H. R. 2—219 
receiver for such System institution at any time after 
such appointment; 
‘‘(ii) any right under any security agreement or 
arrangement or other credit enhancement related to 
one or more qualified financial contracts described in 
clause (i); or 
‘‘(iii) any right to offset or net out any termination 
value, payment amount, or other transfer obligation 
arising under, or in connection with, 1 or more con-
tracts and agreements described in clause (i), including 
any master agreement for such contracts or agree-
ments. 
‘‘(C) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS.—Subsection 
(b)(12) shall apply in the case of any judicial action or 
proceeding brought against any receiver referred to in 
subparagraph (A), or the System institution for which such 
receiver was appointed, by any party to a contract or agree-
ment described in subparagraph (B)(i) with such System 
institution. 
‘‘(D) CERTAIN TRANSFERS NOT AVOIDABLE.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding paragraph (11) 
or any other Federal or State law relating to the avoid-
ance of preferential or fraudulent transfers, the Cor-
poration, whether acting as such or as conservator 
or receiver of a System institution, may not avoid 
any transfer of money or other property in connection 
with any qualified financial contract with a System 
institution. 
‘‘(ii) EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN TRANSFERS.—Clause 
(i) shall not apply to any transfer of money or other 
property in connection with any qualified financial con-
tract with a System institution if the Corporation 
determines that the transferee had actual intent to 
hinder, delay, or defraud such System institution, the 
creditors of such System institution, or any conservator 
or receiver appointed for such System institution. 
‘‘(E) CERTAIN PROTECTIONS IN EVENT OF APPOINTMENT 
OF CONSERVATOR.—Notwithstanding any other provision of 
this Act (other than subparagraph (G), paragraph (10), 
subsection (b)(9), and section 5.61(d)) or any other Federal 
or State law, no person shall be stayed or prohibited from 
exercising— 
‘‘(i) any right such person has to cause the termi-
nation, liquidation, or acceleration of any qualified 
financial contract with a System institution in a con-
servatorship based upon a default under such financial 
contract which is enforceable under applicable non-
insolvency law; 
‘‘(ii) any right under any security agreement or 
arrangement or other credit enhancement related to 
one or more qualified financial contracts described in 
clause (i); and 
‘‘(iii) any right to offset or net out any termination 
values, payment amounts, or other transfer obligations 
arising under or in connection with such qualified 
financial contracts.
H. R. 2—220 
‘‘(F) CLARIFICATION.—No provision of law shall be con-
strued as limiting the right or power of the Corporation, 
or authorizing any court or agency to limit or delay, in 
any manner, the right or power of the Corporation to 
transfer any qualified financial contract in accordance with 
paragraphs (9) and (10) or to disaffirm or repudiate any 
such contract in accordance with paragraph (1). 
‘‘(G) WALKAWAY CLAUSES NOT EFFECTIVE.— 
‘‘(i) DEFINITION
OF
WALKAWAY
CLAUSE.—In this 
subparagraph, the term ‘walkaway clause’ means any 
provision in a qualified financial contract that sus-
pends, conditions, or extinguishes a payment obligation 
of a party, in whole or in part, or does not create 
a payment obligation of a party that would otherwise 
exist— 
‘‘(I) solely because of— 
‘‘(aa) the status of the party as a non-
defaulting party in connection with the insol-
vency of a System institution that is a party 
to the contract; or 
‘‘(bb) the appointment of, or the exercise 
of rights or powers by, the Corporation as 
a conservator or receiver of the System institu-
tion; and 
‘‘(II) not as a result of the exercise by a party 
of any right to offset, setoff, or net obligations 
that exist under— 
‘‘(aa) the contract; 
‘‘(bb) any other contract between those 
parties; or 
‘‘(cc) applicable law. 
‘‘(ii) TREATMENT.—Notwithstanding the provisions 
of subparagraphs (B) and (E), no walkaway clause 
shall be enforceable in a qualified financial contract 
of a System institution in default. 
‘‘(iii) LIMITED
SUSPENSION
OF
CERTAIN
OBLIGA-
TIONS.—In the case of a qualified financial contract 
referred to in clause (ii), any payment or delivery 
obligations otherwise due from a party pursuant to 
the qualified financial contract shall be suspended from 
the time the receiver is appointed until the earlier 
of— 
‘‘(I) the time such party receives notice that 
such contract has been transferred pursuant to 
subparagraph (B); or 
‘‘(II) 5:00 p.m. (eastern time) on the business 
day following the date of the appointment of the 
receiver. 
‘‘(H) RECORDKEEPING
REQUIREMENTS.—The Corpora-
tion, in consultation with the Farm Credit Administration, 
may prescribe regulations requiring more detailed record-
keeping by any System institution with respect to qualified 
financial contracts (including market valuations), only if 
such System institution is subject to subclause (I), (III), 
or (IV) of section 5.61B(a)(1)(A)(ii). 
‘‘(9) TRANSFER OF QUALIFIED FINANCIAL CONTRACTS.— 
‘‘(A) DEFINITIONS.—In this paragraph:
H. R. 2—221 
‘‘(i) CLEARING ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘clearing 
organization’ has the meaning given the term in section 
402 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 
Improvement Act of 1991 (12 U.S.C. 4402). 
‘‘(ii) FINANCIAL INSTITUTION.—The term ‘financial 
institution’ means a System institution, a broker or 
dealer, a depository institution, a futures commission 
merchant, or any other institution, as determined by 
the Corporation by regulation to be a financial institu-
tion. 
‘‘(B) REQUIREMENT.—In making any transfer of assets 
or liabilities of a System institution in default which 
includes any qualified financial contract, the conservator 
or receiver for such System institution shall either— 
‘‘(i) transfer to one financial institution, other than 
a financial institution for which a conservator, receiver, 
trustee in bankruptcy, or other legal custodian has 
been appointed, or that is otherwise the subject of 
a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding— 
‘‘(I) all qualified financial contracts between 
any person or any affiliate of such person and 
the System institution in default; 
‘‘(II) all claims of such person or any affiliate 
of such person against such System institution 
under any such contract (other than any claim 
which, under the terms of any such contract, is 
subordinated to the claims of general unsecured 
creditors of such System institution); 
‘‘(III) all claims of such System institution 
against such person or any affiliate of such person 
under any such contract; and 
‘‘(IV) all property securing or any other credit 
enhancement for any contract described in sub-
clause (I) or any claim described in subclause (II) 
or (III) under any such contract; or 
‘‘(ii) transfer none of the qualified financial con-
tracts, claims, property or other credit enhancement 
referred to in clause (i) (with respect to such person 
and any affiliate of such person). 
‘‘(C) TRANSFER TO FOREIGN BANK, FOREIGN FINANCIAL 
INSTITUTION, OR BRANCH OR AGENCY OF A FOREIGN BANK 
OR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION.—In transferring any qualified 
financial contracts and related claims and property under 
subparagraph (B)(i), the conservator or receiver for the 
System institution shall not make such transfer to a foreign 
bank, financial institution organized under the laws of 
a foreign country, or a branch or agency of a foreign bank 
or financial institution unless, under the law applicable 
to such bank, financial institution, branch or agency, to 
the qualified financial contracts, and to any netting con-
tract, any security agreement or arrangement or other 
credit enhancement related to one or more qualified finan-
cial contracts, the contractual rights of the parties to such 
qualified financial contracts, netting contracts, security 
agreements or arrangements, or other credit enhancements 
are enforceable substantially to the same extent as per-
mitted under this section.
H. R. 2—222 
‘‘(D) TRANSFER OF CONTRACTS SUBJECT TO THE RULES 
OF A CLEARING ORGANIZATION.—In the event that a conser-
vator or receiver transfers any qualified financial contract 
and related claims, property, and credit enhancements 
pursuant to subparagraph (B)(i) and such contract is 
cleared by or subject to the rules of a clearing organization, 
the clearing organization shall not be required to accept 
the transferee as a member by virtue of the transfer. 
‘‘(10) NOTIFICATION OF TRANSFER.— 
‘‘(A) DEFINITION OF BUSINESS DAY.—In this paragraph, 
the term ‘business day’ means any day other than any 
Saturday, Sunday, or any day on which either the New 
York Stock Exchange or the Federal Reserve Bank of New 
York is closed. 
‘‘(B) NOTIFICATION.—If— 
‘‘(i) the conservator or receiver for a System institu-
tion in default makes any transfer of the assets and 
liabilities of such System institution; and 
‘‘(ii) the transfer includes any qualified financial 
contract, the conservator or receiver shall notify any 
person who is a party to any such contract of such 
transfer by 5:00 p.m. (eastern time) on the business 
day following the date of the appointment of the 
receiver in the case of a receivership, or the business 
day following such transfer in the case of a conservator-
ship. 
‘‘(C) CERTAIN RIGHTS NOT ENFORCEABLE.— 
‘‘(i) RECEIVERSHIP.—A person who is a party to 
a qualified financial contract with a System institution 
may not exercise any right that such person has to 
terminate, liquidate, or net such contract under para-
graph (8)(B) of this subsection, solely by reason of 
or incidental to the appointment of a receiver for the 
System institution (or the insolvency or financial condi-
tion of the System institution for which the receiver 
has been appointed)— 
‘‘(I) until 5:00 p.m. (eastern time) on the busi-
ness day following the date of the appointment 
of the receiver; or 
‘‘(II) after the person has received notice that 
the contract has been transferred pursuant to 
paragraph (9)(B). 
‘‘(ii) CONSERVATORSHIP.—A person who is a party 
to a qualified financial contract with a System institu-
tion may not exercise any right that such person has 
to terminate, liquidate, or net such contract under 
paragraph (8)(E) of this subsection, solely by reason 
of or incidental to the appointment of a conservator 
for the System institution (or the insolvency or finan-
cial condition of the System institution for which the 
conservator has been appointed). 
‘‘(iii) NOTICE.—For purposes of this paragraph, the 
Corporation as receiver or conservator of a System 
institution shall be deemed to have notified a person 
who is a party to a qualified financial contract with 
such System institution if the Corporation has taken
H. R. 2—223 
steps reasonably calculated to provide notice to such 
person by the time specified in subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(D) TREATMENT
OF
BRIDGE
SYSTEM
INSTITUTIONS.— 
The following System institutions shall not be considered 
to be a financial institution for which a conservator, 
receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, or other legal custodian 
has been appointed or which is otherwise the subject of 
a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding for purposes of para-
graph (9): 
‘‘(i) A bridge System bank. 
‘‘(ii) A System institution organized by the Cor-
poration or the Farm Credit Administration, for which 
a conservator is appointed either— 
‘‘(I) immediately upon the organization of the 
System institution; or 
‘‘(II) at the time of a purchase and assumption 
transaction between the System institution and 
the Corporation as receiver for a System institu-
tion in default. 
‘‘(11) DISAFFIRMANCE OR REPUDIATION OF QUALIFIED FINAN-
CIAL CONTRACTS.—In exercising the rights of disaffirmance or 
repudiation of a conservator or receiver with respect to any 
qualified financial contract to which a System institution is 
a party, the conservator or receiver for such System institution 
shall either— 
‘‘(A) disaffirm or repudiate all qualified financial con-
tracts between— 
‘‘(i) any person or any affiliate of such person; 
and 
‘‘(ii) the System institution in default; or 
‘‘(B) disaffirm or repudiate none of the qualified finan-
cial contracts referred to in subparagraph (A) (with respect 
to such person or any affiliate of such person). 
‘‘(12) CERTAIN
SECURITY
INTERESTS
NOT
AVOIDABLE.—No 
provision of this subsection shall be construed as permitting 
the avoidance of any legally enforceable or perfected security 
interest in any of the assets of any System institution except 
where such an interest is taken in contemplation of the System 
institution’s insolvency or with the intent to hinder, delay, 
or defraud the System institution or the creditors of such 
System institution. 
‘‘(13) AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE CONTRACTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The conservator or receiver may 
enforce any contract, other than a director’s or officer’s 
liability insurance contract or a System institution bond, 
entered into by the System institution notwithstanding 
any provision of the contract providing for termination, 
default, acceleration, or exercise of rights upon, or solely 
by reason of, insolvency or the appointment of or the exer-
cise of rights or powers by a conservator or receiver. 
‘‘(B) CERTAIN RIGHTS NOT AFFECTED.—No provision of 
this paragraph may be construed as impairing or affecting 
any right of the conservator or receiver to enforce or recover 
under a director’s or officer’s liability insurance contract 
or institution bond under other applicable law. 
‘‘(C) CONSENT REQUIREMENT.—
H. R. 2—224 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Except as otherwise provided 
by this section, no person may exercise any right or 
power to terminate, accelerate, or declare a default 
under any contract to which the System institution 
is a party, or to obtain possession of or exercise control 
over any property of the System institution or affect 
any contractual rights of the System institution, with-
out the consent of the conservator or receiver, as appro-
priate, during the 45-day period beginning on the date 
of the appointment of the conservator, or during the 
90-day period beginning on the date of the appointment 
of the receiver, as applicable. 
‘‘(ii) CERTAIN
EXCEPTIONS.—No provision of this 
subparagraph shall apply to a director or officer 
liability insurance contract or an institution bond, to 
the rights of parties to certain qualified financial con-
tracts pursuant to paragraph (8), or shall be construed 
as permitting the conservator or receiver to fail to 
comply with otherwise enforceable provisions of such 
contract. 
‘‘(14) EXCEPTION FOR FEDERAL RESERVE AND THE UNITED 
STATES TREASURY.—No provision of this subsection shall apply 
with respect to— 
‘‘(A) any extension of credit from any Federal Reserve 
bank or the United States Treasury to any System institu-
tion; or 
‘‘(B) any security interest in the assets of the System 
institution securing any such extension of credit. 
‘‘(15) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—The meanings of terms used in 
this subsection— 
‘‘(A) are applicable for purposes of this subsection only; 
and 
‘‘(B) shall not be construed or applied so as to challenge 
or affect the characterization, definition, or treatment of 
any similar terms under any other law, regulation, or rule, 
including— 
‘‘(i) the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (12 U.S.C. 1811 
note; Public Law 106–102); 
‘‘(ii) the Legal Certainty for Bank Products Act 
of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 27 et seq.); 
‘‘(iii) the securities laws (as that term is defined 
in section 3(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(15 U.S.C. 78c(a))); and 
‘‘(iv) the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 
et seq.). 
‘‘(d) VALUATION OF CLAIMS IN DEFAULT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision of 
Federal law or the law of any State and regardless of the 
method which the Corporation determines to utilize with 
respect to a System institution in default or in danger of 
default, including transactions authorized under subsection (h) 
and section 5.61(a), this subsection shall govern the rights 
of the creditors of such System institution. 
‘‘(2) MAXIMUM LIABILITY.—The maximum liability of the 
Corporation, acting as receiver or in any other capacity, to 
any person having a claim against the receiver or the System 
institution for which such receiver is appointed shall equal
H. R. 2—225 
the amount such claimant would have received if the Corpora-
tion had liquidated the assets and liabilities of such System 
institution without exercising the Corporation’s authority under 
subsection (h) or section 5.61(a). 
‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS AUTHORIZED.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Corporation may, in its discre-
tion and in the interests of minimizing its losses, use 
its own resources to make additional payments or credit 
additional amounts to or with respect to or for the account 
of any claimant or category of claimants. Notwithstanding 
any other provision of Federal or State law, or the constitu-
tion of any State, the Corporation shall not be obligated, 
as a result of having made any such payment or credited 
any such amount to or with respect to or for the account 
of any claimant or category of claimants, to make payments 
to any other claimant or category of claimants. 
‘‘(B) MANNER
OF
PAYMENT.—The Corporation may 
make the payments or credit the amounts specified in 
subparagraph (A) directly to the claimants or may make 
such payments or credit such amounts to an open System 
institution to induce such System institution to accept 
liability for such claims. 
‘‘(e) LIMITATION ON COURT ACTION.—Except as provided in this 
section, no court may take any action, except at the written request 
of the Board of Directors, to restrain or affect the exercise of 
powers or functions of the Corporation as a conservator or a 
receiver. 
‘‘(f) LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A director or officer of a System institu-
tion may be held personally liable for monetary damages in 
any civil action— 
‘‘(A) brought by, on behalf of, or at the request or 
direction of the Corporation; 
‘‘(B) prosecuted wholly or partially for the benefit of 
the Corporation— 
‘‘(i) acting as conservator or receiver of that System 
institution; 
‘‘(ii) acting based on a suit, claim, or cause of 
action purchased from, assigned by, or otherwise con-
veyed by that receiver or conservator; or 
‘‘(iii) acting based on a suit, claim, or cause of 
action purchased from, assigned by, or otherwise con-
veyed in whole or in part by a System institution 
or an affiliate of a System institution in connection 
with assistance provided under section 5.61(a); and 
‘‘(C) for, as determined under the applicable State 
law— 
‘‘(i) gross negligence; or 
‘‘(ii) any similar conduct, including conduct that 
demonstrates a greater disregard of a duty of care 
than gross negligence, such as intentional tortious con-
duct. 
‘‘(2) EFFECT.—Nothing in paragraph (1) impairs or affects 
any right of the Corporation under any other applicable law. 
‘‘(g) DAMAGES.—In any proceeding related to any claim against 
a System institution’s director, officer, employee, agent, attorney, 
accountant, appraiser, or any other party employed by or providing
H. R. 2—226 
services to a System institution, recoverable damages determined 
to result from the improvident or otherwise improper use or invest-
ment of any System institution’s assets shall include principal losses 
and appropriate interest. 
‘‘(h) BRIDGE FARM CREDIT SYSTEM BANKS.— 
‘‘(1) ORGANIZATION.— 
‘‘(A) PURPOSE.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—When 1 or more System banks 
are in default, or when the Corporation anticipates 
that 1 or more System banks may become in default, 
the Corporation may, in its discretion, organize, and 
the Farm Credit Administration may, in its discretion, 
charter, 1 or more System banks, with the powers 
and attributes of System banks, subject to the provi-
sions of this subsection, to be referred to as ‘bridge 
System banks’. 
‘‘(ii) INTENT OF CONGRESS.—It is the intent of the 
Congress that, in order to prevent unnecessary hard-
ship or losses to the customers of any System bank 
in default with respect to which a bridge System bank 
is chartered, the Corporation should— 
‘‘(I) continue to honor commitments made by 
the System bank in default to creditworthy cus-
tomers; and 
‘‘(II) not interrupt or terminate adequately 
secured loans which are transferred under this 
subsection and are being repaid by the debtor in 
accordance with the terms of the loan instrument. 
‘‘(B) AUTHORITIES.—Once chartered by the Farm Credit 
Administration, the bridge System bank may— 
‘‘(i) assume such liabilities of the System bank 
or banks in default or in danger of default as the 
Corporation may, in its discretion, determine to be 
appropriate; 
‘‘(ii) purchase such assets of the System bank or 
banks in default or in danger of default as the Corpora-
tion may, in its discretion, determine to be appropriate; 
and 
‘‘(iii) perform any other temporary function which 
the Corporation may, in its discretion, prescribe in 
accordance with this Act. 
‘‘(C) ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION.—The articles of associa-
tion and organization certificate of a bridge System bank 
as approved by the Corporation shall be executed by 3 
representatives designated by the Corporation. 
‘‘(D) INTERIM DIRECTORS.—A bridge System bank shall 
have an interim board of directors consisting of not fewer 
than 5 nor more than 10 members appointed by the Cor-
poration. 
‘‘(2) CHARTERING.— 
‘‘(A) CONDITIONS.—The Farm Credit Administration 
may charter a bridge System bank only if the Board of 
Directors determines that— 
‘‘(i) the amount which is reasonably necessary to 
operate such bridge System bank will not exceed the 
amount which is reasonably necessary to save the cost 
of liquidating 1 or more System banks in default or
H. R. 2—227 
in danger of default with respect to which the bridge 
System bank is chartered; 
‘‘(ii) the continued operation of such System bank 
or banks in default or in danger of default with respect 
to which the bridge System bank is chartered is essen-
tial to provide adequate farm credit services in the 
1 or more communities where each such System bank 
in default or in danger of default is or was providing 
those farm credit services; or 
‘‘(iii) the continued operation of such System bank 
or banks in default or in danger of default with respect 
to which the bridge System bank is chartered is in 
the best interest of the Farm Credit System or the 
public. 
‘‘(B) BRIDGE
SYSTEM
BANK
TREATED
AS
BEING
IN 
DEFAULT FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES.—A bridge System bank 
shall be treated as being in default at such times and 
for such purposes as the Corporation may, in its discretion, 
determine. 
‘‘(C) MANAGEMENT.—A bridge System bank, upon the 
granting of its charter, shall be under the management 
of a board of directors consisting of not fewer than 5 nor 
more than 10 members appointed by the Corporation, in 
consultation with the Farm Credit Administration. 
