Stauber Statement on House Democrats' War on Minnesota Mining

July 14, 2022
Press Release

Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) released the following statement after a Natural Resources Committee markup where House Democrats advanced a bill that would permanently ban mining in the Superior National Forest, just weeks after the Biden Administration proposed banning taconite along with critical minerals in the withdrawal area.

"For over 135 years, northern Minnesota has had a proud mining tradition that helped the United States win two world wars and provided prosperity for our Northland communities. It should be at the forefront of our current and future domestic mineral supply chains. However, House Democrats, inspired by the anti-mining Biden Administration, advanced a bill that directly threatens our mining industry, our union workforce, and our communities' livelihoods.

"Let's be perfectly clear about what's happening. Joe Biden and House Democrats continue to try and ban mining, including taconite mining, in a huge swath of northern Minnesota. This is unacceptable. We in northern Minnesota know what's best for the Northland, not out of touch elites from hundreds of miles away. And we will not stand for this.

"We should be creating and maintaining jobs for our union workforce. We should be tapping into Minnesota's vast mineral wealth for the critical minerals our country needs for 21st century technologies using the best labor and environmental standards in the world. But instead, by banning mining in northern Minnesota, House Democrats would rather increase American dependence on foreign sources for critical minerals, many of which are controlled by adversaries like communist China, that are mined with child slave labor.

"I will continue to stand with our union workers and fight this legislation with my Republican colleagues. Our northern Minnesota way of life is at stake."

Congressman Stauber offered amendments to the bill that would do the following, all of which were rejected by House Democrats:

  • Disallow the bill from taking effect if it interferes with a project labor agreement. This would have protected union jobs.
  • Overturn the Biden Administration's attempt to ban taconite mining in the Superior National Forest.
  • Require project-specific reviews of mining projects, including Twin Metals, instead of a forest-wide review designed to ban mining in the entire region.
  • Highlight the Biden Administration's hypocrisy on their claim to support domestic mining while taking repeated actions to ban mining in northern Minnesota.
  • Require reports on local revenue and school funding that would be lost from the ban.
  • Require the U.S. Departments of the Interior, Energy, and Transportation to assess delays the legislation may cause for American electric vehicle manufacturers and consumers.
  • Require verification of where the mineral withdrawal area is located.
  • Require locals to sign off on withdrawal.
  • Require a comparison of water quality from different parts of the state.
  • Require the U.S. Department of Defense to certify that taconite and critical minerals taken offline would not present a threat to national security.

Watch Congressman Stauber's opening remarks during the markup here.

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