Bill > HR7021

This bill, the Critical Mineral Mining Education Act of 2026, aims to address a significant shortage of skilled workers in the United States mining industry by establishing two new educational exchange programs under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. The first program, the Critical Mineral Mining Fellowship Program, will send U.S. students with bachelor's degrees or those pursuing advanced degrees in STEM or mining-related fields to foreign universities with mining programs to gain experience and build capacity in the U.S. mining workforce, with fellows intending to seek employment in the U.S. mining industry upon completion. The second program, the Visiting Mining Scholars Program, will bring foreign mining academics and professionals to U.S. institutions of higher education to help expand U.S. mining education programs, bolster workforce development, and advance research and development. Both programs will be administered by the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, with funding authorized at $10 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2035. The bill also includes definitions for terms like "critical mineral," which is defined by existing law but expanded to include gold, copper, and other minerals deemed essential to U.S. economic or national security with vulnerable supply chains.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7021/all-info