[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 126 (Thursday, August 2, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H9606-H9618]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 581 and rule 
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the state of the Union for the further consideration of the bill, 
H.R. 3161.

                              {time}  1823


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the state of the Union for the further consideration of 
the bill (H.R. 3161), as amended, making appropriations for 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 
Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
2008, and for other purposes, with Mr. Snyder (Acting Chairman) in the 
chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. When the Committee of the Whole rose on Tuesday, 
July 31, 2007, the bill had been read through page 2, line 12, and 
pending was the amendment by the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
McHenry) to amendment No. 3 printed in the Congressional Record by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).
  Pursuant to House Resolution 599, the amendments printed in part A of 
House Report 110-290 are adopted and the bill is considered read for 
amendment under the 5-minute rule.
  The text of the remainder of the bill is as follows:

                          Executive Operations


                            chief economist

       For necessary expenses of the Chief Economist, including 
     economic analysis, risk assessment, cost-benefit analysis, 
     energy and new uses, and the functions of the World 
     Agricultural Outlook Board, as authorized by the Agricultural 
     Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1622g), $10,847,000.


                       national appeals division

       For necessary expenses of the National Appeals Division, 
     $15,056,000.


                 office of budget and program analysis

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Budget and Program 
     Analysis, $8,622,000.


                        homeland security staff

       For necessary expenses of the Homeland Security Staff, 
     $2,252,000.

                Office of the Chief Information Officer

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief 
     Information Officer, $16,723,000.

                 Office of the Chief Financial Officer

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief Financial 
     Officer, $6,076,000: Provided, That no funds made available 
     by this appropriation may be obligated for FAIR Act or 
     Circular A-76 activities until the Secretary has submitted to 
     the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress 
     and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the 
     House of Representatives a report on the Department's 
     contracting out policies, including agency budgets for 
     contracting out.

           Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, $897,000.

                         Office of Civil Rights

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Civil Rights, 
     $23,147,000.

          Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Assistant Secretary for Administration, $709,000.

        Agriculture Buildings and Facilities and Rental Payments


                     (including transfers of funds)

       For payment of space rental and related costs pursuant to 
     Public Law 92-313, including authorities pursuant to the 1984 
     delegation of authority from the Administrator of General 
     Services to the Department of Agriculture under 40 U.S.C. 
     486, for programs and activities of the Department which are 
     included in this Act, and for alterations and other actions 
     needed for the Department and its agencies to consolidate 
     unneeded space into configurations suitable for release to 
     the Administrator of General Services, and for the operation, 
     maintenance, improvement, and repair of Agriculture buildings 
     and facilities, and for related costs, $196,616,000, to 
     remain available until expended, of which $156,590,000 shall 
     be for payments to the General Services Administration for 
     rent and the Department of Homeland Security for building 
     security: Provided, That amounts which are made available for 
     space rental and related costs for the Department of 
     Agriculture in this Act may be transferred between such 
     appropriations to cover the costs of additional, new, or 
     replacement space 15 days after notice thereof is transmitted 
     to the Appropriations Committees of both Houses of Congress.

                     Hazardous Materials Management


                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses of the Department of Agriculture, to 
     comply with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
     Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and 
     the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et 
     seq.), $12,200,000, to remain available until expended: 
     Provided, That appropriations and funds available herein to 
     the Department for Hazardous Materials Management may be 
     transferred to any agency of the Department for its use in 
     meeting all requirements pursuant to the above Acts on 
     Federal and non-Federal lands.

                      Departmental Administration


                     (including transfers of funds)

       For Departmental Administration, $23,913,000, to provide 
     for necessary expenses for management support services to 
     offices of the Department and for general administration, 
     security, repairs and alterations, and other miscellaneous 
     supplies and expenses not otherwise provided for and 
     necessary for the practical and efficient work of the 
     Department: Provided, That this appropriation shall be 
     reimbursed from applicable appropriations in this Act for 
     travel expenses incident to the holding of hearings as 
     required by 5 U.S.C. 551-558.

     Office of the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations


                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations to carry out 
     the programs funded by this Act, including programs involving 
     intergovernmental affairs

[[Page H9607]]

     and liaison within the executive branch, $3,936,000: 
     Provided, That these funds may be transferred to agencies of 
     the Department of Agriculture funded by this Act to maintain 
     personnel at the agency level: Provided further, That no 
     funds made available by this appropriation may be obligated 
     after 30 days from the date of enactment of this Act, unless 
     the Secretary has notified the Committees on Appropriations 
     of both Houses of Congress on the allocation of these funds 
     by USDA agency: Provided further, That no other funds 
     appropriated to the Department by this Act shall be available 
     to the Department for support of activities of congressional 
     relations.

                        Office of Communications

       For necessary expenses to carry out services relating to 
     the coordination of programs involving public affairs, for 
     the dissemination of agricultural information, and the 
     coordination of information, work, and programs authorized by 
     Congress in the Department, $9,720,000.

                      Office of Inspector General

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Inspector 
     General, including employment pursuant to the Inspector 
     General Act of 1978, $85,998,000, including such sums as may 
     be necessary for contracting and other arrangements with 
     public agencies and private persons pursuant to section 
     6(a)(9) of the Inspector General Act of 1978, and including 
     not to exceed $125,000 for certain confidential operational 
     expenses, including the payment of informants, to be expended 
     under the direction of the Inspector General pursuant to 
     Public Law 95-452 and section 1337 of Public Law 97-98.

                     Office of the General Counsel

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the General 
     Counsel, $40,964,000.

  Office of the Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics to 
     administer the laws enacted by the Congress for the Economic 
     Research Service, the National Agricultural Statistics 
     Service, the Agricultural Research Service, and the 
     Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, 
     $626,000.

                       Economic Research Service

       For necessary expenses of the Economic Research Service in 
     conducting economic research and analysis, $79,282,000.

                National Agricultural Statistics Service

       For necessary expenses of the National Agricultural 
     Statistics Service in conducting statistical reporting and 
     service work, $166,099,000, of which up to $52,725,000 shall 
     be available until expended for the Census of Agriculture.

                     Agricultural Research Service


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses to enable the Agricultural Research 
     Service to perform agricultural research and demonstration 
     relating to production, utilization, marketing, and 
     distribution (not otherwise provided for); home economics or 
     nutrition and consumer use including the acquisition, 
     preservation, and dissemination of agricultural information; 
     and for acquisition of lands by donation, exchange, or 
     purchase at a nominal cost not to exceed $100, and for land 
     exchanges where the lands exchanged shall be of equal value 
     or shall be equalized by a payment of money to the grantor 
     which shall not exceed 25 percent of the total value of the 
     land or interests transferred out of Federal ownership, 
     $1,076,340,000: Provided, That appropriations hereunder shall 
     be available for the operation and maintenance of aircraft 
     and the purchase of not to exceed one for replacement only: 
     Provided further, That appropriations hereunder shall be 
     available pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2250 for the construction, 
     alteration, and repair of buildings and improvements, but 
     unless otherwise provided, the cost of constructing any one 
     building shall not exceed $375,000, except for headhouses or 
     greenhouses which shall each be limited to $1,200,000, and 
     except for 10 buildings to be constructed or improved at a 
     cost not to exceed $750,000 each, and the cost of altering 
     any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 
     percent of the current replacement value of the building or 
     $375,000, whichever is greater: Provided further, That the 
     limitations on alterations contained in this Act shall not 
     apply to modernization or replacement of existing facilities 
     at Beltsville, Maryland: Provided further, That 
     appropriations hereunder shall be available for granting 
     easements at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center: 
     Provided further, That the foregoing limitations shall not 
     apply to replacement of buildings needed to carry out the Act 
     of April 24, 1948 (21 U.S.C. 113a): Provided further, That 
     funds may be received from any State, other political 
     subdivision, organization, or individual for the purpose of 
     establishing or operating any research facility or research 
     project of the Agricultural Research Service, as authorized 
     by law: Provided further, That none of the funds appropriated 
     under this heading shall be available to carry out research 
     related to the production, processing, or marketing of 
     tobacco or tobacco products.


                        buildings and facilities

       For acquisition of land, construction, repair, improvement, 
     extension, alteration, and purchase of fixed equipment or 
     facilities as necessary to carry out the agricultural 
     research programs of the Department of Agriculture, where not 
     otherwise provided, $64,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended.

      Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service


                   research and education activities

       For payments to agricultural experiment stations, for 
     cooperative forestry and other research, for facilities, and 
     for other expenses, $671,419,000, as follows: to carry out 
     the provisions of the Hatch Act of 1887 (7 U.S.C. 361a-i), 
     $195,817,000; for grants for cooperative forestry research 
     (16 U.S.C. 582a through a-7), $23,318,000; for payments to 
     eligible institutions (7 U.S.C. 3222), $42,000,000, of which 
     $944,737 shall be made available only for the purpose of 
     ensuring that each institution shall receive no less than 
     $1,000,000; for special grants for agricultural research (7 
     U.S.C. 450i(c)), $94,242,000; for competitive grants for 
     agricultural research on improved pest control (7 U.S.C. 
     450i(c)), $15,973,000; for competitive research grants (7 
     U.S.C. 450i(b)), $190,229,000; for the support of animal 
     health and disease programs (7 U.S.C. 3195), $5,006,000; for 
     the 1994 research grants program for 1994 institutions 
     pursuant to section 536 of Public Law 103-382 (7 U.S.C. 301 
     note), $1,544,000, to remain available until expended; for 
     higher education graduate fellowship grants (7 U.S.C. 
     3152(b)(6)), $3,701,000, to remain available until expended 
     (7 U.S.C. 2209b); for a veterinary medicine loan repayment 
     program pursuant to section 1415A of the National 
     Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
     1977 (7 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), $1,000,000; for higher 
     education challenge grants (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(1)), $5,423,000; 
     for a higher education multicultural scholars program (7 
     U.S.C. 3152(b)(5)), $988,000, to remain available until 
     expended (7 U.S.C. 2209b); for an education grants program 
     for Hispanic-serving Institutions (7 U.S.C. 3241), 
     $6,237,000; for competitive grants for the purpose of 
     carrying out all provisions of 7 U.S.C. 3242 (section 759 of 
     Public Law 106-78) to individual eligible institutions or 
     consortia of eligible institutions in Alaska and in Hawaii, 
     with funds awarded equally to each of the States of Alaska 
     and Hawaii, $3,218,000; for a secondary agriculture education 
     program and 2-year post-secondary education (7 U.S.C. 
     3152(j)), $990,000; for aquaculture grants (7 U.S.C. 3322), 
     $3,956,000; for sustainable agriculture research and 
     education (7 U.S.C. 5811), $14,000,000; for a program of 
     capacity building grants (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(4)) to 
     institutions eligible to receive funds under 7 U.S.C. 3221 
     and 3222, $15,000,000, to remain available until expended (7 
     U.S.C. 2209b); for payments to the 1994 Institutions pursuant 
     to section 534(a)(1) of Public Law 103-382, $3,342,000; for 
     resident instruction grants for insular areas under section 
     1491 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
     Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3363), $1,000,000; and 
     for necessary expenses of Research and Education Activities, 
     $44,435,000, of which $2,723,000 for the Research, Education, 
     and Economics Information System and $2,151,000 for the 
     Electronic Grants Information System, are to remain available 
     until expended: Provided, That none of the funds appropriated 
     under this heading shall be available to carry out research 
     related to the production, processing, or marketing of 
     tobacco or tobacco products: Provided further, That this 
     paragraph shall not apply to research on the medical, 
     biotechnological, food, and industrial uses of tobacco.


              native american institutions endowment fund

       For the Native American Institutions Endowment Fund 
     authorized by Public Law 103-382 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), 
     $11,880,000, to remain available until expended.


