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“THE AGRICULTURAL, RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND EDUCATION REFORM ACT OF 1997” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Senate section on pages S11366-S11368 on Oct. 29, 1997.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE AGRICULTURAL, RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND EDUCATION REFORM ACT OF 1997
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LUGAR (AND HARKIN) AMENDMENT NO. 1527
Mr. JEFFORDS (for Mr. Lugar, for himself and Mr. Harkin) proposed an amendment to the bill (S. 1150) to ensure that federally funded agricultural research, extension, and education address high-priority concerns with national multistate significance, to reform, extend, and eliminate certain agricultural research programs, and for other purposes; as follows:
On page 30, strike lines 7 through 9 and insert the following:
``(a) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Work.--Not more than \2/3\ of the''.
On page 30, strike line 13 and insert the following:
``(b) Administrative Costs.--The Secretary''.
On page 30, strike lines 19 and 20 and insert the following:
``(c) Limitations.--
``(1) Buildings or facilities.--Funds''.
On page 31, strike line 1 and insert the following:
``(2) Equipment purchases.--Of funds''.
On page 31, strike lines 5 through 13 and insert the following:
``(A) $15,000; or
``(B) \1/3\ of the amount of the grant award.''.
On page 33, strike lines 1 and 2 and insert the following:
``(i) as the lead Federal agency--
``(I) the Department of Agriculture; or
``(II) if funding provided for the Plant Genome Initiative through the Department of Agriculture is substantially less than funding provided for the Initiative through another Federal agency, the other Federal agency, as determined by the President; and''.
On page 35, lines 22 through 25, strike ``without regard'' and all that follows through ``2281 et seq.)''.
On page 58, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following:
SEC. 229. KIWIFRUIT RESEARCH, PROMOTION, AND CONSUMER
INFORMATION PROGRAM.
(a) Amendments to Orders.--Section 554(c) of the National Kiwifruit Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Act
(7 U.S.C. 7463(c)) is amended in the second sentence by inserting before the period at the end the following: ``, except that an amendment to an order shall not require a referendum to become effective''.
(b) National Kiwifruit Board.--Section 555 of the National Kiwifruit Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Act
(7 U.S.C. 7464) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking paragraphs (1) through
(3) and inserting the following:
``(1) 10 members who are producers, exporters, or importers
(or their representatives), based on a proportional representation of the level of domestic production and imports of kiwifruit (as determined by the Secretary).
``(2) 1 member appointed from the general public.'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking ``Membership.--'' and all that follows through ``paragraph (2), the'' and inserting ``Membership.--Subject to the 11-member limit, the''; and
(B) by striking paragraph (2); and
(3) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``who are producers'' after ``members'';
(B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``who are importers or exporters'' after ``members''; and
(C) in the second sentence of paragraph (5), by inserting
``and alternate'' after ``member''.
SEC. 230. NATIONAL AQUACULTURE POLICY, PLANNING, AND
DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Definitions.--Section 3 of the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (16 U.S.C. 2802) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``the propagation'' and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following: ``the commercially controlled cultivation of aquatic plants, animals, and microorganisms, but does not include private for-profit ocean ranching of Pacific salmon in a State in which the ranching is prohibited by law.'';
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking ``or aquatic plant'' and inserting ``aquatic plant, or microorganism'';
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (9) as paragraphs (8) through (10), respectively; and
(4) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
``(7) Private aquaculture.--The term `private aquaculture' means the commercially controlled cultivation of aquatic plants, animals, and microorganisms other than cultivation carried out by the Federal Government, any State or local government, or an Indian tribe recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.''.
(b) National Aquaculture Development Plan.--Section 4 of the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (16 U.S.C. 2803) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by adding ``and'' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a period; and
(C) by striking subparagraph (C);
(2) in the second sentence of subsection (d), by striking
``Secretaries determine that'' and inserting ``Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Interior, and the heads of such other agencies as the Secretary determines are appropriate, determines that''; and
(3) in subsection (e), by striking ``Secretaries'' and inserting ``Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Interior, and the heads of such other agencies as the Secretary determines are appropriate,''.
