To prohibit the reduction, elimination, or suspension of funding for land-grant colleges and universities.

This bill would prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture or any other federal official from reducing, eliminating, or suspending funding for land-grant colleges and universities unless Congress explicitly authorizes the change in a law. In other words, changes to funding for these institutions would require an act of Congress, rather than being discretionary by the executive branch. The term “land-grant colleges and universities” is defined by reference to the existing federal definition in the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103). The policy purpose is to protect funding stability for land-grant institutions, which provide education, research, and extension services related to agriculture and related disciplines. If enacted, the bill would constrain executive branch budget adjustments and place the power to reduce or suspend funding in the hands of Congress, at least with respect to land-grant institutions.