In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

[Q]: SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Postal Service Enhancement Act''.

                   TITLE I--RATEMAKING FLEXIBILITIES

SEC. 101. COMPETITIVE AND NONCOMPETITIVE PRODUCTS DEFINED.

    Section 102 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by striking 
``and'' at the end of paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end 
of paragraph (4) and inserting a semicolon, and by adding at the end 
the following:
            ``(5) `competitive product' refers to any postal product 
        which the Postal Rate Commission has determined, based on 
        appropriate economic factors prescribed by the Commission, 
        competes for business in a competitive market; and
            ``(6) `noncompetitive product' refers to any postal product 
        that is not a competitive product.''.

SEC. 102. RATES AND FEES FOR NONCOMPETITIVE PRODUCTS.

    (a) Current Ratemaking Procedures Cease To Apply With Respect to 
Competitive Products.--Section 3622(a) of title 39, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following: ``This section shall 
apply only in the case of noncompetitive products.''.
    (b) Prohibition on Subsidizing Competitive Products.--Section 
3622(b) of title 39, United States Code, is amended by striking ``and'' 
at the end of paragraph (8), by redesignating paragraph (9) as 
paragraph (10), and by inserting after paragraph (8) the following:
            ``(9) the requirement that no rate or fee for a 
        noncompetitive product shall subsidize any rate or fee for a 
        competitive product; and''.

SEC. 103. AUTHORITY TO INCREASE RATES FOR NONCOMPETITIVE PRODUCTS 
              INCREMENTALLY.

    Section 3624 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(e) If a request made by the Postal Service under section 3622 
proposes that one or more rates of postage or fees for postal services 
be changed incrementally, the recommended decision of the Commission 
may include provisions responsive to that proposal.''.

SEC. 104. NEGOTIATED SERVICE AGREEMENTS.

    Title 39, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
3642 the following:
``Sec. 3643. Negotiated service agreements
    ``(a) The Postal Service may enter into negotiated service 
agreements with mail users under this section and in accordance with 
the policies of this title.
    ``(b) A negotiated service agreement may not be entered into unless 
each of the following conditions is met:
            ``(1) The agreement can reasonably be expected to result in 
        net benefits to the operation of a nationwide postal system.
            ``(2) The Postal Service remains willing and able to enter 
        into similar negotiated service agreements with other similarly 
        situated mail users (determined without regard to size).
            ``(3) Rates and fees payable during the term of the 
        negotiated service agreement are reasonably calculated to yield 
        to the Postal Service total revenues (after taking into account 
        any costs avoided, and any additional costs incurred, by the 
        Postal Service pursuant to the agreement) at least equal to the 
        revenues that would be generated over that same period of time 
        by application of the rate or rates chargeable under the 
        classification or classifications of mail service most similar 
        to the services performed under the agreement.
    ``(c) A negotiated service agreement that involves one or more 
noncompetitive products shall not become effective unless the Postal 
Rate Commission first certifies, in accordance with such expedited 
procedures as the Commission shall by regulation establish, that the 
agreement meets the requirements of this section. Certifications under 
this subsection may, notwithstanding section 3628, be appealed to any 
court of appeals of the United States.
    ``(d) For purposes of this section, the term `negotiated service 
agreement' means an agreement between a mail user and the Postal 
Service requiring performance by the mail user, the Postal Service, or 
both, of any combination of activities that, with respect to one or 
more classes of mail, differs significantly from those that would 
otherwise apply.''.

SEC. 105. COMPETITIVE PRODUCTS.

    Subchapter II of chapter 36 of title 39, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 3630. Competitive products
    ``(a) The Postal Service may offer competitive products under this 
section and in accordance with the policies of this title.
    ``(b) A competitive product may not be offered unless each of the 
following conditions is met:
            ``(1) The product can reasonably be expected to result in 
        net benefits to the operation of a nationwide postal system.
            ``(2) The rates or fees for the product--
                    ``(A) comply with the factors specified in section 
                3622(b); and
                    ``(B) are not subsidized by any rates or fees for 
                noncompetitive products.
    ``(c)(1) Interested parties who believe the Postal Service is 
offering a competitive product which does not conform to the policies 
set out in this title may lodge a complaint with the Postal Rate 
Commission in such form and in such manner as it may prescribe. The 
Commission may, in its discretion, hold hearings on such complaint and 
may issue an order providing for such interim relief as the Commission 
considers appropriate. The Commission shall issue an order deciding the 
complaint as expeditiously as possible.
    ``(2) The Postal Service shall comply with orders of the Commission 
under this subsection. Such orders may, notwithstanding section 3628, 
be appealed to any court of appeals of the United States.
    ``(3) Section 3662 shall not apply to complaints relating to 
competitive products.''.

SEC. 106. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) The heading for section 3622 of title 39, United States Code, 
is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 3622. Rates and fees for noncompetitive products''.
    (b) The table of sections for chapter 36 of title 39, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking the item relating to section 3622 and 
        inserting the following:

``3622. Rates and fees for noncompetitive products.'';
            (2) by adding after the item relating to section 3629 the 
        following:

``3630. Competitive products.''; and
            (3) by inserting after the item relating to section 3642 
        the following:

``3643. Negotiated service agreements.''.

