50 U.S.C. § 98b: National Defense Stockpile

Subject to subsection (c), the President shall determine from time to time (1) which materials are strategic and critical materials for the purposes of this subchapter, and (2) the quality and quantity of each such material to be acquired for the purposes of this subchapter and the form in which each such material shall be acquired and stored. Such materials when acquired, together with the other materials described in section 98c of this title , shall constitute and be collectively known as the National Defense Stockpile (hereinafter in this subchapter referred to as the “stockpile”). The President shall make the determinations required to be made under subsection (a) on the basis of the principles stated in section 98a(c) of this title . The quantity of any material to be stockpiled under this subchapter, as in effect on September 30, 1987 , may be changed only as provided in this subsection or as otherwise provided by law enacted after December 4, 1987 . The President shall notify Congress in writing of any increase proposed to be made in the quantity of any material to be stockpiled that involves the acquisition of additional materials for the stockpile. The President may make the increase after the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date of the notification. The President shall include a full explanation and justification for the proposed increase with the notification. The Secretary of Defense shall consult with the head of any agency responsible for the development of an environmental document for a project that will result in an increase in the availability of strategic and critical materials for acquisition for the Stockpile. The term ‘agency’ has the meaning given such term in section 551 of title 5 , United States Code. The term ‘environmental document’ has the meaning given that term in section 111 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4336e ). The term ‘Stockpile’ means the National Defense Stockpile established under section 3 of the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act ( 50 U.S.C. 98b ). The term ‘strategic and critical materials’ means materials, including rare earth elements, that are necessary to meet national defense and national security requirements, including requirements relating to supply chain resiliency, and for the economic security of the United States.”