H. R. 6124—269 
‘‘(ii) TERMINATION OF ACCOUNT.—On disbursement 
of an amount equal to $56,000,000, the Corporation 
shall— 
‘‘(I) close the account established under para-
graph (1)(B); and 
‘‘(II) transfer any remaining funds in the 
Account to the remaining Allocated Insurance 
Reserves Accounts in accordance with paragraph 
(4)(B) for the calendar year in which the transfer 
occurs.’’; and 
(C) by striking subparagraph (F). 
SEC. 5405. CERTIFICATION OF PREMIUMS. 
(a) FILING CERTIFIED STATEMENT.—Section 5.56 of the Farm 
Credit Act of 1971 (12 U.S.C. 2277a–5) is amended by striking 
subsection (a) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) FILING CERTIFIED STATEMENT.—On a date to be determined 
in the sole discretion of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, 
each insured System bank that became insured before the beginning 
of the period for which premiums are being assessed (referred 
to in this section as the ‘period’) shall file with the Corporation 
a certified statement showing— 
‘‘(1) the average outstanding insured obligations for the 
period issued by the bank; 
‘‘(2)(A) the average principal outstanding for the period 
on the guaranteed portion of Federal government-guaranteed 
loans that are in accrual status; and 
‘‘(B) the average amount outstanding for the period of 
Federal government-guaranteed investments that are not 
permanently impaired (as defined in section 5.55(a)(4)); 
‘‘(3)(A) the average principal outstanding for the period 
on State government-guaranteed loans that are in accrual 
status; and 
‘‘(B) the average amount outstanding for the period of 
State government-guaranteed investments that are not perma-
nently impaired (as defined in section 5.55(a)(4)); 
‘‘(4)(A) the average principal outstanding for the period 
on loans that are in nonaccrual status; and 
‘‘(B) the average amount outstanding for the period of 
other-than-temporarily impaired investments; and 
‘‘(5) the amount of the premium due the Corporation from 
the bank for the period.’’. 
(b) PREMIUM PAYMENTS.—Section 5.56 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 
2277a–5) is amended by striking subsection (c) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(c) PREMIUM PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
each insured System bank shall pay to the Corporation the 
premium payments required under subsection (a), not more 
frequently than once in each calendar quarter, in such manner 
and at such 1 or more times as the Board of Directors shall 
prescribe. 
‘‘(2) PREMIUM AMOUNT.—The amount of the premium shall 
be established not later than 60 days after filing the certified 
statement specifying the amount of the premium.’’. 
(c) SUBSEQUENT PREMIUM PAYMENTS.—Section 5.56 of such Act 
(12 U.S.C. 2277a–5) is amended—
H. R. 6124—270 
(1) by striking subsection (d); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d). 
SEC. 5406. RURAL UTILITY LOANS. 
(a) DEFINITION OF QUALIFIED LOAN.—Section 8.0(9) of the Farm 
Credit Act of 1971 (12 U.S.C. 2279aa(9)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)(iii), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking the period at the 
end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) that is a loan, or an interest in a loan, for an 
electric or telephone facility by a cooperative lender to 
a borrower that has received, or is eligible to receive, 
a loan under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
901 et seq.).’’. 
(b) GUARANTEE OF QUALIFIED LOANS.—Section 8.6(a)(1) of such 
Act (12 U.S.C. 2279aa–6(a)(1)) is amended by inserting ‘‘applicable’’ 
before ‘‘standards’’ each place it appears in subparagraphs (A) and 
(B)(i). 
(c) STANDARDS FOR QUALIFIED LOANS.—Section 8.8 of such Act 
(12 U.S.C. 2279aa–8) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking the first sentence and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Corporation shall establish under-
writing, security appraisal, and repayment standards for quali-
fied loans taking into account the nature, risk profile, and 
other differences between different categories of qualified loans. 
‘‘(2) SUPERVISION, EXAMINATION, AND
REPORT
OF
CONDI-
TION.—The standards shall be subject to the authorities of 
the Farm Credit Administration under section 8.11.’’; and 
(B) in the last sentence, by striking ‘‘In establishing’’ 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(3) MORTGAGE LOANS.—In establishing’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting 
‘‘with respect to loans secured by agricultural real estate’’ 
after ‘‘subsection (a)’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (5)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘borrower’’ the first place it appears 
and inserting ‘‘farmer or rancher’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘site’’ and inserting ‘‘farm or ranch’’; 
(3) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ‘‘secured by agricultural 
real estate’’ after ‘‘A loan’’; 
(4) by striking subsection (d); and 
(5) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d). 
(d) RISK-BASED CAPITAL LEVELS.—Section 8.32(a)(1) of such 
Act (12 U.S.C. 2279bb–1(a)(1)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘With respect’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—With respect’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) RURAL UTILITY LOANS.—With respect to securities 
representing an interest in, or obligation backed by, a 
pool of qualified loans described in section 8.0(9)(C) owned 
or guaranteed by the Corporation, losses occur at a rate 
of default and severity reasonably related to risks in electric
H. R. 6124—271 
and telephone facility loans (as applicable), as determined 
by the Director.’’. 
SEC. 5407. EQUALIZATION OF LOAN-MAKING POWERS OF CERTAIN DIS-
TRICT ASSOCIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Farm Credit Act of 1971 is amended 
by inserting after section 7.6 (12 U.S.C. 2279b) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 7.7. EQUALIZATION OF LOAN-MAKING POWERS OF CERTAIN DIS-
TRICT ASSOCIATIONS. 
‘‘(a) EQUALIZATION OF LOAN-MAKING POWERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(A) FEDERAL
LAND
BANK
ASSOCIATIONS.—Subject to 
paragraph (2), any association that owns a Federal land 
bank association authorized as of January 1, 2007, to make 
long-term loans under title I in its chartered territory 
within the geographic area described in subsection (b) may 
make short- and intermediate-term loans and otherwise 
operate as a production credit association under title II 
within that same chartered territory. 
‘‘(B) PRODUCTION
CREDIT
ASSOCIATIONS.—Subject to 
paragraph (2), any association that under its charter has 
title I lending authority and that owns a production credit 
association authorized as of January 1, 2007, to make 
short- and intermediate-term loans under title II in the 
geographic area described in subsection (b) may make long- 
term loans and otherwise operate, directly or through a 
subsidiary association, as a Federal land bank association 
or Federal land credit association under title I in the 
geographic area. 
‘‘(C) FARM
CREDIT
BANK.—Notwithstanding section 
5.17(a), the Farm Credit Bank with which any association 
had a written financing agreement as of January 1, 2007, 
may make loans and extend other comparable financial 
assistance with respect to, and may purchase, any loans 
made under the new authority provided under subpara-
graph (A) or (B) by an association exercising such authority. 
‘‘(2) REQUIRED APPROVALS.—An association may exercise 
the additional authority provided for in paragraph (1) only 
after the exercise of the authority is approved by— 
‘‘(A) the board of directors of the association; and 
‘‘(B) a majority of the voting stockholders of the associa-
tion (or, if the association is a subsidiary of another associa-
tion, the voting stockholders of the parent association) 
voting, in person or by proxy, at a duly authorized meeting 
of stockholders in accordance with the process described 
in section 7.11. 
‘‘(b) APPLICABILITY.—This section applies only to associations 
the chartered territory of which was within the geographic area 
served by the Federal intermediate credit bank immediately prior 
to its merger with a Farm Credit Bank under section 410(e)(1) 
of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 (12 U.S.C. 2011 note; Public 
Law 100–233).’’. 
(b) CHARTER AMENDMENTS.—Section 5.17(a) of the Farm Credit 
Act of 1971 (12 U.S.C. 2252(a)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(15)(A) Approve amendments to the charters of institutions 
of the Farm Credit System to implement the equalization of
H. R. 6124—272 
loan-making powers of a Farm Credit System association under 
section 7.7. 
‘‘(B) Amendments described in subparagraph (A) to the 
charters of an association and the related Farm Credit Bank 
shall be approved by the Farm Credit Administration, subject 
to any conditions of approval imposed, by not later than 30 
days after the date on which the Farm Credit Administration 
receives all approvals required by section 7.7(a)(2).’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 5.17(a)(2) of the Farm Credit Act of 1971 (12 
U.S.C. 2252(a)(2)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(2)(A)’’ and inserting ‘‘(2)’’; and 
(B) by striking subparagraphs (B) and (C). 
(2) SECTION 410 OF THE 1987 ACT.—Section 410(e)(1)(A)(iii) 
of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 (12 U.S.C. 2011 note; 
Public Law 100–233) is amended by inserting ‘‘(except section 
7.7 of that Act)’’ after ‘‘(12 U.S.C. 2001 et seq.)’’. 
(3) SECTION 401 OF THE 1992 ACT.—Section 401(b) of the 
Farm Credit Banks and Associations Safety and Soundness 
Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 2011 note; Public Law 102–552) is 
amended— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘(except section 7.7 of the Farm Credit 
Act of 1971)’’ after ‘‘provision of law’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘, subject to such limitations’’ and all 
that follows through the end of the paragraph and inserting 
a period. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this section 
take effect on January 1, 2010. 
Subtitle F—Miscellaneous 
SEC. 5501. LOANS TO PURCHASERS OF HIGHLY FRACTIONED LAND. 
The first section of Public Law 91–229 (25 U.S.C. 488) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘That the Secretary’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SECTION 1. LOANS TO PURCHASERS OF HIGHLY FRACTIONED LAND. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) HIGHLY FRACTIONATED LAND.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary 
of Agriculture may make and insure loans in accordance with 
section 309 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1929) to eligible purchasers of highly fractionated 
land pursuant to section 205(c) of the Indian Land Consolida-
tion Act (25 U.S.C. 2204(c)). 
‘‘(2) EXCLUSION.—Section 4 shall not apply to trust land, 
restricted tribal land, or tribal corporation land that is mort-
gaged in accordance with paragraph (1).’’.
H. R. 6124—273 
TITLE VI—RURAL DEVELOPMENT 
Subtitle A—Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act 
SEC. 6001. WATER, WASTE DISPOSAL, AND WASTEWATER FACILITY 
GRANTS. 
Section 306(a)(2)(B)(vii) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(2)(B)(vii)) is amended by striking 
‘‘2002 through 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’. 
SEC. 6002. SEARCH GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 306(a)(2) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(2)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) SPECIAL
EVALUATION
ASSISTANCE
FOR
RURAL 
COMMUNITIES AND HOUSEHOLDS PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may establish the 
Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities 
and 
Households 
(SEARCH) 
program, 
to 
make 
predevelopment planning grants for feasibility studies, 
design assistance, and technical assistance, to finan-
cially distressed communities in rural areas with popu-
lations of 2,500 or fewer inhabitants for water and 
waste disposal projects described in paragraph (1), this 
paragraph, and paragraph (24). 
‘‘(ii) TERMS.— 
‘‘(I) DOCUMENTATION.—With respect to grants 
made under this subparagraph, the Secretary shall 
require the lowest amount of documentation prac-
ticable. 
‘‘(II) MATCHING.—Notwithstanding any other 
provisions in this subsection, the Secretary may 
fund up to 100 percent of the eligible costs of 
grants provided under this subparagraph, as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(iii) FUNDING.—The Secretary may use not more 
than 4 percent of the total amount of funds made 
available for a fiscal year for water, waste disposal, 
and essential community facility activities under this 
title to carry out this subparagraph. 
‘‘(iv) RELATIONSHIP
TO
OTHER
AUTHORITY.—The 
funds and authorities provided under this subpara-
graph are in addition to any other funds or authorities 
the Secretary may have to carry out activities described 
in clause (i).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Subtitle D of title VI of the 
Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 2009ee 
et seq.) is repealed. 
SEC. 6003. RURAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY GRANTS. 
Section 306(a)(11)(D) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(11)(D)) is amended by striking 
‘‘1996 through 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’.
H. R. 6124—274 
SEC. 6004. CHILD DAY CARE FACILITY GRANTS, LOANS, AND LOAN 
GUARANTEES. 
Section 306(a)(19)(C)(ii) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(19)(C)(ii)) is amended by striking 
‘‘April’’ and inserting ‘‘June’’. 
SEC. 6005. COMMUNITY FACILITY GRANTS TO ADVANCE BROADBAND. 
Section 306(a)(20)(E) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(20)(E)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘state’’ and inserting ‘‘State’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘dial-up Internet access or’’. 
SEC. 6006. RURAL WATER AND WASTEWATER CIRCUIT RIDER PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 306(a)(22)(C) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(22)(C)) is amended by striking 
‘‘$15,000,000 for fiscal year 2003’’ and inserting ‘‘$25,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2008’’. 
SEC. 6007. TRIBAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY 
FACILITIES. 
Section 306(a)(25) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(25)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘tribal colleges and universities’’ and 
inserting ‘‘an entity that is a Tribal College or University’’; 
and 
(B) by striking ‘‘tribal college or university’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Tribal College or University’’; 
(2) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(B) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Secretary shall establish 
the maximum percentage of the cost of the facility that 
may be covered by a grant under this paragraph, except 
that the Secretary may not require non-Federal financial 
support in an amount that is greater than 5 percent of 
the total cost of the facility.’’; and 
(3) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘2003 through 2007’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’. 
SEC. 6008. EMERGENCY AND IMMINENT COMMUNITY WATER ASSIST-
ANCE GRANT PROGRAM. 
Section 306A(i)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1926a(i)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘2003 
through 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’. 
SEC. 6009. WATER SYSTEMS FOR RURAL AND NATIVE VILLAGES IN 
ALASKA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 306D(d)(1) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926d(d)(1)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2001 through 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’. 
(b) RURAL COMMUNITIES ASSISTANCE.—Section 4009 of the Solid 
Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6949) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(e) ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this section for the Denali Commission to provide
H. R. 6124—275 
assistance to municipalities in the State of Alaska $1,500,000 
for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012. 
‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATION.—For the purpose of carrying out this 
subsection, the Denali Commission shall— 
‘‘(A) be considered a State; and 
‘‘(B) comply with all other requirements and limitations 
of this section.’’. 
SEC. 6010. GRANTS TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO FINANCE THE 
CONSTRUCTION, REFURBISHING, AND SERVICING OF 
INDIVIDUALLY-OWNED HOUSEHOLD WATER WELL SYS-
TEMS IN RURAL AREAS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH LOW OR 
MODERATE INCOMES. 
Section 306E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1926e) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2)(C), by striking ‘‘$8,000’’ and 
inserting ‘‘$11,000’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘2003 through 2007’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’. 
SEC. 6011. INTEREST RATES FOR WATER AND WASTE DISPOSAL FACILI-
TIES LOANS. 
Section 307(a)(3) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1927(a)(3)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(E) INTEREST RATES FOR WATER AND WASTE DISPOSAL 
FACILITIES LOANS.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Except as provided in clause 
(ii) and notwithstanding subparagraph (A), in the case 
of a direct loan for a water or waste disposal facility— 
‘‘(I) in the case of a loan that would be subject 
to the 5 percent interest rate limitation under 
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall establish 
the interest rate at a rate that is equal to 60 
percent of the current market yield for outstanding 
municipal obligations with remaining periods to 
maturity comparable to the average maturity of 
the loan, adjusted to the nearest 1⁄8 of 1 percent; 
and 
‘‘(II) in the case of a loan that would be subject 
to the 7 percent limitation under subparagraph 
(A), the Secretary shall establish the interest rate 
at a rate that is equal to 80 percent of the current 
market yield for outstanding municipal obligations 
with remaining periods to maturity comparable 
to the average maturity of the loan, adjusted to 
the nearest 1⁄8 of 1 percent. 
‘‘(ii) EXCEPTION.—Clause (i) does not apply to a 
loan for a specific project that is the subject of a 
loan that has been approved, but not closed, as of 
the date of enactment of this subparagraph.’’. 
SEC. 6012. COOPERATIVE EQUITY SECURITY GUARANTEE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 310B of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘SEC. 310B. (a)’’ and inserting the following:
H. R. 6124—276 
‘‘SEC. 310B. ASSISTANCE FOR RURAL ENTITIES. 
‘‘(a) LOANS TO PRIVATE BUSINESS ENTERPRISES.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection:’’; 
(2) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by moving the second and fourth sentences so 
as to appear as the second and first sentences, respectively; 
(B) in the sentence beginning ‘‘As used in this sub-
section, the’’ (as moved by subparagraph (A)), by striking 
‘‘As used in this subsection, the’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) AQUACULTURE.—The’’; 
(C) in the sentence beginning ‘‘For the purposes of 
this subsection, the’’, by striking ‘‘For the purposes of this 
subsection, the’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(B) SOLAR ENERGY.—The’’; 
(D) in the sentence beginning ‘‘The Secretary may 
also’’— 
(i) by striking ‘‘The Secretary may also’’ and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) LOAN PURPOSES.—The Secretary may’’; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘and private investment funds that 
invest primarily in cooperative organizations’’ after ‘‘or 
nonprofit’’; 
(iii) by striking ‘‘of (1) improving’’ and inserting 
‘‘of— 
‘‘(A) improving’’; 
(iv) by striking ‘‘control, (2) the’’ and inserting 
‘‘control; 
‘‘(B) the’’; 
(v) by striking ‘‘areas, (3) reducing’’ and inserting 
‘‘areas; 
‘‘(C) reducing’’; 
(vi) by striking ‘‘areas, and (4) to’’ and inserting 
‘‘areas; and 
‘‘(D) to’’; 
(E) in the sentence beginning ‘‘Such loans,’’, by striking 
‘‘Such loans,’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(3) LOAN
GUARANTEES.—Loans described in paragraph 
(2),’’; and 
(F) in the last sentence, by striking ‘‘No loan’’ and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(4) MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF PRINCIPAL.—No loan’’; and 
(3) in subsection (g)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘, including guaran-
tees described in paragraph (3)(A)(ii)’’ before the period 
at the end; 
(B) in paragraph (3)(A)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’ 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) ELIGIBILITY.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; and 
(ii) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(ii) EQUITY.—The Secretary may guarantee a loan 
made for the purchase of preferred stock or similar 
equity issued by a cooperative organization or a fund 
that invests primarily in cooperative organizations, if 
the guarantee significantly benefits 1 or more entities
H. R. 6124—277 
eligible for assistance for the purposes described in 
subsection (a)(1), as determined by the Secretary.’’; 
and 
(C) in paragraph (8)(A)(ii), by striking ‘‘a project— 
’’ and all that follows through the end of subclause (II) 
and inserting ‘‘a project that— 
‘‘(I)(aa) is in a rural area; and 
‘‘(bb) provides for the value-added processing 
of agricultural commodities; or 
‘‘(II) significantly benefits 1 or more entities 
eligible for assistance for the purposes described 
in subsection (a)(1), as determined by the Sec-
retary.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 307(a)(6)(B) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1927(a)(6)(B)) is amended by 
striking clause (ii) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(ii) section 310B(a)(2)(A); and’’. 
(2) Section 310B(g) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(g)) is amended by striking 
‘‘subsection (a)(1)’’ each place it appears in paragraphs (1), 
(6)(A)(iii), and (8)(C) and inserting ‘‘subsection (a)(2)(A)’’. 
(3) Section 333A(g)(1)(B) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1983a(g)(1)(B)) is amended 
by 
striking 
‘‘section 
310B(a)(1)’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘section 
310B(a)(2)(A)’’. 
(4) Section 381E(d)(3)(B) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009d(d)(3)(B)) is amended 
by 
striking 
‘‘section 
310B(a)(1)’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘section 
310B(a)(2)(A)’’. 
SEC. 6013. RURAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS. 
