,i  #aah? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #ajcgg  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(         
,,repres5tatives  ,decemb] #aa1         
#bjbd,mr4 ,wittman 7= himself1 ,ms4     
,ca/or ( ,florida1 ,mr4 ,mool5a>1 ,mr4  
,kri%namoor?i1 ,mr4 ,gim5ez1 ,ms4       
,/ev5s1 ,mr4 ,torres ( ,new ,york1 &    
,mr4 ,cl9e7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i*
 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,natural   
,res\rces  ,a ,,bill  ,to enc\rage !    
,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior to ent] into     
memor&a ( und]/&+ ) ag5cies 9 o!r       
c\ntries ) respect to sci5tific &       
te*nical coop]ation 9 ! e>? sci5ces4    
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,e>? ,sci5ces & ,coop]ation           
,enhancem5t ,act ( #bjbd4  #b4 ,memor&a 
( und]/&+ ) respect to sci5tific &      
te*nical coop]ation 9 e>? sci5ces  7a7  
,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y may ent] into a   
memor&um ( und]/&+ ) ! head ( an ag5cy (
 a =eign c\ntry ) respect to sci5tific &
 te*nical coop]ation 9 ! e>? sci5ces4   
7b7 ,prioritization ,! ,secret>y %all   
prioritize ent]+ into memor&a ( und]/&+ 

"u subsection 7a7 ) ! heads ( ag5cies ( 
p>tn] =eign c\ntries4  7c7              
,prioritization ( c]ta9 activities ,a   
memor&um ( und]/&+ ent]$ into "u        
subsection 7a7 %all prioritize c>ry+ out
 activities 9 a coop]ative mann]1       
includ+ ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,acquisition1    
compilation1 analysis1 & int]pretation (
 geologic1 geophysical1 geo*emical1 &   
spectroscopic remote s5s+ data4  7#b7   
,prospectivity mapp+ & m9]al res\rce    
assessm5t4  7#c7 ,analysis ( geosci5ce  
data1 includ+ develop+ d]ivative map    
products t c help m effectively evaluate
 ! m9]al res\rces ( ! o!r c\ntry4  7#d7 
,sci5tific collaboration to enhance !   
und]/&+ & managem5t ( ! natural res\rces
 ( ! o!r c\ntry & !reby contribute to ! 
su/a9able developm5t ( ! m9]al res\rces 
sector ( ! o!r c\ntry4  7#e7 ,tra9+ &   
capacity build+ 9 ea* area describ$ 9   
p>agraphs 7#a7 ?r\gh 7#d74  7#f7        
,facilitation ( high] education )       
respect to & specializ$ tra9+ 9         
geosci5ce & m9]al res\rce managem5t at  

in/itutions ( high] education locat$ )9 
! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7#g7 ,tra9+ 9         
environm5tal & workplace /&>ds1 l$ by ! 
,secret>y1 = an ag5cy ( a =eign c\ntry t
 is a p>ty to su* a memor&um ( und]/&+4 
7d7 ,enc\ragem5t ( direct contacts &    
coop]ation ,a memor&um ( und]/&+ ent]$  
into "u subsection 7a7 may enc\rage &   
facilitate ! developm5t ( direct        
contacts & coop]ation among & betwe5    
entities ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ea* c\ntry 
t is a p>ty to ! memor&um ( und]/&+1    
includ+ gov]nm5t ag5cies1 univ]sities1  
rese>* c5t]s1 & private companies4  7e7 
,p>ticipation ( ?ird p>ties ,to ! ext5t 
p]mitt$ by ! laws & policies ( !        
gov]nm5t ( ea* c\ntry t is a p>ty to a  
memor&um ( und]/&+ ent]$ into "u        
subsection 7a71 ! memor&um ( und]/&+    
%all enc\rage gov]nm5t entities or      
ag5cies ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ea* su*     
c\ntry & o!r entities t are n p>ties to 
! memor&um ( und]/&+1 includ+ sci5ti/s1 
te*nical exp]ts1 in/itutions ( o!r =eign
 c\ntries1 & int]national organizations1

