Topic: Agriculture — General
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2013-06-18 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014 - Title I: Agricultural Programs - Appropriates FY2014 funds for the following Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and services: (1) Office of the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary); (2) Office of the Chief Economist; (3) National Appeals Division; (4) Office of Budget and Program Analysis; (5) Office of the Chief Information Officer; (6) Office of the Chief Financial Officer; (7) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights; (8) Office of Civil Rights; (9) agriculture buildings and facilities; (10) hazardous materials management; (11) Office of Inspector General; (12) Office of the General Counsel; (13) Office of Ethics; (14) Office of the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics; (15) Economic Research Service; (16) National Agricultural Statistics Service; (17) Agricultural Research Service; (18) National Institute of Food and Agriculture; (19) Native American Institutions Endowment Fund; (20) extension and integrated activities; (21) Office of the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs; (22) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; (23) Agricultural Marketing Service; (24) Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration; (25) Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety; (26) Food Safety and Inspection Service; (27) Office of the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services; (28) Farm Service Agency; (29) Risk Management Agency; (30) Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund; and (31) Commodity Credit Corporation Fund.

Title II: Conservation Programs - Appropriates funds for the following: (1) Office of the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, and (2) Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Title III: Rural Development Programs - Appropriates funds for the following: (1) Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development, (2) Rural Housing Service, (3) Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and (4) Rural Utilities Service.

Title IV: Domestic Food Programs - Appropriates funds for the following: (1) Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services; and (2) Food and Nutrition Service.

Title V: Foreign Assistance and Related Programs - Appropriates funds for the following: (1) the Foreign Agricultural Service, (2) Food for Peace Act (P.L. 480) program title I and title II grants, (3) Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) export loans, and (4) the McGovern-Dole international food for education and child nutrition program.

Title VI: Related Agencies and Food and Drug Administration - Appropriates funds for the following: (1) Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and (2) Farm Credit Administration.

Title VII: General Provisions - Specifies certain uses and limits on or prohibitions against the use of funds appropriated by this Act.

(Sec. 702) Authorizes the Secretary to transfer unobligated balances to the Working Capital Fund for plant and capital equipment acquisition, which shall remain available until expended.

(Sec. 703) Prohibits appropriations under this Act from remaining available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year unless expressly provided for.

(Sec. 704) Limits negotiated indirect costs on cooperative agreements between USDA and nonprofit organizations to 10%.

(Sec. 705) Makes USDA appropriations for direct and guaranteed loans available for: (1) the Rural Development Loan Fund program account, (2) the Rural Electrification and Telecommunication Loans program account, and (3) the Rural Housing Insurance Fund program account.

(Sec. 706) Prohibits funds made available to USDA under this Act from being used to acquire new information technology systems or significant upgrades.

(Sec. 707) Makes funds available in the current fiscal year for agricultural management assistance under the Federal Crop Insurance Act and for specified conservation programs under the Food Security Act of 1985 until expended for current fiscal year obligations.

(Sec. 708) Makes eligible for economic development and job creation assistance under the Rural Electrification Act in the same manner as a borrower under such Act any former Rural Utilities Service borrower that has repaid or prepaid an insured, direct, or guaranteed loan under such Act, or any not-for-profit utility that is eligible to receive an insured or direct loan under such Act.

(Sec. 709) Prohibits, regarding the specialty crop research initiative, funds from being used to prohibit the provision of certain in-kind support from non-federal sources.

(Sec. 710) Makes unobligated balances for salaries and expenses for the Farm Service Agency and the Rural Development mission area under this Act available for information technology expenses through September 30, 2015.

(Sec. 711) Authorizes the Secretary to permit a state agency to use funds provided in this Act to exceed a specified maximum amount of liquid infant formula when issuing liquid infant formula to participants.

(Sec. 712) Prohibits first-class travel by employees of agencies funded under this Act.

(Sec. 713) States that with regard to certain programs established or amended by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to be carried out using CCC funds: (1) such funds shall be available for salaries and administrative expenses without regard to certain allotment and fund transfer limits, and (2) the use of such funds shall not be considered to be a fund transfer or allotment for purposes of applying such limits.

(Sec. 714) Limits funds made available in FY2014 or preceding fiscal years under P.L. 480 to reimburse the CCC for the release of certain commodities under the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act.

(Sec. 715) Limits funds available for USDA advisory committees, panels, commissions, and task forces.

(Sec. 716) Prohibits funds under this Act from being used to pay indirect costs charged against any agricultural research, education, or extension grant awards issued by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture that exceed 30% of total federal funds provided under each award.

(Sec. 717) Extends the FY2013 funding level for supplemental nutrition assistance (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) employment and training programs to FY2014.

(Sec. 718) Prohibits the use of funds for the watershed rehabilitation program.

Limits the use of funds for: (1) the environmental quality incentives program, (2) the farmland protection program, (3) the wildlife habitat incentives program, (4) the agricultural management assistance program, and (5) the wetland reserve program.

(Sec. 719) Limits FY2014 funds for the following domestic food assistance categories under the Act of August 24, 1935: (1) child nutrition program entitlement commodities, (2) state option contracts, and (3) defective commodity removal.

Limits funds for the fresh fruit and vegetable program until October 1, 2014.

Rescinds specified unobligated balances available in FY2014 for domestic food assistance.

(Sec. 720) Prohibits the use of funds for user fee proposals that fail to provide certain budget impact information.

(Sec. 721) Prohibits, without congressional notification, funds available under this Act or under previous appropriations Acts from being used through a reprogramming of funds to: (1) eliminate or create a new program, (2) relocate or reorganize an office or employees, (3) privatize federal employee functions, or (4) increase funds or personnel for any project for which funds have been denied or restricted.