‘‘(D) BYLAWS.—The board of directors of a bridge 
System bank shall adopt such bylaws as may be approved 
by the Corporation. 
‘‘(3) TRANSFER OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.— 
‘‘(A) TRANSFER UPON GRANT OF CHARTER.—Upon the 
granting of a charter to a bridge System bank pursuant 
to this subsection, the Corporation, as receiver, may 
transfer any assets and liabilities of the System bank to 
the bridge System bank in accordance with paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) SUBSEQUENT
TRANSFERS.—At any time after a 
charter is granted to a bridge System bank, the Corpora-
tion, as receiver, may transfer any assets and liabilities 
of such System bank in default as the Corporation may, 
in its discretion, determine to be appropriate in accordance 
with paragraph (1). 
‘‘(C) EFFECTIVE WITHOUT APPROVAL.—The transfer of 
any assets or liabilities of a System bank in default or 
danger of default transferred to a bridge System bank 
shall be effective without any further approval under Fed-
eral or State law, assignment, or consent with respect 
thereto. 
‘‘(4) POWERS
OF
BRIDGE
SYSTEM
BANKS.—Each bridge 
System bank chartered under this subsection shall, to the 
extent described in the charter of the System bank in default 
with respect to which the bridge System bank is chartered, 
have all corporate powers of, and be subject to the same provi-
sions of law as, any System bank, except that— 
‘‘(A) the Corporation may— 
‘‘(i) remove the interim directors and directors of 
a bridge System bank; 
‘‘(ii) fix the compensation of members of the interim 
board of directors and the board of directors and senior
H. R. 2—228 
management, as determined by the Corporation in its 
discretion, of a bridge System bank; and 
‘‘(iii) waive any requirement established under 
Federal or State law which would otherwise be 
applicable with respect to directors of a bridge System 
bank, on the condition that the waiver of any require-
ment established by the Farm Credit Administration 
shall require the concurrence of the Farm Credit 
Administration; 
‘‘(B) the Corporation may indemnify the representa-
tives for purposes of paragraph (1)(B) and the interim 
directors, directors, officers, employees, and agents of a 
bridge System bank on such terms as the Corporation 
determines to be appropriate; 
‘‘(C) no requirement under any provision of law relating 
to the capital of a System institution shall apply with 
respect to a bridge System bank; 
‘‘(D) the Farm Credit Administration Board may estab-
lish a limitation on the extent to which any person may 
become indebted to a bridge System bank without regard 
to the amount of the bridge System bank’s capital or sur-
plus; 
‘‘(E)(i) the board of directors of a bridge System bank 
shall elect a chairperson who may also serve in the position 
of chief executive officer, except that such person shall 
not serve either as chairperson or as chief executive officer 
without the prior approval of the Corporation; and 
‘‘(ii) the board of directors of a bridge System bank 
may appoint a chief executive officer who is not also the 
chairperson, except that such person shall not serve as 
chief executive officer without the prior approval of the 
Corporation; 
‘‘(F) the Farm Credit Administration may waive any 
requirement for a fidelity bond with respect to a bridge 
System bank at the request of the Corporation; 
‘‘(G) any judicial action to which a bridge System bank 
becomes a party by virtue of its acquisition of any assets 
or assumption of any liabilities of a System bank in default 
shall be stayed from further proceedings for a period of 
up to 45 days at the request of the bridge System bank; 
‘‘(H) no agreement which tends to diminish or defeat 
the right, title or interest of a bridge System bank in 
any asset of a System bank in default acquired by it shall 
be valid against the bridge System bank unless such agree-
ment— 
‘‘(i) is in writing; 
‘‘(ii) was executed by such System bank in default 
and the person or persons claiming an adverse interest 
thereunder, including the obligor, contemporaneously 
with the acquisition of the asset by such System bank 
in default; 
‘‘(iii) was approved by the board of directors of 
such System bank in default or its loan committee, 
which approval shall be reflected in the minutes of 
said board or committee; and
H. R. 2—229 
‘‘(iv) has been, continuously from the time of its 
execution, an official record of such System bank in 
default; 
‘‘(I) notwithstanding subsection 5.61(d)(2), any agree-
ment relating to an extension of credit between a System 
bank, Federal Reserve bank, or the United States Treasury 
and any System institution which was executed before 
the extension of credit by such lender to such System 
institution shall be treated as having been executed 
contemporaneously with such extension of credit for pur-
poses of subparagraph (H); and 
‘‘(J) except with the prior approval of the Corporation 
and the concurrence of the Farm Credit Administration, 
a bridge System bank may not, in any transaction or series 
of transactions, issue capital stock or be a party to any 
merger, consolidation, disposition of substantially all of 
the assets or liabilities of the bridge System bank, sale 
or exchange of capital stock, or similar transaction, or 
change its charter. 
‘‘(5) CAPITAL.— 
‘‘(A) NO CAPITAL REQUIRED.—The Corporation shall not 
be required to— 
‘‘(i) issue any capital stock on behalf of a bridge 
System bank chartered under this subsection; or 
‘‘(ii) purchase any capital stock of a bridge System 
bank, except that notwithstanding any other provision 
of Federal or State law, the Corporation may purchase 
and retain capital stock of a bridge System bank in 
such amounts and on such terms as the Corporation, 
in its discretion, determines to be appropriate. 
‘‘(B) OPERATING FUNDS IN LIEU OF CAPITAL.—Upon the 
organization of a bridge System bank, and thereafter, as 
the Corporation may, in its discretion, determine to be 
necessary or advisable, the Corporation may make avail-
able to the bridge System bank, upon such terms and 
conditions and in such form and amounts as the Corpora-
tion may in its discretion determine, funds for the operation 
of the bridge System bank in lieu of capital. 
‘‘(C) AUTHORITY TO ISSUE CAPITAL STOCK.—Whenever 
the Farm Credit Administration Board determines it is 
advisable to do so, the Corporation shall cause capital 
stock of a bridge System bank to be issued and offered 
for sale in such amounts and on such terms and conditions 
as the Corporation may, in its discretion, determine. 
‘‘(6) EMPLOYEE STATUS.—Representatives for purposes of 
paragraph 
(1)(C), 
interim 
directors, 
directors, 
officers, 
employees, or agents of a bridge System bank are not, solely 
by virtue of service in any such capacity, officers or employees 
of the United States. Any employee of the Corporation, the 
Farm Credit Administration, or any Federal instrumentality 
who serves at the request of the Corporation as a representative 
for purposes of paragraph (1)(C), interim director, director, 
officer, employee, or agent of a bridge System bank shall not— 
‘‘(A) solely by virtue of service in any such capacity 
lose any existing status as an officer or employee of the 
United States for purposes of any provision of law; or
H. R. 2—230 
‘‘(B) receive any salary or benefits for service in any 
such capacity with respect to a bridge System bank in 
addition to such salary or benefits as are obtained through 
employment with the Corporation or such Federal 
instrumentality. 
‘‘(7) ASSISTANCE
AUTHORIZED.—The Corporation may, in 
its discretion, provide assistance under section 5.61(a) to facili-
tate any merger or consolidation of a bridge System bank 
in the same manner and to the same extent as such assistance 
may be provided to a qualifying insured System bank (as 
defined in section 5.61(a)(2)(B)) or to facilitate a bridge System 
bank’s acquisition of any assets or the assumption of any liabil-
ities of a System bank in default or in danger of default. 
‘‘(8) DURATION OF BRIDGE SYSTEM BANKS.—Subject to para-
graphs (10) and (11), the status of a bridge System bank as 
such shall terminate at the end of the 2-year period following 
the date it was granted a charter. The Farm Credit Administra-
tion Board may, in its discretion, extend the status of the 
bridge System bank as such for 3 additional 1-year periods. 
‘‘(9) TERMINATION OF BRIDGE SYSTEM BANKS STATUS.—The 
status of any bridge System bank as such shall terminate 
upon the earliest of— 
‘‘(A) the merger or consolidation of the bridge System 
bank with a System institution that is not a bridge System 
bank, on the condition that the merger or consolidation 
shall be subject to the approval of the Farm Credit 
Administration; 
‘‘(B) at the election of the Corporation and with the 
approval of the Farm Credit Administration, the sale of 
a majority or all of the capital stock of the bridge System 
bank to a System institution or another bridge System 
bank; 
‘‘(C) at the election of the Corporation, and with the 
approval of the Farm Credit Administration, either the 
assumption of all or substantially all of the liabilities of 
the bridge System bank, or the acquisition of all or substan-
tially all of the assets of the bridge System bank, by a 
System institution that is not a bridge System bank or 
other entity as permitted under applicable law; and 
‘‘(D) the expiration of the period provided in paragraph 
(8), or the earlier dissolution of the bridge System bank 
as provided in paragraph (11). 
‘‘(10) EFFECT OF TERMINATION EVENTS.— 
‘‘(A) MERGER
OR
CONSOLIDATION.—A bridge System 
bank that participates in a merger or consolidation as 
provided in paragraph (9)(A) shall be for all purposes a 
System institution, with all the rights, powers, and privi-
leges thereof, and such merger or consolidation shall be 
conducted in accordance with, and shall have the effect 
provided in, the provisions of applicable law. 
‘‘(B) CHARTER CONVERSION.—Following the sale of a 
majority or all of the capital stock of the bridge System 
bank as provided in paragraph (9)(B), the Farm Credit 
Administration Board may amend the charter of the bridge 
System bank to reflect the termination of the status of 
the bridge System bank as such, whereupon the System 
bank shall remain a System bank, with all of the rights,
H. R. 2—231 
powers, and privileges thereof, subject to all laws and regu-
lations applicable thereto. 
‘‘(C) ASSUMPTION OF LIABILITIES AND SALE OF ASSETS.— 
Following the assumption of all or substantially all of the 
liabilities of the bridge System bank, or the sale of all 
or substantially all of the assets of the bridge System 
bank, as provided in paragraph (9)(C), at the election of 
the Corporation, the bridge System bank may retain its 
status as such for the period provided in paragraph (8). 
‘‘(D) AMENDMENTS
TO
CHARTER.—Following the con-
summation of a transaction described in subparagraph (A), 
(B), or (C) of paragraph (9), the charter of the resulting 
System institution shall be amended by the Farm Credit 
Administration to reflect the termination of bridge System 
bank status, if appropriate. 
‘‘(11) DISSOLUTION OF BRIDGE SYSTEM BANK.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of State or Federal law, if the bridge System bank’s 
status as such has not previously been terminated by the 
occurrence of an event specified in subparagraph (A), (B), 
or (C) of paragraph (9)— 
‘‘(i) the Corporation, after consultation with the 
Farm Credit Administration, may, in its discretion, 
dissolve a bridge System bank in accordance with this 
paragraph at any time; and 
‘‘(ii) the Corporation, after consultation with the 
Farm Credit Administration, shall promptly commence 
dissolution proceedings in accordance with this para-
graph upon the expiration of the 2-year period fol-
lowing the date the bridge System bank was chartered, 
or any extension thereof, as provided in paragraph 
(8). 
‘‘(B) PROCEDURES.—The Farm Credit Administration 
Board shall appoint the Corporation as receiver for a bridge 
System bank upon determining to dissolve the bridge 
System bank. The Corporation as such receiver shall wind 
up the affairs of the bridge System bank in conformity 
with the provisions of law relating to the liquidation of 
closed System banks. With respect to any such bridge 
System bank, the Corporation as such receiver shall have 
all the rights, powers, and privileges and shall perform 
the duties related to the exercise of such rights, powers, 
or privileges granted by law to a receiver of any insured 
System bank and, notwithstanding any other provision of 
law in the exercise of such rights, powers, and privileges, 
the Corporation shall not be subject to the direction or 
supervision of any State agency or other Federal agency. 
‘‘(12) MULTIPLE BRIDGE SYSTEM BANKS.—The Corporation 
may, in the Corporation’s discretion, organize, and the Farm 
Credit Administration may, in its discretion, charter, 2 or more 
bridge System banks under this subsection to assume any 
liabilities and purchase any assets of a single System institution 
in default. 
‘‘(i) CERTAIN SALES OF ASSETS PROHIBITED.— 
‘‘(1) PERSONS WHO ENGAGED IN IMPROPER CONDUCT WITH, 
OR CAUSED LOSSES TO, SYSTEM INSTITUTIONS.—The Corporation 
shall prescribe regulations which, at a minimum, shall prohibit
H. R. 2—232 
the sale of assets of a failed System institution by the Corpora-
tion to— 
‘‘(A) any person who— 
‘‘(i) has defaulted, or was a member of a partner-
ship or an officer or director of a corporation that 
has defaulted, on 1 or more obligations the aggregate 
amount of which exceed $1,000,000, to such failed 
System institution; 
‘‘(ii) has been found to have engaged in fraudulent 
activity in connection with any obligation referred to 
in clause (i); and 
‘‘(iii) proposes to purchase any such asset in whole 
or in part through the use of the proceeds of a loan 
or advance of credit from the Corporation or from 
any System institution for which the Corporation has 
been appointed as conservator or receiver; 
‘‘(B) any person who participated, as an officer or 
director of such failed System institution or of any affiliate 
of such System institution, in a material way in trans-
actions that resulted in a substantial loss to such failed 
System institution; 
‘‘(C) any person who has been removed from, or prohib-
ited from participating in the affairs of, such failed System 
institution pursuant to any final enforcement action by 
the Farm Credit Administration; 
‘‘(D) any person who has demonstrated a pattern or 
practice of defalcation regarding obligations to such failed 
System institution; or 
‘‘(E) any person who is in default on any loan or 
other extension of credit from such failed System institution 
which, if not paid, will cause substantial loss to the System 
institution or the Corporation. 
‘‘(2) DEFAULTED
DEBTORS.—Except as provided in para-
graph (3), any person who is in default on any loan or other 
extension of credit from the System institution, which, if not 
paid, will cause substantial loss to the System institution or 
the Corporation, may not purchase any asset from the conser-
vator or receiver. 
‘‘(3) SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS.—Paragraph (1) shall not apply 
to the sale or transfer by the Corporation of any asset of 
any System institution to any person if the sale or transfer 
of the asset resolves or settles, or is part of the resolution 
or settlement, of— 
‘‘(A) 1 or more claims that have been, or could have 
been, asserted by the Corporation against the person; or 
‘‘(B) obligations owed by the person to any System 
institution, or the Corporation. 
‘‘(4) DEFINITION OF DEFAULT.—For purposes of this sub-
section, the term ‘default’ means a failure to comply with the 
terms of a loan or other obligation to such an extent that 
the property securing the obligation is foreclosed upon. 
‘‘(j) EXPEDITED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN CLAIMS.— 
‘‘(1) TIME FOR FILING NOTICE OF APPEAL.—The notice of 
appeal of any order, whether interlocutory or final, entered 
in any case brought by the Corporation against a System 
institution’s 
director, 
officer, 
employee, 
agent, 
attorney, 
accountant, or appraiser or any other person employed by or
H. R. 2—233 
providing services to a System institution shall be filed not 
later than 30 days after the date of entry of the order. The 
hearing of the appeal shall be held not later than 120 days 
after the date of the notice of appeal. The appeal shall be 
decided not later than 180 days after the date of the notice 
of appeal. 
‘‘(2) SCHEDULING.—A court of the United States shall expe-
dite the consideration of any case brought by the Corporation 
against a System institution’s director, officer, employee, agent, 
attorney, accountant, or appraiser or any other person employed 
by or providing services to a System institution. As far as 
practicable the court shall give such case priority on its docket. 
‘‘(3) JUDICIAL
DISCRETION.—The court may modify the 
schedule and limitations stated in paragraphs (1) and (2) in 
a particular case, based on a specific finding that the ends 
of justice that would be served by making such a modification 
would outweigh the best interest of the public in having the 
case resolved expeditiously. 
‘‘(k) BOND NOT REQUIRED; AGENTS; FEE.—The Corporation as 
conservator or receiver of a System institution shall not be required 
to furnish bond and may appoint an agent or agents to assist 
in its duties as such conservator or receiver. All fees, compensation, 
and expenses of liquidation and administration shall be fixed by 
the Corporation and may be paid by it out of funds coming into 
its possession as such conservator or receiver. 
‘‘(l) 
CONSULTATION
REGARDING
CONSERVATORSHIPS
AND 
RECEIVERSHIPS.—To the extent practicable— 
‘‘(1) the Farm Credit Administration shall consult with 
the Corporation prior to taking a preresolution action con-
cerning a System institution that may result in a conservator-
ship or receivership; and 
‘‘(2) the Corporation, acting in the capacity of the Corpora-
tion as a conservator or receiver, shall consult with the Farm 
Credit Administration prior to taking any significant action 
impacting System institutions or service to System borrowers. 
‘‘(m) APPLICABILITY.—This section shall become applicable with 
respect to the power of the Corporation to act as a conservator 
or receiver on the date on which the Farm Credit Administration 
appoints the Corporation as a conservator or receiver under section 
4.12 or 8.41.’’. 
SEC. 5413. REPORTING. 
(a) DEFINITION OF FARM LOAN.—In this section, the term ‘‘farm 
loan’’ means— 
(1) a farm ownership loan under subtitle A of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1922 et 
seq.); and 
(2) an operating loan under subtitle B of that Act (7 U.S.C. 
1941 et seq.). 
(b) REPORTS.— 
(1) PREPARATION.—For each fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
prepare a report that includes— 
(A) aggregate data based on a review of each out-
standing farm loan made or guaranteed by the Secretary 
describing, for the United States and for each State and 
county in the United States— 
(i) the age of the recipient producer;
H. R. 2—234 
(ii) the duration that the recipient producer has 
engaged in agricultural production; 
(iii) the size of the farm or ranch of the recipient 
producer; 
(iv) the race, ethnicity, and gender of the recipient 
producer; 
(v) the agricultural commodity or commodities, or 
type of enterprise, for which the loan was secured; 
(vi) the amount of the farm loan made or guaran-
teed; 
(vii) the type of the farm loan made or guaranteed; 
and 
(viii) the default rate of the farm loan made or 
guaranteed; 
(B) for each State and county in the United States, 
data demonstrating the number of outstanding farm loans 
made or guaranteed, according to loan size cohort; and 
(C) an assessment of actual loans made or guaranteed 
as measured against target participation rates for begin-
ning and socially disadvantaged farmers, broken down by 
State, as described in sections 346(b)(2) and 355 of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
1994(b)(2), 2003). 
(2) SUBMISSION OF REPORT.—The report described in para-
graph (1) shall be— 
(A) submitted— 
(i) to— 
(I) the Committee on Agriculture of the House 
of Representatives; 
(II) the Committee on Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives; 
(III) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
and Forestry of the Senate; and 
(IV) the Committee on Appropriations of the 
Senate; and 
(ii) not later than December 30, 2019, and annually 
thereafter; and 
(B) made publicly available not later than 90 days 
after the date described in subparagraph (A)(ii). 
(c) COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 4 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act (and every 5 years thereafter), the 
Secretary shall— 
(A) prepare a comprehensive review of all reports sub-
mitted under subsection (b)(2); 
(B) identify trends within data outlined in subsection 
(b)(1), including the extent to which target annual partici-
pation rates for beginning and socially disadvantaged 
farmers (as defined by the Secretary) are being met for 
each loan type; and 
(C) provide specific actions the Department will take 
to improve the performance of direct and guaranteed loans 
with respect to underserved producers and any rec-
ommendations the Secretary may make for further congres-
sional action. 
(2) SUBMISSION
OF
COMPREHENSIVE
REVIEW.—The com-
prehensive review described in paragraph (1) shall be—
H. R. 2—235 
(A) submitted to— 
(i) the Committee on Agriculture of the House 
of Representatives; 
(ii) the Committee on Appropriations of the House 
of Representatives; 
(iii) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry of the Senate; and 
(iv) the Committee on Appropriations of the 
Senate; and 
(B) made publicly available not later than 90 days 
after the date of submission under subparagraph (A). 
(d) PRIVACY.—In preparing any report or review under this 
section, the Secretary shall aggregate or de-identify the data in 
a manner sufficient to ensure that the identity of a recipient pro-
ducer associated with the data cannot be ascertained. 
SEC. 5414. STUDY ON LOAN RISK. 
(a) STUDY.—The Farm Credit Administration shall conduct a 
study that— 
(1) analyzes and compares the financial risks inherent in 
loans made, held, securitized, or purchased by Farm Credit 
banks, associations, and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Cor-
poration and how such risks are required to be capitalized 
under statute and regulations in effect as of the date of the 
enactment of this Act; and 
(2) assesses the feasibility of increasing the acreage excep-
tion provided in section 8.8(c)(2) of the Farm Credit Act of 
1971 to 2,000 acres. 
