[Proposed commodities market manipulation legislation. Think silver, not mentioned in this article. Wonder why? And, what could possibly go wrong? Democrat Jeanne Shaheen would love to use government money to buy commodities and sway markets world wide. If you thought congressional insider stock trading was bad, this is worse. This proposed new group looks just like another FEDERAL RESERVE. Nothing but trouble. POTUS will NOT approve this.]
US lawmakers introduce bill to create $2.5 billion critical-minerals stockpile
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Bill would create Strategic Resilience Reserve for minerals
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Seven-person board would govern stockpile's operations
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Minerals would be stored in warehouses around US
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Measure could spark Western price structure for minerals
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Bill seeks to counter Chinese dominance of key minerals
Jan 15 (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers on Thursday introduced a bill to create a $2.5 billion stockpile of critical minerals, a move aimed at stabilizing market prices and encouraging domestic mining and refining.
The bill marks Washington's latest attempt to offset what policymakers view as Chinese manipulation of prices for lithium, nickel, rare earths and other critical minerals - vital for items from electric vehicles to high-tech weaponry - that has stymied American mining companies for years.
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The 68-page bill says China has moved to "weaponize its influence over prices and volumes in the contest for access to critical minerals."
BILL AIMS TO 'INSULATE U.S. FROM FOREIGN THREATS'
China has rejected assertions that it manipulates the market for critical minerals, saying in November it is committed to "upholding the security and stability of global production and supply chains."
To become law, the measure must pass the House of Representatives and the Senate and be signed by President Donald Trump.
The bill would create a Strategic Resilience Reserve with a seven-person board, modeled on the Federal Reserve's governance structure, which would oversee the fund.
Members, appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, would be tasked with buying minerals considered critical by U.S. agencies and stockpiling them at warehouses across the country.
The bill prioritizes recycled material, but minerals extracted from mines would be eligible. Allied countries would be able to join the reserve if they contributed at least $100 million.
Minerals could be sold for private-industry or defense purposes. Any profit would be used to buy more minerals and keep the stockpile active in perpetuity.
"Providing targeted investments and stockpiling key inputs will help insulate the U.S. from foreign threats and will provide a significant - and cost effective - boost to the U.S. economy," said Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Senator Todd Young, an Indiana Republican, co-sponsored the legislation. Representative Rob Wittman, a Virginia Republican, introduced the same measure in the House.
The reserve's board would have flexibility over how to buy minerals, according to Senate aides. It could, for example, agree to pay twice the existing market price for rare earths - a market dominated by China - if such purchases supported U.S. mines.
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"It's certainly possible this reserve could create a Western price for certain critical minerals," a Senate aide said.
https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-lawmakers-introduce-bill-create-25-billion-critical-minerals-stockpile-2026-01-15/