79–008 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 115–679 

PROVIDING FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL 

(H.R. 2) TO PROVIDE FOR THE REFORM AND CONTINUATION OF AGRICULTURAL AND OTHER PROGRAMS OF 

THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE THROUGH FISCAL 

YEAR 2023, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 

MAY 16, 2018.—Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed 

Mr. NEWHOUSE, from the Committee on Rules, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H. Res. 900] 

The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration House 

Resolution 900, by a 8 to 3, report the same to the House with the 

recommendation that the resolution be adopted. 

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS OF THE RESOLUTION

The resolution provides for further consideration of H.R. 2, the 

Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, under a structured rule. The 

resolution provides for no additional general debate. The resolution 

makes in order only those further amendments printed in this report. Each such amendment may be offered only in the order printed in this report, may be offered only by a Member designated in 

this report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the 

time specified in this report equally divided and controlled by the 

proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, 

and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question 

in the House or the Committee of the Whole. The resolution waives 

all points of order against the amendments printed in this report. 

The resolution provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. 

EXPLANATION OF WAIVERS

The waiver of all points of order against further amendments 

printed in this report includes a waiver of: 

• Clause 5(a) of Rule XXI, which prohibits a bill or joint resolution carrying a tax or tariff measure from being reported by a comVerDate Sep 11 2014 07:04 May 17, 2018 Jkt 079008 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR679.XXX HR679

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mittee not having jurisdiction to report tax or tariff measures for 

amendment #1 by Rep. Foxx (R–NC). • Section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act, which prohibits 

consideration of legislation providing new budget authority in excess of a 302(a) allocation of such authority for amendment #112 

by Rep. Conaway • Section 311 of the Congressional Budget Act, which prohibits 

consideration of legislation that would cause the level of total new 

budget authority for the first fiscal year to be exceeded, or would 

cause revenues to be less than the level of total revenues for the 

first fiscal year or for the total of that first fiscal year and the ensuing fiscal years for which allocations are provided for amendment 

#112 by Rep. Conaway 

COMMITTEE VOTES

The results of each record vote on an amendment or motion to 

report, together with the names of those voting for and against, are 

printed below: 

Rules Committee record vote No. 214 

Motion by Mr. Polis to make in order and provide the appropriate waivers to amendment # 63, offered by Rep. Comer (KY) and 

Rep. Blumenauer (OR) and Rep. Bonamici (OR) and Rep. Barr (KY) 

and Rep. Polis (CO) and Rep. Taylor (VA), removes industrial hemp 

from the definition of marihuana under the Controlled Substances 

Act and places it under the jurisdiction of the USDA as an agricultural commodity. Defeated: 3–8 

Majority Members Vote Minority Members Vote 

Mr. Cole ............................................................ Nay Mr. McGovern ................................................... Yea 

Mr. Woodall ...................................................... Nay Mr. Hastings of Florida ................................... ...................

Mr. Burgess ...................................................... Nay Mr. Polis ........................................................... Yea 

Mr. Collins ........................................................ Nay Mrs. Torres ....................................................... Yea 

Mr. Byrne .......................................................... Nay 

Mr. Newhouse ................................................... Nay 

Mr. Buck ........................................................... ...................

Ms. Cheney ....................................................... Nay 

Mr. Sessions, Chairman ................................... Nay 

Rules Committee record vote No. 215 

Motion by Mr. Cole report the rule. Adopted: 8–3 

Majority Members Vote Minority Members Vote 

Mr. Cole ............................................................ Yea Mr. McGovern ................................................... Nay 

Mr. Woodall ...................................................... Yea Mr. Hastings of Florida ................................... ...................

Mr. Burgess ...................................................... Yea Mr. Polis ........................................................... Nay 

Mr. Collins ........................................................ Yea Mrs. Torres ....................................................... Nay 

Mr. Byrne .......................................................... Yea 

Mr. Newhouse ................................................... Yea 

Mr. Buck ........................................................... ...................

Ms. Cheney ....................................................... Yea 

Mr. Sessions, Chairman ................................... Yea 

SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENTS MADE IN ORDER

1. Foxx (NC), Davis, Danny K. (IL), Shuster (PA), Blumenauer 

(OR), Chabot (OH), Speier (CA), Barletta (PA), Kind (WI), Perry 

(PA), Biggs (AZ): Modernizes and reforms the sugar program by reVerDate Sep 11 2014 07:04 May 17, 2018 Jkt 079008 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR679.XXX HR679

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moving barriers to domestic production and implementing market 

reforms. (20 minutes) 

2. Conaway (TX): MANAGERS Makes technical and conforming 

changes, in addition to making amendments to titles IV, VI and XI 

of H.R. 2. These amendments consist of changes to nutrition programs, requiring consultation between USDA and NTIA on 

broadband loan and grant programs and establishing a food access 

liaison at USDA. (10 minutes) 

3. McClintock (CA): Phases out agricultural subsidies. (10 minutes) 

4. LaHood, Darin (IL): Streamlines the sign up process for Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) by directing the Secretary of Agriculture to change the regulatory requirements from an annual sign up to a ‘‘one and done’’ process for 

ARC and PLC only. (10 minutes) 

5. Rogers (AL): Amends the Conservation Title to cap the number 

of CRP acres at 24 million a year. (10 minutes) 

6. Faso (NY): Expands USDA’s ability to assess natural resource 

concerns through enhanced measurement, evaluation, and reporting on conservation program outcomes. (10 minutes) 

7. Fortenberry (NE): Provides sequencing and prioritization for 

volunteer visits and improves communication and coordination between USDA, USAID and implementing partners. The amendment 

also establishes a geographically defined crop yield metrics system 

and an Internet-based resource for data and knowledge sharing 

among the participants, stakeholders and the public. (10 minutes) 

8. McClintock (CA), Grothman (WI), Gohmert (TX): Amends 

SNAP work requirements to repeal geographic area waivers to 

allow states to exempt only 5% of SNAP recipients, set the same 

hour per week work requirement for married parents as for single 

parents, exempt parents of children under 3 instead of children 

under 6, require participants in training programs to go through E 

Verify. (10 minutes) 

9. MacArthur (NJ): Ensures that if an individual becomes ineligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program as a household member due to failure to meet the requirements under subparagraph (B), the remaining household members 

(including children), shall not become ineligible to apply to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program due to such 

individual’s ineligibility. (10 minutes) 

10. Davidson (OH): Instructs USDA to distribute employment 

and training funds based on actual usage of the program rather 

than eligibility. Any unused funds would be sent back to the treasury. (10 minutes) 

11. Holding (NC), Reed (NY): Ends eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for convicted violent rapists, 

pedophiles and murderers after enactment into law. (10 minutes) 

12. Gonza ́lez-Colo ́n (PR): Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to 

conduct a feasibility study on developing a Thrifty Food Plan to calculate the amount of the Nutritional Assistance Program for Puerto 

Rico. (10 minutes) 

13. Faso (NY), Hartzler (MO), Poliquin (ME), Marshall (KS): Provides states the flexibility to contract out administrative functions 

of SNAP (10 minutes) 


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14. Young, Don (AK): Expands access to traditional foods for native populations first created in Sec. 4033 of PL 113–79. (10 minutes) 

15. Gonza ́lez-Colo ́n (PR): Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to 

provide an extension of study on comparable access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance for Puerto Rico. (10 minutes) 

16. Biggs (AZ), Rooney, Francis (FL): Repeals the bioenergy subsidy programs established in title IX of the 2002 farm bill. (10 minutes) 

17. Russell (OK): Amends the Agricultural Risk Protection act of 

2000 to prohibit the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from 

awarding value-added agricultural product market development 

grants to support the marketing of beer, wine, distilled spirits, 

hard cider, or other alcohol products. The amendment also rescinds 

$8 million of the unobligated funds that were previously provided 

to USDA for grants. (10 minutes) 

18. Turner (OH): REVISION: Ensures that newly designated 

1890 Institution’s base funding is calculated by using the same formula as already established 1890 Institutions. (10 minutes) 

19. Stefanik (NY): Adds invasive vegetation to Section 602 of the 

Healthy Forests Restoration Act. (10 minutes) 

20. Cheney (WY), Newhouse (WA): Directs the USFS and DOI to 

make vacant allotments available to grazing permit or lease holders in the even of a natural disaster, conflict with wildlife, or courtissued injunction. To prevent a court injunction in the event that 

the federal agency is unable to make a vacant allotment available. 

(10 minutes) 

21. Pearce (NM): Establishes a pilot program to demonstrate effective tools and techniques for safeguarding national forests and 

watersheds. (10 minutes) 

22. Stefanik (NY): Prioritizes grants for forest restoration under 

the Competitive Forestry, Natural Resources, and Environmental 

Grants Program. (10 minutes) 

23. Faso (NY): Improves cooperation with the Forest Service to 

intercept tree and wood pests and would require a report on the 

interception of forest pests. (10 minutes) 

24. Brat (VA), Blumenauer (OR), Titus (NV): Establishes transparency and accountability requirements for checkoff programs. It 

requires that a checkoff board or its employees or agents acting in 

their official capacity may not engage in any act that may involve 

a conflict of interest, anti-competitive activity, unfair or deceptive 

act or practice, or act that may be disparaging to, or in any way 

negatively portray, another agricultural commodity or product. (10 

minutes) 

25. Massie (KY), Rohrabacher (CA), Polis (CO): Prohibits federal 

interference with the interstate traffic of unpasteurized milk and 

milk products between States that allow the distribution of 

unpasteurized milk or milk products for direct human consumption. (10 minutes) 

26. Costello (PA), Emmer (MN): Directs the Secretary to designate, among existing USDA staff, a Beginning Farmer and 

Rancher (BFR) Coordinator in each state, without associated cost. 

(10 minutes) 


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27. Noem (SD): Creates a new initiative to allow the United 

States Department of Agriculture to match funds invested in educational programs or services for Indians. (10 minutes) 

28. Roskam (IL), Blumenauer (OR), Faso (NY), Knight (CA): 

Strengthens prohibitions against animal fighting by ensuring the 

law applies to all US territories. (10 minutes) 

29. Johnson, Mike (LA), Gosar (AZ): Requires the Secretary to 

consider the totality of conservation measures already in place, or 

proposed, to mitigate species or habitat loss when determining 

whether Federal action is likely to jeopardize either. (10 minutes) 

30. Hollingsworth (IN), Goodlatte (VA), Womack (AR), Palazzo 

(MS), Comer (KY), DesJarlais (TN), Luetkemeyer (MO), Stivers 

(OH), Crawford (AR), Rokita (IN): Allows the Secretary of the Interior, in conjunction with the Director of the US Fish and Wildlife 

Service, to issue depredation permits to livestock farmers authorizing the taking of black vultures otherwise prohibited by law to 

prevent damage to livestock during calving season. (10 minutes) 

31. Banks (IN), Gosar (AZ), Pearce (NM), Smith, Jason (MO), 

Cramer, Kevin (ND), Rokita (IN), Walorski (IN), Hollingsworth 

(IN), Walker (NC), Duncan (SC), Mullin, Markwayne (OK), Rohrabacher (CA), Estes, Ron (KS), Tipton (CO), Herrera-Beutler (WA), 

Hunter (CA), Amodei (NV): Repeals the final rule issued by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of the Army entitled ‘‘Clean Water Rule: Definition of 

‘Waters of the United States’ ’’ (80 Fed. Reg. 37053 (June 29, 

2015)). (10 minutes) 

TEXT OF AMENDMENTS MADE IN ORDER

1. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE FOXX OF

NORTH CAROLINA OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 20 MINUTES

Strike section 1301 and insert the following new sections: 

SEC. 1301. SUGAR PROGRAM. 

(a) LOAN RATES.—Section 156 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272) is amended by 

striking subsections (a) and (b) and inserting the following new 

subsections: 

‘‘(a) SUGARCANE.—The Secretary shall make loans available to 

processors of domestically grown sugarcane at a rate equal to— 

‘‘(1) 18.75 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for the 2018 

crop year; and 

‘‘(2) 18.00 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for the 2019 

through 2023 crop years. 

‘‘(b) SUGAR BEETS.—The Secretary shall make loans available to 

processors of domestically grown sugar beets at a rate equal to 

128.5 percent of the loan rate per pound of raw cane sugar for the 

applicable crop year under subsection (a) for each of the 2018 

through 2023 crop years.’’. 

