Gabby Kientzle, gabby.kientzle@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC – Today, the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (China Select Committee), held a final meeting to release three new bills – the Black Mass Export Controls Act, the Critical Minerals Workforce Enhancement Act, and the Earth Sciences and Cooperation Enhancement Act – aimed at advancing domestic and allied nations’ critical mineral supply chains necessary for the clean energy transition and economic security.
The committee also noted support for eight previously introduced bipartisan bills including the Sierra Club-endorsed Critical Material TRACE Act, as well as the Global Strategy for Securing Critical Minerals Act of 2024, the Unearth Innovation Act, the National Critical Minerals Council Act, the Critical Minerals Security Act, the Secure E-Waste Export and Recycling Act, the Rare Earth Magnet Manufacturing Production Tax Credit Act, and the Mining Schools Act.
In response, Harry Manin, Sierra Club Deputy Legislative Director for Industrial Policy & Trade, released the following statement:
“By reusing critical minerals and demanding environmental due diligence, the United States can build a globally competitive clean energy economy and break free from bad actors profiting off of slave labor and environmental degradation. The China Select Committee has made progress developing bipartisan legislation to advance this goal. We look forward to continuing to work with the Critical Minerals Working Group next year towards efforts that enforce environmental due diligence and sustainability to protect a resilient domestic clean energy supply chain.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.