[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 34 (Thursday, March 23, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1675-S1677]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CAMPBELL (for himself, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Inouye):
  S. 2282. A bill to encourage the efficient use of existing resources 
and assets related to Indian agricultural research, development and 
exports within the United States Department of Agriculture, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Indian Affairs.


   the native american agricultural research, development and export 
                        enhancement act of 2000

  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I am pleased to be joined by 
Senator Tim Johnson in introducing the Native American Agriculture 
Research, Development and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 to encourage 
the development of the Indian agricultural sector. This bill will help 
make efficient use of Federal agriculture research, development and 
export resources in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
  Agriculture has been a central part of the Native American culture, 
way of life, self sufficiency, and economies from time immemorial. This 
is still true today with many Indian tribes using agriculture and 
agribusiness to sustain their livelihoods and economies.
  There are some 55 million acres of Indian lands in the United States, 
approximately 2 percent of all lands in the country, with nearly 47 
million of these acres made up of crop and range land.
  Indian agriculture production is not limited to just farming and 
ranching, it also includes such diverse products as timber and forest 
goods, fish and seafood, bison, wild rice, fruits and nuts, cotton and 
a host of other Native-made and gathered products.
  Agriculture constitutes the second largest revenue generator and 
employer in Indian country but often takes a back seat to other 
initiatives in the development of tribal resources and economies. By 
reinvigorating the Indian agriculture sector we can develop the value-
added industries to provide food security, as well as increase 
employment and raise incomes in Indian communities.
  Although there are many programs within the Department of Agriculture 
for which tribal and individual Indian producers are eligible, Indian 
producers have not fully benefitted from these programs because of a 
lack of thoughtful coordination and attention within the Department.
  In fact, these is now pending a class action lawsuit filed by Indian 
farmers against the Department charging discrimination and neglect in 
the availability and use of funds, programs, and services.
  This bill will afford Indian farmers and producers the same benefits, 
assistance and organization that non-Indian producers currently enjoy 
by promoting the coordination of existing agriculture and related 
programs within

[[Page S1676]]

the Department to provide maximum benefit to Indian tribes and their 
members.
  It is my hope that this initiative will encourage intertribal, 
regional, and international trade and business development in order to 
assist in increasing productivity, access to specialty markets, export 
promotion, marketing assistance, access to capital, and at the same 
time help facilitate agricultural ventures with non-Indian entities.
  Under the provisions of this bill, a Native American Research, 
Development, and Export Office would be established within the 
Department and would have a Director appointed by the Secretary to 
ensure the intra-agency and inter-agency coordination of programs that 
assist Indian agriculture and economic development.
  This bill is not intended to reduce, rather than create, more federal 
bureaucracy. Therefore, this office will be formed using funds already 
appropriated to the Department.
  Within this office, the Director would establish the Native American 
Trade and Export Promotion Program to help coordinate and cooperate 
with the other appropriate Federal agencies to promote Indian 
agriculture and related value-added industries.
  I ask unanimous consent that the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2282

