President Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to declare a national emergency to help address the threat posed by the country’s dependence on critical minerals from foreign adversaries to U.S. national security, economy and foreign policy.
The executive order directs the secretary of the Department of the Interior to work with other secretaries with other federal agencies to investigate the country’s reliance on critical minerals from adversaries and submit a report on the investigation within 60 days.
The report should “recommend executive action, which may include the imposition of tariffs or quotas, other import restrictions against China and other non-market foreign adversaries whose economic practices threaten to undermine the health, growth, and resiliency of the United States, or other appropriate action, consistent with applicable law,” the document reads.
The secretary of the State Department should hand over to the executive branch a report that details planned and existing initiatives and policy options to establish resilient critical mineral supply chains, reduce the country’s vulnerability to the disruption of those supply chains and promote responsible minerals sourcing, business practices and labor.
The policy also calls for the secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) to come up with guidance “clarifying the extent to which projects that support domestic supply chains for minerals are eligible for loan guarantees pursuant to Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005."
