[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6621 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6621

  To provide technical assistance for geographically underserved and 
               distressed areas, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 6, 2023

   Mr. Davis of North Carolina (for himself and Mr. Tony Gonzales of 
    Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                        Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide technical assistance for geographically underserved and 
               distressed areas, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Uplift and Revitalization 
Assistance Act''.

SEC. 2. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR GEOGRAPHICALLY UNDERSERVED AND 
              DISTRESSED AREAS.

    (a) In General.--Within 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
this section, the Secretary of Agriculture (in this section referred to 
as the ``Secretary'') shall directly, or through cooperative 
agreements, provide technical assistance and strengthen local capacity 
to improve access to rural development programs administered by the 
Secretary for local partners (including local governments, 
cooperatives, businesses, healthcare facilities and networks, community 
anchor institutions (as defined in section 60302(6) of the Digital 
Equity Act of 2021), and nonprofit organizations) in geographically 
underserved and distressed areas.
    (b) Reports.--Beginning 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
this section, the Secretary shall annually publish, make available to 
the public, and submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry of the Senate a report on how the provision of technical 
assistance under subsection (a) has affected geographically underserved 
and distressed areas in the year covered by the report.
    (c) Definition of Geographically Underserved and Distressed Area.--
In this section, the term ``geographically underserved and distressed 
area'' means a rural area (as determined by the Secretary)--
            (1) in a socially vulnerable community (as determined by 
        the Secretary);
            (2) in a persistent poverty county (as determined by the 
        Secretary);
            (3) in a economically distressed area (as determined by the 
        Secretary); or
            (4) that lacks adequate water services, sewer services, or 
        decent housing in any region near the border between the United 
        States and Mexico.
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