RANKING MEMBERS HEINRICH AND HUFFMAN CALL FOR GAO INVESTIGATION INTO POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT IN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S FINANCING OF PRIVATE MINING INVESTMENTS

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 -- Sen. Martin Heinrich issued the following news release:

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee, called on the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate use of taxpayer dollars to acquire financial stakes in private mining companies and the potential conflicts that could arise when the federal government serves as both an investor in and regulator of those companies.

Since the implementation of Executive Order 14241 and the passage of President Trump's Big, Bad Bill, the federal government has actively acquired financi...