SEC. 107. SAVINGS PROVISIONS.

    (a) Postal Products; Rates and Fees.--Until otherwise provided in 
accordance with title 39, United States Code (as amended by this title 
or as deemed to have remained in effect under subsection (b), as the 
case may be)--
            (1) all postal products offered immediately before this Act 
        takes effect shall continue being offered; and
            (2) all rates and fees in effect under such title 
        immediately before this Act takes effect shall remain in 
        effect.
    (b) Proceedings Pending.--This title shall not affect any 
proceedings pending immediately before the date of enactment of this 
Act, and any such proceedings shall continue under applicable 
provisions of title 39, United States Code, as last in effect before 
such date of enactment, until completed or terminated in accordance 
therewith.

   TITLE II--NATIONAL COMMISSION ON POSTAL EFFICIENCY AND ENHANCEMENT

SEC. 201. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the ``National 
Commission on Postal Efficiency and Enhancement'' (hereinafter in this 
title referred to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 202. FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall review the present practices and 
organizational structure of the United States Postal Service, with a 
view toward identifying--
            (1) areas of inefficiency or waste; and
            (2) methods for improving operations involved in the 
        collection, processing, or delivery of mail.

SEC. 203. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 8 
members appointed by the President, except that of those members--
            (1) 2 shall be appointed from among individuals recommended 
        by the majority leader of the Senate; and
            (2) 2 shall be appointed from among individuals recommended 
        by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
    (b) Qualifications.--An individual appointed to serve on the 
Commission shall have expertise in mail delivery, organizational 
efficiency, labor relations, or other relevant subject areas.
    (c) Initial Appointments.--It is the sense of the Congress that the 
members of the Commission should be appointed within 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act.
    (d) Chairman.--The Chairman of the Commission shall be designated 
by the President.
    (e) Pay.--Members shall be paid at a rate to be established by the 
President, not to exceed the rate payable for level I of the Executive 
Schedule under section 5312 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 204. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) In General.--The Chairman of the Commission shall exercise the 
executive and administrative functions of the Commission, and may 
appoint such staff as may be necessary for the operation of the 
Commission.
    (b) Information From Agencies.--The Commission may secure from any 
department, agency, independent establishment, or other instrumentality 
of the United States, any information necessary to enable it to carry 
out its functions under this title. Upon receiving a request under the 
preceding sentence, the head of the instrumentality involved shall, to 
the extent authorized by law, furnish such information directly to the 
Commission.

SEC. 205. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

    The Commission shall transmit to the President and the Congress, 
within 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, a report 
containing a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the 
Commission, together with its recommendations for any legislation or 
administrative actions which the Commission considers appropriate.

SEC. 206. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate as of the date on which the work of 
the Commission has been completed.

     TITLE III--ENHANCED AUTHORITIES FOR THE POSTAL RATE COMMISSION

SEC. 301. ENHANCED AUTHORITIES.

    Section 3604 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(f)(1) Any Commissioner of the Postal Rate Commission, any 
administrative law judge appointed by the Commission under section 3105 
of title 5, and any employee of the Commission designated by the 
Commission, may administer oaths, examine witnesses, take depositions, 
and receive evidence.
    ``(2) The Chairman of the Commission, any Commissioner designated 
by the Chairman, and any administrative law judge appointed by the 
Commission under section 3105 of title 5 may, with respect to any 
proceeding conducted by the Commission under this title--
            ``(A) issue subpoenas requiring the attendance and 
        presentation of testimony, or the production of documentary or 
        other evidence in the possession, of any covered individual; 
        and
            ``(B) order the taking of depositions or responses to 
        written interrogatories by a covered individual.
    ``(3) In the case of contumacy or failure to obey a subpoena or 
order issued under this subsection, upon application by the Commission, 
the district court of the United States for the district in which the 
person to whom the subpoena or order is addressed resides or is served 
may issue an order requiring such person to appear at any designated 
place to testify or produce documentary or other evidence. Any failure 
to obey the order of the court may be punished by the court as a 
contempt thereof.
    ``(4) For purposes of this subsection, the term `covered 
individual' means an officer or employee or agent of the Postal Service 
or of a contractor of the Postal Service.
    ``(g)(1) If the Postal Service determines that any testimony, 
document, or other matter provided pursuant to a subpoena or order 
issued under subsection (f), or otherwise provided by the Postal 
Service to the Postal Rate Commission in connection with any proceeding 
or other purpose under this title, contains information which is 
described in section 410(c) of this title, or exempt from public 
disclosure under section 552(b) of title 5, the Postal Service shall, 
at the time such matter is provided to the Commission, notify the 
Commission, in writing, of its determination (and the reasons 
therefor).
    ``(2) The Commission shall establish procedures for ensuring, where 
appropriate, the confidentiality of any information as to which it has 
been notified under paragraph (1).''.
[A]: (Sec. 104) Outlines conditions under which the Postal Service (Service) may enter into negotiated service agreements with mail users, including that: (1) the agreement will result in net benefits to the nationwide postal system; and (2) rates and fees payable under the agreement are calculated to yield revenues to the Service that are at least equal to revenues generated by rates chargeable for other mail services. Allows any such agreement that involves one or more noncompetitive products to be effective only after the Postal Rate Commission (Commission) first certifies that such agreement meets requirements applicable to all mail service agreements.
(Sec. 105) Outlines conditions under which the Service may offer competitive products. Provides conditions under which a party who believes that the Service is offering a competitive product which does not conform to such conditions may lodge a complaint with the Commission.
Title II: National Commission on Postal Efficiency and Enhancement
 - Establishes the National Commission on Postal Efficiency and Enhancement to review and report on the present practices and organizational structure of the Service, with a view toward identifying waste or inefficiency and improving the collection, processing, and delivery of mail.
Title III: Enhanced Authorities for the Postal Rate Commission
 - Authorizes any Commission commissioner, any administrative law judge appointed by the Commission, and any Commission employee to administer oaths, examine witnesses, take depositions, and receive evidence. Authorizes the Commission Chairman, any designated commissioner, or any Commission-appointed administrative law judge to issue subpoenas and order the taking of depositions or responses to written interrogatories.


[Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Emergency 
Agricultural Response Act of 1998''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Use of disaster reserve authority to provide disaster 
                            assistance to certain producers.
Sec. 3. Increase in loan rates for marketing assistance loans for 
                            certain crops.
Sec. 4. Extension of marketing assistance loans.
Sec. 5. Reinstatement of farmer-owned reserve program.
Sec. 6. Strategic food reserve of loan commodities.
Sec. 7. Improved delivery of Farm Service Agency services at local and 
                            area level.
Sec. 8. Temporary conservation reserve to respond to disease 
                            infestations.
Sec. 9. Special crop insurance rules for counties subject to disaster 
                            declaration.
Sec. 10. Doubling of budget authority and appropriations for direct 
                            loan, loan guarantee, and interest rate 
                            reduction programs for fiscal year 1999.

SEC. 2. USE OF DISASTER RESERVE AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE DISASTER 
              ASSISTANCE TO CERTAIN PRODUCERS.

    (a) Provision of Assistance.--Section 813(a) of the Agricultural 
Act of 1970 (7 U.S.C. 1427a(a)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
    ``The Secretary shall use funds appropriated for the purposes of 
this section to make cash payments to agricultural producers to augment 
crop insurance benefits for the purpose of alleviating distress caused 
by multiple year crop losses.''
    (b) Appropriations.--There is hereby appropriated, out of any money 
in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $1,200,000,000 for the 
reserve established under section 813 of the Agricultural Act of 1970 
(7 U.S.C. 1427a).
    (c) Designation of Emergency.--The amount appropriated under 
subsection (b) shall be available only to the extent that the President 
submits to Congress an official budget request for a specific dollar 
amount that includes designation of the entire amount of the request as 
an emergency requirement for the purposes of the Balanced Budget and 
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 900 et seq.). The 
entire amount of the funds is designated by Congress as an emergency 
requirement under section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and 
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(A)).

SEC. 3. INCREASE IN LOAN RATES FOR MARKETING ASSISTANCE LOANS FOR 
              CERTAIN CROPS.

