S. 3612 establishes the Critical Mineral Mining Fellowship Program within the existing Fulbright Educational Exchange Program to address a looming shortage in the U.S. mining workforce, with about 50% of current miners expected to retire within five years. The program, administered by the State Department, sends U.S. students and recent graduates with bachelor's degrees or advanced STEM enrollment to approved mining institutions abroad, primarily in Minerals Security Partnership countries, to gain expertise in critical mineral extraction and processing. Fellows must commit to working in U.S. mining-related positions after completing at least one year of study, which may be extended to two years, with the federal government covering tuition, living expenses, travel, and related costs. The program automatically expires 10 years after enactment unless Congress votes to reauthorize it.
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