Pilot program on public-private partnerships for recycling strategic and critical materials

(a) In general Not later than May 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, shall establish a pilot program under which the Department of Defense enters into public-private partnerships for the recycling of strategic and critical materials. (b) Public-private partnerships Public-private partnerships established under subsection (a) may include the recycling of strategic and critical materials contained in— (1) end-of-life equipment, particularly from night vision; (2) electronics; and (3) such other items as the Secretary considers appropriate. (c) Collaboration with military departments The Assistant Secretary shall collaborate with the Secretaries of the military departments to ensure that end-of-life equipment can be properly maintained and disposed of under a public-private partnership entered into under subsection (a). (d) Termination (1) In general The authority to enter into public-private partnerships under subsection (a) shall terminate on January 1, 2035. (2) Continuation of partnerships A public-private partnership entered into under subsection (a) before January 1, 2035, may continue on and after that date. (e) Briefings required The Assistant Secretary shall brief the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives— (1) not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, on— (A) the establishment of the pilot program under subsection (a); (B) the parameters and metrics for success for the pilot program; and (C) the entities with which the Department of Defense intends to enter into public-private partnerships under subsection (a); and (2) not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until the termination of the last public-private partnership entered into under subsection (a), on— (A) activities carried out under public-private partnerships entered into under that subsection; and (B) any costs associated with such activities. (f) Strategic and critical materials defined The term strategic and critical materials has the meaning given that term in section 12 of the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98h–3).