 to p>ticipate 9 activities c>ri$ out   
pursuant to ! memor&um ( und]/&+4  #c4  
,au?orization ( appropriations  7a7 ,9  
g5]al ,!re is au?oriz$ to be appropriat$
 to ! ,secret>y to c>ry out ?is ,act    
#c1jjj1jjj = fiscal ye> #bjbe1 to rema9 
available until exp5d$4  7b7 ,requir$   
use ( am\nts ,! ,secret>y %all use at   
lea/ #gj p]c5t ( ! am\nts au?oriz$ to be
 appropriat$ "u subsection 7a7 to       
support ! implem5tation ( memor&a (     
und]/&+ ent]$ into "u section #b7;a71   
includ+ pay+ sal>ies & exp5ses necess>y 
to c>ry out ! activities describ$ 9     
section #b7;c74  7c7 ,all[$ use ( am\nts
 ,! ,secret>y may use am\nts au?oriz$ to
 be appropriat$ "u subsection 7a7 t are 
n us$ 9 accordance ) subsection 7b7--   
7#a7 to support ! plann+ & coord9at+ (  
critical m9]al data collection2  7#b7 to
 adopt %>$ data managem5t approa*es )   
p>tn] =eign c\ntries2 &  7#c7 to        
coord9ate data managem5t approa*es )    
p>tn] =eign c\ntries4  #d4 ,def9itions  
,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,critical m9]al ,! t]m

 critical m9]al means any m9]al1 elem5t1
 sub/ance1 or mat]ial-- 7,a7 includ$ on 
! li/ ( critical m9]als publi%$ by !    
,unit$ ,/ates ,geological ,survey       
pursuant to section #gjjb7;c7 ( ! ,en]gy
 ,act ( #bjbj 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #afjf7;c772
  7,b7 includ$ on ! li/ ( critical      
mat]ials publi%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,en]gy
 pursuant to section #gjjb7;a7 ( !      
,en]gy ,act ( #bjbj 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4      
#afjf7;a772 &  7,c7 designat$ z a       
mat]ial ( int]e/ by ! ,def5se ,logi/ics 
,ag5cy4  7#b7 ,in/itution ( high]       
education ,! t]m in/itution ( high]     
education has ! mean+ giv5 ! t]m 9      
section #aja7;a7 ( ! ,high] ,education  
,act ( #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a774 
7#c7 ,p>tn] =eign c\ntry ,! t]m p>tn]   
=eign c\ntry means a c\ntry t is a s\rce
 ( a critical m9]al &-- 7,a7 ) :i* !    
,unit$ ,/ates has ent]$ into a mutual   
def5se treaty or o!r mutual def5se      
agreem5t2  7,b7 t is recogniz$ by !     
,secret>y ( ,/ate & ! ,secret>y (       
,def5se z a /rategic p>tn] due to an    

e/abli%$ bilat]al agreem5t t emphasizes 
mutual int]e/s 9 security1 def5se1 &    
critical m9]al supply *a9s1 includ+     
c\ntries designat$ "u ,unit$ ,/ates     
/rategic frameworks & agreem5ts2  7,c7 )
 :i* ! ,unit$ ,/ates has ent]$ into a   
compreh5sive economic & trade agreem5t t
 includes provisions = ! collaboration  
on critical m9]al res\rces & to safegu>d
 supply *a9s critical to national       
security & economic /ability2  7,d7 )   
:i* ! ,secret>y has ent]$ into a        
memor&um ( und]/&+ conc]n+ sci5tific &  
te*nical coop]ation 9 e>? sci5ces "u    
section #b7;a72 or  7,e7 ) :i* !        
,secret>y ( ,/ate is work+ "u !         
,p>tn]%ip = ,global ,infra/ructure &    
,inve/m5t to advance a critical m9]al   
project4  7#d7 ,secret>y ,! t]m         
,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( !         
,int]ior1 act+ ?r\gh ! ,director ( !    
,unit$ ,/ates ,geologic ,survey4