(c) Functions and Powers of Secretaries.--Section 5(b)(3) of the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (16 U.S.C. 2804(b)(3)) is amended by striking ``Secretaries deem'' and inserting ``Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Interior, and the heads of such other agencies as the Secretary determines are appropriate, consider''.
(d) Coordination of National Activities Regarding Aquaculture.--The first sentence of section 6(a) of the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (16 U.S.C. 2805(a)) is amended by striking ``(f)'' and inserting ``(e)''.
(e) National Policy for Private Aquaculture.--The National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (16 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 as sections 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 6 (16 U.S.C. 2805) the following:
``SEC. 7. NATIONAL POLICY FOR PRIVATE AQUACULTURE.
``(a) In General.--In consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary shall coordinate and implement a national policy for private aquaculture in accordance with this section. In developing the policy, the Secretary may consult with other agencies and organizations.
``(b) Department of Agriculture Aquaculture Plan.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop and implement a Department of Agriculture Aquaculture Plan
(referred to in this section as the `Department plan') for a unified aquaculture program of the Department of Agriculture
(referred to in this section as the `Department') to support the development of private aquaculture.
``(2) Elements of department plan.--The Department plan shall address--
``(A) programs of individual agencies of the Department related to aquaculture that are consistent with Department programs related to other areas of agriculture, including livestock, crops, products, and commodities under the jurisdiction of agencies of the Department;
``(B) the treatment of cultivated aquatic animals as livestock and cultivated aquatic plants as agricultural crops; and
``(C) means for effective coordination and implementation of aquaculture activities and programs within the Department, including individual agency commitments of personnel and resources.
``(c) National Aquaculture Information Center.--In carrying out section 5, the Secretary may maintain and support a National Aquaculture Information Center at the National Agricultural Library as a repository for information on national and international aquaculture.
``(d) Treatment of Aquaculture.--The Secretary shall treat--
``(1) private aquaculture as agriculture; and
``(2) commercially cultivated aquatic animals, plants, and microorganisms, and products of the animals, plants, and microorganisms, produced by private persons and transported or moved in standard commodity channels as agricultural livestock, crops, and commodities.
``(e) Private Aquaculture Policy Coordination, Development, and Implementation.--
``(1) Responsibility.--The Secretary shall have responsibility for coordinating, developing, and carrying out policies and programs for private aquaculture.
``(2) Duties.--The Secretary shall--
``(A) coordinate all intradepartmental functions and activities relating to private aquaculture; and
``(B) establish procedures for the coordination of functions, and consultation with, the coordinating group.
``(f) Liaison With Departments of Commerce and the Interior.--The Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior shall each designate an officer or employee of the Department of the Secretary to be the liaison of the Department to the Secretary of Agriculture.''.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 11 of the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (as redesignated by subsection (e)(1)) is amended by striking ``the fiscal years 1991, 1992, and 1993'' each place it appears and inserting
``fiscal years 1991 through 2002''.
On page 66, line 5, insert ``costs and'' after ``regarding the''.
On page 66, between lines 16 and 17, insert the following:
(7) The study of whether precision agriculture technologies are applicable and accessible to small and medium size farms and the study of methods of improving the applicability of precision agriculture technologies to the farms.
On page 74, between lines 2 and 3, insert the following:
SEC. 237. COORDINATED PROGRAM OF RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND
EDUCATION TO IMPROVE VIABILITY OF SMALL AND
MEDIUM SIZE DAIRY AND LIVESTOCK OPERATIONS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary may carry out a coordinated program of research, extension, and education to improve the competitiveness, viability, and sustainability of small and medium size dairy and livestock operations (referred to in this section as ``operations'').
(b) Components.--To the extent the Secretary elects to carry out the program, the Secretary shall conduct--
(1) research, development, and on-farm extension and education concerning low-cost production facilities and practices, management systems, and genetics that are appropriate for the operations;
(2) research and extension on management-intensive grazing systems for livestock and dairy production to realize the potential for reduced capital and feed costs through greater use of management skills, labor availability optimization, and the natural benefits of grazing pastures;
(3) research and extension on integrated crop and livestock systems that increase efficiencies, reduce costs, and prevent environmental pollution to strengthen the competitive position of the operations;
(4) economic analyses and market feasibility studies to identify new and expanded opportunities for producers on the operations that provide tools and strategies to meet consumer demand in domestic and international markets, such as cooperative marketing and value-added strategies for milk and meat production and processing; and
(5) technology assessment that compares the technological resources of large specialized producers with the technological needs of producers on the operations to identify and transfer existing technology across all sizes and scales and to identify the specific research and education needs of the producers.
