H. R. 1425—8
(B) For the purposes of subparagraph (A), a majority interest
in trust or restricted land is an interest greater than 50 percent
of the legal or beneficial title.
(3) The provisions of subsection (b) shall not apply to a parcel
of trust or restricted land if the owners of at least 50 percent
of the legal or beneficial interest in such land file with the Secretary
a written objection to the application of all or any part of such
tribal rules to the leasing of such parcel of land.
TITLE II—EDUCATION IN AGRICULTURE
MANAGEMENT
SEC. 201. INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE AGRICULTURE MANAGEMENT
EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
(a) AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES INTERN PROGRAM.—(1) Notwith-
standing the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing
appointments in the competitive service, the Secretary shall estab-
lish and maintain in the Bureau or other appropriate office or
bureau within the Department of the Interior at least 20 agricul-
tural resources intern positions for Indian and Alaska Native stu-
dents enrolled in an agriculture study program. Such positions
shall be in addition to the forester intern positions authorized
in section 314(a) of the National Indian Forest Resources Manage-
ment Act (25 U.S.C. 3113(a)).
(2) For purposes of this subsection—
(A) the term ‘‘agricultural resources intern’’ means an
Indian who—
(i) is attending an approved postsecondary school in
a full-time agriculture or related field, and
(ii) is appointed to one of the agricultural resources
intern positions established under paragraph (1);
(B) the term ‘‘agricultural resources intern positions’’ means
positions established pursuant to paragraph (1) for agricultural
resources interns; and
(C) the term ‘‘agriculture study program’’ includes (but
is not limited to) agricultural engineering, agricultural
economics, animal husbandry, animal science, biological
sciences, geographic information systems, horticulture, range
management, soil science, and veterinary science.
(3) The Secretary shall pay, by reimbursement or otherwise,
all costs for tuition, books, fees, and living expenses incurred by
an agricultural resources intern while attending an approved post-
secondary or graduate school in a full-time agricultural study
program.
(4) An agricultural resources intern shall be required to enter
into an obligated service agreement with the Secretary to serve
as an employee in a professional agriculture or natural resources
position with the Department of the Interior or other Federal agency
or an Indian tribe for one year for each year of education for
which the Secretary pays the intern’s educational costs under para-
graph (3).
(5) An agricultural resources intern shall be required to report
for service with the Bureau of Indian Affairs or other bureau
or agency sponsoring his internship, or to a designated work site,
during any break in attendance at school of more than 3 weeks
duration. Time spent in such service shall be counted toward satis-
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H. R. 1425—9
faction of the intern’s obligated service agreement under paragraph
(4).
(b) COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM.—(1) The Secretary shall
maintain, through the Bureau, a cooperative education program
for the purpose, among other things, of recruiting Indian and Alaska
Native students who are enrolled in secondary schools, tribally
controlled community colleges, and other postsecondary or graduate
schools, for employment in professional agricultural or related posi-
tions with the Bureau or other Federal agency providing Indian
agricultural or related services.
(2) The cooperative educational program under paragraph (1)
shall be modeled after, and shall have essentially the same features
as, the program in effect on the date of enactment of this Act
pursuant to chapter 308 of the Federal Personnel Manual of the
Office of Personnel Management.
(3) The cooperative educational program shall include, among
others, the following:
(A) The Secretary shall continue the established specific
programs in agriculture and natural resources education at
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) and at Has-
kell Indian Junior College.
(B) The Secretary shall develop and maintain a cooperative
program with the tribally controlled community colleges to
coordinate course requirements, texts, and provide direct tech-
nical assistance so that a significant portion of the college
credits in both the Haskell and Southwestern Indian Poly-
technic Institute programs can be met through local program
work at participating tribally controlled community colleges.
(C) Working through tribally controlled community colleges
and in cooperation with land grant institutions, the Secretary
shall implement an informational and educational program to
provide practical training and assistance in creating or
maintaining a successful agricultural enterprise, assessing
sources of commercial credit, developing markets, and other
subjects of importance in agricultural pursuits.
(D) Working through tribally controlled community colleges
and in cooperation with land grant institutions, the Secretary
shall implement research activities to improve the basis for
determining appropriate management measures to apply to
Indian agricultural management.
(4) Under the cooperative agreement program under paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall pay, by reimbursement or otherwise, all
costs for tuition, books, and fees of an Indian student who—
(A) is enrolled in a course of study at an education institu-
tion with which the Secretary has entered into a cooperative
agreement; and
(B) is interested in a career with the Bureau, an Indian
tribe or a tribal enterprise in the management of Indian range-
lands, farmlands, or other natural resource assets.
(5) A recipient of assistance under the cooperative education
program under this subsection shall be required to enter into an
obligated service agreement with the Secretary to serve as a profes-
sional in an agricultural resource related activity with the Bureau,
or other Federal agency providing agricultural or related services
to Indians or Indian tribes, or an Indian tribe for one year for
each year for which the Secretary pays the recipients educational
costs pursuant to paragraph (3).
