Stauber Demands Answers on Biden Administration Mining Agreement with the Congo, Zambia
Today, Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding answers on the Biden Administration’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia to develop foreign mineral supply chains.
Stated Congressman Stauber, “The United States is blessed with abundant mineral resources, a great workforce, and strong environmental and labor standards. The district I represent is blessed with 95% of America’s nickel, 88% of America’s cobalt, and more than one-third of our copper, along with many other platinum group elements. These project proposals have Project Labor Agreements signed with local, domestic union labor. It is past time that America be self-reliant for our mineral needs. Instead, the Biden Administration chose the Congo and Zambia over places like Minnesota, Alaska, Arizona, and Nevada to supply our minerals. This news is particularly concerning as the DRC has over 40,000 documented cases of child slave labor in the mining sector while Communist China controls 15 of 19 mines.
“Let’s be clear- the Biden Administration is choosing the Congolese cobalt supply chain which is tainted with child slave labor over American resources mined by American workers. The American people deserve clear answers as to why this decision was made and why they chose to invest taxpayer dollars in foreign countries for minerals we have right here in the United States. We should be combatting Communist China’s influence by boosting domestic production of minerals instead of investing in the Congo where Communist China’s influence is widespread. I look forward to Secretary Blinken’s response.”
Background:
On December 13th, 2022, Secretary Blinken announced the United States agreed to a MOU with the DRC and Zambia on mineral supply chains. On January 26th, 2023, the Biden Administration announced a 20-year moratorium on mining in 225,000 acres of the Duluth Complex, which contains vast reserves of America’s domestic critical minerals.
Full text of the letter can be found here.
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