[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 5 (Thursday, January 10, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H375-H398]
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, 2019
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution
28, I call up the bill (H.R. 265) making appropriations for
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and
Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30,
2019, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 28, the bill is
considered read.
[[Page H376]]
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 265
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the
following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related
Agencies programs for fiscal year ending September 30, 2019,
and for other purposes, namely:
TITLE I
AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS
Processing, Research, and Marketing
Office of the Secretary
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Secretary,
$46,532,000, of which not to exceed $5,051,000 shall be
available for the immediate Office of the Secretary; not to
exceed $800,000 shall be available for the Office of the
Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development: Provided,
That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the
Rural Development mission area for salaries and expenses are
available to fund up to one administrative support staff for
the Office; not to exceed $1,496,000 shall be available for
the Office of Homeland Security; not to exceed $4,711,000
shall be available for the Office of Partnerships and Public
Engagement; not to exceed $23,105,000 shall be available for
the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration, of
which $22,301,000 shall be available for Departmental
Administration 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 further, That
funds made available by this Act to an agency in the
Administration mission area for salaries and expenses are
available to fund up to one administrative support staff for
the Office; not to exceed $3,869,000 shall be available for
the Office of Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations
to carry out the programs funded by this Act, including
programs involving intergovernmental affairs and liaison
within the executive branch; and not to exceed $7,500,000
shall be available for the Office of Communications:
Provided further, That the Secretary of Agriculture is
authorized to transfer funds appropriated for any office of
the Office of the Secretary to any other office of the Office
of the Secretary: Provided further, That no appropriation
for any office shall be increased or decreased by more than 5
percent: Provided further, That not to exceed $11,000 of the
amount made available under this paragraph for the immediate
Office of the Secretary shall be available for official
reception and representation expenses, not otherwise provided
for, as determined by the Secretary: Provided further, That
the amount made available under this heading for Departmental
Administration 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:
Provided further, That funds made available under this
heading for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Congressional Relations 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 under this heading for the Office of
Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations 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.
Executive Operations
office of the chief economist
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief
Economist, $19,786,000, of which $4,000,000 shall be for
grants or cooperative agreements for policy research under 7
U.S.C. 3155.
office of hearings and appeals
For necessary expenses of the Office of Hearings and
Appeals, $15,222,000.
office of budget and program analysis
For necessary expenses of the Office of Budget and Program
Analysis, $9,525,000.
Office of the Chief Information Officer
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief
Information Officer, $63,950,000, of which not less than
$38,000,000 is for cybersecurity requirements of the
department.
Office of the Chief Financial Officer
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief Financial
Officer, $6,028,000.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Civil Rights, $901,000: Provided, That funds
made available by this Act to an agency in the Civil Rights
mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund
up to one administrative support staff for the Office.
Office of Civil Rights
For necessary expenses of the Office of Civil Rights,
$24,206,000.
Agriculture Buildings and Facilities
(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.
121, 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, $58,330,000, to remain
available until expended.
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.), $3,503,000, 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.
Office of Inspector General
For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General,
including employment pursuant to the Inspector General Act of
1978 (Public Law 95-452; 5 U.S.C. App.), $98,208,000,
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 (Public Law 95-452; 5 U.S.C. App.), 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 the
Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452; 5 U.S.C.
App.) and section 1337 of the Agriculture and Food Act of
1981 (Public Law 97-98).
Office of the General Counsel
For necessary expenses of the Office of the General
Counsel, $45,146,000.
Office of Ethics
For necessary expenses of the Office of Ethics, $4,136,000.
Office of the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary
for Research, Education, and Economics, $800,000: Provided,
That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the
Research, Education, and Economics mission area for salaries
and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative
support staff for the Office.
Economic Research Service
For necessary expenses of the Economic Research Service,
$86,757,000.
National Agricultural Statistics Service
For necessary expenses of the National Agricultural
Statistics Service, $174,767,000, of which up to $45,300,000
shall be available until expended for the Census of
Agriculture: Provided, That amounts made available for the
Census of Agriculture may be used to conduct Current
Industrial Report surveys subject to 7 U.S.C. 2204g(d) and
(f).