                          extension activities

       For payments to States, the District of Columbia, Puerto 
     Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, Micronesia, Northern 
     Marianas, and American Samoa, $463,886,000, as follows: 
     payments for cooperative extension work under the Smith-Lever 
     Act, to be distributed under sections 3(b) and 3(c) of said 
     Act, and under section 208(c) of Public Law 93-471, for 
     retirement and employees' compensation costs for extension 
     agents, $281,429,000; payments for extension work at the 1994 
     Institutions under the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 343(b)(3)), 
     $3,321,000; payments for the nutrition and family education 
     program for low-income areas under section 3(d) of the Act, 
     $68,500,000; payments for the pest management program under 
     section 3(d) of the Act, $9,860,000; payments for the farm 
     safety program under section 3(d) of the Act, $5,000,000; 
     payments for New Technologies for Ag Extension under Section 
     3(d) of the Act, $1,485,000; payments to upgrade research, 
     extension, and teaching facilities at institutions eligible 
     to receive funds under 7 U.S.C. 3221 and 3222, $18,000,000, 
     to remain available until expended; payments for youth-at-
     risk programs under section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act, 
     $8,396,000; for youth farm safety education and certification 
     extension grants, to be awarded competitively under section 
     3(d) of the Act, $494,000; payments for carrying out the 
     provisions of the Renewable Resources Extension Act of 1978 
     (16 U.S.C. 1671 et seq.), $4,052,000; payments for the 
     federally-recognized Tribes Extension Program under section 
     3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act, $3,000,000; payments for 
     sustainable agriculture programs under section 3(d) of the 
     Act, $4,200,000; payments for cooperative extension work by 
     eligible institutions (7 U.S.C. 3221), $37,000,000, of which 
     $1,113,333

[[Page H9608]]

     shall be made available only for the purpose of ensuring that 
     each institution shall receive no less than $1,000,000; for 
     grants to youth organizations pursuant to section 7630 of 
     title 7, United States Code, $1,980,000; and for necessary 
     expenses of Extension Activities, $17,169,000.


                         integrated activities

       For the integrated research, education, and extension 
     grants programs, including necessary administrative expenses, 
     $57,244,000, as follows: for competitive grants programs 
     authorized under section 406 of the Agricultural Research, 
     Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7626), 
     $42,286,000, including $12,738,000 for the water quality 
     program, $14,699,000 for the food safety program, $4,125,000 
     for the regional pest management centers program, $4,419,000 
     for the Food Quality Protection Act risk mitigation program 
     for major food crop systems, $1,375,000 for the crops 
     affected by Food Quality Protection Act implementation, 
     $3,075,000 for the methyl bromide transition program, and 
     $1,855,000 for the organic transition program; for a 
     competitive international science and education grants 
     program authorized under section 1459A of the National 
     Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
     1977 (7 U.S.C. 3292b), to remain available until expended, 
     $3,000,000; for grants programs authorized under section 
     2(c)(1)(B) of Public Law 89-106, as amended, $737,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2009, for the critical 
     issues program; $1,321,000 for the regional rural development 
     centers program; and $9,900,000 for the Food and Agriculture 
     Defense Initiative authorized under section 1484 of the 
     National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Act 
     of 1977, to remain available until September 30, 2009.


              outreach for socially disadvantaged farmers

       For grants and contracts pursuant to section 2501 of the 
     Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 
     U.S.C. 2279), $6,930,000, to remain available until expended.

  Office of the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs to 
     administer programs under the laws enacted by the Congress 
     for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; the 
     Agricultural Marketing Service; and the Grain Inspection, 
     Packers and Stockyards Administration; $759,000.

               Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service


                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary to 
     prevent, control, and eradicate pests and plant and animal 
     diseases; to carry out inspection, quarantine, and regulatory 
     activities; and to protect the environment, as authorized by 
     law, $874,643,000, of which $4,113,000 shall be available for 
     the control of outbreaks of insects, plant diseases, animal 
     diseases and for control of pest animals and birds to the 
     extent necessary to meet emergency conditions; of which 
     $36,269,000 shall be used for the cotton pests program for 
     cost share purposes or for debt retirement for active 
     eradication zones; of which $57,044,000 shall be used to 
     conduct a surveillance and preparedness program for highly 
     pathogenic avian influenza: Provided, That no funds shall be 
     used to formulate or administer a brucellosis eradication 
     program for the current fiscal year that does not require 
     minimum matching by the States of at least 40 percent: 
     Provided further, That this appropriation shall be available 
     for the operation and maintenance of aircraft and the 
     purchase of not to exceed four, of which two shall be for 
     replacement only: Provided further, That, in addition, in 
     emergencies which threaten any segment of the agricultural 
     production industry of this country, the Secretary may 
     transfer from other appropriations or funds available to the 
     agencies or corporations of the Department such sums as may 
     be deemed necessary, to be available only in such emergencies 
     for the arrest and eradication of contagious or infectious 
     disease or pests of animals, poultry, or plants, and for 
     expenses in accordance with sections 10411 and 10417 of the 
     Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8310 and 8316) and 
     sections 431 and 442 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 
     7751 and 7772), and any unexpended balances of funds 
     transferred for such emergency purposes in the preceding 
     fiscal year shall be merged with such transferred amounts: 
     Provided further, That appropriations hereunder shall be 
     available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the repair and 
     alteration of leased buildings and improvements, but unless 
     otherwise provided the cost of altering any one building 
     during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the 
     current replacement value of the building.
       In fiscal year 2008, the agency is authorized to collect 
     fees to cover the total costs of providing technical 
     assistance, goods, or services requested by States, other 
     political subdivisions, domestic and international 
     organizations, foreign governments, or individuals, provided 
     that such fees are structured such that any entity's 
     liability for such fees is reasonably based on the technical 
     assistance, goods, or services provided to the entity by the 
     agency, and such fees shall be credited to this account, to 
     remain available until expended, without further 
     appropriation, for providing such assistance, goods, or 
     services.


                        buildings and facilities

       For plans, construction, repair, preventive maintenance, 
     environmental support, improvement, extension, alteration, 
     and purchase of fixed equipment or facilities, as authorized 
     by 7 U.S.C. 2250, and acquisition of land as authorized by 7 
     U.S.C. 428a, $4,946,000, to remain available until expended.

                     Agricultural Marketing Service


                           marketing services

       For necessary expenses to carry out services related to 
     consumer protection, agricultural marketing and distribution, 
     transportation, and regulatory programs, as authorized by 
     law, and for administration and coordination of payments to 
     States, $79,945,000, including funds for the wholesale market 
     development program for the design and development of 
     wholesale and farmer market facilities for the major 
     metropolitan areas of the country: Provided, That this 
     appropriation shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 
     2250) for the alteration and repair of buildings and 
     improvements, but the cost of altering any one building 
     during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the 
     current replacement value of the building.
       Fees may be collected for the cost of standardization 
     activities, as established by regulation pursuant to law (31 
     U.S.C. 9701).


                 limitation on administrative expenses

       Not to exceed $61,233,000 (from fees collected) shall be 
     obligated during the current fiscal year for administrative 
     expenses: Provided, That if crop size is understated and/or 
     other uncontrollable events occur, the agency may exceed this 
     limitation by up to 10 percent with notification to the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.


    funds for strengthening markets, income, and supply (section 32)

                     (including transfers of funds)

       Funds available under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 
     1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c), shall be used only for commodity 
     program expenses as authorized therein, and other related 
     operating expenses, including not less than $20,000,000 for 
     replacement of a system to support commodity purchases, 
     except for: (1) transfers to the Department of Commerce as 
     authorized by the Fish and Wildlife Act of August 8, 1956; 
     (2) transfers otherwise provided in this Act; and (3) not 
     more than $16,798,000 for formulation and administration of 
     marketing agreements and orders pursuant to the Agricultural 
     Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 and the Agricultural Act of 
     1961.


                   payments to states and possessions

       For payments to departments of agriculture, bureaus and 
     departments of markets, and similar agencies for marketing 
     activities under section 204(b) of the Agricultural Marketing 
     Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1623(b)), $1,334,000.

        Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of the 
     United States Grain Standards Act, for the administration of 
     the Packers and Stockyards Act, for certifying procedures 
     used to protect purchasers of farm products, and the 
     standardization activities related to grain under the 
     Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, $41,115,000: Provided, 
     That this appropriation shall be available pursuant to law (7 
     U.S.C. 2250) for the alteration and repair of buildings and 
     improvements, but the cost of altering any one building 
     during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the 
     current replacement value of the building.


        limitation on inspection and weighing services expenses

       Not to exceed $42,463,000 (from fees collected) shall be 
     obligated during the current fiscal year for inspection and 
     weighing services: Provided, That if grain export activities 
     require additional supervision and oversight, or other 
     uncontrollable factors occur, this limitation may be exceeded 
     by up to 10 percent with notification to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.

             Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Under Secretary for Food Safety to administer the laws 
     enacted by the Congress for the Food Safety and Inspection 
     Service, $632,000.

                   Food Safety and Inspection Service

       For necessary expenses to carry out services authorized by 
     the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products 
     Inspection Act, and the Egg Products Inspection Act, 
     including not to exceed $50,000 for representation allowances 
     and for expenses pursuant to section 8 of the Act approved 
     August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 1766), $930,120,000, of which no 
     less than $830,057,000 shall be available for Federal food 
     safety inspection; and in addition, $1,000,000 may be 
     credited to this account from fees collected for the cost of 
     laboratory accreditation as authorized by section 1327 of the 
     Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990 (7 
     U.S.C. 138f): Provided, That of the total amount made 
     available under this heading, no less than $20,653,000 shall 
     be obligated for regulatory and scientific training: Provided 
     further, That this appropriation shall be available pursuant 
     to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the alteration

[[Page H9609]]

     and repair of buildings and improvements, but the cost of 
     altering any one building during the fiscal year shall not 
     exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value of the 
     building.

                        Farm Assistance Programs

    Office of the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural 
                                Services

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services to 
     administer the laws enacted by Congress for the Farm Service 
     Agency, the Foreign Agricultural Service, the Risk Management 
     Agency, and the Commodity Credit Corporation, $666,000.

                          Farm Service Agency


                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses for carrying out the administration 
     and implementation of programs administered by the Farm 
     Service Agency, $1,127,409,000: Provided, That the Secretary 
     is authorized to use the services, facilities, and 
     authorities (but not the funds) of the Commodity Credit 
     Corporation to make program payments for all programs 
     administered by the Agency: Provided further, That other 
     funds made available to the Agency for authorized activities 
     may be advanced to and merged with this account: Provided 
     further, That none of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used to pay the salary or expenses of any officer or 
     employee of the Department of Agriculture to close or 
     relocate any county or field office of the Farm Service 
     Agency (other than a county or field office that had zero 
     employees as of February 7, 2007), or to develop, submit, 
     consider, or approve any plan for any such closure or 
     relocation before the expiration of the six month period 
     following the date of the enactment of an omnibus 
     authorization law to provide for the continuation of 
     agricultural programs for fiscal years after 2007: Provided 
     further, That after the expiration of the six month period 
     following the date of the enactment of an omnibus 
     authorization law to provide for the continuation of 
     agricultural programs for fiscal years after 2007 none of the 
     funds made available by this Act may be used to pay the 
     salaries or expenses of any officer or employee of the 
     Department of Agriculture to close any local or county office 
     of the Farm Service Agency unless the Secretary of 
     Agriculture, not later than 30 days after the date on which 
     the Secretary proposed the closure, holds a public meeting 
     about the proposed closure in the county in which the local 
     or county office is located, and, after the public meeting 
     but not later than 120 days before the date on which the 
     Secretary approves the closure, notifies the Committee on 
     Agriculture and the Committee on Appropriations of the House 
     of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, 
     Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on Appropriations 
     of the Senate, and the members of Congress from the State in 
     which the local or county office is located of the proposed 
     closure.


