[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6716 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6716
To establish a program to provide grants and loans to facilitate the
care, rehabilitation, and welfare of domestic animals in rural areas,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 15, 2025
Mr. Hernandez (for himself, Ms. Norton, and Ms. Titus) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a program to provide grants and loans to facilitate the
care, rehabilitation, and welfare of domestic animals in rural 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 ``Save Animals Through Operational
Shelters Act of 2025'' or the ``SATOS Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Rural communities often lack adequate infrastructure
(including animal shelters and veterinary care facilities) to
support animal welfare.
(2) Associations, units of general local government,
nonprofit corporations, and Indian Tribes play a critical role
in promoting the health, safety, and humane treatment of
animals.
(3) Investment in animal care facilities contributes to
public health, safety, and community well-being.
SEC. 3. GRANTS AND LOANS FOR DOMESTIC ANIMAL CARE FACILITIES IN RURAL
AREAS.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a program to
provide a grant or loan to an eligible entity--
(1) to construct, expand, or renovate a facility in a rural
area for--
(A) an animal shelter;
(B) an animal adoption center;
(C) a veterinary care clinic;
(D) a spay and neuter clinic;
(E) an animal control operation; or
(F) an emergency animal shelter; or
(2) to purchase or install equipment, furnishings,
vehicles, or technology for such a facility.
(b) Terms of Grant.--
(1) Amount.--The total amount that may be provided as
grants under subsection (a) for a fiscal year may not exceed
$10,000,000.
(2) Federal share.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in
subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Secretary shall, by
rule, establish the amount of the Federal share of the
cost of developing a facility pursuant to a grant under
subsection (a).
(B) Maximum amount.--The amount of a grant provided
under subsection (a) for a facility may not exceed 75
percent of the cost of developing such facility.
(C) Graduated scale.--The Secretary shall establish
a graduated scale for the amount of the Federal share
provided under this paragraph, with a greater Federal
share, not more than the maximum amount described in
subparagraph (B), for a facility located in a community
that has a lesser population or income level, as
determined by the Secretary.
(c) Technical Assistance and Training.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may make a grant to an
eligible entity to procure technical assistance and training
to--
(A) assist such eligible entity in identifying and
planning for the needs of a facility developed pursuant
to a grant or loan under subsection (a);
(B) identify resources to finance the needs of such
a facility;
(C) prepare a report or survey to be included in an
application for a grant or loan under subsection (a);
(D) prepare an application for such grant or loan;
(E) improve the administration, including financial
administration, of such a facility; and
(F) assist with any other area of need, as
identified by the Secretary, relating to the
administration of--
(i) such a facility; or
(ii) a grant or loan under subsection (a).
(2) Selection priority.--In selecting a recipient of a
grant under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority
to an eligible entity that has experience in the planning,
design, operation, or management of a facility described in
subsection (a)(1), as demonstrated in the application for such
grant submitted by such eligible entity.
(3) Funding.--Not less than 3 nor more than 5 percent of
any funds appropriated to carry out this section for a fiscal
year shall be reserved for grants under this subsection.
(d) Rule Making.--Within 180 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall finalize a rule to carry out this
section.
(e) Implementation.--Within 1 year after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall begin providing grants and loans under
subsection (a).
(f) Reports.--Within 2 years after the date of enactment of this
Act, and not less frequently than every 2 years thereafter, the
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry of the Senate a report describing--
(1) the amount of grants and loans provided under
subsections (a) and (c);
(2) the geographic distribution of the recipients of such
grants and loans;
(3) the outcomes achieved by such grants and loans; and
(4) any recommendations for improving the effectiveness of
the program established under subsection (a).
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``domestic animal'' means an animal, including
a dog, cat, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, or bird, that is not
kept by the owner for any commercial purpose.
(2) The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a State, local, or Tribal government or an
agency thereof; or
(B) a nonprofit corporation.
(3) The term ``rural area'' means any area other than--
(A) a city or town that has a population of greater
than 50,000 inhabitants; and
(B) the urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to
such a city or town.
(4) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
Agriculture, acting through the Under Secretary of Agriculture
for Rural Development.
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