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]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Alaska Federal Lands Management 
Demonstration Project''.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS; PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds and declares the following:
            (1) The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 
        U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) established new and expanded units of the 
        National Park System and the National Wildlife System in many 
        areas of Alaska. The purposes of these conservation system 
        units were, among other purposes, to protect habitat for fish 
        and wildlife, to conserve fish and wildlife populations in 
        their natural state, to provide continued opportunity for 
        subsistence uses by local residents, and to protect 
        archaeological sites associated with Native cultures.
            (2) Many rural Alaskan communities are in close proximity 
        to conservation system lands, and the purposes of these units 
        are uniquely relevant to the culture and ways of Native 
        Alaskans and other residents of rural Alaskan communities. 
        Congress recognized this close relationship in sections 1306, 
        1307 and 1308 of the Alaska National Interest Lands 
        Conservation Act, which directed the Secretary of Interior to 
        establish programs whereby Native lands were given preference 
        for the siting of conservation service unit facilities, Native 
        corporations and local residents were given preference for the 
        provision of visitor services, and local residents were given 
        preferences for employment. Despite these provisions, little 
        progress has been made in increasing related employment 
        opportunities for Native Alaskan and other local residents.
            (3) In much of rural Alaska, Indian tribes and tribal 
        organizations have a long history of contracting to operate 
        Federal programs and provide Federal services to resident 
        Alaskan Natives and have demonstrated the capacity to provide 
        other kinds of Federal programs and services.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this demonstration project are to 
design innovative management strategies that will lead to greater 
efficiency in conservation system unit management, expand Native 
contracting opportunities, increase local employment, and further the 
unique purposes of these units as they relate to subsistence practices, 
Alaska Native cultures, and the preservation of fish and wildlife 
habitat and populations.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

    The Secretary of the Interior shall, for a period not to exceed 5 
years following the date of the enactment of this Act, conduct an 
Alaska Federal Lands Management Demonstration Project.

SEC. 4. ALASKA FEDERAL LANDS MANAGEMENT DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

