[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3251 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3251

 To amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act and the Trade Act of 1974 to 
 authorize advance payments under the supplemental revenue assistance 
                                program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                July 10 (legislative day, July 9), 2008

Mr. Thune (for himself and Mr. Grassley) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, 
                        Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act and the Trade Act of 1974 to 
 authorize advance payments under the supplemental revenue assistance 
                                program.

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

SECTION 1. ADVANCE PAYMENTS FOR SUPPLEMENTAL REVENUE ASSISTANCE 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Federal Crop Insurance Act.--Section 531(b)(2) of the Federal 
Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1531(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
                    ``(C) Advance payments.--In carrying out this 
                subsection, the Secretary may, not later than December 
                31 of the calendar year in which a disaster occurs, 
                make an advance payment in an amount of not less than 
                50 percent of the payment to be made to the eligible 
                producers on a farm under subparagraph (A), using 
                projected revenue losses as determined by the 
                Secretary.''.
    (b) Trade Act of 1974.--Section 901(b)(2) of the Trade Act of 1974 
(16 U.S.C. 2497(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) Advance payments.--In carrying out this 
                subsection, the Secretary may, not later than December 
                31 of the calendar year in which a disaster occurs, 
                make an advance payment in an amount of not less than 
                50 percent of the payment to be made to the eligible 
                producers on a farm under subparagraph (A), using 
                projected revenue losses as determined by the 
                Secretary.''.
    (c) Regulations.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than November 15, 2008, the 
        Secretary of Agriculture shall promulgate such regulations as 
        are necessary to implement subtitle B of the Federal Crop 
        Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1531) and title IX of the Trade Act of 
        1974 (19 U.S.C. 2497 et seq.), including amendments made by 
        this Act.
            (2) Procedure.--The promulgation of the regulations and 
        administration of subtitle B of the Federal Crop Insurance Act 
        (7 U.S.C. 1531) and title IX of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 
        U.S.C. 2497 et seq.), including amendments made by this Act, 
        shall be made without regard to--
                    (A) the notice and comment provisions of section 
                553 of title 5, United States Code;
                    (B) the Statement of Policy of the Secretary of 
                Agriculture effective July 24, 1971 (36 Fed. Reg. 
                13804), relating to notices of proposed rulemaking and 
                public participation in rulemaking; and
                    (C) chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code 
                (commonly known as the ``Paperwork Reduction Act'').
            (3) Congressional review of agency rulemaking.--In carrying 
        out this subsection, the Secretary shall use the authority 
        provided under section 808 of title 5, United States Code.
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