(b) TIMELINE.—The Farm Credit Administration shall provide 
the results of the study required by subsection (a) to the Committee 
on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate no later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 5415. GAO REPORT ON ABILITY OF THE FARM CREDIT SYSTEM 
TO MEET THE AGRICULTURAL CREDIT NEEDS OF INDIAN 
TRIBES AND THEIR MEMBERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the United States 
shall— 
(1) study the agricultural credit needs of farms, ranches, 
and related agricultural businesses that are owned or operated 
by— 
(A) Indian tribes on tribal lands; or 
(B) enrolled members of Indian tribes on Indian allot-
ments; and 
(2) determine whether the institutions of the Farm Credit 
System have sufficient authority and resources to meet the 
needs. 
(b) DEFINITION OF INDIAN TRIBE.—In subsection (a), the term 
‘‘Indian tribe’’ means an Indian tribal entity that is eligible for 
funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs by virtue 
of the status of the entity as an Indian tribe. 
(c) REPORT TO THE CONGRESS.—Within 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall prepare and submit to the Committees on Agriculture 
and on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a written 
report that contains the findings of the study conducted under 
subsection (a). If the Comptroller General finds that the institutions
H. R. 2—236 
of the Farm Credit System do not have sufficient authority or 
resources to meet the needs referred to in subsection (a), the report 
shall include such legislative and other recommendations as the 
Comptroller General determines would result in a system under 
which the needs are met in an equitable and effective manner. 
SEC. 5416. GAO REPORT ON CREDIT SERVICE TO SOCIALLY DISADVAN-
TAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) AGRICULTURAL CREDIT PROVIDER.—The term ‘‘agricul-
tural credit provider’’ means— 
(A) a Farm Credit System institution; 
(B) a commercial bank; 
(C) the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation; 
(D) a life insurance company; and 
(E) any other individual or entity, as determined by 
the Comptroller General of the United States. 
(2) SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMER OR RANCHER.—The 
term ‘‘socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 355(e) of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2003(e)). 
(b) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United States 
shall— 
(1) conduct a study— 
(A) to assess the credit and related services provided 
by agricultural credit providers to socially disadvantaged 
farmers and ranchers; 
(B) to review the overall participation of socially dis-
advantaged farmers and ranchers in the services described 
in subparagraph (A); and 
(C) to identify barriers that limit the availability of 
agricultural credit to socially disadvantaged farmers and 
ranchers; and 
(2) provide recommendations on how agricultural credit 
providers may improve outreach to socially disadvantaged 
farmers and ranchers relating to the availability of credit and 
related services. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 120 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutri-
tion, and Forestry of the Senate a report that contains the findings 
of the study conducted under subsection (b)(1) and the recommenda-
tions described in subsection (b)(2). 
TITLE VI—RURAL DEVELOPMENT 
Subtitle A—Improving Health Outcomes in 
Rural America 
SEC. 6101. COMBATING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IN RURAL 
AMERICA; PRIORITIZATIONS. 
(a) COMBATING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IN RURAL AMERICA.—
H. R. 2—237 
(1) PRIORITIZATIONS.—The Secretary shall make the fol-
lowing prioritizations and set asides for fiscal years 2019 
through 2025: 
(A) DISTANCE LEARNING AND TELEMEDICINE.— 
(i) SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SET-ASIDE.—Subject 
to clause (ii), the Secretary shall make available not 
less than 20 percent of amounts made available under 
section 2335A of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, 
and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa-2) for financial 
assistance under chapter 1 of subtitle D of title XXIII 
of such Act for telemedicine projects that provide sub-
stance use disorder treatment services. 
(ii) EXCEPTION.—In the case of a fiscal year for 
which the Secretary determines that there are not 
sufficient qualified applicants to receive financial 
assistance for projects providing substance use disorder 
treatment services to reach the 20-percent requirement 
under clause (i), the Secretary may make available 
less than 20 percent of amounts made available under 
such section 2335A for those services. 
(B) 
COMMUNITY
FACILITIES
DIRECT
LOANS
AND 
GRANTS.— 
(i) SUBSTANCE
USE
DISORDER
SELECTION
PRI-
ORITY.—In selecting recipients of direct loans or grants 
for the development of essential community facilities 
under section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)), the Sec-
retary shall give priority to entities eligible for those 
direct loans or grants— 
(I) to develop facilities to provide substance 
use disorder (including opioid substance use dis-
order)— 
(aa) prevention services; 
(bb) treatment services; 
(cc) recovery services; or 
(dd) any combination of those services; 
and 
(II) that employ staff that have appropriate 
expertise and training in how to identify and treat 
individuals with substance use disorders. 
(ii) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity described 
in clause (i) that receives a direct loan or grant 
described in that clause may use the direct loan or 
grant funds for the development of telehealth facilities 
and systems to provide telehealth services for sub-
stance use disorder treatment. 
(C) RURAL HEALTH AND SAFETY EDUCATION PROGRAMS; 
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SELECTION PRIORITY.—In making 
grants under section 502(i) of the Rural Development Act 
of 1972 (7 U.S.C. 2662(i)), the Secretary shall give priority 
to an applicant that will use the grant for substance use 
disorder education and treatment and the prevention of 
substance use disorder. 
(2) LIMITATION ON OTHER REPRIORITIZATIONS.—For fiscal 
years 2019 through 2025, the Secretary shall not make any 
national reprioritizations within the Rural Health and Safety 
Education Programs, the Community Facilities direct loan and
H. R. 2—238 
grant programs, or the Distance Learning and Telemedicine 
programs under section 608 of the Rural Development Act 
of 1972. 
(3) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—Title V of the Rural Develop-
ment Act of 1972 (7 U.S.C. 2661 et seq.) is amended— 
(A) in section 502, in the matter preceding subsection 
(a), by inserting ‘‘(referred to in this title as the ‘Secretary’)’’ 
after ‘‘Agriculture’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘Secretary of Agriculture’’ each place 
it appears (other than in section 502 in the matter pre-
ceding subsection (a)) and inserting ‘‘Secretary’’. 
(b) TEMPORARY PRIORITIZATION
OF RURAL HEALTH ASSIST-
ANCE.—Title VI of the Rural Development Act of 1972 (7 U.S.C. 
2204a–2204b) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 608. TEMPORARY PRIORITIZATION OF RURAL HEALTH ASSIST-
ANCE. 
‘‘(a) AUTHORITY TO TEMPORARILY PRIORITIZE CERTAIN RURAL 
DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS.—Notwithstanding any other provision 
of law, the Secretary, after consultation with such public health 
officials as may be necessary, may announce through a Federal 
Register notice pursuant to section 553(b)(3)(B) of title 5, United 
States Code, a temporary reprioritization, on a national or 
multistate basis, for certain rural development loan and grant 
applications to assist rural communities in responding to a signifi-
cant public health disruption. 
‘‘(b) PUBLIC HEALTH DISRUPTION.—For the purposes of this 
section, the term ‘public health disruption’ means an unanticipated 
increase in mortality or morbidity in rural communities, when 
compared to non-rural communities, caused by identifiable events, 
actions, or behavioral trends, which can be remediated by the 
programs of the Rural Development mission area. When measuring 
a public health disruption, the Secretary may analyze data on 
a national or multi-state basis. 
‘‘(c) CONTENT OF ANNOUNCEMENT.—In the announcement, the 
Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) describe the nature of the public health disruption, 
including the causes, effects, affected populations, and affected 
States; 
‘‘(2) explain how the programs of the Department of Agri-
culture will work in remedying the public health disruption; 
‘‘(3) identify the services, treatments, or infrastructure best 
suited to address the public health disruption; 
‘‘(4) establish— 
‘‘(A) the start and end dates of the reprioritization; 
‘‘(B) the programs subject to reprioritization and the 
modifications to the application process; 
‘‘(C) the process for making reprioritizations for 
applicable programs; 
‘‘(D) the amount of funds set-aside for applicable pro-
grams, except that a set-aside for such a program shall 
not be greater than 20 percent of the amounts appropriated 
for the program for the fiscal year involved; and 
‘‘(E) the region in which the reprioritization is in effect; 
and
H. R. 2—239 
‘‘(5) instruct program administrators to implement the 
reprioritization during the application window or announce-
ment after the announcement takes effect. 
‘‘(d) LIMITATIONS
ON REPRIORITIZATIONS.—When announcing 
the reprioritization, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) establish an initial total time period of less than 4 
years, except as provided for in subsection (e); 
‘‘(2) implement only 1 nationally applicable reprioritization 
at a time; 
‘‘(3) implement only 1 regionally applicable reprioritization 
per State at a time; and 
‘‘(4) not use reprioritizations to allocate additional funds 
to an affected State. 
‘‘(e) EXTENSION.—The Secretary may extend an announcement 
under subsection (a) for no more than 6 years in total, except 
that 
nothing 
shall 
prevent 
the 
Secretary 
from 
renewing 
reprioritizations by making a new announcement under subsection 
(a). 
‘‘(f) RESCINDING
THE ANNOUNCEMENT.—The Secretary may 
rescind a reprioritization announcement made under subsection 
(a) at any time the Secretary determines that the temporary 
reprioritizations are no longer needed or effective. 
‘‘(g) NOTICE.—Not later than 48 hours after making, extending, 
or rescinding an announcement under this section, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry of the Senate, and transmit to the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services, a written notice of the declaration, extension, 
or rescission.’’. 
SEC. 6102. DISTANCE LEARNING AND TELEMEDICINE. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 2335A of the 
Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 
950aaa–5) is amended by striking ‘‘$75,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2014 through 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘$82,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2019 through 2023’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1(b) of Public Law 102– 
551 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa note) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6103. REFINANCING OF CERTAIN RURAL HOSPITAL DEBT. 
Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1981 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 
341 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 342. REFINANCING OF CERTAIN RURAL HOSPITAL DEBT. 
‘‘Assistance under section 306(a) for a community facility, or 
under section 310B, may include the refinancing of a debt obligation 
of a rural hospital as an eligible loan or loan guarantee purpose 
if the assistance would help preserve access to a health service 
in a rural community, meaningfully improve the financial position 
of the hospital, and otherwise meet the financial feasibility and 
adequacy of security requirements of the Rural Development 
Agency.’’.
H. R. 2—240 
Subtitle B—Connecting Rural Americans 
to High Speed Broadband 
SEC. 6201. ACCESS TO BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES 
IN RURAL AREAS. 
Section 601 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
950bb) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘provide loans and loan 
guarantees’’ and inserting ‘‘provide grants, provide loans, and 
provide loan guarantees’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)(3)(A)(ii), by inserting ‘‘in the case of 
a grant or direct loan,’’ before ‘‘a city’’; 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking ‘‘LOANS AND’’ 
and inserting ‘‘GRANTS, LOANS, AND’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘shall make or guar-
antee loans’’ and inserting ‘‘shall make grants, shall make 
loans, and shall guarantee loans’’; 
(C) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In making grants, making loans, 
and guaranteeing loans under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall— 
‘‘(i) give the highest priority to applications for 
projects to provide broadband service to unserved rural 
communities that do not have any residential 
broadband service of at least— 
‘‘(I) a 10-Mbps downstream transmission 
capacity; and 
‘‘(II) a 1-Mbps upstream transmission capacity; 
‘‘(ii) give priority to applications for projects to 
provide the maximum level of broadband service to 
the greatest proportion of rural households in the pro-
posed service area identified in the application; 
‘‘(iii) provide equal consideration to all eligible enti-
ties, including those that have not previously received 
grants, loans, or loan guarantees under paragraph (1); 
and 
‘‘(iv) with respect to 2 or more applications that 
are given the same priority under clause (i), give pri-
ority to an application that requests less grant funding 
than loan funding. 
‘‘(B) OTHER.—After giving priority to the applications 
described in clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (A), the 
Secretary shall then give priority to applications— 
‘‘(i) for projects to provide broadband service to 
rural communities— 
‘‘(I) with a population of less than 10,000 
permanent residents; 
‘‘(II) that are experiencing outmigration and 
have adopted a strategic community investment 
plan under section 379H(d) that includes consider-
ations for improving and expanding broadband 
service;
H. R. 2—241 
‘‘(III) with a high percentage of low income 
families or persons (as defined in section 501(b) 
of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1471(b)); 
‘‘(IV) that are isolated from other significant 
population centers; or 
‘‘(V) that provide rapid and expanded deploy-
ment of fixed and mobile broadband on cropland 
and ranchland within a service territory for use 
in various applications of precision agriculture; and 
‘‘(ii) that were developed with the participation 
of, and will receive a substantial portion of the funding 
for the project from, 2 or more stakeholders, 
including— 
‘‘(I) State, local, and tribal governments; 
‘‘(II) nonprofit institutions; 
‘‘(III) community anchor institutions, such 
as— 
‘‘(aa) public libraries; 
‘‘(bb) elementary schools and secondary 
schools (as defined in section 8101 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)); 
‘‘(cc) institutions of higher education; and 
‘‘(dd) health care facilities; 
‘‘(IV) private entities; 
‘‘(V) philanthropic organizations; and 
‘‘(VI) cooperatives. 
‘‘(3) GRANT AMOUNTS.— 
‘‘(A) DEFINITION OF DEVELOPMENT COSTS.—In this para-
graph, the term ‘development costs’ means costs of— 
‘‘(i) construction, including labor and materials; 
‘‘(ii) project applications; and 
‘‘(iii) other development activities, as determined 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for a grant under this 
section, in addition to the requirements of subsection (d), 
the project that is the subject of the grant shall— 
‘‘(i) be carried out in a proposed service territory 
in which not less than 90 percent of the households 
are unserved; and 
‘‘(ii) not concurrently receive any other broadband 
grant administered by the Rural Utilities Service. 
‘‘(C) MAXIMUM.—Except as provided in subparagraph 
(D), the amount of any grant made under this section 
shall not exceed— 
‘‘(i) 75 percent of the total project cost with respect 
to an area with a density of fewer than 7 people 
per square mile; 
‘‘(ii) 50 percent of the total project cost with respect 
to an area with a density of 7 or more and fewer 
than 12 people per square mile; and 
‘‘(iii) 25 percent of the total project cost with 
respect to an area with a density of 12 or more and 
20 or fewer people per square mile. 
‘‘(D) SECRETARIAL
AUTHORITY
TO
ADJUST.—The Sec-
retary may—
H. R. 2—242 
‘‘(i) make grants of up to 75 percent of the develop-
ment costs of the project for which the grant is provided 
to an eligible entity if the Secretary determines that 
the project serves— 
‘‘(I) an area of rural households described in 
paragraph (2)(A)(i); or 
‘‘(II) a rural community described in any of 
subclauses (I) through (IV) of paragraph (2)(B)(i); 
and 
‘‘(ii) make modifications of the density thresholds 
described in subparagraph (C), in order to ensure that 
funds provided under this section are best utilized 
to provide broadband service in communities that are 
the most rural in character. 
‘‘(E) APPLICATIONS.—The Secretary shall establish an 
application process for grants under this section that— 
‘‘(i) permits a single application for a grant and 
a loan under title I, II, or this title that is associated 
with such grant; and 
‘‘(ii) provides a single decision to award such grant 
and such loan. 
‘‘(F) DENSITY
DETERMINATIONS.—When determining 
population density under this section, the Secretary shall 
prescribe a calculation method which— 
‘‘(i) utilizes publicly available data; and 
‘‘(ii) includes only those areas in which the 
applicant is able to meet the service requirements 
under this section, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(4) FEES.—In the case of loan guarantees issued or modi-
fied under this section, the Secretary shall charge and collect 
from the lender fees in such amounts as to bring down the 
costs of subsidies for guaranteed loans, except that such fees 
shall not act as a bar to participation in the programs nor 
be inconsistent with current practices in the marketplace.’’; 
(4) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A)— 
(I) in the matter preceding clause (i), by 
striking ‘‘loan or’’ and inserting ‘‘grant, loan, or’’; 
(II) by striking clause (i) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(i) demonstrate the ability to furnish or improve 
service in order to meet the broadband buildout 
requirements established under subsection (e)(4) in all 
or part of an unserved or underserved rural area;’’. 
(III) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘a loan applica-
tion’’ and inserting ‘‘an application’’; and 
(IV) in clause (iii)— 
(aa) by striking ‘‘service’’ and inserting 
‘‘infrastructure’’; 
(bb) by striking ‘‘loan’’ the first place it 
appears; 
(cc) by striking ‘‘3’’ and inserting ‘‘5’’; and 
(dd) by striking ‘‘proceeds from the loan 
made or guaranteed under this section are’’ 
and inserting ‘‘assistance under this section 
is’’; and
H. R. 2—243 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘(k)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘(j)’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)(A)— 
(i) in the matter preceding clause (i)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘the proceeds of a loan made 
or guaranteed’’ and inserting ‘‘assistance’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘for the loan or loan guarantee’’ 
and inserting ‘‘of the eligible entity’’; and 
(ii) in clause (i)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘15 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘50 
percent (in the case of loans or loan guarantees 
provided in accordance with subsection (g)(1)(A))’’; 
and 
(II) by striking ‘‘level of broadband service’’ 
and inserting ‘‘level of fixed broadband service, 
whether terrestrial or wireless,’’; 
(C) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ‘‘loan or’’ and 
inserting ‘‘grant, loan, or’’; 
(D) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘a loan or loan guar-
antee’’ and inserting ‘‘assistance’’; and 
(E) by striking paragraphs (5) through (10) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(5) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may provide to 
eligible entities described in paragraph (1) that are 
applying for assistance under this section for a project 
described in subsection (c)(2)(A)(i) technical assistance and 
training— 
‘‘(i) to prepare reports and surveys necessary to 
request grants, loans, and loan guarantees under this 
section for broadband deployment; 
‘‘(ii) to improve management, including financial 
management, relating to the proposed broadband 
deployment; 
‘‘(iii) to prepare applications for grants, loans, and 
loan guarantees under this section; or 
‘‘(iv) to assist with other areas of need identified 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) FUNDING.—Not less than 3 percent and not more 
than 5 percent of amounts appropriated to carry out this 
section for a fiscal year shall be used for technical assist-
ance and training under this paragraph.’’; 
(5) in subsection (e)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘4-Mbps’’ and 
inserting ‘‘25-Mbps’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘1-Mbps’’ and 
inserting ‘‘3-Mbps’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by— 
(I) striking the following: 
‘‘(2) ADJUSTMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—At’’; and 
(II) inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) ADJUSTMENTS.—At’’; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘and broadband buildout require-
ments under paragraph (4)’’ after ‘‘(1)’’; and
H. R. 2—244 
(iii) by striking subparagraph (B); and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) BROADBAND BUILDOUT REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘broadband buildout 
requirement’ means the level of internet service an 
applicant receiving assistance under this section must 
agree, at the time the application is finalized, to provide 
for the duration of any project-related agreement between 
the applicant and the Department. 
‘‘(B) BROADBAND
BUILDOUT
REQUIREMENTS
FURTHER 
DEFINED.—Subject to subparagraph (C), the Secretary shall 
establish broadband buildout requirements for projects 
with agreement lengths of— 
‘‘(i) 5 to 10 years; 
‘‘(ii) 11 to 15 years; 
‘‘(iii) 16 to 20 years; and 
‘‘(iv) more than 20 years. 
‘‘(C) REQUIREMENTS.—In establishing the broadband 
buildout requirements under subparagraph (B), the Sec-
retary shall— 
‘‘(i) utilize the same metrics used to define the 
minimum acceptable level of broadband service under 
paragraph (1); 
‘‘(ii) establish such requirements to reasonably 
ensure— 
‘‘(I) the repayment of all loans and loan 
guarantees; and 
‘‘(II) the financed network is technically 
capable of providing broadband service for the life-
time of any project-related agreement. 
‘‘(D) SUBSTITUTE
SERVICE
STANDARDS
FOR
UNIQUE 
SERVICE TERRITORIES.—If an applicant shows that it would 
be cost prohibitive to meet the broadband buildout require-
ments established under this paragraph for the entirety 
of a proposed service territory due to the unique character-
istics of the proposed service territory, the Secretary and 
the applicant may agree to utilize substitute standards 
for any unserved portion of the project. Any substitute 
service standards should continue to consider the best tech-
nology available to meet the needs of the residents in 
the unserved area.’’; 
(6) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘make a loan or loan 
guarantee’’ and inserting ‘‘provide assistance’’; 
(7) in subsection (g), by striking paragraph (2) and redesig-
nating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); 
(8) by striking subsections (i) and (j) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(i) PAYMENT ASSISTANCE
FOR CERTAIN LOAN
AND GRANT 
RECIPIENTS.— 
‘‘(1) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.—The Secretary may use the 
funds appropriated for a grant under this title for the cost 
(as defined by section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974) of providing assistance under paragraph (2). 
