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TITLE VIII--ACQUISITION POLICY, ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT, AND RELATED MATTERS

Subtitle E—Provisions Relating to Supply Chain Security

P. L. 117-81

Joint Explanatory Statement

The Secretary of Defense shall cooperate with the Secretary of Energy to ensure that the priorities of the Department of Defense with respect to the research and development of alternative technologies to, and methods for the extraction, processing, and recycling of, critical minerals (as defined in section 2(b) of the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research, and Development Act of 1980 (30 U.S.C. 1601(b))) are considered and included where feasible in the associated research and development activities funded by the Secretary of Energy pursuant to the program established under paragraph (g) of section 7002 of division Z of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260).

The House bill contained a provision (sec. 831) that would require the Secretary of Defense to coordinate with the Secretary of Energy to ensure that the priorities of the Department of Defense with respect to the research and development of alternative technologies to, and methods for the extraction, processing, and recycling of, critical minerals are included in the appropriate research and development activities funded by the Secretary of Energy.

The Senate amendment contained no similar provision.

The agreement includes the House provision with a technical amendment.

H. R. 4350--House Report 117-118

Section 831--Department of Defense Research and Development Priorities

This section would require Department of Defense priorities to be addressed in research and development programs focused on alternative technologies to, and methods for the extraction, processing, and recycling of, critical minerals.