Congressman Brett Guthrie, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gary Palmer, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, announced on April 15 a hearing titled “Help or Hindrance? The Impact of U.S. Environmental Laws on Critical Material Supply Chains, National Security, and Economic Growth.”
The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, April 22 at 2:00 PM ET in the Rayburn House Office Building. It will be open to the public and press and streamed online at energycommerce.house.gov.
In their announcement, Guthrie and Palmer said, “America cannot lead the development of new technologies if we cannot produce the chemicals and critical materials that our businesses depend on. Our nation’s environmental laws were written for a different era, and now, it’s essential that we address the burdensome and unworkable regulations that are jeopardizing the ability of our nation’s manufacturers to create jobs.” They added that the hearing will examine how environmental laws such as TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act) and the Clean Air Act can be modernized to strengthen domestic supply chains.
Chris Lehman, Chief Development Officer at Principal Mineral, submitted remarks for the hearing. Lehman said his motivation comes from prior government service addressing industrial base shortfalls through programs like Defense Production Act Title III. He said that strategic materials—including rare earths, copper, and specialty metals—are foundational for both national security and economic growth. According to Lehman: “Strategic materials are embedded in nearly every sector driving growth today: energy infrastructure, advanced electronics, telecommunications, transportation, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.” He also cited U.S. Geological Survey data showing reliance on imports for over half of more than 40 critical minerals.
Lehman argued that strengthening these supply chains requires coordinated policy across regulatory clarity, capital access, demand visibility, coordination across segments, and consistent standards. He said regulatory predictability is central for attracting investment but noted current processes are often fragmented with uncertain outcomes.
Lehman concluded by stating that U.S. leadership depends not on single projects but system-wide coherence: “The U.S. has a clear opportunity to lead by creating regulatory clarity… aligning policy tools… maintaining strong environmental standards…and accelerating commercialization of innovation into scaled production.” More information about this event can be found in the organization’s press release.
