I 
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 coopera-
tion in the earth sciences. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives 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’’. 
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SEC. 2. MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING WITH RESPECT 
TO SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERA-
TION IN EARTH SCIENCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may enter into a 
memorandum of understanding with the head of an agen-
cy of a foreign country with respect to scientific and tech-
nical cooperation in the earth sciences. 
(b) PRIORITIZATION.—The Secretary shall prioritize 
entering into memoranda of understanding under sub-
section (a) with the heads of agencies of partner foreign 
countries. 
(c) PRIORITIZATION
OF CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.—A 
memorandum of understanding entered into under sub-
section (a) shall prioritize carrying out activities in a coop-
erative manner, including the following: 
(1) Acquisition, compilation, analysis, and inter-
pretation of geologic, geophysical, geochemical, and 
spectroscopic remote sensing data. 
(2) Prospectivity mapping and mineral resource 
assessment. 
(3) Analysis of geoscience data, including devel-
oping derivative map products that can help more 
effectively evaluate the mineral resources of the 
other country. 
(4) Scientific collaboration to enhance the un-
derstanding and management of the natural re-
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sources of the other country and thereby contribute 
to the sustainable development of the mineral re-
sources 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 edu-
cation 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 memo-
randum of understanding. 
(d) ENCOURAGEMENT OF DIRECT CONTACTS AND 
COOPERATION.—A memorandum of understanding en-
tered into under subsection (a) may encourage and facili-
tate 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 under-
standing, including government agencies, universities, re-
search centers, and private companies. 
(e) PARTICIPATION OF THIRD PARTIES.—To the ex-
tent permitted by the laws and policies of the government 
of each country that is a party to a memorandum of un-
derstanding entered into under subsection (a), the memo-
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randum of understanding shall encourage government en-
tities or agencies of the United States and each such coun-
try and other entities that are not parties to the memo-
randum of understanding, including scientists, technical 
experts, institutions of other foreign countries, and inter-
national 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 appro-
priated 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 im-
plementation 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 sub-
section (b)— 
(1) to support the planning and coordinating of 
critical mineral data collection; 
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(2) to adopt shared data management ap-
proaches 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 Sur-
vey pursuant to section 7002(c) of the Energy 
Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606(c)); 
(B) included on the list of critical mate-
rials 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)). 
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(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 en-
tered into a mutual defense treaty or other mu-
tual defense agreement; 
(B) that is recognized by the Secretary of 
State and the Secretary of Defense as a stra-
tegic 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 agree-
ments; 
(C) with which the United States has en-
tered into a comprehensive economic and trade 
agreement that includes provisions for the col-
laboration on critical mineral resources and to 
safeguard supply chains critical to national se-
curity and economic stability; 
(D) with which the Secretary has entered 
into a memorandum of understanding con-
cerning scientific and technical cooperation in 
earth sciences under section 2(a); or 
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(E) with which the Secretary of State is 
working under the Partnership for Global Infra-
structure and Investment to advance a critical 
mineral project. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di-
rector of the United States Geologic Survey. 
Æ 
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