7 U.S.C. § 2279i — Cooperation with State and other agen-

Page 1490 TITLE 7—AGRICULTURE § 2279i Pub. L. 104–180, title I, Aug. 6, 1996, 110 Stat. 1570. Pub. L. 104–37, title I, Oct. 21, 1995, 109 Stat. 300. § 2279i. Cooperation with State and other agen- cies; expenditures In carrying on the activities of the Depart- ment of Agriculture involving cooperation with State, county, and municipal agencies, associa- tions of farmers, individual farmers, univer- sities, colleges, boards of trade, chambers of commerce, or other local associations of busi- ness men, business organizations, and individ- uals within the State, Territory, district, or in- sular possession in which such activities are to be carried on, moneys contributed from such outside sources, except in the case of the au- thorized activities of the Forest Service, shall be paid only through the Secretary of Agri- culture or through State, county, or municipal agencies, or local farm bureaus or like organiza- tions, cooperating for the purpose with the Sec- retary of Agriculture. (July 24, 1919, ch. 26, 41 Stat. 270.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section was formerly classified to section 450b of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section, and to section 563 of Title 5 prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, by Pub. L. 89–554, § 1, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 378. § 2279j. Conversion authority The Secretary may, notwithstanding sub- chapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, governing ap- pointments in the competitive or excepted serv- ice, noncompetitively convert to an appoint- ment in the competitive service, in an agency or office within the Department of Agriculture, a recent graduate or student who is a United States citizen and has been awarded and suc- cessfully completed a scholarship program granted to the individual by the Department through the 1890 National Scholars Program or the 1994 Tribal Scholars Program carried out by the Department, provided the individual meets the requirements for such conversion and meets Office of Personnel Management qualification standards, as determined by the Secretary. Nothing in the preceding sentence shall be con- strued as requiring the Secretary to convert an individual under the authority under such sen- tence. (Pub. L. 115–334, title XII, § 12519, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 5001.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries DEFINITION OF ‘‘SECRETARY’’ ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of Agriculture, see section 2 of Pub. L. 115–334, set out as a note under sec- tion 9001 of this title. § 2279k. Authorization of protection operations for the Secretary of Agriculture and others (a) In general The Department of Agriculture is authorized to employ qualified law enforcement officers or special agents to provide— (1) protection for the Secretary and the Dep- uty Secretary during the performance of offi- cial duties by each such officer and during any activity that is preliminary or postliminary to the performance of official duties by each such officer; (2) protection, incidental to the protection provided pursuant to paragraph (1), to an indi- vidual accompanying each such officer who is participating in an activity or event relating to the official duties of each such officer when there is an articulable threat to such indi- vidual; (3) continuous protection to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary (including during peri- ods not described in paragraph (1)) if there is an articulable threat of physical harm, in ac- cordance with guidelines established by the Secretary; and (4) protection of another senior officer rep- resenting the Secretary (including a person nominated to be the Secretary during the pendency of such nomination) if there is an articulable threat of physical harm, in accord- ance with guidelines established by the Sec- retary. (b) Authorities of the protective operation (1) In general The Secretary may authorize officers or spe- cial agents employed pursuant to subsection (a)— (A) to carry firearms; (B) to conduct criminal investigations into potential threats to the security of persons protected under this section; (C) to make arrests without a warrant for any offense against the United States com- mitted in the presence of such officer or spe- cial agent; (D) to perform protective intelligence work, including identifying and mitigating potential threats and conducting advance work to review security matters relating to sites and events; and (E) to coordinate with local law enforce- ment agencies. (2) Guidelines The authority conveyed under this section shall be exercised in accordance with any— (A) guidelines issued by the Attorney Gen- eral; and (B) such additional guidelines as may be issued by the Secretary. (c) Exception The authorities granted under this section may be exercised notwithstanding section 1343(b)(1) of title 31. (d) Report Not later than September 30, 2019, and each September 30 through 2024, the Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and Committee on Ag- riculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing the protection provided, and accounting for the expenditures made, pursuant to this section. (Pub. L. 115–334, title XII, § 12520, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 5001.)