‘‘(2) PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.—When providing a grant under 
this title, the Secretary, at the sole discretion of the Secretary, 
may make—
H. R. 2—245 
‘‘(A) a subsidized loan, which shall bear a reduced 
interest rate at such a rate as the Secretary determines 
appropriate to meet the objectives of the program; or 
‘‘(B) a payment assistance loan, which shall— 
‘‘(i) require no interest and principal payments 
while the borrower is— 
‘‘(I) in material compliance with the loan 
agreement; and 
‘‘(II) meeting the milestones and objectives of 
the project agreed to under paragraph (3); and 
‘‘(ii) require such nominal periodic payments as 
the Secretary determines to be appropriate. 
‘‘(3) AGREEMENT ON MILESTONES AND OBJECTIVES.—With 
respect to payment assistance provided under paragraph (2), 
before entering into the agreement under which the payment 
assistance will be provided, the applicant and the Secretary 
shall agree to milestones and objectives of the project. 
‘‘(4) AMENDMENT
OF
MILESTONES
AND
OBJECTIVES.—The 
Secretary and the applicant may jointly agree to amend the 
milestones and objectives agreed to under paragraph (3). 
‘‘(5) CONSIDERATIONS.—When deciding to utilize the pay-
ment assistance authority under paragraph (2) the Secretary 
shall consider whether or not the payment assistance will— 
‘‘(A) improve the compliance of the grantee with any 
commitments made through the grant agreement; 
‘‘(B) promote the completion of the broadband project; 
‘‘(C) protect taxpayer resources; and 
‘‘(D) support the integrity of the broadband programs 
administered by the Secretary. 
‘‘(6) LIMITATIONS ON PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 
may not make a payment assistance loan under paragraph 
(2)(B) to an entity receiving a grant under this section that 
is also the recipient of a loan under title I or II that is associated 
with such grant.’’; 
(9) in subsection (k)(1)— 
(A) 
by 
striking 
‘‘$25,000,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$350,000,000’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘2008 through 2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2019 through 2023’’; 
(10) in subsection (l)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘loan or’’ and inserting ‘‘grant, or loan, 
or’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’; and 
(11) by redesignating subsections (k) and (l) as subsections 
(j) and (k), respectively. 
SEC. 6202. EXPANSION OF MIDDLE MILE INFRASTRUCTURE INTO 
RURAL AREAS. 
Section 602 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
950bb–1) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 602. EXPANSION OF MIDDLE MILE INFRASTRUCTURE INTO 
RURAL AREAS. 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to encourage 
the expansion and extension of middle mile broadband infrastruc-
ture to connect underserved rural areas to the backbone of the 
Internet.
H. R. 2—246 
‘‘(b) MIDDLE MILE INFRASTRUCTURE.—For the purposes of this 
section, the term ‘middle mile infrastructure’ means any broadband 
infrastructure that does not connect directly to end-user locations 
(including anchor institutions) and may include interoffice trans-
port, backhaul, Internet connectivity, data centers, or special access 
transport to rural areas. 
‘‘(c) GRANTS, LOANS, AND LOAN GUARANTEES.—The Secretary 
shall make grants, loans, and loan guarantees to eligible applicants 
described in subsection (d) to provide funds for the construction, 
improvement, or acquisition of middle mile infrastructure to serve 
rural areas. 
‘‘(d) ELIGIBILITY.— 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to obtain assistance 
under this section, an eligible entity shall— 
‘‘(i) submit to the Secretary an application at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information 
as the Secretary may require; 
‘‘(ii) agree to complete build-out of the middle mile 
infrastructure described in the application by not later 
than 5 years after the initial date on which proceeds 
from the assistance provided under this section are 
made available; and 
‘‘(iii) submit to the Secretary a plan to ensure 
the viability of the project by— 
‘‘(I) connecting, assisting with connecting, or 
enabling the connection of retail broadband sys-
tems that serve rural areas within the proposed 
service territory to the middle mile infrastructure 
project in an affordable and economically competi-
tive manner; 
‘‘(II) leasing or selling sufficient capacity prior 
to project approval; and 
‘‘(III) complying with any other requirements 
imposed by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) ADDITIONAL END USER BROADBAND PROGRAMS.— 
Entities that receive assistance to construct, improve, or 
acquire middle mile infrastructure under this section shall 
be eligible to apply for additional funds under this title 
to provide for retail broadband service to end users. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE
SERVICE
TERRITORIES.—The proceeds of 
assistance provided under this section may be used to carry 
out a project in a proposed service territory only if, as of 
the date the application for assistance under this section is 
submitted, there is not adequate middle mile infrastructure 
available to support broadband service for eligible rural commu-
nities that would be provided access to the middle mile infra-
structure. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE
PROJECTS.—A project shall be eligible for 
assistance under this section if at the time of the application— 
‘‘(A) at least 75 percent of the interconnection points 
serve such eligible rural areas; and 
‘‘(B) the Secretary determines that the proposed middle 
mile network will be capable of supporting retail broadband 
service meeting the maximum broadband buildout require-
ment established under section 601(e)(4) for the residents 
within the proposed service territory.
H. R. 2—247 
‘‘(e) LIMITATION ON GRANTS.—In making grants under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) not provide any grant in excess of 20 percent of the 
total project cost; and 
‘‘(2) provide grants only to those projects which serve rural 
areas where population density or geographic characteristics 
make it infeasible to construct middle mile broadband systems 
without grant assistance. 
‘‘(f) TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND ADEQUACY
OF SECURITY.—All 
loans and loan guarantees provided under this section shall be 
made subject to such terms, conditions, and adequacy of security 
requirements as may be imposed by the Secretary. If the middle 
mile infrastructure would not provide adequate security due to 
long-term leasing arrangements, the Secretary shall require sub-
stitute security in such form and substance as are acceptable to 
the Secretary. 
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2018 through 2023.’’. 
SEC. 6203. MODIFICATIONS TO THE RURAL GIGABIT PROGRAM. 
Section 603 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
950bb–2) is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘RURAL GIGABIT 
NETWORK
PILOT’’ and inserting ‘‘INNOVATIVE
BROADBAND 
ADVANCEMENT’’; 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘2014 through 2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2019 through 2023’’; 
(3) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and 
(4) by striking subsections (a) through (c) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a program 
to be known as the ‘Innovative Broadband Advancement Program’, 
under which the Secretary may provide a grant, a loan, or both 
to an eligible entity for the purpose of demonstrating innovative 
broadband technologies or methods of broadband deployment that 
significantly decrease the cost of broadband deployment, and pro-
vide substantially faster broadband speeds than are available, in 
a rural area. 
‘‘(b) RURAL AREA.—In this section, the term ‘rural area’ has 
the meaning provided in section 601(b)(3). 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to obtain assistance under this 
section for a project, an entity shall— 
‘‘(1) submit to the Secretary an application— 
‘‘(A) that describes a project designed to decrease the 
cost of broadband deployment, and substantially increase 
broadband speed to not less than the maximum broadband 
buildout requirements established under section 601(e)(4), 
in a rural area to be served by the project; and 
‘‘(B) at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such other information as the Secretary may require; 
‘‘(2) demonstrate that the entity is able to carry out the 
project; and 
‘‘(3) agree to complete the project build-out within 5 years 
after the date the assistance is first provided for the project.
H. R. 2—248 
‘‘(d) PRIORITIZATION.—In awarding assistance under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall give priority to proposals for projects 
that— 
‘‘(1) involve partnerships between or among multiple enti-
ties; 
‘‘(2) would provide broadband service to the greatest 
number of rural entities at or above the broadband require-
ments referred to in subsection (c)(1)(A); and 
‘‘(3) the Secretary determines could be replicated in rural 
areas described in paragraph (2).’’. 
SEC. 6204. COMMUNITY CONNECT GRANT PROGRAM. 
Title VI of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
950bb et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 604. COMMUNITY CONNECT GRANT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE
BROADBAND
SERVICE.—The term ‘eligible 
broadband service’ means broadband service that has the capa-
bility to transmit data at a speed specified by the Secretary, 
which may not be less than the applicable minimum download 
and upload speeds established by the Federal Communications 
Commission in defining the term ‘advanced telecommunications 
capability’ for purposes of section 706 of the Telecommuni-
cations Act of 1996 (47 U.S.C. 1302). 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE
SERVICE
AREA.—The term ‘eligible service 
area’ means an area in which broadband service capacity is 
less than— 
‘‘(A) a 10-Mbps downstream transmission capacity; and 
‘‘(B) a 1-Mbps upstream transmission capacity. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘eligible entity’ means a 
legally organized entity that— 
‘‘(i) is— 
‘‘(I) an incorporated organization; 
‘‘(II) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization; 
‘‘(III) a State; 
‘‘(IV) a unit of local government; or 
‘‘(V) any other legal entity, including a 
cooperative, a private corporation, or a limited 
liability company, that is organized on a for-profit 
or a not-for-profit basis; and 
‘‘(ii) has the legal capacity and authority to enter 
into a contract, to comply with applicable Federal laws, 
and to own and operate broadband facilities, as pro-
posed in the application submitted by the entity for 
a grant under the Program. 
‘‘(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘eligible entity’ does not 
include— 
‘‘(i) an individual; or 
‘‘(ii) a partnership. 
‘‘(4) RURAL AREA.—The term ‘rural area’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 601(b)(3)(A). 
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish a program, 
to be known as the ‘Community Connect Grant Program’, to provide 
grants to eligible entities to finance broadband transmission in 
rural areas.
H. R. 2—249 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—An eligible entity that receives a 
grant under the Program shall use the grant to carry out a project 
that— 
‘‘(1) provides eligible broadband service to, within the pro-
posed eligible service area described in the application sub-
mitted by the eligible entity— 
‘‘(A) each essential community facility as defined pursu-
ant to section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)); and 
‘‘(B) any required facilities necessary to offer that 
eligible broadband service to each residential and business 
customer within such proposed eligible service area; and 
‘‘(2) for not less than 2 years— 
‘‘(A) furnishes free eligible broadband service to a 
community center described in subsection (d)(1)(B); 
‘‘(B) provides not fewer than 2 computer access points 
for that free eligible broadband service; and 
‘‘(C) covers the cost of bandwidth to provide free eligible 
broadband service to each essential community facility that 
requests broadband services within the proposed eligible 
service area described in the application submitted by the 
eligible entity. 
‘‘(d) USES OF GRANT FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity that receives a grant 
under the Program may use the grant for— 
‘‘(A) the construction, acquisition, or leasing of facilities 
(including spectrum), land, or buildings to deploy eligible 
broadband service; and 
‘‘(B) the improvement, expansion, construction, or 
acquisition of a community center within the proposed 
eligible service area described in the application submitted 
by the eligible entity. 
‘‘(2) INELIGIBLE USES.—An eligible entity that receives a 
grant under the Program shall not use the grant for— 
‘‘(A) the duplication of any existing eligible broadband 
service provided by another entity in the eligible service 
area; or 
‘‘(B) operating expenses, except as provided in— 
‘‘(i) subsection (c)(2)(C) with respect to free eligible 
broadband service; and 
‘‘(ii) paragraph (1)(A) with respect to spectrum. 
‘‘(3) FREE
ACCESS
FOR
COMMUNITY
CENTERS.—Of the 
amounts provided to an eligible entity under a grant under 
the Program, the eligible entity shall use to carry out paragraph 
(1)(B) not greater than the lesser of— 
‘‘(A) 10 percent; and 
‘‘(B) $150,000. 
‘‘(e) MATCHING FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity that receives a grant 
under the Program shall provide a cash contribution in an 
amount that is not less than 15 percent of the amount of 
the grant. 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—A cash contribution described in 
paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(A) shall be used solely for the project for which the 
eligible entity receives a grant under the Program; and
H. R. 2—250 
‘‘(B) shall not include any Federal funds, unless a 
Federal statute specifically provides that those Federal 
funds may be considered to be from a non-Federal source. 
‘‘(f) APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a grant under 
the Program, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary 
an application at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENT.—An application submitted by an 
eligible entity under paragraph (1) shall include documentation 
sufficient to demonstrate the availability of funds to satisfy 
the requirement of subsection (e). 
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.’’. 
SEC. 6205. OUTDATED BROADBAND SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title VI of the Rural Electrification Act of 
1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb et seq.) is further amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 605. OUTDATED BROADBAND SYSTEMS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection (b), the 
Secretary shall consider any portion of a service territory that 
is subject to an outstanding grant agreement between the Secretary 
and a broadband provider to be unserved for the purposes of all 
broadband assistance programs under this Act, if the broadband 
service in that portion of a service territory is less than 10 Mbps 
downstream transmission capacity or less than 1 Mbps upstream 
transmission capacity. 
‘‘(b) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary shall not consider a portion 
of a service territory described in subsection (a) to be unserved 
if the broadband service provider has constructed or begun to con-
struct broadband facilities that meet the minimum acceptable level 
of service established under section 601(e), in that portion of the 
service territory.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by this section 
shall not take effect until October 1, 2020. 
SEC. 6206. DEFAULT AND DEOBLIGATION; DEFERRAL. 
Title VI of such Act (7 U.S.C. 950bb et seq.) is further amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 606. DEFAULT AND DEOBLIGATION; DEFERRAL. 
‘‘(a) DEFAULT
AND
DEOBLIGATION.—In addition to other 
authority under applicable law, the Secretary shall establish written 
procedures for all broadband programs so that, to the maximum 
extent practicable, the programs are administered to— 
‘‘(1) recover funds from loan and grant defaults; 
‘‘(2) deobligate any awards, less allowable costs that dem-
onstrate an insufficient level of performance (including metrics 
determined by the Secretary) or fraudulent spending, to the 
extent funds with respect to the award are available in the 
account relating to the program established by this title; 
‘‘(3) award those funds, on a competitive basis, to new 
or existing applicants consistent with this title; and 
‘‘(4) minimize overlap among the programs.
H. R. 2—251 
‘‘(b) DEFERRAL PERIOD.—In determining the terms and condi-
tions of assistance provided under this title, the Secretary may 
establish a deferral period of not shorter than the buildout period 
established for the project involved in order to support the financial 
feasibility and long-term sustainability of the project.’’. 
SEC. 6207. PUBLIC NOTICE, ASSESSMENTS, AND REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS. 
The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new title: 
‘‘TITLE VII—GENERAL AND 
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS 
‘‘SEC. 701. PUBLIC NOTICE, ASSESSMENTS, AND REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS. 
‘‘(a) NOTICE REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall promptly 
make available to the public, a fully searchable database on the 
website of the Rural Utilities Service that contains information 
on all retail broadband projects provided assistance or for which 
assistance is sought that are administered by the Secretary, 
including, at a minimum— 
‘‘(1) notice of each application for assistance describing 
the application, including— 
‘‘(A) the identity of the applicant; 
‘‘(B) a description of each application, including— 
‘‘(i) a map of the proposed service area of the 
applicant; and 
‘‘(ii) the amount and type of support requested 
by each applicant; 
‘‘(C) the status of each application; and 
‘‘(D) the estimated number and proportion of service 
points in the proposed service territory without fixed 
broadband service, whether terrestrial or wireless; 
‘‘(2) notice of each entity receiving assistance administered 
by the Secretary, including— 
‘‘(A) the name of the entity; 
‘‘(B) the type of assistance being received; 
‘‘(C) the purpose for which the entity is receiving the 
assistance; and 
‘‘(D) each annual report submitted under subsection 
(c) (redacted to protect any proprietary information in the 
report); and 
‘‘(3) such other information as is sufficient to allow the 
public to understand assistance provided. 
‘‘(b) SERVICE AREA ASSESSMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, with respect to a 
retail broadband application for assistance, which is outside 
an area in which the applicant receives Federal universal 
service support— 
‘‘(A) after giving notice required by subsection (a)(1), 
afford service providers not less than 45 days to voluntarily 
submit information required by the Secretary onto the 
agency’s online mapping tool with respect to areas that 
are coterminous with the proposed service area of the 
application (or any parts thereof), such that the Secretary
H. R. 2—252 
may assess whether the application submitted meets the 
eligibility requirements under this title; and 
‘‘(B) if no broadband service provider submits informa-
tion under paragraph (1), consider the number of providers 
in the proposed service area to be established by using 
any other data regarding the availability of broadband 
service that the Secretary may collect or obtain through 
reasonable efforts. 
‘‘(2) ASSESSMENT OF UNSERVED COMMUNITIES.—In the case 
of an application given the highest priority under section 
601(c)(2)(A)(i), the Secretary shall confirm that each unserved 
rural community identified in the application is eligible for 
funding by— 
‘‘(A) conferring with, and obtaining data from, the 
Chair of the Federal Communications Commission and the 
Administrator of the National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration with respect to the service level 
in the service area proposed in the application; 
‘‘(B) reviewing any other source that is relevant to 
service data validation, as determined by the Secretary; 
and 
‘‘(C) performing site-specific testing to verify the 
unavailability of any retail broadband service. 
‘‘(3) FOIA EXEMPTION.—For purposes of section 552 of title 
5, United States Code, information received by the Secretary 
pursuant to paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection shall be exempt 
from disclosure pursuant to subsection (b)(2)(B) of such section 
552. 
‘‘(c) REPORTING BROADBAND IMPROVEMENTS TO USDA.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall require any entity 
receiving assistance for a project which provides retail 
broadband service to submit an annual report for 3 years after 
completion of the project, in a format specified by the Secretary, 
that describes— 
‘‘(A) the use by the entity of the assistance, including 
new equipment and capacity enhancements that support 
high-speed broadband access for educational institutions, 
health care providers, and public safety service providers 
(including the estimated number of end users who are 
currently using or forecasted to use the new or upgraded 
infrastructure); and 
‘‘(B) the progress towards fulfilling the objectives for 
which the assistance was granted, including— 
‘‘(i) the number of service points that will receive 
new broadband service, existing network service 
improvements, and facility upgrades resulting from the 
Federal assistance; 
‘‘(ii) the speed of broadband service; 
‘‘(iii) the average price of the most subscribed tier 
of broadband service in a proposed service area; 
‘‘(iv) new subscribers generated from the project; 
and 
‘‘(v) any metrics the Secretary determines to be 
appropriate. 
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL REPORTING.—
H. R. 2—253 
‘‘(A) BROADBAND BUILDOUT DATA.—As a condition of 
receiving assistance under section 601, a recipient of assist-
ance shall provide to the Secretary complete, reliable, and 
precise geolocation information that indicates the location 
of new broadband service that is being provided or 
upgraded within the service territory supported by the 
grant, loan, or loan guarantee not later than 30 days after 
the earlier of— 
‘‘(i) the date of completion of any project milestone 
established by the Secretary; or 
‘‘(ii) the date of completion of the project. 
‘‘(B) REPORTING FOR MIDDLE MILE PROJECTS.—The Sec-
retary shall require any entity receiving assistance under 
section 602 to submit a semiannual report for 5 years 
after completion of the project, in a format specified by 
the Secretary, that describes— 
‘‘(i) the use by the entity of the assistance to con-
struct, improve, or acquire middle mile infrastructure; 
‘‘(ii) the progress towards meeting the end-user 
connection 
plan 
submitted 
under 
section 
602(d)(1)(A)(iii); and 
‘‘(iii) any additional metrics the Secretary deter-
mines to be appropriate. 
‘‘(C) ADDITIONAL
REPORTING.—The Secretary may 
require any additional reporting and information by any 
recipient of any broadband assistance under this act so 
as to ensure compliance with this section. 
‘‘(d) ANNUAL REPORT ON BROADBAND PROJECTS AND SERVICE 
TO CONGRESS.—Each year, the Secretary shall submit to the Con-
gress a report that describes the extent of participation in the 
broadband assistance programs administered by the Secretary for 
the preceding fiscal year, including a description of— 
‘‘(1) the number of applications received and accepted, 
including any special loan terms or conditions for which the 
Secretary provided additional assistance to unserved areas; 
‘‘(2)(A) the communities proposed to be served in each 
application submitted for the fiscal year; and 
‘‘(B) the communities served by projects funded by 
broadband assistance programs; 
‘‘(3) the period of time required to approve each loan 
application under broadband programs; 
‘‘(4) any outreach activities carried out by the Secretary 
to encourage entities in rural areas without broadband service 
to submit applications under this Act; 
‘‘(5) the method by which the Secretary determines that 
a service enables a subscriber to originate and receive high- 
quality voice, data, graphics, and video for purposes of providing 
broadband service under this Act; 
‘‘(6) each broadband service, including the type and speed 
of broadband service, for which assistance was sought, and 
each broadband service for which assistance was provided, 
under this Act; and 
‘‘(7) the overall progress towards fulfilling the goal of 
improving the quality of rural life by expanding rural 
broadband access, as demonstrated by metrics, including— 
‘‘(A) the number of residences and businesses receiving 
new broadband services;
H. R. 2—254 
‘‘(B) network improvements, including facility upgrades 
and equipment purchases; 
‘‘(C) average broadband speeds and prices on a local 
and statewide basis; 
‘‘(D) any changes in broadband adoption rates; and 
‘‘(E) any specific activities that increased high speed 
broadband access for educational institutions, health care 
providers, and public safety service providers. 
