Central Wyoming News

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), applauded unanimous Senate approval of S. 912, the Mining Schools Act of 2023. This legislation aims to enhance American energy and mineral security by supporting mining schools in recruiting and training the next generation of miners. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives.

“The United States cannot afford to be dependent on China, Russia, and other adversaries for minerals. We need access to minerals on federal lands. We also need to reinvigorate America’s mining workforce. I applaud the Senate for passing my bipartisan legislation to provide federal assistance to mining programs at public colleges and universities. It’s high time we support and honor the men and women who devote their lives to providing the minerals that we need for our economy and national defense,” said ranking member Barrasso.

According to the Center for Strategic & International Studies, “More than half the current domestic mining workforce will need to…retire[ ] and [be] replaced by 2029 (roughly 221,000 workers). This number stands in stark contrast to the total of just 327 degrees awarded in 2020 in mining and mineral engineering and a 39 percent net drop in graduations in the United States since 2016.”

Senator Barrasso’s Mining Schools Act of 2023 would:

- Establish a grant program for mining schools at four-year public institutions of higher education;

- Authorize $10 million for the grant program for each fiscal year from 2024 through 2031;

- Support student recruitment as well as studies, research projects, and demonstration projects related to mineral production;

- Establish the Mining Professional Development Advisory Board to evaluate applications, recommend recipients to the Secretary of Energy, and conduct oversight to ensure appropriate use of grant funds.

Senator Barrasso introduced S. 912 on March 22, 2023 with ENR chairman Joe Manchin (I-WV). The bill was also cosponsored by Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Krysten Sinema (I-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jon Tester (D-MT), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources reported S. 912 by voice vote on September 21, 2023.