Agricultural Research Service
salaries and expenses
For necessary expenses of the Agricultural Research Service
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,
$1,300,966,000, of which $10,600,000, to remain available
until expended, shall be used to carry out the science
program at the National Bio- and Agro-defense Facility
located in Manhattan, Kansas; of which not less than
$2,000,000 shall be available to carry out the dryland
agriculture research program; and of which not less than
$7,000,000 shall be available for purposes of entering into a
management, operations, and research support contract to
expedite the hiring of a capable workforce for the
commissioning of the Central Utility Plant and in support of
operations and management of the National Bio- and Agro-
defense Facility: 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 $500,000,
except for headhouses or greenhouses which shall each be
limited to $1,800,000, except for 10 buildings to be
constructed or improved at a cost not to exceed $1,100,000
each, and except for two buildings to be constructed at a
cost not to exceed $3,000,000 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
$500,000, whichever is greater: Provided further, That
appropriations hereunder shall be available for entering into
lease agreements at any Agricultural Research Service
location for the construction of a research facility by a
non-Federal entity for use by the Agricultural Research
Service and a condition of the lease
[[Page H377]]
shall be that any facility shall be owned, operated, and
maintained by the non-Federal entity and shall be removed
upon the expiration or termination of the lease agreement:
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 appropriations
hereunder shall be available for granting easements at any
Agricultural Research Service location for the construction
of a research facility by a non-Federal entity for use by,
and acceptable to, the Agricultural Research Service and a
condition of the easements shall be that upon completion the
facility shall be accepted by the Secretary, subject to the
availability of funds herein, if the Secretary finds that
acceptance of the facility is in the interest of the United
States: 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.
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
research and education activities
For payments to agricultural experiment stations, for
cooperative forestry and other research, for facilities, and
for other expenses, $898,535,000, which shall be for the
purposes, and in the amounts, specified in the table titled
``National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Research and
Education Activities'' in the explanatory statement described
in section 769 of this Act: Provided, That funds for
research grants for 1994 institutions, education grants for
1890 institutions, capacity building for non-land-grant
colleges of agriculture, the agriculture and food research
initiative, veterinary medicine loan repayment, multicultural
scholars, graduate fellowship and institution challenge
grants, and grants management systems shall remain available
until expended: Provided further, That each institution
eligible to receive funds under the Evans-Allen program
receives no less than $1,000,000: Provided further, That
funds for education grants for Alaska Native and Native
Hawaiian-serving institutions be made available to individual
eligible institutions or consortia of eligible institutions
with funds awarded equally to each of the States of Alaska
and Hawaii: Provided further, That funds for education
grants for 1890 institutions shall be made available to
institutions eligible to receive funds under 7 U.S.C. 3221
and 3222: Provided further, That not more than 5 percent of
the amounts made available by this or any other Act to carry
out the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative under 7
U.S.C. 450i(b) may be retained by the Secretary of
Agriculture to pay administrative costs incurred by the
Secretary in carrying out that authority.
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, the Northern
Marianas, and American Samoa, $486,692,000, which shall be
for the purposes, and in the amounts, specified in the table
titled ``National Institute of Food and Agriculture,
Extension Activities'' in the explanatory statement described
in section 769 of this Act: Provided, That funds for
facility improvements at 1890 institutions shall remain
available until expended: Provided further, That
institutions eligible to receive funds under 7 U.S.C. 3221
for cooperative extension receive no less than $1,000,000:
Provided further, That funds for cooperative extension under
sections 3(b) and (c) of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 343(b)
and (c)) and section 208(c) of Public Law 93-471 shall be
available for retirement and employees' compensation costs
for extension agents.
integrated activities
For the integrated research, education, and extension
grants programs, including necessary administrative expenses,
$38,000,000, which shall be for the purposes, and in the
amounts, specified in the table titled ``National Institute
of Food and Agriculture, Integrated Activities'' in the
explanatory statement described in section 769 of this Act:
Provided, That funds for the Food and Agriculture Defense
Initiative shall remain available until September 30, 2020:
Provided further, That notwithstanding any other provision of
law, indirect costs shall not be charged against any
Extension Implementation Program Area grant awarded under the
Crop Protection/Pest Management Program (7 U.S.C. 7626).
