(G) The Director of the Office of Manage-
ment and Budget (or a designee of the Direc-
tor). 
(H) The Chairman of the Council on Envi-
ronmental Quality (or a designee of the Chair-
man). 
(I) Such other members as the Secretary 
of the Interior considers appropriate. 
(b) DUTIES.—The Task Force shall assist Federal 
agencies in reviewing laws (including regulations) and 
policies that discourage investment in, exploration for, and 
development of domestic rare earths pursuant to Federal 
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the Act of 
June 4, 1897, the National Forest Management Act of 
1976, and any other applicable statutory authorities re-
lated to domestic mining operations. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORTS.—At least once each year, the 
Task Force shall submit to the President, the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep-
resentatives, and the Committee on Natural Resources of 
the House of Representatives a report that identifies the 
substantive and procedural requirements of Federal, 
State, tribal, and local laws (including regulations) and 
Executive orders that are inconsistent with, duplicative of, 
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or structured so as to restrict effective implementation of 
projects that will increase investment in, exploration for, 
and development of domestic rare earths. 
(d) TERMINATION.—The Task Force shall terminate 
10 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. RARE EARTH MATERIALS PROGRAM PLAN. 
(a) PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Within 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act and biennially there-
after, the Secretary of the Interior shall prepare and 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
a plan for research, development, demonstration, 
and commercial application to ensure the long-term, 
secure, and sustainable supply of rare earth mate-
rials sufficient to satisfy the national security, eco-
nomic well-being, and industrial production needs of 
the United States. 
(2) SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS.—The plan shall 
include a description of— 
(A) the research and development activities 
to be carried out under the plan during the sub-
sequent 2 years; 
(B) the expected contributions of those ac-
tivities to the creation of innovative methods 
and technologies for the efficient and sustain-
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able provision of rare earth materials to the do-
mestic economy; and 
(C) how the plan will promote the broadest 
possible participation in those activities by aca-
demic, industrial, and other contributors. 
(3) CONSULTATION.—In preparing each plan 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Interior 
shall consult with appropriate representatives of in-
dustry, institutions of higher education, Department 
of Energy national laboratories, professional and 
technical societies, and other entities, as determined 
by the Secretary. 
(b) ACTIVITIES.—The plan shall support activities 
to— 
(1) better characterize and quantify virgin 
stocks of rare earth materials using theoretical geo-
chemical research; 
(2) explore, discover, and recover rare earth 
materials using advanced science and technology; 
(3) improve methods for the extraction, proc-
essing, use, recovery, and recycling of rare earth ma-
terials; 
(4) improve the understanding of the perform-
ance, processing, and adaptability in engineering de-
signs of rare earth materials; 
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(5) identify and test alternative materials that 
can be substituted for rare earth materials in par-
ticular applications; 
(6) engineer and test applications that— 
(A) use recycled rare earth materials; 
(B) use alternative materials; or 
(C) seek to minimize rare earth materials 
content; 
(7) collect, catalogue, archive, and disseminate 
information on rare earth materials, including sci-
entific and technical data generated by the research 
and development activities supported under the plan, 
and assist scientists and engineers in making the 
fullest possible use of the data holdings; and 
(8) facilitate information sharing and collabora-
tion among program participants and stakeholders. 
(c) IMPROVED PROCESSES AND TECHNOLOGIES.—To 
the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary of the Inte-
rior shall support new or significantly improved processes 
and technologies as compared to those currently in use 
in the rare earth materials industry. 
(d) EXPANDING PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary of 
the Interior shall encourage— 
(1) multidisciplinary collaborations among par-
ticipants in activities under the plan; and 
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(2) extensive opportunities for students at insti-
tutions of higher education, including institutions 
listed under section 371(a) of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)). 
(e) CONSISTENCY.—The plan shall be consistent with 
the policies and programs in the National Materials and 
Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 
(30 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.). 
(f) INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION.—In carrying 
out activities under the plan, the Secretary of the Interior 
may collaborate, to the extent practicable, on activities of 
mutual interest with the relevant agencies of foreign coun-
tries with interests relating to rare earth materials. 
Æ 
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