[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1424 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1424

 Expressing the sense of Congress that August 30, 2024, be observed as 
            the 134th anniversary of the 1890 Institutions.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 6, 2024

    Ms. Adams (for herself and Mr. Turner) submitted the following 
     resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress that August 30, 2024, be observed as 
            the 134th anniversary of the 1890 Institutions.

Whereas former Senator Justin Morrill helped lead the passage of the Second 
        Morrill Act of 1890 on August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), to 
        establish and support land-grant institutions for African Americans to 
        attend;
Whereas the mission of the 1890 Institutions (as defined in section 2 of the 
        Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 
        U.S.C. 7601)) is educational instruction, agricultural research, and 
        statewide extension efforts;
Whereas the universities that were founded and form the 1890 Institutions 
        include--

    (1) Lincoln University, in Missouri, in 1866;

    (2) Alcorn State University, in Mississippi, in 1871;

    (3) University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff, in Arkansas, in 1873;

    (4) Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, in Alabama, in 
1875;

    (5) Prairie View Agricultural and Mechanical University, in Texas, in 
1876;

    (6) Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, in 
Louisiana, in 1880;

    (7) Tuskegee University, in Alabama, in 1881;

    (8) Virginia State University, in Virginia, in 1882;

    (9) Kentucky State University, in Kentucky, in 1886;

    (10) University of Maryland Eastern Shore, in Maryland, in 1886;

    (11) Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, in Florida, in 
1887;

    (12) Central State University, in Ohio, in 1887;

    (13) Delaware State University, in Delaware, in 1891;

    (14) North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, in 
North Carolina, in 1891;

    (15) West Virginia State University, in West Virginia, in 1891;

    (16) Fort Valley State University, in Georgia, in 1895;

    (17) South Carolina State University, in South Carolina, in 1896;

    (18) Langston University, in Oklahoma, in 1897; and

    (19) Tennessee State University, in Tennessee, in 1912;

Whereas the Council of 1890 Universities is comprised of the 19 presidents and 
        chancellors of such universities and provides leadership to advance the 
        interests of the 1890 Institutions;
Whereas collectively, such universities have over 88,000 undergraduate and 
        graduate students in disciplines, including--

    (1) agriculture and related sciences;

    (2) computer and information sciences;

    (3) biological and biomedical sciences;

    (4) physical and social sciences;

    (5) the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) areas; 
and

    (6) other majors and degrees;

Whereas the 1890 Association of Research Directors and the 1890 Association of 
        Extension Administrators, respectively, help lead university research 
        activities and serve the extension needs of communities;
Whereas the 1890 Universities Foundation was established in December 2016 to 
        help facilitate strategic initiatives across the 1890 Institutions;
Whereas in successive farm bills, including the Agriculture Improvement Act of 
        2018 (Public Law 115-334), Congress made new Federal investments in the 
        1890 Institutions, such as--

    (1) the program providing scholarships for students at 1890 
Institutions under section 1446 of the National Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3222a);

    (2) the recognition of at least 3 Centers of Excellence at 1890 
Institutions under section 1673(d) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, 
and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5926(d)); and

    (3) allowing for the carryover of funds for extension at 1890 
Institutions under section 7114 of the Agriculture Improvement of 2018 
(Public Law 115-334);

Whereas in the ongoing Federal-State partnership to provide support for the 19 
        historically Black 1890 Institutions, sections 1444 and 1445 of the 
        National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
        1977 (7 U.S.C. 3221, 3222), the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.), 
        and the Hatch Act of 1887 (7 U.S.C. 361a et seq.) require the States to 
        fully match the Federal funding provided under such provisions of law;
Whereas Congress has provided significant Federal funding and resources to 
        support and supplement agricultural research, education, extension, 
        farmer and rancher assistance, and facility improvements, as well as 
        scholarships and programs that provide internships and pathways to 
        agricultural sector or Federal employment for 1890 Institutions;
Whereas the Department of Agriculture has worked collaboratively with the 1890 
        Institutions through the USDA-1890 Task Force established in 1988, 
        enabling such Institutions to work across the Department of Agriculture, 
        and through a June 2022 Memorandum of Understanding, has reaffirmed and 
        strengthened the ongoing relationship between the 1890 Institutions 
        community and the Department of Agriculture;
Whereas the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Education have worked 
        closely with Governors of the States that 1890 Institutions call home to 
        bring attention to, and rectify, funding disparities across the United 
        States land-grant system;
Whereas the Department of Agriculture launched a Nutrition Hub in 2023 under the 
        Agricultural Science Center of Excellence for Nutrition and Diet for 
        Better Health (ASCEND for Better Health) initiative at Southern 
        University, in Louisiana, to be an engine for providing science-based, 
        nutrition-related information at the community level;
Whereas the 1890 National Scholars Program of the Department of Agriculture 
        awarded 91 scholarships in 2024 to students enrolled at 1890 
        Institutions from rural and underserved communities who study food, 
        agriculture, natural resource, and other related sciences through the 
        Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement of the Department of 
        Agriculture; and
Whereas the Department of Agriculture invested over $30,000,000 to 68 projects 
        across all 1890 Institutions in 2024 through the National Institute of 
        Food and Agriculture's 1890 Institution Teaching, Research, and 
        Extension Capacity Building Grants Program that aims to support 
        scientific research addressing the Nation's toughest agricultural 
        challenges;
Whereas the Department of Agriculture, in partnership with Congress, has worked 
        with 1890 Institutions and other organizations to ensure that 
        disadvantaged farmers and ranchers receive the assistance they need to 
        better serve their communities; and
Whereas Central State University, in Ohio, celebrated the 10th anniversary of 
        its official designation as an 1890 Institution by the Agricultural Act 
        of 2014 (Public Law 113-79), thereby bringing the 1890 Institutions to 
        19 in number: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the 134 years of significant and meaningful 
        contributions the 1890 Institutions have made to the United 
        States;
            (2) encourages that the 134th anniversary of the 1890 
        Institutions should be observed with Federal and State 
        ceremonies and other appropriate events around the country;
            (3) celebrates the collaborative work the 19 historically 
        Black 1890 Institutions have undertaken to address the 
        agricultural research and extension needs of the country;
            (4) supports the efforts of the Department of Agriculture 
        and other Federal agencies to build stronger partnerships with 
        the 1890 Institutions;
            (5) encourages the creation of task forces similar to the 
        USDA-1890 Task Force across other Federal agencies; and
            (6) commits to working in a bipartisan way to address the 
        past funding and program inequities of the 1890 Institutions.
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