24–119 

109TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 109–255 

MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, 

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES PROGRAMS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2006, AND FOR 

OTHER PURPOSES 

OCTOBER 26, 2005.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. BONILLA, from the committee of conference, 

submitted the following 

CONFERENCE REPORT 

[To accompany H.R. 2744] 

The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the 

two Houses on the amendment of the Senate to the bill (H.R. 2744) 

‘‘making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food 

and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year 

ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes’’, having met, 

after full and free conference, have agreed to recommend and do 

recommend to their respective Houses as follows: 

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate, and agree to the same with an amendment, as 

follows: 

In lieu of the matter stricken and inserted by said amendment, 

insert: 

That the following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the 

Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other 

purposes, namely: 

TITLE I 

AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS 

PRODUCTION, PROCESSING AND MARKETING

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

For necessary expenses of the Office of the Secretary of Agri- culture, $5,127,000: Provided, That not to exceed $11,000 of this 

amount shall be available for official reception and representation 

expenses, not otherwise provided for, as determined by the Secretary. 

2 

EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS

CHIEF ECONOMIST

For necessary expenses of the Chief Economist, including economic analysis, risk assessment, cost-benefit analysis, energy and 

new uses, and the functions of the World Agricultural Outlook 

Board, as authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 

U.S.C. 1622g), $10,539,000. 

NATIONAL APPEALS DIVISION

For necessary expenses of the National Appeals Division, 

$14,524,000. 

OFFICE OF BUDGET AND PROGRAM ANALYSIS

For necessary expenses of the Office of Budget and Program 

Analysis, $8,298,000. 

HOMELAND SECURITY STAFF

For necessary expenses of the Homeland Security Staff, 

$934,000. 

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief Information Officer, $16,462,000. 

COMMON COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

For necessary expenses to acquire a Common Computing Environment for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Farm 

and Foreign Agricultural Service, and Rural Development mission 

areas for information technology, systems, and services, 

$110,072,000, to remain available until expended, for the capital 

asset acquisition of shared information technology systems, including services as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 6915–16 and 40 U.S.C. 1421– 

28: Provided, That obligation of these funds shall be consistent with 

the Department of Agriculture Service Center Modernization Plan of 

the county-based agencies, and shall be with the concurrence of the 

Department’s Chief Information Officer: Provided further, That of 

the funds provided under this section, the Secretary shall acquire 

one meter natural color digital ortho-imagery of the entire state of 

Utah. 

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, $5,874,000: Provided, That hereafter the Chief Financial Officer 

shall actively market and expand cross-servicing activities of the 

National Finance Center: Provided further, That no funds made 

available by this appropriation may be obligated for FAIR Act or 

Circular A–76 activities until the Secretary has submitted to the 

Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress and the 

Committee on Government Reform of the House of Representatives 

a report on the Department’s contracting out policies, including 

agency budgets for contracting out. 

3 

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Assist- ant Secretary for Civil Rights, $821,000. 

OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS

For necessary expenses of the Office of Civil Rights, $20,109,000. 

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Assist- ant Secretary for Administration, $676,000. 

AGRICULTURE BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES AND RENTAL PAYMENTS

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For payment of space rental and related costs pursuant to Public Law 92–313, including authorities pursuant to the 1984 delegation of authority from the Administrator of General Services to the 

Department of Agriculture under 40 U.S.C. 486, for programs and 

activities of the Department which are included in this Act, and for 

alterations and other actions needed for the Department and its 

agencies to consolidate unneeded space into configurations suitable 

for release to the Administrator of General Services, and for the operation, maintenance, improvement, and repair of Agriculture buildings and facilities, and for related costs, $187,734,000, to remain 

available until expended, as follows: for payments to the General 

Services Administration and the Department of Homeland Security 

for building security, $147,734,000, and for buildings operations 

and maintenance, $40,000,000: Provided, That amounts which are 

made available for space rental and related costs for the Department of Agriculture in this Act may be transferred between such appropriations to cover the costs of additional, new, or replacement 

space 15 days after notice thereof is transmitted to the Appropriations Committees of both Houses of Congress. 

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses of the Department of Agriculture, to 

comply with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.), 

$12,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That appropriations and funds available herein to the Department for Hazardous Materials Management may be transferred to any agency of 

the Department for its use in meeting all requirements pursuant to 

the above Acts on Federal and non-Federal lands. 

DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For Departmental Administration, $23,103,000, to provide for 

necessary expenses for management support services to offices of the 

Department and for general administration, security, repairs and 

4 

alterations, and other miscellaneous supplies and expenses not otherwise provided for and necessary for the practical and efficient 

work of the Department: Provided, That this appropriation shall be 

reimbursed from applicable appropriations in this Act for travel expenses incident to the holding of hearings as required by 5 U.S.C. 

551–558. 

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONGRESSIONAL

RELATIONS

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations to carry out the programs 

funded by this Act, including programs involving intergovernmental 

affairs and liaison within the executive branch, $3,821,000: Provided, That these funds may be transferred to agencies of the Department of Agriculture funded by this Act to maintain personnel 

at the agency level: Provided further, That no funds made available 

by this appropriation may be obligated after 30 days from the date 

of enactment of this Act, unless the Secretary has notified the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress on the allocation of these funds by USDA agency: Provided further, That no 

other funds appropriated to the Department by this Act shall be 

available to the Department for support of activities of congressional 

relations. 

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

For necessary expenses to carry out services relating to the coordination of programs involving public affairs, for the dissemination of agricultural information, and the coordination of information, work, and programs authorized by Congress in the Department, $9,509,000: Provided, That not to exceed $2,000,000 may be 

used for farmers’ bulletins. 

OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

For necessary expenses of the Office of the Inspector General, including employment pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, 

$80,336,000, including such sums as may be necessary for contracting and other arrangements with public agencies and private 

persons pursuant to section 6(a)(9) of the Inspector General Act of 

1978, and including not to exceed $125,000 for certain confidential 

operational expenses, including the payment of informants, to be expended under the direction of the Inspector General pursuant to 

Public Law 95–452 and section 1337 of Public Law 97–98. 

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL

For necessary expenses of the Office of the General Counsel, 

$39,351,000. 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND

ECONOMICS

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under 

Secretary for Research, Education and Economics to administer the 

5 

laws enacted by the Congress for the Economic Research Service, the 

National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Agricultural Research 

Service, and the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, $598,000. 

ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE

For necessary expenses of the Economic Research Service in conducting economic research and analysis, $75,931,000: Provided, 

That none of the funds made available by this Act or any other Act 

may be used by the Department of Agriculture to publish, disseminate, or distribute, internally or externally, Agriculture Information 

Bulletin Number 787: Provided further, That of the funds provided 

to the Economic Research Service, the Secretary of Agriculture shall 

use $350,000 to enter into an agreement for a comprehensive report 

on the economic development and current status of the sheep industry in the United States to be prepared by the National Academy of 

Sciences. 

NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE

For necessary expenses of the National Agricultural Statistics 

Service in conducting statistical reporting and service work, 

$140,700,000, of which up to $29,115,000 shall be available until 

expended for the Census of Agriculture. 

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For necessary expenses to enable the Agricultural Research 

Service to perform agricultural research and demonstration relating 

to production, utilization, marketing, and distribution (not otherwise provided for); home economics or nutrition and consumer use 

including the acquisition, preservation, and dissemination of agricultural information; and for acquisition of lands by donation, exchange, or purchase at a nominal cost not to exceed $100, and for 

land exchanges where the lands exchanged shall be of equal value 

or shall be equalized by a payment of money to the grantor which 

shall not exceed 25 percent of the total value of the land or interests 

transferred out of Federal ownership, $1,135,004,000: Provided, 

That appropriations hereunder shall be available for the operation 

and maintenance of aircraft and the purchase of not to exceed one 

for replacement only: Provided further, That appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2250 for the construction, alteration, and repair of buildings and improvements, but unless otherwise provided, the cost of constructing any one building 

shall not exceed $375,000, except for headhouses or greenhouses 

which shall each be limited to $1,200,000, and except for 10 buildings to be constructed or improved at a cost not to exceed $750,000 

each, and the cost of altering any one building during the fiscal 

year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value of 

the building or $375,000, whichever is greater: Provided further, 

That the limitations on alterations contained in this Act shall not 

apply to modernization or replacement of existing facilities at Beltsville, Maryland: Provided further, That appropriations hereunder 

shall be available for granting easements at the Beltsville AgriculVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
6 

tural Research Center: Provided further, That the foregoing limitations shall not apply to replacement of buildings needed to carry out 

the Act of April 24, 1948 (21 U.S.C. 113a): Provided further, That 

the foregoing limitations shall not apply to the purchase of land at 

Florence, South Carolina: Provided further, That funds may be received from any State, other political subdivision, organization, or 

individual for the purpose of establishing or operating any research 

facility or research project of the Agricultural Research Service, as 

authorized by law: Provided further, That the Secretary, through 

the Agricultural Research Service, or successor, is authorized to 

lease approximately 40 acres of land at the Central Plains Experiment Station, Nunn, Colorado, to the Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System, for its Shortgrass Steppe Biological 

Field Station, on such terms and conditions as the Secretary deems 

in the public interest: Provided further, That the Secretary understands that it is the intent of the University to construct research 

and educational buildings on the subject acreage and to conduct agricultural research and educational activities in these buildings: 

Provided further, That as consideration for a lease, the Secretary 

may accept the benefits of mutual cooperative research to be conducted by the Colorado State University and the Government at the 

Shortgrass Steppe Biological Field Station: Provided further, That 

the term of any lease shall be for no more than 20 years, but a lease 

may be renewed at the option of the Secretary on such terms and 

conditions as the Secretary deems in the public interest: Provided 

further, That the Agricultural Research Service may convey all 

rights and title of the United States, to a parcel of land comprising 

19 acres, more or less, located in Section 2, Township 18 North, 

Range 14 East in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, originally conveyed by the Board of Trustees of the Institution of Higher Learning 

of the State of Mississippi, and described in instruments recorded 

in Deed Book 306 at pages 553–554, Deed Book 319 at page 219, 

and Deed Book 33 at page 115, of the public land records of 

Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, including facilities, and fixed equipment, to the Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, in 

their ‘‘as is’’ condition, when vacated by the Agricultural Research 

Service: Provided further, That none of the funds appropriated 

under this heading shall be available to carry out research related 

to the production, processing, or marketing of tobacco or tobacco 

products. 

BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

For acquisition of land, construction, repair, improvement, extension, alteration, and purchase of fixed equipment or facilities as 

necessary to carry out the agricultural research programs of the Department of Agriculture, where not otherwise provided, 

$131,195,000, to remain available until expended. 

COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION

SERVICE

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES

For payments to agricultural experiment stations, for cooperative forestry and other research, for facilities, and for other expenses, 

$676,849,000, as follows: to carry out the provisions of the Hatch 

7 

Act of 1887 (7 U.S.C. 361a–i), $178,757,000; for grants for cooperative forestry research (16 U.S.C. 582a through a–7), $22,230,000; for 

payments to the 1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee University and West Virginia State University (7 U.S.C. 3222), 

$37,591,000, of which $1,507,496 shall be made available only for 

the purpose of ensuring that each institution shall receive no less 

than $1,000,000; for special grants for agricultural research (7 

U.S.C. 450i(c)), $128,223,000; for special grants for agricultural research on improved pest control (7 U.S.C. 450i(c)), $14,798,000; for 

competitive research grants (7 U.S.C. 450i(b)), $183,000,000; for the 

support of animal health and disease programs (7 U.S.C. 3195), 

$5,057,000; for supplemental and alternative crops and products (7 

U.S.C. 3319d), $1,187,000; for grants for research pursuant to the 

Critical Agricultural Materials Act (7 U.S.C. 178 et seq.), 

$1,102,000, to remain available until expended; for the 1994 research grants program for 1994 institutions pursuant to section 536 

of Public Law 103–382 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), $1,039,000, to remain 

available until expended; for rangeland research grants (7 U.S.C. 

3333), $1,000,000; for higher education graduate fellowship grants 

(7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(6)), $3,738,000, to remain available until expended (7 U.S.C. 2209b); for a veterinary medicine loan repayment 

program pursuant to section 1415A of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3101 

et seq.), $500,000; for higher education challenge grants (7 U.S.C. 

3152(b)(1)), $5,478,000; for a higher education multicultural scholars program (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(5)), $998,000, to remain available 

until expended (7 U.S.C. 2209b); for an education grants program 

for Hispanic-serving Institutions (7 U.S.C. 3241), $6,000,000; for 

noncompetitive grants for the purpose of carrying out all provisions 

of 7 U.S.C. 3242 (section 759 of Public Law 106–78) to individual 

eligible institutions or consortia of eligible institutions in Alaska 

and in Hawaii, with funds awarded equally to each of the States 

of Alaska and Hawaii, $3,250,000; for a secondary agriculture education program and 2-year post-secondary education (7 U.S.C. 

3152(j)), $1,000,000; for aquaculture grants (7 U.S.C. 3322), 

$3,968,000; for sustainable agriculture research and education (7 

U.S.C. 5811), $12,400,000; for a program of capacity building 

grants (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(4)) to colleges eligible to receive funds 

under the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321–326 and 328), including Tuskegee University and West Virginia State University, 

$12,312,000, to remain available until expended (7 U.S.C. 2209b); 

for payments to the 1994 Institutions pursuant to section 534(a)(1) 

of Public Law 103–382, $2,250,000; for resident instruction grants 

for insular areas under section 1491 of the National Agricultural 

Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 

3363), $500,000; and for necessary expenses of Research and Education Activities, $50,471,000, of which $2,587,000 for the Research, 

Education, and Economics Information System and $2,051,000 for 

the Electronic Grants Information System, are to remain available 

until expended: Provided, That none of the funds appropriated 

under this heading shall be available to carry out research related 

to the production, processing, or marketing of tobacco or tobacco 

products: Provided further, That this paragraph shall not apply to 

research on the medical, biotechnological, food, and industrial uses 

of tobacco. 

8 

NATIVE AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS ENDOWMENT FUND

For the Native American Institutions Endowment Fund authorized by Public Law 103–382 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), $12,000,000, to remain available until expended. 

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

For payments to States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, 

Guam, the Virgin Islands, Micronesia, Northern Marianas, and 

American Samoa, $455,955,000, as follows: payments for cooperative extension work under the Smith-Lever Act, to be distributed 

under sections 3(b) and 3(c) of said Act, and under section 208(c) 

of Public Law 93–471, for retirement and employees’ compensation 

costs for extension agents, $275,730,000; payments for extension 

work at the 1994 Institutions under the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 

343(b)(3)), $3,273,000; payments for the nutrition and family education program for low-income areas under section 3(d) of the Act, 

$62,634,000; payments for the pest management program under section 3(d) of the Act, $9,960,000; payments for the farm safety program under section 3(d) of the Act, $4,563,000; payments for New 

Technologies for Ag Extension under section 3(d) of the Act, 

$1,500,000; payments to upgrade research, extension, and teaching 

facilities at the 1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee University and West Virginia State University, as authorized by section 

1447 of Public Law 95–113 (7 U.S.C. 3222b), $16,777,000, to remain available until expended; payments for youth-at-risk programs 

under section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act, $7,728,000; for youth 

farm safety education and certification extension grants, to be 

awarded competitively under section 3(d) of the Act, $444,000; payments for carrying out the provisions of the Renewable Resources 

Extension Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1671 et seq.), $4,060,000; payments for Indian reservation agents under section 3(d) of the SmithLever Act, $1,996,000; payments for sustainable agriculture programs under section 3(d) of the Act, $4,067,000; payments for rural 

health and safety education as authorized by section 502(i) of Public 

Law 92–419 (7 U.S.C. 2662(i)), $1,965,000; payments for cooperative 

extension work by the colleges receiving the benefits of the second 

Morrill Act (7 U.S.C. 321–326 and 328) and Tuskegee University 

and West Virginia State University, $33,868,000, of which 

$1,724,884 shall be made available only for the purpose of ensuring 

that each institution shall receive no less than $1,000,000; for 

grants to youth organizations pursuant to section 7630 of title 7, 

United States Code, $2,000,000; and for necessary expenses of Extension Activities, $25,390,000. 

INTEGRATED ACTIVITIES

For the integrated research, education, and extension grants 

programs, including necessary administrative expenses, 

$55,792,000, as follows: for competitive grants programs authorized 

under section 406 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7626), $45,792,000, including 

$12,867,000 for the water quality program, $14,847,000 for the food 

safety program, $4,167,000 for the regional pest management centers program, $4,464,000 for the Food Quality Protection Act risk 

mitigation program for major food crop systems, $1,389,000 for the 

9 

crops affected by Food Quality Protection Act implementation, 

$3,106,000 for the methyl bromide transition program, and 

$1,874,000 for the organic transition program; for a competitive 

international science and education grants program authorized 

under section 1459A of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3292b), to remain 

available until expended, $1,000,000; for grants programs authorized under section 2(c)(1)(B) of Public Law 89–106, as amended, 

$744,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007 for the critical issues program, and $1,334,000 for the regional rural development centers program; and $10,000,000 for the Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative authorized under section 1484 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Act of 1977, 

to remain available until September 30, 2007. 

OUTREACH FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS

For grants and contracts pursuant to section 2501 of the Food, 

Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279), 

$6,000,000, to remain available until expended. 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR MARKETING AND

REGULATORY PROGRAMS

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under 

Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs to administer 

programs under the laws enacted by the Congress for the Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service; the Agricultural Marketing 

Service; and the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration; $724,000. 

ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary to prevent, 

control, and eradicate pests and plant and animal diseases; to carry 

out inspection, quarantine, and regulatory activities; and to protect 

the environment, as authorized by law, $815,461,000, of which 

$4,140,000 shall be available for the control of outbreaks of insects, 

plant diseases, animal diseases and for control of pest animals and 

birds to the extent necessary to meet emergency conditions; of which 

$39,000,000 shall be used for the boll weevil eradication program 

for cost share purposes or for debt retirement for active eradication 

zones; of which $33,340,000 shall be available for a National Animal Identification program: Provided, That no funds shall be used 

to formulate or administer a brucellosis eradication program for the 

current fiscal year that does not require minimum matching by the 

States of at least 40 percent: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be available for the operation and maintenance of aircraft 

and the purchase of not to exceed four, of which two shall be for replacement only: Provided further, That, in addition, in emergencies 

which threaten any segment of the agricultural production industry 

of this country, the Secretary may transfer from other appropriations or funds available to the agencies or corporations of the Department such sums as may be deemed necessary, to be available 

10 

only in such emergencies for the arrest and eradication of contagious or infectious disease or pests of animals, poultry, or plants, 

and for expenses in accordance with sections 10411 and 10417 of 

the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8310 and 8316) and sections 431 and 442 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7751 and 

7772), and any unexpended balances of funds transferred for such 

emergency purposes in the preceding fiscal year shall be merged 

with such transferred amounts: Provided further, That appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) 

for the repair and alteration of leased buildings and improvements, 

but unless otherwise provided the cost of altering any one building 

during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value of the building. 

In fiscal year 2006, the agency is authorized to collect fees to 

cover the total costs of providing technical assistance, goods, or services requested by States, other political subdivisions, domestic and 

international organizations, foreign governments, or individuals, 

provided that such fees are structured such that any entity’s liability 

for such fees is reasonably based on the technical assistance, goods, 

or services provided to the entity by the agency, and such fees shall 

be credited to this account, to remain available until expended, 

without further appropriation, for providing such assistance, goods, 

or services. 

BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

For plans, construction, repair, preventive maintenance, environmental support, improvement, extension, alteration, and purchase of fixed equipment or facilities, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 

2250, and acquisition of land as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 428a, 

$4,996,000, to remain available until expended. 

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

MARKETING SERVICES

For necessary expenses to carry out services related to consumer 

protection, agricultural marketing and distribution, transportation, 

and regulatory programs, as authorized by law, and for administration and coordination of payments to States, $75,376,000, including 

funds for the wholesale market development program for the design 

and development of wholesale and farmer market facilities for the 

major metropolitan areas of the country: Provided, That this appropriation shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the 

alteration and repair of buildings and improvements, but the cost 

of altering any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 

10 percent of the current replacement value of the building. 

Fees may be collected for the cost of standardization activities, 

as established by regulation pursuant to law (31 U.S.C. 9701). 

LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

Not to exceed $65,667,000 (from fees collected) shall be obligated during the current fiscal year for administrative expenses: 

Provided, That if crop size is understated and/or other uncontrollable events occur, the agency may exceed this limitation by up to 

10 percent with notification to the Committees on Appropriations of 

both Houses of Congress. 

11 

FUNDS FOR STRENGTHENING MARKETS, INCOME, AND SUPPLY

(SECTION 32)

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

Funds available under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 

(7 U.S.C. 612c), shall be used only for commodity program expenses 

as authorized therein, and other related operating expenses, including not less than $20,000,000 for replacement of a system to support 

commodity purchases, except for: (1) transfers to the Department of 

Commerce as authorized by the Fish and Wildlife Act of August 8, 

1956; (2) transfers otherwise provided in this Act; and (3) not more 

than $16,055,000 for formulation and administration of marketing 

agreements and orders pursuant to the Agricultural Marketing 

Agreement Act of 1937 and the Agricultural Act of 1961. 

PAYMENTS TO STATES AND POSSESSIONS

For payments to departments of agriculture, bureaus and departments of markets, and similar agencies for marketing activities 

under section 204(b) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 

U.S.C. 1623(b)), $3,847,000, of which not less than $2,500,000 shall 

be used to make a grant under this heading. 

GRAIN INSPECTION, PACKERS AND STOCKYARDS ADMINISTRATION

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of the United 

States Grain Standards Act, for the administration of the Packers 

and Stockyards Act, for certifying procedures used to protect purchasers of farm products, and the standardization activities related 

to grain under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, $38,443,000: 

Provided, That this appropriation shall be available pursuant to 

law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the alteration and repair of buildings and 

improvements, but the cost of altering any one building during the 

fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement 

value of the building. 

LIMITATION ON INSPECTION AND WEIGHING SERVICES EXPENSES

Not to exceed $42,463,000 (from fees collected) shall be obligated during the current fiscal year for inspection and weighing 

services: Provided, That if grain export activities require additional 

supervision and oversight, or other uncontrollable factors occur, this 

limitation may be exceeded by up to 10 percent with notification to 

the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOOD SAFETY

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under 

Secretary for Food Safety to administer the laws enacted by the 

Congress for the Food Safety and Inspection Service, $602,000. 

FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE

For necessary expenses to carry out services authorized by the 

Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, 

and the Egg Products Inspection Act, including not to exceed 

$50,000 for representation allowances and for expenses pursuant to 

12 

section 8 of the Act approved August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 1766), 

$837,756,000, of which no less than $753,252,000 shall be available 

for Federal food safety inspection; and in addition, $1,000,000 may 

be credited to this account from fees collected for the cost of laboratory accreditation as authorized by section 1327 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 138f): Provided, That no fewer than 63 full time equivalent positions above 

the fiscal year 2002 level shall be employed during fiscal year 2006 

for purposes dedicated solely to inspections and enforcement related 

to the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act: Provided further, That of 

the amount available under this heading, notwithstanding section 

704 of this Act $4,000,000, available until September 30, 2007, 

shall be obligated to include the Humane Animal Tracking System 

as part of the Field Automation and Information Management System following notification to the Committees on Appropriations, 

which shall include a detailed explanation of the components of 

such system: Provided further, That of the total amount made available under this heading, no less than $20,653,000 shall be obligated 

for regulatory and scientific training: Provided further, That this 

appropriation shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for 

the alteration and repair of buildings and improvements, but the 

cost of altering any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value of the building. 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FARM AND FOREIGN

AGRICULTURAL SERVICES

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under 

Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services to administer 

the laws enacted by Congress for the Farm Service Agency, the Foreign Agricultural Service, the Risk Management Agency, and the 

Commodity Credit Corporation, $635,000. 

FARM SERVICE AGENCY

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses for carrying out the administration and 

implementation of programs administered by the Farm Service 

Agency, $1,030,000,000: Provided, That the Secretary is authorized 

to use the services, facilities, and authorities (but not the funds) of 

the Commodity Credit Corporation to make program payments for 

all programs administered by the Agency: Provided further, That 

other funds made available to the Agency for authorized activities 

may be advanced to and merged with this account: Provided further, That none of the funds made available by this Act may be used 

to pay the salaries or expenses of any officer or employee of the Department of Agriculture to close any local or county office of the 

Farm Service Agency unless the Secretary of Agriculture, not later 

than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary proposed the closure, holds a public meeting about the proposed closure in the county in which the local or county office is located, and, after the public 

meeting but not later than 120 days before the date on which the 

Secretary approves the closure, notifies the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of RepVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
13 

resentatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the 

members of Congress from the State in which the local or county office is located of the proposed closure. 

STATE MEDIATION GRANTS

For grants pursuant to section 502(b) of the Agricultural Credit 

Act of 1987, as amended (7 U.S.C. 5101–5106), $4,250,000. 

GRASSROOTS SOURCE WATER PROTECTION PROGRAM

For necessary expenses to carry out wellhead or groundwater 

protection activities under section 12400 of the Food Security Act of 

1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb–2), $3,750,000, to remain available until 

expended. 

DAIRY INDEMNITY PROGRAM

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses involved in making indemnity payments 

to dairy farmers and manufacturers of dairy products under a dairy 

indemnity program, $100,000, to remain available until expended: 

Provided, That such program is carried out by the Secretary in the 

same manner as the dairy indemnity program described in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 

Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public Law 106–387, 

114 Stat. 1549A–12). 

AGRICULTURAL CREDIT INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct and 

guaranteed farm ownership (7 U.S.C. 1922 et seq.) and operating (7 

U.S.C. 1941 et seq.) loans, Indian tribe land acquisition loans (25 

U.S.C. 488), and boll weevil loans (7 U.S.C. 1989), to be available 

from funds in the Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund, as follows: 

farm ownership loans, $1,608,000,000, of which $1,400,000,000 

shall be for guaranteed loans and $208,000,000 shall be for direct 

loans; operating loans, $2,074,632,000, of which $1,150,000,000 

shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans, $274,632,000 shall be 

for subsidized guaranteed loans and $650,000,000 shall be for direct loans; Indian tribe land acquisition loans, $2,020,000; and for 

boll weevil eradication program loans, $100,000,000: Provided, 

That the Secretary shall deem the pink bollworm to be a boll weevil 

for the purpose of boll weevil eradication program loans. 

For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, including the cost 

of modifying loans as defined in section 502 of the Congressional 

Budget Act of 1974, as follows: farm ownership loans, $17,370,000, 

of which $6,720,000 shall be for guaranteed loans, and $10,650,000 

shall be for direct loans; operating loans, $133,849,000, of which 

$34,845,000 shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans, 

$34,329,000 shall be for subsidized guaranteed loans, and 

$64,675,000 shall be for direct loans; and Indian tribe land acquisition loans, $81,000. 

In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry out 

the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $312,591,000, of which 

14 

$304,591,000 shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ‘‘Farm Service Agency, Salaries and Expenses’’. 

Funds appropriated by this Act to the Agricultural Credit Insurance Program Account for farm ownership and operating direct 

loans and guaranteed loans may be transferred among these programs: Provided, That the Committees on Appropriations of both 

Houses of Congress are notified at least 15 days in advance of any 

transfer. 

RISK MANAGEMENT AGENCY

For administrative and operating expenses, as authorized by 

section 226A of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 

1994 (7 U.S.C. 6933), $77,048,000: Provided, That not to exceed 

$1,000 shall be available for official reception and representation 

expenses, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 1506(i). 

CORPORATIONS 

The following corporations and agencies are hereby authorized 

to make expenditures, within the limits of funds and borrowing authority available to each such corporation or agency and in accord 

with law, and to make contracts and commitments without regard 

to fiscal year limitations as provided by section 104 of the Government Corporation Control Act as may be necessary in carrying out 

the programs set forth in the budget for the current fiscal year for 

such corporation or agency, except as hereinafter provided. 

FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE CORPORATION FUND

For payments as authorized by section 516 of the Federal Crop 

Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1516), such sums as may be necessary, to 

remain available until expended. 

COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION FUND

REIMBURSEMENT FOR NET REALIZED LOSSES

For the current fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary to 

reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for net realized losses 

sustained, but not previously reimbursed, pursuant to section 2 of 

the Act of August 17, 1961 (15 U.S.C. 713a–11): Provided, That of 

the funds available to the Commodity Credit Corporation under section 11 of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C 

714i) for the conduct of its business with the Foreign Agricultural 

Service, up to $5,000,000 may be transferred to and used by the 

Foreign Agricultural Service for information resource management 

activities of the Foreign Agricultural Service that are not related to 

Commodity Credit Corporation business. 

HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT

(LIMITATION ON EXPENSES)

For the current fiscal year, the Commodity Credit Corporation 

shall not expend more than $5,000,000 for site investigation and 

cleanup expenses, and operations and maintenance expenses to comply with the requirement of section 107(g) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 

15 

9607(g)), and section 6001 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6961). 

TITLE II 

CONSERVATION PROGRAMS 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR NATURAL RESOURCES AND

ENVIRONMENT

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under 

Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment to administer the 

laws enacted by the Congress for the Forest Service and the Natural 

Resources Conservation Service, $744,000. 

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

CONSERVATION OPERATIONS

For necessary expenses for carrying out the provisions of the Act 

of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a–f), including preparation of conservation plans and establishment of measures to conserve soil and 

water (including farm irrigation and land drainage and such special measures for soil and water management as may be necessary 

to prevent floods and the siltation of reservoirs and to control agricultural related pollutants); operation of conservation plant materials centers; classification and mapping of soil; dissemination of 

information; acquisition of lands, water, and interests therein for 

use in the plant materials program by donation, exchange, or purchase at a nominal cost not to exceed $100 pursuant to the Act of 

August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 428a); purchase and erection or alteration 

or improvement of permanent and temporary buildings; and operation and maintenance of aircraft, $839,519,000, to remain available until May 31, 2007, of which not less than $10,650,000 is for 

snow survey and water forecasting, and not less than $10,547,000 

is for operation and establishment of the plant materials centers, 

and of which not less than $27,500,000 shall be for the grazing 

lands conservation initiative: Provided, That appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2250 for construction 

and improvement of buildings and public improvements at plant 

materials centers, except that the cost of alterations and improvements to other buildings and other public improvements shall not 

exceed $250,000: Provided further, That when buildings or other 

structures are erected on non-Federal land, that the right to use 

such land is obtained as provided in 7 U.S.C. 2250a: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be available for technical assistance and related expenses to carry out programs authorized by section 202(c) of title II of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control 

Act of 1974 (43 U.S.C. 1592(c)): Provided further, That qualified 

local engineers may be temporarily employed at per diem rates to 

perform the technical planning work of the Service. 

WATERSHED SURVEYS AND PLANNING

For necessary expenses to conduct research, investigation, and 

surveys of watersheds of rivers and other waterways, and for small 

watershed investigations and planning, in accordance with the WaVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
16 

tershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1001–1009), 

$6,083,000. 

WATERSHED AND FLOOD PREVENTION OPERATIONS

For necessary expenses to carry out preventive measures, including but not limited to research, engineering operations, methods of 

cultivation, the growing of vegetation, rehabilitation of existing 

works and changes in use of land, in accordance with the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1001–1005 and 

1007–1009), the provisions of the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 

590a–f), and in accordance with the provisions of laws relating to 

the activities of the Department, $75,000,000, to remain available 

until expended; of which up to $10,000,000 may be available for the 

watersheds authorized under the Flood Control Act (33 U.S.C. 701 

and 16 U.S.C. 1006a): Provided, That not to exceed $30,000,000 of 

this appropriation shall be available for technical assistance: Provided further, That not to exceed $1,000,000 of this appropriation 

is available to carry out the purposes of the Endangered Species Act 

of 1973 (Public Law 93–205), including cooperative efforts as contemplated by that Act to relocate endangered or threatened species 

to other suitable habitats as may be necessary to expedite project 

construction. 

WATERSHED REHABILITATION PROGRAM

For necessary expenses to carry out rehabilitation of structural 

measures, in accordance with section 14 of the Watershed Protection 

and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1012), and in accordance with 

the provisions of laws relating to the activities of the Department, 

$31,561,000, to remain available until expended. 

RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT

For necessary expenses in planning and carrying out projects 

for resource conservation and development and for sound land use 

pursuant to the provisions of sections 31 and 32 of the BankheadJones Farm Tenant Act (7 U.S.C. 1010–1011; 76 Stat. 607); the Act 

of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a–f); and subtitle H of title XV of 

the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3451–3461), 

$51,300,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That the 

Secretary shall enter into a cooperative or contribution agreement, 

within 45 days of enactment of this Act, with a national association 

regarding a Resource Conservation and Development program and 

such agreement shall contain the same matching, contribution requirements, and funding level, set forth in a similar cooperative or 

contribution agreement with a national association in fiscal year 

2002: Provided further, That not to exceed $3,411,000 shall be 

available for national headquarters activities. 

TITLE III 

RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under 

Secretary for Rural Development to administer programs under the 

17 

laws enacted by the Congress for the Rural Housing Service, the 

Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and the Rural Utilities Service, 

$635,000. 

RURAL COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For the cost of direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 1926, 1926a, 1926c, 1926d, and 1932, except 

for sections 381E–H and 381N of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 

Development Act, $701,941,000, to remain available until expended, 

of which $82,620,000 shall be for rural community programs described in section 381E(d)(1) of such Act; of which $530,100,000 

shall be for the rural utilities programs described in sections 

381E(d)(2), 306C(a)(2), and 306D of such Act, of which not to exceed 

$500,000 shall be available for the rural utilities program described 

in section 306(a)(2)(B) of such Act, and of which not to exceed 

$1,000,000 shall be available for the rural utilities program described in section 306E of such Act; and of which $89,221,000 shall 

be for the rural business and cooperative development programs described in sections 381E(d)(3) and 310B(f) of such Act: Provided, 

That of the total amount appropriated in this account, $25,000,000 

shall be for loans and grants to benefit Federally Recognized Native 

American Tribes, including grants for drinking water and waste 

disposal systems pursuant to section 306C of such Act, of which 

$4,464,000 shall be available for community facilities grants to tribal colleges, as authorized by section 306(a)(19) of the Consolidated 

Farm and Rural Development Act, and of which $250,000 shall be 

available for a grant to a qualified national organization to provide 

technical assistance for rural transportation in order to promote economic development: Provided further, That of the amount appropriated for rural community programs, $6,350,000 shall be available for a Rural Community Development Initiative: Provided further, That such funds shall be used solely to develop the capacity 

and ability of private, nonprofit community-based housing and community development organizations, low-income rural communities, 

and Federally Recognized Native American Tribes to undertake 

projects to improve housing, community facilities, community and 

economic development projects in rural areas: Provided further, 

That such funds shall be made available to qualified private, nonprofit and public intermediary organizations proposing to carry out 

a program of financial and technical assistance: Provided further, 

That such intermediary organizations shall provide matching funds 

from other sources, including Federal funds for related activities, in 

an amount not less than funds provided: Provided further, That of 

the amount appropriated for the rural business and cooperative development programs, not to exceed $500,000 shall be made available 

for a grant to a qualified national organization to provide technical 

assistance for rural transportation in order to promote economic development; $2,000,000 shall be for grants to the Delta Regional Authority (7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.) for any purpose under this heading: 

Provided further, That of the amount appropriated for rural utilities programs, not to exceed $25,000,000 shall be for water and 

waste disposal systems to benefit the Colonias along the United 

States/Mexico border, including grants pursuant to section 306C of 

18 

such Act; $25,000,000 shall be for water and waste disposal systems 

for rural and native villages in Alaska pursuant to section 306D of 

such Act, with up to 2 percent available to administer the program 

and/or improve interagency coordination may be transferred to and 

merged with the appropriation for ‘‘Rural Development, Salaries 

and Expenses’’, of which $100,000 shall be provided to develop a regional system for centralized billing, operation, and management of 

rural water and sewer utilities through regional cooperatives, of 

which 25 percent shall be provided for water and sewer projects in 

regional hubs, and the State of Alaska shall provide a 25 percent 

cost share, and grantees may use up to 5 percent of grant funds, not 

to exceed $35,000 per community, for the completion of comprehensive community safe water plans; not to exceed $18,250,000 shall be 

for technical assistance grants for rural water and waste systems 

pursuant to section 306(a)(14) of such Act, unless the Secretary 

makes a determination of extreme need, of which $5,600,000 shall 

be for Rural Community Assistance Programs and not less than 

$850,000 shall be for a qualified national Native American organization to provide technical assistance for rural water systems for 

tribal communities; and not to exceed $13,750,000 shall be for contracting with qualified national organizations for a circuit rider 

program to provide technical assistance for rural water systems: 

Provided further, That of the total amount appropriated, not to exceed $21,367,000 shall be available through June 30, 2006, for authorized empowerment zones and enterprise communities and communities designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones; of which $1,067,000 shall be for the 

rural community programs described in section 381E(d)(1) of such 

Act, of which $12,000,000 shall be for the rural utilities programs 

described in section 381E(d)(2) of such Act, and of which $8,300,000 

shall be for the rural business and cooperative development programs described in section 381E(d)(3) of such Act: Provided further, 

That of the amount appropriated for rural community programs, 

$18,000,000 shall be to provide grants for facilities in rural communities with extreme unemployment and severe economic depression 

(Public Law 106–387), with 5 percent for administration and capacity building in the State rural development offices: Provided further, 

That of the amount appropriated, $26,000,000 shall be transferred 

to and merged with the ‘‘Rural Utilities Service, High Energy Cost 

Grants Account’’ to provide grants authorized under section 19 of 

the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 918a): Provided further, That any prior year balances for high cost energy grants authorized by section 19 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 

U.S.C. 901(19)) shall be transferred to and merged with the ‘‘Rural 

Utilities Service, High Energy Costs Grants Account’’. 

RURAL DEVELOPMENT SALARIES AND EXPENSES

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses for carrying out the administration and 

implementation of programs in the Rural Development mission 

area, including activities with institutions concerning the development and operation of agricultural cooperatives; and for cooperative 

agreements; $164,625,000: Provided, That of the funds appropriated 

under this title for salaries and expenses, $11,147,000, to remain 

19 

available until September 30, 2007, shall be used to complete the 

consolidation of Rural Development activities in St. Louis, Missouri: 

Provided further, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, 

funds appropriated under this section may be used for advertising 

and promotional activities that support the Rural Development mission area: Provided further, That not more than $10,000 may be expended to provide modest nonmonetary awards to non-USDA employees: Provided further, That any balances available from prior 

years for the Rural Utilities Service, Rural Housing Service, and the 

Rural Business-Cooperative Service salaries and expenses accounts 

shall be transferred to and merged with this appropriation. 

RURAL HOUSING SERVICE

RURAL HOUSING INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct and 

guaranteed loans as authorized by title V of the Housing Act of 

1949, to be available from funds in the rural housing insurance 

fund, as follows: $4,821,832,000 for loans to section 502 borrowers, 

as determined by the Secretary, of which $1,140,799,000 shall be for 

direct loans, and of which $3,681,033,000 shall be for unsubsidized 

guaranteed loans; $35,000,000 for section 504 housing repair loans; 

$100,000,000 for section 515 rental housing; $100,000,000 for section 538 guaranteed multi-family housing loans; $5,000,000 for section 524 site loans; $11,500,000 for credit sales of acquired property, 

of which up to $1,500,000 may be for multi-family credit sales; and 

$5,048,000 for section 523 self-help housing land development loans. 

For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, including the cost 

of modifying loans, as defined in section 502 of the Congressional 

Budget Act of 1974, as follows: section 502 loans, $170,837,000, of 

which $129,937,000 shall be for direct loans, and of which 

$40,900,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans; section 504 housing repair loans, 

$10,238,000; repair, rehabilitation, and new construction of section 

515 rental housing, $45,880,000; section 538 multi-family housing 

guaranteed loans, $5,420,000; multi-family credit sales of acquired 

property, $681,000; and section 523 self-help housing and development loans, $52,000: Provided, That of the total amount appropriated in this paragraph, $2,500,000 shall be available through 

June 30, 2006, for authorized empowerment zones and enterprise 

communities and communities designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones: Provided further, That any funds under this paragraph initially allocated by the 

Secretary for housing projects in the State of Alaska that are not obligated by September 30, 2006, shall be carried over until September 

30, 2007, and made available for such housing projects only in the 

State of Alaska. 

For additional costs to conduct a demonstration program for 

the preservation and revitalization of the section 515 multi-family 

rental housing properties, $9,000,000: Provided, That funding made 

available under this heading shall be used to restructure existing 

section 515 loans, as the Secretary deems appropriate, expressly for 

the purposes of ensuring the project has sufficient resources to preVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
20 

serve the project for the purpose of providing safe and affordable 

housing for low-income residents including reducing or eliminating 

interest; deferring loan payments, subordinating, reducing or reamortizing loan debt; and other financial assistance including advances and incentives required by the Secretary. 

In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $454,809,000, which 

shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for 

‘‘Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses’’, of which not less than 

$1,000,000 shall be made available for the Secretary to contract 

with third parties to acquire the necessary automation and technical services needed to restructure section 515 mortgages. 

RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

For rental assistance agreements entered into or renewed pursuant to the authority under section 521(a)(2) or agreements entered 

into in lieu of debt forgiveness or payments for eligible households 

as authorized by section 502(c)(5)(D) of the Housing Act of 1949, 

$653,102,000; and, in addition, such sums as may be necessary, as 

authorized by section 521(c) of the Act, to liquidate debt incurred 

prior to fiscal year 1992 to carry out the rental assistance program 

under section 521(a)(2) of the Act: Provided, That of this amount, 

up to $8,000,000 shall be available for debt forgiveness or payments 

for eligible households as authorized by section 502(c)(5)(D) of the 

Act, and not to exceed $50,000 per project for advances to nonprofit 

organizations or public agencies to cover direct costs (other than 

purchase price) incurred in purchasing projects pursuant to section 

502(c)(5)(C) of the Act: Provided further, That agreements entered 

into or renewed during the current fiscal year shall be funded for 

a four-year period: Provided further, That any unexpended balances 

remaining at the end of such four-year agreements may be transferred and used for the purposes of any debt reduction; maintenance, repair, or rehabilitation of any existing projects; preservation; and rental assistance activities authorized under title V of the 

Act: Provided further, That rental assistance that is recovered from 

projects that are subject to prepayment shall be deobligated and reallocated for vouchers and debt forgiveness or payments consistent 

with the requirements of this Act for purposes authorized under section 542 and section 502(c)(5)(D) of the Housing Act of 1949, as 

amended. 

RURAL HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAM

For the rural housing voucher program as authorized under 

section 542 of the Housing Act of 1949, (without regard to section 

542(b)), $16,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, 

That such vouchers shall be available to any low-income household 

(including those not receiving rental assistance) residing in a property financed with a section 515 loan which has been prepaid after 

September 30, 2005: Provided further, That the amount of the 

voucher shall be the difference between comparable market rent for 

the section 515 unit and the tenant paid rent for such unit: Provided further, That funds made available for such vouchers, shall 

be subject to the availability of annual appropriations: Provided 

further, That the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, administer such vouchers with current regulations and adVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
21 

ministrative guidance applicable for section 8 housing vouchers administered by the Secretary of the Department of Housing and 

Urban Development (including the ability to pay administrative 

costs related to delivery of the voucher funds). 

MUTUAL AND SELF-HELP HOUSING GRANTS

For grants and contracts pursuant to section 523(b)(1)(A) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490c), $34,000,000, to remain 

available until expended: Provided, That of the total amount appropriated, $1,000,000 shall be available through June 30, 2006, for 

authorized empowerment zones and enterprise communities and 

communities designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural 

Economic Area Partnership Zones. 

RURAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANTS

For grants and contracts for very low-income housing repair, 

supervisory and technical assistance, compensation for construction 

defects, and rural housing preservation made by the Rural Housing 

Service, as authorized by 42 U.S.C. 1474, 1479(c), 1490e, and 

1490m, $43,976,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, 

That $2,976,000 shall be made available for loans to private nonprofit organizations, or such non-profit organizations’ affiliate loan 

funds and State and local housing finance agencies, to carry out a 

housing demonstration program to provide revolving loans for the 

preservation of low-income multi-family housing projects: Provided 

further, That loans under such demonstration program shall have 

an interest rate of not more than 1 percent direct loan to the recipient: Provided further, That the Secretary may defer the interest and 

principal payment to the Rural Housing Service for up to 3 years 

and the term of such loans shall not exceed 30 years: Provided further, That of the total amount appropriated, $1,200,000 shall be 

available through June 30, 2006, for authorized empowerment zones 

and enterprise communities and communities designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones. 

FARM LABOR PROGRAM ACCOUNT

For the cost of direct loans, grants, and contracts, as authorized 

by 42 U.S.C. 1484 and 1486, $31,168,000, to remain available until 

expended, for direct farm labor housing loans and domestic farm 

labor housing grants and contracts. 

RURAL BUSINESS—COOPERATIVE SERVICE

RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOAN FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized by the 

Rural Development Loan Fund (42 U.S.C. 9812(a)), $34,212,000. 

For the cost of direct loans, $14,718,000, as authorized by the 

Rural Development Loan Fund (42 U.S.C. 9812(a)), of which 

$1,724,000 shall be available through June 30, 2006, for Federally 

Recognized Native American Tribes and of which $3,449,000 shall 

be available through June 30, 2006, for Mississippi Delta Region 

counties (as determined in accordance with Public Law 100–460): 

Provided, That of such amount made available, the Secretary may 

22 

provide up to $1,500,000 for the Delta Regional Authority (7 U.S.C. 

1921 et seq.): Provided further, That such costs, including the cost 

of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the 

Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided further, That of the 

total amount appropriated, $887,000 shall be available through 

June 30, 2006, for the cost of direct loans for authorized empowerment zones and enterprise communities and communities designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area 

Partnership Zones. 

In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the direct 

loan programs, $4,793,000 shall be transferred to and merged with 

the appropriation for ‘‘Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses’’. 

RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING RESCISSION OF FUNDS)

For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized under 

section 313 of the Rural Electrification Act, for the purpose of promoting rural economic development and job creation projects, 

$25,003,000. 

For the cost of direct loans, including the cost of modifying 

loans as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 

1974, $4,993,000, to remain available until expended. 

Of the funds derived from interest on the cushion of credit payments, as authorized by section 313 of the Rural Electrification Act 

of 1936, $170,000,000 shall not be obligated and $170,000,000 are 

rescinded. 

RURAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

For rural cooperative development grants authorized under section 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act 

(7 U.S.C. 1932), $29,488,000, of which $500,000 shall be for a cooperative research agreement with a qualified academic institution to 

conduct research on the national economic impact of all types of cooperatives; and of which $2,500,000 shall be for cooperative agreements for the appropriate technology transfer for rural areas program: Provided, That not to exceed $1,488,000 shall be for cooperatives or associations of cooperatives whose primary focus is to provide assistance to small, minority producers and whose governing 

board and/or membership is comprised of at least 75 percent minority; and of which $20,500,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for value-added agricultural product market development grants, as authorized by section 6401 of the Farm Security 

and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note). 

RURAL EMPOWERMENT ZONES AND ENTERPRISE COMMUNITIES

GRANTS

For grants in connection with second and third rounds of empowerment zones and enterprise communities, $11,200,000, to remain available until expended, for designated rural empowerment 

zones and rural enterprise communities, as authorized by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 and the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105– 

277): Provided, That of the funds appropriated, $1,000,000 shall be 

23 

made available to third round empowerment zones, as authorized 

by the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act (Public Law 106–554). 

RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM

For the cost of a program of direct loans, loan guarantees, and 

grants, under the same terms and conditions as authorized by section 9006 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 

(7 U.S.C. 8106), $23,000,000 for direct and guaranteed renewable 

energy loans and grants: Provided, That the cost of direct loans and 

loan guarantees, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall 

be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 

1974. 

RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE

RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOANS

PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Insured loans pursuant to the authority of section 305 of the 

Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 935) shall be made as 

follows: 5 percent rural electrification loans, $100,000,000; municipal rate rural electric loans, $100,000,000; loans made pursuant to 

section 306 of that Act, rural electric, $2,700,000,000; Treasury rate 

direct electric loans, $1,000,000,000; guaranteed underwriting loans 

pursuant to section 313A, $1,500,000,000; 5 percent rural telecommunications loans, $145,000,000; cost of money rural telecommunications loans, $424,000,000; and for loans made pursuant 

to section 306 of that Act, rural telecommunications loans, 

$125,000,000. 

For the cost, as defined in section 502 of the Congressional 

Budget Act of 1974, including the cost of modifying loans, of direct 

and guaranteed loans authorized by sections 305 and 306 of the 

Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 935 and 936), as follows: 

cost of rural electric loans, $6,160,000, and the cost of telecommunications loans, $212,000: Provided, That notwithstanding section 

305(d)(2) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, borrower interest 

rates may exceed 7 percent per year. 

In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry out 

the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $38,784,000 which shall 

be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ‘‘Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses’’. 

RURAL TELEPHONE BANK PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFER AND RESCISSION OF FUNDS)

The Rural Telephone Bank is hereby authorized to make such 

expenditures, within the limits of funds available to such corporation in accord with law, and to make such contracts and commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as provided by section 104 of the Government Corporation Control Act, as may be necessary in carrying out its authorized programs. 

For administrative expenses, including audits, necessary to continue to service existing loans, $2,500,000, which shall be transVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
24 

ferred to and merged with the appropriation for ‘‘Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses’’. 

Of the unobligated balances from the Rural Telephone Bank 

Liquidating Account, $2,500,000 shall not be obligated and 

$2,500,000 are rescinded. 

DISTANCE LEARNING, TELEMEDICINE, AND BROADBAND PROGRAM

For the principal amount of direct distance learning and telemedicine loans, $25,000,000; and for the principal amount of 

broadband telecommunication loans, $500,000,000. 

For the cost of direct loans and grants for telemedicine and distance learning services in rural areas, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 

950aaa et seq., $30,375,000, to remain available until expended, of 

which $375,000 shall be for direct loans: Provided, That the cost of 

direct loans shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional 

Budget Act of 1974: Provided further, That $5,000,000 shall be 

made available to convert analog to digital operation those noncommercial educational television broadcast stations that serve 

rural areas and are qualified for Community Service Grants by the 

Corporation for Public Broadcasting under section 396(k) of the 

Communications Act of 1934, including associated translators and 

repeaters, regardless of the location of their main transmitter, studio-to-transmitter links, and equipment to allow local control over 

digital content and programming through the use of high-definition 

broadcast, multi-casting and datacasting technologies. 

For the cost of broadband loans, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 901 

et seq., $10,750,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007: 

Provided, That the interest rate for such loans shall be the cost of 

borrowing to the Department of the Treasury for obligations of comparable maturity: Provided further, That the cost of direct loans 

shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act 

of 1974. In addition, $9,000,000, to remain available until expended, for 

a grant program to finance broadband transmission in rural areas 

eligible for Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program benefits 

authorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa. 

TITLE IV 

DOMESTIC FOOD PROGRAMS 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOOD, NUTRITION AND

CONSUMER SERVICES

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under 

Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services to administer 

the laws enacted by the Congress for the Food and Nutrition Service, $599,000. 

FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE

CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses to carry out the National School Lunch 

Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), except section 21, and the Child NutriVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
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tion Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.), except sections 17 and 21; 

$12,660,829,000, to remain available through September 30, 2007, 

of which $7,473,208,000 is hereby appropriated and $5,187,621,000 

shall be derived by transfer from funds available under section 32 

of the Act of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c): Provided, That none 

of the funds made available under this heading shall be used for 

studies and evaluations: Provided further, That up to $5,235,000 

shall be available for independent verification of school food service 

claims. 

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN (WIC)

For necessary expenses to carry out the special supplemental 

nutrition program as authorized by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), $5,257,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 2007, of which such sums as are necessary to restore the contingency reserve to $125,000,000 shall be 

placed in reserve, to remain available until expended, to be allocated as the Secretary deems necessary, notwithstanding section 

17(i) of such Act, to support participation should cost or participation exceed budget estimates: Provided, That of the total amount 

available, the Secretary shall obligate not less than $15,000,000 for 

a breastfeeding support initiative in addition to the activities specified in section 17(h)(3)(A): Provided further, That only the provisions of section 17(h)(10)(B)(i) and section 17(h)(10)(B)(ii) shall be 

effective in 2006; including $14,000,000 for the purposes specified in 

section 17(h)(10)(B)(i) and $20,000,000 for the purposes specified in 

section 17(h)(10)(B)(ii): Provided further, That funds made available for the purposes specified in section 17(h)(10)(B)(ii) shall only 

be made available upon a determination by the Secretary that funds 

are available to meet caseload requirements without the use of the 

contingency reserve funds: Provided further, That none of the funds 

made available under this heading shall be used for studies and 

evaluations: Provided further, That none of the funds in this Act 

shall be available to pay administrative expenses of WIC clinics except those that have an announced policy of prohibiting smoking 

within the space used to carry out the program: Provided further, 

That none of the funds provided in this account shall be available 

for the purchase of infant formula except in accordance with the cost 

containment and competitive bidding requirements specified in section 17 of such Act: Provided further, That none of the funds provided shall be available for activities that are not fully reimbursed 

by other Federal Government departments or agencies unless authorized by section 17 of such Act. 

FOOD STAMP PROGRAM

For necessary expenses to carry out the Food Stamp Act (7 

U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), $40,711,395,000, of which $3,000,000,000 to remain available through September 30, 2007, shall be placed in reserve for use only in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations: Provided, That 

none of the funds made available under this heading shall be used 

for studies and evaluations: Provided further, That of the funds 

made available under this heading and not already appropriated to 

the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) esVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
26 

tablished under section 4(b) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 

U.S.C. 2013(b)), not less than $3,000,000 shall be used to purchase 

bison meat for the FDPIR from Native American bison producers as 

well as from producer-owned cooperatives of bison ranchers: Provided further, That funds provided herein shall be expended in accordance with section 16 of the Food Stamp Act: Provided further, 

That this appropriation shall be subject to any work registration or 

workfare requirements as may be required by law: Provided further, 

That funds made available for Employment and Training under 

this heading shall remain available until expended, as authorized 

by section 16(h)(1) of the Food Stamp Act: Provided further, That 

notwithstanding section 5(d) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, any 

additional payment received under chapter 5 of title 37, United 

States Code, by a member of the United States Armed Forces deployed to a designated combat zone shall be excluded from household income for the duration of the member’s deployment if the additional pay is the result of deployment to or while serving in a combat zone, and it was not received immediately prior to serving in the 

combat zone. 

COMMODITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

For necessary expenses to carry out disaster assistance and the 

commodity supplemental food program as authorized by section 4(a) 

of the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 

612c note); the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983; special assistance (in a form determined by the Secretary of Agriculture) for 

the nuclear affected islands, as authorized by section 103(f)(2) of the 

Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003 (Public Law 

108–188); and the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, as authorized by section 17(m) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 

$179,366,000, to remain available through September 30, 2007: Provided, That none of these funds shall be available to reimburse the 

Commodity Credit Corporation for commodities donated to the program: Provided further, That notwithstanding any other provision 

of law, effective with funds made available in fiscal year 2006 to 

support the Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, as authorized by section 4402 of Public Law 107–171, such funds shall remain available through September 30, 2007: Provided further, That 

of the funds made available under section 27(a) of the Food Stamp 

Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the Secretary may use up to 

$10,000,000 for costs associated with the distribution of commodities. 

NUTRITION PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION

For necessary administrative expenses of the domestic nutrition 

assistance programs funded under this Act, $140,761,000. 

