II 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2432 

To amend the charter of the Future Farmers of America, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 15, 2018 

Mr. YOUNG (for himself, Mr. DONNELLY, Mr. LANKFORD, and Mr. JONES) 

introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To amend the charter of the Future Farmers of America, 

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 ‘‘National FFA Organi5 zation’s Federal Charter Amendments Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ORGANIZATION. 

7 Section 70901 of title 36, United States Code, is 

8 amended— 

9 (1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘corporation’’ 

10 and inserting ‘‘FFA’’; and 


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1 (2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘corporation’’ 

2 and inserting ‘‘FFA’’. 

3 SEC. 3. PURPOSES OF THE CORPORATION. 

4 Section 70902 of title 36, United States Code, is 

5 amended— 

6 (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 

7 striking ‘‘corporation’’ and inserting ‘‘FFA’’; 

8 (2) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 

9 paragraphs (7) and (8), respectively; 

10 (3) by striking paragraphs (3), (4), (6), and 

11 (7); 

12 (4) by redesignating paragraph (5) as para13 graph (11); 

14 (5) by redesignating paragraphs (8) and (9) as 

15 paragraphs (12) and (13), respectively; 

16 (6) by inserting before paragraph (7), as redes17 ignated by paragraph (2), the following: 

18 ‘‘(1) to be an integral component of instruction 

19 in agricultural education, including instruction relat20 ing to agriculture, food, and natural resources; 

21 ‘‘(2) to advance comprehensive agricultural edu22 cation in the United States, including in public 

23 schools, by supporting contextual classroom and lab24 oratory instruction and work-based experiential 

25 learning; 


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1 ‘‘(3) to prepare students for successful entry 

2 into productive careers in fields relating to agri3 culture, food, and natural resources, including by 

4 connecting students to relevant postsecondary edu5 cational pathways and focusing on the complete de6 livery of classroom and laboratory instruction, work7 based experiential learning, and leadership develop8 ment; 

9 ‘‘(4) to be a resource and support organization 

10 that does not select, control, or supervise State asso11 ciation, local chapter, or individual member activi12 ties; 

13 ‘‘(5) to develop educational materials, pro14 grams, services, and events as a service to State and 

15 local agricultural education agencies; 

16 ‘‘(6) to seek and promote inclusion and diver17 sity in its membership, leadership, and staff to re18 flect the belief of the FFA in the value of all human 

19 beings;’’; 

20 (7) in paragraph (7), as redesignated by para21 graph (2)— 

22 (A) by striking ‘‘composed of students and 

23 former students of vocational agriculture in 

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1 ment under the Smith-Hughes Vocational Edu2 cation Act (20 U.S.C. 11–15, 16–28’’; and 

3 (B) by inserting ‘‘as such chapters and as4 sociations carry out agricultural education pro5 grams that are approved by States, territories, 

6 or possessions’’ after ‘‘United States’’; 

7 (8) in paragraph (8), as redesignated by para8 graph (2)— 

9 (A) by striking ‘‘to develop’’ and inserting 

10 ‘‘to build’’; 

11 (B) by striking ‘‘train for useful citizen12 ship, and foster patriotism, and thereby’’ and 

13 inserting ‘‘and’’; and 

14 (C) by striking ‘‘aggressive rural and’’ and 

15 inserting ‘‘assertive’’; 

16 (9) by inserting after paragraph (8), as redesig17 nated by paragraph (2), the following: 

18 ‘‘(9) to increase awareness of the global and 

19 technological importance of agriculture, food, and 

20 natural resources, and the way agriculture contrib21 utes to our well-being; 

22 ‘‘(10) to promote the intelligent choice and es23 tablishment of a career in fields relating to agri24 culture, food, and natural resources;’’; 


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1 (10) in paragraph (11), as redesignated by 

2 paragraph (4)— 

3 (A) by striking ‘‘to procure for and dis4 tribute to State’’ and inserting ‘‘to make avail5 able to State’’; 

6 (B) by inserting ‘‘, programs, services,’’ 

7 before ‘‘and equipment’’; and 

8 (C) by striking ‘‘corporation’’ and inserting 

9 ‘‘FFA’’; 

10 (11) in paragraph (12), as redesignated by 

11 paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘State boards for voca12 tional’’ and inserting ‘‘State boards and officials for 

13 career and technical’’; and 

14 (12) in paragraph (13), as redesignated by 

15 paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘corporation’’ and insert16 ing ‘‘FFA’’. 

17 SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. 

18 Section 70903 of title 36, United States Code is 

19 amended— 

20 (1) in subsection (a)— 

21 (A) by striking ‘‘corporation’’ and inserting 

22 ‘‘FFA’’; and 

23 (B) by striking ‘‘as provided in the by24 laws’’ and inserting ‘‘as provided in the con25 stitution or bylaws of the FFA’’; and 


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1 (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 

2 following: 

3 ‘‘(b) VOTING.—Except as provided in this chapter, 

4 the voting rights of members and the election process are 

5 as provided in the constitution or bylaws of the FFA.’’. 

