TITLE 25 - US CODE - SUBCHAPTER II - EDUCATION IN AGRICULTURE MANAGEMENT

25 USC 3731 - Indian and Alaska Native agriculture management education assistance programs

(a) Agricultural resources intern program

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service, the Secretary shall establish and maintain in the Bureau or other appropriate office or bureau within the Department of the Interior at least 20 agricultural resources intern positions for Indian and Alaska Native students enrolled in an agriculture study program. Such positions shall be in addition to the forester intern positions authorized in section 3113 (a) of this title.

(2) For purposes of this subsection

(A) the term agricultural resources intern means an Indian who

(i) is attending an approved postsecondary school in a full-time agriculture or related field, and

(ii) is appointed to one of the agricultural resources intern positions established under paragraph (1);

(B) the term agricultural resources intern positions means positions established pursuant to paragraph (1) for agricultural resources interns; and

(C) the term agriculture study program includes (but is not limited to) agricultural engineering, agricultural economics, animal husbandry, animal science, biological sciences, geographic information systems, horticulture, range management, soil science, and veterinary science.

(3) The Secretary shall pay, by reimbursement or otherwise, all costs for tuition, books, fees, and living expenses incurred by an agricultural resources intern while attending an approved postsecondary or graduate school in a full-time agricultural study program.

(4) An agricultural resources intern shall be required to enter into an obligated service agreement with the Secretary to serve as an employee in a professional agriculture or natural resources position with the Department of the Interior or other Federal agency or an Indian tribe for one year for each year of education for which the Secretary pays the interns educational costs under paragraph (3).

(5) An agricultural resources intern shall be required to report for service with the Bureau of Indian Affairs or other bureau or agency sponsoring his internship, or to a designated work site, during any break in attendance at school of more than 3 weeks duration. Time spent in such service shall be counted toward satisfaction of the interns obligated service agreement under paragraph (4).

(b) Cooperative education program

(1) The Secretary shall maintain, through the Bureau, a cooperative education program for the purpose, among other things, of recruiting Indian and Alaska Native students who are enrolled in secondary schools, tribally controlled community colleges, and other postsecondary or graduate schools, for employment in professional agricultural or related positions with the Bureau or other Federal agency providing Indian agricultural or related services.

(2) The cooperative educational program under paragraph (1) shall be modeled after, and shall have essentially the same features as, the program in effect on December 3, 1993, pursuant to chapter 308 of the Federal Personnel Manual of the Office of Personnel Management.

(3) The cooperative educational program shall include, among others, the following:

(A) The Secretary shall continue the established specific programs in agriculture and natural resources education at Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) and at Haskell Indian Junior College.

(B) The Secretary shall develop and maintain a cooperative program with the tribally controlled community colleges to coordinate course requirements, texts, and provide direct technical assistance so that a significant portion of the college credits in both the Haskell and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute programs can be met through local program work at participating tribally controlled community colleges.

(C) Working through tribally controlled community colleges and in cooperation with land grant institutions, the Secretary shall implement an informational and educational program to provide practical training and assistance in creating or maintaining a successful agricultural enterprise, assessing sources of commercial credit, developing markets, and other subjects of importance in agricultural pursuits.

(D) Working through tribally controlled community colleges and in cooperation with land grant institutions, the Secretary shall implement research activities to improve the basis for determining appropriate management measures to apply to Indian agricultural management.

(4) Under the cooperative agreement program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall pay, by reimbursement or otherwise, all costs for tuition, books, and fees of an Indian student who

(A) is enrolled in a course of study at an education institution with which the Secretary has entered into a cooperative agreement; and

(B) is interested in a career with the Bureau, an Indian tribe or a tribal enterprise in the management of Indian rangelands, farmlands, or other natural resource assets.

(5) A recipient of assistance under the cooperative education program under this subsection shall be required to enter into an obligated service agreement with the Secretary to serve as a professional in an agricultural resource related activity with the Bureau, or other Federal agency providing agricultural or related services to Indians or Indian tribes, or an Indian tribe for one year for each year for which the Secretary pays the recipients educational costs pursuant to paragraph (3).

(1) The Secretary may grant scholarships to Indians enrolled in accredited agriculture related programs for postsecondary and graduate programs of study as full-time students.

(2) A recipient of a scholarship under paragraph (1) shall be required to enter into an obligated service agreement with the Secretary in which the recipient agrees to accept employment for one year for each year the recipient received a scholarship, following completion of the recipients course of study, with

(A) the Bureau or other agency of the Federal Government providing agriculture or natural resource related services to Indians or Indian tribes;

(B) an agriculture or related program conducted under a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement entered into under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act [25 U.S.C. 450 et seq.]; or

(3) The Secretary shall not deny scholarship assistance under this subsection solely on the basis of an applicants scholastic achievement if the applicant has been admitted to and remains in good standing in an accredited post secondary^[1] or graduate institution.