27 

TITLE V 

FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AND RELATED PROGRAMS 

FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses of the Foreign Agricultural Service, including carrying out title VI of the Agricultural Act of 1954 (7 

U.S.C. 1761–1768), market development activities abroad, and for 

enabling the Secretary to coordinate and integrate activities of the 

Department in connection with foreign agricultural work, including 

not to exceed $158,000 for representation allowances and for expenses pursuant to section 8 of the Act approved August 3, 1956 (7 

U.S.C. 1766), $147,901,000: Provided, That the Service may utilize 

advances of funds, or reimburse this appropriation for expenditures 

made on behalf of Federal agencies, public and private organizations and institutions under agreements executed pursuant to the 

agricultural food production assistance programs (7 U.S.C. 1737) 

and the foreign assistance programs of the United States Agency for 

International Development. 

PUBLIC LAW 480 TITLE I DIRECT CREDIT AND FOOD FOR PROGRESS

PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For the cost, as defined in section 502 of the Congressional 

Budget Act of 1974, of agreements under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, and the Food for Progress 

Act of 1985, including the cost of modifying credit arrangements 

under said Acts, $65,040,000, to remain available until expended: 

Provided, That the Secretary of Agriculture may implement a commodity monetization program under existing provisions of the Food 

for Progress Act of 1985 to provide no less than $5,000,000 in localcurrency funding support for rural electrification development overseas. 

In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the credit 

program of title I, Public Law 83–480, and the Food for Progress 

Act of 1985, to the extent funds appropriated for Public Law 83–480 

are utilized, $3,385,000, of which $168,000 may be transferred to 

and merged with the appropriation for ‘‘Foreign Agricultural Service, Salaries and Expenses’’, and of which $3,217,000 may be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ‘‘Farm Service 

Agency, Salaries and Expenses’’. 

PUBLIC LAW 480 TITLE I OCEAN FREIGHT DIFFERENTIAL GRANTS

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For ocean freight differential costs for the shipment of agricultural commodities under title I of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 and under the Food for Progress 

Act of 1985, $11,940,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That funds made available for the cost of agreements under 

title I of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 

28 

1954 and for title I ocean freight differential may be used interchangeably between the two accounts with prior notice to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. 

PUBLIC LAW 480 TITLE II GRANTS

For expenses during the current fiscal year, not otherwise recoverable, and unrecovered prior years’ costs, including interest thereon, under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act 

of 1954, for commodities supplied in connection with dispositions 

abroad under title II of said Act, $1,150,000,000, to remain available until expended. 

COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION EXPORT LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For administrative expenses to carry out the Commodity Credit 

Corporation’s export guarantee program, GSM 102 and GSM 103, 

$5,279,000; to cover common overhead expenses as permitted by section 11 of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and in 

conformity with the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, of which 

$3,440,000 may be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ‘‘Foreign Agricultural Service, Salaries and Expenses’’, and 

of which $1,839,000 may be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ‘‘Farm Service Agency, Salaries and Expenses’’. 

MC GOVERN-DOLE INTERNATIONAL FOOD FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD

NUTRITION PROGRAM GRANTS

For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of section 

3107 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 

U.S.C. 1736o–1), $100,000,000, to remain available until expended: 

Provided, That the Commodity Credit Corporation is authorized to 

provide the services, facilities, and authorities for the purpose of implementing such section, subject to reimbursement from amounts 

provided herein. 

TITLE VI 

RELATED AGENCIES AND FOOD AND DRUG 

ADMINISTRATION 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For necessary expenses of the Food and Drug Administration, 

including hire and purchase of passenger motor vehicles; for payment of space rental and related costs pursuant to Public Law 92– 

313 for programs and activities of the Food and Drug Administration which are included in this Act; for rental of special purpose 

space in the District of Columbia or elsewhere; for miscellaneous 

and emergency expenses of enforcement activities, authorized and 

approved by the Secretary and to be accounted for solely on the Secretary’s certificate, not to exceed $25,000; and notwithstanding section 521 of Public Law 107–188; $1,838,567,000: Provided, That of 

29 

the amount provided under this heading, $305,332,000 shall be derived from prescription drug user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 

379h, shall be credited to this account and remain available until 

expended, and shall not include any fees pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 

379h(a)(2) and (a)(3) assessed for fiscal year 2007 but collected in 

fiscal year 2006; $40,300,000 shall be derived from medical device 

user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j, and shall be credited to this 

account and remain available until expended; and $11,318,000 

shall be derived from animal drug user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 

379j, and shall be credited to this account and remain available 

until expended: Provided further, That fees derived from prescription drug, medical device, and animal drug assessments received 

during fiscal year 2006, including any such fees assessed prior to 

the current fiscal year but credited during the current year, shall be 

subject to the fiscal year 2006 limitation: Provided further, That 

none of these funds shall be used to develop, establish, or operate 

any program of user fees authorized by 31 U.S.C. 9701: Provided 

further, That of the total amount appropriated: (1) $443,153,000 

shall be for the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and 

related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (2) 

$520,564,000 shall be for the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; 

(3) $178,714,000 shall be for the Center for Biologics Evaluation 

and Research and for related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (4) $99,787,000 shall be for the Center for Veterinary 

Medicine and for related field activities in the Office of Regulatory 

Affairs; (5) $245,770,000 shall be for the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and for related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (6) $41,152,000 shall be for the National Center for 

Toxicological Research; (7) $58,515,000 shall be for Rent and Related activities, of which $21,974,000 is for White Oak Consolidation, other than the amounts paid to the General Services Administration for rent; (8) $134,853,000 shall be for payments to the General Services Administration for rent; and (9) $116,059,000 shall be 

for other activities, including the Office of the Commissioner; the Office of Management; the Office of External Relations; the Office of 

Policy and Planning; and central services for these offices: Provided 

further, That funds may be transferred from one specified activity 

to another with the prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. 

In addition, mammography user fees authorized by 42 U.S.C. 

263b may be credited to this account, to remain available until expended. 

In addition, export certification user fees authorized by 21 

U.S.C. 381 may be credited to this account, to remain available 

until expended. 

BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

For plans, construction, repair, improvement, extension, alteration, and purchase of fixed equipment or facilities of or used by the 

Food and Drug Administration, where not otherwise provided, 

$8,000,000, to remain available until expended. 

30 

INDEPENDENT AGENCIES 

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), including the purchase 

and hire of passenger motor vehicles, and the rental of space (to include multiple year leases) in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, $98,386,000, including not to exceed $3,000 for official reception and representation expenses. 

FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION

LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

Not to exceed $44,250,000 (from assessments collected from 

farm credit institutions and from the Federal Agricultural Mortgage 

Corporation) shall be obligated during the current fiscal year for 

administrative expenses as authorized under 12 U.S.C. 2249: Provided, That this limitation shall not apply to expenses associated 

with receiverships. 

TITLE VII 

GENERAL PROVISIONS 

(INCLUDING RESCISSIONS AND TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) 

SEC. 701. Within the unit limit of cost fixed by law, appropriations and authorizations made for the Department of Agriculture for 

the current fiscal year under this Act shall be available for the purchase, in addition to those specifically provided for, of not to exceed 

320 passenger motor vehicles, of which 320 shall be for replacement 

only, and for the hire of such vehicles. 

SEC. 702. Hereafter, funds appropriated by this or any other 

Appropriations Act to the Department of Agriculture (excluding the 

Forest Service) shall be available for uniforms or allowances as authorized by law (5 U.S.C. 5901–5902). 

SEC. 703. Hereafter, funds appropriated by this or any other 

Appropriations Act to the Department of Agriculture (excluding the 

Forest Service) shall be available for employment pursuant to the 

second sentence of section 706(a) of the Department of Agriculture 

Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 2225) and 5 U.S.C. 3109. 

SEC. 704. New obligational authority provided for the following 

appropriation items in this Act shall remain available until expended: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the contingency fund to meet emergency conditions, information technology infrastructure, fruit fly program, emerging plant pests, boll weevil 

program, low pathogen avian influenza program, up to $33,340,000 

in animal health monitoring and surveillance for the animal identification system, up to $1,500,000 in the scrapie program for indemnities, up to $3,000,000 in the emergency management systems program for the vaccine bank, up to $1,000,000 for wildlife services 

methods development, up to $1,000,000 of the wildlife services operations program for aviation safety, and up to 25 percent of the 

screwworm program; Food Safety and Inspection Service, field automation and information management project; Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, funds for competitive reVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
31 

search grants (7 U.S.C. 450i(b)), funds for the Research, Education, 

and Economics Information System, and funds for the Native American Institutions Endowment Fund; Farm Service Agency, salaries 

and expenses funds made available to county committees; Foreign 

Agricultural Service, middle-income country training program, and 

up to $2,000,000 of the Foreign Agricultural Service appropriation 

solely for the purpose of offsetting fluctuations in international currency exchange rates, subject to documentation by the Foreign Agricultural Service. 

SEC. 705. The Secretary of Agriculture may transfer unobligated balances of discretionary funds appropriated by this Act or 

other available unobligated discretionary balances of the Department of Agriculture to the Working Capital Fund for the acquisition 

of plant and capital equipment necessary for the delivery of financial, administrative, and information technology services of primary 

benefit to the agencies of the Department of Agriculture: Provided, 

That none of the funds made available by this Act or any other Act 

shall be transferred to the Working Capital Fund without the prior 

approval of the agency administrator: Provided further, That none 

of the funds transferred to the Working Capital Fund pursuant to 

this section shall be available for obligation without the prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. 

SEC. 706. No part of any appropriation contained in this Act 

shall remain available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year 

unless expressly so provided herein. 

SEC. 707. Hereafter, not to exceed $50,000 in each fiscal year 

of the funds appropriated by this or any other Appropriations Act 

to the Department of Agriculture (excluding the Forest Service) shall 

be available to provide appropriate orientation and language training pursuant to section 606C of the Act of August 28, 1954 (7 U.S.C. 

1766b). 

SEC. 708. No funds appropriated by this Act may be used to pay 

negotiated indirect cost rates on cooperative agreements or similar 

arrangements between the United States Department of Agriculture 

and nonprofit institutions in excess of 10 percent of the total direct 

cost of the agreement when the purpose of such cooperative arrangements is to carry out programs of mutual interest between the two 

parties. This does not preclude appropriate payment of indirect costs 

on grants and contracts with such institutions when such indirect 

costs are computed on a similar basis for all agencies for which appropriations are provided in this Act. 

SEC. 709. None of the funds in this Act shall be available to pay 

indirect costs charged against competitive agricultural research, 

education, or extension grant awards issued by the Cooperative 

State Research, Education, and Extension Service that exceed 20 

percent of total Federal funds provided under each award: Provided, That notwithstanding section 1462 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 

U.S.C. 3310), funds provided by this Act for grants awarded competitively by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service shall be available to pay full allowable indirect costs 

for each grant awarded under section 9 of the Small Business Act 

(15 U.S.C. 638). 

32 

SEC. 710. Hereafter, loan levels provided in this or any other 

Appropriations Act to the Department of Agriculture shall be considered estimates, not limitations. 

SEC. 711. Appropriations to the Department of Agriculture for 

the cost of direct and guaranteed loans made available in the current fiscal year shall remain available until expended to cover obligations made in the current fiscal year for the following accounts: 

the Rural Development Loan Fund program account, the Rural 

Electrification and Telecommunication Loans program account, and 

the Rural Housing Insurance Fund program account. 

SEC. 712. Of the funds made available by this Act, not more than $1,800,000 shall be used to cover necessary expenses of activities related to all advisory committees, panels, commissions, and 

task forces of the Department of Agriculture, except for panels used 

to comply with negotiated rule makings and panels used to evaluate 

competitively awarded grants. 

SEC. 713. None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be 

used to carry out section 410 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 

U.S.C. 679a) or section 30 of the Poultry Products Inspection Act 

(21 U.S.C. 471). 

SEC. 714. No employee of the Department of Agriculture may be 

detailed or assigned from an agency or office funded by this Act to 

any other agency or office of the Department for more than 30 days 

unless the individual’s employing agency or office is fully reimbursed by the receiving agency or office for the salary and expenses 

of the employee for the period of assignment. 

SEC. 715. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available to the Department of Agriculture or the Food and Drug 

Administration shall be used to transmit or otherwise make available to any non-Department of Agriculture or non-Department of 

Health and Human Services employee questions or responses to 

questions that are a result of information requested for the appropriations hearing process. 

SEC. 716. None of the funds made available to the Department 

of Agriculture by this Act may be used to acquire new information 

technology systems or significant upgrades, as determined by the Office of the Chief Information Officer, without the approval of the 

Chief Information Officer and the concurrence of the Executive Information Technology Investment Review Board: Provided, That 

notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be transferred to the Office of the Chief Information Officer without the 

prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses 

of Congress: Provided further, That none of the funds available to 

the Department of Agriculture for information technology shall be 

obligated for projects over $25,000 prior to receipt of written approval by the Chief Information Officer. 

SEC. 717. (a) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this 

Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the Treasury of 

the United States derived by the collection of fees available to the 

agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for obligation or expenditure through a reprogramming of funds which— 

(1) creates new programs; 

33 

(2) eliminates a program, project, or activity; 

(3) increases funds or personnel by any means for any 

project or activity for which funds have been denied or restricted; 

(4) relocates an office or employees; 

(5) reorganizes offices, programs, or activities; or 

(6) contracts out or privatizes any functions or activities 

presently performed by Federal employees; unless the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress are notified 

15 days in advance of such reprogramming of funds. 

(b) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in the current fiscal 

year, or provided from any accounts in the Treasury of the United 

States derived by the collection of fees available to the agencies 

funded by this Act, shall be available for obligation or expenditure 

for activities, programs, or projects through a reprogramming of 

funds in excess of $500,000 or 10 percent, which-ever is less, that: 

(1) augments existing programs, projects, or activities; (2) reduces by 

10 percent funding for any existing program, project, or activity, or 

numbers of personnel by 10 percent as approved by Congress; or (3) 

results from any general savings from a reduction in personnel 

which would result in a change in existing programs, activities, or 

projects as approved by Congress; unless the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress are notified 15 days in advance of such reprogramming of funds. 

(c) The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Health and 

Human Services, or the Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission shall notify the Committees on Appropriations of 

both Houses of Congress before implementing a program or activity 

not carried out during the previous fiscal year unless the program 

or activity is funded by this Act or specifically funded by any other 

Act. 

SEC. 718. With the exception of funds needed to administer and 

conduct oversight of grants awarded and obligations incurred in 

prior fiscal years, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available by this or any other Act may be used to pay the salaries 

and expenses of personnel to carry out the provisions of section 401 

of Public Law 105–185, the Initiative for Future Agriculture and 

Food Systems (7 U.S.C. 7621). 

SEC. 719. None of the funds appropriated by this or any other 

Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel who 

prepare or submit appropriations language as part of the President’s Budget submission to the Congress of the United States for 

programs under the jurisdiction of the Appropriations Subcommittees on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies that assumes revenues or reflects a reduction from the previous year due to user fees proposals that have 

not been enacted into law prior to the submission of the Budget unless such Budget submission identifies which additional spending 

reductions should occur in the event the user fees proposals are not 

enacted prior to the date of the convening of a committee of conference for the fiscal year 2007 appropriations Act. 

SEC. 720. None of the funds made available by this or any other 

Act may be used to close or relocate a State Rural Development ofVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
34 

fice unless or until cost effectiveness and enhancement of program 

delivery have been determined. 

SEC. 721. In addition to amounts otherwise appropriated or made available by this Act, $2,500,000 is appropriated for the purpose of providing Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland Hunger Fellowships, through the Congressional Hunger Center. 

SEC. 722. Hereafter, notwithstanding section 412 of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 

1736f), any balances available to carry out title III of such Act as 

of the date of enactment of this Act, and any recoveries and reimbursements that become available to carry out title III of such Act, 

may be used to carry out title II of such Act. 

SEC. 723. There is hereby appropriated $1,250,000 for a grant 

to the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center, to remain 

available until expended. 

SEC. 724. The Secretary of Agriculture shall— 

(1) as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this 

Act, conduct an evaluation of any impacts of the court decision 

in Harvey v. Veneman, 396 F.3d 28 (1st Cir. Me. 2005); and 

(2) not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of 

this Act, submit to Congress a report that— 

(A) describes the results of the evaluation conducted 

under paragraph (1); 

(B) includes a determination by the Secretary on 

whether restoring the National Organic Program, as in effect on the day before the date of the court decision described in paragraph (1), would adversely affect organic 

farmers, organic food processors, and consumers; 

(C) analyzes issues regarding the use of synthetic ingredients in processing and handling; 

(D) analyzes the utility of expedited petitions for commercially unavailable agricultural commodities and products; and 

(E) considers the use of crops and forage from land included in the organic system plan of dairy farms that are 

in the third year of organic management. 

SEC. 725. Hereafter, of any shipments of commodities made 

pursuant to section 416(b) of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 

1431(b)), the Secretary of Agriculture shall, to the extent practicable, 

direct that tonnage equal in value to not more than $25,000,000 

shall be made available to foreign countries to assist in mitigating 

the effects of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome on communities, including the provision 

of— 

(1) agricultural commodities to— 

(A) individuals with Human Immunodeficiency Virus 

or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome in the communities; and 

(B) households in the communities, particularly individuals caring for orphaned children; and 

(2) agricultural commodities monetized to provide other assistance (including assistance under microcredit and microenterprise programs) to create or restore sustainable livelihoods 

among individuals in the communities, particularly individuals 

caring for orphaned children. 

35 

SEC. 726. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Natural Resources Conservation Service shall provide financial and 

technical assistance— 

(1) from funds available for the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program— 

(A) to the Kane County, Illinois, Indian Creek Watershed Flood Prevention Project, in an amount not to exceed 

$1,000,000; 

(B) for the Muskingam River Watershed, Mohican 

River, Jerome and Muddy Fork, Ohio, obstruction removal 

projects, in an amount not to exceed $1,800,000; 

(C) to the Hickory Creek Special Drainage District, Bureau County, Illinois, in an amount not to exceed $50,000; 

and 

(D) to the Little Red River Irrigation project, Arkansas, 

in an amount not to exceed $210,000; 

(2) through the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program for— 

(A) the Matanuska River erosion control project in 

Alaska; 

(B) the Little Otter Creek project in Missouri; 

(C) the Manoa Watershed project in Hawaii; 

(D) the West Tarkio project in Iowa; 

(E) the Steeple Run and West Branch DuPage River 

Watershed projects in DuPage County, Illinois; and 

(F) the Coal Creek project in Utah; 

(3) through the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program to carry out the East Locust Creek Watershed 

Plan Revision in Missouri, including up to 100 percent of the 

engineering assistance and 75 percent cost share for construction cost of site RW1; and 

(4) through funds of the Conservation Operations program 

provided for the Utah Conservation Initiative for completion of 

the American Fork water quality and habitat restoration project 

in Utah. 

SEC. 727. Hereafter, none of the funds made available in this 

Act may be transferred to any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government, except pursuant to a transfer made by, or transfer authority provided in, this or any other appropriation Act. 

SEC. 728. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of the 

funds made available in this Act for competitive research grants (7 

U.S.C. 450i(b)), the Secretary may use up to 22 percent of the 

amount provided to carry out a competitive grants program under 

the same terms and conditions as those provided in section 401 of 

the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 

1998 (7 U.S.C. 7621). 

SEC. 729. None of the funds appropriated or made available by 

this or any other Act may be used to pay the salaries and expenses 

of personnel to carry out section 14(h)(1) of the Watershed Protection 

and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1012(h)(1)). 

SEC. 730. None of the funds made available to the Food and 

Drug Administration by this Act shall be used to close or relocate, 

or to plan to close or relocate, the Food and Drug Administration 

36 

Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis in St. Louis, Missouri, outside 

the city or county limits of St. Louis, Missouri. 

SEC. 731. None of the funds appropriated or made available by 

this or any other Act may be used to pay the salaries and expenses 

of personnel to carry out subtitle I of the Consolidated Farm and 

Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009dd through dd–7). 

SEC. 732. Hereafter, agencies and offices of the Department of 

Agriculture may utilize any unobligated salaries and expenses funds 

to reimburse the Office of the General Counsel for salaries and expenses of personnel, and for other related expenses, incurred in representing such agencies and offices in the resolution of complaints 

by employees or applicants for employment, and in cases and other 

matters pending before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, or the Merit Systems Protection Board with the prior approval of the Committees on 

Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. 

SEC. 733. None of the funds appropriated or made available by 

this or any other Act may be used to pay the salaries and expenses 

of personnel to carry out section 6405 of Public Law 107–171 (7 

U.S.C. 2655). 

SEC. 734. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries 

and expenses of personnel to enroll in excess of 150,000 acres in the 

calendar year 2006 wetlands reserve program as authorized by 16 

U.S.C. 3837. 

SEC. 735. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries 

and expenses of personnel who carry out an environmental quality 

incentives program authorized by chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII 

of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa et seq.) in excess 

of $1,017,000,000. 

SEC. 736. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries 

and expenses of personnel to expend the $23,000,000 made available 

by section 9006(f) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 

of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8106(f)). 

SEC. 737. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available under this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to expend the $80,000,000 made 

available by section 601(j)(1) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 

(7 U.S.C. 950bb(j)(1)). 

SEC. 738. None of the funds made available in fiscal year 2006 

or preceding fiscal years for programs authorized under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1691 

et seq.) in excess of $20,000,000 shall be used to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for the release of eligible commodities 

under section 302(f)(2)(A) of the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust 

Act (7 U.S.C. 1736f–1): Provided, That any such funds made available to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation shall only be 

used pursuant to section 302(b)(2)(B)(i) of the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act. 

SEC. 739. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries 

and expenses of personnel to expend the $120,000,000 made available by section 6401(a) of Public Law 107–171. 

37 

SEC. 740. Notwithstanding subsections (c) and (e)(2) of section 

313A of the Rural Electrification Act (7 U.S.C. 940c(c) and (e)(2)) 

in implementing section 313A of that Act, the Secretary shall, with 

the consent of the lender, structure the schedule for payment of the 

annual fee, not to exceed an average of 30 basis points per year for 

the term of the loan, to ensure that sufficient funds are available to 

pay the subsidy costs for note guarantees under that section. 

SEC. 741. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries 

and expenses of personnel to carry out a Conservation Security Program authorized by 16 U.S.C. 3838 et seq., in excess of 

$259,000,000. 

SEC. 742. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries 

and expenses of personnel to carry out section 2502 of Public Law 

107–171 in excess of $43,000,000. 

SEC. 743. Of the unobligated balances available in the Special 

Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children 

reserve account, $32,000,000 is hereby rescinded. 

SEC. 744. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries 

and expenses of personnel to carry out section 2503 of Public Law 

107–171 in excess of $73,500,000. 

SEC. 745. With the exception of funds provided in fiscal year 

2005, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available 

by this or any other Act shall be used to carry out section 6029 of 

Public Law 107–171. 

SEC. 746. Hereafter, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available in this Act shall be expended to violate Public 

Law 105–264. 

SEC. 747. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries 

and expenses of personnel to carry out a ground and surface water 

conservation program authorized by section 2301 of Public Law 

107–171 in excess of $51,000,000. 

SEC. 748. None of the funds made available by this Act may be 

used to issue a final rule in furtherance of, or otherwise implement, 

the proposed rule on cost-sharing for animal and plant health emergency programs of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

published on July 8, 2003 (Docket No. 02–062–1; 68 Fed. Reg. 

40541). 

SEC. 749. Hereafter, notwithstanding any other provision of 

law, the Secretary of Agriculture may use appropriations available 

to the Secretary for activities authorized under sections 426–426c of 

title 7, United States Code, under this or any other Act, to enter into 

cooperative agreements, with a State, political subdivision, or agency thereof, a public or private agency, organization, or any other 

person, to lease aircraft if the Secretary determines that the objectives of the agreement will: (1) serve a mutual interest of the parties 

to the agreement in carrying out the programs administered by the 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services; and 

(2) all parties will contribute resources to the accomplishment of 

these objectives; award of a cooperative agreement authorized by the 

Secretary may be made for an initial term not to exceed 5 years. 

38 

SEC. 750. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries 

and expenses of personnel to carry out section 9010 of Public Law 

107–171 in excess of $60,000,000. 

SEC. 751. Hereafter, agencies and offices of the Department of 

Agriculture may utilize any available discretionary funds to cover 

the costs of preparing, or contracting for the preparation of, final 

agency decisions regarding complaints of discrimination in employment or program activities arising within such agencies and offices. 

SEC. 752. Funds made available under section 1240I and section 1241(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 in the current fiscal 

year shall remain available until expended to cover obligations 

made in the current fiscal year, and are not available for new obligations. 

SEC. 753. There is hereby appropriated $750,000, to remain 

available until expended, for the Denali Commission to address deficiencies in solid waste disposal sites which threaten to contaminate rural drinking water supplies. 

SEC. 754. Notwithstanding any other provision of law— 

(1) the City of Palmer, Alaska shall be eligible to receive a 

water and waste disposal grant under section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)) 

in an amount that is equal to not more than 75 percent of the 

total cost of providing water and sewer service to the proposed 

hospital in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska; 

(2) or any percentage of cost limitation in current law or 

regulations, the construction projects known as the Tri-Valley 

Community Center addition in Healy, Alaska; the Cold Climate 

Housing Research Center in Fairbanks, Alaska; and the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Allied Health Learning Center skill 

labs/classrooms shall be eligible to receive Community Facilities grants in amounts that are equal to not more than 75 percent of the total facility costs: Provided, That for the purposes 

of this paragraph, the Cold Climate Housing Research Center 

is designated an ‘‘essential community facility’’ for rural Alaska; 

(3) for any fiscal year and hereafter, in the case of a high 

cost isolated rural area in Alaska that is not connected to a 

road system, the maximum level for the single family housing 

assistance shall be 150 percent of the median household income 

level in the nonmetropolitan areas of the State and 115 percent 

of all other eligible areas of the State; and 

(4) any former RUS borrower that has repaid or prepaid an 

insured, direct or guaranteed loan under the Rural Electrification Act, or any not-for-profit utility that is eligible to receive an 

insured or direct loan under such Act, shall be eligible for assistance under Section 313(b)(2)(B) of such Act in the same 

manner as a borrower under such Act. 

SEC. 755. There is hereby appropriated $1,000,000, to remain 

available until expended, for a grant to the Ohio Livestock Expo 

Center in Springfield, Ohio. 

SEC. 756. Hereafter, notwithstanding the provisions of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (including the associated regulations) governing the Community Facilities Program, the 

Secretary may allow all Community Facility Program facility borVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
39 

rowers and grantees to enter into contracts with not-for-profit third 

parties for services consistent with the requirements of the Program, 

grant, and/or loan: Provided, That the contracts protect the interests of the Government regarding cost, liability, maintenance, and 

administrative fees. 

SEC. 757. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries 

and expenses of personnel to carry out an Agricultural Management 

Assistance Program as authorized by section 524 of the Federal 

Crop Insurance Act in excess of $6,000,000 (7 U.S.C. 1524). 

SEC. 758. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to make funding and other assistance available through the emergency watershed protection program under section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 

U.S.C. 2203) to repair and prevent damage to non-Federal land in 

watersheds that have been impaired by fires initiated by the Federal 

Government and shall waive cost sharing requirements for the funding and assistance. 

SEC. 759. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries 

and expenses of personnel to carry out a Biomass Research and Development Program in excess of $12,000,000, as authorized by Public Law 106–224 (7 U.S.C. 7624 note). 

SEC. 760. None of the funds provided in this Act may be used 

for salaries and expenses to carry out any regulation or rule insofar 

as it would make ineligible for enrollment in the conservation reserve program established under subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831 

et seq.) land that is planted to hardwood trees as of the date of enactment of this Act and was enrolled in the conservation reserve 

program under a contract that expired prior to calendar year 2002. 

