,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ajbc ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #bi1 #bjbc,mr4 ,braun 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,tuberville1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 ,mr4 ,rounds1 ,mr4 ,ricketts1 and ,mr4 ,scott of ,florida7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to establish an advisory committee to inform ,congress of the impact of ,waters of the ,united ,states regulations on ,united ,states agriculture1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,farmer-,informed ,,wotus ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,advisory committee for ,waters of the ,united ,states regulations 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,advisory committee ,the term advisory committee means the advisory committee established under subsection 7b74 7#b7 ,covered commodity ,the term covered commodity has the meaning given the term in section #aaaa of the ,agricultural ,act of #bjad 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ijaa74 7#c7 ,livestock ,the term livestock has the meaning given the term in section #b7;a7 of the ,packers and ,stockyards ,act1 #aiba 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ahb7;a774 7#d7 ,poultry ,the term poultry has the meaning given the term in section #b7;a77#f7 of the ,packers and ,stockyards ,act1 #aiba 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ahb7;a774 7#e7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture4 7#f7 ,specialty crop ,the term specialty crop has the meaning given the term in section #c of the ,specialty ,crops ,competitiveness ,act of #bjjd 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #afba note2 ,public ,law #ajh-dfe74 7#g7 ,,wotus regulations ,the term ,,wotus regulations means any ,federal regulations that define the term waters of the ,united ,states for purposes of the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abea et seq474 7b7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency and the ,assistant ,secretary of the ,army for ,civil ,works1 shall establish an advisory committee broadly representative of the ,united ,states farming and ranching sectors to study and develop recommendations to address the impact of ,,wotus regulations on ,united ,states agriculture and environmental protection4 7c7 ,membership 7#a7 ,composition ,the advisory committee shall be composed of #cb members1 all of whom are farmers or ranchers1 to be appointed as follows3 7,a7 ,farmer association-nominated appointees 7i7 ,in general #af members shall be appointed by the ,secretary from a list of candidates nominated under clause 7ii74 7ii7 ,nominations 7,i7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall select #af entities described in subclause 7,,ii71 each of which shall nominate #a candidate for membership in the advisory committee4 7,,ii7 ,nominating entities ,the entities referred to in subclause 7,i7 are the following3 7aa7 #b national farmer trade associations representing farmers and ranchers from all #ej ,states and the internal policy of which is developed using a member-driven process4 7bb7 #d national covered commodity trade associations4 7cc7 #c national specialty crop trade associations4 7dd7 #c national livestock trade associations4 7ee7 #c national poultry trade associations4 7ff7 #a national trade association representing ,state departments of agriculture4 7,b7 ,senate-nominated appointees 7i7 ,in general #h members shall be appointed by the ,secretary from a list of candidates nominated under clause 7ii74 7ii7 ,nominations ,the ,senate shall nominate #h regionally diverse candidates for membership in the advisory committee1 of whom-- 7,i7 #d shall be nominated by the majority leader of the ,senate1 in consultation with the chairperson of the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry of the ,senate2 and 7,,ii7 #d shall be nominated by the minority leader of the ,senate1 in consultation with the ranking member of the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry of the ,senate4 7,c7 ,house of ,representatives-nominated appointees 7i7 ,in general #h members shall be appointed by the ,secretary from a list of candidates nominated under clause 7ii74 7ii7 ,nominations ,the ,house of ,representatives shall nominate #h regionally diverse candidates for membership in the advisory committee1 of whom-- 7,i7 #d shall be nominated by the majority leader of the ,house of ,representatives1 in consultation with the chairperson of the ,committee on ,agriculture of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,,ii7 #d shall be nominated by the minority leader of the ,house of ,representatives1 in consultation with the ranking member of the ,committee on ,agriculture of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#b7 ,date ,initial appointments to the advisory committee under paragraph 7#a7 shall be made not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act4 7#c7 ,period of appointment2 ,vacancies 7,a7 ,in general ,a member of the advisory committee shall be appointed for the life of the advisory committee4 7,b7 ,vacancies ,any vacancy in the advisory committee-- 7i7 shall not affect the powers or duties of the advisory committee2 and 7ii7 shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment4 7#d7 ,chairperson and ,vice ,chairperson ,the advisory committee shall select a chairperson and vice chairperson from among the members of the advisory committee4 7d7 ,meetings 7#a7 ,initial meeting ,not later than #cj days after