Office of the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary
for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, $901,000: Provided,
That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the
Marketing and Regulatory Programs mission area for salaries
and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative
support staff for the Office.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
salaries and expenses
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses of the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, including up to $30,000 for
representation allowances and for expenses pursuant to the
Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4085), $1,000,493,000,
of which $470,000, to remain available until expended, shall
be available for the control of outbreaks of insects, plant
diseases, animal diseases and for control of pest animals and
birds (``contingency fund'') to the extent necessary to meet
emergency conditions; of which $11,520,000, to remain
available until expended, shall be used for the cotton pests
program for cost share purposes or for debt retirement for
active eradication zones; of which $37,857,000, to remain
available until expended, shall be for Animal Health
Technical Services; of which $705,000 shall be for activities
under the authority of the Horse Protection Act of 1970, as
amended (15 U.S.C. 1831); of which $62,840,000, to remain
available until expended, shall be used to support avian
health; of which $4,251,000, to remain available until
expended, shall be for information technology infrastructure;
of which $178,170,000, to remain available until expended,
shall be for specialty crop pests; of which, $11,826,000, to
remain available until expended, shall be for field crop and
rangeland ecosystem pests; of which $16,523,000, to remain
available until expended, shall be for zoonotic disease
management; of which $41,466,000, to remain available until
expended, shall be for emergency preparedness and response;
of which $60,000,000, to remain available until expended,
shall be for tree and wood pests; of which $5,725,000, to
remain available until expended, shall be for the National
Veterinary Stockpile; of which up to $1,500,000, to remain
available until expended, shall be for the scrapie program
for indemnities; of which $2,500,000, to remain available
until expended, shall be for the wildlife damage management
program for aviation safety: Provided, That of amounts
available under this heading for wildlife services methods
development, $1,000,000 shall remain available until
expended: Provided further, That of amounts available under
this heading for the screwworm program, $4,990,000 shall
remain available until expended; of which $13,600,000, to
remain available until expended, shall be used to carry out
the science program at the National Bio- and Agro-defense
Facility located in Manhattan, Kansas: Provided further,
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 five, 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 the United States, 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 2019, 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 reimbursed 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, $3,175,000, to remain available until expended.
Agricultural Marketing Service
marketing services
For necessary expenses of the Agricultural Marketing
Service, $155,845,000, of which $4,000,000 shall be available
for the purposes of section 12306 of Public Law 113-79; and
of which $7,000,000 shall be available for marketing
activities authorized under section 204(b) of the
Agricultural Marketing Act of
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1946 (7 U.S.C. 1623(b)) to provide to State departments of
agriculture, State cooperative extension services,
institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations
grants to carry out programs and provide technical assistance
to promote innovation, process improvement, and marketing
relating to dairy products: 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 $60,982,000 (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, except for: (1) transfers to the
Department of Commerce as authorized by the Fish and Wildlife
Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742a et seq.); (2) transfers otherwise
provided in this Act; and (3) not more than $20,489,000 for
formulation and administration of marketing agreements and
orders pursuant to the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act
of 1937 and the Agricultural Act of 1961 (Public Law 87-128).
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)), $1,235,000.
limitation on inspection and weighing services expenses
Not to exceed $55,000,000 (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 expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary
for Food Safety, $800,000: Provided, That funds made
available by this Act to an agency in the Food Safety mission
area for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to
one administrative support staff for the Office.
