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U.S. Code as of:
01/02/2006
Section 3113. Establishment of Indian and Alaska Native forestry education assistance
(a) Forester intern program
(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of title 5 governing
appointments in the competitive service, the Secretary shall
establish and maintain in the Bureau of Indian Affairs at least 20
forester intern positions for Indian and Alaska Native students.
(2) For purposes of this subsection, the term "forester intern"
means an Indian or Alaska Native who -
(A) is acquiring necessary academic qualifications to become a
forester or a professional trained in forestry-related fields,
and
(B) is appointed to one of the positions established under
paragraph (1).
(3) The Secretary shall pay all costs for tuition, books, fees
and living expenses incurred by a forester intern while attending
an approved post-secondary or graduate school in a full-time
forestry-related curriculum.
(4) A forester intern shall be required to enter into an
obligated service agreement to serve as a professional forester or
other forestry-related professional with the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, an Indian tribe, or a tribal forest-related enterprise for
2 years for each year of education for which the Secretary pays the
intern's educational costs under paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(5) A forester intern shall be required to report for service
with the Bureau of Indian Affairs during any break in attendance at
school of more than 3 weeks duration. Time spent in such service
shall be counted toward satisfaction of the intern's obligated
service agreement.
(b) Cooperative education program
(1) The Secretary shall maintain, through the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, a cooperative education program for the purpose of
recruiting promising Indian and Alaska Native students who are
enrolled in secondary schools, tribally-controlled community
colleges, and other post-secondary or graduate schools for
employment as a professional forester or other forestry-related
professional with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, an Indian tribe, or
a tribal forest-related enterprise.
(2) The cooperative educational program that is to be maintained
under paragraph (1) shall be modeled on and shall have essentially
the same features of the program operated on November 28, 1990,
pursuant to chapter 308 of the Federal Personnel Manual of the
Office of Personnel Management.
(3) Under the cooperative agreement program that is to be
maintained under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall pay all costs
for tuition, books, and fees of an Indian or Alaska Native student
who -
(A) is enrolled in a course of study at an education
institution with which the Secretary has entered into a
cooperative agreement, and
(B) is interested in a career with the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, an Indian tribe or a tribal enterprise in the management
of Indian forest land.
(4) Financial need shall not be a requirement to receive
assistance under the cooperative agreement program that is to be
maintained under this subsection.
(5) A recipient of assistance under the cooperative education
program that is to be maintained under this subsection shall be
required to enter into an obligated service agreement to serve as a
professional forester or other forestry-related professional with
the Bureau of Indian Affairs, an Indian tribe, or a tribal forest-
related enterprise for one year for each year for which the
Secretary pays the recipient's educational costs pursuant to
paragraph (3).
(c) Scholarship program
(1) The Secretary is authorized to grant forestry scholarships to
Indians and Alaska Natives enrolled in accredited programs for post-
secondary and graduate forestry and forestry-related programs of
study as full-time students.
(2) A recipient of a scholarship under paragraph (1) shall be
required to enter into an obligated service agreement with the
Secretary in which the recipient agrees to accept employment for
one year for each year the recipient received a scholarship,
following completion of the recipient's forestry or forestry-
related course of study, with
(A) the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
(B) a forestry program conducted under a contract, grant, or
cooperative agreement entered into under the Indian Self-
Determination Act [25 U.S.C. 450f et seq.];
(C) an Indian enterprise engaged in a forestry or forestry-
related business; or
(D) an Indian tribe's forestry-related program.
(3) The Secretary shall not deny scholarship assistance under
this subsection solely on the basis of an applicant's scholastic
achievement if the applicant has been admitted to and remains in
good standing in an accredited postsecondary or graduate
institution.
(d) Forestry education outreach
The Secretary shall conduct, through the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, and in consultation with other appropriate local, State
and Federal agencies, and in consultation and coordination with
Indian tribes, a forestry education outreach program for Indian and
Alaska Native youth to explain and stimulate interest in all
aspects of Indian forest land management and careers in forestry.
(e) Adequacy of programs
The Secretary shall administer the programs described in this
section until a sufficient number of Indians and Alaska Natives are
trained to ensure that there is an adequate number of qualified,
professional Indian foresters to manage the Bureau of Indian
Affairs forestry programs and forestry programs maintained by or
for Indian tribes.
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