(a) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 310B(e)(5) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(e)(5)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘administering a 
nationally coordinated, regionally or State-wide operated 
project’’ and inserting ‘‘carrying out activities to promote and 
assist the development of cooperatively and mutually owned 
businesses’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘to promote and assist 
the 
development 
of 
cooperatively 
and 
mutually 
owned 
businesses’’ before the semicolon; 
(3) by striking subparagraph (D); 
(4) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph 
(D); 
(5) in subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(6) by inserting after subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated) 
the following: 
‘‘(E) demonstrate a commitment to— 
‘‘(i) networking with and sharing the results of 
the efforts of the center with other cooperative develop-
ment centers and other organizations involved in rural 
economic development efforts; and 
‘‘(ii) developing multiorganization and multistate 
approaches to addressing the economic development 
and cooperative needs of rural areas; and’’; and
H. R. 6124—278 
(7) in subparagraph (F), by striking ‘‘providing greater 
than’’ and inserting ‘‘providing’’. 
(b) AUTHORITY TO AWARD MULTIYEAR GRANTS.—Section 310B(e) 
of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
1932(e)) is amended by striking paragraph (6) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(6) GRANT PERIOD.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A grant awarded to a center that 
has received no prior funding under this subsection shall 
be made for a period of 1 year. 
‘‘(B) MULTIYEAR GRANTS.—If the Secretary determines 
it to be in the best interest of the program, the Secretary 
shall award grants for a period of more than 1 year, but 
not more than 3 years, to a center that has successfully 
met the parameters described in paragraph (5), as deter-
mined by the Secretary.’’. 
(c) AUTHORITY
TO EXTEND GRANT PERIOD.—Section 310B(e) 
of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
1932(e)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (7), (8), and (9) as para-
graphs (8), (9), and (12), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following: 
‘‘(7) AUTHORITY TO EXTEND GRANT PERIOD.—The Secretary 
may extend for 1 additional 12-month period the period in 
which a grantee may use a grant made under this subsection.’’. 
(d) COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM.—Section 310B(e) of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(e)) 
is amended by inserting after paragraph (9) (as redesignated by 
subsection (c)(1)) the following: 
‘‘(10) COOPERATIVE
RESEARCH
PROGRAM.—The Secretary 
shall enter into a cooperative research agreement with 1 or 
more qualified academic institutions in each fiscal year to con-
duct research on the effects of all types of cooperatives on 
the national economy.’’. 
(e) ADDRESSING NEEDS OF MINORITY COMMUNITIES.—Section 
310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 
U.S.C. 1932(e)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (10) (as 
added by subsection (d)) the following: 
‘‘(11) ADDRESSING NEEDS OF MINORITY COMMUNITIES.— 
‘‘(A) DEFINITION OF SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED GROUP.— 
In this paragraph, the term ‘socially disadvantaged group’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 355(e). 
‘‘(B) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—If the total amount appropriated 
under paragraph (12) for a fiscal year exceeds 
$7,500,000, the Secretary shall reserve an amount 
equal to 20 percent of the total amount appropriated 
for grants for cooperative development centers, indi-
vidual cooperatives, or groups of cooperatives— 
‘‘(I) that serve socially disadvantaged groups; 
and 
‘‘(II) a majority of the boards of directors or 
governing boards of which are comprised of individ-
uals who are members of socially disadvantaged 
groups. 
‘‘(ii) INSUFFICIENT
APPLICATIONS.—To the extent 
there are insufficient applications to carry out clause
H. R. 6124—279 
(i), the Secretary shall use the funds as otherwise 
authorized by this subsection.’’. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Paragraph (12) of sec-
tion 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(e)) (as redesignated by subsection (c)(1)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘1996 through 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 
through 2012’’. 
SEC. 6014. GRANTS TO BROADCASTING SYSTEMS. 
Section 310B(f)(3) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(f)(3)) is amended by striking ‘‘2002 through 
2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’. 
SEC. 6015. LOCALLY OR REGIONALLY PRODUCED AGRICULTURAL 
FOOD PRODUCTS. 
Section 310B(g) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(g)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(9) LOCALLY
OR
REGIONALLY
PRODUCED
AGRICULTURAL 
FOOD PRODUCTS.— 
‘‘(A) DEFINITIONS.—In this paragraph: 
‘‘(i) LOCALLY OR REGIONALLY PRODUCED AGRICUL-
TURAL FOOD PRODUCT.—The term ‘locally or regionally 
produced agricultural food product’ means any agricul-
tural food product that is raised, produced, and distrib-
uted in— 
‘‘(I) the locality or region in which the final 
product is marketed, so that the total distance 
that the product is transported is less than 400 
miles from the origin of the product; or 
‘‘(II) the State in which the product is pro-
duced. 
‘‘(ii) UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY.—The term ‘under-
served community’ means a community (including an 
urban or rural community and an Indian tribal commu-
nity) that has, as determined by the Secretary— 
‘‘(I) limited access to affordable, healthy foods, 
including fresh fruits and vegetables, in grocery 
retail stores or farmer-to-consumer direct markets; 
and 
‘‘(II) a high rate of hunger or food insecurity 
or a high poverty rate. 
‘‘(B) LOAN AND LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make or 
guarantee loans to individuals, cooperatives, coopera-
tive organizations, businesses, and other entities to 
establish and facilitate enterprises that process, dis-
tribute, aggregate, store, and market locally or region-
ally produced agricultural food products to support 
community development and farm and ranch income. 
‘‘(ii) REQUIREMENT.—The recipient of a loan or loan 
guarantee under clause (i) shall include in an appro-
priate agreement with retail and institutional facilities 
to which the recipient sells locally or regionally pro-
duced agricultural food products a requirement to 
inform consumers of the retail or institutional facilities 
that the consumers are purchasing or consuming
H. R. 6124—280 
locally or regionally produced agricultural food prod-
ucts. 
‘‘(iii) PRIORITY.—In making or guaranteeing a loan 
under clause (i), the Secretary shall give priority to 
projects that have components benefitting underserved 
communities. 
‘‘(iv) REPORTS.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this paragraph and annually 
thereafter, 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 a report that describes projects carried 
out using loans or loan guarantees made under clause 
(i), including— 
‘‘(I) the characteristics of the communities 
served; and 
‘‘(II) resulting benefits. 
‘‘(v) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—For each of fiscal years 2008 
through 2012, the Secretary shall reserve not less 
than 5 percent of the funds made available to 
carry out this subsection to carry out this subpara-
graph. 
‘‘(II) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Funds reserved 
under subclause (I) for a fiscal year shall be 
reserved until April 1 of the fiscal year.’’. 
SEC. 6016. APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FOR RURAL AREAS. 
Section 310B of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1932) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(i) APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
FOR RURAL AREAS 
PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITION
OF
NATIONAL
NONPROFIT
AGRICULTURAL 
ASSISTANCE INSTITUTION.—In this subsection, the term ‘national 
nonprofit 
agricultural 
assistance 
institution’ 
means 
an 
organization that— 
‘‘(A) is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under 
501(a) of that Code; 
‘‘(B) has staff and offices in multiple regions of the 
United States; 
‘‘(C) has experience and expertise in operating national 
agriculture technical assistance programs; 
‘‘(D) expands markets for the agricultural commodities 
produced by producers through the use of practices that 
enhance the environment, natural resource base, and 
quality of life; and 
‘‘(E) improves the economic viability of agricultural 
operations. 
‘‘(2) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish a 
national appropriate technology transfer for rural areas pro-
gram to assist agricultural producers that are seeking informa-
tion to— 
‘‘(A) reduce input costs; 
‘‘(B) conserve energy resources; 
‘‘(C) diversify operations through new energy crops and 
energy generation facilities; and
H. R. 6124—281 
‘‘(D) expand markets for agricultural commodities pro-
duced by the producers by using practices that enhance 
the environment, natural resource base, and quality of 
life. 
‘‘(3) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
program under this subsection by making a grant to, or 
offering to enter into a cooperative agreement with, a 
national nonprofit agricultural assistance institution. 
‘‘(B) GRANT AMOUNT.—A grant made, or cooperative 
agreement entered into, under subparagraph (A) shall pro-
vide 100 percent of the cost of providing information 
described in paragraph (2). 
‘‘(4) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 6017. RURAL ECONOMIC AREA PARTNERSHIP ZONES. 
Section 310B of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1932) (as amended by section 6016) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(j) RURAL ECONOMIC AREA PARTNERSHIP ZONES.—Effective 
beginning on the date of enactment of this subsection through 
September 30, 2012, the Secretary shall carry out those rural eco-
nomic area partnership zones administratively in effect on the 
date of enactment of this subsection in accordance with the terms 
and conditions contained in the memorandums of agreement entered 
into by the Secretary for the rural economic area partnership zones, 
except as otherwise provided in this subsection.’’. 
SEC. 6018. DEFINITIONS. 
(a) RURAL AREA.—Section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)) is amended by 
striking paragraph (13) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(13) RURAL AND RURAL AREA.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subparagraphs (B) 
through (G), the terms ‘rural’ and ‘rural area’ mean any 
area other than— 
‘‘(i) a city or town that has a population of greater 
than 50,000 inhabitants; and 
‘‘(ii) any urbanized area contiguous and adjacent 
to a city or town described in clause (i). 
‘‘(B) WATER AND WASTE DISPOSAL GRANTS AND DIRECT 
AND GUARANTEED LOANS.—For the purpose of water and 
waste disposal grants and direct and guaranteed loans 
provided under paragraphs (1), (2), and (24) of section 
306(a), the terms ‘rural’ and ‘rural area’ mean a city, town, 
or unincorporated area that has a population of no more 
than 10,000 inhabitants. 
‘‘(C) COMMUNITY FACILITY LOANS AND GRANTS.—For the 
purpose of community facility direct and guaranteed loans 
and grants under paragraphs (1), (19), (20), (21), and (24) 
of section 306(a), the terms ‘rural’ and ‘rural area’ mean 
any area other than a city, town, or unincorporated area 
that has a population of greater than 20,000 inhabitants. 
‘‘(D) AREAS RURAL IN CHARACTER.— 
‘‘(i) APPLICATION.—This subparagraph applies to—
H. R. 6124—282 
‘‘(I) an urbanized area described in subpara-
graphs (A)(ii) and (F) that— 
‘‘(aa) has 2 points on its boundary that 
are at least 40 miles apart; and 
‘‘(bb) is not contiguous or adjacent to a 
city or town that has a population of greater 
than 150,000 inhabitants or an urbanized area 
of such city or town; and 
‘‘(II) an area within an urbanized area 
described in subparagraphs (A)(ii) and (F) that 
is within 1⁄4-mile of a rural area described in 
subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(ii) DETERMINATION.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of this paragraph, on the petition of a unit 
of local government in an area described in clause 
(i) or on the initiative of the Under Secretary for Rural 
Development, the Under Secretary may determine that 
a part of an area described in clause (i) is a rural 
area for the purposes of this paragraph, if the Under 
Secretary finds that the part is rural in character, 
as determined by the Under Secretary. 
‘‘(iii) 
ADMINISTRATION.—In 
carrying 
out 
this 
subparagraph, the Under Secretary for Rural Develop-
ment shall— 
‘‘(I) not delegate the authority to carry out 
this subparagraph; 
‘‘(II) consult with the applicable rural develop-
ment State or regional director of the Department 
of Agriculture and the governor of the respective 
State; 
‘‘(III) provide to the petitioner an opportunity 
to appeal to the Under Secretary a determination 
made under this subparagraph; 
‘‘(IV) release to the public notice of a petition 
filed or initiative of the Under Secretary under 
this subparagraph not later than 30 days after 
receipt of the petition or the commencement of 
the initiative, as appropriate; 
‘‘(V) make a determination under this subpara-
graph not less than 15 days, and not more than 
60 days, after the release of the notice under sub-
clause (IV); 
‘‘(VI) submit to the Committee on Agriculture 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the 
Senate an annual report on actions taken to carry 
out this subparagraph; and 
‘‘(VII) terminate a determination under this 
subparagraph that part of an area is a rural area 
on the date that data is available for the next 
decennial census conducted under section 141(a) 
of title 13, United States Code. 
‘‘(E) EXCLUSIONS.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of this paragraph, in determining which census blocks 
in an urbanized area are not in a rural area (as defined 
in this paragraph), the Secretary shall exclude any cluster 
of census blocks that would otherwise be considered not
H. R. 6124—283 
in a rural area only because the cluster is adjacent to 
not more than 2 census blocks that are otherwise consid-
ered not in a rural area under this paragraph. 
‘‘(F) URBAN AREA GROWTH.— 
‘‘(i) APPLICATION.—This subparagraph applies to— 
‘‘(I) any area that— 
‘‘(aa) is a collection of census blocks that 
are contiguous to each other; 
‘‘(bb) has a housing density that the Sec-
retary estimates is greater than 200 housing 
units per square mile; and 
‘‘(cc) is contiguous or adjacent to an 
existing boundary of a rural area; and 
‘‘(II) any urbanized area contiguous and adja-
cent to a city or town described in subparagraph 
(A)(i). 
‘‘(ii) ADJUSTMENTS.—The Secretary may, by regula-
tion only, consider— 
‘‘(I) an area described in clause (i)(I) not to 
be a rural area for purposes of subparagraphs 
(A) and (C); and 
‘‘(II) an area described in clause (i)(II) not 
to be a rural area for purposes of subparagraph 
(C). 
‘‘(iii) APPEALS.—A program applicant may appeal 
an estimate made under clause (i)(I) based on appro-
priate data for an area, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(G) HAWAII AND PUERTO RICO.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of this paragraph, within the areas of the 
County of Honolulu, Hawaii, and the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico, the Secretary may designate any part of the 
areas as a rural area if the Secretary determines that 
the part is not urban in character, other than any area 
included in the Honolulu Census Designated Place or the 
San Juan Census Designated Place.’’. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committee 
on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report 
that— 
(1) assesses the various definitions of the term ‘‘rural’’ 
and ‘‘rural area’’ that are used with respect to programs 
administered by the Secretary; 
(2) describes the effects that the variations in those defini-
tions have on those programs; 
(3) make recommendations for ways to better target funds 
provided through rural development programs; and 
(4) determines the effect of the amendment made by sub-
section (a) on the level of rural development funding and partici-
pation in those programs in each State. 
SEC. 6019. NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP. 
Section 378 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 2008m) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (g)(1), by striking ‘‘2003 through 2007’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’; and
H. R. 6124—284 
(2) in subsection (h), by striking ‘‘the date that is 5 years 
after the date of enactment of this section’’ and inserting ‘‘Sep-
tember 30, 2012’’. 
SEC. 6020. HISTORIC BARN PRESERVATION. 
(a) GRANT PRIORITY.—Section 379A(c) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2008o(c)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in subparagraphs (A) and (B), by striking ‘‘a historic 
barn’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘historic barns’’; 
and 
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘on a historic 
barn’’ and inserting ‘‘on historic barns (including surveys)’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs 
(4) and (5), respectively; and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: 
‘‘(3) PRIORITY.—In making grants under this subsection, 
the Secretary shall give the highest priority to funding projects 
described in paragraph (2)(C).’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 379A(c)(5) of 
the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
2008o(c)(5)) (as redesignated by subsection (a)(2)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2002 through 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’. 
SEC. 6021. 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 ‘‘2002 through 
2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’. 
SEC. 6022. RURAL MICROENTREPRENEUR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
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. 379E. RURAL MICROENTREPRENEUR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘Indian tribe’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination 
and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b). 
‘‘(2) MICROENTREPRENEUR.—The term ‘microentrepreneur’ 
means an owner and operator, or prospective owner and oper-
ator, of a rural microenterprise who is unable to obtain suffi-
cient training, technical assistance, or credit other than under 
this section, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(3) MICROENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION.—The 
term ‘microenterprise development organization’ means an 
organization that— 
‘‘(A) is— 
‘‘(i) a nonprofit entity; 
‘‘(ii) an Indian tribe, the tribal government of which 
certifies to the Secretary that— 
‘‘(I) no microenterprise development organiza-
tion serves the Indian tribe; and 
‘‘(II) no rural microentrepreneur assistance 
program exists under the jurisdiction of the Indian 
tribe; or 
‘‘(iii) a public institution of higher education;
H. R. 6124—285 
‘‘(B) provides training and technical assistance to rural 
microentrepreneurs; 
‘‘(C) facilitates access to capital or another service 
described in subsection (b) for rural microenterprises; and 
‘‘(D) has a demonstrated record of delivering services 
to rural microentrepreneurs, or an effective plan to develop 
a program to deliver services to rural microentrepreneurs, 
as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(4) MICROLOAN.—The term ‘microloan’ means a business 
loan of not more than $50,000 that is provided to a rural 
microenterprise. 
‘‘(5) PROGRAM.—The term ‘program’ means the rural micro-
entrepreneur assistance program established under subsection 
(b). 
‘‘(6) RURAL MICROENTERPRISE.—The term ‘rural microenter-
prise’ means— 
‘‘(A) a sole proprietorship located in a rural area; or 
‘‘(B) a business entity with not more than 10 full- 
time-equivalent employees located in a rural area. 
‘‘(b) RURAL MICROENTREPRENEUR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish a rural 
microentrepreneur assistance program to provide loans and 
grants to support microentrepreneurs in the development and 
ongoing success of rural microenterprises. 
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the program is to provide 
microentrepreneurs with— 
‘‘(A) the skills necessary to establish new rural micro-
enterprises; and 
‘‘(B) continuing technical and financial assistance 
related to the successful operation of rural microenter-
prises. 
‘‘(3) LOANS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make loans to 
microenterprise development organizations for the purpose 
of providing fixed interest rate microloans to microentre-
preneurs for startup and growing rural microenterprises. 
‘‘(B) LOAN TERMS.—A loan made by the Secretary to 
a microenterprise development organization under this 
paragraph shall— 
‘‘(i) be for a term not to exceed 20 years; and 
‘‘(ii) bear an annual interest rate of at least 1 
percent. 
‘‘(C) LOAN LOSS RESERVE FUND.—The Secretary shall 
require each microenterprise development organization 
that receives a loan under this paragraph to— 
‘‘(i) establish a loan loss reserve fund; and 
‘‘(ii) maintain the reserve fund in an amount equal 
to at least 5 percent of the outstanding balance of 
such loans owed by the microenterprise development 
organization, until all obligations owed to the Secretary 
under this paragraph are repaid. 
‘‘(D) DEFERRAL OF INTEREST AND PRINCIPAL.—The Sec-
retary may permit the deferral of payments on principal 
and interest due on a loan to a microenterprise develop-
ment organization made under this paragraph for a 2- 
year period beginning on the date the loan is made. 
‘‘(4) GRANTS.—
H. R. 6124—286 
‘‘(A) GRANTS
TO
SUPPORT
RURAL
MICROENTERPRISE 
DEVELOPMENT.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make grants 
to microenterprise development organizations to— 
‘‘(I) provide training, operational support, busi-
ness planning, and market development assist-
ance, and other related services to rural micro-
entrepreneurs; and 
‘‘(II) carry out such other projects and activi-
ties as the Secretary determines appropriate to 
further the purposes of the program. 
‘‘(ii) SELECTION.—In making grants under clause 
(i), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(I) place an emphasis on microenterprise 
development organizations that serve microentre-
preneurs that are located in rural areas that have 
suffered significant outward migration, as deter-
mined by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(II) ensure, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, that grant recipients include microenter-
prise development organizations— 
‘‘(aa) of varying sizes; and 
‘‘(bb) that serve racially and ethnically 
diverse populations. 
‘‘(B) GRANTS TO ASSIST MICROENTREPRENEURS.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make grants 
to microenterprise development organizations to pro-
vide marketing, management, and other technical 
assistance to microentrepreneurs that— 
‘‘(I) received a loan from the microenterprise 
development organization under paragraph (3); or 
‘‘(II) are seeking a loan from the microenter-
prise development organization under paragraph 
(3). 
‘‘(ii) MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF GRANT.—A microenter-
prise development organization shall be eligible to 
receive an annual grant under this subparagraph in 
an amount equal to not more than 25 percent of the 
total outstanding balance of microloans made by the 
microenterprise development organization under para-
graph (3), as of the date the grant is awarded. 
‘‘(C) ADMINISTRATIVE
EXPENSES.—Not more than 10 
percent of a grant received by a microenterprise develop-
ment organization for a fiscal year under this paragraph 
may be used to pay administrative expenses. 
‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATION.— 
‘‘(1) COST SHARE.— 
‘‘(A) FEDERAL
SHARE.—Subject to subparagraph (B), 
the Federal share of the cost of a project funded under 
this section shall not exceed 75 percent. 
‘‘(B) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—As a condition of any 
grant made under this subparagraph, the Secretary shall 
require the microenterprise development organization to 
match not less than 15 percent of the total amount of 
the grant in the form of matching funds, indirect costs, 
or in-kind goods or services.
H. R. 6124—287 
‘‘(C) FORM OF NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The non-Federal 
share of the cost of a project funded under this section 
may be provided— 
‘‘(i) in cash (including through fees, grants 
(including community development block grants), and 
gifts); or 
‘‘(ii) in the form of in-kind contributions. 
‘‘(2) OVERSIGHT.—At a minimum, not later than December 
1 of each fiscal year, a microenterprise development organiza-
tion that receives a loan or grant under this section shall 
provide to the Secretary such information as the Secretary 
may require to ensure that assistance provided under this 
section is used for the purposes for which the loan or grant 
was made. 
‘‘(d) FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) MANDATORY FUNDING.—Of the funds of the Commodity 
Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this 
section, to remain available until expended— 
‘‘(A) $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 
2011; and 
‘‘(B) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
‘‘(2) DISCRETIONARY
FUNDING.—In addition to amounts 
made available under paragraph (1), there are authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this section $40,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2009 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 6023. GRANTS FOR EXPANSION OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES 
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN RURAL AREAS. 
Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1981 et seq.) (as amended by section 6022) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 379F. GRANTS FOR EXPANSION OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNI-
TIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN RURAL 
AREAS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY.—The term ‘individual 
with a disability’ means an individual with a disability (as 
defined in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act 
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102)). 
‘‘(2) INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.—The term ‘individuals 
with disabilities’ means more than 1 individual with a dis-
ability. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS.—The Secretary shall make grants to nonprofit 
organizations, or to a consortium of nonprofit organizations, to 
expand and enhance employment opportunities for individuals with 
disabilities in rural areas. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, a nonprofit organization or consortium of nonprofit 
organizations shall have— 
‘‘(1) a significant focus on serving the needs of individuals 
with disabilities; 
‘‘(2) demonstrated knowledge and expertise in— 
‘‘(A) employment of individuals with disabilities; and 
‘‘(B) advising private entities on accessibility issues 
involving individuals with disabilities;
H. R. 6124—288 
‘‘(3) expertise in removing barriers to employment for 
individuals with disabilities, including access to transportation, 
assistive technology, and other accommodations; and 
‘‘(4) existing relationships with national organizations 
focused primarily on the needs of rural areas. 
‘‘(d) USES.—A grant received under this section may be used 
only to expand or enhance— 
‘‘(1) employment opportunities for individuals with disabil-
ities in rural areas by developing national technical assistance 
and education resources to assist small businesses in a rural 
area to recruit, hire, accommodate, and employ individuals 
with disabilities; and 
‘‘(2) self-employment and entrepreneurship opportunities 
for individuals with disabilities in a rural area. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $2,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 6024. HEALTH CARE SERVICES. 
Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1981 et seq.) (as amended by section 6023) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 379G. HEALTH CARE SERVICES. 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to address the 
continued unmet health needs in the Delta region through coopera-
tion among health care professionals, institutions of higher edu-
cation, research institutions, and other individuals and entities 
in the region. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—In this section, the term 
‘eligible entity’ means a consortium of regional institutions of higher 
education, academic health and research institutes, and economic 
development entities located in the Delta region that have experi-
ence in addressing the health care issues in the region. 
‘‘(c) GRANTS.—To carry out the purpose described in subsection 
(a), the Secretary may award a grant to an eligible entity for 
– 
‘‘(1) the development of – 
‘‘(A) health care services; 
‘‘(B) health education programs; and 
‘‘(C) health care job training programs; and 
‘‘(2) the development and expansion of public health-related 
facilities in the Delta region to address longstanding and unmet 
health needs of the region. 
‘‘(d) USE.—As a condition of the receipt of the grant, the eligible 
entity shall use the grant to fund projects and activities described 
in subsection (c), based on input solicited from local governments, 
public health care providers, and other entities in the Delta region. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section, 
$3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 6025. 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 ‘‘2001 through 2007’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’.
H. R. 6124—289 
(b) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—Section 382N of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009aa–13) is 
amended by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
(c) EXPANSION.—Section 4(2) of the Delta Development Act 
(42 U.S.C. 3121 note; Public Law 100–460) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ‘‘Beauregard, 
Bienville, Cameron, Claiborne, DeSoto, Jefferson Davis, Red 
River, St. Mary, Vermillion, Webster,’’ after ‘‘St. James,’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (E)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘Jasper,’’ after ‘‘Copiah,’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘Smith,’’ after ‘‘Simpson,’’. 
SEC. 6026. NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS REGIONAL AUTHORITY. 
(a) DEFINITION OF REGION.—Section 383A(4) of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb(4)) is amended 
by inserting ‘‘Missouri (other than counties included in the Delta 
Regional Authority),’’ after ‘‘Minnesota,’’. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 383B of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb–1) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) FAILURE TO CONFIRM.— 
‘‘(A) FEDERAL
MEMBER.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of this section, if a Federal member described 
in paragraph (2)(A) has not been confirmed by the Senate 
by not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this paragraph, the Authority may organize and operate 
without the Federal member. 
‘‘(B) INDIAN CHAIRPERSON.—In the case of the Indian 
Chairperson, if no Indian Chairperson is confirmed by the 
Senate, the regional authority shall consult and coordinate 
with the leaders of Indian tribes in the region concerning 
the activities of the Authority, as appropriate.’’; 
(2) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘to establish priorities 
and’’ and inserting ‘‘for multistate cooperation to advance 
the economic and social well-being of the region and to’’; 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘local development 
districts,’’ and inserting ‘‘regional and local development 
districts or organizations, regional boards established under 
subtitle I,’’; 
(C) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘cooperation;’’ and 
inserting ‘‘cooperation for— 
‘‘(i) renewable energy development and trans-
mission; 
‘‘(ii) transportation planning and economic develop-
ment; 
‘‘(iii) information technology; 
‘‘(iv) movement of freight and individuals within 
the region; 
‘‘(v) federally-funded research at institutions of 
higher education; and 
‘‘(vi) conservation land management;’’; 
(D) by striking paragraph (6) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(6) enhance the capacity of, and provide support for, 
multistate development and research organizations, local
H. R. 6124—290 
development organizations and districts, and resource conserva-
tion districts in the region;’’; and 
(E) in paragraph (7), by inserting ‘‘renewable energy,’’ 
after ‘‘commercial,’’. 
(3) in subsection (f)(2), by striking ‘‘the Federal cochair-
person’’ and inserting ‘‘a cochairperson’’; 
(4) in subsection (g)(1), by striking subparagraphs (A) 
through (C) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009, 100 percent; 
‘‘(B) for fiscal year 2010, 75 percent; and 
‘‘(C) for fiscal year 2011 and each fiscal year thereafter, 
50 percent.’’. 
(c) INTERSTATE COOPERATION FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND 
EFFICIENCY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle G of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act is amended— 
(A) by redesignating sections 383C through 383N (7 
U.S.C. 2009bb–2 through 2009bb–13) as sections 383D 
through 383O, respectively; and 
(B) by inserting after section 383B (7 U.S.C. 2009bb– 
1) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 383C. INTERSTATE COOPERATION FOR ECONOMIC OPPOR-
TUNITY AND EFFICIENCY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Authority shall provide assistance to 
States in developing regional plans to address multistate economic 
issues, including plans— 
‘‘(1) to develop a regional transmission system for move-
ment of renewable energy to markets outside the region; 
‘‘(2) to address regional transportation concerns, including 
the establishment of a Northern Great Plains Regional 
Transportation Working Group; 
‘‘(3) to encourage and support interstate collaboration on 
federally-funded research that is in the national interest; and 
‘‘(4) to establish a Regional Working Group on Agriculture 
Development and Transportation. 
‘‘(b) ECONOMIC
ISSUES.—The multistate economic issues 
referred to in subsection (a) shall include— 
‘‘(1) renewable energy development and transmission; 
‘‘(2) transportation planning and economic development; 
‘‘(3) information technology; 
‘‘(4) movement of freight and individuals within the region; 
‘‘(5) federally-funded research at institutions of higher edu-
cation; and 
‘‘(6) conservation land management.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(A) Section 383B(c)(3)(B) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb–1(c)(3)(B)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘383I’’ and inserting ‘‘383J’’. 
(B) Section 383D(a) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (as redesignated by paragraph 
(1)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘383I’’ and inserting ‘‘383J’’. 
(C) Section 383E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (as so redesignated) is amended— 
(i) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘383F(b)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘383G(b)’’; and
H. R. 6124—291 
(ii) in subsection (c)(2)(A), by striking ‘‘383I’’ and 
inserting ‘‘383J’’. 
(D) Section 383G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (as so redesignated) is amended— 
(i) in subsection (b)— 
(I) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘383M’’ and 
inserting ‘‘383N’’; and 
(II) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘383D(b)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘383E(b)’’; 
(ii) in subsection (c)(2)(A), by striking ‘‘383E(b)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘383F(b)’’; and 
(iii) in subsection (d)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘383M’’ and inserting ‘‘383N’’; 
and 
(II) by striking ‘‘383C(a)’’ and inserting 
‘‘383D(a)’’. 
(E) Section 383J(c)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (as so redesignated) is amended 
by striking ‘‘383H’’ and inserting ‘‘383I’’. 
(d) ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.—Sec-
tion 383D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act 
(as redesignated by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘transportation and 
telecommunication’’ and inserting ‘‘transportation, renew-
able energy transmission, and telecommunication’’; and 
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as para-
graphs (2) and (1), respectively, and moving those para-
graphs so as to appear in numerical order; and 
(2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘the activities in the 
following order or priority’’ and inserting ‘‘the following activi-
ties’’. 
(e) SUPPLEMENTS
TO
FEDERAL
GRANT
PROGRAMS.—Section 
383E(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act 
(as redesignated by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended by striking 
‘‘, including local development districts,’’. 
(f) MULTISTATE
AND
LOCAL
DEVELOPMENT
DISTRICTS
AND 
ORGANIZATIONS AND NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS INC.—Section 383F 
of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesig-
nated by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended— 
(1) by striking the section heading and inserting 
‘‘MULTISTATE
AND
LOCAL
DEVELOPMENT
DISTRICTS
AND 
ORGANIZATIONS AND NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS INC.’’; and 
(2) by striking subsections (a) through (c) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF MULTISTATE AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT DIS-
TRICT OR ORGANIZATION.—In this section, the term ‘multistate and 
local development district or organization’ means an entity— 
‘‘(1) that— 
‘‘(A) is a planning district in existence on the date 
of enactment of this subtitle that is recognized by the 
Economic Development Administration of the Department 
of Commerce; or 
‘‘(B) is— 
‘‘(i) organized and operated in a manner that 
ensures broad-based community participation and an
H. R. 6124—292 
effective opportunity for other nonprofit groups to con-
tribute to the development and implementation of pro-
grams in the region; 
‘‘(ii) a nonprofit incorporated body organized or 
chartered under the law of the State in which the 
entity is located; 
‘‘(iii) a nonprofit agency or instrumentality of a 
State or local government; 
‘‘(iv) a public organization established before the 
date of enactment of this subtitle under State law 
for creation of multijurisdictional, area-wide planning 
organizations; 
‘‘(v) a nonprofit agency or instrumentality of a 
State that was established for the purpose of assisting 
with multistate cooperation; or 
‘‘(vi) a nonprofit association or combination of 
bodies, agencies, and instrumentalities described in 
clauses (ii) through (v); and 
‘‘(2) that has not, as certified by the Authority (in consulta-
tion with the Federal cochairperson or Secretary, as appro-
priate)— 
‘‘(A) inappropriately used Federal grant funds from 
any Federal source; or 
‘‘(B) appointed an officer who, during the period in 
which another entity inappropriately used Federal grant 
funds from any Federal source, was an officer of the other 
entity. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS TO MULTISTATE, LOCAL, OR REGIONAL DEVELOP-
MENT DISTRICTS AND ORGANIZATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Authority may make grants for 
administrative expenses under this section to multistate, local, 
and regional development districts and organizations. 
‘‘(2) CONDITIONS FOR GRANTS.— 
‘‘(A) MAXIMUM
AMOUNT.—The amount of any grant 
awarded under paragraph (1) shall not exceed 80 percent 
of the administrative expenses of the multistate, local, or 
regional development district or organization receiving the 
grant. 
‘‘(B) MAXIMUM PERIOD.—No grant described in para-
graph (1) shall be awarded for a period greater than 3 
years. 
‘‘(3) LOCAL SHARE.—The contributions of a multistate, local, 
or regional development district or organization for administra-
tive expenses may be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, 
including space, equipment, and services. 
‘‘(c) DUTIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
a local development district shall operate as a lead organization 
serving multicounty areas in the region at the local level. 
‘‘(2) DESIGNATION.—The Federal cochairperson may des-
ignate an Indian tribe or multijurisdictional organization to 
serve as a lead organization in such cases as the Federal 
cochairperson or Secretary, as appropriate, determines appro-
priate.’’. 
(g) DISTRESSED COUNTIES
AND AREAS
AND NONDISTRESSED 
COUNTIES.—Section 383G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
H. R. 6124—293 
Development Act (as redesignated by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘75’’ and inserting ‘‘50’’; 
(2) by striking subsection (c); 
(3) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c); and 
(4) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ‘‘RENEW-
ABLE ENERGY,’’ after‘‘TELECOMMUNICATION’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘, renewable energy,’’ after ‘‘tele-
communication,’’. 
(h) DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS.—Section 383H of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesignated 
by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)(1), by striking subparagraph (A) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) multistate, regional, and local development dis-
tricts and organizations; and’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ‘‘State and local develop-
ment districts’’ and inserting ‘‘multistate, regional, and local 
development districts and organizations’’. 
(i) PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA.—Section 383I(a)(1) of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesignated 
by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended by inserting ‘‘multistate or’’ 
before ‘‘regional’’. 
(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 383N(a) of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesignated 
by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘2002 through 2007’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’. 
(k) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—Section 383O of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesignated by sub-
section (c)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 6027. RURAL BUSINESS INVESTMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) ISSUANCE AND GUARANTEE OF TRUST CERTIFICATES.—Sec-
tion 384F(b)(3)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–5(b)(3)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘In the 
event’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(i) AUTHORITY TO PREPAY.—A debenture may be 
prepaid at any time without penalty. 
‘‘(ii) REDUCTION OF GUARANTEE.—Subject to clause 
(i), if’’. 
(b) FEES.—Section 384G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–6) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘such fees as the Secretary 
considers appropriate’’ and inserting ‘‘a fee that does not exceed 
$500’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘approved by the Sec-
retary’’ and inserting ‘‘that does not exceed $500’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘The’’ and inserting 
‘‘Except as provided in paragraph (3), the’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
H. R. 6124—294 
‘‘(C) shall not exceed $500 for any fee collected under 
this subsection.’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) PROHIBITION ON COLLECTION OF CERTAIN FEES.—In the 
case of a license described in paragraph (1) that was approved 
before July 1, 2007, the Secretary shall not collect any fees 
due on or after the date of enactment of this paragraph.’’. 
(c) RURAL BUSINESS INVESTMENT COMPANIES.—Section 384I(c) 
of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
2009cc–8(c)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: 
‘‘(3) TIME FRAME.—Each rural business investment com-
pany shall have a period of 2 years to meet the capital require-
ments of this subsection.’’. 
(d) FINANCIAL INSTITUTION INVESTMENTS.—Section 384J of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc– 
9) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ‘‘, including an invest-
ment pool created entirely by such bank or savings association’’ 
before the period at the end; and 
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘15’’ and inserting ‘‘25’’. 
(e) CONTRACTING OF FUNCTIONS.—Section 384Q of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–16) is 
repealed. 
(f) FUNDING.—The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act is amended by striking section 384S (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–18) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘SEC. 384S. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subtitle 
$50,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 6028. RURAL COLLABORATIVE INVESTMENT PROGRAM. 
Subtitle I of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 2009dd et seq.) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘Subtitle I—Rural Collaborative 
Investment Program 
‘‘SEC. 385A. PURPOSE. 
‘‘The purpose of this subtitle is to establish a regional rural 
collaborative investment program— 
‘‘(1) to provide rural regions with a flexible investment 
vehicle, allowing for local control with Federal oversight, assist-
ance, and accountability; 
‘‘(2) to provide rural regions with incentives and resources 
to develop and implement comprehensive strategies for 
achieving regional competitiveness, innovation, and prosperity; 
‘‘(3) to foster multisector community and economic develop-
ment collaborations that will optimize the asset-based competi-
tive advantages of rural regions with particular emphasis on 
innovation, entrepreneurship, and the creation of quality jobs; 
‘‘(4) to foster collaborations necessary to provide the profes-
sional technical expertise, institutional capacity, and economies
H. R. 6124—295 
of scale that are essential for the long-term competitiveness 
of rural regions; and 
‘‘(5) to better use Department of Agriculture and other 
Federal, State, and local governmental resources, and to lever-
age those resources with private, nonprofit, and philanthropic 
investments, in order to achieve measurable community and 
economic prosperity, growth, and sustainability. 
‘‘SEC. 385B. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this subtitle: 
‘‘(1) BENCHMARK.—The term ‘benchmark’ means an annual 
set of goals and performance measures established for the 
purpose of assessing performance in meeting a regional invest-
ment strategy of a Regional Board. 
‘‘(2) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘Indian tribe’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination 
and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b). 
‘‘(3) NATIONAL BOARD.—The term ‘National Board’ means 
the National Rural Investment Board established under section 
385C(c). 
‘‘(4) NATIONAL INSTITUTE.—The term ‘National Institute’ 
means the National Institute on Regional Rural Competitive-
ness 
and 
Entrepreneurship 
established 
under 
section 
385C(b)(2). 
‘‘(5) REGIONAL BOARD.—The term ‘Regional Board’ means 
a Regional Rural Investment Board described in section 
385D(a). 
‘‘(6) REGIONAL
INNOVATION
GRANT.—The term ‘regional 
innovation grant’ means a grant made by the Secretary to 
a certified Regional Board under section 385F. 
‘‘(7) REGIONAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY GRANT.—The term 
‘regional investment strategy grant’ means a grant made by 
the Secretary to a certified Regional Board under section 385E. 
‘‘(8) RURAL HERITAGE.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘rural heritage’ means 
historic sites, structures, and districts. 
‘‘(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘rural heritage’ includes 
historic rural downtown areas and main streets, neighbor-
hoods, farmsteads, scenic and historic trails, heritage areas, 
and historic landscapes. 
‘‘SEC. 385C. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF RURAL 
COLLABORATIVE INVESTMENT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish a Rural 
Collaborative Investment Program to support comprehensive 
regional investment strategies for achieving rural competitiveness. 