‘‘(e) LIMITATIONS ON RESERVATION OF FUNDS.—Not less than 
3 but not more than 5 percent of program level amounts available 
pursuant to amounts appropriated to carry out title VI shall be 
set aside to be used for— 
‘‘(1) conducting oversight under such title; 
‘‘(2) implementing accountability measures and related 
activities authorized under such title; and 
‘‘(3) carrying out this section.’’. 
SEC. 6208. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS. 
Title VII of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as added 
by section 6207 of this Act, is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 702. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS. 
‘‘The Secretary may obligate, but not disperse, funds under 
this Act before the completion of otherwise required environmental, 
historical, or other types of reviews if the Secretary determines 
that a subsequent site-specific review shall be adequate and easily 
accomplished for the location of towers, poles, or other broadband 
facilities in the service area of the borrower without compromising 
the project or the required reviews.’’. 
SEC. 6209. USE OF LOAN PROCEEDS TO REFINANCE LOANS FOR 
DEPLOYMENT OF BROADBAND SERVICE. 
Title VII of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as added 
by section 6207 and amended by section 6208 of this Act, is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 703. USE OF LOAN PROCEEDS TO REFINANCE LOANS FOR 
DEPLOYMENT OF BROADBAND SERVICE. 
‘‘Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the proceeds 
of any loan made or guaranteed by the Secretary under this Act 
may be used by the recipient of the loan for the purpose of refi-
nancing an outstanding obligation of the recipient on another tele-
communications loan made under this Act, or on any other loan 
if that loan would have been for an eligible telecommunications 
purpose under this Act.’’. 
SEC. 6210. SMART UTILITY AUTHORITY FOR BROADBAND. 
(a) Section 331 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1981) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(e)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary may 
allow a recipient of a grant, loan, or loan guarantee provided 
by the Office of Rural Development under this title to use not 
more than 10 percent of the amount so provided— 
‘‘(A) for any activity for which assistance may be provided 
under section 601 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936; 
or
H. R. 2—255 
‘‘(B) to construct other broadband infrastructure. 
‘‘(2) Paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not apply to a 
recipient who is seeking to provide retail broadband service in 
any area where retail broadband service is available at the min-
imum broadband speeds, as defined under section 601(e) of the 
Rural Electrification Act of 1936. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall not provide funding under paragraph 
(1) if the funding would result in competitive harm to any grant, 
loan, or loan guarantee provided under the Rural Electrification 
Act of 1936.’’. 
(b) Title I of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
901–918a) is amended by inserting after section 7 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 8. LIMITATIONS ON USE OF ASSISTANCE. 
‘‘(a) Subject to subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the Sec-
retary may allow a recipient of a grant, loan, or loan guarantee 
under this title to set aside not more than 10 percent of the 
amount so received to provide retail broadband service. 
‘‘(b) A recipient who sets aside funds under subsection (a) 
of this section may use the funds only in an area that is not 
being provided with the minimum acceptable level of broadband 
service established under section 601(e), unless the recipient meets 
the requirements of section 601(d). 
‘‘(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the 
ability of any borrower to finance or deploy services authorized 
under this Act. 
‘‘(d) The Secretary shall not provide funding under subsection 
(a) if the funding would result in competitive harm to any grant, 
loan, or loan guarantee referred to in subsection (a).’’. 
SEC. 6211. REFINANCING OF TELEPHONE LOANS. 
Section 201 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
922) is amended, in the fifth sentence, by striking ‘‘furnishing 
telephone service in rural areas:’’ and all that follows through 
‘‘40 per centum of any loan made under this title.’’ and inserting 
‘‘furnishing telephone service in rural areas, including indebtedness 
of recipients on another telecommunications loan made under this 
Act.’’. 
SEC. 6212. FEDERAL BROADBAND PROGRAM COORDINATION. 
(a) CONSULTATION BETWEEN USDA AND NTIA.—The Secretary 
shall consult with the Assistant Secretary to assist in the 
verification of eligibility of the broadband loan and grant programs 
of the Department of Agriculture. In providing assistance under 
the preceding sentence, the Assistant Secretary shall make avail-
able the broadband assessment and mapping capabilities of the 
National Telecommunications and Information Administration. 
(b) CONSULTATION BETWEEN USDA AND FCC.— 
(1) BY
USDA.—The Secretary shall consult with the 
Commission before providing broadband assistance for a project 
to serve an area with respect to which another entity is 
receiving Connect America Fund or Mobility Fund support 
under the Federal universal service support mechanisms estab-
lished under section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 
(47 U.S.C. 254). 
(2) BY FCC.—The Commission shall consult with the Sec-
retary before offering or providing Connect America Fund or 
Mobility Fund support under the Federal universal service
H. R. 2—256 
support mechanisms established under section 254 of the 
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254) to serve an area 
with respect to which another entity has received broadband 
assistance under a loan or grant program of the Department 
of Agriculture. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, the Commission, 
and the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
Agriculture and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutri-
tion, and Forestry and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a report on how best to coordinate 
federally supported broadband programs and activities in order 
to achieve the following objectives: 
(1) Promote high-quality broadband service that meets the 
long-term needs of rural residents and businesses, by evaluating 
the broadband service needs in rural areas for each decade 
through 2050. 
(2) Support the long-term viability, sustainability, and 
utility of federally supported rural broadband infrastructure, 
by analyzing the technical capabilities of the technologies cur-
rently available and reasonably expected to be available by 
2035 to meet the broadband service needs of rural residents 
identified under paragraph (1), including by analyzing the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The real-world performance of such technologies, 
including data rates, latency, data usage restrictions, and 
other aspects of service quality, as defined by the Commis-
sion. 
(B) The suitability of each such technology for residen-
tial, agricultural, educational, healthcare, commercial, and 
industrial purposes in rural areas. 
(C) The cost to deploy and support such technologies 
in several rural geographies. 
(D) The costs associated with online platforms, specifi-
cally the resulting constraints on rural network bandwidth. 
(3) Identify and quantify the availability of broadband 
service and ongoing broadband deployment in rural areas, 
including ways to do the following: 
(A) Harmonize broadband notification and reporting 
requirements and develop common verification procedures 
across all federally supported broadband programs. 
(B) Consolidate and utilize the existing broadband 
service data. 
(C) Collect and share data on those projects in rural 
areas where Federal programs are currently supporting 
broadband deployment, including areas with respect to 
which an entity is receiving— 
(i) support under a broadband assistance program 
of the Department of Agriculture; or 
(ii) Connect America Fund or Mobility Fund sup-
port under the Federal universal service support 
mechanisms established under section 254 of the 
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254). 
(D) Leverage support technologies and services from 
online platforms for providers of broadband service in rural 
areas.
H. R. 2—257 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ASSISTANT SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Assistant Secretary’’ 
means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communica-
tions and Information. 
(2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Fed-
eral Communications Commission. 
(3) RURAL AREA.—The term ‘‘rural area’’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 601(b)(3) of the Rural Electrification 
Act of 1936. 
SEC. 6213. TRANSITION RULE. 
For the period beginning on the date of the enactment of 
this Act and ending on the date that is one year after such date 
of enactment, with respect to the implementation of the rural 
broadband access program under section 601 of the Rural Elec-
trification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb) and the Community Connect 
Grant Program under section 604 of such Act, as added by section 
6204 of this Act, the Secretary shall use the regulations in existence 
as of the day before the date of enactment of this Act that are 
applicable to the program involved, until the Secretary issues a 
final rule implementing the provisions of, and amendments made 
by, this title that apply to that program. 
SEC. 6214. RURAL BROADBAND INTEGRATION WORKING GROUP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Rural 
Broadband Integration Working Group (referred to in this sub-
section as the ‘‘Working Group’’). 
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The membership of the Working Group 
shall be composed of the heads, or their designees, of— 
(A) the Department of Agriculture, acting through the 
Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service; 
(B) the Department of Commerce, acting through the 
Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information; 
(C) the Department of Defense; 
(D) the Department of State; 
(E) the Department of the Interior; 
(F) the Department of Labor; 
(G) the Department of Health and Human Services; 
(H) the Department of Homeland Security; 
(I) the Department of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment; 
(J) the Department of Justice; 
(K) the Department of Transportation; 
(L) the Department of the Treasury; 
(M) the Department of Energy; 
(N) the Department of Education; 
(O) the Department of Veterans Affairs; 
(P) the Environmental Protection Agency; 
(Q) the General Services Administration; 
(R) the Small Business Administration; 
(S) the Institute of Museum and Library Services; 
(T) the National Science Foundation; 
(U) the Council on Environmental Quality; 
(V) the Office of Science and Technology Policy; 
(W) the Office of Management and Budget; 
(X) the Council of Economic Advisers; 
(Y) the Domestic Policy Council;
H. R. 2—258 
(Z) the National Economic Council; and 
(AA) such other Federal agencies or entities as are 
determined appropriate by the co-chairs. 
(3) CO-CHAIRS.—The following individuals, or their des-
ignees, shall serve as co-chairs of the Working Group: 
(A) The Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service. 
(B) The Assistant Secretary for Communications and 
Information. 
(C) The Director of the National Economic Council. 
(D) The Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy. 
(4) CONSULTATION; COORDINATION.—The Working Group 
shall consult, as appropriate, with other relevant agencies, 
including the Federal Communications Commission. The 
Working Group shall coordinate with existing Federal working 
groups and committees involved with broadband. 
(5) MEMBERSHIP CHANGES.—The Director of the National 
Economic Council and the Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy shall review, on a periodic basis, the 
membership of the Working Group to ensure that the Working 
Group— 
(A) includes necessary Federal Government entities; 
and 
(B) is an effective mechanism for coordinating among 
agencies on the policy described in subsection (b). 
(b) FUNCTIONS OF WORKING GROUP.— 
(1) CONSULTATION.—The Working Group shall consult with 
State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments, telecommuni-
cations companies, utilities, trade associations, philanthropic 
entities, policy experts, and other interested parties to identify, 
assess, and determine possible actions relating to barriers and 
opportunities for broadband deployment in rural areas. 
(2) POINT OF CONTACT.—Not later than 15 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, each member of the Working 
Group shall— 
(A) designate a representative to serve as the main 
point of contact for matters relating to the Working Group; 
and 
(B) notify the co-chairs of the Working Group of that 
designee. 
(3) SURVEY.—Not later than 60 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, based on information provided by the 
members of the Working Group, the Working Group shall pub-
lish a comprehensive survey of— 
(A) Federal programs, including the allocated funding 
amounts, that currently support or could reasonably be 
modified to support broadband deployment and adoption; 
and 
(B) all Federal agency-specific policies and rules with 
the direct or indirect effect of facilitating or regulating 
investment in, or deployment of, wired and wireless 
broadband networks. 
(4) LIST OF ACTIONS.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the members of the Working 
Group shall submit to the Working Group an initial list of 
actions that each of the agencies could take to identify and
H. R. 2—259 
address regulatory barriers to, incentivize investment in, pro-
mote best practices within, align funding decisions with respect 
to, and otherwise support, wired broadband deployment and 
adoption. 
(5) REPORT.—Not later than 150 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Working Group shall submit to 
the President an agreed-to and prioritized list of recommenda-
tions of the Working Group on actions that Federal agencies 
can take to support broadband deployment and adoption, 
including— 
(A) a list of priority actions and rulemakings; and 
(B) timelines to complete the priority actions and 
rulemakings. 
Subtitle C—Miscellaneous 
SEC. 6301. EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN POPULATIONS FROM DEFINITION 
OF RURAL AREA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 343(a)(13) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(13)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘(G)’’ and inserting 
‘‘(I)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(H) EXCLUSION
OF
INCARCERATED
POPULATIONS.— 
Populations of individuals incarcerated on a long-term or 
regional basis shall not be included in determining whether 
an area is ‘rural’ or a ‘rural area’. 
‘‘(I) LIMITED
EXCLUSION
OF
MILITARY
BASE
POPU-
LATIONS.—The first 1,500 individuals who reside in housing 
located on a military base shall not be included in deter-
mining whether an area is ‘rural’ or a ‘rural area’.’’. 
(b) BROADBAND.—Section 601(b)(3) of the Rural Electrification 
Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb(b)(3)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(C) EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN POPULATIONS.—Such term 
does not include any population described in subparagraph 
(H) or (I) of section 343(a)(13) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(13)).’’. 
(c) DISTANCE
LEARNING
AND
TELEMEDICINE
LOANS
AND 
GRANTS.—Section 2332 of the Food Agriculture, Conservation, and 
Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa–1) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) RURAL AREA.—The term ‘rural area’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 601(b)(3) of the Rural Electrification 
Act of 1936.’’. 
SEC. 6302. ESTABLISHMENT OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘tribally designated 
housing entity’ has the meaning given the term in section 4 of 
the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination 
Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103). 
(b) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, in coordination with 
the Office of Tribal Relations established under section 309 of 
the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 
6921), provide technical assistance to improve access by Tribal 
entities to rural development programs funded by the Department
H. R. 2—260 
of Agriculture through available cooperative agreement authorities 
of the Secretary. 
(c) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—Technical assistance provided 
under subsection (b) shall address the unique challenge of Tribal 
governments, Tribal producers, Tribal businesses, Tribal business 
entities, and tribally designated housing entities in accessing 
Department of Agriculture-supported rural infrastructure, rural 
cooperative development, rural business and industry, rural 
housing, and other rural development activities. 
SEC. 6303. RURAL ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM. 
Section 6407 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 
of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107a) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘efficiency.’’ and 
inserting ‘‘efficiency (including cost-effective on- or off-grid 
renewable energy or energy storage systems).’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (7) as 
paragraphs (5) through (8), respectively; 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following: 
‘‘(4) ELIGIBILITY FOR OTHER LOANS.—The Secretary shall 
not include any debt incurred by a borrower under this section 
in the calculation of the debt-equity ratio of the borrower for 
purposes of eligibility for loans under the Rural Electrification 
Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.).’’; 
(C) in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (5) (as so redesig-
nated), by striking ‘‘(6)’’ and inserting ‘‘(7)’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(9) ACCOUNTING.—The Secretary shall take appropriate 
steps to streamline the accounting requirements on borrowers 
under this section while maintaining adequate assurances of 
the repayment of the loans.’’; 
(3) in subsection (d)(1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘3 percent’’ and 
inserting ‘‘5 percent’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘electric’’ and 
inserting ‘‘recurring service’’; 
(4) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i); 
(5) by inserting after subsection (g) the following: 
‘‘(h) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 120 days after the end of 
each fiscal year, the Secretary shall publish a description of— 
‘‘(1) the number of applications received under this section 
for that fiscal year; 
‘‘(2) the number of loans made to eligible entities under 
this section for that fiscal year; and 
‘‘(3) the recipients of the loans described in paragraph 
(2).’’; and 
(6) in subsection (i) (as so redesignated), by striking ‘‘2018’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6304. NORTHERN BORDER REGIONAL COMMISSION REAUTHOR-
IZATION. 
(a) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES OF REGIONAL COMMISSIONS.— 
Section 15304(c)(3)(A) of title 40, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘unanimous’’ and inserting ‘‘majority’’. 
(b) ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.— 
Section 15501 of title 40, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)—
H. R. 2—261 
(A) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (8) as paragraph (9); 
and 
(C) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following: 
‘‘(8) to grow the capacity for successful community economic 
development in its region; and’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘paragraphs (1) through 
(3)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (7)’’; and 
(3) in subsection (f), by striking the period at the end 
and inserting ‘‘, except that financial assistance may be used 
as otherwise authorized by this subtitle to attract businesses 
to the region from outside the United States.’’. 
(c) STATE CAPACITY BUILDING GRANT PROGRAM.— 
(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
(A) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ means the 
Northern Border Regional Commission established by sec-
tion 15301(a)(3) of title 40, United States Code. 
(B) COMMISSION STATE.—The term ‘‘Commission State’’ 
means each of the States of Maine, New Hampshire, New 
York, and Vermont. 
(C) ELIGIBLE
COUNTY.—The term ‘‘eligible county’’ 
means a county described in section 15733 of title 40, 
United States Code. 
(D) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means the State 
capacity building grant program established under para-
graph (2). 
(2) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall establish 
a State capacity building grant program to provide grants to 
Commission States to carry out the purpose under paragraph 
(3). 
(3) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the program is to support 
the efforts of the Commission— 
(A) to better support business retention and expansion 
in eligible counties; 
(B) to create programs to encourage job creation and 
workforce development in eligible counties; 
(C) to prepare economic and infrastructure plans for 
eligible counties; 
(D) to expand access to high-speed broadband in 
eligible counties; 
(E) to provide technical assistance that results in 
Commission investments in transportation, water, waste-
water, and other critical infrastructure; 
(F) to create initiatives to increase the effectiveness 
of local development districts in eligible counties; and 
(G) to implement new or innovative economic develop-
ment practices that will better position the eligible counties 
of Commission States to compete in the global economy. 
(4) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Funds from a grant under the pro-
gram may be used to support a project, program, or related 
expense of the Commission State in an eligible county. 
(B) LIMITATION.—Funds from a grant under the pro-
gram shall not be used for— 
(i) the purchase of furniture, fixtures, or equip-
ment;
H. R. 2—262 
(ii) the compensation of— 
(I) any State member of the Commission (as 
described in section 15301(b)(1)(B) of title 40, 
United States Code); or 
(II) any State alternate member of the 
Commission (as described in section 15301(b)(2)(B) 
of title 40, United States Code); or 
(iii) the cost of supplanting existing State pro-
grams. 
(5) ANNUAL WORK PLAN.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—For each fiscal year, before providing 
a grant under the program, each Commission State shall 
provide to the Commission an annual work plan that 
includes the proposed use of the grant. 
(B) APPROVAL.—No grant under the program shall be 
provided to a Commission State unless the Commission 
has approved the annual work plan of the State. 
(6) AMOUNT OF GRANT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The amount of a grant provided to 
a Commission State under the program for a fiscal year 
shall be based on the proportion that— 
(i) the amount paid by the Commission State 
(including any amounts paid on behalf of the Commis-
sion State by a nonprofit organization) for administra-
tive expenses for the applicable fiscal year (as deter-
mined under section 15304(c) of title 40, United States 
Code); bears to 
(ii) the amount paid by all Commission States 
(including any amounts paid on behalf of a Commission 
State by a nonprofit organization) for administrative 
expenses for that fiscal year (as determined under 
that section). 
(B) REQUIREMENT.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under the program for a fiscal year, a Commission State 
(or a nonprofit organization on behalf of the Commission 
State) shall pay the amount of administrative expenses 
of the Commission State for the applicable fiscal year (as 
determined under section 15304(c) of title 40, United States 
Code). 
(C) APPROVAL.—For each fiscal year, a grant provided 
under the program shall be approved and made available 
as part of the approval of the annual budget of the Commis-
sion. 
(7) GRANT AVAILABILITY.—Funds from a grant under the 
program shall be available only during the fiscal year for which 
the grant is provided. 
(8) REPORT.—Each fiscal year, each Commission State shall 
submit to the Commission and make publicly available a report 
that describes the use of the grant funds and the impact of 
the program in the State. 
(9) FUNDING.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2019 through 2023. 
(B) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds made avail-
able to carry out this subsection shall supplement and
H. R. 2—263 
not supplant funds made available for the Commission 
and other activities of the Commission. 
(d) NORTHERN BORDER REGIONAL COMMISSION.—Section 15733 
of title 40, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘Belknap,’’ before ‘‘Carroll,’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘Cheshire,’’ before ‘‘Coos,’’; 
(2) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) NEW YORK.—The counties of Cayuga, Clinton, Essex, 
Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jeffer-
son, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, 
Orleans, Oswego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Seneca, 
St. Lawrence, Sullivan, Washington, Warren, Wayne, and Yates 
in the State of New York.’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (4)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘Addison, Bennington,’’ before ‘‘Cal-
edonia,’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘Chittenden,’’ before ‘‘Essex,’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘and’’ and inserting ‘‘Orange,’’ and 
(D) by inserting ‘‘, Rutland, Washington, Windham, 
and Windsor’’ after ‘‘Orleans’’. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 15751(a) of 
title 40, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘$30,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘$33,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023’’. 
(f) VACANCIES.—Section 15301 of title 40, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) SUCCESSION.—Subject to the time limitations under section 
3346 of title 5, the Federal Cochairperson may designate a Federal 
employee of the Commission to perform the functions and duties 
of the office of the Federal Cochairperson temporarily in an acting 
capacity if both the Federal Cochairperson and the alternate Federal 
Cochairperson die, resign, or otherwise are unable to perform the 
functions and duties of their offices.’’. 