    (a) Wheat.--Subsection (a) of section 132 of the Agricultural 
Market Transition Act (7 U.S.C. 7232) is amended by striking paragraph 
(1) and inserting the following new paragraph:
            ``(1) Loan rate.--Subject to paragraph (2), the loan rate 
        for a marketing assistance loan under section 131 for wheat 
        shall be equal to the greater of--
                    ``(A) 85 percent of the simple average price 
                received by producers of wheat, as determined by the 
                Secretary, during the marketing years for the 
                immediately preceding 5 crops of wheat, excluding the 
                year in which the average price was the highest and the 
                year in which the average price was the lowest in the 
                period; and
                    ``(B) 85 percent of the simple average price 
                received by producers of wheat, as determined by the 
                Secretary, during the 1994 through 1998 marketing 
                years, excluding the year in which the average price 
                was the highest and the year in which the average price 
                was the lowest in the period.''.
    (b) Feed Grains.--Subsection (b) of such section is amended by 
striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following new paragraph:
            ``(1) Loan rate for corn.--Subject to paragraph (2), the 
        loan rate for a marketing assistance loan under section 131 for 
        corn shall be equal to the greater of--
                    ``(A) 85 percent of the simple average price 
                received by producers of corn, as determined by the 
                Secretary, during the marketing years for the 
                immediately preceding 5 crops of corn, excluding the 
                year in which the average price was the highest and the 
                year in which the average price was the lowest in the 
                period; and
                    ``(B) 85 percent of the simple average price 
                received by producers of corn, as determined by the 
                Secretary, during the 1994 through 1998 marketing 
                years, excluding the year in which the average price 
was the highest and the year in which the average price was the lowest 
in the period.''.
    (c) Upland Cotton.--Subsection (c)(2) of such section is amended by 
striking ``or more than $0.5192 per pound''.
    (d) Extra Long Staple Cotton.--Subsection (d) of such section is 
amended to read as follows:
    ``(d) Extra Long Staple Cotton.--The loan rate for a marketing 
assistance loan under section 131 for extra long staple cotton shall be 
equal to the greater of--
            ``(1) 85 percent of the simple average price received by 
        producers of extra long staple cotton, as determined by the 
        Secretary, during 3 years of the 5-year period ending July 31 
        of the year preceding the year in which the crop is planted, 
        excluding the year in which the average price was the highest 
        and the year in which the average price was the lowest in the 
        period; and
            ``(2) 85 percent of the simple average price received by 
        producers of extra long staple cotton, as determined by the 
        Secretary, during the 1994 through 1998 marketing years, 
        excluding the year in which the average price was the highest 
        and the year in which the average price was the lowest in the 
        period.''.
    (e) Rice.--Subsection (e) of such section is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(e) Rice.--The loan rate for a marketing assistance loan under 
section 131 for rice shall be equal to the greater of--
            ``(1) 85 percent of the simple average price received by 
        producers of rice, as determined by the Secretary, during the 
        marketing years for the immediately preceding 5 crops of rice, 
        excluding the year in which the average price was the highest 
        and the year in which the average price was the lowest in the 
        period; and
            ``(2) 85 percent of the simple average price received by 
        producers of rice, as determined by the Secretary, during the 
        1994 through 1998 marketing years, excluding the year in which 
        the average price was the highest and the year in which the 
        average price was the lowest in the period; and
            ``(3) $6.50 per hundredweight.''.
    (f) Oilseeds.--Subsection (f) of such section is amended by 
striking paragraphs (1) and (2) and inserting the following new 
paragraphs:
            ``(1) Soybeans.--The loan rate for a marketing assistance 
        loan under section 131 for soybeans shall be equal to the 
        greater of--
                    ``(A) 85 percent of the simple average price 
                received by producers of soybeans, as determined by the 
                Secretary, during the marketing years for the 
                immediately preceding 5 crops of soybeans, excluding 
                the year in which the average price was the highest and 
                the year in which the average price was the lowest in 
                the period; and
                    ``(B) 85 percent of the simple average price 
                received by producers of soybeans, as determined by the 
                Secretary, during the 1994 through 1998 marketing 
                years, excluding the year in which the average price 
                was the highest and the year in which the average price 
                was the lowest in the period.
            ``(2) Sunflower seed, canola, rapeseed, safflower, mustard 
        seed, and flaxseed.--The loan rate for a marketing assistance 
        loan under section 131 for sunflower seed, canola, rapeseed, 
        safflower, mustard seed, and flaxseed, individually, shall be 
        equal to the greater of--
                    ``(A) 85 percent of the simple average price 
                received by producers of such oilseed, as determined by 
                the Secretary, during the marketing years for the 
                immediately preceding 5 crops of such oilseed, 
                excluding the year in which the average price was the 
                highest and the year in which the average price was the 
                lowest in the period; and
                    ``(B) 85 percent of the simple average price 
                received by producers of such oilseed, as determined by 
                the Secretary, during the 1994 through 1998 marketing 
                years, excluding the year in which the average price 
                was the highest and the year in which the average price 
                was the lowest in the period.''.

SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF MARKETING ASSISTANCE LOANS.

    Section 133 of the Agricultural Market Transition Act (7 U.S.C. 
7233) is amended by striking subsection (c) and inserting the 
following:
    ``(c) Extension.--The Secretary may extend the term of marketing 
assistance loans made to producers under this subtitle for any loan 
commodity for a 6-month period if the Secretary determines that the 
extension will promote the orderly delivery of the loan commodity, 
materially reduce program costs to the Government, or result in a 
significant improvement in income for producers.''.

SEC. 5. REINSTATEMENT OF FARMER-OWNED RESERVE PROGRAM.

    Section 171(b)(1) of the Agricultural Market Transition Act (7 
U.S.C. 7301(b)(1)) is amended by striking subparagraph (E).

SEC. 6. STRATEGIC FOOD RESERVE OF LOAN COMMODITIES.

    Subtitle C of the Agricultural Market Transition Act (7 U.S.C. 7231 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 138. STRATEGIC FOOD RESERVE.

    ``(a) Reserve Required.--The Secretary shall build a reserve stock 
of a loan commodity whenever prices for that commodity fall below 75 
percent of the loan rate for marketing assistance loans for that 
commodity.
    ``(b) Methods of Acquisition.--Loan commodities for inclusion in 
the reserve may be acquired--
            ``(1) through purchases--
                    ``(A) from producers; or
                    ``(B) in the market, if the Secretary determines 
                that the purchases will not unduly disrupt the market; 
                or
            ``(2) by designation by the Secretary of stocks of loan 
        commodities of the Commodity Credit Corporation.
    ``(c) Release of Eligible Commodities.--The Secretary may release 
stocks of a loan commodity in the reserve only when there is such a 
domestic shortage of the loan commodity that--
            ``(1) widespread concern exists about the supply of 
        affordable food for residents of the United States; and
            ``(2) prices for the commodity exceed 200 percent of the 
        loan rate for marketing assistance loans for the commodity.
    ``(d) Administration.--To the maximum extent practicable consistent 
with the fulfillment of the purposes of this section and the effective 
and efficient administration of this section, the Secretary shall use 
the usual and customary channels, facilities, arrangements, and 
practices of trade and commerce to release stocks of a loan commodity 
maintained in the reserve. The Secretary shall administer the release 
of stocks from the reserve so as to ensure that the prices received by 
agricultural producers of that commodity are not depressed as a result 
of the release.
    ``(e) Limitation on Total Quantity Acquired.--The Secretary may not 
acquire for inclusion in the reserve more than 25 percent of the 
average annual production of a loan commodity.
    ``(f) Management of Commodities.--The Secretary shall provide--
            ``(1) for the management of loan commodities in the 
        reserve, including the selection of storage locations; and
            ``(2) for the periodic rotation or replacement of stocks of 
        loan commodities in the reserve to avoid spoilage and 
        deterioration of the commodities.
    ``(g) Use of Commodity Credit Corporation.--The funds, facilities, 
and authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation shall be used by 
the Secretary in carrying out this section, except that any restriction 
applicable to the acquisition, storage, or disposition of commodities 
owned or controlled by the Commodity Credit Corporation shall not 
apply.''.

