The Office of the United States Trade Representative (Office of the USTR) is located in the Executive Office of the President (EOP). It is headed by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), an ambassador-level position. The USTR leads U.S. international trade agreement negotiations and other dialogues, with interagency a…

Rare earth elements (REEs) have catalytic, magnetic, electrical, and luminescent properties vital for civilian and defense purposes. REEs may include 17 elements—scandium (atomic symbol Sc), yttrium (Y), and the 15 lanthanides—although some classifications exclude Sc. REEs typically are found together in nature (Sc is…

According to a 2008 National Research Council report, a critical mineral is a nonfuel mineral that is essential for use and faces considerable supply chain vulnerabilities. Demand for these components in the agriculture, defense, electronics, energy, manufacturing, refining and transportation sectors is projected to g…

Bolivia is a centrally located, landlocked country in South America. The country experienced multiple military coups and periods of authoritarian rule through the 19th and 20th centuries, most recently reestablishing democratic civilian rule in 1982. Despite the country’s significant mineral and hydrocarbon resources,…

Chile, located along the Pacific coast of South America (Figure 1), traditionally has been a close U.S. partner in Latin America. The 119th Congress may assess U.S. economic and security ties with Chile, including the impact of U.S. tariffs, collaboration on critical minerals trade, and efforts to combat transnational…