§ 3732 — Postgraduation Recruitment, Education And Training Programs

(a) The Secretary shall establish and maintain a program to attract Indian professionals who are graduates of a course of postsecondary or graduate education for employment in either the Bureau agriculture or related programs or, subject to the approval of the tribe, in tribal agriculture or related programs. According to such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, such program shall provide for the employment of Indian professionals in exchange for the assumption by the Secretary of the outstanding student loans of the employee. The period of employment shall be determined by the amount of the loan that is assumed. (b) For the purposes of training, skill development and orientation of Indian and Federal agricultural management personnel, and the enhancement of tribal and Bureau agricultural resource programs, the Secretary shall establish and actively conduct a program for the cooperative internship of Federal and Indian agricultural resource personnel. Such program shall— (1) for agencies within the Department of the Interior— (A) provide for the internship of Bureau and Indian agricultural resource employees in the agricultural resource related programs of other agencies of the Department of the Interior, and (B) provide for the internship of agricultural resource personnel from the other Department of the Interior agencies within the Bureau, and, with the consent of the tribe, within tribal agricultural resource programs; (2) for agencies not within the Department of the Interior, provide, pursuant to an interagency agreement, internships within the Bureau and, with the consent of the tribe, within a tribal agricultural resource program of other agricultural resource personnel of such agencies who are above their sixth year of Federal service; (3) provide for the continuation of salary and benefits for participating Federal employees by their originating agency; (4) provide for salaries and benefits of participating Indian agricultural resource employees by the host agency; and (5) provide for a bonus pay incentive at the conclusion of the internship for any participant. (c) The Secretary shall maintain a program within the Trust Services Division of the Bureau for Indian agricultural resource personnel which shall provide for— (1) orientation training for Bureau agricultural resource personnel in tribal-Federal relations and responsibilities; (2) continuing technical agricultural resource education for Bureau and Indian agricultural resource personnel; and (3) development training of Indian agricultural resource personnel in agricultural resource based enterprises and marketing.