,,ii #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #chf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #bf1 #bjac ,mr4 ,begich introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,consolidated ,farm and ,rural ,development ,act to provide and improve housing in rural areas for educators1 public safety officers1 and medical providers1 and their households1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,rural ,educator and ,american ,community ,housing ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,housing for educators1 public safety officers1 and medical providers ,section #cjf7;a7 of the ,consolidated ,farm and ,rural ,development ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aibf7;a77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#bf7 ,grants and loan guarantees to provide housing for educators1 public safety officers1 and medical providers 7,a7 ,definitions ,in this paragraph3 7i7 ,educator ,the term educator means an individual who-- 7,i7 is employed full-time as a teacher1 principal1 or administrator by-- 7aa7 a public elementary school or secondary school that provides direct services to students in grades prekindergarten through grade #ab1 or a ,head ,start program2 and 7bb7 meets the appropriate teaching certification or licensure requirements of the ,state for the position in which the individual is employed2 or 7,,ii7 is employed full-time as a librarian1 a career guidance or counseling provider1 an education aide1 or in another instructional or administrative position for a public elementary school or secondary school4 7ii7 ,medical provider ,the term medical provider means-- 7,i7 a licensed doctor of medicine or osteopathy2 7,,ii7 an ,american ,indian1 ,alaska ,native1 or ,native ,hawaiian recognized as a traditional healing practitioner2 7,,iii7 a health care provider that-- 7aa7 is licensed or certified under ,federal or ,state law1 as applicable2 and 7bb7 is providing services that are eligible for coverage under a plan under the ,federal ,employees ,health ,benefits ,program under chapter #hi of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code2 7,,iv7 a provider authorized under section #aai of the ,indian ,health ,care ,improvement ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #afafl72 or 7,v7 any other individual that the ,secretary determines is capable of providing health care services4 7iii7 ,public safety officer ,the term public safety officer means an individual who is employed full-time-- 7,i7 as a law enforcement officer by a law enforcement agency of the ,federal ,government1 a ,state1 a unit of general local government1 or an ,indian tribe2 or 7,,ii7 as a firefighter by a fire department of the ,federal ,government1 a ,state1 a unit of general local government1 or an ,indian tribe4 7iv7 ,qualified community ,the term qualified community means any open country1 or any place1 town1 village1 or city-- 7,i7 that is not part of or associated with an urban area2 and 7,,ii7 that-- 7aa7 has a population of not more than #b1ejj2 or 7bb7 7,,aa7 has a population of not more than #aj1jjj2 and 7,,bb7 is not accessible by a motor vehicle1 as defined in section #cjajb of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code4 7v7 ,qualified housing ,the term qualified housing means housing for educators1 public safety officers1 or medical providers that is located in a qualified community4 7vi7 ,qualified project ,the term qualified project means-- 7,i7 the construction1 modernization1 renovation1 or repair of qualified housing2 7,,ii7 the payment of interest on bonds or other financing instruments 7excluding instruments used for refinancing7 that are issued for the construction1 modernization1 renovation1 or repair of qualified housing2 7,,iii7 the repayment of a loan used-- 7aa7 for the construction1 modernization1 renovation1 or repair of qualified housing2 or 7bb7 to purchase real property on which qualified housing will be constructed2 7,,iv7 purchasing or leasing real property on which qualified housing will be constructed1 renovated1 modernized1 or repaired2 or 7,v7 any other activity normally associated with the construction1 modernization1 renovation1 or repair of qualified housing1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7vii7 ,educational service agency1 elementary school1 local educational agency1 secondary school1 ,state educational agency ,the terms educational service agency1 elementary school1 local educational agency1 secondary school1 and ,state educational agency have the meanings given those terms in section #iaja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja74 7,b7 ,grants ,the ,secretary may make a grant to an applicant to carry out a qualified project4 7,c7 ,loan guarantees ,the ,secretary may guarantee a loan made to an applicant for the construction1 modernization1 renovation1 or repair of qualified housing4 