,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #eaie ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #g1 #bjbb,mr4 ,romney 7for himself and ,mr4 ,sullivan7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,armed ,services ,a ,,bill ,to strengthen the national security of the ,united ,states by decreasing the reliance of the ,department of ,defense on critical minerals from the ,people's ,republic of ,china1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,critical ,mineral ,independence ,act of #bjbb4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,allied country ,the term allied country means-- 7,a7 a country of the national technology and industrial base1 as defined in section #dhja of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code2 or 7,b7 another country that is an ally of the ,united ,states and is identified by the ,secretary of ,defense for purposes of this ,act4 7#b7 ,appropriate committees of congress ,the term appropriate committees of ,congress means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 and the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs of the ,senate2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,natural ,resources1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 and the ,committee on ,financial ,services of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#c7 ,critical mineral ,the term critical mineral has the meaning given that term in section #gjjb7;a7 of the ,energy ,act of #bjbj 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #afjf7;a774 #c4 ,statement of policy ,it is the policy of the ,united ,states-- 7#a7 to expand mining and processing of critical minerals1 including rare earth elements1 in the ,united ,states and in allied countries to meet the needs of the ,united ,states defense sector so that the ,department of ,defense will achieve critical mineral supply chain independence by #bjbg2 7#b7 that the ,department of ,defense will procure critical minerals processed by the ,united ,states and allied countries to replenish and expand the ,national ,defense ,stockpile to meet growing geopolitical threats by #bjbg2 and 7#c7 to develop critical mineral supply chains for the ,department of ,defense that are not dependent on mining or processing of critical minerals in countries that are geostrategic competitors or adversaries of the ,united ,states4 #d4 ,report on ,united ,states and allied processing of critical minerals required to achieve defense supply chain independence 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,under ,secretary of ,defense for ,acquisition and ,sustainment shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report on the processing by the ,united ,states and allied countries of critical minerals1 including rare earth elements1 required to achieve supply chain independence for the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces and allied countries by #bjbg4 7b7 ,elements ,the report required by subsection 7a7 shall include the following3 7#a7 ,an estimate of the annual demand for processed critical minerals for the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces and allied countries4 7#b7 ,an outline of the necessary processed critical minerals value chain required to support the needs of the ,department of ,defense4 7#c7 ,an assessment of any gaps in the outline described in paragraph 7#b71 indicating where sufficient ,united ,states processing capacity exists and where such capacity does not exist4 7#d7 ,an identification of any ,federal funds1 including any funds made available under title ,,iii of the ,defense ,production ,act of #aiej 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #deca et seq471 being deployed1 as of the date of the report1 to support development of ,united ,states capacity to address those gaps4 7#e7 ,an estimate of the additional capital investment required to grow and operate sufficient ,united ,states capacity to address those gaps4 7#f7 ,an estimate of the annual funding necessary for the ,department of ,defense to procure critical minerals processed in the ,united ,states sufficient to meet the annual needs of the ,department1 including consideration of increased investments from private sector capital4 7#g7 ,an estimate of the cost difference between the ,department of ,defense-- 7,a7 sourcing critical minerals processed by the ,united ,states2 7,b7 sourcing critical minerals processed by allied countries2 and 7,c7 sourcing critical minerals on the open market4 7#h7 ,an assessment of what changes1 if any1 are necessary to the acquisition policies of the ,department of ,defense to ensure weapon suppliers use critical minerals processed by the ,united ,states or allied countries4 7#i7 ,an assessment of what changes1 if any1 to authorities under title ,,iii of the ,defense ,production ,act of #aiej are necessary to enter into a long-term offtake agreement with respect to critical minerals processed by the ,united ,states or allied countries4 7#aj7 ,an assessment of the duration of potential contracts necessary to prevent