(g) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 of sub-
title V of title 40, United States Code, are redesignated as chapters 
151, 153, 155, and 157, respectively. 
SEC. 6305. DEFINITION OF RURAL AREA FOR PURPOSES OF THE 
HOUSING ACT OF 1949. 
The second sentence of section 520 of the Housing Act of 1949 
(42 U.S.C. 1490) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘or 2010 decennial census’’ and inserting 
‘‘2010, or 2020 decennial census’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘December 31, 2010,’’ and inserting 
‘‘December 31, 2020,’’ ; and 
(3) by striking ‘‘year 2020’’ and inserting ‘‘year 2030’’. 
SEC. 6306. COUNCIL ON RURAL COMMUNITY INNOVATION AND ECO-
NOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to enhance the 
efforts of the Federal Government to address the needs of rural 
areas in the United States by— 
(1) establishing a council to better coordinate Federal pro-
grams directed to rural communities;
H. R. 2—264 
(2) maximizing the impact of Federal investment to promote 
economic prosperity and quality of life in rural communities 
in the United States; and 
(3) using innovation to resolve local and regional challenges 
faced by rural communities. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) There is established a Council on Rural Community 
Innovation and Economic Development (referred to in this sec-
tion as the ‘‘Council’’). 
(2) The Council shall be the successor to the Interagency 
Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity established 
by Executive Order 13790. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The membership of the Council shall 
be composed of the heads of the following executive branch 
departments, agencies, and offices: 
(A) The Department of Agriculture. 
(B) The Department of the Treasury. 
(C) The Department of Defense. 
(D) The Department of Justice. 
(E) The Department of the Interior. 
(F) The Department of Commerce. 
(G) The Department of Labor. 
(H) The Department of Health and Human Services. 
(I) The Department of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment. 
(J) The Department of Transportation. 
(K) The Department of Energy. 
(L) The Department of Education. 
(M) The Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(N) The Department of Homeland Security. 
(O) The Environmental Protection Agency. 
(P) The Federal Communications Commission. 
(Q) The Office of Management and Budget. 
(R) The Office of Science and Technology Policy. 
(S) The Office of National Drug Control Policy. 
(T) The Council of Economic Advisers. 
(U) The Domestic Policy Council. 
(V) The National Economic Council. 
(W) The Small Business Administration. 
(X) The Council on Environmental Quality. 
(Y) The White House Office of Public Engagement. 
(Z) The White House Office of Cabinet Affairs. 
(AA) Such other executive branch departments, agen-
cies, and offices as the President or the Secretary may, 
from time to time, designate. 
(2) CHAIR.—The Secretary shall serve as the Chair of the 
Council. 
(3) DESIGNEES.—A member of the Council may designate, 
to perform the Council functions of the member, a senior- 
level official who is— 
(A) part of the department, agency, or office of the 
member; and 
(B) a full-time officer or employee of the Federal 
Government. 
(4) ADMINISTRATION.—The Council shall coordinate policy 
development through the rural development mission area.
H. R. 2—265 
(d) FUNDING.—The Secretary shall provide funding and 
administrative support for the Council to the extent permitted 
by law and within existing appropriations. 
(e) MISSION AND FUNCTION OF THE COUNCIL.—The Council shall 
work across executive departments, agencies, and offices to coordi-
nate development of policy recommendations— 
(1) to maximize the impact of Federal investment on rural 
communities; 
(2) to promote economic prosperity and quality of life in 
rural communities; and 
(3) to use innovation to resolve local and regional challenges 
faced by rural communities. 
(f) DUTIES.—The Council shall— 
(1) make recommendations to the President, acting through 
the Director of the Domestic Policy Council and the Director 
of the National Economic Council, on streamlining and 
leveraging Federal investments in rural areas, where appro-
priate, to increase the impact of Federal dollars and create 
economic opportunities to improve the quality of life in rural 
areas in the United States; 
(2) coordinate and increase the effectiveness of Federal 
engagement with rural stakeholders, including agricultural 
organizations, small businesses, education and training institu-
tions, health-care providers, telecommunications services pro-
viders, electric service providers, transportation providers, 
research and land grant institutions, law enforcement, State, 
local, and tribal governments, and nongovernmental organiza-
tions regarding the needs of rural areas in the United States; 
(3) coordinate Federal efforts directed toward the growth 
and development of rural geographic regions that encompass 
both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas; 
(4) identify and facilitate rural economic opportunities asso-
ciated with energy development, outdoor recreation, and other 
conservation related activities; and 
(5) identify common economic and social challenges faced 
by rural communities that could be served through— 
(A) better coordination of existing Federal and non- 
Federal resources; and 
(B) innovative solutions utilizing governmental and 
nongovernmental resources. 
(g) EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The heads of executive departments and 
agencies shall assist and provide information to the Council, 
consistent with applicable law, as may be necessary to carry 
out the functions of the Council. 
(2) EXPENSES.—Each executive department or agency shall 
be responsible for paying any expenses of the executive depart-
ment or agency for participating in the Council. 
(h) COUNCIL WORKING GROUPS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Council may establish, in addition 
to the working groups established under paragraph (3), such 
other working groups as necessary. 
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Secretary shall include as members 
of each working group such Council members, other heads 
of Federal agencies (or their designees as defined in (d)(3)), 
and non-Federal partners as determined appropriate to the 
subject matter.
H. R. 2—266 
(3) REQUIRED
WORKING
GROUPS.—The working groups 
specified in this paragraph are each of the following: 
(A) THE RURAL SMART COMMUNITIES WORKING GROUP.— 
(i) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Council shall establish 
a Rural Smart Communities Working Group. 
(ii) 
DUTIES.—The 
Rural 
Smart 
Communities 
Working Group shall— 
(I) not later than 1 year after the establish-
ment of such Working Group, submit to Congress 
a report describing efforts of rural areas to 
integrate smart technology into their communities 
to solve challenges relating to governance, eco-
nomic development, quality of life, or other rel-
evant rural issues, as determined by the Secretary; 
and 
(II) create, publish, and maintain a resource 
guide designed to assist States and other rural 
communities in developing and implementing rural 
smart community programs. 
(iii) SMART
COMMUNITY
DEFINED.—For the pur-
poses of this subparagraph, the term ‘‘smart commu-
nity’’ means a community that has the ability to 
integrate multiple technological solutions, in a secure 
fashion, to manage a community’s assets, including 
local 
government 
information 
systems, 
schools, 
libraries, transportation systems, hospitals, power 
plants, law enforcement, and other community services 
with the goal of promoting quality of life through the 
use of technology in ways that improve the efficiency 
of services and meet residents’ needs. 
(B) JOBS ACCELERATOR WORKING GROUP.— 
(i) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Council shall establish 
a Jobs Accelerator Working Group. 
(ii) GOALS.—The Jobs Accelerator Working Group 
shall support rural jobs accelerators (as defined in 
section 379I(a)(4) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act)— 
(I) to improve the ability of rural communities 
to create high-wage jobs, accelerate the formation 
of new businesses with high-growth potential, and 
strengthen 
regional 
economies, 
including 
by 
helping to build capacity in the applicable region 
to achieve those goals; and 
(II) to help rural communities identify and 
maximize local assets and connect to regional 
opportunities, networks, and industry clusters that 
demonstrate high growth potential. 
(iii) DUTIES.—The Jobs Accelerator Working Group 
shall— 
(I) provide the public with available informa-
tion and technical assistance on Federal resources 
relevant to a project and region; 
(II) establish a Federal support team com-
prised of staff from participating agencies in the 
working group that shall provide coordinated and 
dedicated support services to rural jobs accelera-
tors; and
H. R. 2—267 
(III) provide opportunities for rural jobs accel-
erators to share best practices and further collabo-
rate with one another. 
Subtitle D—Additional Amendments to the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act 
SEC. 6401. STRATEGIC ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. 
Section 379H of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 2008v) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 379H. STRATEGIC ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In the case of any program under this title 
or administered by the Secretary, acting through the rural develop-
ment mission area, as determined by the Secretary (referred to 
in this section as a ‘covered program’), the Secretary shall give 
priority to an application for a project that, as determined and 
approved by the Secretary— 
‘‘(1) meets the applicable eligibility requirements of this 
title or the other applicable authorizing law; 
‘‘(2) will be carried out in a rural area; and 
‘‘(3) supports the implementation of a strategic community 
investment plan described in subsection (d) on a multisectoral 
and multijurisdictional basis, to include considerations for 
improving and expanding broadband services as needed. 
‘‘(b) RESERVE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary 
shall reserve not more than 15 percent of the funds made 
available for a fiscal year for covered programs for projects 
that support the implementation of a strategic community 
investment plan described in subsection (d) on a multisectoral 
and multijurisdictional basis. 
‘‘(2) PERIOD.—Any funds reserved under paragraph (1) shall 
only be reserved for the 1-year period beginning on the date 
on which the funds were first made available, as determined 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(c) APPROVED APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), any applicant 
who submitted an application under a covered program that 
was approved before the date of enactment of this section 
may amend the application to qualify for the funds reserved 
under subsection (b). 
‘‘(2) RURAL UTILITIES.—Any applicant who submitted an 
application under paragraph (2), (14), or (24) of section 306(a), 
or section 306A or 310B(b), that was approved by the Secretary 
before the date of enactment of this section shall be eligible 
for the funds reserved under subsection (b)— 
‘‘(A) on the same basis as an application submitted 
under this section; and 
‘‘(B) until September 30, 2019. 
‘‘(d) STRATEGIC COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PLANS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide assistance 
to rural communities in developing strategic community invest-
ment plans.
H. R. 2—268 
‘‘(2) PLANS.—A strategic community investment plan 
described in paragraph (1) shall include— 
‘‘(A) a variety of activities designed to facilitate the 
vision of a rural community for the future, including consid-
erations for improving and expanding broadband services 
as needed; 
‘‘(B) participation by multiple stakeholders, including 
local and regional partners; 
‘‘(C) leverage of applicable regional resources; 
‘‘(D) investment from strategic partners, such as— 
‘‘(i) private organizations; 
‘‘(ii) cooperatives; 
‘‘(iii) other government entities; 
‘‘(iv) Indian Tribes; and 
‘‘(v) philanthropic organizations; 
‘‘(E) clear objectives with the ability to establish meas-
urable performance metrics; 
‘‘(F) action steps for implementation; and 
‘‘(G) any other elements necessary to ensure that the 
plan results in a comprehensive and strategic approach 
to rural economic development, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(3) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall coordinate with 
Indian Tribes and local, State, regional, and Federal partners 
to develop strategic community investment plans under this 
subsection. 
‘‘(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is author-
ized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, to remain available 
until expended.’’. 
SEC. 6402. EXPANDING ACCESS TO CREDIT FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES. 
(a) CERTAIN PROGRAMS UNDER THE CONSOLIDATED FARM AND 
RURAL DEVELOPMENT ACT.—Section 343(a)(13) of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(13)) is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B)— 
(A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘AND GUARANTEED’’; 
and 
(B) in the text— 
(i) by striking ‘‘and guaranteed’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘(1), (2), and (24)’’ and inserting 
‘‘(1) and (2)’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (C)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and guaranteed’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘(21), and (24)’’ and inserting ‘‘and 
(21)’’. 
(b) POPULATION CAPS
FOR GUARANTEED LENDING.—Section 
306(a)(24) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(24)) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(D) PRIORITY.— 
‘‘(i) WATER
OR
WASTE
FACILITY.—The Secretary 
shall prioritize water and waste facility projects under 
this paragraph in rural areas with a population of 
not more than 10,000 people. 
‘‘(ii) COMMUNITY
FACILITY.—Of the funds made 
available to carry out this paragraph for community
H. R. 2—269 
facility loan guarantees for a fiscal year the following 
amounts shall be reserved for projects in rural areas 
with a population of not more than 20,000 inhabitants: 
‘‘(I) 100 percent of the first $200,000,000 so 
made available; 
‘‘(II) 50 percent of the next $200,000,000 so 
made available; and 
‘‘(III) 25 percent of all amounts exceeding 
$400,000,000 so made available, 
except that, to the extent that the Secretary dem-
onstrates that the funds so reserved are not needed 
to finance a community facility project in such a rural 
area, the Secretary may use the funds for other commu-
nity facility projects in accordance with this para-
graph.’’. 
SEC. 6403. WATER, WASTE DISPOSAL, AND WASTEWATER FACILITY 
GRANTS. 
Section 306(a)(2)(B) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(2)(B)) is amended— 
(1) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘$100,000’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘$200,000’’; and 
(2) in clause (vii), by striking ‘‘$30,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2008 through 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘$15,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023’’. 
SEC. 6404. RURAL WATER AND WASTEWATER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
AND TRAINING PROGRAMS. 
Section 306(a)(14) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(14)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)— 
(A) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in clause (iii), by striking the period and inserting 
a semicolon; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iv) identify options to enhance the long-term 
sustainability of rural water and waste systems, 
including operational practices, revenue enhancements, 
partnerships, consolidation, regionalization, or contract 
services; and 
‘‘(v) address the contamination of drinking water 
and surface water supplies by emerging contaminants, 
including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (C)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘1 nor more than 3’’ and inserting 
‘‘3 percent and not more than 5’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘1 per centum’’ and inserting ‘‘3 per-
cent’’. 
SEC. 6405. RURAL WATER AND WASTEWATER CIRCUIT RIDER PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 306(a)(22)(B) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(22)(B)) is amended by striking 
‘‘$20,000,000 for fiscal year 2014 and each fiscal year thereafter’’ 
and inserting ‘‘$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 
2023’’.
H. R. 2—270 
SEC. 6406. TRIBAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY 
FACILITIES. 
Section 306(a)(25)(C) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(25)(C)) is amended by striking 
‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6407. EMERGENCY AND IMMINENT COMMUNITY WATER ASSIST-
ANCE GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 306A of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926a) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting 
the following: ‘‘, particularly to projects to address contamina-
tion that— 
‘‘(A) poses a threat to human health or the environ-
ment; and 
‘‘(B) was caused by circumstances beyond the control 
of the applicant for a grant, including circumstances that 
occurred over a period of time; and’’; 
(2) in subsection (d)(1)(D), by inserting ‘‘, other than those 
covered above for not to exceed 120 days when a more perma-
nent solution is not feasible in a shorter time frame. Where 
drinking water supplies are inadequate due to an event, as 
determined by the Secretary, including drought, severe 
weather, or contamination, the Secretary may provide potable 
water for an additional period of time not to exceed an addi-
tional 120 days in order to protect public health’’ before the 
period; 
(3) in subsection (e)(1)(B), by striking ‘‘according to the 
most recent decennial census of the United States’’; 
(4) in subsection (f)(1), by striking ‘‘$500,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$1,000,000’’; and 
(5) in subsection (i)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘3 nor more 
than 5’’ and inserting ‘‘5 percent and not more than 
7’’; and 
(ii) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(B) RELEASE.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Funds reserved under subpara-
graph (A) for a fiscal year shall be reserved only until 
July 1 of the fiscal year. 
‘‘(ii) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding clause (i), in 
response to an eligible community where the drinking 
water supplies are inadequate, as determined by the 
Secretary, due to an event, including drought, severe 
weather, or contamination, the Secretary may use 
funds described in subparagraph (A) from July 1 
through September 30 each fiscal year to provide 
potable water under this section in order to protect 
public health.’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘$35,000,000 for each 
of 
fiscal 
years 
2008 
through 
2018’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023’’. 
(b) INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON RURAL WATER QUALITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall coordinate
H. R. 2—271 
an interagency task force to examine drinking water and sur-
face water contamination in rural communities, particularly 
rural communities that are in close proximity to active or 
decommissioned military installations in the United States. 
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The interagency task force shall consist 
of— 
(A) the Secretary; 
(B) the Secretary of the Army, acting through the 
Chief of Engineers; 
(C) the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting 
through— 
(i) the Director of the Agency for Toxic Substances 
and Disease Registry; and 
(ii) the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention; 
(D) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; 
(E) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through— 
(i) the Director of the United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service; and 
(ii) the Director of the United States Geological 
Survey; 
(F) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency; and 
(G) representatives from rural drinking and waste-
water entities, State and community regulators, and appro-
priate scientific experts that reflect a diverse cross-section 
of the rural communities described in paragraph (1). 
(3) REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 360 days after the 
date of enactment of this section, the task force shall submit 
to the committees described in subparagraph (B) a report 
that— 
(i) examines, and identifies issues relating to, 
water contamination in rural communities, particularly 
rural communities that are in close proximity to active 
or decommissioned military installations in the United 
States; 
(ii) reviews the extent to which Federal, State, 
and local government agencies coordinate with one 
another to address the issues identified under clause 
(i); 
(iii) recommends how Federal, State, and local 
government agencies can work together in the most 
effective, efficient, and cost-effective manner prac-
ticable, to address the issues identified under clause 
(i); and 
(iv) recommends changes to existing statutory 
requirements, regulatory requirements, or both, to 
improve interagency coordination and responsiveness 
to address the issues identified under clause (i). 
(B) COMMITTEES DESCRIBED.—The committees referred 
to in subparagraph (A) are— 
(i) the Committee on Agriculture of the House 
of Representatives; 
(ii) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry of the Senate;
H. R. 2—272 
(iii) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of 
the House of Representatives; 
(iv) the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works of the Senate; 
(v) the Committee on Armed Services of the House 
of Representatives; and 
(vi) the Committee on Armed Services of the 
Senate. 
SEC. 6408. WATER SYSTEMS FOR RURAL AND NATIVE VILLAGES IN 
ALASKA. 
Section 306D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1926d) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘Alaska for’’ and inserting 
‘‘Alaska, a consortium formed pursuant to section 325 of the 
Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropria-
tions Act, 1998 (Public Law 105–83; 111 Stat. 1597), and Native 
villages (as defined in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims 
Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602)) for’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by inserting ‘‘for any grant awarded 
under subsection (a)’’ before the period at the end; and 
(3) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2023’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Alaska’’ and inserting 
‘‘Alaska, and not more than 2 percent of the amount made 
available under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year may be 
used by a consortium formed pursuant to section 325 of 
the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appro-
priations Act, 1998 (Public Law 105–83; 111 Stat. 1597),’’. 
SEC. 6409. RURAL DECENTRALIZED WATER SYSTEMS. 
Section 306E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1926e) is amended— 
(1) by striking the section heading and inserting ‘‘RURAL 
DECENTRALIZED WATER SYSTEMS’’; 
(2) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘100’’ and inserting ‘‘60’’; 
(3) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘and subgrants’’ after ‘‘loans’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘and individually owned household 
decentralized wastewater systems’’ after ‘‘well sys-
tems’’; 
(B) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2) TERMS AND AMOUNTS.— 
‘‘(A) TERMS OF LOANS.—A loan made with grant funds 
under this section— 
‘‘(i) shall have an interest rate of 1 percent; and 
‘‘(ii) shall have a term not to exceed 20 years. 
‘‘(B) AMOUNTS.—A loan or subgrant made with grant 
funds under this section shall not exceed $15,000 for each 
water well system or decentralized wastewater system 
described in paragraph (1).’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) GROUND WELL WATER CONTAMINATION.—In the event 
of ground well water contamination, the Secretary shall allow 
a loan or subgrant to be made with grant funds under this
H. R. 2—273 
section for the installation of water treatment where needed 
beyond the point of entry, with or without the installation 
of a new water well system.’’; 
(4) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘productive use of individ-
ually-owned household water well systems’’ and inserting ‘‘effec-
tive use of individually owned household water well systems, 
individually owned household decentralized wastewater sys-
tems,’’; and 
(5) in subsection (d)— 
(A) 
by 
striking 
‘‘$5,000,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$20,000,000’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘2014 through 2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2019 through 2023’’. 
SEC. 6410. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT GRANTS. 
Section 310B(b)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(b)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6411. RURAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GRANTS. 
Section 310B(c)(4)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(c)(4)(A)) is amended by striking 
‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6412. RURAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(e)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (10), by inserting ‘‘(including research 
and analysis based on data from the latest available Economic 
Census conducted by the Bureau of the Census)’’ after ‘‘conduct 
research’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2023’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.—Section 310B(e)(11)(B)(i) of such 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(e)(11)(B)(i)) is amended by striking ‘‘(12)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘(13)’’. 
SEC. 6413. LOCALLY OR REGIONALLY PRODUCED AGRICULTURAL 
FOOD PRODUCTS. 
Section 310B(g)(9)(B)(iv)(I) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(g)(9)(B)(iv)(I)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6414. APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FOR RURAL AREAS 
PROGRAM. 
Section 310B(i)(4) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(i)(4)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6415. RURAL ECONOMIC AREA PARTNERSHIP ZONES. 
