; and (B) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives. (2) Covered country The term covered country means— (A) a covered nation (as defined in section 4872(d) of title 10, United States Code); and (B) any other country determined by the Secretary of Defense to be a strategic competitor or adversary of the United States for purposes of this section. (3) Critical mineral The term critical mineral means a critical mineral (as defined in section 7002(a) of the Energy Act of 2020 ( 30 U.S.C. 1606(a) )) that the Secretary of Defense determines to be important to the national security of the United States for purposes of this section. (4) Shortfall material The term shortfall material means materials determined to be in shortfall in the most recent report on stockpile requirements submitted to Congress under subsection (a) of section 14 of the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act ( 50 U.S.C. 98h–5 ) and included in the most recent briefing required by subsection (f) of such section. (b) Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States— (1) to expand secure sources of supply of critical minerals, including rare earth elements, in the United States and in countries that are allies or partners of the United States to meet the needs of the United States defense sector so that the Department of Defense will achieve critical mineral supply chain independence from covered countries, including the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea