[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 29 (Thursday, February 15, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S2079]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. COLEMAN:
  S. 629. A bill to amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act to provide direct and guaranteed loans, loan guarantees, and grants 
to complete the construction and rehabilitation of rural critical 
access hospitals; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry.
  Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill I introduce today, to amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act to provide direct and guaranteed loans, loan 
guarantees, and grants to complete the construction and rehabilitation 
of critical access hospitals, be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 629

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

     SECTION 1. LOANS, LOAN GUARANTEES, AND GRANTS FOR RURAL 
                   CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITAL RECONSTRUCTION AND 
                   REHABILITATION.

       (a) In General.--Section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm 
     and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) by designating the first through fifth sentences as 
     subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(F) Loans and loan guarantees for rural critical access 
     hospital reconstruction and rehabilitation.--Notwithstanding 
     any other provision of law, the Secretary shall use such sums 
     as are necessary of the funds of the Commodity Credit 
     Corporation for the cost of making community facility direct 
     and guaranteed loans under this paragraph, in a total amount 
     of not to exceed an additional $1,600,000,000 for the period 
     of fiscal years 2008 through 2012, to complete the 
     construction and rehabilitation of critical access hospitals 
     (as defined in section 1861(mm) of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1395x(mm))).''; and
       (2) in paragraph (19), by adding at the end the following:
       ``(D) Grants for rural critical access hospital 
     reconstruction and rehabilitation.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, of the funds of the Commodity Credit 
     Corporation, the Secretary shall make available an additional 
     $5,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2012 
     to make essential community facility grants under this 
     paragraph to complete the construction and rehabilitation of 
     critical access hospitals (as defined in section 1861(mm) of 
     the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(mm))).''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 306 of the Consolidated 
     Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926) (as amended by 
     subsection (a)(1)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``Sec. 306. (a)(1)(A) The Secretary is also 
     authorized to'' and inserting the following:

     ``SEC. 306. WATER, WASTE DISPOSAL, AND COMMUNITY FACILITY 
                   LOANS, LOAN GUARANTEES, AND GRANTS.

       ``(a) Authority.--
       ``(1) Water, waste disposal, and community facilities.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may'';
       (2) by striking ``(B) The Secretary may also'' and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(B) Rural empowerment zones and rural enterprise 
     communities.--The Secretary may'';
       (3) by striking ``(C) The Secretary may also'' and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(C) Electric borrowers.--The Secretary may'';
       (4) by striking ``(D) When any'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(D) Gross income.--If any''; and
       (5) by striking ``(E) With respect'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(E) Bond counsel.--With respect''.
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