DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Hon. HAROLD D. COOLEY, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. COOLEY: This is in response to your request of April 11 for a report on H. R. 133, a bill to amend section 2 of the act approved June 20, 1936, entitled "An act to extend the benefits of the Adams Act, the Purnell Act, and the CapperKetcham Act to the Territory of Alaska, and for other purposes." The act of June 20, 1936, which would be amended by H. R. 133, authorizes annual appropriations for Alaska for agricultural research equal to only one-half of the amounts now authorized for each State, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico from the Adams Act of March 16, 1906, and the Purnell Act of February 24, 1925. H. R. 133 authorizes annual appropriations for Alaska of the full amounts authorized for each State, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico under the Adams Act and the Purnell Act. This would increase the present authorizations for Federal grants to Alaska for agricultural research by $37,500. The Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives in the first session of the Eightieth Congress, in reporting the Department of Agriculture appropriation bill for the fiscal year 1948 as it related to research in Alaska, emphasized the importance of a program of agricultural research in that Territory of far greater scope than has heretofore been conducted under the comparatively modest Federal grants to the Territorial land-grant college. Accordingly, the 1948 Agricultural Appropriation Act included an item of $144,940 to enable the Secretary ** * to establish and maintain a program for research into the basic agricultural needs and problems in the Territory of Alaska. The Secretary was authorized to use such authorities as have heretofore been made available by the legislature of the Territory of Alaska to the agricultural experiment station of the University of Alaska, and by the laws of the United States. These provisions were made effective until June 30, 1949. There was also transferred to the Secretary the use of such equipment and other facilities, buildings, and grounds of the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Alaska, including its branches, as he might determine to be necessary, together with any unexpended balances available, and any moneys thereafter received or acquired under authority of law for the construction, use, and development of the agricultural experiment station. Accordingly the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Alaska was formally closed on June 30, 1947, and all of its funds and facilities, including appropriations of Federal grants made under authorizations of the Hatch, Adams, Purnell, and Bankhead-Jones Acts for fiscal year 1948 were turned over to the Secretary of Agriculture for carrying out the purposes of the Department of Agriculture Appropriation Act for 1948 as indicated above. This procedure was continued during the current fiscal year 1949. In accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Appropriations the House of Representatives of the Eighty-first Congress, in passing the Department of Agriculture appropriation bill for the fiscal year 1950, approved restoration to the Territory of Alaska of the Federal-grant research funds authorized under the several Federal-grant acts enumerated above. While the total authorization for this purpose under existing law is $76,176 for 1950, the House approved appropriation of only $66,048, which is $10,000 less than the authorization for Alaska under the Purnell Act and $128 under the authorization for Alaska under the Bankhead-Jones Act. The House in restoring these grant funds to the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Alaska automatically restored the use of such funds as may be appropriated by the Territorial legislature for the experiment station. In that connection we are informed that the Legislature of the Territory of Alaska has appropriated a sum of $150,000 for the research program of the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Alaska for the biennium 1950-51, together with an item of $50,000 for buildings and land clearing for the same biennium. The legislature also has set up a tax structure for the Territory to provide revenue to meet such appropriations. The House Committee on Appropriations also recommended, and the House of Representatives approved, an appropriation of $675,000 for fiscal year 1950 for the Department of Agriculture to continue and strengthen its part in a joint research program with the University of Alaska Agricultural Experiment Station. If H. R. 133 becomes law and the full authorization thereunder is appropriated by the Congress, the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Alaska would receive Federal grants for fiscal year 1950 totaling $113,548. Previous to fiscal year 1948 the agricultural experiment station of the University of Alaska had been solely responsible for solving locally the problems of all of the farming areas of Alaska. Experience clearly indicated that the experiment station was receiving inadequate financial support to establish and maintain the physical facilities and to employ enough adequately trained personnel to carry out a wellrounded research program on the important problems confronting the agriculture of the Territory. For this reason and in order to meet the most pressing farm demands for assistance on as wide an agricultural front as possible, the experiment station had of necessity to confine its efforts primarily to field experimentation and adaptation research of a character which would render immediate assistance to farmers. The experiment station was therefore not able to solve the major broad problems of the agriculture of the Territory in a permanent manner. During the intervening 2 years since closing the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Alaska, the action of the Congress in appropriating funds for the Department of Agriculture to establish a basic program of agricul tural research in Alaska has provided a foundation and favorable setting for constructive and helpful cooperation with the experiment station. Restoration on July 1, 1919, of the Federal-grant funds and research facilities should enable the Agricultural Experime it Station of the University of Alaska to work effectively in cooperation with the Department in the interests of Alaska agriculture. Such a joint research relationship in Alaska is contemplated by the 1950 agricultural appropriation bill as passed by the House. The additional funds which would be authorized by H. R. 133 would permit the experiment station to be more adequately equipped to participate in the details of cooperative research with the Department and to carry out more effectively and promptly the research necessary for local adaptation and utilization of the results jointly obtained. All facts considered, it would seem to the Department that the approval of H. R. 133 is warranted in order to strengthen the cooperative agricultural research program in Alaska contemplated by the Department of Agriculture appropriation bill. The Bureau of the Budget advises that, from the standpoint of the program of the President, there is no objection to the submission of this report. Sincerely yours, CHARLES F. BRANNAN, Secretary. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW In compliance with paragraph 2a of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, changes made by the bill are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets; new matter is printed in italics; existing law in which no change is made is shown in roman): ACT OF JUNE 20, 1936 AN ACT To extend the benefits of the Adams Act, the Purnell Act, and the Capper-Ketcham Act to the Territory of Alaska, and for other purposes SEC. 2. [To carry into effect the above provisions for extending to the Territory of Alaska to the extent herein provided, the benefits of the said Adams Act and the said Purnell Act the following sums are hereby authorized to be appropriated: For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1937, $5,000; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1938, $7,500; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1939, $10,000; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1940, $12,500; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1941, $15,000; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1942, $17,500; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1943, $20,000; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1944, $22,500; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1945, $27,500; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1946, $32,500; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1947, $37,500; and thereafter a sum equal to one-half of that provided for each State and Territory under the said Adams Act and the said Purnell Act: Provided, That no appropriations shall be made under this Act until annually estimated as to funds and amounts by the Secretary of Agriculture, the estimates to be based upon his determination of the ability of the Territory of Alaska to make effective use of the funds in maintaining agricultural experiment stations. To carry into effect the above provisions for extending to the Territory of Alaska the benefits of the said Adams Act and the said Purnell Act, there is hereby authorized to be appropriated each year a sum equal t that provided for each State and Territory under the s aid Adams Act and the said Purnell Act. O EXTENSION SERVICE-ALASKA JUNE 2, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. COOLEY, from the Committee on Agriculture, submitted the following REPORT To accompany H. R. 2121 The Committee on Agriculture, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 212) to amend section 3 of the act approved June 20, 1936, entitled "An Act to extend the benefits of the Adams Act, the Purnell Act, and the Capper-Ketcham Act to the Territory of Alaska, and for other purposes," having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend that the bill as amended do pass. The amendments are as follows: Strike out all after the enacting clause and substitute in lieu thereof the following: That there are hereby extended to the Territory of Alaska the provisions of section 21 and section 23, of title II of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for research into basic laws and principles relating to agriculture and to provide for the further development of cooperative agricultural extension work and the more complete endowment and support of land-grant colleges," approved June 29, 1935, as amended, and known as the Bankhead-Jones Act, and the Act entitled “An Act to provide for the further development of agricultural extension work between the agricultural colleges in the several States receiving the benefits of the Act entitled 'An Act donating public lands to the several States and Territories which may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts, approved July 2, 1862, and all Acts supplementary thereto, and the United States Department of Agriculture" approved Mav 22. 1928, and known as the CapperKetcham Act SEC. 2. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated annually for carrying out the purposes of this Act an amount computed on the same basis as appropria tions to States are computed: Provided, That no appropriations shall be made under this Act until annually estimated as to funds and amounts by the Secretary of Agriculture, the estimates to be based upon his determination of the ability of the Territory of Alaska to make effective use of the funds: And provided further. That whereas the Capper-Ketcham Act approved May 22, 1928, provides that "at least 80 per centum of all appropriations under this Act shall be utilized for the payment of salaries of extension agents in counties of the several States to further develop the cooperative extension system in agriculture and home economics with men, women, boys, and girls", the several established judicial divisions of the Territory of Alaska, as the same shall exist from time to time, shall be considered as counties for the purpose of complying with the provisions of this Act until a subdivision of the Territory of Alaska into counties is effected. SEC. 3. That portion of section 1 of the Act of June 20, 1936, (49 Stat. 1553) which extends the provisions of the Capper-Ketcham Act to the Territory of Alaska, and section 3 of said Act of June 20, 1936, are repealed. Amend the title so as to read: A bill to extend to the Territory of Alaska the benefits of certain Acts of Congress, and for other purposes. STATEMENT The purpose of this bill is to extend to Alaska the full benefits of the legislation authorizing Federal appropriations for Agricultural Extension Service work, instead of the partial benefits which the Territory is now receiving. The expanding agriculture of Alaska and the need for even greater expansion of agricultural production in that Territory make enactment of this bill necessary. As introduced, the bill limited the benefits to those authorized under the Capper-Ketcham Act. The Department of Agriculture, in reporting favorably on the bill, suggested that it be broadened to include the benefits of all Extension Service legislation by including also sections 21 and 23 of the Bankhead-Jones Act of June 29, 1935. As amended by the committee, the bill extends to Alaska the full benefits of the provisions of sections 21 and 23 of the Bankheed-Jones Act and the Capper-Ketcham Act and places the authorization for Alaska on the same basis as that for the States. DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION Enactment of the bill, as amended, was recommended by the Secretary of Agriculture in the following letter, which is made a part of this report: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULture, Hon. HAROLD D. COOLEY, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. COOLEY: This is in reply to your request of April 11 for a report on H. R. 212, introduced by Mr. Bartlett, Delegate from Alaska. The objective of H. R. 212 is to extend the full benefits of the Capper-Ketcham Act of May 22, 1928, to the Territory of Alaska instead of partial benefits of that act as now provided in the act of June 20, 1936. The objective is a meritorious one. However, it is the belief of this Department that in order to provide for further development of cooperative-extension work in Alaska, the benefits of sections 21 and 23 of the Bankhead-Jones Act of June 29, 1935, should be extended to the Territory as well as the full benefits of the Capper-Ketcham Act. With this objective in mind, there is transmitted herewith a suggested revision of H. R. 212 to provide for extension to the Territory of Alaska of the benefits of sections 21 and 23 of the Bankhead-Jones Act of June 29. 1935, and the full benefits of the Capper-Ketcham Act of May 22, 1928 Shortage of funds has made it impossible to employ sufficient trained extension workers to properly carry on extension educational work in Alaska, particularly with many part-time farmers and rural families in producing food for home use. nutrition, family health practices, 4-H Club work with boys and girls, and other lines. The present staff of seven technical extension workers is endeavoring to reach as many people as they can in almost every valley and populated area, but the great distances and very inadequate transportation facilities make it costly and time consuming to reach the people who need their help. |