Revitalizing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals Dominance Act

This bill aims to accelerate U.S. development of offshore seabed mineral resources, including critical minerals, by streamlining permitting, mapping seabed areas, and engaging with allies. It focuses on reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and strengthening domestic supply chains for defense, energy, and infrastructure.

Sec. 3, Definitions: Defines key terms used in the bill, including 'commercial recovery,' 'critical mineral,' 'exploration,' 'lease,' 'mineral' (which includes critical minerals, uranium, copper, potash, gold, and other elements determined by the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council), 'outer Continental Shelf,' 'processing,' 'prospecting,' 'seabed mineral resource' (such as polymetallic nodules, cobalt-rich crusts, sulfides, heavy mineral sands, and phosphorites), and 'United States company.'

Sec. 4, Strategic Seabed Critical Mineral Access: Requires the Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of the Interior to expedite processes for issuing exploration licenses, commercial recovery permits, prospecting permits, and leases under existing laws within 60 days. The Secretary of the Interior must develop a plan to map priority seabed and outer Continental Shelf areas. The Secretary of the Interior must identify critical minerals from seabed resources and determine which are essential for defense, manufacturing, and energy. The Secretary of Commerce must engage with key partners and allies to offer support for seabed mineral exploration, extraction, processing, and environmental monitoring in their jurisdictions. Two reports are required within 60 days: one on private sector interest and opportunities for seabed mining, and another on the feasibility of an international benefit-sharing mechanism for seabed mineral extraction beyond national jurisdiction. The bill states it does not impair existing agency authority or create any enforceable rights against the U.S. government.