"President Biden hosted a virtual event Tuesday with California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), among others, to announce new domestic investments in minerals key to production of goods such as computers and household appliances.
The afternoon event marked Biden’s latest attempt to show his administration is addressing supply chain challenges that became more prevalent during the coronavirus pandemic and that Biden has blamed for inflation woes dogging his presidency — a claim disputed by some economists.
A year ago, Biden signed an executive order creating a review of vulnerabilities in the nation’s mineral and material supply chains.
“Up to now, we’ve had to import a significant portion of [these minerals] — close to 100 percent importation from other countries, particularly China, Australia and Chile,” Biden said. “And when I signed the executive order last year, I was determined to change that. And we’ve seen what happens when we become dependent on other countries for essential goods like computer chips.”"
John Wagner and Amy B Wang report for the Washington Post February 22, 2022.
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