    (a) Participation.--The Secretary shall select, upon request and in 
a manner to achieve geographic representation, not less than 6 eligible 
Alaska Native tribes or tribal organizations per year to participate in 
the Demonstration Project in fiscal years 2000 and 2001.
    (b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to participate in the 
Demonstration Project, each Indian tribe or tribal organization shall--
            (1) request participation by resolution or other official 
        action of the governing body of the tribal organization;
            (2) demonstrate financial and management stability and 
        capability;
            (3) demonstrate significant use of or dependency upon the 
        relevant conservation system unit or other public land unit for 
        which programs, functions, services, and activities are 
        requested to be placed under contract;
            (4) where the Secretary receives a request to contract 
        specific conservation system unit programs, services, 
        functions, and activities, or portions thereof, from more than 
        1 Indian tribe or tribal organization meeting the criteria set 
        forth in paragraphs (1) through (3), the Secretary shall apply 
        the priority selection criteria applied by the Juneau Area 
        Bureau of Indian Affairs for contracting pursuant to the Indian 
        Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. If, after 
        applying such criteria, there remains more than one eligible 
        participant and such participants have overlapping requests to 
        negotiate and contract for the same programs, services, 
        functions, and activities, or portions thereof, the Secretary 
        may require such Indian tribes or organizations to agree which 
        entity shall have the ability to contract, or to submit a joint 
        request prior to entering into negotiations.
    (c) Contracts.--
            (1) In general.--Upon request, the Secretary shall 
        negotiate and enter into a contract with each participating 
        Indian tribe or tribal organization to plan, conduct and 
        administer requested programs, services, functions and 
        activities, or portions thereof, related to the administration 
        of a conservation system unit or other public land unit that is 
        substantially located within the geographic region of the 
        respective Indian tribe or tribal organization.
            (2) Technical support.--Contracts authorized by this Act 
        shall include, at the request of the Indian tribe or tribal 
        organization, the operation and support of the regional 
advisory councils, biological research, harvest monitoring, and other 
technical research related to conservation and allocation actions by 
the regional councils, and such other programs, functions, services, 
and activities reasonably necessary to carry out title VIII of the 
Alaska National Interests Lands Conservation Act.
            (3) Time limitation for negotiation of contracts.--Not 
        later than 90 days after selection by the Secretary of 
        participating Indian tribes or tribal organizations, the 
        Secretary shall initiate and conclude negotiations, unless an 
        alternative negotiation and implementation schedule is 
        otherwise mutually agreed to by the parties. The declination 
        and appeals provisions of the Indian Self-Determination and 
        Education Assistance Act, including section 110 of such Act, 
        shall apply to contracts and agreements requested and 
        negotiated under this Act.
    (d) Contract Administration.--
            (1) Inclusion of certain terms.--At the request of the 
        contracting Indian tribe or tribal organization, the benefits, 
        privileges, terms, and conditions of agreements entered into 
        pursuant to titles I and IV of the Indian Self-Determination 
        and Education Assistance Act shall be available for inclusion 
        in a contract entered into under this Act. If any provisions of 
        the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act are 
        incorporated they shall have the same force and effect as if 
        set out in full in this Act and shall apply notwithstanding any 
        other provision of law. The parties may include such other 
        terms and conditions as are mutually agreed to and not 
        otherwise contrary to law.
            (2) Audit.--Contracts entered into under this Act shall 
        provide for a single-agency audit report to be filed as 
        required by chapter 75 of title 31, United States Code.
            (3) Transfer of employees.--Any career Federal employee 
        employed at the time of the transfer of an operation or program 
        to an Indian tribe or tribal organization shall not be 
        separated from Federal service by such transfer. 
        Intergovernmental Personnel Actions may be used to transfer 
        supervision of such employees to the contracting Indian tribe 
        or tribal organization. Such transferred employees shall be 
        given priority placement for any available position within 
        their respective agency, notwithstanding any priority 
        reemployment lists, directives, rules, regulations or other 
        orders from the Department of the Interior, the Office of 
        Management and Budget, or other Federal agencies.
    (e) Available Funding; Payment.--Under the terms of a contract 
negotiated pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide each 
Indian tribe or tribal organization funds in an amount not less than 
the Secretary would have otherwise provided for the operation of the 
requested programs, services, functions, and activities. Contracts 
entered into under this Act shall provide for advance payments to the 
tribal organizations in the form of annual or semiannual installments.
    (f) Timing.--Indian tribes and tribal organizations selected to 
participate shall be entitled to begin implementation of any requested 
contracts no later than the first fiscal year following the year in 
which the Indian tribe or tribal organization is selected for 
participation, unless the Indian tribe or tribal organization and the 
Secretary, by mutual agreement, shall agree to an alternate 
implementation schedule.
    (g) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the close of fiscal years 
2000 and 2001 and the end of this Demonstration Project, the Secretary 
shall present to the Congress detailed reports, including a narrative, 
findings, and conclusions on the costs and benefits of the 
Demonstration Project. The reports shall identify remaining 
institutional and legal barriers to the contracting of conservation 
system unit management to Alaska Native entities and shall contain 
suggestions for improving, continuing, and expanding the Demonstration 
Project. The reports shall be authored jointly with, and shall include 
the separate views of, all participating Alaska Native tribes and 
tribal organizations.
    (h) Limitations.--
            (1) Revenue producing visitor services.--Contracts 
        authorized under this Act shall not include revenue producing 
        visitor services unless an agreement is reached with the most 
        directly affected Alaskan Native corporations to allow such 
        services to be included in the contract. Such contracts shall 
        not otherwise repeal, alter, or otherwise modify the any other 
        existing provision of sections 1307 and 1308 of the Alaska 
        National Interests Lands Conservation Act.
            (2) Denali national park.--The Denali National Park shall 
        not be subject to any of the provisions of this Act.
    (i) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--Upon application, the Secretary shall 
        award a planning grant in the amount of $100,000 to any 
        participating Alaska Native tribe or tribal organization to 
plan for the contracting of programs, functions, services, and 
activities authorized under this Act.
            (2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated $600,000 in each of the 2 fiscal years 
        immediately following the date of the enactment of this Act to 
        fund planning grants authorized under this subsection.

SEC. 5. ANILCA SECTION 1307 AND 1308 IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS REPORT.

