WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), issued the following statement in response to reports that the Biden administration will rely on foreign countries to supply the nation with critical minerals instead of creating a United States supply chain.

“President Biden is once again bowing to pressure from environmental activists and abandoning American workers,” said Barrasso. “Producing critical minerals here in the U.S. will create thousands of American jobs and help make our nation more economically secure. During her nomination hearing, the Secretary of Energy told our committee that she wanted to work with Congress to create a supply chain of critical minerals here in the United States. Now, the administration wants to make America completely reliant on other nations. Ensuring a supply of U.S.-sourced critical minerals is key to our military readiness and our energy security. We have these minerals here. We should produce them and use them for American workers and consumers.”

Background Information: 

On January 27, 2021, Barrasso pressed Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, during her nomination hearing, on creating a supply chain of critical minerals in the U.S. During that hearing she said she would “work with folks on all sides of the aisle to make sure the U.S. has its own critical supply.”

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