Critical Materials Processing Technology Testbed Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9740 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9740

    To establish a Critical Materials Processing Technology Testbed
                  Capability, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 16, 2026

  Mr. Foster introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
              Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

    To establish a Critical Materials Processing Technology Testbed
                  Capability, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Critical Materials Processing
Technology Testbed Act''.

SEC. 2. CRITICAL MATERIALS PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY TESTBED.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with other
        appropriate Federal agencies, shall administer a competitive,
        merit-reviewed process to establish a Critical Materials
        Processing Technology Testbed Capability (referred to in this
        section as the ``Testbed'') that allows for--
                    (A) research, development, and demonstration of
                novel critical materials processing technologies; and
                    (B) scalable performance testing to be conducted on
                feedstock materials.
            (2) Selection.--In administering the process referred to in
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider applications from
        National Laboratories, institutions of higher education,
        private companies, multi-institutional collaborations, and
        other entities the Secretary determines appropriate. The
        Secretary may implement the Testbed as a single site or more
        than one site as necessary to carry out the mission of the
        Testbed as described in subsections (a) and (b).
    (b) Focus Areas.--The Testbed shall include a focus on substantive
and innovative improvements to critical materials processing
technologies, including relating to the following:
            (1) Reduced energy intensity.
            (2) Reduced pollutants.
            (3) Reduced water consumption.
            (4) Lower environmental and societal impacts.
            (5) Lower lifecycle costs.
            (6) Improved recovery efficiencies.
            (7) Process improvement beyond traditional thermal or pyro
        chemical techniques.
            (8) Reduced volumes and toxicity of waste.
            (9) Noise reduction.
            (10) Worker safety.
            (11) Processing techniques and technologies which have
        applicability to a wide range of material sources.
    (c) Duration.--
            (1) In general.--The Testbed shall receive support for a
        period of not more than five years, subject to the availability
        of appropriations.
            (2) Renewal.--Upon the expiration of any period of support
        of the Testbed, the Secretary may renew support for the
        Testbed, on a merit-reviewed process, for a period of not more
        than five years.
    (d) Technology Transfer.--The Secretary, in coordination with the
Director of the Office of Technology Commercialization of the
Department, shall facilitate the translation and secure transfer to
industry of research results produced at the Testbed.
    (e) Intellectual Property.--The Secretary shall ensure the
intellectual property and value proposition generated by research,
development, and demonstration activities at the Testbed are retained
within the United States.
    (f) Interagency Engagement.--In carrying out this section, the
Secretary shall--
            (1) consult with the Administrator of the Environmental
        Protection Agency to ensure the goals and objectives of the
        Testbed align with applicable laws and regulations and
        environmental justice priorities; and
            (2) ensure appropriate cooperation with, and avoid
        unnecessary duplication of, the activities of the Testbed with
        the activities of--
                    (A) other research entities of the Department;
                    (B) the National Laboratories;
                    (C) other Federal agencies;
                    (D) institutions of higher education;
                    (E) United States industry;
                    (F) nongovernmental organizations; and
                    (G) other relevant individuals or entities.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
        the Secretary--
                    (A) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 to establish
                the Testbed; and
                    (B) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2028
                through 2031 to carry out the activities of the
                Testbed.
            (2) Cost share.--The Secretary may require that funds made
        available pursuant to the authorization under paragraph (1)(B)
        be cost-shared by entities other than a National Laboratory
        seeking to conduct research, development, or demonstration
        activities at the Testbed.
    (h) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Critical material.--The term ``critical material''
        means any of the following:
                    (A) A critical material, as such term is defined in
                section 7002(a)(2) of the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C.
                1606(a)(2); enacted as division Z of the Consolidated
                Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260)).
                    (B) A strategic mineral as determined by the
                Secretary of Defense pursuant to Presidential
                Determination 2022-11.
            (2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
        Department of Energy.
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (4) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory''
        has the meaning given such term in section 3 of the Energy
        Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801(3)).
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
        of Energy.
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