SEC. 7. IMPROVED DELIVERY OF FARM SERVICE AGENCY SERVICES AT LOCAL AND 
              AREA LEVEL.

    (a) Transfer of Funds for Fiscal Year 1999.--To ensure the prompt 
response of the Farm Service Agency during fiscal year 1999 to requests 
submitted by producers, the Secretary of Agriculture may transfer to 
the Farm Service Agency from other appropriations or funds available to 
the agencies or corporations of the Department of Agriculture an amount 
equal to not more than 25 percent of the operating budget for that 
fiscal year of local and area offices of the Farm Service Agency. 
Amounts transferred under this subsection may be used only for 
activities at local and area offices of the Farm Service Agency.
    (b) Subsequent Years.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall include 
in the materials submitted to Congress in support of the budget request 
for the Department of Agriculture for each fiscal year a certification 
that the amount requested for the operation of local and area offices 
of the Farm Service Agency will be sufficient to meet the expected 
needs of agricultural producers for services.

SEC. 8. TEMPORARY CONSERVATION RESERVE TO RESPOND TO DISEASE 
              INFESTATIONS.

    Subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3801 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 1256 the following 
new section:

``SEC. 1257. THREE-YEAR CONSERVATION RESERVE FOR DISEASED CROPLANDS.

    ``(a) Reserve Required.--Using the authority provided in subchapter 
B, the Secretary shall formulate and carry out the enrollment of lands 
described in subsection (b) in a conservation reserve program through 
the use of contracts to assist owners and operators of such lands to 
combat plant diseases that have devastated the lands.
    ``(b) Eligible Lands.--The Secretary shall include in the program 
only those croplands that have been devastated by a plant disease for 
which effective responses are reasonably anticipated within four years, 
but are otherwise suitable for the production of crops or livestock.
    ``(c) Term of Contract.--A contract under this section shall have a 
term of three years.''.

SEC. 9. SPECIAL CROP INSURANCE RULES FOR COUNTIES SUBJECT TO DISASTER 
              DECLARATION.

    (a) Multi-Peril Crop Insurance.--For purposes of administering the 
Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) for producers 
operating in a county described in subsection (c), the Secretary of 
Agriculture may not--
            (1) include the producer in any nonstandard classification 
        list on account of the inclusion of the county in a designated 
        disaster area; or
            (2) determine, without the consent of the producer, the 
        actual production history of the producer using production 
        records of any crop year during which the county was included 
        in a designated disaster area.
    (b) Exception.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to a disaster that 
the Secretary of Agriculture determines is a reoccurring, frequent, and 
well-known risk of farming in the locale, and the risks cannot 
reasonably be expected to be controlled or eliminated by crop 
protection efforts within a 7-year period.
    (c) Covered Counties.--This section applies with respect to a 
county that is included in whole or in part in a designated disaster 
area.
    (d) Designated Disaster Area Defined.--In this section, the term 
``designated disaster area'' means an area--
            (1) covered by a Presidential declaration of major disaster 
        issued under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
        Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) on account 
        of damaging weather or a related condition in the area; or
            (2) determined to be a disaster area by the Secretary of 
        Agriculture under subpart A of part 1945 of title 7, Code of 
        Federal Regulations, on account of damaging weather or a 
        related condition in the area.
    (e) Effective Date.--This section shall apply beginning with the 
1999 crop year for each commodity that is grown in a covered county and 
for which multi-peril crop insurance is generally available in the 
United States.

SEC. 10. DOUBLING OF BUDGET AUTHORITY AND APPROPRIATIONS FOR DIRECT 
              LOAN, LOAN GUARANTEE, AND INTEREST RATE REDUCTION 
              PROGRAMS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1999.

