America’s Mineral Crisis Can’t Wait: Congress Must Act Now
What you need to know
- Outdated permitting frameworks are strangling American mining projects. Congress must pass comprehensive permitting reform to streamline reviews and restore environmental processes to their intended purpose.
- The United States is graduating a fraction of the engineers, geologists, metallurgists and skilled trade workers that China produces annually. Without aggressive investment in domestic mining education and workforce development programs, America risks a mining workforce shortage.
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO
July 22, 2026
Dear Friend,
Congress faces a looming deadline. Before August recess and the mid-term election that will follow, lawmakers must act on permitting reform legislation to unlock America’s mineral potential and address decades of regulatory dysfunction. The window to pass meaningful reform this year is closing, and if Congress fails to act now, mineral security reform could stall for years.
Bills like the SPEED Act, the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act, and the American Energy and Mineral Infrastructure Act would bring America’s permitting framework into the 21st century, enabling us to build the mining infrastructure our nation requires, while maintaining rigorous environmental and safety standards
America has the resources. We have the technology. We have bipartisan support for reform. What we need now is for Congress to meet the moment.
Thank you,
Rich Nolan
National Mining Association (NMA)
President and CEO