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 $10,000 for representation allowances
and for expenses pursuant to section 8 of the Act approved
August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 1766), $1,049,344,000; 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 funds provided for the Public Health Data
Communication Infrastructure system shall remain available
until expended: Provided further, That no fewer than 148
full-time equivalent positions shall be employed during
fiscal year 2019 for purposes dedicated solely to inspections
and enforcement related to the Humane Methods of Slaughter
Act (7 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.): Provided further, That the Food
Safety and Inspection Service shall continue implementation
of section 11016 of Public Law 110-246 as further clarified
by the amendments made in section 12106 of Public Law 113-79:
Provided further, 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.
TITLE II
FARM PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS
Office of the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary
for Farm Production and Conservation, $901,000: Provided,
That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the
Farm Production and Conservation mission area for salaries
and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative
support staff for the Office.
Farm Production and Conservation Business Center
For necessary expenses of the Farm Production and
Conservation Business Center, $1,028,000, to remain available
until expended: Provided, That $149,000 of amounts
appropriated for the current fiscal year pursuant to section
1241(a) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 1985
(16 U.S.C. 3841(a)) shall be transferred to and merged with
this account.
Farm Service Agency
salaries and expenses
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses of the Farm Service Agency,
$1,202,146,000: Provided, That not more than 50 percent of
the $44,691,000 made available under this heading for
information technology related to farm program delivery,
including the Modernize and Innovate the Delivery of
Agricultural Systems and other farm program delivery systems,
may be obligated until the Secretary submits to the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress, and
receives written or electronic notification of receipt from
such Committees of, a plan for expenditure that (1)
identifies for each project/investment over $25,000 (a) the
functional and performance capabilities to be delivered and
the mission benefits to be realized, (b) the estimated
lifecycle cost, including estimates for development as well
as maintenance and operations, and (c) key milestones to be
met; (2) demonstrates that each project/investment is, (a)
consistent with the Farm Service Agency Information
Technology Roadmap, (b) being managed in accordance with
applicable lifecycle management policies and guidance, and
(c) subject to the applicable Department's capital planning
and investment control requirements; and (3) has been
reviewed by the Government Accountability Office and approved
by the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of
Congress: Provided further, That the agency shall submit a
report by the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019
to the Committees on Appropriations and the Government
Accountability Office, that identifies for each project/
investment that is operational (a) current performance
against key indicators of customer satisfaction, (b) current
performance of service level agreements or other technical
metrics, (c) current performance against a pre-established
cost baseline, (d) a detailed breakdown of current and
planned spending on operational enhancements or upgrades, and
(e) an assessment of whether the investment continues to meet
business needs as intended as well as alternatives to the
investment: Provided further, 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 funds made
available to county committees shall remain available until
expended: Provided further, That none of the funds available
to the Farm Service Agency shall be used to close Farm
Service Agency county offices: Provided further, That none
of the funds available to the Farm Service Agency shall be
used to permanently relocate county based employees that
would result in an office with two or fewer employees without
prior notification and approval of the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
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),
$3,904,000.
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), $6,500,000, 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, such sums as may be
necessary, 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, emergency loans (7
U.S.C. 1961 et seq.), Indian tribe land acquisition loans (25
U.S.C. 488), boll weevil loans (7 U.S.C. 1989), guaranteed
conservation loans (7 U.S.C. 1924 et seq.), and Indian highly
fractionated land loans (25 U.S.C. 488) to be available from
funds in the Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund, as follows:
$2,750,000,000 for guaranteed farm ownership loans and
$1,500,000,000 for farm ownership direct loans;
$1,960,000,000 for unsubsidized guaranteed operating loans
and $1,530,000,000 for direct operating loans; emergency
loans, $37,668,000; Indian tribe land acquisition loans,
$20,000,000; guaranteed conservation loans, $150,000,000;
Indian highly fractionated land loans, $10,000,000; and for
boll weevil eradication program loans, $60,000,000:
Provided, That the Secretary shall deem the pink bollworm to
be a boll weevil for the purpose of boll weevil eradication
program loans.
