[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1205 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1205

  To provide discounted housing for teachers and other staff in rural 
 areas of States with a population less than 1,000,000 and with a high 
           population of Native Americans or Alaska Natives.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 5, 2003

 Mr. Stevens (for himself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide discounted housing for teachers and other staff in rural 
 areas of States with a population less than 1,000,000 and with a high 
           population of Native Americans or Alaska Natives.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    The Act may be cited as the ``Rural Teacher Housing Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Elementary school.--The term ``elementary school'' has 
        the meaning given that term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Eligible school district.--The term ``eligible school 
        district'' means a school district located within a qualified 
        municipality within an eligible State and is within the 
        boundaries of--
                    (A) Indian lands;
                    (B) 1 or more Native villages; or
                    (C) land owned by 1 or more Village Corporations.
            (3) Eligible state.--The term ``eligible State'' means any 
        State having a population of fewer than 1,000,000 people, based 
        upon the most recent Government census.
            (4) Indian lands.--The term ``Indian lands'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 2103 of the Revised Statutes 
        (25 U.S.C. 81).
            (5) Native village.--The term ``Native village'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 3 of the Alaska Claims 
        Settlement Act (43 U.S.C 1602).
            (6) Other staff.--The term ``other staff'' means pupil 
        services personnel, librarians, career guidance and counseling 
        personnel, education aides, and other instructional and 
        administrative personnel.
            (7) Qualified municipality.--The term ``qualified 
        municipality'' means a municipality or unorganized borough 
        within an eligible State--
                    (A) that has a total population of 6,500 or fewer 
                people, based upon the most recent Government census; 
                and
                    (B) does not have direct access to either a State 
                or interstate highway system.
            (8) Secondary school.--The term ``secondary school'' has 
        the meaning given that term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Housing and Urban Development.
            (10) Teacher.--The term ``teacher'' means an individual who 
        is employed as a teacher in a public elementary or secondary 
        school, and meets the certification or licensure requirements 
        of the eligible State.
            (11) Village corporation.--The term ``Village Corporation'' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 3 of the Alaska 
        Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602).

SEC. 3. RURAL TEACHER HOUSING PROGRAM.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary shall provide funds to 
eligible States, in accordance with such procedures as the Secretary 
determines are appropriate, to be used as provided in subsection (b).
    (b) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Funds received pursuant to subsection (a) 
        shall be used by the eligible State to make grants to eligible 
        school districts to be used as provided in paragraph (2).
            (2) Use of funds by eligible school districts.--Grants 
        received by an eligible school district pursuant to paragraph 
        (1) shall be used for--
                    (A) the construction of new housing units within a 
                qualified municipality;
                    (B) the purchase and rehabilitation of existing 
                housing units within a qualified municipality; or
                    (C) the rehabilitation of housing units within a 
                qualified municipality that are owned by an eligible 
                school district.
    (c) Ownership of Housing.--All housing units constructed or 
purchased with grant funds awarded under this Act shall be owned by the 
relevant eligible school district.
    (d) Occupancy of Housing Units.--Each housing unit constructed, 
purchased, or rehabilitated with grant funds under this Act shall be 
provided to teachers or other staff who are employed by the public 
school district in which the housing unit is located, under terms 
agreed upon by the eligible school district and the teacher or other 
staff.
    (e) Compliance With Building Codes.--Each eligible school district 
receiving a grant under this Act shall ensure that all housing units 
leased pursuant to subsection (d) meet all applicable State and local 
building codes.
    (f) Matching Requirement.--Each State that receives Federal funds 
under this Act shall provide matching funds from non-Federal sources in 
an amount equal to 20 percent of such Federal funds.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development $50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 
2004 through 2013 to carry out this Act.
                                 <all>