116 HR 4481 IH: Securing Energy Critical Elements and American Jobs Act of 2019
U.S. House of Representatives
2019-09-24
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.This Act may be cited as the Securing Energy Critical Elements and American Jobs Act of 2019
. 2.In this Act:
(1)Appropriate congressional committeesThe term appropriate Congressional committees
means the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.
(2)The term Center
means the Critical Materials Information Center established under section 101(d). (3)The term Department
means the Department of Energy.
(4)The term energy critical element
means any of a class of chemical elements that have a high risk of a supply disruption and are critical to one or more new, energy-related technologies such that a shortage of such element would significantly inhibit large-scale deployment of technologies that produce, transmit, store, or conserve energy.
(5)Institution of higher educationThe term institution of higher education
has the meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(6)The term program
means the program authorized in section 101(a). (7)The term Secretary
means the Secretary of Energy.
<enum>I</enum><header>Energy Critical Elements</header>
<section id="HE9BE8041034A4318A1E6CE3D7E784174"><enum>101.</enum><header>Energy critical elements program</header>
<subsection id="H3257AE03EED14529B9F5B537B01C4005"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Authorization of program</header>
<paragraph id="HDF7367E8A6364770B610F56178C45100"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary shall carry out a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application to assure the long-term, secure, and sustainable supply of energy critical elements sufficient to satisfy the national security, economic well-being, and industrial production needs of the United States. This program may be carried out primarily by an Energy Innovation Hub established under section 206 of the Department of Energy Research Coordination Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/18632">42 U.S.C. 18632</external-xref>).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HFEE9C2B2118D4895849927BBE663AA95"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Program activities</header><text>The program shall focus on areas that the private sector by itself is not likely to undertake because of technical and financial uncertainty and support activities to—</text>
<subparagraph id="H9EAE258769D04B4B9B7F4A01AD7207FA"><enum>(A)</enum><text>improve methods for the extraction, processing, use, recovery, and recycling of energy critical elements;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H430A25BC06E747C28A9330E54BE58A5B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>improve the understanding of the performance, processing, and adaptability in engineering designs using energy critical elements;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7057823F40AC48FFA146C39F2412FC34"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">improve the understanding of energy critical element supply chains, risks from supply disruption, supply restriction, volatility in demand, and difficulty to substitute;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9CB0110C035E4D779D2194ED2B6DAC51"><enum>(D)</enum><text>identify and test alternative materials that can be substituted for energy critical elements and maintain or exceed current performance; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0B96EE9001904B4F9FCE40ECFD8C2B57"><enum>(E)</enum><text>engineer and test applications that—</text> <clause id="H393A2C62DB4F4D27BA9EDD4FB6CDDD50"><enum>(i)</enum><text>use recycled energy critical elements;</text>
</clause><clause id="HF266F2F82E6C4E0290C1713F3261F9C3"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>use alternative materials; or</text> </clause><clause id="H14D8366A2D8D40E7B4D81356303B26FC"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>seek to minimize energy critical element content.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H74B3BBF6EFC84850B4C028AD7788BB5F"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Expanding participation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall encourage multidisciplinary collaborations of participants, including opportunities for students and post-doctoral staff at institutions of higher education.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H1A8B928BD92F46E581EEAC33101448FC"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Consistency</header><text>The program shall be consistent with the policies and programs in the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/1601">30 U.S.C. 1601</external-xref> et seq.).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB5C36B8A351E49D5A0FDBD9F0BBE517E"><enum>(5)</enum><header>International collaboration</header><text>In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall collaborate, to the extent practicable, on activities of mutual interest with the relevant agencies of foreign countries with interests relating to energy critical elements.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HD9B61F45495C4878BEB51CE757F26C19"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Plan</header>
<paragraph id="H6CAF07CEFE4B46F09802409E46E103FC"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Within 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act and biennially thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the appropriate Congressional committees a plan to carry out the program.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H2BD7E71C1CCF4866BEF8B857BA9F6CD6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Specific requirements</header><text>The plan required under paragraph (1) shall include a description of—</text> <subparagraph id="H66B9A6477DF644ACBF87A50DFD50C763"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the research and development activities to be carried out by the program during the subsequent 2 years;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD20B7302F6DF4E38946E22F6B59FCDE9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the expected contributions of the program to the creation of innovative methods and technologies for the efficient and sustainable provision of energy critical elements to the domestic economy; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0FAE03427D47470EA184822918CCB562"><enum>(C)</enum><text>how the program is promoting the broadest possible participation by academic, industrial, and other contributors.