[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 89 (Thursday, June 20, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E933-E934]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       FEDERAL AGRICULTURE REFORM AND RISK MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2013

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 18, 2013

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1947) to 
     provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and 
     other programs of the Department of Agriculture through 
     fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes:

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, it was my intention to offer an 
amendment to H.R. 1947, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk 
Management Act of 2013, which would have amended Section 4 of Public 
Law 87-788 (commonly known as the ``McIntire-Stennis Cooperative 
Forestry Act'').
  My amendment said: ``The matching funds requirement shall not be 
applicable to eligible 1890 Institutions (as defined in Section 2 of 
the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 
1998), if the allocation is below $200,000.''
  On July 2, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the 
Morrill Act, which made it possible for each state to receive federal 
funds to establish a state college or university.
  Regretfully, slavery still existed in the United States when the 
Morrill Act of 1862 was enacted into law. Even after the Civil War 
ended in 1865, it was still considered illegal to educate blacks in the 
South--making it impossible for black students to attend any college or 
university established under the Morrill Act of 1862. These conditions 
resulted in the enactment of the Morrill Act of 1890 and its support 
for black educational institutions.
  Today: The eighteen 1890 Land-grant institutions represent 24 percent 
of all land-grant institutions (76 institutions total); The 1890 Land-
grant Institutions enrolled 98,397 students in 2011 (31% of all student 
enrolled in HBCUs); The 1890 Land-grant institutions produced 33 
percent of all Bachelor's degrees, 41 percent of all master's degrees, 
45 percent of all doctoral degrees and 24 percent of all professional 
degrees awarded at HBCUs.
  Notable graduates of 1890 Institutions include: Oprah Winfrey, Ralph 
Waldo Emerson. Gen. Daniel Chappie James, Lionel Richie, Whitney Young, 
Art Shell, Ronald McNair, Jim Clyburn, Edolphus Towns, Alcee Hastings, 
Corrine Brown.
  Madam Chair, in the 2008 Farm bill, 1890 institutions were made 
eligible to receive funding for the first time under the McIntire-
Stennis

[[Page E934]]

Cooperative Forestry Act, which is a capacity building program for 
forestry research that requires matching funds.
  Under in the 2008 Farm bill, 1890 institutions were made eligible to 
receive funding for the first time under the McIntire-Stennis 
Cooperative Forestry Act, which is a capacity building program for 
forestry which requires matching funds.
  The McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry assists all states in 
carrying out a program of state forestry research at state forestry 
schools and colleges and in developing a trained pool of forest 
scientists capable of conducting forestry research, including 
ecological restoration; catastrophe management; valuing and trading 
ecological services; energy conservation, biomass energy and bio-based 
materials development; forest fragmentation: carbon sequestration and 
climate change; and ways of fostering healthy forests and a globally 
competitive forest resources sector.
  Unfortunately, many of our 1890 institutions find themselves 
financially strapped and in need of relief. One area in particular 
where they are having difficulty is with respect to providing the 
matching funds for the McIntire-Stennis program--particularly those 
institutions eligible for $200,000 or less.
  Indeed, many campuses are having difficulty match other capacity 
funds and for competitive grants. 1890 Intuitions are working 
diligently to increase their non federal sources of funds, however, 
having the burden of the current match is keeping the program in stress 
as they go forward to develop forestry related research programs and 
teaching and outreach programs, hire faculty for the programs and 
enroll students in the McIntire-Stennis dependent education curricula.
  The same language which is included in the amendment I had planned on 
offering today is currently included in the Senate version of the Farm 
bill S. 954, The Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013, as 
section 8301.
  At the request of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House 
Agriculture Committee, however, I am not going to offer my amendment 
today in order to allow the House Committee staff to work with USDA, 
our 1890 schools and Senate staff to develop alternative perfecting 
language which addresses concerns raised about the potential unintended 
impact of the amendment on 1890's institutions.
  I am withdrawing my amendment with the understanding and assurance, 
from my distinguished friends, Chairman Lucas and Ranking Member 
Peterson that should we not be able to come to agreement on perfecting 
language during conference on the two farm bills, the final Conference 
bill and report will contain an exemption for eligible 1890 
institutions from the matching requirement if their allocation is below 
$200,000.

                          ____________________