1214 
† HR 2 EAS 
try clusters, including the upskilling of in-
cumbent workers; 
‘‘(x) ensuring rural communities have 
the capacity and ability to carry out 
projects relating to housing, community fa-
cilities, infrastructure, or community and 
economic development to support regional 
industry cluster growth; 
‘‘(xi) establishing training programs to 
meet the needs of employers in a regional 
industry cluster and prepare workers for 
high-wage jobs; or 
‘‘(xii) any other activities that the Sec-
retary may determine to be appropriate. 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), not more than 10 percent of a grant 
awarded under subsection (b) shall be used for 
indirect costs associated with administering the 
grant. 
‘‘(B) INCREASE.—The Secretary may in-
crease the percentage described in subparagraph 
(A) on a case-by-case basis. 
‘‘(e) ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT AND EVALUATION.— 
Not later than 1 year after receiving a grant under this
1215 
† HR 2 EAS 
section, and annually thereafter for the duration of the 
grant, an eligible entity shall— 
‘‘(1) report to the Secretary on the activities 
funded with the grant; and 
‘‘(2)(A) evaluate the progress that the eligible en-
tity has made toward the strategic objectives identi-
fied in the application for the grant; and 
‘‘(B) measure that progress using performance 
measures during the project period, which may in-
clude— 
‘‘(i) high-wage jobs created; 
‘‘(ii) high-wage jobs retained; 
‘‘(iii) private investment leveraged; 
‘‘(iv) businesses improved; 
‘‘(v) new business formations; 
‘‘(vi) new products or services commer-
cialized; 
‘‘(vii) improvement of the value of existing 
products or services under development; 
‘‘(viii) regional collaboration, as measured 
by such metrics as— 
‘‘(I) the number of organizations ac-
tively engaged in the industry cluster; 
‘‘(II) the number of symposia held by 
the industry cluster, including organiza-
1216 
† HR 2 EAS 
tions that are not located in the immediate 
region defined by the partnership; and 
‘‘(III) the number of further coopera-
tive agreements; 
‘‘(ix) the number of education and training 
activities relating to innovation; 
‘‘(x) the number of jobs relocated from out-
side of the United States to the region; 
‘‘(xi) the amount and number of new equity 
investments in industry cluster firms; 
‘‘(xii) the amount and number of new loans 
to industry cluster firms; 
‘‘(xiii) the dollar increase in exports result-
ing from the project activities; 
‘‘(xiv) the percentage of employees for which 
training was provided; 
‘‘(xv) improvement in sales of participating 
businesses; 
‘‘(xvi) improvement in wages paid at par-
ticipating businesses; 
‘‘(xvii) improvement in income of partici-
pating workers; or 
‘‘(xviii) any other measure the Secretary de-
termines to be appropriate. 
‘‘(f) INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE.—
1217 
† HR 2 EAS 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
an interagency Federal task force to support the net-
work of jobs accelerators by— 
‘‘(A) providing successful applicants with 
available information and technical assistance 
on Federal resources relevant to the project and 
region; 
‘‘(B) establishing a Federal support team 
comprised of staff from participating agencies in 
the task force that shall provide coordinated and 
dedicated support services to jobs accelerators; 
and 
‘‘(C) providing opportunities for the net-
work of jobs accelerators to share best practices 
and further collaborate to achieve the purposes of 
this section. 
