[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 26, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S4426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3123. Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself and Mr. Sullivan) 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:

       At the end of subtitle E of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 12520. TRIBAL UNINHABITABLE HOUSING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

       Title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.) 
     is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 545. TRIBAL UNINHABITABLE HOUSING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
       ``(1) the term `eligible entity' means an Indian tribe or a 
     tribal organization located in a rural area that has high 
     levels of overcrowded housing and homelessness; and
       ``(2) the term `tribal organization' has the meaning given 
     the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and 
     Educational Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
       ``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to improve 
     living conditions and prevent homelessness in rural tribal 
     communities by assessing the condition of existing housing 
     resources and preventing those resources from deteriorating 
     and becoming uninhabitable.
       ``(c) Authorization of Grants.--The Secretary shall award 
     grants on a competitive basis to Indian tribes and tribal 
     organizations to repair overcrowded homes to prevent the 
     homes from becoming uninhabitable.
       ``(d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
     Secretary may give priority to an eligible entity that is 
     located in a community with levels of overcrowded housing and 
     homelessness that the Secretary determines are among the 
     highest such levels for communities in which eligible 
     entities are located.
       ``(e) Use of Multiple Grants for Same Project.--Multiple 
     eligible entities that each receive a grant under this 
     section may use the grants for the same project.
       ``(f) Administrative Costs.--The Secretary may use not more 
     than 3 percent of the amounts made available to carry out 
     this section to--
       ``(1) administer the competition for grants under this 
     section;
       ``(2) provide oversight of grantees; and
       ``(3) collect data on the use of grants awarded under this 
     section.
       ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
     $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal year 
     thereafter.
       ``(h) Relation to Other USDA Assistance.--Receipt of a 
     grant under this section by an eligible entity shall not 
     affect the eligibility of the entity for any other assistance 
     from the Secretary.''.
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