,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #ghc  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,february #bg1      
#bjbe,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself and    
,mr4 ,tillis7 introduced the following  
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,agriculture1      
,nutrition1 and ,forestry  ,a ,,bill    
,to amend the ,consolidated ,farm and   
,rural ,development ,act to provide     
additional assistance to rural water1   
wastewater1 and waste disposal systems1 
and for other purposes4  #a4 ,short     
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,assistance for ,rural ,water ,systems  
,act of #bjbe4  #b4 ,additional         
assistance for rural water systems      
,subtitle ,a of the ,consolidated ,farm 
and ,rural ,development ,act is amended 
by inserting after section #cjf;,a 7#g  
,u4,s4,c4 #aibf;a7 the following3       
#cjf;,b4 ,additional assistance for     
rural water systems  7a7 ,definition of 
eligible entity ,in this section1 the   
term eligible entity means a rural      

water1 wastewater1 or waste disposal    
facility with respect to which          
assistance may be provided under a      
water1 wastewater1 or waste disposal    
program under section #cjf7;a71 #cjf;,a1
 #cjf;,c1 or #cjf;,d4  7b7 ,additional  
assistance  7#a7 ,grants and loans ,the 
,secretary may provide a grant1 a zero  
percent interest loan1 or a #a percent  
interest loan to an eligible entity4    
7#b7 ,existing loans ,the ,secretary    
may-- 7,a7 forgive principal or interest
 or modify any term or condition of an  
outstanding loan made to an eligible    
entity2 or  7,b7 refinance part or all  
of any other loan 7if the purpose of the
 loan is an eligible purpose under      
section #cjf7;a77#a7 or #cjf;,c7 made to
 an eligible entity4  7#c7 ,limitation  
,the ,secretary may not provide         
assistance under paragraph 7#b7 with    
respect to a loan made under paragraph  
7#a74  7c7 ,eligible purposes ,the      
,secretary may provide assistance to an 
eligible entity under subsection 7b7 as 

the ,secretary determines is necessary--
 7#a7 to ensure that the eligible entity
 has the necessary resources to maintain
 public health1 safety1 or order2 or    
7#b7 to address financial hardships of  
the eligible entity1 if the eligible    
entity is located in a disadvantaged or 
economically distressed area1 as        
determined under subsection 7d74  7d7   
,determination ,to determine whether an 
eligible entity may receive assistance  
pursuant to subsection 7c77#b71 the     
,secretary shall establish-- 7#a7 a     
residential indicator of affordable     
water services in each ,state or local  
or geographic area1 calculated using the
 cost per household as a percentage of  
median household income2 and  7#b7      
factors relating to disadvantaged or    
economically distressed areas4  4