Aim to reverse steady depletion, compete with China.
The House Armed Services Committee is putting forth a proposal to increase supply and funding for the U.S. strategic minerals stockpile. The minerals in the stockpile, such as titanium, tungsten, and cobalt, are essential for the localized production of defense technologies. Over the past few decades, Congress has authorized many sales from the stockpile for millions of dollars, depleting America’s supply of rare earth minerals.
“While these drawdowns were appropriate when the Department of Defense mainly focused on counterterrorism, the current stockpile is inadequate to meet the requirements of great power competition,” the committee wrote in a letter. “The [National Defense Stockpile] is no longer capable of covering the Department of Defense’s needs for the vast majority of identified materials in the event of a supply chain disruption.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For wisdom for U.S. officials as they work on solutions to supply-chain issues and critical mineral production.
- For the president and his administration as they address challenges to the nation’s economy.
- For members of Congress to be discerning as they seek to increase the strategic minerals stockpile.
Sources: AP, Defense News