(b) AVOIDING FORFEITURES WHILE ENSURING ADEQUATE SUPPLIES

AT REASONABLE PRICES.—Section 156(f) of the Federal Agriculture 

Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(f)) is amended— 

(1) in the subsection heading, by inserting ‘‘WHILE ENSURING

ADEQUATE SUPPLIES AT REASONABLE PRICES’’ after ‘‘FORFEITURES’’; and 


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(2) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘ensure adequate supplies 

of sugar at reasonable prices and’’ after ‘‘shall’’. 

(c) EFFECTIVE PERIOD.—Section 156(i) of the Federal Agriculture 

Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(i)) is amended 

by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 

SEC. 1302. FEEDSTOCK FLEXIBILITY PROGRAM FOR BIOENERGY PRODUCERS TERMINATION. 

Section 9010 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 

2002 (7 U.S.C. 8110) is amended by adding at the end the following 

new subsection: 

‘‘(c) TERMINATION.—The Secretary may not carry out the feedstock flexibility program under subsection (b) for the 2019 or subsequent crops of eligible commodities.’’. 

SEC. 1303. ADMINISTRATION OF TARIFF-RATE QUOTAS. 

Part VII of subtitle B of title III of the Agricultural Adjustment 

Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359aa et seq.) is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘PART VII—SUGAR 

‘‘SEC. 359. ADMINISTRATION OF TARIFF-RATE QUOTAS. 

‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Notwithstanding any other provision of 

law, at the beginning of fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal year thereafter through the end of the effective period, the Secretary shall establish the tariff-rate quotas for raw cane sugar and refined sugar 

to provide adequate supplies of sugar at reasonable prices, but at 

no less than the minimum level necessary to comply with obligations under international trade agreements that have been approved by Congress. 

‘‘(b) ADJUSTMENT AUTHORITY.—The Secretary shall adjust tariffrate quotas established under subsection (a) in such a manner as 

to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that stocks of raw 

cane and refined beet sugar are adequate throughout the crop year 

to meet the needs of the marketplace, including the efficient utilization of cane refining capacity. 

‘‘(c) TRANSFER OF QUOTA SHARES.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall promulgate regulations that— 

‘‘(A) promote full use of the tariff-rate quotas for raw 

cane sugar and refined sugar and ensure adequate supplies for cane refiners in the United States; 

‘‘(B) provide that any country that has been allocated a 

share of the quotas may temporarily transfer all or part of 

the share to any other country that has also been allocated 

a share of the quotas. 

‘‘(2) TRANSFERS VOLUNTARY.—Any transfer under this subsection shall be valid only pursuant to a voluntary agreement 

between the transferor and the transferee, consistent with procedures established by the Secretary. 

‘‘(3) LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFERS WITH RESPECT TO FISCAL

YEAR.— 

‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any transfer under this subsection 

shall be valid only for the duration of the fiscal year during which the transfer is made. 


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‘‘(B) FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR.—No transfer under this 

subsection shall affect the share of the quota allocated to 

the transferor or transferee for the following fiscal year. 

‘‘(d) EFFECTIVE PERIOD.—This section shall be effective for fiscal 

years only through the 2023 crop year for sugar.’’. 

Strike section 6410. 

2. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE CONAWAY

OF TEXAS OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 28, line 3, insert a comma after ‘‘2008’’. 

Page 28, line 6, strike ‘‘covered commodity’’ and all that follows 

through ‘‘basis’’ on line 7, and insert the following: ‘‘covered-commodity-by-covered-commodity basis’’. 

Page 103, strike lines 4 through 8. 

Page 110, line 17, insert ‘‘, or eligible for indemnity or compensation payments through programs administered by the Secretary’’ 

before the period at the end. 

Page 111, line 1, insert ‘‘, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,’’ after ‘‘Conservation Service’’. 

Page 218, line 15, strike ‘‘bachelors’’ and insert ‘‘bachelor’s’’. 

Page 224, line 22, strike ‘‘ ‘; and’ ’’ and insert ‘‘a semicolon’’. 

Page 225, line 13, strike ‘‘, and’’ and insert ‘‘; and’’. 

Page 225, line 15, strike ‘‘member.’’ and insert ‘‘member; and’’. 

Page 228, line 18, strike ‘‘enactment of’’ and insert ‘‘enactment of 

the’’. 

Page 232, line 5, add ‘‘and’’ at the end. 

Page 233, line 4, strike ‘‘and’’ and insert ‘‘or’’. 

Page 237, line 24, strike ‘‘Section 5’’ and insert ‘‘Effective October 

1, 2020, section 5’’. 

Page 238, strike line 5, and insert the following: 

(B) by striking ‘‘, supplemental security’’ 

Page 241, line 18, insert ‘‘or disabled’’ after ‘‘elderly’’. 

Page 241, line 23, insert ‘‘or disabled’’ after ‘‘elderly’’. 

Page 242, line 5, insert ‘‘or disabled’’ after ‘‘elderly’’. 

Page 242, line 8, insert ‘‘or disabled’’ after ‘‘elderly’’. 

Page 246, line 11, insert ‘‘(including volunteer work that is limited to 6 months out of a 12-month period)’’ after ‘‘work’’. 

Page 248, strike line 10. 

Page 248, line 17, strike the period and the close quotation 

marks. 

Page 248, after line 17, insert the following: 

‘‘(iv) a program of employment and training for veterans operated by the Department of Labor or the Department of Veterans Affairs, and approved by the 

Secretary.’’, and 

Page 248, line 25, strike ‘‘paragraph’’ and insert ‘‘paragraphs (4) 

and’’. 

Page 249, line 2, strike ‘‘(D), and (C)’’ and insert ‘‘(C), and (D)’’. 

Page 251, line 2, insert ‘‘and with the approval of the chief executive officer of the State,’’ after ‘‘agency’’. 

Page 251, line 22, strike ‘‘6’’ and insert ‘‘7’’. 

Page 251, line 24, insert ‘‘most recent 24-month period for which 

Department of Labor unemployment rates are available, nor earlier 

than the’’ after ‘‘the’’. 


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Page 253, line 14, strike ‘‘15-PERCENT’’ and insert ‘‘PERCENTAGE’’. 

Page 254, line 11, strike ‘‘; and’’ at the end, and insert a period. 

Page 254, strike lines 12 and 13. 

Page 254, strike lines 19 through 22, and insert the following: 

‘‘(iii) FISCAL YEARS 2021 THROUGH 2025.—Subject to 

clauses (v) and (vi), for each of the fiscal years 2021 

through 2025, a State agency may provide a number’’ 

Page 255, after line 7, insert the following: 

‘‘(iv) FISCAL YEAR 2026 AND THEREAFTER.—Subject to 

clauses (v) and (vi), for fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal 

year thereafter, a State agency may provide a number 

of exemptions such that the average monthly number 

of the exemptions in effect during the fiscal year does 

not exceed 12 percent of the number of covered individuals in the State in fiscal year 2019, as estimated 

by the Secretary, based on the survey conducted to 

carry out section 16(c) for the most recent fiscal year 

and such other factors as the Secretary considers appropriate due to the timing and limitations of the survey.’’. 

Page 255, line 8, strike ‘‘(iv)’’ and insert ‘‘(v)’’. 

Page 255, line 17, strike ‘‘(v)’’ and insert ‘‘(vi)’’. 

Page 258, line 19, strike clause (iv) and redesignate succeeding 

clauses accordingly. 

Page 258, beginning on line 22, strike ‘‘unpaid or volunteer work 

that is limited to 6 months out of a 12-month period’’ and insert 

‘‘other work experience’’. 

Page 259, line 3, add ‘‘and’’ at the end. 

Page 259, line 5, strike ‘‘and’’ at the end. 

Page 259, strike lines 6 through 8. 

Page 259, strike lines 9 and 10, and insert the following: 

(C) in subparagraph (F)— 

(i) clause (ii) by striking ‘‘one hundred and twenty 

hours per month’’ and inserting ‘‘the hours required 

under section 6(d)(1)(B)’’, and 

(ii) by striking clause (iii), 

(D) by striking subparagraphs (D) and (E), and inserting 

the following: 

Page 259, line 16, strike ‘‘(D)’’ and insert ‘‘(E)’’. 

Page 259, strike lines 18 and 19, and insert the following: 

(F) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) through (M) as 

subparagraphs (E) through (L), 

Beginning on page 259, strike line 22 and all that follows 

through line 2 on page 260, and insert the following: 

(1) AMENDMENTS TO THE FOOD AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2008.— 

The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) is 

amended— 

(A) in section 5(d)(14) by striking ‘‘6(d)(4)(I)’’ and inserting ‘‘6(d)(4)(G)’’, and 

(B) in section 17(b)(1)(B)(iv)(III)(dd) by striking ‘‘(4)(F)(i), 

or (4)(K)’’ and inserting ‘‘(4)(A)(ii), (4)(E)(i), or (4)(J)’’. 

Page 260, strike lines 24 and 25, and insert the following: 

(1) by amending subsection (e)(5) to read as follows: 

‘‘(5) is— 


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‘‘(A) a parent or other household member with responsibility for the care of a dependent child under age 6 or of 

an incapacitated person; or 

‘‘(B) a parent or other household member with responsibility for the care of a dependent child above the age of 5 

and under the age of 12 for whom adequate child care is 

not available to enable the individual to attend class and 

satisfy the requirements of paragraph (4); and’’. 

Page 262, after line 24, insert the following: 

(C) by amending subparagraph (C) to read as follows: 

‘‘(C) RETURN OF UNUSED EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING

FUNDS TO THE TREASURY.—If a State agency will not expend all of the funds allocated to the State agency for a 

fiscal year under subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall deposit such unused funds in the general receipts of the 

Treasury.’’, 

Page 263, line 1, strike ‘‘(C)’’ and insert ‘‘(D)’’. 

Page 263, line 3, strike ‘‘(D)’’ and insert ‘‘(E)’’ 

Page 263, beginning on line 22, strike subsection (g). 

Page 264, line 10, strike ‘‘(h)’’ and insert ‘‘(g).’’ 

Page 264, strike lines 11 and 12, and insert the following: 

(1) AMENDMENTS.—Section 20(b) of the Food and Nutrition 

Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 3029(b) is amended— 

(A) in paragraph (1)— 

(i) by striking ‘‘6(d)(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘6(d)(1)(B)’’, 

and 

(ii) by striking ‘‘or (F)’’ and inserting ‘‘(F), or (G)’’, 

and 

(B) in paragraph (4) by striking ‘‘sixteen’’ and inserting 

‘‘18’’. 

Page 266, strike lines 1 through 6, and insert the following: 

(B) in section 17(b) by striking paragraph (2). 

Page 266, after line 6, insert the following: 

(h) EQUITABLE TREATMENT OF HOUSEHOLDS.—Section 11(e) of the 

Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2020(e)), as amended by 

section 4001, is amended by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(27) that the State agency may, for purposes of ensuring equitable treatment among all households (including those containing a married couple), request earned income data from the 

Internal Revenue Service relevant to determining eligibility to 

receive supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits 

and determining the correct amount of such benefits at the 

time of household certification.’’. 

Page 269, line 5, strike the comma at the end and insert a semicolon. 

Page 269, strike lines 6 and 7. 

Page 269, line 25, strike ‘‘and’’ at the end. 

Page 269, after line 25, insert the following: 

‘‘(VII) requires that the State demonstration projects are 

voluntary for all retail food stores and that all recipients 

are able to use benefits in non-participating retail food 

stores; and’’. 

Page 270, line 1, strike ‘‘(VII)’’ and insert ‘‘(VIII)’’. 

Page 271, line 1, strike ‘‘processing’’ and insert ‘‘prohibited’’. 


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Page 271, line 10, insert ‘‘(as defined in subsection (j)(1)(H)’’ after 

‘‘switching’’. 

Page 273, line 16, strike ‘‘ ‘independent’ ’’ and all that follows 

through ‘‘means’’ on line 17, and insert the following: ‘‘ ‘independent 

sales organization’ means’’. 

Page 291, line 5, strike ‘‘B Russell’’ and insert ‘‘B. Russell’’. 

Page 296, after line 13, insert the following: 

(C) in paragraph (3)(B) by inserting ‘‘, other than those 

incurred by State agencies in preparing State plans pursuant to subsection (c)(2) and notifying applicants, participants, and eligible individuals pursuant to subsection 

(c)(4),’’ after ‘‘this section’’, 

Page 296, line 14, strike ‘‘(C)’’ and insert ‘‘(D)’’. 

Page 296, line 16, strike ‘‘(D)’’ and insert ‘‘(E)’’. 

Page 297, line 6, strike the close quotation marks and the comma 

at the end. 

