republic-os/legal/us/code/title-07/chapter-14/section-361a.md

type, title, description, jurisdiction, corpus, kind, title_number, title_name, chapter_number, chapter_name, section, citation, status, release_point, release_date, source, source_url, source_identifier, source_file, source_hash, raw_snapshot_hash, text_hash, retrieved_at, confidence, tags

type	title	description	jurisdiction	corpus	kind	title_number	title_name	chapter_number	chapter_name	section	citation	status	release_point	release_date	source	source_url	source_identifier	source_file	source_hash	raw_snapshot_hash	text_hash	retrieved_at	confidence	tags
LegalText	7 U.S.C. § 361a	Congressional declaration of purpose; definitions	us	united_states_code	code_section	7	AGRICULTURE	14	AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS	361a	7 U.S.C. § 361a	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc07@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t7/s361a	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-07/usc07.xml	fef9ef0f470c1970b3f47da42764fcb449e0e24397cd1fc425c3324bdc33fdbb	50edab1679a711653797362c0aeb8f2273303fe473fb7fa16df1ee76bdd6e984	028750ae5a3208c0ad8140687906c9a33a745172e79babe3917e4fe598799246	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

7 U.S.C. § 361a - Congressional declaration of purpose; definitions

Text

It is the policy of Congress to continue the agricultural research at State agricultural experiment stations which has been encouraged and supported by the Hatch Act of 1887 [7 U.S.C. 361a et seq.], the Adams Act of 1906, the Purnell Act of 1925, the Bankhead-Jones Act of 1935, and title I, section 9, of that Act as added by the Act of August 14, 1946, and Acts amendatory and supplementary thereto, and to promote the efficiency of such research by a codification and simplification of such laws. As used in this Act [7 U.S.C. 361a et seq.], the terms “State” or “States” are defined to include the several States (including the District of Columbia), Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands. As used in this Act [7 U.S.C. 361a et seq.], the term “State agricultural experiment station” means a department which shall have been established, under direction of the college or university or agricultural departments of the college or university in each State in accordance with an Act approved July 2, 1862, (12 Stat. 503), entitled “An Act donating public lands to the several States and Territo­ries which may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts” [7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.]; or such other substantially equivalent arrangements as any State shall determine.

(Mar. 2, 1887, ch. 314, § 1, 24 Stat. 440; Aug. 11, 1955, ch. 790, § 1, 69 Stat. 671; Pub. L. 92–318, title V, § 506(k), June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 351; Pub. L. 93–471, title II, § 208(e), Oct. 26, 1974, 88 Stat. 1429; Pub. L. 105–185, title II, § 203(c)(1), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 534.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

References in TextThe Hatch Act of 1887, referred to in text, is act Mar. 2, 1887, ch. 314, 24 Stat. 440, which is classified generally to sections 361a to 361i of this title. For complete classification of this act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below, and Tables. The Adams Act of 1906, referred to in text, is act Mar. 16, 1906, ch. 951, 34 Stat. 63, which was classified to sections 361, 366, 369, 371, 373 to 376, 380, and 382 of this title, and was repealed by act Aug. 11, 1955, ch. 790, § 2, 69 Stat. 674. For complete classification of this Act to the Code prior to repeal, see Tables. The Purnell Act of 1925, referred to in text, is act Feb. 24, 1925, ch. 308, 43 Stat. 970, which was classified to sections 361, 366, 370, 371, 373 to 376, 380, and 382 of this title, and was repealed by act Aug. 11, 1955, ch. 790, § 2, 69 Stat. 674. For complete classification of this Act to the Code prior to repeal, see Tables. The Bankhead-Jones Act, referred to in text, is act June 29, 1935, ch. 338, 49 Stat. 436, also popularly known as the Agricultural Research Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1935 Amendment note under section 3101 of this title and Tables. Title I, section 9, of that Act, referred to in text, was classified to section 427h of this title prior to repeal. The Act approved July 2, 1862 (12 Stat. 503), referred to in text, is act July 2, 1862, ch. 130, 12 Stat. 503, popularly known as the “Morrill Act” and also as the “First Morrill Act”, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 301 et seq.) of chapter 13 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 301 of this title and Tables.

Codification Section 208 of Pub. L. 93–471, cited as a credit to this section, was renumbered section “209” by D.C. Law 1–36, § 4, Nov. 1, 1975, 22 DCR 2911. Section was formerly classified to section 362 of this title.

Amendments1998—Pub. L. 105–185 struck out “Alaska, Hawaii,” before “Puerto Rico” in second sentence. 1974—Pub. L. 93–471 defined “State” to include the District of Columbia. 1972—Pub. L. 92–318 defined “State” to include Guam and the Virgin Islands. 1955—Act Aug. 11, 1955, amended section generally to continue agricultural research at the agricultural experiment stations, to restate the declaration of purpose, and to insert definitions of “State” and “State agricultural experiment station.” Former provisions which required division of appropriations between colleges of same state are now contained in section 361h of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1974 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 93–471 effective July 1, 1975, unless Pub. L. 93–471 repealed by District of Columbia Council after Jan. 2, 1975, and prior to July 1, 1975; or such amendment by Pub. L. 93–471, as amended by the District Council, also effective July 1, 1975, or some other date prescribed by the Council as authorized under provisions of section 407 of Pub. L. 93–471.

Effective Date of 1972 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 92–318 effective after June 30, 1970, see section 506(n) of Pub. L. 92–318, set out as an Effective Date note under section 326a of this title.

Short TitleAct Mar. 2, 1887, ch. 314, § 10, as added by Pub. L. 105–185, § 3(b), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 526, provided that: “This Act [enacting sections 361a to 361i of this title] may be cited as the ‘Hatch Act of 1887’.”

Arlington EstateBesides the provisions establishing agricultural experiment stations, contained in act Mar. 2, 1887, a portion of the Arlington estate in the State of Virginia was set apart for experimental agricultural purposes by act April 18, 1900, ch. 243, 31 Stat. 135, and provisions for establishing and maintaining a general experimental farm and agricultural station thereon were made by the subsequent agricultural appropriation acts.

Executive Documents

Admission of Alaska and Hawaii to StatehoodAlaska was admitted into the Union on Jan. 3, 1959, on issuance of Proc. No. 3269, Jan. 3, 1959, 24 F.R. 81, 73 Stat. c16, and Hawaii was admitted into the Union on Aug. 21, 1959, on issuance of Proc. No. 3309, Aug. 21, 1959, 24 F.R. 6868, 73 Stat. c74. For Alaska Statehood Law, see Pub. L. 85–508, July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 339, set out as a note preceding section 21 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions. For Hawaii Statehood Law, see Pub. L. 86–3, Mar. 18, 1959, 73 Stat. 4, set out as a note preceding section 491 of Title 48.