[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4480 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4480
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to
provide to rural communities technical assistance in recovering from
disasters, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 5, 2024
Mr. Welch (for himself, Mr. Sanders, and Mrs. Shaheen) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to
provide to rural communities technical assistance in recovering from
disasters, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Recovery Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. RURAL DEVELOPMENT DISASTER RECOVERY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Disaster.--The term ``disaster'' means a major disaster
declared by the President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
(2) Eligible rural community.--The term ``eligible rural
community'' means each rural community all or part of which is
within an area covered by a disaster.
(3) Program.--The term ``program'' means the program
established under subsection (b).
(4) Rural community.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
term ``rural community'' means any census designated
place with a population of less than 20,000.
(B) Modification; waiver.--The Secretary may, as
the Secretary determines to be necessary--
(i) modify the definition of ``rural
community'' under subparagraph (A); or
(ii) waive the applicability of the
definition of ``rural community'' under this
paragraph to a particular area.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish within the rural
development mission area a program to provide technical assistance for
eligible rural communities.
(c) Providers of Technical Assistance.--
(1) In general.--Technical assistance under the program
shall be provided by--
(A) a State office of the rural development mission
area;
(B) an entity described in paragraph (2) that
enters into a contract with a State office of the rural
development mission area; or
(C) both entities described in subparagraphs (A)
and (B).
(2) Eligibility of contractors.--
(A) In general.--An entity eligible to enter into a
contract under paragraph (1)(B) is a public body or
private nonprofit corporation described in section
306(a)(26)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(26)(A)).
(B) Priority.--In entering into contracts under
paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall give priority to
entities described in section 306(a)(26)(B) of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.
1926(a)(26)(B)).
(3) Coordination.--A provider of technical assistance under
the program shall, to the extent practicable, coordinate with
State governments and local stakeholders to ensure the
equitable distribution of outreach to eligible rural
communities.
(d) Requirements of Technical Assistance.--A provider of technical
assistance under the program shall provide technical assistance to
eligible rural communities relating to disaster recovery--
(1) including assistance in--
(A) planning, and identifying issues, potential
solutions, and sources of funding, with respect to
disaster recovery;
(B) preparing and submitting applications with
respect to assistance for disaster recovery to Federal
agencies, such as the Economic Development
Administration, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, and the rural development mission area, and
State agencies;
(C) addressing denials of applications described in
subparagraph (B); and
(D) implementing funding received for disaster
recovery from Federal agencies and State agencies
described in subparagraph (B); and
(2) which may involve--
(A) telecommunications;
(B) water infrastructure;
(C) housing;
(D) energy infrastructure;
(E) community facilities;
(F) business infrastructure; and
(G) local government infrastructure.
(e) Duration.--
(1) In general.--An eligible rural community may receive
technical assistance under the program during the 3-year period
beginning on the date on which a disaster is declared for the
area within which all or part of the eligible rural community
lies.
(2) Extension.--The Secretary may extend the period of
eligibility described in paragraph (1) for an additional 3-year
period with respect to an eligible rural community on a case-
by-case basis.
(f) Multiple Recipients.--More than 1 eligible rural community all
or part of which are within an area covered by a disaster may receive
technical assistance under the program.
(g) Funding.--
(1) Provision.--As soon as practicable after the date on
which a disaster is declared for the area within which all or
part of an eligible rural community lies, the Secretary shall
make available to the applicable State office of the rural
development mission area amounts available to carry out this
section, without any requirement for the submission of an
application by such State office.
(2) Allocation.--The Secretary shall allocate amounts made
available to carry out this section for each fiscal year to
eligible rural communities in accordance with a formula
established by the Secretary that is based on the population of
individuals affected by a disaster, as determined using data
from the most recent decennial census.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $50,000,000 for
each fiscal year.
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