H.R. 7037 explained · 119th Congress · Pending in Congress
Developing Overseas Mineral Investments and New Allied Networks for Critical Energies Act
Cosponsors: 30 (10 D, 20 R) · per Congress.gov, 2026-10-08
Introduced: 2026-01-13
Latest action (2026-06-09): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
What H.R. 7037 does, in plain terms
Developing Overseas Mineral Investments and New Allied Networks for Critical Energies Act or the DOMINANCE Act This bill establishes a Bureau of Energy Security and Diplomacy in the Department of State and authorizes several programs to address access to energy and critical minerals. The bureau must formulate and implement policies related to international energy, energy technology, critical minerals, and related supply chains. An assistant secretary is authorized to lead the bureau. The bill authorizes the State Department to establish multi-year energy security compacts with partner countries. The purpose of such compacts is to increase reliable access to energy, electricity, or critical minerals for both parties to the compact. The bill also authorizes the State Department to lead U.S. participation in a Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), whose purpose includes supporting investment in critical mineral mining, processing, and refining projects that enable critical mineral supply chains. The United States must prioritize MSP projects that advance the national and economic security interests of the United States and U.S. allies and partners. Fellowships are authorized to support (1) U.S. citizens attending foreign mining institutions in order to build the capacity of the U.S. mining workforce; and (2) foreign mining academics and professionals being placed at U.S. institutions to help advance research and development initiatives in the U.S. mining industry and expand U.S. mining education and workforce development programs.
Official summary by the Congressional Research Service, via Congress.gov.
Constitution Index
“VFA Constitution grade”
Not graded yet
H.R. 7037 has not been graded yet. New measures with an official summary are graded daily under the published rubric.
The Framers
“Founders’ Verdict”
Confidence 0.75
Archived SI output (machine-generated)No editorial review recorded. This historical SI verdict was machine-generated by software and predates the review desk; check it against the official bill text.
Synthesis
The bill is constitutional only if its provisions are strictly limited to enumerated powers—specifically foreign commerce (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3), the general welfare and common defense (Article I, Section 8, Clause 1), and the necessary and proper execution of those powers (Article I, Section 8, Clause 18). The compacts with foreign nations must not circumvent the treaty power (Article II, Section 2, Clause 2) and must be subject to Senate approval or be proper executive agreements. Fellowship programs must be directly tied to developing critical mineral supply chains or national security, not general education. The bureau and delegations must avoid overbroad discretion that infringes on state powers (Tenth Amendment) or the non-delegation principle.
The Constitution vests in Congress the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) and to provide for the common defense and general welfare (Article I, Section 8, Clause 1). The establishment of a bureau within the Department of State to formulate policies on international energy and critical minerals, and to enter into compacts with foreign nations for mutual access to these resources, is a proper exercise of the foreign commerce power and the treaty power (Article II, Section 2, Clause 2). The bill's authorization of fellowships to build mining workforce…
This bill establishes new federal powers and agencies in the Department of State to manage international energy and mineral markets. Such measures must be carefully scrutinized against the enumerated powers of Article I, Section 8. The promotion of commerce and foreign relations is a legitimate federal concern, but the creation of a Bureau of Energy Security and Diplomacy and the authorization of multi-year compacts risk expanding federal authority beyond its limited grants. The Tenth Amendment reserves to the states and the people all powers not delegated. While foreign diplomacy is undoubted…
The Constitution vests in Congress the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and to provide for the common defense and general welfare. However, the creation of a new bureau within the Department of State and the authorization of multi-year compacts with foreign nations must be carefully confined to the enumerated powers. The bill's stated purposes—securing access to energy and critical minerals—fall within the ambit of foreign commerce and national security, but the establishment of a permanent bureau and the delegation of broad discretionary authority to the executive may risk an i…
The supremacy of the Constitution and the enumerated powers vested in the Congress must guide our analysis. Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 grants Congress the power to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, which provides a foundation for engaging in compacts and partnerships addressing international trade in energy and critical minerals. Additionally, the Necessary and Proper Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 18) permits Congress to establish bureaus and programs that are appropriate means of executing those foreign commerce powers. However, the bill must be strictly confined to those del…
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