The Senate’s Critical Choice: America’s Mineral Future
What you need to know
- Our substantial industrial policy to counter China’s grip on our minerals supply chains – robust loans, grants, incentives and even targeted tariffs – will be handcuffed if we can’t permit mines and address glaring sources of uncertainty.
- The House made progress on permitting reform in December 2025; now the Senate needs to act.
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO
January 13, 2026
Dear Friend,
As we enter the new year, the mining industry stands at a pivotal moment. The momentum built throughout 2025, driven by executive action, strategic investment and streamlined permitting processes, has created genuine opportunity to transform America’s minerals future. Yet without decisive congressional action in the coming months, that opportunity risks stalling. The Senate now holds the power to remove the final barriers standing between America’s vast minerals resources and the domestic production capacity our economy and national security demand.
While America has been paralyzed by regulatory dysfunction, China has weaponized global minerals supply chains, and the consequences are severe. America’s dependence on mineral imports is a national security vulnerability, with our economy reliant on access to minerals that flow from China.
The Trump administration has moved with unprecedented speed to clear regulatory obstacles and signal commitment to domestic mineral production. But executive action is not enough – now, it’s the Senate’s turn to act. Every month Congress delays allows China to tighten its grip on global minerals supplies. Every stalled project is one fewer source of domestic supply when America needs it most.
The House has done its part, and the path forward is clear. The Senate must now pass the SPEED Act and the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act. 2026 will determine whether 2025’s momentum translates into lasting change. We have the resources; what we need now is a Senate willing to remove barriers preventing those assets from being deployed.
Thank you,
Rich Nolan
National Mining Association (NMA)
President and CEO