‘‘(b) DUTIES OF SECRETARY.—In carrying out this subtitle, the 
Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) appoint and provide administrative and program sup-
port to the National Board; 
‘‘(2) establish a national institute, to be known as the 
‘National Institute on Regional Rural Competitiveness and 
Entrepreneurship’, to provide technical assistance to the Sec-
retary and the National Board regarding regional competitive-
ness and rural entrepreneurship, including technical assistance 
for— 
‘‘(A) the development of rigorous analytic programs 
to assist Regional Boards in determining the challenges
H. R. 6124—296 
and opportunities that need to be addressed to receive 
the greatest regional competitive advantage; 
‘‘(B) the provision of support for best practices devel-
oped by the Regional Boards; 
‘‘(C) the establishment of programs to support the 
development of appropriate governance and leadership 
skills in the applicable regions; and 
‘‘(D) the evaluation of the progress and performance 
of the Regional Boards in achieving benchmarks estab-
lished in a regional investment strategy; 
‘‘(3) work with the National Board to develop a national 
rural investment plan that shall— 
‘‘(A) create a framework to encourage and support a 
more collaborative and targeted rural investment portfolio 
in the United States; 
‘‘(B) establish a Rural Philanthropic Initiative, to work 
with rural communities to create and enhance the pool 
of permanent philanthropic resources committed to rural 
community and economic development; 
‘‘(C) cooperate with the Regional Boards and State 
and local governments, organizations, and entities to 
ensure investment strategies are developed that take into 
consideration existing rural assets; and 
‘‘(D) encourage the organization of Regional Boards; 
‘‘(4) certify the eligibility of Regional Boards to receive 
regional investment strategy grants and regional innovation 
grants; 
‘‘(5) provide grants for Regional Boards to develop and 
implement regional investment strategies; 
‘‘(6) provide technical assistance to Regional Boards on 
issues, best practices, and emerging trends relating to rural 
development, in cooperation with the National Rural Invest-
ment Board; and 
‘‘(7) provide analytic and programmatic support for regional 
rural 
competitiveness 
through 
the 
National 
Institute, 
including— 
‘‘(A) programs to assist Regional Boards in determining 
the challenges and opportunities that must be addressed 
to receive the greatest regional competitive advantage; 
‘‘(B) support for best practices development by the 
regional investment boards; 
‘‘(C) programs to support the development of appro-
priate governance and leadership skills in the region; and 
‘‘(D) a review and evaluation of the performance of 
the Regional Boards (including progress in achieving bench-
marks established in a regional investment strategy) in 
an annual report submitted to— 
‘‘(i) the Committee on Agriculture of the House 
of Representatives; and 
‘‘(ii) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry of the Senate. 
‘‘(c) NATIONAL RURAL INVESTMENT BOARD.—The Secretary shall 
establish within the Department of Agriculture a board to be known 
as the ‘National Rural Investment Board’. 
‘‘(d) DUTIES OF NATIONAL BOARD.—The National Board shall—
H. R. 6124—297 
‘‘(1) not later than 180 days after the date of establishment 
of the National Board, develop rules relating to the operation 
of the National Board; and 
‘‘(2) provide advice to— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary and subsequently review the design, 
development, and execution of the National Rural Invest-
ment Plan; 
‘‘(B) Regional Boards on issues, best practices, and 
emerging trends relating to rural development; and 
‘‘(C) the Secretary and the National Institute on the 
development and execution of the program under this sub-
title. 
‘‘(e) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The National Board shall consist of 14 
members appointed by the Secretary not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of the Food, Conservation, and 
Energy Act of 2008. 
‘‘(2) SUPERVISION.—The National Board shall be subject 
to the general supervision and direction of the Secretary. 
‘‘(3) SECTORS REPRESENTED.—The National Board shall con-
sist of representatives from each of— 
‘‘(A) nationally recognized entrepreneurship organiza-
tions; 
‘‘(B) regional strategy and development organizations; 
‘‘(C) community-based organizations; 
‘‘(D) elected members of local governments; 
‘‘(E) members of State legislatures; 
‘‘(F) primary, secondary, and higher education, job 
skills training, and workforce development institutions; 
‘‘(G) the rural philanthropic community; 
‘‘(H) financial, lending, venture capital, entrepreneur-
ship, and other related institutions; 
‘‘(I) private sector business organizations, including 
chambers of commerce and other for-profit business 
interests; 
‘‘(J) Indian tribes; and 
‘‘(K) cooperative organizations. 
‘‘(4) SELECTION OF MEMBERS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—In selecting members of the 
National Board, the Secretary shall consider recommenda-
tions made by— 
‘‘(i) the chairman and ranking member of each 
of the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutri-
tion, and Forestry of the Senate; 
‘‘(ii) the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of 
the Senate; and 
‘‘(iii) the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House 
of Representatives. 
‘‘(B) EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS.—In consultation with the 
chairman and ranking member of each of the Committee 
on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the 
Senate, the Secretary may appoint not more than 3 other 
officers or employees of the Executive Branch to serve 
as ex-officio, nonvoting members of the National Board. 
‘‘(5) TERM OF OFFICE.—
H. R. 6124—298 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
term of office of a member of the National Board appointed 
under paragraph (1)(A) shall be for a period of not more 
than 4 years. 
‘‘(B) STAGGERED TERMS.—The members of the National 
Board shall be appointed to serve staggered terms. 
‘‘(6) INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of the Food, Conservation, and Energy 
Act of 2008, the Secretary shall appoint the initial members 
of the National Board. 
‘‘(7) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the National Board shall 
be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. 
‘‘(8) COMPENSATION.—A member of the National Board 
shall receive no compensation for service on the National Board, 
but shall be reimbursed for related travel and other expenses 
incurred in carrying out the duties of the member of the 
National Board in accordance with section 5702 and 5703 of 
title 5, United States Code. 
‘‘(9) CHAIRPERSON.—The National Board shall select a 
chairperson from among the members of the National Board. 
‘‘(10) FEDERAL STATUS.—For purposes of Federal law, a 
member of the National Board shall be considered a special 
Government employee (as defined in section 202(a) of title 
18, United States Code). 
‘‘(f) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.—The Secretary, on a reimburs-
able basis from funds made available under section 385H, may 
provide such administrative support to the National Board as the 
Secretary determines is necessary. 
‘‘SEC. 385D. REGIONAL RURAL INVESTMENT BOARDS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A Regional Rural Investment Board shall 
be a multijurisdictional and multisectoral group that— 
‘‘(1) represents the long-term economic, community, and 
cultural interests of a region; 
‘‘(2) is certified by the Secretary to establish a rural invest-
ment strategy and compete for regional innovation grants; 
‘‘(3) is composed of residents of a region that are broadly 
representative of diverse public, nonprofit, and private sector 
interests in investment in the region, including (to the max-
imum extent practicable) representatives of— 
‘‘(A) units of local, multijurisdictional, or State govern-
ment, including not more than 1 representative from each 
State in the region; 
‘‘(B) nonprofit community-based development organiza-
tions, including community development financial institu-
tions and community development corporations; 
‘‘(C) agricultural, natural resource, and other asset- 
based related industries; 
‘‘(D) in the case of regions with federally recognized 
Indian tribes, Indian tribes; 
‘‘(E) regional development organizations; 
‘‘(F) private business organizations, including chambers 
of commerce; 
‘‘(G)(i) institutions of higher education (as defined in 
section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001(a)));
H. R. 6124—299 
‘‘(ii) tribally controlled colleges or universities (as 
defined in section 2(a) of Tribally Controlled College or 
University Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801(a))); 
and 
‘‘(iii) tribal technical institutions; 
‘‘(H) workforce and job training organizations; 
‘‘(I) other entities and organizations, as determined 
by the Regional Board; 
‘‘(J) cooperatives; and 
‘‘(K) consortia of entities and organizations described 
in subparagraphs (A) through (J); 
‘‘(4) represents a region inhabited by— 
‘‘(A) more than 25,000 individuals, as determined in 
the latest available decennial census conducted under sec-
tion 141(a) of title 13, United States Code; or 
‘‘(B) in the case of a region with a population density 
of less than 2 individuals per square mile, at least 10,000 
individuals, as determined in that latest available decen-
nial census; 
‘‘(5) has a membership of which not less than 25 percent, 
nor more than 40 percent, represents— 
‘‘(A) units of local government and Indian tribes 
described in subparagraphs (A) and (D) of paragraph (3); 
‘‘(B) nonprofit community and economic development 
organizations and institutions of higher education described 
in subparagraphs (B) and (G) of paragraph (3); or 
‘‘(C) private business (including chambers of commerce 
and cooperatives) and agricultural, natural resource, and 
other asset-based related industries described in subpara-
graphs (C) and (F) of paragraph (3); 
‘‘(6) has a membership that may include an officer or 
employee of a Federal agency, serving as an ex-officio, nonvoting 
member of the Regional Board to represent the agency; and 
‘‘(7) has organizational documents that demonstrate that 
the Regional Board will— 
‘‘(A) create a collaborative public-private strategy 
process; 
‘‘(B) develop, and submit to the Secretary for approval, 
a regional investment strategy that meets the requirements 
of section 385E, with benchmarks— 
‘‘(i) to promote investment in rural areas through 
the use of grants made available under this subtitle; 
and 
‘‘(ii) to provide financial and technical assistance 
to promote a broad-based regional development pro-
gram aimed at increasing and diversifying economic 
growth, improved community facilities, and improved 
quality of life; 
‘‘(C) implement the approved regional investment 
strategy; 
‘‘(D) provide annual reports to the Secretary and the 
National Board on progress made in achieving the bench-
marks of the regional investment strategy, including an 
annual financial statement; and 
‘‘(E) select a non-Federal organization (such as a 
regional development organization) in the local area served 
by the Regional Board that has previous experience in
H. R. 6124—300 
the management of Federal funds to serve as fiscal man-
ager of any funds of the Regional Board. 
‘‘(b) URBAN AREAS.—A resident of an urban area may serve 
as an ex-officio member of a Regional Board. 
‘‘(c) DUTIES.—A Regional Board shall— 
‘‘(1) create a collaborative planning process for public-pri-
vate investment within a region; 
‘‘(2) develop, and submit to the Secretary for approval, 
a regional investment strategy; 
‘‘(3) develop approaches that will create permanent 
resources for philanthropic giving in the region, to the max-
imum extent practicable; 
‘‘(4) implement an approved strategy; and 
‘‘(5) provide annual reports to the Secretary and the 
National Board on progress made in achieving the strategy, 
including an annual financial statement. 
‘‘SEC. 385E. REGIONAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY GRANTS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make regional invest-
ment strategy grants available to Regional Boards for use in devel-
oping, implementing, and maintaining regional investment strate-
gies. 
‘‘(b) REGIONAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY.—A regional investment 
strategy shall provide— 
‘‘(1) an assessment of the competitive advantage of a region, 
including— 
‘‘(A) an analysis of the economic conditions of the 
region; 
‘‘(B) an assessment of the current economic perform-
ance of the region; 
‘‘(C) an overview of the population, geography, 
workforce, transportation system, resources, environment, 
and infrastructure needs of the region; and 
‘‘(D) such other pertinent information as the Secretary 
may request; 
‘‘(2) an analysis of regional economic and community 
development challenges and opportunities, including— 
‘‘(A) incorporation of relevant material from other 
government-sponsored or supported plans and consistency 
with applicable State, regional, and local workforce invest-
ment strategies or comprehensive economic development 
plans; and 
‘‘(B) an identification of past, present, and projected 
Federal and State economic and community development 
investments in the region; 
‘‘(3) a section describing goals and objectives necessary 
to solve regional competitiveness challenges and meet the 
potential of the region; 
‘‘(4) an overview of resources available in the region for 
use in— 
‘‘(A) establishing regional goals and objectives; 
‘‘(B) developing and implementing a regional action 
strategy; 
‘‘(C) identifying investment priorities and funding 
sources; and 
‘‘(D) identifying lead organizations to execute portions 
of the strategy;
H. R. 6124—301 
‘‘(5) an analysis of the current state of collaborative public, 
private, and nonprofit participation and investment, and of 
the strategic roles of public, private, and nonprofit entities 
in the development and implementation of the regional invest-
ment strategy; 
‘‘(6) a section identifying and prioritizing vital projects, 
programs, and activities for consideration by the Secretary, 
including— 
‘‘(A) other potential funding sources; and 
‘‘(B) recommendations for leveraging past and potential 
investments; 
‘‘(7) a plan of action to implement the goals and objectives 
of the regional investment strategy; 
‘‘(8) a list of performance measures to be used to evaluate 
implementation of the regional investment strategy, including— 
‘‘(A) the number and quality of jobs, including self- 
employment, created during implementation of the regional 
rural investment strategy; 
‘‘(B) the number and types of investments made in 
the region; 
‘‘(C) the growth in public, private, and nonprofit invest-
ment in the human, community, and economic assets of 
the region; 
‘‘(D) changes in per capita income and the rate of 
unemployment; and 
‘‘(E) other changes in the economic environment of 
the region; 
‘‘(9) a section outlining the methodology for use in inte-
grating the regional investment strategy with the economic 
priorities of the State; and 
‘‘(10) such other information as the Secretary determines 
to be appropriate. 
‘‘(c) MAXIMUM AMOUNT
OF GRANT.—A regional investment 
strategy grant shall not exceed $150,000. 
‘‘(d) COST SHARING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), of the share 
of the costs of developing, maintaining, evaluating, imple-
menting, and reporting with respect to a regional investment 
strategy funded by a grant under this section— 
‘‘(A) not more than 40 percent may be paid using 
funds from the grant; and 
‘‘(B) the remaining share shall be provided by the 
applicable Regional Board or other eligible grantee. 
‘‘(2) FORM.—A Regional Board or other eligible grantee 
shall pay the share described in paragraph (1)(B) in the form 
of cash, services, materials, or other in-kind contributions, on 
the condition that not more than 50 percent of that share 
is provided in the form of services, materials, and other in- 
kind contributions. 
‘‘SEC. 385F. REGIONAL INNOVATION GRANTS PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide, on a 
competitive basis, regional innovation grants to Regional 
Boards for use in implementing projects and initiatives that 
are identified in a regional rural investment strategy approved 
under section 385E.
H. R. 6124—302 
‘‘(2) TIMING.—After October 1, 2008, the Secretary shall 
provide awards under this section on a quarterly funding cycle. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a regional innovation 
grant, a Regional Board shall demonstrate to the Secretary that— 
‘‘(1) the regional rural investment strategy of a Regional 
Board has been reviewed by the National Board prior to 
approval by the Secretary; 
‘‘(2) the management and organizational structure of the 
Regional Board is sufficient to oversee grant projects, including 
management of Federal funds; and 
‘‘(3) the Regional Board has a plan to achieve, to the 
maximum extent practicable, the performance-based bench-
marks of the project in the regional rural investment strategy. 
‘‘(c) LIMITATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) AMOUNT RECEIVED.—A Regional Board may not receive 
more than $6,000,000 in regional innovation grants under this 
section during any 5-year period. 
‘‘(2) DETERMINATION
OF
AMOUNT.—The Secretary shall 
determine the amount of a regional innovation grant based 
on— 
‘‘(A) the needs of the region being addressed by the 
applicable regional rural investment strategy consistent 
with the purposes described in subsection (f)(2); and 
‘‘(B) the size of the geographical area of the region. 
‘‘(3) GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that not more than 10 percent of funding made available under 
this section is provided to Regional Boards in any State. 
‘‘(d) COST-SHARING.— 
‘‘(1) LIMITATION.—Subject to paragraph (2), the amount 
of a grant made under this section shall not exceed 50 percent 
of the cost of the project. 
‘‘(2) WAIVER OF GRANTEE SHARE.—The Secretary may waive 
the limitation in paragraph (1) under special circumstances, 
as determined by the Secretary, including— 
‘‘(A) a sudden or severe economic dislocation; 
‘‘(B) significant chronic unemployment or poverty; 
‘‘(C) a natural disaster; or 
‘‘(D) other severe economic, social, or cultural duress. 
‘‘(3) OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.—For the purpose of deter-
mining cost-share limitations for any other Federal program, 
funds provided under this section shall be considered to be 
non-Federal funds. 
‘‘(e) PREFERENCES.—In providing regional innovation grants 
under this section, the Secretary shall give— 
‘‘(1) a high priority to strategies that demonstrate signifi-
cant leverage of capital and quality job creation; and 
‘‘(2) a preference to an application proposing projects and 
initiatives that would— 
‘‘(A) advance the overall regional competitiveness of 
a region; 
‘‘(B) address the priorities of a regional rural invest-
ment strategy, including priorities that— 
‘‘(i) promote cross-sector collaboration, public-pri-
vate partnerships, or the provision of interim financing 
or seed capital for program implementation;
H. R. 6124—303 
‘‘(ii) 
exhibit 
collaborative 
innovation 
and 
entrepreneurship, particularly within a public-private 
partnership; and 
‘‘(iii) represent a broad coalition of interests 
described in section 385D(a); 
‘‘(C) include a strategy to leverage public non-Federal 
and private funds and existing assets, including agricul-
tural, natural resource, and public infrastructure assets, 
with substantial emphasis placed on the existence of real 
financial commitments to leverage available funds; 
‘‘(D) create quality jobs; 
‘‘(E) enhance the role, relevance, and leveraging poten-
tial of community and regional foundations in support of 
regional investment strategies; 
‘‘(F) demonstrate a history, or involve organizations 
with a history, of successful leveraging of capital for eco-
nomic development and public purposes; 
‘‘(G) address gaps in existing basic services, including 
technology, within a region; 
‘‘(H) address economic diversification, including agri-
cultural and non-agriculturally based economies, within 
a regional framework; 
‘‘(I) improve the overall quality of life in the region; 
‘‘(J) enhance the potential to expand economic develop-
ment successes across diverse stakeholder groups within 
the region; 
‘‘(K) include an effective working relationship with 1 
or more institutions of higher education, tribally controlled 
colleges or universities, or tribal technical institutions; 
‘‘(L) help to meet the other regional competitiveness 
needs identified by a Regional Board; or 
‘‘(M) protect and promote rural heritage. 
‘‘(f) USES.— 
‘‘(1) LEVERAGE.—A Regional Board shall prioritize projects 
and initiatives carried out using funds from a regional innova-
tion grant provided under this section, based in part on the 
degree to which members of the Regional Board are able to 
leverage additional funds for the implementation of the projects. 
‘‘(2) PURPOSES.—A Regional Board may use a regional 
innovation grant— 
‘‘(A) to support the development of critical infrastruc-
ture (including technology deployment and services) nec-
essary to facilitate the competitiveness of a region; 
‘‘(B) to provide assistance to entities within the region 
that provide essential public and community services; 
‘‘(C) to enhance the value-added production, marketing, 
and use of agricultural and natural resources within the 
region, including activities relating to renewable and alter-
native energy production and usage; 
‘‘(D) to assist with entrepreneurship, job training, 
workforce development, housing, educational, or other 
quality of life services or needs, relating to the development 
and maintenance of strong local and regional economies; 
‘‘(E) to assist in the development of unique new 
collaborations that link public, private, and philanthropic 
resources, including community foundations;
H. R. 6124—304 
‘‘(F) to provide support for business and entrepre-
neurial investment, strategy, expansion, and development, 
including feasibility strategies, technical assistance, peer 
networks, business development funds, and other activities 
to strengthen the economic competitiveness of the region; 
‘‘(G) to provide matching funds to enable community 
foundations located within the region to build endowments 
which provide permanent philanthropic resources to imple-
ment a regional investment strategy; and 
‘‘(H) to preserve and promote rural heritage. 
‘‘(3) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—The funds made available 
to a Regional Board or any other eligible grantee through 
a regional innovation grant shall remain available for the 7- 
year period beginning on the date on which the award is 
provided, on the condition that the Regional Board or other 
grantee continues to be certified by the Secretary as making 
adequate progress toward achieving established benchmarks. 
‘‘(g) COST SHARING.— 
‘‘(1) WAIVER OF GRANTEE SHARE.—The Secretary may waive 
the share of a grantee of the costs of a project funded by 
a regional innovation grant under this section if the Secretary 
determines that such a waiver is appropriate, including with 
respect to special circumstances within tribal regions, in the 
event an area experiences— 
‘‘(A) a sudden or severe economic dislocation; 
‘‘(B) significant chronic unemployment or poverty; 
‘‘(C) a natural disaster; or 
‘‘(D) other severe economic, social, or cultural duress. 
‘‘(2) OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAMS.—For the purpose of deter-
mining cost-sharing requirements for any other Federal pro-
gram, funds provided as a regional innovation grant under 
this section shall be considered to be non-Federal funds. 
‘‘(h) NONCOMPLIANCE.—If a Regional Board or other eligible 
grantee fails to comply with any requirement relating to the use 
of funds provided under this section, the Secretary may— 
‘‘(1) take such actions as are necessary to obtain reimburse-
ment of unused grant funds; and 
‘‘(2) reprogram the recaptured funds for purposes relating 
to implementation of this subtitle. 
