Coffman Requests Immediate Hearing on Looming Rare Earths Crisis
(WASHINGTON) — Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) sent a letter today to House Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) and Ranking Member Buck McKeon (R-CA) asking that a hearing be scheduled as soon as possible to address the critical issue of rare earth metals and their importance to our nation’s defense industrial base and national security. Coffman’s request comes on the heels of a Government Accountability Office (GAO)
In the letter Coffman expressed the need for prompt action stating, “There is no doubt that China’s dominant position in the production of rare earth minerals has long-reaching implications for the U.S. Department of Defense… Though the Department of Defense is doing an internal report on this issue that will not be released until September, 2010, a near-term House Armed Services Committee hearing is critical to addressing the results of GAO’s report.”
“A timely hearing will allow the committee to gather testimony from GAO, the Department of Defense, and industry to draw attention to this national security threat. Much of America is simply not aware that rare earth metals play an essential role in key national security systems and protecting our warfighters,” he continued.
The letter also requests that Mr. John Neumann from GAO’s Office of Acquisition and Sourcing Management be invited to testify. GAO’s report released April 14, 2010 was the result of a provision Coffman called for in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010.
Uses for rare earths have grown exponentially during the last twenty-five years in the