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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] 
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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 ‘‘Mining Schools En-
hancement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR MINING SCHOOLS. 
Section 721 of the Surface Mining Control and Rec-
lamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1309b) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The Office of Surface Mining 
Reclamation and Enforcement’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), the Of-
fice of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) MINING PROGRAM SUPPORT.— 
‘‘(1) Of the amounts made available under sub-
section (d) for activities authorized under this section, 
the Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclama-
tion and Enforcement shall ensure that at least 70 
percent is expended to enhance and support mining 
and mineral engineering programs in the United 
States by funding activities at mining schools. 
‘‘(2) In expending funds under this section, the 
Director shall consult with relevant stakeholders and 
ensure a significant opportunity for participation by 
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undergraduate and graduate students at mining 
schools. 
‘‘(3) The Director shall ensure that the activities 
conducted under this section relate to resource devel-
opment and production, and include— 
‘‘(A) studies of mining, mineral extraction 
efficiency, and related processing technology; 
‘‘(B) mineral economics, reclamation tech-
nology, and practices for active mining oper-
ations; 
‘‘(C) the development of remining systems 
and technologies that facilitate reclamation that 
fosters the recovery of resources at abandoned 
mine sites; 
‘‘(D) investigations of mineral resource ex-
traction methods that reduce environmental and 
human impacts; 
‘‘(E) reducing dependence on foreign energy 
supplies; 
‘‘(F) enhancing the competitiveness of 
United States energy technology exports; 
‘‘(G) the extraction or processing of coin-
ciding mineralization, including rare earth ele-
ments, within coal, coal processing byproduct, 
overburden or coal residue; and 
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‘‘(H) enhancing technologies and practices 
related to mitigation of acid mine drainage, re-
forestation, and revegetation in the reclamation 
of land and water resources adversely affected by 
coal mining. 
‘‘(c) MINING SCHOOL DEFINED.—In this section the 
term ‘mining school’ means a mining, metallurgical, or 
mineral engineering program or department accredited by 
the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, 
Inc., that is located at an institution of higher education 
(as that term is defined in section 631(a) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1132(a))) in the United 
States. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2024.’’. 
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Union Calendar No. 186 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 2053 
[Report No. 115–256] 
A BILL 
To amend the Surface Mining Control and Rec-
lamation 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. 
JULY 25, 2017 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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