ceeding, for damages based on any claim of discrimination 
by the Department on the basis of gender in the issuance 
or review of an application for a farm loan, farm loan serv-
icing, or a disaster loan during the claims period. 
(i) AWARD EXEMPT FROM FEDERAL TAXATION.— 
An award under this section shall be exempt from taxation 
under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. 
(j) REPORTS TO THE CONGRESS.—On each anniver-
sary of the date of the enactment of this Act, the Special 
Master shall submit to the Committees on Agriculture and 
on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and 
on Appropriations of the Senate a report (with a copy to 
the Department) regarding— 
(1) the number of claims made under this sec-
tion; 
(2) the number of the claims that have been ad-
judicated under this section; and 
(3) the total of the amounts awarded under this 
section. 
(k) APPROPRIATION.—Out of any funds in the Treas-
ury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there 
are appropriated $4,500,000,000, without fiscal year limi-
tation, for payment by the Special Master to carry out 
this section. 
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(l) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) DAMAGES.—The term ‘‘damages’’ includes 
economic loss. 
(2) SPECIAL MASTER.—The term ‘‘Special Mas-
ter’’ means the Special Master appointed under sub-
section (c)(1)(A)(i). 
SEC. 3. REMEDIAL MEASURES. 
(a) LIMITATION ON FORECLOSURES.—During the 3- 
year period that begins with the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary may not initiate foreclosure on 
collateral or secured property, assist any creditor or any 
State in connection with a foreclosure on collateral or se-
cured property, or expend any money relating to fore-
closure or sale of collateral or secured property, of an eligi-
ble claimaint. 
(b) PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS FOR FARM LOAN, 
FARM LOAN SERVICING, OR DISASTER BENEFIT.— 
(1) ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATIONS.—The Sec-
retary shall approve an application for a farm loan, 
farm loan servicing, or a disaster benefit submitted 
by an eligible claimant in the 3-year period that be-
gins with the date of the enactment of this Act, un-
less the Secretary establishes, by clear and con-
vincing evidence, that the eligible claimaint does not 
satisfy the published, objective eligibility criteria for 
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the farm loan, farm loan servicing, or disaster loan, 
as the case may be. 
(2) DEADLINE TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF REA-
SONS FOR DENIAL; EFFECT OF FAILURE COMPLY 
WITH DEADLINE.—Within 30 days after the Sec-
retary denies an application submitted pursuant to 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide the appli-
cant with the documentation on the basis of which 
the application was denied. If the Secretary fails to 
comply with the preceding sentence, the application 
is deemed approved. 
(3) OPPORTUNITY OF APPLICANT TO SUBMIT 
ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENTATION.—Within 20 days 
after the Secretary complies with the 1st sentence of 
paragraph (2), the applicant may provide the Sec-
retary with additional information in support of the 
application. 
(4) RECONSIDERATION
OF
APPLICATION.— 
Within 20 days after the earlier of the date the Sec-
retary receives the additional information, the Sec-
retary shall reconsider the application on the basis 
of the additional information. 
(5) ACTION ON RECONSIDERED APPLICATION.— 
The Secretary shall approve an application sub-
mitted pursuant to paragraph (1) with respect to 
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which the applicant has provided additional informa-
tion, unless the Secretary concludes by clear and 
convincing evidence that the applicant is ineligible 
for the farm loan, farm servicing, or disaster loan 
involved, based on the published, objective eligibility 
criteria for the farm loan, farm servicing, or disaster 
loan, as the case may be. 
(6) NOTICE OF DENIAL OF RECONSIDERED AP-
PLICATION.—Within 30 days after an application is 
denied pursuant to paragraph (5), the Secretary 
shall provide the applicant with written notice of the 
denial, including the specific reason for the denial. 
(c) OTHER REMEDIAL MEASURES.—The Secretary 
shall— 
(1) install and maintain recordkeeping systems 
that document each contact between a farmer and 
the Department; 
(2) establish community-based outreach pro-
grams to assist socially disadvantaged farmers in ap-
plying for farm loan and farm loan servicing pro-
grams; 
(3) implement an effective method to achieve 
transparency in the administration of the loan and 
loan servicing programs of the Department to facili-
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tate evaluation of whether the fundamental reforms 
are expeditiously and effectively implemented; and 
(4) establish an efficient and effective system 
for processing discrimination complaints of socially 
disadvantaged farmers. 
(d) REPORT
ON IMPLEMENTATION
OF REMEDIAL 
MEASURES.—Within 6 months after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Con-
gress a report on the status of implementation of the re-
medial measures described in subsections (b) and (c). 
SEC. 4. GAO AUDIT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General shall 
conduct an audit of the administration of farm loan and 
benefit programs by the Farm Service Agency, to— 
(1) identify data that must be collected to de-
termine whether the Department is providing equal 
access to all programs; 
(2) determine whether the technology used by 
the Department is adequate to collect and store the 
data, and— 
(A) if the technology is adequate for such 
purpose, shall determine the reasons why the 
technology is not being used properly; or 
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