[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 26, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4427-S4428]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3131. Ms. BALDWIN 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 6105, insert the following:

     SEC. 6106. WATER OR WASTE DISPOSAL GRANTS OR DIRECT OR 
                   GUARANTEED LOANS.

       (a) Assistance for Unserved and Underserved Rural 
     Communities.--Section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and 
     Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)) (as amended by 
     section 6105) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(28) Assistance for unserved and underserved rural 
     communities.--
       ``(A) Definition of unserved or underserved rural 
     community.--In this paragraph, the term `unserved or 
     underserved rural community' means a rural area that, as 
     determined by the Secretary, lacks the technical, financial, 
     organizational, and managerial capacity to adequately 
     operate, maintain, and effectively serve the population of 
     the rural area.
       ``(B) Water and waste disposal direct loans.--The Secretary 
     may make water and waste disposal direct loans under 
     paragraph (1) to eligible entities described in subparagraph 
     (C) at the interest rate applicable to areas where the median 
     family income is below the poverty line, as determined under 
     section 307(a)(3)(A), for projects for unserved or 
     underserved rural communities.
       ``(C) Eligible entities.--To be eligible to receive a 
     direct loan under subparagraph (B), an applicant shall be a 
     contiguous or local utility outside of the unserved or 
     underserved rural community to be served by the project 
     funded by the direct loan that, as determined by the 
     Secretary--
       ``(i) has a demonstrated experience and capacity in 
     delivering water programs or wastewater programs under this 
     Act;
       ``(ii) demonstrates the capacity to provide service to the 
     applicable unserved or underserved rural community;
       ``(iii) demonstrates that--

       ``(I) the project funded by the direct loan is solely for 
     the purpose of serving the applicable unserved or underserved 
     rural community; and
       ``(II) the maximum financial benefit of the assistance 
     under this paragraph will be conferred to that unserved or 
     underserved rural community; and

       ``(iv) demonstrates that the applicable unserved or 
     underserved rural community--

       ``(I) has willingly entered into a formal agreement with 
     the applicant for service by the applicant; and
       ``(II) entered into the agreement described in subclause 
     (I) with the understanding that the unserved or underserved 
     rural community is eligible for water and waste disposal 
     direct loans under paragraph (1) independently of any direct 
     loan under this paragraph.''.

       (b) Direct and Guaranteed Loans.--Section 343(a)(13)(B) of 
     the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
     1991(a)(13)(B)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``For the purpose'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(i) Grants and direct loans.--For the purpose'';
       (2) in clause (i) (as so designated)--
       (A) by striking ``and guaranteed''; and
       (B) by striking ``(24)'' and inserting ``(28)''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(ii) Guaranteed loans.--For the purpose of water and 
     waste disposal guaranteed loans provided under paragraphs (1) 
     and (24) of section 306(a), the terms `rural' and `rural 
     area'

[[Page S4428]]

     mean a city, town, or unincorporated area that has a 
     population of not more than 50,000 inhabitants.''.
       (c) Funding of Pending Rural Development Loan and Grant 
     Applications.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall use funds made 
     available under subsection (b) to provide funds for 
     applications that are pending on the date of enactment of 
     this Act in accordance with the terms and conditions of 
     section 6029 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
     2008 (Public Law 110-246; 122 Stat. 1955).
       (2) Funding.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     beginning in fiscal year 2019, of the funds of the Commodity 
     Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this 
     section $150,000,000, to remain available until expended.
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