,,ii #aaf? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #diej ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,decemb] #b1 #bjbj,ms4 ,cortez ,ma/o 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,ris*1 ,mr4 ,crapo1 & ,mr4 ,da9es7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 & ,=e/ry ,a ,,bill ,to improve ! process = aw>d+ grants "u c]ta9 programs ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture to c]ta9 c\nties 9 :i* ! majority ( l& is own$ or manag$ by ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t & to o!r units ( local gov]nm5t & ,tribal gov]nm5ts 9 ^? c\nties1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,m ,opportunities = ,rural ,economies f ,,usda ,grants ,act or ! ,,m ,,usda ,grants ,act4 #b4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty ,! t]m ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty means a c\nty 7or equival5t jurisdiction7 ( a ,/ate or t]ritory ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates-- 7,a7 t has a population ( n m ?an #ajj1jjj p1 accord+ to ! mo/ rec5t annual e/imates ( population by ! ,bureau ( ! ,c5sus2 & 7,b7 9 :i* m ?an #ej p]c5t ( ! l& is own$ or manag$ by ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t4 7#b7 ,qualify+ grant program ,! t]m qualify+ grant program means-- 7,a7 ! ,rural ,bus9ess ,developm5t grant program e/abli%$ "u section #caj;,b7c7 ( ! ,consolidat$ ,f>m & ,rural ,developm5t ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aicb7;c772 7,b7 ! ,economic ,impact ,initiative grant program e/abli%$ "u section #cjf7;a77#bj77;,b7 ( ! ,consolidat$ ,f>m & ,rural ,developm5t ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aibf7;a77#bj77;,b772 7,c7 ! ,telem$ic9e & ,di/ance ,le>n+ ,s]vices grant program e/abli%$ "u *apt] #a ( subtitle ,d ( title ,,xxiii ( ! ,food1 ,agriculture1 ,cons]vation1 & ,trade ,act ( #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #iej;aaa et seq472 7,d7 ! ,community ,connect ,grant ,program e/abli%$ "u section #fjd ( ! ,rural ,electrification ,act ( #aicf 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #iej;bb-#c72 7,e7 ! broadb& loan & grant pilot program kn[n z ! ,rural e,connectivity ,pilot ,program or ! ,re,connect ,program1 au?oriz$ "u section #ggi ( division ,a ( ! ,consolidat$ ,appropriations ,act1 #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-ada2 #acb ,/at4 #cii72 7,f7 any discretion>y grant program ( ! ,rural ,bus9ess-,coop]ative ,s]vice1 ! ,rural ,h\s+ ,s]vice1 ! ,rural ,utilities ,s]vice1 or any o!r rural developm5t ag5cy ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture "u :i* grants are aw>d$ to-- 7i7 c\nties2 7ii7 o!r units ( local gov]nm5t2 or 7iii7 ,tribal gov]nm5ts2 & 7,g7 any o!r discretion>y grant program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture "u :i* grants = rural developm5t are aw>d$ to-- 7i7 c\nties2 7ii7 o!r units ( local gov]nm5t2 or 7iii7 ,tribal gov]nm5ts4 7#c7 ,secret>y ,! t]m ,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture4 7#d7 ,tribal gov]nm5t ,! t]m ,tribal gov]nm5t means ! recogniz$ gov]n+ body ( any ,indian or ,alaska ,native tribe1 b&1 nation1 pueblo1 village1 community1 compon5t b&1 or compon5t res]vation1 individually id5tifi$ 7includ+ p>5!tically7 9 ! li/ publi%$ mo/ rec5tly z ( ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act pursuant to section #ajd ( ! ,f$]ally ,recogniz$ ,indian ,tribe ,li/ ,act ( #aiid 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #eaca74 #c4 ,grants 7a7 ,r$uction 9 local mat*+ requirem5ts ,not)/&+ any o!r provision ( law1 ) respect to a ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty & any unit ( local gov]nm5t or ,tribal gov]nm5t )9 a ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty1 any requirem5t = local mat*+ funds "u a qualify+ grant program %all be r$uc$ by #ej p]c5t4 7b7 ,te*nical assi/ance ,on reque/ ( a ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty or any unit ( local gov]nm5t or ,tribal gov]nm5t )9 a ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty1 ! ,secret>y %all provide additional te*nical assi/ance to ! ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty1 unit ( local gov]nm5t1 or ,tribal gov]nm5t be=e & dur+ ! annual application p]iod = ea* qualify+ grant program4 7c7 ,priority 7#a7 ,application approval ,9 approv+ applications = a qualify+ grant program1 ! ,secret>y %all give priority to an application f a ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty1 unit ( local gov]nm5t )9 a ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty1 or ,tribal gov]nm5t )9 a ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty t has n receiv$ support "u ! qualify+ grant program dur+ ! #aj-ye> p]iod prec$+ ! date ( ! application4 7#b7 ,te*nical assi/ance & o!r support ,9 c>ry+ out subsections 7b7 & 7d71 ! ,secret>y may give priority to a ,tribal gov]nm5t )9 a ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty4 7d7 ,o!r support ,! ,secret>y may provide additional support1 z ! ,secret>y det]m9es to be appropriate1 = a ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty or a unit ( local gov]nm5t or ,tribal gov]nm5t )9 a ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty1 includ+ by consid]+ &1 if appropriate1 (f]+ flexibility ) respect to any requirem5t (1 or b>ri] to apply+ = or receiv+ assi/ance "u1 a qualify+ grant program if ! requirem5t or b>ri] relates to-- 7#a7 scor+ crit]ia relat+ to num]ical size & impact1 su* z ! numb] ( jobs creat$ or ! numb] ( p s]v$1 :i* disadvantage small & isolat$ communities2 7#b7 any requirem5t t an applicant = a qualify+ grant program p>tn] ) o!r in/itutions1 su* z community colleges or f\ndations1 :i* may n op]ate 9 ! jurisdiction ( ! ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty1 unit ( local gov]nm5t1 or ,tribal gov]nm5t seek+ assi/ance "u ! qualify+ grant program2 7#c7 any f9ancial or ca%-on-h& requirem5t t a ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty or a unit ( local gov]nm5t or ,tribal gov]nm5t )9 a ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty _c meet = reasons o!r ?an any f9ancial con/ra9ts to :i* ! ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nty1 unit ( local gov]nm5t1 or ,tribal gov]nm5t is subject2 or 7#d7 an ov]ly complicat$ or ov]ly te*nical application = a qualify+ grant program t det]s ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nties or units ( local gov]nm5t or ,tribal gov]nm5ts )9 ,high-,d5sity ,public ,l& ,c\nties f apply+ = ! qualify+ grant program4