[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 473 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 473

To ensure that crop losses resulting from plant viruses and other plant 
    diseases are covered by crop insurance and the noninsured crop 
  assistance program and that agricultural producers who suffer such 
                losses are eligible for emergency loans.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 2, 1999

 Mrs. Mink of Hawaii introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                    to the Committee on Agriculture

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                                 A BILL


 
To ensure that crop losses resulting from plant viruses and other plant 
    diseases are covered by crop insurance and the noninsured crop 
  assistance program and that agricultural producers who suffer such 
                losses are eligible for emergency loans.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. COVERAGE FOR CROP LOSSES FROM PLANT DISEASE UNDER CROP 
              INSURANCE AND NONINSURED CROP ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.

    (a) Crop Insurance Program.--Section 508 of the Federal Crop 
Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1508) is amended in subsections (a)(1) and 
(b)(1) by inserting ``plant disease,'' after ``flood,''.
    (b) Noninsured Crop Assistance Program.--Section 196(a)(3) of the 
Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 
7333(a)(3)) is amended by inserting ``plant disease,'' after 
``flood,''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO MAKE EMERGENCY DISASTER LOANS FOR FARMING 
              OPERATIONS SUBSTANTIALLY AFFECTED BY A PLANT DISEASE.

    Section 321(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act 
(7 U.S.C. 1961(a)) is amended by inserting ``or plant disease'' after 
``natural disaster'' each place such term appears.
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