Senate Aims to Reverse Biden’s Mining Ban, Restore American Mineral Strength
The Senate is poised to act on a critical piece of legislation that would overturn one of the Biden-Harris administration’s most short-sighted energy decisions: locking up vast mineral resources in northern Minnesota under a sweeping mining ban, according to E&E News.
The House already did its job and passed H.J. Res. 140 earlier this year, and now the Senate is preparing to follow suit, finally giving Congress the opportunity to reverse a policy that undermines both American energy security and economic growth.
On the PTF Energy Scorecard, Members who voted for the bill were rewarded, while those who voted against it were penalized.
At its core, this is about a simple reality: the United States cannot afford to outsource its mineral supply chain to China. Many of the minerals that we and our military depend on in daily life are buried beneath American soil. Yet instead of responsibly developing those resources here at home, the Biden-Harris administration chose to block access, forcing the U.S. to rely even more heavily on foreign adversaries.
That’s horrible policy and compounds a national security risk.
Minnesotans certainly stand to benefit from the economic opportunity created in their back yard, but the benefits extend far beyond its borders. States like Indiana and Pennsylvania, with strong manufacturing bases, stand to gain from a more reliable and affordable domestic supply of critical minerals. When America mines and processes its own resources, it fuels industries, creates jobs, and lowers costs throughout the economy.
This is the foundation of energy dominance: producing what we need, where we need it, with American workers leading the way.
For years, activists and bureaucrats have pushed policies that block development in the name of ideology, ignoring the real-world consequences for working families and national security. The result has been higher costs, weaker supply chains, and increased dependence on countries that don’t share our values.
The Senate now has a chance to correct course.
Beltway elites who refuse to mine at all, while importing the same materials from countries with destructive environmental practices, is economic self-sabotage.
If lawmakers are serious about strengthening America’s economy, protecting national security, and lowering costs for consumers, the choice is clear: restore access to America’s mineral wealth and put the country back on the path to true energy independence.
April 15, 2026