1. (a) Competitive grant program The Secretary shall conduct a program of competitive grants to States for the purpose of meeting the costs of renovation, improving compliance with Federal regulations, employing faculty, acquiring equipment, and taking other action related to the improvement of schools of veterinary medicine to ensure agricultural competitiveness on a worldwide basis.

2. (b) Preference Except with respect to the States of Alaska and Hawaii, the Secretary shall give preference in awarding grants to States which file, with their application for funds under this section, assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that—

   1. (1) the State has established a veterinary medical training program with one or more States without colleges of veterinary medicine which consists of appropriate cooperative agreements providing for a sharing of curriculum and costs by the individual States;
   2. (2) the clinical training of the school to be improved shall emphasize care and preventive medical programs for food animals and companion animals (including horses) which support industries of major economic importance; and
   3. (3) the Secretary may set aside a portion of funds appropriated for the award of grants under this section and make such amounts available only for grants to eligible colleges and universities that the Secretary determines have unique capabilities for achieving the objective of full participation of minority groups in research in the Nation’s schools of veterinary medicine.

   Notwithstanding clause (1) of this subsection, no State which the Secretary determines has made a reasonable effort to establish appropriate cooperative agreements shall be denied a grant or otherwise prejudiced because of its failure to establish such cooperative agreements.

3. (c) Apportionment and distribution of funds Funds appropriated to carry out this section for any fiscal year shall be apportioned and distributed as follows:

   1. (1) Five per centum shall be retained by the Department of Agriculture for administration, program assistance to eligible States, and program coordination.
   2. (2) The remainder shall be apportioned and distributed by the Secretary to those States which have applied for funds under this section on such basis as the Secretary may deem appropriate.

(Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1415, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 993; Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1417, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1305; Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, § 1410, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1547; Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1607(a), (b), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3716; Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, § 7128(b)(1)(A), Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 878.)

Amendments

2014—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 113–79 struck out “This grant program shall be based on a matching formula of 50 per centum Federal and 50 per centum State funding.” at end.

1990—Pub. L. 101–624, § 1607(b)(1), amended section catchline generally.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–624, § 1607(b)(1), inserted heading.

Pub. L. 101–624, § 1607(a)(1), amended first sentence generally. Prior to amendment, first sentence read as follows: “The Secretary shall conduct a program of grants to States for the purpose of meeting the costs of construction, employing faculty, acquiring equipment, and taking other action relating to the initial establishment and initial operation of schools of veterinary medicine, or the expansion of existing schools of veterinary medicine, as determned [sic] by the Secretary by regulations.”

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–624, § 1607(b)(2), inserted heading.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 101–624, § 1607(a)(2), struck out “, or has made a reasonable effort to establish,” after “established”, and “and” after “States;”.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 101–624, § 1607(a)(3), amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: “the clinical training of the school to be established or expanded shall emphasize care and preventive medical programs for food-producing animals.”

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 101–624, § 1607(a)(3), added par. (3).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–624, § 1607(b)(3), inserted heading.

1985—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 99–198 substituted “Five” for “Four”.

1981—Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 97–98 struck out proviso that not less than 50 per centum of such funds shall be made available to States which have accredited schools of veterinary medicine.

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–98 effective Dec. 22, 1981, see section 1801 of Pub. L. 97–98, set out as an Effective Date note under section 4301 of this title.

Effective Date

Subchapter effective Oct. 1, 1977, see section 1901 of Pub. L. 95–113, set out as an Effective Date of 1977 Amendment note under section 1307 of this title.