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Congress·In Committee

Congress Proposes $2 Billion Fund to Secure Critical Minerals and Boost Medical Supply Chains

DPA Modernization Act of 2026

7 days ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Key Points

  • This bill updates a 1950s law that allows the government to require private companies to prioritize making supplies for national defense. It extends this authority until 2031 and focuses on making sure the U.S. is not dependent on foreign adversaries for medicine and minerals used in high-tech equipment.
  • It creates a new "Critical Minerals Resilience Initiative" to help the U.S. and its allies mine and process materials needed for batteries and electronics. This is designed to stop other countries from controlling the global supply of these essential items.
  • The bill increases the total money available for government loans and grants to businesses from $750 million to $2 billion. It also makes it easier for smaller projects to get started by raising the limit for certain administrative approvals from $50 million to $100 million.
  • To prevent conflicts of interest, the President, Vice President, and top government officials (along with their families) are banned from receiving financial help from this program if they own a 20% or larger stake in a company.
  • During public health emergencies, the government would appoint a single "Outreach Representative." This person would serve as the main point of contact for companies that want to help manufacture masks, medicine, or other medical equipment.
  • The bill allows agencies to use some of this funding to recruit and train workers for specialized defense jobs. It also requires the government to create an online dashboard so the public and businesses can see which companies are receiving awards and contracts.
Economy FinanceNational Security Foreign PolicyEnergy EnvironmentHealthcareLabor Employment

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 25, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Feb 25, 2026

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

About one year after enactment

President must issue new DPA regulations within 360 days

New rules governing how the government uses its power to prioritize defense production will take effect, potentially changing how businesses interact with government contracts and orders.

About one year after enactment

Online toolkit and one-stop shop for businesses launches

Within 365 days of enactment, businesses including small businesses would be able to use a new website to find DPA contract opportunities, see who's getting awards, and learn how to participate in defense production programs.

Related News

1 article
National Association of Manufacturers·22 days ago

Federal Data Show Growing U.S. Reliance on Imported Critical Minerals

The administration has set aside $5 billion under the Defense Production Act for minerals and $2 billion for the National Defense Stockpile. New legislative proposals in 2026 seek to increase loan authority and streamline approvals for domestic mining projects.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

DPA Modernization Act of 2026

Bill NumberHR 7688
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(4)
D: 2R: 2

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.