,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cefg ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #bg1 #bjai,ms4 ,houlahan 7for herself and ,mr4 ,cook7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,armed ,services ,a ,,bill ,to modify the requirements relating to the acquisition and disposal of certain rare earth materials1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,securing ,americas ,rare ,earths ,supply ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,acquisition and disposal of certain rare earth materials 7a7 ,guidance on streamlined acquisition of rare earth materials 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,under ,secretary of ,defense for ,acquisition and ,sustainment1 in consultation with the ,under ,secretary of ,defense 7,comptroller71 the ,vice ,chairman of the ,joint ,chiefs of ,staff1 and the appropriate ,under ,secretary of ,state designated by the ,secretary of ,state shall establish guidance to-- 7,a7 enable the acquisition of items containing rare earth materials2 and 7,b7 establish a secure supply chain for rare earth materials from sources within the ,united ,states and covered foreign sources4 7#b7 ,contents ,the guidance required by paragraph 7#a7 shall encourage the use of rare earth materials mined1 refined1 processed1 melted1 or sintered in the ,united ,states and include-- 7,a7 a determination of when best value contracting methods should be used to ensure the viability of a rare earth material supplier2 7,b7 a guide to the applicability of relevant statutes1 including sections #becc;b and #becc;c of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 and other statutory or regulatory restrictions to defense contracts and subcontracts2 7,c7 information on current sources within the ,united ,states and covered foreign sources of rare earth materials along with commonly used commercial documentation and review processes2 7,d7 directives on budgeting and expending funds for the qualification and certification of suppliers of rare earth materials within the ,united ,states to meet national security needs2 and 7,e7 any exceptions to the ,joint ,capabilities ,integration and ,development ,system ,manual and ,department of ,defense ,directive #ejjj4ja4 7#c7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,under ,secretary of ,defense for ,acquisition and ,sustainment1 in consultation with the appropriate ,under ,secretary of ,state designated by the ,secretary of ,state1 shall submit to the congressional defense committees1 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives1 and the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate a report on-- 7,a7 the guidance required by paragraph 7#a72 and 7,b7 the efforts of the ,secretary of ,defense to create and maintain secure supply chain for rare earth materials from sources within the ,united ,states and covered foreign sources4 7#d7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,covered foreign source ,the term covered foreign source means a source located in a foreign country that is not an adversary of the ,united ,states1 as determined by the ,secretary of ,defense4 7,b7 ,rare earth material ,the term rare earth material means a concentrate1 oxide1 carbonate1 fluoride1 metal1 alloy1 magnet1 or finished product whose chemical1 magnetic1 or nuclear properties are largely defined by the presence of-- 7i7 yttrium2 7ii7 scandium2 or 7iii7 any lanthanide series element4 7b7 ,authority ,to dispose of and acquire materials for the ,national ,defense ,stockpile 7#a7 ,disposal authority ,pursuant to section #e7;b7 of the ,strategic and ,critical ,materials ,stock ,piling ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #ih;d7b771 the ,national ,defense ,stockpile ,manager shall dispose of #c1jjj1jjj pounds of tungsten ores and concentrates contained in the ,national ,defense ,stockpile 7in addition to any amount previously authorized for disposal74 7#b7 ,acquisition authority 7,a7 ,authority ,using funds available in the ,national ,defense ,stockpile ,transaction ,fund1 the ,national ,defense ,stockpile ,manager may acquire the following materials determined to be strategic and critical materials required to meet the defense1 industrial1 and essential civilian needs of the ,united ,states3 7i7 ,aerospace-grade rayon4 7ii7 ,electrolytic manganese metal4 7iii7 ,pitch-based carbon fiber4 7iv7 ,rare earth cerium compounds4 7v7 ,rare earth lanthanum compounds4 7,b7 ,amount of authority ,the ,national ,defense ,stockpile ,manager may use up to #cg1dbj1jjj in the ,national ,defense ,stockpile ,transaction ,fund for acquisition of the materials specified in subsection 7b74 7,c7 ,fiscal year limitation ,the authority under subsection 7b7 is available for purchases during fiscal year #bjbj through fiscal year #bjbd4 7c7 ,national ,defense ,stockpile sales 7#a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that tantalum should be designated as a strategic and critical material under the ,strategic and ,critical ,materials ,stock ,piling ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #ih et seq47 required to meet the defense1 industrial1 and essential civilian needs of the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,national ,defense ,stockpile sales of tantalum ,section #becc;c7d77#a7 of title #aj1 ,united ,states code1 is amended-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking and at the end2 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,d71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7,c7 adding at the end the following new subparagraph3 7,e7 tantalum4 4 7#c7 ,prohibition on sales of materials ,section #becc;c7a77#b7 of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking covered before material4