Chairman Moolenaar Discusses Critical Minerals Security with Under Secretary Jacob Helberg
Chairman John Moolenaar of the Select Committee on China and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg participated in a fireside discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Critical Minerals Security Forum on February 3. During the conversation, Moolenaar and Helberg underscored the national security and economic risks posed by China’s manipulation of critical mineral supply chains and emphasized the need for stronger U.S. leadership, allied cooperation, and public–private partnerships.
“A lot of what Congress can do is codify these executive orders and rules—put them into law—so we have continuity into the future,” Moolenaar said during the event, about Congress’s role in reinforcing and sustaining the Trump Administration’s actions. He also pointed to Congressional efforts on permitting reform, and bipartisan legislation he recently introduced establishing a strategic minerals reserve aligned with Project Vault, the administration’s initiative to stockpile critical minerals.
Addressing China’s dominance and pricing manipulation, Moolenaar warned, “When an American company tries to get going, they will be undercut. We need to make sure that whether it’s tariffs or some kind of action, we can address those issues.”
The discussion highlighted the Trump Administration’s diplomatic efforts, the investment conditions needed to unlock new supply, and strategies to ensure U.S. manufacturers and defense industries are no longer vulnerable to coercion from China.
