(B) explore, discover, and recover energy 
critical elements using advanced science and 
technology; 
(C) improve methods for the extraction, 
processing, use, recovery, and recycling of en-
ergy critical elements; 
(D) improve the understanding of the per-
formance, processing, and adaptability in engi-
neering designs of energy critical elements; 
(E) identify and test alternative materials 
that can be substituted for energy critical ele-
ments in particular applications; and 
(F) engineer and test applications that— 
(i) use recycled energy critical ele-
ments; 
(ii) use alternative materials; or 
(iii) seek to minimize energy critical 
element content. 
(3) 
IMPROVED
PROCESSES
AND
TECH-
NOLOGIES.—To the maximum extent practicable, the 
Secretary shall support new or significantly im-
proved processes and technologies as compared to 
those currently in use in the energy critical elements 
industry. 
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(4) EXPANDING
PARTICIPATION.—In carrying 
out the program, the Secretary shall encourage mul-
tidisciplinary collaborations of participants, extensive 
opportunities for students at institutions of higher 
education, or both. 
(5) CONSISTENCY.—The program shall be con-
sistent with the policies and programs in the Na-
tional Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and 
Development Act of 1980 (30 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.). 
(6) INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION.—In car-
rying out the program, the Secretary shall collabo-
rate, to the extent practicable, on activities of mu-
tual interest with the relevant agencies of foreign 
countries with interests relating to energy critical 
elements. 
(b) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION 
CENTER.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—To collect, catalogue, dis-
seminate, and archive information on energy critical 
elements, the Secretary shall establish, through a 
competitive process, a Research and Development 
Information Center. 
(2) CENTER ACTIVITIES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Center shall— 
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(i) serve as the repository for sci-
entific and technical data generated by the 
research and development activities funded 
under this section; 
(ii) assist scientists and engineers in 
making the fullest possible use of the Cen-
ter’s data holdings; 
(iii) seek and incorporate other infor-
mation on energy critical elements to en-
hance the Center’s utility for program par-
ticipants and other users; 
(iv) provide advice to the Secretary 
concerning the program; and 
(v) host conferences, at least annually, 
for participants in the program and other 
interested parties to promote information 
sharing and encourage new collaborative 
activities. 
(B) RESTRICTION.—Not more than 2.5 
percent of the amounts made available pursuant 
to this section may be used for hosting con-
ferences under subparagraph (A)(v). 
(c) PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Within 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act and biennially there-
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after, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the 
appropriate Congressional committees a plan to 
carry out the program and the Center. 
(2) SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS.—The plan shall 
include a description of— 
(A) the research and development activities 
to be carried out by the program during the 
subsequent 2 years; 
(B) the expected contributions of the pro-
gram and the Center to the creation of innova-
tive methods and technologies for the efficient 
and sustainable provision of energy critical ele-
ments to the domestic economy; 
(C) the technical criteria to be used to 
evaluate applications for loan guarantees under 
section 1706 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
(as added by section 103); 
(D) any projects receiving loan guarantee 
support under such section 1706 and the status 
of such projects; 
(E) how the program is promoting the 
broadest possible participation by academic, in-
dustrial, and other contributors; and 
(F) actions taken or proposed that reflect 
recommendations from the assessment con-
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ducted under subsection (d) or the Secretary’s 
rationale for not taking action pursuant to any 
recommendation from such assessment for 
plans submitted following the completion of the 
assessment under such subsection. 
(3) CONSULTATION.—In preparing each plan 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult 
with appropriate representatives of industry, institu-
tions of higher education, Department of Energy na-
tional laboratories, professional and technical soci-
eties, and other entities, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
(d) ASSESSMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—After the program has been 
in operation for 4 years, the Secretary shall offer to 
enter into a contract with the National Academy of 
Sciences under which the National Academy shall 
conduct an assessment of the program, including the 
operations and activities of the Center. 
(2) INCLUSIONS.—The assessment shall include 
the recommendation of the National Academy of 
Sciences that the program should be— 
(A) continued, accompanied by a descrip-
tion of any improvements needed in the pro-
gram; or 
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(B) terminated, accompanied by a descrip-
tion of the lessons learned from the execution of 
the program. 
(3) AVAILABILITY.—The assessment shall be 
made available to Congress and the public upon 
completion. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this sec-
tion the following sums: 
(A) For fiscal year 2014, $15,000,000. 
(B) For fiscal year 2015, $15,000,000. 
(C) For fiscal year 2016, $15,000,000. 
(D) For fiscal year 2017, $15,000,000. 
(E) For fiscal year 2018, $15,000,000. 
(2) ASSESSMENT.—From the amounts author-
ized under paragraph (1), there are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $700,000 to enter into 
a contract under subsection (d)(1). 
(3) AVAILABILITY.—Such sums shall remain 
available until expended. 