    (a) Budget Authority.--
            (1) Direct loan and loan guarantee programs.--Section 
        346(b)(1)(D) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act 
        (7 U.S.C. 1994(b)(1)(D)) is amended by striking 
        ``$3,325,000,000'', ``$585,000,000'', ``$85,000,000'', 
        ``$500,000,000'', $2,740,000,000'', ``$690,000,000'', and 
        ``$2,050,000,000'' and inserting ``$6,650,000'', 
        ``$1,170,000,000'', ``$170,000,000'', ``$1,000,000,000'', 
        ``$5,480,000,000'', ``$1,380,000,000'', and ``$4,100,000,000'', 
        respectively.
            (2) Interest rate reduction program.--Section 351 of such 
        Act (7 U.S.C. 1999) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (c), by striking ``4'' and 
                inserting ``8''; and
                    (B) in subsection (e)(2), by striking 
                ``$490,000,000'' and inserting ``$980,000,000''.
    (b) Appropriations.--Out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise 
appropriated, there are appropriated for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 1999:
            (1) For gross obligations for the principal amount of 
        direct and guaranteed loans as authorized by sections 308 and 
        309 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, to be 
        available from funds in the Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund, 
        as follows:
                    (A) Farm ownership loans, $1,021,298,000, of which 
                $850,000,000 shall be for guaranteed loans.
                    (B) Operating loans, $3,576,756,000, of which 
                $1,985,812,000 shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed 
                loans and $470,000,000 shall be for subsidized 
                guaranteed loans.
            (2) For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, including 
        the cost of modifying loans as defined in section 502 of the 
        Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows:
                    (A) Farm ownership loans, $39,160,000, of which 
                $13,516,000 shall be for guaranteed loans.
                    (B) Operating loans, $140,674,000, of which 
                $23,036,000 shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans 
                and $41,078,000 shall be for subsidized guaranteed 
                loans.
[A]: Emergency Agricultural Response Act of 1998 - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1970 to authorize the use of disaster reserve authority to augment crop insurance benefits for producers affected by multiple year crop losses.  Appropriates funds subject to presidential emergency budget designation. 
(Sec. 3) Amends the Agricultural Market Transition Act to revise marketing assistance loan rates for:  (1) wheat; (2) feed grains (corn); (3) upland cotton; (4) extra long staple cotton; (5) rice; and (6) oilseeds.  Authorizes six-month loan extensions. 
(Sec. 5) Repeals the temporary suspension of the farmer owned reserve program. 
(Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to build and manage a reserve stock of a loan commodity whenever such commodity's prices fall below 75 percent of its marketing assistance loan rate. 
(Sec. 7) Authorizes the Secretary to transfer specified Department of Agriculture funds to the Farm Service Agency in order to improve local and area Agency services. 
(Sec. 8) Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to direct the Secretary to carry out a three-year conservation reserve for certain diseased croplands. 
(Sec. 9) Sets forth specified crop insurance rules for disaster- designated counties. 
(Sec. 10) Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to increase FY 1999 budget authority and appropriations for direct loan, loan guarantee, and interest rate reduction programs.


[Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Housing Opportunities and Mitigating 
Emergencies Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Gulf Coast region of the United States was recently 
        decimated by twin natural disasters: Hurricanes Katrina and 
        Rita.
            (2) Hurricane Katrina crashed into the Gulf Coast on August 
        29, 2005, as a category 4 storm.
            (3) At the time of its landing, Hurricane Katrina was 
        recorded as the third strongest hurricane to ever make landfall 
        on the United States, with sustained winds over 140 miles per 
        hour.
            (4) The damage and destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina 
        along the coastal regions of Louisiana, Mississippi, and 
        Alabama were unmatched in their breadth and scope.
            (5) A 10- to 30-foot storm surge came ashore on over 200 
        continuous miles of coastline from southeast Louisiana, 
        including Mississippi and Alabama, through to the Florida 
        panhandle.
            (6) The 30-foot storm surge recorded at Biloxi, 
        Mississippi, is the highest ever observed in the United States.
            (7) Hurricane Katrina's storm surge quickly breached the 
        levee system that protected the city of New Orleans from Lake 
        Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River, subsequently flooding 
        at least 80 percent of the city.
            (8) The magnitude of Hurricane Katrina was of such an 
        unprecedented scale that the Federal disaster declarations 
        which followed its destructive path blanketed over 90,000 
        square miles of the United States, an area almost as large as 
        the United Kingdom, displacing more than 1,000,000 people--a 
        humanitarian crisis on a scale unseen in the United States 
        since the Great Depression.
            (9) The storm has now become the most destructive and 
        costliest natural disaster in the history of the United States, 
        resulting in over 1,300 deaths and estimated damage between 
        $70,000,000,000 and $130,000,000,000.
            (10) Less than one month later, on September 24, 2005, the 
        region was battered again, this time by the strongest-measured 
        hurricane to ever have entered the Gulf of Mexico--Hurricane 
        Rita.
            (11) Hurricane Rita came ashore between Texas and Louisiana 
        as a category 3 hurricane, packing winds up to 120 miles per 
        hour and a storm surge of 10 feet.
            (12) A day prior to landfall, the resultant storm surge 
        also reopened some of the levee breaches caused by Hurricane 
        Katrina a month earlier and re-flooded parts of New Orleans.
            (13) Local storm surges of 15 to 20 feet in southwestern 
        Louisiana were reported, and damage was extensive in coastal 
        parishes.
            (14) Thousands of residents and families in the effected 
        States, who lived outside the 100-year flood plain and were 
        told they did not need flood insurance, suffered significant 
        damage to their homes and in many cases total losses.
            (15) These families are currently without any type of 
        permanent shelter or any means by which to acquire such shelter 
        or otherwise make themselves whole, thus crippling the Gulf 
        Coast region and its economy.
            (16) Because of the unprecedented magnitude of the storm 
        and the impact that the devastation of such a large region will 
        have on the United States as a whole, the Federal Government 
        should play a role in providing emergency assistance to these 
        families to help them rebuild and get on with their lives.

