AANAPISI Opportunity Act

Bill: 118-s-2582
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2023-07-27
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Latest action: action_date: 2023-07-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-07-27
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>AANAPISI Opportunity Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a scholarship grant program for covered Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions (AANAPISIs) to provide scholarships in agriculture-related fields.</p> <p>Covered institutions include institutions of higher education that (1) have a student body consisting of at least 10% Asian American or Native American Pacific Islander students; and (2) offer associate, bachelors, or other accredited degree programs in agriculture-related fields.</p> <p>USDA may only award the grants to AANAPISIs that have established a competitive scholarship awards process for individuals who intend to pursue a career in agriculture, including in the agricultural disciplines of business, engineering, technology, food science, forestry, home economics, nutrition, soil conservation, non-medical biological sciences, and computer science.</p> <p> This bill also allows USDA to provide competitive grants for up to five years for integrated agricultural research, education, and extension projects at covered AANAPISIs to address U.S. agriculture priorities. The project grants include a 50% matching funds requirement that USDA may waive if certain requirements are met.</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2582 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 27, 2023 Ms. Hirono (for herself, Mr. Wyden , and Ms. Duckworth ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry A BILL To establish an integrated research, education, and extension competitive grant program and scholarship grant program for certain Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving agricultural institutions, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the AANAPISI Opportunity Act . 2. Grant programs supporting certain Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving agricultural institutions (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Asian American The term Asian American has the meaning given the term in section 320(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1059g(b) ). (2) Covered institution The term covered institution means an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001 )) that— (A) at the time of an application for a grant under this section, has a student body not less than 10 percent of which consists of students who are Asian American or Native American Pacific Islander; and (B) offers associate, bachelors, or other accredited degree programs in agriculture-related fields. (3) Native American Pacific Islander The term Native American Pacific Islander has the meaning given the term in section 320(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1059g(b) ). (4) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture. (b) Integrated research, education, and extension competitive grants program established (1) Competitive grants authorized Subject to the availability of appropriations to carry out this section, the Secretary may award grants to covered institutions on a competitive basis for integrated agricultural research, education, and extension projects in accordance with this subsection. (2) Criteria for grants Grants under this subsection shall be awarded to address priorities in United States agriculture, as determined by the Secretary, in consultation with experts in Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander agricultural issues, that involve integrated research, extension, and education activities. (3) Matching funds requirement (A) In general Subject to subparagraph (C), with respect to a grant under this subsection that provides a particular benefit to a priority area described in subsection (b)(2) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act ( 7 U.S.C. 3157(b)(2) ), the recipient of the grant shall provide non-Federal matching funds (which may include funds from an agricultural commodity promotion, research, and information program) equal to 50 percent of the amount of the grant. (B) In-kind support Non-Federal matching funds described in subparagraph (A) may include in-kind support. (C) Waiver The Secretary may waive the matching funds requirement under subparagraph (A) with respect to a grant if the Secretary determines that— (i) the results of the grant are— (I) of a particular benefit to a specific agricultural commodity; but (II) are likely to be applicable to agricultural commodities generally; or (ii) (I) the grant— (aa) involves a minor commodity; and (bb) deals with scientifically important research; and (II) the recipient of the grant is unable to satisfy the matching funds requirement. (4) Term of grant A grant under this subsection shall have a term of not more than 5 years. (c) Scholarship grant program established (1) In general The Secretary shall make grants to each covered institution for purposes of awarding scholarships to individuals who— (A) have been accepted for admission to the covered institution; (B) will be enrolled at the covered institution not later than 1 year after the date of that acceptance; and (C) intend to pursue a career in agriculture, including in the agricultural disciplines of business, management, economics, engineering, mechanics, production, technology, agronomy, crop science, animal science, botany, food science, forestry, home economics, nutrition, horticulture, natural resources management, soil conservation, soil science, farm and range management, nonmedical biological sciences, preveterinary medicine, computer science, and such other disciplines as the Secretary determines appropriate. (2) Condition The Secretary may only award a grant under this subsection to a covered institution if the Secretary determines that the covered institution has established a competitive process for the award of scholarships to individuals described in paragraph (1). (d) Biennial report Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives a report describing— (1) the amount of funds provided to each covered institution under subsections (a) and (b) during the period covered by the report; and (2) for each fiscal year covered by the report— (A) (i) the number of grants awarded under subsection (b); and (ii) the amount of each grant awarded under that subsection; and (B) (i) the number of scholarships awarded using amounts made available pursuant to each grant provided under subsection (c); and (ii) the amount of each scholarship awarded using those amounts.