H.R. 6160: Rare Earths and Critical Materials Revitalization Act of 2010

111th Congress · introduced 2010-09-22 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2010-09-22 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Dahlkemper, Kathleen A. [D-PA-3] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 555 (2010): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR6160 (2010-09-29), Passed. See all
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Rare Earths and Critical Materials Revitalization Act of 2010

Plain summary

Rare Earths and Critical Materials Revitalization Act of 2010 - Title I: Rare Earth Materials - (Sec. 101) Establishes in the Department of Energy (DOE) a research, development, and commercial application program to assure the long-term, secure, and sustainable supply of specified rare earth materials to satisfy the national security, economic well-being, and industrial production needs of the United States. Directs the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to: (1) support new or significantly improved processes and technologies (as compared to those currently in use in the rare earth materials industry); (2) encourage multidisciplinary collaborations and opportunities for students at institutions of higher education; (3) collaborate with relevant agencies of foreign countries with interests relating to rare earth materials; and (4) submit an implementation plan to Congress. Requires the Secretary to offer to contract with the National Academy of Sciences for an assessment of the program after it has been in operation for four years. (Sec. 102) Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to authorize the Secretary through FY 2015, only to the extent provided in advance in a subsequent appropriations Act, to make loan guarantee commitments for the commercial application of new or significantly improved technologies for specified categories of projects, including: (1) separation and recovery of rare earth materials from ores or other sources; (2) preparation of rare earth materials in oxide, metal, alloy, or other forms needed for national security, economic well-being, or industrial production purposes; and (3) application of rare earth materials in the production of improved magnets, batteries, refrigeration systems, optical systems, electronics, and catalysis, among other uses. Directs the Secretary to cooperate with appropriate private sector participants to achieve a complete rare earth materials production capability in the United States within five years after enactment of this Act. Prohibits the Secretary from awarding a loan guarantee for a project unless the project's proponent provides assurances that the loan or guarantee shall be used to support the separation, recovery, preparation, or manufacturing of rare earth materials in the United States for customers within the United States, unless insufficient domestic demand for such materials results in excess capacity. Title II: National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research, and Development - (Sec. 201) Amends the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 to: (1) instruct the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to coordinate federal materials research and development through the National Science and Technology Council (instead of the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology, which is now defunct); and (2) repeal specified reporting and action requirements for the Secretaries of Defense and of the Interior, respectively. (Sec. 202) Repeals the National Critical Materials Act of 1984.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Rare Earths and Critical Materials Revitalization Act of 2010

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Dahlkemper, Kathleen A. [D-PA-3] · 6 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Recorded votes

House roll call 555 (2010): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR6160 (2010-09-29): Passed

Words on this page, explained (4)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111hr6160.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/hr>

Record fed-us-cong111-hr6160 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111