6 SEC. 5. GOVERNING BODY. 

7 Section 70904 of title 36, United States Code, is 

8 amended— 

9 (1) in subsection (a)— 

10 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘corpora11 tion’’ and inserting ‘‘FFA’’ each place the term 

12 appears; 

13 (B) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and 

14 inserting the following: 

15 ‘‘(2) The board— 

16 ‘‘(A) shall consist of— 

17 ‘‘(i) the Secretary of Education, or 

18 the Secretary of Education’s designee who 

19 has experience in agricultural education, 

20 the FFA, or career and technical edu21 cation; and 

22 ‘‘(ii) other individuals— 

23 ‘‘(I) representing the fields of 

24 education, agriculture, food, and nat25 ural resources; or 


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1 ‘‘(II) with experience working 

2 closely with the FFA; and 

3 ‘‘(B) shall not include any individual who 

4 is a current employee of the National FFA Or5 ganization. 

6 ‘‘(3) The number of directors, terms of office of 

7 the directors, and the method of selecting the direc8 tors, are as provided in the constitution or bylaws of 

9 the FFA.’’; and 

10 (C) in paragraph (4)— 

11 (i) in the first sentence, by striking 

12 ‘‘bylaws’’ and inserting ‘‘constitution or 

13 bylaws of the FFA’’; and 

14 (ii) in the third sentence, by striking 

15 ‘‘chairman’’ and inserting ‘‘chair’’; 

16 (2) by striking subsection (b); and 

17 (3) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol18 lowing: 

19 ‘‘(b) OFFICERS.—The officers of the FFA, the terms 

20 of officers, and the election of officers, are as provided 

21 in the constitution or bylaws of the FFA, except that such 

22 officers shall include— 

23 ‘‘(1) a national advisor; 

24 ‘‘(2) an executive secretary; and 

25 ‘‘(3) a treasurer. 


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1 ‘‘(c) GOVERNING COMMITTEE.— 

2 ‘‘(1) The board may designate a governing com3 mittee. The terms and method of selecting the gov4 erning committee members are as provided in the 

5 constitution or bylaws of the FFA, except that all 

6 members of the governing committee shall be mem7 bers of the board of directors and at all times the 

8 governing committee shall be comprised of not less 

9 than 3 individuals. 

10 ‘‘(2) When the board is not in session, the gov11 erning committee has the powers of the board sub12 ject to the board’s direction and may authorize the 

13 seal of the FFA to be affixed to all papers that re14 quire it.’’. 

15 SEC. 6. NATIONAL STUDENT OFFICERS. 

16 Section 70905 of title 36, United States Code, is 

17 amended by striking subsections (a) through (d) and in18 serting the following: 

19 ‘‘(a) COMPOSITION.—There shall be not less than 6 

20 national student officers of the FFA, which shall include 

21 not less than 4 national student officer vice presidents, 

22 as provided in the constitution or bylaws of the FFA. 

23 ‘‘(b) ELECTION.— 

24 ‘‘(1) The national student officers of the FFA, 

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1 ed annually by a majority vote of official delegates 

2 assembled at the annual convention. Elections for 

3 not less than 4 national student officer vice presi4 dents shall be based upon regional representation as 

5 further detailed in the constitution or bylaws of the 

6 FFA. 

7 ‘‘(2) The voting rights of delegates and the 

8 process of electing the national student officers shall 

9 be as provided in the constitution or bylaws of the 

10 FFA.’’. 

11 SEC. 7. POWERS. 

12 Section 70906 of title 36, United States Code, is 

13 amended— 

14 (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 

15 striking ‘‘corporation’’ and inserting ‘‘FFA’’; 

16 (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘corporate’’; 

17 (3) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘corporation’’ 

18 and inserting ‘‘FFA’’; 

19 (4) in paragraph (6), by striking ‘‘corporation’’ 

20 and inserting ‘‘FFA’’; 

21 (5) by amending paragraph (8) to read as fol22 lows: 

23 ‘‘(8) use FFA funds to give prizes, awards, 

24 loans, and grants to deserving members, chapters, 


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1 and associations to carry out the purposes of the 

2 FFA;’’; 

3 (6) by amending paragraph (9) to read as fol4 lows: 

5 ‘‘(9) produce publications, websites, and other 

6 media;’’; 

7 (7) in paragraph (10)— 

8 (A) by striking ‘‘procure for and distribute 

9 to State’’ and inserting ‘‘make available to 

10 State’’; and 

11 (B) by striking ‘‘Future Farmers of Amer12 ica’’ and inserting ‘‘FFA’’; and 

13 (8) in paragraph (12), by striking ‘‘corpora14 tion’’ and inserting ‘‘FFA’’. 

