(g) PERFORMANCE METRIC.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of submission of the report under subsection 
(f), the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture, after 
providing public notice and an opportunity to comment, 
shall develop and publish a performance metric for evalu-
ating the progress made by the executive branch to expe-
dite the permitting of critical mineral projects. 
(h) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Beginning with the first 
budget submission by the President under section 1105 
of title 31, United States Code, after publication of the 
performance metric required under subsection (g), and an-
nually thereafter, the Secretary and the Secretary of Agri-
culture shall jointly submit to Congress a report that— 
(1) summarizes the implementation of rec-
ommendations, measures, and options identified in 
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (f); 
(2) using the performance metric under sub-
section (g), describes progress made by the executive 
branch, as compared to the baseline established pur-
suant to subsection (d)(3), on expediting the permit-
ting of activities that will increase exploration for, 
and development of, domestic critical minerals; and 
(3) compares the United States to other coun-
tries in terms of permitting efficiency and any other 
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criteria relevant to the globally competitive critical 
minerals industry. 
(i) INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS.—Using data from the 
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary generated 
under subsection (h), the Director of the Office of Man-
agement and Budget shall prioritize inclusion of individual 
critical mineral projects on the website operated by the 
Office of Management and Budget in accordance with sec-
tion 1122 of title 31, United States Code. 
(j) REPORT
OF
SMALL
BUSINESS
ADMINISTRA-
TION.—Not later than 1 year and 300 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small 
Business Administration shall submit to the Committees 
on Small Business and Natural Resources of the House 
of Representatives and Small Business and Entrepreneur-
ship and Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 
report that assesses the performance of Federal agencies 
with respect to— 
(1) complying with chapter 6 of title 5, United 
States Code, in promulgating regulations applicable 
to the critical minerals industry; and 
(2) performing an analysis of regulations appli-
cable to the critical minerals industry that may be 
outmoded, inefficient, duplicative, or excessively bur-
densome. 
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SEC. 202. TECHNOLOGY GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in coordination 
with the Secretary of Energy, shall establish a competitive 
grant program to conduct studies, research, and dem-
onstration projects relating to the production of critical 
minerals, including— 
(1) studies of mining, mineral extraction effi-
ciency, and related processing technology; 
(2) reclamation technology and practices for ac-
tive mining operations; 
(3) the development of remining systems and 
technologies that facilitate reclamation that fosters 
the recovery of resources at abandoned mine sites; 
(4) investigations of critical mineral extraction 
methods that reduce environmental and human im-
pacts; 
(5) reducing dependence on foreign energy and 
mineral supplies through increased domestic critical 
mineral production; 
(6) enhancing the competitiveness of United 
States energy and mineral technology exports; 
(7) the extraction or processing of coinciding 
mineralization, including rare earth elements, within 
coal, coal processing byproduct, overburden or coal 
residue; 
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(8) enhancing technologies and practices related 
to mitigation of acid mine drainage, reforestation, 
and revegetation in the reclamation of land and 
water resources adversely affected by mining; 
(9) meeting challenges of extreme mining condi-
tions, such as deeper deposits or offshore or cold re-
gion mining; and 
(10) mineral economics, including analysis of 
supply chains, future mineral needs, and unconven-
tional mining resources. 
(b) MINIMUM AMOUNT FOR MINING SCHOOLS.—Of 
amounts expended pursuant to this section, not less than 
70 percent shall be expended to enhance and support min-
ing and mineral engineering programs at mining schools 
in the United States. 
(c) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary shall 
consult with relevant stakeholders and provide a signifi-
cant opportunity for participation by undergraduate and 
graduate students at mining schools. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2032. 
(e) MINING SCHOOL.—In this section, the term ‘‘min-
ing school’’ means a mining, metallurgical, or mineral en-
gineering program or department accredited by the Ac-
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creditation 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 Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1132(a))) in the United 
States. 
SEC. 203. ECONOMIC AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYSIS. 
(a) RESOURCE ASSESSMENTS REQUIRED.—Federal 
lands and waters may not be withdrawn from entry under 
the mining laws or operation of the mineral leasing and 
mineral materials laws unless a quantitative and quali-
tative geophysical and geological mineral resource assess-
ment of the impacted area has been completed during the 
10-year period ending on the date of such withdrawal or 
has been certified as current by the Director of the United 
States Geological Survey. 
(b) NEW INFORMATION.—If a resource assessment 
completed by the Director of the United States Geological 
Survey shows that a previously undiscovered deposit is 
likely present in an area that has been withdrawn from 
entry under the mining laws or operation of the mineral 
leasing and mineral materials laws pursuant to— 
(1) section 204 of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1714), the 
Secretary shall update the existing Resource Man-
agement Plan for such area; or 
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(2) chapter 3203 of title 54, United States 
Code, the Secretary shall provide recommendations 
to the President on appropriate measures to reduce 
unnecessary impacts that the withdrawal may have 
on critical mineral exploration, development, and 
other mining activities. 
(c) RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS.—Before a re-
source management plan under the Federal Land Policy 
and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) 
is updated or completed, the Secretary or Secretary of Ag-
riculture, as applicable, shall, in consultation with the Di-
rector of the United States Geological Survey— 
(1) review a quantitative and qualitative min-
eral resource assessment that was completed or up-
dated during the 10-year period ending on the date 
the resource management plan is updated or com-
pleted or is certified as current by the Director of 
the United States Geological Survey for the geo-
graphic area affected by the resource management 
plan; and 
(2) in consultation with the Departments of 
Commerce and Defense, consider the economic, stra-
tegic and national security value of mineral deposits 
in the impacted geographic area affected by the re-
source management plan. 
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(d) PREVIOUSLY UNDISCOVERED DEPOSIT.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘previously undiscovered deposit’’ means 
a deposit that has been previously evaluated by the United 
States Geological Survey and found to be of low mineral 
potential but upon subsequent evaluation is determined to 
have recoverable quantities of a critical mineral. 
SEC. 204. CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL. 
(a) MORATORIA.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, the Secretary may not declare a moratorium 
on issuing leases, claims, or permits on Federal lands, in-
cluding on the Outer Continental Shelf, for the mining of 
critical minerals, or related activities unless such morato-
rium is authorized by an Act of Congress. 
(b) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, the Secretary may not withdraw Federal lands 
and waters from entry under the mining laws or operation 
of the mineral leasing and mineral materials laws for the 
mining of critical minerals without congressional approval 
if such withdrawal— 
(1) exceeds 5,000 acres in a single withdrawal; 
or 
(2) is of a parcel the exterior boundary of which 
is less than 50 miles away from the exterior bound-
ary of another parcel that was withdrawn during the 
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1-year period ending on the date of withdrawal of 
the parcel at issue. 
Æ 
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