                         state mediation grants

       For grants pursuant to section 502(b) of the Agricultural 
     Credit Act of 1987, as amended (7 U.S.C. 5101-5106), 
     $4,000,000.


               grassroots source water protection program

       For necessary expenses to carry out wellhead or groundwater 
     protection activities under section 1240O of the Food 
     Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb-2), $3,713,000, to 
     remain available until expended.


                        dairy indemnity program

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses involved in making indemnity 
     payments to dairy farmers and manufacturers of dairy products 
     under a dairy indemnity program, $100,000, to remain 
     available until expended: Provided, That such program is 
     carried out by the Secretary in the same manner as the dairy 
     indemnity program described in the Agriculture, Rural 
     Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related 
     Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public Law 106-387, 114 
     Stat. 1549A-12).


           agricultural credit insurance fund program account

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct 
     and guaranteed farm ownership (7 U.S.C. 1922 et seq.) and 
     operating (7 U.S.C. 1941 et seq.) loans, Indian tribe land 
     acquisition loans (25 U.S.C. 488), and boll weevil loans (7 
     U.S.C. 1989), to be available from funds in the Agricultural 
     Credit Insurance Fund, as follows: farm ownership loans, 
     $1,423,857,000, of which $1,200,000,000 shall be for 
     unsubsidized guaranteed loans and $223,857,000 shall be for 
     direct loans; operating loans, $1,879,595,000, of which 
     $1,000,000,000 shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans, 
     $250,000,000 shall be for subsidized guaranteed loans and 
     $629,595,000 shall be for direct loans; Indian tribe land 
     acquisition loans, $3,960,000; and for boll weevil 
     eradication program loans, $100,000,000: Provided, That the 
     Secretary shall deem the pink bollworm to be a boll weevil 
     for the purpose of boll weevil eradication program loans.
       For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, including the 
     cost of modifying loans as defined in section 502 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows: farm ownership 
     loans, $14,762,000, of which $4,800,000 shall be for 
     unsubsidized guaranteed loans, and $9,962,000 shall be for 
     direct loans; operating loans, $137,446,000, of which 
     $24,200,000 shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans, 
     $33,350,000 shall be for subsidized guaranteed loans, and 
     $79,896,000 shall be for direct loans; and Indian tribe land 
     acquisition loans, $125,000.
       In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry 
     out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $318,150,000, of 
     which $310,230,000 shall be transferred to and merged with 
     the appropriation for ``Farm Service Agency, Salaries and 
     Expenses''.
       Funds appropriated by this Act to the Agricultural Credit 
     Insurance Program Account for farm ownership and operating 
     direct loans and guaranteed loans may be transferred among 
     these programs: Provided, That the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress are notified at 
     least 15 days in advance of any transfer.

                         Risk Management Agency

       For administrative and operating expenses, as authorized by 
     section 226A of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization 
     Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6933), $78,833,000: Provided, That not 
     to exceed $1,000 shall be available for official reception 
     and representation expenses, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 
     1506(i).

                              CORPORATIONS

       The following corporations and agencies are hereby 
     authorized to make expenditures, within the limits of funds 
     and borrowing authority available to each such corporation or 
     agency and in accord with law, and to make contracts and 
     commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as 
     provided by section 104 of the Government Corporation Control 
     Act as may be necessary in carrying out the programs set 
     forth in the budget for the current fiscal year for such 
     corporation or agency, except as hereinafter provided.

                Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund

       For payments as authorized by section 516 of the Federal 
     Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1516), such sums as may be 
     necessary, to remain available until expended.

                   Commodity Credit Corporation Fund


                 reimbursement for net realized losses

       For the current fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary 
     to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for net 
     realized losses sustained, but not previously reimbursed, 
     pursuant to section 2 of the Act of August 17, 1961 (15 
     U.S.C. 713a-11): Provided, That of the funds available to the 
     Commodity Credit Corporation under section 11 of the 
     Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714i) for 
     the conduct of its business with the Foreign Agricultural 
     Service, up to $5,000,000 may be transferred to and used by 
     the Foreign Agricultural Service for information resource 
     management activities of the Foreign Agricultural Service 
     that are not related to Commodity Credit Corporation 
     business.


                       hazardous waste management

                        (limitation on expenses)

       For the current fiscal year, the Commodity Credit 
     Corporation shall not expend more than $5,000,000 for site 
     investigation and cleanup expenses, and operations and 
     maintenance expenses to comply with the requirement of 
     section 107(g) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
     Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9607(g)), and 
     section 6001 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 6961).

                                TITLE II

                         CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

  Office of the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment to 
     administer the laws enacted by the Congress for the Forest 
     Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, 
     $781,000.

                 Natural Resources Conservation Service


                        conservation operations

       For necessary expenses for carrying out the provisions of 
     the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-f), including 
     preparation of conservation plans and establishment of 
     measures to conserve soil and water (including farm 
     irrigation and land drainage and such special measures for 
     soil and water management as may be necessary to prevent 
     floods and the siltation of reservoirs and to control 
     agricultural related pollutants); operation of conservation 
     plant materials centers; classification and mapping of soil; 
     dissemination of information; acquisition of lands, water, 
     and interests therein for use in the plant materials program 
     by donation, exchange, or purchase at a nominal cost not to 
     exceed $100 pursuant to the Act of August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 
     428a); purchase and erection or alteration or improvement of 
     permanent and temporary buildings; and operation and 
     maintenance of aircraft, $851,910,000, to remain available 
     until June 30, 2009, of which not less than $10,840,000 is 
     for snow survey and water forecasting, and not less than 
     $10,779,000 is for operation and establishment of the plant 
     materials centers, and of which not less than $27,225,000 
     shall be for the grazing lands conservation initiative: 
     Provided, That appropriations hereunder shall be available 
     pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2250 for construction and improvement of 
     buildings and public improvements at plant materials centers, 
     except that the cost of alterations and improvements to other 
     buildings and other public improvements shall not exceed 
     $250,000: Provided further, That when buildings or other 
     structures are erected on non-Federal land, that the right to 
     use such land is obtained as provided in 7 U.S.C. 2250a: 
     Provided further, That this appropriation shall

[[Page H9610]]

     be available for technical assistance and related expenses to 
     carry out programs authorized by section 202(c) of title II 
     of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 (43 
     U.S.C. 1592(c)): Provided further, That qualified local 
     engineers may be temporarily employed at per diem rates to 
     perform the technical planning work of the Service.


                     watershed surveys and planning

       For necessary expenses to conduct research, investigation, 
     and surveys of watersheds of rivers and other waterways, and 
     for small watershed investigations and planning, in 
     accordance with the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention 
     Act (16 U.S.C. 1001-1009), $6,556,000.


               watershed and flood prevention operations

       For necessary expenses to carry out preventive measures, 
     including but not limited to research, engineering 
     operations, methods of cultivation, the growing of 
     vegetation, rehabilitation of existing works and changes in 
     use of land, in accordance with the Watershed Protection and 
     Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1001-1005 and 1007-1009), the 
     provisions of the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-f), 
     and in accordance with the provisions of laws relating to the 
     activities of the Department, $37,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended; of which up to $10,000,000 may be 
     available for the watersheds authorized under the Flood 
     Control Act (33 U.S.C. 701 and 16 U.S.C. 1006a): Provided, 
     That not to exceed $18,500,000 of this appropriation shall be 
     available for technical assistance.


                    watershed rehabilitation program

       For necessary expenses to carry out rehabilitation of 
     structural measures, in accordance with section 14 of the 
     Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 
     1012), and in accordance with the provisions of laws relating 
     to the activities of the Department, $31,586,000, to remain 
     available until expended.


                 resource conservation and development

       For necessary expenses in planning and carrying out 
     projects for resource conservation and development and for 
     sound land use pursuant to the provisions of sections 31 and 
     32 of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act (7 U.S.C. 1010-1011; 
     76 Stat. 607); the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-f); 
     and subtitle H of title XV of the Agriculture and Food Act of 
     1981 (16 U.S.C. 3451-3461), $52,370,000, to remain available 
     until expended: Provided, That not to exceed $3,073,000 shall 
     be available for national headquarters activities.

                               TITLE III

                       RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

          Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Under Secretary for Rural Development to administer programs 
     under the laws enacted by the Congress for the Rural Housing 
     Service, the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and the 
     Rural Utilities Service, $666,000.


                  rural community advancement program

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For the cost of direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants, 
     as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 1926, 1926a, 1926c, 1926d, and 
     1932, except for sections 381E-H and 381N of the Consolidated 
     Farm and Rural Development Act, $728,807,000, to remain 
     available until expended, of which $55,742,000 shall be for 
     rural community programs described in section 381E(d)(1) of 
     such Act; of which $573,065,000 shall be for the rural 
     utilities programs described in sections 381E(d)(2), 
     306C(a)(2), and 306D of such Act, of which not to exceed 
     $500,000 shall be available for the rural utilities program 
     described in section 306(a)(2)(B) of such Act, and of which 
     not to exceed $1,000,000 shall be available for the rural 
     utilities program described in section 306E of such Act; and 
     of which $100,000,000 shall be for the rural business and 
     cooperative development programs described in sections 
     381E(d)(3) and 310B(f) of such Act: Provided, That of the 
     total amount appropriated in this account, $24,000,000 shall 
     be for loans and grants to benefit Federally Recognized 
     Native American Tribes, including grants for drinking water 
     and waste disposal systems pursuant to section 306C of such 
     Act, of which $4,000,000 shall be available for community 
     facilities grants to tribal colleges, as authorized by 
     section 306(a)(19) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
     Development Act, and of which $250,000 shall be available for 
     a grant to a qualified national organization to provide 
     technical assistance for rural transportation in order to 
     promote economic development: Provided further, That of the 
     amount appropriated for the rural business and cooperative 
     development programs, not to exceed $500,000 shall be made 
     available for a grant to a qualified national organization to 
     provide technical assistance for rural transportation in 
     order to promote economic development; $3,000,000 shall be 
     for grants to the Delta Regional Authority (7 U.S.C. 1921 et 
     seq.) for any purpose under this heading: Provided further, 
     That of the amount appropriated for rural utilities programs, 
     not to exceed $25,000,000 shall be for water and waste 
     disposal systems to benefit the Colonias along the United 
     States/Mexico border, including grants pursuant to section 
     306C of such Act; $18,250,000 shall be for technical 
     assistance grants for rural water and waste systems pursuant 
     to section 306(a)(14) of such Act, of which $5,600,000 shall 
     be for Rural Community Assistance Programs; and not to exceed 
     $14,000,000 shall be for contracting with qualified national 
     organizations for a circuit rider program to provide 
     technical assistance for rural water systems: Provided 
     further, That of the total amount appropriated, not to exceed 
     $22,800,000 shall be available through June 30, 2008, for 
     authorized empowerment zones and enterprise communities and 
     communities designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as 
     Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones; of which $1,100,000 
     shall be for the rural community programs described in 
     section 381E(d)(1) of such Act, of which $13,400,000 shall be 
     for the rural utilities programs described in section 
     381E(d)(2) of such Act, and of which $8,300,000 shall be for 
     the rural business and cooperative development programs 
     described in section 381E(d)(3) of such Act: Provided 
     further, That any prior year balances for high cost energy 
     grants authorized by section 19 of the Rural Electrification 
     Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901(19)) shall be transferred to and 
     merged with the ``Rural Utilities Service, High Energy Costs 
     Grants Account''.

                Rural Development Salaries and Expenses


                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses for carrying out the administration 
     and implementation of programs in the Rural Development 
     mission area, including activities with institutions 
     concerning the development and operation of agricultural 
     cooperatives; and for cooperative agreements; $175,382,000: 
     Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     funds appropriated under this section may be used for 
     advertising and promotional activities that support the Rural 
     Development mission area: Provided further, That not more 
     than $10,000 may be expended to provide modest nonmonetary 
     awards to non-USDA employees: Provided further, That any 
     balances available from prior years for the Rural Utilities 
     Service, Rural Housing Service, and the Rural Business-
     Cooperative Service salaries and expenses accounts shall be 
     transferred to and merged with this appropriation.