(c) Administration.--The Secretary may use the funds, facilities, and technical expertise of the Agricultural Research Service and the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service and other funds available to the Secretary (other than funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation) to carry out this section.
SEC. 238. SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH REGARDING DISEASES OF WHEAT
AND BARLEY CAUSED BY FUSARIUM GRAMINEARUM.
(a) Research Grant Authorized.--The Secretary may make a grant to a consortium of land-grant colleges and universities to enhance the ability of the consortium to carry out a multi-State research project aimed at understanding and combating diseases of wheat and barley caused by Fusarium graminearum and related fungi (referred to in this section as
``wheat scab'').
(b) Research Components.--Funds provided under this section shall be available for the following collaborative, multi-State research activities:
(1) Identification and understanding of the epidemiology of wheat scab and the toxicological properties of vomitoxin, a toxic metabolite commonly occurring in wheat and barley infected with wheat scab.
(2) Development of crop management strategies to reduce the risk of wheat scab occurrence.
(3) Development of--
(A) efficient and accurate methods to monitor wheat and barley for the presence of wheat scab and resulting vomitoxin contamination;
(B) post-harvest management techniques for wheat and barley infected with wheat scab; and
(C) milling and food processing techniques to render contaminated grain safe.
(4) Strengthening and expansion of plant-breeding activities to enhance the resistance of wheat and barley to wheat scab, including the establishment of a regional advanced breeding material evaluation nursery and a germplasm introduction and evaluation system.
(5) Development and deployment of alternative fungicide application systems and formulations to control wheat scab and consideration of other chemical control strategies to assist farmers until new more resistant wheat and barley varieties are available.
(c) Communications Networks.--Funds provided under this section shall be available for efforts to concentrate, integrate, and disseminate research, extension, and outreach-orientated information regarding wheat scab.
(d) Management.--To oversee the use of a grant made under this section, the Secretary may establish a committee composed of the directors of the agricultural experiment stations in the States in which land-grant colleges and universities that are members of the consortium are located.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,200,000 for each of fiscal years 1998 through 2002.
SEC. 239. FOOD ANIMAL RESIDUE AVOIDANCE DATABASE PROGRAM.
(a) Continuation of Program.--The Secretary shall continue operation of the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Database program (referred to in this section as the ``FARAD program'') through contracts with appropriate colleges or universities.
(b) Activities.--In carrying out the FARAD program, the Secretary shall--
(1) provide livestock producers, extension specialists, scientists, and veterinarians with information to prevent drug, pesticide, and environmental contaminant residues in food animal products;
(2) maintain up-to-date information concerning--
(A) withdrawal times on FDA-approved food animal drugs and appropriate withdrawal intervals for drugs used in food animals in the United States, as established under section 512(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 360b(a));
(B) official tolerances for drugs and pesticides in tissues, eggs, and milk;
(C) descriptions and sensitivities of rapid screening tests for detecting residues in tissues, eggs, and milk; and
(D) data on the distribution and fate of chemicals in food animals;
(3) publish periodically a compilation of food animal drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration;
(4) make information on food animal drugs available to the public through handbooks and other literature, computer software, a telephone hotline, and the Internet;
(5) furnish producer quality-assurance programs with up-to-date data on approved drugs;
(6) maintain a comprehensive and up-to-date, residue avoidance database;
(7) provide professional advice for determining the withdrawal times necessary for food safety in the use of drugs in food animals; and
(8) engage in other activities designed to promote food safety.
(c) Contracts.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall offer to enter into contracts with appropriate colleges and universities to operate the FARAD program.
(2) Term.--The term of a contract under subsection (a) shall be 3 years, with options to extend the term of the contract triennially.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000 for each fiscal year.
