,i  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #hadf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,m>* #bg1 #bjbf,mrs4  
,mc,clain ,delaney 7= h]self & ,mr4     
,bresnahan7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i*
 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on            
,agriculture  ,a ,,bill  ,to require !  
,secret>y ( ,agriculture to e/abli% a   
web-bas$ plat=m to enable recipi5ts (   
,f$]al f9ancial assi/ance adm9i/]$ by ! 
,rural ,utilities ,s]vice to track !    
/atus ( _! projects ?r\gh\t ! p]mitt+ & 
review process1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4  
,%ort title  ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !  
,rural ,utilities ,s]vice ,mod]nization 
,act4  #b4 ,e/abli%m5t ( web-bas$ plat=m
 to enable recipi5ts ( ,f$]al f9ancial  
assi/ance adm9i/]$ by ! ,rural          
,utilities ,s]vice to track ! /atus ( _!
 projects ?r\gh\t ! p]mitt+ & review    
process  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y (    
,agriculture1 ?r\gh ! ,rural ,utilities 
,s]vice1 %all e/abli%1 op]ate1 & ma9ta9 
a secure1 web-bas$ plat=m t is design$  
to improve pr$ictability & acc\ntability

 = recipi5ts ( ,f$]al f9ancial assi/ance
 adm9i/]$ by ! ,rural ,utilities        
,s]vice1 by enabl+ ! recipi5ts to track 
! /atus ( _! projects ?r\gh\t ! p]mitt+ 
& review process 7includ+ environm5tal &
 int]ag5cy coord9ation74  7b7           
,requirem5ts ,9 c>ry+ out subsection    
7a71 ! ,secret>y %all--  7#a7 require ! 
,rural ,utilities ,s]vice to det]m9e1   
e/abli%1 & implem5t us] access me*anisms
 enabl+ ! recipi5ts to view p]mitt+ &   
review /atus = _! projects2  7#b7       
require cle> /atus indicators & e/imat$ 
timel9es = ea* phase ( ! p]mitt+ &      
review process = projects assi/$ by !   
,rural ,utilities ,s]vice2  7#c7 ensure 
t1 ?r\gh ! plat=m1 docum5ts may be      
upload$ & d[nload$ & applicants may     
correspond ) relevant ,rural ,utilities 
,s]vice (fices2  7#d7 ensure t automat$ 
notifications are provid$ to recipi5ts  
:5 a project advances to a new review   
/age or :5 additional in=mation or      
action is requir$2 &  7#e7 direct !     
,rural ,utilities ,s]vice to coord9ate1 

z appropriate1 )-- 7,a7 o!r ag5cies ( ! 
,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture2  7,b7 !       
,dep>tm5t ( ,comm]ce2  7,c7 ! ,dep>tm5t 
( ,def5se2  7,d7 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,en]gy2  
7,e7 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ! ,int]ior2  7,f7 !  
,dep>tm5t ( ,transportation2  7,g7 !    
,g5]al ,s]vices ,adm9i/ration2  7,h7 !  
,u4,s4 ,army ,corps ( ,eng9e]s2 &  7,i7 
any relevant ,f$]al p]mitt+ au?orities1 
includ+ environm5tal reviews conduct$   
pursuant to ! ,national ,environm5tal   
,policy ,act & ! ,national ,hi/oric     
,pres]vation ,act1 :ile ma9ta9+ !       
responsibility ( ! ,rural ,utilities    
,s]vice = project /atus report+4  7c7   
,annual reports ,)9 #b ye>s aft] ! date 
( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 & annually     
!reaft]1 ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture %all
 submit to ,congress a writt5 report t  
describes ! developm5t1 implem5tation1  
use1 & p]=mance ( ! plat=m4  7d7        
,limitations on au?orization (          
appropriations  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,to c>ry  
out ?is section1 !re are au?oriz$ to be 
appropriat$ to ! ,secret>y (            

,agriculture a total ( n m ?an          
#cj1jjj1jjj1 ( :i*--  7,a7 a total ( n  
less ?an #bj1jjj1jjj & n m ?an          
#bd1jjj1jjj %all be available = fiscal  
ye>s #bjbf & #bjbg = developm5t ( !     
plat=m2 &  7,b7 a total ( n less ?an    
#f1jjj1jjj & n m ?an #aj1jjj1jjj %all be
 available = ea* ( fiscal ye>s #bjbh    
?r\gh #bjce = op]ation & ma9t5ance ( !  
plat=m4  7#b7 ,availability ,! am\nts   
made available by p>agraph 7#a7 are     
au?oriz$ to rema9 available until       
exp5d$4  #c4 ,rural ,utilities ,s]vice  
preplann+ education & plann+ grants  7a7
 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture1  
act+ ?r\gh ! ,adm9i/rator ( ! ,rural    
,utilities ,s]vice 79 ?is section ref]r$
 to z ! ,secret>y71 %all make grants to 
eligible entities = pr$evelopm5t plann+1
 p]mitt+1 & e>ly-/age project prep>ation
 activities "u any program adm9i/]$ by !
 ,rural ,utilities ,s]vice4  7b7        
,eligible entities ,an entity is        
eligible = a grant "u ?is section if !  
entity is qualifi$ to p>ticipate 9 a    