                         Rural Housing Service


              rural housing insurance fund program account

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct 
     and guaranteed loans as authorized by title V of the Housing 
     Act of 1949, to be available from funds in the rural housing 
     insurance fund, as follows: $4,845,816,000 for loans to 
     section 502 borrowers, as determined by the Secretary, of 
     which $1,129,391,000 shall be for direct loans, and of which 
     $3,716,425,000 shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans; 
     $34,652,000 for section 504 housing repair loans; $99,000,000 
     for section 515 rental housing; $99,000,000 for section 538 
     guaranteed multi-family housing loans; $5,046,000 for section 
     524 site loans; $11,486,000 for credit sales of acquired 
     property, of which up to $1,486,000 may be for multi-family 
     credit sales; and $5,000,000 for section 523 self-help 
     housing land development loans.
       For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, including the 
     cost of modifying loans, as defined in section 502 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows: section 502 
     loans, $150,183,000, of which $105,824,000 shall be for 
     direct loans, and of which $44,359,000, to remain available 
     until expended, shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans; 
     section 504 housing repair loans, $9,796,000; repair, 
     rehabilitation, and new construction of section 515 rental 
     housing, $42,184,000; section 538 multi-family housing 
     guaranteed loans, $9,306,000; credit sales of acquired 
     property, $552,000; and section 523 self-help housing and 
     development loans, $142,000: Provided, That of the total 
     amount appropriated in this paragraph, $2,500,000 shall be 
     available through June 30, 2008, for authorized empowerment 
     zones and enterprise communities and communities designated 
     by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area 
     Partnership Zones: Provided further, That any balances for a 
     demonstration program for the preservation and revitalization 
     of the section 515 multi-family rental housing properties as 
     authorized in Public Law 109-97 shall be transferred to and 
     merged with the ``Rural Housing Service, Multifamily Housing 
     Revitalization Program Account''.
       In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry 
     out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $462,521,000, 
     which shall be transferred to and merged with the 
     appropriation for ``Rural Development, Salaries and 
     Expenses''.


                       rental assistance program

       For rental assistance agreements entered into or renewed 
     pursuant to the authority under section 521(a)(2) or 
     agreements entered into in lieu of debt forgiveness or 
     payments for eligible households as authorized by section 
     502(c)(5)(D) of the Housing Act of 1949, $533,020,000, to 
     remain available through September 30, 2009; and, in 
     addition, such sums as may be necessary, as authorized by 
     section 521(c) of the Act, to liquidate debt incurred prior 
     to fiscal year 1992 to carry out the rental assistance 
     program under section 521(a)(2) of the Act: Provided, That of 
     this amount, up to $7,920,000 shall be available for debt 
     forgiveness or payments for eligible households as authorized 
     by section 502(c)(5)(D) of the Act, and not to exceed $50,000 
     per project for advances to nonprofit organizations or public 
     agencies to cover direct costs (other than purchase price) 
     incurred in purchasing projects pursuant to section 
     502(c)(5)(C) of the Act: Provided further, That agreements 
     entered into or renewed during the current fiscal year shall 
     be

[[Page H9611]]

     funded for a one-year period: Provided further, That any 
     unexpended balances remaining at the end of such one-year 
     agreements may be transferred and used for the purposes of 
     any debt reduction; maintenance, repair, or rehabilitation of 
     any existing projects; preservation; and rental assistance 
     activities authorized under title V of the Act: Provided 
     further, That rental assistance that is recovered from 
     projects that are subject to prepayment shall be deobligated 
     and reallocated for vouchers and debt forgiveness or payments 
     consistent with the requirements of this Act for purposes 
     authorized under section 542 and section 502(c)(5)(D) of the 
     Housing Act of 1949, as amended: Provided further, That 
     rental assistance provided under agreements entered into 
     prior to fiscal year 2008 for a section 514/516 project may 
     not be recaptured for use in another project until such 
     assistance has remained unused for a period of 12 consecutive 
     months, if such project has a waiting list of tenants seeking 
     such assistance or the project has rental assistance eligible 
     tenants who are not receiving such assistance: Provided 
     further, That such recaptured rental assistance shall, to the 
     extent practicable, be applied to another section 514/516 
     project.


           multifamily housing revitalization program account

       For the rural housing voucher program as authorized under 
     section 542 of the Housing Act of 1949 (without regard to 
     section 542(b)), for the cost to conduct a housing 
     demonstration program to provide revolving loans for the 
     preservation of low-income multi-family housing projects, and 
     for additional costs to conduct a demonstration program for 
     the preservation and revitalization of the section 515 multi-
     family rental housing properties, $27,800,000, to remain 
     available until expended: Provided, That of the funds made 
     available under this heading, $10,000,000 shall be available 
     for rural housing vouchers to any low-income household 
     (including those not receiving rental assistance) residing in 
     a property financed with a section 515 loan which has been 
     prepaid after September 30, 2005: Provided further, That the 
     amount of such voucher shall be the difference between 
     comparable market rent for the section 515 unit and the 
     tenant paid rent for such unit: Provided further, That funds 
     made available for such vouchers, shall be subject to the 
     availability of annual appropriations: Provided further, That 
     the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
     administer such vouchers with current regulations and 
     administrative guidance applicable for section 8 housing 
     vouchers administered by the Secretary of the Department of 
     Housing and Urban Development (including the ability to pay 
     administrative costs related to delivery of the voucher 
     funds): Provided further, That if the Secretary determines 
     that the amount made available for vouchers in this or any 
     other Act is not needed for vouchers, the Secretary may use 
     such funds for the demonstration programs for the 
     preservation and revitalization of the section 515 multi-
     family rental housing properties described in this paragraph: 
     Provided further, That of the funds made available under this 
     heading, $3,000,000 shall be available for loans to private 
     non-profit organizations, or such non-profit organizations' 
     affiliate loan funds and State and local housing finance 
     agencies, to carry out a housing demonstration program to 
     provide revolving loans for the preservation of low-income 
     multi-family housing projects: Provided further, That loans 
     under such demonstration program shall have an interest rate 
     of not more than 1 percent direct loan to the recipient: 
     Provided further, That the Secretary may defer the interest 
     and principal payment to the Rural Housing Service for up to 
     3 years and the term of such loans shall not exceed 30 years: 
     Provided further, That of the funds made available under this 
     heading, $14,800,000 shall be available for a demonstration 
     program for the preservation and revitalization of the 
     section 515 multi-family rental housing properties to 
     restructure existing section 515 loans, as the Secretary 
     deems appropriate, expressly for the purposes of ensuring the 
     project has sufficient resources to preserve the project for 
     the purpose of providing safe and affordable housing for low-
     income residents including reducing or eliminating interest; 
     deferring loan payments, subordinating, reducing or 
     reamortizing loan debt; and other financial assistance 
     including advances and incentives required by the Secretary: 
     Provided further, That if the Secretary determines that 
     additional funds for vouchers described in this paragraph are 
     needed, funds for the preservation and revitalization 
     demonstration program may be used for such vouchers: Provided 
     further, That if Congress enacts legislation to permanently 
     authorize a section 515 multi-family rental housing loan 
     restructuring program similar to the demonstration program 
     described herein, the Secretary may use funds made available 
     for the demonstration program under this heading to carry out 
     such legislation with the prior approval of the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.


                  mutual and self-help housing grants

       For grants and contracts pursuant to section 523(b)(1)(A) 
     of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490c), $40,000,000, to 
     remain available until expended: Provided, That of the total 
     amount appropriated, $1,000,000 shall be available through 
     June 30, 2008, for authorized empowerment zones and 
     enterprise communities and communities designated by the 
     Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership 
     Zones.


                    rural housing assistance grants

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For grants and contracts for very low-income housing 
     repair, supervisory and technical assistance, compensation 
     for construction defects, and rural housing preservation made 
     by the Rural Housing Service, as authorized by 42 U.S.C. 
     1474, 1479(c), 1490e, and 1490m, $39,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended: Provided, That of the total amount 
     appropriated, $1,200,000 shall be available through June 30, 
     2008, for authorized empowerment zones and enterprise 
     communities and communities designated by the Secretary of 
     Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones: 
     Provided further, That any balances to carry out a housing 
     demonstration program to provide revolving loans for the 
     preservation of low-income multi-family housing projects 
     authorized in Public Law 108-447 and Public Law 109-97 shall 
     be transferred to and merged with ``Rural Housing Service, 
     Multifamily Housing Revitalization Program Account''.


                       farm labor program account

       For the cost of direct loans, grants, and contracts, as 
     authorized by 42 U.S.C. 1484 and 1486, $46,630,000, to remain 
     available until expended, for direct farm labor housing loans 
     and domestic farm labor housing grants and contracts.

                  Rural Business--Cooperative Service


              rural development loan fund program account

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized by 
     the Rural Development Loan Fund (42 U.S.C. 9812(a)), 
     $33,772,000.
       For the cost of direct loans, $14,485,000, as authorized by 
     the Rural Development Loan Fund (42 U.S.C. 9812(a)), of which 
     $1,724,000 shall be available through June 30, 2008, for 
     Federally Recognized Native American Tribes and of which 
     $3,449,000 shall be available through June 30, 2008, for 
     Mississippi Delta Region counties (as determined in 
     accordance with Public Law 100-460): Provided, That such 
     costs, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be 
     as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
     1974: Provided further, That of the total amount 
     appropriated, $880,000 shall be available through June 30, 
     2008, for the cost of direct loans for authorized empowerment 
     zones and enterprise communities and communities designated 
     by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area 
     Partnership Zones.
       In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the 
     direct loan programs, $4,861,000 shall be transferred to and 
     merged with the appropriation for ``Rural Development, 
     Salaries and Expenses''.


                  rural cooperative development grants

       For rural cooperative development grants authorized under 
     section 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
     Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932), $29,193,000, of which 
     $495,000 shall be for a cooperative research agreement with a 
     qualified academic institution to conduct research on the 
     national economic impact of all types of cooperatives; and of 
     which $2,475,000 shall be for cooperative agreements for the 
     appropriate technology transfer for rural areas program: 
     Provided, That not to exceed $1,473,000 shall be for 
     cooperatives or associations of cooperatives whose primary 
     focus is to provide assistance to small, minority producers 
     and whose governing board and/or membership is comprised of 
     at least 75 percent minority; and of which $20,295,000, to 
     remain available until expended, shall be for value-added 
     agricultural product market development grants, as authorized 
     by section 6401 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 
     of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note).


       rural empowerment zones and enterprise communities grants

       For grants in connection with second and third rounds of 
     empowerment zones and enterprise communities, $11,088,000, to 
     remain available until expended, for designated rural 
     empowerment zones and rural enterprise communities, as 
     authorized by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 and the Omnibus 
     Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 
     1999 (Public Law 105-277).


                        renewable energy program

       For the cost of a program of direct loans, loan guarantees, 
     and grants, under the same terms and conditions as authorized 
     by section 9006 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 
     of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8106), $46,000,000 for direct and 
     guaranteed renewable energy loans and grants: Provided, That 
     the cost of direct loans and loan guarantees, including the 
     cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 
     502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

                        Rural Utilities Service


   rural electrification and telecommunications loans program account

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Insured loans pursuant to the authority of section 305 of 
     the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 935) shall be 
     made as follows: 5 percent rural electrification loans, 
     $100,000,000; loans made pursuant to section 306 of that Act, 
     rural electric, $4,500,000,000; 5 percent rural 
     telecommunications loans, $145,000,000; cost of money rural 
     telecommunications loans, $250,000,000; and for loans made 
     pursuant to section 306 of that Act, rural telecommunications 
     loans, $295,000,000.

