Input Stories

Manufacturers depend on reliable access to critical minerals to make things in America. That’s why Congress must pass the Developing Overseas Mineral Investments and New Allied Networks for Critical Energies (DOMINANCE) Act, the NAM said this week.

What’s going on: “At a time when access to critical minerals is crucial for U.S.
manufacturing leadership, the DOMINANCE Act would leverage America’s deep relationships with our allies and partners to build robust and stable critical minerals supply chains for manufacturers in the U.S.,” the NAM told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday before the committee passed the bill out of markup.

• The measure, introduced by Reps. Young Kim (R-CA) and Ami Bera (D-CA), “would facilitate financing for impactful overseas projects, establish strong protections for U.S. investors, improve workforce training opportunities and promote coordinated international standards throughout mineral supply chains,” the NAM continued.
• These efforts echo the NAM’s strategy and expanded recommendations for a holistic, impactful critical minerals policy in the international and domestic arenas.

Why it’s so important: The U.S. has limited critical minerals supplies and midstream processing capabilities, so manufacturing in America depends heavily on imports of these materials to create its technologically advanced products, including those vital to national defense.

• “China’s increasing weaponization of mineral supply chains, including export restrictions on over a dozen critical minerals and rare earth elements in 2025, underscores the acute vulnerabilities in U.S. mineral supply chains,” the NAM told the committee.
• “By deepening strategic partnerships and coordinating investments across allies, the U.S. can compete more effectively with China and reduce vulnerability to geopolitical risks.”

How it would help: The DOMINANCE Act would:

• Facilitate cooperation on joint projects with partners, including through cost-sharing agreements, political risk insurance, pricing mechanisms and procurement;
• Strengthen investment protections in partner governments;
• Establish a Critical Minerals Mining Fellowship Program to help expand the manufacturing workforce; and
• Coordinate standards to promote a predictable and transparent regulatory environment for critical mineral supply chains.

The last word: “Policies like the DOMINANCE Act are needed … so that our nation can maintain our leadership in creating new technologies and products that make lives better for people around the world,” said NAM Managing Vice President of Policy Charles Crain.