program adm9i/]$ by ! ,rural ,utilities 
,s]vice & is unable to f9ance           
pr$evelopm5t "w by borr[+ or o!r means4 
7c7  ,co/-,%>+  ,! am\nt ( ea* grant "u 
?is section %all be n m ?an #ge p]c5t ( 
! co/ ( ! activities = :i* ! grant is   
made4  7d7 ,use ( funds ,! recipi5t ( a 
grant "u ?is section %all use ! grant = 
pre-developm5t activities su* z-- 7#a7  
feasibility /udies1 p]mitt+1 design     
assi/ance1 & o!r pre-developm5t plann+  
activities2  7#b7 te*nical assi/ance &  
tra9+ to improve plann+ & read9ess = a  
program adm9i/]$ by ! ,rural ,utilities 
,s]vice2 or  7#c7 p>ticipation 9 a      
p>tn]%ips ) a ,f$]al1 ,/ate1 ,tribal1 or
 local entity to support project        
prep>ation4  7e7 ,prohibition ,a grant  
"u ?is section %all n be us$ to         
reimburse co/s ( "w complet$ be=e !     
grant is made4  7f7 ,adm9i/rative       
provisions  7#a7 ,guidel9es ,! ,secret>y
 %all issue guidel9es relat+ to         
applications = grants "u ?is section1   
selection ( grantees1 & adm9i/ration ( !

 grants4  7#b7 ,limitation on           
adm9i/rative co/s ,9 adm9i/]+ ?is       
section1 ! ,secret>y %all limit         
adm9i/rative co/s incurr$ pursuant to   
?is section1 to ensure t funds made     
available to c>ry out ?is section are   
us$ = pr$evelopm5t activities to !      
maximum ext5t practicable4  7g7 ,reports
 ,! recipi5t ( a grant "u ?is section   
%all transmit annual reports to !       
,secret>y on ! activities fund$ ) !     
grant & ! outcomes ( ! activities4  7h7 
,limitations on au?orization (          
appropriations ,to c>ry out ?is section1
 !re are au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ n m 
?an #ae1jjj1jjj = ea* ( fiscal ye>s     
#bjbf ?r\gh #bjce4  #d4 ,notice ( fund+ 
opportunity timel9es  7a7 ,issuance (   
regulations ,)9 #f mon?s aft] ! date ( !
 enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (     
,agriculture1 act+ ?r\gh ,rural         
,developm5t & ! ,adm9i/rator ( ! ,rural 
,utilities ,s]vice1 %all prescribe f9al 
regulations to improve timel9es =       
notices ( fund+ opportunity = grants    

adm9i/]$ by ! ,rural ,utilities ,s]vice1
 t %\ld provide =--  7#a7 a uni=m notice
 ( fund+ opportunity timel9e applicable 
to all ,rural ,utilities ,s]vice grant  
programs2  7#b7 sector-specific notice (
 fund+ opportunity timel9es = major     
program areas ( ! ,rural ,utilities     
,s]vice1 includ+--  7,a7 electricity2   
7,b7 telecommunications1 includ+        
telephone & broadb&2  7,c7 broadb&      
di/ance le>n+ & telem$ic9e2 &  7,d7 wat]
 & wa/e disposal2 or  7#c7 if !         
approa*es describ$ 9 p>agraphs 7#a7 &   
7#b7 are n practicable1 an alt]native   
approa* to improv+ pr$ictability &      
coord9ation ( notice ( fund+ opportunity
 timel9es4  7b7 ,implem5tation ,!       
,secret>y %all implem5t ! f9al          
regulations )9 #ah mon?s aft] ! date ( !
 enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  #e4 ,onl9e grant 
applications ,)9 #b ye>s aft] ! date ( !
 enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,adm9i/rator ( !
 ,rural ,utilities ,s]vice %all require 
all applications = a grant adm9i/]$ by !
 ,rural ,utilities ,s]vice to be        

submitt$ electronically ?r\gh an onl9e  
sy/em or1 if su* an applicant is unable 
to s submit su* an application1 provide 
alt]native means = ! applicant to submit
 ! application4  #f4 ,/aff assessm5t &  
report to ,congress  7a7 ,/aff assessm5t
 ,! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture %all       
evaluate ! processes us$ by ! /aff ( !  
,rural ,utilities ,s]vice to--  7#a7    
review applications = assi/ance f       
programs adm9i/]$ by ! ,rural ,utilities
 ,s]vice2  7#b7 provide relat$ te*nical 
assi/ance2 &  7#c7 monitor assi/ance    
aw>dees1  ) ! goal ( maximiz+ !         
effici5cy & effectiv5ess ( ! programs4  
7b7 ,report to ,congress #b ye>s aft] ! 
date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !         
,secret>y ( ,agriculture & !            
,adm9i/rator ( ! ,rural ,utilities      
,s]vice %all jo9tly prep>e & submit to !
 ,committee on ,agriculture ( ! ,h\se ( 
,repres5tatives & ! ,committee on       
,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 & ,=e/ry ( !  
,s5ate a report t--  7#a7 exam9es1 at a 
m9imum-- 7,a7 ! workload ( ! /aff ( !   

,rural ,utilities ,s]vice1 ! allocation 
( ! workload1 & ! effici5cy ( ! /aff 9  
review+ applications & assi/+ applicants
 = assi/ance "u ! programs adm9i/]$ by !
 ,rural ,utilities ,s]vice2 &  7,b7 !   
timel9ess1 consi/5cy1 & quality (       
te*nical assi/ance provid$ & aw>d       
decisions made "u ! programs2 &  7#b7   
sets =?--  7,a7 recomm5dations to       
enhance ! effectiv5ess ( ! onl9e p]mitt+
 plat=m e/abli%$ "u section #b2  7,b7 an
 assessm5t ( h[ p]mitt+ = projects      
assi/$ by ! ,rural ,utilities ,s]vice   
c\ld be exp$it$2 &  7,c7 f9d+s t c\ld   
/r5g!n s]vice deliv]y to rural          
communities4