Senate committees tee up bills on critical minerals, coal

By Hannah Northey | 03/10/2025 06:30 AM EDT

Lawmakers will consider legislation tied to mining that will trigger debate on the use of public lands.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) presides over a hearing on Capitol Hill.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) is sponsoring legislation to make sure copper is considered as a critical mineral. Francis Chung/POLITICO

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee lawmakers will question industry and conservation witnesses this week about a half dozen mining-related bills, including language that would open more public land to mining activities.

Separately, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday will hold a markup on Sen. John Cornyn’s S. 799, the “Gold and Mining Partnership Act.”

The bill would tackle the environmental and social impacts of illicit gold mining in the Western Hemisphere. Text for the bill has not yet been released.

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Some of the bills at the ENR hearing, while bipartisan, have revealed sharp divides over the use of public lands even as the nation moves forward to secure additional supplies of critical minerals.

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