418 
‘‘SEC. 368. CRITERIA TO BE APPLIED IN CONSIDERING AP-
PLICATIONS 
FOR 
RURAL 
DEVELOPMENT 
PROJECTS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall review the in-
come demographics, population, seasonal increases, and 
other factors as determined by the Secretary, of eligible com-
munities for each program authorized or modified by, or 
funded pursuant to, an amendment made by title VI of the 
Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 or section 306, 
306A, 306C, 306D, 306E, 310(c), 310(e), 310B(b), 310B(c), 
310B(e), or 379B, or subtitle F, G, H, or I of this Act, 
and which proposes to serve a rural area (as defined by 
the applicable law). 
‘‘(b) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall issue regula-
tions to establish the applicable limitations that a rural 
area cannot exceed in order to remain eligible for a pro-
gram referred to in subsection (a).’’. 
SEC. 6015. NATIONAL SHEEP INDUSTRY IMPROVEMENT 
CENTER. 
(a) FUNDING.—Section 375(e)(6) of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2008j(e)(6)) 
is amended by striking paragraphs (B) and (C) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(B) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Secretary to carry out this section 
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$10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 
through 2012.’’. 
(b) ELIMINATION
OF REQUIREMENT
TO PRIVATIZE 
REVOLVING FUND.— Section 375 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 
2008j) is amended by striking subsection (j). 
SEC. 6016. NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP. 
Section 378(g)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2008m(g)(1)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2003 through 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 through 
2012’’. 
SEC. 6017. HISTORIC BARN PRESERVATION. 
(a) GRANT PRIORITY.—Section 379A(c) of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
2008o(c)) is amended by redesignating paragraphs (3) and 
(4) as paragraphs (4) and (5) and inserting after para-
graph (2) the following: 
‘‘(3) PRIORITY.—In making grants under this 
subsection, the Secretary shall give the highest pri-
ority to funding projects described in paragraph 
(2)(C).’’. 
(b) LIMITATIONS ON AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—Section 379A(c)(5) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 
2008o(c)(5)), as so redesignated by subsection (a) of this 
section, is amended by striking ‘‘2002 through 2007’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’. 
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SEC. 6018. GRANTS FOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO TRANSMIT-
TERS. 
Section 379B(d) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2008p(d)) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘2002 through 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 through 
2012’’. 
SEC. 6019. DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
382M(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 2009aa-12(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘2001 
through 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’. 
(b) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—Section 382N of 
such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009aa-13) is amended by striking 
‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 6020. NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS REGIONAL AUTHOR-
ITY. 
(a) FEDERAL
SHARE
OF
ADMINISTRATIVE
EX-
PENSES.—Section 383B(g)(1) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb-1(g)(1)) is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘2002’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2007’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘2003’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2008’’; and 
(3) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘2004’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2009’’. 
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(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Section 383B(d)(6)(A) 
of such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb-1(d)(6)(A)) is amended by in-
serting ‘‘and resource conservation’’ after ‘‘development’’. 
(c) ELIMINATION OF PRIORITIZATION RANKING OF AC-
TIVITIES TO BE FUNDED.—Section 383C(b)(2) of such Act 
(7 U.S.C. 2009bb-2(b)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘activi-
ties in the following order of priority’’ and inserting ‘‘fol-
lowing activities’’. 
(d) ELIMINATION OF ISOLATED AREA OF DISTRESS 
DESIGNATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 383F(a) of such Act 
(7 U.S.C. 2009bb-5(a)) is amended— 
(A) by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end of para-
graph (1); 
(B) by striking ‘‘; and’’ at the end of para-
graph (2) and inserting a period; and 
(C) by striking paragraph (3). 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.—Section 
383F(b) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb-5(b)) is amend-
ed— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and iso-
lated areas of distress’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘or iso-
lated areas of distress’’. 
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(e) REDUCTION OF MINIMUM FUNDS ALLOCATION FOR 
DISTRESSED COUNTIES.—Section 383F(b)(1) of such Act 
(7 U.S.C. 2009bb-5(b)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘75’’ and 
inserting ‘‘50’’. 
(f) ELIMINATION
OF PROHIBITION
ON PROVIDING 
FUNDS TO NONDISTRESSED COUNTIES.—Section 383F of 
such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb-5) is amended by striking sub-
section (c) and redesignating subsection (d) as subsection 
(c). 
