[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1786 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1786

     To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
    Assistance Act to establish a grant program for assisting small 
  businesses and agricultural enterprises in meeting disaster-related 
                               expenses.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 26, 1999

Mr. Lautenberg introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
    Assistance Act to establish a grant program for assisting small 
  businesses and agricultural enterprises in meeting disaster-related 
                               expenses.

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

SECTION 1. SMALL BUSINESS AND AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT PROGRAM.

    Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170a et seq.) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``SEC. 425. SMALL BUSINESS AND AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Agricultural enterprise.--The term `agricultural 
        enterprise' includes--
                    ``(A) a farm not larger than a family farm (within 
                the meaning of section 321(a) of the Consolidated Farm 
                and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1961(a))); and
                    ``(B) an enterprise engaged in the business of 
                production of food or fiber, ranching or raising of 
                livestock, aquaculture, or any other farming or 
                agricultural related industry (within the meaning of 
                section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
                632(a))).
            ``(2) Small business.--The term `small business' has the 
        meaning given the term `small business concern' under section 3 
        of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
    ``(b) Grant Program.--The President may make grants to assist small 
businesses and agricultural enterprises adversely affected by a major 
disaster in meeting disaster-related expenses, including the costs of 
nonstructural repairs and replacement of noninsured contents and 
inventory.
    ``(c) Conditions.--
            ``(1) No relocation assistance.--A small business or 
        agricultural enterprise receiving a grant under this section--
                    ``(A) shall not use the proceeds of the grant for 
                relocation; but
                    ``(B) may use the proceeds of the grant for 
                appropriate purposes in a new location, at the 
                discretion of the President, for a safety, health, or 
                mitigation purpose.
            ``(2) Duplicative assistance.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A small business or agricultural 
                enterprise receiving assistance in the form of a grant 
                under this section shall be liable to the United States 
                to the extent that the assistance duplicates benefits 
                provided to the small business or agricultural 
                enterprise for the same purpose by another Federal 
                agency.
                    ``(B) Debt collection.--A Federal agency that 
                provides any duplicative assistance described in 
                subparagraph (A) shall collect an amount equal to the 
                value of the duplicative assistance from the recipient 
                in accordance with chapter 37 of title 31, United 
                States Code, in any case in which the head of the 
                agency considers such collection to be in the best 
                interest of the Federal Government.
                    ``(C) Inapplicability of duplication of benefits 
                provision.--Section 312 shall not apply to assistance 
                provided under this section.
    ``(d) Funding Limitations.--
            ``(1) One major disaster only.--A small business or 
        agricultural enterprise shall be eligible for a grant under 
        this section in relation to not more than 1 major disaster.
            ``(2) Maximum amount of grant.--The maximum amount that a 
        small business or agricultural enterprise may receive under 
        this section shall be $20,000.
    ``(e) Time Period for Making Grants.--The President may make a 
grant under this section only during the 90-day period beginning on the 
date of declaration of a major disaster under this title.
    ``(f) Regulations.--The President shall promulgate regulations to 
carry out this section, including criteria, standards, and procedures 
for the determination of eligibility for grants and the administration 
of grants under this section.
    ``(g) Applicability.--
            ``(1) Date of disaster.--This section shall apply to any 
        major disaster declared after September 1, 1999, and before the 
        date of enactment of this section.
            ``(2) Limitation on time period for making grants.--For the 
        purpose of subsection (e), with respect to a major disaster 
        described in paragraph (1), the 90-day period shall begin on 
        the date of enactment of this section.''.
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