[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 400 Referred in House (RFH)]

  2d Session
                                 S. 400


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 29, 2000

      Referred to the Committee on Banking and Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
    To provide technical corrections to the Native American Housing 
Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996, to improve the delivery 
of housing assistance to Indian tribes in a manner that recognizes the 
        right of tribal self-governance, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Native American 
Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2000''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Restriction on waiver authority.
Sec. 3. Assistance to families that are not low-income.
Sec. 4. Elimination of waiver authority for small tribes.
Sec. 5. Labor standards.
Sec. 6. Environmental compliance.
Sec. 7. Oversight.
Sec. 8. Allocation formula.
Sec. 9. Hearing requirement.
Sec. 10. Performance agreement time limit.
Sec. 11. Technical and conforming amendments.

SEC 2. RESTRICTION ON WAIVER AUTHORITY.

    (a) In General.--Section 101(b)(2) of the Native American Housing 
Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4111(b)(2)) is 
amended by striking ``if the Secretary'' and all that follows through 
the period at the end and inserting the following: ``for a period of 
not more than 90 days, if the Secretary determines that an Indian tribe 
has not complied with, or is unable to comply with, those requirements 
due to exigent circumstances beyond the control of the Indian tribe.''.
    (b) Local Cooperation Agreement.--Section 101(c) of the Native 
American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 
U.S.C. 4111(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``The 
Secretary may waive the requirements of this subsection and subsection 
(d) if the recipient has made a good faith effort to fulfill the 
requirements of this subsection and subsection (d) and agrees to make 
payments in lieu of taxes to the appropriate taxing authority in an 
amount consistent with the requirements of subsection (d)(2) until such 
time as the matter of making such payments has been resolved in 
accordance with subsection (d).''.

SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES THAT ARE NOT LOW-INCOME.

    Section 102(c) of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4112(c)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
            ``(6) Certain families.--With respect to assistance 
        provided by a recipient to Indian families that are not low-
        income families under section 201(b)(2), evidence that there is 
        a need for housing for each such family during that period that 
        cannot reasonably be met without such assistance.''.

SEC. 4. ELIMINATION OF WAIVER AUTHORITY FOR SMALL TRIBES.

    Section 102 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4112) is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (f); and
            (2) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (f).

SEC. 5. LABOR STANDARDS.

    Section 104(b) of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4114(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 276a-276a-5)'' 
        and inserting ``Act of March 3, 1931 (commonly known as the 
        `Davis-Bacon Act') (46 Stat. 1494, chapter 411; 40 U.S.C. 276a 
        et seq.)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Application of tribal laws.--Paragraph (1) shall not 
        apply to any contract or agreement for assistance, sale, or 
        lease pursuant to this Act, if such contract or agreement is 
        otherwise covered by 1 or more laws or regulations adopted by 
        an Indian tribe that requires the payment of not less than 
        prevailing wages, as determined by the Indian tribe.''.

SEC. 6. ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE.

    Section 105 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4115) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
    ``(d) Environmental Compliance.--The Secretary may waive the 
requirements under this section if the Secretary determines that a 
failure on the part of a recipient to comply with provisions of this 
section--
            ``(1) will not frustrate the goals of the National 
        Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4331 et seq.) or 
        any other provision of law that furthers the goals of that Act;
            ``(2) does not threaten the health or safety of the 
        community involved by posing an immediate or long-term hazard 
        to residents of that community;
            ``(3) is a result of inadvertent error, including an 
        incorrect or incomplete certification provided under subsection 
        (c)(1); and
            ``(4) may be corrected through the sole action of the 
        recipient.''.

SEC. 7. OVERSIGHT.

    (a) Repayment.--Section 209 of the Native American Housing 
Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4139) is 
amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 209. NONCOMPLIANCE WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENT.

    ``If a recipient uses grant amounts to provide affordable housing 
under this title, and at any time during the useful life of the housing 
the recipient does not comply with the requirement under section 
205(a)(2), the Secretary shall take appropriate action under section 
401(a).''.
    (b) Audits and Reviews.--Section 405 of the Native American Housing 
Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4165) is 
amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 405. REVIEW AND AUDIT BY SECRETARY.

    ``(a) Requirements Under Chapter 75 of Title 31, United States 
Code.--An entity designated by an Indian tribe as a housing entity 
shall be treated, for purposes of chapter 75 of title 31, United States 
Code, as a non-Federal entity that is subject to the audit requirements 
that apply to non-Federal entities under that chapter.
    ``(b) Additional Reviews and Audits.--
            ``(1) In general.--In addition to any audit or review under 
        subsection (a), to the extent the Secretary determines such 
        action to be appropriate, the Secretary may conduct an audit or 
        review of a recipient in order to--
                    ``(A) determine whether the recipient--
                            ``(i) has carried out--
                                    ``(I) eligible activities in a 
                                timely manner; and
                                    ``(II) eligible activities and 
                                certification in accordance with this 
                                Act and other applicable law;
                            ``(ii) has a continuing capacity to carry 
                        out eligible activities in a timely manner; and
                            ``(iii) is in compliance with the Indian 
                        housing plan of the recipient; and
                    ``(B) verify the accuracy of information contained 
                in any performance report submitted by the recipient 
                under section 404.
            ``(2) Onsite visits.--To the extent practicable, the 
        reviews and audits conducted under this subsection shall 
        include onsite visits by the appropriate official of the 
        Department of Housing and Urban Development.
    ``(c) Review of Reports.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide each 
        recipient that is the subject of a report made by the Secretary 
        under this section notice that the recipient may review and 
        comment on the report during a period of not less than 30 days 
        after the date on which notice is issued under this paragraph.
            ``(2) Public availability.--After taking into consideration 
        any comments of the recipient under paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary--
                    ``(A) may revise the report; and
                    ``(B) not later than 30 days after the date on 
                which those comments are received, shall make the 
                comments and the report (with any revisions made under 
                subparagraph (A)) readily available to the public.
    ``(d) Effect of Reviews.--Subject to section 401(a), after 
reviewing the reports and audits relating to a recipient that are 
submitted to the Secretary under this section, the Secretary may adjust 
the amount of a grant made to a recipient under this Act in accordance 
with the findings of the Secretary with respect to those reports and 
audits.''.