‘‘(i) PRIORITY TO AREAS WITH AWARDS AND APPROVED STRATE-
GIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (3), in providing 
rural development assistance under other programs, the Sec-
retary shall give a high priority to areas that receive innovation 
grants under this section. 
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall consult with the 
heads of other Federal agencies to promote the development 
of priorities similar to those described in paragraph (1). 
‘‘(3) EXCLUSION
OF
CERTAIN
PROGRAMS.—Paragraph (1) 
shall not apply to the provision of rural development assistance 
under any program relating to basic health, safety, or infra-
structure, including broadband deployment or minimum 
environmental needs.
H. R. 6124—305 
‘‘SEC. 385G. RURAL ENDOWMENT LOANS PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may provide long-term loans 
to eligible community foundations to assist in the implementation 
of regional investment strategies. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS.—To be eligible to 
receive a loan under this section, a community foundation shall— 
‘‘(1) be located in an area that is covered by a regional 
investment strategy; 
‘‘(2) match the amount of the loan with an amount that 
is at least 250 percent of the amount of the loan; and 
‘‘(3) use the loan and the matching amount to carry out 
the regional investment strategy in a manner that is targeted 
to community and economic development, including through 
the development of community foundation endowments. 
‘‘(c) TERMS.—A loan made under this section shall— 
‘‘(1) have a term of not less than 10, nor more than 20, 
years; 
‘‘(2) bear an interest rate of 1 percent per annum; and 
‘‘(3) be subject to such other terms and conditions as are 
determined appropriate by the Secretary. 
‘‘SEC. 385H. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
subtitle $135,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2009 through 
2012.’’. 
SEC. 6029. FUNDING OF PENDING RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOAN AND 
GRANT APPLICATIONS. 
(a) DEFINITION
OF APPLICATION.—In this section, the term 
‘‘application’’ does not include an application for a loan or grant 
that, as of the date of enactment of this Act, is in the preapplication 
phase of consideration under regulations of the Secretary in effect 
on the date of enactment of this Act. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary 
shall use funds made available under subsection (d) to provide 
funds for applications that are pending on the date of enactment 
of this Act for— 
(1) water or waste disposal grants or direct loans under 
paragraph (1) or (2) of section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)); and 
(2) emergency community water assistance grants under 
section 306A of that Act (7 U.S.C. 1926a). 
(c) LIMITATIONS.— 
(1) APPROPRIATED AMOUNTS.—Funds made available under 
this section shall be available to the Secretary to provide funds 
for applications for loans and grants described in subsection 
(b) that are pending on the date of enactment of this Act 
only to the extent that funds for the loans and grants appro-
priated in the annual appropriations Act for fiscal year 2007 
have been exhausted. 
(2) PROGRAM
REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary may use 
funds made available under this section to provide funds for 
a pending application for a loan or grant described in subsection 
(b) only if the Secretary processes, reviews, and approves the 
application in accordance with regulations in effect on the date 
of enactment of this Act.
H. R. 6124—306 
(3) PRIORITY.—In providing funding under this section for 
pending applications for loans or grants described in subsection 
(b), the Secretary shall provide funding in the following order 
of priority (until funds made available under this section are 
exhausted): 
(A) Pending applications for water systems. 
(B) Pending applications for waste disposal systems. 
(d) FUNDING.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of 
the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall 
use to carry out this section $120,000,000, to remain available 
until expended. 
Subtitle B—Rural Electrification Act of 
1936 
SEC. 6101. ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS. 
Sections 2(a) and 4 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 
(7 U.S.C. 902(a), 904) are amended by inserting ‘‘efficiency and’’ 
before ‘‘conservation’’ each place it appears. 
SEC. 6102. REINSTATEMENT OF RURAL UTILITY SERVICES DIRECT 
LENDING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 4 of the Rural Electrification Act 
of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 904) is amended— 
(1) by designating the first, second, and third sentences 
as subsections (a), (b), and (d), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) (as so designated) the 
following: 
‘‘(c) DIRECT LOANS.— 
‘‘(1) DIRECT HARDSHIP LOANS.—Direct hardship loans under 
this section shall be for the same purposes and on the same 
terms and conditions as hardship loans made under section 
305(c)(1). 
‘‘(2) OTHER DIRECT LOANS.—All other direct loans under 
this section shall bear interest at a rate equal to the then 
current cost of money to the Government of the United States 
for loans of similar maturity, plus 1⁄8 of 1 percent.’’. 
(b) ELIMINATION OF FEDERAL FINANCING BANK GUARANTEED 
LOANS.—Section 306 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 
U.S.C. 936) is amended— 
(1) in the third sentence, by striking ‘‘guarantee, accommo-
dation, or subordination’’ and inserting ‘‘accommodation or 
subordination’’; and 
(2) by striking the fourth sentence. 
SEC. 6103. DEFERMENT OF PAYMENTS TO ALLOWS LOANS FOR 
IMPROVED ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND DEMAND REDUC-
TION AND FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND USE AUDITS. 
Section 12 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
912) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) DEFERMENT OF PAYMENTS ON LOANS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall allow borrowers to 
defer payment of principal and interest on any direct loan 
made under this Act to enable the borrower to make loans 
to residential, commercial, and industrial consumers— 
‘‘(A) to conduct energy efficiency and use audits; and
H. R. 6124—307 
‘‘(B) to install energy efficient measures or devices 
that reduce the demand on electric systems. 
‘‘(2) AMOUNT.—The total amount of a deferment under 
this subsection shall not exceed the sum of the principal and 
interest on the loans made to a customer of the borrower, 
as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(3) TERM.—The term of a deferment under this subsection 
shall not exceed 60 months.’’. 
SEC. 6104. RURAL ELECTRIFICATION ASSISTANCE. 
Section 13 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
913) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 13. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this Act: 
‘‘(1) FARM.—The term ‘farm’ means a farm, as defined 
by the Bureau of the Census. 
‘‘(2) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘Indian tribe’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination 
and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b). 
‘‘(3) RURAL AREA.—Except as provided otherwise in this 
Act, the term ‘rural area’ means the farm and nonfarm popu-
lation of— 
‘‘(A) any area described in section 343(a)(13)(C) of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
1991(a)(13)(C)); and 
‘‘(B) any area within a service area of a borrower 
for which a borrower has an outstanding loan made under 
titles I through V as of the date of enactment of this 
paragraph. 
‘‘(4) TERRITORY.—The term ‘territory’ includes any insular 
possession of the United States. 
‘‘(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary 
of Agriculture.’’. 
SEC. 6105. SUBSTANTIALLY UNDERSERVED TRUST AREAS. 
The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 is amended by inserting 
after section 306E (7 U.S.C. 936e) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 306F. SUBSTANTIALLY UNDERSERVED TRUST AREAS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE PROGRAM.—The term ‘eligible program’ means 
a program administered by the Rural Utilities Service and 
authorized in— 
‘‘(A) this Act; or 
‘‘(B) paragraph (1), (2), (14), (22), or (24) of section 
306(a) or section 306A, 306C, 306D, or 306E of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a), 
1926a, 1926c, 1926d, 1926e). 
‘‘(2) SUBSTANTIALLY UNDERSERVED TRUST AREA.—The term 
‘substantially underserved trust area’ means a community in 
‘trust land’ (as defined in section 3765 of title 38, United 
States Code) with respect to which the Secretary determines 
has a high need for the benefits of an eligible program. 
‘‘(b) INITIATIVE.—The Secretary, in consultation with local 
governments and Federal agencies, may implement an initiative 
to identify and improve the availability of eligible programs in 
communities in substantially underserved trust areas.
H. R. 6124—308 
‘‘(c) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.—In carrying out subsection (b), 
the Secretary— 
‘‘(1) may make available from loan or loan guarantee pro-
grams administered by the Rural Utilities Service to qualified 
utilities or applicants financing with an interest rate as low 
as 2 percent, and with extended repayment terms; 
‘‘(2) may waive nonduplication restrictions, matching fund 
requirements, or credit support requirements from any loan 
or grant program administered by the Rural Utilities Service 
to facilitate the construction, acquisition, or improvement of 
infrastructure; 
‘‘(3) may give the highest funding priority to designated 
projects in substantially underserved trust areas; and 
‘‘(4) shall only make loans or loan guarantees that are 
found to be financially feasible and that provide eligible pro-
gram benefits to substantially underserved trust areas. 
‘‘(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this section and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report that describes— 
‘‘(1) the progress of the initiative implemented under sub-
section (b); and 
‘‘(2) recommendations for any regulatory or legislative 
changes that would be appropriate to improve services to 
substantially underserved trust areas.’’. 
SEC. 6106. 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 (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘for electrification’’ 
and all that follows through the end and inserting ‘‘for 
eligible electrification or telephone purposes consistent with 
this Act.’’; and 
(B) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) ANNUAL
AMOUNT.—The total amount of guarantees 
provided by the Secretary under this section during a fiscal 
year shall not exceed $1,000,000,000, subject to the availability 
of funds under subsection (e).’’; 
(2) in subsection (c), by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) AMOUNT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The amount of the annual fee paid 
for the guarantee of a bond or note under this section 
shall be equal to 30 basis points of the amount of the 
unpaid principal of the bond or note guaranteed under 
this section. 
‘‘(B) PROHIBITION.—Except as otherwise provided in 
this subsection and subsection (e)(2), no other fees shall 
be assessed. 
‘‘(3) PAYMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A lender shall pay the fees required 
under this subsection on a semiannual basis. 
‘‘(B) STRUCTURED
SCHEDULE.—The Secretary shall, 
with the consent of the lender, structure the schedule for 
payment of the fee to ensure that sufficient funds are
H. R. 6124—309 
available to pay the subsidy costs for note or bond guaran-
tees as provided for in subsection (e)(2).’’; and 
(3) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
(b) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall continue to carry 
out section 313A of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
940c–1) in the same manner as on the day before the date of 
enactment of this Act, except without regard to the limitations 
prescribed in subsection (b)(1) of that section, until such time as 
any regulations necessary to carry out the amendments made by 
this section are fully implemented. 
SEC. 6107. EXPANSION OF 911 ACCESS. 
Section 315 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
940e) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 315. EXPANSION OF 911 ACCESS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (c) and such terms 
and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary may 
make loans under this title to entities eligible to borrow from 
the Rural Utilities Service, State or local governments, Indian tribes 
(as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b)), or other public entities 
for facilities and equipment to expand or improve in rural areas— 
‘‘(1) 911 access; 
‘‘(2) integrated interoperable emergency communications, 
including multiuse networks that provide commercial or 
transportation information services in addition to emergency 
communications services; 
‘‘(3) homeland security communications; 
‘‘(4) transportation safety communications; or 
‘‘(5) location technologies used outside an urbanized area. 
‘‘(b) LOAN
SECURITY.—Government-imposed fees related to 
emergency communications (including State or local 911 fees) may 
be considered to be security for a loan under this section. 
‘‘(c) EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT PROVIDERS.— 
The Secretary may make a loan under this section to an emergency 
communication equipment provider to expand or improve 911 access 
or other communications or technologies described in subsection 
(a) if the local government that has jurisdiction over the project 
is not allowed to acquire the debt resulting from the loan. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—The Secretary shall 
use to make loans under this section any funds otherwise made 
available for telephone loans for each of fiscal years 2008 through 
2012.’’. 
SEC. 6108. ELECTRIC LOANS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY. 
Title III of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 is amended 
by inserting after section 316 (7 U.S.C. 940f) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 317. ELECTRIC LOANS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘renewable energy source’ means an energy conversion 
system fueled from a solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, or geo-
thermal source of energy. 
‘‘(b) LOANS.—In addition to any other funds or authorities other-
wise made available under this Act, the Secretary may make electric 
loans under this title for electric generation from renewable energy 
resources for resale to rural and nonrural residents.
H. R. 6124—310 
‘‘(c) RATE.—The rate of a loan under this section shall be 
equal to the average tax-exempt municipal bond rate of similar 
maturities.’’. 
SEC. 6109. BONDING REQUIREMENTS. 
Title III of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 is amended 
by inserting after section 317 (as added by section 6108) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 318. BONDING REQUIREMENTS. 
‘‘The Secretary shall review the bonding requirements for all 
programs administered by the Rural Utilities Service under this 
Act to ensure that bonds are not required if— 
‘‘(1) the interests of the Secretary are adequately protected 
by product warranties; or 
‘‘(2) the costs or conditions associated with a bond exceed 
the benefit of the bond.’’. 
SEC. 6110. ACCESS TO BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES 
IN RURAL AREAS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 601 of the Rural Electrification Act 
of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 601. ACCESS TO BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES 
IN RURAL AREAS. 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to provide loans 
and loan guarantees to provide funds for the costs of the construc-
tion, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment for 
broadband service in rural areas. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) BROADBAND SERVICE.—The term ‘broadband service’ 
means any technology identified by the Secretary as having 
the capacity to transmit data to enable a subscriber to the 
service to originate and receive high-quality voice, data, 
graphics, and video. 
‘‘(2) INCUMBENT SERVICE PROVIDER.—The term ‘incumbent 
service provider’, with respect to an application submitted under 
this section, means an entity that, as of the date of submission 
of the application, is providing broadband service to not less 
than 5 percent of the households in the service territory pro-
posed in the application. 
‘‘(3) RURAL AREA.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘rural area’ means any 
area other than— 
‘‘(i) an area described in clause (i) or (ii) of section 
343(a)(13)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(13)(A)); and 
‘‘(ii) a city, town, or incorporated area that has 
a population of greater than 20,000 inhabitants. 
‘‘(B) URBAN
AREA
GROWTH.—The Secretary may, by 
regulation only, consider an area described in section 
343(a)(13)(F)(i)(I) of that Act to not be a rural area for 
purposes of this section. 
‘‘(c) LOANS AND LOAN GUARANTEES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make or guarantee 
loans to eligible entities described in subsection (d) to provide
H. R. 6124—311 
funds for the construction, improvement, or acquisition of facili-
ties and equipment for the provision of broadband service in 
rural areas. 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—In making or guaranteeing loans under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give the highest priority 
to applicants that offer to provide broadband service to the 
greatest proportion of households that, prior to the provision 
of the broadband service, had no incumbent service provider. 
‘‘(d) ELIGIBILITY.— 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to obtain a loan or 
loan guarantee under this section, an entity shall— 
‘‘(i) demonstrate the ability to furnish, improve, 
or extend a broadband service to a rural area; 
‘‘(ii) submit to the Secretary a loan application 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require; and 
‘‘(iii) agree to complete buildout of the broadband 
service described in the loan application by not later 
than 3 years after the initial date on which proceeds 
from the loan made or guaranteed under this section 
are made available. 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—An eligible entity that provides tele-
communications or broadband service to at least 20 percent 
of the households in the United States may not receive 
an amount of funds under this section for a fiscal year 
in excess of 15 percent of the funds authorized and appro-
priated under subsection (k) for the fiscal year. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Except as provided in subpara-
graphs (B) and (C), the proceeds of a loan made or guaran-
teed under this section may be used to carry out a project 
in a proposed service territory only if, as of the date on 
which the application for the loan or loan guarantee is 
submitted— 
‘‘(i) not less than 25 percent of the households 
in the proposed service territory is offered broadband 
service by not more than 1 incumbent service provider; 
and 
‘‘(ii) broadband service is not provided in any part 
of the proposed service territory by 3 or more incum-
bent service providers. 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTION
TO
PERCENT
REQUIREMENT.— 
Subparagraph (A)(i) shall not apply to the proposed service 
territory of a project if a loan or loan guarantee has been 
made under this section to the applicant to provide 
broadband service in the proposed service territory. 
‘‘(C) EXCEPTION
TO
OR
MORE
INCUMBENT
SERVICE 
PROVIDER REQUIREMENT.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Except as provided in clause 
(ii), subparagraph (A)(ii) shall not apply to an incum-
bent service provider that is upgrading broadband 
service to the existing territory of the incumbent 
service provider. 
‘‘(ii) EXCEPTION.—Clause (i) shall not apply if the 
applicant is eligible for funding under another title 
of this Act.
H. R. 6124—312 
‘‘(3) EQUITY AND MARKET SURVEY REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may require an entity 
to provide a cost share in an amount not to exceed 10 
percent of the amount of the loan or loan guarantee 
requested in the application of the entity, unless the Sec-
retary determines that a higher percentage is required 
for financial feasibility. 
‘‘(B) MARKET SURVEY.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may require an 
entity that proposes to have a subscriber projection 
of more than 20 percent of the broadband service 
market in a rural area to submit to the Secretary 
a market survey. 
‘‘(ii) LESS THAN 20 PERCENT.—The Secretary may 
not require an entity that proposes to have a subscriber 
projection of less than 20 percent of the broadband 
service market in a rural area to submit to the Sec-
retary a market survey. 
‘‘(4) STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND INDIAN TRIBES.— 
Subject to paragraph (1), a State or local government (including 
any agency, subdivision, or instrumentality thereof (including 
consortia thereof)) and an Indian tribe shall be eligible for 
a loan or loan guarantee under this section to provide 
broadband services to a rural area. 
‘‘(5) NOTICE REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary shall publish 
a notice of each application for a loan or loan guarantee under 
this section describing the application, including— 
‘‘(A) the identity of the applicant; 
‘‘(B) each area proposed to be served by the applicant; 
and 
‘‘(C) the estimated number of households without 
terrestrial-based broadband service in those areas. 
‘‘(6) PAPERWORK
REDUCTION.—The Secretary shall take 
steps to reduce, to the maximum extent practicable, the cost 
and paperwork associated with applying for a loan or loan 
guarantee under this section by first-time applicants (particu-
larly first-time applicants who are small and start-up 
broadband service providers), including by providing for a new 
application that maintains the ability of the Secretary to make 
an analysis of the risk associated with the loan involved. 
‘‘(7) PREAPPLICATION PROCESS.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish a process under which a prospective applicant may seek 
a determination of area eligibility prior to preparing a loan 
application under this section. 
‘‘(e) BROADBAND SERVICE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, from time to time 
as advances in technology warrant, review and recommend 
modifications of rate-of-data transmission criteria for purposes 
of the identification of broadband service technologies under 
subsection (b)(1). 
‘‘(2) PROHIBITION.—The Secretary shall not establish 
requirements for bandwidth or speed that have the effect of 
precluding the use of evolving technologies appropriate for rural 
areas. 
‘‘(f) TECHNOLOGICAL NEUTRALITY.—For purposes of determining 
whether to make a loan or loan guarantee for a project under
H. R. 6124—313 
this section, the Secretary shall use criteria that are technologically 
neutral. 
‘‘(g) TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR LOANS AND LOAN GUARAN-
TEES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, a loan or loan guarantee under this section shall— 
‘‘(A) bear interest at an annual rate of, as determined 
by the Secretary— 
‘‘(i) in the case of a direct loan, a rate equivalent 
to— 
‘‘(I) the cost of borrowing to the Department 
of the Treasury for obligations of comparable matu-
rity; or 
‘‘(II) 4 percent; and 
‘‘(ii) in the case of a guaranteed loan, the current 
applicable market rate for a loan of comparable matu-
rity; and 
‘‘(B) have a term of such length, not exceeding 35 
years, as the borrower may request, if the Secretary deter-
mines that the loan is adequately secured. 
‘‘(2) TERM.—In determining the term of a loan or loan 
guarantee, the Secretary shall consider whether the recipient 
is or would be serving an area that is not receiving broadband 
services. 
‘‘(3) RECURRING REVENUE.—The Secretary shall consider 
the existing recurring revenues of the entity at the time of 
application in determining an adequate level of credit support. 
‘‘(h) ADEQUACY OF SECURITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ensure that the type 
and amount of, and method of security used to secure, any 
loan or loan guarantee under this section is commensurate 
to the risk involved with the loan or loan guarantee, particu-
larly in any case in which the loan or loan guarantee is issued 
to a financially strong and stable entity, as determined by 
the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT AND METHOD OF SECU-
RITY.—In determining the amount of, and method of security 
used to secure, a loan or loan guarantee under this section, 
the Secretary shall consider reducing the security in a rural 
area that does not have broadband service. 
