REPORT ON RARE EARTH MATERIALS IN THE DEFENSE SUPPLY CHAIN.

SEC. 843. REPORT ON RARE EARTH MATERIALS IN THE DEFENSE SUPPLY CHAIN.(a) Report Required.—Not later than April 1, 2010, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services 123 STAT. 2419 of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on rare earth materials in the supply chain of the Department of Defense.(b) Matters Addressed.—The report required by subsection (a) shall address, at a minimum, the following:(1) An analysis of the current and projected domestic and worldwide availability of rare earths for use in defense systems, including an analysis of projected availability of these materials in the export market.(2) An analysis of actions or events outside the control of the Government of the United States that could restrict the access of the Department of Defense to rare earth materials, such as past procurements and attempted procurements of rare earth mines and mineral rights.(3) A determination as to which defense systems are currently dependent on, or projected to become dependent on, rare earth materials, particularly neodymium iron boron magnets, whose supply could be restricted—(A) by actions or events identified pursuant to paragraph (2); or(B) by other actions or events outside the control of the Government of the United States.(4) The risk to national security, if any, of the dependencies (current or projected) identified pursuant to paragraph (3).(5) Any steps that the Department of Defense has taken or is planning to take to address any such risk to national security.(6) Such recommendations for further action to address the matters covered by the report as the Comptroller General considers appropriate.(c) Definitions.—In this section:(1) The term “rare earth” means the chemical elements, all metals, beginning with lanthanum, atomic number 57, and including all of the natural chemical elements in the periodic table following lanthanum up to and including lutetium, element number 71. The term also includes the elements yttrium and scandium.(2) The term “rare earth material” includes rare earth ores, semi-finished rare earth products, and components containing rare earth materials.