(g) INCLUSION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY AMONG OB-
JECTS OF MINIMUM FUNDS ALLOCATION.—Section 383F(c) 
of such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb-5(c)), as so redesignated by 
subsection (a) of this section, is amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading, by inserting ‘‘RE-
NEWABLE ENERGY,’’ after ‘‘TELECOMMUNICATION,’’; 
and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘renewable energy,’’ after ‘‘tele-
communication’’. 
(h) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
383M(a) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb-12(a)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2002 through 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 
through 2012’’. 
(i) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—Section 383N of 
such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb-13) is amended by striking 
‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
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423 
SEC. 6021. RURAL STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) LIMITATIONS ON AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—Section 385E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009dd-4) is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 385E. LIMITATIONS ON AUTHORIZATION OF APPRO-
PRIATIONS. 
‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary to carry out this subtitle not more than $25,000,000 
for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.’’. 
(b) PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION OF RURAL HER-
ITAGE.— 
(1) DEFINITION.—Section 385B of such Act (7 
U.S.C. 2009dd-1) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(12) RURAL HERITAGE.—The term ‘rural herit-
age’ means historic sites, structures, and districts 
which may include rural downtown areas and main 
streets, neighborhoods, farmsteads, scenic and historic 
trails, and heritage areas and historic landscapes.’’. 
(2) RURAL
STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT
PLANNING 
GRANTS.—Section 385F(b) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 
2009dd-5(b)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of para-
graph (6); and 
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(B) by redesignating paragraph (7) as 
paragraph (8) and inserting after paragraph (6) 
the following: 
‘‘(7) preservation and promotion of rural herit-
age; and’’. 
(3) INNOVATION
GRANTS.—Section 385G(d) of 
such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009dd-6(d)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of para-
graph (6); and 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (7) as 
paragraph (8) and inserting after paragraph (6) 
the following: 
‘‘(7) demonstrate a plan to protect and promote 
rural heritage; and’’. 
SEC. 6022. EXPANSION OF 911 ACCESS. 
Section 315(b) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 
(7 U.S.C. 904e(b)) is amended by striking ‘‘2002 through 
2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 through 2012’’. 
SEC. 6023. ACCESS TO BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 601(b) of the Rural Elec-
trification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb(b)) is amended by 
striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following: 
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‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE RURAL COMMUNITY.—The term 
‘eligible rural community’ means any area of the 
United States that is not— 
‘‘(A) included within the boundaries of any 
city, town, borough, or village, whether incor-
porated or unincorporated, with a population of 
more than 20,000 inhabitants; or 
‘‘(B) the urbanized area contiguous and ad-
jacent to such a city or town.’’. 
(b) PRIORITIZATION OF APPLICATIONS.— 
(1) DEFINITION.—Section 601(b) of such Act (7 
U.S.C. 950bb(b)), as amended by subsection (a) of 
this section, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) INCUMBENT SERVICE PROVIDER.—The term 
‘incumbent service provider’ means, with respect to 
an application submitted pursuant to this section, an 
entity that is providing broadband service to at least 
5 percent of the households in the service area pro-
posed in the application.’’. 
(2) PRIORITY BASED ON NUMBER OF INCUMBENT 
SERVICE PROVIDERS.—Section 601(c) of such Act (7 
U.S.C. 950bb(c)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
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‘‘(3) APPLICATIONS
PRIORITIZED
BASED
ON 
NUMBER OF INCUMBENT SERVICE PROVIDERS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In making or guaran-
teeing loans under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall give priority, in the following order, to ap-
plications from eligible rural communities that 
have— 
‘‘(i) no incumbent service provider; 
‘‘(ii) 1 incumbent services provider; or 
‘‘(iii) 2 incumbent service providers 
who, together, serve not more than 25 per-
cent of the households in the service area 
proposed in the application. 
‘‘(B) PROHIBITIONS.—In carrying out this 
section, the Secretary may not— 
‘‘(i) make a loan to an eligible commu-
nity in which there are 3 or more incum-
bent service providers, unless— 
‘‘(I) the loan is to an incumbent 
service provider of the community; 
‘‘(II) the other providers in that 
community are notified of the applica-
tion before approval by the Secretary, 
and have sufficient time to comment 
on the application; and 
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‘‘(III) the application includes 
substantially increasing— 
‘‘(aa) 
the 
quality 
of 
broadband service in the commu-
nity; and 
‘‘(bb) 
the 
provision 
of 
broadband service to unserved 
households inside and outside the 
community; or 
‘‘(ii) make a loan for new construction 
to any community in which more than 75 
percent of the households may obtain afford-
able broadband service, on request, from at 
least 1 incumbent service provider.’’. 