Page 297, strike line 7 and insert the following: 

‘‘(D) FUNDS AVAILABILITY.—Funds appropriated under 

this paragraph shall remain available for obligation for a 

period of 2 fiscal years.’’, and 

Page 299, strike lines 19 through 23, and insert the following: 

(7) in section 17(b)(1)(B)(iv)(III)(aa) by striking ‘‘3(n)’’ and inserting ‘‘3(m)’’, 

Page 300, after line 10, insert the following: 

SEC. 4037. REVIEW OF SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OPERATIONS. 

Section 9 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2018), 

as amended by section 4026, is amended by adding at the end the 

following: 

‘‘(j) REVIEW OF PROGRAM OPERATIONS.— ‘‘(1) The Secretary— 

‘‘(A) shall review a representative sample of currently 

authorized retail food stores as defined in subsections 

(o)(2) and (k)(3) of section 3 to determine whether benefits 

are properly used by or on behalf of participating households residing in such facilities and whether such facilities 

are using more than one source of Federal or State funding 

to meet the food needs of residents; 

‘‘(B) may carry out similar reviews for currently participating residential drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation programs, and group living arrangements for the 

blind and disabled; 

‘‘(C) shall gather information and these entities shall be 

required to submit information deemed necessary for a full 

and thorough review; and 

‘‘(D) shall report the results of these reviews to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and 

the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry of 

the Senate not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2018, along with 

recommendations as to any additional requirements or 

oversight that would be appropriate for such facilities and 

retailers, and whether these entities should continue to be 

authorized to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program. 


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‘‘(2) Nothing in this section shall authorize the Secretary to 

deny any application for continued authorization, any application for authorization, or any request to withdraw the authorization of any facility or entity referenced in subsections (o)(2) 

and (k)(3) of section 3 based on a determination that residents 

of any such facility or entity are residents of an institution 

prior to— 

‘‘(A) the submission of the report described in paragraph 

(1)(D); or 

‘‘(B) 3 years after the date of enactment of the Food and 

Nutrition Act of 2018; 

whichever is earlier.’’. 

Page 301, after line 2, insert the following: 

SEC. 4103. ELIGIBILITY FOR COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM. 

Section 5(g) of the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 

1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c note) is amended— 

(1) by striking ‘‘Except’’ and inserting the following: 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except’’, and 

(2) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(2) CERTIFICATION.— ‘‘(A) DEFINITION OF CERTIFICATION PERIOD.—In this paragraph, the term ‘certification period’ means the period that 

a participant in the commodity supplemental food program 

may continue to receive benefits under that program without a formal review of the eligibility of the participant. 

‘‘(B) MINIMUM CERTIFICATION PERIOD.—Subject to subparagraph (C), a State shall establish a certification period 

of not less than 1 year. 

‘‘(C) EXTENSIONS.—On the request of a State, the Secretary shall approve a State certification period of more 

than 1 year on the condition that, on an annual basis, the 

local agency in the State administering the commodity 

supplemental food program— 

‘‘(i) verifies the address and continued interest of 

each participant in receiving program benefits; and 

‘‘(ii) has sufficient reason to determine that the participant still meets the income eligibility standards, 

which may include a determination that the participant has a fixed income.’’. 

Page 301, line 3, redesignate section 4103 as section 4104. 

At the end of subtitle C of title IV, add the following: 

SEC. 4205. REVIEW AND REVISION OF CERTAIN NUTRITION REGULATIONS. 

(a) REVIEW OF EXISTING REGULATIONS.—Not later than 90 days 

after the date of the enactment of this Act and for the purposes described in subsection (b), the Secretary shall review— 

(1) the final regulations on ‘‘National School Lunch Program 

and School Breakfast Program: Nutrition Standards for All 

Foods Sold in School as Required by the Healthy, Hunger- Free 

Kids Act of 2010’’ published by the Department of Agriculture 

in the Federal Register on July 29, 2016 (81 Fed. Reg. 50123 

et seq.); and 

(2) the final regulations on ‘‘Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs’’ published 


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12 

by the Department of Agriculture in the Federal Register on 

January 26, 2012 (77 Fed. Reg. 4088 et seq.). 

(b) FINALIZING NEW REGULATIONS.—Not later than 1 year after 

the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation 

with school nutrition personnel and school leaders (including school 

administrators, school boards, and parents), shall finalize new regulations that revise the regulations described in subsection (a) 

based on the review of such regulations under such subsection, including any requirements for milk, to ensure that the requirements 

of such regulations— 

(1) are based on research based on school-age children; 

(2) do not add costs in addition to the reimbursements required to carry out the school lunch program authorized under 

the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 

1751 et seq.) or the school breakfast program established by 

section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773); 

and 

(3) maintain healthy meals for students. 

Page 327, line 4, strike ‘‘heath’’ and insert ‘‘health’’. 

Page 327, line 11, add a period at the end. 

Page 343, line 12, strike ‘‘road mile’’ and insert ‘‘road-mile’’. 

Page 344, line 4, strike ‘‘and’’ at the end. 

Page 361, after line 13, insert the following (and redesignate any 

succeeding section accordingly): 

SEC. 6116. FEDERAL BROADBAND PROGRAM COORDINATION. 

(a) CONSULTATION BETWEEN USDA AND NTIA.—The Secretary 

shall consult with the Assistant Secretary to assist in the 

verification of eligibility of the broadband loan and grant programs 

of the Department of Agriculture. In providing assistance under the 

preceding sentence, the Assistant Secretary shall make available 

the broadband assessment and mapping capabilities of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. 

(b) CONSULTATION BETWEEN USDA AND FCC.— 

(1) BY USDA.—The Secretary shall consult with the Commission before making a broadband loan or grant for a project to 

serve an area with respect to which another entity is receiving 

Connect America Fund or Mobility Fund support under the 

Federal universal service support mechanisms established 

under section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 

U.S.C. 254). 

(2) BY FCC.—The Commission shall consult with the Secretary before offering or providing Connect America Fund or 

Mobility Fund support under the Federal universal service 

support mechanisms established under section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254) to serve an area with 

respect to which another entity has received an award under 

a broadband loan or grant program of the Department of Agriculture. 

(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, the Commission, and 

the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 

of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 

and Forestry and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on how best to coordinate federally 


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13 

supported broadband programs and activities in order to achieve 

the following objectives: 

(1) Promote high-quality broadband service that meets the 

long-term needs of rural residents and businesses, by evaluating the broadband service needs in rural areas for each decade through 2050. 

(2) Support the long-term viability, sustainability, and utility 

of federally supported rural broadband infrastructure, by analyzing the technical capabilities of the technologies currently 

available and reasonably expected to be available by 2035 to 

meet the broadband service needs of rural residents identified 

under paragraph (1), including by analyzing the following: 

(A) The real-world performance of such technologies, including data rates, latency, data usage restrictions, and 

other aspects of service quality, as defined by the Commission. 

(B) The suitability of each such technology for residential, agricultural, educational, healthcare, commercial, and 

industrial purposes in rural areas. 

(C) The cost to deploy and support such technologies in 

several rural geographies. 

(D) The costs associated with online platforms, specifically the resulting constraints on rural network bandwidth. 

(3) Identify and quantify the availability of broadband service and ongoing broadband deployment in rural areas, including ways to do the following: 

(A) Harmonize broadband notification and reporting requirements and develop common verification procedures 

across all federally supported broadband programs. 

(B) Consolidate and utilize the existing broadband service data. 

(C) Collect and share data on those projects in rural 

areas where Federal programs are currently supporting 

broadband deployment, including areas with respect to 

which an entity is receiving— 

(i) support under a broadband loan or grant program of the Department of Agriculture; or 

(ii) Connect America Fund or Mobility Fund support 

under the Federal universal service support mechanisms established under section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254). 

(D) Leverage support technologies and services from online platforms for providers of broadband service in rural 

areas. 

(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

(1) ASSISTANT SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Assistant Secretary’’ 

means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information. 

(2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Federal Communications Commission. 

(3) RURAL AREA.—The term ‘‘rural area’’ has the meaning 

given the term in section 601(b)(3) of the Rural Electrification 

Act of 1936. 

Page 364, line 14, strike ‘‘tribes’’ and insert ‘‘Tribes’’. 


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14 

Page 374, line 1, strike ‘‘(U.S.C.’’ and insert ‘‘U.S.C.’’. 

Page 379, line 24, strike ‘‘by striking’’ and all that follows 

through ‘‘and inserting’’ on line 25, and insert the following: ‘‘by 

striking ‘maintained under section 313(b)(2)(A)’ and inserting’’. 

Page 390, line 16, strike ‘‘and inserting’’ and all that follows 

through ‘‘; and’’ on line 17, and insert the following: ‘‘and inserting 

‘305 or’; and’’. 

Page 394, line 8, strike ‘‘tribes’’ and insert ‘‘Tribes’’. 

Page 414, line 2, strike the extra space before the closed 

quotation mark. 

Page 436, after line 11, insert the following: 

(b) PRIORITIES.—Section 412(h)(1) of the Agricultural Research, 

Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7632(h)(1)) 

is amended by striking ‘‘multi-institutional’’ and inserting ‘‘or 

multi-institutional’’. 

Page 436, line 12, strike ‘‘(b)’’ and insert ‘‘(c)’’. 

Page 436, line 20, strike ‘‘(c)’’ and insert ‘‘(d)’’. 

Page 455, line 20, insert ‘‘or ranchers’’ after ‘‘farmers’’. 

Page 541, line 1, insert ‘‘address’’ before ‘‘other’’. 

Page 546, line 5, strike ‘‘in’’ and insert ‘‘on’’. 

Page 554, line 18, strike ‘‘The Administrator;’’ and insert ‘‘The 

Administrator’’. 

Page 575, line 2, strike ‘‘Department of Agriculture’’ and insert 

‘‘Food and Drug Administration’’. 

Page 598, line 3, strike ‘‘and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1)’’ 

and all that follows through ‘‘Secretary’’ on line 6, and insert the 

following: ‘‘of paragraph (1)’’. 

Page 598, line 9, insert ‘‘, not more than 4 percent may be retained by the Secretary to pay administrative costs incurred by the 

Secretary’’ after ‘‘10409B’’. 

Page 598, line 10, insert ‘‘of such paragraph’’ after ‘‘(B)’’. 

Page 598, line 12, strike ‘‘and (B)’’ and all that follows through 

‘‘paragraph’’ on line 13. 

Page 598, line 13, strike ‘‘ten’’ and insert ‘‘10’’. 

Page 599, line 3, insert before the period at the end the following: ‘‘to be made available for expenditure without further appropriation’’. 

Page 621, line 23, strike ‘‘boys’’ and insert ‘‘boys’ ’’. 

Page 622, line 8, strike ‘‘boys’’ and insert ‘‘boys’ ’’. 

Page 635, after line 7, insert the following: 

SEC. 11608. ESTABLISHMENT OF FOOD ACCESS LIAISON. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle A of the Department of Agriculture 

Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.), as amended by 

sections 11204 and 11607, is amended by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘SEC. 223. FOOD ACCESS LIAISON. 

‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish the position 

of Food Access Liaison to coordinate Department programs to reduce barriers to food access and monitor and evaluate the progress 

of such programs in accordance with this section. 

‘‘(b) DUTIES.—The Food Access Liaison shall— 

‘‘(1) coordinate the efforts of the Department, including regional offices, to experiment and consider programs and policies aimed at reducing barriers to food access for consumers, 


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15 

including but not limited to participants in nutrition assistance 

programs; 

‘‘(2) provide outreach to entities engaged in activities to reduce barriers to food access in accordance with the statutory 

authorization for each program; 

‘‘(3) provide outreach to entities engaged in activities to reduce barriers to food access, including retailers, markets, producers, and others involved in food production and distribution, 

with respect to the availability of, and eligibility for, Department programs; 

‘‘(4) raise awareness of food access issues in interactions with 

employees of the Department; 

‘‘(5) make recommendations to the Secretary with respect to 

efforts to reduce barriers to food access; and 

‘‘(6) submit to Congress an annual report with respect to the 

efforts of the Department to reduce barriers to food access.’’. 

(b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to entities that are participants, or seek to participate, in Department of Agriculture programs related to reduction 

of barriers to food access. 

3. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE MCCLINTOCK OF CALIFORNIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 29, line 18, strike subsection (a) and insert the following 

new subsection: 

(a) DETERMINATION OF PAYMENT ACRES.—Subject to subsection 

(d), for the purpose of price loss coverage and agriculture risk coverage, the payment acres for each covered commodity on a farm 

shall be equal to, with respect to base acres for the covered commodity on the farm— 

(1) for crop years 2019 and 2020, 85 percent of such base 

acres; 

(2) for crop year 2021, 76.5 percent of such base acres; 

(3) for crop year 2022, 68 percent of such base acres; 

(4) for crop year 2023, 59.5 percent of such base acres; 

(5) for crop year 2024, 51 percent of such base acres; 

(6) for crop year 2025, 42.5 percent of such base acres; 

(7) for crop year 2026, 34 percent of such base acres; 

(8) for crop year 2027, 25.5 percent of such base acres; 

(9) for crop year 2028, 17 percent of such base acres; and 

(10) for crop year 2029, 8.5 percent of such base acres. 

Page 32, line 11, strike ‘‘2023’’ and insert ‘‘2029’’. 

Page 32, line 25, strike ‘‘2023’’ and insert ‘‘2029’’. 

Page 33, line 14, strike ‘‘2023’’ and insert ‘‘2029’’. 

Page 34, line 9, strike ‘‘2023’’ and insert ‘‘2029’’. 

Page 35, after line 16, insert the following new subsection: 

(h) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may not make 

payments under this section after crop year 2029. 

Page 35, line 23, strike ‘‘2023’’ and insert ‘‘2029’’. 

Page 38, line 10, strike ‘‘2023’’ and insert ‘‘2029’’. 

Page 40, after line 3, insert the following new subsection: 

(h) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may not make 

payments under this section after crop year 2029. 


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16 

Strike section 1301 and insert the following new section: 

SEC. 1301. SUGAR POLICY. 

(a) PHASE OUT OF CURRENT PROGRAM AND LOAN RATES.— 

(1) SUGARCANE.—Section 156(a) of the Federal Agriculture 

Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(a)) is 

amended— 

(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

(B) in paragraph (4)— 

(i) by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2020’’; and 

(ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting 

a semicolon; 

(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs: 

‘‘(5) 16.88 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for the 2021 

crop year; 

‘‘(6) 15.01 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for the 2022 

crop year; 

‘‘(7) 13.14 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for the 2023 

crop year; 

‘‘(8) 11.27 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for the 2024 

crop year; 

‘‘(9) 9.4 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for the 2025 crop 

year; 

‘‘(10) 7.53 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for the 2021 

crop year; 

‘‘(11) 5.66 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for the 2027 

crop year; 

‘‘(12) 3.79 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for the 2028 

crop year; and 

‘‘(13) 1.92 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for the 2029 

crop year.’’. 

(2) SUGAR BEETS.—Section 156(b)(2) of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 

7272(b)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2029’’. 

(3) TERMINATION OF EFFECTIVE PERIOD.—Section 156(i) of the 

Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 

U.S.C. 7272(i)) is amended— 

(A) by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2029’’; and 

(B) by adding at the end the following new sentence: 

‘‘The authority to carry out this section shall terminate on 

September 30, 2029.’’ 

(b) PHASE OUT OF FLEXIBLE MARKETING ALLOTMENTS FOR

SUGAR.— 

(1) SUGAR ESTIMATES.—Section 359b(a)(1) of the Agricultural 

Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359bb(a)(1)) is amended by 

striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2029’’. 

(2) SUGAR ALLOTMENTS.—Section 359b(b)(1) of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359bb(b)(1)) is amended— 

(A) by striking subparagraphs (A) and (B); 

(B) by striking ‘‘at a level that is’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘at a level equal to— 

‘‘(A) for crop year 2021, 76.5 percent of the estimated 

quantity of sugar for domestic human consumption for 

such crop year; 


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17 

‘‘(B) for crop year 2022, 68 percent of the estimated 

quantity of sugar for domestic human consumption for 

such crop year; 

‘‘(C) for crop year 2023, 59.5 percent of the estimated 

quantity of sugar for domestic human consumption for 

such crop year; 

‘‘(D) for crop year 2024, 51 percent of the estimated 

quantity of sugar for domestic human consumption for 

such crop year; 

‘‘(E) for crop year 2025, 42.5 percent of the estimated 

quantity of sugar for domestic human consumption for 

such crop year; 

‘‘(F) for crop year 2026, 34 percent of the estimated 

quantity of sugar for domestic human consumption for 

such crop year; 

‘‘(G) for crop year 2027, 25.5 percent of the estimated 

quantity of sugar for domestic human consumption for 

such crop year; 

‘‘(H) for crop year 2028, 17 percent of the estimated 

quantity of sugar for domestic human consumption for 

such crop year; and 

‘‘(I) for crop year 2029, 8.5 percent of the estimated 

quantity of sugar for domestic human consumption for 

such crop year.’’. 

(3) TERMINATION OF EFFECTIVE PERIOD.—Section 359l(a) of 

the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359ll(a)) is 

amended— 

(A) by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2029’’; and 

(B) by adding at the end the following new sentence: 

‘‘The authority to carry out this part shall terminate on 

September 30, 2029.’’ 

Page 85, strike line 22 and all that follows through page 86, line 

2, and insert the following: 

(3) ELECTION OF PRODUCTION HISTORY COVERAGE PERCENTAGE.—Section 1406(a)(2) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 

U.S.C. 9056(a)(2)) is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘(2) a percentage of coverage, in 5-percent increments, not 

exceeding, with respect to the production history of the participating dairy operation— 

‘‘(A) for calendar year 2019 and 2020, 90 percent; 

‘‘(B) for calender year 2021, 81 percent; 

‘‘(C) for calender year 2022, 72 percent; 

‘‘(D) for calendar year 2023, 63 percent; 

‘‘(E) for calendar year 2024, 54 percent; 

‘‘(F) for calendar year 2025, 45 percent; 

‘‘(G) for calendar year 2026, 36 percent; 

‘‘(H) for calendar year 2027, 27 percent; 

‘‘(I) for calendar year 2028, 18 percent; and 

‘‘(J) for calendar year 2029, 10 percent.’’. 

Page 90, line 25, strike ‘‘2023’’ and insert ‘‘2029’’. 

Page 579, after 2, insert the following new sections: 

SEC. 10006. PHASE OUT OF CROP INSURANCE PREMIUMS. 

(a) PHASE OUT OF PREMIUMS.—Section 508(e) of the Federal Crop 

Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1508(e)) is amended— 


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18 

(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and (7)’’ and inserting ‘‘(7), 

(9), and (10)’’; and 

(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs: 

‘‘(9) PHASE OUT OF PREMIUMS.—Beginning with reinsurance 

year 2021, in determining the amount of premium to be paid 

under paragraphs (2), (6), and (7), the Corporation shall multiply the amount specified in subparagraphs (B)(i), (C)(i), (D)(i), 

(E)(i), (F)(i), (G)(i), and (H)(i) of paragraph (2), subparagraphs 

(A)(i), (B)(i), (C)(i), and (D)(i) of paragraph (6), and subparagraphs (A)(i), (B)(i), and (C)(i) of paragraphs (7), by— 

‘‘(A) in reinsurance year 2021, 0.9; 

‘‘(B) in reinsurance year 2022, 0.8; 

‘‘(C) in reinsurance year 2023, 0.7; 

‘‘(D) in reinsurance year 2024, 0.6; 

‘‘(E) in reinsurance year 2025, 0.5; 

‘‘(F) in reinsurance year 2026, 0.4; 

‘‘(G) in reinsurance year 2027, 0.3; 

‘‘(H) in reinsurance year 2028, 0.2; and 

‘‘(I) in reinsurance year 2029, 0.1. 

‘‘(10) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—The authority to make 

payments under this subsection shall terminate on the first 

day of reinsurance year 2030.’’. 

(b) PHASE OUT OF ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATING COST REIM- BURSEMENTS.—Section 508(k)(4) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act 

(7 U.S.C. 1508(k)(4)) is amended— 

(1) by striking subparagraphs (B), (C), (E), and (F); and 

(2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new 

subparagraphs: 

‘‘(A) REDUCTIONS.— ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Beginning with reinsurance year 

2021, in calculating the rate established by the Board 

to reimburse approved insurance providers and agents 

for the administrative and operating costs of the providers and agents, the Secretary shall multiply the 

percent specified in subparagraph (A)(ii) by— 

‘‘(I) in reinsurance year 2021, 0.9; 

‘‘(II) in reinsurance year 2022, 0.8; 

‘‘(III) in reinsurance year 2023, 0.7; 

‘‘(IV) in reinsurance year 2024, 0.6; 

‘‘(V) in reinsurance year 2025, 0.5; 

‘‘(VI) in reinsurance year 2026, 0.4; 

‘‘(VII) in reinsurance year 2027, 0.3; 

‘‘(VIII) in reinsurance year 2028, 0.2; and 

‘‘(IX) in reinsurance year 2029, 0.1. 

‘‘(ii) TERMINATION.—The authority to make reimbursements under this paragraph shall terminate on 

the first day of reinsurance year 2030. 

‘‘(B) REPORT.—Not later than December 31, 2023, the 

Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that includes 

an assessment of whether reimbursements under this 

paragraph for administrative and operating costs are effective.’’. 

SEC. 10007. REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE INSURANCE. 

(a) STACKED INCOME PROTECTION PLAN.—Section 508B(a) of the 

Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1508b(a)) is amendVerDate Sep 11 2014 07:04 May 17, 2018 Jkt 079008 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR679.XXX HR679

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19 

ed by striking ‘‘the Corporation shall’’ and inserting ‘‘the Corporation may’’. 

(b) PEANUT REVENUE CROP INSURANCE.—Section 508C(a) of the 

Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1508c(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘the Corporation shall’’ and inserting ‘‘the Corporation may’’. 

(c) UPDATE STANDARD REINSURANCE AGREEMENT.—The Secretary 

shall update the 2019 Standard Reinsurance Agreement to include 

that the Company may offer and market all plans of insurance for 

all crops in any State where actuarial documents are available in 

which it writes an eligible crop insurance contract and shall accept 

and approve applications from all eligible producers. 

4. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE LAHOOD

OF ILLINOIS OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle F of title I, insert the following new section: 

SEC. 1612. ONE-TIME FILING FOR ARC AND PLC. 

(a) ONE-TIME FILING.—Except as provided in subsection (b), during the first enrollment period announced by the Farm Service 

Agency after the date of the enactment of this Act, producers on 

a farm may file a one-time program contract with the Secretary to 

enroll in agricultural risk coverage or price loss coverage through 

crop year 2023. 

(b) UPDATED PROGRAM CONTRACT REQUIRED.—In the case of a 

change in a farming operation for which producers on a farm have 

filed a one-time program contract pursuant to subsection (a), such 

producers shall file an updated program contract with the Secretary not later than one year after such change in the farming operation occurs. 

(c) NOTICE OF OTHER ANNUAL REPORTING.—The Secretary shall 

provide to each producer that files a one-time program contract 

pursuant to subsection (a) a notice that includes the annual and 

other periodic reporting requirements applicable to such producer, 

as determined by the Secretary. 

(d) REGULATIONS REVISED.—The Secretary shall— 

(1) issue such regulations as are necessary to carry out this 

section; and 

(2) revise section 1412.41 of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, in accordance with this section. 

5. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE ROGERS OF

ALABAMA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 113, line 5, strike ‘‘inserting a semicolon’’ and insert ‘‘inserting ‘; and’ ’’. 

Page 113, strike lines 7 through 16 and insert the following: 

‘‘(F) each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, no more 

than 24,000,000 acres.’’; 


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20 

6. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE FASO OF

NEW YORK OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle D of title II, add the following: 

SEC. 2407. SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION. 

The Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977 (16 

U.S.C. 2001 et seq.) is amended— 

(1) in section 5(e), by striking ‘‘and December 31, 2015’’ and 

inserting ‘‘December 31, 2015, and December 31, 2022’’; 

(2) in section 6(d), by striking ‘‘, respectively’’ and inserting 

‘‘, and a program update shall be completed by December 31, 

2023’’; 

(3) in section 7— 

(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘and 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘, 2016, and 2022’’; and 

(B) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph 

(1), by striking ‘‘and 2017’’ and inserting ‘‘, 2017, and 

2023’’; 

(4) in section 10, by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’; 

(5) by redesignating sections 8 through 10 as sections 9 

though 11, respectively; and 

(6) by inserting after section 7 the following: 

‘‘SEC. 8. CONSERVATION PROGRAMS ASSESSMENT. 

‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In coordination with the appraisal of soil, 

water, and related resources and with the national soil and water 

conservation program established under this Act, the Secretary 

may carry out a conservation effects assessment project to quantify 

the environmental and economic effects of conservation practices, 

develop the science base for managing the agricultural landscape 

for environmental quality and sustainable productive capacity, and 

improve the efficacy of conservation practices and programs by 

evaluating conservation effects. 

