Senator Tom Cotton is aiming a legislative sledgehammer at the bureaucratic gridlock that’s let China corner the market on rare-earth minerals—those essential elements behind America’s most advanced weapons and technology.
At a Glance
- Senator Cotton’s new bill would let U.S. miners bypass red tape to extract critical minerals for national defense.
- China controls about 60% of rare-earth mining and 90% of processing, giving them dangerous leverage over U.S. security and industry.
- The legislation faces fierce opposition from environmental groups, who claim it would gut protections for land and wildlife.
- America’s dependence on China for rare earths has been called a “strategic vulnerability” by defense and tech experts across the political spectrum.
Cotton’s Bill: Cutting Bureaucracy, Restoring Security
Senator Tom Cotton, the ever-reliable bulldog when it comes to standing up for American security, has introduced the Necessary Environmental Exemptions for Defense Act. The bill’s purpose? Strip away the regulatory molasses that’s made it all but impossible to mine rare-earth minerals here at home. Cotton’s proposal would allow mining projects deemed critical for national defense to skip over the most burdensome environmental reviews and court challenges, including those rooted in NEPA and the Endangered Species Act. According to Cotton, current laws “put our readiness to counter Communist China at risk and waste taxpayer dollars on projects that stall out and die on the vine.” The message is clear: it’s high time to put American jobs and security ahead of bureaucratic self-sabotage.
Since the U.S. ceded rare-earth dominance to China decades ago, we’ve become disturbingly reliant on an adversary for the metals that power everything from F-35 fighter jets to smartphones and electric vehicles. China’s grip only tightened this spring when Beijing imposed new export restrictions on seven key rare earths, sending a chill through the Pentagon and Silicon Valley alike. Cotton’s bill is designed to break this chokehold by letting American miners do what they do best—extract, innovate, and compete—without being hobbled by endless lawsuits and green-tape nonsense.
China’s Leverage: A Wake-Up Call for Washington
China’s dominance in rare-earths isn’t just an economic issue—it’s a direct threat to national security. With a near-monopoly on both mining and processing, Beijing has the power to squeeze America’s supply chains whenever it pleases. The 2010 episode, when China cut off rare-earth exports to Japan over a diplomatic spat, should have been a wake-up call. Instead, Washington hit the snooze button, letting environmental extremists and entrenched bureaucrats run the show. Now, after years of inaction, the chickens have come home to roost. This spring, China’s new export restrictions sent shockwaves through U.S. defense and tech sectors, reminding the country just how exposed we are to foreign manipulation.
American technology and weapons systems don’t run on good intentions—they run on rare earths. Fighter jets, missiles, communications systems, and even the green tech the left loves all depend on a steady flow of these minerals. But thanks to endless delays and environmental lawsuits, American miners can’t get shovels in the ground. The result? More jobs shipped overseas and more leverage handed to the Chinese Communist Party. Cotton’s legislation aims to flip the script by putting security and common sense back at the center of U.S. policy.
Opposition and the Risk of Doing Nothing
Of course, the left’s eco-warriors and their friends in the regulatory state are already howling about the “environmental risks” of cutting red tape. They warn of pollution, habitat loss, and “irreversible harm.” But what’s truly irreversible is the damage done when America’s enemies control the resources we need to defend ourselves. Environmental groups are promising lawsuits and dire warnings, but many experts argue that the only real alternative is to keep letting China call the shots.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. If Cotton’s bill passes, domestic mining projects could finally get off the ground, creating jobs and restoring some measure of economic sanity. The defense sector would gain the supply chain security it’s been begging for, and America would be a little less vulnerable to Beijing’s economic blackmail. On the other hand, if Congress caves to the green lobby yet again, we can look forward to more shortages, higher prices, and a national security apparatus held together by duct tape and hope. The debate isn’t just about rocks and regulations—it’s about whether America still has the will to defend itself, or whether we’re content to let our future be decided in Beijing’s Politburo.
