[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4346 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4346

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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 15, 2024

    Mr. Hickenlooper (for himself and Mr. Marshall) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                  Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 2024'' or the ``RNGR Support Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. NURSERY AND SEED ORCHARD SUPPORT.

    (a) 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) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.
            (4) Seed orchard.--The term ``seed orchard'' means a tree 
        or native plant seed orchard.
            (5) State.--The term ``State'' means--
                    (A) each of the several States;
                    (B) the District of Columbia;
                    (C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and
                    (D) any territory or possession of the United 
                States.
    (b) Partnerships, Collaboration, and Other Assistance in Support of 
Nurseries and Seed Orchards.--The Secretary, 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, the 
        United States Agency for International Development, and the 
        United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and international 
        organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization 
        of the United Nations, to provide technical and financial 
        assistance relating to nurseries and reforestation;
            (5) coordinate the efforts of the Department of 
        Agriculture--
                    (A) to address the challenges associated with the 
                reforestation pipeline; and
                    (B) to 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.
    (c) Nursery and Seed Orchard Grants.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program 
        to provide grants to eligible recipients to support nurseries 
        and seed orchards.
            (2) Eligible projects.--An eligible recipient that receives 
        a grant under paragraph (1) shall carry out a project that 
        comprises one or more of the following activities:
                    (A) The development, expansion, enhancement, or 
                improvement of nursery production capacity or other 
                infrastructure--
                            (i) to improve seed collection and storage;
                            (ii) to increase seedling production, 
                        storage, and distribution; or
                            (iii) to enhance seedling survival and 
                        properly manage tree genetic resources.
                    (B) The establishment or expansion of a nursery or 
                seed orchard, including by acquiring equipment for a 
                nursery or seed orchard.
                    (C) The development or implementation of quality 
                control measures at nurseries or seed orchards.
                    (D) The promotion of workforce development within 
                any facet of the reforestation pipeline.
                    (E) Such other activities as the Secretary 
                determines to be appropriate.
    (d) Funding.--
            (1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
            (2) Reforestation trust fund.--In addition to amounts 
        appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1), notwithstanding 
        subsection (d) of section 303 of Public Law 96-451 (16 U.S.C. 
        1606a), of amounts in the Reforestation Trust Fund established 
        by subsection (a) of that section that are not otherwise 
        obligated, the Secretary may obligate not more than $5,000,000 
        for each fiscal year to carry out this section.
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