(c) PAPERWORK REDUCTION.—Section 601(c) of such 
Act (7 U.S.C. 950bb(c)), as amended by subsection (b)(2) 
of this section, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) PAPERWORK
REDUCTION.—The Secretary 
shall take steps to reduce the cost and paperwork asso-
ciated with applying for a loan or loan guarantee 
under this section by first-time applicants, particu-
larly those who are smaller and start-up Internet pro-
viders, including by providing for a new application 
which shall maintain the ability of the Secretary to 
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make an analysis of the risk associated with the loan 
involved.’’. 
(d) INCREASE IN MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBER 
LINES THAT MAY BE SERVED BY AN ELIGIBLE ENTITY.— 
Section 601(d)(3) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 950bb(d)(3)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘2’’ and inserting ‘‘10’’. 
(e) LIMITATION ON FUNDS TO ENTITIES WITH MORE 
THAN 2 PERCENT OF SUBSCRIBER LINES.—Section 601(d) 
of such Act (7 U.S.C. 950bb(d)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(4) LIMITATION ON FUNDS TO ENTITIES WITH 
MORE THAN 2 PERCENT OF SUBSCRIBER LINES.—Not 
more than 25 percent of the loans made under this 
section in a single fiscal year may be approved for 
entities that serve more than 2 percent of the tele-
phone subscriber lines in the United States.’’. 
(f) LOAN TERM NOT TO EXCEED 35 YEARS.—Section 
601(g)(2) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 950bb(g)(2)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘not to exceed the useful life of the assets con-
structed, improved, or acquired with the proceeds of the loan 
or extension of credit.’’ and inserting ‘‘of such length, not 
exceeding 35 years, as the borrower may request, so long 
as the Secretary determines that the loan is adequately se-
cured. In determining the term of a loan or loan guarantee, 
the Secretary shall consider whether the recipient is or 
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would be serving an area that is not receiving broadband 
services.’’ 
(g) ADEQUACY OF SECURITY.—Section 601 of such Act 
(7 U.S.C. 950bb) is amended by redesignating subsections 
(h) through (k) as subsections (i) through (l), respectively, 
and inserting after subsection (g) the following: 
‘‘(h) ADEQUACY OF SECURITY.—The Secretary shall 
ensure that the type, amount, and method of security used 
to secure any loan or loan guarantee provided under this 
section is commensurate to the risk involved with the loan 
or loan guarantee, particularly when the loan or loan guar-
antee is issued to a financially healthy, strong, and stable 
entity. In determining the amount and method of security, 
the Secretary shall consider reducing the security in areas 
that do not have broadband service.’’. 
(h) GENERAL REPORT ON PROGRAM.—Section 601 of 
such Act (7 U.S.C. 950bb), as amended by subsection (g) 
of this section, is amended by redesignating subsections (k) 
and (l) as subsections (l) and (m), respectively, and insert-
ing after subsection (j) the following: 
‘‘(k) GENERAL PROGRAM REPORT.—Not later than 
December 1 of each year, the Secretary shall prepare and 
submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutri-
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tion, and Forestry of the Senate a report that details for 
the preceding fiscal year— 
‘‘(1) the loans made under this section; 
‘‘(2) the communities served under this section; 
‘‘(3) the speed of the broadband service offered by 
applicants for, and recipients of, loans or loan guar-
antees under this section; 
‘‘(4) the type of services offered by the applicants 
and recipients; 
‘‘(5) the length of time to approve applications 
submitted pursuant to this section; and 
‘‘(6) the outreach efforts undertaken by the De-
partment of Agriculture to encourage persons in areas 
without broadband service to submit applications 
pursuant to this section.’’. 
(i) NATIONAL CENTER FOR RURAL TELECOMMUNI-
CATIONS ASSESSMENT.—Section 601 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 
950bb), as amended by subsections (g) and (h) of this sec-
tion, is amended by redesignating subsections (l) and (m) 
as subsections (m) and (n), respectively, and inserting after 
subsection (k) the following: 
‘‘(l) NATIONAL CENTER FOR RURAL TELECOMMUNI-
CATIONS ASSESSMENT.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
CENTER.—The Sec-
retary shall designate a National Center for Rural 
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Telecommunications Assessment (in this subsection re-
ferred to as the ‘Center’). 
