,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #begb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #bg1     
#bjbc ,mr4 ,padilla 7for himself and    
,mr4 ,cassidy7 introduced the following 
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,environment and   
,public ,works  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend the
 ,public ,works and ,economic           
,development ,act of #aife to authorize 
the ,secretary of ,commerce to make     
predevelopment grants1 and for other    
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,economic           
,empowerment ,through ,predevelopment   
,act of #bjbc4  #b4 ,predevelopment     
grants  7a7 ,predevelopment grants  7#a7
 ,in general ,title ,,ii of the ,public 
,works and ,economic ,development ,act  
of #aife is amended by inserting after  
section #bjg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cadg7 the  
following3  #bjh4 ,predevelopment grants
  7a7 ,predevelopment grants ,on the    
application of an eligible recipient1   
the ,secretary may make grants or       

cooperative agreements for-- 7#a7       
community asset mapping2  7#b7 training2
  7#c7 technical assistance and         
organizational development2  7#d7       
feasibility1 environmental1 and market  
studies2  7#e7 demonstration projects2  
7#f7 organizational capacity building2  
7#g7 organizing and facilitating        
convenings2  7#h7 permitting1 including 
professional services2 and  7#i7 other  
predevelopment activities determined by 
the ,secretary to be appropriate4  7b7  
,application assistance ,in the case of 
a project under this section that       
provides assistance to #a or more       
eligible recipients with low            
organizational capacity1 as determined  
by the ,secretary1 the ,secretary may   
waive the prohibition under section     
#bac4  4  7#b7 ,cost sharing ,section   
#bjd7;c77#c7 of the ,public ,works and  
,economic ,development ,act of #aife    
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cadd7;c77#c77 is        
amended--  7,a7 in the paragraph        
heading1 by inserting and predevelopment

 grants after and technical assistance2 
and  7,b7 by striking section #bjg and  
inserting section #bjg or #bjh4  7#c7   
,clerical amendment ,the table of       
contents contained in section #a7;b7 of 
the ,public ,works and ,economic        
,development ,act of #aife 7#gi ,stat4  
#eeb2 #aab ,stat4 #ceig2 #aah ,stat4    
#agfa7 is amended by inserting after the
 item relating to section #bjg the      
following3  ,sec4 #bjh4 ,predevelopment 
grants4  4  7b7 ,conforming amendments  
7#a7 ,direct expenditure or             
redistribution by recipient ,section    
#bag7;a7 of the ,public ,works and      
,economic ,development ,act of #aife    
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #caed;c7a77 is amended by
 striking or #bjg and inserting #bjg1 or
 #bjh4  7#b7 ,powers of ,secretary      
,section #fja7;a77#ab7 of the ,public   
,works and ,economic ,development ,act  
of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cbaa7;a77#ab77 
is amended by striking section #bjg and 
inserting sections #bjg and #bjh4