,i #aae? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #didg ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,febru>y #f1 #bjah,ms4 ,e/y ( ,connecticut 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,katko1 ,mr4 ,faso1 & ,mr4 ,wel*7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,agriculture ,a ,,bill ,to improve infra/ructure 9 small t[ns & rural areas4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,rural ,infra/ructure ,developm5t & ,p>tn]%ips ,act4 #b4 ,rural p>tn]%ips (fice 7a7 ,e/abli%m5t ,!re is e/abli%$ 9 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture a ,rural ,p>tn]%ips ,(fice 79 ?is section ref]r$ to z ! ,(fice74 7b7 ,head ( (fice ,! ,(fice %all be head$ by a ,director appo9t$ by ! ,presid5t4 7c7 ,direct report+ to ,secret>y ( ,agriculture ,! ,director %all report directly to ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture 79 ?is section ref]r$ to z ! ,secret>y74 7d7 ,duties ,! ,secret>y1 ?r\gh ! ,rural ,p>tn]%ips ,(fice1 %all d ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,rural p>tn]s program ,e/abli% & run a program to provide te*nical assi/ance to improve deliv]y1 f9anc+1 op]ations1 & ma9t5ance ( rural infra/ructure1 z foll[s3 7,a7 ,?r\gh a competitive process1 select n m ?an #e organizations to s]ve z on-call provid]s ( on-site te*nical assi/ance to rural communities4 7,b7 ,solicit applications f rural communities = te*nical assi/ance ) infra/ructure plann+1 asset managem5t1 life-cycle acc\nt+1 project deliv]y1 f9anc+1 regional coord9ation1 & project ov]sight4 7,c7 ,require an application = te*nical assi/ance f ! program to include only a /atem5t ( ! type ( assi/ance reque/$1 & ( h[ ! applicant believes ! assi/ance w\ld improve rural infra/ructure1 & any o!r in=mation necess>y to demon/rate ! ability ( ! rural community to p>ticipate 9 ! program4 7,d7 ,involve ! ,rural ,liaison 9 ea* relevant ,f$]al ag5cy 9 ! review ( ea* application = te*nical assi/ance f ! program4 7,e7 ,assign a te*nical assi/ance team to ea* applicant = te*nical assi/ance f ! program ^: application is approv$ by ! ,secret>y1 :i* %all provide ! assi/ance = a p]iod ( n m ?an #b ye>s1 ) ! goal t te*nical assi/ance p]sonnel w be on-site 9 ! rural community = a significant portion ( t p]iod1 & require ! team to submit to ! ,secret>y & ! ,rural ,liaison 9 ea* relevant ,f$]al ag5cy qu>t]ly reports :i* summ>ize ! activities (1 & progress made by1 ! team dur+ ! qu>t]1 includ+ an acc\nt+ ( = h[ mu* "t ! team sp5t 9 ! community4 7,f7 ,coord9ate ! program ) ! ,rural ,wat] & ,wa/ewat] ,circuit ,rid] ,program c>ri$ out "u section #cjf7;a77#bb7 ( ! ,consolidat$ ,f>m & ,rural ,developm5t ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aibf7;a77#bb771 te*nical assi/ance provid$ out "u section #addb ( ! ,safe ,dr9k+ ,wat] ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;j-#a71 ! program = assi/ance = capacity build+ = community developm5t & af=dable h\s+ "u section #d ( ! ,,hud ,demon/ration ,act ( #aiic 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ihaf note71 & any o!r activities "u :i* te*nical assi/ance may be provid$ s z to affect rural infra/ructure1 9 ord] to avoid duplication ( ef=t4 7#b7 ,be/ practices cle>+h\se ,e/abli% an onl9e cle>+h\se ( be/ practices specifically t>get$ to rural infra/ructure plann+1 asset managem5t1 life-cycle acc\nt+1 project deliv]y1 fund+ & f9anc+1 regional coord9ation1 & project ov]sight1 includ+ res\rces prep>$ by ,f$]al ag5cies & o!r s\rces4 7#c7 ,grants ,make grants to assi/ rural communities 9 develop+ co/-effective infra/ructure projects1 ) p>ticul> focus on regionally coord9at$ or bundl$ projects1 & require an application = su* a grant to include only su* docum5tation z is necess>y to demon/rate ! pot5tial = a viable project1 & to be submitt$ by ! ,/ate1 local1 or regional gov]nm5tal entity ) prim>y responsibility = ! project4 7#d7 ,coord9ation ( ,rural ,liasions ,facilitate coord9ation ( ! ,rural ,liaisons to develop1 to ! ext5t practical1 common guidel9es = rural fund+ or f9anc+ programs at ! v>i\s ,f$]al ag5cies1 z well z to id5tify opportunities to "w across ag5cies to support rural infra/ructure ne$s4 7#e7 ,annual reports ,)9 #fj days aft] ! end ( ea* fiscal ye>1 publi% an annual report on ! activities ( ! ,(fice dur+ ! prec$+ fiscal ye>1 includ+ ! /atus ( activities fund$ or assi/$ "u ! te*nical assi/ance program1 & submit a copy ( ! report to ! ,committee on ,agriculture ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & ! ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 & ,=e/ry ( ! ,s5ate4 #c4 ,rural liaisons 7a7 ,designation 9 ea* ,f$]al ag5cy ,! head ( ea* ,f$]al ag5cy t provides f9ancial assi/ance to a rural community = an activity relat$ to rural infra/ructure1 %all designate a ,rural ,liaison 9 ! ag5cy4 7b7 ,duties ,! ,rural ,liaison 9 a ,f$]al ag5cy %all d ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,review regulations (1 guidance provid$ by1 & proc$ures ( ! ag5cy to id5tify any t pres5t a h>d%ip = a rural community1 & recomm5d ways to alleviate ! h>d%ip4 7#b7 ,p>ticipate 9 ! review ( applications ref]r$ to 9 section #b7;d77#a77;,c74 7#c7 ,s]ve z an ombudsp]son = any rural community to :i* ! ag5cy is provid+ f9ancial assi/ance1 to help address issues & resolve problems4 7#d7 ,meet regul>ly ) o!r ,rural ,liaisons to coord9ate ef=ts & id5tify ways to "w toge!r to support rural infra/ructure ne$s4 #d4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,relevant ,f$]al ag5cy ,! t]m relevant ,f$]al ag5cy means1 ) respect to an application = te*nical assi/ance1 ea* ,f$]al ag5cy t provides f9ancial assi/ance to a rural community = an activity relat$ to rural infra/ructure ) respect to :i* ! te*nical assi/ance is s\ght4 7#b7 ,rural area ,! t]m rural area means any area locat$ outside an urbaniz$ area 7z def9$ by ! ,bureau ( ! ,c5sus7 ) a population ( #ej1jjj or m4 7#c7 ,rural community ,! t]m rural community means any community locat$ 9 a rural area4 7#d7 ,rural infra/ructure ,! t]m rural infra/ructure means surface1 m>itime1 air transportation1 wat]1 wa/ewat]1 broadb&1 & en]gy facilities & op]ations1 & public build+s1 includ+ s*ools1 9 a rural area4