[[Page H9612]]

       For the cost, as defined in section 502 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974, including the cost of 
     modifying loans, of direct and guaranteed loans authorized by 
     sections 305 and 306 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 
     (7 U.S.C. 935 and 936), as follows: cost of rural electric 
     loans, $120,000, and the cost of telecommunications loans, 
     $3,620,000: Provided, That notwithstanding section 305(d)(2) 
     of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, borrower interest 
     rates may exceed 7 percent per year.
       In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry 
     out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $39,405,000 
     which shall be transferred to and merged with the 
     appropriation for ``Rural Development, Salaries and 
     Expenses''.


         distance learning, telemedicine, and broadband program

       For the principal amount of broadband telecommunication 
     loans, $300,000,000.
       For grants for telemedicine and distance learning services 
     in rural areas, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa et seq., 
     $35,000,000, to remain available until expended.
       For the cost of broadband loans, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 
     901 et seq., $6,450,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2009: Provided, That the interest rate for such loans 
     shall be the cost of borrowing to the Department of the 
     Treasury for obligations of comparable maturity: Provided 
     further, That the cost of direct loans shall be as defined in 
     section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
       In addition, $17,820,000, to remain available until 
     expended, for a grant program to finance broadband 
     transmission in rural areas eligible for Distance Learning 
     and Telemedicine Program benefits authorized by 7 U.S.C. 
     950aaa.

                                TITLE IV

                         DOMESTIC FOOD PROGRAMS

Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services to 
     administer the laws enacted by the Congress for the Food and 
     Nutrition Service, $628,000.

                       Food and Nutrition Service


                        child nutrition programs

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses to carry out the National School 
     Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), except section 21, and 
     the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.), 
     except sections 17 and 21; $13,903,213,000, to remain 
     available through September 30, 2009, of which $7,668,156,000 
     is hereby appropriated and $6,235,057,000 shall be derived by 
     transfer from funds available under section 32 of the Act of 
     August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c): Provided, That up to 
     $5,505,000 shall be available for independent verification of 
     school food service claims.


special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children 
                                 (WIC)

       For necessary expenses to carry out the special 
     supplemental nutrition program as authorized by section 17 of 
     the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), 
     $5,620,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 
     2009, of which such sums as are necessary to restore the 
     contingency reserve to $125,000,000 shall be placed in 
     reserve, to remain available until expended, to be allocated 
     as the Secretary deems necessary, notwithstanding section 
     17(i) of such Act, to support participation should cost or 
     participation exceed budget estimates: Provided, That of the 
     total amount available, the Secretary shall obligate not less 
     than $15,000,000 for a breastfeeding support initiative in 
     addition to the activities specified in section 17(h)(3)(A): 
     Provided further, That only the provisions of section 
     17(h)(10)(B)(i) and section 17(h)(10)(B)(ii) shall be 
     effective in 2008; including $14,000,000 for the purposes 
     specified in section 17(h)(10)(B)(i) and $30,000,000 for the 
     purposes specified in section 17(h)(10)(B)(ii): Provided 
     further, That funds made available for the purposes specified 
     in section 17(h)(10)(B)(ii) shall only be made available upon 
     a determination by the Secretary that funds are available to 
     meet caseload requirements without the use of the contingency 
     reserve funds: Provided further, That none of the funds in 
     this Act shall be available to pay administrative expenses of 
     WIC clinics except those that have an announced policy of 
     prohibiting smoking within the space used to carry out the 
     program: Provided further, That none of the funds provided in 
     this account shall be available for the purchase of infant 
     formula except in accordance with the cost containment and 
     competitive bidding requirements specified in section 17 of 
     such Act: Provided further, That none of the funds provided 
     shall be available for activities that are not fully 
     reimbursed by other Federal Government departments or 
     agencies unless authorized by section 17 of such Act.


                           food stamp program

       For necessary expenses to carry out the Food Stamp Act (7 
     U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), $39,816,223,000, of which 
     $3,000,000,000 to remain available through September 30, 
     2009, shall be placed in reserve for use only in such amounts 
     and at such times as may become necessary to carry out 
     program operations: Provided, That funds provided herein 
     shall be expended in accordance with section 16 of the Food 
     Stamp Act: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be 
     subject to any work registration or workfare requirements as 
     may be required by law: Provided further, That funds made 
     available for Employment and Training under this heading 
     shall remain available until expended, as authorized by 
     section 16(h)(1) of the Food Stamp Act: Provided further, 
     That notwithstanding section 5(d) of the Food Stamp Act of 
     1977, any additional payment received under chapter 5 of 
     title 37, United States Code, by a member of the United 
     States Armed Forces deployed to a designated combat zone 
     shall be excluded from household income for the duration of 
     the member's deployment if the additional pay is the result 
     of deployment to or while serving in a combat zone, and it 
     was not received immediately prior to serving in the combat 
     zone.


                      commodity assistance program

       For necessary expenses to carry out disaster assistance and 
     the commodity supplemental food program as authorized by 
     section 4(a) of the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act 
     of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c note); the Emergency Food Assistance 
     Act of 1983; special assistance for the nuclear affected 
     islands, as authorized by section 103(f)(2) of the Compact of 
     Free Association Amendments Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-188); 
     and the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, as authorized by 
     section 17(m) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 
     $221,070,000, to remain available through September 30, 2009: 
     Provided, That none of these funds shall be available to 
     reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for commodities 
     donated to the program: Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding any other provision of law, effective with 
     funds made available in fiscal year 2008 to support the 
     Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), such funds 
     shall remain available through September 30, 2009: Provided 
     further, That of the funds made available under section 27(a) 
     of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the 
     Secretary may use up to $10,000,000 for costs associated with 
     the distribution of commodities.


                   nutrition programs administration

       For necessary administrative expenses of the domestic 
     nutrition assistance programs funded under this Act, 
     $146,926,000.

                                TITLE V

                FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AND RELATED PROGRAMS

                      Foreign Agricultural Service


                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses of the Foreign Agricultural Service, 
     including carrying out title VI of the Agricultural Act of 
     1954 (7 U.S.C. 1761-1768), market development activities 
     abroad, and for enabling the Secretary to coordinate and 
     integrate activities of the Department in connection with 
     foreign agricultural work, including not to exceed $158,000 
     for representation allowances and for expenses pursuant to 
     section 8 of the Act approved August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 1766), 
     $159,136,000: Provided, That the Service may utilize advances 
     of funds, or reimburse this appropriation for expenditures 
     made on behalf of Federal agencies, public and private 
     organizations and institutions under agreements executed 
     pursuant to the agricultural food production assistance 
     programs (7 U.S.C. 1737) and the foreign assistance programs 
     of the United States Agency for International Development.


  public law 480 title i direct credit and food for progress program 
                                account

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For administrative expenses to carry out the credit program 
     of title I, Public Law 83-480, and the Food for Progress Act 
     of 1985, $2,749,000, to be transferred to and merged with the 
     appropriation for ``Farm Service Agency, Salaries and 
     Expenses''.
       In addition, the funds made available for the cost of 
     agreements under title I of the Agricultural Trade 
     Development and Assistance Act of 1954 and for title I ocean 
     freight differential may be used interchangeably between the 
     two accounts with prior notice to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.


                     public law 480 title ii grants

       For expenses during the current fiscal year, not otherwise 
     recoverable, and unrecovered prior years' costs, including 
     interest thereon, under the Agricultural Trade Development 
     and Assistance Act of 1954, for commodities supplied in 
     connection with dispositions abroad under title II of said 
     Act, $1,219,400,000, to remain available until expended.


       commodity credit corporation export loans program account

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For administrative expenses to carry out the Commodity 
     Credit Corporation's export guarantee program, GSM 102 and 
     GSM 103, $5,338,000; to cover common overhead expenses as 
     permitted by section 11 of the Commodity Credit Corporation 
     Charter Act and in conformity with the Federal Credit Reform 
     Act of 1990, of which $4,985,000 may be transferred to and 
     merged with the appropriation for ``Foreign Agricultural 
     Service, Salaries and Expenses'', and of which $353,000 may 
     be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for 
     ``Farm Service Agency, Salaries and Expenses''.


  mc govern-dole international food for education and child nutrition 
                             program grants

       For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of 
     section 3107 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 
     2002 (7

[[Page H9613]]

     U.S.C. 1736o-1), $100,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended: Provided, That the Commodity Credit Corporation is 
     authorized to provide the services, facilities, and 
     authorities for the purpose of implementing such section, 
     subject to reimbursement from amounts provided herein.

                                TITLE VI

           RELATED AGENCIES AND FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

                DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

                      Food and Drug Administration


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Food and Drug Administration, 
     including hire and purchase of passenger motor vehicles; for 
     payment of space rental and related costs pursuant to Public 
     Law 92-313 for programs and activities of the Food and Drug 
     Administration which are included in this Act; for rental of 
     special purpose space in the District of Columbia or 
     elsewhere; for miscellaneous and emergency expenses of 
     enforcement activities, authorized and approved by the 
     Secretary and to be accounted for solely on the Secretary's 
     certificate, not to exceed $25,000; and notwithstanding 
     section 521 of Public Law 107-188; $1,683,405,000: Provided, 
     That of the amount provided under this heading, $13,696,000 
     shall be derived from animal drug user fees authorized by 21 
     U.S.C. 379j, and shall be credited to this account and remain 
     available until expended: Provided further, That fees derived 
     from animal drug assessments received during fiscal year 
     2008, including any such fees assessed prior to the current 
     fiscal year but credited during the current year, shall be 
     subject to the fiscal year 2008 limitation: Provided further, 
     That none of these funds shall be used to develop, establish, 
     or operate any program of user fees authorized by 31 U.S.C. 
     9701: Provided further, That of the total amount 
     appropriated: (1) $475,726,000 shall be for the Center for 
     Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and related field 
     activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (2) 
     $348,438,000 shall be for the Center for Drug Evaluation and 
     Research and related field activities in the Office of 
     Regulatory Affairs; (3) $155,073,000 shall be for the Center 
     for Biologics Evaluation and Research and for related field 
     activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (4) 
     $94,809,000 shall be for the Center for Veterinary Medicine 
     and for related field activities in the Office of Regulatory 
     Affairs; (5) $240,122,000 shall be for the Center for Devices 
     and Radiological Health and for related field activities in 
     the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (6) $36,455,000 shall be 
     for the National Center for Toxicological Research; (7) 
     $97,976,000 shall be for Rent and Related activities, of 
     which $38,808,000 is for White Oak Consolidation, other than 
     the amounts paid to the General Services Administration for 
     rent; (8) $131,533,000 shall be for payments to the General 
     Services Administration for rent; and (9) $89,577,000 shall 
     be for other activities, including the Office of the 
     Commissioner; the Office of Management; the Office of 
     External Relations; the Office of Policy and Planning; and 
     central services for these offices: Provided further, That 
     funds may be transferred from one specified activity to 
     another with the prior approval of the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
       In addition, mammography user fees authorized by 42 U.S.C. 
     263b may be credited to this account, to remain available 
     until expended.
       In addition, export certification user fees authorized by 
     21 U.S.C. 381 may be credited to this account, to remain 
     available until expended.
       In addition, $28,000,000 shall be for the Center for Food 
     Safety and Applied Nutrition, to remain available from July 
     1, 2008, through September 30, 2009.


                        buildings and facilities

       For plans, construction, repair, improvement, extension, 
     alteration, and purchase of fixed equipment or facilities of 
     or used by the Food and Drug Administration, where not 
     otherwise provided, $4,950,000, to remain available until 
     expended.

                          INDEPENDENT AGENCIES

                  Commodity Futures Trading Commission

       For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of the 
     Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), including the 
     purchase and hire of passenger motor vehicles, and the rental 
     of space (to include multiple year leases) in the District of 
     Columbia and elsewhere, $102,550,000, including not to exceed 
     $3,000 for official reception and representation expenses.