[[Page H379]]
For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans and grants,
including the cost of modifying loans as defined in section
502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows: farm
operating loans, $59,670,000 for direct operating loans,
$21,168,000 for unsubsidized guaranteed operating loans,
emergency loans, $1,567,000 and $2,134,000 for Indian highly
fractionated land loans to remain available until expended.
In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry
out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $325,068,000:
Provided, That of this amount, $314,998,000 shall be
transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ``Farm
Service Agency, Salaries and Expenses'', of which $8,000,000
shall be available until September 30, 2020.
Funds appropriated by this Act to the Agricultural Credit
Insurance Program Account for farm ownership, operating and
conservation 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
salaries and expenses
For necessary expenses of the Risk Management Agency,
$74,829,000: 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).
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, $879,107,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2020: 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 of the amounts made available under this heading,
$5,600,000, shall remain available until expended for the
authorities under 16 U.S.C. 1001-1005 and 1007-1009 for
authorized ongoing watershed projects with a primary purpose
of providing water to rural communities.
watershed and flood prevention operations
For necessary expenses to carry out preventive measures,
including but not limited to surveys and investigations,
engineering operations, works of improvement, 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) and
in accordance with the provisions of laws relating to the
activities of the Department, $150,000,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That for funds provided
by this Act or any other prior Act, the limitation regarding
the size of the watershed or subwatershed exceeding two
hundred and fifty thousand acres in which such activities can
be undertaken shall only apply for activities undertaken for
the primary purpose of flood prevention (including structural
and land treatment measures): Provided further, That of the
amounts made available under this heading, $50,000,000 shall
be allocated to projects and activities that can commence
promptly following enactment; that address regional
priorities for flood prevention, agricultural water
management, inefficient irrigation systems, fish and wildlife
habitat, or watershed protection; or that address authorized
ongoing projects under the authorities of section 13 of the
Flood Control Act of December 22, 1944 (Public Law 78-534)
with a primary purpose of watershed protection by preventing
floodwater damage and stabilizing stream channels,
tributaries, and banks to reduce erosion and sediment
transport.
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
(including transfers of funds)
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 III
RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Rural Development
salaries and expenses
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses for carrying out the administration
and implementation of Rural Development programs, including
activities with institutions concerning the development and
operation of agricultural cooperatives; and for cooperative
agreements; $232,835,000: Provided, That notwithstanding any
other provision of law, funds appropriated under this heading
may be used for advertising and promotional activities that
support Rural Development programs: Provided further, That
in addition to any other funds appropriated for purposes
authorized by section 502(i) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42
U.S.C. 1472(i)), any amounts collected under such section
will immediately be credited to this account and will remain
available until expended for such purposes.
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: $1,100,000,000 shall be for
direct loans and $24,000,000,000 shall be for unsubsidized
guaranteed loans; $28,000,000 for section 504 housing repair
loans; $40,000,000 for section 515 rental housing;
$230,000,000 for section 538 guaranteed multi-family housing
loans; $10,000,000 for credit sales of single family housing
acquired property; $5,000,000 for section 523 self-help
housing land development loans; and $5,000,000 for section
524 site 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, $53,900,000 shall be for direct loans; section 504
housing repair loans, $3,419,000; section 523 self-help
housing land development loans, $431,000; section 524 site
development loans, $176,000; and repair, rehabilitation, and
new construction of section 515 rental housing, $9,484,000:
Provided, That to support the loan program level for section
538 guaranteed loans made available under this heading the
Secretary may charge or adjust any fees to cover the
projected cost of such loan guarantees pursuant to the
provisions of the Credit Reform Act of 1990 (2 U.S.C. 661 et
seq.), and the interest on such loans may not be subsidized:
Provided further, That applicants in communities that have a
current rural area waiver under section 541 of the Housing
Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490q) shall be treated as living in a
rural area for purposes of section 502 guaranteed loans
provided under this heading: Provided further, That of the
amounts available under this paragraph for section 502 direct
loans, no less than $5,000,000 shall be available for direct
loans for individuals whose homes will be built pursuant to a
program funded with a mutual and self-help housing grant
authorized by section 523 of the Housing Act of 1949 until
June 1, 2019: Provided further, That the Secretary shall
implement provisions to provide incentives to nonprofit
organizations and public housing authorities to facilitate
the acquisition of Rural Housing Service (RHS) multifamily
housing properties by such nonprofit organizations and public
housing authorities that commit to keep such properties in
the RHS multifamily housing program for a period of time as
determined by the Secretary, with such incentives to include,
but not be limited to, the following: allow such nonprofit
entities and public housing authorities to earn a Return on
Investment on their own resources to include proceeds from
low income housing tax credit syndication, own contributions,
grants, and developer loans at favorable rates and terms,
invested in a deal; and allow
[[Page H380]]
reimbursement of organizational costs associated with owner's
oversight of asset referred to as ``Asset Management Fee'' of
up to $7,500 per property.
