WASHINGTON – A House subcommittee will hold a legislative hearing next Tuesday, February 24, 2026, to discuss a series of bills aimed at bolstering domestic mining and critical mineral supply chains. The hearing, convened by the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources of the House Committee on Natural Resources, will focus on six separate pieces of legislation, reflecting a growing bipartisan interest in securing American access to resources essential for manufacturing, technology, and national defense.
The bills under consideration represent a multifaceted approach to strengthening the U.S. Mining sector. At the core of the discussion is H.R. 1501, the “Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025,” sponsored by Representative Shreve. This legislation, along with the others, seeks to address vulnerabilities in the supply of critical minerals – elements vital to a range of industries but often sourced from foreign nations, creating potential economic and national security risks. The hearing comes as the U.S. Increasingly looks to reduce its reliance on global supply chains, particularly those dominated by countries like China.
The Subcommittee will also examine H.R. 2969, the “Finding Opportunities for Resource Exploration Act,” also known as the “Finding ORE Act,” introduced by Representative Wittman. This bill aims to incentivize and streamline the process of identifying new domestic mineral resources. Alongside it, H.R. 4781, the “Rare Earth Solutions and Carbon Utilization Enhancement Act of 2025” or “RESCUE Act of 2025,” sponsored by Representative Barr, proposes solutions for rare earth element production and carbon utilization. Representative Barr is also sponsoring H.R. 5929, the “Critical Minerals Supply Chain Resiliency Act,” which focuses on building more robust and reliable supply chains for these essential materials.
Further legislation on the agenda includes H.R. 7126, the “Securing Essential and Critical U.S. Resources and Elements Minerals Act of 2026,” or “SECURE Minerals Act of 2026,” also from Representative Wittman, and H.R. 7458, the “Domestic Opportunities for Resource Exploration Act,” or “Domestic ORE Act,” sponsored by Representative Hageman. These bills collectively address various aspects of resource exploration, extraction, and supply chain security.
The hearing is scheduled to take place at 10:30 a.m. On Tuesday, February 24, 2026, in room 1334 of the Longworth House Office Building. The committee has made the hearing notice, memo, and anticipated witness testimony available to the public on its repository here. A livestream of the proceedings will also be available via YouTube, as shown .
Focus on Domestic Mining and Supply Chain Resilience
The legislative push reflects a broader national conversation about the importance of domestic resource production. For decades, the U.S. Has relied heavily on foreign sources for many critical minerals, a situation that has raised concerns about economic vulnerability and national security. The bills being considered aim to address these concerns by promoting domestic exploration, mining, and processing of these vital resources.
Key Bills and Their Objectives
H.R. 1501, the “Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025,” is expected to be a central focus of the hearing. While specific details of the bill’s provisions weren’t immediately available, the title suggests a focus on safeguarding and promoting domestic mining operations. The “Finding ORE Act” (H.R. 2969) aims to identify untapped mineral resources within the United States, potentially opening up new avenues for domestic production. The “RESCUE Act of 2025” (H.R. 4781) tackles the specific challenge of rare earth elements, which are crucial for many high-tech applications.
The “Critical Minerals Supply Chain Resiliency Act” (H.R. 5929) and the “SECURE Minerals Act of 2026” (H.R. 7126) both emphasize the need to build more robust and reliable supply chains. Finally, the “Domestic ORE Act” (H.R. 7458) mirrors the goals of the “Finding ORE Act” by focusing on identifying and developing domestic mineral resources.
What’s Next
Following the hearing, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will likely consider amendments to the bills and potentially vote on whether to advance them to the full House Committee on Natural Resources. The timeline for further action remains uncertain, but the hearing represents a crucial step in the legislative process. Updates on the bills’ progress can be found on the House Committee on Natural Resources website.
The outcome of these legislative efforts could have significant implications for the U.S. Mining industry, the economy, and national security. As the demand for critical minerals continues to grow, securing a reliable and domestic supply chain will become increasingly important.
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