                       Farm Credit Administration


                 limitation on administrative expenses

       Not to exceed $46,000,000 (from assessments collected from 
     farm credit institutions and from the Federal Agricultural 
     Mortgage Corporation) shall be obligated during the current 
     fiscal year for administrative expenses as authorized under 
     12 U.S.C. 2249: Provided, That this limitation shall not 
     apply to expenses associated with receiverships.

                               TITLE VII

                           GENERAL PROVISIONS


             (including rescissions and transfers of funds)

       Sec. 701. Within the unit limit of cost fixed by law, 
     appropriations and authorizations made for the Department of 
     Agriculture for the current fiscal year under this Act shall 
     be available for the purchase, in addition to those 
     specifically provided for, of not to exceed 182 passenger 
     motor vehicles, of which 142 shall be for replacement only, 
     and for the hire of such vehicles.
       Sec. 702. New obligational authority provided for the 
     following appropriation items in this Act shall remain 
     available until expended: Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
     Service, the contingency fund to meet emergency conditions, 
     information technology infrastructure, fruit fly program, 
     emerging plant pests, cotton pests program, avian influenza 
     programs, up to $4,505,000 in the pest and disease management 
     program to control grasshoppers and Mormon cricket, up to 
     $1,500,000 in the scrapie program for indemnities, up to 
     $3,000,000 in the emergency management systems program for 
     the vaccine bank, up to $1,000,000 for wildlife services 
     methods development, up to $1,000,000 of the wildlife 
     services operations program for aviation safety, and up to 25 
     percent of the screwworm program; Food Safety and Inspection 
     Service, Public Health Data Communication Infrastructure 
     System; Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
     Service, funds for competitive research grants (7 U.S.C. 
     450i(b)), funds for the Research, Education, and Economics 
     Information System, and funds for the Native American 
     Institutions Endowment Fund; Farm Service Agency, salaries 
     and expenses funds made available to county committees; 
     Foreign Agricultural Service, middle-income country training 
     program, and up to $2,000,000 of the Foreign Agricultural 
     Service appropriation solely for the purpose of offsetting 
     fluctuations in international currency exchange rates, 
     subject to documentation by the Foreign Agricultural Service.
       Sec. 703. The Secretary of Agriculture may transfer 
     unobligated balances of discretionary funds appropriated by 
     this Act or other available unobligated discretionary 
     balances of the Department of Agriculture to the Working 
     Capital Fund for the acquisition of plant and capital 
     equipment necessary for the delivery of financial, financial 
     management modernization initiative, administrative, and 
     information technology services of primary benefit to the 
     agencies of the Department of Agriculture: Provided, That 
     none of the funds made available by this Act or any other Act 
     shall be transferred to the Working Capital Fund without the 
     prior approval of the agency administrator: Provided further, 
     That none of the funds transferred to the Working Capital 
     Fund pursuant to this section shall be available for 
     obligation without the prior approval of the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
       Sec. 704. No part of any appropriation contained in this 
     Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current 
     fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein.
       Sec. 705. No funds appropriated by this Act may be used to 
     pay negotiated indirect cost rates on cooperative agreements 
     or similar arrangements between the United States Department 
     of Agriculture and nonprofit institutions in excess of 10 
     percent of the total direct cost of the agreement when the 
     purpose of such cooperative arrangements is to carry out 
     programs of mutual interest between the two parties. This 
     does not preclude appropriate payment of indirect costs on 
     grants and contracts with such institutions when such 
     indirect costs are computed on a similar basis for all 
     agencies for which appropriations are provided in this Act.
       Sec. 706. None of the funds in this Act shall be available 
     to pay indirect costs charged against competitive 
     agricultural research, education, or extension grant awards 
     issued by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
     Extension Service that exceed 20 percent of total Federal 
     funds provided under each award: Provided, That 
     notwithstanding section 1462 of the National Agricultural 
     Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 
     U.S.C. 3310), funds provided by this Act for grants awarded 
     competitively by the Cooperative State Research, Education, 
     and Extension Service shall be available to pay full 
     allowable indirect costs for each grant awarded under section 
     9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638).
       Sec. 707. Appropriations to the Department of Agriculture 
     for the cost of direct and guaranteed loans made available in 
     the current fiscal year shall remain available until expended 
     to cover obligations made in the current fiscal year for the 
     following accounts: the Rural Development Loan Fund program 
     account, the Rural Electrification and Telecommunication 
     Loans program account, and the Rural Housing Insurance Fund 
     program account.
       Sec. 708. Of the funds made available by this Act, not more 
     than $1,800,000 shall be used to cover necessary expenses of 
     activities related to all advisory committees, panels, 
     commissions, and task forces of the Department of 
     Agriculture, except for panels used to comply with negotiated 
     rule makings and panels used to evaluate competitively 
     awarded grants.
       Sec. 709. None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be 
     used to carry out section 410 of the Federal Meat Inspection 
     Act (21 U.S.C. 679a) or section 30 of the Poultry Products 
     Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 471).
       Sec. 710. No employee of the Department of Agriculture may 
     be detailed or assigned from an agency or office funded by 
     this Act to any other agency or office of the Department for 
     more than 30 days unless the individual's employing agency or 
     office is fully reimbursed by the receiving agency or office 
     for the salary and expenses of the employee for the period of 
     assignment.

[[Page H9614]]

       Sec. 711. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available to the Department of Agriculture or the Food and 
     Drug Administration shall be used to transmit or otherwise 
     make available to any non-Department of Agriculture or non-
     Department of Health and Human Services employee questions or 
     responses to questions that are a result of information 
     requested for the appropriations hearing process.
       Sec. 712. None of the funds made available to the 
     Department of Agriculture by this Act may be used to acquire 
     new information technology systems or significant upgrades, 
     as determined by the Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
     without the approval of the Chief Information Officer and the 
     concurrence of the Executive Information Technology 
     Investment Review Board: Provided, That notwithstanding any 
     other provision of law, none of the funds appropriated or 
     otherwise made available by this Act may be transferred to 
     the Office of the Chief Information Officer without the prior 
     approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses 
     of Congress: Provided further, That none of the funds 
     available to the Department of Agriculture for information 
     technology shall be obligated for projects over $25,000 prior 
     to receipt of written approval by the Chief Information 
     Officer.
       Sec. 713. (a) None of the funds provided by this Act, or 
     provided by previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies 
     funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or 
     expenditure in the current fiscal year, or provided from any 
     accounts in the Treasury of the United States derived by the 
     collection of fees available to the agencies funded by this 
     Act, shall be available for obligation or expenditure through 
     a reprogramming of funds which--
       (1) creates new programs;
       (2) eliminates a program, project, or activity;
       (3) increases funds or personnel by any means for any 
     project or activity for which funds have been denied or 
     restricted;
       (4) relocates an office or employees;
       (5) reorganizes offices, programs, or activities; or
       (6) contracts out or privatizes any functions or activities 
     presently performed by Federal employees; unless the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress are 
     notified 15 days in advance of such reprogramming of funds.
       (b) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by 
     previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this 
     Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in 
     the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the 
     Treasury of the United States derived by the collection of 
     fees available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be 
     available for obligation or expenditure for activities, 
     programs, or projects through a reprogramming of funds in 
     excess of $500,000 or 10 percent, which ever is less, that: 
     (1) augments existing programs, projects, or activities; (2) 
     reduces by 10 percent funding for any existing program, 
     project, or activity, or numbers of personnel by 10 percent 
     as approved by Congress; or (3) results from any general 
     savings from a reduction in personnel which would result in a 
     change in existing programs, activities, or projects as 
     approved by Congress; unless the Committees on Appropriations 
     of both Houses of Congress are notified 15 days in advance of 
     such reprogramming of funds.
       (c) The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Health 
     and Human Services, or the Chairman of the Commodity Futures 
     Trading Commission shall notify the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress before implementing 
     a program or activity not carried out during the previous 
     fiscal year unless the program or activity is funded by this 
     Act or specifically funded by any other Act.
       Sec. 714. None of the funds appropriated by this or any 
     other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of 
     personnel who prepare or submit appropriations language as 
     part of the President's Budget submission to the Congress of 
     the United States for programs under the jurisdiction of the 
     Appropriations Subcommittees on Agriculture, Rural 
     Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related 
     Agencies that assumes revenues or reflects a reduction from 
     the previous year due to user fees proposals that have not 
     been enacted into law prior to the submission of the Budget 
     unless such Budget submission identifies which additional 
     spending reductions should occur in the event the user fees 
     proposals are not enacted prior to the date of the convening 
     of a committee of conference for the fiscal year 2009 
     appropriations Act.
       Sec. 715. None of the funds made available by this or any 
     other Act may be used to close or relocate a Rural 
     Development office unless or until the Secretary of 
     Agriculture determines the cost effectiveness and enhancement 
     of program delivery: Provided, That not later than 120 days 
     before the date of the proposed closure or relocation, the 
     Secretary notifies the Committees on Appropriation of the 
     House and Senate, and the members of Congress from the State 
     in which the office is located of the proposed closure or 
     relocation and provides a report that describes in detail the 
     justifications for such closures and relocations.
       Sec. 716. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of 
     the funds made available in this Act for competitive research 
     grants (7 U.S.C. 450i(b)), the Secretary may use up to 22 
     percent of the amount provided to carry out a competitive 
     grants program under the same terms and conditions as those 
     provided in section 401 of the Agricultural Research, 
     Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7621).
       Sec. 717. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the 
     salaries and expenses of personnel who carry out an 
     environmental quality incentives program authorized by 
     chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act 
     of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa et seq.) in excess of 
     $1,017,000,000.
       Sec. 718. None of the funds made available in fiscal year 
     2008 or preceding fiscal years for programs authorized under 
     the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 
     (7 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.) in excess of $20,000,000 shall be 
     used to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for the 
     release of eligible commodities under section 302(f)(2)(A) of 
     the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act (7 U.S.C. 1736f-1): 
     Provided, That any such funds made available to reimburse the 
     Commodity Credit Corporation shall only be used pursuant to 
     section 302(b)(2)(B)(i) of the Bill Emerson Humanitarian 
     Trust Act.
       Sec. 719. No funds shall be used to pay salaries and 
     expenses of the Department of Agriculture to carry out or 
     administer the program authorized by section 14(h)(1) of the 
     Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 
     1012(h)(1)).
       Sec. 720. Of the funds derived from interest on the cushion 
     of credit payments, as authorized by section 313 of the Rural 
     Electrification Act of 1936, $34,000,000 shall not be 
     obligated and $34,000,000 are rescinded.
       Sec. 721. None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to issue a final rule in furtherance of, or otherwise 
     implement, the proposed rule on cost-sharing for animal and 
     plant health emergency programs of the Animal and Plant 
     Health Inspection Service published on July 8, 2003 (Docket 
     No. 02-062-1; 68 Fed. Reg. 40541).
       Sec. 722. Funds made available under section 1240I and 
     section 1241(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 in the 
     current fiscal year shall remain available until expended to 
     disburse obligations made in the current fiscal year, and are 
     not available for new obligations. Funds made available under 
     section 524(b) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, 7 U.S.C. 
     1524(b), in fiscal years 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 
     shall remain available until expended to disburse obligations 
     made in fiscal years 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 
     respectively, and except for fiscal year 2008 funds, are not 
     available for new obligations.
       Sec. 723. None of the funds provided in this Act may be 
     used for salaries and expenses to draft or implement any 
     regulation or rule insofar as it would require 
     recertification of rural status for each electric and 
     telecommunications borrower for the Rural Electrification and 
     Telecommunication Loans program.
       Sec. 724. Unless otherwise authorized by existing law, none 
     of the funds provided in this Act, may be used by an 
     executive branch agency to produce any prepackaged news story 
     intended for broadcast or distribution in the United States 
     unless the story includes a clear notification within the 
     text or audio of the prepackaged news story that the 
     prepackaged news story was prepared or funded by that 
     executive branch agency.
       Sec. 725. In addition to other amounts appropriated or 
     otherwise made available by this Act, there is hereby 
     appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture $10,000,000, of 
     which not to exceed 5 percent may be available for 
     administrative expenses, to remain available until expended, 
     to make specialty crop block grants under section 101 of the 
     Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-
     465; 7 U.S.C. 1621 note).
       Sec. 726. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act for the Food and Drug Administration 
     may be used under section 801 of the Federal Food, Drug, and 
     Cosmetic Act to prevent an individual not in the business of 
     importing a prescription drug within the meaning of section 
     801(g) of such Act, wholesalers, or pharmacists from 
     importing a prescription drug (as defined in section 
     804(a)(3) of such Act) which complies with sections 501, 502, 
     and 505 of such Act.
       Sec. 727. None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used to study, complete a study of, or enter into a 
     contract with a private party to carry out, without specific 
     authorization in a subsequent Act of Congress, a competitive 
     sourcing activity of the Secretary of Agriculture, including 
     support personnel of the Department of Agriculture, relating 
     to rural development or farm loan programs.
       Sec. 728. Of the amount available for Estimated Future 
     Needs under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, 
     $63,361,000 are hereby rescinded: Provided, That in addition, 
     of the unobligated balances under section 32 of the Act of 
     August 24, 1935, $147,000,000 are hereby rescinded.
       Sec. 729. None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used to--
       (1) grant a waiver of a financial conflict of interest 
     requirement pursuant to section 505(n)(4) of the Federal 
     Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355(n)(4)) for any 
     voting member of an advisory committee or panel of the Food 
     and Drug Administration; or
       (2) make a certification under section 208(b)(3) of title 
     18, United States Code, for any such voting member.
       Sec. 730. Of the appropriations available for payments for 
     the nutrition and family education program for low-income 
     areas