Prohibits, without congressional notification, funds available under this Act or under previous appropriations Acts from being used through a reprogramming of funds in excess of $500,000 or 10%, whichever is less: (1) to augment an existing program, (2) to reduce by 10% funding or personnel for any existing program, or (3) that results from a reduction in personnel which would result in a change in existing programs.

(Sec. 722) Authorizes the Secretary to assess a one-time fee for any guaranteed business and industry loan that does not exceed 3% of the guaranteed principal portion of the loan.

(Sec. 723) Prohibits USDA or FDA funds from being used to transmit to any non-USDA or non-Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) employee questions or responses to questions that are a result of information requested for the appropriations hearing process.

(Sec. 724) Prohibits the use of funds under this Act by any executive branch entity to produce a prepackaged news story for U.S. broadcast or distribution unless it contains audio or text notice that it was produced or funded by such executive entity.

(Sec. 725) Requires USDA agencies to reimburse each other for employees detailed for longer than 30 days.

(Sec. 726) Prohibits specified nonrecourse marketing assistance loans for mohair.

(Sec. 727) Cancels a specified amount of unobligated balances in the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Resource Conservation and Development Account. (States that no amounts may be cancelled from amounts that were designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended.)

(Sec. 728) Directs the Secretary, the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and the Chairman of the Farm Credit Administration to submit to Congress a spending plan by program, project, and activity for the funds made available under this Act.

(Sec. 729) Rescinds specified funds from unobligated balances available to the Department under the "Agriculture Buildings and Facilities and Rental Payments" account.

(Sec. 730) Makes specified funds available for assistance to recipient nations only if adequate controls are in place to ensure that emergency food aid is received by the intended beneficiaries and not otherwise diverted.

(Sec. 731) Authorizes increases in FY2009 amounts of emergency food assistance available for non-emergency food assistance.

(Sec. 732) States that sums as may be necessary for FY2014 rental payments to the General Services Administration (GSA) for programs funded by this Act shall be absorbed within the discretionary levels appropriated in this Act.

(Sec. 733) Rescinds specified funds from unobligated funds available to USDA for single family housing guaranteed loans for FY2007-FY2010.

(Sec. 734) Rescinds specified funds from unobligated balances for the bioenergy program for advanced biofuels.

(Sec. 735) Directs the Secretary to expand the pilot program for packaging direct loans for single family rural housing to states and communities not served by such pilot program.

(Sec. 736) Limits funds available for repair or replacement of bulk fuel storage tanks in Alaska that are not in compliance with applicable Federal or state law.

(Sec. 737) Rescinds specified funds from unobligated balances for biorefinery assistance.

(Sec. 738) Rescinds specified funds from unobligated balances for the value-added agricultural product market development grant program.

(Sec. 739) Authorizes the Secretary to increase the program level by up to 25% for certain loans and loan guarantees that do not require budget authority. Requires congressional notification prior to implementing any such increase.

(Sec. 740) Obligates specified funds for an assessment of the existing and prospective scope of domestic hunger and food insecurity. Directs the Secretary to enter into an agreement with a tax-exempt private-sector organization that has recognized expertise in domestic hunger affairs to conduct such assessment.

Establishes the National Commission on Hunger which shall: (1) provide policy recommendations to Congress and the Secretary regarding programs and funds to combat domestic hunger and food insecurity; and (2) develop recommendations to encourage public-private partnerships, faith-based sector engagement, and community initiatives to reduce the need for government nutrition assistance programs, while protecting the safety net for the most vulnerable members of society.

(Sec. 741) Prohibits funds under this Act from being used to eliminate or reduce funding for a program or activity as proposed in the President's budget request for a fiscal year: (1) until such proposed change is enacted in an appropriation Act, or (2) unless such change is made pursuant to the reprogramming or transfer provisions of this Act.

(Sec. 742) Limits the amount of funds that may be used to write, prepare, or publish a final or an interim rule to implement "Implementation of Regulations Required Under Title XI, of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008; Conduct in Violation of the Act."

(Sec. 743) Prohibits funds under this Act from being used to exclude or restrict the eligibility of any variety of fresh, whole, or cut vegetables, except for vegetables with added sugars, fats, or oils, from being provided as supplemental foods under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC).

(Sec. 744) Prohibits funds under this Act from being used to pay more than 75% of the salary of any specified senior USDA official during the period July 1, 2014-September 30, 2014, unless as of July 1, 2014, the percentage of improper payments for the school lunch program and the school breakfast program has been reduced by at least 25%.

(Sec. 745) Prohibits: (1) a state from receiving funds under this Act unless it is in compliance with SNAP eligibility requirements, and (2) funds under this Act from being used to promote WIC or SNAP benefits for ineligible individuals.

(Sec. 746) Expresses the sense of Congress that Congress should not pass any legislation which authorizes spending cuts that would increase hunger in the United States.

(Sec. 747) Prohibits funds under this Act from being used to reclassify, for rural housing purposes and as a result of data received from or after the 2010 decennial census, any area classified as "rural" or a "rural area" as of June 1, 2013.

(Sec. 748) Prohibits funds under this Act from being used to promulgate rules, regulations, orders, interpretive guidance, or policy regarding the extraterritorial application of the swaps provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act unless such rules, regulations, orders, interpretive guidance, or policy are subject to specified notice and comment procedures, and are promulgated jointly by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission CFTC).

(Sec. 749) Prohibits funds under this Act from being used to inspect horses for slaughter purposes.

(Sec. 750) States that the amount by which the applicable allocation of new budget authority made by the House Committee on Appropriations under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 exceeds the amount of proposed new budget authority is $0.