Securing America’s Mineral Supply Chains Will Strengthen our National Defense Capabilities

As Congress returns to session, the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is still being debated in the Senate. The Trump administration has made clear in its historic $1 trillion defense budget proposals that national security is a top priority. As the NDAA process continues, Congress also has important decisions to make in order to bring critical mineral production home. NDAA alone will not be sufficient to establish resilient supply chains for these minerals that are critical for our national defense and technological leadership among our allies. Streamlining permitting is also necessary, and also on the fall agenda.

America’s Untapped Mineral Wealth

Despite an estimated $6.2 trillion in domestic mineral supply, the United States was reliant on other countries, including foreign adversaries like China and Russia, for more than half of our nation’s nonfuel mineral consumption last year. Worse, we were 100 percent import-reliant for 15 of these minerals and about 80 percent reliant for rare earths. These minerals support technologies like night-vision goggles and surveillance, jet engines, and sonar for submarines and naval ships.

Our heavy reliance on mineral imports from adversaries like China and Russia has left the United States vulnerable to geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions and supply manipulation that could stall key industries and defense capabilities. The NDAA presents an opportunity to align defense policy with supply chain strategy, ensuring that America doesn’t fall behind in the race of technological and geopolitical leadership.

The Path Forward

Funding for mineral supply chains, both through the Department of War, which received $5 billion in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill, and through NDAA is critical. So too is ensuring that projects can get permitted in a timely manner.

The SPEED Act (H.R. 4776) complements the Department of War funding by accelerating defense acquisition and targeting supply chain inefficiencies. Among other provisions, it would cut the decision-making time from nearly three years to 90 days, streamline rules and reporting for smaller programs, and establish an Industrial Reliance Consortium to address critical supply chain gaps and advance manufacturing, aligning with goals to strengthen domestic mineral and processing capabilities.

“With the right policies, the U.S. could reduce reliance on China and other foreign sources, increase our global competitiveness, and create high-paying American jobs that provide our manufacturing and defense sectors with a stable supply of the energy and minerals they need. Solutions must be comprehensive, government-wide approach to achieve a secure supply chain.”

– Rich Nolan

Congress has a clear opportunity to secure America’s future by both investing in domestic minerals production and streamlining the permitting process. With bipartisan momentum and targeted legislation, lawmakers can strengthen our domestic supply chains, from extraction to advanced manufacturing.