S. 3637

119 S3637 IS: Advancing Cutting Edge Agriculture Act of 2026
 U.S. Senate
 2026-01-14
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 II  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  S. 3637  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   January 14, 2026   Mr. Marshall  (for himself and  Mr. Bennet ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry    A BILL
To amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to reauthorize the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Advancing Cutting Edge Agriculture Act of 2026   or the   ACE Agriculture Act of 2026  .
2.
Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority
Section 1473H of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 ( 7 U.S.C. 3319k ) is amended—
(1)
in the section heading, by striking
Pilot  ;
(2)
in subsection (a)(6)(A), by striking  growing,  and inserting  growing (including water conservation technologies and innovation), ;
(3)
in subsection (b)—
(A)
by striking  pilot program  each place it appears and inserting  program ;
(B)
in paragraph (2)—
(i)
in subparagraph (B)—
(I)
by inserting  the long-term and high-risk technological  before  barriers ; and
(II)
by striking  and resilience to extreme weather;  and inserting  water conservation, the reduction, avoidance, sequestration, or mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from the agriculture sector, and resilience to extreme weather, drought, infectious diseases, plant and animal pathogens, and plant and animal pests; ; and
(ii)
in subparagraph (D), by inserting  or economic cost  before the period at the end;
(C)
in paragraph (3)(B)—
(i)
in clause (ii), in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking  advise the Chief Scientist on, and ; and
(ii)
by striking clause (iii) and inserting the following:
(iii)
Relationship within the Department of Agriculture
(I)
Chief Scientist
The Director shall work in close collaboration with the Office of the Chief Scientist.
(II)
Other programs
No other official who is the head of any other program of the Department of Agriculture shall report to the Director.
 ; and
(D)
in paragraph (9), by striking the paragraph designation and heading and all that follows through  In carrying out  and inserting the following:
(9)
Personnel matters
(A)
In general
The Director shall establish and maintain within the AGARDA a staff with sufficient qualifications and expertise to enable the AGARDA to carry out the responsibilities of the AGARDA under this section in conjunction with other operations of the Department of Agriculture.
(B)
Use of existing personnel authorities
In carrying out
 ;
(4)
in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following:
(4)
Use of strategic plan
The Secretary shall use the strategic plan developed under paragraph (1) and dated 2022 to inform the administration of the AGARDA under this section.
 ;
(5)
in subsection (d)—
(A)
by redesignating subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) as paragraph (5), indenting appropriately, and moving the paragraph so as to appear after paragraph (3);
(B)
in paragraph (3), by striking  $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023  and inserting  $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 ;
(C)
by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
(4)
Other funding
In addition to amounts otherwise made available to carry out this section, the Secretary may use to carry out this section other unobligated funds available to the Secretary for any other purpose.
 ; and
(D)
in paragraph (5) (as redesignated by subparagraph (A)), by striking  this paragraph  and inserting  paragraph (2) or (4) ; and
(6)
by striking subsection (e).