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H. R. 1425—10
(c) SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.—(1) The Secretary may grant schol-
arships to Indians enrolled in accredited agriculture related pro-
grams for postsecondary and graduate programs of study as full-
time students.
(2) A recipient of a scholarship under paragraph (1) shall be
required to enter into an obligated service agreement with the
Secretary in which the recipient agrees to accept employment for
one year for each year the recipient received a scholarship, following
completion of the recipients course of study, with—
(A) the Bureau or other agency of the Federal Government
providing agriculture or natural resource related services to
Indians or Indian tribes;
(B) an agriculture or related program conducted under
a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement entered into under
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act;
or
(C) a tribal agriculture or related program.
(3) The Secretary shall not deny scholarship assistance under
this subsection solely on the basis of an applicant’s scholastic
achievement if the applicant has been admitted to and remains
in good standing in an accredited post secondary or graduate
institution.
(d) EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall conduct,
through the Bureau, and in consultation with other appropriate
local, State and Federal agencies, and in consultation and coordina-
tion with Indian tribes, an agricultural resource education outreach
program for Indian youth to explain and stimulate interest in
all aspects of management and careers in Indian agriculture and
natural resources.
(e) ADEQUACY OF PROGRAMS.—The Secretary shall administer
the programs described in this section until a sufficient number
of Indians are trained to ensure that there is an adequate number
of qualified, professional Indian agricultural resource managers to
manage the Bureau agricultural resource programs and programs
maintained by or for Indian tribes.
SEC. 202. POSTGRADUATION RECRUITMENT, EDUCATION AND TRAIN-
ING PROGRAMS.
(a) ASSUMPTION OF LOANS.—The Secretary shall establish and
maintain a program to attract Indian professionals who are grad-
uates of a course of postsecondary or graduate education for employ-
ment in either the Bureau agriculture or related programs or,
subject to the approval of the tribe, in tribal agriculture or related
programs. According to such regulations as the Secretary may pre-
scribe, such program shall provide for the employment of Indian
professionals in exchange for the assumption by the Secretary of
the outstanding student loans of the employee. The period of
employment shall be determined by the amount of the loan that
is assumed.
(b) POSTGRADUATE INTERGOVERNMENTAL INTERNSHIPS.—For the
purposes of training, skill development and orientation of Indian
and Federal agricultural management personnel, and the enhance-
ment of tribal and Bureau agricultural resource programs, the
Secretary shall establish and actively conduct a program for the
cooperative internship of Federal and Indian agricultural resource
personnel. Such program shall—
(1) for agencies within the Department of the Interior—
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H. R. 1425—11
(A) provide for the internship of Bureau and Indian
agricultural resource employees in the agricultural resource
related programs of other agencies of the Department of
the Interior, and
(B) provide for the internship of agricultural resource
personnel from the other Department of the Interior agen-
cies within the Bureau, and, with the consent of the tribe,
within tribal agricultural resource programs;
(2) for agencies not within the Department of the Interior,
provide, pursuant to an interagency agreement, internships
within the Bureau and, with the consent of the tribe, within
a tribal agricultural resource program of other agricultural
resource personnel of such agencies who are above their sixth
year of Federal service;
(3) provide for the continuation of salary and benefits for
participating Federal employees by their originating agency;
(4) provide for salaries and benefits of participating Indian
agricultural resource employees by the host agency; and
(5) provide for a bonus pay incentive at the conclusion
of the internship for any participant.
(c) CONTINUING EDUCATION
AND TRAINING.—The Secretary
shall maintain a program within the Trust Services Division of
the Bureau for Indian agricultural resource personnel which shall
provide for—
(1) orientation training for Bureau agricultural resource
personnel in tribal-Federal relations and responsibilities;
(2) continuing technical agricultural resource education for
Bureau and Indian agricultural resource personnel; and
(3) development training of Indian agricultural resource
personnel in agricultural resource based enterprises and
marketing.
SEC. 203. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT
OF THE INTERIOR AND INDIAN TRIBES.
(a) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—
(1)(A) To facilitate the administration of the programs and
activities of the Department of the Interior, the Secretary may
negotiate and enter into cooperative agreements with Indian
tribes to—
(i) engage in cooperative manpower and job training,
(ii) develop and publish cooperative agricultural edu-
cation and resource planning materials, and
(iii) perform land and facility improvements and other
activities related to land and natural resource management
and development.
(B) The Secretary may enter into these agreements when
the Secretary determines the interest of Indians and Indian
tribes will be benefited.
(2) In cooperative agreements entered into under paragraph
(1), the Secretary may advance or reimburse funds to contrac-
tors from any appropriated funds available for similar kinds
of work or by furnishing or sharing materials, supplies, facili-
ties, or equipment without regard to the provisions of section
3324 of title 31, United States Code, relating to the advance
of public moneys.
(b) SUPERVISION.—In any agreement authorized by this section,
Indian tribes and their employees may perform cooperative work
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