‘‘(i) USE OF LOAN PROCEEDS TO REFINANCE LOANS FOR DEPLOY-
MENT OF BROADBAND SERVICE.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion 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 refinancing an outstanding obligation 
of the recipient on another telecommunications loan made under 
this Act if the use of the proceeds for that purpose will support 
the construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equip-
ment for the provision of broadband service in rural areas. 
‘‘(j) REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, and annually 
thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report 
that describes the extent of participation in the loan and loan 
guarantee program under this section for the preceding fiscal year, 
including a description of — 
‘‘(1) the number of loans applied for and provided under 
this section;
H. R. 6124—314 
‘‘(2)(A) the communities proposed to be served in each 
loan application submitted for the fiscal year; and 
‘‘(B) the communities served by projects funded by loans 
and loan guarantees provided under this section; 
‘‘(3) the period of time required to approve each loan 
application under this section; 
‘‘(4) any outreach activities carried out by the Secretary 
to encourage entities in rural areas without broadband service 
to submit applications under this section; 
‘‘(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 sub-
section (b)(1); and 
‘‘(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 section. 
‘‘(k) FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is author-
ized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this 
section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012, 
to remain available until expended. 
‘‘(2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—From amounts made available for 
each fiscal year under this subsection, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(i) establish a national reserve for loans and loan 
guarantees to eligible entities in States under this 
section; and 
‘‘(ii) allocate amounts in the reserve to each State 
for each fiscal year for loans and loan guarantees to 
eligible entities in the State. 
‘‘(B) AMOUNT.—The amount of an allocation made to 
a State for a fiscal year under subparagraph (A) shall 
bear the same ratio to the amount of allocations made 
for all States for the fiscal year as— 
‘‘(i) the number of communities with a population 
of 2,500 inhabitants or less in the State; bears to 
‘‘(ii) the number of communities with a population 
of 2,500 inhabitants or less in all States. 
‘‘(C) UNOBLIGATED
AMOUNTS.—Any amounts in the 
reserve established for a State for a fiscal year under 
subparagraph (B) that are not obligated by April 1 of 
the fiscal year shall be available to the Secretary to make 
loans and loan guarantees under this section to eligible 
entities in any State, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(l) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—No loan or loan guarantee 
may be made under this section after September 30, 2012.’’. 
(b) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary may implement the amend-
ment made by subsection (a) through the promulgation of an interim 
regulation. 
(c) APPLICATION.—The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
not apply to— 
(1) an application submitted under section 601 of the Rural 
Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb) (as it existed before 
the amendment made by subsection (a)) that— 
(A) was pending on the date that is 45 days prior 
to the date of enactment of this Act; and
H. R. 6124—315 
(B) is pending on the date of enactment of this Act; 
or 
(2) a petition for reconsideration of a decision on an applica-
tion described in paragraph (1). 
SEC. 6111. NATIONAL CENTER FOR RURAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
ASSESSMENT. 
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. 602. NATIONAL CENTER FOR RURAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
ASSESSMENT. 
‘‘(a) DESIGNATION OF CENTER.—The Secretary shall designate 
an entity to serve as the National Center for Rural Telecommuni-
cations Assessment (referred to in this section as the ‘Center’). 
‘‘(b) CRITERIA.—In designating the Center under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall take into consideration the following criteria: 
‘‘(1) The Center shall be an entity that demonstrates to 
the Secretary— 
‘‘(A) a focus on rural policy research; and 
‘‘(B) a minimum of 5 years of experience relating to 
rural telecommunications research and assessment. 
‘‘(2) The Center shall be capable of assessing broadband 
services in rural areas. 
‘‘(3) The Center shall have significant experience involving 
other rural economic development centers and organizations 
with respect to the assessment of rural policies and the formula-
tion of policy solutions at the Federal, State, and local levels. 
‘‘(c) BOARD OF DIRECTORS.—The Center shall be managed by 
a board of directors, which shall be responsible for the duties 
of the Center described in subsection (d). 
‘‘(d) DUTIES.—The Center shall— 
‘‘(1) assess the effectiveness of programs carried out under 
this title in increasing broadband penetration and purchase 
in rural areas, especially in rural communities identified by 
the Secretary as having no broadband service before the provi-
sion of a loan or loan guarantee under this title; 
‘‘(2) work with existing rural development centers selected 
by the Center to identify policies and initiatives at the Federal, 
State, and local levels that have increased broadband penetra-
tion and purchase in rural areas and provide recommendations 
to Federal, State, and local policymakers on effective strategies 
to bring affordable broadband services to residents of rural 
areas, particularly residents located outside of the municipal 
boundaries of a rural city or town; and 
‘‘(3) develop and publish reports describing the activities 
carried out by the Center under this section. 
‘‘(e) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than December 1 
of each applicable fiscal year, the board of directors of the Center 
shall submit to Congress and the Secretary a report describing 
the activities carried out by the Center during the preceding fiscal 
year and the results of any research conducted by the Center 
during that fiscal year, including— 
‘‘(1) an assessment of each program carried out under this 
title; and 
‘‘(2) an assessment of the effects of the policy initiatives 
identified under subsection (d)(2).
H. R. 6124—316 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
$1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 6112. COMPREHENSIVE RURAL BROADBAND STRATEGY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Chairman of the Federal Communications 
Commission, in coordination with the Secretary, shall submit to 
Congress a report describing a comprehensive rural broadband 
strategy that includes— 
(1) recommendations— 
(A) to promote interagency coordination of Federal 
agencies in regards to policies, procedures, and targeted 
resources, and to streamline or otherwise improve and 
streamline the policies, programs, and services; 
(B) to coordinate existing Federal rural broadband or 
rural initiatives; 
(C) to address both short- and long-term needs assess-
ments and solutions for a rapid build-out of rural 
broadband solutions and application of the recommenda-
tions for Federal, State, regional, and local government 
policymakers; and 
(D) to identify how specific Federal agency programs 
and resources can best respond to rural broadband require-
ments and overcome obstacles that currently impede rural 
broadband deployment; and 
(2) a description of goals and timeframes to achieve the 
purposes of the report. 
(b) UPDATES.—The Chairman of the Federal Communications 
Commission, in coordination with the Secretary, shall update and 
evaluate the report described in subsection (a) during the third 
year after the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 6113. STUDY ON RURAL ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct a study on the 
electric power generation needs in rural areas of the United States. 
(b) COMPONENTS.—The study shall include an examination of— 
(1) generation in various areas in rural areas of the United 
States, particularly by rural electric cooperatives;; 
(2) financing available for capacity, including financing 
available through programs authorized under the Rural Elec-
trification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.); 
(3) the impact of electricity costs on consumers and local 
economic development; 
(4) the ability of fuel feedstock technology to meet regu-
latory requirements, such as carbon capture and sequestration; 
and 
(5) any other factors that the Secretary considers appro-
priate. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agri-
culture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report con-
taining the findings of the study under this section.
H. R. 6124—317 
Subtitle C—Miscellaneous 
SEC. 6201. DISTANCE LEARNING AND TELEMEDICINE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2333(c)(1) of the Food, Agriculture, 
Conservation and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. Sec. 950aaa–2(a)(1)) 
is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the 
end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) libraries.’’. 
(b) 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 ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1(b) of Public Law 102– 
551 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa note; Public Law 102–551) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 6202. VALUE-ADDED AGRICULTURAL MARKET DEVELOPMENT 
PROGRAM GRANTS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 231 of the Agricultural Risk Protec-
tion Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note; Public Law 106–224) is 
amended by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) BEGINNING FARMER OR RANCHER.—The term ‘beginning 
farmer or rancher’ has the meaning given the term in section 
343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act 
(7 U.S.C. 1991(a)). 
‘‘(2) FAMILY FARM.—The term ‘family farm’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 761.2 of title 7, Code of Federal 
Regulations (as in effect on December 30, 2007). 
‘‘(3) MID-TIER
VALUE
CHAIN.—The term ‘mid-tier value 
chain’ means local and regional supply networks that link 
independent producers with businesses and cooperatives that 
market value-added agricultural products in a manner that— 
‘‘(A) targets and strengthens the profitability and 
competitiveness of small and medium-sized farms and 
ranches that are structured as a family farm; and 
‘‘(B) obtains agreement from an eligible agricultural 
producer group, farmer or rancher cooperative, or majority- 
controlled producer-based business venture that is engaged 
in the value chain on a marketing strategy. 
‘‘(4) 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)). 
‘‘(5) VALUE-ADDED
AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCT.—The term 
‘value-added agricultural product’ means any agricultural com-
modity or product that— 
‘‘(A)(i) has undergone a change in physical state; 
‘‘(ii) was produced in a manner that enhances the 
value of the agricultural commodity or product, as dem-
onstrated through a business plan that shows the enhanced 
value, as determined by the Secretary;
H. R. 6124—318 
‘‘(iii) is physically segregated in a manner that results 
in the enhancement of the value of the agricultural com-
modity or product; 
‘‘(iv) is a source of farm- or ranch-based renewable 
energy, including E–85 fuel; or 
‘‘(v) is aggregated and marketed as a locally-produced 
agricultural food product; and 
‘‘(B) as a result of the change in physical state or the 
manner in which the agricultural commodity or product was 
produced, marketed, or segregated— 
‘‘(i) the customer base for the agricultural commodity 
or product is expanded; and 
‘‘(ii) a greater portion of the revenue derived from 
the marketing, processing, or physical segregation of the 
agricultural commodity or product is available to the pro-
ducer of the commodity or product.’’. 
(b) GRANT PROGRAM.—Section 231(b) of the Agricultural Risk 
Protection Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note; Public Law 106–224) 
is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘paragraph (4)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘paragraph (7)’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(4) TERM.—A grant under this subsection shall have a 
term that does not exceed 3 years. 
‘‘(5) SIMPLIFIED APPLICATION.—The Secretary shall offer a 
simplified application form and process for project proposals 
requesting less than $50,000. 
‘‘(6) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this subsection, 
the Secretary shall give priority to projects that contribute 
to increasing opportunities for— 
‘‘(A) beginning farmers or ranchers; 
‘‘(B) socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers; and 
‘‘(C) operators of small- and medium-sized farms and 
ranches that are structured as a family farm. 
‘‘(7) FUNDING.— 
‘‘(A) MANDATORY
FUNDING.—On October 1, 2008, of 
the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Sec-
retary shall make available to carry out this subsection 
$15,000,000, to remain available until expended. 
‘‘(B) DISCRETIONARY FUNDING.—There is authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this subsection $40,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012. 
‘‘(C) RESERVATION OF FUNDS FOR PROJECTS TO BENEFIT 
BEGINNING
FARMERS
OR
RANCHERS, SOCIALLY
DISADVAN-
TAGED
FARMERS
OR
RANCHERS, 
AND
MID-TIER
VALUE 
CHAINS.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall reserve 10 
percent of the amounts made available for each fiscal 
year under this paragraph to fund projects that benefit 
beginning farmers or ranchers or socially disadvan-
taged farmers or ranchers. 
‘‘(ii) MID-TIER VALUE CHAINS.—The Secretary shall 
reserve 10 percent of the amounts made available for 
each fiscal year under this paragraph to fund applica-
tions of eligible entities described in paragraph (1) 
that propose to develop mid-tier value chains.
H. R. 6124—319 
‘‘(iii) UNOBLIGATED AMOUNTS.—Any amounts in the 
reserves for a fiscal year established under clauses 
(i) and (ii) that are not obligated by June 30 of the 
fiscal year shall be available to the Secretary to make 
grants under this subsection to eligible entities in any 
State, as determined by the Secretary.’’. 
SEC. 6203. AGRICULTURE INNOVATION CENTER DEMONSTRATION PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 6402 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 
of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note; Public Law 107–171) is amended 
by striking subsection (i) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
$6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 6204. RURAL FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE 
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
Section 6405 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 
of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 2655) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 
6405. 
RURAL 
FIREFIGHTERS 
AND 
EMERGENCY 
MEDICAL 
SERVICE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.—In this 
section: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘emergency medical services’ 
means resources used by a public or nonprofit entity to deliver 
medical care outside of a medical facility under emergency 
conditions that occur as a result of— 
‘‘(A) the condition of a patient; or 
‘‘(B) a natural disaster or related condition. 
‘‘(2) INCLUSION.—The term ‘emergency medical services’ 
includes services (whether compensated or volunteer) delivered 
by an emergency medical services provider or other provider 
recognized by the State involved that is licensed or certified 
by the State as— 
‘‘(A) an emergency medical technician or the equivalent 
(as determined by the State); 
‘‘(B) a registered nurse; 
‘‘(C) a physician assistant; or 
‘‘(D) a physician that provides services similar to serv-
ices provided by such an emergency medical services pro-
vider. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS.—The Secretary shall award grants to eligible enti-
ties— 
‘‘(1) to enable the entities to provide for improved emer-
gency medical services in rural areas; and 
‘‘(2) to pay the cost of training firefighters and emergency 
medical personnel in firefighting, emergency medical practices, 
and responding to hazardous materials and bioagents in rural 
areas. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, an entity shall— 
‘‘(1) be— 
‘‘(A) a State emergency medical services office; 
‘‘(B) a State emergency medical services association; 
‘‘(C) a State office of rural health or an equivalent 
agency;
H. R. 6124—320 
‘‘(D) a local government entity; 
‘‘(E) an Indian tribe (as defined in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
(25 U.S.C. 450b)); 
‘‘(F) a State or local ambulance provider; or 
‘‘(G) any other public or nonprofit entity determined 
appropriate by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(2) prepare and submit to the Secretary an application 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information 
as the Secretary may require, that includes— 
‘‘(A) a description of the activities to be carried out 
under the grant; and 
‘‘(B) an assurance that the applicant will comply with 
the matching requirement of subsection (f). 
‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—An entity shall use amounts received 
under a grant made under subsection (b) only in a rural area— 
‘‘(1) to hire or recruit emergency medical service personnel; 
‘‘(2) to recruit or retain volunteer emergency medical service 
personnel; 
‘‘(3) to train emergency medical service personnel in emer-
gency response, injury prevention, safety awareness, or other 
topics relevant to the delivery of emergency medical services; 
‘‘(4) to fund training to meet State or Federal certification 
requirements; 
‘‘(5) to provide training for firefighters or emergency med-
ical personnel for improvements to the training facility, equip-
ment, curricula, or personnel; 
‘‘(6) to develop new ways to educate emergency health 
care providers through the use of technology-enhanced edu-
cational methods (such as distance learning); 
‘‘(7) to acquire emergency medical services vehicles, 
including ambulances; 
‘‘(8) to acquire emergency medical services equipment, 
including cardiac defibrillators; 
‘‘(9) to acquire personal protective equipment for emergency 
medical services personnel as required by the Occupational 
Safety and Health Administration; or 
‘‘(10) to educate the public concerning cardiopulmonary 
resuscitation (CPR), first aid, injury prevention, safety aware-
ness, illness prevention, or other related emergency prepared-
ness topics. 
‘‘(e) PREFERENCE.—In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall give preference to— 
‘‘(1) applications that reflect a collaborative effort by 2 
or more of the entities described in subparagraphs (A) through 
(G) of subsection (c)(1); and 
‘‘(2) applications submitted by entities that intend to use 
amounts provided under the grant to fund activities described 
in any of paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (d). 
‘‘(f) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary may not make 
a grant under this section to an entity unless the entity makes 
available (directly or through contributions from other public or 
private entities) non-Federal contributions toward the activities 
to be carried out under the grant in an amount equal to at least 
5 percent of the amount received under the grant. 
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—
H. R. 6124—321 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appropriated 
to the Secretary to carry out this section not more than 
$30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012. 
‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—Not more than 5 percent of 
the amount appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year 
may be used for administrative expenses incurred in carrying 
out this section.’’. 
SEC. 6205. INSURANCE OF LOANS FOR HOUSING AND RELATED FACILI-
TIES FOR DOMESTIC FARM LABOR. 
Section 514(f)(3) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 
1484(f)(3)) is amended by striking ‘‘or the handling of such commod-
ities in the unprocessed stage’’ and inserting ‘‘, the handling of 
agricultural or aquacultural commodities in the unprocessed stage, 
or the processing of agricultural or aquacultural commodities’’. 
SEC. 6206. STUDY OF RURAL TRANSPORTATION ISSUES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture and the Sec-
retary of Transportation shall jointly conduct a study of transpor-
tation issues regarding the movement of agricultural products, 
domestically produced renewable fuels, and domestically produced 
resources for the production of electricity for rural areas of the 
United States, and economic development in those areas. 
(b) INCLUSIONS.—The study shall include an examination of— 
(1) the importance of freight transportation, including rail, 
truck, and barge, to— 
(A) the delivery of equipment, seed, fertilizer, and other 
such products important to the development of agricultural 
commodities and products; 
(B) the movement of agricultural commodities and 
products to market; 
(C) the delivery of ethanol and other renewable fuels; 
(D) the delivery of domestically produced resources 
for use in the generation of electricity for rural areas; 
(E) the location of grain elevators, ethanol plants, and 
other facilities; 
(F) the development of manufacturing facilities in rural 
areas; and 
(G) the vitality and economic development of rural 
communities; 
(2) the sufficiency in rural areas of transportation capacity, 
the sufficiency of competition in the transportation system, 
the reliability of transportation services, and the reasonableness 
of transportation rates; 
(3) the sufficiency of facility investment in rural areas 
necessary for efficient and cost-effective transportation; and 
(4) the accessibility to shippers in rural areas of Federal 
processes for the resolution of grievances arising within various 
transportation modes. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the Secretary 
of Transportation shall submit to Congress a report that contains 
the results of the study required by subsection (a).
H. R. 6124—322 
Subtitle D—Housing Assistance Council 
SEC. 6301. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Housing Assistance Council 
Authorization Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 6302. ASSISTANCE TO HOUSING ASSISTANCE COUNCIL. 
(a) USE.—The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
may provide financial assistance to the Housing Assistance Council 
for use by the Council to develop the ability and capacity of commu-
nity-based housing development organizations to undertake commu-
nity development and affordable housing projects and programs 
in rural areas. Assistance provided by the Secretary under this 
section may be used by the Housing Assistance Council for— 
(1) technical assistance, training, support, research, and 
advice to develop the business and administrative capabilities 
of rural community-based housing development organizations; 
(2) loans, grants, or other financial assistance to rural 
community-based housing development organizations to carry 
out community development and affordable housing activities 
for low- and moderate-income families; and 
(3) such other activities as may be determined by the 
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Housing 
Assistance Council. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated for financial assistance under this section for 
the Housing Assistance Council $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2009 through 2011. 
SEC. 6303. AUDITS AND REPORTS. 
(a) AUDIT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The financial transactions and activities 
of the Housing Assistance Council shall be audited annually 
by an independent certified public accountant or an inde-
pendent licensed public accountant certified or licensed by a 
regulatory authority of a State or other political subdivision 
of the United States. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS OF AUDITS.—The Comptroller General 
of the United States may rely on any audit completed under 
paragraph (1), if the audit complies with— 
(A) the annual programmatic and financial examina-
tion requirements established in OMB Circular A-133; and 
(B) generally accepted government auditing standards. 
(3) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Comptroller General shall 
submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services 
of the House of Representative a report detailing each audit 
completed under paragraph (1). 
(b) GAO REPORT.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a study and submit a report to the Committee 
on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representative 
on the use of any funds appropriated to the Housing Assistance 
Council over the past 7 years.
H. R. 6124—323 
SEC. 6304. PERSONS NOT LAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES. 
Aliens who are not lawfully present in the United States shall 
be ineligible for financial assistance under this subtitle, as provided 
and defined by section 214 of the Housing and Community Develop-
ment Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 1436a). Nothing in this subtitle shall 
be construed to alter the restrictions or definitions in such section 
214. 
SEC. 6305. LIMITATION ON USE OF AUTHORIZED AMOUNTS. 
