IV 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 86 
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the enactment of the Smith-Lever Act, 
which established the nationwide Cooperative Extension System. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 25, 2014 
Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia (for himself, Mr. SCHRADER, Mr. LUCAS, and 
Mr. PETERSON) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the enactment of the 
Smith-Lever Act, which established the nationwide Coop-
erative Extension System. 
Whereas May 8, 2014, marks the centennial of the enactment 
of the Act of May 8, 1914 (commonly referred to as the 
Smith-Lever Act; 7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.), which estab-
lished the Cooperative Extension System, the nationwide 
transformative education system operating through land- 
grant colleges and universities (as defined in section 1404 
of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)), in part-
nership with Federal, State, and local governments; 
Whereas Senator Michael Hoke Smith of Georgia and Rep-
resentative Asbury Francis Lever of South Carolina au-
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•HCON 86 IH 
thored the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) to 
bring the research-based knowledge of land-grant colleges 
and universities to individuals where they live and work; 
Whereas section 1 of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et 
seq.) states that the purpose of the Act is to ‘‘aid in dif-
fusing among the people of the United States useful and 
practical information on subjects relating to agriculture, 
uses of solar energy with respect to agriculture, home ec-
onomics, and rural energy, and to encourage the applica-
tion of the same’’ through extension work carried out by 
the land-grant colleges and universities; 
Whereas cooperative extension work is a critical component 
of the three-part mission of the land-grant colleges and 
universities to work collaboratively with research institu-
tions, in particular, the State agriculture experiment sta-
tions and 106 colleges and universities, including part B 
institutions (as defined in section 322 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061)), 1994 Institutions 
(as defined in section 532 of the Equity in Educational 
Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note)), 
and Hispanic-serving institutions (as defined in section 
1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)), in 
each State of the United States, the District of Colum-
bia, and each territory or possession of the United 
States; 
Whereas research-based education provided through the Co-
operative Extension System to farmers and ranchers 
helped establish the United States as a leading agricul-
tural-producing nation in the world; 
Whereas, in 1924, the clover emblem was adopted by the De-
partment of Agriculture to represent the 4–H Clubs 
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•HCON 86 IH 
through which the nationwide youth development pro-
gram of the Cooperative Extension System is carried out; 
Whereas, since 1924, 4–H Clubs have prepared millions of 
youth for responsible adulthood; 
Whereas cooperative extension activities prepare individuals 
for healthy, productive lives via sustained education, such 
as the nutrition education program established under sec-
tion 1425 of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3175), 
help to break the cycle of poverty, and reduce the expend-
itures of Federal and State assistance programs; 
Whereas educational activities carried out under the Smith- 
Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) provide rapid response 
to disasters and emergencies, such as through the Exten-
sion Disaster Education Network and other similar ef-
forts, by providing real-time alerts and resources so that 
educators can respond to urgent needs resulting from 
hurricanes, floods, oil spills, fire, drought, pest outbreaks, 
and infectious diseases affecting humans, livestock, and 
crops; 
Whereas cooperative extension activities translate science- 
based research for practical application through local and 
online learning networks in which educators are uniquely 
available to identify emerging research questions, connect 
with land-grant college or university faculty to find an-
swers, and encourage the application of the findings of 
such research to improve economic and social conditions; 
Whereas cooperative extension activities engage with rural 
and urban learners through practical, community-based, 
and online approaches resulting in the acquisition of the 
knowledge, skills, and motivation necessary to strengthen 
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•HCON 86 IH 
the profitability of animal and plant production systems, 
protect natural resources, help individuals make healthy 
lifestyle choices, ensure a safe and abundant food supply, 
encourage community vitality, and grow the next genera-
tion of leaders; and 
Whereas many States are celebrating the centennial of the 
enactment of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) 
with resolutions and proclamations, and many land-grant 
colleges and universities are also commemorating the en-
actment of that historic Act: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress— 
(1) recognizes the significance of the Act of 
May 8, 1914 (commonly referred to as the Smith- 
Lever Act; 7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.), to the establish-
ment of the Cooperative Extension System; 
(2) encourages the people of the United States 
to observe and celebrate the centennial with a focus 
on launching an innovative and sustainable future 
for the Cooperative Extension System; 
(3) honors the university faculty and local edu-
cators who dedicate careers to providing trusted edu-
cational programs to help people, families, youth, 
businesses, and communities solve problems, develop 
skills, and build a better future; 
(4) thanks the volunteers who provide thou-
sands of hours to promote excellence for 4–H Clubs, 
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•HCON 86 IH 
the Master Gardeners program, the Family and 
Consumer Sciences program, and other programs of 
the Cooperative Extension System in their commu-
nities; 
(5) encourages continued collaboration and co-
operation among Federal, State, and local govern-
ments to assure the sustainability of the Cooperative 
Extension System as the premiere nonformal edu-
cational network in the United States; and 
(6) celebrates millions of youth, adults, families, 
farmers, ranchers, community leaders, and others 
who engage in cooperative extension learning oppor-
tunities designed to extend knowledge and change 
lives. 
Æ 
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