White House Advances Congressman Biggs’s Effort to Strengthen America’s Mining Engineering Workforce

GILBERT, ARIZONA- Following Congressman Andy Biggs's bipartisan push to strengthen America's mining engineering workforce, the White House announced earlier this month that the Department of Energy will invest $100 million in the nation's 14 mining schools to revitalize the next-generation workforce and double the number of graduates with mining, minerals, and associated supply chain credentials.

The Department of War also announced more than $80 million for three schools to support major workforce development programs and technology innovation hubs that will train the next generation of geologists, metallurgists, and mining engineers.

These investments build on Congressman Biggs's work to close the growing gap between the Chinese and American mining engineering workforces. As part of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, which recently passed the U.S. House, Congressman Biggs secured an amendment to ensure federal support is directed toward accredited mining engineering programs that strengthen America's workforce pipeline and national security.

The workforce challenge is significant. The United States graduates just over 200 mining engineers each year, while China reportedly graduates between 3,000 and 10,000 mining-related engineers annually. Due in part to this gap, the United States is 100 percent import-reliant for 16 nonfuel minerals and more than 50 percent reliant for dozens more-dependencies that affect American defense systems, semiconductors, and infrastructure. In states like Arizona, mining remains central to economic strength, critical mineral independence, and national security.

"I applaud the White House for making these historic investments in America's mining workforce,"said Congressman Biggs."The United States cannot afford to continue losing ground to China, especially in areas so critical to our defense systems, semiconductor supply chains, and infrastructure. Strengthening our mining engineering workforce is essential to protecting America's national security and securing the future for the next generation. I urge the U.S. Senate to include my amendment in its version of the NDAA to build on this progress."

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