(d) Educational outreach
The Secretary shall conduct, through the Bureau, and in consultation with other appropriate local, State and Federal agencies, and in consultation and coordination with Indian tribes, an agricultural resource education outreach program for Indian youth to explain and stimulate interest in all aspects of management and careers in Indian agriculture and natural resources.

(e) Adequacy of programs
The Secretary shall administer the programs described in this section until a sufficient number of Indians are trained to ensure that there is an adequate number of qualified, professional Indian agricultural resource managers to manage the Bureau agricultural resource programs and programs maintained by or for Indian tribes.

[1] So in original. Probably should be “postsecondary”.

25 USC 3732 - Postgraduation recruitment, education and training programs

(a) Assumption of loans
The Secretary shall establish and maintain a program to attract Indian professionals who are graduates of a course of postsecondary or graduate education for employment in either the Bureau agriculture or related programs or, subject to the approval of the tribe, in tribal agriculture or related programs. According to such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, such program shall provide for the employment of Indian professionals in exchange for the assumption by the Secretary of the outstanding student loans of the employee. The period of employment shall be determined by the amount of the loan that is assumed.

(b) Postgraduate intergovernmental internships
For the purposes of training, skill development and orientation of Indian and Federal agricultural management personnel, and the enhancement of tribal and Bureau agricultural resource programs, the Secretary shall establish and actively conduct a program for the cooperative internship of Federal and Indian agricultural resource personnel. Such program shall

(1) for agencies within the Department of the Interior

(A) provide for the internship of Bureau and Indian agricultural resource employees in the agricultural resource related programs of other agencies of the Department of the Interior, and

(B) provide for the internship of agricultural resource personnel from the other Department of the Interior agencies within the Bureau, and, with the consent of the tribe, within tribal agricultural resource programs;

(2) for agencies not within the Department of the Interior, provide, pursuant to an interagency agreement, internships within the Bureau and, with the consent of the tribe, within a tribal agricultural resource program of other agricultural resource personnel of such agencies who are above their sixth year of Federal service;

(3) provide for the continuation of salary and benefits for participating Federal employees by their originating agency;

(4) provide for salaries and benefits of participating Indian agricultural resource employees by the host agency; and

(5) provide for a bonus pay incentive at the conclusion of the internship for any participant.

(c) Continuing education and training
The Secretary shall maintain a program within the Trust Services Division of the Bureau for Indian agricultural resource personnel which shall provide for

(1) orientation training for Bureau agricultural resource personnel in tribal-Federal relations and responsibilities;

(2) continuing technical agricultural resource education for Bureau and Indian agricultural resource personnel; and

(3) development training of Indian agricultural resource personnel in agricultural resource based enterprises and marketing.

25 USC 3733 - Cooperative agreement between Department of the Interior and Indian tribes

(a) Cooperative agreements

(1)

(A) To facilitate the administration of the programs and activities of the Department of the Interior, the Secretary may negotiate and enter into cooperative agreements with Indian tribes to

(i) engage in cooperative manpower and job training,

(ii) develop and publish cooperative agricultural education and resource planning materials, and

(iii) perform land and facility improvements and other activities related to land and natural resource management and development.

(B) The Secretary may enter into these agreements when the Secretary determines the interest of Indians and Indian tribes will be benefited.

(2) In cooperative agreements entered into under paragraph (1), the Secretary may advance or reimburse funds to contractors from any appropriated funds available for similar kinds of work or by furnishing or sharing materials, supplies, facilities, or equipment without regard to the provisions of section 3324 of title 31 relating to the advance of public moneys.

(b) Supervision
In any agreement authorized by this section, Indian tribes and their employees may perform cooperative work under the supervision of the Department of the Interior in emergencies or otherwise as mutually agreed to, but shall not be deemed to be Federal employees other than for the purposes of sections 2671 through 2680 of title 28 and sections 8101 through 8193 of title 5.

(c) Savings clause
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements otherwise authorized by law.

25 USC 3734 - Obligated service; breach of contract

(a) Obligated service
Where an individual enters into an agreement for obligated service in return for financial assistance under any provision of this subchapter, the Secretary shall adopt such regulations as are necessary to provide for the offer of employment to the recipient of such assistance as required by such provision. Where an offer of employment is not reasonably made, the regulations shall provide that such service shall no longer be required.

(b) Breach of contract; repayment
Where an individual fails to accept a reasonable offer of employment in fulfillment of such obligated service or unreasonably terminates or fails to perform the duties of such employment, the Secretary shall require a repayment of the financial assistance provided, prorated for the amount of time of obligated service that was performed, together with interest on such amount which would be payable if at the time the amounts were paid they were loans bearing interest at the maximum legal prevailing rate, as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury.