Moolenaar Votes to Secure America's Energy Supply Chains

Today, Chairman John Moolenaar of the Select Committee on China voted for legislation that requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to assess critical energy resource supply chains and address overreliance on adversarial nations, such as China. It was originally introduced by Congressman John James (R-MI).

“China has weaponized its supply of critical minerals against America and the world,” said Chairman John Moolenaar. “The Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply Act will ensure the Department of Energy is assessing our nation’s energy supply chains for risks and has the tools it needs to strengthen future American energy production.” 

Last fall, the committee released a bipartisan investigation into China’s manipulation of the critical minerals market.

The investigation revealed several key findings, including:

• The People's Republic of China (PRC) government subsidizes its state mining companies with tens of billions of dollars including zero-interest-rate loans to support its global acquisition of mining assets.
• The PRC has established a legal framework governing mineral price reporting, giving Beijing the ability to raise and lower prices to favor its national security interests.
• The PRC pushed down the price of critical minerals, including lithium—an important element used in everyday items.
• When the prices were low, the PRC subsidized its firms to aggressively acquire mining assets and cement its control over the global supply chain.

"From cell phones to fighter jets, every American is dependent on minerals that China manipulates for its own selfish interests," said Moolenaar when the report was released.