SEC. 761. Notwithstanding 40 U.S.C. 524, 571, and 572, the 

Secretary of Agriculture may sell the U.S. Water Conservation Laboratory, Phoenix, Arizona, and credit the net proceeds of such sale 

as offsetting collections to its Agricultural Research Service Buildings and Facilities account. Such funds shall be available until 

September 30, 2007 to be used to replace these facilities and to improve other USDA-owned facilities. 

SEC. 762. None of the funds provided in this Act may be used 

for salaries and expenses to draft or implement any regulation or 

rule insofar as it would require recertification of rural status for 

each electric and telecommunications borrower for the Rural Electrification and Telecommunication Loans program. 

SEC. 763. The Secretary of Agriculture may use any unobligated 

carryover funds made available for any program administered by 

the Rural Utilities Service (not including funds made available 

under the heading ‘‘Rural Community Advancement Program’’ in 

any Act of appropriation) to carry out section 315 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 940e). 

SEC. 764. There is hereby appropriated $650,000, to remain 

available until expended, to carry out provisions of section 751 of 

division A of Public Law 108–7. 

SEC. 765. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and 

until the receipt of the decennial Census in the year 2010, the Secretary of Agriculture shall consider— 

40 

(1) the City of Bridgeton, New Jersey, the City of Kinston, 

North Carolina, and the City of Portsmouth, Ohio as rural 

areas for the purposes of Rural Housing Service Community 

Facilities Program loans and grants; 

(2) the Township of Bloomington, Illinois (including individuals and entities with projects within Township) shall be eligible for Rural Housing Service Community Facilities Programs loans and grants; 

(3) the City of Lone Grove, Oklahoma (including individuals and entities with projects within the city) shall be eligible 

for Rural Housing Service Community Facilities Program loans 

and grants; 

(4) the City of Butte/Silverbow, Montana, rural areas for 

purposes of eligibility for Rural Utilities Service water and 

waste water loans and grants and Rural Housing Service Community Facilities Program loans and grants; 

(5) Cleburne County, Arkansas, rural areas for purposes of 

eligibility of Rural Utilities Service water and waste water 

loans and grants; 

(6) the designated Census track areas for the Upper 

Kanawha Valley Enterprise Community, West Virginia, rural 

areas for purposes of eligibility for rural empowerment zones 

and enterprise community programs in the rural development 

mission area; 

(7) the Municipality of Carolina, Puerto Rico, as meeting 

the eligibility requirements for Rural Utilities Service water 

and waste water loans and grants; 

(8) the Municipalities of Vega Baja, Manati, Guayama, 

Fajardo, Humacao, and Naguabo, Puerto Rico, (including individuals and entities with projects within the Municipalities) 

shall be eligible for Rural Community Advancement Program 

loans and grants and intermediate relending programs; 

(9) the City of Hidalgo, Texas as a rural area for the purpose of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service Rural Business 

Enterprise Grant Program; 

(10) the City of Elgin, Oklahoma (including individuals 

and entities with projects within the city) shall be eligible for 

Rural Utilities Service water and waste water loans and grants; 

and 

(11) the City of Lodi, California, the City of Atchison, Kansas, and the City of Belle Glade, Florida as rural areas for the 

purposes of the Rural Utilities Service water and waste water 

loans and grants. 

SEC. 766. There is hereby appropriated $200,000 for a grant to 

Alaska Village Initiatives for the purpose of administering a private 

lands wildlife management program in Alaska. 

SEC. 767. There is hereby appropriated $2,250,000, to remain 

available until expended, for a grant to the Wisconsin Federation of 

Cooperatives for pilot Wisconsin-Minnesota health care cooperative 

purchasing alliances. 

SEC. 768. The counties of Burlington and Camden, New Jersey 

(including individuals and entities with projects within these counties) shall be eligible for loans and grants under the Rural Community Advancement Program for fiscal year 2006 to the same extent 

they were eligible for such assistance during the fiscal year 2005 

41 

under section 106 of Chapter 1 of Division B of Public Law 108– 

324 (188 Stat. 1236). 

SEC. 769. Hereafter, notwithstanding any other provision of 

law, funds made available to States administering the Child and 

Adult Care Food Program, for the purpose of conducting audits of 

participating institutions, funds identified by the Secretary as having been unused during the initial fiscal year of availability may be 

recovered and reallocated by the Secretary: Provided, That States 

may use the reallocated funds until expended for the purpose of conducting audits of participating institutions. 

SEC. 770. The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized and directed to quitclaim to the City of Elkhart, Kansas, all rights, title 

and interests of the United States in that tract of land comprising 

151.7 acres, more or less, located in Morton County, Kansas, and 

more specifically described in a deed dated March 11, 1958, from 

the United States of America to the City of Elkhart, State of Kansas, 

and filed of record April 4, 1958 at Book 34 at Page 520 in the office of the Register of Deeds of Morton County, Kansas. 

SEC. 771. There is hereby appropriated $2,500,000 to carry out 

the Healthy Forests Reserve Program authorized under Title V of 

Public Law 108–148 (16 U.S.C. 6571–6578). 

SEC. 772. Unless otherwise authorized by existing law, none of 

the funds provided in this Act, may be used by an executive branch 

agency to produce any prepackaged news story intended for broadcast or distribution in the United States unless the story includes 

a clear notification within the text or audio of the prepackaged news 

story that the prepackaged news story was prepared or funded by 

that executive branch agency. 

SEC. 773. In addition to other amounts appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act, there is hereby appropriated to the 

Secretary of Agriculture $7,000,000, of which not to exceed 5 percent 

may be available for administrative expenses, to remain available 

until expended, to make specialty crop block grants under section 

101 of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 (Public Law 

108–465; 7 U.S.C. 1621 note). 

SEC. 774. The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 is amended by 

inserting after section 315 (7 U.S.C. 940e) the following: 

‘‘SEC. 316. EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF EXISTING GUARANTEE. (a) 

IN GENERAL.—Subject to the limitations in this section and the provisions of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, as amended, a 

borrower of a loan made by the Federal Financing Bank and guaranteed under this Act may request an extension of the final maturity 

of the outstanding principal balance of such loan or any loan advance thereunder. If the Secretary and the Federal Financing Bank 

approve such an extension, then the period of the existing guarantee 

shall also be considered extended. 

‘‘(b) LIMITATIONS.— 

‘‘(1) FEASIBILITY AND SECURITY.—Extensions under this section shall not be made unless the Secretary first finds and certifies that, after giving effect to the extension, in his judgment 

the security for all loans to the borrower made or guaranteed 

under this Act is reasonably adequate and that all such loans 

will be repaid within the time agreed. 

42 

‘‘(2) EXTENSION OF USEFUL LIFE OR COLLATERAL.—Extensions under this section shall not be granted unless the borrower first submits with its request either— 

‘‘(A) evidence satisfactory to the Secretary that a Federal or State agency with jurisdiction and expertise has 

made an official determination, such as through a licensing 

proceeding, extending the useful life of a generating plant 

or transmission line pledged as collateral to or beyond the 

new final maturity date being requested by the borrower, or 

‘‘(B) a certificate from an independent licensed engineer 

concluding, on the basis of a thorough engineering analysis 

satisfactory to the Secretary, that the useful life of the generating plant or transmission line pledged as collateral extends to or beyond the new final maturity date being requested by the borrower. 

‘‘(3) AMOUNT ELIGIBLE FOR EXTENSION.—Extensions under 

this section shall not be granted if the principal balance extended exceeds the appraised value of the generating plant or 

transmission line referred to in subsection paragraph (2). 

‘‘(4) PERIOD OF EXTENSION.—Extensions under this section 

shall in no case result in a final maturity greater than 55 years 

from the time of original disbursement and shall in no case result in a final maturity greater than the useful life of the plant. 

‘‘(5) NUMBER OF EXTENSIONS.—Extensions under this section shall not be granted more than once per loan advance. 

‘‘(c) FEES.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A borrower that receives an extension 

under this section shall pay a fee to the Secretary which shall 

be credited to the Rural Electrification and Telecommunications 

Loans Program account. Such fees shall remain available without fiscal year limitation to pay the modification costs for extensions. 

‘‘(2) AMOUNT.—The amount of the fee paid shall be equal 

to the modification cost, calculated in accordance with section 

502 of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, as amended, of 

such extension. 

‘‘(3) PAYMENT.—The borrower shall pay the fee required 

under this section at the time the existing guarantee is extended 

by making a payment in the amount of the required fee.’’. 

SEC. 775. (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 

Human Services, on behalf of the United States may, whenever the 

Secretary deems desirable, relinquish to the State of Arkansas all 

or part of the jurisdiction of the United States over the lands and 

properties encompassing the Jefferson Labs campus in the State of 

Arkansas that are under the supervision or control of the Secretary. 

(b) TERMS.—Relinquishment of jurisdiction under this section 

may be accomplished, under terms and conditions that the Secretary deems advisable, 

(1) by filing with the Governor of the State of Arkansas a 

notice of relinquishment to take effect upon acceptance thereof; 

or 

(2) as the laws of such State may otherwise provide. 

(c) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘Jefferson Labs campus’’ means the lands and properties of the National Center for Toxicological Research and the Arkansas Regional Laboratory. 

43 

SEC. 776. Section 204(b)(3)(A) of the Child Nutrition and WIC 

Reauthorization Act of 2004 (118 Stat. 781; 42 U.S.C. 1751 note) is 

amended by striking ‘‘July 1, 2006’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2005’’. 

SEC. 777. (a) Section 18(f)(1)(B) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769(f)(1)(B)) is amended— 

(1) by striking ‘‘April 2004’’ and inserting ‘‘June 2005’’; and 

(2) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘66.67’’ and inserting ‘‘75’’. 

(b) The amendments made by subsection (a) take effect on January 1, 2006. 

SEC. 778. None of the funds in this Act may be used to retire 

more than 5 percent of the Class A stock of the Rural Telephone 

Bank, except in the event of liquidation or dissolution of the telephone bank during fiscal year 2006, pursuant to section 411 of the 

Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as amended, or to maintain any 

account or subaccount within the accounting records of the Rural 

Telephone Bank the creation of which has not specifically been authorized by statute: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available in this Act may be used to transfer to the Treasury or to 

the Federal Financing Bank any unobligated balance of the Rural 

Telephone Bank telephone liquidating account which is in excess of 

current requirements and such balance shall receive interest as set 

forth for financial accounts in section 505(c) of the Federal Credit 

Reform Act of 1990. 

SEC. 779. There is hereby appropriated $6,000,000 to carry out 

Section 120 of Public Law 108–265 in Utah, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Texas, Connecticut, and Idaho. 

SEC. 780. Section 508(a)(4)(B) of the Federal Crop Insurance 

Act (7 U.S.C. 1508(a)(4)(B)) is amended by inserting ‘‘or similar 

commodities’’ after ‘‘the commodity’’. 

SEC. 781. (a) Notwithstanding subtitles B and C of the Dairy 

Production Stabilization Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.), during 

fiscal year 2006, the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board 

may obligate and expend funds for any activity to improve the environment and public health. 

(b) The Secretary of Agriculture shall review the impact of any 

expenditures under subsection (a) and include the review in the 

2007 report of the Secretary to Congress on the dairy promotion program established under subtitle B of the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.). 

SEC. 782. The Federal facility located at the South Mississippi 

Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville, Mississippi, and known 

as the ‘‘Southern Horticultural Laboratory’’, shall be known and 

designated as the ‘‘Thad Cochran Southern Horticultural Laboratory’’: Provided, That any reference in law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to such Federal facility shall be deemed to be a reference to the ‘‘Thad Cochran Southern Horticultural Laboratory’’. 

SEC. 783. As soon as practicable after the Agricultural Research 

Service operations at the Western Cotton Research Laboratory located at 4135 East Broadway Road in Phoenix, Arizona, have 

ceased, the Secretary of Agriculture shall convey, without consideration, to the Arizona Cotton Growers Association and Supima all 

right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the real property at that location, including improvements. 

44 

SEC. 784. (a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out a livestock assistance, compensation, or feed program, the Secretary of Agriculture 

shall include horses and deer within the definition of ‘‘livestock’’ 

covered by the program. 

(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— (1) Section 602(2) of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 

1471(2)) is amended— 

(A) by inserting ‘‘horses, deer,’’ after ‘‘bison,’’; and 

(B) by striking ‘‘equine animals used for food or in the 

production of food,’’. 

(2) Section 806 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food 

and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations 

Act, 2001 (Public Law 106–387; 114 Stat. 1549A–51) is amended by inserting ‘‘(including losses to elk, reindeer, bison, horses, 

and deer)’’ after ‘‘livestock losses’’. 

(3) Section 10104(a) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 1472(a)) is amended by striking 

‘‘and bison’’ and inserting ‘‘bison, horses, and deer’’. 

(4) Section 203(d)(2) of the Agricultural Assistance Act of 

2003 (Public Law 108–7; 117 Stat. 541) is amended by striking 

‘‘and bison’’ and inserting ‘‘bison, horses, and deer’’. 

(c) APPLICABILITY.— (1) IN GENERAL.—This section and the amendments made 

by this section apply to losses resulting from a disaster that occurs on or after July 28, 2005. 

(2) PRIOR LOSSES.—This section and the amendments made 

by this section do not apply to losses resulting from a disaster 

that occurred before July 28, 2005. 

SEC. 785. Amounts made available for the Plant Materials Center in Fallon, Nevada, under the heading ‘‘CONSERVATION OPER- ATIONS’’ under the heading ‘‘NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION

SERVICE’’ of title II of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 

Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 

2005 (Public Law 108–447; 118 Stat. 2823) shall remain available 

until expended. 

SEC. 786. None of the funds made available in this Act may be 

used to study, complete a study of, or enter into a contract with a 

private party to carry out, without specific authorization in a subsequent Act of Congress, a competitive sourcing activity of the Secretary of Agriculture, including support personnel of the Department 

of Agriculture, relating to rural development or farm loan programs. 

SEC. 787. None of the funds made available under this Act 

shall be available to pay the administrative expenses of a State 

agency that, after the date of enactment of this Act and prior to receiving certification in accordance with the provisions set forth in 

section 17(h)(11)(E) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, authorizes 

any new for-profit vendor(s) to transact food instruments under the 

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and 

Children (WIC) if it is expected that more than 50 percent of the annual revenue of the vendor from the sale of food items will be derived from the sale of supplemental foods that are obtained with 

WIC food instruments, except that the Secretary may approve the 

authorization of such a vendor if the approval is necessary to assure 

participant access to program benefits. 

45 

SEC. 788. Of the unobligated balances under section 32 of the 

Act of August 24, 1935, $37,601,000 are hereby rescinded. 

SEC. 789. None of the funds provided in this Act may be obligated or expended for any activity the purpose of which is to require 

a recipient of any grant that was funded in Public Law 102–368 

and Public Law 103–50 for ‘‘Rural Housing for Domestic Farm 

Labor’’ in response to Hurricane Andrew to pay the United States 

any portion of any interest earned with respect to such grants: Provided, That such funds are expended by the grantee within 18 

months of the date of enactment of this section for the purposes of 

providing farm labor housing consistent with the purpose authorized in Title V of the Housing Act of 1949, as determined by the Secretary. 

SEC. 790. There is hereby appropriated $140,000 to remain 

available until expended, for a grant to the University of Nevada at 

Reno; $400,000 to remain available until expended for a grant to 

the Ohio Center for Farmland Policy Innovation at Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; $200,000 to remain available until expended, for a grant to Utah State University for a farming and 

dairy training initiative; $500,000, to remain available until expended, for a grant to the Nueces County, Texas Regional Fairground; and $350,000 to provide administrative support for a world 

hunger organization: Provided, That none of the funds may be used 

for a monetary award to an individual. 

SEC. 791. There is hereby appropriated $1,000,000 to establish 

a demonstration intermediate relending program for the construction and rehabilitation of housing for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians: Provided, That the interest rate for direct loans shall 

be 1 percent: Provided further, That no later than one year after the 

establishment of this program the Secretary shall provide the Committees on Appropriations with a report providing information on 

the program structure, management, and general demographic information on the loan recipients. 

SEC. 792. Section 285 of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 

(7 U.S.C. 1638d) is amended by striking ‘‘2006’’ and inserting 

‘‘2008’’. 

SEC. 793. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 

available by this Act shall be used to pay salaries and expenses of 

personnel who implement or administer section 508(e)(3) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1508(e)(3)) or any regulation, bulletin, policy or agency guidance issued pursuant to section 508(e)(3) 

of such Act for the 2007 reinsurance year. 

SEC. 794. Effective 120 days after the date of enactment of this 

Act, none of the funds made available in this Act may be used to 

pay the salaries or expenses of personnel to inspect horses under section 3 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 603) or under 

the guidelines issued under section 903 of the Federal Agriculture 

Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 1901 note; Public 

Law 104–127). 

SEC. 795. (a) Subject to subsection (b), none of the funds made 

available in this Act may be used to— 

(1) grant a waiver of a financial conflict of interest requirement pursuant to section 505(n)(4) of the Federal Food, Drug, 

and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355(n)(4)) for any voting member 

46 

of an advisory committee or panel of the Food and Drug Administration; or 

(2) make a certification under section 208(b)(3) of title 18, 

United States Code, for any such voting member. 

(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to a waiver or certification 

if— 

(1) not later than 15 days prior to a meeting of an advisory 

committee or panel to which such waiver or certification applies, the Secretary of Health and Human Services discloses on 

the Internet website of the Food and Drug Administration— 

(A) the nature of the conflict of interest at issue; and 

(B) the nature and basis of such waiver or certification 

(other than information exempted from disclosure under 

section 552 of title 5, United States Code (popularly known 

as the Freedom of Information Act)); or 

(2) in the case of a conflict of interest that becomes known 

to the Secretary less than 15 days prior to a meeting to which 

such waiver or certification applies, the Secretary shall make 

such public disclosure as soon as possible thereafter, but in no 

event later than the date of such meeting. 

(c) None of the funds made available in this Act may be used 

to make a new appointment to an advisory committee or panel of 

the Food and Drug Administration unless the Commissioner of 

Food and Drugs submits a quarterly report to the Inspector General 

of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate on the efforts made 

to identify qualified persons for such appointment with minimal or 

no potential conflicts of interest. 

SEC. 796. Section 274(a)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality 

Act (8 U.S.C. 1324(a)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(C) It is not a violation of clauses (ii) or (iii) of subparagraph (A), or of clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) except 

where a person encourages or induces an alien to come to 

or enter the United States, for a religious denomination 

having a bona fide nonprofit, religious organization in the 

United States, or the agents or officers of such denomination or organization, to encourage, invite, call, allow, or enable an alien who is present in the United States to perform the vocation of a minister or missionary for the denomination or organization in the United States as a volunteer who is not compensated as an employee, notwithstanding the provision of room, board, travel, medical assistance, and other basic living expenses, provided the minister or missionary has been a member of the denomination 

for at least one year.’’. 

SEC. 797. (a) Section 2111(a)(1) of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6510(a)(1)) is amended by inserting ‘‘not 

appearing on the National List’’ after ‘‘ingredient’’. 

(b) Section 2118 of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 

(7 U.S.C. 6517) is amended— 

(1) in subsection (c)(1)— 

(A) in the paragraph heading, by inserting ‘‘IN ORGANIC

PRODUCTION AND HANDLING OPERATIONS’’ after ‘‘SUBSTANCES’’; 

47 

(B) in subparagraph (B)— 

(i) in clause (i), by inserting ‘‘or’’ at the end; and 

(ii) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end and 

inserting ‘‘and’’; and 

(C) by striking clause (iii); and 

(2) in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(6) EXPEDITED PETITIONS FOR COMMERCIALLY UNAVAILABLE ORGANIC AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS CONSTITUTING LESS

THAN 5 PERCENT OF AN ORGANIC PROCESSED PRODUCT.—The 

Secretary may develop emergency procedures for designating 

agricultural products that are commercially unavailable in organic form for placement on the National List for a period of 

time not to exceed 12 months.’’. 

(c) Section 2110(e)(2) of the Organic Foods Production Act of 

1990 (7 U.S.C. 6509(e)(2)) is amended— 

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

‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a dairy’’; and 

(2) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(B) TRANSITION GUIDELINE.—Crops and forage 

from land included in the organic system plan of a 

dairy farm that is in the third year of organic management may be consumed by the dairy animals of the 

farm during the 12-month period immediately prior to 

the sale of organic milk and milk products.’’. 

SEC. 798. (a) AMENABLE SPECIES.—The Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) is amended— 

(1) by striking ‘‘cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, 

and other equines’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘amenable species’’; 

(2) in section 1, by adding at the end the following new 

subsection: 

‘‘(w) The term ‘amenable species’ means— 

‘‘(1) those species subject to the provisions of the Act on the 

day before the date of the enactment of the Agriculture, Rural 

Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related 

Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006; and 

‘‘(2) any additional species of livestock that the Secretary 

considers appropriate.’’; and 

(3) in section 19— 

(A) by striking ‘‘horses, mules, or other equines’’ and inserting ‘‘species designated by regulations in effect on the 

day before the date of the enactment of the Agriculture, 

Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 

Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006’’; and 

(B) by striking ‘‘cattle, sheep, swine, or goats’’ and inserting ‘‘other amenable species’’. 

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by subsection (a) 

shall take effect on the day after the effective date of section 794 of 

the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006. 

SEC. 799. Public Law 109–54, the Department of the Interior, 

Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 is 

amended as follows: 

48 

(a) Under the heading National Park Service, Construction 

by— (1) striking ‘‘of which’’ after ‘‘$301,291,000, to remain available until expended,’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘and’’; 

(2) in the sixth proviso, striking ‘‘hereinafter’’ and inserting 

in lieu thereof ‘‘hereafter’’ and, after ‘‘Annex’’, inserting ‘‘and the 

Blue Ridge Parkway Regional Destination Visitor Center’’; and 

(3) in the seventh proviso, striking ‘‘solicitation and contract’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘solicitations and contracts’’; 

(b) Under the heading National Park Service, Land Acquisition and State Assistance by striking ‘‘$74,824,000’’ and inserting in lieu 

thereof ‘‘$64,909,000’’; 

(c) Under the heading Departmental Management, Salaries and Expenses by striking ‘‘$127,183,000’’ and inserting in lieu thereof 

‘‘$117,183,000’’; 

(d) Under the heading Title II—Environmental Protection 

Agency, State and Tribal Assistance Grants by— 

(1) before the period at the end of the first paragraph, inserting ‘‘: Provided further, That of the funds made available under this 

heading in Division I of Public Law 108–447, $300,000 is for the 

Haleyville, AL, North Industrial Area Water Storage Tank project: 

Provided further, That the referenced statement of the managers 

under the heading Environmental Protection Agency, State and 

Tribal Assistance Grants in Public Law 107–73, in reference to item 

184, is deemed to be amended by striking ‘$2,000,000’ and inserting 

in lieu thereof ‘$29,945’ and by inserting after ‘improvements’: ‘, 

$500,000 to the City of Sheridan for water system improvements, 

$500,000 to Meagher County/Martinsdale Water and Sewer District 

for Martinsdale Water System Improvements, and $970,055 to the 

City of Bozeman for Hyalite Waterline and Intake’ ’’; and 

(2) in the second paragraph, striking the word ‘‘original’’; 

(e) Under the heading Forest Service, Land Acquisition by striking ‘‘land that are encumbered’’ and all that follows through ‘‘under 

this section,’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘lands that are encumbered by unpatented claims acquired under this section, or with previously appropriated funds,’’; and 

(f) At the end of Title IV—General Provisions, insert the following: 

‘‘SEC. 440. REDESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS. 

‘‘(a) REDESIGNATION.—Section 140(c)(4) of Division E of Public 

Law 108–447 is amended by striking ‘National’. 

‘‘(b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 

document, paper, or other record of the United States to the ‘Gaylord A. Nelson National Wilderness’ shall be deemed to be a reference to the ‘Gaylord A. Nelson Wilderness’.’’ 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Agriculture, Rural Development, 

Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006’’. 

And the Senate agree to the same. 

HENRY BONILLA, 

JACK KINGSTON, 

TOM LATHAM, 

JO ANN EMERSON, 

VIRGIL GOODE, Jr., 

RAY LAHOOD, 

49 

JOHN T. DOOLITTLE, RODNEY ALEXANDER, JERRY LEWIS, Managers on the Part of the House. 

R.F. BENNETT, 

THAD COCHRAN, 

ARLEN SPECTER, 

CHRIS BOND, 

MITCH MCCONNELL, 

TED STEVENS, 

HERB KOHL, 

DIANNE FEINSTEIN, 

RICHARD DURBIN, 

MARY LANDRIEU, 

ROBERT C. BYRD, 

Managers on the Part of the Senate. 

(51) 

JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT OF THE COMMITTEE OF 

CONFERENCE 

The managers on the part of the House and Senate at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendment of the Senate to bill (H.R. 2744), making appropriations for 

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, 

and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006 and for other purposes, submit the following joint 

statement to the House and Senate in explanation of the effect of 

the action agreed upon by the managers and recommended in the 

accompanying conference report. 

CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTIVES

The statement of the managers remains silent on provisions 

that were in both the House and Senate bills that remain unchanged by this conference agreement, except as noted in this 

statement of the managers. 

The conferees agree that executive branch wishes cannot substitute for Congress’ own statements as to the best evidence of congressional intentions-that is, the official reports of the Congress. 

The conferees further point out that funds in this Act must be used 

for the purposes for which appropriated, as required by section 

1301 of title 31 of the United States Code, which provides: ‘‘Appropriations shall be applied only to the objects for which the appropriations were made except as otherwise provided by law.’’ 

The House and Senate report language that is not changed by 

the conference is approved by the committee of conference. The 

statement of the managers, while repeating some report language 

for emphasis, does not intend to negate the language referred to 

above unless expressly provided herein. 

In cases in which the House or the Senate have directed the 

submission of a report, such report is to be submitted to both the 

House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. 

TITLE I—AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS 

PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, AND MARKETING

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

The conference agreement provides $5,127,000 for the Office of 

the Secretary as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides the fiscal year 2005 funding level for cross-cutting trade negotiations and biotechnology resources in the following accounts: Office of the Secretary; Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service; Grain Inspection, Packers and 

Stockyards Administration; and the Foreign Agricultural Service. 

52 

The conferees appreciate receiving the detailed information 

provided in the Explanatory Notes prepared by the Department 

and rely heavily on this information when considering budget proposals. These materials have traditionally been prepared for the 

sole use of the Committees on Appropriations in a format consistent with the organization and operation of the programs and 

the structure of the Appropriations Act. At the direction of the Office of Management and Budget, the Department has changed the 

format and content of these materials to focus on broader goals and 

objectives rather than the major program structure followed in the 

Act, and in the actual conduct of the programs. The new organization and content does not present budget information in a format 

useful to the deliberations of the Committees. For fiscal year 2007 

and future years, the Department is directed to present Explanatory Notes in a format consistent with the presentation used for 

the fiscal year 2002 Budget. Any deviations from that format are 

to be approved in advance by the Committees. 

The conferees direct the Secretary to advise the Committees on 

Appropriations in writing of the status of all reports requested of 

the Department by the committees, at the time of submission of the 

fiscal year 2007 budget and quarterly thereafter. 

The conferees are concerned by protocols employed by various 

food aid agencies related to measuring the quality of food products 

offered for international humanitarian assistance. The Secretary is 

encouraged to work with appropriate organizations to determine 

what actions may be proper to improve the nutritional integrity of 

food aid commodities and the consistency of testing methods. The 

Secretary is further encouraged, if appropriate, to work with 

groups experienced in food aid quality and tracking systems to 

carry out authorities provided in section 3013 of Public Law 107– 

171. The Committees on Appropriations expect a report on this 

subject no later than March 1, 2006. 

The conferees are aware of the various USDA agencies that 

were affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and other storm events 

in recent months. As a result of the dislocation of many individuals 

employed by these agencies, the conferees expect the Department 

to initiate all safe harbor means available to ensure safe and adequate relief and recovery for these employees until full restoration 

of agency facilities is complete and agency personnel are able to return to their homes. The conferees expect the Secretary to provide 

a report to the Committees on Appropriations of the House and 

Senate on actions taken in this regard by March 1, 2006. 

