,i  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #fifa  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,september #bg1      
#bjah,ms4 ,sinema 7for herself1 ,mr4    
,gosar1 and ,mr4 ,grijalva7 introduced  
the following bill2 which was referred  
to the ,committee on ,agriculture  ,a   
,,bill  ,to direct the ,secretary of    
,agriculture to carry out a grant       
program to award grants to qualified    
partnerships to remove non-native plant 
species that contribute to drought      
conditions1 and for other purposes4  #a4
 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as
 the ,drought ,relief through           
,innovative ,projects ,act or the ,,drip
 ,act4  #b4 ,non-native plant species   
removal grant program authorized  7a7   
,in general ,the ,secretary shall       
establish a grant program to award      
grants1 on a competitive basis1 to      
qualified partnerships to--  7#a7 remove
 non-native plant species that          
contribute to drought conditions2 and   
7#b7 replace such non-native plant      

species with native plant species4  7b7 
,application ,to be eligible to receive 
a grant under this section1 a qualified 
partnership shall submit an application 
to the ,secretary1 at such time1 in such
 manner1 and containing such information
 as the ,secretary may require1         
including--  7#a7 a plan for how the    
qualified partnership will use the grant
 funds to carry out the activities      
described in paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 of
 subsection 7a72  7#b7 how the qualified
 partnership consulted with local       
stakeholders1 including conservation    
groups1 to establish the plan described 
under paragraph 7#a72 and  7#c7         
information demonstrating that the      
native plant species replaced pursuant  
to such grant will-- 7,a7 reduce flood  
risk1 improve hydrology and water       
storage capacities1 or reduce fire      
hazard2 and  7,b7 protect and restore   
rivers and streams and associated       
riparian habitats1 including fish and   
wildlife resources that are dependent on

 such habitats4  7c7 ,definitions ,in   
this section3 7#a7 ,non-native plant    
species ,the term non-native plant      
species means a plant species that--    
7,a7 is non-native 7or alien7 to an     
ecosystem2 and  7,b7 when introduced to 
such ecosystem causes1 or is likely to  
cause1 economic harm1 environmental     
harm1 or harm to human health4  7#b7    
,qualified partnership ,the term        
qualified partnership means a           
partnership between the following3 7,a7 
,at least #a flood control district4    
7,b7 ,at least #a city1 county1         
township1 town1 borough1 parish1        
village1 or other general purpose       
political subdivision of a ,state4  7#c7
 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means  
the ,secretary of ,agriculture4  7d7    
,authorization of appropriations ,there 
is authorized to be appropriated to     
carry out this section #aj1jjj1jjj for  
fiscal year #bjai and each fiscal year  
thereafter4