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The task force established 
under paragraph (1) shall— 
‘‘(A) be co-chaired by— 
‘‘(i) the Secretary of Commerce (or a 
designee); and 
‘‘(ii) the Secretary (or a designee); and 
‘‘(B) include— 
‘‘(i) the Secretary of Education (or a 
designee);
1218 
† HR 2 EAS 
‘‘(ii) the Secretary of Energy (or a des-
ignee); 
‘‘(iii) the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (or a designee); 
‘‘(iv) the Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development (or a designee); 
‘‘(v) the Secretary of Labor (or a des-
ignee); 
‘‘(vi) the Secretary of Transportation 
(or a designee); 
‘‘(vii) the Secretary of the Treasury (or 
a designee); 
‘‘(viii) the Administrator of the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency (or a des-
ignee); 
‘‘(ix) the Administrator of the Small 
Business Administration (or a designee); 
‘‘(x) the Federal Co-Chair of the Appa-
lachian Regional Commission (or a des-
ignee); 
‘‘(xi) the Federal Co-Chairman of the 
Board of the Delta Regional Authority (or 
a designee);
1219 
† HR 2 EAS 
‘‘(xii) the Federal Co-Chair of the 
Northern Border Regional Commission (or 
a designee); 
‘‘(xiii) national and local organiza-
tions that have relevant programs and in-
terests that could serve the needs of the jobs 
accelerators; 
‘‘(xiv) representatives of State and 
local governments or State and local eco-
nomic development agencies; 
‘‘(xv) representatives of institutions of 
higher education, including land-grant uni-
versities; and 
‘‘(xvi) such other heads of Federal 
agencies and non-Federal partners as deter-
mined appropriate by the co-chairs of the 
task force.’’. 
SEC. 12620. DRYLAND FARMING AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS. 
Section 1672(d) of the Food, Agriculture, Conserva-
tion, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925(d)) (as amend-
ed by section 7209(a)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(15) DRYLAND
FARMING
AGRICULTURAL
SYS-
TEMS.—Research and extension grants may be made 
under this section for the purposes of carrying out or
1220 
† HR 2 EAS 
enhancing research on the utilization of big data for 
more precise management of dryland farming agri-
cultural systems. 
‘‘(16) HOP
PLANT
HEALTH
INITIATIVE.—Re-
search and extension grants may be made under this 
section for the purposes of developing and dissemi-
nating science-based tools and treatments to combat 
diseases of hops caused by the plant pathogens 
Podosphaera 
macularis 
and 
Pseudoperonospora 
humuli.’’. 
SEC. 12621. REMOTE SENSING TECHNOLOGIES. 
The Chief of the Forest Service shall— 
(1) continue to find efficiencies in the operations 
of the forest inventory and analysis program under 
section 3(e) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable 
Resources Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1642(e)) 
through the improved use and integration of advanced 
remote sensing technologies to provide estimates for 
State- and national-level inventories, where appro-
priate; and 
(2) partner with States and other interested 
stakeholders to carry out the program described in 
paragraph (1).
1221 
† HR 2 EAS 
SEC. 12622. BUY AMERICAN REQUIREMENTS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall— 
(1) fully enforce the Buy American provisions 
applicable to domestic food assistance programs ad-
ministered by the Food and Nutrition Service, includ-
ing, for use in those domestic food assistance pro-
grams, the purchase of a fish or fish product that sub-
stantially contains— 
(A) fish (including tuna) harvested with-
in— 
(i) a State; 
(ii) the District of Columbia; or 
(iii) the Exclusive Economic Zone of 
the United States, as described in Presi-
dential Proclamation 5030 (48 Fed. Reg. 
10605; March 10, 1983); or 
(B) tuna harvested by a United States 
flagged vessel; and 
(2) submit to Congress a report on the actions 
the Secretary has taken and plans to take to comply 
with paragraph (1). 
SEC. 12623. ELIGIBILITY FOR OPERATORS ON HEIRS PROP-
ERTY LAND TO OBTAIN A FARM NUMBER. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
1222 
† HR 2 EAS 
(1) ELIGIBLE DOCUMENTATION.—The term ‘‘eli-
gible documentation’’, with respect to land for which 
a farm operator seeks assignment of a farm number 
under subsection (b)(1), includes— 
(A) in States that have adopted a statute 
consisting of an enactment or adoption of the 
Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, as ap-
proved and recommended for enactment in all 
States by the National Conference of Commis-
sioners on Uniform State Laws in 2010— 
(i) a court order verifying the land 
meets the definition of heirs property (as 
defined in that Act); or 
(ii) a certification from the local re-
corder of deeds that the recorded owner of 
the land is deceased and not less than 1 heir 
of the recorded owner of the land has initi-
ated a procedure to retitle the land in the 
name of the rightful heir; 
(B) a fully executed, unrecorded tenancy-in- 
common agreement that sets out ownership rights 
and responsibilities among all of the owners of 
the land that— 
(i) has been approved by a majority of 
the ownership interests in that property;
1223 
† HR 2 EAS 
(ii) has given a particular owner the 
right to manage and control any portion or 
all of the land for purposes of operating a 
farm or ranch; and 
(iii) was validly entered into under the 
authority of the jurisdiction in which the 
land is located; 
(C) the tax return of a farm operator farm-
ing a property with undivided interests for each 
of the 5 years preceding the date on which the 
farm operator submits the tax returns as eligible 
documentation under subsection (b); 
(D) self-certification that the farm operator 
has control of the land for purposes of operating 
a farm or ranch; and 
(E) any other documentation identified by 
the Secretary under subsection (c). 
