Sec. 865. University Affiliated Research Center for critical minerals
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The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, shall develop a plan to establish a new University Affiliated Research Center (UARC), or to expand a current relevant UARC or consortia of universities, for the purposes of contributing to the capacity of the Department to conduct research, development, engineering or workforce expansion related to critical minerals for national security needs. The plan should focus on institutional capacity at a mining school or schools with expertise in engineering, applied research, commercial and workforce development activities related to critical minerals. The plan required by paragraph
(1)shall include the following: An assessment of the engineering, applied research, commercialization, and workforce development capabilities relating to critical minerals of mining schools, including an assessment of the workforce and physical research infrastructure of such schools. An assessment of the ability of mining schools— to participate in defense-related engineering, applied research, commercialization, and workforce development activities relating to critical minerals; to effectively compete for defense-related engineering, applied research, commercialization, and workforce development contracts and grants; and to support the mission of the Under Secretary to extend the capabilities of current war fighting systems, develop breakthrough capabilities, hedge against an uncertain future through a set of scientific and engineering options, and counter strategic surprise. An assessment of the activities and investments necessary— to augment facilities or educational programming at mining schools or a consortium of mining schools— to support the mission of the Under Secretary; to access, secure, and conduct research relating to sensitive or classified information; and to respond quickly to emerging engineering, applied research, commercialization, and workforce needs relating to critical minerals. to increase the participation of mining schools in defense-related engineering, applied research, commercialization, and workforce development activities; and to increase the ability of mining schools to effectively compete for defense-related engineering, applied research, commercialization, and workforce development contracts and grants. Recommendations identifying actions that may be taken by the Secretary, the Under Secretary, Congress, mining schools, and other organizations to increase the participation of mining schools in defense-related engineering, applied research, commercialization, and workforce development activities, contracts, and grants. The specific goals, incentives, and metrics developed by the Secretary under subparagraph
(D)to increase and measure the capacity of mining schools to address the engineering, applied research, commercialization, and workforce development needs of the Department of Defense. In developing the plan required by paragraph (1), the Secretary and the Under Secretary shall consult with such other public and private sector organizations as the Secretary and the Under Secretary determine appropriate. Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes the plan developed under paragraph (1); and make the plan available on a publicly accessible website of the Department of Defense. Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Under Secretary may establish a program to award contracts, grants, or other agreements on a competitive basis, and to perform other appropriate activities, for the purposes described in paragraph (2). The purposes described in this paragraph are the following: Developing the capability, including workforce and research infrastructure, for mining schools to more effectively compete for Federal engineering, applied research, commercialization, and workforce development funding opportunities. Improving the capability of mining schools to recruit and retain research faculty, and to participate in appropriate personnel exchange programs and educational and career development activities. Any other purposes the Under Secretary determines appropriate for enhancing the defense-related engineering, applied research, commercialization, and development capabilities of mining schools. Chapter 305 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Secretary of each military department, shall carry out a program to provide assistance to covered educational institutions to assist the Department of Defense in defense-related critical minerals engineering, applied research, commercialization, and workforce development activities. The Secretary of Defense may not delegate or transfer to an individual outside the Office of the Secretary of Defense the authority regarding the programming or budgeting of the program established by this section that is carried out by the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. The objective of the program established by subsection (a)(1) is to enhance defense-related critical minerals research and education at covered educational institutions. Such objective shall be accomplished through initiatives designed to— enhance the critical minerals research and educational capabilities of such institutions in areas of importance to national defense, as determined by the Secretary; encourage the participation of such institutions in the research, development, testing, and evaluation programs and activities of the Department of Defense relating to critical minerals; increase the number of graduates from such institutions engaged in critical minerals-related disciplines important to the national security functions of the Department of Defense, as determined by the Secretary; and encourage research and educational collaborations between such institutions and other institutions of higher education, Government defense organizations, and the defense industry relating to critical minerals. Under the program established under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary of Defense may provide covered educational institutions with funding or technical assistance, including any of the following: Support for research, development, testing, evaluation, or educational enhancements in areas important to national defense through the competitive awarding of grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, scholarships, fellowships, or the acquisition of research equipment or instrumentation. Support to assist in the attraction and retention of faculty in scientific disciplines important to the national security functions of the Department of Defense. Establishing partnerships between such institutions and defense laboratories, Government defense organizations, the defense industry, and other institutions of higher education in research, development, testing, and evaluation in areas important to the national security functions of the Department of Defense. Other such non-monetary assistance as the Secretary finds appropriate to enhance defense-related research, development, testing, and evaluation activities at such institutions. The Secretary of Defense may develop incentives to encourage critical minerals-related research and educational collaborations between covered educational institutions and other institutions of higher education. The Secretary of Defense shall establish goals and incentives to encourage Federally funded research and development centers, science and technology reinvention laboratories, and University Affiliated Research Centers funded by the Department of Defense— to assess the capacity of covered educational institutions to address the critical minerals research and development needs of the Department through partnerships and collaborations; and if appropriate, to enter into partnerships and collaborations with such institutions. The Secretary of Defense may establish procedures under which the Secretary may limit funding under this section to institutions that have not otherwise received a significant amount of funding from the Department of Defense for research, development, testing, and evaluation programs supporting the national security functions of the Department. In this section, the term covered educational institution means— a mining, metallurgical, geological, or mineral engineering program— accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc.; and located at an institution of higher education; or an institution of higher learning or community college with a geology or engineering program or department that has experience in mining research or work with the mining industry. For purposes of paragraph (1), the term institution of higher education has the meaning given that term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001 ). . The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 305 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new item: 4145. Research and educational programs and activities: critical minerals. . In this section, the term mining school means— a mining, metallurgical, geological, or mineral engineering program— accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc.; and located at an institution of higher education; or an institution of higher learning or community college with a geology or engineering program or department that has experience in mining research or work with the mining industry. For purposes of paragraph (1), the term institution of higher education has the meaning given that term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001 ).
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Sec. 865
University Affiliated Research Center for critical minerals
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