US bill would block defense contractors from using Chinese rare earths January 14, 2022 at 04:09AM

A bipartisan piece of legislation to be introduced in the US Senate on Friday would force defense contractors to stop buying rare earths from China by 2026 and use the Pentagon to create a permanent stockpile of the strategic minerals. The bill, sponsored by Senators Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, and Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat, is the latest in a string of US legislation seeking to thwart China's near control over the sector.