The U.S. House of Representatives passed the DOMINANCE Act, legislation that establishes a Bureau of Energy Security and Diplomacy within the State Department and a special adviser to the president on critical minerals. Authored by Reps. Fresh Kim (R-CA) and Ami Bera (D-CA), the bill aims to reduce dependence on foreign adversaries by boosting domestic production and forging international partnerships. The measure now heads to the Senate, where a companion bill has already been introduced.

A congressionally authorized bureau replaces the eliminated Bureau of Energy Resources

The DOMINANCE Act creates a Bureau of Energy Security and Diplomacy with a clear congressional mandate to coordinate international energy, critical minerals, and supply chain strategy . This marks a departure from the previous Bureau of Energy Resources, which was eliminated last year and folded into the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. As the source reports, Rep. Kim emphasized that unlike its predecessor, the new bureau would be congressionally authorized and would ensure a unified command center for critical mineral efforts acrosss the federal government.

Formalizing U.S. participation in mineral projects through multiyear compacts

Under the bill, the State Department is authorized to negotiate multiyear energy security compacts with partner countries. These agreements are designed to diversify supply chains and counter economic coercion from dominant players like China, while also formalizing U.S. involvement in mineral development projects abroad. According to the legislation, this approach aims to build a resilient network of allied nations to secure the critical minerals needed for defense and technology applications.

Building on Trump-era executive orders with a permanent federal framework

The DOMINANCE Act seeks to codify and expand upon steps taken during the first Trump administration, including executive orders and investments in domestic processing facilities. By creating a permanent statutory framework, the bill aims to ensure long-term security of critical minerals beyond any single presidential term. The source notes that the Trump administration had already moved to expand domestic supply chains, but without the permanence that a congressional mandate provides.

The Senate companion bill: the Energy Security Pacts Act and its unanswered timeline

Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) have introduced a companion bill, the Energy Security Pacts Act, which mirrors the DOMINANCE Act in the upper chamber. Rep. Kim expressed optimism that the legislation could pass as a stand-alone bill, but key questions remain unanswered. It is unclear whether the Senate will attach funding provisions, who will serve as the special adviser for critical minerals,and how quickly the chamber will act given other legislatiive priorities. The bill's ultimate effectiveness will depend on these unresolved details.