       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 ``Native American Agricultural 
     Research, Development and Export Enhancement Act of 2000''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Clause 3 of section 8 of article I of the United States 
     Constitution recognizes the special relationship between the 
     United States and Indian tribes.
       (2) Beginning in 1970, with the inauguration by the Nixon 
     Administration of the Indian self-determination era, each 
     successive President has reaffirmed the special government-
     to-government relationship between Indian tribes and the 
     United States.
       (3) In 1994, President Clinton issued an executive 
     memorandum to the heads of all Federal departments and 
     agencies that obligated all such departments and agencies, 
     particularly those that have an impact on economic 
     development, to evaluate the potential impacts of their 
     actions on Indian tribes.
       (4) The United States has an obligation to guard and 
     preserve the agricultural and related renewable resources of 
     Indian tribes in order to foster strong tribal governments, 
     Indian self-determination, and economic self-sufficiency 
     among Indian tribes.
       (5) Despite the availability of abundant natural resources 
     on Indian lands and a rich cultural legacy that accords great 
     value to self-determination, self-reliance, and independence, 
     Native Americans suffer higher rates of unemployment, 
     poverty, poor health, substandard housing, and associated 
     social ills than those of any other group in the United 
     States.
       (6) Reservation-based Indians tend to be the most rural of 
     any minority group. They tend to be geographically isolated, 
     resource limited, and the least likely of any farm group to 
     receive payment or loans from the United States.
       (7) Indian land represents close to 55,000,000 acres, or 
     about 2 percent of the United States land base, with nearly 
     47,000,000 of these acres consisting of range and cropland.
       (8) Indian agriculture constitutes the second largest 
     revenue generator and employer in Indian country and is not 
     limited to farming and ranching, but often includes such 
     products as forestry, bison, wild rice and fruits, cotton, 
     tobacco and other Native-made or grown products.
       (9) Because of the lack of Federal intra-agency and inter-
     agency coordination in agriculture programs and policies, the 
     development of Indian agriculture and related tribal business 
     and economic development potential has been hindered.
       (10) It is estimated that about 20 percent of reservation 
     grazing land and about 70 percent of cropland is leased to 
     non-Indian producers.
       (11) American Indians today use their lands and natural 
     resources for agriculture and agribusiness to provide food 
     and other staples for consumption, improving their economic 
     self-sufficiency, agriculture income and reservation 
     employment.
       (12) Although there are many programs within Department of 
     Agriculture for which tribal and individual Indian producers 
     are eligible, Indian producers have not fully benefited from 
     these programs because of insufficient coordination within 
     the Department of Agriculture.
       (13) The United States has an obligation to assist Indian 
     tribes with the creation of appropriate economic and 
     political conditions with respect to Indian lands to--
       (A) encourage investment from outside sources that do not 
     originate with the tribes; and
       (B) facilitate economic ventures with outside entities that 
     are not tribal entities.
       (14) The economic success and material well-being of Native 
     American communities depends on the combined efforts of the 
     Federal Government, tribal governments, the private sector, 
     and individuals.
       (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to--
       (1) promote the coordination of existing agricultural and 
     related programs within the Department of Agriculture to 
     provide the maximum benefit to Indian tribes and their 
     members;
       (2) encourage intertribal, regional, and international 
     trade and business development in order to assist in 
     increasing productivity and the standard of living of members 
     of Indian tribes and improving the economic self-sufficiency 
     of the Indian tribes;
       (3) through improving the administration of Federal 
     program, improve the access of Indian tribes to capital, 
     specialty markets, export promotions, and marketing 
     assistance that non-Indian agriculture producers currently 
     have access to;
       (4) improve the development and coordination of Indian 
     agriculture and related value-added industries to promote 
     self-sustaining Native economies and communities; and
       (5) promote economic self-sufficiency and political self-
     determination for Indian tribes and members of Indian tribes.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an 
     Indian tribe, a tribal organization, a tribal enterprise, a 
     tribal marketing cooperative, or any other Indian-owned 
     business.
       (2) Indian.--The term ``Indian'' has the meaning given that 
     term in section 4(d) of the Indian Self-Determination and 
     Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(d)).
       (3) Indian goods and services.--The term ``Indian goods and 
     services'' means--
       (A) goods produced or originated by an eligible entity; or
       (B) services provided by eligible entities.
       (4) Indian-owned business.--The term ``Indian-owned 
     business'' means an entity organized for the conduct of trade 
     or commerce with respect to which at least 50 percent of the 
     property interest of the entity is owned by Indians or Indian 
     tribes (or a combination thereof).
       (5) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian tribe'' has the 
     meaning given that term in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-
     Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
     450b(e)).
       (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Agriculture.
       (7) Tribal enterprise.--The term ``tribal enterprise'' 
     means a commercial activity or business managed or controlled 
     by an Indian tribe.
       (8) Tribal organization.--The term ``tribal organization'' 
     has the meaning given that term in section 4(l) of the Indian 
     Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
     450b(l)).

