Ernst secured a Critical Minerals Recycling provision establishing a pilot program to recycle critical minerals from Pentagon hard drives.
Establish a pilot program to recycle critical minerals from Pentagon hard drives.
Occurrences
Evidence
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
Ernst's office said she secured a Critical Minerals Recycling provision in the FY2027 NDAA establishing a pilot program to recycle critical minerals from Pentagon hard drives, but also said the bill had only passed the Senate Armed Services Committee and was headed to the full Senate.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
The Senate record shows cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 4784, the FY2027 NDAA, was rejected 50-46 on July 14, 2026; Ernst voted yea.
Assessments
Ernst appears to have materially advanced the exact promised policy by securing a Critical Minerals Recycling provision in the FY2027 NDAA to establish a Pentagon hard-drive critical minerals recycling pilot. However, as of September 10, 2026, the provision had not been enacted or implemented: S. 4784 had been reported from committee, but Senate cloture on proceeding to the bill failed 50-46 on July 14, 2026, and later status reporting indicated the FY2027 NDAA had not been enacted. Because she remains in office and the legislative vehicle is stalled rather than definitively dead, this is best classified as unresolved with an effort badge, not delivered.