,,ii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #djga ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #bb1 #bjbd,mr4 ,heinrich introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to establish an ,office of ,colonias and ,farmworker ,initiatives within the ,department of ,agriculture1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,office of ,colonias and ,farmworker ,initiatives ,establishment ,act of #bjbd4 #b4 ,office of ,colonias and ,farmworker ,initiatives2 ,colonias and ,farmworker ,initiatives ,coordinating ,committee 7a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,a of the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #fiab et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #bbd;,b4 ,office of ,colonias and ,farmworker ,initiatives 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary shall establish and maintain in the ,department an ,office of ,colonias and ,farmworker ,initiatives 7referred to in this section as the ,office7-- 7#a7 to improve engagement with1 and service to1 border colonias communities1 farmworkers1 and the family members and children of farmworkers2 7#b7 to improve collaboration between the ,department and national1 ,state1 and local colonias and farmworker programs and nonprofit organizations2 and 7#c7 to carry out other such functions as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate4 7b7 ,duties ,the ,office shall ensure that border colonias communities1 farmworkers1 the family members and children of farmworkers1 and nonprofit organizations representing or assisting such communities and individuals have equitable access to1 and equitable participation in1 programs and services of the ,department by-- 7#a7 establishing and monitoring the goals and objectives of the ,department to increase participation of such communities1 individuals1 and nonprofit organizations in ,department programs2 7#b7 assessing the effectiveness of ,department outreach programs to such communities1 individuals1 and nonprofit organizations2 7#c7 developing and implementing a plan to coordinate outreach activities and services to such communities1 individuals1 and nonprofit organizations provided by-- 7,a7 the ,department2 and 7,b7 other ,federal agencies1 including services relating to housing1 education1 health care1 and infrastructure development2 7#d7 providing input to the ,department and other ,federal agencies on programmatic and policy decisions relating to such communities1 individuals1 and nonprofit organizations1 including-- 7,a7 identifying obstacles for access to programs and resources2 and 7,b7 elevating ,federal1 ,state1 and local best practices2 7#e7 measuring outcomes of the programs and activities of the ,department to serve such communities and individuals2 7#f7 recommending new initiatives and programs to the ,secretary2 7#g7 providing technical assistance to such organizations with respect to ,department programs and resources2 and 7#h7 carrying out any other related duties that the ,secretary determines to be appropriate4 7c7 ,colonias coordinator 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish within the ,office the position of ,colonias ,coordinator 7referred to in this subsection as the ,coordinator74 7#b7 ,duties ,the ,secretary shall delegate to the ,coordinator responsibility for the following3 7,a7 ,serving as a liaison to nonprofit organizations that represent and have demonstrated experience serving and working in colonias communities4 7,b7 ,coordinating with the ,department1 other ,federal agencies1 and ,state and local governments to ensure that the needs of colonias communities are assessed and met1 including during declared disasters and other emergencies4 7,c7 ,consulting within the ,office and with other entities to better integrate perspectives1 concerns1 and interest of colonias communities into the ongoing programs of the ,department4 #bbd;,c4 ,colonias and farmworker initiatives coordinating committee 7a7 ,establishment of committee ,the ,secretary shall establish and convene a ,federal coordinating committee1 to be known as the ,colonias and ,farmworker ,initiatives ,coordinating ,committee 7referred to in this section as the ,committee71 to provide advice and guidance to the ,secretary on matters relating to colonias and farmworker affairs4 7b7 ,membership and composition ,the ,committee shall be composed of the following members3 7#a7 #a representative from each of the following3 7,a7 ,the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development4 7,b7 ,the ,department of the ,treasury4 7,c7 ,the ,environmental ,protection ,agency4 7,d7 ,the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services4 7,e7 ,the ,department of ,education4 7,f7 ,the ,small ,business ,administration4 7,g7 ,the ,department of ,labor4 7,h7 ,the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency4 7#b7 ,such representatives not described in paragraph 7#a7 as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate4 7c7 ,duties of committee ,the ,committee shall-- 7#a7 direct a working group composed of members of the ,committee 7or designees of such members7 and representatives from other ,federal agencies and mission areas within the ,department 7such as the ,rural ,housing ,service1 the ,rural ,utilities ,service1 the ,rural ,business-,cooperative ,service1 the ,food and ,nutrition ,service1 and the ,farm ,service ,agency72 7#b7 engage stakeholders and identify ,state and municipal best practices to assist colonias communities1 farmworkers1 and the family members and children of farmworkers2 7#c7 submit to the ,secretary recommendations on1 and solutions to1 issues raised at the local1 regional1 or national level2 and 7#d7 identify and propose solutions to any interdepartmental barriers between the ,department and other ,federal agencies4 7d7 ,federal advisory committee act exemption ,section #ajac of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 shall not apply to the ,committee4 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this section #b1ejj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbd through #bjbi4 4 7b7 ,transfer of position of ,farmworker ,coordinator 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,farmworker ,coordinator position established under section #bbf;,b7f7 of the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ficd7;f77 7as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this ,act7 is transferred to the ,office of ,colonias and ,farmworker ,initiatives established under section #bbd;,b of the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid 7as added by subsection 7a774 7#b7 ,transfer of legal provisions ,the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid is amended-- 7,a7 by moving subsection 7f7 of section #bbf;,b 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ficd7 so as to appear at the end of section #bbd;,b 7as added by subsection 7a772 and 7,b7 by redesignating that subsection as subsection 7d74 7c7 ,technical and conforming amendments 7#a7 ,section #bbe of subtitle ,a of the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #fibe7 is redesignated as section #bbd;,a4 7#b7 ,section #bif7;b7 of the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gjad7;b77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#aa7 ,the authority of the ,secretary to carry out the amendments made to this title by the ,office of ,colonias and ,farmworker ,initiatives ,establishment ,act of #bjbd 4