Emergency Rural Community Relief Act
Bill: H.R.1798 | Sponsor: Rep. Bost, Mike (R-IL)
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
Emergency Rural Community Relief Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture to provide emergency grants to associations, local governments, nonprofit corporations, and Indian tribes to purchase vehicles, equipment, or services needed for the immediate safe operation of an essential community facility or a temporary installation necessary to support the public response to an emergency in a rural area. The bill also provides funding for the grants.

To provide for emergency grants for essential community facilities and 
  temporary installations needed in response to COVID-19 pandemic in 
                              rural areas.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Emergency Rural Community Relief 
Act''.

SEC. 2. EMERGENCY GRANTS FOR ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND 
              TEMPORARY INSTALLATIONS NEEDED IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 
              PANDEMIC.

    Section 306(a)(19) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(19)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``this paragraph'' 
        each place it appears and inserting ``subparagraph (A)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) Emergency grants.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Secretary may make 
                        grants during an emergency, as determined by 
                        the Secretary, to any entity referred to in 
                        subparagraph (A) to purchase vehicles, 
                        equipment, or services needed for the immediate 
                        safe operation of an essential community 
                        facility or a temporary installation necessary 
                        to support the public response to the emergency 
                        in a rural area.
                            ``(ii) Use of grant.--The Secretary shall, 
                        by regulation, determine--
                                    ``(I) the kinds of vehicles, 
                                equipment, and supplies which may be 
                                purchased using a grant made under this 
                                subparagraph; and
                                    ``(II) the kinds of facilities and 
                                temporary installations for which such 
                                a purchase may be made.
                            ``(iii) Appropriation.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--Out of any money 
                                in the Treasury of the United States 
                                not otherwise appropriated, there are 
                                appropriated to the Secretary 
                                $100,000,000 to carry out this 
                                subparagraph.
                                    ``(II) Availability.--The amount 
                                made available by clause (i) shall 
                                remain available through December 31, 
                                2022.''.
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