II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 209 

To provide for assistance to rural water, wastewater, and waste disposal 

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

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 3, 2021 

Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself and Mr. TILLIS) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 

A BILL 

To provide for assistance to rural water, wastewater, and 

waste disposal systems 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 ‘‘Emergency Assistance 

5 for Rural Water Systems Act of 2021’’. 

6 SEC. 2. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR RURAL WATER SYS7 TEMS. 

8 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 


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1 (1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti2 ty’’ means a rural water, wastewater, or waste dis3 posal facility with respect to which assistance may 

4 be provided under a water, wastewater, or waste dis5 posal program under section 306(a), 306A, 306C, or 

6 306D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop7 ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a), 1926a, 1926c, 1926d). 

8 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

9 the Secretary of Agriculture. 

10 (b) EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 

11 may— 

12 (1) provide a grant, a zero percent interest 

13 loan, or a 1 percent interest loan to, forgive prin14 cipal or interest or modify any term or condition of 

15 an outstanding loan made to, or refinance part or all 

16 of any other loan (if the purpose of the loan is an 

17 eligible purpose under section 306(a)(1) or 306C of 

18 the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act 

19 (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(1), 1926c)) made to, an eligible 

20 entity; or 

21 (2) reduce or eliminate any fee that is or would 

22 otherwise be required to be paid under section 

23 306(a)(1) of that Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(1)) with re24 spect to a loan guarantee provided to an eligible en25 tity, on the condition that the eligible entity receives 


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1 the benefit resulting from the reduction or elimi2 nation of the fee. 

3 (c) LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may pro4 vide assistance to an eligible entity under subsection (b) 

5 as the Secretary determines is necessary— 

6 (1) to ensure that the eligible entity has the 

7 necessary resources to maintain public health, safe8 ty, or order; 

9 (2) to address financial hardships of the eligible 

10 entity due to the COVID–19 public health emer11 gency; or 

12 (3) to promote the financial stability of the eli13 gible entity. 

14 (d) USE OF ASSISTANCE.—An eligible entity to which 

15 assistance is provided under subsection (b) may use the 

16 assistance— 

17 (1) for any purpose for which the eligible entity 

18 is eligible for assistance under the relevant provision 

19 of law referred to in subsection (a)(1); or 

20 (2) for any direct operational expenses incurred 

21 by the eligible entity, as determined by the Sec22 retary. 

23 (e) APPROPRIATION.— 

24 (1) IN GENERAL.—Out of any amounts in the 

25 Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is approVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:54 Feb 21, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S209.IS S209

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1 priated to the Secretary $1,000,000,000 to carry out 

2 this section. 

3 (2) RESERVATION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EX4 PENSES.—The Secretary shall reserve 3 percent of 

5 the amount appropriated by paragraph (1) for ad6 ministrative expenses incurred by the Secretary in 

7 carrying out this section. 

8 (3) AVAILABILITY.—The amount appropriated 

9 by paragraph (1) shall remain available through De10 cember 31, 2022. 

Æ 


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