I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4162 
To amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to improve 
the Rural Energy for America Program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 24, 2021 
Ms. SPANBERGER (for herself and Mr. VALADAO) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 
of 2002 to improve the Rural Energy for America Pro-
gram, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Rural Energy for 
America Program (REAP) Improvement Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. RURAL ENERGY FOR AMERICA PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 9007 of the Farm Secu-
rity and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
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(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and 
(2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, 
and indenting appropriately; 
(B) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A) (as so redesignated), by striking ‘‘The Sec-
retary’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; 
(C) in paragraph (1) (as so designated), in 
the matter preceding subparagraph (A) (as so 
redesignated), by inserting ‘‘(referred to in this 
section as the ‘Program’)’’ after ‘‘Program’’; 
and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) CLIMATE BENEFITS.—In carrying out the 
Program, the Secretary shall promote the reduction 
of greenhouse gas emissions in projects funded by 
grants and other financial assistance under the Pro-
gram.’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) by redesignating subparagraph 
(E) as subparagraph (G); and 
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(iii) by inserting after subparagraph 
(D) the following: 
‘‘(E) a producer cooperative; 
‘‘(F) 
a 
nongovernmental 
organization; 
and’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) in subparagraph (E), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) in subparagraph (F), by striking 
the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 
and’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(G) the potential of the proposed program 
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide 
other climate benefits.’’; 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)(A)— 
(i) in clause (i), in the matter pre-
ceding subclause (I), by striking ‘‘pro-
ducers’’ and inserting ‘‘producers, producer 
cooperatives, electric cooperatives,’’; and 
(ii) in clause (ii), in the matter pre-
ceding subclause (I), by striking ‘‘pro-
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ducers’’ and inserting ‘‘producers, producer 
cooperatives, and electric cooperatives’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (F), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) by redesignating subparagraph 
(G) as subparagraph (H); and 
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph 
(F) the following: 
‘‘(G) the potential of the renewable energy 
system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and 
result in other climate benefits; and’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ‘‘25 
percent’’ and inserting ‘‘50 percent’’; 
(4) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), and 
(f) as subsections (e), (f), and (i), respectively; 
(5) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(d) STREAMLINED APPLICATION PROCESS.—The 
Office of Rural Development shall develop a streamlined 
application process, including within each tier described 
in subsection (c)(4), under which an entity may apply for 
a grant under subsection (b), financial assistance under 
subsection (c), or both.’’; 
(6) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated)— 
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(A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
‘‘OUTREACH’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘OUTREACH, 
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND EDUCATION’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘that adequate’’ and in-
serting the following: ‘‘that— 
‘‘(1) adequate’’; 
(C) in paragraph (1) (as so designated), by 
striking the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 
and’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) outreach, technical assistance, and edu-
cation is provided to recipients of grants and other 
financial assistance under the Program relating to 
integrating renewable energy projects on land shared 
with crops or livestock.’’; 
(7) by inserting after subsection (f) (as so re-
designated) the following: 
‘‘(g) STUDY.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITION OF DUAL-USE ENERGY SYS-
TEM.—In this subsection, the term ‘dual-use energy 
system’ means a system under which renewable en-
ergy production and agricultural production, includ-
ing crop or animal production, occur together on the 
same piece of land. 
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‘‘(2) STUDY.—The Secretary shall carry out a 
study on dual-use energy systems. 
‘‘(3) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of the Rural Energy for America 
Program (REAP) Improvement Act of 2021, the 
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the 
results of the study carried out under paragraph (2), 
which shall include a recommendation as to whether 
the scope of grants and other financial assistance 
under the Program should be expanded to cover 
projects that generate more energy without signifi-
cantly impacting farm operations or leading to the 
conversion of existing farm land. 
‘‘(h) ENERGY GENERATED.—There shall not be any 
restriction imposed on the quantity of energy that is gen-
erated under a project funded by a grant or other financial 
assistance provided under the Program for the benefit of 
the recipient of the grant or other financial assistance.’’; 
and 
(8) in subsection (i) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A), by striking ‘‘expended—’’ and 
all that follows through the period at the 
end of subparagraph (E) and inserting 
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‘‘expended, $150,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2021 through 2030.’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘Of the funds’’ and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Of the funds’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(B) ADDITIONAL FUNDS.—In addition to 
amounts made available under subparagraph 
(A), there is appropriated to the Secretary to 
carry out this section, out of funds in the 
Treasury 
not 
otherwise 
appropriated, 
$1,000,000,000, to remain available until ex-
pended.’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking 
‘‘paragraph (1)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph 
(1)(A)’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) RESERVE FUND.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—There is established a 
reserve fund for the purpose of providing grants 
and other financial assistance under the Pro-
gram relating to underutilized renewable energy 
technologies. 
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‘‘(B) FUNDS.—For each fiscal year, not 
less than 15 percent of the funds made avail-
able under paragraphs (1)(A) and (3) to carry 
out this section for that fiscal year shall be 
transferred to the reserve fund established by 
subparagraph (A).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 9007 of 
the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 
U.S.C. 8107) is amended by striking ‘‘subsection (f)’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘subsection (i)’’. 
Æ 
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