The conferees take note of the heightened awareness and concern surrounding the potential for an avian flu pandemic. The Secretary is directed to instruct all agencies with jurisdiction over possible introduction of foreign animal disease into this country to 

take all necessary steps, including increased surveillance and ensuring they have all the necessary authorities to provide the greatest level of safeguard against the introduction of highly pathogenic 

avian flu into the United States. The Secretary is further directed 

to report to the Committees on Appropriations of the House and 

Senate on this subject by March 1, 2006. 

The conferees remain committed to provide funding for federal, 

state university, and other arenas of research and development acVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
53 

tivities to support U.S. agriculture. Given current budget constraints, this conference agreement provides the highest levels of 

funding possible for various research programs under the jurisdiction of this Act. In addition, the conferees urge the Secretary, and 

others in the Executive Branch, to increase public sector investment in this important area. 

The conference agreement does not include language proposed 

by the Senate which would have conditioned imports of beef from 

Japan until that country takes steps toward opening its market to 

U.S. beef products. Nonetheless, the conferees strongly urge the 

Secretary to continue ongoing negotiations with the Japanese government to open this important market. The conferees are encouraged by recent movement in these negotiations, but clearly reserve 

the right to impose restrictions similar to those suggested by the 

Senate if there is not a swift resolution to this issue. 

The conferees direct the Secretary to submit to the Committees 

on Appropriations of the House and Senate, as a supplement to the 

President’s fiscal year 2007 budget request, a report on measures 

identified to address bark beetle infestations. This report should include information regarding resources identified in the fiscal year 

2007 budget request, including assistance under the authorities of 

the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003, relating to bark beetles. It is expected that the Secretary of Agriculture shall coordinate these activities with the Secretary of the Interior. 

The conferees remain aware of public attention to animal 

health issues, especially those that have implications for food safety and other aspects of human public health issues. Following the 

discovery of a BSE-infected cow in Washington State in December 

of 2003, the Secretary of Agriculture imposed a ban on the entry 

of non-ambulatory beef cattle into the food supply. The conferees 

note the continuing strong interest among the American consuming 

public regarding this policy and direct the Secretary to notify and 

closely confer with the Committees on Appropriations of the House 

and Senate, and appropriate authorizing committees, before the 

Department takes any actions that would weaken this safeguard. 

In addition, the conferees encourage the Secretary to initiate an 

Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on this subject. Finally, 

the conferees urge the Secretary to continue efforts for enhanced 

surveillance of animal health through sampling tissues and other 

materials retrieved from rendering facilities or places where nonambulatory animals are otherwise disposed. 

The conferees recognize the importance of public and private 

contributions to relieve world hunger. Human suffering related to 

food shortages resulting from famine, natural disaster, civil unrest, 

and similar circumstances is one of the greatest tragedies of current times. Further, world hunger complicates international relations where civil unrest leads to national destabilization and sympathies toward terrorist organizations. The conferees are aware of 

the organization which annually awards the World Food Prize for 

outstanding work in the field of humanitarian food assistance, and 

encourages the Secretary to work with this organization in any 

form appropriate to support its activities and to further its goal of 

relieving world hunger. The Secretary is directed to report to the 

54 

Committees by March 1, 2006, on ways in which the Department 

can participate in support of this organization. 

The conferees are aware that the Department intends to release an interim report on a feasibility study on converting sugar 

into ethanol by December 15, 2005. The conferees encourage the 

Department to release the interim report to Congress by December 

15, 2005 and a final report not later that July 1, 2006. 

The conferees are aware that the State of Texas has recently 

entered into a contract to privatize certain operations of the Food 

Stamp program. It is the conferees’ understanding that USDA has 

worked with the State in order to ensure that this contract will not 

result in a higher food stamp error rate or reduced access to the 

program. Therefore, the conferees direct the Secretary to provide 

quarterly reports, beginning 30 days after enactment of this Act, on 

the status of this contract, including the effects it is having on program access, error rates, and spending on administrative expenses. 

EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS

CHIEF ECONOMIST

The conference agreement provides $10,539,000 for the Office 

of the Chief Economist as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

NATIONAL APPEALS DIVISION

The conference agreement provides $14,524,000 for the National Appeals Division, as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

OFFICE OF BUDGET AND PROGRAM ANALYSIS

The conference agreement provides $8,298,000 for the Office of 

Budget and Program Analysis as proposed by the House and the 

Senate. 

HOMELAND SECURITY STAFF

The conference agreement provides $934,000 for Homeland Se- curity Staff as proposed by the House instead of $1,166,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

The conference agreement provides $16,462,000 for the Office 

of the Chief Information Officer as proposed by the House instead 

of $16,726,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

COMMON COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

The conference agreement provides $110,072,000 for common computing environment instead of $60,725,000 as proposed by the 

House and $118,072,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conferees direct the Department to continue reporting to 

the Committees on Appropriations on a quarterly basis on the implementation of the common computing environment. 

Since fiscal year 2000, Congress has appropriated over 

$500,000,000 for the modernization and integration of information 

systems in USDA’s county field offices. The conferees have fully 

supported this effort, but will expect to see reduced or level funding 

55 

levels for this account in future budget submissions as a result of 

anticipated efficiencies and economies of scale. 

The following table reflects the conference agreement’s recommendation: 

[Dollars in thousands] 

CCE base infrastructure ....................................................................... $ 19,735 

FSA specific ............................................................................................ 74,000 

NRCS specific ......................................................................................... 11,137 

RD specific .............................................................................................. 4,000 

Interagency e-Gov .................................................................................. 1,200 

$110,072 

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

The conference agreement provides $5,874,000 for the Office of 

the Chief Financial Officer as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

The conferees direct USDA to work with the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management to investigate the feasibility of creating a public/private partnership to 

help leverage scarce federal resources to expand upon the existing 

e-payroll program to include such functions as automated data 

processing, cross-servicing capabilities, and other beneficial services 

to federal agencies. The conferees encourage the Secretary to continue these expansions and to give close consideration for the continuity of National Finance Center (NFC) operations in Louisiana. 

The conferees commend the employees of the NFC in suburban 

New Orleans for their outstanding work in continuing the payrolls 

and cross-servicing operations of more than 130 government agencies during the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The conferees 

note that several hundred NFC employees have been relocated to 

other work sites because of hurricane damage and direct the Secretary to report to the Committees on Appropriations by January 

31, 2006 on the continuity of operations of the NFC and the reestablishment of payroll and cross-servicing operations and functions 

in New Orleans and plans for back-up facilities. 

WORKING CAPITAL FUND

The conference agreement includes a general provision that authorizes the Secretary to transfer unobligated balances of other accounts to the Working Capital Fund. 

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

The conference agreement provides $821,000 for the Office of 

the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights as proposed by the Senate 

instead of $811,000 as proposed by the House. 

OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS

The conference agreement provides $20,109,000 for the Office 

of Civil Rights as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

56 

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION

The conference agreement provides $676,000 for the Office of 

the Assistant Secretary for Administration as proposed by the 

House and the Senate. 

AGRICULTURE BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES AND RENTAL PAYMENTS

The conference agreement provides $187,734,000 for agriculture buildings and facilities and rental payments as proposed by 

the Senate instead of $183,133,000 as proposed by the House. The 

conference agreement provides an increase of $4,601,000 for building operations and maintenance to be applied to the highest priority needs for which additional funding was requested. 

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT

The conference agreement provides $12,000,000 for Hazardous 

Materials Management as proposed by the Senate instead of 

$15,644,000 as proposed by the House. 

DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION

The conference agreement provides $23,103,000 for Departmental Administration as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONGRESSIONAL

RELATIONS

The conference agreement provides $3,821,000 for the Office of 

the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations as proposed by 

the House instead of $3,846,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

The conference agreement provides $9,509,000 for the Office of 

Communications as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

The conferees direct the Office of Communications to continue 

providing the Committees with copies of open source news material 

made available to USDA officials through the use of appropriated 

funds. 

OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

The conference agreement provides $80,336,000 for the Office 

of the Inspector General instead of $79,626,000 as proposed by the 

House and $81,045,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement includes a program increase of 

$1,010,000, for computer forensics evidence storage and other high 

priority budgeted increases. 

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL

The conference agreement provides $39,351,000 for the Office 

of the General Counsel instead of $38,439,000 as proposed by the 

House and $40,263,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides an increase of $2,908,000 

for 2 staff years for additional legal services for the Marketing and 

57 

Regulatory Programs and for the highest priority needs for which 

additional funding was requested. 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND

ECONOMICS

The conference agreement provides $598,000 for the Office of 

the Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics as 

proposed by the House and the Senate. 

ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE

The conference agreement provides $75,931,000 for the Economic Research Service as proposed by the House instead of 

$78,549,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides an increase of $1,000,000, 

of which $350,000 is for an agreement with the National Academy 

of Sciences to conduct a comprehensive report on the economic development and current status of the sheep industry in the United 

States and $650,000 is to be applied to the highest priority needs 

for which additional funding was requested. 

Also, within the funds provided, the conferees expect not later 

than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Secretary of Energy, to provide to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress, a report that describes the impact of increased prices of gas, 

natural gas, and diesel on agricultural producers, ranchers, and 

rural communities. 

NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE

The conference agreement provides $140,700,000 for the National Agricultural Statistics Service instead of $136,241,000 as 

proposed by the House and $145,159,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides an increase of $5,367,000 

for agricultural estimates to be applied to the highest priority 

needs for which additional funding was requested. 

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

The conference agreement provides $1,135,004,000 for the Agricultural Research Service, Salaries and Expenses, instead of 

$1,035,475,000 as proposed by the House and $1,109,981,000 as 

proposed by the Senate. 

The conferees note that the Agricultural Research Service has 

had the authority to construct certain buildings provided by 7 

U.S.C. 2250 for several years. The conferees direct the Agricultural 

Research Service to notify the Committees on Appropriations on 

the use of this authority on a semi-annual basis beginning January 

1, 2006. 

The conferees expect the agency to promptly implement programs and allocate funds provided for the purposes identified by 

the Congress. 

58 

In complying with the conferees’ directives, ARS is expected 

not to redirect support for programs from one State to another 

without prior notification to and approval of the Committees on Appropriations in accordance with the reprogramming procedures 

specified in this Act. Unless otherwise directed, the agency shall 

implement appropriations by programs, projects, and activities as 

specified by the Appropriations Committees. Unspecified reductions 

necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act are to be implemented in accordance with the definitions contained in the ‘‘Program, Project, and Activity’’ section of this Act. 

The conference agreement continues the fiscal year 2005 level 

of funding for all research projects proposed to be terminated in the 

President’s budget as provided in House Report 109–102 and Senate Report 109–92 accompanying the fiscal year 2006 Agriculture 

Appropriations bills, including hyperspectral imaging in New Orleans, LA. 

The conferees have agreed to fund budgeted increases for the 

following areas of research: 

Emerging Diseases of Livestock/Crops—Develop Systems for Rapid Response to Bioterrorism Agents—Laramie, WY, $250,000; 

Athens, GA, $175,000; Vaccinology Research for Control and Eradication of Biological Threat Agents—Ames, IA, $450,000; Plum Island, NY, (Antigen Delivery Systems) $250,000; Plum Island, NY, 

(Foot and Mouth Disease) $150,000; Advance Intervention Strategies for Emerging Diseases of Livestock and Poultry—Ames, IA, 

$300,000; Develop Diagnostics for Rapid, Practical, Identification of 

Pathogens—Parlier, CA, $150,000; Ft. Pierce, FL, $150,000; Salinas, CA, $175,000; Develop Taxonomy, Biology, and Genetics of 

Pathogens—St. Paul, MN, Pullman, WA, others (Wheat Stripe Initiative), $500,000; Pullman, WA (Rust Disease of Wheat), $175,000; 

Ft. Pierce, FL, $300,000; Develop Science-Based Forecasting Systems for Each Pathogen/Crop Combination—Ft. Detrick, MD, 

$250,000; Develop Integrated Disease Management Strategies and 

Tools—Stoneville, MS, $240,000; Ames, IA, $150,000; Raleigh, NC, 

$150,000; Urbana, IL, $150,000; Charleston, SC, $50,000; and, 

Tifton, GA, $50,000. 

Food Safety—Develop Food Animal Surveillance and Epidemiology Programs for Early Detection of Epizootic Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance—Athens, GA, $250,000; Beltsville, MD, 

$250,000; Genomics to Analyze Microbial Communities to Control 

Food Pathogens in Preharvest Stage—Clay Center, NE, $50,000; 

College Station, TX, $50,000; Fungal Genomics to Identify Improved Control Strategies for Mycotoxins—New Orleans, LA, 

$150,000; Develop Sampling Systems and Protocols in Detecting Intentional Contamination—Beltsville, MD, $150,000; Develop Rapid 

Systems to Maximize Detection Potential of Pathogens in Foods— 

Albany, CA, $50,000; Develop Detection and Processing Intervention Systems for Liquid Egg Products—Wyndmoor, PA, $250,000, 

Athens, GA, $150,000; Identification of Toxic Chemical Residues 

and Heavy Metals—Beltsville, MD, $125,000; and, Biological Toxins—Albany, CA, $150,000. 

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Research—Implement an Integrated Zoonotic Research Program (BSE) in Pathogenesis, Diagnostics, and Intervention—Ames, IA, (Risk AssessVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00058 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
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ment of BSE) $900,000; Albany, CA, (Pathophysiology of BSE) 

$450,000; Pullman, WA, $500,000; Ames, IA, (Pre-Clinical Live 

Animal Test) $250,000; and, Albany, CA, (Prion Deactivation for 

Decontamination of Feed) $250,000. 

Obesity/Nutrition—Understanding Dietary Patterns That Contribute to Obesity in Low Socioeconomic and Minority Populations 

in the U.S.—Beltsville, MD, $250,000; Determine the Energy and 

Nutrient Content of Foods Consumed by U.S. Minority Populations—Grand Forks, ND, $200,000; Address the Obesity Epidemic 

and Promote a Healthier Lifestyle—Davis, CA, $150,000; Boston, 

MA, $150,000; Little Rock, AR, $150,000; Houston, TX, $200,000; 

Baton Rogue, LA, $200,000; and, Grand Forks, ND, $70,000. 

Invasive Species—Conduct Research to Control Sudden Oak 

Death, Tamarisk, Emerald Ash Borer, Yellow Starthistle, Asian 

Long Horned Beatle, Lobate Lac Scale, Swallow—Worts, and 

Teasel—Corvalis, OR, $150,000; Ft. Detrick, MD, $150,000; Newark, DE, $137,500; Ithaca, NY, $150,000; Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 

$75,000; Reno, NV, $200,000; Develop IPM Components and Systems for Invasive Insects—Mt. Pellier, France, $100,000; Peoria, 

IL, $100,000; Columbia, MO, $100,000; Improve Taxonomic Knowledge of Invasive Species—Beltsville, MD, $150,000; and, Identify 

the Genes in the Red Invasive Fire Ant and Develop Better Bait 

Controls—Gainesville, FL, $150,000. 

Air and Water Quality—Reduce Gaseous Particulate Matter 

Emissions from Animal Feeding Operations—Bushland, TX, 

$150,000. 

Biobased Products/Bioenergy Research—Improve the Quality 

and Quantity of Agricultural Biomass Feedstock for Production of 

Energy and Biobased Products—Peoria, IL, $250,000; Develop 

Technologies to Produce Biofuels and Co products from Agricultural Commodities and Byproducts—Beltsville, MD, $150,000; 

Wyndmoor, PA, $150,000; and, Develop Technologies Leading to 

New Value Added Products from Food Animal Byproducts— 

Wyndmoor, PA, $162,500. 

Genetic Resources—Genetic Resource Enhancement—Aberdeen, ID, $100,000; Miami, FL, $125,000; Raleigh, NC, $125,000; 

Madison, WI, $125,000; Genetic Resource Acquisition, Maintenance, and Characterization—Stuttgart, AR, $125,000; Ft. Collins, 

CO, $125,000; and, Ithaca, NY, $125,000. 

Genomics—Collect Phenotypic Data and Use Genome Sequence-Derived Markers to Characterize Available Germplasm of 

Economic Importance in Food Animals—Miles City, MT, $150,000; 

Identify and Characterize Genes That Affect Feed Efficiency, Reproduction, Animal Well-being, Disease Resistance Product Quality, and Other Economically Important Production Traits in Food 

Animals—Clay Center, NE, $350,000; Discover, Characterize and 

Localize Genes that Medicate Expression of Economically Important Traits in Plants—Salinas, CA, $112,500; St. Paul, MN, 

$200,000; and Baton Rogue, LA, $375,000. 

Characterize Functional Products of Important Genes That Influence Productivity and Product Quality in Plants—Manhattan, 

KS, $150,000. 

Agricultural Information—Ensure Long-term Access to National Digital Library for Agriculture—Beltsville, MD, $200,000. 

60 

The conference agreement includes increased funding in fiscal 

year 2006 to expand the following research projects: Agroforestry 

(Shiitake Mushroom, $50,000), Booneville, AR—$130,000; Animal 

Vaccines, Greenport, NY—$60,000; Appalachian Horticulture (University of TN/TN State), Poplarville, MS—$150,000; Arid Lands, 

Las Cruces, NM—$120,000; Barley Yellow Dwarf, West Lafayette, 

IN—$75,000; Binational Agricultural Research and Development 

Program, $32,000; Bioinformatics, Santa Fe, NM—$100,000; Biological Weed Control, Sidney, MT—$120,000; Bioremediation, 

$120,000; Bovine Genetics, Beltsville, MD (University of CT/University of IL)—$300,000; Broomweed, Albany, CA—$100,000; Catfish Genome, Auburn, AL—$75,000; Center for Food Safety and 

Post-Harvest Technology, $449,000; Cereal Crops Research, Madison, WI—$250,000; Chloroplast Genetic Engineering, Urbana, IL 

(University of Central FL)—$80,000; Coffee/Cocoa, Beltsville, 

MD(H/S)/Miami, FL(S)—$120,000; Corn Rootworm, Ames, IA— 

$100,000; Cotton Ginning, Stoneville, MS—$50,000; Cropping Systems Research, Stoneville, MS (University of TN/Western TN Ag 

Experiment Station)—$150,000; Dairy Forage, Madison, WI— 

$510,000; Delta Human Nutrition Research, Stoneville, MS— 

$300,000; Delta Human Nutrition Research Initiative, Little Rock, 

AR—$100,000; Floriculture and Nursery Crops, $250,000; Forage 

and Range Research, Logan, UT—$250,000; Formosan Termites, 

New Orleans, LA—$120,000; Ft. Pierce Horticulture Research Lab, 

Ft. Pierce, FL—$250,000; Grape Genetics, Geneva, NY—$100,000; 

Grapefruit Juice/Drug Interaction, Winterhaven, FL—$80,000; 

Great Lakes Aquaculture, Madison, WI—$30,000; Greenhouse Lettuce Germplasm, Salinas, CA—$150,000; Improved Forage and 

Livestock Production, Lexington, KY (University of KY)—$120,000; 

Invasive Aquatic Weeds, Ft. Lauderdale, FL—$100,000; Invasive 

Ludwigia, Davis, CA—$100,000; Karnal Bunt, Manhattan, KS— 

$80,000; Medicinal and Bioactive Crops, Steven F. Austin State 

University/University of MD—$240,000; Mid-west/Mid-South Irrigation, Columbia, MO (Delta Center, University of MO)—$68,000; 

Mosquito Biological Control, (Stoneville, MS)—$210,000; National 

Cold Water Marine Aquaculture, Franklin, ME—$160,000; National Sclerotinia Initiative, $300,000; National Soil Dynamics, Auburn, AL—$120,000; Natural Products, Oxford, MS—$180,000; 

Northeast Plant Soil and Water Lab, Orono, ME—$80,000; 

NutriCore, National Center for Excellence in Foods and Nutrition 

Research—$42,000; Ogallala Aquifer, Bushland, TX (Texas A&M, 

Texas Tech, & Kansas State University)—$1,375,000; Peanut Production, Dawson, GA—$75,000; Peanut Variety, Stillwater, OK— 

$180,000; Pear Thrips, Ithaca, NY (University of Vermont)— 

$50,000; Pierce’s Disease/Glassy-winged Sharpshooter, Parlier, 

CA—$25,000; Plant Genetic Diversity and Gene Discovery, Logan, 

UT—$180,000; Plant Protein Grazing Livestock, El Reno, OK— 

$100,000; Potato Blight, Orono, ME—$80,000; Quantify Basin 

Water Budget Components in the Southwest, Tucson, AZ— 

$200,000; Range and Forage Management (Sage Grouse), Burns, 

OR—$180,000; Regional Grains Genotyping Research, Raleigh, 

NC—$178,000; Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, and Other Food Pathogens, Wyndmoor, PA—$100,000; Seafood Waste, Fairbanks, AK— 

$75,000; Seasonal Grazing, Coshocton, OH—$100,000; Soybean ReVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00060 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
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search South, Stoneville, MS—$240,000; Sugarcane Breeding and 

Harvesting, Houma, LA—$100,000; Sustainable Aquaculture 

Feeds, Aberdeen, ID—$100,000; Swine Lagoon Alternatives, Florence, SC—$100,000; Turf Grass Research, Beaver, WV—$180,000; 

U.S. National Arboretum (Germplasm/Ornamental Horticulture), 

Washington, D.C.—$250,000; Vaccines and Microbe Control for 

Fish Health, Auburn, AL—$80,000; Viticulture, Corvallis, OR— 

$150,000; Waste Management, Bowling Green, KY (Western KY 

University)—$120,000; and, Winter Grain Legume, Pullman, WA— 

$120,000. 

The conference agreement provides an increase of $200,000 

above the fiscal year 2005 level for additional research at the 

Southwest Watershed Research Center at Tucson, Arizona instead 

of at the ARS Research Laboratory at Maricopa, Arizona and at the 

University of Arizona as proposed by the House. 

BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

The conference agreement provides $131,195,000 for the Agricultural Research Service, Buildings and Facilities, instead of 

$87,300,000 as proposed by the House and $160,645,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The following items reflect the conference agreement: National 

Center for Animal Health (Ames, Iowa), $58,800,000; Grape 

Genomics Research Center (Davis, California), $3,625,000; U.S. Agricultural Research Station (Salinas, California), $3,625,000; U.S. 

Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (Hilo, Hawaii), 

$3,625,000; Aquaculture Facility (Aberdeen/Bilingsley Creek, 

Idaho) $1,000,000; National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (Peoria, Illinois), $3,625,000; Animal Waste Management 

Research Laboratory (Bowling Green, Kentucky), $3,000,000; Forage-Animal Research Laboratory (Lexington, Kentucky) $4,000,000; 

ARS Sugarcane Research Laboratory (Houma, Louisiana), 

$3,625,000; National Marine Cold Water Aquaculture Research 

Center (Orono/Franklin, Maine), $2,500,000; Beltsville Agricultural 

Research Center (Beltsville, Maryland), $3,625,000; Biotechnology 

Laboratory, Alcorn State (Lorman, MS), $2,000,000; Poultry 

Science Research Facility (Starkville, Mississippi), $5,000,000; National Plant and Genetics Security Center (Columbia, Missouri), 

$3,725,000; Animal Bioscience Facility (Bozeman, Montana), 

$4,000,000; Center for Grape Genetics (Geneva, New York), 

$3,625,000; Center for Crop-based Health Genomics (Ithaca, New 

York), $3,625,000; University of Toledo (Toledo, Ohio), $1,600,000; 

U.S. Vegetable Laboratory (Charleston, South Carolina), 

$2,000,000; ARS Research Laboratory (Pullman, Washington), 

$3,625,000; Appalachian Fruit Laboratory (Kearneysville, West Virginia), $2,045,000; Nutrient Management Research Laboratory 

(Leetown, West Virginia), $900,000; and, Nutrient Management 

Laboratory (Marshfield, Wisconsin), $8,000,000. 

62 

COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION

SERVICE

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES

The conference agreement provides $676,849,000 for research 

and education activities instead of $662,546,000 as proposed by the 

House and $652,231,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides $500,000 for resident instruction grants for insular areas. 

The conference agreement provides $500,000 for the implementation of the National Veterinary Medical Services Act. 

The following table reflects the conference agreement: 

63 


Insert graphic folio 478/147 HR255.001
64 


Insert graphic folio 478/148 HR255.002
65 


Insert graphic folio 478/149 HR255.003
66 


Insert graphic folio 478/150 HR255.004
67 


Insert graphic folio 478/151 HR255.005
68 


Insert graphic folio 478/152 HR255.006
69 

The conference agreement does not provide funding, within the 

National Research Initiative, for the competitive grants program as 

authorized under section 406 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 as proposed by the House. The conference agreement provides $1,000,000 for Applied Ag- ricultural and Environmental Research of which $150,000 shall be 

for California State–Poly, and the remaining funds shall be equally 

divided among California State–Fresno, California State–San Luis 

Obispo, California State–Pomona, and California State–Chico. The conference agreement provides $350,000 to continue physical assessments of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo watershed to evaluate the hydrological feasibility of water management improvements. 

The conference agreement provides $300,000 for air quality re- search of which $150,000 each shall be for the University of California at Davis and Fresno State University to supplement existing 

research initiatives for bovine emissions and manure lagoon emissions. 

The conference agreement does not include language proposed 

by the House regarding Polymer-based University Research. The conference agreement provides $1,612,000 for the Food 

and Agriculture Policy Research Institute. Of that amount, the conferees provide an increase of $75,000 above the fiscal year 2005 

level for the Center for Agricultural and Trade Policies for the 

Northern Plains Region at North Dakota State University. The conference agreement provides $736,000 for grain sorghum research of which $210,000 is for Texas Tech, $149,000 is for Texas 

A&M, and $377,000 is for Kansas State. 

The conference agreement provides $9,548,000 for the Tropical 

and Subtropical Research program for Florida and Hawaii as proposed by the House instead of $4,699,000 for Hawaii as proposed 

by the Senate. The conference agreement provides $600,000 for aquaculture research of which $300,000 shall be for Florida, and $150,000 each 

for California (Hubbs Research Institute) and Texas (Mote Marine 

Laboratory/University of Texas). 

NATIVE AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS ENDOWMENT FUND

The conference agreement provides $12,000,000 for the Native 

American Institutions Endowment Fund as proposed by both the 

House and Senate. 

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

The conference agreement provides $455,955,000 for extension 

activities instead of $444,871,000 as proposed by the House and 

$453,438,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement includes $2,000,000 for grants to 

youth organizations instead of $2,646,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conferees note that the Extension Indian Reservation Program supports extension agents on large American Indian reservations to address the unique needs and problems of American Indian 

tribal nations. The funds provided are managed by the 1862 landgrant university in the state in which the reservation is located, 

70 

providing access to the university’s knowledge base and structure 

to deliver needed information and programs. The conferees recognize the need for additional Indian extension agents, and urge the 

Department to work with tribal nations to develop a benchmark for 

appropriate staffing levels. 

The following table reflects the conference agreement: 

71 


Insert graphic folio 478/157 HR255.007
72 

INTEGRATED ACTIVITIES

The conference agreement provides $55,792,000 for integrated 

activities instead of $15,513,000 as proposed by the House and 

$55,784,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The following table reflects the conference agreement: 


Insert graphic folio 478/158 HR255.008 Insert graphic folio 478/160 HR255.009
73 

OUTREACH FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS

The conference agreement provides $6,000,000 for Outreach for 

Socially Disadvantaged Farmers instead of $7,810,000 as proposed 

by the House and $5,888,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR MARKETING AND

REGULATORY PROGRAMS

The conference agreement provides $724,000 for the Office of 

the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs as 

proposed by the House and the Senate. 

ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

The conference agreement provides $815,461,000 for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) instead of 

$842,520,000 as proposed by the House and $807,768,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides specific amounts for each 

program administered by APHIS, and directs appropriations for a 

number of projects and activities within the programs. Unless otherwise directed, APHIS shall implement appropriations by program, projects, and activities as specified by the Committees on Appropriations. The conferees expect APHIS to provide the specified 

amount for each program or activity, and expect that there will not 

be any redirection of funds without prior notification to and approval by the Committees on Appropriations, in accordance with 

the reprogramming procedures specified in this Act. 

The conference agreement does not assume Animal Welfare 

Act user fees of $10,858,000, as proposed in the President’s budget 

request. Such fees are not authorized. 

The following table reflects the conference agreement: 

ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE

[In thousands of dollars] 

Program FY 2006 Conference 

Recommendation 

Pest and Disease Exclusion: 

Agricultural quarantine inspection ......................................................... 27,524 

Cattle ticks ................................................................................................ 7,627 

Foreign animal diseases/FMD ................................................................. 8,743 

Fruit fly exclusion and detection ............................................................. 59,976 

Import-export inspection .......................................................................... 12,493 

Screwworm ................................................................................................ 28,000 

Trade issues resolution management ..................................................... 12,583 

Tropical bont tick ..................................................................................... 426 

Total, Pest and Disease Exclusion ................................................... 157,372 

Plant and Animal Health Monitoring: 

Animal health monitoring and surveillance ........................................... 147,449 

Animal and plant health regulatory enforcement ................................. 10,399 

Bio Surveillance ........................................................................................ 2,007 

Emergency management systems ........................................................... 13,686 

Pest detection ............................................................................................ 27,316 

Select Agents ............................................................................................ 3,519 

74 

Program FY 2006 Conference 

Recommendation 

Wildlife Disease Monitoring and Surveillance ....................................... — 

Total, Plant and Animal Health Monitoring ................................... 204,376 

Pest and Disease Management: 

Aquaculture .............................................................................................. 1,262 

Biological control ...................................................................................... 9,579 

Boll weevil ................................................................................................. 39,000 

Brucellosis ................................................................................................. 10,453 

Chronic wasting disease .......................................................................... 18,710 

Emerging plant pests ............................................................................... 100,217 

Golden nematode ...................................................................................... 808 

Grasshopper and Mormon cricket ........................................................... 5,555 

Gypsy moth ............................................................................................... 4,818 

Imported fire ant ...................................................................................... 2,154 

Johnes disease .......................................................................................... 13,189 

Low pathogen avian influenza ................................................................ 13,837 

Noxious weeds .......................................................................................... 1,920 

Pink bollworm ........................................................................................... 5,221 

Plum pox ................................................................................................... 2,216 

Pseudorabies ............................................................................................. 4,391 

Scrapie ....................................................................................................... 18,600 

Tuberculosis .............................................................................................. 15,001 

Wildlife services operations ..................................................................... 77,927 

Witchweed ................................................................................................. 1,527 

Total, Pest and Disease Management ............................................. 346,385 

Animal Care: 

Animal welfare ......................................................................................... 17,478 

Horse protection ....................................................................................... 497 

Total, Animal Care ............................................................................ 17,975 

Scientific and Technical Services: 

Biosecurity ................................................................................................ 1,972 

Information technology infrastructure ................................................... 4,552 

Biotechnology regulatory services ........................................................... 10,574 

Environmental compliance ...................................................................... 2,653 

Plant methods development labs ............................................................ 8,535 

Veterinary biologics .................................................................................. 15,647 

Veterinary diagnostics ............................................................................. 22,890 

Wildlife services methods development .................................................. 17,390 

Total, Scientific and Technical Services .......................................... 84,213 

Contingency fund ............................................................................................. 4,140 

Physical security .............................................................................................. 1,000 

Total, Salaries and Expenses .................................................... $815,461 

For fiscal year 2006, the conferees provide $27,524,000 for the 

AQI appropriated account, which includes an increase of $52,000 

over the fiscal year 2005 funding level for interline activities in Hawaii. The conference agreement includes $2,514,000 for the National Germplasm and Biotechnology Laboratory to operate its biosecurity level 3 greenhouse, and support detection of high-risk 

plant pathogens to protect the agriculture sector. 

The conferees include $59,976,000 for fruit fly exclusion and 

detection. Of that amount, $2,758,000 is for fruit fly control in 

Texas, as requested. 

The conferees are aware of the development of a strategic plan 

to address the threat of multiple fruit fly species to U.S. agriculture. While APHIS does participate in sterile fly production relating to the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, there are three other fruit 

fly species in Hawaii which pose serious threats to agricultural production in that and other states. The conferees are aware of an exVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00074 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
75 

isting agency facility located on the island of Oahu which has been 

used to produce sterile fruit flies, and the Secretary is directed to 

take no action toward the dismantling or demolition of that facility 

since it may play a role in developing a multi-species fruit fly strategy for U.S. tropical and subtropical agriculture. The Secretary is 

also directed to work with representatives of the Hawaii agriculture sector in developing such a strategy and for possible inclusion of the existing APHIS facility in that regard. The conferees provide $12,493,000 for import-export inspection, including $1,000,000 for a cooperative agreement with the California County Pest Detection Augmentation Program. The conference agreement includes $147,449,000 for Animal 

Health Monitoring and Surveillance. Within that amount, the conference agreement provides $33,340,000 for the National Animal 

Identification System (NAIS), as requested. The conference agreement also includes an increase of $2,500,000 for the Comprehensive 

Surveillance System. 

The conference agreement provides the full amount requested, $17,184,000, for surveillance and other activities related to Bovine 

Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). The conference agreement includes: $600,000 for the Farm 

Animal Identification and Records (FAIR) program; funding of the 

New Mexico Rapid Syndrome Validation Program at $547,000 to 

support early detection of pathogens in animals and prevent their 

spread; $375,000 for Iowa State’s work regarding risk assessments 

of genetically modified agricultural products; $325,000 to address 

bio-safety issues relating to antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria 

in Vermont; $50,000 for animal tracking in Washington; and 

$50,000 for the Population Management Center, a collaboration between the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Davee Center for Epidemiology 

in Chicago, Illinois. The conference agreement includes $3,571,000 for cooperative agreements with states, $1,900,000 for cooperative agreements as 

part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, and 

$8,930,000 for FMD/FAD surveillance. 

The conference agreement includes $13,686,000 for emergency 

management systems, which includes a total of $4,307,000 for 

emergency coordinators and a total of $3,000,000 for the vaccine 

bank. 

The conference agreement includes $27,316,000 for pest detection, including $200,000 for a remote sensing, hyperspectral imaging and light detection and ranging project; an increase of $100,000 

for a cooperative agreement with California; and an increase of 

$1,546,000 for surveys through the Cooperative Agricultural Pest 

Surveys system. 

The conference agreement provides a total of $3,519,000 for the 

Select Agents program. The funding for this program was transferred from the Import/Export and Pest Detection line items, as 

proposed in the President’s budget request. 

The conferees provide an increase of $50,000 above the fiscal 

year 2005 level for the Greater Yellowstone Interagency Brucellosis 

Committee and an increase of $50,000 for Montana. 

For chronic wasting disease, the conferees provide $18,710,000. 

The program provides funding to states in which the disease has 

76 

been found, including West Virginia. The conferees direct that of 

the total, $1,750,000 is for Wisconsin; $246,000 for Utah; $247,000 

for the Conservation Medicine Center of Chicago; $50,000 for Colorado; and $150,000 for Alaska to monitor chronic wasting disease. 

The conferees direct the Secretary to publish in the Federal 

Register proposed regulations relating to the control of chronic 

wasting disease. The Secretary is further directed to provide notice 

to the Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate if 

this directive has not been achieved within 90 days of enactment 

and such notice shall include a description of actions taken and a 

timetable for publication in the Federal Register. 

The conference agreement includes $100,217,000 for plant 

pests. The conferees provide $36,629,000 for citrus canker eradication; $24,250,000 for Pierce’s Disease/Glassy-winged sharpshooter; $10,000,000 for Emerald Ash borer; $1,500,000 for Karnal 

Bunt; and $3,076,000 for Sudden Oak Death. The conferees provide 

$500,000 for hydrilla eradication around Lake Gaston in Virginia 

and North Carolina. Funding for olive fruit fly is continued at the 

fiscal year 2005 level. 

The conference agreement includes $20,000,000 for Asian 

longhorned beetle activities. The conferees direct that no less than 

the fiscal year 2005 level be provided for activities in Chicago, Illinois. The conferees also direct that sufficient resources be allocated 

for activities in New York. 

The conferees note their continued concern regarding the devastation caused by citrus canker. The conference agreement includes $36,629,000 for eradication and control activities. Additional 

funds have recently been made available by the Administration. In 

September 2005, the Secretary announced that USDA had provided 

$53,750,000 in emergency funding for eradication and control, and 

in October 2005, he announced $200,000,000 in disaster relief funding to compensate commercial growers for losses. Although the conferees understand that these funds do not cover total needs, particularly since the hurricanes that hit Florida in 2004 contributed 

to the spread of disease, the investment to date has been substantial. In total, over $740,000,000 in federal funding has been provided to address needs related to citrus canker. The conferees will 

continue to monitor the situation, and encourage the Administration to continue its support of the industry. 

The conferees expect the Secretary of Agriculture to continue 

to utilize his authority to transfer funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to assist states with the arrest and eradication of animal and plant pests and diseases that threaten American agriculture. 

The conference agreement provides $13,189,000 for Johne’s 

Disease. Of that amount, no less than the fiscal year 2005 level 

shall be available for activities in Wisconsin. 

The conferees note that a total of $28,337,000 is available for 

activities related to the prevention, control, and eradication of 

avian influenza, including $12,000,000 in carryover funds for indemnities. A program increase of $3,000,000 for detection, control, 

and eradication activities is provided in the conference agreement. 

77 

The conferees provide $1,920,000 for the noxious weeds ac- count. This amount includes $50,000 for weed management in Nevada. 

The conference agreement includes the amount requested, $2,216,000, for surveillance and control of the plum pox virus. In 

addition, approximately $600,000 is available for the program from 

carryover funds. The conferees understand that the virus has not 

moved beyond the borders of Pennsylvania, but are concerned 

about recent positive findings in the state. The conferees expect 

that if the incidence of plum pox virus increases, APHIS will use 

its authorities for emergency funding to support surveillance and 

removal and destruction of infected trees. 

The conferees are aware of an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis 

in New Mexico and, in response, that an MOU has been executed 

between USDA and that state. The conferees urge the Secretary to 

use authorities and resources of the Department to provide testing, 

monitoring, surveillance, and other services, as needed, toward the 

control and eradication of this disease. 

The conferees direct that, other than funding for the specific 

items noted in this statement, the funds provided in the Wildlife 

Services Operations line item are available for general operations 

needs. 

The conferees do not concur with the President’s request to reduce funding in the Wildlife Services account to allow cooperators 

to assume a larger share of the costs associated with these activities. 

The conferees provide $1,200,000 for wolf predation manage- ment, of which $1,050,000 is for Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, and $150,000 is for New Mexico and Arizona. 

The conference agreement continues funding for the following projects: $300,000 for beaver management in North Carolina; 

$250,000 for crop and aquaculture losses in Southeast Missouri; 

$625,000 for game bird predation work with the University of Georgia; $150,000 for predation wildlife services in western and southside Virginia; $135,000 for blackbird control in Louisiana; 

$1,337,000 for predator control programs in Montana, Idaho, and 

Wyoming; $1,000,000 for wildlife services in Texas; $225,000 for 

beaver management and damage in Wisconsin; $50,000 for control 

of feral hogs in Missouri; $1,000,000 for cormorant control in New 

York; $200,000 for cormorant control in Michigan; $150,000 for cormorant control in the Lake Champlain basin; $750,000 for wildlife 

service operations with the South Dakota Department of Game, 

Fish, and Parks; $539,000 for the management of beavers in Mississippi; $380,000 to continue control measures for minimizing 

blackbird damage to sunflowers in North Dakota and South Dakota; $172,000 for Kansas blackbird control; $342,000 for the Jack 

Berryman Institute, Utah; $247,000 for Kentucky State operations; 

$321,000 for Delta states operations; $196,000 for geese control in 

New York; and $250,000 for the New Hampshire State operations. 

The conference agreement does not include $100,000 increases for 

state operations in Alaska, Tennessee or Pennsylvania, as proposed 

by the Senate. 

The conference agreement includes $10,700,000 for wildlife 

control in Western states. 

78 

The conference agreement provides $404,000 for activities in 

Hawaii and Guam. The conferees expect these funds to be used to 

enhance activities for control of pest species. In addition, the conference agreement provides $950,000 for brown tree snake control. The conference agreement includes $23,580,000 for a coopera- tive oral rabies vaccination program, an increase of $2,000,000 over 

the fiscal year 2005 level. The conferees encourage APHIS to make 

use of existing funds to appropriately address rabies in Broward 

County, Florida. 

Within the amount provided for wildlife surveillance, the con- ference agreement provides an increase of $100,000 for remote 

diagnostics and wildlife disease surveillance activities with North 

Dakota State University and Dickinson State University. The conferees provide an increase of $1,900,000 for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, as requested. Within 

the total, $375,000 is included for an agriculture biosecurity center 

in Kansas. 

The conference agreement includes $17,390,000 for wildlife 

services methods development. Within that amount, the conferees 

provide $419,000 in funding for the National Wildlife Research Station in Kingsville, Texas, to address emerging infectious disease 

issues associated with wildlife populations; an increase of $175,000 

for the Jack Berryman Institute, Mississippi; and an increase of 

$118,000 for the Utah Predator Research Station. 

The conferees support the microchipping of pets for identification under a system of open microchip technology in which all scanners can read all chips. The conferees direct APHIS to develop the 

appropriate regulations that allow for universal reading ability and 

best serve the interests of pet owners. The conferees also direct 

APHIS to take into consideration the effect such regulation may 

have on the current practice of microchipping pets in this country, 

and to report to the Committees on Appropriations within 90 days 

of the date of enactment of this Act on progress toward that end. 

The conferees are aware of the scientific achievements that 

have been made possible through the use of laboratory animals. 

However, the conferees also strongly support strict enforcement of 

the Animal Welfare Act, including regulatory oversight of the trade 

by Class B animal dealers. The Secretary is directed to report to 

the Appropriations Committees of the House and Senate by March 

1, 2006, on enforcement actions taken in the regulation of Class B 

animal dealers. Such report should also include information regarding the frequency of inspection of Class B dealers, the allocation of 

resources for that purpose, and other actions of the Department. 

BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

The conference agreement provides $4,996,000 for Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service Buildings and Facilities as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

MARKETING SERVICES

The conference agreement provides $75,376,000 for the Agricultural Marketing Service instead of $78,032,000 as proposed by 

79 

the House and $76,643,000 as proposed by the Senate. The conference agreement does not include $2,918,000 in standardization 

fees, as proposed in the President’s budget. These fees are not currently authorized in law. 

The conference agreement does not include funding under this 

account for a web-based supply chain management system, but 

does provide funding for the system under the Funds for Strengthening Markets, Income, and Supply (section 32) Account. 

The conferees provide $2,026,000 for activities relating to organic standards, $15,262,000 for the Pesticide Data Program, and 

$2,927,000 for Pesticide Recordkeeping, as requested in the budget, 

and an increase of $1,000,000 for activities related to country of origin labeling enforcement. 

The conference agreement includes $1,000,000 for the Farmers’ 

Market Promotion Program, to make grants to eligible entities for 

the purposes of establishing, expanding, and promoting farmers’ 

markets. The conferees direct that no entity shall receive more 

than $75,000 in funding from the program, and request a report on 

the grants made, including the entity, purpose, and location, and 

administrative costs of the program within 180 days of enactment. 

LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

The conference agreement provides $65,667,000 as proposed by 

both the House and Senate. 

FUNDS FOR STRENGTHENING MARKETS, INCOME, AND SUPPLY

(SECTION 32)

The conference agreement provides $16,055,000 for Funds for 

Strengthening Markets, Income, and Supply as proposed by the 

House and the Senate. 

In addition, the conferees provide not less than $20,000,000 for 

the first phase of development of the Web-based Supply Chain 

Management (WBSCM) system, which will benefit the programs of 

the Agricultural Marketing Service, the Farm Service Agency, and 

the Food and Nutrition Service, as well as enhancing food distribution to schools and other feeding outlets. The conferees note that 

administrative expenses to support commodity purchases are expressly allowed in the authorizing legislation, and Section 32 

funds, accordingly, should be used to fund the development of the 

WBSCM system. 

PAYMENTS TO STATES AND POSSESSIONS

The conference agreement provides $3,847,000 for Payments to 

States and Possessions as proposed by the Senate instead of 

$1,347,000 as proposed by the House. 

The conference agreement includes bill language and funding 

for a specialty markets grant as proposed by the Senate. 

80 

GRAIN INSPECTION, PACKERS AND STOCKYARDS ADMINISTRATION

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

The conference agreement provides $38,443,000 for the Grain 

Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration as proposed by 

the Senate instead of $38,400,000 as proposed by the House. 

The conference agreement fully funds the requested increase 

for pay costs and the development of an information disaster recovery program, and provides an increase of $225,000 for other high 

priority budgeted increases. The conference agreement does not include $24,701,000 in grain standardization and Packers and Stockyards licensing fees, as proposed in the President’s budget. These 

fees are not currently authorized in law. 

The conferees remain very interested in the study on mar- keting arrangements that GIPSA has undertaken with $4,500,000 

provided in fiscal year 2003 for that purpose. Although the study 

was delayed, the conferees have been informed that it is scheduled 

for completion in mid-2006 and that the total cost is not affected. 

The conferees direct GIPSA to provide quarterly updates and report the study findings to the Committees on Appropriations by 

June 30, 2006. 

The conference agreement includes $500,000 to continue the 

product verification protocols pilot program, in conjunction with the 

Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa Corn Growers Associations. The pilot 

program is to establish controls for regulated seed varieties and 

augment grain marketing. 

LIMITATION ON INSPECTION AND WEIGHING SERVICES EXPENSES

The conference agreement provides $42,463,000 for Limitation 

on Inspection and Weighing Services Expenses as proposed by the 

House and Senate. 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOOD SAFETY

The conference agreement provides $602,000 for the Office of 

the Under Secretary for Food Safety as proposed by the Senate instead of $590,000 as proposed by the House. 

FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE

The conference agreement provides $837,756,000 for the Food 

Safety and Inspection Service, instead of $837,264,000 as proposed 

by the House and $836,818,000 as proposed by the Senate. The 

conference agreement does not assume Food Safety Inspection user 

fees of $139,000,000, as proposed in the President’s budget request. 

Such fees are not authorized. 

The conferees include bill language, as proposed by the Senate, 

regarding full-time equivalent positions for inspections and enforcement of laws and regulations related to the Humane Methods of 

Slaughter Act. 

The conference agreement provides $4,000,000 for FSIS to continue the incorporation of the Humane Activities Tracking (HAT) 

system into the Field Automation and Information Management 

(FAIM) system at slaughter plants throughout the country. This 

system will assist in connecting the HAT data into FSIS’ broader 

81 

food safety and food security communications infrastructure. In addition, this will provide FSIS with access to real-time information, 

assisting in the detection and prevention of potential food safety 

problems at FSIS-inspected facilities throughout the country. 

The conference agreement provides the following increases: $2,236,000 for frontline inspection improvement; $1,008,000 for 

food safety employee training; $417,000 for biosurveillance; and 

$2,500,000 for laboratory capacity. The conference agreement also 

provides $2,976,000 for BSE surveillance, as requested, and 

$2,000,000 for microbiological baseline studies. 

FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, FUNDING BY ACTIVITY

[In thousands of dollars] 

Food Safety & Inspection: Federal ...................................................................................................... $753,252 

State .......................................................................................................... 53,790 

International ............................................................................................. 19,551 

Codex ................................................................................................................ 3,002 

FAIM Project .................................................................................................... 8,161 

Total ................................................................................................... 837,756 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FARM AND FOREIGN

AGRICULTURAL SERVICES

The conference agreement provides $635,000 for the Office of 

the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services as 

proposed by the House and the Senate. 

FARM SERVICE AGENCY

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

The conference agreement provides $1,030,000,000 for the Farm Service Agency instead of $1,023,738,000 as proposed by the 

House and $1,043,555,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement includes the following increases: $15,944,000 for pay cost; $15,018,000 to maintain staffing levels 

being funded from carryover balances in fiscal year 2005; 

$2,900,000 for the National Agricultural Imagery Program, of 

which $300,000 is for a pilot Automated Crop Cultivation Assessment Tool; and $1,500,000 for the enhancement and management 

of the agriculture imagery catalog repositories and data warehouses as proposed by the Senate. 

The conferees direct that of the funds available to the Administrator of the Farm Service Agency, $24,000,000 shall be for the National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP). This amount is in addition to any provided by cooperating funds from any other federal, 

state, or local government funding for NAIP. 

The conferees note that USDA has set aside the FSA Tomorrow plan and expect USDA to exercise a cautious approach toward 

any county or local office closures. 

The conferees are aware of the successful partnership between 

FSA and the National Tribal Development Authority in providing 

credit outreach to American Indian producers, which offers tribal 

members an equal opportunity to participate in farm loan programs. The National FSA American Indian Credit Outreach initiative reaches tribal members across the country, and has demVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00081 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
82 

onstrated continued success in increasing participation and reducing defaults since its inception in 2001. Recent funding concerns 

have created some uncertainty for the future of this program. The 

conferees encourage FSA to continue its partnership with NTDA 

for its credit outreach initiatives. 

STATE MEDIATION GRANTS

The conference agreement provides $4,250,000 for State Mediation Grants, as proposed by the House and Senate. 

GRASSROOTS SOURCE WATER PROTECTION PROGRAM

The conference agreement provides $3,750,000 for the Grassroots Source Water Protection Program instead of no funding as 

proposed by the House and $4,250,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

Funding for this program in previous fiscal years has been provided through the Natural Resources Conservation Service. 

DAIRY INDEMNITY PROGRAM

The conference agreement provides $100,000 for the Dairy Indemnity Program, as proposed by the House and Senate. 

AGRICULTURAL CREDIT INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

The following table reflects the conference agreement: 

Farm Ownership Loans: 

Direct ........................................................................................ ($208,000,000) 

Subsidy ..................................................................................... 10,650,000 

Guaranteed .............................................................................. (1,400,000,000) 

Subsidy ..................................................................................... 6,720,000 

Farm Operating Loans: 

Direct ........................................................................................ (650,000,000) 

Subsidy ..................................................................................... 64,675,000 

Unsubsidized Guaranteed ...................................................... (1,150,000,000) 

Subsidy ..................................................................................... 34,845,000 

Subsidized Guaranteed ........................................................... (274,632,000) 

Subsidy ..................................................................................... 34,329,000 

Indian Tribe Land Acquisition ............................................... (2,020,000) 

Subsidy ..................................................................................... 81,000 

Boll Weevil Eradication .......................................................... (100,000,000) 

Subsidy ..................................................................................... 0 

ACIF Expenses: 

Salaries and Expenses ............................................................ 304,591,000 

Administrative Expenses ........................................................ 8,000,000 

The conference agreement provides for a transfer of 

$304,591,000 to salaries and expenses instead of $297,127,000 as 

proposed by the House and $309,137,000 as proposed by the Senate. Of this amount, $4,194,000 shall be used for increased salary 

costs, $7,483,000 shall be used for the highest priority operating 

expenses, and no less than $1,500,000 shall be used to hire and 

train additional farm loan officers and managers. 

The conference agreement provides no new budget authority 

for the emergency loan program. Currently, this loan program has 

over $152,000,000 available for eligible producers. Based on historical loan activity, this amount should meet all needs for emergency 

loans in this fiscal year. 

83 

RISK MANAGEMENT AGENCY

The conference agreement provides $77,048,000 for the Risk 

Management Agency instead of $77,806,000 as proposed by the 

House and $73,448,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides $3,600,000 in discretionary 

funds for data mining and data warehousing activities to address 

the program compliance and integrity functions of the federal crop 

insurance program. The conferees will only provide one-time funding for these activities within discretionary funds, and recommend 

the Agency seek mandatory funds as previously authorized under 

the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. §§ 1501–1524) as proposed by the House. 

Within the total funding for the Risk Management Agency, the 

conference agreement provides an increase of $1,000,000 for the 

Agency’s Emerging Information Technology Architecture initiative, 

instead of $1,463,000 as proposed by the House. 

The conferees urge the Risk Management Agency to initiate a 

pilot program that would evaluate the effectiveness of lamb price 

insurance for sheep producers of all size operations and geography 

as proposed by the House, and a second that would conduct an actuarial study, in conjunction with North Dakota State University, 

addressing an optional insurance program in North Dakota, South 

Dakota, and Minnesota on wheat, barley, soybeans, and corn as 

proposed by the Senate. 

The conferees are aware of aerial platform multi-spectral digital imaging and its potential application in facilitating the accurate measurement of crop insurance claims. The conferees encourage the Secretary to consider the development of a pilot program 

with the University of Minnesota to advance the application of this 

technology to the claims process. 

FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE CORPORATION FUND

The conference agreement provides an appropriation of such 

sums as may be necessary for the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund (estimated to be $3,159,379,000 in the President’s fiscal 

year 2006 Budget Request), as proposed by the House and Senate. 

COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION FUND

REIMBURSEMENT FOR NET REALIZED LOSSES

The conference agreement provides an appropriation of such 

sums as may be necessary for Reimbursement for Net Realized 

Losses of the Commodity Credit Corporation (estimated to be 

$25,690,000,000 in the President’s fiscal year 2006 Budget Request), as proposed by the House and Senate. 

HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT

The conference agreement provides a limitation of $5,000,000 

for Hazardous Waste Management, as proposed by the House and 

Senate. 

84 

TITLE II—CONSERVATION PROGRAMS 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR NATURAL RESOURCES AND

ENVIRONMENT

The conference agreement provides $744,000 for the Office of 

the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment as 

proposed by the House and the Senate. 

The conferees note that the Natural Resources Conservation 

Service underwent a reorganization in early 2004. In discussions 

about the reorganization with the Committees on Appropriations, 

the Department agreed to revisit the reorganization in two to three 

years to determine its effectiveness and address any concerns of 

the Committees. The conferees direct the Department to consult 

with the Committees prior to conducting an analysis of the reorganization, and describing how it has met the needs of the Service, 

Congress, and stakeholders. 

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

CONSERVATION OPERATIONS

The conference agreement includes $839,519,000 for Conserva- tion Operations, instead of $773,640,000 as proposed by the House 

and $819,561,000 as proposed by the Senate. The conference agreement provides $27,500,000 for the Graz- ing Lands Conservation Initiative, $10,650,000 for snow surveys, 

$10,547,000 for Plant Materials Centers, and $88,149,000 for the 

Soil Surveys Program. The budget authority provided for the Plant 

Materials Centers does not include funds for completion of the 

Alaska Plant Materials Center, as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement requires funds appropriated for Conservation Operations be available until May 31, 2007. The conferees direct the Secretary to report to the Committees no later 

than July 1, 2006, on any projects or activities for which funds 

have been specifically provided by this Act that have not been obligated by that date. Such a report shall include the reasons for 

which the obligations have not been made and a timetable indicating when those obligations shall occur. 

