,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #gihe  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,august #g1 #bjbj,mr4
 ,rouzer 7for himself and ,mr4 ,vela7   
introduced the following bill2 which was
 referred to the ,committee on          
,agriculture  ,a ,,bill  ,to provide for
 assistance to rural water and waste    
disposal systems affected by the        
,,covid-#ai pandemic1 and for other     
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,emergency          
,assistance for ,rural ,water ,systems  
,act4  #b4 ,emergency assistance for    
rural water systems  7a7 ,in general    
,the ,secretary of ,agriculture 7in this
 section referred to as the ,secretary7 
may-- 7#a7 provide a grant1 a zero      
interest loan1 or a #a percent loan to1 
forgive principal or interest or modify 
any term or condition of an outstanding 
loan made to1 or refinance part or all  
of any other loan 7if the purpose of the
 loan is an eligible purpose under      
section #cjf7;a77#a7 or #cjf;,c of the  

,consolidated ,farm and ,rural          
,development ,act7 made to1 a rural     
water or waste disposal facility with   
respect to which assistance may be      
provided under a water1 wastewater1 or  
waste disposal program under section    
#cjf7;a71 #cjf;,a1 #cjf;,c1 or #cjf;,d  
of such ,act2 or  7#b7 reduce or        
eliminate any fee that is or would      
otherwise be required to be paid under  
such section #cjf7;a77#a7 with respect  
to a loan guarantee provided to any     
rural water1 waste water1 or waste      
disposal facility1 on the condition that
 the borrower receives the benefit      
resulting from the reduction or         
elimination of the fee4  7b7 ,level of  
assistance ,the ,secretary may provide  
assistance to an entity under this      
section as the ,secretary determines is 
necessary to-- 7#a7 ensure that the     
entity has the necessary resources to   
maintain public health1 safety1 or      
order2  7#b7 address financial hardships
 of the entity due to the ,,covid-#ai   

public health emergency2 and  7#c7      
promote the financial stability of the  
entity4  7c7 ,use of funds ,an entity to
 which assistance is provided under this
 section may use the assistance-- 7#a7  
for any purpose for which the entity is 
eligible for assistance under the       
relevant provision of law referred to in
 subsection 7a72 or  7#b7 for any direct
 operational expenses of a water1       
wastewater1 or waste disposal facility  
incurred by the entity1 as determined by
 the ,secretary4  7d7 ,appropriation    
7#a7 ,in general ,out of any money in   
the ,treasury of the ,united ,states not
 otherwise appropriated1 there are      
appropriated #a1jjj1jjj1jjj to carry out
 this section4  7#b7 ,reservation for   
administrative expenses ,the ,secretary 
shall reserve #c percent of the amount  
appropriated by paragraph 7#a7 for      
administrative expenses incurred in     
carrying out this section4  7#c7        
,availability ,the amounts appropriated 
in paragraph 7#a7 shall remain available

 through ,december #ca1 #bjba4