S.Amdt. 6491

This amendment, submitted by Mrs. Shaheen and Mr. Curtis, adds the Critical Minerals Partnership Act of 2026 to bill S. 4784. Its main purpose is to establish a United States policy to build secure and resilient supply chains for critical minerals.

The amendment aims to add the following to the bill:

• Policy Goals: It sets a goal to collaborate with allies to build supply chains for mining, processing, and recycling critical minerals. It emphasizes prioritizing domestic production and reducing dependence on supply chains controlled by adversaries, specifically the Russian Federation, Iran, and the People's Republic of China.

• International Cooperation: It authorizes the President to negotiate agreements to form a coalition of member countries. This coalition would focus on joint investment, cost-sharing for infrastructure, and establishing best practices for labor rights, environmental protection, and community safety.

• The FORGE Initiative: It authorizes the Secretary of State to lead U.S. participation in the Forum on Resource Geostrategic Engagement (FORGE). This includes coordinating diplomatic strategies, creating a project database for the private sector, and prioritizing projects that advance U.S. national and economic security.

• Additional Actions:

  • It authorizes U.S. membership in the International Nickel Study Group.
  • It requires the Secretary of State to submit a report on priority critical minerals and a diplomatic strategy for securing supply chains.
  • It directs the Department of State to create a mechanism to support U.S. private sector entities pursuing critical mineral projects abroad.