Gary J. Palmer

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Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the full committee, Mr. Guthrie, for all of his help. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of my bill, H.R. 9617. According to the United States Geological Survey, of the 33 important critical minerals--the majority of which that our country needs is being imported--the United States depends on China as a major source for 14 of them. This should be a major source of concern to everyone because China has already demonstrated its willingness to leverage our supply chain vulnerabilities in recent years. To address this alarming situation, my friend, Ranking Member Paul Tonko, and I, along with our colleagues on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, have explored opportunities to identify untapped, nontraditional sources of critical minerals right here in the United States. The bipartisan CHARM Act is a product of these efforts throughout the 119th Congress. I thank my colleague, Ranking Member Tonko, again, for joining me in advancing this legislation. This legislation directs the Environmental Protection Agency to work with other relevant agencies to develop a national critical mineral recovery strategy. In furthering this strategy, EPA will identify its own programs and authorities that could increase recovery of critical minerals from discarded materials, as well as those at other Federal agencies. It will pinpoint opportunities to address legal and technological barriers to recovering critical minerals from discarded materials. EPA will also identify potential sources of critical minerals in discarded materials and evaluate the role of these recovered materials in strengthening domestic supply chains. The committee advanced this legislation with across-the-board bipartisan support, and I encourage my colleagues in the full House to support its passage.