S3659

The SECURE Minerals Act of 2026 (S. 3659) was introduced in the Senate on January 15, 2026, and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings were held by the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on March 26, 2026. The bill aims to establish a Strategic Resilience Reserve for critical minerals, identifying eligible critical minerals and materials, and outlining processes for their financing, acquisition, and sale. A companion bill, HR7126, has also been introduced in the House, indicating bipartisan and bicameral interest. While the bill does not explicitly state a funding amount, it authorizes the establishment of a Strategic Resilience Reserve and outlines mechanisms for financing and acquisition of critical minerals. This indicates a future intent for federal spending on critical mineral procurement and domestic supply chain development. Actual funding would depend on subsequent appropriations bills. The legislation is designed to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign sources, particularly China, for critical minerals essential to defense, technology, and renewable energy sectors. Companies involved in the extraction, processing, and supply of rare earth and battery minerals are structural beneficiaries. This includes MP Materials Corp. ($MP), Albemarle Corporation ($ALB), Lithium Americas Corp. ($LAC), Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. ($SQM), Rio Tinto Group ($RIO), and BHP Group Limited ($BHP). The bill's focus on domestic demand and supply chain resilience positions these companies to potentially benefit from increased government contracts and incentives. The findings section explicitly highlights the importance of critical minerals for manufacturing, transportation, medical, technology, defense, and energy sectors. Recent market data shows varied performance among these companies. Over the past 7 days, $MP is up 12.24%, $LAC is up 6.33%, $RIO is up 5.84%, and $BHP is up 5.46%. Conversely, $ALB is down 2.36% and $SQM is down 0.58% over the same period. Over the past 30 days, $SQM is up 13.92% and $ALB is up 5.55%, while $MP is down 12.5%, $LAC is down 12.39%, and $BHP is down 3.72%. The bill is currently in the committee stage, with hearings held, indicating active legislative momentum. The next steps involve committee markup, potential floor votes in both chambers, and eventual reconciliation before it can be sent to the President. Sen. Shaheen (D-NH) is the lead sponsor, with 9 cosponsors from both parties, including Mr. Young (R-IN), Mr. Rounds (R-SD), and Ms. Cortez Masto (D-NV). This bipartisan support, along with the existence of a companion bill in the House, suggests a higher probability of eventual passage. The bill's progression through committee hearings indicates active consideration and potential for further development.