Policy and Legal

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) recently toured Niron Magnetics’ headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he met with company leaders and employees to discuss the future of domestic manufacturing, alternatives to rare earth magnets (a manufacturing input largely controlled by China) and pro-growth tax policy.

Pioneering technology: Niron Magnetics is developing the world’s only high-performance permanent magnets made entirely without rare earth elements.

• The company’s iron nitride–based magnets are poised to revolutionize industries that depend on magnetic technologies—from electric vehicles and wind turbines to consumer electronics and defense systems—while sharply reducing U.S. dependence on China.
• Founded thanks to a Department of Energy ARPA-E REACT grant in 2011, Niron recently completed a two-year SCALEUP pilot project and is now preparing for commercial expansion.
• “Our goal is to build a fully domestic, globally competitive magnet supply chain that strengthens U.S. energy security, supports national defense and creates [well]-paying jobs,” said Niron Magnetics CEO Jonathan Rowntree. “We’re proud to lead this next chapter in American manufacturing.

The visit: Company officials briefed Whip Emmer on their ongoing collaborations with the Departments of Energy and Defense, emphasizing the national security and energy innovation implications of their work.

• While touring the facility, Whip Emmer engaged with engineers and employees—and even hand-pressed one of Niron’s next-generation magnets.

A big announcement: During the visit, Niron shared plans to break ground on a new 168,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Sartell, Minnesota, this fall.

• The facility, which will be the world’s first large-scale manufacturer of rare earth–free iron nitride permanent magnets, is expected to create 175 new jobs when it opens in early 2027.

Policy support matters: Whip Emmer, who played a pivotal role in the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—now signed into law—reiterated his commitment to advancing policies that empower manufacturers to innovate and grow.

• “American manufacturers like Niron are leading the way in rebuilding critical supply chains and securing our industrial future,” Whip Emmer said. “Now that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is law, we’ve delivered the tools to help U.S. innovators grow, compete with China and protect our national and economic security.”

Securing supply chains: The visit also spotlighted the broader imperative of reducing U.S. reliance on foreign countries—particularly China—for critical minerals. The NAM has consistently advocated federal policies that support domestic sourcing, refining and processing of critical and rare earth materials to ensure secure, resilient supply chains.

• “America’s overdependence on geopolitical rivals for essential materials is one of the greatest threats to our economic and national security,” said NAM Managing Vice President of Policy Charles Crain. “We need strategic investments and permitting reforms that allow companies like Niron to scale breakthrough technologies here at home—and do it quickly.”
• “Meanwhile, outdated and inconsistent permitting delays hamper companies like Niron from bringing transformative technologies to market swiftly and at scale.”
• “Policymakers have an urgent choice to make,” Crain added. “Either we modernize our permitting system and invest in domestic production—or we continue to cede critical supply chains to our competitors. The stakes couldn’t be higher.”