[[Page H9615]]

     under section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 343(d)), 
     if the payment allocation pursuant to section 1425(c) of the 
     National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching 
     Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3175(c)) would be less than 
     $100,000 for any institution eligible under section 3(d)(2) 
     of the Smith-Lever Act, the Secretary shall adjust payment 
     allocations under section 1425(c) of the National 
     Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
     1977 to ensure that each institution receives a payment of 
     not less than $100,000.
       Sec. 731. None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used to establish or implement a rule allowing poultry 
     products to be imported into the United States from the 
     People's Republic of China.
       Sec. 732. Of the unobligated balances available in the High 
     Energy Cost Grants account, $25,740,000 is hereby rescinded.
       Sec. 733. None of the funds made available to the 
     Department of Agriculture in this Act may be used to 
     implement the risk-based inspection program in the 30 
     prototype locations announced on February 22, 2007, by the 
     Under Secretary for Food Safety, or at any other locations, 
     until the USDA Office of Inspector General has provided its 
     findings to the Food Safety and Inspection Service and the 
     Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
     and the Senate on the data used in support of the development 
     and design of the risk-based inspection program and FSIS has 
     addressed and resolved issues identified by OIG.
       Sec. 734. Not more than $11,166,000 of the funds made 
     available under section 522(e) of the Federal Crop Insurance 
     Act (7 U.S.C. 1522(e)) may be used for program compliance and 
     integrity purposes, including the data mining project, and 
     for the Common Information Management System.
       Sec. 735. The Secretary of Agriculture shall continue the 
     Water and Waste Systems Direct Loan Program under the 
     authority and conditions (including the fees, borrower 
     interest rate, and the President's economic assumptions for 
     the 2008 Fiscal Year, as of June 1, 2007) provided by the 
     ``Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007''.
       Sec. 736. (a) Section 13(b) of the Richard B. Russell 
     National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761(b)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) by striking subparagraph (A);
       (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (D) as 
     subparagraphs (A) through (C), respectively;
       (C) in subparagraph (A) (as redesignated by subparagraph 
     (B)), striking ``(B)'' and all that follows through ``shall 
     not exceed'' and inserting the following:
       ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B) and in 
     addition to amounts made available under paragraph (3), 
     payments to service institutions shall be'';
       (D) in subparagraph (B) (as redesignated by subparagraph 
     (B)), by striking ``subparagraph (B)'' and inserting 
     ``subparagraph (A)''; and
       (E) in subparagraph (C) (as redesignated by subparagraph 
     (B)), by striking ``(A), (B), and (C)'' and inserting ``(A) 
     and (B)''; and
       (2) in the second sentence of paragraph (3), by striking 
     ``full amount of State approved'' and all that follows 
     through ``maximum allowable''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 18 of the Richard B. 
     Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (f); and
       (2) by redesignating subsection (g) through (k) as 
     subsections (f) through (j), respectively.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     take effect on January 1 of the first full calendar year 
     following the date of enactment of this Act.
       Sec. 737. There is hereby appropriated $21,000,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2009, of which not to 
     exceed 5 percent may be available for Federal and/or State 
     administrative expenses, as determined by the Secretary of 
     Agriculture, to carry out a program similar to section 18(g) 
     of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1769(g)) in each State not currently served by the 
     authorized program.
       Sec. 738. None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used to pay the salaries or expenses of personnel to--
       (1) inspect horses under section 3 of the Federal Meat 
     Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 603);
       (2) inspect horses under section 903 of the Federal 
     Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 1901 
     note; Public Law 104-127); or
       (3) implement or enforce section 352.19 of title 9, Code of 
     Federal Regulations.
       Sec. 739. Of the unobligated balances available in the 
     Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, 
     and Children reserve account, $16,069,000 is hereby 
     rescinded.
       Sec. 740. In addition to amounts otherwise appropriated or 
     made available by this Act, $2,475,000 is appropriated for 
     the purpose of providing Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland 
     Hunger Fellowships, through the Congressional Hunger Center.
       Sec. 741. From the unobligated balances of funds 
     transferred to the Department of Homeland Security when the 
     Department was established pursuant to the Homeland Security 
     Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-296), excluding mandatory 
     appropriations, $8,000,000 is rescinded.
       Sec. 742. Effective as of May 25, 2007, section 9012 of 
     Public Law 110-28 (121 Stat. 218) is repealed.
       Sec. 743. Section 17(r)(5) of the Richard B. Russell 
     National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1766(r)(5)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``seven'' and inserting ``eight'';
       (2) by striking ``five'' and inserting ``six''; and
       (3) by inserting ``West Virginia,'' after the first 
     instance of ``States shall be''.
       Sec. 744. Hereafter, notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, of the funds made available for the Commodity Assistance 
     Program under division B of Public Law 109-148, Emergency 
     Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf 
     of Mexico and Pandemic Influenza, 2006, all unexpended funds 
     shall be made available to support normal program operations 
     of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program under the 
     Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 and of the 
     Emergency Food Assistance Program under the Emergency Food 
     Assistance Act of 1983: Provided, That any commodities 
     purchased with funds made available under Public Law 109-148 
     and remaining undistributed shall be used to support normal 
     program operations under the authorities cited in this 
     section.
       Sec. 745. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and 
     until receipt of the decennial Census in the year 2010, the 
     Secretary of Agriculture shall consider--
       (1) the City of Alamo, Texas; the City of Mercedes, Texas; 
     the City of Weslaco, Texas; the City of Donna, Texas; and the 
     City of La Feria, Texas, (including individuals and entities 
     with projects within the cities) eligible for loans and 
     grants funded through the rural business and cooperative 
     development programs in the Rural Community Advancement 
     Program account;
       (2) the City of Bainbridge Island, Washington; and the City 
     of Havelock, North Carolina, (including individuals and 
     entities with projects within the cities) eligible for loans 
     and grants funded through the rural community programs in the 
     Rural Community Advancement Program account;
       (3) the City of Freeport, Illinois; Kitsap County (except 
     the City of Bremerton), Washington; the City of Atascadero, 
     California; and the City of Paso Robles, California, 
     (including individuals and entities with projects within the 
     cities) eligible for loans and grants funded through the 
     Rural Housing Insurance Fund Program account and the Rural 
     Housing Assistance Grants account; and
       (4) the City of Canton, Mississippi, (including individuals 
     and entities with projects within the cities) eligible for 
     loans and grants funded through the rural utilities programs 
     in the Rural Community Advancement Program account.
       Sec. 746. No funds in this Act for the Food and Drug 
     Administration may be used to authorize qualified health 
     claims for conventional foods.
       Sec. 747. None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used to enter into a contract with an entity that does not 
     participate in the basic pilot program described in section 
     403(a) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant 
     Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1324a note).
       Sec. __. None of the funds in this Act shall be available 
     for the Canaan Valley Institute (CVI) in Thomas, West 
     Virginia.
       Sec. __. None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used--
       (1) to terminate any of the 13 field laboratories that are 
     operated by the Food and Drug Administration as of January 1, 
     2007, or 20 District Offices, or any of the inspection or 
     compliance functions of any of the 20 District Offices, of 
     the Food and Drug Administration functioning as of January 1, 
     2007; or
       (2) to consolidate any such laboratory with any other 
     laboratory, or any such District Office, or any of the 
     inspection or compliance functions of any District Office, 
     with any other District Office.
       Sec. __. None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used to purchase light bulbs unless the light bulbs have 
     the ``ENERGY STAR'' or ``Federal Energy Management Program'' 
     designation.
       This Act may be cited as the ``Agriculture, Rural 
     Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related 
     Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008''.

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. No further debate on any pending amendment being 
in order, the question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman 
from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) to the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).
  The amendment to the amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey), as amended.
  The amendment, as amended, was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 599, a further 
period of general debate is in order.
  The gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) and the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Kingston) each will control 15 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Connecticut.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Weiner).

[[Page H9616]]

  Mr. WEINER. Mr. Chairman, I rise to engage in a colloquy with my 
colleagues, Mr. Fossella and Mr. Crowley of New York, and commend the 
committee for increasing the APHIS budget to more vigorously attack the 
national challenge of the invasive species that are ravaging our plants 
and trees.
  As you know, New York City is waging a war to stop the Asian 
Longhorned Beetle. Yes, Madam Chair, a tree grows in Brooklyn, 
thousands of them in fact, just as they do in Staten Island, the Bronx, 
Queens and Manhattan. Sadly, the Asian Longhorned Beetle has been 
advancing steadily.
  Given that the USDA's work to defeat the ALB elsewhere has been 
successful and thus will require less funding going forward, can I ask 
for the commitment of the committee to endeavor in conference to grant 
the metropolitan area a larger portion of the Asian Longhorned Beetle 
account than it has received in the past?
  Ms. DeLAURO. I pledge to work with the gentlemen from New York on 
this issue.
  Mr. WEINER. Thank you.
  I yield now, if it is appropriate, to the gentleman from Staten 
Island, Mr. Fossella.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I would just ask the gentlemen from New 
York to place their material into the Record.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the time of 
the gentlewoman be extended by 1 minute.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Chair may not entertain that kind of 
request.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the right to object.
  Mr. Chairman, I am sure that Mr. Nadler is concerned equally with Mr. 
Fossella, but I wanted to make sure that Mr. Fossella wasn't being cut 
out of the colloquy. So the reason why I reserved the right to object 
is I just wanted a better explanation from the gentleman.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Chairman, I was asking for unanimous consent so the 
gentlewoman would have 1 additional minute, which I would hope she 
would yield to Mr. Crowley, Mr. Weiner, Mr. Fossella and myself.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Under the structured rule in the Committee of 
the Whole, this kind of unanimous consent agreement cannot be 
entertained.


                        Parliamentary Inquiries

  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Chairman, I have a parliamentary inquiry. Is the 
unanimous consent request in order under the closed rule?
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. A request to extend general debate ordered by 
the House is not in order in the Committee of the Whole.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Chairman, further parliamentary inquiry. In other 
words, out of the 15 minutes of general debate, that is where the time 
would come from?
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. From the remaining 29 minutes of general debate 
ordered by the House.
  Ms. DeLAURO. I yield an additional 1 minute for both, not each, but 
for both Mr. Crowley and Mr. Fossella to address this issue.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Does the gentlewoman from Connecticut yield time 
to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley)?
  Ms. DeLAURO. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Crowley).