7,d7 ,financing mechanisms ,the ,secretary may make payments of interest on bonds1 loans1 or other financial instruments 7other than financial instruments used for refinancing7 that are issued to an applicant for a qualified project4 7,e7 ,application ,an applicant that desires a grant1 loan guarantee1 or payment of interest under this paragraph shall submit to the ,secretary an application that-- 7i7 indicates whether the qualified housing for which the grant1 loan guarantee1 or payment of interest is sought is located in a qualified community2 7ii7 identifies the applicant2 7iii7 indicates whether the applicant prefers to receive a grant1 loan guarantee1 or payment of interest under this paragraph2 7iv7 describes how the applicant would ensure the adequate maintenance of qualified housing assisted under this paragraph2 7v7 demonstrates a need for qualified housing in a qualified community1 which may include a deficiency of affordable housing1 a deficiency of habitable housing1 or the need to modernize1 renovate1 or repair housing2 7vi7 describes the expected impact of the grant1 loan guarantee1 or payment of interest on-- 7,i7 educators1 public safety officers1 and medical providers in a qualified community1 including the impact on recruitment and retention of educators1 public safety officers1 and medical providers2 and 7,,ii7 the economy of a qualified community1 including-- 7aa7 any plans to use small business concerns for the construction1 modernization1 renovation1 or repair of qualified housing2 and 7bb7 the short- and long-term impact on the rate of employment in the qualified community2 and 7vii7 describes how the applicant would ensure that qualified housing assisted under this paragraph is used for educators1 public safety officers1 and medical providers4 7,f7 ,input from ,state ,director of ,rural ,development ,the ,state ,director of ,rural ,development for a ,state may submit to the ,secretary an evaluation of any application for a qualified project in the ,state for which an application for assistance under this paragraph is submitted and the ,secretary shall take into consideration the evaluation in determining whether to provide assistance4 7,g7 ,priority ,in awarding grants and making loan guarantees and payments of interest under this paragraph1 the ,secretary shall give priority to an applicant that is-- 7i7 a ,state educational agency or local educational agency2 7ii7 an educational service agency2 7iii7 a ,state or local housing authority2 7iv7 an ,indian tribe or tribal organization1 as those terms are defined in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #dej;b72 7v7 a tribally designated housing entity2 7vi7 a local government2 or 7vii7 a consortium of any of the entities described in clauses 7i7 through 7vi74 7,h7 ,limitation ,the ,secretary may provide assistance to the same applicant under only #a of subparagraphs 7,b71 7,c71 and 7,d74 7,i7 ,requirement ,as a condition of eligibility for a grant1 loan guarantee1 or payment of interest under this paragraph1 at least #a named applicant shall be required to maintain ownership of the qualified housing that is the subject of the grant1 loan guarantee1 or payment of interest during the greater of-- 7i7 #ae years2 or 7ii7 the period of the loan for which a loan guarantee or payment of interest is made under this paragraph4 7,j7 ,reporting 7i7 ,by applicants ,not later than #b years after the date on which an applicant receives a grant1 loan guarantee1 or payment of interest under this paragraph1 the applicant shall submit to the ,secretary a report that-- 7,i7 describes how the grant1 loan guarantee1 or payment of interest was used2 and 7,,ii7 contains an estimate of the number of jobs created or maintained by use of the grant1 loan guarantee1 or payment of interest4 7ii7 ,by ,,gao ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this paragraph1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to ,congress a report evaluating the program under this paragraph4 7,k7 ,authorization of appropriations 7i7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary #ej1jjj1jjjj for fiscal year #bjac1 and each fiscal year thereafter4 7ii7 ,availability ,any amounts appropriated to carry out this paragraph shall remain available for obligation by the ,secretary during the #c-year period beginning on the date of the appropriation4 7iii7 ,use of funds ,of any amounts appropriated for a fiscal year to carry out this paragraph1 the ,secretary shall use-- 7,i7 not less than #ej percent to make grants under this paragraph2 7,,ii7 not more than #e percent to carry out national activities under this paragraph1 including providing technical assistance and conducting outreach to qualified communities2 and 7,,iii7 any amounts not expended in accordance with subclauses 7,i7 and 7,,ii7 to make loan guarantees and payments of interest under this paragraph4 4