,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dfcc  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #ba1
 #bjbj,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself and   
,mr4 ,tillis7 introduced the following  
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,agriculture1      
,nutrition1 and ,forestry  ,a ,,bill    
,to provide for assistance to rural     
water1 wastewater1 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 ,act of #bjbj4  #b4     
,emergency assistance for rural water   
systems  7a7 ,definitions ,in this      
section3 7#a7 ,eligible entity ,the term
 eligible entity means a rural water1   
wastewater1 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 the ,consolidated ,farm and ,rural   

,development ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4         
#aibf7;a71 #aibf;a1 #aibf;c1 #aibf;d74  
7#b7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary    
means the ,secretary of ,agriculture4   
7b7 ,emergency assistance ,the          
,secretary may-- 7#a7 provide a grant1 a
 zero percent interest loan1 or a #a    
percent interest 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 ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4         
#aibf7;a77#a71 #aibf;c77 made to1 an    
eligible entity2 or  7#b7 reduce or     
eliminate any fee that is or would      
otherwise be required to be paid under  
section #cjf7;a77#a7 of that ,act 7#g   
,u4,s4,c4 #aibf7;a77#a77 with respect to
 a loan guarantee provided to an        
eligible entity1 on the condition that  
the eligible entity receives the benefit

 resulting from the reduction or        
elimination of the fee4  7c7 ,level of  
assistance ,the ,secretary may provide  
assistance to an eligible entity under  
subsection 7b7 as the ,secretary        
determines is necessary-- 7#a7 to ensure
 that the eligible entity has the       
necessary resources to maintain public  
health1 safety1 or order2  7#b7 to      
address financial hardships of the      
eligible entity due to the ,,covid-#ai  
public health emergency2 and  7#c7 to   
promote the financial stability of the  
eligible entity4  7d7 ,use of assistance
 ,an eligible entity to which assistance
 is provided under subsection 7b7 may   
use the assistance-- 7#a7 for any       
purpose for which the eligible entity is
 eligible for assistance under the      
relevant provision of law referred to in
 subsection 7a77#a72 or  7#b7 for any   
direct operational expenses of incurred 
by the eligible entity1 as determined by
 the ,secretary4  7e7 ,appropriation    
7#a7 ,in general ,out of any amounts in 

the ,treasury not otherwise             
appropriated1 there is appropriated to  
the ,secretary #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 by the 
,secretary in carrying out this section4
  7#c7 ,availability ,the amount        
appropriated by paragraph 7#a7 shall    
remain available through ,december #ca1 
#bjba4