I am writing to urge you to co-sponsor the "Critical Minerals Policy Act" sponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska designed to revitalize the nation's critical minerals supply chain. The legislation directs the U.S. Geological Survey to establish a list of minerals critical to the U.S. economy and sets out a comprehensive set of policies to ensure the nation is able to meet its own mineral needs.

The U.S. is home to an abundance of untapped strategic and critical minerals capable of meeting our nation's vast manufacturing and national security needs, yet the lack of a clear national minerals policy prevents American companies from utilizing many of these abundant resources, leaving our nation's manufacturing supply chain often dependent on foreign resources from countries like China that currently controls 97% of the world's rare earth supply.

It's time for America to start creating mining jobs instead of destroying them and start producing more of these minerals right here at home.

The basics of our well-being - our homes, workplaces, schools, hospitals and transportation systems - are all possible because of America's vast mineral wealth. American mineral and metal mining supports hundreds of thousands of high-paying jobs and provides domestic manufacturers with an affordable, reliable supply of critically important raw materials and commodities that can help re-build America’s economy.

I urge you to co-sponsor the "Critical Minerals Policy Act" that will help revitalize domestic production of strategic and critical minerals and prevent the U.S. from becoming further dependent on foreign sources of minerals.