Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) has said he plans to introduce legislation that would speed up the harvesting of rare-earth minerals in the United States to let America stand toe to toe with China, according to Fox News.
Rare-earth minerals are critical in everyday technology, but they are especially critical in American military technology. Currently, China controls around 70 percent of the market in mining these minerals, 90 percent of the refining market, and 90 percent of the rare earth magnet market.
Senator Cotton's legislation would allow critical mining projects that are deemed necessary to bolster national defense to skirt around environmental protection laws, as well as possible court interference. Tom Cotton told Fox News Digital:
Current environmental laws put our readiness to counter Communist China at risk and waste taxpayer dollars on projects that stall out and die on the vine. This bill will create jobs, better arm and prepare our soldiers, and spend taxpayer dollars more efficiently.
The bill, called the Necessary Environmental Exemptions for Defense Act, would carve out a waiver for mining and other projects tied to countering China, and let the Pentagon “operate with maximum agility and efficiency to ensure it is prepared to deter and, if necessary, fight and win a conflict with the Chinese Communist Party.”
The waiver would allow workarounds for the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
Senator Cotton's bill would be introduced amid a push by the Trump Administration to deregulate the economy. The most notable victory was a Supreme Court decision that narrowed the power of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). By restricting NEPA regulations, companies are able to fast-track projects, like mining, energy, or construction, without lengthy environmental reviews or public input, often delaying these projects by years at a time..
It also comes on the heels of a deal negotiated between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to restart critical mineral shipments, which have since faced a hostile Chinese government. Western companies have faced delayed approval processes and have agreed to share sensitive information with the CCP to avoid delays. The Chinese government's near monopoly on the market, and its willingness to flex that power, has created significant fears of shortages