Provides for State rural development council matching requirements.
Terminates the Partnership five years after enactment of this Act.
[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1111 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1111
To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to authorize
the National Rural Development Partnership, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 27, 2001
Mr. Craig (for himself, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Allard, Mr. Baucus, Mr.
Bingaman, Mr. Burns, Ms. Collins, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Daschle, Mr. Dayton,
Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Gramm, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Helms,
Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kerry, Mr.
Leahy, Mr. Lugar, Ms. Mikulski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska,
Mr. Reed, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Smith of New Hampshire, Mr.
Smith of Oregon, Mr. Thomas, and Mr. Wellstone) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to authorize
the National Rural Development Partnership, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Rural Development
Partnership Act of 2001''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) rural development has been given high priority
throughout most of this century as a means of achieving a sound
balance between rural and urban areas in the United States, a
balance that Congress considers essential to the peace,
prosperity, and welfare of all citizens of the United States;
(2)(A) during the last half century, Congress has enacted
many laws and established many programs to provide resources to
rural communities;
(B) in addition, many efforts have been made to coordinate
Federal rural development programs; and
(C) during the last decade, the National Rural Development
Partnership and its principal components, the National Rural
Development Council and State rural development councils, have
successfully provided opportunities for collaboration and
coordination among Federal agencies and between Federal
agencies and States, nonprofit organizations, the private
sector, tribal governments, and other entities committed to
rural advancement;
(3) Congress enacted the Rural Development Act of 1972 (86
Stat. 657) and the Rural Development Policy Act of 1980 (94
Stat. 1171) as a manifestation of this commitment to rural
development;
(4) section 607(b)(3) of the Rural Development Policy Act
of 1972 (7 U.S.C. 2204b(b)(3)) directs the Secretary of
Agriculture to develop a process through which multi-state,
State, substate, and local rural development needs, goals
objectives, plans, and recommendations can be received and
assessed on a continuing basis;
(5) the National Rural Development Partnership and State
rural development councils were established as vehicles to help
coordinate development of rural programs in 1990;
(6) in 1991, the Secretary began to execute those statutory
responsibilities, in part through the innovative mechanism of
national, State, and local rural development partnerships
administered by the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Small
Community and Rural Development;
(7) that mechanism, now known as the ``National Rural
Development Partnership'', has been recognized as a model of
new governance and as an example of the effectiveness of
collaboration between the Federal, State, local, tribal,
private, and nonprofit sectors in addressing the needs of the
rural communities of the United States;
(8) partnerships by agencies and entities in the
Partnership would extend scarce but valuable funding through
collaboration and cooperation; and
(9) the continued success and efficacy of the Partnership
could be enhanced through specific Congressional authorization
removing any statutory barriers that could detract from the
benefits potentially achieved through the Partnership's unique
structure.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP.
Subtitle E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7
U.S.C. 2009 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 381P. NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Agency with rural responsibilities.--The term `agency
with rural responsibilities' means any executive agency (as
defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code) that--
``(A) implements Federal law targeted at rural
areas, including--
``(i) the Act of April 24, 1950 (commonly
known as the `Granger-Thye Act') (64 Stat. 82,
chapter 9);
``(ii) the Intergovernmental Cooperation
Act of 1968 (82 Stat. 1098);
``(iii) section 41742 of title 49, United
States Code;
``(iv) the Rural Development Act of 1972
(86 Stat. 657);
``(v) the Rural Development Policy Act of
1980 (94 Stat. 1171);
``(vi) the Rural Electrification Act of
1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.);
``(vii) amendments made to section 334 of
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254g)
by the Rural Health Clinics Act of 1983 (97
Stat. 1345); and
``(viii) the Rural Housing Amendments of
1983 (97 Stat. 1240) and the amendments made by
the Rural Housing Amendments of 1983 to title V
of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1471 et
seq.); or
``(B) administers a program that has a significant
impact on rural areas, including--
``(i) the Appalachian Regional Commission;
``(ii) the Department of Agriculture;
``(iii) the Department of Commerce;
``(iv) the Department of Defense;
``(v) the Department of Education;
``(vi) the Department of Energy;
``(vii) the Department of Health and Human
Services;
``(viii) the Department of Housing and
Urban Development;
``(ix) the Department of the Interior;
``(x) the Department of Justice;
``(xi) the Department of Labor;
``(xii) the Department of Transportation;
``(xiii) the Department of the Treasury.
``(xiv) the Department of Veterans Affairs;
``(xv) the Environmental Protection Agency;
``(xvi) the Federal Emergency Management
Administration;
``(xvii) the Small Business Administration;
``(xviii) the Social Security
Administration;
``(xix) the Federal Reserve System;
``(xx) the United States Postal Service;
``(xxi) the Corporation for National
Service;
``(xxii) the National Endowment for the
Arts and the National Endowment for the
Humanities; and
``(xxiii) other agencies, commissions, and
corporations.