In addition, for the cost of direct loans, grants, and
contracts, as authorized by sections 514 and 516 of the
Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1484, 1486), $14,281,000, to
remain available until expended, for direct farm labor
housing loans and domestic farm labor housing grants and
contracts: Provided, That any balances available for the
Farm Labor Program Account shall be transferred to and merged
with this account.
In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry
out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $412,254,000
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) of the
Housing Act of 1949 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, $1,331,400,000, of which $40,000,000 shall be available
until September 30, 2020; 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 rental assistance agreements entered
into or renewed during the current fiscal year shall be
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 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 provided under agreements
entered into prior to fiscal year 2019 for a farm labor
multi-family housing project financed under section 514 or
516 of the Act 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 farm labor multi-family
housing project financed under section 514 or 516 of the Act:
Provided further, That except as provided in the third
proviso under this heading and notwithstanding any other
provision of the Act, the Secretary may recapture rental
assistance provided under agreements entered into prior to
fiscal year 2019 for a project that the Secretary determines
no longer needs rental assistance and use such recaptured
funds for current needs.
multi-family housing revitalization program account
For the rural housing voucher program as authorized under
section 542 of the Housing Act of 1949, but notwithstanding
subsection (b) of such section, and for additional costs to
conduct a demonstration program for the preservation and
revitalization of multi-family rental housing properties
described in this paragraph, $50,000,000, to remain available
until expended: Provided, That of the funds made available
under this heading, $26,000,000, 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 to section 8 housing vouchers administered by the
Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development:
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 program for the preservation and
revitalization of multi-family rental housing properties
described in this paragraph: Provided further, That of the
funds made available under this heading, $24,000,000 shall be
available for a demonstration program for the preservation
and revitalization of the sections 514, 515, and 516 multi-
family rental housing properties to restructure existing USDA
multi-family housing 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 and farm laborers including reducing or
eliminating interest; deferring loan payments, subordinating,
reducing or reamortizing loan debt; and other financial
assistance including advances, payments and incentives
(including the ability of owners to obtain reasonable returns
on investment) required by the Secretary: Provided further,
That the Secretary shall as part of the preservation and
revitalization agreement obtain a restrictive use agreement
consistent with the terms of the restructuring: 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 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: Provided further, That in addition
to any other available funds, the Secretary may expend not
more than $1,000,000 total, from the program funds made
available under this heading, for administrative expenses for
activities funded under this heading.
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), $30,000,000, to
remain available until expended.
rural housing assistance grants
For grants for very low-income housing repair and rural
housing preservation made by the Rural Housing Service, as
authorized by 42 U.S.C. 1474, and 1490m, $40,000,000, to
remain available until expended.
rural community facilities program account
(including transfers of funds)
For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct
and guaranteed loans as authorized by section 306 and
described in section 381E(d)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act, $3,000,000,000 for direct loans and
$148,287,000 for guaranteed loans.
For the cost of guaranteed loans, including the cost of
modifying loans, as defined in section 502 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, $4,285,000, to remain
available until expended.
