I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2621 

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a forestry education 

and workforce development grant program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 16, 2021 

Mr. FULCHER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, 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 to carry out a forestry 

education and workforce development grant program, 

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. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Forestry Education 

5 and Workforce Development Act of 2021’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FORESTRY EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVEL2 OPMENT GRANT PROGRAM. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall 

4 establish a competitive grant program to make grants to 

5 eligible institutions to carry out forestry education and 

6 workforce development programs to prepare students for 

7 careers in forestry. 

8 (b) PROPOSAL.—To be eligible to receive a grant 

9 under this section, an eligible institution shall submit to 

10 the Secretary of Agriculture a proposal at such time, in 

11 such manner, and containing such information as the Sec12 retary may require. 

13 (c) EQUITABLE AWARDS.—For each fiscal year for 

14 which grants are awarded under this section, the amount 

15 of grant funds awarded to eligible institutions described 

16 in paragraph (1) of subsection (f) shall be equal to the 

17 amount of grant funds awarded to eligible institutions de18 scribed in paragraphs (2) and (3) of such subsection. 

19 (d) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—Grants made under this sec21 tion shall be used to— 

22 (A) award scholarships to students enrolled 

23 in the eligible institution and pursuing degrees 

24 in forestry, including students historically 

25 underrepresented in the field of forestry; 


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1 (B) expand, enhance, or improve forestry 

2 educational capacities of the eligible institution, 

3 including libraries, curriculum, faculty, and sci4 entific instrumentation; 

5 (C) recruit and retain— 

6 (i) secondary school or undergraduate 

7 students to pursue certifications in forestry 

8 or acquire training in technical forestry 

9 skills, including students historically 

10 underrepresented in the field of forestry; or 

11 (ii) undergraduate and graduate stu12 dents to pursue degrees in forestry, includ13 ing students historically underrepresented 

14 in the field of forestry; 

15 (D) design and develop resources or pro16 grams that prepare students enrolled in the eli17 gible institution for careers in forestry, includ18 ing internship and apprenticeship programs; 

19 (E) provide hands-on training and research 

20 opportunities for such students; or 

21 (F) carry out any other activity the Sec22 retary of Agriculture determines appropriate. 

23 (2) CLARIFICATION OF FORESTRY EDU24 CATION.—For purposes of paragraph (1), the terms 

25 ‘‘degrees in forestry’’, ‘‘certifications in forestry’’, 


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1 and ‘‘training in technical forestry skills’’ include de2 grees, certifications, and training in forestry, forest 

3 sciences, natural resources management, or other re4 lated educational disciplines. 

5 (e) PAYMENT OF NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—As a con6 dition of receiving a grant under this section, the Sec7 retary of Agriculture shall require the recipient of the 

8 grant to provide funds or in-kind support from non-Fed9 eral sources in an amount that is specified by the Sec10 retary and based on assessed institutional needs. 

11 (f) ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION DEFINED.—In this sec12 tion, the term ‘‘eligible institution’’ means— 

13 (1) a land grant college or university, including 

14 an institution eligible to receive funding under— 

15 (A) the Act of July 2, 1862; 

16 (B) the Act of August 30, 1890, including 

17 Tuskegee University; 

18 (C) Public Law 87–788 (commonly known 

19 as the ‘‘McIntire-Stennis Act of 1962’’); or 

20 (D) the Equity in Educational Land-Grant 

21 Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note); 

22 (2) a community college or area career and 

23 technical education school (as defined in section 3 of 

24 the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education 

25 Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302)); or 


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1 (3) an institution of higher education (as de2 fined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 

3 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)). 

4 (g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

5 are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 

6 $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2030 

7 to carry out this section. 

8 SEC. 3. CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CENTERS REFOREST9 ATION ACTIVITIES. 

10 Section 147(d) of the Workforce Innovation and Op11 portunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3197(d)) is amended by adding 

12 at the end the following: 

13 ‘‘(4) REFORESTATION ACTIVITIES.—Enrollees 

14 in Civilian Conservation Centers may provide assist15 ance in carrying out reforestation activities in pri16 ority areas, as determined by the Secretary of Agri17 culture.’’. 

Æ 


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