I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7758 

To provide for assistance to rural health, education, and public safety facilities 

affected by the COVID–19 pandemic, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 23, 2020 

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia (for himself and Mr. HAGEDORN) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To provide for assistance to rural health, education, and 

public safety facilities affected by the COVID–19 pandemic, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Assistance for Rural 

5 Health, Safety and Educational Facilities Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE FOR RURAL HEATH, SAFETY AND EDU7 CATIONAL FACILITIES. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture (in 

9 this section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) may— 


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1 (1) make a grant to any hospital, health facil2 ity, public safety facility, or education facility that is 

3 eligible for assistance under section 306(a)(1) or 

4 310B(g) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Devel5 opment Act and is located in a rural area (within 

6 the meaning of section 343(a)(13)(C) of such Act, 

7 subject to sections 343(a)(13)(H) and 343(a)(13)(I) 

8 of such Act); 

9 (2) provide a zero interest loan or a 1 percent 

10 loan to, forgive principal or interest or modify any 

11 term or condition of an outstanding loan made to, 

12 or refinance part or all of any other loan if the pur13 pose of the loan or loan part is an eligible purpose 

14 under such section 306(a)(1) to any hospital, health 

15 facility, public safety facility, or education facility 

16 that is eligible for a direct loan under such section 

17 306(a)(1); and 

18 (3) reduce or eliminate any fee that would oth19 erwise be required to be paid under such section 

20 306(a)(1) or 310B(g) with respect to a loan guar21 antee provided to any hospital, health facility, public 

22 safety facility, or education facility, on the condition 

23 that the borrower receives the benefit resulting from 

24 the reduction or elimination of the fee. 


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1 (b) LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may pro2 vide assistance to an entity under this section as the Sec3 retary determines is necessary to— 

4 (1) ensure that the entity has the necessary re5 sources to maintain public health, safety, or order; 

6 (2) address financial hardships of the entity 

7 due to the COVID–19 public health emergency; and 

8 (3) promote the financial stability of the entity. 

9 (c) USE OF FUNDS.—An entity to which assistance 

10 is provided under this section may use the assistance— 

11 (1) for any purpose for which the entity is eligi12 ble for assistance under such section 306(a)(1) or 

13 310B; or 

14 (2) for any eligible direct operational expenses 

15 of the entity, as determined by the Secretary. 

16 (d) NOTICE.—The Secretary may disburse funds 

17 under this section pursuant to 1 or more notices in the 

18 Federal Register, without regard to publication of any 

19 final rulemaking. 

20 (e) APPROPRIATION.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—Out of any money in the 

22 Treasury of the United States not otherwise appro23 priated, there are appropriated $4,000,000,000 to 

24 carry out this section. 


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1 (2) RESERVATION FOR ASSISTANCE TO HOS2 PITALS AND HEALTH FACILITIES.—The Secretary 

3 shall reserve $2,000,000,000 of the amount appro4 priated by paragraph (1) for assistance to hospitals 

5 and health facilities eligible for assistance under this 

6 section. 

7 (3) RESERVATION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EX8 PENSES.—The Secretary shall reserve 3 percent of 

9 the amount appropriated by paragraph (1) for ad10 ministrative expenses incurred in carrying out this 

11 section. 

12 (4) AVAILABILITY.—The amount appropriated 

13 in paragraph (1) shall remain available through De14 cember 31, 2021. 

Æ 


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