Funding for fiscal year 2005 projects is not continued in fiscal 

year 2006 unless specifically mentioned in this statement of the 

managers. The following funds are directed to be used in cooperative agreements continued with the same cooperator entities as in 

the fiscal year 2005 agreements, except as noted: Cooperative 

agreement between the Alabama Department of Conservation and 

Natural Resources and the Alabama Wildlife Federation for conservation education (AL)—$446,000; Cooperative agreement with 

the Alabama Association of Conservation Districts (AL)—$100,000; 

Obtain/evaluate materials for cold region seeds of plants in conjunction w/Alaska Division of Agriculture (AK)—$300,000; Native 

Plant Materials (commercialization) (AK)—$300,000; NRI pilot development (AK)—$500,000; Cooperative agreement w/Soil and 

Water Conservation Districts (AK)—$1,488,000; National Water 

Management Center (AR)—$2,750,000; Study to determine logistics 

of transportation/coordination of excess nutrients (AR)—$225,000; 

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85 

sas at Pine Bluff (AR)—$125,000; East Valley Conservation District/Santa Ana Watershed Authority Plant Removal (CA)— 

$1,000,000; Monterey Bay Sanctuary (CA)—$600,000; Cooperative 

agreement with the Municipal Water District of Orange County 

California (CA)—$200,000; Cooperative agreement w/Tufts University to improve conservation practices (CT)—$500,000; Pilot 

projects for technology systems resulting in nutrient reduction 

(FL)—$6,000,000; Manatee Agriculture Reuse System (FL)— 

$2,000,000; Lake Okeechobee Watershed project planning (FL)— 

$350,000; Suwannee, Dixie, and Lafayette Counties dairy and poultry waste treatment (FL)—$1,000,000; Cooperative agreement w/ 

Green Institute (FL)—$400,000; Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Cooperative Agreement (GA)—$3,700,000; Community nutrient management facilities (GA)—$350,000; Cooperative agreement w/GSU for the Altamaha River Basin water quality 

project (GA)—$100,000; Agricultural development/resource conservation (HI)—$900,000; Idaho One Plan (ID)—$200,000; cooperative agreement w/the College of S. Idaho (ID)—$125,000; Trees Forever Program (IL)—$100,000; Illinois River Agricultural Conservation Project w/ Ducks Unlimited (IL)—$242,000; Wildlife habitat 

education program in conjunction w/ National Wild Turkey Federation (IL)—$242,000; Kane County, Smart Growth Floodplain Monitoring Project (IL)—$600,000; Planning/ops in Illinois River watershed w/ Peoria County (IL)—$175,000; Illinois River Basin (IL)— 

$600,000 through EQIP; Hungry Canyon/Loess Hills Erosion Control/Western Iowa (IA)—$1,200,000; Trees Forever Program (IA)— 

$100,000; CEMSA w/Iowa Soybean Association (IA)—$432,000; Cooperative agreement w/ Northern Iowa University (IA)—$446,000; 

Soil erosion control cost-share program/soil survey program (KY)— 

$3,000,000; Technical assistance to provide grants to Soil Conservation Districts (KY)—$1,000,000; Cooperative agreement w/ Western 

Ky. University (KY)—$396,000; Dairy waste remediation-Lake 

Ponchartrain Basin (LA)—$295,000; Cooperative agreement w/ 

LSU on effectiveness of agriculture and forestry (LA)—$400,000; 

False River sedimentation/Bayou Grosse (LA)—$200,000; UnionLincoln Parish Regional Water Conservation w/Lincoln Parish 

(LA)—$125,000; Chesapeake Bay activities (MD)—$6,000,000; Conservation related to cranberry production (MA/WI)—$600,000; 

Weed It Now-Taconic Mountains (MA/NY/CT)—$200,000; Great 

Lakes pilot program for conservation (MI)—$600,000; Conservation 

in the Driftless area w/Southwest Badger RC&D (MN/WI)— 

$263,000; Mississippi Conservation Initiative (MS)—$10,000,000; 

Delta Water Resources Study (MS)—$694,000; Delta Conservation 

Demonstration Center, Washington County (MS)—$1,389,000; Soil 

erosion/Alcorn State (MS)—$192,000; Cattle and nutrient management in stream crossings (MS)—$893,000; Choctaw County feasibility study for surface impoundment (MS)—$250,000; Wildlife 

Habitat Management Institute (MS)—$5,766,000; Alluvial Floodplain Conservation (MS)—$750,000; Soil Monitoring Pilot Project 

(MT)—$150,000; Upper White River Water Quality Project in 

southern MO—$431,000; Carson City Erosion Control Project w/ 

Carson City (NV)—$375,000; Rangeland Conservation w/ Nevada 

Fire Safety Council (NV)—$125,000; State conservation cost share 

program (NJ)—$1,000,000; Riparian restoration activities along Rio 

86 

Grande and Pecos (NM)—$537,000; Pastureland Management/Rotational Grazing (NY)—$600,000; Best management practices/ 

Skaneateles and Owasco Watersheds (NY)—$325,000; Address nonpoint pollution in Onondaga and Oneida Lake Watersheds (NY)— 

$500,000; Watershed Agriculture Council in Walton (NY)— 

$720,000; Pace University Land Use Law Center (NY)—$200,000; 

New York State Agriculture and Environment Program (NY)— 

$800,000; Long Island Sound watershed initiative (NY)—$200,000; 

Erosion control/stabilization for Hudson River shoreline at 

Tarrytown (NY)—$250,000; Technical assistance to livestock/poultry industry (NC)—$450,000; West Cary Watershed and Farmland 

Protection Project (NC)—$298,000; North Central Planning Council 

water utilization/ Devil’s Lake (ND)—$350,000; Maumee Watershed Hydrological Study and Flood Mitigation Plan (OH)— 

$1,000,000; Lake Erie Wetlands Conservation Corridors Project 

(OH)—$125,000; Cooperative agreement with Chemeketa Community College for the Oregon Garden, Silverton (OR) —$325,000; 

Conservation in Klamath and Lake Co. w/ Klamath County Economic Development Association (OR)—$175,000; Soil Survey Work 

in the State w/ MapCoast Partnership (RI)—$100,000; Study to 

characterize land use change while preserving natural resources in 

cooperation with Clemson University (SC)—$1,190,000; Bexar, Medina, Uvalde Counties irrigation in Edwards Aquifer (TX)— 

$500,000; Field office telecommunications pilot program/advanced 

soil survey methods (TX)—$2,400,000; Range vegetation pilot 

project, Ft. Hood (TX)—$500,000; Texas Water Resources Institute 

cooperative agreement for Tarrant County ($500,000) and Hood 

County ($100,000) (TX)—$600,000; AFO/CAFO Pilot Project (UT)— 

$300,000; Study to examine effects of vegetative manipulation on 

water yields w/ Utah State (UT)—$800,000; Washington Fields 

(UT)—$3,000,000; Utah Conservation Initiative (UT)—$5,000,000; 

Reduce phosphorus loading into Lake Champlain (VT)—$300,000; 

Pilot farm viability program project (VT)—$300,000; Walla Walla 

watershed alliance (WA)—$500,000; Design/implement natural 

stream restoration initiatives (WV)—$800,000; Soil survey geographic database in the Mid-Atlantic Highlands (WV)—$200,000; 

Poultry Litter Composting (WV)—$160,000; Potomac and Ohio 

River Basin Soil Nutrient Project (WV)—$300,000; Appalachian 

Small Farmer Outreach Program (WV)—$860,000; GIS Center of 

Excellence, West Virginia University (WV)—$4,500,000; Multiflora 

Rose Control w/ West Virginia State Conservation Agency (WV)— 

$750,000; Grazing Lands Initiative/Wisconsin Department of Agriculture (WI)—$950,000; Conservation land internship program 

(WI)—$120,000; Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Committee cooperative agreement (WI)—$300,000; Cooperative agreement with Sand County Foundation (WI)—$1,200,000; University 

of Wisconsin cooperative agreement on conservation tech transfer 

(WI)—$300,000; Cooperative agreement Pioneer Farm (WI)— 

$300,000; Soil survey mapping project (WY)—$300,000; Audubon at 

Home Pilot Program—$500,000; Great Lakes Basin Program for 

Soil & Erosion Sediment—$2,500,000; On-Farm Management Systems Evaluation Network—$250,000; Watershed management 

demo program/NPPC—$548,000; National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Partnerships—$3,000,000; and Operation Oak to restore 

87 

hardwoods—$400,000. The conference agreement includes funding 

for the Grassroots Source Water Protection Program in a separate 

account. 

The conferees direct that the funding included in this account 

for the Community Nutrient Management Facilities project and the 

Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Cooperative 

Agreement be provided to the Commission through the state NRCS 

office in a timely manner and in total, not in part, so that vital 

water projects in Georgia are not delayed. Of the funds provided 

for the Community Nutrient Management Facilities, $100,000 is 

for a contract with the Georgia Rural Water Association to continue 

the Lagoon Waste Management Demonstration program at agricultural and municipal sludge disposal facilities. 

The conference agreement provides $6,000,000 for the continued implementation of pilot projects for innovative technology systems resulting in a 75 percent reduction in nutrients of waste 

stream discharged by animal feeding operations to be managed by 

Farm Pilot Project Coordination, Inc. The Secretary is directed to 

release these funds after submitting a report to the Committees on 

Appropriations that a satisfactory cooperative agreement between 

the NRCS and Farm Pilot Project Coordination, Inc. has been consummated. 

The conference agreement provides $27,500,000 for the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative. This is $4,188,000 more than 

the fiscal year 2005 level. The conferees expect the additional funds 

will be used to enhance efforts to manage and prevent the spread 

of invasive species. The conferees encourage the agency to make 

western range lands a priority when allocating funding. 

The conferees support the NRCS proposal to use Conservation 

Innovation Grants to support the goals of the Wildlife Habitat 

Management Institute. 

WATERSHED SURVEYS AND PLANNING

The conference agreement provides $6,083,000 for Watershed 

Surveys and Planning instead of $7,026,000 as proposed by the 

House and $5,141,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conferees direct that the Chief of the Natural Resources 

Conservation Service evaluate and rank efforts currently underway 

in order to fund and complete the most promising projects, based 

upon merit, and notify the Committees on Appropriations of the 

House and Senate on the selected watershed projects. In addition, 

the agency is directed not to initiate any new planning starts for 

projects not otherwise specifically provided for by this Act. 

WATERSHED AND FLOOD PREVENTION OPERATIONS

The conference agreement provides $75,000,000 for Watershed 

and Flood Prevention Operations instead of $60,000,000 as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

The conferees include bill language which limits the amount 

spent on technical assistance to not more than $30,000,000. 

88 

WATERSHED REHABILITATION PROGRAM

The conference agreement provides $31,561,000 for the Watershed Rehabilitation Program instead of $47,000,000 as proposed by 

the House and $27,313,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conferees direct that funding under this program be provided for rehabilitation of structures determined to be of high priority need in order to protect property and ensure public safety. 

RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT

The conference agreement provides $51,300,000 for Resource 

Conservation and Development instead of $51,360,000 as proposed 

by the House and $51,228,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conferees include bill language as proposed by the House 

that directs the Secretary to enter into an agreement with a national association related to the Resource Conservation and Development program, and directs that such an agreement must maintain the same matching, contribution requirements and funding set 

forth in previous agreements. 

The conferees also include bill language that limits funding for 

national headquarters activities as proposed by the House. 

The conference agreement restores this account, rather than 

accepting the budget proposal to defund the 189 Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Councils that have been in existence for twenty years or more. The conferees would expect any 

such budget proposal to be based on the effectiveness and performance of the Councils rather than on Council age. The conferees direct that NRCS work with the Councils to develop appropriate 

measures of effectiveness for both conservation and economic development. 

TITLE III—RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT

The conference agreement provides $635,000 for the Office of 

the Under Secretary for Rural Development as proposed by the 

Senate instead of $627,000 as proposed by the House. 

The conferees direct the Under Secretary to give consideration 

to the following projects or organizations requesting financial and/ 

or technical assistance, and grants and/or loans made available 

under the Rural Development mission area: Farm Counseling 

Project of Rural Services of Indiana (IN), to start a co-op; Northeast 

Texas (TX) Community College/Hanson-Sewell Center, to build a 

community outreach center; Navajo Tribal Utility AuthorityCrownpoint Chapter (NM); a water and waste water system for 

Franklin County (ID); a water and waste water system for Franklin City (ID); a water and waste system for Dayton City (ID); a 

water and waste system for Preston City (ID); a water and waste 

system for Weston City (ID); Tuscarora Township (MI), Indian 

River wastewater system; Hartselle (AL), water works environmental education; Orangeburg County (SC), Felderville Church 

Road water project; Decatur County (IA), Decatur County Development Corporation; Franklin Furnace (OH), sewer and road improvements; Assumption Parish (LA), water and waste water infraVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00088 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
89 

structure; a water and waste system for Lodi (CA); Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (VT), farmers market; 

Scottsville Streetscape Project (VA); and the Chautauqua County 

(KS) Rural Water District No. 4. 

The conferees expect the Under Secretary to approve these 

projects only when such applications are judged to be meritorious 

when subject to established review procedures. 

The conferees are aware that the Department has previously 

provided funding for the National Rural Development Partnership 

(NRDP). The NRDP, and its associated State Rural Development 

Councils, facilitate interagency coordination and provide programmatic guidance for rural development at several levels. The 

State Rural Development Councils are uniquely positioned to support the work of the National Rural Development Coordinating 

Committee (NRDCC), which recently began operations. The conferees expect funds to be provided for the NRDP and State Rural 

Development Councils at a level comparable to fiscal year 2004. 

The Department is strongly encouraged to utilize funds outside of 

the Rural Development mission area and to solicit the participation 

of federal departments and agencies, nongovernmental organizations serving rural stakeholders, and State Rural Development 

Councils in support of the work of the NRDCC. 

RURAL COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM

The conference agreement provides $701,941,000 for the Rural Community Advancement Program (RCAP) instead of $657,389,000 

as proposed by the House and $705,106,000 as proposed by the 

Senate. 

The conference agreement provides $82,620,000 for rural com- munity programs; $530,100,000 for rural utilities programs, of 

which $1,000,000 is for grants to nonprofit organizations to finance 

construction, refurbishing, and servicing of individually-owned 

household water well systems in rural areas, and of which 

$500,000 is for revolving funds for financing water and wastewater 

projects; and $89,221,000 is for rural business and cooperative development programs. 

The conference agreement provides $25,000,000 for loans and 

grants to benefit Federally Recognized Native American Tribes. 

The conference agreement provides $4,464,000 for community 

facilities grants to tribal colleges. 

The conference agreement provides $6,350,000 for the Rural 

Community Development Initiative. 

The conference agreement does not include in this account, 

$140,000 for a feasibility study for a cooperative sheep slaughter 

facility. 

The conference agreement provides $2,000,000 for grants to 

the Delta Regional Authority. 

The conference agreement provides $25,000,000 for rural and 

native villages in Alaska. 

The conference agreement provides $18,250,000 for technical 

assistance grants for rural water and waste systems, unless the 

Secretary makes a determination of extreme need. 

The conference agreement provides $5,600,000 for the Rural 

Community Assistance Programs and not less than $850,000 shall 

90 

be for a qualified national Native American organization to provide 

technical assistance for rural water systems for tribal communities. The conference agreement provides $13,750,000 for a circuit 

rider program. The conference agreement provides $18,000,000 for facilities in 

rural communities with extreme unemployment and severe economic depression. The conference agreement provides $26,000,000 to be transferred to the Rural Utilities Service, High Energy Cost Grants Account. 

The following table indicates the distribution of funding for the 

RCAP: 

Community: Community facility loan subsidies ................................................ $10,806,000 

Community facility grants ............................................................. 17,000,000 

Economic impact initiative grants ................................................ 18,000,000 

High energy costs grants ............................................................... 26,000,000 

Rural community development initiative ..................................... 6,350,000 

Tribal college grants ....................................................................... 4,464,000 

Subtotal, community ............................................................... 82,620,000 

Business: 

Business and industry guaranteed loan subsidies ....................... 44,221,000 

Rural business enterprise grants .................................................. 40,000,000 

Rural business opportunity grants ................................................ 3,000,000 

Delta regional authority ................................................................. 2,000,000 

Subtotal, business ................................................................... 89,221,000 

Utilities: 

Water and waste disposal direct loan subsidies .......................... 69,100,000 

Water and waste disposal grants .................................................. 456,000,000 

Solid waste management grants ................................................... 3,500,000 

Well system grants ......................................................................... 1,000,000 

Water and wastewater revolving funds ........................................ 500,000 

Subtotal, utilities ..................................................................... 530,100,000 

Total, loan subsidies and grants ..................................... $701,941,000 

Directed spending: 

Federally Recognized Native American Tribes ............................ 25,000,000 

Technical Assistance for Rural Transportation ........................... 750,000 

Colonias ........................................................................................... 25,000,000 

Alaska Villages ............................................................................... 25,000,000 

Technical Assistance ...................................................................... 18,250,000 

Circuit Rider ................................................................................... 13,750,000 

EZ/EC and REAP ........................................................................... 21,367,000 

RCAP ............................................................................................... 5,600,000 

RURAL DEVELOPMENT SALARIES AND EXPENSES

The conference agreement provides $164,625,000 for Rural Development Salaries and Expenses instead of $152,623,000 as proposed by the House and $164,773,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides an increase of $11,147,000 

within the Rural Development Salaries and Expenses account to 

complete the consolidation of St. Louis Rural Development activities at the Goodfellow facility. Rural Development reported to the 

Committees on Appropriations on July 18, 2005, that this amount 

is based on revised numbers resulting from discussions between 

the General Services Administration and Rural Development to accomplish the move. The conferees request the Department to proVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00090 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
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vide the Committees on Appropriations a report on the status of 

the consolidation within 60 days after enactment of this Act and 

quarterly thereafter. 

RURAL HOUSING SERVICE

RURAL HOUSING INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

The conference agreement provides a total subsidy of $242,108,000 for activities under the Rural Housing Insurance 

Fund Program Account instead of $233,391,000 as proposed by the 

House and $228,983,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides for an estimated loan pro- gram level of $5,078,380,000 instead of $5,079,349,000 as proposed 

by the House and $4,927,581,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides for a transfer of $454,809,000 to salaries and expenses instead of $455,242,000 as 

proposed by the House and $465,886,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement includes a provision authorizing 

housing funds initially allocated to Alaska to be available until 

September 30, 2007. 

The conference agreement includes bill language making the 

section 515 rental housing program available for repair, rehabilitation, and new construction. 

The conference agreement provides $9,000,000 to carry out a 

demonstration program for projects financed under the section 515 

program. The conferees intend that the Department assist section 

515 owners in revitalizing and preserving the section 515 portfolio 

through financial options provided in this demonstration and consistent with recommendations provided in the Comprehensive 

Property Assessment report released by the Department in 2004. 

The conferees expect that owners assisted under this demonstration program shall be required to maintain the housing assisted 

under this demonstration as affordable, as determined by the Secretary, for the remaining term of the original loan or the term of 

a restructured loan, whichever is longer. 

The conference agreement provides $1,000,000 for the Secretary to acquire the necessary automation and technical support 

needed to restructure section 515 mortgages. The conferees encourage the Secretary to contract with third parties with expertise in 

multifamily housing finance, mortgage restructuring, development, 

market analysis, management, finance, taxation and other requirements as determined by the Secretary. 

The following table indicates loan and subsidy levels provided 

in the conference agreement: 

RURAL HOUSING INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

Loan authorizations: 

Single family direct (sec. 502) ....................................................... ($1,140,799,000) 

Single family unsubsidized guaranteed ........................................ (3,681,033,000) 

Housing repair (sec. 504) ............................................................... (35,000,000) 

Rental housing (sec. 515) ............................................................... (100,000,000) 

Site development loans (sec. 524) .................................................. (5,000,000) 

Multi-family guarantees (sec. 538) ................................................ (100,000,000) 

Multi-family housing credit sales .................................................. (1,500,000) 

Single family housing credit sales ................................................. (10,000,000) 

92 

Self help housing land development ............................................. (5,048,000) 

Total, Loan authorizations ..................................................... ($5,078,380,000) 

Loan subsidies: 

Single family direct (sec. 502) ....................................................... $129,937,000 

Single family unsubsidized guaranteed ........................................ 40,900,000 

Housing repair (sec. 504) ............................................................... 10,238,000 

Rental housing (sec. 515) ............................................................... 45,880,000 

Site development loans (sec. 524) .................................................. — 

Multi-family guarantees (sec. 538) ................................................ 5,420,000 

Multi-family housing credit sales .................................................. 681,000 

Single family housing credit sales ................................................. — 

Self help housing land development ............................................. 52,000 

Subtotal, Loan subsidies ......................................................... 233,108,000 

Multi-family housing preservation ................................................ 9,000,000 

Total, Loan subsidies ....................................................... $242,108,000 

RHIF administration expenses (transfer to RD) ................................. $454,809,000 

RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The conference agreement provides $653,102,000 for the Rental 

Assistance Program as proposed by the Senate instead of 

$650,026,000 as proposed by the House. Of this amount, the conference agreement includes up to $8,000,000 for debt forgiveness 

and payments to enhance preservation efforts and not to exceed 

$50,000 per project for advances to nonprofit organizations or public agencies to cover direct costs incurred in purchasing projects. 

The conference agreement provides additional funding above 

the budget request for debt forgiveness. The conference agreement 

also includes a provision that will deobligate the cost of rental assistance in section 515 projects that are subject to prepayment and 

reallocate these funds through a separate funding stream for the 

cost of the vouchers and debt forgiveness consistent with the requirements of this Act. These funds are in addition to funds otherwise provided for such activities in this Act. 

RURAL HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAM

The conference agreement provides $16,000,000 for the Rural 

Housing Voucher Program as proposed by the Senate. The House 

did not provide funding for this program. 

The conference agreement provides adequate funding for 

vouchers as a safety net to prevent the displacement of low-income 

rural tenants that currently reside in section 515 projects that are 

subject to prepayment or foreclosure of their existing loans. The 

conference agreement does not alter prepayment restrictions or intend for vouchers to be used in a property that would not be eligible or able to prepay without the use of such voucher. 

MUTUAL AND SELF-HELP HOUSING GRANTS

The conference agreement provides $34,000,000 for Mutual 

and Self-Help Housing Grants as proposed by the House and Senate. 

93 

RURAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANTS

The conference agreement provides $43,976,000 for Rural 

Housing Assistance Grants as proposed by the Senate instead of 

$41,000,000 as proposed by the House. The conferees provide $2,976,000 for the preservation of the 

section 515 multi-family housing portfolio. 

FARM LABOR PROGRAM ACCOUNT

The conference agreement provides $31,168,000 for the Farm Labor Program Account instead of $32,728,000 as proposed by the 

House and $29,607,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides for an estimated loan pro- gram level of $38,502,000, $17,168,000 for loan subsidies, and 

$14,000,000 for grants. 

RURAL BUSINESS-COOPERATIVE SERVICE

RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOAN FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

The conference agreement provides an estimated loan program level of $34,212,000 with a subsidy of $14,718,000 for the Rural Development Loan Fund as proposed by the House and Senate. The conference agreement provides for a transfer of $4,793,000 

to the Rural Development salaries and expense account instead of 

$4,719,000 as proposed by the House and $6,656,000 as proposed 

by the Senate. The conference agreement includes $3,449,000 for Mississippi Delta Region counties, of which up to $1,500,000 is for the Delta 

Regional Authority. 

RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT

The conference agreement provides an estimated loan program level of $25,003,000 with a subsidy of $4,993,000 for the Rural Economic Development Loans Program Account as proposed by the 

House and Senate. 

RURAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

The conference agreement provides $29,488,000 for Rural Co- operative Development Grants instead of $64,000,000 as proposed 

by the House and $24,988,000 as proposed by the Senate. The conference agreement provides $20,500,000 for valueadded agricultural product market development grants. The conference agreement provides $1,488,000 for cooperatives 

or associations of cooperatives to assist minority producers. The conference agreement provides $500,000 for a cooperative 

research agreement with a qualified academic institution to conduct research on the national economic impact of all types of cooperatives. 

RURAL EMPOWERMENT ZONES AND ENTERPRISE COMMUNITIES GRANTS

The conference agreement provides $11,200,000 for Rural Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities Grants instead of 

$10,000,000 as proposed by the House and $12,400,000 as proposed 

by the Senate. 

94 

The conferees are concerned that rural empowerment zones, 

particularly zones selected because of outmigration, are having a 

difficult time successfully competing for USDA Rural Development 

program funds. This difficulty is occurring because many Rural Development programs fail to consider outmigration as a factor when 

awarding grants. Additional funding from competitive grant programs, which supplements funding Congress has set-aside for empowerment zones over the last several years, is essential for the advancement of economic development in these communities. The 

conferees strongly encourage the Department to consider outmigration when awarding competitive grants. 

The conferees further recognize that third round rural empowerment zones have not received funding at the same level as 

first and second round rural empowerment zones. The conferees believe that the competitive grant process is one way to address this 

disparity. The Department is strongly encouraged to give priority 

consideration to applications for Rural Development competitive 

grants from third round rural empowerment zones. 

RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM

The conference agreement provides $23,000,000 for the Renewable Energy Program as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE

RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOANS PROGRAM

ACCOUNT

The conference agreement provides a total subsidy of $6,372,000 for activities under the Rural Electrification and Telecommunications Loans Program Account as proposed by the House 

and Senate. The conference agreement provides for an estimated 

loan program level of $6,094,000,000 instead of $4,994,000,000 as 

proposed by the House and $6,095,000,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides for a transfer of 

$38,784,000 to the Rural Development salaries and expenses account instead of $38,907,000 as proposed by the House and 

$39,933,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The following table indicates loan and subsidy levels provided 

in the conference agreement: 

RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT

Loan authorizations: 

Electric: 

Direct, 5 percent ...................................................................... ($100,000,000) 

Direct, Muni ............................................................................. (100,000,000) 

Direct, FFB .............................................................................. (2,600,000,000) 

Direct, Treasury rate .............................................................. (1,000,000,000) 

Guaranteed .............................................................................. (100,000,000) 

Guaranteed underwriting ....................................................... (1,500,000,000) 

Subtotal ............................................................................. (5,400,000,000) 

Telecommunications: 

Direct, 5 percent ...................................................................... (145,000,000) 

Direct, Treasury rate .............................................................. (424,000,000) 

95 

Direct, FFB .............................................................................. (125,000,000) 

Subtotal .................................................................................... (694,000,000) 

Total, loan authorizations ............................................ (6,094,000,000) 

Loan subsidies: 

Electric: 

Direct, 5 percent ...................................................................... 920,000 

Direct, Muni ............................................................................. 5,050,000 

Direct, Treasury rate .............................................................. 100,000 

Guaranteed .............................................................................. 90,000 

Subtotal ............................................................................. 6,160,000 

Telecommunications: 

Direct, Treasury rate .............................................................. 212,000 

Total, loan subsidies ..................................................... 6,372,000 

RETLP administrative expenses (transfer to RD) ................ 38,784,000 

RURAL TELEPHONE BANK PROGRAM ACCOUNT

The conference agreement provides for a transfer of $2,500,000 

to the Rural Development salaries and expenses account as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

DISTANCE LEARNING, TELEMEDICINE, AND BROADBAND PROGRAM

The conference agreement provides for an estimated loan program level of $25,000,000 for distance learning and telemedicine 

and $500,000,000 for broadband telecommunications. 

The conference agreement includes $375,000 for distance learning and telemedicine loan subsidy and $30,000,000 for distance 

learning and telemedicine grants, of which $5,000,000 is for public 

broadcasting system grants. 

The conference agreement includes $10,750,000 for broadband 

telecommunications loan subsidy, and $9,000,000 for broadband 

telecommunications grants. 

TITLE IV—DOMESTIC FOOD PROGRAMS 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOOD, NUTRITION AND

CONSUMER SERVICES

The conference agreement provides $599,000 for the Office of 

the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, as 

proposed by the House and the Senate. 

The conferees encourage the Agency to conduct a feasibility 

study, in consultation with WIC State agencies, to explore a common cost effective strategy to implement the cash value voucher for 

fruits and vegetables that may be adopted in response to recommendations outlined in the Institute of Medicine report on the 

food packages provided by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). 

96 

FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE

CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS

The conference agreement provides $12,660,829,000 for Child 

Nutrition Programs, instead of $12,412,027,000 as proposed by the 

House and $12,422,027,000 as proposed by the Senate. Included in 

the total is an appropriated amount of $7,473,208,000 and a transfer from section 32 of $5,187,621,000. 

