Funding for Student Scholarships for the 1890s Land-Grant African-American Colleges and Universities Act

Summary: Funding for Student Scholarships for the 1890s Land-Grant African-American Colleges and Universities Act  This bill amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to establish and provide funding for a grant program within the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for scholarships for students at 1890 land-grant colleges and universities (historically black colleges and universities established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890). USDA may award the scholarships to students who: (1) are seeking to attend such a college or university, and (2) intend to pursue a career in the food and agricultural sciences.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Funding for 
Student Scholarships for the 1890s Land-Grant African-American Colleges 
and Universities Act''.
    (b) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Act of August 30, 1890 (26 Stat. 419, chapter 841; 
        7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), brought about the establishment of the 
        following 19 public, African-American land-grant colleges and 
        universities:
                    (A) Alabama A&M University.
                    (B) Alcorn State University.
                    (C) Central State University.
                    (D) Delaware State University.
                    (E) Florida A&M University.
                    (F) Fort Valley State University.
                    (G) Kentucky State University.
                    (H) Langston University.
                    (I) Lincoln University.
                    (J) North Carolina A&T State University.
                    (K) Prairie View A&M University.
                    (L) South Carolina State University.
                    (M) Southern University System.
                    (N) Tennessee State University.
                    (O) Tuskegee University.
                    (P) University of Arkansas Pine Bluff.
                    (Q) University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
                    (R) Virginia State University.
                    (S) West Virginia State University.
            (2) Funding for agricultural education, research, and 
        extension at such colleges and universities is authorized to be 
        appropriated to the Department of Agriculture with each farm 
        bill, which is enacted approximately every 5 years.
            (3) The Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79) 
        authorizes the appropriation of Federal funds for research, 
        education, and extension activities at such colleges and 
        universities and the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
        Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
        2016 (Division A of Public Law 114-113) appropriated 
        $19,000,000 for education grants for such colleges and 
        universities.
            (4) There is a great need to increase the number of young 
        African-Americans seeking careers in the food and agricultural 
        sciences (as defined in section 1404 of the National 
        Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
        1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)), including agribusiness, food production, 
        distribution, and retailing, the clothing industries, energy 
        and renewable fuels, and farming marketing, finance, and 
        distribution.
            (5) Scholarship funding provided to increase the number of 
        young African-American individuals seeking a career in the food 
        and agricultural sciences shall be provided with the caveat 
        that such scholarship students shall commit to pursue a career 
        in the food and agricultural sciences, including agribusiness, 
        food production, distribution, and retailing, the clothing 
        industries, energy and renewable fuels, and farming marketing, 
        finance, and distribution.
            (6) The average age of farmers and producers in the United 
        States is 60 years of age and continues to rise.
            (7) Beginning farmers and ranchers (as defined in section 
        7405 of Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 
        U.S.C. 3319f)) need greater assistance in the financing of 
        their education because of the increased startup costs 
        associated with farming, such as the purchase of land and 
        farming equipment.
    (c) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are the following:
            (1) To address the national crisis posed by the aging 
        farmer and producer population in the United States.
            (2) To increase the number of young African-American 
        individuals seeking a career in the food and agricultural 
        sciences (as defined in section 1404 of the National 
        Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
        1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)), including agribusiness, food production, 
        distribution, and retailing, the clothing industries, energy 
        and renewable fuels, and farming marketing, finance, and 
        distribution.
            (3) To reduce the average age of farmers and producers in 
        the United States.
            (4) To provide greater assistance to beginning farmers and 
        ranchers (as defined in section 7405 of Farm Security and Rural 
        Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3319f)).
            (5) To provide scholarships to 1890 land-grant students 
        seeking careers in the food and agricultural sciences.

SEC. 2. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING 1890-INSTITUTIONS.

    Subtitle G of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 is amended by inserting after section 1445 
(7 U.S.C. 3222) the following new section:

``SEC. 1446. SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS AT 1890 LAND-GRANT COLLEGES, 
              INCLUDING TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a grant program 
under which the Secretary will award a grant to each college eligible 
to receive funds under the Act of August 30, 1890 (26 Stat. 417-419, as 
amended; 7 U.S.C. 321-326 and 328), including Tuskegee University (in 
this section referred to as `eligible institutions') for purposes of 
awarding scholarships to individuals who--
            ``(1) are seeking to attend such college; and
            ``(2) intend to pursue a career in the food and 
        agricultural sciences, including a career in agribusiness, food 
        production, distribution, and retailing, the clothing 
        industries, energy and renewable fuels, and farming marketing, 
        finance, and distribution.
    ``(b) Funding.--
            ``(1) In general.--Of the funds of the Commodity Credit 
        Corporation, the Secretary shall make available to carry out 
        this section $19,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 
        2022.
            ``(2) Allocation.--Of the funds made available under 
        paragraph (1) in a fiscal year, the Secretary shall allocate to 
        each eligible institution $1,000,000.''.