H.R. 4018 — To unleash America's offshore critical minerals and resources.

This section states congressional findings on the national security and economic importance of U.S. leadership in deep sea science, technology, and seabed mineral resources—such as polymetallic nodules containing nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, titanium, and rare earth elements—and declares it U.S. policy to accelerate their responsible development through streamlined permitting, investment in science and technology, interagency coordination, global partnerships, domestic supply chains, and alliances to counter foreign influence.

This section directs the Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior, within 60 days of enactment and in coordination with other specified agencies, to (1) expedite reviews and issuance of exploration licenses, commercial recovery permits under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.), and prospecting permits and leases under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) to ensure efficiency, predictability, and competitiveness for U.S. companies; (2) develop a plan to map priority areas of the U.S. outer Continental Shelf with abundant or accessible seabed mineral resources; (3) identify critical minerals derivable from seabed resources and determine which are essential for defense infrastructure, manufacturing, and energy applications; and (4) engage key partners and allies—determined by the Secretary of State based on existing agreements, strategic alignment, and joint initiatives—to support U.S. companies in seabed mineral exploration, extraction, processing, and monitoring. This section further requires the Secretary of the Interior, jointly with other specified secretaries, to submit two reports to the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Commerce, Science, and Transportation within 60 days of enactment: (1) identifying private sector interest and opportunities for seabed mineral exploration and mining on the U.S. outer Continental Shelf, in areas beyond national jurisdiction, and in partner countries; and (2) assessing the feasibility of an international benefit-sharing mechanism for seabed minerals extracted beyond national jurisdiction.

This section includes standard general provisions stating that (1) nothing in the Act impairs existing authorities of executive departments, agencies, or their heads; and (2) the Act creates no new substantive or procedural rights or benefits enforceable against the United States, its departments, agencies, entities, officers, employees, agents, or any other person.

This section defines 10 terms for purposes of the Act by (1) cross-referencing existing definitions for "commercial recovery," "exploration," and "United States company" (as "United States citizen") from the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 U.S.C. 1403); "critical mineral" from the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606(a)(3)); "lease" and "Outer Continental Shelf" from the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331); and "prospecting" from 30 C.F.R. 580.1; and (2) providing new definitions for "mineral" (i.e., a critical mineral, uranium, copper, potash, gold, or any other element or compound designated by the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council); "processing" (i.e., concentration, separation, refinement, alloying, and conversion of minerals into usable forms); and "seabed mineral resource" (i.e., mineral-bearing material in the Outer Continental Shelf seabed, including polymetallic nodules, cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts, polymetallic sulfides, heavy mineral sands, and phosphorites).