SEC. 3. TEMPORARY EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR PRIMARY RESIDENCES DAMAGED 
              OR DESTROYED BY HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA.

    Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:

``SEC. 425. TEMPORARY EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR PRIMARY RESIDENCES 
              DAMAGED OR DESTROYED BY HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA.

    ``(a) In General.--The Director shall provide emergency assistance 
to owners of eligible structures in accordance with this section.
    ``(b) Application.--The Director shall provide for owners of 
eligible structures to submit applications for assistance under this 
section in such form, containing such information, and in accordance 
with such procedures, as the Director may require.
    ``(c) Use of Funds; Scope of Coverage.--
            ``(1) In general.--The amount of any assistance under this 
        section provided to an owner of an eligible structure in a 
        covered disaster area of a State may be used only for paying--
                    ``(A) the costs of repair, reconstruction, or 
                replacement of such structure or construction or 
                purchase of any other structure (including a 
                manufactured home) to be used as the primary residence 
                of the owner in the covered disaster area of such 
                State; or
                    ``(B) the amount remaining to be paid by the owner 
                on the mortgage of the eligible structure.
            ``(2) Replacement cost.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Subject to subsection (d), the 
                amount of any assistance provided under this section 
                shall be based on the replacement cost necessary for 
                repair, reconstruction, or replacement of the eligible 
                structure to its original specifications and standards 
                prior to--
                            ``(i) August 29, 2005, in the case of a 
                        structure damaged by flooding resulting from 
                        Hurricane Katrina; or
                            ``(ii) September 23, 2005, in the case of a 
                        structure damaged by flooding resulting from 
                        Hurricane Rita.
                Such costs shall include adjustments as necessary for 
                compliance with the requirements of subsection 
                (e)(1)(B).
                    ``(B) Documentation.--An owner of an eligible 
                structure applying for assistance under paragraph (1) 
                shall submit to the Director documentation and such 
                other evidence (including a report completed by a 
                State-licensed, nationally-certified home inspector) as 
                the Director may require to establish the replacement 
                cost of the eligible structure under subparagraph (A).
    ``(d) Cost Sharing.--
            ``(1) Federal share.--Subject to subsection (f) and 
        paragraph (2), the Federal share of the cost of assistance 
        provided under this section for an eligible structure that the 
        Director shall pay to the owner of the eligible structure shall 
        be 80 percent of the replacement cost of the eligible structure 
        as determined under subsection (c)(2).
            ``(2) Maximum amount.--The maximum amount of assistance 
        that may be provided to an owner of an eligible structure under 
        this section for such structure may not exceed $150,000.
            ``(3) Optional state share.--If the owner of an eligible 
        structure in a State is provided assistance under this section, 
        the State may provide to the owner 10 percent of the 
        replacement cost of the eligible structure as determined under 
        subsection (c)(2), but not to exceed $15,000.
    ``(e) Requirements Regarding Future Flood Insurance Coverage and 
Mitigation Actions.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Director may not provide assistance 
        under this section for an eligible structure unless--
                    ``(A) the owner of the property upon which the 
                eligible structure is located has entered into a 
                legally binding agreement with the Director, including 
                such deed restrictions as the Director considers 
                appropriate, to ensure that such owner, and any future 
                owners, will at all times after such assistance is 
                provided under this section with respect to the 
                property, purchase and maintain flood insurance, in 
                perpetuity, for any structures located at any time on 
                the same property on which, at the time of purchase, 
                such eligible structure is located, in an amount at 
                least equal to the lesser of--
                            ``(i) the value of the structure, as 
                        determined by the Director; or
                            ``(ii) the maximum limit of coverage made 
                        available with respect to the particular type 
                        of property under the National Flood Insurance 
                        Program, if such coverage is available; and
                    ``(B) the owner of the property certifies to the 
                Director that any structure constructed, repaired, or 
                reconstructed with such assistance will be constructed, 
                repaired, or reconstructed in accordance with--
                            ``(i) standards established by the 
                        International Code Council in effect at the 
                        time the building permit is issued by the local 
                        government to the owner of the eligible 
                        structure; and
                            ``(ii) any final flood elevations or flood 
                        maps in effect for purposes of the National 
                        Flood Insurance Program at the time the 
                        building permit is issued by the local 
                        government to the owner of the eligible 
                        structure and any advisory flood elevations or 
                        advisory flood insurance rate maps issued by 
                        the Director for purposes of such program 
                        before such building permit is issued.
            ``(2) Waiver authority.--The Director may waive the 
        requirements of paragraph (1)(B) with respect to the repair of 
        an eligible structure if the Director determines that the cost 
        of compliance with such requirements by the owner in repairing 
        the eligible structure outweigh the benefit derived from such 
        compliance pursuant to a substantial damage analysis.
    ``(f)  Prohibition on Duplicative Benefits in Excess of Replacement 
Costs.--Notwithstanding section 312, the Director shall assure that no 
owner of an eligible structure will receive assistance under this 
