Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, is working to fast-track the extraction of raw minerals in the U.S. needed for weapons development. (Getty Images)
His bill is designed to give the U.S. an edge against China, the world’s largest producer of critical minerals like cobalt, lithium, graphite and other rare earth minerals used in weapons systems, electric vehicles and consumer electronics.
Currently, China produces roughly 60% of the world's critical mineral supply, and processes up to 90%.
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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth takes a question from a reporter during a news conference at the Pentagon on June 22, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Cotton argued in his legislation that the aforementioned regulations "frequently and unnecessarily delay" the preparedness of the military without "substantial benefit to the environment or protected species," and that time is of the essence when it comes to national defense.
The projects that would fall under the umbrella of the regulation exemption include testing and production and deployment of technologies, systems or equipment and the construction, maintenance, expansion, or repair of facilities or Defense Department infrastructure, among others.
It would also prevent projects from being snarled in the courts, as long as the initiative is deemed necessary for military preparedness by the Secretary of Defense.
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The bill fits into the White House’s broader plan to jump-start critical mineral mining in the country, be it through executive action, a bid to buy Greenland, a minerals agreement with Ukraine, or opening up more offshore mining in the Gulf of America.
It also comes after President Donald Trump reached a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping to resume trade of critical minerals after shipments were stopped earlier this year following the White House’s slew of tariffs against China and other countries.
Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-republican-moves-give-u-s-edge-china-harvesting-minerals-weapons-systems