[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 26, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S4427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3130. Mr. WYDEN (for himself and Mr. Crapo) submitted an amendment 
intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2, to provide for the 
reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the 
Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2023, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       After section 7212, insert the following:

     SEC. 7213. REGIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.

       Section 1673 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 
     Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5926) is amended--
       (1) in the section heading, by inserting ``regional'' 
     before ``centers'';
       (2) by inserting ``regional'' before ``center'' each place 
     it appears;
       (3) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by inserting ``regional'' before ``centers'';
       (B) by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) Requirement.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, in considering proposals submitted by regional centers 
     of excellence for funding described in paragraph (1), the 
     Secretary--
       ``(A) shall review and evaluate the proposal based on a 
     regional focus; and
       ``(B) shall not decline to provide funding or rank the 
     proposal lower based on the regional focus of the 
     proposal.''; and
       (4) in subsection (c), in the subsection heading, by 
     inserting ``Regional'' before ``Centers''.
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