[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8613 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8613
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Director of the National
Science Foundation to carry out cross-cutting and collaborative
research and development activities focused on the joint advancement of
Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation mission
requirements and priorities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 4, 2024
Mr. Lucas (for himself and Ms. Salinas) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Director of the National
Science Foundation to carry out cross-cutting and collaborative
research and development activities focused on the joint advancement of
Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation mission
requirements and priorities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``NSF and USDA Interagency Research
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COORDINATION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture (in this section
referred to as the ``Secretary'') and the Director of the National
Science Foundation (in this section referred to as the ``Director'')
shall carry out cross-cutting and collaborative research and
development activities focused on the joint advancement of Department
of Agriculture and National Science Foundation mission requirements and
priorities.
(b) Memoranda of Understanding.--The Secretary and the Director
shall coordinate the activities under subsection (a) through the
establishment of memoranda of understanding or other appropriate
interagency agreements. Such memoranda or agreements, as the case may
be, shall require the use of a competitive, merit review process, as
appropriate. Such activities may include components proposed by Federal
agencies, institutions of higher education, non-profit institutions,
and other appropriate entities, as determined appropriate under the
memoranda or agreements.
(c) Coordination.--In carrying out the activities under subsection
(a), the Secretary and the Director may--
(1) conduct collaborative research in a variety of focus
areas, such as--
(A) plant, animal, and microbial biology relevant
to agricultural challenges;
(B) food and nutrition security;
(C) rural economic revitalization;
(D) cyber-physical systems;
(E) smart and connected communities;
(F) advanced sensors and models of soil and plant
processes;
(G) nano-biosensing and analytical technologies to
improve food safety, water quality, biosecurity, plant
and animal diseases, and soil health;
(H) monitoring of food- or water-borne pathogens,
allergens, and accidental, natural, or intentional bio-
or chemical contaminants;
(I) key emerging technology areas such as
artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation,
robotics, digital agriculture, and information and
communication technology for agricultural uses;
(J) development and testing of new precision
agriculture tools; and
(K) workforce needs, education, and development;
(2) promote collaboration, open community-based
development, and data and information sharing between Federal
agencies, institutions of higher education, community colleges,
area career and technical education schools, nonprofit
institutions, and other appropriate entities by providing the
necessary access and secure data and information transfer
capabilities;
(3) support research infrastructure, including new
facilities, equipment and broadband deployment, as the
Secretary and Director determine necessary;
(4) develop translational technologies for commercial
utilization;
(5) organize education, training, and research initiatives
relating to STEM education and workforce development, which may
include--
(A) activities supported by the Cooperative
Extension System;
(B) industrial partnership programs;
(C) workshops for educating preschool through grade
12 teachers on how to increase agricultural literacy;
(D) development of agricultural-based science
curricula for kindergarten through grade 12 students;
and
(E) distribution of resources for educators to
implement curricula, such as the workshops developed
under subparagraph (C);
(6) award grants to institutions of higher education,
community colleges, area career and technical education
schools, or eligible nonprofit institutions (or consortia
thereof), to establish a Center for Agricultural Research,
Education, and Workforce Development; and
(7) facilitate relationships between public and private
entities to carry out the activities specified in paragraphs
(1) through (6) upon the termination of any agreement entered
into under subsection (b).
(d) Agreements.--In carrying out the activities under subsection
(a), the Secretary and the Director are authorized to--
(1) carry out reimbursable agreements between the
Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, and
other entities in order to maximize the effectiveness of
research and development; and
(2) collaborate with other Federal agencies, as
appropriate.
(e) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the appropriate committees of Congress, a report
detailing the following:
(1) Interagency coordination between each Federal agency
involved in the research and development activities carried out
under this section.
(2) Potential opportunities to expand the technical
capabilities of the Department of Agriculture and the National
Science Foundation.
(3) Collaborative research achievements.
(4) Areas of future mutually beneficial successes.
(5) Continuation of coordination activities between the
Department of Agriculture and the National Science Foundation.
(f) Research Security.--The activities authorized under this
section shall be applied in a manner consistent with subtitle D of
title VI of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation
Act (enacted as division B of the CHIPS Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-
167; 42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.)).
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means each of the
following committees:
(A) The Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives.
(B) The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
of the House of Representatives.
(C) The Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate.
(D) The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry of the Senate.
(2) Area career and technical education school.--The term
``area career and technical education school'' has the meaning
given such term in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
(3) Community college.--The term ``community college'' has
the meaning given such term in section 3167B of the Energy
Science Education Enhancement Act (42 U.S.C. 7381c-3).
(4) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
<all>