Feasibility study on combatant command critical minerals management

(a) In general The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study assessing the feasibility of enabling commanders of unified combatant commands to independently identify, acquire, and dispose of critical minerals to enhance operational resilience and decentralized management of resources. (b) Contents The study required by subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) An assessment of the feasibility and effectiveness of providing commanders of unified combatant commands authority to independently identify, acquire, and dispose of critical minerals through contracts, cooperative agreements, or other mechanisms to address vulnerabilities in the supply chains for critical minerals. (2) An assessment of how commanders of unified combatant commands could use the authority described in paragraph (1) to develop and implement plans for the decentralized management of resources for the areas of responsibility of the unified combatant command of the commander, including advantages, challenges, and scalability across the Department of Defense of such decentralized management of resources. (3) An estimate of the costs associated with providing the authority described in paragraph (1) and potential sources of funds to pay for such costs, including amounts authorized for the Department of Defense or the Combatant Commander Initiative Fund under section 166a of title 10, United States Code, and amounts from the disposal of critical minerals under such authority. (4) An identification of the risks to the security of the supply chain of critical minerals, operational readiness, and partnerships between the United States and other countries resulting from providing commanders of unified combatant commands the authority described in paragraph (1), and strategies to mitigate such risks. (5) Specific recommendations on whether to provide the authority described in paragraph (1) under a pilot program or a permanent grant of authority and any necessary changes to law or regulation required to provide such authority in the manner recommended. (c) Report Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees and the Comptroller General of the United States a report on the findings of the study required by subsection (a). (d) Evaluation Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits the report required under subsection (c) to the Comptroller General of the United States, the Comptroller General shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report assessing the findings and recommendations in the report submitted to the Comptroller General under such subsection, including an evaluation of the benefits, risks, and costs of providing commanders of unified combatant commands authority to independently identify, acquire, and dispose of critical minerals. (e) Definitions In this section: (1) The term critical mineral means a mineral designated by the Secretary of Defense as a critical mineral. (2) The term unified combatant command has the meaning given such term in section 161 of title 10, United States Code.