Kevin J. Cosgriff, president and CEO of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), testified at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in support of legislation to update federal policy related to mineral resources critical to many NEMA member companies. Cosgriff voiced strong support for the American Mineral Security Act (S 883), sponsored Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).
In his remarks, Cosgriff highlighted the important role even small amounts of minerals can play in enabling the energy efficiency and performance of various products, including lighting equipment, permanent-magnet electric motors and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) units, manufactured by NEMA members.
Sen. Murkowski chairs the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The bill, an update of previous legislation, specifically recognizes the importance of critical materials for energy technology- and healthcare-related industries.
“We find the approach taken in S 883 is necessary to improve the prospects that U.S. electroindustry companies and their workers will have access to the minerals and related information they need to be globally competitive into the future,” Cosgriff told the committee. “For us this legislation is about the government enabling U.S. manufacturing to compete fairly in the future. Manufacturers will have access to the information, mineral, and other resources needed to do business.”