Missouri lawmakers are advancing legislation to boost the state’s supply chain for critical materials and promote economic development. House Bill 3027, known as the Missouri Defense and Energy Independence Act, aims to incentivize domestic production of essential materials vital to energy, economic, and national security. The bill would offer tax credits and grants to companies producing critical minerals, metals, advanced materials, and pharmaceuticals not currently manufactured in the U.S. Supporters argue that expanding domestic access to these resources would enhance supply chain security for industries ranging from electric vehicles to defense technologies. Lawmakers are considering concerns about the length of tax credits in the bill, with some suggesting longer incentives to better reflect the time needed for mineral projects to become operational.