``(2) Coordinating committee.--The term `Coordinating
Committee' means the National Rural Development Coordinating
Committee established by subsection (c).
``(3) Partnership.--The term `Partnership' means the
National Rural Development Partnership established by
subsection (b).
``(4) Rural area.--The term `rural area' means--
``(A) all the territory of a State that is not
within the boundary of any standard metropolitan
statistical area, as designated by the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget;
``(B) all territory within any standard
metropolitan statistical area described in subparagraph
(A) within a census tract having a population density
of less than 20 persons per square mile, as determined
by the Secretary according to the most recent census of
the United States as of any date; and
``(C) such areas as a State rural development
council may identify as rural.
``(5) State rural development council.--The term `State
rural development council' means a State rural development
council that meets the requirements of subsection (d).
``(b) Establishment.--
``(1) In general.--There is established a National Rural
Development Partnership composed of--
``(A) the Coordinating Committee; and
``(B) State rural development councils.
``(2) Purposes.--The purposes of the Partnership are--
``(A) to empower and build the capacity of States
and rural communities within States to design unique
responses to their own special rural development needs,
with local determinations of progress and selection of
projects and activities;
``(B) to encourage participants to be flexible and
innovative in establishing new partnerships and trying
fresh, new approaches to rural development issues, with
responses to rural development that use different
approaches to fit different situations; and
``(C) to encourage all partners in the Partnership
(Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, the
private sector, and nonprofit organizations) to be
fully engaged and share equally in decisions.
``(3) Role of federal government.--The role of the Federal
Government in the Partnership shall be that of a partner,
coach, and facilitator, with Federal agencies authorized--
``(A) to cooperate closely with States to implement
the Partnership;
``(B) to provide States with the technical and
administrative support necessary to plan and implement
tailored rural development strategies to meet local
needs;
``(C) to delegate decisionmaking to other levels;
``(D) to ensure that the head of each agency
referred to in subsection (a)(1)(B) designates a
senior-level agency official to represent the agency on
the Coordinating Committee and directs appropriate
field staff to participate fully with the State rural
development council within the jurisdiction of the
field staff; and
``(E) to enter into cooperative agreements with,
and to provide grants and other assistance to, State
rural development councils, regardless of the legal
form of organization of a State rural development
council and notwithstanding any other provision of law.
``(4) Role of private and nonprofit sector organizations.--
Private and nonprofit sector organizations are encouraged--
``(A) to act as full partners in the Partnership
and State rural development councils; and
``(B) to cooperate with participating government
organizations in developing innovative approaches to
the solution of rural development problems.
``(c) National Rural Development Coordinating Committee.--
``(1) Establishment.--There is established a National Rural
Development Coordinating Committee.
``(2) Composition.--The Coordinating Committee shall be
composed of--
``(A) 1 representative of each agency with rural
responsibilities that elects to participate in the
Coordinating Committee; and
``(B) representatives of--
``(i) national associations of State,
regional, local, and tribal governments and
intergovernmental and multi-jurisdictional
agencies and organizations;
``(ii) national public interest groups; and
``(iii) other national nonprofit
organizations that elect to participate in the
activities of the Coordinating Committee.
``(3) Duties.--The Coordinating Committee shall--
``(A) provide support for the work of the State
rural development councils;
``(B) facilitate coordination among Federal
programs and activities, and with State, local, tribal,
and private programs and activities, affecting rural
development;
``(C) enhance the effectiveness, responsiveness,
and delivery of Federal programs in rural areas;
``(D) gather and provide to Federal authorities
information and input for the development and
implementation of Federal programs impacting rural
economic and community development;
``(E) review and comment on policies, regulations,
and proposed legislation that affect or would affect
rural areas;
``(F) provide technical assistance to State rural
development councils for the implementation of Federal
programs; and
``(G) develop and facilitate strategies to reduce
or eliminate administrative and regulatory impediments.
``(4) Election not to participate.--An agency with rural
responsibilities that elects not to participate in the
Partnership shall submit to Congress a report that describes--
``(A) how the programmatic responsibilities of the
Federal agency that target or have an impact on rural
areas are better achieved without participation by the
agency in the Partnership; and
``(B) a more effective means of partnership-
building and collaboration to achieve the programmatic
responsibilities of the agency.
``(5) Performance evaluations.--In conducting a performance
evaluation of an employee of an agency with rural
responsibilities, the agency shall consider any comments
submitted by a State rural development council.
``(d) State Rural Development Councils.--
``(1) Establishment.--Each State may elect to participate
in the Partnership by entering into an agreement with the
Secretary to establish a State rural development council.
``(2) State diversity.--Each State rural development
council shall--
``(A) have a nonpartisan and nondiscriminatory
membership that is broad and representative of the
economic, social, and political diversity of the State;
and
``(B) carry out programs and activities in a manner
that reflects the diversity of the State.
