12 2 STA T . 221 9PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 2 46—J U NE 1 8, 2008 foreach off is ca ly ears 20 0 8t hro ug h20 1 2 , to re m ai n a v aila b le until e xp en d ed .Subti t leC—O t h e rM i sc ell an e o us P ro v isions SEC.1420 1.C OT TO N C LA SS IF ICATION SE RV ICES. S ection 3 aof the A ct of M arch 3, 1 9 2 7( 7 U .S. C . 4 73a ) ,is amended to read as follo w s
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‘SEC. 3a . COTTON CLASSIFICATION SERVICES. ‘ ‘(a) INGE NE RAL . —T he Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the ‘Secretary ’ ) shall— ‘‘(1) ma k e cotton classification services available to pro - ducers of cotton
and ‘‘(2) provide for the collection of classification fees from participating producers or agents that voluntarily agree to col- lect and remit the fees on behalf of producers. ‘‘(b) F EE S .— ‘‘(1) USE OF FEES.—Classification fees collected under sub- section (a)(2) and the proceeds from the sales of samples sub- mitted under this section shall, to the maximum extent prac- ticable, be used to pay the cost of the services provided under this section, including administrative and supervisory costs. ‘‘(2) ANNO U N C E M EN T OF FEES.—The Secretary shall announce a uniform classification fee and any applicable sur- charge for classification services not later than J une1 of the year in which the fee applies. ‘‘(c) CONSULTAT I ON.— ‘‘(1) IN G ENERAL.—In establishing the amount of fees under this section, the Secretary shall consult with representatives of the United States cotton industry. ‘‘(2) EX EM P TION.—The Federal Advisory Committee Act ( 5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to consultations with representa- tives of the United States cotton industry under this section. ‘‘(d) CRE D ITING OF FEES.—Any fees collected under this section and under section 3d, late payment penalties, the proceeds from the sales of samples, and interest earned from the investment of such funds shall— ‘‘(1) be credited to the current appropriation account that incurs the cost of services provided under this section and section 3d; and ‘‘(2) remain available without fiscal year limitation to pay the expenses of the Secretary in providing those services. ‘‘(e) IN V ESTMENT OF FUNDS.—Funds described in subsection (d) may be invested— ‘‘(1) by the Secretary in insured or fully collaterali z ed, interest-bearing accounts; or ‘‘(2) at the discretion of the Secretary, by the Secretary of the Treasury in United States Government debt instruments. ‘‘(f) L EASE AGREEMENTS.— N otwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may enter into long-term lease agreements that exceed 5 years or may take title to property (including through purchase agreements) for the purpose of obtaining offices to be used for the classification of cotton in accordance with this Act, Deadlin e .
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