Section 310B(j) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(j)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6416. INTEMEDIARY RELENDING PROGRAM. 
Section 310H of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1936b) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (i); 
(2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
H. R. 2—274 
‘‘(e) LIMITATION ON LOAN AMOUNTS.—The maximum amount 
of a loan by an eligible entity described in subsection (b) to individ-
uals and entities for a project under subsection (c), including the 
unpaid balance of any existing loans, shall be the lesser of— 
‘‘(1) $400,000; and 
‘‘(2) 50 percent of the loan to the eligible entity under 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(f) APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a loan or loan 
guarantee under subsection (a), an eligible entity described 
in subsection (b) shall submit to the Secretary an application 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information 
as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(2) EVALUATION.—In evaluating applications submitted 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A)(i) take into consideration the previous performance 
of an eligible entity in carrying out projects under sub-
section (c); and 
‘‘(ii) in the case of satisfactory performance under 
clause (i), require the eligible entity to contribute less 
equity for subsequent loans without modifying the priority 
given to subsequent applications; and 
‘‘(B) in assigning priorities to applications, require an 
eligible entity to demonstrate that it has a governing or 
advisory board made up of business, civic, and community 
leaders who are representative of the communities of the 
service area, without limitation to the size of the service 
area. 
‘‘(g) RETURN
OF EQUITY.—The Secretary shall establish a 
schedule that is consistent with the amortization schedules of the 
portfolio of loans made or guaranteed under subsection (a) for 
the return of any equity contribution made under this section 
by an eligible entity described in subsection (b), if the eligible 
entity is— 
‘‘(1) current on all principal and interest payments; and 
‘‘(2) in compliance with loan covenants. 
‘‘(h) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall promulgate regulations 
and establish procedures reducing the administrative requirements 
on eligible entities described in subsection (b), including regulations 
to carry out the amendments made to this section by the Agriculture 
Improvement Act of 2018.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (i) (as so redesignated), by striking ‘‘2018’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6417. ACCESS TO INFORMATION TO VERIFY INCOME FOR PARTICI-
PANTS IN CERTAIN RURAL HOUSING PROGRAMS. 
Section 331 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1981), as amended by section 6210(a) of this Act, 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) ACCESS TO INFORMATION TO VERIFY INCOME FOR PARTICI-
PANTS IN CERTAIN RURAL HOUSING PROGRAMS.—The Secretary and 
the designees of the Secretary are hereby granted the same access 
to information and subject to the same requirements applicable 
to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development as provided 
in section 453 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653) and section 
6103(l)(7)(D)(ix) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 
6103(l)(7)(D)(ix)) to verify income for individuals participating in
H. R. 2—275 
sections 502, 504, 521, and 542 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 
U.S.C. 1472, 1474, 1490a, and 1490r), notwithstanding section 453(l) 
of the Social Security Act.’’. 
SEC. 6418. PROVIDING FOR ADDITIONAL FEES FOR GUARANTEED 
LOANS UNDER THE CONSOLIDATED FARM AND RURAL 
DEVELOPMENT ACT. 
Section 333 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1983) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph (5); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (6) 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) in the case of an insured or guaranteed loan issued 
or modified under section 306(a), charge and collect from the 
lender fees in such amounts as to bring down the costs of 
subsidies for the insured or guaranteed loan, except that the 
fees shall not act as a bar to participation in the programs 
nor be inconsistent with current practices in the marketplace.’’. 
SEC. 6419. RURAL BUSINESS-COOPERATIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS TECH-
NICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING. 
The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act is amended 
by inserting after section 367, as added by section 5306 of this 
Act, the following: 
‘‘SEC. 368. RURAL BUSINESS-COOPERATIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS TECH-
NICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make grants to public 
bodies, private nonprofit corporations, economic development 
authorities, institutions of higher education, federally recognized 
Indian Tribes, and rural cooperatives for the purpose of providing 
or obtaining technical assistance and training to support funding 
applications for programs carried out by the Secretary, acting 
through the Administrator of the Rural Business-Cooperative 
Service. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSES.—A grant under subsection (a) may be used— 
‘‘(1) to assist communities in identifying and planning for 
business and economic development needs; 
‘‘(2) to identify public and private resources to finance 
business and small and emerging business needs; 
‘‘(3) to prepare reports and surveys necessary to request 
financial assistance for businesses in rural communities; and 
‘‘(4) to prepare applications for financial assistance. 
‘‘(c) SELECTION PRIORITY.—In selecting recipients of grants 
under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to grants serving 
persistent poverty counties and high poverty communities, as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(d) FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2019 through 2023, to remain available until expended. 
‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY.—Any amounts authorized to be appro-
priated under paragraph (1) for any fiscal year that are not 
appropriated for that fiscal year may be appropriated for the 
immediately succeeding fiscal year.’’.
H. R. 2—276 
SEC. 6420. NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP. 
Section 378 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 2008m) is amended in each of subsections (g)(1) 
and (h), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’ each place it 
appears. 
SEC. 6421. GRANTS FOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO TRANSMITTERS. 
Section 379B(d) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 2008p(d)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6422. RURAL MICROENTREPRENEUR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
Section 379E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 2008s) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(4)(B)(ii)— 
(A) in the clause heading, by striking ‘‘MAXIMUM 
AMOUNT’’ and inserting ‘‘AMOUNT’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘not less than 20 percent and’’ before 
‘‘not more than 25 percent’’; and 
(C) by striking the period at the end and inserting 
the following: ‘‘, subject to— 
‘‘(I) satisfactory performance by the microen-
terprise development organization under this sec-
tion, and 
‘‘(II) the availability of funding.’’; and 
(2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.’’. 
SEC. 6423. HEALTH CARE SERVICES. 
Section 379G(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 2008u(e)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6424. RURAL INNOVATION STRONGER ECONOMY GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1981 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 379I. RURAL INNOVATION STRONGER ECONOMY GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible entity’ means a 
rural jobs accelerator partnership established after the date 
of enactment of this section that— 
‘‘(A) organizes key community and regional stake-
holders into a working group that— 
‘‘(i) focuses on the shared goals and needs of the 
industry clusters that are objectively identified as 
existing, emerging, or declining; 
‘‘(ii) represents a region defined by the partnership 
in accordance with subparagraph (B); 
‘‘(iii) includes 1 or more representatives of— 
‘‘(I) an institution of higher education (as 
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001));
H. R. 2—277 
‘‘(II) a private entity; or 
‘‘(III) a government entity; and 
‘‘(iv) has, as a lead applicant— 
‘‘(I) a District Organization (as defined in sec-
tion 300.3 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations 
(or a successor regulation)); 
‘‘(II) an Indian tribe (as defined in section 
4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)), or a consortium 
of Indian tribes; 
‘‘(III) a State or a political subdivision of a 
State, including a special purpose unit of a State 
or local government engaged in economic develop-
ment activities, or a consortium of political subdivi-
sions; 
‘‘(IV) an institution of higher education (as 
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) or a consortium 
of institutions of higher education; or 
‘‘(V) a public or private nonprofit organization; 
and 
‘‘(B) subject to approval by the Secretary, may— 
‘‘(i) serve a region that is— 
‘‘(I) a single jurisdiction; or 
‘‘(II) if the region is a rural area, multijuris-
dictional; and 
‘‘(ii) define the region that the partnership rep-
resents, if the region— 
‘‘(I) is large enough to contain critical elements 
of the industry cluster prioritized by the partner-
ship; 
‘‘(II) is small enough to enable close collabora-
tion among members of the partnership; 
‘‘(III) includes a majority of communities that 
are located in— 
‘‘(aa) a nonmetropolitan area that qualifies 
as a low-income community (as defined in sec-
tion 45D(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986); and 
‘‘(bb) an area that has access to or has 
a plan to achieve broadband service (within 
the meaning of title VI of the Rural Electrifica-
tion Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb et seq.)); 
and 
‘‘(IV)(aa) has a population of 50,000 or fewer 
inhabitants; or 
‘‘(bb) for a region with a population of more 
than 50,000 inhabitants, is the subject of a positive 
determination by the Secretary with respect to 
a rural-in-character petition, including such a peti-
tion submitted concurrently with the application 
of the partnership for a grant under this section. 
‘‘(2) INDUSTRY CLUSTER.—The term ‘industry cluster’ means 
a broadly defined network of interconnected firms and sup-
porting institutions in related industries that accelerate innova-
tion, business formation, and job creation by taking advantage 
of assets and strengths of a region in the business environment.
H. R. 2—278 
‘‘(3) HIGH-WAGE JOB.—The term ‘high-wage job’ means a 
job that provides a wage that is greater than the median 
wage for the applicable region, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(4) JOBS ACCELERATOR.—The term ‘jobs accelerator’ means 
a jobs accelerator center or program located in or serving a 
low-income rural community that may provide co-working 
space, in-demand skills training, entrepreneurship support, and 
any other services described in subsection (d)(1)(B). 
‘‘(5) SMALL
AND
DISADVANTAGED
BUSINESS.—The term 
‘small and disadvantaged business’ has the meaning given the 
term ‘small business concern owned and controlled by socially 
and 
economically 
disadvantaged 
individuals’ 
in 
section 
8(d)(3)(C) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(3)(C)). 
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a grant 
program under which the Secretary shall award grants, on 
a competitive basis, to eligible entities to establish jobs accelera-
tors, including related programming, that— 
‘‘(A) improve the ability of distressed rural communities 
to create high-wage jobs, accelerate the formation of new 
businesses with high-growth potential, and strengthen 
regional economies, including by helping to build capacity 
in the applicable region to achieve those goals; and 
‘‘(B) help rural communities identify and maximize 
local assets and connect to regional opportunities, net-
works, and industry clusters that demonstrate high growth 
potential. 
‘‘(2) COST-SHARING.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Federal share of the cost of 
any activity carried out using a grant made under para-
graph (1) shall be not greater than 80 percent. 
‘‘(B) IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS.—The non-Federal share 
of the total cost of any activity carried out using a grant 
made under paragraph (1) may be in the form of donations 
or in-kind contributions of goods or services fairly valued. 
‘‘(3) SELECTION CRITERIA.—In selecting eligible entities to 
receive grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall con-
sider— 
‘‘(A) the commitment of participating core stakeholders 
in the jobs accelerator partnership, including a demonstra-
tion that— 
‘‘(i) investment organizations, including venture 
development organizations, venture capital firms, 
revolving loan funders, angel investment groups, 
community lenders, community development financial 
institutions, rural business investment companies, 
small business investment companies (as defined in 
section 103 of the Small Business Investment Act of 
1958 (15 U.S.C. 662)), philanthropic organizations, and 
other institutions focused on expanding access to cap-
ital, are committed partners in the jobs accelerator 
partnership and willing to potentially invest in projects 
emerging from the jobs accelerator; and 
‘‘(ii) institutions of higher education, applied 
research institutions, workforce development entities, 
and community-based organizations are willing to 
partner with the jobs accelerator to provide workers
H. R. 2—279 
with skills relevant to the industry cluster needs of 
the region, with an emphasis on the use of on-the- 
job training, registered apprenticeships, customized 
training, classroom occupational training, or incumbent 
worker training; 
‘‘(B) the ability of the eligible entity to provide the 
non-Federal share as required under paragraph (2); 
‘‘(C) the identification of a targeted industry cluster; 
‘‘(D) the ability of the partnership to link rural commu-
nities to markets, networks, industry clusters, and other 
regional opportunities and assets; 
‘‘(E) other grants or loans of the Secretary and other 
Federal agencies that the jobs accelerator would be able 
to leverage; and 
‘‘(F) prospects for the proposed center and related 
programming to have sustainability beyond the full max-
imum length of assistance under this subsection, including 
the maximum number of renewals. 
‘‘(4) GRANT TERM AND RENEWALS.— 
‘‘(A) TERM.—The initial term of a grant under para-
graph (1) shall be 4 years. 
‘‘(B) RENEWAL.—The Secretary may extend the term 
of a grant under paragraph (1) for an additional period 
of not longer than 2 years if the Secretary is satisfied, 
using the evaluation under subsection (e)(2), that the grant 
recipient has successfully established a jobs accelerator 
and related programming. 
‘‘(5) GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION.—To the maximum extent 
practicable, the Secretary shall provide grants under paragraph 
(1) for jobs accelerators and related programming in not fewer 
than 25 States at any time. 
‘‘(c) GRANT AMOUNT.—A grant awarded under subsection (b) 
may be in an amount equal to— 
‘‘(1) not less than $500,000; and 
‘‘(2) not more than $2,000,000. 
‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), funds from 
a grant awarded under subsection (b) may be used— 
‘‘(A) to construct, purchase, or equip a building to serve 
as an innovation center; 
‘‘(B) to support programs to be carried out at, or in 
direct partnership with, the jobs accelerator that support 
the objectives of the jobs accelerator, including— 
‘‘(i) linking rural communities and entrepreneurs 
to markets, networks, industry clusters, and other 
regional opportunities to support high-wage job cre-
ation, new business formation, business expansion, and 
economic growth; 
‘‘(ii) integrating small businesses into a supply 
chain; 
‘‘(iii) creating or expanding commercialization 
activities for new business formation; 
‘‘(iv) identifying and building assets in rural 
communities that are crucial to supporting regional 
economies; 
‘‘(v) facilitating the repatriation of high-wage jobs 
to the United States;
H. R. 2—280 
‘‘(vi) supporting the deployment of innovative proc-
esses, technologies, and products; 
‘‘(vii) enhancing the capacity of small businesses 
in regional industry clusters, including small and dis-
advantaged businesses; 
‘‘(viii) increasing United States exports and busi-
ness interaction with international buyers and sup-
pliers; 
‘‘(ix) developing the skills and expertise of local 
workforces, entrepreneurs, and institutional partners 
to meet the needs of employers and prepare workers 
for high-wage jobs in the identified industry clusters, 
including the upskilling of incumbent workers; 
‘‘(x) ensuring rural communities have the capacity 
and ability to carry out projects relating to housing, 
community facilities, infrastructure, or community and 
economic development to support regional industry 
cluster growth; or 
‘‘(xi) any other activities that the Secretary may 
determine to be appropriate. 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subparagraph (B), not 
more than 10 percent of a grant awarded under subsection 
(b) shall be used for indirect costs associated with admin-
istering the grant. 
‘‘(B) INCREASE.—The Secretary may increase the 
percentage described in subparagraph (A) on a case-by- 
case basis. 
‘‘(e) ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT
AND EVALUATION.—Not later 
than 1 year after receiving a grant under this section, and annually 
thereafter for the duration of the grant, an eligible entity shall— 
‘‘(1) report to the Secretary on the activities funded with 
the grant; and 
‘‘(2)(A) evaluate the progress that the eligible entity has 
made toward the strategic objectives identified in the applica-
tion for the grant; and 
‘‘(B) measure that progress using performance measures 
during the project period, which may include— 
‘‘(i) high-wage jobs created; 
‘‘(ii) high-wage jobs retained; 
‘‘(iii) private investment leveraged; 
‘‘(iv) businesses improved; 
‘‘(v) new business formations; 
‘‘(vi) new products or services commercialized; 
‘‘(vii) improvement of the value of existing products 
or services under development; 
‘‘(viii) regional collaboration, as measured by such 
metrics as— 
‘‘(I) the number of organizations actively engaged 
in the industry cluster; 
‘‘(II) the number of symposia held by the industry 
cluster, including organizations that are not located 
in the immediate region defined by the partnership; 
and 
‘‘(III) the number of further cooperative agree-
ments;
H. R. 2—281 
‘‘(ix) the number of education and training activities 
relating to innovation; 
‘‘(x) the number of jobs relocated from outside of the 
United States to the region; 
‘‘(xi) the amount and number of new equity invest-
ments in industry cluster firms; 
‘‘(xii) the amount and number of new loans to industry 
cluster firms; 
‘‘(xiii) the dollar increase in exports resulting from 
the project activities; 
‘‘(xiv) the percentage of employees for which training 
was provided; 
‘‘(xv) improvement in sales of participating businesses; 
‘‘(xvi) improvement in wages paid at participating 
businesses; 
‘‘(xvii) improvement in income of participating workers; 
or 
‘‘(xviii) any other measure the Secretary determines 
to be appropriate. 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.’’. 
SEC. 6425. DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 382M(a) of 
the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
2009aa–12(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘2008 through 2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2019 through 2023’’. 
(b) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—Section 382N of such Act 
(7 U.S.C. 2009aa–13) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6426. RURAL BUSINESS INVESTMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 384A of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ‘‘VENTURE’’; 
and 
(B) by striking ‘‘venture’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(4) EQUITY CAPITAL.—The term ‘equity capital’ means— 
‘‘(A) common or preferred stock or a similar instrument, 
including subordinated debt with equity features; and 
‘‘(B) any other type of equity-like financing that might 
be necessary to facilitate the purposes of this Act, excluding 
financing such as senior debt or other types of financing 
that competes with routine loanmaking of commercial 
lenders.’’. 
(b) PURPOSES.—Section 384B of such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc– 
1) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘venture’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
striking ‘‘venture’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘venture’’. 
(c) SELECTION OF RURAL BUSINESS INVESTMENT COMPANIES.— 
Section 384D(b)(1) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–3(b)(1)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘developmental venture’’ and inserting ‘‘developmental’’.
H. R. 2—282 
(d) FEES.—Section 384G of such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–6) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsections (a) and (b), by striking ‘‘a fee that does 
not exceed $500’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘such 
fees as the Secretary considers appropriate, so long as those 
fees are proportionally equal for each rural business investment 
company,’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)(2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘solely to cover 
the costs of licensing examinations’’ and inserting ‘‘as the 
Secretary considers appropriate’’; and 
(B) by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(C) shall be in such amounts as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate.’’. 
(e) LIMITATION ON RURAL BUSINESS INVESTMENT COMPANIES 
CONTROLLED
BY
FARM
CREDIT
SYSTEM
INSTITUTIONS.—Section 
384J(c) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–9(c)) is amended by striking 
‘‘25’’ and inserting ‘‘50’’. 
(f) FLEXIBILITY ON SOURCES OF INVESTMENT OR CAPITAL.—Sec-
tion 384J(a) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–9(a)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as subpara-
graphs (A) and (B), respectively, and indenting appropriately; 
(2) by striking the subsection designation and heading and 
all that follows through ‘‘Except as’’ in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A) (as so redesignated) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(a) INVESTMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION
ON
REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary may 
not require that an entity described in paragraph (1) provide 
investment or capital that is not required of other companies 
eligible to apply to operate as a rural business investment 
company under section 384D(a).’’. 
SEC. 6427. RURAL BUSINESS INVESTMENT PROGRAM. 
Section 384S of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–18) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
Subtitle E—Additional Amendments to the 
Rural Electrification Act of 1936 
SEC. 6501. AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 2 OF THE RURAL ELECTRIFICA-
TION ACT OF 1936. 
(a) ELECTRIC LOAN REFINANCING.—Section 2(a) of the Rural 
Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 902(a)) is amended by striking 
‘‘loans in’’ and inserting ‘‘loans, or refinance loans made by the 
Secretary under this Act, in’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE
FOR
RURAL
ELECTRIFICATION 
LOANS.—Section 2 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 902) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall enter 
into a memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of Energy
H. R. 2—283 
under which the Secretary of Energy shall provide technical assist-
ance to the Rural Utilities Service on loans to be made under 
subsection (a) of this section and section 4(a).’’. 
SEC. 6502. LOANS FOR TELEPHONE SERVICE. 
Section 201 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
922) is amended— 
(1) by striking the section designation and all that follows 
through ‘‘From such sums’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘SEC. 201. LOANS FOR TELEPHONE SERVICE. 
‘‘From such sums’’; 
(2) in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘associations:’’ and 
all that follows through ‘‘same subscribers.’’ and inserting 
‘‘associations.’’; and 
(3) in the sixth sentence, by striking ‘‘, nor shall such 
loan be made in any State’’ and all that follows through 
‘‘writing)’’ in the seventh sentence and inserting the following: 
‘‘and’’. 
SEC. 6503. CUSHION OF CREDIT PAYMENTS PROGRAM. 
Section 313(a) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
940c(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(A) DEVELOPMENT
AND
PROMOTION
OF
PROGRAM.— 
The’’; and 
(B) by adding after and below the end the following: 
‘‘(B) TERMINATION.—Effective on the date of enactment 
of this subparagraph, no deposits may be made under 
subparagraph (A).’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(2) INTEREST.—Amounts’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(2) INTEREST.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Amounts’’; and 
(B) by adding after and below the end the following: 
‘‘(B) REDUCTION.—Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), 
amounts in each cushion of credit account shall accrue 
interest to the borrower at a rate equal to— 
‘‘(i) 4 percent per annum in fiscal year 2021; and 
‘‘(ii) the then applicable 1-year Treasury rate there-
after.’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (3)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(3) BALANCE.—A’’ and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(3) BALANCE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A’’; and 
(B) by after and below the end the following: 
‘‘(B) PREPAYMENT.—Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) 
and subject to subparagraph (C), beginning on the date 
of the enactment of this subparagraph and ending with 
September 30, 2020, a borrower may, at the sole discretion 
of the borrower, reduce the balance of its cushion of credit 
account if the amount obtained from the reduction is used 
to prepay loans made or guaranteed under this Act.