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H6700F5378C004784B5813D0C180E659F"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Consultation</header><text>In preparing each plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with appropriate representatives of industry, institutions of higher education, Department of Energy national laboratories, professional and technical societies, other Federal agencies, and other entities, as determined by the Secretary.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H07760929F0A249C5A75FDB1898E3CF11"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Coordination and nonduplication</header><text>To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure that the activities carried out under this title are coordinated with, and do not unnecessarily duplicate the efforts of, other programs within the Federal Government.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H0A08EDB3B4454CB78F69B43D86E89DBA"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Critical materials information center</header>
<paragraph id="HC9F77107AD534AAA8CC7D2B338E8B2CC"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In carrying out the program established under section 101, the Secretary shall establish and maintain a Critical Materials Information Center to collect, catalogue, disseminate, and archive information on energy critical elements in coordination with the Office of Scientific and Technical Information of the Department of Energy.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF60B9ACC1E0B420BB32AC62ADE2E516B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Center activities</header><text>The Center shall—</text> <subparagraph id="HDE808D1587EF47A48B46691750AD002E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>serve as the repository for scientific and technical data generated by the research and development activities funded under this section;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H970B5DDF01DA45C9A4C2062363FC8776"><enum>(B)</enum><text>assist scientists and engineers in making the fullest possible use of the Center’s data holdings;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDA203BBD560E4C4D8C003E13A7A00B5C"><enum>(C)</enum><text>seek and incorporate other information on energy critical elements to enhance the Center’s utility for program participants and other users; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8A9E53D388194CF1AF686462782F7810"><enum>(D)</enum><text>provide advice to the Secretary concerning the program.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF0E43B712E5A4AE282DE8510A3E7BEB9"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header> <paragraph id="HADF55B59F6C4420398C4ED88D4C0B0A5"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this Act the following sums:</text>
<subparagraph id="HB5CB52EDBE414049AE8E4EC7AB359252"><enum>(A)</enum><text>For fiscal year 2020, $30,000,000.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC80B655F26B345288FCE9032FD0E1B5B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>For fiscal year 2021, $31,500,000.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC4892C693D1348F4B4E24E757176C9DF"><enum>(C)</enum><text>For fiscal year 2022, $33,075,000.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H647AF701471B47D8A23CF92536C5EE43"><enum>(D)</enum><text>For fiscal year 2023, $34,728,750.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE02AA75B91E54857A0D6DBC6A6C0AA4C"><enum>(E)</enum><text>For fiscal year 2024, $36,465,188.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HB09CF34DA2794DA581F6B10D3144EFD5"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Availability</header><text>Such sums shall remain available until expended.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HAB4949FBB7224637B9A905DAEBD7E781"><enum>102.</enum><header>Supply of energy critical elements</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The President, acting through the Critical Material Supply Chain Subcommittee of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Sustainability of the National Science and Technology Council, shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H7D80675457264D2893F6DCC709E6730E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>coordinate the actions of applicable Federal agencies to promote an adequate and stable supply of energy critical elements necessary to maintain national security, economic well-being, and industrial production with appropriate attention to a long-term balance between resource production, energy use, a healthy environment, natural resources conservation, and social needs;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H127A4FFE418647B88C35C17DC4E6C7B1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>identify energy critical elements and establish scenario modeling systems for supply problems of energy critical elements;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HACCA73D7EEC2400A9B20AF3B81A4A2CE"><enum>(3)</enum><text>establish a mechanism for the coordination and evaluation of Federal programs with energy critical element needs, including Federal programs involving research and development, in a manner that complements related efforts carried out by the private sector and other domestic and international agencies and organizations;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H51D5890AC8494BA9ABB29E3143A63DBF"><enum>(4)</enum><text>promote and encourage private enterprise in the development of an economically sound and stable domestic energy critical elements supply chain;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H57C6F208E948481BB50096B1A89E1135"><enum>(5)</enum><text>promote and encourage the recycling of energy critical elements, taking into account the logistics, economic viability, environmental sustainability, and