‘‘(b) SCOPE.—The project under this subsection may be carried 

out at national, regional, and watershed scales, and may include 

cropland, grazing lands, wetlands, forests, and such other lands as 

the Secretary may determine appropriate. 

‘‘(c) ACTIVITIES.—The project under this subsection may include 

research, literature reviews and bibliographies, modeling, assessment, monitoring and data collection, outreach, extension education, and such other activities as the Secretary may determine 

appropriate. 

‘‘SEC. 9. GOALS AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS FOR CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. 

‘‘(a) NATURAL RESOURCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND

OUTCOMES.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In coordination with the appraisal of soil, 

water, and related resources, the soil and water conservation 

program, and the conservation effects assessment project established by this Act, the Secretary shall identify, and periodically revise, specific natural resource and environmental objectives and anticipated conservation outcomes and results, by resource concern, for the conservation programs established 

under subtitles D and H of title XII of the Food Security Act 


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of 1985 and the landscape conservation initiatives developed by 

the Secretary. 

‘‘(2) ASSESSMENTS.—To help measure outcomes and results, 

the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, make 

assessments of changes in the status and conditions of natural 

resources and the environment that result from the application 

of conservation activities supported directly by such conservation programs and initiatives. 

‘‘(3) MONITORING AND PROGRAM EVALUATION.—The Secretary 

shall establish a coordinated monitoring and evaluation process for programs and initiatives to assess progress toward the 

identified objectives, to gather information to improve program 

and initiative implementation in accordance with desired program and initiative outcomes and results, and to assess the 

need for modifications to program or initiative rules or statutes. 

‘‘(b) MONITORING AND PROGRAM EVALUATION.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a comprehensive monitoring and program evaluation process to assess progress in reaching natural resource and environmental 

objectives identified in accordance with subsection (a) and the 

contribution of individual programs and initiatives, as well as 

the programs and initiatives collectively, to that progress. 

‘‘(2) IMPLEMENTATION.—In implementing the monitoring and 

program evaluation process under paragraph (1), the Secretary 

may consider and incorporate resource concern inventories, 

quality criteria, conservation practices and enhancements, and 

such other information as the Secretary determines relevant 

for applying the monitoring and program evaluation process 

across each of the major land uses identified by the Secretary. 

‘‘(3) MONITORING AND EVALUATION PROCESS.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than two years after the 

date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue 

a design for the comprehensive monitoring and evaluation 

process, a schedule for implementing the process, and a 

plan for coordinating the process with the national soil and 

water conservation program and conservation effects assessment project established under this Act. 

‘‘(B) METHODOLOGY.—The design for the monitoring and 

evaluation process shall— 

‘‘(i) include detailed information concerning the requisite frequency of the monitoring process at the field, 

water body, habitat, or other level and the manner in 

which the data will be aggregated at the landscape or 

watershed level, county or local level, State level, national level, and any other level the Secretary determines necessary; and 

‘‘(ii) take into account the cumulative nature of conservation over time, the interactions and sequencing 

effects between conservation activities, the differing 

times for conservation effects to be realized, and other 

related measurement challenges. 

‘‘(C) PUBLIC RESEARCH.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in order to facilitate implementation of the 

monitoring and evaluation process, the Secretary shall 


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22 

make available conservation activity and program data to 

cooperators and researchers engaged in public research 

and evaluation activities to improve conservation outcomes 

under this subsection, provided that— 

‘‘(i) adequate assurances are provided to the Secretary that any resulting research or information will 

be made publicly available and in a form that protects 

personally identifiable information; and 

‘‘(ii) the National Technical Committee finds that 

any such research is likely to generate information 

that furthers the purpose of this section. 

‘‘(4) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary may implement the monitoring evaluation process in part through cooperative or contribution agreements with Federal, State, and local 

agencies, universities and colleges, nongovernmental organizations with requisite expertise, as determined by the Secretary 

in consultation with the National Technical Committee. 

‘‘(5) NATIONAL TECHNICAL COMMITTEE.— ‘‘(A) COMPOSITION.—The monitoring and evaluation process shall be administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service with assistance from a national technical 

committee appointed by the Secretary and composed of individuals with relevant technical and scientific expertise 

representing— 

‘‘(i) the Agricultural Research Service of the Department of Agriculture; 

‘‘(ii) the Economic Research Service of the Department of Agriculture; 

‘‘(iii) the Farm Service Agency of the Department of 

Agriculture; 

‘‘(iv) the Forest Service; 

‘‘(v) the National Institute for Food and Agriculture; 

‘‘(vi) the United States Geological Survey; 

‘‘(vii) State and tribal agencies; 

‘‘(viii) land grant university natural resource research programs; 

‘‘(ix) nongovernmental organizations with expertise 

in the full array of conservation issues and measurement and evaluation of conservation outcomes; and 

‘‘(x) such other agencies, institutions, or organizations as the Secretary may determine appropriate. 

‘‘(B) FACA EXEMPTION.—The national technical committee shall be exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). 

‘‘(C) TRANSPARENCY.—The Secretary shall ensure the 

proceedings and recommendations of the national technical 

committee are available to the public. 

‘‘(6) VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION.—In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall ensure that any on-farm monitoring activities that may be included as part of the monitoring 

and program evaluation process are voluntary on the part of 

the producer, and may include appropriate compensation, as 

determined by the Secretary. 

‘‘(7) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection, for each 


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fiscal year, the amount that is equal to one percent of the total 

annual funding from the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation made available in the preceding fiscal year for the 

conservation programs established under subtitles D and H of 

title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985, excluding the conservation reserve program. 

‘‘(c) REPORTING.— 

‘‘(1) REPORT ON OBJECTIVES AND METHODS.—Beginning in the 

fiscal year that is 3 years after the date of enactment of this 

subsection, and periodically thereafter, as determined by the 

Secretary, the Secretary shall submit to Congress, and make 

publicly available, a report that includes— 

‘‘(A) a description of conservation outcome objectives that 

are, to the maximum extent practicable, quantitative, 

measurable, and time-bound for each program established 

under subtitle D or H of the Food Security Act of 1985 and 

the landscape conservation initiatives developed by the 

Secretary; 

‘‘(B) a description of the approaches, tools, and methods 

used to measure or model the conservation outcomes and 

results and to estimate the cost-effectiveness of each such 

program; and 

‘‘(C) guidance to the conservation project partners working to implement conservation programs within a landscape-level project that provides a description of the approaches, tools, and methods the partners might consider 

using to measure and model the conservation outcomes 

and results of their projects. 

‘‘(2) REPORT ON OUTCOMES.—In conjunction with each of the 

reports to Congress pursuant to section 7, the Secretary shall 

submit to Congress, and make publicly available, a report that 

includes— 

‘‘(A) an assessment of progress made towards achieving 

conservation program objectives and anticipated outcomes 

and results for each conservation program established 

under subtitle D or H of title XII of the Food Security Act 

of 1985, as well as for such programs collectively, and the 

landscape conservation initiatives developed by the Secretary; 

‘‘(B) an evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of each such 

conservation program and initiative; and 

‘‘(C) recommendations, in light of the assessment and 

evaluation, to improve program implementation and improve the scientific and economic tools (including any new 

or revised conservation practices, conservation enhancements, or conservation planning tools) used to achieve 

stated natural resource conservation and environmental 

objectives. 

‘‘(3) COORDINATION.—The Secretary may coordinate the reports required under paragraphs (1) and (2) with any reports 

developed as part of the conservation effects assessment project 

authorized by section 8, whenever such coordination is feasible 

and warranted, as determined by the Secretary.’’. 


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7. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE FORTENBERRY OF NEBRASKA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 187, after line 10, insert the following (and redesignate the 

subsequent subsections accordingly): 

(a) STATEMENT OF POLICY.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—It is in the national interests of the United 

States to advance food security in developing countries and 

open new markets for agricultural trade through programs 

that leverage the unique capabilities of Federal departments 

and agencies, and improve coordination between donors, beneficiaries, and the private sector. 

(2) ROLE OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.—The Department of Agriculture plays an important role in establishing 

trade between the United States and other nations and should 

enhance its role in facilitating the transfer of the knowledge, 

skills, and experience of American farmers, land-grant universities, and extension services through the John Ogonowski and 

Doug Bereuter Farmer-To-Farmer Program under title V of the 

Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1737). 

Page 187, strike lines 11 through 14 and insert the following: 

(b) CLARIFICATION OF NATURE OF ASSISTANCE.—Section 501(b)(1) 

of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1737(b) is amended— 

(1) in paragraph (1) by inserting ‘‘technical’’ before ‘‘assistance’’; and 

(2) in paragraph (2)(A)— 

(A) by striking ‘‘; and’’ at the end of clause (viii); and 

(B) by striking clause (ix) and inserting the following: 

‘‘(ix) agricultural education and extension; 

‘‘(x) selection of seed varieties and plant stocks; 

‘‘(xi) knowledge of insecticide and sanitation procedures to prevent crop destruction; 

‘‘(xii) use and maintenance of agricultural equipment and irrigation systems; and 

‘‘(xiii) selection of fertilizers and methods of soils 

treatment; and’’. 

Page 189, after line 6, insert the following: 

(g) CROP YIELDS AND INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS.—Section 501 of 

the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1737) is amended by adding at the 

end the following: 

‘‘(f) ESTABLISHMENT OF A GEOGRAPHICALLY DEFIED CROP YIELD

METRICS.—The Secretary of Agriculture, in cooperation with the 

Administrator of the Agency for International Development, 

should— 

‘‘(1) establish a geographically defined crop yield metrics system to assess improvements in crop yields in countries and 

areas receiving assistance under this title; and 

‘‘(2) store the data resulting from such geographically defined 

crop yield metrics system in a publicly available Internet database system. 

‘‘(g) GRANT PROGRAM TO CREATE NEW PARTNERS AND INNOVATION.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Agency for International Development shall develop a grant program for fiscal 


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25 

years 2019 through 2023 to facilitate new and innovative partnerships and activities under this title. 

‘‘(2) USE OF FUNDS.—Grant recipients under this subsection 

shall use such funds— 

‘‘(A) to prioritize new implementing partners; 

‘‘(B) on innovative volunteer models; 

‘‘(C) on strategic partnerships with other United States 

development programs; and 

‘‘(D) on expanding the footprint and impact of the programs and activities under this title, and diversity among 

program participants, including land grant colleges or universities and extension services. 

‘‘(h) APPROPRIATIONS.—None of the amounts made available to 

carry out this title may be used to carry out subsections (f) and (g) 

of this section except to the extent that such subsections are carried out using authorities otherwise provided by this title.’’. 

8. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE MCCLINTOCK OF CALIFORNIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Beginning on page 250, strike line 25 and all that follows 

through line 13 on page 253. 

Page 253, line 14, strike ‘‘(G) 15-PERCENT’’ and insert ‘‘(F) 5-PERCENT’’. 

Page 254, line 25, strike ‘‘15 percent’’ and insert ‘‘5 percent’’. 

Page 256, line 17, strike ‘‘and’’ at the end. 

Page 256, after line 17 insert the following: 

(ii) by striking ‘‘age six’’ and inserting ‘‘3 years of 

age’’, and 

Page 256, line 18, strike ‘‘(ii)’’ and insert ‘‘(iii)’’. 

Page 257, line 2, strike ‘‘or (G) a pregnant woman.’’ and insert 

‘‘(G) a married individual who is responsible for a dependent individual and who resides in the household with a spouse who complies with the requirements of paragraph (1)(B); or (H) a pregnant 

woman.’’. 

Page 257, line 9, strike ‘‘(iii)’’ and insert ‘‘(iv)’’. 

Page 257 line 25, strike the close quotation marks, the comma, 

and ‘‘and’’. 

Page 257, after line 25, insert the following: 

‘‘(iii) E-VERIFY.—An employment and training program designed by the State agency may not be approved unless such program requires that each individual who participates in such program is permitted 

to engage in employment in the United States on the 

basis of the status of such individual as determined 

under the employment verification system in effect 

under section 274A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1324a).’’, and 

Page 260, strike lines 24 and 25, and insert the following: 

(1) in subsection (e)— 

(A) in paragraph (5)— 

(i) in subparagraph (A) by striking ‘‘age 6’’ and inserting ‘‘age 3 or of an incapacitated person’’, and 


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(ii) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘of 5’’ and inserting ‘‘of 2’’, 

(B) in paragraph (7) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end, 

(C) in paragraph (8) by striking the period at the end 

and inserting ‘‘; or’’, and 

(D) and by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(9) is a married individual who is responsible for a dependent individual and who resides in the household with a spouse 

who complies with the requirements of subsection (d)(1).’’, and 

9. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE MACARTHUR OF NEW JERSEY OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 

MINUTES

Page 247, line 23, strike ‘‘(I)’’ and insert ‘‘(J)’’. 