None of the amounts authorized by this subtitle may be used 
to lobby or retain a lobbyist for the purpose of influencing a Federal, 
State, or local governmental entity or officer. 
TITLE VII—RESEARCH AND RELATED 
MATTERS 
Subtitle 
A—National 
Agricultural 
Re-
search, Extension, and Teaching Policy 
Act of 1977 
SEC. 7101. DEFINITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1404 of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3103) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4)— 
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (E) 
as clauses (i) through (v), respectively; 
(B) by striking ‘‘(4) The terms’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The terms’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) INCLUSIONS.—The terms ‘college’ and ‘university’ 
include a research foundation maintained by a college or 
university described in subparagraph (A).’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through (8), (9) through 
(11), (12) through (14), (15), (16), (17), and (18) as paragraphs 
(6) through (9), (11) through (13), (15) through (17), (20), (5), 
(18), and (19), respectively, and moving the paragraphs so 
as to appear in alphabetical and numerical order; 
(3) in paragraph (9) (as redesignated by paragraph (2))— 
(A) by striking ‘‘renewable natural resources’’ and 
inserting ‘‘renewable energy and natural resources’’; and 
(B) by striking subparagraph (F) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(F) Soil, water, and related resource conservation and 
improvement.’’; 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (9) (as so redesignated) 
the following: 
‘‘(10) HISPANIC-SERVING
AGRICULTURAL
COLLEGES
AND 
UNIVERSITIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘Hispanic-serving agricul-
tural colleges and universities’ means colleges or univer-
sities that—
H. R. 6124—324 
‘‘(i) qualify as Hispanic-serving institutions; and 
‘‘(ii) offer associate, bachelors, or other accredited 
degree programs in agriculture-related fields. 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTION.—The term ‘Hispanic-serving agricul-
tural colleges and universities’ does not include 1862 
institutions (as defined in section 2 of the Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 
(7 U.S.C. 7601)).’’; 
(5) by striking paragraph (11) (as so redesignated) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(11) HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTION.—The term ‘Hispanic- 
serving institution’ has the meaning given the term in section 
502 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a).’’; 
and 
(6) by inserting after paragraph (13) (as so redesignated) 
the following: 
‘‘(14) NLGCA INSTITUTION; NON-LAND-GRANT COLLEGE OF 
AGRICULTURE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—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 agriculture or forestry. 
‘‘(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The terms ‘NLGCA Institution’ and 
‘non-land-grant college of agriculture’ do not include— 
‘‘(i) Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and 
universities; or 
‘‘(ii) any institution designated under— 
‘‘(I) the Act of July 2, 1862 (commonly known 
as the ‘First Morrill Act’; 7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.); 
‘‘(II) the Act of August 30, 1890 (commonly 
known as the ‘Second Morrill Act’) (7 U.S.C. 321 
et seq.); 
‘‘(III) the Equity in Educational Land-Grant 
Status Act of 1994 (Public Law 103–382; 7 U.S.C. 
301 note); or 
‘‘(IV) Public Law 87–788 (commonly known 
as the ‘McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act’) 
(16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 2(3) of the Research Facilities Act (7 U.S.C. 
390(3)) is amended by striking ‘‘section 1404(8) of the National 
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103(8))’’ and inserting ‘‘section 1404 of the 
National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy 
Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)’’. 
(2) Section 2(k) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities 
Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 450i(k)) is amended in the second 
sentence by striking ‘‘section 1404(17) of the National Agricul-
tural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 
(7 U.S.C. 3103(17))’’ and inserting ‘‘section 1404 of the National 
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)’’. 
(3) Section 18(a)(3)(B) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2027(a)(3)(B)) is amended by striking ‘‘section 
1404(5) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103(5)))’’ and inserting
H. R. 6124—325 
‘‘section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103))’’. 
(4) Section 1473 of the National Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3319) 
is amended in the first sentence by striking ‘‘section 1404(16) 
of this title’’ and inserting ‘‘section 1404(18)’’. 
(5) Section 1619(b) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, 
and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5801(b)) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘section 1404(17) of 
the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103(17))’’ and 
inserting ‘‘section 1404 of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 
U.S.C. 3103)’’; 
(B) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘section 1404(7) of 
the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103(7))’’ and 
inserting ‘‘section 1404 of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 
U.S.C. 3103)’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘‘section 1404(13) of 
the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103(13))’’ and 
inserting ‘‘section 1404 of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 
U.S.C. 3103)’’. 
(6) Section 125(c)(1)(C) of Public Law 100–238 (5 U.S.C. 
8432 note) is amended by striking ‘‘section 1404(5) of the 
National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy 
Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103(5))’’ and inserting ‘‘section 1404 
of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching 
Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)’’. 
SEC. 7102. NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, EDU-
CATION, AND ECONOMICS ADVISORY BOARD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—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 ‘‘31’’ and inserting 
‘‘25’’; and 
(B) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES.—The Advisory Board shall 
consist of members from each of the following categories: 
‘‘(A) 1 member representing a national farm organiza-
tion. 
‘‘(B) 1 member representing farm cooperatives. 
‘‘(C) 1 member actively engaged in the production of 
a food animal commodity, recommended by a coalition of 
national livestock organizations. 
‘‘(D) 1 member actively engaged in the production of 
a plant commodity, recommended by a coalition of national 
crop organizations. 
‘‘(E) 1 member actively engaged in aquaculture, rec-
ommended by a coalition of national aquacultural organiza-
tions.
H. R. 6124—326 
‘‘(F) 1 member representing a national food animal 
science society. 
‘‘(G) 1 member representing a national crop, soil, 
agronomy, horticulture, plant pathology, or weed science 
society. 
‘‘(H) 1 member representing a national food science 
organization. 
‘‘(I) 1 member representing a national human health 
association. 
‘‘(J) 1 member representing a national nutritional 
science society. 
‘‘(K) 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.). 
‘‘(L) 1 member representing the land-grant colleges 
and universities eligible to receive funds under the Act 
of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), including 
Tuskegee University. 
‘‘(M) 1 member representing the 1994 Institutions (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)). 
‘‘(N) 1 member representing NLGCA Institutions. 
‘‘(O) 1 member representing Hispanic-serving institu-
tions. 
‘‘(P) 1 member representing the American Colleges of 
Veterinary Medicine. 
‘‘(Q) 1 member engaged in the transportation of food 
and agricultural products to domestic and foreign markets. 
‘‘(R) 1 member representing food retailing and mar-
keting interests. 
‘‘(S) 1 member representing food and fiber processors. 
‘‘(T) 1 member actively engaged in rural economic 
development. 
‘‘(U) 1 member representing a national consumer 
interest group. 
‘‘(V) 1 member representing a national forestry group. 
‘‘(W) 1 member representing a national conservation 
or natural resource group. 
‘‘(X) 1 member representing private sector organiza-
tions involved in international development. 
‘‘(Y) 1 member representing a national social science 
association.’’; 
(2) in subsection (g)(1), by striking ‘‘$350,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$500,000’’; and 
(3) in subsection (h), by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting 
‘‘2012’’. 
(b) NO EFFECT
ON TERMS.—Nothing in this section or any 
amendment made by this section affects the term of any member 
of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and 
Economics Advisory Board serving as of the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
SEC. 7103. SPECIALTY CROP COMMITTEE REPORT. 
Section 1408A(c) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3123a(c)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following:
H. R. 6124—327 
‘‘(4) Analyses of changes in macroeconomic conditions, tech-
nologies, and policies on specialty crop production and consump-
tion, with particular focus on the effect of those changes on 
the financial stability of producers. 
‘‘(5) Development of data that provide applied information 
useful to specialty crop growers, their associations, and other 
interested beneficiaries in evaluating that industry from a 
regional and national perspective.’’. 
SEC. 7104. RENEWABLE ENERGY COMMITTEE. 
The National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching 
Policy Act of 1977 is amended by inserting after section 1408A 
(7 U.S.C. 3123a) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1408B. RENEWABLE ENERGY COMMITTEE. 
‘‘(a) INITIAL MEMBERS.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of this section, the executive committee of the Advisory 
Board shall establish and appoint the initial members of a perma-
nent renewable energy committee. 
‘‘(b) DUTIES.—The permanent renewable energy committee shall 
study the scope and effectiveness of research, extension, and 
economics programs affecting the renewable energy industry. 
‘‘(c) NONADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—An individual who is not a member 
of the Advisory Board may be appointed as a member of the 
renewable energy committee. 
‘‘(2) SERVICE.—A member of the renewable energy com-
mittee shall serve at the discretion of the executive committee. 
‘‘(d) REPORT BY RENEWABLE ENERGY COMMITTEE.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of establishment of the renewable 
energy committee, and annually thereafter, the renewable energy 
committee shall submit to the Advisory Board a report that contains 
the findings and any recommendations of the renewable energy 
committee with respect to the study conducted under subsection 
(b). 
‘‘(e) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the duties described in 
subsection (b), the renewable energy committee shall consult with 
the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Com-
mittee established under section 9008(d) of the Biomass Research 
and Development Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 8605). 
‘‘(f) MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED IN BUDGET RECOMMENDA-
TION.—In preparing the annual budget recommendations for the 
Department, the Secretary shall take into consideration those 
findings and recommendations contained in the most recent report 
of the renewable energy committee under subsection (d) that are 
developed by the Advisory Committee. 
‘‘(g) REPORT BY THE SECRETARY.—In the budget material sub-
mitted to Congress by the Secretary in connection with the budget 
submitted pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, 
for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall include a report that describes 
the ways in which the Secretary addressed each recommendation 
of the renewable energy committee described in subsection (f).’’. 
SEC. 7105. VETERINARY MEDICINE LOAN REPAYMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1415A of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3151a) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
H. R. 6124—328 
‘‘(b) DETERMINATION OF VETERINARIAN SHORTAGE SITUATIONS.— 
In determining ‘veterinarian shortage situations’, the Secretary may 
consider— 
‘‘(1) geographical areas that the Secretary determines have 
a shortage of veterinarians; and 
‘‘(2) areas of veterinary practice that the Secretary deter-
mines have a shortage of veterinarians, such as food animal 
medicine, public health, epidemiology, and food safety.’’; 
(2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) PRIORITY.—In administering the program, the Sec-
retary shall give priority to agreements with veterinarians for 
the practice of food animal medicine in veterinarian shortage 
situations.’’; 
(3) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (f); and 
(4) by inserting after subsection (c) the following: 
‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—None of the funds appropriated to the 
Secretary under subsection (f) may be used to carry out section 
5379 of title 5, United States Code. 
‘‘(e) REGULATIONS.—Notwithstanding subchapter II of chapter 
5 of title 5, United States Code, not later than 270 days after 
the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall promul-
gate regulations to carry out this section.’’. 
(b) DISAPPROVAL
OF
TRANSFER
OF
FUNDS.—Congress dis-
approves the transfer of funds from the Cooperative State Research, 
Education, and Extension Service to the Food Safety and Inspection 
Service described in the notice of use of funds for implementation 
of the veterinary medicine loan repayment program authorized 
by the National Veterinary Medical Service Act (72 Fed. Reg. 48609 
(August 24, 2007)), and such funds shall be rescinded on the date 
of enactment of this Act and made available to the Secretary, 
without further appropriation or fiscal year limitation, for use only 
in accordance with section 1415A of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3151a) (as amended by subsection (a)). 
SEC. 7106. ELIGIBILITY OF UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF 
COLUMBIA FOR GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS FOR FOOD 
AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES EDUCATION. 
Section 1417 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3152) is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) of subsection 
(b), by inserting ‘‘(including the University of the District of 
Columbia)’’ after ‘‘land-grant colleges and universities’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d)(2), by inserting ‘‘(including the Univer-
sity of the District of Columbia)’’ after ‘‘universities’’. 
SEC. 7107. GRANTS TO 1890 SCHOOLS TO EXPAND EXTENSION 
CAPACITY. 
Section 1417(b)(4) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(4)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘teaching and research’’ and inserting 
‘‘teaching, research, and extension’’. 
SEC. 7108. EXPANSION OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES 
AWARDS. 
Section 1417(i) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3152(i)) is 
amended—
H. R. 6124—329 
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ‘‘Teaching 
Awards’’ and inserting ‘‘Teaching, Extension, and Research 
Awards’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
National Food and Agricultural Sciences Teaching, Exten-
sion, and Research Awards program to recognize and pro-
mote excellence in teaching, extension, and research in 
the food and agricultural sciences at a college or university. 
‘‘(B) MINIMUM
REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary shall 
make at least 1 cash award in each fiscal year to a nominee 
selected by the Secretary for excellence in each of the 
areas of teaching, extension, and research of food and agri-
cultural science at a college or university.’’. 
SEC. 7109. GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL 
SCIENCES EDUCATION. 
(a) EDUCATION TEACHING PROGRAMS.—Section 1417(j) of the 
National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy 
Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3152(j)) is amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ‘‘SECONDARY EDU-
CATION
AND 2-YEAR POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION TEACHING 
PROGRAMS’’ and inserting ‘‘SECONDARY EDUCATION, 2-YEAR 
POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, AND AGRICULTURE IN THE K–12 
CLASSROOM’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (3)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘secondary schools, and institutions 
of higher education that award an associate’s degree’’ and 
inserting ‘‘secondary schools, institutions of higher edu-
cation that award an associate’s degree, other institutions 
of higher education, and nonprofit organizations’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(C) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at the 
end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(G) to support current agriculture in the classroom 
programs for grades K–12.’’. 
(b) REPORT.—Section 1417 of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3152) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (l) as subsection (m); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (k) the following: 
‘‘(l) REPORT.—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 a biennial 
report detailing the distribution of funds used to implement the 
teaching programs under subsection (j).’’. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 1417(m) of the 
National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy 
Act of 1977 (as redesignated by subsection (b)(1)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by subsection 
(a) take effect on October 1, 2008.
H. R. 6124—330 
SEC. 7110. GRANTS FOR RESEARCH ON PRODUCTION AND MARKETING 
OF ALCOHOLS AND INDUSTRIAL HYDROCARBONS FROM 
AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES AND FOREST PRODUCTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1419 of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3154) is repealed. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1463(a) of the National 
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 
(7 U.S.C. 3311(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘1419,’’. 
SEC. 7111. POLICY RESEARCH CENTERS. 
Section 1419A of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3155) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ‘‘(including commod-
ities, livestock, dairy, and specialty crops)’’ after ‘‘agricultural 
sectors’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by inserting ‘‘(including the Food 
Agricultural Policy Research Institute, the Agricultural and 
Food Policy Center, the Rural Policy Research Institute, and 
the National Drought Mitigation Center)’’ after ‘‘research 
institutions and organizations’’; and 
(3) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting 
‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 7112. EDUCATION GRANTS TO ALASKA NATIVE-SERVING INSTITU-
TIONS AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN-SERVING INSTITUTIONS. 
Section 759 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
2000 (7 U.S.C. 3242)— 
(1) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ‘‘2006’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2012’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b)— 
(i) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting before the 
semicolon at the end the following: ‘‘, including permit-
ting consortia to designate fiscal agents for the mem-
bers of the consortia and to allocate among the mem-
bers funds made available under this section’’; and 
(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘2006’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2012’’; 
(2) is redesignated as section 1419B of the National Agricul-
tural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977; 
and 
(3) is moved so as to appear after section 1419A of that 
Act (7 U.S.C. 3155). 
SEC. 7113. EMPHASIS OF HUMAN NUTRITION INITIATIVE. 
Section 1424(b) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3174(b)) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and,’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the comma at the end 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) proposals that examine the efficacy of current agri-
culture policies in promoting the health and welfare of economi-
cally disadvantaged populations;’’.
H. R. 6124—331 
SEC. 7114. HUMAN NUTRITION INTERVENTION AND HEALTH PRO-
MOTION RESEARCH PROGRAM. 
Section 1424(d) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3174(d)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 7115. PILOT RESEARCH PROGRAM TO COMBINE MEDICAL AND 
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH. 
Section 1424A(d) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3174a(d)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 7116. NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1425 of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3175) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (a) through (c) as sub-
sections (b) through (d), respectively; 
(2) by striking the section heading and designation and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1425. NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF 1862 INSTITUTION AND 1890 INSTITUTION.— 
In this section, the terms ‘1862 Institution’ and ‘1890 Institution’ 
have the meaning given those terms in section 2 of the Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 
7601).’’; 
(3) in subsection (b) (as redesignated by paragraph (1)), 
by striking ‘‘(b) The Secretary’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary’’; 
(4) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated), by striking ‘‘(c) 
In order to enable’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(c) EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING.—To enable’’; 
(5) in subsection (d) (as redesignated by paragraph (1))— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(d) Beginning’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(d) ALLOCATION OF FUNDING.—Beginning’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (B) 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(B) Notwithstanding section 3(d) of the Act of May 
8, 1914 (7 U.S.C. 343(d)), the remainder shall be allocated 
among the States as follows: 
‘‘(i) $100,000 shall be distributed to each 1862 
Institution and 1890 Institution. 
‘‘(ii) Subject to clause (iii), the remainder shall 
be allocated to each State in an amount that bears 
the same ratio to the total amount to be allocated 
under this clause as— 
‘‘(I) the population living at or below 125 per-
cent of the income poverty guidelines (as pre-
scribed by the Office of Management and Budget 
and as adjusted pursuant to section 673(2) of the 
Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 
9902(2))) in the State; bears to 
‘‘(II) the total population living at or below 
125 percent of those income poverty guidelines 
in all States;
H. R. 6124—332 
as determined by the most recent decennial census 
at the time at which each such additional amount 
is first appropriated. 
‘‘(iii)(I) Before any allocation of funds under clause 
(ii), for any fiscal year for which the amount of funds 
appropriated for the conduct of the expanded food and 
nutrition education program exceeds the amount of 
funds appropriated for the program for fiscal year 2007, 
the following percentage of such excess funds for the 
fiscal year shall be allocated to the 1890 Institutions 
in accordance with subclause (II): 
‘‘(aa) 10 percent for fiscal year 2009. 
‘‘(bb) 11 percent for fiscal year 2010. 
‘‘(cc) 12 percent for fiscal year 2011. 
‘‘(dd) 13 percent for fiscal year 2012. 
‘‘(ee) 14 percent for fiscal year 2013. 
‘‘(ff) 15 percent for fiscal year 2014 and for 
each fiscal year thereafter. 
‘‘(II) Funds made available under subclause (I) 
shall be allocated to each 1890 Institution in an amount 
that bears the same ratio to the total amount to be 
allocated under this clause as— 
‘‘(aa) the population living at or below 125 
percent of the income poverty guidelines (as pre-
scribed by the Office of Management and Budget 
and as adjusted pursuant to section 673(2) of the 
Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 
9902(2))) in the State in which the 1890 Institution 
is located; bears to 
‘‘(bb) the total population living at or below 
125 percent of those income poverty guidelines 
in all States in which 1890 Institutions are located; 
as determined by the most recent decennial census 
at the time at which each such additional amount 
is first appropriated. 
‘‘(iv) Nothing in this subparagraph precludes the 
Secretary from developing educational materials and 
programs for persons in income ranges above the level 
designated in this subparagraph.’’; and 
(C) by striking paragraph (3); and 
(6) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) COMPLEMENTARY ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall 
ensure the complementary administration of the expanded food 
and nutrition education program by 1862 Institutions and 1890 
Institutions in a State. 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out the expanded food and nutrition 
education program established under section 3(d) of the Act of 
May 8, 1914 (7 U.S.C. 343(d)), and this section $90,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2009 through 2012.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1588(b) of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 3175e(b)) is amended by striking 
‘‘section 1425(c)(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 1425(d)(2)’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this section 
take effect on October 1, 2008.
H. R. 6124—333 
SEC. 7117. CONTINUING ANIMAL HEALTH AND DISEASE RESEARCH 
PROGRAMS. 
Section 1433(a) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3195(a)) is amended 
in the first sentence by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 7118. COOPERATION AMONG ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS. 
Section 1433 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3195) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) COOPERATION AMONG ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS.—The Sec-
retary, to the maximum extent practicable, shall encourage eligible 
institutions to cooperate in setting research priorities under this 
section through the conduct of regular regional and national 
meetings.’’. 