research and development needs for completing the recycling process;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H22C72AB5FDD041BD8D8F7180EEBF2BF5"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">promote and encourage the development of substitute materials and processes that lower the dependence of the United States on energy critical elements;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HE38EBF93B3BC457B8004E976A642F6B9"><enum>(7)</enum><text>assess the need for, and make recommendations concerning, the availability and adequacy of the supply of technically trained personnel necessary for energy critical elements research, development, extraction, and industrial production, with a particular focus on the problem of attracting and maintaining high-quality professionals for maintaining an adequate supply of energy critical elements; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8FDE1744D3884FCA9437F165FEAEA8C5"><enum>(8)</enum><text>report to the appropriate Congressional committees on activities and findings under this section.</text> </paragraph></section><enum>II</enum><header>National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research, and Development</header> <section id="H83233E4537D74C1C807844402BABA588"><enum>201.</enum><header>Amendments to National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980</header> <subsection id="H2AD2DBA0ACE44C48A30838B15EC72BE8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Program plan</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 5 of the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/1604">30 U.S.C. 1604</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="HD0D38470D5624761B122958349655A8D"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>date of enactment of this Act</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>date of enactment of the <short-title>Securing Energy Critical Elements and American Jobs Act of 2019</short-title></quote>;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H98FF67A8357C44758F1C01F8ED8B1D01"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (b)(1), by striking <quote>Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology</quote> and inserting <quote>National Science and Technology Council</quote>;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB32AA7C05C60415797122B48D083778C"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (c)—</text> <subparagraph id="H2B7D21F9B86C4AA09445CA062BC3E2CF"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—</text>
<clause id="H5A9B562F52DA4466A72198F3E8DDFC97"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by striking <quote>the Federal Emergency</quote> and all that follows through <quote>Agency, and</quote>; and</text> </clause><clause id="H03A44928053542A99CB5F158D7AC331E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by striking <quote>appropriate shall</quote> and inserting <quote>appropriate, shall</quote>;</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H96DCE1D6C40840D1A633C9BB142BBB00"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking paragraph (1);</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H384A1C5B8F2E4744BA442986858C0A7F"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in paragraph (2), by striking <quote>in the case</quote> and all that follows through <quote>subsection,</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0C4D4C076C6842708F250DB49B89BCEC"><enum>(D)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H17BEE8088B1E4DF2ADB0F7DDDEE654F4"><enum>(E)</enum><text>by amending paragraph (2), as so redesignated, to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF8E80C0F54EC46FDA9971BDC5225F49D" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="HA81929D78C944151A5D89F050D7B79C1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">assess the adequacy and stability of the supply of materials necessary to maintain national security, economic well-being, and industrial production.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H39A3177F8F2740D6B36C55B0F498BAF9"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by striking subsection (d); and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="HF0A1967038FE4E088688508268D14269"><enum>(5)</enum><text>by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF553E833DDFC4E4D968E3AD89A445230"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Policy</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 3 of the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/1602">30 U.S.C. 1602</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="HCD386342602142348B7D45CB13035DE0"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>The Congress declares that it</quote> and inserting <quote>It</quote>; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="HDFE2D5CDD6B84DCCBACAB1334AE3056D"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>The Congress further declares that implementation</quote> and inserting <quote>Implementation</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H2FF66732811F40808BFB89902BF4D748"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Implementation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 4 of the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/1603">30 U.S.C. 1603</external-xref>) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—</text>
<paragraph id="HAFB845F97D5D4BDF9B9FE115DB2D5F30"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>For the purpose</quote> and all that follows through <quote>declares that the</quote> and inserting <quote>The</quote>; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="HA0192FB1B0E94D04837FAD0B4D258A6C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>departments and agencies,</quote> and inserting <quote>departments and agencies to implement the policy specified in section 3</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HA5958D61BAE448C7B5F6A479D570B406"><enum>202.</enum><header>Conforming repeal</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The National Critical Materials Act of 1984 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/1801">30 U.S.C. 1801</external-xref> et seq.) is repealed.</text> </section>