     SEC. 4. NATIVE AMERICAN RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND EXPORT 
                   OFFICE

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Establishment.--There is established within the 
     Department of Agriculture a Native American Agricultural 
     Research, Development 'and Export Office (referred to this 
     Act as the ``Office'').
       (2) Director.--The Office shall be headed by a Director of 
     the Native American Agricultural Research, Development and 
     Export Office (referred to in this Act as ``Director'') to be 
     appointed by the Secretary. The Director shall be compensated 
     at a rate not to exceed that for level V of the Executive 
     Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.
       (b) Duties of the Secretary.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
     Director, shall ensure the coordination of all programs that 
     provide assistance to Native American communities within the 
     following 7 mission areas of the Department of Agriculture:
       (A) Farm and foreign agricultural services.
       (B) Food, nutrition, and consumer services.
       (C) Food safety.
       (D) Marketing and regulatory programs.
       (E) Natural resources and environment.
       (F) Research, education and economics.
       (G) Rural development.
       (2) Activities.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the 
     Secretary, acting through the Director, shall ensure the 
     coordination of, or, as appropriate, carry out--
       (A) activities to promote Indian agricultural programs, 
     including the development of domestic and international trade 
     programs;
       (B) activities to facilitate water and waste programs, 
     housing, utility and other infrastructure development with 
     respect to Native American communities;
       (C) activities to provide assistance to Indian tribal 
     college programs;
       (D) activities to implement rural economic development 
     programs for Native American communities; and
       (E) activities to promote food and nutrition services for 
     Native American communities.
       (3) Interagency coordination.--In carrying out Department 
     of Agriculture programs, the Secretary, acting through the 
     Director, shall coordinate with other Federal agencies, 
     including the Department of Energy, the Department of Housing 
     and Urban

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     Development, the Department of the Interior, the Department 
     of Justice, the Department of Commerce, or any other Federal 
     agency responsible for administering related Indian programs.
       (4) Assistance.--In conjunction with the activities 
     described in paragraph (2), the Secretary, acting through the 
     Director, shall provide--
       (A) financial assistance, technical assistance, and 
     administrative services to eligible entities to assist those 
     entities in--
       (i) identifying and taking advantage of business 
     development opportunities; and
       (ii) complying with appropriate laws and regulatory 
     practices; and
       (B) such other assistance as the Secretary, in consultation 
     with the Director, determines to be necessary for the 
     development of business opportunities for eligible entities 
     to enhance the economies of Indian tribes.
       (5) Priorities.--In carrying out the duties and activities 
     described in paragraphs (3) and (4), the Secretary, acting 
     through the Director, shall give priority to activities 
     that--
       (A) provide the greatest degree of economic benefits to 
     Indians; and
       (B) foster long-term stable economies of Indian tribes.

     SEC. 5. NATIVE AMERICAN TRADE AND EXPORT PROMOTION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the 
     Director, shall establish and implement a Native American 
     export and trade promotion program (referred to in this 
     section as the ``program'').
       (b) Coordination of Federal Programs and Services.--In 
     carrying out the program, the Secretary, acting through the 
     Director and in cooperation with the heads of appropriate 
     Federal agencies, shall ensure the coordination of Federal 
     programs and services that are designed to--
       (1) develop the economies of Indian tribes; and
       (2) stimulate the demand for Indian goods and services that 
     are available from eligible entities.
       (c) Activities.--In carrying out subsection (b), the 
     Secretary, acting through the Director, shall ensure the 
     coordination of, or, as appropriate, carry out--
       (1) Federal programs that are designed to provide technical 
     or financial assistance to eligible entities;
       (2) activities to develop promotional materials for 
     eligible entities;
       (3) activities for the financing of appropriate trade 
     missions;
       (4) activities for the marketing of related Indian goods 
     and services;
       (5) activities for the participation of appropriate Federal 
     agencies or eligible entities in international trade fairs; 
     and
       (6) any other activity related to the development of 
     markets for Indian goods and services.
       (d) Technical Assistance.--In conjunction with the 
     activities described in subsection (c), the Secretary, acting 
     through the Director, shall provide technical assistance and 
     administrative services to eligible entities to assist those 
     entities in--
       (1) identifying appropriate markets for Indian goods and 
     services;
       (2) entering the markets referred to in paragraph (1);
       (3) complying with foreign or domestic laws and practices 
     with respect to financial institutions concerning the export 
     and import of Indian goods and services; and
       (4) entering into financial arrangements to provide for the 
     export and trade of Indian agricultural and related products.
       (e) Priorities.--In carrying out the duties and activities 
     described in subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary, acting 
     through the Director, shall give priority to activities 
     that--
       (1) provide the greatest degree of economic benefits to 
     Indians; and
       (2) foster long-term stable international markets for 
     Indian goods and services.
                                 ______