the Minerals Security Partnership, a collaborative international effort to address critical mineral supply chain vulnerabilities.
(b) Coordination with other Federal agencies—The Secretary of State shall coordinate with other Federal agencies as appropriate to support the participation of the United States in the Minerals Security Partnership and to carry out the purposes of this Act.
SEC. 5. MINERALS SECURITY DATABASE
(a) Establishment—The Secretary of State, acting through the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, shall establish a database of critical mineral projects.
(b) Database information—The database shall contain high-quality and up-to-date information on critical mineral projects, including project location, project sponsor, and potential supply chain disruptions.
SEC. 6. PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS
(a) Qualifications—The Secretary of State shall prioritize individuals with the following qualifications for personnel positions related to the Minerals Security Partnership:
- Substantive knowledge and experience in issues related to critical minerals supply chain.
- Substantive knowledge and experience in large-scale multi-donor project financing and related technical and diplomatic arrangements, international coalition-building, and project management.
- Substantive knowledge and experience in trade and foreign policy, defense-industrial base policy, or national security-sensitive supply chain issues.
(b) Considerations—In evaluating the qualifications of applicants for personnel positions related to the Minerals Security Partnership, the Secretary of State shall consider the following factors:
- The extent to which an individual’s knowledge and experience align with the requirements of the position.
- The level of expertise in critical minerals supply chain issues that an individual possesses.
SEC. 7. PROJECT SELECTION CRITERIA
(a) National and economic security interests—The United States, through its participation in the Minerals Security Partnership, shall prioritize projects that advance the national and economic security interests of the United States and its allies.
(b) Environmental, social, and governance standards—The United States shall advocate for the use of environmental, social, or governance standards as criteria for project selection under the Minerals Security Partnership.
SEC. 8. UNITED STATES MEMBERSHIP IN THE INTERNATIONAL NICKEL STUDY GROUP
(a) Terms of reference—The President is authorized to accept the terms of reference of and maintain membership in the International Nickel Study Group (INSG).
(b) Assessments of contributions—For fiscal year 2026 and thereafter, the United States assessed contributions to the INSG may be paid from funds appropriated for “Contributions to International Organizations.”
SEC. 9. DEFINITION OF CRITICAL MINERAL
(a) Definition—In this section, the term “critical mineral” has the meaning given the term in section 7002 of the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606).
(b) Additional critical minerals—The Secretary of State shall determine whether any other mineral or mineral material is essential to the economic or national security of the United States and has a supply chain vulnerable to disruption.
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
(a) Authorization of appropriations—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 to enhance critical mineral supply chain security, including to implement this section.