the date on which all members of the advisory committee have been appointed1 the advisory committee shall hold the first meeting of the advisory committee4 7#b7 ,frequency ,the advisory committee shall meet not less than #d times per year4 7#c7 ,quorum ,a majority of the members of the advisory committee shall constitute a quorum1 but a lesser number of members may hold hearings4 7e7 ,duties 7#a7 ,study and recommendations required 7,a7 ,in general ,the advisory committee shall conduct a thorough study and develop recommendations to address the impact of ,,wotus regulations on ,united ,states agriculture4 7,b7 ,matters studied ,the advisory committee shall study and develop recommendations to address-- 7i7 the impact of the prior-converted farmland exemption on agricultural operations2 7ii7 common agricultural practices that are not exempted from ,,wotus regulations under the activity-based permitting exemptions of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency2 7iii7 instances in which the ,corps of ,engineers came to conflicting rulings for the same or similarly situated tracts of land2 7iv7 the impact of ,,wotus regulations on secure food supply chains and rural infrastructure2 7v7 how ,,wotus regulations can be structured to provide a clear1 objective eyesight test for jurisdictional waters of the ,united ,states2 and 7vi7 how safe harbor conditions can be developed for farmers who observe common1 voluntary conservation practices on their farms4 7#b7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date on which all members of the advisory committee have been appointed1 the advisory committee shall-- 7,a7 submit a report with detailed findings and recommendations addressing the matters described in paragraph 7#a77;,b7 to-- 7i7 the ,secretary2 7ii7 the ,committee of ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry of the ,senate2 7iii7 the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works of the ,senate2 7iv7 the ,committee on ,agriculture of the ,house of ,representatives2 7v7 the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure of the ,house of ,representatives2 7vi7 the ,chair of the ,council on ,environmental ,quality2 7vii7 the ,director of the ,office of ,management and ,budget2 7viii7 the ,director of the ,white ,house ,domestic ,policy ,council2 7ix7 the ,white ,house ,chief of ,staff2 7x7 the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency2 and 7xi7 the ,assistant ,secretary of the ,army for ,civil ,works2 7,b7 publish in the ,federal ,register the report under subparagraph 7,a72 and 7,c7 present the findings and recommendations of the advisory committee in a meeting to-- 7i7 the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency2 7ii7 the ,assistant ,secretary of the ,army for ,civil ,works2 and 7iii7 the ,science ,advisory ,board of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency4 7f7 ,powers 7#a7 ,hearings ,the advisory committee may hold such hearings1 sit and act at such times and places1 take such testimony1 and receive such evidence as the advisory committee considers advisable to carry out this section4 7#b7 ,information from ,federal agencies 7,a7 ,in general ,the advisory committee may secure directly from any ,federal department or agency such information as the advisory committee considers necessary to carry out this section4 7,b7 ,furnishing information ,on request of the chairperson of the advisory committee1 the head of a department or agency shall furnish any requested information to the advisory committee4 7#c7 ,postal services ,the advisory committee may use the ,united ,states mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the ,federal ,government4 7#d7 ,gifts ,the advisory committee may accept1 use1 and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property4 7#e7 ,procurement of temporary and intermittent services ,the chairperson of the advisory committee may procure temporary and intermittent services under section #caji7;b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 at rates for individuals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level ,v of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecaf of that title4 7g7 ,compensation 7#a7 ,federal members ,a member of the advisory committee who is an officer or employee of the ,united ,states shall serve without compensation in addition to that received for service as an officer or employee of the ,united ,states1 and such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege4 7#b7 ,travel expenses ,a member of the advisory committee shall be allowed travel expenses1 including per diem in lieu of subsistence1 at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter ,i of chapter #eg of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 while away from their home or regular places of business in the performance of services for the advisory committee4 7h7 ,sunset ,the advisory committee shall terminate #ij days after the date on which the advisory committee completes the reporting requirements under subsection 7e77#b74 7i7 ,funding 7#a7 ,unobligated funding available ,of the unobligated amounts appropriated by the ,american ,rescue ,plan ,act of #bjba 7,public ,law #aag-b2 #ace ,stat4 #d71 such sums as are necessary shall be made available to carry out this section4 7#b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,in the event that the funds described in paragraph 7#a7 may not be made available to carry out this section1 there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section4