For the cost of grants for rural community facilities
programs as authorized by section 306 and described in
section 381E(d)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act, $47,778,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That $6,000,000 of the amount
appropriated under this heading shall be available for a
Rural Community Development Initiative: Provided further,
That such funds shall be used solely to develop the capacity
and ability of private, nonprofit community-based housing and
community development organizations, low-income rural
communities, and Federally Recognized Native American Tribes
to undertake projects to improve housing, community
facilities, community and economic development projects in
rural areas: Provided further, That such funds shall be made
available to qualified private, nonprofit and public
intermediary organizations proposing to carry out a program
of financial and technical assistance: Provided further,
That such intermediary organizations shall provide matching
funds from other sources, including Federal funds for related
activities, in an amount not less than funds provided:
Provided further, That $5,778,000 of the amount appropriated
under this heading shall be to provide grants for facilities
in rural communities with extreme unemployment and severe
economic depression (Public Law 106-387), with up to 5
percent for administration and capacity building in the State
rural development offices: Provided further, That $4,000,000
of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be
available for community facilities grants to tribal colleges,
as authorized by section 306(a)(19) of such Act: Provided
further, That sections 381E-H and 381N of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act are not applicable to the
funds made available under this heading.
Rural Business--Cooperative Service
rural business program account
(including transfers of funds)
For the cost of loan guarantees and grants, for the rural
business development programs authorized by section 310B and
described in subsections (a), (c), (f) and (g) of section
310B of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act,
$69,619,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That of the amount appropriated under this heading, not to
exceed $500,000 shall be made available for one grant to a
qualified national organization to provide technical
assistance for rural transportation in order to promote
economic development and $8,000,000 shall be for grants to
the Delta Regional Authority (7 U.S.C. 2009aa et seq.), the
Northern Border Regional Commission (40 U.S.C. 15101 et
seq.), and the Appalachian Regional Commission (40 U.S.C.
14101 et seq.) for any Rural Community Advancement Program
purpose as described in section 381E(d) of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act, of which not more than 5
percent may be used for administrative expenses: Provided
further, That $4,000,000 of the amount appropriated under
this heading shall be for business grants to benefit
Federally Recognized Native American Tribes, including
$250,000 for a grant to a qualified national organization to
provide technical assistance for rural transportation in
order to promote economic development: Provided further,
That sections 381E-H and 381N of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act are not applicable to funds made
available under this heading.
[[Page H381]]
intermediary relending program fund account
(including transfer of funds)
For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized by
the Intermediary Relending Program Fund Account (7 U.S.C.
1936b), $18,889,000.
For the cost of direct loans, $4,157,000, as authorized by
the Intermediary Relending Program Fund Account (7 U.S.C.
1936b), of which $557,000 shall be available through June 30,
2019, for Federally Recognized Native American Tribes; and of
which $1,072,000 shall be available through June 30, 2019,
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.
In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the
direct loan programs, $4,468,000 shall be transferred to and
merged with the appropriation for ``Rural Development,
Salaries and Expenses''.
rural economic development loans program account
For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized
under section 313 of the Rural Electrification Act, for the
purpose of promoting rural economic development and job
creation projects, $45,000,000.
The cost of grants authorized under section 313 of the
Rural Electrification Act, for the purpose of promoting rural
economic development and job creation projects shall not
exceed $10,000,000.
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), $30,050,000, of which
$3,750,000 shall be for cooperative agreements for the
appropriate technology transfer for rural areas program:
Provided, That not to exceed $3,000,000 shall be for grants
for cooperative development centers, individual cooperatives,
or groups of cooperatives that serve socially disadvantaged
groups and a majority of the boards of directors or governing
boards of which are comprised of individuals who are members
of socially disadvantaged groups; and of which $17,500,000,
to remain available until expended, shall be for value-added
agricultural product market development grants, as authorized
by section 231 of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of
2000 (7 U.S.C. 1632a), of which $2,500,000 shall be for
Agriculture Innovation Centers authorized pursuant to section
6402 of Public Law 107-171.
rural energy for america program
For the cost of a program of loan guarantees, under the
same terms and conditions as authorized by section 9007 of
the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C.