                              {time}  1830

  Mr. KINGSTON. Further parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Chairman.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman may state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. KINGSTON. I don't have a way to say this directly to my friend 
from Connecticut, but I will be glad to yield 1 minute of our time to 
Mr. Fossella and that way we can bring this to 2 minutes, but I don't 
know how to get there unless I ask a question like this.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. After Mr. Crowley is recognized for 1 minute, 
then the gentleman from Georgia may yield to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Fossella).
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to Mr. Crowley and Mr. 
Nadler, 1 minute between the two.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me 
this time.
  The Asian Longhorned Beetle is a continuing and growing problem in 
Queens County in New York. We appreciate your working for additional 
resources. I have heard from my constituents, like Jimmy Lanza of 
Woodside Queens, who are begging us for more resources to beat the 
beetle and protect the trees and green space of Queens County and New 
York City. I thank the Chair for her great work on this issue, and this 
overall excellent bill.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler) is 
recognized for the remainder of the time.
  Mr. NADLER. I just want to say that I associate myself with the 
sentiments expressed by Mr. Weiner and Mr. Crowley. The Asian 
Longhorned Beetle is a serious problem, and we have to devote as much 
resources as possible to deal with it. I hope the committee will take 
that into consideration.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Fossella).
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Mr. Kingston and 
Ms. DeLauro. And of course my colleagues, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Weiner, and 
Mr. Nadler, because despite this being a national problem, as you can 
imagine, are very specific to New York, and in my case, Staten Island 
has been under attack by the Asian Longhorned Beetle. The beetles have 
already killed 8,400 trees. Officials are expected to destroy 10,000 
trees to keep the beetle from spreading throughout the U.S.
  We know that 35 percent of all urban trees are at risk. Replacement 
value is $669 billion. The first evidence was found on a silver maple 
tree on March 22 by USDA tree climbers. This early detection gives hope 
the threat can be contained before it spreads to the nearby Greenbelt, 
which is an urban forest comparable to Rock Creek.
  The bill before us today provides a little over $20 million to help 
eradicate the beetle, a far cry from the $48 million the USDA says is 
needed annually.
  This a serious problem for Staten Island and the rest of New York 
City. I look forward to working with you, Madam Chair, and Mr. Kingston 
in an effort to provide additional funding in conference. Will you be 
willing to work with me on this issue?
  Ms. DeLAURO. I would be happy to work with the gentleman.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. I thank the gentlewoman.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Idaho (Mr. Simpson).
  Mr. SIMPSON. I want to take this opportunity to express my 
appreciation to you, Chairman DeLauro, Ranking Member Kingston, and 
both of your respective staffs for all of the hard work that has been 
put in this bill, a bill I expect to support.
  I would like to address an issue of great importance not only to my 
constituents, but to the Nation's agricultural industry.
  In 2006, the potato cyst nematode was discovered in our country for 
the first time on approximately 1,000 acres in eastern Idaho. PCN is 
one of the most destructive potato pests, and if left uncontrolled, can 
result in devastating crop losses of up to 80 percent.
  This spring, the USDA, the Idaho Department of Agriculture began an 
aggressive eradication program. Due to the confined area and early 
detection of the infestation, we are optimistic that the eradication 
program will prove successful. However, the funding level designated 
for the potato cyst nematode in this bill falls short of the necessary 
funding levels to continue this eradication effort.
  The Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture recently 
recommended that this program be fully funded at $12.8 million. While I 
appreciate the constraints the House Agriculture Subcommittee has 
worked under, I hope that the chairwoman would work with me to try to 
find the necessary funds to fully fund this program.
  Ms. DeLAURO. I understand the importance of the issue and will work 
with you in conference to address the funding needs of this eradication 
effort.
  Mr. SIMPSON. I thank Chairman DeLauro.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Clay).
  Mr. CLAY. I thank the chairwoman for yielding. I have an amendment 
that

[[Page H9617]]

I will not offer today per our earlier conversation.
  My amendment would allow residents of neighborhoods to purchase 
properties that are vacant and, for the most part, are not suitable for 
renovation. These properties would be razed, the grounds cleared, 
covered with topsoil and planted with the seeds of produce to create 
urban gardens.
  The produce would be harvested and distributed to the residents of 
the neighborhoods who would be able to purchase them at less than the 
market rates. I would love to have the gentlewoman's support in the 
future for this concept.
  Ms. DeLAURO. I appreciate the concept and recognize its importance 
and will work with the gentleman on this important issue.
  Mr. CLAY. I thank the gentlewoman.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Burgess).
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time. I regret that it is necessary for me to come down and talk during 
the time for general debate because this is an amendment that should 
have been made in order by the Rules Committee, and I frankly do not 
understand when it so significantly affects food safety and would have 
been a perfecting amendment on the underlying bill, I frankly do not 
understand the inattention of the Rules Committee to this important 
issue.
  We hear time and again the United States being besieged with 
dangerous food from certain countries. According to testimony before 
the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on 
July 17, 2007, former FDA Associate Commissioner William Hubbard 
testified that in 1999 the FDA drafted a legislative proposal that 
would have given the Food and Drug Administration authority to require 
certain foreign countries to take more responsibility for the foods 
that they send into this country.
  The agency proposal would have allowed the FDA to embargo a given 
food from a given country if there were repeated instances of that food 
being found contaminated when it arrived in the United States. 
Countries that send safe food, they have no reason to be concerned. 
They would be unaffected. But countries that demonstrated a pattern of 
disregard of United States safety standards would have to increase 
their oversight of foods exported from their country. Have we heard of 
any examples of that in the past 6 months?
  Unfortunately, Congress did not accept the recommendation, and the 
situation with some imported foods from some countries has only gotten 
worse. On page 96 of the committee report for H.R. 3161, it states that 
``the Committee believes that the Food and Drug Administration is 
failing to do what is needed to ensure the safety of our food supply.'' 
Furthermore, ``the Committee directs the Food and Drug Administration 
to develop a performance plan that establishes measurable benchmarks 
for concrete improvements in the performance of food safety missions.''
  In formulating the plan, the FDA is to look at the process for 
reviewing food safety systems in countries that export to the United 
States, and that these proposals are not dissimilar to measures the 
Food and Drug Administration has proposed in the past or may be 
considering currently.
  On page 97, the committee report states that ``the Committee provides 
for an additional $7 million for increased activities to protect the 
safety of imported foods.''
  My amendment would not have allocated any new funds to the FDA. But 
instead, it seeks to direct a portion of these funds already allocated 
towards increased activities to protect the safety of imported foods 
and on formulating an embargo plan. This plan would allow the FDA to 
prohibit a specified food from a specified country from entering into 
the United States if there were repeated instances that that food was 
found contaminated when it arrived in the United States.
  Again I submit, we have heard several news report over the last 6 
months where exactly this scenario has played out. We have to stop them 
from sending harmful food into our country. This would have been a good 
amendment, and I don't understand why it was not taken up by the Rules 
Committee.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Kansas (Mr. Moran).
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Chairman, I rise this evening to address two 
important issues that USDA provides in serving my farmers and ranchers 
in Kansas and across the country, the desire to see that those services 
are provided at the local level.
  The first issue, although not very glamorous, is very important. It 
is the funding of nondiscretionary FSA technology expenses. This 
winter, many of my producers went to their local FSA office only to 
discover the computers were not working. In many instances they had to 
set aside all of the other computers so they could try to allow the 
farmers to access the computer system and sign up for the programs. The 
delays were for months.
  In the President's budget, $23.8 million was requested for fixed IT 
operating expenses. Those operating expenses are required to operate 
and maintain FSA's existing computer system. In this bill the committee 
only appropriates $10 million. FSA does not have a choice in paying its 
fixed IT operating expenses. If sufficient funding is not appropriated, 
FSA will be forced to reduce its staff to keep its IT system operating, 
and I believe that would adversely affect the services provided by our 
local offices.
  The second issue is our NRCS county offices. The bill we are 
considering today has two provisions halting county office closures for 
NRCS's sister agencies, FSA and Rural Development, RD. The primary 
reason for delaying county office closures is we are currently in the 
midst of writing a new farm bill. And while I am glad to see that this 
bill addresses the FSA and RD office closures, I would also like to see 
the same approach taken with NRCS.
  I look forward to working with the chairwoman and the ranking member 
and I would ask for the chairwoman to enter into a colloquy with me to 
indicate her interest in this topic.
  Ms. DeLAURO. I am very interested in working with you, as we have 
talked about in the past, and will continue to do that as we move 
forward.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. I thank the chairwoman and look forward to a 
successful conclusion.
  Mr. KINGSTON. And I want to say, we will certainly work with the 
gentleman from Kansas. I know you are an advocate on this.
  Ms. DeLAURO. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. 
Cramer).
  Mr. CRAMER. First, I want to congratulate you for your work on this 
bill. Sincerely, you have balanced a number of issues. Particularly, I 
am concerned about the plight of my farmers in the Deep South and north 
Alabama as well. Robert Aderholt might be able to be on the floor here 
tonight. We share all of north Alabama.
  Mr. Chairman, in the South we have experienced in many areas an 
unprecedented drought. On the drought monitor, our target area in the 
Deep South has been designated as a D4 drought area. That is not a 
situation we have seen in many, many decades.
  Consequently, the farmers are exhausting all of their resources. They 
are sacrificing generations of resources that have been built up. They 
need help. It is not just a matter of low-interest loans; it is a 
matter of a plan.
  We know we have certain areas to look to, but the safety net is not 
entirely there. So as we struggle to find relief, I would like to 
discuss with the gentlewoman her commitment to working with me and my 
colleague on this very important issue.
  Ms. DeLAURO. I want to assure the gentleman that we appreciate the 
gentleman's hard work on this issue and understand and will be willing 
to work with you as we proceed.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 1 minute.
  On this subject, the gentleman from Alabama and the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut and I have spoken about the fires we have had in south 
Georgia and the fires we have had in north Florida and Mr. Boyd's 
district to the tune of 580,000 acres. We have talked during the 
committee discussions about the possibility of obtaining some emergency 
conservation reserve program money for the private landowners

[[Page H9618]]

who lost approximately $45 million, and then also the State fire 
departments and the municipalities that spent about $45 million 
fighting these fires. And I wanted to ask the gentlewoman if we were 
still on one accord working on our drought/fire situation as we have 
discussed with Mr. Cramer earlier.
  I yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut.
  Ms. DeLAURO. As we talked about in the full committee with both Mr. 
Cramer and yourself, Mr. Kingston, and Mr. Aderholt, I talked about 
working with you on this issue. I commend you for bringing it to our 
attention.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Lee).
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, first let me just say to the gentlelady from 
Connecticut, thank you so much for your hard work and dedication to 
moving our Nation forward in the area of agriculture, nutrition, health 
safety and all of the other issues that you tackle each and every day.
  I come today to enter into a colloquy to raise the important issue 
regarding the lifetime ban on food stamp eligibility for formerly 
incarcerated persons who were convicted of drug offenses. This is a 
serious moral issue of concern to me. Quite frankly, this ought to be 
for each and every Member of Congress.
  After they have served their time, Mr. Chairman, the formerly 
incarcerated reenter society looking to improve themselves and their 
lives. In these instances, however, the current policy prevents them 
access to food stamps. This just makes no sense. This absurd policy is 
the result of an overzealous congressional effort to appear tough on 
crime in 1996.

                              {time}  1845

  Once someone has paid their debt to society they should be able to 
have the resources that will help them put their lives together. I hope 
that we can work together to ensure that this inequity is addressed.
  Ms. DeLAURO. If the gentlewoman would yield, I assure the gentlewoman 
that we will work together on correcting the inequity.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Committee will rise informally.
  The Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Jackson of Illinois) assumed the chair.

                          ____________________