[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 26, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4423-S4424]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 3110. Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself, Mr. Schatz, and Ms. Hirono)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill H.R.
2, to provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other
programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2023, and
for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
After section 4303, insert the following:
SEC. 4304. MICRO-GRANTS FOR FOOD SECURITY.
The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 is amended
by inserting after section 4405 (7 U.S.C. 7517) the
following:
``SEC. 4406. MICRO-GRANTS FOR FOOD SECURITY.
``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to increase
the quantity and quality of locally grown food through small-
scale gardening, herding, and livestock operations in food
insecure communities in areas of the United States that have
significant levels of food insecurity and import a
significant quantity of food.
``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means an
entity that--
``(A) is--
``(i) an individual;
``(ii) an Indian tribe (as defined in section 4 of the
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25
U.S.C. 5304)) or a consortium of Indian tribes;
``(iii) a nonprofit organization engaged in increasing food
security, as determined by the Secretary, including--
``(I) a religious organization;
``(II) a food bank; and
``(III) a food pantry;
``(iv) a federally funded educational facility, including--
[[Page S4424]]
``(I) a Head Start program or an Early Head Start program
carried out under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et
seq.);
``(II) a public elementary school or public secondary
school;
``(III) a public institution of higher education (as
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1001));
``(IV) a Tribal College or University (as defined in
section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1059c(b))); and
``(V) a job training program; or
``(v) a local or Tribal government that may not levy local
taxes under State or Federal law; and
``(B) is located in an eligible State.
``(2) Eligible state.--The term `eligible State' means--
``(A) the State of Alaska;
``(B) the State of Hawaii;
``(C) American Samoa;
``(D) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;
``(E) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;
``(F) the Federated States of Micronesia;
``(G) Guam;
``(H) the Republic of the Marshall Islands;
``(I) the Republic of Palau; and
``(J) the United States Virgin Islands.
``(c) Establishment.--The Secretary shall distribute funds
to the agricultural department or agency of each eligible
State for the competitive distribution of subgrants to
eligible entities to increase the quantity and quality of
locally grown food in food insecure communities, including
through small-scale gardening, herding, and livestock
operations.
``(d) Distribution of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--Of the amount made available under
subsection (g), the Secretary shall distribute--
``(A) 40 percent to the State of Alaska;
``(B) 40 percent to the State of Hawaii; and
``(C) 2.5 percent to each insular area described in
subparagraphs (C) through (J) of subsection (b)(2).
``(2) Carryover of funds.--Funds distributed under
paragraph (1) shall remain available until expended.
``(3) Administrative funds.--An eligible State that
receives funds under paragraph (1) may use not more than 3
percent of those funds--
``(A) to administer the competition for providing subgrants
to eligible entities in that eligible State;
``(B) to provide oversight of the subgrant recipients in
that eligible State; and
``(C) to collect data and submit a report to the Secretary
under subsection (f)(2).
``(e) Subgrants to Eligible Entities.--
``(1) Amount of subgrants.--
``(A) In general.--The amount of a subgrant to an eligible
entity under this section shall be--
``(i) in the case of an eligible entity that is an
individual, not greater than $5,000 per year; and
``(ii) in the case of an eligible entity described in
clauses (ii) through (v) of subsection (b)(1)(A), not greater
than $10,000 per year.
``(B) Matching requirement.--As a condition of receiving a
subgrant under this section, an eligible entity shall provide
funds equal to 10 percent of the amount received by the
eligible entity under the subgrant, to be derived from non-
Federal sources.
``(C) Carryover of funds.--Funds received by an eligible
entity that is awarded a subgrant under this section shall
remain available until expended.
``(2) Priority.--In carrying out the competitive
distribution of subgrants under subsection (c), an eligible
State may give priority to an eligible entity that--
``(A) has not previously received a subgrant under this
section; or
``(B) is located in a community or region in that eligible
State with the highest degree of food insecurity, as
determined by the agricultural department or agency of the
eligible State.
``(3) Projects.--An eligible State may provide subgrants to
2 or more eligible entities to carry out the same project.
``(4) Use of subgrant funds by eligible entities.--An
eligible entity that receives a subgrant under this section
shall use the funds to engage in activities that will
increase the quantity and quality of locally grown food,
including by--
``(A) purchasing gardening tools or equipment, soil, soil
amendments, seeds, plants, animals, canning equipment,
refrigeration, or other items necessary to grow and store
food;
``(B) purchasing or building composting units;
``(C) purchasing or building towers designed to grow leafy
green vegetables;
``(D) expanding an area under cultivation or engaging in
other activities necessary to be eligible to receive funding
under the environmental quality incentives program
established under chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa et seq.) for a
high tunnel;
``(E) engaging in an activity that extends the growing
season;
``(F) starting or expanding hydroponic and aeroponic
farming of any scale;
``(G) building, buying, erecting, or repairing fencing for
livestock, poultry, or reindeer;
``(H) purchasing and equipping a slaughter and processing
facility approved by the Secretary;
``(I) travelling to participate in agricultural education
provided by--
``(i) a State cooperative extension service;
``(ii) a land-grant college or university (as defined in
section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research,
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103));
``(iii) a Tribal College or University (as defined in
section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1059c(b)));
``(iv) an Alaska Native-serving institution or a Native
Hawaiian-serving institution (as those terms are defined in
section 317(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1059d(b))); or
``(v) a Federal or State agency;
``(J) paying for shipping of purchased items relating to
increasing food security;
``(K) creating or expanding avenues for--
``(i) the sale of food commodities, specialty crops, and
meats that are grown by the eligible entity for sale in the
local community; or
``(ii) the availability of fresh, locally grown, and
nutritious food; and
``(L) engaging in other activities relating to increasing
food security (including subsistence), as determined by the
Secretary.
``(5) Eligibility for other financial assistance.--An
eligible entity shall not be ineligible to receive financial
assistance under another program administered by the
Secretary as a result of receiving a subgrant under this
section.
``(f) Reporting Requirement.--
``(1) Subgrant recipients.--As a condition of receiving a
subgrant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit
to the eligible State in which the eligible entity is located
a report--
``(A) as soon as practicable after the end of the project;
and
``(B) that describes the quantity of food grown and the
number of people fed as a result of the subgrant.
``(2) Report to the secretary.--Not later than 120 days
after the date on which an eligible State receives a report
from each eligible entity in that State under paragraph (1),
the eligible State shall submit to the Secretary a report
that describes, in the aggregate, the information and data
contained in the reports received from those eligible
entities.
``(g) Funding.--
``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section
$10,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal year
thereafter, to remain available until expended.
``(2) Appropriations in advance.--Only funds appropriated
under paragraph (1) in advance specifically to carry out this
section shall be available to carry out this section.
``(h) Effective Date.--This section takes effect on the
date of enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of
2018.''.
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