Sec. 303. Critical Mineral Mining Fellowship Program
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The Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following: There is authorized to be established the Critical Mineral Mining Fellowship Program (referred to in this section as the Fellowship Program ) within the J. William Fulbright Educational Exchange Program. The purposes of the Fellowship Program are— to advance foreign policy priorities of the United States by promoting studies, research, and international exchange in the mining industry; to send United States citizens who are enrolled in or have received a degree from an accredited postsecondary institution in the United States to mining institutions in foreign countries, in order to build the capacity of the United States mining workforce; to develop a robust and skilled workforce that can support and fill the gaps within the United States’ growing domestic critical mineral supply chain; and to reduce dependency on foreign energy and critical mineral supplies and enhance competitiveness of the United States within the global critical mineral marketplace.
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State (referred to in this section as the Bureau ) shall administer the Fellowship Program in accordance with policy guidelines established by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (referred to in this section as the Board ), in consultation with binational Fulbright Commissions, mining industry leaders, institutions of higher education, governments of foreign countries, and United States Embassies in the foreign countries described in subparagraphs
(A)and
(B)of subsection (d)(4). The Board shall select qualified individuals to participate in the Fellowship Program and ensure a broad geographic representation in order to develop region-specific specialties. The Bureau shall determine the number of fellows selected each year. Each fellow shall— have a conferred bachelor’s or equivalent degree before the start of the Fellowship Program period; be a student currently enrolled in an institution of higher education in the United States completing an advanced degree in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a field relating to the mining industry; or have had a conferred postdoctoral degree for not longer than five years before the start of the Fellowship Program period. Upon completion of the Fellowship Program, demonstrate intent to seek employment in a mining profession that directly benefits the growth, progress, and development of the mining industry in the United States Government, an academic institution, a private sector company, or any organization approved by the Bureau. United States fellows shall attend universities approved by the Bureau, in consultation with the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, that have a mining program and are located in a foreign country. To the extent practicable, the Bureau should prioritize fellow enrollment in higher education mining programs in— member countries of the Minerals Security Partnership; or any country identified by the Bureau, in consultation with the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, as containing sufficiently qualified mining programs. To the extent practicable, the Bureau shall conduct outreach at United States undergraduate and graduate institutions the Bureau determines are likely to produce a range of qualified applications for the Fellowship Programs. To achieve the purposes described in subsection (b)— each fellow selected pursuant to subsection (d)(1) is encouraged to arrange placement in a mining education program at an eligible university in a foreign country; each fellow shall— participate in advanced coursework, research projects, and practical training opportunities offered by the host institution; engage with faculty advisors and industry partners to gain hands-on experience through internships, laboratory work, and field studies relevant to the mining industry; serve as a cultural and academic ambassador of the United States, fostering mutual understanding in the academic and professional mining community of the foreign country; participate in professional development activities, such as conferences, workshops, and seminars, to expand knowledge of global best practices in mining engineering and related fields; and build and strengthen networks with international peers, faculty, and industry professionals to facilitate ongoing collaboration and knowledge exchange; and the Bureau shall, for each fellow, approve a work plan that identifies the target objectives for the fellow, including specific duties and responsibilities relating to those objectives. Each fellowship under this section shall continue for a period determined by the Bureau, which, whenever feasible, may not be less than one year. A renewal for a second year may be granted only with the approval of the Bureau in consultation with a United States embassy or the Fulbright Commission. The Bureau shall provide each fellow in the Fellowship Program with an allowance that is equal to the amount needed for the fellow’s reasonable costs during the fellowship period, including— mandatory university fees, including tuition, associated with graduate study; living expenses, including housing, basic food costs, and daily transportation; essential textbooks and other academic materials; mandatory visa application, immigration fees, and other essential pre-departure requirements; relocation expenses, including airline and rail travel; research allowance, including essential travel to field sites and laboratory work; and other reasonable costs approved by the Bureau. Not later than one year after the date of completion of the Fellowship Program by the initial cohort of fellows selected under subsection (d), and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report providing information on the implementation of the Fellowship Program, including— the demographics and geographical origins of the fellows who completed a Fellowship Program fellowship during the preceding 1-year period; a description of the academic placements of the fellows and the relation of such placements to the development of United States region-specific specialties under the Fellowship Program, including participant feedback on program implementation and feedback on lessons learned; and a plan for factoring lessons learned and acquired skills based knowledge into future Fellowship Program programming. .
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Sec. 303
Critical Mineral Mining Fellowship Program
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