Mining Regulatory Clarity Act: Congress Must Act to Unlock America’s Mineral Potential

With 2025 winding down, one issue demands immediate action: America’s dangerous reliance on imported minerals, particularly from China. The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act of 2025—sponsored by Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) in the Senate and Representatives Mark Amodei (R- Nev.) and Steven Horsford (D- Nev.) in the House —presents an opportunity for lawmakers to remove a significant regulatory barrier that has hindered domestic minerals production and undermined America’s economic and national security interests before the end of the year.

The Problem: A Legal Reversal Blocking Domestic Resources

For more than 150 years, mining on federal lands operated under a clear legal framework that balanced responsible resource development with environmental stewardship. That changed in 2022, when a federal court decision in Center for Biological Diversity v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service upended more than 150 years of precedent and created confusion and operational challenges for responsible mining projects. Without legislative clarity, minerals essential to our nation’s stability and security remain inaccessible.

As a result, American companies face uncertainty while China—already the world’s leading processor of rare earths, lithium and cobalt—tightens its grip on global mineral supply chains. Every month of delay strengthens our adversaries’ advantages and deepens our vulnerability.

What the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act Does (And Doesn’t Do)

Notably, the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act does not permit or expand mining on protected or conserved lands, nor does it restrict access to lands for other multiple-use activities. Instead, it restores clarity and certainty, enabling responsible mining operations to proceed efficiently on federal lands – unlocking our vast domestic resources and supporting the industries that underpin our national security, energy and manufacturing sectors.

This is not about unlimited expansion – it’s about removing an artificial barrier that prevents responsible mining companies from operating under the same legal framework that governed their activities for more than a century. By restoring this clarity, Congress would allow projects that meet rigorous environmental, safety and labor standards to move forward, creating new jobs and strengthening America’s minerals security.

What’s Next?

Congress, now back in our nation’s capital, must act swiftly to pass the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act. By doing so, lawmakers will demonstrate America’s commitment to securing its mineral future, protecting our economy and safeguarding our national security.