108TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2673
AN ACT
Making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development,
Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That the following sums are appropriated, out of any
money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for Ag-
riculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administra-
tion, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year
ending September 30, 2004, and for other purposes,
namely:
TITLE I
AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS
PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, AND MARKETING
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Secretary
of Agriculture, $3,468,000: Provided, That not to exceed
$11,000 of this amount shall be available for official recep-
tion and representation expenses, not otherwise provided
for, as determined by the Secretary.
EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS
CHIEF ECONOMIST
For necessary expenses of the Chief Economist, in-
cluding economic analysis, risk assessment, cost-benefit
analysis, energy and new uses, and the functions of the
World Agricultural Outlook Board, as authorized by the
Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1622g),
$8,716,000.
NATIONAL APPEALS DIVISION
For necessary expenses of the National Appeals Divi-
sion, $13,670,000.
OFFICE OF BUDGET AND PROGRAM ANALYSIS
For necessary expenses of the Office of Budget and
Program Analysis, $7,749,000.
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief In-
formation Officer, $14,993,000.
COMMON COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT
For necessary expenses to acquire a Common Com-
puting Environment for the Natural Resources Conserva-
tion Service, the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service,
and the Rural Development mission areas for information
technology, systems, and services, $133,155,000 (reduced
by $8,656,000) (reduced by $3,500,000) (reduced by
$20,000,000), to remain available until expended, for the
capital asset acquisition of shared information technology
systems, including services as authorized by 7 U.S.C.
6915–16 and 40 U.S.C. 1421–28: Provided, That obliga-
tion of these funds shall be consistent with the Depart-
ment of Agriculture Service Center Modernization Plan of
the county-based agencies, and shall be with the concur-
rence of the Department’s Chief Information Officer.
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief Fi-
nancial Officer, $5,785,000: Provided, That the Chief Fi-
nancial Officer shall actively market and expand cross-
servicing activities of the National Finance Center: Pro-
vided further, That no funds made available by this appro-
priation may be obligated for FAIR Act or Circular A–
76 activities until the Secretary has submitted to the Com-
mittees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a
report on the Department’s contracting out policies, in-
cluding agency budgets for contracting out.
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CIVIL
RIGHTS
For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of
the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, $397,000 (in-
creased by $411,000).
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR
ADMINISTRATION
For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of
the Assistant Secretary for Administration, $678,000.
AGRICULTURE BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES AND RENTAL
PAYMENTS
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
For payment of space rental and related costs pursu-
ant to Public Law 92–313, including authorities pursuant
to the 1984 delegation of authority from the Adminis-
trator of General Services to the Department of Agri-
culture under 40 U.S.C. 486, for programs and activities
of the Department which are included in this Act, and for
alterations and other actions needed for the Department
and its agencies to consolidate unneeded space into con-
figurations suitable for release to the Administrator of
General Services, and for the operation, maintenance, im-
provement, and repair of Agriculture buildings and facili-
ties, and for related costs, as follows: for payments to the
General Services Administration, $124,332,000 (reduced
by $800,000), for buildings operations and maintenance,
$32,559,000, to remain available until expended: Pro-
vided, That not to exceed 5 percent of amounts which are
made available for space rental and related costs for the
Department of Agriculture in this Act may be transferred
between such appropriations to cover the costs of new or
replacement space 15 days after notice thereof is trans-
mitted to the Appropriations Committees of both Houses
of Congress.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
For necessary expenses of the Department of Agri-
culture, to comply with the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C.
9601 et seq.) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.), $15,713,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That appropriations
and funds available herein to the Department for Haz-
ardous Materials Management may be transferred to any
agency of the Department for its use in meeting all re-
quirements pursuant to the above Acts on Federal and
non-Federal lands.
DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
For Departmental Administration, $38,592,000 (in-
creased by $2,005,000), to provide for necessary expenses
for management support services to offices of the Depart-
ment and for general administration, security, repairs and
alterations, and other miscellaneous supplies and expenses
not otherwise provided for and necessary for the practical
and efficient work of the Department: Provided, That this
appropriation shall be reimbursed from applicable appro-
priations in this Act for travel expenses incident to the
holding of hearings as required by 5 U.S.C. 551–558.
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR
CONGRESSIONAL RELATIONS
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of
the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations to
carry out the programs funded by this Act, including pro-
grams involving intergovernmental affairs and liaison
within the executive branch, $3,796,000: Provided, That
these funds may be transferred to agencies of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture funded by this Act to maintain per-
sonnel at the agency level: Provided further, That no funds
made available by this appropriation may be obligated
after 30 days from the date of enactment of this Act, un-
less the Secretary has notified the Committees on Appro-
priations of both Houses of Congress on the allocation of
these funds by USDA agency: Provided further, That no
other funds appropriated to the Department by this Act
shall be available to the Department for support of activi-
ties of congressional relations.
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
For necessary expenses to carry out services relating
to the coordination of programs involving public affairs,
for the dissemination of agricultural information, and the
coordination of information, work, and programs author-
ized by Congress in the Department, $9,245,000: Pro-
vided, That not to exceed $2,000,000 may be used for
farmers’ bulletins.
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Inspector
General, including employment pursuant to the Inspector
General Act of 1978, $77,314,000 (increased by
$800,000), including such sums as may be necessary for
contracting and other arrangements with public agencies
and private persons pursuant to section 6(a)(9) of the In-
spector General Act of 1978, and including not to exceed
$125,000 for certain confidential operational expenses as
well as the payment of informants, to be expended under
the direction of the Inspector General pursuant to Public
Law 95–452 and section 1337 of Public Law 97–98.
OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL
For necessary expenses of the Office of the General
Counsel, $34,700,000.
OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR RESEARCH,
EDUCATION, AND ECONOMICS
For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of
the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Eco-
nomics to administer the laws enacted by the Congress
for the Economic Research Service, the National Agricul-
tural Statistics Service, the Agricultural Research Service,
and the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Ex-
tension Service, $597,000.
ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE
For necessary expenses of the Economic Research
Service in conducting economic research and analysis, as
authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7
U.S.C. 1621–1627) and other laws, $71,402,000.
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE
For necessary expenses of the National Agricultural
Statistics Service in conducting statistical reporting and
service work, including crop and livestock estimates, sta-
tistical coordination and improvements, marketing sur-
veys, and the Census of Agriculture, as authorized by 7
U.S.C. 
1621–1627 
and 
2204g, 
and 
other 
laws,
$129,800,000, of which up to $25,279,000 shall be avail-
able until expended for the Census of Agriculture.
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
For necessary expenses to enable the Agricultural Re-
search Service to perform agricultural research and dem-
onstration relating to production, utilization, marketing,
and distribution (not otherwise provided for); home eco-
nomics or nutrition and consumer use including the acqui-
sition, preservation, and dissemination of agricultural in-
formation; and for acquisition of lands by donation, ex-
change, or purchase at a nominal cost not to exceed $100,
and for land exchanges where the lands exchanged shall
be of equal value or shall be equalized by a payment of
money to the grantor which shall not exceed 25 percent
of the total value of the land or interests transferred out
of Federal ownership, $1,014,000,000: Provided, That ap-
propriations hereunder shall be available for the operation
and maintenance of aircraft and the purchase of not to
exceed one for replacement only: Provided further, That
appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to 7
U.S.C. 2250 for the construction, alteration, and repair
of buildings and improvements, but unless otherwise pro-
vided, the cost of constructing any one building shall not
exceed $375,000, except for headhouses or greenhouses
which shall each be limited to $1,200,000, and except for
10 buildings to be constructed or improved at a cost not
to exceed $750,000 each, and the cost of altering any one
building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent
of the current replacement value of the building or
$375,000, whichever is greater: Provided further, That the
limitations on alterations contained in this Act shall not
apply to modernization or replacement of existing facilities
at Beltsville, Maryland: Provided further, That appropria-
tions hereunder shall be available for granting easements
at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center: Provided
further, That the foregoing limitations shall not apply to
replacement of buildings needed to carry out the Act of
April 24, 1948 (21 U.S.C. 113a): Provided further, That
funds may be received from any State, other political sub-
division, organization, or individual for the purpose of es-
tablishing or operating any research facility or research
project of the Agricultural Research Service, as authorized
by law.
None of the funds appropriated under this heading
shall be available to carry out research related to the pro-
duction, processing, or marketing of tobacco or tobacco
products.
BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES
For acquisition of land, construction, repair, improve-
ment, extension, alteration, and purchase of fixed equip-
ment or facilities as necessary to carry out the agricultural
research programs of the Department of Agriculture,
where not otherwise provided, $35,900,000, to remain
available until expended.
COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND
EXTENSION SERVICE
RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
For payments to agricultural experiment stations, for
cooperative forestry and other research, for facilities, and
for other expenses, $594,772,000 (increased by $600,000)
(increased by $2,000,000), as follows: to carry out the pro-
visions of the Hatch Act of 1887 (7 U.S.C. 361a–i),
$180,148,000; for grants for cooperative forestry research
(16 U.S.C. 582a through a–7), $21,884,000; for payments
to the 1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee Uni-
versity and West Virginia State College (7 U.S.C. 3222),
$36,000,000, of which $1,507,496 shall be made available
only for the purpose of ensuring that each institution shall
receive no less than $1,000,000; for special grants for ag-
ricultural research (7 U.S.C. 450i(c)), $101,241,000; for
special grants for agricultural research on improved pest
control (7 U.S.C. 450i(c)), $15,194,000; for competitive
research grants (7 U.S.C. 450i(b)), $149,248,000; for the
support of animal health and disease programs (7 U.S.C.
3195), $5,065,000; for supplemental and alternative crops
and products (7 U.S.C. 3319d), $1,188,000; for the 1994
research grants program for 1994 institutions pursuant
to section 536 of Public Law 103–382 (7 U.S.C. 301
note), $998,000, to remain available until expended; for
rangeland research grants (7 U.S.C. 3333), $1,000,000;
for higher education graduate fellowship grants (7 U.S.C.
3152(b)(6)), $3,222,000, to remain available until ex-
pended (7 U.S.C. 2209b); for higher education challenge
grants (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(1)), $4,888,000; for a higher
education multicultural scholars program (7 U.S.C.
3152(b)(5)), $992,000, to remain available until ex-
pended; for an education grants program for Hispanic-
serving Institutions (7 U.S.C. 3241), $4,073,000 (in-
creased by $600,000); for noncompetitive grants for the
purpose of carrying out all provisions of 7 U.S.C. 3242
(section 759 of Public Law 106–78) to individual eligible
institutions or consortia of eligible institutions in Alaska
and in Hawaii, with funds awarded equally to each of the
States of Alaska and Hawaii, $2,997,000; for a secondary
agriculture education program and 2-year post-secondary
education (7 U.S.C. 3152(j)), $994,000; for aquaculture