SEC. 240. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN RURAL AREAS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary may provide financial assistance to a nationally recognized organization to promote educational opportunities at the primary and secondary levels in rural areas with a historic incidence of poverty and low academic achievement, including the Lower Mississippi River Delta.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section up to
$10,000,000 for each fiscal year.
On page 79, line 15, before the period, insert ``, including the viability and competitiveness of small and medium sized dairy, livestock, crop, and other commodity operations''.
On page 84, after line 24, insert the following:
(3) in section 1676(e) (7 U.S.C. 5929(e)), by striking
``fiscal year 1997'' and inserting ``each of fiscal years 1997 through 2002'';''.
On page 85, line 1, strike ``(3)'' and insert ``(4)''.
On page 85, line 3, strike ``(4)'' and insert ``(5)''.
On page 86, strike lines 16 through 20.
On page 87, line 5, strike ``1670, 1675, and 1676'' and insert ``1670 and 1675''.
On page 87, line 7, strike ``, 5929''.
Beginning on page 89, strike line 18 and all that follows through page 91, line 16, and insert the following:
(a) Food Stamps.--Section 16 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977
(7 U.S.C. 2025) is amended--
(1) in the first sentence of subsection (a), by striking
``The Secretary'' and inserting ``Subject to subsection (k), the Secretary''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(k) Reductions in Payments for Administrative Costs.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) AFDC program.--The term `AFDC program' means the program of aid to families with dependent children established under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq. (as in effect, with respect to a State, during the base period for that State)).
``(B) Base period.--The term `base period' means the period used to determine the amount of the State family assistance grant for a State under section 403 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 603).
``(C) Medicaid program.--The term `medicaid program' means the program of medical assistance under a State plan or under a waiver of the plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).
``(2) Determinations of amounts attributable to benefiting programs.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture and the States, shall, with respect to the base period for each State, determine--
``(A) the annualized amount the State received under section 403(a)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 603(a)(3) (as in effect during the base period)) for administrative costs common to determining the eligibility of individuals, families, and households eligible or applying for the AFDC program and the food stamp program, the AFDC program and the medicaid program, and the AFDC program, the food stamp program, and the medicaid program that were allocated to the AFDC program; and
``(B) the annualized amount the State would have received under section 403(a)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 603(a)(3) (as so in effect)), section 1903(a)(7) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(a)(7) (as so in effect)), and subsection (a) of this section (as so in effect), for administrative costs common to determining the eligibility of individuals, families, and households eligible or applying for the AFDC program and the food stamp program, the AFDC program and the medicaid program, and the AFDC program, the food stamp program, and the medicaid program, if those costs had been allocated equally among such programs for which the individual, family, or household was eligible or applied for.
``(3) Reduction in payment.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, effective for each of fiscal years 1998 through 2002, the Secretary shall reduce, for each fiscal year, the amount paid under subsection (a) to each State by an amount equal to the amount determined for the food stamp program under paragraph (2)(B).
``(4) Determinations not subject to review.--The determinations of the Secretary of Health and Human Services under paragraph (2) shall be final and not subject to administrative or judicial review.
``(5) Allocation of common administrative costs.--In allocating administrative costs common to determining the eligibility of individuals, families, and households eligible or applying for 2 or more State-administered public benefit programs, the head of a Federal agency may require States to allocate the costs among the programs.''.
On page 98, between lines 17 and 18, insert the following:
(d) Food Stamp Eligibility for Certain Indians.--
(1) Exception for certain indians.--Section 402(a)(2)(G) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(a)(2)(G)) is amended--
(A) in the subparagraph heading, by striking ``SSI exception'' and inserting ``Exception''; and
(B) by striking ``program defined in paragraph (3)(A)
(relating to the supplemental security income program)'' and inserting ``specified Federal programs described in paragraph
(3)''.
(2) Benefits for certain indians.--Section 403(d) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1613(d)) is amended--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``SSI and Medicaid''; and
(B) by striking ``(a)(3)(A)'' and inserting ``(a)(3)''.
Beginning on page 99, strike line 1 and all that follows through page 101, line 4.
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