NE Washington News

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered opening remarks at the Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee hearing titled “Securing America’s Critical Materials Supply Chains and Economic Leadership.”

“Today’s hearing is an opportunity to examine how we reduce our dependence on China and take the steps necessary to maintaining American economic leadership for decades to come," said Rodgers. She emphasized the importance of increasing domestic production and supply of critical materials essential for manufacturing goods such as batteries, electric grid components, semiconductors, and advanced energy technologies.

Rodgers warned that failing to enhance domestic capabilities would leave the U.S. reliant on adversaries like China, exposing it to supply chain disruptions and market manipulation. She called for an honest discussion about the factors contributing to current dependencies.

“Only then will we be able to advance the solutions necessary to creating the regulatory predictability needed for mining, processing, and refining these materials domestically,” she added.

Rodgers highlighted a significant decline in America's capacity to mine, process, and refine minerals over recent decades. "The United States was once one of the world’s leading producers of minerals foundational to America’s economic success and national security," she stated. Currently, more than 90 percent of these minerals are under Chinese control.

She criticized China's environmental, labor, and human rights standards while pointing out that their supply chains extend from Africa's Congo jungles to Chinese smelters. Rodgers argued that policies like those in the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act have exacerbated reliance on China by subsidizing technologies dependent on Chinese components.

“We cannot continue doing the same thing over and over again and expect anything to change,” Rodgers asserted.

Addressing regulatory issues under President Biden's administration, Rodgers called for policies that support domestic production rather than pushing supply chains overseas due to stringent regulations. She emphasized America's strong environmental laws which have improved air and water quality but suggested they should not hinder critical material supply chains.

“The good news is that the U.S. has been blessed with tremendous natural resources," she noted. "We have a rich history of harnessing these resources through free market principles."

Rodgers concluded by advocating for American values of free market competition, innovation, environmental stewardship; aligning environmental goals with economic growth; securing critical material supply chains; thereby ending dependence on adversaries like China.

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