(2) FARM NUMBER.—The term ‘‘farm number’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 718.2 of 
title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on 
the date of enactment of this Act). 
(b) FARM NUMBER.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
for the assignment of a farm number to any farm op-
erator who provides any form of eligible documenta-
1224 
† HR 2 EAS 
tion for purposes of demonstrating that the farm op-
erator has control of the land for purposes of defining 
that land as a farm. 
(2) ELIGIBILITY.—Any farm number provided 
under paragraph (1) shall be sufficient to satisfy any 
requirement of the Secretary to have a farm number 
to participate in a program of the Secretary. 
(c) ELIGIBLE DOCUMENTATION.—The Secretary shall 
identify alternative forms of eligible documentation that a 
farm operator may provide in seeking the assignment of 
a farm number under subsection (b)(1). 
SEC. 12624. LOANS TO PURCHASERS OF LAND WITH UNDI-
VIDED INTEREST AND NO ADMINISTRATIVE 
AUTHORITY. 
(a) REAUTHORIZATION OF BEGINNING FARMER AND 
RANCHER INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNTS PILOT 
PROGRAM.—Section 333B(h) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1983b(h)) (as amended 
by section 5301) is amended by striking ‘‘2023’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘2024’’. 
(b) PILOT PROGRAM.—Subtitle D of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1981 et seq.) 
is amended by inserting after section 333D the following:
1225 
† HR 2 EAS 
‘‘SEC. 333E. FARMER LOAN PILOT PROJECTS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may conduct pilot 
projects of limited scope and duration that are consistent 
with subtitles A, B, C, and this subtitle to evaluate processes 
and techniques that may improve the efficiency and effec-
tiveness of the programs carried out under subtitles A, B, 
C, and this subtitle. 
‘‘(b) NOTIFICATION.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) not less than 60 days before the date on 
which the Secretary initiates a pilot project under 
subsection (a), submit notice of the proposed pilot 
project to the Committee on Agriculture of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate; and 
‘‘(2) consider any recommendations or feedback 
provided to the Secretary in response to the notice 
provided under paragraph (1).’’. 
(c) RELENDING PROGRAM.—Subtitle A of title III of 
the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 
U.S.C. 1922 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘SEC. 310I. RELENDING PROGRAM TO RESOLVE OWNERSHIP 
AND SUCCESSION ON FARMLAND. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make or guar-
antee loans to eligible entities described in subsection (b) 
using amounts made available for farm ownership loans
1226 
† HR 2 EAS 
under this subtitle so that the eligible entities may relend 
the funds to individuals and entities for the purposes de-
scribed in subsection (c). 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—Entities eligible for loans 
and loan guarantees described in subsection (a) are co-
operatives, credit unions, and nonprofit organizations 
with— 
‘‘(1) certification under section 1805.201 of title 
12, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regula-
tions) to operate as a lender; 
‘‘(2) experience assisting socially disadvantaged 
farmers and ranchers (as defined in section 2501(a) 
of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act 
of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(a))) or limited resource or 
new and beginning farmers and ranchers, rural busi-
nesses, cooperatives, or credit unions, including expe-
rience in making and servicing agricultural and com-
mercial loans; and 
‘‘(3) the ability to provide adequate assurance of 
the repayment of a loan. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE PURPOSES.—The proceeds from loans 
made or guaranteed by the Secretary pursuant to subsection 
(a) shall be relent by eligible entities for projects that assist 
heirs with undivided ownership interests to resolve owner-
ship and succession on farmland that has multiple owners.