    (a) Report Required.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the 
Committee on Resources of the United States House of Representatives a 
report detailing the progress that the Department of the Interior has 
made in the implementation of the provisions of sections 1307 and 1308 
of the Alaska National Interests Lands Conservation Act. The report 
shall--
            (1) include a detailed action plan on the future 
        implementation of the provisions of sections 1307 and 1308 of 
        that Act;
            (2) describe in detail the measures and actions that will 
        be taken to implement such sections, along with a description 
        of the anticipated results to be achieved during the 3 fiscal 
        years following the submission of the report;
            (3) address any laws, rules, regulations, and policies 
        which limit or deter the goal of Alaska Native hiring or 
        contracting to perform and conduct activities and programs of 
        Department agencies and bureaus other than those currently 
        available through the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
    (b) Funding.--The report required under subsection (a) shall be 
completed within existing appropriations.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.--

    For the purposes of this Act:
            (1) Conservation system unit.--The term ``conservation 
        system unit'' shall have the meaning given that term in section 
        102(4) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.
            (2) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian tribe'' shall have the 
        meaning given that term in subsection 4(e) of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (4) Tribal organization.--The term ``tribal organization'' 
        shall have the meaning given that term in subsection 4(l) of 
        the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.
[A]: Requires the Secretary to: (1) select not less than six eligible Alaska Native tribes or tribal organizations per year to participate in the Project in FY 2000 and 2001; and (2) negotiate and enter into a contract with each participant to plan, conduct, and administer requested programs and services related to the administration of a conservation system unit or other public land unit substantially located within the respective Indian tribe's or tribal organization's geographic region.
Requires contracts to include, at the participant's request, the operation and support of the regional advisory councils, biological research, harvest monitoring, and other technical research related to conservation and allocation actions by the regional councils and such other programs and services reasonably necessary to carry out title VIII of the Alaska National Interests Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). Makes available the benefits, privileges, terms, and conditions of agreements entered into pursuant to titles I and IV of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act for inclusion in the contract, at the request of the contracting tribe or tribal organization.
Prohibits the separation of any career Federal employee employed at the time of the transfer of an operation or program from Federal service to a tribe or tribal organization. Directs the Secretary to provide each tribe or tribal organization funds that would have otherwise been provided for the operation of the requested programs and services.
Specifies that contracts shall not include revenue producing visitor services unless an agreement is reached with the most directly affected Alaska Native corporations.
Exempts Denali National Park from the provisions of this Act.
Requires the Secretary, upon application, to award a planning grant to any participating Alaska Native tribe or tribal organization to plan for the contracting of programs and services authorized under this Act.
Authorizes appropriations.
Requires transmittal by the Secretary to the appropriate congressional committees of a report on the progress that the Department of the Interior has made in the implementation of ANILCA provisions concerning: (1) the continuation of existing visitor services in areas established as or added to a conservation system unit; and (2) establishment of a program for hiring individuals who, by reason of having lived or worked in or near public lands, have special knowledge or expertise concerning the natural or cultural resources of public lands, without regard to certain civil service training requirements, employment preferences, or numerical limitations.


[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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Infrastructure Development and 
Partnerships Act''.

