I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1246 
To amend the Farm Credit Act of 1971 to provide support for facilities 
providing healthcare, education, child care, public safety, and other vital 
services in rural areas. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 12, 2025 
Mrs. FISCHBACH (for herself, Mr. FINSTAD, and Mr. DAVIS of North Caro-
lina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Farm Credit Act of 1971 to provide support 
for facilities providing healthcare, education, child care, 
public safety, and other vital services in rural areas. 
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 ‘‘Investing in Rural 
America Act of 2025’’. 
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SEC. 2. AUTHORITY OF FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSTITU-
TIONS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR 
ESSENTIAL RURAL COMMUNITY FACILITIES 
PROJECTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Farm Credit Act of 1971 is 
amended by inserting after section 4.18A (12 U.S.C. 
2206a) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 4.18. ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY FACILITIES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A Farm Credit Bank, direct 
lender association, or bank for cooperatives chartered 
under this Act may, for the purpose of making available 
capital to develop, build, maintain, improve, or provide re-
lated equipment or other support for essential community 
facilities in rural areas, make and participate in loans and 
commitments, and extend other technical and financial as-
sistance for projects for essential community facilities eli-
gible for financing under section 306(a) of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—Only an entity eligible for financ-
ing under section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act may receive financing or any other 
assistance under subsection (a) of this section. 
‘‘(c) LIMITATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) FINANCING.—A Farm Credit System insti-
tution described in subsection (a) shall not provide 
financing or assistance under this section in an ag-
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gregate amount that exceeds 15 percent of the total 
of all outstanding loans of the institution. 
‘‘(2) OFFER REQUIREMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A Farm Credit Sys-
tem institution shall not provide financing or 
assistance under this section unless the institu-
tion— 
‘‘(i) has offered, under reasonable 
terms and conditions acceptable to the bor-
rower involved, an interest in the financing 
to at least 1 domestic lending institution 
not referred to in subsection (a) other than 
the Department of Agriculture; and 
‘‘(ii) has reported the offer to the 
Farm Credit Administration. 
‘‘(B) 
RURAL
COMMUNITY
BANK
PRI-
ORITY.—In offering an interest in a financing 
to a domestic lending institution described in 
subparagraph (A)(i), the Farm Credit System 
institution shall give priority to community 
banks located in the service area of the essen-
tial community facility being financed. 
‘‘(d) ANNUAL REPORT
TO CONGRESS.—Within 1 
year after the date of the enactment of this section and 
annually thereafter, the Farm Credit Administration shall 
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provide a report to the Committee on Agriculture of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Agri-
culture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate on the ac-
tivities undertaken pursuant to this section by Farm Cred-
it System institutions during the period covered by the re-
port, including through partnerships between such an in-
stitution and other lending institutions, which shall also 
be posted on the website of the Farm Credit Administra-
tion.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2025. 
Æ 
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