1227 
† HR 2 EAS 
‘‘(d) PREFERENCE.—In making loans under sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall give preference to eligible 
entities— 
‘‘(1) with not less than 10 years of experience 
serving socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers; 
and 
‘‘(2) in States that have adopted a statute con-
sisting of an enactment or adoption of the Uniform 
Partition of Heirs Property Act, as approved and rec-
ommended for enactment in all States by the Na-
tional Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State 
Laws in 2010, that relend to owners of heirs property 
(as defined in that Act). 
‘‘(e) LOAN TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—The following 
terms and conditions shall apply to loans made or guaran-
teed under this section: 
‘‘(1) The interest rate at which intermediaries 
may borrow funds under this section shall be equal to 
the rate at which farm ownership loans under this 
subtitle are made. 
‘‘(2) The rates, terms, and payment structure for 
borrowers to which intermediaries lend shall be— 
‘‘(A) determined by the intermediary in an 
amount sufficient to cover the cost of operating 
and sustaining the revolving loan fund; and
1228 
† HR 2 EAS 
‘‘(B) clearly and publicly disclosed to quali-
fied ultimate borrowers. 
‘‘(3) Borrowers to which intermediaries lend 
shall be— 
‘‘(A) required to complete a succession plan 
as a condition of the loan; and 
‘‘(B) be offered the opportunity to borrow 
sufficient funds to cover costs associated with the 
succession plan under subparagraph (A) and 
other associated legal and closing costs. 
‘‘(f) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 
of the Senate a report describing the operation and out-
comes of the program under this section, with recommenda-
tions on how to strengthen the program. 
‘‘(g) FUNDING.—The Secretary shall carry out this sec-
tion using funds otherwise made available to the Sec-
retary.’’. 
SEC. 12625. FARMLAND OWNERSHIP DATA COLLECTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall collect and, not 
less frequently than once every 5 years report, data and 
analysis on farmland ownership, tenure, transition, and 
entry of beginning farmers and ranchers (as defined in sec-
1229 
† HR 2 EAS 
tion 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a))) and socially disadvantaged 
farmers and ranchers (as defined in section 2501(a) of the 
Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 
U.S.C. 2279(a))). 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall, at a minimum— 
(1) collect and distribute comprehensive report-
ing of trends in farmland ownership, tenure, transi-
tion, barriers to entry, profitability, and viability of 
beginning farmers and ranchers and socially dis-
advantaged farmers and ranchers; 
(2) develop surveys and report statistical and 
economic analysis on farmland ownership, tenure, 
transition, barriers to entry, profitability, and viabil-
ity of beginning farmers and ranchers, including a 
regular follow-on survey to each Census of Agriculture 
with results of the follow-on survey made public not 
later than 3 years after the previous Census of Agri-
culture; and 
(3) require the National Agricultural Statistics 
Service— 
(A) to include in the Tenure, Ownership, 
and Transition of Agricultural Land survey 
questions relating to—
1230 
† HR 2 EAS 
(i) the extent to which non-farming 
landowners are purchasing and holding 
onto farmland for the sole purpose of real 
estate investment; 
(ii) the impact of these farmland own-
ership trends on the successful entry and vi-
ability of beginning farmers and ranchers 
and socially disadvantaged farmers and 
ranchers; 
(iii) the extent to which farm and 
ranch land with undivided interests and no 
administrative authority identified have 
farms or ranches operating on that land; 
and 
(iv) the impact of land tenure patterns, 
categorized by— 
(I) race, gender, and ethnicity; 
and 
(II) region; and 
(B) to include in the report of each Tenure, 
Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land 
survey the results of the questions under sub-
paragraph (A).
1231 
† HR 2 EAS 
SEC. 12626. RURAL BUSINESS INVESTMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 384A of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in the paragraph heading, by striking 
‘‘VENTURE’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘venture’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(4) EQUITY CAPITAL.—The term ‘equity cap-
ital’ means— 
‘‘(A) common or preferred stock or a similar 
instrument, including subordinated debt with eq-
uity features; and 
‘‘(B) any other type of equity-like financing 
that might be necessary to facilitate the purposes 
of this Act, excluding financing such as senior 
debt or other types of financing that competes 
with routine loanmaking of commercial lend-
ers.’’. 
