[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5381 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5381

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide assistance in support 
of nurseries and seed orchards, to establish a grant program in support 
        of nurseries and seed orchards, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 8, 2023

Ms. Schrier (for herself and Mr. Duarte) introduced the following bill; 
           which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide assistance in support 
of nurseries and seed orchards, to establish a grant program in support 
        of nurseries and seed orchards, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Reforestation, Nurseries, and 
Genetic Resources Support Act of 2023'' or the ``RNGR Support Act of 
2023''.

SEC. 2. NURSERY AND SEED ORCHARD SUPPORT.

    (a) Partnerships, Collaboration, and Other Assistance in Support of 
Nurseries and Seed Orchards.--The Secretary of Agriculture, acting 
through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall--
            (1) partner with Federal and State agencies, Indian Tribes, 
        and private nurseries to provide training, technical 
        assistance, and research to nursery and tree establishment 
        programs that support natural regeneration, reforestation, 
        agroforestry, and afforestation;
            (2) promote information sharing to improve technical 
        knowledge and practices and understand demands, climate change 
        impacts, and other issues as necessary to address all facets of 
        the reforestation pipeline;
            (3) provide technical and financial assistance to 
        international nursery and tree establishment programs through 
        the Forest Service International Programs, the Institute of 
        Pacific Islands Forestry, and the International Institute of 
        Tropical Forestry;
            (4) collaborate with other relevant Federal departments and 
        agencies, including the Foreign Agricultural Service of the 
        Department of Agriculture, the United States Agency for 
        International Development, the United States Fish and Wildlife 
        Service of the Department of the Interior, and international 
        organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization 
        of the United Nations, to provide technical and financial 
        assistance related to nurseries and reforestation;
            (5) coordinate the efforts of the Department of Agriculture 
        to--
                    (A) address the challenges associated with the 
                reforestation pipeline; and
                    (B) leverage economic development assistance for 
                work with private nurseries; and
            (6) expand climate-informed reforestation supply chains 
        through science and research, seed collection and storage, and 
        nursery infrastructure and operations.
    (b) Nursery and Seed Orchard Grants.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Secretary of Agriculture shall 
        establish a program to provide grants to eligible recipients to 
        support nurseries and seed orchards.
            (2) Eligible projects.--The Secretary may make a grant 
        under this section to an eligible recipient for a project to do 
        at least one of the following:
                    (A) Develop, expand, enhance, or improve nursery 
                production capacity or other infrastructure to--
                            (i) improve seed collection and storage;
                            (ii) increase seedling production, storage, 
                        and distribution; or
                            (iii) enhance seedling survival and 
                        properly manage tree genetic resources.
                    (B) Establish or expand a nursery or seed orchard, 
                including by acquiring equipment for such nursery or 
                seed orchard.
                    (C) Develop or implement quality control measures 
                at nurseries or seed orchards.
                    (D) Promote workforce development within any facet 
                of the reforestation pipeline.
                    (E) Carry out such other activity as the Secretary 
                determines appropriate.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible recipient.--The term ``eligible recipient'' 
        means--
                    (A) a State forestry agency;
                    (B) an Indian Tribe; and
                    (C) a private nursery that has experience growing 
                high-quality native trees of appropriate genetic 
                sources in bareroot or container stocktypes specific 
                for reforestation, restoration, or conservation, 
                including native plants and seeds that are of cultural 
                significance to Indian Tribes.
            (2) Nursery.--The term ``nursery'' means a tree or native 
        plant nursery.
            (3) Seed orchard.--The term ``seed orchard'' means a tree 
        or native plant seed orchard.
            (4) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
        States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
        Rico, and any territory or possession of the United States.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2028.
                                 <all>