Page 256, line 13, strike the close quotation marks and the 

comma at the end. 

Page 256, after line 13, insert the following: 

‘‘(I) HOUSEHOLD INELIGIBILTY.—If an individual becomes 

ineligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program as a household member due to failure to 

meet the requirements under subparagraph (B), the remaining household members (including children), shall not 

become ineligible to apply to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program due to such individual’s ineligibility.’’. 

10. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE DAVIDSON

OF OHIO OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 262, line 12, insert ‘‘actual program use and’’ after ‘‘account’’. 

Page 262, line 24, insert ‘‘who choose to participate in employment and training program services’’ after ‘‘6(d)(1)(B)’’. 

At the end of subtitle A of title IV, insert the following: 

SEC. ll. RETURN OF UNUSED EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING FUNDS 

TO THE TREASURY. 

Section 16(h)(1)(C) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 

U.S.C. (h)(1)(C)) is amended by striking ‘‘(C) REALLOCATION.l’’ and 

all that follows through ‘‘equitable.’’, and inserting the following: 

‘‘(C) RETURN OF UNUSED EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING

FUNDS TO THE TREASURY.— ‘‘(i) RETURN OF FUNDS.—If a State agency will not 

expend all of the funds allocated to the State agency 

for a fiscal year under subparagraph (B), the Secretary 

shall deposit such unused funds in the general receipts of the Treasury.’’. 

11. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE HOLDING

OF NORTH CAROLINA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle A of title IV, insert the following: 


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SEC. ll. DISQUALIFICATION OF CERTAIN CONVICTED FELONS. 

Section 6 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015), 

as amended by section 4015, is amended in subsection (p)(1)— 

(1) in subparagraph (A) by striking ‘‘: and’’ at the end and 

inserting a period, and 

(2) by striking subparagraph (B). 

12. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY RESIDENT COMMISSIONER

GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́ N OF PUERTO RICO OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle A of title IV, insert the following: 

SEC. ll. DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT OF BLOCK GRANT PAYABLE 

TO PUERTO RICO. 

(a) STUDY.—With funds appropriated to carry out this subsection, 

the Secretary of Agriculture shall conduct a study to determine the 

feasibility and impact of using a thrifty food plan developed exclusively to apply under section 19(a)(2)(A)(ii) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028(a)(2)(A)) to calculate the amount of 

the block grant payable to Puerto Rico. 

(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to 

be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out subsection (a). 

(c) APPROPRIATION IN ADVANCE.—Only funds appropriated under 

subsection (b) in advance specifically to carry out subsection (a) 

shall be available to carry out such subsection. 

13. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE FASO OF

NEW YORK OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle A of title IV, insert the following: 

SEC. ll. ADMINISTRATIVE FLEXIBILITY FOR STATES. 

Section 11(e)(6)(B) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 

U.S.C. 2020(e)(6)(B)) is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘(B) personnel of the State agency or, at the option of 

the State agency and by contract with the State agency, 

personnel of an entity that has no direct or indirect financial interest in an approved retail food store, may undertake such certification or carry out any other function of 

the State agency under the supplemental nutrition assistance program and without restriction by the Secretary on 

the State agency’s use of nongovernmental employees to 

perform program eligibility or any other administrative 

function to carry out such program;’’. 

14. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE YOUNG OF

ALASKA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle A of title IV, insert the following: 

SEC. ll. SERVICE OF TRADITIONAL FOODS IN PUBLIC FACILITIES. 

Section 4033 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (128 STAT. 818) is 

amended— 

(1) in subsection (c) — 


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(A) by inserting ‘‘, a State, a country equivalent, or a 

local education agency,’’ after ‘‘programs’’ the 1st place it 

appears, 

(B) by striking ‘‘ and facilities operated by tribal organizations, that primarily serve Indians’’ and inserting ‘‘and 

federally funded child nutrition and senior meal programs,’’, and 

(2) in subsection (d)(1) — 

(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ the 1st place it appears, and 

(B) by inserting ‘‘, a State, a county or county equivalent, 

a local educational agency, and an entity or person authorized to facilitate the donation, storage, preparation, or 

serving of traditional food by the operator of a food service 

program’’ after ‘‘organization’’. 

15. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY RESIDENT COMMISSIONER

GONZA ́LEZ COLO ́ N OF PUERTO RICO OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle A of title IV, insert the following: 

SEC. ll. EXTENSION OF STUDY ON COMPARABLE ACCESS TO SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE FOR PUERTO RICO. 

(a) AMENDMENTS.—Section 4142 of the Food, Conservation, and 

Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–246; 122 STAT. 1881) is 

amended— 

(1) in subsection (b) by striking ‘‘this Act’’ and inserting ‘‘Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018’’, and 

(2) in subsection (d)(1) by striking ‘‘2008’’ and inserting 

‘‘2018’’. 

(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to 

be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out section 4142 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–246; 122 STAT. 1881) as amended by subsection (a). 

(c) APPROPRIATION IN ADVANCE.—Only funds appropriated under 

subsection (b) in advance specifically to carry out section 4142 of 

the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110– 

246; 122 STAT. 1881) as amended by subsection (a) shall be available to carry out such section as so amended. 

16. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE BIGGS OF

ARIZONA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Strike page 382, line 8, and all that follows through page 386, 

line 19, and insert the following: 

SEC. 6402. REPEAL OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BIOENERGY 

SUBSIDY PROGRAMS AND OTHER RELATED SUBSIDY PROGRAMS. 

Title IX of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 

(7 U.S.C. 8101 et seq.) is hereby repealed. 

17. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE RUSSELL

OF OKLAHOMA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 386, line 23, insert ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—’’ before ‘‘Section’’. 


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Page 387, after line 5, insert the following: 

(b) EXCLUSION OF ALCOHOL PRODUCTS FROM DEFINITION.—Section 231(a)(5) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 1632a(a)(5)) is amended by adding below subparagraph (B) the following: 

‘‘The term ‘value-added agricultural product’ does not include 

beer, wine, distilled spirits, hard cider, or other alcohol product.’’. 

(c) RESCISSION.—Of the funds made available under section 

231(b)(7)(A) of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (as in 

effect before the date of the enactment of this section) to the Secretary of Agriculture to make value-added agricultural product 

market development grants and unobligated as of such date of enactment, $8,000,000 is hereby rescinded. 

18. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE TURNER

OF OHIO OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 410, after line 13, insert the following: 

SEC. 7113. RESEARCH AND EXTENSION FUNDING EQUITY FOR RECENTLY DESIGNATED 1890 INSTITUTIONS. 

(a) EXTENSION.—Section 1444(b) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 

3221(b)) is amended, in the matter following paragraph (2)(B), by 

adding at the end the following: ‘‘Beginning with fiscal year 2019, 

in making the calculation under paragraph (1), any recently designated 1890 Institution shall be deemed to have been designated 

as an eligible institution on or before September 30, 1978. For purposes of the preceding sentence, a ‘recently designated 1890 Institution’ means an 1890 Institution designated as such on or after 

September 30, 1999.’’. 

(b) RESEARCH.—Section 1445 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3222) 

is amended— by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 

‘‘(3) Beginning with fiscal year 2019, in making the calculation under paragraph (2)(A), any recently designated 1890 Institution (as defined in section 1444(b)) shall be deemed to 

have been designated as an eligible institution on or before 

September 30, 1978.’’. 

19. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE STEFANIK

OF NEW YORK OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Subtitle A of title VIII is amended by adding at the end the following: 

SEC. 8109. INCLUSION OF INVASIVE VEGETATION IN DESIGNATED 

TREATMENT AREAS. 

Section 602 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 is 

amended— 

(1) in subsection (a)— 

(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘, invasive vegetation,’’ 

after ‘‘insect’’; and 

(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘, invasive vegetation,’’ 

after ‘‘insects’’; and 


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30 

(2) in subsection (b)(2), by inserting ‘‘, invasive vegetation,’’ 

after ‘‘insect’’. 

20. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE CHENEY

OF WYOMING OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of part III of subtitle C of title VIII, add the following 

new section: 

SEC. 8334. VACANT GRAZING ALLOTMENTS MADE AVAILABLE TO CERTAIN GRAZING PERMIT HOLDERS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary concerned shall, to the maximum extent practicable, make vacant grazing allotments available 

to a holder of a grazing permit or lease issued by such Secretary 

if the lands covered by the permit or lease are unusable because 

of a natural disaster (including a drought or wildfire), court-issued 

injunction, or conflict with wildlife, as determined by the Secretary 

concerned. 

(b) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—The terms and conditions contained 

in a permit or lease for a vacant grazing allotment made available 

pursuant to this subsection (a) shall be the terms and conditions 

of the most recent permit or lease that was applicable to such allotment. 

(c) COURT-ISSUED INJUNCTIONS.—A court may not issue any order 

enjoining the use of any allotment for which a permit or lease has 

been issued by the Secretary concerned and continues in effect unless the Secretary concerned can make a vacant grazing allotment 

available to the holder of such permit or lease. 

(d) ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT UNDER THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT.—Activities carried out by the Secretary 

concerned pursuant to subsection (a) are a category of actions hereby designated as being categorically excluded from the preparation 

of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act 

of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332). 

21. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE PEARCE

OF NEW MEXICO OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of part III of subtitle C of title VIII, add the following 

new section: 

SEC. 8334. PILOT PROJECT FOR FOREST HEALTH, WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT, AND HABITAT RESTORATION IN NEW MEXICO. 

(a) PILOT PROJECT ESTABLISHED.—The Secretary of Agriculture, 

acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall conduct a pilot 

project within the Lincoln National Forest, Cibola National Forest, 

and Gila National Forest in the State of New Mexico to analyze 

and demonstrate the effectiveness of various tools and techniques 

to address the following natural resource concerns: 

(1) Thinning for forest health. 

(2) Watershed improvement. 

(3) Habitat restoration. 

(b) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary of Agriculture in carrying out the pilot project established under subsection (a) may 


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conduct applied silvicultural investigations and treatments, including— 

(1) silvicultural investigations conducted for the purposes of 

information gathering and research relating to the natural resource concerns described in subsection (a); and 

(2) mechanical thinning. 

(c) COUNTY REFUSAL OF SILVICULTURAL INVESTIGATION OR

TREATMENT.— The Secretary may not carry out a silvicultural investigation or treatment under this section if a county in which 

such investigation or treatment would be conducted provides a refusal to the Secreteray with respect to such investigation or treatment. 

(d) ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT UNDER THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT.—Forest management activities carried 

out by the Secretary of Agriculture under this section are a category of actions hereby designated as being categorically excluded 

from the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332). 

(f) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary shall encourage meaningful public participation during preparation of a silvicultural investigation or treatment under this section. 

(g) USE OF ARBITRATION INSTEAD OF LITIGATION TO ADDRESS

CHALLENGES TO FOREST MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.— (1) DISCRETIONARY ARBITRATION PROCESS PILOT PROGRAM.— (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a discretionary arbitration pilot program as an alternative dispute resolution process in lieu of judicial review for the an objection or protest to a forest management 

activity carried out pursuant to this section. 

(B) ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED.—The Secretary of Agriculture, at the sole discretion of the Secretary, may designate objections or protests to forest management activities for arbitration under the arbitration pilot program established under subparagraph (A). 

(C) MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF ARBITRATIONS.—Under the arbitration pilot program, the Secretary concerned may not 

arbitrate more than 10 objections or protests to forest 

management activities in a fiscal year in each Forest Service Region. 

(D) DETERMINING AMOUNT OF ARBITRATIONS.—An objection or protest to a forest management activity shall not 

be counted towards the limitation on number of arbitrations under subparagraph (C) unless— 

(i) on the date such objection or protest is designated for arbitration, the forest management activity 

for which such objection or protest is filed has not 

been the subject of arbitration proceedings under the 

pilot program; and 

(ii) the arbitration proceeding has commenced with 

respect to such objection or protest. 

(2) INTERVENING PARTIES.— (A) REQUIREMENTS.—Any person that submitted a public 

comment on the forest management activity that is subject 

to arbitration may intervene in the arbitration— 


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(i) by endorsing— 

(I) the forest management activity; or 

(II) the modification proposal submitted under 

clause (ii); or 

(ii) by submitting a proposal to further modify the 

forest management activity. 

