,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bhfb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,november #ad1 
#bjai,ms4 ,sinema 7for herself and ,mr4 
,cornyn7 introduced the following bill2 
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,environment and ,public 
,works  ,a ,,bill  ,to direct the       
,secretary of ,agriculture to establish 
a grant program to remove nonnative     
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 of #bjai or  
the ,,drip ,act of #bjai4  #b4          
,nonnative plant species removal grant  
program  7a7 ,definitions ,in this      
section3 7#a7 ,eligible entity ,the term
 eligible entity means a partnership    
between two or more entities that--     
7,a7 shall include-- 7i7 at least #a    
flood control district2 and  7ii7 at    
least #a city1 county1 township1 town1  
borough1 parish1 village1 or other      

general purpose political subdivision of
 a ,state or ,indian tribe 7as defined  
in section #d of the ,indian            
,self-,determination and ,education     
,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd772
 and  7,b7 may include any other entity 
7such as a nonprofit organization or    
institution of higher education71 as    
determined by the ,secretary4  7#b7     
,nonnative plant species ,the term      
nonnative plant species means a plant   
species that-- 7,a7 is nonnative or     
alien to an ecosystem2 and  7,b7 if     
introduced to that ecosystem1 will      
cause1 or is likely to cause1 economic  
harm1 environmental harm1 or harm to    
human health4  7#c7 ,secretary ,the term
 ,secretary means the ,secretary of     
,agriculture4  7b7 ,establishment ,the  
,secretary shall establish a grant      
program to award grants1 on a           
competitive basis1 to eligible          
entities--  7#a7 to remove nonnative    
plant species in riparian areas that    
contribute to drought conditions2  7#b7 

to replace those nonnative plant species
 with native plant species2 and  7#c7 to
 maintain and monitor riparian areas in 
which nonnative plant species have been 
removed and replaced4  7c7 ,applications
  7#a7 ,in general ,to be eligible to   
receive a grant under this section1 an  
eligible entity shall submit to the     
,secretary an application at such time1 
in such manner1 and containing such     
information as the ,secretary may       
require1 including--  7,a7 a plan for   
how the eligible entity will use grant  
funds to carry out the activities       
described in paragraphs 7#a7 through    
7#c7 of subsection 7b72  7,b7 a         
description of the manner in which the  
eligible entity has carried out the     
consultation required under paragraph   
7#b72 and  7,c7 information             
demonstrating that each native plant    
species described in subsection 7b77#b7 
will-- 7i7 7,i7 reduce flood risk2      
7,,ii7 improve hydrology and water      
storage capacities2 or  7,,iii7 reduce  

fire hazard2 and  7ii7 protect and      
restore rivers and streams and          
associated riparian habitats1 including 
fish and wildlife resources that are    
dependent on those habitats4  7#b7      
,consultation ,an eligible entity       
seeking a grant under this section shall
 consult with local stakeholders1       
including conservation groups1 to create
 the plan described in paragraph        
7#a77;,a74  7d7 ,report ,an eligible    
entity that receives a grant under this 
section shall submit to the ,secretary a
 report at such time1 in such manner1   
and containing such information as the  
,secretary may require1 including       
information on methodology and outcomes 
of nonnative plant species removal and  
replacement efforts4  7e7 ,authorization
 of appropriations ,there is authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this    
section #aj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year     
#bjbj and each fiscal year thereafter4