The conferees are aware that USDA, through its Team Nutrition program, recently updated its dietary guidelines and published 

My Pyramid and My Pyramid for Kids, which are updates to the 

former food guide pyramids. The conferees are also aware that FNS 

is currently working to publicize these nutrition standards. The 

conferees encourage FNS to use all available resources to ensure 

that funding for Team Nutrition remains at a level which will 

allow it to effectively provide this important nutrition information 

to both adults and children. 

The conference agreement provides the following for Child Nutrition programs: 

TOTAL OBLIGATIONAL AUTHORITY

Child Nutrition Programs: 

School lunch program ..................................................................... $7,415,142,000 

School breakfast program .............................................................. 2,076,141,000 

Child and adult care food program ............................................... 2,159,711,000 

Summer food service program ....................................................... 300,226,000 

Special milk program ..................................................................... 14,499,000 

State administrative expenses ....................................................... 156,061,000 

Commodity procurement and computer support ......................... 522,732,000 

School meals initiative / Team nutrition ....................................... 10,025,000 

Food safety education ..................................................................... 1,000,000 

Coordinated review effort .............................................................. 5,235,000 

Program pay cost ............................................................................ 57,000 

Total ......................................................................................... 12,660,829,000 

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, 

AND CHILDREN (WIC)

The conference agreement provides $5,257,000,000 for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) as proposed by both the House and Senate. The conference agreement includes $15,000,000 for continuation of the breastfeeding peer counselor program. In addition, the 

conference agreement provides $20,000,000 for investments in 

management information systems, if the Secretary determines that 

those funds are not needed to maintain caseload and will not require use of the contingency fund. 

The conference agreement does not include language regarding 

adjunct eligibility restrictions. 

The conference agreement includes such sums as are necessary to restore the contingency reserve to $125,000,000, to be allocated 

as the Secretary deems necessary, as proposed by the Senate. 

FOOD STAMP PROGRAM

The conference agreement provides $40,711,395,000 for the 

Food Stamp Program, as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

97 

Included in this amount is a reserve of $3,000,000,000, to remain 

available until September 30, 2007. The conference agreement includes $36,049,026,000 for pro- gram expenses, $1,522,369,000 for grants to Puerto Rico and 

Samoa, and $140,000,000 for commodity purchase for The Emergency Food Assistance Program. 

The conference agreement includes a provision allowing for purchase of bison meat, in an amount not less than $3,000,000, for 

the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR). 

The conference agreement includes statutory language to exclude special pay for military personnel deployed to designated 

combat areas when determining food stamp eligibility. 

COMMODITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The conference agreement provides $179,366,000 for the Com- modity Assistance Program instead of $178,797,000 as proposed by 

the House and $179,935,000 as proposed by the Senate. The conference agreement provides $108,285,000 for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. According to the USDA’s latest estimates, approximately $6,020,000 in commodity inventory is 

expected to be available to CSFP in fiscal year 2006, making the 

total available for the program approximately $114,305,000. The 

conferees strongly encourage USDA to make every effort to maintain the fiscal year 2005 caseload by making full use of CSFP inventory and carryover from preceding years, and to access all available resources from bonus commodity holdings and CCC stocks. The conferees provide $50,000,000 for administration—processing, storage, transport, and distribution—of The Emergency 

Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). The conference agreement includes a provision that provides the Secretary authority to transfer 

up to an additional $10,000,000 from TEFAP commodities for this 

purpose. The conference agreement includes $20,000,000 for the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. The conferees note that $15,000,000 in funding is available for 

the Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program in fiscal year 2006 

through the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. 

NUTRITION PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION

The conference agreement provides $140,761,000 for Nutrition 

Programs Administration as proposed by the House and the Senate. The conference agreement does not include language regarding 

limitations on the amount specified for certain administrative activities. 

The conferees direct the Department to promptly publish interim final regulations regarding WIC vendor cost containment, as 

described in the legislative history of the Child Nutrition and WIC 

Reauthorization Act. The conferees also expect the Department to 

work with the WIC State agencies to implement the interim final 

regulations regarding vendor cost containment in accordance with 

the provisions set forth in section 17(h)(11)(G) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. In the event the WIC State agencies should fail 

to implement the interim final regulations before the enactment of 

this Act, the conferees have provided an extension of the moratoVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00097 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
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rium on authorization of new ‘WIC-only’ stores until implementation of the regulations by the WIC State agencies. This moratorium 

is not intended to restrict the transfer or relocation of existing 

‘WIC-only’ stores. 

TITLE V—FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AND RELATED PROGRAMS 

FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

The conference agreement provides $147,901,000 for the Foreign Agricultural Service, Salaries and Expenses instead of 

$148,224,000 as proposed by the House and $147,868,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement includes the following increases: 

$1,788,000 for pay costs; $1,200,000 for ICASS; $4,000,000 to offset 

the increased costs in overseas wages and currency rates, of which 

$2,000,000 shall remain available until expended; $300,000 for increased FAS presence in Baghdad; $2,743,000 for the capital surcharge being levied by the State Department; and $200,000 for 

technical assistance for the promotion of specialty crop exports. 

The conference agreement provides $951,000 for administering 

Title I Food for Progress grant programs. 

PUBLIC LAW 480 TITLE I AND TITLE II PROGRAM AND GRANT ACCOUNTS

The conference agreement provides $65,040,000 for Title I loan subsidies for a loan level of $74,032,000 as proposed by the House 

and the Senate. 

The conference agreement includes bill language providing 

that the Secretary of Agriculture may implement a commodity 

monetization program under existing provisions of the Food for 

Progress Act of 1985 to provide no less than $5,000,000 in localcurrency funding support for rural electrification overseas as proposed by the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides $11,940,000 for Ocean 

Freight Differential as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

The conference agreement provides $1,150,000,000 for international food assistance through PL 480 title II grants. 

The conferees take the responsibilities of meeting humanitarian needs very seriously, and given current budget constraints, 

this conference agreement provides the highest levels of funding 

possible for various international food assistance programs. Under 

this conference agreement, title II grants under PL 480, one of the 

primary international food assistance programs, are funded at a 

level $265,000,000 higher than the President’s request. The conferees encourage the Executive Branch to restore, through future 

budget requests, funding levels for international food assistance 

under the jurisdiction of the appropriations subcommittees of the 

House and Senate which fund USDA programs, more closely in line 

with historic levels. The conferees further admonish the Executive 

Branch to refrain from proposals which place at risk a carefully 

balanced coalition of interests which have served the interests of 

international food assistance programs well for more than fifty 

years. 

99 

The following table reflects the conference agreement for Public Law 480 program accounts: 

PUBLIC LAW 480 

Title I—Program account: 

Loan authorization, direct ............................................................. ($74,032,000) 

Loan subsidies ................................................................................ 65,040,000 

Ocean freight differential ............................................................... 11,940,000 

Title II—Commodities for disposition abroad: 

Program level .................................................................................. (1,150,000,000) 

Appropriation .................................................................................. 1,150,000,000 

Salaries and expenses: 

Foreign Agricultural Service (transfer) ........................................ 168,000 

Farm Service Agency (transfer) ..................................................... 3,217,000 

COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION EXPORT LOANS PROGRAM

ACCOUNT

The conference agreement provides $5,279,000 for the Commodity Credit Corporation Export Loans Program Account as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

MCGOVERN-DOLE INTERNATIONAL FOOD FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD

NUTRITION PROGRAM GRANTS

The conference agreement provides $100,000,000 for the 

McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

TITLE VI—RELATED AGENCIES AND FOOD AND DRUG 

ADMINISTRATION 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

The conference agreement provides total appropriations, including Prescription Drug User Fee Act, Medical Device User Fee 

Act, and Animal Drug User Fee Act collections, of $1,838,567,000 

for the salaries and expenses of the Food and Drug Administration, 

instead of $1,837,928,000, as proposed by the House and 

$1,841,959,000 as proposed by the Senate, and provides specific 

amounts by FDA activity as reflected in the following table. 

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, SALARIES AND EXPENSES 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Program Budget authority 

Prescription 

drug user fees 

Medical device user fees Animal drug 

user fees Total 

Foods ..................................................................... 443,153 .................... .................... .................... 443,153 

Human Drugs ........................................................ 300,723 219,841 .................... .................... 520,564 

Biologics ................................................................ 122,238 47,675 8,801 .................... 178,714 

Animal Drugs and Feeds ...................................... 90,486 .................... .................... 9,301 99,787 

Medical Devices .................................................... 222,792 .................... 22,978 .................... 245,770 

National Center for Toxicological Research .......... 41,152 .................... .................... .................... 41,152 

Other Activities ...................................................... 85,762 25,116 4,535 646 116,059 

Rent and Rent-related Activities .......................... 57,732 0 783 .................... 58,515 

Rental Payments to GSA ....................................... 117,579 12,700 3,203 1,371 134,853 

100 

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, SALARIES AND EXPENSES—Continued 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Program Budget authority 

Prescription 

drug user fees 

Medical device user fees Animal drug 

user fees Total 

Total Recommendation ........................ 1,481,617 305,332 40,300 11,318 1,838,567 

The conference agreement also makes mammography user fees 

and export certification user fees available to the agency. The conference agreement includes bill language related to the White Oak 

consolidation, as proposed by the House, and does not contain a 

provision relating to Congressional testimony, as proposed by the 

House. 

Within the total funding for the Food and Drug Administration, the following increases above the fiscal year 2005 level are 

provided: $10,000,000 for activities related to food safety and food 

defense; $7,827,000 for medical device review; $10,000,000 for drug 

safety activities; $884,000 for activities related to direct-to-consumer advertising; $750,000 to support research with the Critical 

Path Institute; $200,000 for agricultural product testing at the 

Physical Science Laboratory at New Mexico State University; 

$300,000 for the National Center for Natural Products Research; 

$4,128,000 for relocation expenses related to the move to the consolidated White Oak campus; and $4,100,000 in rent paid to GSA. 

The conference agreement assumes reductions of $1,554,000 in administrative efficiencies and $5,116,000 in IT reductions, as proposed in the request. The conference agreement provides $14,696,000 for Orphan Product grants, not less than $4,000,000 for the Office of Women’s 

Health, and not less than $56,228,000 for the generic drug program. The conference agreement provides the $5,000,000 increase for 

the Office of Drug Safety as requested in the budget. In addition, 

the conference agreement provides an increase of $5,000,000 for 

drug safety activities within CDER. The conferees intend that 

these increases be used for FDA’s highest priority drug safety 

needs that were not funded in fiscal year 2005, such as hiring of 

additional scientists or the acquisition of databases to which FDA 

does not now have access to help track adverse drug events. The 

conferees direct FDA to provide a report to the Committees on Appropriations within 30 days of enactment, setting forth its proposed 

use of these funds in detail, including an object class breakout for 

the $10,000,000 increase. 

The conference agreement provides no less than $29,556,000 

for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), as requested. The 

conferees understand that this funding will support agency-wide 

BSE activities including conducting yearly inspections of all renderers and feed mills processing products containing prohibited materials, extending BSE inspections into targeted segments of industries subject to the BSE Feed regulation, validating test methods 

for the detection of bovine-derived proteins in animal feed, and continuing to conduct research on Transmissible Spongiform 

Encephalopathies in FDA’s product centers. 

Within the food safety and defense increase, the conference 

agreement provides increases of $5,074,000 for food defense reVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:31 Oct 28, 2005 Jkt 024119 PO 00000 Frm 00100 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR255.XXX HR255
101 

search, $3,926,000 for the Food Emergency Response Network, 

$500,000 for food defense bio-surveillance, and $500,000 to improve 

and increase import surveillance of food. 

The conferees have serious concerns regarding seafood safety 

issues posed by banned antibiotic contamination in farm-raised 

shrimp imports. In addition, the conferees are concerned that the 

FDA inspects less than 2 percent of shrimp being imported into the 

United States. The conferees recommend that the FDA, in cooperation with any state testing programs, continue testing of farmraised shrimp imports for chloramphenicol and other related harmful antibiotics. 

The conference agreement includes total funding of $5,360,000 

for the CFSAN Adverse Events Reporting System, of which approximately $1,500,000 is for dietary supplements. This is $860,000 

more than the amount in the budget request. 

The conference agreement fully funds the amount designated 

for influenza in the budget request. The conferees encourage the 

Administration to develop a comprehensive response plan for dealing with potential human-to-human transmission of avian influenza, including the availability of vaccine and treatment. The conferees direct the agency to provide regular updates to the Committees on its involvement in influenza preparedness activities. Further, the conferees expect the Administration to provide a supplemental request should the need for additional influenza funding 

arise. 

The conferees support the work of the National Antimicrobial 

Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) and its collaborative relationship between FDA, USDA, and the Centers for Disease Control. 

The conferees expect the coordination of activities among these 

three areas of government to result in the most unbiased presentation of timely, accurate data in the best interest of public health, 

and encourage FDA to equally divide research funding among the 

three branches of the program. Further, the conferees direct that 

FDA perform a review of all components of the NARMS program 

to analyze the program’s scientific soundness and relevance to public health, the criteria utilized to evaluate the program, the transparency of the program, opportunities for public input, and report 

the result to the Committees. 

The conference agreement provides an increase of $300,000 to 

enhance the collaboration between FDA and the National Center 

for Natural Products Research and allow increased participation by 

FDA staff in the research on botanicals and dietary supplements 

being conducted at the National Center for Natural Products Research in Oxford, MS. 

The conference agreement includes no more than $13,026,357 

for the Unified Financial Management System (UFMS). Of this 

amount, $9,720,374 is for development and implementation, and 

$3,305,953 is for operations and maintenance of UFMS. The conferees note that FDA has spent in excess of the amount expressly 

appropriated for UFMS in previous fiscal years, and direct FDA to 

provide quarterly reports on spending for this system to ensure this 

does not continue. 

102 

The conference agreement does not include funding for a foods 

research center or a pilot program for compounded drug monographs or directed inspection funding, as proposed by the Senate. 

The conferees are aware of concerns about the regulation of 

imports of ethnic foods in the Los Angeles district. Concerns include the issues of communication to importers about shipments 

being held by FDA, the amount of time that shipments are held, 

and proper declaration of products. The conferees understand that 

in 2004 FDA’s Los Angeles District implemented new operating 

procedures and held a public meeting on these issues. Since two 

years have elapsed, the conferees suggest that FDA now review the 

performance of the program and solicit input from the import community. 

The conferees note that FDA may use available funds to support review and action on new drug applications and supplements 

seeking approval for replacement or alternative abuse-resistant formulations of currently-available drug products that include an active ingredient that is a listed chemical under the Controlled Substances Act. Further, it is the understanding of the conferees that 

these applications may be considered under the expedited, priority 

review process at FDA. 

The conferees are aware that the FDA issued a monograph for 

sunscreen products in 2002, and the monograph was stayed shortly 

thereafter so that FDA could address the issue of measuring protection against UVA rays, which cause skin cancer. Since that 

time, no further official action has been taken by the FDA, although skin cancer rates continue to rise, especially among young 

persons and women. The conferees believe that a comprehensive 

monograph would be useful to consumers. Therefore, the conferees 

direct FDA to issue a comprehensive final monograph for over-thecounter sunscreen products, including UVA and UVB labeling requirements, within six months of enactment of this Act. 

The conferees do not include language in the House bill that 

withheld five percent of the funds provided to FDA’s central offices 

pending a public hearing with the agency head on the fiscal year 

2006 budget, because this requirement was satisfied by former 

Commissioner Crawford’s testimony before the House subcommittee in July. However, the conferees expect the head of the 

agency to testify before the House and Senate subcommittees on 

the fiscal year 2007 budget during the regular course of budget 

hearings. 

The conferees appreciate the detailed information provided in 

the budget justification prepared by the Food and Drug Administration and rely heavily on this information when considering 

budget proposals. These materials have traditionally been prepared 

for the sole use of the Committees on Appropriations in a format 

consistent with the structure of the Appropriations Act. The account organization in the fiscal year 2006 budget request does not 

present information in a format that is useful to the Committees. 

Therefore, the conferees do not approve the proposed restructuring 

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103 

count structure as the fiscal year 2005 budget request unless otherwise approved by the Committees. 

The conferees direct the Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS) to include all anticipated consolidations that impact 

FDA in the FDA budget request submitted to Congress. Further, 

the conferees direct that none of the funds made available to FDA 

in this Act be used for any assessments, fee, or charges by HHS 

unless such assessments, fees, or charges are identified in the FDA 

budget justification and expressly provided by Congress, or approved by Congress in the official reprogramming process as required in the General Provisions of this Act. The conferees further 

direct HHS to include in the fiscal year 2007 budget submission all 

sources of funding projected to be received by FDA from all other 

federal agencies in fiscal years 2006 and 2007, by agency, with a 

brief description of the reason for which the funds are to be provided to FDA. 

In its fiscal year 2006 budget, FDA requested $146,213,000 for 

‘‘research, development and evaluation’’ (RD&E) activities. This 

amounts to about 10 percent of the agency’s discretionary request. 

FDA provided only general descriptions of its planned RD&E activities within the context of its strategic plan, without specifying 

the dollars requested, and provided only total proposed expenditures for each ‘‘research theme.’’ The conferees direct FDA to provide the same level of budget justification for its research activities 

in the fiscal year 2007 budget as it does other activities, including 

a justification of both base spending and any proposed increases by 

activity within center or office. 

The conference agreement provides $750,000 to support collaborative research with the C-Path Institute and the University of 

Utah on cardiovascular biomarkers predictive of safety and clinical 

outcomes. The conferees understand the research would involve 

identifying candidate genes and proteins in University of Utah 

databases, designing and conducting genomic and proteomic biomarker validation experiments by the C-Path Institute, the University of Utah, FDA and manufacturers, determining which biomarkers identify heart failure patients who are most likely to respond 

favorably to drug therapy and those at highest risk of adverse 

events. 

The conferees remain concerned about the legal and regulatory 

issues relating to approval of drugs as both prescription and over 

the counter products, and urge FDA to expedite rulemaking on this 

topic. 

BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

The conference agreement provides $8,000,000 for the Food 

and Drug Administration Buildings and Facilities instead of 

$5,000,000 as proposed by the House and $7,000,000 as proposed 

by the Senate. Of the total, $4,000,000 is for the repair and improvement of existing buildings and facilities, and $4,000,000 is to 

complete the final phase of the Arkansas Regional Laboratory. 

104 

INDEPENDENT AGENCIES 

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

The conference agreement provides $98,386,000 for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as proposed by the House and 

the Senate. This is an increase of $4,814,000 over the fiscal year 

2005 level. 

FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION

LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

The conference agreement includes a limitation of $44,250,000 

on administrative expenses of the Farm Credit Administration 

(FCA), as proposed by the House and the Senate. 

The conference agreement does not include language allowing 

some expenses associated with terminations to exceed the limitation, as proposed by the Senate. 

TITLE VII—GENERAL PROVISIONS 

(INCLUDING RESCISSIONS AND TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

Section 704.—The conference agreement includes language regarding appropriation items, which shall remain available until expended. 

Section 705.—The conference agreement includes language 

that allows for unobligated balances to be transferred to the Working Capital Fund. 

Section 709.—The conference agreement limits indirect costs 

for grants awarded by the Cooperative State Research, Education, 

and Extension Service to 20 percent. 

Section 712.—The conference agreement includes language for 

funds to cover necessary expenses related to advisory committees. 

Section 715.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the appropriations hearing process. 

Section 716.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the transfer of funds to the Office of the Chief Information 

Officer and information technology funding obligations. 

Section 717.—The conference agreement provides language regarding the reprogramming of funds. 

Section 718.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems. 

Section 723.—The conference agreement includes language 

that provides funding for the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center. 

Section 724.—The conference agreement includes language regarding conducting an evaluation of the impact of a court decision. 

Section 725.—The conference agreement directs the Secretary 

to make commodity tonnage available, to the extent practicable, to 

assist foreign countries to mitigate the effects of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. 

Section 726.—The conference agreement includes language regarding Natural Resources Conservation Service financial and 

technical assistance for certain projects in Illinois, Ohio, Arkansas, 

Alaska, Missouri, Hawaii, Iowa, and Utah. 

105 

Section 729.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Dam Rehabilitation Program. 

Section 730.—The conference agreement includes language to 

prohibit funds from being used to close or relocate the Food and 

Drug Administration Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis. 

Section 731.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Rural Strategic Investment Program. 

Section 732.—The conference agreement allows unobligated 

balances within the Department of Agriculture to be used to reimburse the Office of the General Counsel for certain services provided. 

Section 733.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Rural Firefighters and Emergency Personnel Grant 

Program. 

Section 734.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Wetlands Reserve Program. 

Section 735.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. 

Section 736.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the renewable energy program. 

Section 737.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the broadband telecommunications program. 

Section 738.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act. 

Section 739.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the value-added market development program. 

Section 741.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Conservation Security Program. 

Section 742.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program. 

Section 743.—The conference agreement includes language 

that rescinds certain unobligated balances. 

Section 744.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Farmland Protection Program. 

Section 745.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Rural Business Investment Program. 

Section 746.—The conference agreement includes language regarding Public Law 105–264. 

Section 747.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the ground and surface water conservation program. 

Section 748.—The conference agreement includes language related to final rulemaking on APHIS cost-sharing. 

Section 749.—The conference agreement gives the Secretary of 

Agriculture the authority to enter into cooperative agreements to 

lease aircraft. 

Section 750.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Bioenergy Program. 

Section 751.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the use of discretionary funds for certain purposes. 

Section 752.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the availability of funds for certain conservation programs. 

Section 753.—The conference agreement provides funding for 

the Denali Commission. 

106 

Section 754.—The conference agreement includes language regarding eligibility for certain rural development programs. 

Section 755.—The conference agreement includes funds for a 

certain grant. 

Section 756.—The conference agreement includes a provision to 

allow Community Facility Program borrowers to enter into contracts with third parties for necessary services. 

Section 757.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Agricultural Management Assistance program. 

Section 758.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Emergency Watershed Protection Program. 

Section 759.—The conference agreement includes language 

that limits the Biomass Research and Development Program. 

Section 760.—The conference agreement includes language regarding eligibility for the Conservation Reserve Program for land 

planted in hardwood trees, and previously enrolled in the program, 

to remain enrolled. 

Section 761.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the disposal of certain federal facilities in Phoenix, AZ. 

Section 762.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the recertification of rural status. 

Section 763.—The conference agreement includes language allowing use of unobligated balances in certain accounts within the 

Rural Utilities Service for the purposes of section 315 of the Rural 

Electrification Act of 1936. 

Section 764.—The conference agreement includes funds for a 

certain grant. 

Section 765.—The conference agreement includes language 

that provides that certain locations shall be considered eligible for 

certain rural development programs. 

Section 766.—The conference agreement includes funds for a 

certain grant. 

Section 767.—The conference agreement includes funds for a 

certain grant. 

Section 768.—The conference agreement includes language 

that provides that certain locations shall be considered eligible for 

certain rural development programs. 

Section 769.—The conference agreement includes language regarding Child and Adult Care Food Program audit funds. 

Section 770.—The conference agreement includes language in 

regard to the City of Elkhart, Kansas. 

Section 771.—The conference agreement includes language to 

provide funding for the Healthy Forests Reserve program. 

Section 772.—The conference agreement includes language 

that relates to government sponsored news stories. 

Section 773.—The conference agreement includes funding for a 

specialty crops competitiveness program. 

Section 774.—The conference agreement includes language in 

regard to the Federal Financing Bank. 

Section 775.—The conference agreement includes language in 

regard to law enforcement at the National Center for Toxicological 

Research and the Arkansas Regional Laboratory. 

Section 776.—The conference agreement includes a technical 

correction regarding the Child Nutrition Act. 

107 

Section 777.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Summer Food Service Program. 

Section 778.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Rural Telephone Bank. 

Section 779.—The conference agreement includes language in 

regard to the Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program. 

Section 780.—The conference agreement includes language 

amending the Federal Crop Insurance Act. 

Section 781.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. 

Section 782.—The conference agreement includes language renaming the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station. 

Section 783.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the conveyance of certain federal facilities in Phoenix, AZ. 

Section 784.—The conference agreement includes language 

amending the Agricultural Act of 1949. 

Section 785.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the availability of funding for Conservation Operations. 

Section 786.—The conference agreement includes language related to competitive sourcing of rural development or farm loan 

programs. 

Section 787.—The conference agreement includes language regarding WIC-only vendors. 

Section 788.—The conference agreement includes language 

that rescinds certain unobligated balances. 

Section 789.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Rural Housing for Domestic Farm Labor Program. 

Section 790.—The conference agreement includes funds for certain grants. 

Section 791.—The conference agreement includes language in 

regard to a demonstration intermediate relending program. 

Section 792.—The conference agreement includes language regarding country of origin labeling. 

Section 793.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Federal Crop Insurance Act. 

Section 794.—The conference agreement includes language regarding inspection activities under the Federal Meat Inspection Act 

or the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1966. 

It is the understanding of the conferees that the Department 

is obliged under existing statutes to provide for the inspection of 

meat intended for human consumption (domestic and exported). 

The conferees recognize that the funding limitation in Section 794 

prohibits the use of appropriated funds only for payment of salaries 

or expenses of personnel to inspect horses. 

Section 795.—The conference agreement includes language in 

regard to Food and Drug Administration waivers of a financial conflict of interest. 

Section 796.—The conference agreement includes language 

amending the Immigration and Nationality Act. 

Section 797.—The conference agreement includes language regarding provisions of the Organic Foods Product Act. 

Section 798.—The conference agreement includes language regarding the Federal Meat Inspection Act. 

108 

Section 799.—The conference agreement makes technical corrections to the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006. The corrections for the 

Department of the Interior involve the amounts appropriated for 

construction and land acquisition by the National Park Service and 

for departmental management. There is also a correction dealing 

with the construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway Regional Destination Visitor Center. In the Environmental Protection Agency, there 

are technical corrections for two State and Tribal Assistance 

Grants projects and for language associated with the rescission of 

funds from various EPA accounts. In the Forest Service, there is 

a correction to language dealing with a land acquisition in the 

Thunder Mountain area of the Payette National Forest, ID. In Title 

IV—General Provisions, there is a correction to the name of the 

Gaylord A. Nelson Wilderness. 

CONFERENCE TOTAL—WITH COMPARISONS

The total new budget (obligational) authority for the fiscal year 

2006 recommended by the Committee of Conference, with comparisons to the fiscal year 2005 amount, the 2006 budget estimates, 

and the House and Senate bills for 2006 follow: 

109 

[In thousands of dollars] 

New budget (obligational) authority, fiscal year 2005 ........................ $89,439,376 

Budget estimates of new (obligational) authority, fiscal year 2006 100,132,911 

House bill, fiscal year 2006 ................................................................... 100,321,593 

Senate bill, fiscal year 2006 .................................................................. 100,722,949 

Conference agreement, fiscal year 2006 .............................................. 100,981,758 

Conference agreement compared with: 

New budget (obligational) authority, fiscal year 2005 ................ +11,542,382 

Budget estimates of new (obligational) authority, fiscal year 

2006 .............................................................................................. +848,847 

House bill, fiscal year 2006 ............................................................ +660,165 

Senate bill, fiscal year 2006 ........................................................... +258,809 

HENRY BONILLA, JACK KINGSTON, TOM LATHAM, JO ANN EMERSON, 

VIRGIL H. GOODE, Jr., 

RAY LAHOOD, 

JOHN T. DOOLITTLE, 

RODNEY ALEXANDER, 

JERRY LEWIS, 

Managers on the Part of the House. 

R.F. BENNETT, 

THAD COCHRAN, 

ARLEN SPECTER, 

CHRIS BOND, 

MITCH MCCONNELL, 

TED STEVENS, 

HERB KOHL, 

DIANNE FEINSTEIN, 

RICHARD DURBIN, 

MARY LANDRIEU, 

ROBERT C. BYRD, 

Managers on the Part of the Senate. 

Æ