‘‘(2) CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall use the fol-
lowing criteria in making the designation: 
‘‘(A) The Center must be an entity with a 
focus on rural policy research and a minimum 
of 5 years experience in rural telecommuni-
cations research and assessment. 
‘‘(B) The Center must be capable of assess-
ing broadband services in rural areas. 
‘‘(C) The Center must have significant expe-
rience with other rural economic development 
centers and organizations in the assessment of 
rural policies and formulation of policy solutions 
at the local, State, and Federal level. 
‘‘(3) BOARD.—The management of the Center 
shall be vested in a board of directors that is capable 
of oversight of the duties set forth in paragraph (4). 
‘‘(4) DUTIES.—The Center shall— 
‘‘(A) assess the effectiveness of programs 
provided under subsection (b) in increasing 
broadband penetration and purchase in rural 
areas, especially in those rural communities 
identified by the Secretary as having no service 
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before award of a broadband loan or loan guar-
antee under subsection (b); 
‘‘(B) develop assessments of broadband 
availability in rural areas, working with exist-
ing rural development centers selected by the 
Center; 
‘‘(C) identify policies and initiatives at the 
local, State and Federal level that have increased 
broadband penetration and purchase in rural 
areas; 
‘‘(D) conduct a national study of rural 
households and businesses focusing on the adop-
tion of, barriers to, and utilization of broadband 
services; and 
‘‘(E) provide reports to the public on the ac-
tivities undertaken under this section. 
‘‘(5) REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS.—The Center 
shall report by December 1 of each year to the Sec-
retary its activities, the results of its research, and 
any such information the Secretary may request re-
garding the prior fiscal year. In reporting to the Sec-
retary the Center shall include the following: 
‘‘(A) Assessments of the programs provided 
under subsection (b). 
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‘‘(B) Annual assessments on broadband 
availability in rural areas under consideration 
by the Center. 
‘‘(C) Annual assessments on the effects of 
the policy initiatives identified in paragraph 
(2)(C). 
‘‘(D) Results from the national study of 
rural households and businesses conducted under 
paragraph (4)(D). 
‘‘(6) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary to carry out this subsection not more than 
$1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 
2012.’’. 
(j) FUNDING.—Section 601(m) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 
950bb(l)) as so redesignated by subsections (g) through (i) 
of this section, is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (1); 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) 
as paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively; 
(3) in paragraph (1)(B) (as so redesignated), by 
striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’; 
(4) in paragraph (2) (as so redesignated), by 
striking ‘‘2003 through 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2008 
through 2012’’; and 
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(5) in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated), by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(D) ELIGIBLE TRIBAL COMMUNITIES.—Of 
the amounts made available under subparagraph 
(A) for a fiscal year, 10 percent shall be reserved 
for entities serving eligible tribal communities. 
‘‘(E) 
UNOBLIGATED
AMOUNTS.—Any 
amounts in the reserve established for eligible 
tribal communities for a fiscal year under sub-
paragraph (D) that are not obligated by June 30 
of the fiscal year shall be available to the Sec-
retary to make loans and loan guarantees under 
this section to eligible entities in any State, as 
determined by the Secretary.’’. 
(k) EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO ISSUE LOANS.— 
Section 601(n) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 950bb(m)), as so redes-
ignated by subsections (f) through (h) of this section, is 
amended by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 6024. COMMUNITY CONNECT GRANT PROGRAM. 
Title VI of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 
U.S.C. 950bb) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 602. COMMUNITY CONNECT GRANT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
a grant program to be known as the ‘Community Connect 
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Grant Program’ to provide financial assistance to eligible 
applicants to provide broadband transmission service that 
fosters economic growth and delivers enhanced educational, 
health care, and public safety services. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for a grant under 
this section, the applicant must— 
‘‘(1) be legally organized as an incorporated trib-
al organization, an Indian tribe, or tribal organiza-
tion, as defined in subsections (b) and (c) of section 
4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(b) and (c)), a State 
or local unit of government, or other legal entity, in-
cluding a cooperative, private corporation, or limited 
liability company organized on a for-profit or not- 
for-profit basis; 
‘‘(2) have the legal capacity and authority to 
own and operate broadband facilities as proposed in 
its application, to enter into contracts, and to other-
wise comply with applicable Federal statutes and reg-
ulations; or 
‘‘(3) be in an eligible rural community (as de-
fined in section 601(b)(2) of the Rural Electrification 
Act of 1936). 
‘‘(c) INELIGIBLE GRANT PURPOSES.—A grant made 
under this section may not be used— 
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