Senator Dean Heller joined Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke as he signed an order, directing the first nationwide geological and topographical survey of the United States in modern history, in order to ultimately reduce America’s reliance on foreign countries for critical minerals that are found in Nevada. The order follows a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) report that found our country depends on China to source 20 out of 23 critical minerals foreign nations for critical minerals and President Trump’s executive order to break our nation’s dependence on them. Heller has authored legislation, the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act, that would allow the United States to more efficiently develop our nation’s hard rock minerals by streamlining the permitting process.