[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 243 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 243

 To provide assistance for watersheds adversely affected by qualifying 
                           natural disasters.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 7, 2013

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide assistance for watersheds adversely affected by qualifying 
                           natural disasters.

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

SECTION 1. AGRICULTURAL ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Disaster county.--The term ``disaster county'' means--
                    (A) a county included in the geographical area 
                covered by a qualifying natural disaster declaration; 
                and
                    (B) each county contiguous to a county described in 
                subparagraph (A), when appropriate as determined by the 
                Secretary.
            (2) Qualifying natural disaster declaration.--The term 
        ``qualifying natural disaster declaration'' means a major 
        disaster or emergency designated by the President under the 
        Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.
    (b) Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--Out of any funds in the Treasury not 
        otherwise appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall 
        transfer to the account used to carry out the emergency 
        watershed protection program established under section 403 of 
        the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203) 
        $61,930,257, which the Secretary shall use to provide financial 
        and technical assistance in disaster counties to project 
        sponsors to address impaired watersheds under that program.
            (2) Receipt and acceptance.--The account described in 
        paragraph (1) shall be entitled to receive, shall accept, and 
        shall be used to carry out this section the funds transferred 
        under paragraph (1), without further appropriation.
                                 <all>