(b) PURPOSES.—Section 384B of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–1) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘venture’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)—
1232 
† HR 2 EAS 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), by striking ‘‘venture’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘ven-
ture’’. 
(c) SELECTION
OF RURAL BUSINESS INVESTMENT 
COMPANIES.—Section 384D(b)(1) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–3(b)(1)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘developmental venture’’ and inserting 
‘‘developmental’’. 
(d) FEES.—Section 384G of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–6) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsections (a) and (b), by striking ‘‘a fee 
that does not exceed $500’’ each place it appears and 
inserting ‘‘such fees as the Secretary considers appro-
priate, so long as those fees are proportionally equal 
for each rural business investment company,’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)(2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘sole-
ly to cover the costs of licensing examinations’’ 
and inserting ‘‘as the Secretary considers appro-
priate’’; and 
(B) by striking subparagraph (C) and in-
serting the following:
1233 
† HR 2 EAS 
‘‘(C) shall be in such amounts as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate.’’. 
(e) LIMITATION
ON RURAL BUSINESS INVESTMENT 
COMPANIES CONTROLLED BY FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSTI-
TUTIONS.—Section 384J(c) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–9(c)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘25’’ and inserting ‘‘50’’. 
(f) FLEXIBILITY ON SOURCES OF INVESTMENT OR CAP-
ITAL.—Section 384J(a) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009cc–9(a)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 
subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and indent-
ing appropriately; 
(2) by striking the subsection designation and 
heading and all that follows through ‘‘Except as’’ in 
the matter preceding subparagraph (A) (as so redesig-
nated) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) INVESTMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION ON REQUIREMENTS.—The Sec-
retary may not require that an entity described in 
paragraph (1) provide investment or capital that is 
not required of other companies eligible to apply to
1234 
† HR 2 EAS 
operate as a rural business investment company 
under section 384D(a).’’. 
SEC. 12627. NATIONAL OILHEAT RESEARCH ALLIANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 713 of the National Oilheat 
Research Alliance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 6201 note; Public 
Law 106–469) is repealed. 
(b) LIMITATIONS ON OBLIGATIONS OF FUNDS.—The 
National Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 
6201 note; Public Law 106–469) is amended by inserting 
after section 707 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 708. LIMITATIONS ON OBLIGATION OF FUNDS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In each fiscal year of the covered 
period, the Alliance may not obligate an amount greater 
than the sum of— 
‘‘(1) 75 percent of the amount of assessments es-
timated to be collected under section 707 in that fiscal 
year; 
‘‘(2) 75 percent of the amount of assessments ac-
tually collected under section 707 in the most recent 
fiscal year for which an audit report has been sub-
mitted under section 706(f)(2)(B) as of the beginning 
of the fiscal year for which the amount that may be 
obligated is being determined, less the estimate made 
pursuant to paragraph (1) for that most recent fiscal 
year; and
1235 
† HR 2 EAS 
‘‘(3) amounts permitted in preceding fiscal years 
to be obligated pursuant to this subsection that have 
not been obligated. 
‘‘(b) EXCESS AMOUNTS DEPOSITED IN ESCROW AC-
COUNT.—Assessments collected under section 707 in excess 
of the amount permitted to be obligated under subsection 
(a) in a fiscal year shall be deposited in an escrow account 
for the duration of the covered period. 
‘‘(c) TREATMENT
OF
AMOUNTS
IN
ESCROW
AC-
COUNT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—During the covered period, 
the Alliance may not obligate, expend, or borrow 
against amounts required under subsection (b) to be 
deposited in the escrow account. 
‘‘(2) 
INTEREST.—Any 
interest 
earned 
on 
amounts described in paragraph (1) shall be— 
‘‘(A) deposited in the escrow account; and 
‘‘(B) unavailable for obligation for the du-
ration of the covered period. 
‘‘(d) RELEASE OF AMOUNTS IN ESCROW ACCOUNT.— 
After the expiration of the covered period, the Alliance may 
withdraw and obligate in any fiscal year an amount in 
the escrow account that does not exceed 1⁄5 of the amount 
in the escrow account on the last day of the covered period.