SEC. 7119. APPROPRIATIONS FOR RESEARCH ON NATIONAL OR 
REGIONAL PROBLEMS. 
Section 1434(a) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3196(a)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 7120. ANIMAL HEALTH AND DISEASE RESEARCH PROGRAM. 
Section 1434(b) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3196(b)) is amended 
by inserting after ‘‘universities’’ the following: ‘‘(including 1890 
Institutions (as defined in section 2 of the Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601)))’’. 
SEC. 7121. AUTHORIZATION LEVEL FOR EXTENSION AT 1890 LAND- 
GRANT COLLEGES. 
Section 1444(a)(2) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3221(a)(2)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘15 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘20 percent’’. 
SEC. 7122. AUTHORIZATION LEVEL FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 
AT 1890 LAND-GRANT COLLEGES. 
Section 1445(a)(2) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3222(a)(2)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘25 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘30 percent’’. 
SEC. 7123. GRANTS TO UPGRADE AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SCIENCES 
FACILITIES AT 1890 LAND-GRANT COLLEGES, INCLUDING 
TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY. 
Section 1447(b) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3222b(b)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 7124. GRANTS TO UPGRADE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SCIENCES 
FACILITIES AT THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA LAND-GRANT 
UNIVERSITY. 
The National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching 
Policy Act of 1977 is amended by inserting after section 1447 
(7 U.S.C. 3222b) the following:
H. R. 6124—334 
‘‘SEC. 
1447A. 
GRANTS 
TO 
UPGRADE 
AGRICULTURE 
AND 
FOOD 
SCIENCES FACILITIES AT THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 
LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITY. 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—It is the intent of Congress to assist the land- 
grant university in the District of Columbia established under sec-
tion 208 of the District of Columbia Public Postsecondary Education 
Reorganization Act (Public Law 93–471; 88 Stat. 1428) in efforts 
to acquire, alter, or repair facilities or relevant equipment necessary 
for conducting agricultural research. 
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $750,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 7125. GRANTS TO UPGRADE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SCIENCES 
FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT AT INSULAR AREA LAND- 
GRANT INSTITUTIONS. 
The National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching 
Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) is amended by inserting 
after section 1447A (as added by section 7124) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 
1447B. 
GRANTS 
TO 
UPGRADE 
AGRICULTURE 
AND 
FOOD 
SCIENCES FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT AT INSULAR 
AREA LAND-GRANT INSTITUTIONS. 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—It is the intent of Congress to assist the land- 
grant institutions in the insular areas in efforts to acquire, alter, 
or repair facilities or relevant equipment necessary for conducting 
agricultural research. 
‘‘(b) METHOD OF AWARDING GRANTS.—Grants awarded pursuant 
to this section shall be made in such amounts and under such 
terms and conditions as the Secretary determines necessary to 
carry out the purposes of this section. 
‘‘(c) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary may promulgate such rules 
and regulations as the Secretary considers to be necessary to carry 
out this section. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $8,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 7126. NATIONAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING VIRTUAL CENTERS. 
Section 1448 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3222c) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2007’’ each place it appears in subsections (a)(1) and 
(f) and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 7127. MATCHING FUNDS REQUIREMENT FOR RESEARCH AND 
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES OF 1890 INSTITUTIONS. 
Section 1449(c) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3222d(c)) is 
amended— 
(1) in the first sentence— 
(A) by striking ‘‘for each of fiscal years 2003 through 
2007,’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘equal’’ before ‘‘matching’’; and 
(2) by striking the second sentence and all that follows 
through paragraph (5).
H. R. 6124—335 
SEC. 7128. HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS. 
Section 1455 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3241) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a) by striking ‘‘(or grants without regard 
to any requirement for competition)’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘of consortia’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) 
by 
striking 
‘‘$20,000,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$40,000,000’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 
7129. 
HISPANIC-SERVING 
AGRICULTURAL 
COLLEGES 
AND 
UNIVERSITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 is amended by inserting 
after section 1455 (7 U.S.C. 3241) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 
1456. 
HISPANIC-SERVING 
AGRICULTURAL 
COLLEGES 
AND 
UNIVERSITIES. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF ENDOWMENT FUND.—In this section, the 
term ‘endowment fund’ means the Hispanic-Serving Agricultural 
Colleges and Universities Fund established under subsection (b). 
‘‘(b) ENDOWMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Treasury shall 
establish in accordance with this subsection a Hispanic-Serving 
Agricultural Colleges and Universities Fund. 
‘‘(2) AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary of the Treasury may 
enter into such agreements as are necessary to carry out this 
subsection. 
‘‘(3) DEPOSIT TO THE ENDOWMENT FUND.—The Secretary 
of the Treasury shall deposit in the endowment fund any— 
‘‘(A) amounts made available through Acts of appro-
priations, which shall be the endowment fund corpus; and 
‘‘(B) interest earned on the endowment fund corpus. 
‘‘(4) INVESTMENTS.—The Secretary of the Treasury shall 
invest the endowment fund corpus and income in interest- 
bearing obligations of the United States. 
‘‘(5) WITHDRAWALS AND EXPENDITURES.— 
‘‘(A) CORPUS.—The Secretary of the Treasury may not 
make a withdrawal or expenditure from the endowment 
fund corpus. 
‘‘(B) WITHDRAWALS.—On September 30, 2008, and each 
September 30 thereafter, the Secretary of the Treasury 
shall withdraw the amount of the income from the endow-
ment fund for the fiscal year and warrant the funds to 
the Secretary of Agriculture who, after making adjustments 
for the cost of administering the endowment fund, shall 
distribute the adjusted income as follows: 
‘‘(i) 60 percent shall be distributed among the His-
panic-serving agricultural colleges and universities on 
a pro rata basis based on the Hispanic enrollment 
count of each institution. 
‘‘(ii) 40 percent shall be distributed in equal shares 
to the Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and 
universities.
H. R. 6124—336 
‘‘(6) ENDOWMENTS.—Amounts made available under this 
subsection shall be held and considered to be granted to His-
panic-serving agricultural colleges and universities to establish 
an endowment in accordance with this subsection. 
‘‘(7) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as 
are necessary to carry out this subsection for fiscal year 2008 
and each fiscal year thereafter. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION FOR ANNUAL PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—For fiscal year 2008 and each fiscal 
year thereafter, there are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Department of Agriculture to carry out this subsection 
an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying— 
‘‘(A) $80,000; by 
‘‘(B) the number of Hispanic-serving agricultural col-
leges and universities. 
‘‘(2) PAYMENTS.—For fiscal year 2008 and each fiscal year 
thereafter, the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay to the treas-
urer of each Hispanic-serving agricultural college and univer-
sity an amount equal to— 
‘‘(A) the total amount made available by appropriations 
under paragraph (1); divided by 
‘‘(B) the number of Hispanic-serving agricultural col-
leges and universities. 
‘‘(3) USE OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Amounts authorized to be appro-
priated under this subsection shall be used in the same 
manner as is prescribed for colleges under the Act of August 
30, 1890 (commonly known as the ‘Second Morrill Act’) 
(7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.). 
‘‘(B) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAW.—Except as other-
wise provided in this subsection, the requirements of that 
Act shall apply to Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges 
and universities under this section. 
‘‘(d) INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY-BUILDING GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—For fiscal year 2008 and each fiscal 
year thereafter, the Secretary shall make grants to assist His-
panic-serving agricultural colleges and universities in institu-
tional capacity building (not including alteration, repair, ren-
ovation, or construction of buildings). 
‘‘(2) 
CRITERIA
FOR
INSTITUTIONAL
CAPACITY-BUILDING 
GRANTS.— 
‘‘(A) REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTS.—The Secretary shall 
make grants under this subsection on the basis of a 
competitive application process under which Hispanic- 
serving agricultural colleges and universities may submit 
applications to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require. 
‘‘(B) DEMONSTRATION OF NEED.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—As part of an application for 
a grant under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
require the applicant to demonstrate need for the 
grant, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(ii) OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING.—The Secretary 
may award a grant under this subsection only to an 
applicant that demonstrates a failure to obtain funding
H. R. 6124—337 
for a project after making a reasonable effort to other-
wise obtain the funding. 
‘‘(C) PAYMENT
OF
NON-FEDERAL
SHARE.—A grant 
awarded under this subsection shall be made only if the 
recipient of the grant pays a non-Federal share in an 
amount that is specified by the Secretary and based on 
assessed institutional needs. 
‘‘(3) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as 
are necessary to carry out this subsection for fiscal year 2008 
and each fiscal year thereafter. 
‘‘(e) COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a competi-
tive grants program to fund fundamental and applied research 
at Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities in 
agriculture, human nutrition, food science, bioenergy, and 
environmental science. 
‘‘(2) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as 
are necessary to carry out this subsection for fiscal year 2008 
and each fiscal year thereafter.’’. 
(b) EXTENSION.—Section 3 of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 
343) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) ANNUAL APPROPRIATION FOR HISPANIC-SERVING AGRI-
CULTURAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.— 
‘‘(A) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—There are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for payments 
to Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities 
(as defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 
U.S.C. 3103)) such sums as are necessary to carry out 
this paragraph for fiscal year 2008 and each fiscal year 
thereafter, to remain available until expended. 
‘‘(B) ADDITIONAL AMOUNT.—Amounts made available 
under this paragraph shall be in addition to any other 
amounts made available under this section to States, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, or the United States 
Virgin Islands. 
‘‘(C) ADMINISTRATION.—Amounts made available under 
this paragraph shall be— 
‘‘(i) distributed on the basis of a competitive 
application process to be developed and implemented 
by the Secretary; 
‘‘(ii) paid by the Secretary to the State institutions 
established in accordance with the Act of July 2, 1862 
(commonly known as the ‘First Morrill Act’) (7 U.S.C. 
301 et seq.); and 
‘‘(iii) administered by State institutions through 
cooperative agreements with the Hispanic-serving agri-
cultural colleges and universities in the State in accord-
ance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary.’’; 
and 
(2) in subsection (f)— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ‘‘AND HIS-
PANIC-SERVING
AGRICULTURAL
COLLEGES
AND
UNIVER-
SITIES’’ after ‘‘1994 INSTITUTIONS’’; and
H. R. 6124—338 
(B) by striking ‘‘pursuant to subsection (b)(3)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘or Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and 
universities in accordance with paragraphs (3) and (4) of 
subsection (b)’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 2 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601) is amended— 
(A) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (7); 
and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following: 
‘‘(6) 
HISPANIC-SERVING
AGRICULTURAL
COLLEGES
AND 
UNIVERSITIES.—The term ‘Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges 
and universities’ has the meaning given the term in section 
1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103).’’. 
(2) Section 102(c) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7612(c)) is 
amended— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ‘‘AND HIS-
PANIC-SERVING
AGRICULTURAL
COLLEGES
AND
UNIVER-
SITIES’’ after ‘‘INSTITUTIONS’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘ and 1994 Institution’’ 
and inserting ‘‘1994 Institution, and Hispanic-serving agri-
cultural college and university’’. 
(3) Section 103(e) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613(e)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) 
HISPANIC-SERVING
AGRICULTURAL
COLLEGES
AND 
UNIVERSITIES.—To be eligible to obtain agricultural extension 
funds from the Secretary for an activity, each Hispanic-serving 
agricultural college and university shall— 
‘‘(A) establish a process for merit review of the activity; 
and 
‘‘(B) review the activity in accordance with such 
process.’’. 
(4) Section 406(b) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7626(b)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘and 1994 Institutions’’ and inserting ‘‘, 
1994 Institutions, and Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges 
and universities’’. 
SEC. 7130. INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, 
AND EDUCATION. 
Section 1458(a) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3291(a)) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘and’’ after the 
semicolon; 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) giving priority to those institutions with existing 
memoranda of understanding, agreements, or other formal 
ties to United States institutions, or Federal or State agen-
cies;’’; 
(2) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
H. R. 6124—339 
‘‘(3) enter into agreements with land-grant colleges and 
universities, Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and univer-
sities, the Agency for International Development, and inter-
national organizations (such as the United Nations, the World 
Bank, regional development banks, international agricultural 
research centers), or other organizations, institutions, or 
individuals with comparable goals, to promote and support— 
‘‘(A) the development of a viable and sustainable global 
agricultural system; 
‘‘(B) antihunger and improved international nutrition 
efforts; and 
‘‘(C) increased quantity, quality, and availability of 
food;’’; 
(3) in paragraph (7)(A), by striking ‘‘and land-grant colleges 
and universities’’ and inserting ‘‘, land-grant colleges and 
universities, and Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and 
universities’’; 
(4) in paragraph (9)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘or other colleges 
and universities’’ and inserting ‘‘, Hispanic-serving agricul-
tural colleges and universities, or other colleges and univer-
sities’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(5) in paragraph (10), by striking the period at the end 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(6) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(11) establish a program for the purpose of providing 
fellowships to United States or foreign students to study at 
foreign agricultural colleges and universities working under 
agreements provided for under paragraph (3).’’. 
SEC. 7131. COMPETITIVE GRANTS FOR INTERNATIONAL AGRICUL-
TURAL SCIENCE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS. 
Section 1459A(c) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3292b(c)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 7132. ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) LIMITATION
ON
INDIRECT
COSTS
FOR
AGRICULTURAL 
RESEARCH, 
EDUCATION, 
AND
EXTENSION
PROGRAMS.—Section 
1462(a) of the National Agriculture Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3310(a)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘a competitive’’ and inserting ‘‘any’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘19 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘22 percent’’. 
(b) AUDITING, REPORTING, BOOKKEEPING, AND ADMINISTRATIVE 
REQUIREMENTS.—Section 1469(a)(3) of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3315(a)(3)) is amended by striking ‘‘appropriated’’ and inserting 
‘‘made available’’. 
SEC. 7133. RESEARCH EQUIPMENT GRANTS. 
Section 1462A(e) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3310a(e)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 7134. UNIVERSITY RESEARCH. 
Section 1463 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3311) is amended by
H. R. 6124—340 
striking ‘‘2007’’ each place it appears in subsections (a) and (b) 
and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 7135. EXTENSION SERVICE. 
Section 1464 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3312) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 7136. SUPPLEMENTAL AND ALTERNATIVE CROPS. 
Section 1473D(a) of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3319d(a)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 7137. NEW ERA RURAL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM. 
Subtitle K of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3310 et seq.) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1473E. NEW ERA RURAL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE.—In this section, the 
term ‘community college’ means an institution of higher education 
(as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1001))— 
‘‘(1) that admits as regular students individuals who— 
‘‘(A) are beyond the age of compulsory school attend-
ance in the State in which the institution is located; and 
‘‘(B) have the ability to benefit from the training offered 
by the institution; 
‘‘(2) that does not provide an educational program for which 
the institution awards a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent 
degree; and 
‘‘(3) that— 
‘‘(A) provides an educational program of not less than 
2 years that is acceptable for full credit toward such a 
degree; or 
‘‘(B) offers a 2-year program in engineering, technology, 
mathematics, or the physical, chemical, or biological 
sciences, designed to prepare a student to work as a techni-
cian or at the semiprofessional level in engineering, sci-
entific, or other technological fields requiring the under-
standing and application of basic engineering, scientific, 
or mathematical principles of knowledge. 
‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a pro-
gram to be known as the ‘New Era Rural Technology 
Program’, to make grants available for technology develop-
ment, applied research, and training to aid in the develop-
ment of an agriculture-based renewable energy workforce. 
‘‘(B) SUPPORT.—The initiative under this section shall 
support the fields of— 
‘‘(i) bioenergy; 
‘‘(ii) pulp and paper manufacturing; and 
‘‘(iii) agriculture-based renewable energy resources. 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS
FOR
FUNDING.—To receive funding 
under this section, an entity shall— 
‘‘(A) be a community college or advanced technological 
center, located in a rural area and in existence on the
H. R. 6124—341 
date of the enactment of this section, that participates 
in agricultural or bioenergy research and applied research; 
‘‘(B) have a proven record of development and 
implementation of programs to meet the needs of students, 
educators, and business and industry to supply the agri-
culture-based, renewable energy or pulp and paper manu-
facturing fields with certified technicians, as determined 
by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(C) have the ability to leverage existing partnerships 
and occupational outreach and training programs for sec-
ondary schools, 4-year institutions, and relevant nonprofit 
organizations. 
‘‘(c) GRANT PRIORITY.—In providing grants under this section, 
the Secretary shall give preference to eligible entities working in 
partnership— 
‘‘(1) to improve information-sharing capacity; and 
‘‘(2) to maximize the ability to meet the requirements of 
this section. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are 
necessary for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 7138. CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS FOR NLGCA INSTITUTIONS. 
Subtitle K of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3310 et seq.) (as amended 
by section 7137) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1473F. CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS FOR NLGCA INSTITUTIONS. 
‘‘(a) GRANT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make competitive 
grants to NLGCA Institutions to assist the NLGCA Institutions 
in maintaining and expanding the capacity of the NLGCA 
Institutions to conduct education, research, and outreach activi-
ties relating to— 
‘‘(A) agriculture; 
‘‘(B) renewable resources; and 
‘‘(C) other similar disciplines. 
‘‘(2) USE OF FUNDS.—An NLGCA Institution that receives 
a grant under paragraph (1) may use the funds made available 
through the grant to maintain and expand the capacity of 
the NLGCA Institution— 
‘‘(A) to successfully compete for funds from Federal 
grants and other sources to carry out educational, research, 
and outreach activities that address priority concerns of 
national, regional, State, and local interest; 
‘‘(B) to disseminate information relating to priority con-
cerns to— 
‘‘(i) interested members of the agriculture, renew-
able resources, and other relevant communities; 
‘‘(ii) the public; and 
‘‘(iii) any other interested entity; 
‘‘(C) to encourage members of the agriculture, renew-
able resources, and other relevant communities to partici-
pate in priority education, research, and outreach activities 
by providing matching funding to leverage grant funds; 
and 
‘‘(D) through—
H. R. 6124—342 
‘‘(i) the purchase or other acquisition of equipment 
and other infrastructure (not including alteration, 
repair, renovation, or construction of buildings); 
‘‘(ii) the professional growth and development of 
the faculty of the NLGCA Institution; and 
‘‘(iii) the development of graduate assistantships. 
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are 
necessary for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 7139. BORLAUG INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. 
Subtitle K of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3310 et seq.) (as amended 
by section 7138) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1473G. BORLAUG INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a fellow-
ship program, to be known as the ‘Borlaug International Agri-
cultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program,’ to pro-
vide fellowships for scientific training and study in the United 
States to individuals from eligible countries (as described in 
subsection (b)) who specialize in agricultural education, 
research, and extension. 
‘‘(2) PROGRAMS.—The Secretary shall carry out the fellow-
ship program by implementing 3 programs designed to assist 
individual fellowship recipients, including— 
‘‘(A) a graduate studies program in agriculture to assist 
individuals who participate in graduate agricultural degree 
training at a United States institution; 
‘‘(B) an individual career improvement program to 
assist agricultural scientists from developing countries in 
upgrading skills and understanding in agricultural science 
and technology; and 
‘‘(C) a Borlaug agricultural policy executive leadership 
course to assist senior agricultural policy makers from 
eligible countries, with an initial focus on individuals from 
sub-Saharan Africa and the independent states of the 
former Soviet Union. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES.—An eligible country is a developing 
country, as determined by the Secretary using a gross national 
income per capita test selected by the Secretary. 
‘‘(c) PURPOSE OF FELLOWSHIPS.—A fellowship provided under 
this section shall— 
‘‘(1) promote food security and economic growth in eligible 
countries by— 
‘‘(A) educating a new generation of agricultural sci-
entists; 
‘‘(B) increasing scientific knowledge and collaborative 
research to improve agricultural productivity; and 
‘‘(C) extending that knowledge to users and inter-
mediaries in the marketplace; and 
‘‘(2) shall support— 
‘‘(A) training and collaborative research opportunities 
through exchanges for entry level international agricultural