“A bill to establish a new educational exchange program to strengthen domestic mining education, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section states congressional findings concerning workforce shortages in the U.S. mining industry and related mineral processing and refining sectors, including an aging workforce with 50% expected to retire within five years, declining numbers of mining graduates, recruitment and retention challenges, only 14 universities offering mining and mining engineering programs in 2023, similar trends affecting downstream segments, and the value of education exchanges with allied countries.
This section establishes definitions for 11 terms used in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, including— (1) advanced degree, meaning a master’s or doctoral degree from an institution of higher education; (2) critical mineral, incorporating the definition in section 7002(a)(3) of the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606(a)(3)) and including gold, copper, and other minerals or materials the Secretary of State determines essential to U.S. economic or national security with vulnerable supply chains; (3) excess foreign currencies, meaning foreign currencies in excess of normal U.S. government requirements and available under agreements with the foreign country; (4) Federal employee, meaning civilian officers and employees of the three branches of the U.S. government (excluding members of the Foreign Service described in 5 U.S.C. 7342(a)(1)(G)); (5) Government-sponsored international exchanges and training, meaning U.S. government-financed movement of people between countries to promote idea-sharing, skill development, and mutual understanding; (6) institution of higher education, having the meaning given in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)) (i.e., public or nonprofit institutions providing bachelor's degrees or equivalent programs); (7) historically Black college and university, having the meaning given "part B institution" in section 322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)); (8) mining education program, meaning an academic program related to the mining industry; (9) mining industry, meaning U.S. activities related to critical minerals from geological mapping through reclamation, recycling, and recovery; (10) mining profession, meaning jobs directly related to the mining industry; and (11) minority-serving institution, meaning an eligible institution under section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).
This section establishes the Critical Mineral Mining Fellowship Program within the J. William Fulbright Educational Exchange Program to promote U.S. studies, research, and exchanges in the mining industry; build the U.S. mining workforce by sending students to foreign mining institutions; develop skills for the domestic critical mineral supply chain; and reduce reliance on foreign critical minerals. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State administers the program per Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board guidelines, selecting fellows (U.S. students with a bachelor's degree, pursuing advanced STEM/mining degrees, or recent postdocs) who intend to work in the U.S. mining sector afterward and prioritizing enrollment at approved foreign universities (especially in Minerals Security Partnership countries). Fellows engage in at least one year (renewable for a second) of advanced coursework, research, internships, professional development, and networking abroad, with the Bureau providing allowances covering tuition, living expenses, books, fees, visas, and relocation.
This section establishes the Visiting Mining Scholars Program within the J. William Fulbright Educational Exchange Program to bring foreign mining academics and professionals to the United States to expand mining education programs at institutions of higher education, bolster workforce development, and advance research and development in mining and related fields. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State administers the program pursuant to guidelines from the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, in consultation with binational Fulbright Commissions, mining industry leaders, institutions of higher education, foreign governments, and U.S. embassies; selects at least 10 qualified foreign fellows annually (when feasible) from countries with existing Fulbright Foreign Student Programs that possess mining expertise beneficial to the United States (prioritizing Minerals Security Partnership member countries); and places fellows at approved U.S. institutions committed to mining program development for periods determined by the Bureau. Each fellow develops an approved work plan involving activities such as curriculum assistance, collaborative research on sustainable mining technologies, student mentoring, institutional partnerships, and outreach to promote mining careers.
This section makes technical and conforming amendments to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 as follows: (1) in section 104(g), strikes paragraph (5); (2) in section 108A(a), strikes paragraph (2), removes the "(1)" designation, and redesignates subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) as paragraphs (1), (2), and (3); (3) in section 112(a), adds paragraphs (12) and (13) to the list of authorized activities to include the Critical Mineral Mining Fellowship Program under new section 116 (providing funding for U.S. students' self-arranged studies, research, and exchanges with foreign universities offering mining education programs) and the Visiting Mining Scholars Program under new section 117 (providing funding for foreign mining academics, practitioners, professionals, and operators' self-arranged placements with U.S. universities), with conforming numbering changes to prior paragraphs, and in section 112(g), strikes paragraph (2), redesignates paragraphs (3) through (11) as (2) through (10), and updates a cross-reference in new paragraph (10); and (4) in section 115(d)(2), strikes subparagraph (B) and reformats former subparagraph (A) and its clauses.
This section authorizes appropriations of $10 million annually to the Department of State for FY2026 through FY2035 to carry out the Critical Mineral Mining Fellowship Program and the Visiting Mining Scholars Program.