foreign countries with mining education pro-
grams, as approved by a Fulbright Commission 
or United States embassy, in consultation with 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on For-
eign Relations of the Senate. 
‘‘(2) NUMBER OF FELLOWS.—The Bureau shall 
determine the number of fellows selected each year, 
which, whenever feasible, shall be not fewer than 10. 
‘‘(3) CRITEREIA.—Visiting mining scholars 
shall be foreign nationals— 
‘‘(A) of a country in which an existing Ful-
bright Foreign Student Program operates; and 
‘‘(B) of a country that has expertise, spe-
cialized knowledge, or engages in practices that 
could benefit the United States mining indus-
try. 
‘‘(4) PREFERRED COUNTRIES.—To the extent 
practicable, the Board should prioritize selection of 
visiting mining scholars who live or work in— 
‘‘(A) a member country in the Minerals Se-
curity Partnership; or 
‘‘(B) any additional country identified by 
the Bureau, in consultation with the Committee 
on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the 
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Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives, as containing individuals who 
have academic expertise, specialized knowledge, 
or engage in practices that could benefit the 
United States mining industry. 
‘‘(5) OUTREACH.—To the extent practicable, 
the Bureau shall conduct outreach in coordination 
with appropriate United States embassies, mining 
industry leaders, and mining institutions abroad that 
are likely to produce a range of qualified applicants 
to come to the United States. 
‘‘(e) STRUCTURE.— 
‘‘(1) WORK PLAN.—To carry out the purposes 
described in subsection (b)— 
‘‘(A) each individual selected pursuant to 
subsection (d)(1), and who is coming to the 
United States as a visiting mining scholar— 
‘‘(i) shall arrange placement in a 
United States academic institution ap-
proved by the Bureau; and 
‘‘(ii) should— 
‘‘(I) consult with faculty mem-
bers to provide technical assistance on 
how to develop or expand a mining 
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education program at the host institu-
tion of higher education; 
‘‘(II) assist in the development 
and review of mining education cur-
ricula, including course syllabi, labora-
tory modules, and fieldwork compo-
nents; 
‘‘(III) participate in collaborative 
research projects with faculty, stu-
dents, and third-party research insti-
tutions focusing on innovative mining 
technologies, sustainable mining prac-
tices, and resource management; 
‘‘(IV) facilitate partnerships be-
tween the host institution and mining 
organizations, government agencies, 
and other institutions to foster aca-
demic exchange, research collabora-
tion, and workforce development; 
‘‘(V) mentor undergraduate and 
graduate students interested in min-
ing education, offering guidance on 
academic projects and career develop-
ment; and 
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‘‘(VI) contribute to the develop-
ment of outreach programs aimed at 
increasing awareness of the mining in-
dustry as a career path and to in-
crease awareness of the types of min-
ing professions available; and 
‘‘(B) the Bureau shall, for each scholar, 
approve a work plan that identifies the target 
objectives for the scholar, including specific du-
ties and responsibilities relating to such objec-
tives. 
‘‘(2) 
ELIGIBLE
UNITED
STATES
INSTITU-
TIONS.—Visiting mining scholars shall be placed in 
a higher education institution approved by the Bu-
reau that— 
‘‘(A) demonstrates a commitment to de-
velop or expand academic programs in the min-
ing industry; 
‘‘(B) possesses existing faculty expertise or 
research activity in the mining industry or re-
lated extractive fields; 
‘‘(C) provides institutional support and re-
sources, such as laboratory facilities, field sites, 
or equipment, relevant to mining education and 
research, including in geology; 
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‘‘(D) demonstrates a commitment to inte-
grate the visiting scholar into curriculum devel-
opment, faculty training, or workforce pipeline 
initiatives in mining; 
‘‘(E) demonstrates a plan for sustaining 
mining or critical mineral resources programs 
beyond the duration of the visiting scholar’s 
placement; 
‘‘(F) shows evidence of student interest or 
regional workforce demand for mining edu-
cation programs or training; and 
‘‘(G) agrees to provide mentoring, adminis-
trative support, and opportunities for the vis-
iting scholar to engage with students, faculty, 
and local industry. 
