[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 33 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 33

 Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the enactment of the Smith-Lever 
  Act, which established the nationwide Cooperative Extension System.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 27, 2014

  Ms. Stabenow (for herself and Mr. Cochran) submitted the following 
     concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                  Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the enactment of the Smith-Lever 
  Act, which established the nationwide Cooperative Extension System.

Whereas May 8, 2014, marks the centennial of the enactment of the Smith-Lever 
        Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.), which established the Cooperative Extension 
        System, the nationwide transformative education system operating through 
        land-grant colleges and universities (as defined in section 1404 of the 
        National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
        1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)) in partnership with Federal, State, and local 
        governments;
Whereas Senator Michael Hoke Smith of Georgia and Representative Asbury Francis 
        Lever of South Carolina authored the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et 
        seq.) to bring the research-based knowledge of land-grant colleges and 
        universities to individuals where the individuals live and work;
Whereas the first section of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341) states that the 
        purpose of the Act is ``to aid in diffusing among the people of the 
        United States useful and practical information on subjects relating to 
        agriculture, uses of solar energy with respect to agriculture, home 
        economics, and rural energy, and to encourage the application of the 
        same'' through extension work carried out by the land-grant colleges and 
        universities;
Whereas cooperative extension work is a critical component of the three-part 
        mission of the land-grant colleges and universities to work 
        collaboratively with research institutions, in particular the State 
        agriculture experiment stations and 106 colleges and universities, in 
        each State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and each 
        territory or possession of the United States, including--

    (1) part B institutions (as defined in section 322 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061));

    (2) 1994 Institutions (as defined in section 532 of the Equity in 
Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note; Public Law 
103-382); and

    (3) Hispanic-serving institutions (as defined in section 1404 of the 
National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 
(7 U.S.C. 3103));

Whereas research-based education provided through the Cooperative Extension 
        System to farmers and ranchers helped establish the United States as a 
        leading agricultural-producing nation in the world;
Whereas, in 1924, the clover emblem was adopted by the Department of Agriculture 
        to represent the 4-H Clubs through which the nationwide youth 
        development program of the Cooperative Extension System is carried out;
Whereas, since 1924, 4-H Clubs have prepared millions of youth for responsible 
        adulthood;
Whereas cooperative extension activities--

    (1) prepare individuals for healthy, productive lives via sustained 
education, such as the nutrition education program established under 
section 1425 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching 
Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3175);

    (2) help to break the cycle of poverty; and

    (3) reduce the expenditures of Federal and State assistance programs;

Whereas educational activities carried out under the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 
        341 et seq.) provide rapid response to disasters and emergencies, such 
        as through the Extension Disaster Education Network and other similar 
        efforts, by providing real-time alerts and resources so that educators 
        can respond to urgent needs resulting from hurricanes, floods, oil 
        spills, fire, drought, pest outbreaks, and infectious diseases affecting 
        humans, livestock, and crops;
Whereas cooperative extension activities translate science-based research for 
        practical application through local and online learning networks in 
        which educators are uniquely available to identify emerging research 
        questions, connect with land-grant college or university faculty to find 
        answers, and encourage the application of the findings of that research 
        to improve economic and social conditions;
Whereas cooperative extension activities engage with rural and urban learners 
        through practical, community-based, and online approaches resulting in 
        the acquisition of the knowledge, skills, and motivation necessary to 
        strengthen the profitability of animal and plant production systems, 
        protect natural resources, help individuals make healthy lifestyle 
        choices, ensure a safe and abundant food supply, encourage community 
        vitality, and grow the next generation of leaders; and
Whereas many States are celebrating the centennial of the enactment of the 
        Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) with resolutions and 
        proclamations, and many land-grant colleges and universities are also 
        commemorating the enactment of that historic Act: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the significance of the Smith-Lever Act (7 
        U.S.C. 341 et seq.) to the establishment of the Cooperative 
        Extension System;
            (2) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
        and celebrate the centennial with a focus on launching an 
        innovative and sustainable future for the Cooperative Extension 
        System;
            (3) honors the university faculty and local educators who 
        dedicate careers to providing trusted educational programs to 
        help people, families, youth, businesses, and communities solve 
        problems, develop skills, and build a better future;
            (4) thanks the volunteers who provide thousands of hours to 
        promote excellence for 4-H Clubs, the Master Gardeners program, 
        the Family and Consumer Sciences program, and other programs of 
        the Cooperative Extension System in their communities;
            (5) encourages continued collaboration and cooperation 
        among Federal, State, and local governments to ensure the 
        sustainability of the Cooperative Extension System as the 
        premiere nonformal educational network in the United States; 
        and
            (6) celebrates millions of youth, adults, families, 
        farmers, ranchers, community leaders, and others who engage in 
        cooperative extension learning opportunities designed to extend 
        knowledge and change lives.
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