I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2785 
To establish in the Department of State the United States Energy Resource 
Governance Initiative to promote sound mining sector governance and 
resilient energy mineral supply chains by bringing countries together 
to engage on advancing governance principles, sharing best practices, 
and encouraging a level playing field for investment, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 22, 2021 
Mr. KINZINGER (for himself and Ms. SPANBERGER) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To establish in the Department of State the United States 
Energy Resource Governance Initiative to promote sound 
mining sector governance and resilient energy mineral 
supply chains by bringing countries together to engage 
on advancing governance principles, sharing best prac-
tices, and encouraging a level playing field for invest-
ment, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Energy Resource Gov-
ernance Initiative Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) diverse and resilient energy and mineral 
supply chains are vital for the United States, our 
partners and allies, and for global economic stability; 
(2) many green and renewable energy tech-
nologies, including electric vehicles, wind turbines, 
and battery storage technology, require high inputs 
of specific energy minerals, which may cause the 
global demand for these products to skyrocket over 
the coming decades; 
(3) United States and international efforts to 
drive global emission reductions and net zero goals 
rely on these critical minerals to deploy clean energy 
technologies; 
(4) vulnerable critical mineral supply chains 
present a significant risk to United States national 
security interests, including— 
(A) overreliance on a single or limited sup-
ply source for critical mineral inputs; and 
(B) poor mineral sector governance, includ-
ing weak labor standards, limited environmental 
protections, failure to develop a social license to 
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operate, which deters responsible investment 
and limits the long-term sustainability of min-
ing operations; 
(5) the People’s Republic of China (PRC) leads 
the world in the mining and production of rare earth 
metals, comprising nearly 90 percent of the global 
market, and it is in the national security interest of 
the United States to provide an alternative to PRC 
domination of these supply chains; and 
(6) the United States should build upon the ef-
forts made with the Governments of Australia, Bot-
swana, Canada, and Peru in creating the Energy 
Resource Governance Initiative (ERGI) to advance 
governance principles and best practices for mineral 
extraction. 
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
It is the policy of the United States to— 
(1) promote sound mining sector governance 
and resilient energy mineral supply chains by bring-
ing countries together to engage on advancing gov-
ernance principles, sharing best practices, and en-
couraging a level playing field for investment; 
(2) encourage governments to incorporate re-
sponsible mineral supply chain sourcing principles 
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into their national climate strategies and clean en-
ergy technology procurement plans; and 
(3) encourage companies, including green and 
renewable energy, to source 100 percent of their 
critical mineral supply from responsible and environ-
mentally sound supply chains by 2030. 
SEC. 4. ENERGY RESOURCE GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Department of State an entity to be known as the ‘‘En-
ergy Resource Governance Initiative’’ (ERGI). 
(b) OBJECTIVES.—The objectives of the Energy Re-
source Governance Initiative established under subsection 
(a) are to carry out the following: 
(1) Promote responsible and sustainable mining 
practices globally by enabling sharing of best prac-
tices for mineral extraction management and govern-
ance. 
(2) Foster integrated and resilient supply 
chains and help identify options to diversify and 
strengthen supply chains. 
(3) Facilitate trade and industry connections to 
promote responsible critical mineral sourcing and 
advance mineral sector good governance. 
(4) Facilitate mineral sector technical assist-
ance to partner countries to identify new supply 
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chain opportunities, sustainably and responsibly 
commercialize critical mineral sector resources, and 
mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities. 
(5) Encourage the international community to 
incorporate 
responsible 
mineral 
supply 
chain 
sourcing principles, including resource surveys, into 
their national climate strategies and clean energy 
technology procurement plans. 
(6) Seek to minimize the adverse impact that 
increasing renewable energy demand could have on 
mineral-rich countries. 
(c) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—Activities carried out 
under the Energy Resource Governance Initiative shall— 
(1) be carried out in countries in which the Sec-
retary of State determines there is an adequate level 
of partner country commitment, partner country 
needs, absorptive capacity, sustainment capacity, 
and efforts of private sector donors; 
(2) be closely coordinated among diplomatic 
and development missions, and relevant participating 
Federal departments and agencies; and 
(3) complement and enhance efforts to promote 
democratic governance, the rule of law, human 
rights, and economic growth. 
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(d) DIPLOMATIC
AND POLITICAL SUPPORT.—The 
Secretary of State, in coordination with other relevant 
Federal departments and agencies, shall provide diplo-
matic and political support to partner countries, including 
by using the diplomatic and political influence and exper-
tise of the Department of State to build the capacity of 
such countries to resolve any impediments to the imple-
mentation of activities pursuant to subsection (c). 
(e) COORDINATION WITH PRIVATE SECTOR.—The 
Secretary of State, through the Bureau of Energy Re-
sources of the Department of State, shall coordinate with 
the United States International Development Finance 
Corporation to mobilize private sector engagement and 
partnership to facilitate the objectives described in sub-
section (b), including by supporting investment frame-
works that attract top tier private sector investment fo-
cused on responsible mineral extraction. 
(f) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for 
the following ten years, the Secretary of State shall pro-
vide a report to the appropriate congressional committees 
that includes assessments of— 
(1) progress towards achievement of the objec-
tives described in subsection (b); 
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(2) success of coordination with the private sec-
tor pursuant to subsection (e); 
(3) efforts by the Chinese Communist Party or 
related entities to influence the policies of ERGI 
partner countries with regard to their mining sectors 
or supply chains; and 
(4) how ERGI is furthering the national secu-
rity interests of the United States. 
(g) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘appro-
priate congressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate. 
Æ 
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