H. R. 2—284 
‘‘(C) NO PREPAYMENT PREMIUM.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of this Act, no prepayment premium shall 
be imposed or collected with respect to that portion of 
a loan that is prepaid by a borrower in accordance with 
subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(D) MANDATORY FUNDING.—Notwithstanding section 
504 of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, out of any 
funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the Sec-
retary of the Treasury shall make available such sums 
as necessary to cover any loan modification costs as defined 
in section 502 of such Act.’’. 
SEC. 6504. EXTENSION OF THE RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 
LOAN AND GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) Section 12(b)(3)(D) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 
(7 U.S.C. 912(b)(3)(D)) is amended by striking ‘‘313(b)(2)(A)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘313(b)(2)’’. 
(b) Section 313(b)(2) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 940c(b)(2)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking all that precedes ‘‘shall maintain’’ and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) RURAL
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
SUBACCOUNT.—The 
Secretary’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘the 5 percent’’ and all that follows through 
subparagraph (E) and inserting ‘‘5 percent.’’. 
(c) Title III of such Act (7 U.S.C. 931–940h) is amended by 
inserting after section 313A the following: 
‘‘SEC. 313B. RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOANS AND GRANTS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide grants or zero 
interest loans to borrowers under this Act for the purpose of pro-
moting rural economic development and job creation projects, 
including funding for project feasibility studies, start-up costs, incu-
bator projects, and other reasonable expenses for the purpose of 
fostering rural development. 
‘‘(b) REPAYMENTS.—In the case of zero interest loans, the Sec-
retary shall establish such reasonable repayment terms as will 
encourage borrower participation. 
‘‘(c) PROCEEDS.—All proceeds from the repayment of such loans 
made under this section shall be returned to the subaccount that 
the Secretary shall maintain in accordance with sections 313(b)(2) 
and 313B(f). 
‘‘(d) NUMBER OF GRANTS.—Loans and grants required under 
this section shall be made to the full extent of the amounts made 
available under subsection (e). 
‘‘(e) FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) DISCRETIONARY FUNDING.—In addition to other funds 
that are available to carry out this section, there is authorized 
to be appropriated not more than $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2019 through 2023 to carry out this section, to remain 
available until expended. 
‘‘(2) MANDATORY FUNDING.—Of the funds of the Commodity 
Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall credit to the subaccount 
to use for the cost of grants and loans under this section 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023, to remain 
available until expended. 
‘‘(3) OTHER
FUNDS.—In addition to the funds described 
in paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary shall use, without
H. R. 2—285 
fiscal year limitation, to provide grants and loans under this 
section— 
‘‘(A) the interest differential sums credited to the sub-
account described in subsection (c); and 
‘‘(B) subject to section 313A(e)(2), the fees described 
in subsection (c)(4) of such section. 
‘‘(f) MAINTENANCE OF ACCOUNT.—The Secretary shall maintain 
the subaccount described in section 313(b)(2), as in effect in fiscal 
year 2017, for purposes of carrying out this section.’’. 
(d) Section 313A of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 
U.S.C. 940c–1) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)(4)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘maintained under 
section 313(b)(2)(A)’’ and inserting ‘‘that shall be main-
tained as required by sections 313(b)(2) and 313B(f)’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘313(b)(2)(B)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘313(b)(2)’’; and 
(2) in subsection (e)(2), by striking ‘‘maintained under sec-
tion 313(b)(2)(A)’’ and inserting ‘‘required to be maintained 
by sections 313(b)(2) and 313B(f)’’. 
(e)(1) Subject to section 313B(e) of the Rural Electrification 
Act of 1936 (as added by this section), the Secretary of Agriculture 
shall carry out the loan and grant program required under such 
section in the same manner as the loan and grant program under 
section 313(b)(2) of such Act is carried out on the day before the 
date of the enactment of this Act, until such time as any regulations 
necessary to carry out the amendments made by this section are 
fully implemented. 
(2) Paragraph (1) shall take effect on the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
SEC. 6505. GUARANTEES FOR BONDS AND NOTES ISSUED FOR ELEC-
TRIFICATION OR TELEPHONE PURPOSES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 313A of the Rural Electrification 
Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 940c–1) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Subject to’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) GUARANTEES.—Subject to’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1) (as so designated), by striking 
‘‘basis’’ and all that follows through the period at the end 
and inserting ‘‘basis, if the proceeds of the bonds or notes 
are used to make utility infrastructure loans, or refinance 
bonds or notes issued for those purposes, to a borrower 
that has at any time received, or is eligible to receive, 
a loan under this Act.’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) TERMS.—A bond or note guaranteed under this section 
shall, by agreement between the Secretary and the borrower— 
‘‘(A) be for a term of 30 years (or another term of 
years that the Secretary determines is appropriate); and 
‘‘(B) be repaid by the borrower— 
‘‘(i) in periodic installments of principal and 
interest; 
‘‘(ii) in periodic installments of interest and, at 
the end of the term of the bond or note, as applicable, 
by the repayment of the outstanding principal; or
H. R. 2—286 
‘‘(iii) through a combination of the methods 
described in clauses (i) and (ii).’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘electrification’’ and 
all that follows through the period at the end and inserting 
‘‘purposes described in subsection (a)(1).’’; 
(B) by striking paragraph (2); 
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as para-
graphs (2) and (3), respectively; and 
(D) in paragraph (2) (as so redesignated)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘for electrifica-
tion or telephone purposes’’ and inserting ‘‘for eligible 
purposes described in subsection (a)(1)’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘subsection 
(a)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (a)(1)’’; and 
(3) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
(b) ADMINISTRATION.—Beginning on the date of enactment of 
the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, the Secretary shall con-
tinue to carry out section 313A of the Rural Electrification Act 
of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 940c–1) (as amended by subsection (a)) under 
a Notice of Solicitation of Applications until the date on which 
any regulations necessary to carry out the amendments made by 
subsection (a) are fully implemented. 
SEC. 6506. EXPANSION OF 911 ACCESS. 
Section 315 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
940e) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ‘‘commercial or transpor-
tation’’ and inserting ‘‘critical transportation-related’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6507. CYBERSECURITY AND GRID SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS. 
Title III of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
931 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 319. CYBERSECURITY AND GRID SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION
OF
CYBERSECURITY
AND
GRID
SECURITY 
IMPROVEMENTS.—In this section, the term ‘cybersecurity and grid 
security improvements’ means investment in the development, 
expansion, and modernization of rural utility infrastructure that 
addresses known cybersecurity and grid security risks. 
‘‘(b) LOANS AND LOAN GUARANTEES.—The Secretary may make 
or guarantee loans under this title and title I for cybersecurity 
and grid security improvements.’’. 
Subtitle F—Program Repeals 
SEC. 6601. ELIMINATION OF UNFUNDED PROGRAMS. 
(a) CONSOLIDATED FARM AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT ACT.— 
(1) REPEALERS.—The following provisions of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act are hereby repealed: 
(A) Section 306(a)(23) (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(23)). 
(B) Section 310B(f) (7 U.S.C. 1932(f)). 
(C) Section 379 (7 U.S.C. 2008n). 
(D) Section 379A (7 U.S.C. 2008o). 
(E) Section 379C (7 U.S.C. 2008q).
H. R. 2—287 
(F) Section 379D (7 U.S.C. 2008r). 
(G) Section 379F (7 U.S.C. 2008t). 
(H) Subtitle I (7 U.S.C. 2009dd–2009dd–7). 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 333A(h) of such Act 
(7 U.S.C. 1983a(h)) is amended by striking ‘‘310B(f),’’. 
(b) RURAL ELECTRIFICATION ACT OF 1936.—Section 314 of the 
Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 940d) is hereby repealed. 
SEC. 6602. REPEAL OF RURAL TELEPHONE BANK. 
(a) REPEAL.—Title IV of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 
(7 U.S.C. 941–950b) is repealed. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 18 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 918) is amended in 
each of subsections (a) and (b) by striking ‘‘and the Governor 
of the telephone bank’’. 
(2) Section 204 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 925) is amended 
by striking ‘‘and the Governor of the telephone bank’’. 
(3) Section 205(a) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 926) is amended— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
‘‘and the Governor of the telephone bank’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘or the Governor 
of the telephone bank’’. 
(4) Section 206(a) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 927(a)) is 
amended— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
‘‘and the Governor of the telephone bank’’; 
(B) by striking paragraph (1); 
(C) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘or 408’’; and 
(D) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as 
paragraphs (1) through (3), respectively. 
(5) Section 206(b) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 927(b)) is 
amended— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
‘‘and the Governor of the telephone bank’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘, or a Rural Telephone 
Bank loan,’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘, the Rural Telephone 
Bank,’’. 
(6) Section 207(1) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 928(1)) is 
amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘305,’’ and inserting ‘‘305 or’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘, or a loan under section 408,’’. 
(7) Section 301 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 931) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘except for net collec-
tion proceeds previously appropriated for the purchase of 
class A stock in the Rural Telephone Bank,’’; 
(B) by adding ‘‘or’’ at the end of paragraph (4); 
(C) by striking ‘‘; and’’ at the end of paragraph (5) 
and inserting a period; and 
(D) by striking paragraph (6). 
(8) Section 305(d)(2)(B) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 935(d)(2)(B)) 
is amended— 
(A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘and a loan under section 
408’’; and 
(B) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘and under section 408’’ 
each place it appears.
H. R. 2—288 
(9) Section 305(d)(3)(C) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 935(d)(3)(C)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘and section 408(b)(4)(C), the Secretary 
and the Governor of the telephone bank’’ and inserting ‘‘the 
Secretary’’. 
(10) Section 306 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 936) is amended 
by striking ‘‘the Rural Telephone Bank, National Rural Utilities 
Cooperative Finance Corporation,’’ and inserting ‘‘the National 
Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation’’. 
(11) Section 309 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 739) is amended 
by striking the last sentence. 
(12) Section 2352(b) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, 
and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 901 note) is amended by 
striking ‘‘the Rural Telephone Bank and’’. 
(13) The first section of Public Law 92–12 (7 U.S.C. 921a) 
is repealed. 
(14) The first section of Public Law 92–324 (7 U.S.C. 921b) 
is repealed. 
(15) Section 1414 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation 
Act of 1987 (7 U.S.C. 944a) is repealed. 
(16) Section 1411 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation 
Act of 1987 (7 U.S.C. 948 notes) is amended by striking sub-
sections (a) and (b). 
(17) Section 3.8(b)(1)(A) of the Farm Credit Act of 1971 
(12 U.S.C. 2129(b)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘or a loan 
or loan commitment from the Rural Telephone Bank,’’. 
(18) Section 105(d) of the National Consumer Cooperative 
Bank Act (12 U.S.C. 3015(d)) is amended by striking ‘‘the 
Rural Telephone Bank,’’. 
(19) Section 9101 of title 31, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (H) 
and redesignating subparagraphs (I), (J), and (K) as sub-
paragraphs (H), (I), and (J), respectively; and 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking subparagraphs (K) 
and (O) and redesignating subparagraphs (L) through (N) 
and (P) through (R) as subparagraphs (K) through (P), 
respectively. 
(20) Section 9108(d)(2) of title 31, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘the Rural Telephone Bank (when the 
ownership, control, and operation of the Bank are converted 
under section 410(a) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 
(7 U.S.C. 950(a))),’’. 
SEC. 6603. AMENDMENTS TO LOCAL TV ACT. 
The Launching Our Communities’ Access to Local Television 
Act of 2000 (title X of H.R. 5548 of the 106th Congress, as enacted 
by section 1(a)(2) of Public Law 106–553; 114 Stat. 2762A–128) 
is amended— 
(1) by striking the title heading and inserting the following: 
‘‘TITLE X—SATELLITE CARRIER 
RETRANSMISSION ELIGIBILITY’’; 
(2) by striking sections 1001 through 1007 and 1009 
through 1012; and 
(3) by redesignating section 1008 as section 1001.
H. R. 2—289 
Subtitle G—Technical Corrections 
SEC. 6701. CORRECTIONS RELATING TO THE CONSOLIDATED FARM 
AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT ACT. 
(a)(1) Section 306(a)(19)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(19)(A)) is amended by inserting 
after ‘‘nonprofit corporations’’ the following: ‘‘, Indian Tribes (as 
defined in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act)’’. 
(2) The amendment made by this subsection shall take effect 
as if included in section 773 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, 
Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropria-
tions Act, 2001 (H.R. 5426 of the 106th Congress, as enacted by 
Public Law 106–387 (114 Stat. 1549A–45)) in lieu of the amendment 
made by such section. 
(b)(1) Section 309A(b) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1929a(b)) is amended by striking ‘‘and 
section 308’’. 
(2) The amendment made by this subsection shall take effect 
as if included in the enactment of section 661(c)(2) of the Federal 
Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (Public Law 
104–127). 
(c) Section 310B(c)(3)(A)(v) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(c)(3)(A)(v)) is amended by striking 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon and inserting ‘‘or’’. 
(d)(1) Section 310B(e)(5)(F) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(e)(5)(F)) is amended by inserting 
‘‘, except that the Secretary shall not require non-Federal financial 
support in an amount that is greater than 5 percent in the case 
of a 1994 institution (as defined in section 532 of the Equity 
in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note; 
Public Law 103–382))’’ before the period at the end. 
(2) The amendment made by this subsection shall take effect 
as if included in the enactment of section 6015 of the Farm Security 
and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–171). 
(e)(1) Section 381E(d)(3) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009d(d)(3)) is amended by striking 
subparagraph (A) and redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) 
as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively. 
(2) The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall take effect 
as if included in the enactment of section 6012(b) of the Agricultural 
Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–79). 
(f)(1) Section 382A of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 2009aa) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the State 
of Alabama shall be a full member of the Delta Regional 
Authority and shall be entitled to all rights and privileges 
that said membership affords to all other participating States 
in the Delta Regional Authority.’’. 
(2) The amendment made by this subsection shall take effect 
as if included in the enactment of section 153(b) of division B 
of H.R. 5666, as introduced in the 106th Congress, and as enacted 
by section 1(4) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001 
(Appendix D of Public Law 106–554; 114 Stat. 2763A–252).
H. R. 2—290 
(g) Section 382E(a)(1)(B) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C.2009aa-4(a)(1)(B)) is amended by moving 
clause (iv) 2 ems to the right. 
(h) Section 383G(c) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb-5(c)) is amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading by striking ‘‘TELECOMMUNI-
CATION RENEWABLE ENERGY,,’’ and inserting ‘‘TELECOMMUNI-
CATION, RENEWABLE ENERGY,’’; and 
(2) in the text, by striking ‘‘,,’’ and inserting a comma. 
SEC. 6702. CORRECTIONS RELATING TO THE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION 
ACT OF 1936. 
Section 201 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
922) is amended— 
(1) in the 3rd sentence by striking ‘‘wildest’’ and inserting 
‘‘widest’’; and 
(2) in the 6th sentence, by striking ‘‘centifies’’ and inserting 
‘‘certifies’’. 
TITLE VII—RESEARCH, EXTENSION, 
AND RELATED MATTERS 
Subtitle 
A—National 
Agricultural 
Re-
search, Extension, and Teaching Policy 
Act of 1977 
SEC. 7101. PURPOSES OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND 
EDUCATION. 
Section 1402 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3101) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(2) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at the end 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(9) support international collaboration that leverages 
resources and advances priority food and agricultural interests 
of the United States, such as— 
‘‘(A) addressing emerging plant and animal diseases; 
‘‘(B) improving crop varieties and animal breeds; and 
‘‘(C) developing safe, efficient, and nutritious food sys-
tems.’’. 
SEC. 7102. MATTERS RELATED TO CERTAIN SCHOOL DESIGNATIONS 
AND DECLARATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1404(14) of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3103(14)) is amended— 
(1) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(i) DEFINITION.—The terms ‘NLGCA Institution’ 
and ‘non-land-grant college of agriculture’ mean a 
public college or university offering a baccalaureate 
or higher degree in the study of agricultural sciences, 
forestry, or both in any area of study specified in 
clause (ii).
H. R. 2—291 
‘‘(ii) CLARIFICATION.—For purposes of clause (i), 
an area of study specified in this clause is any of 
the following: 
‘‘(I) Agriculture. 
‘‘(II) Agricultural business and management. 
‘‘(III) Agricultural economics. 
‘‘(IV) Agricultural mechanization. 
‘‘(V) Agricultural production operations. 
‘‘(VI) Aquaculture. 
‘‘(VII) Agricultural and food products proc-
essing. 
‘‘(VIII) Agricultural and domestic animal serv-
ices. 
‘‘(IX) Equestrian or equine studies. 
‘‘(X) Applied horticulture or horticulture oper-
ations. 
‘‘(XI) Ornamental horticulture. 
‘‘(XII) Greenhouse operations and manage-
ment. 
‘‘(XIII) Turf and turfgrass management. 
‘‘(XIV) Plant nursery operations and manage-
ment. 
‘‘(XV) Floriculture or floristry operations and 
management. 
‘‘(XVI) International agriculture. 
‘‘(XVII) Agricultural public services. 
‘‘(XVIII) Agricultural and extension education 
services. 
‘‘(XIX) Agricultural communication or agricul-
tural journalism. 
‘‘(XX) Animal sciences. 
‘‘(XXI) Food science. 
‘‘(XXII) Plant sciences. 
‘‘(XXIII) Soil sciences. 
‘‘(XXIV) Forestry. 
‘‘(XXV) Forest sciences and biology. 
‘‘(XXVI) Natural resources or conservation. 
‘‘(XXVII) Natural resources management and 
policy. 
‘‘(XXVIII) Natural resource economics. 
‘‘(XXIX) Urban forestry. 
‘‘(XXX) Wood science and wood products or 
pulp or paper technology. 
‘‘(XXXI) Range science and management. 
‘‘(XXXII) Agricultural engineering. 
‘‘(XXXIII) Any other area, as determined 
appropriate by the Secretary.’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (C)— 
(A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting 
‘‘any institution designated under’’ after ‘‘include’’; 
(B) by striking clause (i); and 
(C) in clause (ii)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘(ii) any institution designated 
under—’’; 
(ii) by striking subclause (IV); 
(iii) in subclause (II), by adding ‘‘or’’ at the end;
H. R. 2—292 
(iv) in subclause (III), by striking ‘‘; or’’ at the 
end and inserting a period; and 
(v) by redesignating subclauses (I), (II), and (III) 
(as so amended) as clauses (i), (ii), and (iii), respec-
tively, and by moving the margins of such clauses 
(as so redesignated) two ems to the left. 
(b) DESIGNATION REVIEW.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish 
a process to review each designated NLGCA Institution (as 
defined in section 1404(14)(A) of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3103(14)(A))) to ensure compliance with such section, as 
amended by this subsection. 
(2) REVOCATION.—An NLGCA Institution that the Sec-
retary determines under subparagraph (A) to be not in compli-
ance shall have the designation of such institution revoked. 
SEC. 7103. NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, EDU-
CATION, AND ECONOMICS ADVISORY BOARD. 
Section 1408 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3123) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘25’’ and inserting 
‘‘15’’; and 
(B) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows: 
‘‘(3) MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES.—The Advisory Board shall 
consist of members from each of the following categories: 
‘‘(A) 3 members representing national farm or producer 
organizations, which may include members— 
‘‘(i) representing farm cooperatives; 
‘‘(ii) who are producers actively engaged in the 
production of a food animal commodity and who are 
recommended by a coalition of national livestock 
organizations; 
‘‘(iii) who are producers actively engaged in the 
production of a plant commodity and who are rec-
ommended by a coalition of national crop organizations; 
or 
‘‘(iv) who are producers actively engaged in aqua-
culture and who are recommended by a coalition of 
national aquacultural organizations. 
‘‘(B) 2 members representing academic or research soci-
eties, which may include members representing— 
‘‘(i) a national food animal science society; 
‘‘(ii) a national crop, soil, agronomy, horticulture, 
plant pathology, or weed science society; 
‘‘(iii) a national food science organization; 
‘‘(iv) a national human health association; or 
‘‘(v) a national nutritional science society. 
‘‘(C) 5 members representing agricultural research, 
extension, and education, which shall include each of the 
following: 
‘‘(i) 1 member representing the land-grant colleges 
and universities eligible to receive funds under the 
Act of July 2, 1862 (7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.).