---
kind: "section"
citation: "50 U.S.C. § 98h–3"
title: "50"
title_heading: "War and National Defense"
number: "98h–3"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/50/98h-3"
units:
  - "Chapter 5 — Arsenals, Armories, Arms, and War Material Generally"
  - "Subchapter III — Acquisition and Development of Strategic Raw Materials"
---

# §98h–3. Definitions


For the purposes of this subchapter:

- (1) The term “strategic and critical materials” means materials that (A) would be needed to supply the military, industrial, and essential civilian needs of the United States during a [national emergency](#2), and (B) are not found or produced in the United States in sufficient quantities to meet such need.
- (2) The term “national emergency” means a general declaration of emergency with respect to the national defense made by the President or by the Congress.
- (3) The term “reliable source” mean a citizen or business entity organized under the laws of—
  - (A) the United States or any territory or possession of the United States;
  - (B) a country of the national technology and industrial base, as such term is defined in [section 4801 of title 10](/usc/10/4801.md); or
  - (C) a qualifying country, as defined in section 225.003 of the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement or any successor document.

## Source credit

(June 7, 1939, ch. 190, § 12, as added Pub. L. 96–41, § 2(a), July 30, 1979, 93 Stat. 324; amended Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XIV, § 1411(2), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2018; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XIV, § 1411(e)(2)(C), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 528.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2023—Par. (3). Pub. L. 118–31 added par. (3) and struck out former par. (3) which read as follows: “The term ‘national technology and industrial base’ has the meaning given such term in section 2500 of title 10.”

2021—Par. (3). Pub. L. 117–81 added par. (3).