‘‘(3) SCHOLARSHIP PERIOD.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The duration of each 
scholarship period under this section shall be 
determined by the Bureau and shall, whenever 
feasible, be not less than three months and not 
more than one year. 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTIONS.—Any exception to the 
duration of the scholarship period described in 
subparagraph (A) shall be submitted by the vis-
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iting mining scholar to and approved by the 
Bureau before such exception takes effect. 
‘‘(f) SCHOLARSHIP AWARD.—The Bureau shall pro-
vide each visiting mining scholar under this section with 
an allowance to cover the scholar’s reasonable costs of liv-
ing during the scholarship period. 
‘‘(g) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year after 
the completion of the Visiting Scholars Program by the 
initial cohort of scholars selected pursuant to subsection 
(d)(1), and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State 
shall submit a report to the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
of the House of Representatives that includes information 
on the implementation of the Visiting Scholars Program, 
including— 
‘‘(1) the demographics and geographical origins 
of the cohort of scholars who completed a Visiting 
Scholars Program during the reporting period; 
‘‘(2) the United States universities at which vis-
iting scholars were placed; 
‘‘(3) the foreign universities or other post-grad-
uate institutions from which the cohort of visiting 
scholars were chosen; 
‘‘(4) a description of academic placements se-
lected under the Visiting Scholars Program, includ-
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ing participant feedback on program implementation 
and lessons learned; and 
‘‘(5) a plan for factoring lessons learned into 
future programming.’’. 
SEC. 6. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO 
THE MUTUAL EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL 
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1961. 
The Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 
of 1961 (Public Law 87–256; 22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.) is 
amended— 
(1) in section 104(g) (22 U.S.C. 2454(g)), by 
striking paragraph (5); 
(2) in section 108A(a) (22 U.S.C. 2458a(a))— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(1)’’ before Congress; 
(B) by striking paragraph (2); and 
(C) by redesignating subparagraphs (A), 
(B), and (C) as paragraph (1), (2), and (3), re-
spectively; 
(3) in section 112 (22 U.S.C. 2460)— 
(A) in subsection (a)— 
(i) in paragraph (9), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) in the first paragraph designated 
as paragraph (10), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
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(iii) in the second paragraph des-
ignated as paragraph (10)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘(10)’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘(11)’’; and 
(II) by striking the period at the 
end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(iv) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(12) the Critical Mineral Mining Fellowship 
Program established under section 116, which pro-
vides funding for studies, research, and international 
exchange for students seeking or completing ad-
vanced degrees from United States higher education 
institutions in self-arranged placements with univer-
sities with mining education programs in foreign 
countries; and 
‘‘(13) the Visiting Mining Scholars Program es-
tablished under section 117, which provides funding 
for international mining academics, practitioners, 
professionals and operators in self-arranged place-
ments with universities in the United States.’’; and 
(B) in subsection (g)— 
(i) by striking paragraph (2); 
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(ii) by redesignating paragraphs (3) 
through (11) as paragraphs (2) through 
(10), respectively; and 
(iii) in paragraph (10), as redesig-
nated, by striking ‘‘paragraph (6)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘paragraph (5)’’; and 
(4) 
in 
section 
115(d)(2) 
(22 
U.S.C. 
2465(d)(2))— 
(A) by striking subparagraph (B); 
(B) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—’’; 
and 
(ii) by redesignating clauses (i) and 
(ii) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), and 
moving such clauses 2 ems to the left. 
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Depart-
ment of State $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 
2026 through 2035 for the purpose of carrying out the 
Critical Mineral Mining Fellowship Program and the Vis-
iting Mining Scholars Program established under sections 
116 and 117 of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Ex-
change Act of 1961, as added by sections 4 and 5. 
Æ 
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