Recognizes the significance of the Smith-Lever Act which established the Cooperative Extension System.
Honors the university faculty and local educators who provide educational programs to help people, families, youth, businesses, and communities solve problems, develop skills, and build a better future.
Thanks the volunteers who promote excellence for 4-H Clubs, the Master Gardeners program, the Family and Consumer Sciences program, and other Cooperative Extension System programs.
Encourages continued collaboration and cooperation among federal, state, and local governments to assure the sustainability of the Cooperative Extension System.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 86 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 86
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the enactment of the Smith-Lever
Act, which established the nationwide Cooperative Extension System.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 25, 2014
Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia (for himself, Mr. Schrader, Mr. Lucas, and
Mr. Peterson) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the enactment of the Smith-Lever
Act, which established the nationwide Cooperative Extension System.
Whereas May 8, 2014, marks the centennial of the enactment of the Act of May 8,
1914 (commonly referred to as the Smith-Lever Act; 7 U.S.C. 341 et
seq.), which established the Cooperative Extension System, the
nationwide transformative education system operating through land-grant
colleges and universities (as defined in section 1404 of the National
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7
U.S.C. 3103)), in partnership with Federal, State, and local
governments;
Whereas Senator Michael Hoke Smith of Georgia and Representative Asbury Francis
Lever of South Carolina authored the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et
seq.) to bring the research-based knowledge of land-grant colleges and
universities to individuals where they live and work;
Whereas section 1 of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) states that the
purpose of the Act is to ``aid in diffusing among the people of the
United States useful and practical information on subjects relating to
agriculture, uses of solar energy with respect to agriculture, home
economics, and rural energy, and to encourage the application of the
same'' through extension work carried out by the land-grant colleges and
universities;
Whereas cooperative extension work is a critical component of the three-part
mission of the land-grant colleges and universities to work
collaboratively with research institutions, in particular, the State
agriculture experiment stations and 106 colleges and universities,
including part B institutions (as defined in section 322 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061)), 1994 Institutions (as defined
in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of
1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note)), and Hispanic-serving institutions (as defined
in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)), in each State of the
United States, the District of Columbia, and each territory or
possession of the United States;
Whereas research-based education provided through the Cooperative Extension
System to farmers and ranchers helped establish the United States as a
leading agricultural-producing nation in the world;
Whereas, in 1924, the clover emblem was adopted by the Department of Agriculture
to represent the 4-H Clubs through which the nationwide youth
development program of the Cooperative Extension System is carried out;
Whereas, since 1924, 4-H Clubs have prepared millions of youth for responsible
adulthood;
Whereas cooperative extension activities prepare individuals for healthy,
productive lives via sustained education, such as the nutrition
education program established under section 1425 of the National
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7
U.S.C. 3175), help to break the cycle of poverty, and reduce the
expenditures of Federal and State assistance programs;
Whereas educational activities carried out under the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C.
341 et seq.) provide rapid response to disasters and emergencies, such
as through the Extension Disaster Education Network and other similar
efforts, by providing real-time alerts and resources so that educators
can respond to urgent needs resulting from hurricanes, floods, oil
spills, fire, drought, pest outbreaks, and infectious diseases affecting
humans, livestock, and crops;
Whereas cooperative extension activities translate science-based research for
practical application through local and online learning networks in
which educators are uniquely available to identify emerging research
questions, connect with land-grant college or university faculty to find
answers, and encourage the application of the findings of such research
to improve economic and social conditions;
Whereas cooperative extension activities engage with rural and urban learners
through practical, community-based, and online approaches resulting in
the acquisition of the knowledge, skills, and motivation necessary to
strengthen the profitability of animal and plant production systems,
protect natural resources, help individuals make healthy lifestyle
choices, ensure a safe and abundant food supply, encourage community
vitality, and grow the next generation of leaders; and
Whereas many States are celebrating the centennial of the enactment of the
Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) with resolutions and
proclamations, and many land-grant colleges and universities are also
commemorating the enactment of that historic Act: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) recognizes the significance of the Act of May 8, 1914
(commonly referred to as the Smith-Lever Act; 7 U.S.C. 341 et
seq.), to the establishment of the Cooperative Extension
System;
(2) encourages the people of the United States to observe
and celebrate the centennial with a focus on launching an
innovative and sustainable future for the Cooperative Extension
System;
(3) honors the university faculty and local educators who
dedicate careers to providing trusted educational programs to
help people, families, youth, businesses, and communities solve
problems, develop skills, and build a better future;
(4) thanks the volunteers who provide thousands of hours to
promote excellence for 4-H Clubs, the Master Gardeners program,
the Family and Consumer Sciences program, and other programs of
the Cooperative Extension System in their communities;
(5) encourages continued collaboration and cooperation
among Federal, State, and local governments to assure the
sustainability of the Cooperative Extension System as the
premiere nonformal educational network in the United States;
and
(6) celebrates millions of youth, adults, families,
farmers, ranchers, community leaders, and others who engage in
cooperative extension learning opportunities designed to extend
knowledge and change lives.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line