the collapse of ,united ,states processing of critical minerals in the event of price fluctuations resulting from increases in the export quota of the ,people's ,republic of ,china4 7#aa7 ,recommendations for international cooperation with allied countries to jointly reduce dependence on critical minerals processed in or by the ,people's ,republic of ,china4 #e4 ,strategy to transition the supply chain for the ,national ,defense ,stockpile to ,united ,states and allied-processed critical minerals by #bjbg 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the report required by section #d is submitted1 the ,director of the ,defense ,logistics ,agency1 in coordination with the ,under ,secretary of ,defense for ,acquisition and ,sustainment1 shall develop1 and submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress1 a strategy to transition the supply chain for critical minerals1 including rare earths elements1 in the ,national ,defense ,stockpile away from reliance on geostrategic competitors and adversaries of the ,united ,states by #bjbg1 through acquisition of critical minerals processed by-- 7#a7 the ,united ,states1 with a preference given to critical minerals processed in the ,united ,states2 or 7#b7 allied countries 7excluding critical minerals processed in a country that is a geostrategic competitor or adversary of the ,united ,states71 with preference given to critical minerals processed in such countries4 7b7 ,forecasted need of critical minerals ,the strategy required by subsection 7a7 shall be designed to meet the forecasted need for critical minerals of the ,department of ,defense through calendar year #bjbg for-- 7#a7 planned procurements2 7#b7 anticipated adoption of emerging technology2 and 7#c7 potential increases in the ,national ,defense ,stockpile that would be needed if the ,department implements the guidance included in the ,climate ,adaptation ,action ,plan of the ,department of ,defense1 dated ,september #bjba4 7c7 ,elements ,the strategy required by subsection 7a7 shall include the following3 7#a7 ,a list of critical minerals in the ,national ,defense ,stockpile4 7#b7 ,a priority ranking for transitioning the critical minerals on the list required by paragraph 7#a71 developed using1 for each such mineral-- 7,a7 the percentage of the mineral processed by foreign sources 7excluding allied countries72 7,b7 the percentage of operational processing facilities for the mineral located in the ,united ,states and in allied countries1 compared to foreign sources of the mineral 7excluding allied countries72 7,c7 the quantity of the mineral required to fulfill the purposes set forth in section #b of the ,strategic and ,critical ,materials ,stock ,piling ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #ih;a72 and 7,d7 any other metric1 as determined by the ,director and the ,under ,secretary1 that may be an indicator of reliance on foreign sources 7excluding allied countries7 for the mineral4 7#c7 ,a process to replenish #ej percent of each mineral on the list required by paragraph 7#a7 with the mineral processed by ,united ,states or allied country processors during the #a-year period after implementation of the strategy4 7#d7 ,a process to replenish #ie percent of each mineral on the list required by paragraph 7#a7 with the mineral processed by ,united ,states or allied country processors during the #c-year period after implementation of the strategy4 7#e7 ,recommendations to ,congress with respect to any authorities needed to implement the strategy4 7#f7 ,any other matters related to implementing the strategy as the ,director and the ,under ,secretary consider appropriate4 7d7 ,implementation ,the ,director and the ,under ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 coordinate the implementation of the processes required by paragraphs 7#c7 and 7#d7 of subsection 7c7 with the ,department of ,defense and activities carried out by the ,department under title ,,iii of the ,defense ,production ,act of #aiej 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #deca et seq472 and 7#b7 to the greatest extent practicable1 implement the strategy required by subsection 7a7 with respect to acquisition of critical minerals for the ,national ,defense ,stockpile with funds authorized to be appropriated under section #g4 7e7 ,briefings required ,not later than #ahj days after the submission of the strategy required by subsection 7a71 and every #ahj days thereafter1 the ,director and the ,under ,secretary shall brief the appropriate committees of ,congress on implementation of the strategy4 #f4 ,form of report and strategy ,the report required by section #d and the strategy required by section #e shall be submitted in classified form but shall include an unclassified summary4 #g4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,national ,defense ,stockpile ,transaction ,fund #a1jjc1ejj for the acquisition of strategic and critical minerals under section #f7;a7 of the ,strategic and ,critical ,minerals ,stock ,piling ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #ih;e7a774