Bipartisan Lawmakers Push for Increased Funding to Reduce U.S. Reliance on China for Critical Minerals

Bipartisan lawmakers from Florida, Virginia, and Florida have urged a House Appropriations subcommittee to increase funding for federal work on critical minerals in 2025 spending bills to reduce the nation’s reliance on China. The lawmakers argue that increasing funding for the Energy Department’s work would be a strategic move. They specifically request $76 million for the DOE’s Office of Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies’ secure and sustainable materials program, which aims to increase domestic availability of critical materials and support alternatives. The call comes as China controls most of the market for processing and refining cobalt, lithium, rare earth elements, and other critical minerals.