,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #behi ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #bg1 #bjbc,ms4 ,hirono 7for herself1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,king1 ,ms4 ,smith1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,mr4 ,fetterman1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,mr4 ,welch1 and ,mr4 ,lujn7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,research ,facilities ,act and the ,agricultural ,research1 ,extension1 and ,education ,reform ,act of #aiih to address deferred maintenance at agricultural research facilities1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,augmenting ,research and ,educational ,sites to ,ensure ,agriculture ,remains ,cutting-,edge and ,helpful ,act or the ,,ag ,,research ,act4 #b4 ,agricultural research facilities 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 in #bjai1 agriculture and related industries-- 7,a7 contributed #a1aji1jjj1jjj1jjj to the gross domestic product of the ,united ,states 7#e4b percent of the total gross domestic product of the ,united ,states72 and 7,b7 provided #bb1bjj1jjj jobs domestically 7#aj4i percent of total employment in the ,united ,states72 7#b7 the ,national ,institute of ,food and ,agriculture provides more than #a1gjj1jjj1jjj in research funding each year to schools of agriculture2 7#c7 a study published in #bjae found that deferred maintenance needs at #ia schools of agriculture across the ,united ,states totaled #h1djj1jjj1jjj1 with a total replacement cost of #bi1jjj1jjj1jjj2 7#d7 a study published in #bjba found that deferred maintenance needs at schools of agriculture across the ,united ,states had increased to #aa1ejj1jjj1jjj1 with a total replacement cost of #ch1ajj1jjj1jjj2 and 7#e7 infrastructure investments must be made at schools of agriculture to ensure that ,united ,states agricultural research remains globally competitive4 7b7 ,evaluation of proposals ,section #c7;d7 of the ,research ,facilities ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #cij;a7d77 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 as paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c71 respectively2 and 7#b7 by inserting before paragraph 7#b7 7as so redesignated7 the following3 7#a7 review the proposal in consultation with representatives of ,national ,institute of ,food and ,agriculture peer review panels2 4 7c7 ,grants for agricultural research facilities ,section #d of the ,research ,facilities ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #cij;b7 is amended to read as follows3 #d4 ,grants for agricultural research facilities 7a7 ,purpose ,the purpose of this section is to assist agricultural research facilities in efforts to alter or repair those facilities or equipment of the facilities necessary for conducting agricultural research4 7b7 ,grant program 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish in the ,national ,institute of ,food and ,agriculture a competitive grant program to provide to agricultural research facilities the ,federal share of the cost of the construction1 alteration1 acquisition1 modernization1 renovation1 or remodeling of-- 7,a7 the agricultural research facilities2 or 7,b7 equipment of the agricultural research facilities necessary for conducting agricultural research4 7#b7 ,secretarial waiver ,notwithstanding section #c7;c77#b77;,a71 the ,secretary may provide that the ,federal share described in paragraph 7#a7 is up to #ajj percent of the costs described in that paragraph on a case-by-case basis1 as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate4 7c7 ,requirements 7#a7 ,amount2 terms and conditions ,grants awarded under this section shall be in such amounts and under such terms and conditions as the ,secretary determines are necessary to carry out the purpose of this section4 7#b7 ,equitable distribution ,to the maximum extent practicable1 grants shall be awarded under this section to ensure-- 7,a7 an equitable geographic distribution of funds2 7,b7 an equitable distribution of funds to diverse institutions2 7,c7 an equitable distribution of funds to institutions with diverse areas of study within agricultural science2 and 7,d7 an equitable distribution of funds to agricultural research facilities of various sizes4 7#c7 ,limitation ,not greater than #bj percent of amounts made available to carry out this section shall be awarded to projects in any #a ,state4 7#d7 ,administration ,in carrying out this section1 the ,secretary shall establish procedures for-- 7,a7 the submission of proposals for competitive grants2 and 7,b7 in consultation with representatives of ,national ,institute of ,food and ,agriculture peer review panels1 the review and selection of proposals submitted under subparagraph 7,a74 4 7d7 ,funding ,section #f of the ,research ,facilities ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #cij;d7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking the section designation and heading and all that follows through the end of subsection 7a7 and inserting the following3 #f4 ,funding and limitations on use of funds 7a7 ,funding 7#a7 ,mandatory funding 7,a7 ,in general ,subject to subsections 7b7 through 7d71 but notwithstanding any other provision of law1 on ,october #a1 #bjbc1 and on each ,october #a thereafter through ,october #a1 #bjbg1 out of any funds in the ,treasury not otherwise appropriated1 the ,secretary of the ,treasury shall transfer to the ,secretary to carry out section #d #a1jjj1jjj1jjj1 to remain available until expended4 7,b7 ,receipt and acceptance ,the ,secretary shall be entitled to receive1 shall accept1 and shall use to carry out section #d the funds transferred under paragraph 7#a71 without further appropriation4 7#b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,in addition to amounts made available under paragraph 7#a71 subject to subsections 7b7 through 7d71 there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary not more than #c1jjj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbd through #bjbh1 to remain available until expended1 for the study1 plan1 design1 structure1 and related costs of agricultural research facilities under this ,act4 2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7b71 by inserting ,federal before administration4 #c4 ,agricultural research centers 7a7 ,finding ,congress finds that the ,agricultural ,research ,service ,capital ,investment ,strategy dated ,april #bjab indicates that research facilities of the ,agricultural ,research ,services have more than #a1jjj1jjj1jjj in deferred maintenance4 7b7 ,direct funding for deferred maintenance at ,,ars research facilities ,title ,,iv of the ,agricultural ,research1 ,extension1 and ,education ,reform ,act of #aiih is amended by inserting before section #djd 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gfbd7 the following3 #dja4 ,direct funding for deferred maintenance at ,,ars research facilities 7a7 ,in general ,using amounts made available under subsection 7c71 the ,secretary shall provide direct payments to research facilities of the ,agricultural ,research ,service for the purpose of addressing deferred maintenance4 7b7 ,priority ,in providing direct payments under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall give priority to the most critical structures in accordance with the ,agricultural ,research ,service ,capital ,investment ,strategy dated ,april #bjab4 7c7 ,funding 7#a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 on ,october #a1 #bjbc1 and on each ,october #a thereafter through ,october #a1 #bjbg1 out of any funds in the ,treasury not otherwise appropriated1 the ,secretary of the ,treasury shall transfer to the ,secretary to carry out this section #bjj1jjj1jjj1 to remain available until expended4 7#b7 ,receipt and acceptance ,the ,secretary shall be entitled to receive1 shall accept1 and shall use to carry out this section the funds transferred under paragraph 7#a71 without further appropriation4 4