I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5066 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant program to make 
grants to State departments of agriculture for the research and develop-
ment of disease resistant varieties of tropical flowers. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 16, 2018 
Ms. GABBARD (for herself and Ms. HANABUSA) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant 
program to make grants to State departments of agri-
culture for the research and development of disease re-
sistant varieties of tropical flowers. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘State Assistance for 
Tropical Floriculture Research Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Tropical flowers contribute a natural and 
beautiful element to human environments, retain 
cultural, historic, and ceremonial significance to na-
tive peoples and others, and sustain an agricultural 
economy that employs thousands of Americans. 
(2) Given the value of tropical flowers, the pub-
lic stands to benefit from scientific research that 
protects these flowers against diseases. 
SEC. 3. TROPICAL FLORICULTURE RESEARCH GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture 
shall establish and carry out a grant program to 
make grants, on a competitive basis, to State de-
partments of agriculture for the research and devel-
opment of disease resistant varieties of tropical flow-
ers. 
(2) MINIMUM
AMOUNT
OF
GRANT.—A grant 
awarded under this subsection may not be less than 
$250,000 for a fiscal year. 
(b) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, a State department of agriculture shall 
submit an application at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary of Agri-
culture may require, including the State department of ag-
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riculture’s plan to research and develop disease resistant 
varieties of tropical flowers. 
(c) TEMPORARY INELIGIBILITY
FOR SUBSEQUENT 
GRANTS.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall determine a 
State department of agriculture to be ineligible to receive 
a grant payment under this section for a fiscal year if the 
Secretary determines that the State department of agri-
culture did not comply with the plan submitted under sub-
section (b). 
(d) AUDIT.— 
(1) AUDIT REQUIRED.—For each year in which 
a State department of agriculture receives a grant 
under this section, the State department of agri-
culture shall conduct an audit of the use of such 
grant funds. 
(2) SUBMISSION OF AUDIT.—Not later than 30 
days after an audit is completed pursuant to para-
graph (1), the State department of agriculture shall 
submit such audit to the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$10,000,000 for fiscal years 2018 through 2020. 
Æ 
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