National Mining Association President & CEO Hal Quinn has responded to Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s(R-Alaska) introduction of the Rare Earth Supply Technology and Resources Transformation (RESTART) Act, supporting the legislation as a necessary action if the US is not to become fully reliant on the rest of the world for its raw materials.

“Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s (R-Alaska) RESTART Act provides a needed blueprint for meeting this nation’s technology and security needs by focusing on our near-total reliance on imported rare earth elements. Rare earths, like many other metals and minerals, are crucial to the manufacture and reliable performance of a host of high technology, alternative energy and defence applications. Today, China accounts for nearly all of the world’s production of rare earths, even though the US has abundant reserves.”

“Rare earths are merely one example of this nation’s increasing reliance on outside sources to supply US manufacturers and technology providers. America’s drift away from greater self-sufficiency for the basic building blocks of our economy undermines our commitment to jobs creation and increased exports and ignores this country’s rich reserves of metals and minerals.”

Sen. Murkowski highlighted US reliance on the imports of basic materials, “We have slowly but surely surrendered the front end of the clean energy supply chain…we will trade our current dependence on foreign oil for any equally unsettling dependence on foreign minerals.”

Quinn applauded Murkowski’s action with his closing words “By promoting domestic production of rare earths and other minerals, US policy makers can ensure greater control of our economic destiny, create good-paying American jobs and retain innovative know-how and skills in this country, rather than allowing these benefits to move offshore. Sen. Murkowski’s legislation and its companion in the House are important examples of the aggressive and far-sighted actions that must be taken to ensure Made in America does not become a relic of the past.”