S.Amdt. 3130

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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