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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10377 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                               H. R. 10377

 To encourage the Secretary of the Interior to enter into memoranda of 
    understanding with agencies in other countries with respect to 
      scientific and technical cooperation in the earth sciences.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 11, 2024

  Mr. Wittman (for himself, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. 
 Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Gimenez, Ms. Stevens, Mr. Torres of New York, and 
  Mr. Cline) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To encourage the Secretary of the Interior to enter into memoranda of 
    understanding with agencies in other countries with respect to 
      scientific and technical cooperation in the earth sciences.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Earth Sciences and Cooperation 
Enhancement Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING WITH RESPECT TO SCIENTIFIC AND 
              TECHNICAL COOPERATION IN EARTH SCIENCES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary may enter into a memorandum of 
understanding with the head of an agency of a foreign country with 
respect to scientific and technical cooperation in the earth sciences.
    (b) Prioritization.--The Secretary shall prioritize entering into 
memoranda of understanding under subsection (a) with the heads of 
agencies of partner foreign countries.
    (c) Prioritization of Certain Activities.--A memorandum of 
understanding entered into under subsection (a) shall prioritize 
carrying out activities in a cooperative manner, including the 
following:
            (1) Acquisition, compilation, analysis, and interpretation 
        of geologic, geophysical, geochemical, and spectroscopic remote 
        sensing data.
            (2) Prospectivity mapping and mineral resource assessment.
            (3) Analysis of geoscience data, including developing 
        derivative map products that can help more effectively evaluate 
        the mineral resources of the other country.
            (4) Scientific collaboration to enhance the understanding 
        and management of the natural resources of the other country 
        and thereby contribute to the sustainable development of the 
        mineral resources sector of the other country.
            (5) Training and capacity building in each area described 
        in paragraphs (1) through (4).
            (6) Facilitation of higher education with respect to and 
        specialized training in geoscience and mineral resource 
        management at institutions of higher education located within 
        the United States.
            (7) Training in environmental and workplace standards, led 
        by the Secretary, for an agency of a foreign country that is a 
        party to such a memorandum of understanding.
    (d) Encouragement of Direct Contacts and Cooperation.--A memorandum 
of understanding entered into under subsection (a) may encourage and 
facilitate the development of direct contacts and cooperation among and 
between entities of the United States and each country that is a party 
to the memorandum of understanding, including government agencies, 
universities, research centers, and private companies.
    (e) Participation of Third Parties.--To the extent permitted by the 
laws and policies of the government of each country that is a party to 
a memorandum of understanding entered into under subsection (a), the 
memorandum of understanding shall encourage government entities or 
agencies of the United States and each such country and other entities 
that are not parties to the memorandum of understanding, including 
scientists, technical experts, institutions of other foreign countries, 
and international organizations, to participate in activities carried 
out pursuant to the memorandum of understanding.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary to carry out this Act $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2025, to 
remain available until expended.
    (b) Required Use of Amounts.--The Secretary shall use at least 70 
percent of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under subsection 
(a) to support the implementation of memoranda of understanding entered 
into under section 2(a), including paying salaries and expenses 
necessary to carry out the activities described in section 2(c).
    (c) Allowed Use of Amounts.--The Secretary may use amounts 
authorized to be appropriated under subsection (a) that are not used in 
accordance with subsection (b)--
            (1) to support the planning and coordinating of critical 
        mineral data collection;
            (2) to adopt shared data management approaches with partner 
        foreign countries; and
            (3) to coordinate data management approaches with partner 
        foreign countries.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Critical mineral.--The term ``critical mineral'' means 
        any mineral, element, substance, or material--
                    (A) included on the list of critical minerals 
                published by the United States Geological Survey 
                pursuant to section 7002(c) of the Energy Act of 2020 
                (30 U.S.C. 1606(c));
                    (B) included on the list of critical materials 
                published by the Department of Energy pursuant to 
                section 7002(a) of the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 
                1606(a)); and
                    (C) designated as a material of interest by the 
                Defense Logistics Agency.
            (2) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (3) Partner foreign country.--The term ``partner foreign 
        country'' means a country that is a source of a critical 
        mineral and--
                    (A) with which the United States has entered into a 
                mutual defense treaty or other mutual defense 
                agreement;
                    (B) that is recognized by the Secretary of State 
                and the Secretary of Defense as a strategic partner due 
                to an established bilateral agreement that emphasizes 
                mutual interests in security, defense, and critical 
                mineral supply chains, including countries designated 
                under United States strategic frameworks and 
                agreements;
                    (C) with which the United States has entered into a 
                comprehensive economic and trade agreement that 
                includes provisions for the collaboration on critical 
                mineral resources and to safeguard supply chains 
                critical to national security and economic stability;
                    (D) with which the Secretary has entered into a 
                memorandum of understanding concerning scientific and 
                technical cooperation in earth sciences under section 
                2(a); or
                    (E) with which the Secretary of State is working 
                under the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and 
                Investment to advance a critical mineral project.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United 
        States Geologic Survey.
                                 <all>
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