I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6183 
To establish an Office of Colonias and Farmworker Initiatives within the 
Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 2, 2023 
Mr. CUELLAR (for himself, Ms. ESCOBAR, and Ms. CROCKETT) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To establish an Office of Colonias and Farmworker Initia-
tives within the Department of Agriculture, 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 ‘‘Office of Colonias and 
Farmworker Initiatives Establishment Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF COLONIAS AND 
FARMWORKER INITIATIVES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Federal Crop In-
surance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorga-
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nization Act of 1994 is amended by adding after section 
309 (7 U.S.C. 6921) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 310. OFFICE OF COLONIAS AND FARMWORKER INI-
TIATIVES. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish and maintain in the Department an Office of Colonias 
and Farmworker Initiatives (referred to in this subsection 
as the ‘Office’) to— 
‘‘(1) improve engagement with, and service to, 
border colonias communities, farmworkers, and the 
family members and children of farmworkers; 
‘‘(2) improve collaboration between the Depart-
ment and National, State, and local colonias and 
farmworker programs and nonprofit organizations; 
and 
‘‘(3) carry out other such functions as the Sec-
retary determines appropriate. 
‘‘(b) DUTIES.—The Office shall ensure that border 
colonias communities, farmworkers, the family members 
and children of farmworkers, and nonprofit organizations 
representing or assisting such communities and individ-
uals have equitable access to, and equitable participation 
in, programs and services of the Department by— 
‘‘(1) establishing and monitoring the goals and 
objectives of the Department to increase participa-
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tion of such communities, individuals, and nonprofit 
organizations in Department programs; 
‘‘(2) assessing the effectiveness of Department 
outreach programs to such communities, individuals, 
and nonprofit organizations; 
‘‘(3) developing and implementing a plan to co-
ordinate outreach activities and services to such 
communities, individuals, and nonprofit organiza-
tions provided by— 
‘‘(A) the Department; and 
‘‘(B) other Federal agencies, including 
services related to housing, education, health 
care, and infrastructure development; 
‘‘(4) providing input to the Department and 
other Federal agencies on programmatic and policy 
decisions relating to such communities, individuals, 
and nonprofit organizations, including— 
‘‘(A) identifying obstacles for access to 
programs and resources; and 
‘‘(B) elevating Federal, State, and local 
best practices; 
‘‘(5) measuring outcomes of the programs and 
activities of the Department to serve such commu-
nities and individuals; 
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‘‘(6) recommending new initiatives and pro-
grams to the Secretary; 
‘‘(7) providing technical assistance to such or-
ganizations with respect to Departmental programs 
and resources; and 
‘‘(8) carrying out any other related duties that 
the Secretary determines appropriate. 
‘‘(c) COLONIAS COORDINATOR.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish within the Office the position of Colonias Coor-
dinator (referred to in this subsection as the ‘Coor-
dinator’). 
‘‘(2) DUTIES.—The Secretary shall delegate to 
the Coordinator responsibility for the following: 
‘‘(A) Serving as a liaison to nonprofit or-
ganizations that represent and have dem-
onstrated experience serving and working in 
colonias communities. 
‘‘(B) Coordinating with the Department, 
other Federal agencies, and State and local gov-
ernments to ensure that the needs of colonias 
communities are assessed and met, including 
during declared disasters and other emer-
gencies. 
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‘‘(C) Consulting within the Office and with 
other entities to better integrate perspectives, 
concerns, and interest of colonias communities 
into the ongoing programs of the Department. 
‘‘SEC. 311. COLONIAS AND FARMWORKER INITIATIVES CO-
ORDINATING COMMITTEE. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT
OF COMMITTEE.—The Sec-
retary shall establish and convene a Federal coordinating 
committee, to be known as the Colonias and Farmworker 
Initiatives Coordinating Committee (referred to in this 
subsection as the ‘Committee’) to provide advice and guid-
ance to the Secretary on matters relating to colonias and 
farmworker affairs. 
‘‘(b) MEMBERSHIP AND COMPOSITION.—The Com-
mittee shall be composed— 
‘‘(1) of such representatives not described in 
subparagraph (B) as the Secretary determines ap-
propriate; and 
‘‘(2) of representatives from each of the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) The Department of Housing and 
Urban Development. 
‘‘(B) The Department of the Treasury. 
‘‘(C) The Environmental Protection Agen-
cy. 
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‘‘(B) issues raised at the local, regional, or 
national level; and 
‘‘(4) identify and propose solutions to any inter-
departmental barrier between the Department and 
other Federal agencies. 
‘‘(d) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT EXEMP-
TION.—Section 1013 of title V, United States Code, shall 
not apply to the Committee. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
$2,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2024 through 2029 
to carry out this section.’’. 
(b) TRANSFER OF POSITION OF FARMWORKER COOR-
DINATOR.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Farmworker Coordi-
nator position established under section 226B(f) of 
the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act 
of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6934(f)) is transferred to the Of-
fice of Colonias and Farmworker Initiatives under 
section 310 of the Federal Crop Insurance Reform 
and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act 
of 1994, as added by this Act. 
(2) TRANSFER
OF
LEGAL
PROVISIONS.—Sub-
section (f) of section 226B of the Department of Ag-
riculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 
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6934) is transferred so as to read as subsection (d) 
of section 310 of the Federal Crop Insurance Re-
form and Department of Agriculture Reorganization 
Act of 1994, as added by this Act. 
Æ 
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