A Democratic bill with 3 Republican cosponsors · See all 4 cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 93.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
The Finding ORE Act allows the Secretary of the Interior to create agreements with partner foreign countries to cooperate on mapping rare earth elements and critical minerals. The goal is to make international supply chains for these materials more secure and resilient. The bill focuses on scientific collaboration, training, and facilitating private sector investment. It also expresses a congressional preference for moving critical mineral processing back to the United States.
Yes· 3 of 14
- Scored +6
Does this strengthen ties with allied countries?
Strengthens ties with allied and partner foreign countries through technical and scientific cooperation.
- Scored +6
Would business owners be better off under this?
Provides U.S. companies right of first refusal and facilitates private sector investment.
- Scored +5
Does this favour talking over confrontation abroad?
Creates formal memoranda of understanding for cooperation on critical resources.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Increased Supply Chain Security: The bill aims to increase the security and resilience of international supply chains for critical minerals and rare earth elements (Section 4(b)).
- Economic Opportunities for U.S. Companies: Private companies based in the U.S. or allied foreign countries are to be offered the right of first refusal for developing these minerals in partner countries (Section 4(b)(2)).
- Educational and Professional Growth: The bill promotes specialized training in geoscience and mineral resource management at institutions of higher education (Section 4(c)(6)).
- Support for Domestic Industry: Congress expresses the sense that the U.S. should prioritize onshoring the processing of critical minerals (Section 2).
- Sustainable Resource Management: The bill encourages scientific collaboration to help partner countries manage their natural resources sustainably (Section 4(c)(4)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Data Restrictions: Mapping data created through these activities will be protected from access or disclosure to entities in countries that are not allied foreign countries or parties to the agreement (Section 4(b)(4)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this strengthen ties with allied countries? — Strengthens ties with allied and partner foreign countries through technical and scientific cooperation. Does this favour talking over confrontation abroad? — Creates formal memoranda of understanding for cooperation on critical resources. Does this make trade with other countries easier? — Secures international supply chains for rare earth elements and critical minerals.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Provides U.S. companies right of first refusal and facilitates private sector investment. Would students be better off under this? — Facilitates education and specialized training in geoscience at higher education institutions. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Creates educational and training opportunities in geoscience and mineral management.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — Aims to secure critical mineral supply chains and promote onshoring of processing. Is this likely to create jobs? — Facilitates private sector investment in mineral exploration and development which can lead to job growth.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power? — Secures the minerals necessary for the transition to renewable energy. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — Critical minerals are essential for green energy technologies, though mining has environmental impacts. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — Promotes sustainable development of mineral resources in partner countries.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — Promotes scientific and technical cooperation in mapping and geoscience.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Requires notification and detailed reports to Congress before entering agreements. Does this give the federal government more power? — Grants the Secretary of the Interior authority to enter into international agreements.
- 6/18/2025
- Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Risch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 93.
- 6/9/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/5/2025
- Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- 4/10/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
John CornynRepublican · Texas
Ted CruzRepublican · Texas
John HickenlooperDemocrat · Colorado
Todd YoungRepublican · Indiana