(B) DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION.—With respect to an objection or protest that is designated for arbitration under 

paragraph (1)(B), a request to intervene in an arbitration 

must be submitted not later than the date that is 30 days 

after the date on which such objection or protest was designated for arbitration. 

(C) MULTIPLE PARTIES.—Multiple intervening parties 

may submit a joint proposal so long as each intervening 

party meets the eligibility requirements of subparagraph 

(A). 

(3) APPOINTMENT OF ARBITRATOR.— 

(A) APPOINTMENT.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall 

develop and publish a list of not fewer than 20 individuals 

eligible to serve as arbitrators for the arbitration pilot program under this section. 

(B) QUALIFICATIONS.—In order to be eligible to serve as 

an arbitrator under this paragraph, an individual shall be, 

on the date of the appointment of such arbitrator— 

(i) certified by the American Arbitration Association; 

and 

(ii) not a registered lobbyist. 

(C) SELECTION OF ARBITRATOR.— (i) IN GENERAL.—For each arbitration commenced 

under this subsection, the Secretary concerned and 

each applicable objector or protestor shall agree, not 

later than 14 days after the agreement process is initiated, on a mutually acceptable arbitrator from the list 

published under subparagraph (A). 

(ii) APPOINTMENT AFTER 14-DAYS.—In the case of an 

agreement with respect to a mutually acceptable arbitrator not being reached within the 14-day limit described in clause (i), the Secretary concerned shall appoint an arbitrator from the list published under subparagraph (A). 

(4) SELECTION OF PROPOSALS.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—The arbitrator appointed under paragraph (3)— 

(i) may not modify any of the proposals submitted 

with the objection, protest, or request to intervene; 

and 

(ii) shall select to be conducted— 

(I) the forest management activity, as approved 

by the Secretary; or 

(II) a proposal submitted by an objector or an 

intervening party. 

(B) SELECTION CRITERIA.—An arbitrator shall, when selecting a proposal, consider— 

(i) whether the proposal is consistent with the applicable forest plan, laws, and regulations; 


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(ii) whether the proposal can be carried out by the 

Secretary of Agriculture; and 

(iii) the effect of each proposal on— 

(I) forest health; 

(II) habitat diversity; 

(III) wildfire potential; 

(IV) insect and disease potential; 

(V) timber production; and 

(VI) the implications of a resulting decline in 

forest health, loss of habitat diversity, wildfire, or 

insect or disease infestation, given fire and insect 

and disease historic cycles, on— 

(aa) domestic water costs; 

(bb) wildlife habitat loss; and 

(cc) other economic and social factors. 

(5) EFFECT OF DECISION.—The decision of an arbitrator with 

respect to the forest management activity— 

(A) shall not be considered a major Federal action; 

(B) shall be binding; and 

(C) shall not be subject to judicial review, except as provided in section 10(a) of title 9, United States Code. 

(6) DEADLINE FOR COMPLETION.—Not later than 90 days after 

the date on which the arbitration is filed with respect to the 

forest management activity, the arbitration process shall be 

completed. 

(h) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out this section shall 

terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of this section. 

22. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE STEFANIK

OF NEW YORK OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle E of title VIII, insert the following: 

SEC. ll. COMPETITIVE FORESTRY, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTS PROGRAM. 

Section 1232 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade 

Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 582a–8) is amended— 

(1) in subsection (a) by inserting ‘‘or forest restoration’’ after 

‘‘research’’; and 

(2) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows: 

‘‘(c) PRIORITIES.— 

‘‘(1) RESEARCH.—In awarding the initial grants under subsection (a) the Secretary shall give priority to applicants who 

will use such grants for research concerning— 

‘‘(A) the biology of forest organisms, including physiology, genetic mechanisms, and biotechnology; 

‘‘(B) ecosystem function and management, including forest ecosystem research, biodiversity, forest productivity, 

pest management, water resources, and alternative silvicultural systems; 

‘‘(C) wood as a raw material, including forest products 

and harvesting; 

‘‘(D) human forest interactions, including outdoor recreation, public policy formulation, economics, sociology, and 

administrative behavior; 


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‘‘(E) international trade, competition, and cooperation related to forest products; 

‘‘(F) alternative native crops, products, and services that 

can be produced from renewable natural resources associated with privately held forest lands; 

‘‘(G) viable economic production and marketing systems 

for alternative natural resource products and services; 

‘‘(H) economic and environmental benefits of various conservation practices on forest lands; 

‘‘(I) genetic tree improvement; and 

‘‘(J) market expansion. 

‘‘(2) FOREST RESTORATION.—Grants may be used to support 

programs that restore forest tree species native to American 

forests that may have suffered severe levels of mortality 

caused by non-native insects, plant pathogens, or others pests. 

‘‘(A) REQUIRED COMPONENT OF FOREST RESTORATION

STRATEGY.—To receive a grant under this subsection, an 

eligible institution shall demonstrate that it offers a program with a forest restoration strategy that incorporates 

not less than one of the following components: 

‘‘(i) Collection and conservation of native tree genetic 

material. 

‘‘(ii) Production of propagules of native trees in numbers large enough for landscape scale restoration. 

‘‘(iii) Site preparation of former of native tree habitat. 

‘‘(iv) Planting of native tree seedlings. 

‘‘(v) Post-planting maintenance of native trees. 

‘‘(B) AWARD OF GRANTS.—The Secretary shall award 

competitive grants under this subsection based on the degree to which the applicant addresses the following criteria: 

‘‘(i) Risk posed to the forests of that State by nonnative pests, as measured by such factors as the number of such pests present in the State. 

‘‘(ii) The proportion of the State’s forest composed of 

species vulnerable to non-native pests present in the 

United States. 

‘‘(iii) The pests’ rate of spread via natural or humanassisted means.’’. 

23. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE FASO OF

NEW YORK OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 572, after line 23, add the following: 

SEC. 9122. PREVENTING THE ARRIVAL IN THE UNITED STATES OF 

FOREST PESTS THROUGH RESTRICTIONS ON THE IMPORTATION OF CERTAIN PLANTS FOR PLANTING. 

(a) CRITERIA FOR ADDING PLANTS TO NOT AUTHORIZED PENDING

PEST RISK ANALYSIS LIST.—Section 412(a) of the Plant Protection 

Act (7 U.S.C. 7711(a)) is amended— 

(1) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and inserting the following: 

‘‘(1) REGULATION OF MOVEMENT.—The Secretary’’; and 

(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 


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‘‘(2) CRITERIA FOR ADDING PLANTS TO NOT AUTHORIZED PEND- ING PEST RISK ANALYSIS LIST.—In determining whether to add 

a genus of a plant for planting to the not authorized pending 

pest risk analysis list, the Secretary shall consider the environmental impact on natural, managed, and urban ecosystems in 

the United States of a pest that may be carried on a plant for 

planting.’’. 

(b) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—Section 412(e) of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7712(e)) is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘(e) REPORT ON INTERCEPTION OF FOREST PESTS.—Not later than 

March 1, 2021, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report— 

‘‘(1) evaluating the effectiveness of the Federal Government 

in intercepting pests in international shipping and on plants 

for planting; 

‘‘(2) describing the geographic sources of intercepted pests 

and the commodities or plant species most often associated 

with infested shipments; 

‘‘(3) quantifying the detection of forest pests in the national 

surveillance networks, including the Cooperative Agricultural 

Pest Survey and the Early Detection and Rapid Response network of the Forest Service; 

‘‘(4) describing new outbreaks of forest pests in the United 

States and the spread of existing infestations; 

‘‘(5) describing how the numbers of such interceptions, detections, and outbreaks described in a preceding paragraph have 

changed since January 1, 2018; 

‘‘(6) containing proposed additional actions to further reduce 

the rate of arrival for forest pests across the borders of the 

United States; and 

‘‘(7) identifying current challenges with intercepting, detecting, and addressing outbreaks of tree and wood pests, as well 

as challenges in achieving compliance with this Act and recommendations with respect to such challenges.’’. 

(c) DECLARATION OF EXTRAORDINARY EMERGENCY AND RESULTING

AUTHORITIES.—Section 415(a) of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 

7715(a)) is amended— 

(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph (3); 

(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (4) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 

‘‘(5) use available funds for all activities necessary for pest 

eradication, including pest identification, development of a 

pest-specific management plan, and implementation of that 

plan.’’. 

(d) FOREST SERVICE AND ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION

SERVICE COOPERATION IN RESPONSE TO FOREST PLANT PESTS.—Section 431(a) of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7751(a)) is amended— 

(1) by striking ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—’’ and inserting the following: 

‘‘(a) COOPERATION AUTHORITY.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—’’; and 

(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 

‘‘(2) IMPROVED COOPERATION WITH FOREST SERVICE AGAINST

FOREST PLANT PESTS.—The Secretary shall ensure that approVerDate Sep 11 2014 07:04 May 17, 2018 Jkt 079008 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR679.XXX HR679

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priate coordination and collaboration is occurring between the 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the Forest 

Service with respect to— 

‘‘(A) periodically identifying and prioritizing critical detection, surveillance, and eradication needs for tree and 

wood pests; and 

‘‘(B) identifying the actions each agency will take within 

their respective missions with respect to addressing identified priorities.’’. 

(e) EFFECTIVE DATE AND IMPLEMENTATION.— 

(1) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this section 

shall take effect 60 days after the date of the enactment of this 

Act. 

(2) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary shall issue or revise 

such regulations as may be necessary to implement the amendments made by this section. 

24. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE BRAT OF

VIRGINIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle C of title IX, add the following: 

SEC. 9204. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO CONFLICTS OF INTEREST OF 

MEMBERS OF COMMODITY PROMOTION BOARDS. 

(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

(1) BOARD.—The term ‘‘Board’’ means a board, committee, or 

similar entity established to carry out a checkoff program or an 

order issued by the Secretary under a checkoff program. 

(2) CHECKOFF PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘checkoff program’’ 

means a program to promote and provide research and information for a particular agricultural commodity without reference to specific producers or brands, including a program 

carried out under any of the following: 

(A) The Cotton Research and Promotion Act (7 U.S.C. 

2101 et seq.). 

(B) The Potato Research and Promotion Act (7 U.S.C. 

2611 et seq.). 

(C) The Egg Research and Consumer Information Act (7 

U.S.C. 2701 et seq.). 

(D) The Beef Research and Information Act (7 U.S.C. 

2901 et seq.). 

(E) The Wheat and Wheat Foods Research and Nutrition 

Education Act (7 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.). 

(F) The Floral Research and Consumer Information Act 

(7 U.S.C. 4301 et seq.). 

(G) Subtitle B of the Dairy Production Stabilization Act 

of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.). 

(H) The Honey Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Act (7 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.). 

(I) The Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 4801 et seq.). 

(J) The Watermelon Research and Promotion Act (7 

U.S.C. 4901 et seq.). 

(K) The Pecan Promotion and Research Act of 1990 (7 

U.S.C. 6001 et seq.). 


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(L) The Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer 

Information Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.). 

(M) The Lime Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6201 et seq.). 

(N) The Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer 

Information Act (7 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.). 

(O) The Fluid Milk Promotion Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6401 

et seq.). 

(P) The Fresh Cut Flowers and Fresh Cut Greens Promotion and Information Act of 1993 (7 U.S.C. 6801 et 

seq.). 

(Q) The Sheep Promotion, Research, and Information 

Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.). 

(R) Section 501 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement 

and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7401). 

(S) The Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7411 et seq.). 

(T) The Canola and Rapeseed Research, Promotion, and 

Consumer Information Act (7 U.S.C. 7441 et seq.). 

(U) The National Kiwifruit Research, Promotion, and 

Consumer Information Act (7 U.S.C. 7461 et seq.). 

(V) The Popcorn Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act (7 U.S.C. 7481 et seq.). 

(W) The Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 7801 et seq.). 

(3) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.—The term ‘‘conflict of interest’’ 

means a direct or indirect financial interest in a person or entity that performs a service for, or enters into a contract or 

agreement with, a Board for anything of economic value. 

(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

of Agriculture. 

(b) REQUIREMENTS OF CHECKOFF PROGRAMS.— 

(1) PROHIBITIONS.— (A) IN GENERAL.—A Board shall not enter into any contract or agreement to carry out checkoff program activities 

with a party that engages in activities for the purpose of 

influencing any government policy or action that relates to 

agriculture. 