section that, when combined with other financial assistance received by 
the owner under any program, including section 404 or 408, or from 
insurance or any other source for the purpose of repair, 
reconstruction, or replacement of the eligible structure, is in excess 
of the replacement cost of the eligible structure as determined under 
subsection (c)(2). Before receipt of any assistance for which an owner 
is eligible under this section for an eligible structure, the owner 
shall enter into a legally binding agreement with the Director to repay 
any and all of such assistance that is in excess of the replacement 
cost of the eligible structure as determined under subsection (c)(2).
    ``(g) Verification of Use of Funds and Compliance.--
            ``(1) Documentation; reports.--Within 6 months after the 
        date on which an owner of an eligible structure receives 
        assistance under this section, and every 6 months thereafter 
        until all such assistance is accounted for, the owner shall 
        submit to the Director--
                    ``(A) all receipts and documentation verifying the 
                use of such assistance for the purpose for which it was 
                provided; and
                    ``(B) reports completed by a State-licensed, 
                nationally-certified home inspector verifying 
                compliance by the owner with the requirements of 
                subsection (e)(1)(B) if such requirements are not 
                waived by the Director.
            ``(2) Enforcement.--The Director may suspend assistance 
        under this section, and take any additional action which the 
        Director deems appropriate, with respect to an owner of an 
        eligible structure if the Director determines that the owner is 
        not complying with paragraph (1).
    ``(h) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions 
apply:
            ``(1) Covered disaster area.--The term `covered disaster 
        area' means an area--
                    ``(A) for which a major disaster was declared by 
                the Director pursuant to title IV of the Robert T. 
                Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
                as a result of Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita in 
                2005; and
                    ``(B) in which the sale of flood insurance coverage 
                was available under the National Flood Insurance Act of 
                1968 (42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.) as of--
                            ``(i) August 29, 2005, in the case of an 
                        area for which a declaration referred to in 
                        subparagraph (A) was made as a result of 
                        Hurricane Katrina; or
                            ``(ii) September 23, 2005, in the case of 
                        an area for which a declaration referred to in 
                        subparagraph (A) was made as a result of 
                        Hurricane Rita.
            ``(2) Eligible structure.--The term `eligible structure' 
        means a structure (including a manufactured home) that--
                    ``(A) sustained damage or losses from flooding 
                resulting from Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita in 
                2005;
                    ``(B) is located in a covered disaster area;
                    ``(C) is a residential structure that was used as 
                the primary residence of the owner of the structure as 
                of--
                            ``(i) August 29, 2005, in the case of a 
                        structure damaged by flooding resulting from 
                        Hurricane Katrina; and
                            ``(ii) September 23, 2005, in the case of a 
                        structure damaged by flooding resulting from 
                        Hurricane Rita;
                    ``(D) was covered by an insurance policy for losses 
                caused by wind or windstorm as of--
                            ``(i) August 29, 2005, in the case of a 
                        structure damaged by flooding resulting from 
                        Hurricane Katrina; and
                            ``(ii) September 23, 2005, in the case of a 
                        structure damaged by flooding resulting from 
                        Hurricane Rita;
                    ``(E) is of a type for which coverage was generally 
                made available under the National Flood Insurance 
                Program as of August 29, 2005; and
                    ``(F) is not located in an area that has been 
                identified by the Director as an area having special 
                flood hazards (as such term is used for purposes of 
                section 102 of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 
                1973 (42 U.S.C. 4012a)) as of August 29, 2005.
            ``(3) Director.--The term `Director' means the Director of 
        the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
    ``(i) Termination.--The Director may not provide any assistance 
under this section except pursuant to an application for such 
assistance submitted to the Director before the expiration of the 180-
day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this section.
    ``(j) Regulations.--The Director may issue any regulations 
necessary to carry out this section.''.

SEC. 4. HAZARD MITIGATION.

    (a) In General.--Section 404(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c(a)) is amended--
            (1) in the first sentence by striking ``75'' and inserting 
        ``90''; and
            (2) in the last sentence by striking ``7.5'' and inserting 
        ``15''.
    (b) Property Acquisition and Relocation Assistance.--Section 404(b) 
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c(b)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
            ``(4) Reduction.--The amount of any assistance that would 
        otherwise be provided to an owner of an eligible structure 
        under section 425(c)(1)(B) shall be reduced by the amount of 
        assistance the owner receives for such structure under such 
        section.''.
    (c) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) 
shall apply with respect to a major disaster declared by the President 
on or after August 24, 2005.
[A]:
Housing Opportunities and Mitigating Emergencies Act of 2005 - Amernds the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to require the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide temporary emergency assistance for primary residences damaged or destroyed by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Increases from 75% to 90% the amount the President may contribute toward the cost of cost-effective hazard mitigation measures which substantially reduce the risk of future damage, hardship, loss, or suffering in any area affected by a major disaster. Doubles from 7.5% to 15% of the estimated aggregate federal disaster relief grants to an area the limit on the total amount of such presidential contributions.