SEC. 8. ALLOCATION FORMULA.

    Section 302(d)(1) of the Native American Housing Assistance and 
Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4152(d)(1)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``The formula,'' and inserting the 
        following:
                    ``(A) In general.--Except with respect to an Indian 
                tribe described in subparagraph (B), the formula''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) Certain indian tribes.--With respect to 
                fiscal year 2000 and each fiscal year thereafter, for 
                any Indian tribe with an Indian housing authority that 
                owns or operates fewer than 250 public housing units, 
                the formula under subparagraph (A) shall provide that 
                if the amount provided for a fiscal year in which the 
                total amount made available for assistance under this 
                Act is equal to or greater than the amount made 
                available for fiscal year 1996 for assistance for the 
                operation and modernization of the public housing 
                referred to in subparagraph (A), then the amount 
                provided to that Indian tribe as modernization 
                assistance shall be equal to the average annual amount 
                of funds provided to the Indian tribe (other than funds 
                provided as emergency assistance) under the assistance 
                program under section 14 of the United States Housing 
                Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437l) for the period beginning 
                with fiscal year 1992 and ending with fiscal year 
                1997.''.

SEC. 9. HEARING REQUIREMENT.

    Section 401(a) of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4161(a)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (4) as 
        subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively, and indenting each 
        such subparagraph 2 ems to the right;
            (2) by striking ``Except as provided'' and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided'';
            (3) by striking ``If the Secretary takes an action under 
        paragraph (1), (2), or (3)'' and inserting the following:
            ``(2) Continuance of actions.--If the Secretary takes an 
        action under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1)''; 
        and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Exception for certain actions.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other 
                provision of this subsection, if the Secretary makes a 
                determination that the failure of a recipient of 
                assistance under this Act to comply substantially with 
                any material provision (as that term is defined by the 
                Secretary) of this Act is resulting, and would continue 
                to result, in a continuing expenditure of Federal funds 
                in a manner that is not authorized by law, the 
                Secretary may take an action described in paragraph 
                (1)(C) before conducting a hearing.
                    ``(B) Procedural requirement.--If the Secretary 
                takes an action described in subparagraph (A), the 
                Secretary shall--
                            ``(i) provide notice to the recipient at 
                        the time that the Secretary takes that action; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) conduct a hearing not later than 60 
                        days after the date on which the Secretary 
                        provides notice under clause (i).
                    ``(C) Determination.--Upon completion of a hearing 
                under this paragraph, the Secretary shall make a 
                determination regarding whether to continue taking the 
                action that is the subject of the hearing, or take 
                another action under this subsection.''.

SEC. 10. PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT TIME LIMIT.

    Section 401(b) of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4161(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``If the Secretary'' and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(1) In general.--If the Secretary'';
            (2) by striking ``(1) is not'' and inserting the following:
                    ``(A) is not'';
            (3) by striking ``(2) is a result'' and inserting the 
        following:
                    ``(B) is a result'';
            (4) in the flush material following paragraph (1)(B), as 
        redesignated by paragraph (3) of this section--
                    (A) by adjusting the margin 2 ems to the right; and
                    (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
                following: ``, if the recipient enters into a 
                performance agreement with the Secretary that specifies 
                the compliance objectives that the recipient will be 
                required to achieve by the termination date of the 
                performance agreement''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Performance agreement.--The period of a performance 
        agreement described in paragraph (1) shall be for 1 year.
            ``(3) Review.--Upon the termination of a performance 
        agreement entered into under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
        review the performance of the recipient that is a party to the 
        agreement.
            ``(4) Effect of review.--If, on the basis of a review under 
        paragraph (3), the Secretary determines that the recipient--
                    ``(A) has made a good faith effort to meet the 
                compliance objectives specified in the agreement, the 
                Secretary may enter into an additional performance 
                agreement for the period specified in paragraph (2); 
                and
                    ``(B) has failed to make a good faith effort to 
                meet applicable compliance objectives, the Secretary 
                shall determine the recipient to have failed to comply 
                substantially with this Act, and the recipient shall be 
                subject to an action under subsection (a).''.

SEC. 11. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Table of Contents.--Section 1(b) of the Native American Housing 
Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 note) is 
amended in the table of contents--
            (1) by striking the item relating to section 206; and
            (2) by striking the item relating to section 209 and 
        inserting the following:

``209. Noncompliance with affordable housing requirement.''.
    (b) Certification of Compliance With Subsidy Layering 
Requirements.--Section 206 of the Native American Housing Assistance 
and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4136) is repealed.
    (c) Terminations.--Section 502(a) of the Native American Housing 
Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4181(a)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: ``Any housing that is the 
subject of a contract for tenant-based assistance between the Secretary 
and an Indian housing authority that is terminated under this section 
shall, for the following fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, 
be considered to be a dwelling unit under section 302(b)(1).''.

            Passed the Senate February 28, 2000.

            Attest:

                                                    GARY SISCO,

                                                             Secretary.