(B) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.—A Board shall not engage 

in, and shall prohibit the employees and agents of the 

Board, acting in their official capacity, from engaging in, 

any act that may involve a conflict of interest. 

(C) OTHER PROHIBITIONS.—A Board shall not engage in, 

and shall prohibit the employees and agents of the Board, 

acting in their official capacity, from engaging in— 

(i) any anticompetitive activity; 

(ii) any unfair or deceptive act or practice; or 

(iii) any act that may be disparaging to, or in any 

way negatively portray, another agricultural commodity or product. 

(2) AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS.—Notwithstanding 

any other provision of law, on approval of the Secretary, a 

Board may enter directly into contracts and agreements to 

carry out generic promotion, research, or other activities authorized by law. 


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(3) PRODUCTION OF RECORDS.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—Each contract or agreement of a checkoff program shall provide that the entity that enters into 

the contract or agreement shall produce to the Board accurate records that account for all funds received under the 

contract or agreement, including any goods or services provided or costs incurred in connection with the contract or 

agreement. 

(B) MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS.—A Board shall maintain 

any records received under subparagraph (A). 

(4) PUBLICATION OF BUDGETS AND DISBURSEMENTS.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall publish and make 

available for public inspection all budgets and disbursements of funds entrusted to the Board that are approved 

by the Secretary, immediately on approval by the Secretary. 

(B) REQUIRED DISCLOSURES.—In carrying out subparagraph (A), the Board shall disclose— 

(i) the amount of the disbursement; 

(ii) the purpose of the disbursement, including the 

activities to be funded by the disbursement; 

(iii) the identity of the recipient of the disbursement; 

and 

(iv) the identity of any other parties that may receive the disbursed funds, including any contracts or 

subcontractors of the recipient of the disbursement. 

(5) AUDITS.— 

(A) PERIODIC AUDITS BY INSPECTOR GENERAL OF USDA.— 

(i) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 

date of enactment of this Act, and not less frequently 

than every 5 years thereafter, the Inspector General of 

the Department of Agriculture shall conduct an audit 

to determine the compliance of each checkoff program 

with this section during the period of time covered by 

the audit. 

(ii) REVIEW OF RECORDS.—An audit conducted under 

clause (i) shall include a review of any records produced to the Board under paragraph (3)(A). 

(iii) SUBMISSION OF REPORTS.—On completion of 

each audit under clause (i), the Inspector General of 

the Department of Agriculture shall— 

(I) prepare a report describing the audit; and 

(II) submit the report described in subclause (I) 

to— 

(aa) the appropriate committees of Congress, including the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer 

Rights of the Committee on the Judiciary of 

the Senate; and 

(bb) the Comptroller General of the United 

States. 

(B) AUDIT BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL.— 

(i) IN GENERAL.—Not earlier than 3 years, and not 

later than 5 years, after the date of enactment of this 


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Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 

shall— 

(I) conduct an audit to assess— 

(aa) the status of actions taken for each 

checkoff program to ensure compliance with 

this section; and 

(bb) the extent to which actions described in 

item (aa) have improved the integrity of a 

checkoff program; and 

(II) prepare a report describing the audit conducted under subclause (I), including any recommendations for— 

(aa) strengthening the effect of actions described in subclause (I)(aa); and 

(bb) improving Federal legislation relating 

to checkoff programs. 

(ii) CONSIDERATION OF INSPECTOR GENERAL RE- PORTS.—The Comptroller General of the United States 

shall consider reports described in subparagraph 

(A)(iii) in preparing any recommendations in the report under subclause (II). 

(c) SEVERABILITY.—If any provision of this Act or the application 

of such provision to any person or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act, and the application of the 

provision to any other person or circumstance, shall not be affected. 

25. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE MASSIE

OF KENTUCKY OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle C of title IX, add the following: 

SEC. 9204. INTERSTATE TRAFFIC OF UNPASTEURIZED MILK AND MILK 

PRODUCTS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the Federal Food, Drug, and 

Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), section 361 of the Public 

Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 264), and any regulations or other 

guidance thereunder, a Federal department, agency, or court may 

not take any action (including any administrative, civil, criminal, 

or other action) that would prohibit, interfere with, regulate, or 

otherwise restrict the interstate traffic of milk, or a milk product, 

that is unpasteurized and packaged for direct human consumption, 

if— 

(1) such prohibition, interference, regulation, or restriction is 

based on a determination that, solely because such milk or 

milk product is unpasteurized, such milk or milk product is 

adulterated, misbranded, or otherwise in violation of Federal 

law; 

(2) the milk or milk product’s State of origin allows (by law, 

regulation, or policy) unpasteurized milk or unpasteurized milk 

products to be distributed for direct human consumption by 

any means, including any form of retail sale, direct farm to 

consumer distribution, or cowshare; 

(3) the milk or milk product is produced, packaged, and 

moved in compliance with the laws of such State of origin, including any such laws relating to labeling, warning, and packaging requirements; and 


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(4) the milk or milk product is moved from the State of origin with the intent to transport the milk or milk product to another State which allows the distribution of unpasteurized milk 

or unpasteurized milk products for direct human consumption, 

as described in paragraph (2), irrespective of whether the applicable laws of such other State are identical to the laws of 

the State of origin. 

(b) NO PREEMPTION.—Nothing in this section preempts any State 

law. 

(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following definitions apply: 

(1) The term ‘‘cowshare’’ means an undivided interest in a 

milk-producing animal (such as a cow, goat, sheep, or water 

buffalo, or a herd of such animals) created by a written contractual relationship between a consumer and a farmer— 

(A) that includes a legal bill of sale to the consumer for 

an interest in the animal or dairy herd and a boarding 

contract under which the consumer boards the animal or 

dairy herd in which the consumer has an interest with the 

farmer for care and milking; and 

(B) under which the consumer is entitled to receive a 

share of milk from the animal or dairy herd. 

(2) The term ‘‘milk’’ means the lacteal secretion, practically 

free from colostrum, obtained by the milking of one or more 

healthy animals. 

(3) The term ‘‘milk product’’— 

(A) means a food product made from milk; and 

(B) includes low-fat milk, skim milk, cream, half and 

half, dry milk, nonfat milk, dry cream, condensed or concentrated milk products, cultured or acidified milk or milk 

products, kefir, eggnog, yogurt, butter, cheese, whey, condensed or dry whey or whey products, ice cream, ice milk, 

and other frozen dairy desserts. 

(4) The term ‘‘packaged for direct human consumption’’ with 

respect to milk or milk products— 

(A) means packaged for the final consumer and intended 

for human consumption; and 

(B) does not apply if the milk or milk products are packaged for additional processing, including pasteurization, 

before being consumed by humans. 

(5) The term ‘‘pasteurized’’ means the process of— 

(A) heating milk or milk products to the applicable temperature specified in the tables contained in section 

1240.61 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act); and 

(B) holding the milk or milk product continuously at or 

above that temperature for at least the corresponding specified time in such tables. 

(6) The term ‘‘unpasteurized’’ means not pasteurized. 

26. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE COSTELLO

OF PENNSYLVANIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

After section 11201, insert the following (and make such conforming changes as may be necessary): 


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SEC. lll. STATE BEGINNING FARMER AND RANCHER COORDINATOR. 

Section 226 of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act 

of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6934) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: 

‘‘(i) STATE BEGINNING FARMER AND RANCHER COORDINATOR.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall designate a State beginning farmer and rancher coordinator from among existing 

employees of the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources 

Conservation Service, the Risk Management Agency, the Rural 

Business-Cooperative Service, and the Rural Utilities Service. 

‘‘(2) TRAINING.—The Agency shall coordinate the development of a training plan so that each State coordinator shall receive sufficient training to have a general working knowledge 

of the programs and services available from each agency of the 

Department to assist beginning farmers and ranchers and be 

familiar with issues relating to beginning farmers and ranchers. 

‘‘(3) DUTIES.—The coordinator shall— 

‘‘(A) coordinate technical assistance at the State level to 

help beginning farmers and ranchers gain access to programs of the Department; 

‘‘(B) work with outreach coordinators in the State offices 

of the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Risk Management Agency, the Rural 

Business-Cooperative Service, and the Rural Utilities Service to ensure appropriate information about technical assistance is available at outreach events and activities; and 

‘‘(C) work with the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement and regional, state, and local offices of the Department to facilitate partnerships and joint outreach efforts with State regional, state, and local organizations 

and key stakeholders serving beginning farmers and 

ranchers through contracts and cooperative agreements.’’. 

27. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE NOEM OF

SOUTH DAKOTA OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 605, strike lines 16 through 21 and insert the following: 

SEC. 11203. OFFICE OF TRIBAL RELATIONS. 

Section 309 of the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6921) is 

amended to read as follows: 

‘‘SEC. 309. OFFICE OF TRIBAL RELATIONS. 

‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall maintain in the Office 

of Partnerships and Public Engagement established under section 

226B an Office of Tribal Relations, which shall advise the Secretary 

on policies related to Indian tribes and carry out such other functions as the Secretary considers appropriate. 

‘‘(b) NEW BEGINNINGS INITIATIVE.—Not later than one year after 

the date of the enactment of the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 

2018, the Secretary shall establish, in consultation with the Office 

of Tribal Relations, an initiative (to be known as the ‘New Beginnings Initiative’) under which the Secretary shall provide funds to 


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a land-grant college or university in an amount equal to the 

amount of funds such land-grant college or university expends for 

providing educational programs and services for, or tuition paid 

with respect to, Indians (as defined in section 4 of the Indian SelfDetermination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) at 

such land-grant college or university.’’. 

28. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE ROSKAM

OF ILLINOIS OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle F of title XI, add the following (and make 

such conforming changes as may be necessary): 

SEC. 11613. EXTENDING PROHIBITION ON ANIMAL FIGHTING TO THE 

TERRITORIES. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 26 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 

2156) is amended— 

(1) in subsection (a)— 

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Except as provided in 

paragraph (3), it’’ and inserting ‘‘It’’; and 

(B) by striking paragraph (3); 

(2) by striking subsection (d); and 

(3) by redesignating subsections (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), and (j) as 

subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), and (i), respectively. 

(b) USE OF POSTAL SERVICE OR OTHER INTERSTATE INSTRUMENTALITIES.—Section 26(c) of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 

2156(c)) is amended by striking ‘‘(e)’’ and inserting ‘‘(d)’’. 

(c) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.—Subsection (i) of section 26 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2156), as redesignated by section 2(3), 

is amended by striking ‘‘(e)’’ and inserting ‘‘(d)’’. 

(d) ENFORCEMENT OF ANIMAL FIGHTING PROHIBITIONS.—Section 

49(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘(e)’’ 

and inserting ‘‘(d)’’. 

29. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON

OF LOUISIANA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle F of title XI, insert the following: 

SEC. 116ll. CONSIDERATION OF THE TOTALITY OF CONSERVATION 

MEASURES. 

Section 7(b)(3) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 

1536(b)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(C) In determining whether a Federal agency action is 

likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered species or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of the critical habitat of 

a species, the Secretary shall consider the offsetting effects 

of all avoidance, minimization, and other species-protection 

or conservation measures that are already in place or proposed to be implemented as part of the action, including 

the development, improvement, protection, or management 

of species habitat whether or not it is designated as critical 

habitat of such species.’’. 


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30. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE HOL- LINGSWORTH OF INDIANA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 

MINUTES

In title XI, at the end of subtitle F insert the following: 

SEC. ll. DEPREDATION PERMITS FOR BLACK VULTURES. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior, in conjunction 

with the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 

may issue depredation permits to livestock farmers, authorizing 

takings of black vultures otherwise prohibited by Federal law to 

prevent such vultures from taking livestock during the calving season. 

(b) LIMITED TO AFFECTED STATES OR REGIONS.—The Secretary 

may issue such permits only to livestock farmers in States and regions in which livestock farmers are affected by black vultures, as 

determined by Secretary in conjunction with the Director. 

(c) REPORTING.—The Secretary shall require, as a condition of 

such a permit, that the permit holder shall report to the appropriate enforcement agencies the takings of black vultures under the 

permit. 

31. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE BANKS OF

INDIANA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle F of title XI, add the following: 

SEC. 11613. WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES RULE. 

The final rule issued by the Administrator of the Environmental 

Protection Agency and the Secretary of the Army entitled ‘‘Clean 

Water Rule: Definition of ‘Waters of the United States’ ’’, published 

on June 29, 2015 (80 Fed. Reg. 37054), is repealed, and any regulation or policy revised under, or otherwise affected as a result of, 

that rule shall be applied as if that rule had not been issued. 

Æ 


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