SEC. 2. RURAL PARTNERSHIPS OFFICE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of 
Agriculture a Rural Partnerships Office (in this section referred to as 
the ``Office'').
    (b) Head of Office.--The Office shall be headed by a Director 
appointed by the President.
    (c) Direct Reporting to Secretary of Agriculture.--The Director 
shall report directly to the Secretary of Agriculture (in this section 
referred to as the ``Secretary'').
    (d) Duties.--The Secretary, through the Rural Partnerships Office, 
shall do the following:
            (1) Rural partners program.--Establish and run a program to 
        provide technical assistance to improve delivery, financing, 
        operations, and maintenance of rural infrastructure, as 
        follows:
                    (A) Through a competitive process, select not more 
                than 5 organizations to serve as ``on-call'' providers 
                of on-site technical assistance to rural communities.
                    (B) Solicit applications from rural communities for 
                technical assistance with infrastructure planning, 
                asset management, life-cycle accounting, project 
                delivery, financing, regional coordination, and project 
                oversight.
                    (C) Require an application for technical assistance 
                from the program to include only a statement of the 
                type of assistance requested, and of how the applicant 
                believes the assistance would improve rural 
                infrastructure, and any other information necessary to 
                demonstrate the ability of the rural community to 
                participate in the program.
                    (D) Involve the Rural Liaison in each relevant 
                Federal agency in the review of each application for 
                technical assistance from the program.
                    (E) Assign a technical assistance team to each 
                applicant for technical assistance from the program 
                whose application is approved by the Secretary, which 
                shall provide the assistance for a period of not more 
                than 2 years, with the goal that technical assistance 
                personnel will be on-site in the rural community for a 
                significant portion of that period, and require the 
                team to submit to the Secretary and the Rural Liaison 
                in each relevant Federal agency quarterly reports which 
                summarize the activities of, and progress made by, the 
                team during the quarter, including an accounting of for 
                how much time the team spent in the community.
                    (F) Coordinate the program with the Rural Water and 
                Wastewater Circuit Rider Program carried out under 
                section 306(a)(22) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
                Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(22)), technical 
                assistance provided out under section 1442 of the Safe 
                Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-1), the program for 
                assistance for capacity building for community 
                development and affordable housing under section 4 of 
                the HUD Demonstration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 9816 
                note), and any other activities under which technical 
                assistance may be provided so as to affect rural 
                infrastructure, in order to avoid duplication of 
                effort.
            (2) Best practices clearinghouse.--Establish an online 
        clearinghouse of best practices specifically targeted to rural 
        infrastructure planning, asset management, life-cycle 
        accounting, project delivery, funding and financing, regional 
        coordination, and project oversight, including resources 
        prepared by Federal agencies and other sources.
            (3) Grants.--Make grants to assist rural communities in 
        developing cost-effective infrastructure projects, with 
        particular focus on regionally coordinated or bundled projects, 
        and require an application for such a grant to include only 
        such documentation as is necessary to demonstrate the potential 
        for a viable project, and to be submitted by the State, local, 
        or regional governmental entity with primary responsibility for 
        the project.
            (4) Coordination of rural liasions.--Facilitate 
        coordination of the Rural Liaisons to develop, to the extent 
        practical, common guidelines for rural funding or financing 
        programs at the various Federal agencies, as well as to 
        identify opportunities to work across agencies to support rural 
        infrastructure needs.
            (5) Annual reports.--Within 60 days after the end of each 
        fiscal year, publish an annual report on the activities of the 
        Office during the preceding fiscal year, including the status 
        of activities funded or assisted under the technical assistance 
        program, and submit a copy of the report to the Committee on 
        Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
        on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate.

SEC. 3. RURAL LIAISONS.

    (a) Designation in Each Federal Agency.--The head of each Federal 
agency that provides financial assistance to a rural community for an 
activity related to rural infrastructure, shall designate a Rural 
Liaison in the agency.
    (b) Duties.--The Rural Liaison in a Federal agency shall do the 
following:
            (1) Review regulations of, guidance provided by, and 
        procedures of the agency to identify any that present a 
        hardship for a rural community, and recommend ways to alleviate 
        the hardship.
            (2) Participate in the review of applications referred to 
        in section 2(d)(1)(C).
            (3) Serve as an ombudsperson for any rural community to 
        which the agency is providing financial assistance, to help 
        address issues and resolve problems.
            (4) Meet regularly with other Rural Liaisons to coordinate 
        efforts and identify ways to work together to support rural 
        infrastructure needs.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Relevant federal agency.--The term ``relevant Federal 
        agency'' means, with respect to an application for technical 
        assistance, each Federal agency that provides financial 
        assistance to a rural community for an activity related to 
        rural infrastructure with respect to which the technical 
        assistance is sought.
            (2) Rural area.--The term ``rural area'' means any area 
        located outside an urbanized area (as defined by the Bureau of 
        the Census) with a population of 50,000 or more.
            (3) Rural community.--The term ``rural community'' means 
        any community located in a rural area.
            (4) Rural infrastructure.--The term ``rural 
        infrastructure'' means surface, maritime, air transportation, 
        water, wastewater, broadband, and energy facilities and 
        operations, and public buildings, including schools, in a rural 
        area.
[A]:
Rural Infrastructure Development and Partnerships Act  This bill establishes within the Department of Agriculture a Rural Partnerships Office to be headed by a director appointed by the President.  The duties of the office include:   establishing and running a program to provide technical assistance to improve delivery, financing, operations, and maintenance of rural infrastructure;   establishing an online clearinghouse of best practices;   providing grants to assist rural communities in developing cost-effective infrastructure projects; and   coordinating activities of rural liaisons to develop guidelines for rural funding or financing programs at federal agencies and identify opportunities to work across agencies.   The bill also requires each federal agency that provides financial assistance to a rural community for an activity related to rural infrastructure to designate a rural liaison to:    review and make recommendations regarding regulations, guidance, and procedures that present hardships to rural communities;   participate in reviewing applications for technical assistance;   serve as an ombudsperson for rural communities; and   meet regularly with other rural liaisons to coordinate efforts and identify ways to work together to support rural infrastructure needs.