SEC. 102. SUPPLY OF ENERGY CRITICAL ELEMENTS. 
The President, acting through the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy, shall— 
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(1) coordinate the actions of applicable Federal 
agencies to promote an adequate and stable supply 
of energy critical elements necessary to maintain na-
tional security, economic well-being, and industrial 
production with appropriate attention to a long-term 
balance between resource production, energy use, a 
healthy environment, natural resources conservation, 
and social needs; 
(2) identify energy critical elements and estab-
lish early warning systems for supply problems of 
energy critical elements; 
(3) establish a mechanism for the coordination 
and evaluation of Federal programs with energy crit-
ical element needs, including Federal programs in-
volving research and development, in a manner that 
complements related efforts carried out by the pri-
vate sector and other domestic and international 
agencies and organizations; 
(4) promote and encourage private enterprise in 
the development of an economically sound and stable 
domestic energy critical elements supply chain; 
(5) promote and encourage the recycling of en-
ergy critical elements, taking into account the logis-
tics, economic viability, environmental sustainability, 
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and research and development needs for completing 
the recycling process; 
(6) assess the need for and make recommenda-
tions concerning the availability and adequacy of the 
supply of technically trained personnel necessary for 
energy critical elements research, development, ex-
traction, and industrial production, with a particular 
focus on the problem of attracting and maintaining 
high quality professionals for maintaining an ade-
quate supply of energy critical elements; and 
(7) report to Congress on activities and findings 
under this section. 
SEC. 103. RARE EARTH MATERIALS LOAN GUARANTEE PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Title XVII of the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16511 et seq.) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 1706. TEMPORARY PROGRAM FOR RARE EARTH MA-
TERIALS REVITALIZATION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—As part of the program estab-
lished in section 101 of the Securing Energy Critical Ele-
ments and American Jobs Act of 2013, the Secretary is 
authorized to make guarantees under this title for the 
commercial application of new or significantly improved 
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technologies (compared to technologies currently in use in 
the United States) for the following categories of projects: 
‘‘(1) The separation and recovery of rare earth 
materials from ores or other sources. 
‘‘(2) The preparation of rare earth materials in 
oxide, metal, alloy, or other forms needed for na-
tional security, economic well-being, or industrial 
production purposes. 
‘‘(3) The application of rare earth materials in 
the production of improved— 
‘‘(A) magnets; 
‘‘(B) batteries; 
‘‘(C) refrigeration systems; 
‘‘(D) optical systems; 
‘‘(E) electronics; and 
‘‘(F) catalysis. 
‘‘(4) The application of rare earth materials in 
other uses, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(b) TIMELINESS.—The Secretary shall seek to mini-
mize delay in approving loan guarantee applications, con-
sistent with appropriate protection of taxpayer interests. 
‘‘(c) COOPERATION.—To the maximum extent prac-
ticable, the Secretary shall cooperate with appropriate pri-
vate sector participants to achieve a complete rare earth 
materials production capability in the United States with-
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in 5 years after the date of enactment of the Securing 
Energy Critical Elements and American Jobs Act of 2013. 
‘‘(d) SUNSET.—The authority to enter into guaran-
tees under this section shall expire on September 30, 
2021.’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS AMENDMENT.—The table 
of contents for the Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 1705 the 
following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 1706. Temporary program for rare earth materials revitalization.’’. 
TITLE II—NATIONAL MATERIALS 
AND MINERALS POLICY, RE-
SEARCH, AND DEVELOPMENT 
SEC. 201. AMENDMENTS TO NATIONAL MATERIALS AND 
MINERALS POLICY, RESEARCH AND DEVEL-
OPMENT ACT OF 1980. 
(a) PROGRAM PLAN.—Section 5 of the National Ma-
terials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development 
Act of 1980 (30 U.S.C. 1604) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘date of enactment of this Act’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘date of enact-
ment of the Securing Energy Critical Elements and 
American Jobs Act of 2013’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘Federal Co-
ordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and 
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Technology’’ and inserting ‘‘National Science and 
Technology Council,’’; 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘the Federal Emergency’’ 
and all that follows through ‘‘Agency, and’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘appropriate shall’’ and in-
serting ‘‘appropriate, shall’’; 
(C) by striking paragraph (1); 
(D) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘in the 
case’’ and all that follows through ‘‘sub-
section,’’; 
(E) by redesignating paragraph (2) as 
paragraph (1); 
(F) by redesignating paragraph (3) as 
paragraph (2); and 
(G) by amending paragraph (2), as redes-
ignated, to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) assess the adequacy and stability of the 
supply of materials necessary to maintain national 
security, economic well-being, and industrial produc-
tion.’’; 
(4) by striking subsections (d) and (e); and 
(5) by redesignating subsection (f) as sub-
section (d). 
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