I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9936 

To amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy 

Act of 1977 with respect to workforce development, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 4, 2024 

Ms. SPANBERGER (for herself and Mr. MOLINARO) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 

and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 with respect to workforce development, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. 

4 (a) GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS FOR FOOD AND AG5 RICULTURAL SCIENCES EDUCATION.—Section 1417 of the 

6 National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching 

7 Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3152) is amended— 

8 (1) in subsection (b)— 

9 (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 

10 by inserting ‘‘, junior or community colleges, 


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1 and postsecondary vocational instutitions’’ after 

2 ‘‘other colleges and universities’’; and 

3 (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘food 

4 and agricultural sciences teaching programs, or 

5 teaching programs emphasizing’’ and inserting 

6 ‘‘teaching programs, including paid, work-based 

7 learning, for food and agricultural sciences or’’; 

8 (2) in subsection (c)— 

9 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

10 the end; 

11 (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the pe12 riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

13 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

14 ‘‘(3) applications for teaching enhancement 

15 projects, including paid, work-based learning, that 

16 address a need for additional trained professionals in 

17 food and agricultural sciences or rural economic de18 velopment, community development, or business de19 velopment.’’; 

20 (3) in subsection (j)(1), in the matter preceding 

21 subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘subsection’’ and in22 serting ‘‘section’’; 

23 (4) in subsection (m)— 

24 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

25 the end; 


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1 (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the pe2 riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

3 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

4 ‘‘(3) $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 

5 through 2030.’’; and 

6 (5) by adding at the end the following: 

7 ‘‘(n) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

8 ‘‘(1) The term ‘junior or community college’ 

9 has the meaning given such term in section 312(f) 

10 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

11 1058(f)). 

12 ‘‘(2) The term ‘postsecondary vocational insti13 tution’ has the meaning given such term in section 

14 102(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 

15 U.S.C. 1002(c)). 

16 ‘‘(3) The term ‘work-based learning’ has the 

17 meaning given such term in section 3 of the Carl D. 

18 Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 

19 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).’’. 

20 (b) EXPERIENCED SERVICES PROGRAM.—Section 

21 1252(a)(2) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 

22 3851(a)(2)) is amended— 

23 (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

24 the end; 


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1 (2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period 

2 at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

3 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

4 ‘‘(F) assisting cooperative initiatives under 

5 section 1417(b)(3) of the National Agricultural 

6 Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act 

7 of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(3)) to improve high8 er education teaching programs, including paid, 

9 work-based learning, at— 

10 ‘‘(i) land-grant colleges and univer11 sities (including the University of the Dis12 trict of Columbia); 

13 ‘‘(ii) colleges and universities having 

14 significant minority enrollments and a de15 monstrable capacity to carry out the teach16 ing of food and agricultural sciences; and 

17 ‘‘(iii) other colleges and universities, 

18 junior or community colleges (as defined in 

19 section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act 

20 of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(f))), and postsec21 ondary vocational institutions (as defined 

22 in section 102(c) of the Higher Education 

23 Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(c))) having a 

24 demonstrable capacity to carry out the 


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1 teaching of food and agricultural 

2 sciences.’’. 

3 (c) COMPETITIVE, SPECIAL, AND FACILITIES RE4 SEARCH GRANTS.—Subsection (b) of the Competitive, 

5 Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 

6 3157(b)) is amended— 

7 (1) in paragraph (6)(A), by striking ‘‘teaching’’ 

8 and inserting ‘‘teaching, including paid work-based 

9 learning (as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Per10 kins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 

11 (20 U.S.C. 2302)),’’; and 

12 (2) in paragraph (7)(B), by inserting ‘‘, junior 

13 or community colleges (as defined in section 312(f) 

14 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

15 1058(f))), and postsecondary vocational institutions 

16 (as defined in section 102(c) of the Higher Edu17 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(c)))’’ after ‘‘col18 leges and universities’’. 

19 SEC. 2. NRCS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY. 

20 Section 1242 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

21 U.S.C. 3842) is amended by adding at the end the fol22 lowing: 

23 ‘‘(j) NRCS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY.— 

24 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may ap25 point, without regard to the provisions of subchapter 


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1 I of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code (other 

2 than sections 3303 and 3328 of such title), qualified 

3 candidates, as described in paragraph (2), directly to 

4 positions within the Natural Resources Conservation 

5 Service that provide technical assistance under con6 servation programs administered by the Natural Re7 sources Conservation Service. 

8 ‘‘(2) QUALIFICATIONS.—Paragraph (1) applies 

9 to a candidate who— 

10 ‘‘(A) is qualified to provide the technical 

11 assistance described in paragraph (1), as deter12 mined by the Secretary; and 

13 ‘‘(B) meets qualification standards estab14 lished by the Office of Personnel Manage15 ment.’’. 

Æ 


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