[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3147 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 3147

     To modify Department of Agriculture programs to improve flood 
   protection and infrastructure resiliency, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 26, 2023

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To modify Department of Agriculture programs to improve flood 
   protection and infrastructure resiliency, 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 ``Flood Protection and Infrastructure 
Resilience Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROGRAM.

    Section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Level of Restoration.--In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary may undertake measures that increase the level of protection 
above that which would be necessary to address the immediate impairment 
of the watershed if the Secretary determines that such restoration is 
in the best interest of--
            ``(1) the long-term health of the watershed; and
            ``(2) the protection of the watershed from repetitive 
        impairments.''.

SEC. 3. REHABILITATION OF STRUCTURAL MEASURES NEAR, AT, OR PAST THEIR 
              EVALUATED LIFE EXPECTANCY.

    Section 14(b) of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1012(b)) is amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting 
the following:
            ``(2) Amount of assistance; limitations.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The amount of Federal funds that 
                may be made available under this subsection to a local 
                organization for construction of a particular 
                rehabilitation project shall be equal to 65 percent of 
                the total rehabilitation costs, but not to exceed 100 
                percent of actual construction costs incurred in the 
                rehabilitation.
                    ``(B) Limited resource areas.--Notwithstanding 
                subparagraph (A), the Secretary may contribute up to 90 
                percent of the total rehabilitation costs to a local 
                organization for construction of a particular 
                rehabilitation project that serves a limited resource 
                area, as determined by the Secretary, but not to exceed 
                100 percent of actual construction costs incurred in 
                the rehabilitation.
                    ``(C) Costs of resource rights and permits.--The 
                local organization shall be responsible for the costs 
                of water, mineral, and other resource rights and all 
                Federal, State, and local permits.''.

SEC. 4. REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM PURPOSES.

    Section 1271(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3871(b)) is amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
following:
            ``(2) To address natural resource concerns on eligible land 
        on a regional or watershed scale, including--
                    ``(A) the conservation, protection, restoration, 
                and sustainable use of soil;
                    ``(B) the conservation and protection of water, 
                including sources of drinking water and groundwater;
                    ``(C) the prevention and mitigation of the effects 
                of flooding and drought, and the improvement or 
                expansion of flood resiliency; and
                    ``(D) the conservation of wildlife, agricultural 
                land, and related natural resources.''.
                                 <all>