15 SEC. 8. NAME, SEALS, EMBLEMS, AND BADGES. 

16 Section 70907 of title 36, United States Code, is 

17 amended— 

18 (1) by striking ‘‘corporation’’ and inserting 

19 ‘‘FFA’’ each place the term appears; 

20 (2) by striking ‘‘name’’ and inserting ‘‘names’’; 

21 (3) by striking ‘‘ ‘Future Farmers of America’ ’’ 

22 and inserting ‘‘ ‘Future Farmers of America’ and 

23 ‘National FFA Organization,’ ’’; and 

24 (4) by inserting ‘‘education’’ before ‘‘member25 ship’’. 


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1 SEC. 9. RESTRICTIONS. 

2 Section 70908 of title 36, United States Code, is 

3 amended— 

4 (1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘corporation’’ 

5 and inserting ‘‘FFA’’; 

6 (2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘corporation 

7 or a director, officer, or member as such’’ and in8 serting ‘‘FFA or a director, officer, or member act9 ing on behalf of the FFA’’; 

10 (3) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘corporation’’ 

11 and inserting ‘‘FFA’’ each place the term appears; 

12 and 

13 (4) in subsection (d)— 

14 (A) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘cor15 poration’’ and inserting ‘‘FFA’’; and 

16 (B) by striking ‘‘Directors who vote for or 

17 assent to making a loan to a director, officer, 

18 or employee, and officers who participate in 

19 making the loan, are jointly and severally liable 

20 to the corporation for the amount of the loan 

21 until it is repaid.’’. 

22 SEC. 10. RELATIONSHIP TO FEDERAL AGENCIES. 

23 Section 70909 of title 36, United States Code, is 

24 amended to read as follows: 


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1 ‘‘SEC. 70909. RELATIONSHIP TO FEDERAL AGENCIES. 

2 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—On request of the board of direc3 tors, the FFA may collaborate with Federal agencies, in4 cluding the Department of Education and the Department 

5 of Agriculture on matters of mutual interest and benefit. 

6 ‘‘(b) AGENCY ASSISTANCE.—Those Federal agencies 

7 may make personnel, services, and facilities available to 

8 administer or assist in the administration of the activities 

9 of the FFA. 

10 ‘‘(c) AGENCY COMPENSATION.—Personnel of the 

11 Federal agencies may not receive compensation from the 

12 FFA for their services, except that travel and other legiti13 mate expenses as defined by the Federal agencies and ap14 proved by the board may be paid. 

15 ‘‘(d) COOPERATION WITH STATE BOARDS.—The 

16 Federal agencies also may cooperate with State boards 

17 and other organizations for career and technical education 

18 to assist in the promotion of activities of the FFA.’’. 

19 SEC. 11. HEADQUARTERS AND PRINCIPAL OFFICE. 

20 Section 70910 of title 36, United States Code, is 

21 amended by striking ‘‘of the corporation shall be in the 

22 District of Columbia. However, the activities of the cor23 poration are not confined to the District of Columbia but’’ 

24 and inserting ‘‘of the FFA shall be as provided in the con25 stitution or bylaws of the FFA. The activities of the 

26 FFA’’. 


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1 SEC. 12. RECORDS AND INSPECTION. 

2 Section 709011 of title 36, United States Code, is 

3 amended— 

4 (1) in subsection (a)— 

5 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘corpora6 tion’’ and inserting ‘‘FFA’’; and 

7 (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘entitled 

8 to vote’’; and 

9 (2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘corporation’’ 

10 and inserting ‘‘FFA’’. 

11 SEC. 13. SERVICE OF PROCESS. 

12 Section 70912 of title 36, United States Code, is 

13 amended— 

14 (1) in subsection (a)— 

15 (A) by striking ‘‘DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA’’ 

16 and inserting ‘‘IN GENERAL’’; 

17 (B) by striking ‘‘corporation’’ and insert18 ing ‘‘FFA’’ each place the term appears; 

19 (C) by striking ‘‘in the District of Colum20 bia’’ before ‘‘to receive’’; and 

21 (D) by striking ‘‘Designation of the agent 

22 shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the 

23 United States District Court for the District of 

24 Columbia’’; and 

25 (2) in subsection (b)— 


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1 (A) by striking ‘‘corporation’’ and inserting 

2 ‘‘FFA’’ each place the term appears; and 

3 (B) by inserting ‘‘of the FFA’’ after ‘‘asso4 ciation or chapter’’. 

5 SEC. 14. LIABILITY FOR ACTS OF OFFICERS OR AGENTS. 

6 Section 70913 of title 36, United States Code, is 

7 amended by striking ‘‘corporation’’ and inserting ‘‘FFA’’. 

8 SEC. 15. DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS IN DISSOLUTION OR 

9 FINAL LIQUIDATION. 

10 Section 70914 of title 36, United States Code, is 

11 amended— 

12 (1) by striking ‘‘corporation’’ and inserting 

13 ‘‘FFA’’; and 

14 (2) by striking ‘‘vocational agriculture’’ and in15 serting ‘‘agricultural education’’. 

Æ 


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