IB 

Union Calendar No. 186 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2053 

[Report No. 115–256] 

To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to 

enhance and support mining and mineral engineering programs in the 

United States by funding activities at mining schools, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 6, 2017 

Ms. MCSALLY (for herself, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. AMODEI, Mrs. NOEM, and 

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska) introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Natural Resources 

JULY 25, 2017 

Additional sponsors: Mr. GOSAR, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. MCKINLEY, Mr. BARR, 

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, and Mr. BOST

JULY 25, 2017 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 6, 2017] 

2 

•HR 2053 RH

A BILL 

To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act 

of 1977 to enhance and support mining and mineral 

engineering programs in the United States by funding 

activities at mining schools, and for other purposes. 

3 

•HR 2053 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mining Schools En5 hancement Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR MINING SCHOOLS. 

7 Section 721 of the Surface Mining Control and Rec8 lamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1309b) is amended— 

9 (1) by striking ‘‘The Office of Surface Mining 

10 Reclamation and Enforcement’’ and inserting the fol11 lowing: 

12 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), the Of13 fice of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’’; and 

14 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

15 ‘‘(b) MINING PROGRAM SUPPORT.— 

16 ‘‘(1) Of the amounts made available under sub17 section (d) for activities authorized under this section, 

18 the Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclama19 tion and Enforcement shall ensure that at least 70 

20 percent is expended to enhance and support mining 

21 and mineral engineering programs in the United 

22 States by funding activities at mining schools. 

23 ‘‘(2) In expending funds under this section, the 

24 Director shall consult with relevant stakeholders and 

25 ensure a significant opportunity for participation by 

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•HR 2053 RH

1 undergraduate and graduate students at mining 

2 schools. 

3 ‘‘(3) The Director shall ensure that the activities 

4 conducted under this section relate to resource devel5 opment and production, and include— 

6 ‘‘(A) studies of mining, mineral extraction 

7 efficiency, and related processing technology; 

8 ‘‘(B) mineral economics, reclamation tech9 nology, and practices for active mining oper10 ations; 

11 ‘‘(C) the development of remining systems 

12 and technologies that facilitate reclamation that 

13 fosters the recovery of resources at abandoned 

14 mine sites; 

15 ‘‘(D) investigations of mineral resource ex16 traction methods that reduce environmental and 

17 human impacts; 

18 ‘‘(E) reducing dependence on foreign energy 

19 supplies; 

20 ‘‘(F) enhancing the competitiveness of 

21 United States energy technology exports; 

22 ‘‘(G) the extraction or processing of coin23 ciding mineralization, including rare earth ele24 ments, within coal, coal processing byproduct, 

25 overburden or coal residue; and 

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1 ‘‘(H) enhancing technologies and practices 

2 related to mitigation of acid mine drainage, re3 forestation, and revegetation in the reclamation 

4 of land and water resources adversely affected by 

5 coal mining. 

6 ‘‘(c) MINING SCHOOL DEFINED.—In this section the 

7 term ‘mining school’ means a mining, metallurgical, or 

8 mineral engineering program or department accredited by 

9 the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, 

10 Inc., that is located at an institution of higher education 

11 (as that term is defined in section 631(a) of the Higher 

12 Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1132(a))) in the United 

13 States. 

14 ‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

15 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

16 $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2024.’’. 

Union Calendar No. 186 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2053 

[Report No. 115–256] 

A BILL 

To amend the Surface Mining Control and Recschools, and for other purposes. United States by funding activities at mining mining and mineral engineering programs in the lamation Act of 1977 to enhance and support 

JULY 25, 2017 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union,