Title: State Assistance for Tropical Floriculture Research Act of 2018
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
State Assistance for Tropical Floriculture Research Act of 2018
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish and carry out a program to make grants, on a competitive basis, to state departments of agriculture for the research and development of disease resistant varieties of tropical flowers.
A grant awarded under the program must be at least $250,000 for a fiscal year. A state department of agriculture that receives a grant must conduct and submit to USDA an audit regarding the use of the grant funds.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5066 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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 
    development 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 agriculture for the research and 
    development of disease resistant varieties of tropical flowers.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 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:
            (1) Tropical flowers contribute a natural and beautiful 
        element to human environments, retain cultural, historic, and 
        ceremonial significance to native peoples and others, and 
        sustain an agricultural economy that employs thousands of 
        Americans.
            (2) Given the value of tropical flowers, the public stands 
        to benefit from scientific research that protects these flowers 
        against diseases.

SEC. 3. TROPICAL FLORICULTURE RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM.

    (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 departments of agriculture for the 
        research and development of disease resistant varieties of 
        tropical flowers.
            (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 Agriculture may require, including the State department of 
agriculture'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 
agriculture did not comply with the plan submitted under subsection 
(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 agriculture 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 paragraph (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.
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