House Democrats are calling on the Trump administration to provide more information about ongoing negotiations with the mineral-rich Democratic Republic of the Congo and warned about conflicts of interest and a lack of congressional consultation.
Rep. Linda Sánchez of California joined more than 50 of her colleagues in a statement calling on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to address their concerns about “secretive negotiations” tied to President Donald Trump’s minerals agreement with the DRC. Sánchez is a ranking member on the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee.
“As Members of Congress, we are deeply concerned with your administration’s failure to consult Congress and the lack of transparency, especially given the dire security, human rights, labor, and environmental situation associated with mineral mining in the DRC,” they wrote in a letter to Rubio.
A State Department spokesperson said the agency doesn’t comment on congressional correspondence.
