A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Critical Materials Processing Technology Testbed Act aims to establish a Testbed Capability for research, development, and demonstration of novel critical materials processing technologies. The Secretary of Energy will administer a competitive, merit-reviewed process to select entities such as National Laboratories, private companies, or institutions of higher education. The Testbed will focus on improving technologies through areas like reduced energy intensity, lower environmental impacts, and improved worker safety. Research results produced at the Testbed will be translated and securely transferred to industry. The program is intended to receive support for up to five years, with the possibility of a five-year renewal. The bill also authorizes specific appropriations to fund the establishment and ongoing activities of the Testbed.
Yes· 3 of 12
- Scored +6
Does this put more money into scientific research?
The bill authorizes significant appropriations specifically for research, development, and demonstration of new technologies.
- Scored +5
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The Testbed specifically targets the reduction of pollutants, water consumption, and the toxicity of waste.
- Scored +4
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill promotes technology transfer to industry and provides opportunities for private companies to participate in the Testbed.
The opposite
- Scored -1
Does this put more money into public schools?
While the bill supports higher education institutions through research, it does not provide funding for public schools.
- Scored -1
Does this better protect the country from computer attacks?
The bill includes a requirement for secure transfer of research results, though it does not directly address cybersecurity capabilities.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Environmental and Social Improvements: The Testbed focuses on several areas that could benefit the public, including reduced pollutants, reduced water consumption, lower environmental and societal impacts, and reduced volumes and toxicity of waste (Section 2(b)).
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Improved Safety and Efficiency: The focus areas include improving worker safety and increasing recovery efficiencies (Section 2(b)).
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Economic and Technological Benefits: The bill aims for lower lifecycle costs and the translation of research results to industry (Section 2(b) and Section 2(d)). Additionally, the Secretary must ensure that the intellectual property and value proposition generated by the Testbed are kept within the United States (Section 2(e)).
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Energy and Noise Reduction: The Testbed will prioritize technologies that result in reduced energy intensity and noise reduction (Section 2(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Financial Requirements for Entities: The Secretary has the authority to require that funds used to carry out Testbed activities be cost-shared by certain entities, excluding National Laboratories (Section 2(g)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill promotes technology transfer to industry and provides opportunities for private companies to participate in the Testbed. Would students be better off under this? — The bill involves institutions of higher education in the research and development processes. Would union members be better off under this? — The bill explicitly includes worker safety as a primary focus area for the new technology development. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill mandates consultation with the EPA to ensure alignment with environmental justice priorities.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — The development of novel critical materials processing technologies is intended to bolster industrial capacity and value propositions within the U.S. Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill invests in new industrial processing technologies which can support future industrial activity and job growth. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill facilitates the translation of research results to industry, which can benefit commercial entities.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The Testbed specifically targets the reduction of pollutants, water consumption, and the toxicity of waste. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — The bill prioritizes technologies that reduce energy intensity and environmental impacts.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill authorizes significant appropriations specifically for research, development, and demonstration of new technologies. Does this put more money into public schools? — While the bill supports higher education institutions through research, it does not provide funding for public schools.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires consultation with the EPA and other agencies, promoting interagency cooperation.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — The bill includes a requirement for secure transfer of research results, though it does not directly address cybersecurity capabilities.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — By focusing on reducing lifecycle costs of materials, the bill could have a very minor long-term effect on commodity pricing.
- 7/16/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- Introduced in House
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.