Issue: H.R. 4402 National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012. 

Result: Passed in House, 256 to 160, 15 not voting. Died in Senate.  Democrats scored.

Bill Summary:  H.R. 4402 seeks to streamline the permitting process for mining on federal land.   Declares the objective of the lead federal agency in the permitting process is to maximize mineral resource development while mitigating environmental impacts.

Analysis:  The Insider Establishment has been working for decades, principally through its child — the radical environmental movement, to lock up America’s mineral resources in single-use wilderness areas. As far back as 1990, T. S. Ary, director of the U.S. Bureau of Mines, warned publicly that in a study of 21 proposed wilderness areas, 19 contain “identified resources of base metals, strategic or critical minerals.”

This campaign has forced America increasingly to go to foreign suppliers for strategic minerals upon which we depend for our high-tech economy and our national security.   The U.S. formerly led the world in the production of rare earth minerals, but now must depend on Communist China for many of these militarily strategic minerals.

Nevertheless, the GOP is not providing leadership for a serious rollback of subversive federal acts and regulations, but merely positioning itself as the champion of the conservative resistance. The GOP leadership knew full well that this measure would go nowhere.

Accordingly, we do not give credit to the Republicans for this easy posturing vote. But we applaud with blue checkmarks the 22 Democrats who voted against the bulk of their party, which earned red Xs.

We have assigned (good vote) to the Ayes and (bad vote) to the Noes. (P = voted present; ? = not voting; blank = not listed on roll call.)