``(3) Duties.--A State rural development council shall--
``(A) facilitate collaboration among Federal,
State, local, and tribal governments and the private
and nonprofit sectors in the planning and
implementation of programs and policies that target or
have an impact on rural areas of the State;
``(B) enhance the effectiveness, responsiveness,
and delivery of Federal and State programs in rural
areas of the State;
``(C) gather and provide to the Coordinating
Committee and other appropriate organizations
information on the condition of rural areas in the
State;
``(D) monitor and report on policies and programs
that address, or fail to address, the needs of the
rural areas of the State;
``(E) facilitate the formulation of local needs
assessments for the rural areas of the State and
participate in the development of criteria for the
distribution of Federal funds to the rural areas of the
State;
``(F) provide comments to the Coordinating
Committee and other appropriate organizations on
policies, regulations, and proposed legislation that
affect or would affect the rural areas of the State;
``(G) in conjunction with the Coordinating
Committee, facilitate the development of strategies to
reduce or eliminate conflicting or duplicative
administrative or regulatory requirements of Federal,
State, local, and tribal governments; and
``(H) use grant or cooperative agreement funds
available to the Partnership to--
``(i) retain an Executive Director and such
support staff as are necessary to facilitate
and implement the directives of the State rural
development council; and
``(ii) pay expenses associated with
carrying out subparagraphs (A) through (G) and
subparagraph (J).
``(4) Authorities.--A State rural development council may--
``(A) solicit funds to supplement and match funds
granted under paragraph (3)(H); and
``(B) engage in activities, in addition to those
specified in paragraph (3), appropriate to accomplish
the purposes for which the State rural development council is
established.
``(5) Comments or recommendations.--
``(A) In general.--A State rural development
council may provide comments and recommendations to an
agency with rural responsibilities related to the
activities of the State rural development council
within the State.
``(B) Agency.--The agency with rural
responsibilities shall provide to the State rural
development council a written response to the comments
or recommendations.
``(6) Actions of state rural development council members.--
When carrying out a program or activity authorized by a State
rural development council, a member of the council shall be
regarded as an employee of the Federal Government for purposes
of chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code.
``(7) Federal participation in state rural development
councils.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B),
Federal employees may participate in a State rural
development council.
``(B) Conflicts.--A Federal employee who
participates in a State rural development council shall
not participate in the making of any council decision
if the agency represented by the Federal employee has
any financial or other interest in the outcome of the
decision.
``(C) Federal guidance.--The Attorney General shall
issue guidance to all Federal employees that
participate in State rural development councils that
describes specific decisions that--
``(i) would constitute a conflict of
interest for the Federal employee; and
``(ii) from which the Federal employee must
recuse himself or herself.
``(e) Administration of the Partnership.--
``(1) Detail of employees.--In order to provide experience
in intergovernmental collaboration, with the approval of the
head of an agency with rural responsibilities that elects to
participate in the Partnership, an employee of the agency with
rural responsibilities is encouraged to be detailed to the
Partnership without reimbursement, and such detail shall be
without interruption or loss of civil service status or
privilege.
``(2) Additional support.--The Secretary shall provide for
any additional support staff to the Partnership as the
Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out the duties of
the Partnership.
``(3) Panel.--
``(A) In general.--A panel consisting of
representatives of the Coordinating Committee and State
rural development councils shall be established to lead
and coordinate the strategic operation, policies, and
practices of the Partnership.
``(B) Annual reports.--In conjunction with the
Coordinating Committee and State rural development
councils, the panel shall prepare and submit to
Congress an annual report on the activities of the
Partnership.
``(f) Funding.--
``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--
``(A) In general.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out
this section.
``(B) Funding formula.--In the case of general
financial support provided by the Federal Government to
all State rural development councils, such support
shall be uniform in amount, but the Secretary may
distribute general financial support that exceeds 200
percent of the uniform amount received by all State
rural development councils for fiscal year 2002 under a
formula that takes into account the geographic size of
the rural areas of the respective States, the rural
populations of the respective States, economic factors,
and other appropriate factors.
``(2) Federal agencies.--
``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, in order to carry out the purposes
described in subsection (b)(2), the Partnership shall
be eligible to receive grants, gifts, contributions, or
technical assistance from, or enter into contracts
with, any Federal agency, to the extent permitted by
law.
``(B) Assistance.--Federal agencies are encouraged
to use funds made available for programs that target or
have an impact on rural areas to provide assistance to,
and enter into contracts with, the Partnership, as
described in subparagraph (A).
``(3) Contributions.--The Partnership may accept private
contributions.
``(g) Matching Requirements for State Rural Development Councils.--
A State rural development council shall provide matching funds, or in-
kind goods or services, to support the activities of the State rural
development council in an amount that is not less than 33 percent of
the amount of Federal funds received under an agreement under
subsection (d)(1).
``(h) Termination.--The authority provided under this section shall
terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of
this section.''.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6997)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
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