1236 
† HR 2 EAS 
‘‘(e) SPECIAL RULE FOR ESTIMATES FOR PARTICULAR 
FISCAL YEARS.— 
‘‘(1) RULE.—For purposes of subsection (a)(1), 
the amount of assessments estimated to be collected 
under section 707 in a fiscal year described in para-
graph (2) shall be equal to 62 percent of the amount 
of assessments actually collected under that section in 
the most recent fiscal year for which an audit report 
has been submitted under section 706(f)(2)(B) as of 
the beginning of the fiscal year for which the amount 
that may be obligated is being determined. 
‘‘(2) FISCAL
YEARS
DESCRIBED.—The fiscal 
years referred to in paragraph (1) are the 9th and 
10th fiscal years that begin on or after the date of en-
actment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. 
‘‘(f) COVERED PERIOD DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘covered period’ means the period that begins on the 
date of enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 
2018 and ends on the last day of the 11th fiscal year that 
begins on or after that date of enactment.’’.
1237 
† HR 2 EAS 
SEC. 12628. REAUTHORIZATION OF RURAL EMERGENCY 
MEDICAL SERVICES TRAINING AND EQUIP-
MENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs Act of 
2018’’ or the ‘‘SIREN Act of 2018’’. 
(b) AMENDMENTS.—Section 330J of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–15) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘in rural 
areas’’ and inserting ‘‘in rural areas or to residents 
of rural areas’’; 
(2) by striking subsections (b) through (f) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY; APPLICATION.—To be eligible to re-
ceive grant under this section, an entity shall— 
‘‘(1) be— 
‘‘(A) an emergency medical services agency 
operated by a local or tribal government (includ-
ing fire-based and non-fire based); or 
‘‘(B) an emergency medical services agency 
that is described in section 501(c) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax 
under section 501(a) of such Code; and 
‘‘(2) submit an application to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the Secretary may require.
1238 
† HR 2 EAS 
‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—An entity— 
‘‘(1) shall use amounts received through a grant 
under subsection (a) to— 
‘‘(A) train emergency medical services per-
sonnel as appropriate to obtain and maintain li-
censes and certifications relevant to service in an 
emergency medical services agency described in 
subsection (b)(1); 
‘‘(B) conduct courses that qualify graduates 
to serve in an emergency medical services agency 
described in subsection (b)(1) in accordance with 
State and local requirements; 
‘‘(C) fund specific training to meet Federal 
or State licensing or certification requirements; 
and 
‘‘(D) acquire emergency medical services 
equipment; and 
‘‘(2) may use amounts received through a grant 
under subsection (a) to— 
‘‘(A) recruit and retain emergency medical 
services personnel, which may include volunteer 
personnel; 
‘‘(B) develop new ways to educate emer-
gency health care providers through the use of 
technology-enhanced educational methods; or
1239 
† HR 2 EAS 
‘‘(C) acquire personal protective equipment 
for emergency medical services personnel as re-
quired by the Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration. 
‘‘(d) GRANT AMOUNTS.—Each grant awarded under 
this section shall be in an amount not to exceed $200,000. 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘emergency medical services’— 
‘‘(A) means resources used by a public or 
private nonprofit licensed entity to deliver med-
ical care outside of a medical facility under 
emergency conditions that occur as a result of 
the condition of the patient; and 
‘‘(B) includes services delivered (either on a 
compensated or volunteer basis) by an emergency 
medical services provider or other provider that 
is licensed or certified by the State involved as 
an emergency medical technician, a paramedic, 
or an equivalent professional (as determined by 
the State). 
‘‘(2) The term ‘rural area’ means— 
‘‘(A) a nonmetropolitan statistical area; 
‘‘(B) an area designated as a rural area by 
any law or regulation of a State; or
1240 
† HR 2 EAS 
‘‘(C) a rural census tract of a metropolitan 
statistical area (as determined under the most 
recent rural urban commuting area code as set 
forth by the Office of Management and Budget). 
‘‘(f) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary may 
not award a grant under this section to an entity unless 
the entity agrees that the entity will make available (di-
rectly 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 25 
percent of the amount received under the grant.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (g)(1), by striking ‘‘2002 
through 2006’’ and inserting ‘‘2019 through 2023’’. 
Attest: 
Secretary.