8107), $338,000: Provided, That the cost of 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 water and waste disposal program account
(including transfers of funds)
For the cost of direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants
for the rural water, waste water, waste disposal, and solid
waste management programs authorized by sections 306, 306A,
306C, 306D, 306E, and 310B and described in sections
306C(a)(2), 306D, 306E, and 381E(d)(2) of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act, $558,183,000, to remain
available until expended, of which not to exceed $1,000,000
shall be available for the rural utilities program described
in section 306(a)(2)(B) of such Act, and of which not to
exceed $993,000 shall be available for the rural utilities
program described in section 306E of such Act: Provided,
That not to exceed $15,000,000 of the amount appropriated
under this heading shall be for grants authorized by section
306A(i)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act
in addition to funding authorized by section 306A(i)(1) of
such Act and such grants may not exceed $1,000,000
notwithstanding section 306A(f)(1) of such Act: Provided
further, That $68,000,000 of the amount appropriated under
this heading shall be for loans and grants including water
and waste disposal systems grants authorized by section
306C(a)(2)(B) and section 306D of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act, and Federally Recognized Native
American Tribes authorized by 306C(a)(1) of such Act:
Provided further, That funding provided for section 306D of
the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act may be
provided to a consortium formed pursuant to section 325 of
Public Law 105-83: Provided further, That not more than 2
percent of the funding provided for section 306D of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act may be used by
the State of Alaska for training and technical assistance
programs and not more than 2 percent of the funding provided
for section 306D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act may be used by a consortium formed pursuant
to section 325 of Public Law 105-83 for training and
technical assistance programs: Provided further, That not to
exceed $40,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this
heading shall be for technical assistance grants for rural
water and waste systems pursuant to section 306(a)(14) of
such Act, unless the Secretary makes a determination of
extreme need, of which $8,000,000 shall be made available for
a grant to a qualified nonprofit multi-State regional
technical assistance organization, with experience in working
with small communities on water and waste water problems, the
principal purpose of such grant shall be to assist rural
communities with populations of 3,300 or less, in improving
the planning, financing, development, operation, and
management of water and waste water systems, and of which not
less than $800,000 shall be for a qualified national Native
American organization to provide technical assistance for
rural water systems for tribal communities: Provided
further, That not to exceed $19,000,000 of the amount
appropriated under this heading shall be for contracting with
qualified national organizations for a circuit rider program
to provide technical assistance for rural water systems:
Provided further, That not to exceed $4,000,000 shall be for
solid waste management grants: Provided further, That
$10,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading
shall be transferred to, and merged with, the Rural Utilities
Service, High Energy Cost Grants Account to provide grants
authorized under section 19 of the Rural Electrification Act
of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 918a): Provided further, That any prior
year balances for high-energy cost grants authorized by
section 19 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C.
918a) shall be transferred to and merged with the Rural
Utilities Service, High Energy Cost Grants Account: Provided
further, That sections 381E-H and 381N of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act are not applicable to the
funds made available under this heading.
rural electrification and telecommunications loans program account
(including transfer of funds)
The principal amount of direct and guaranteed loans as
authorized by sections 305, 306, and 317 of the Rural
Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 935, 936, and 940g)
shall be made as follows: loans made pursuant to sections
305, 306, and 317, notwithstanding 317(c), of that Act, rural
electric, $5,500,000,000; guaranteed underwriting loans
pursuant to section 313A, $750,000,000; 5 percent rural
telecommunications loans, cost of money rural
telecommunications loans, and for loans made pursuant to
section 306 of that Act, rural telecommunications loans,
$690,000,000: Provided, That up to $2,000,000,000 shall be
used for the construction, acquisition, design and
engineering or improvement of fossil-fueled electric
generating plants (whether new or existing) that utilize
carbon subsurface utilization and storage systems.
For the cost of direct loans as authorized by section 305
of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 935),
including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section
502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, cost of money
rural telecommunications loans, $1,725,000.
In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry
out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $33,270,000,
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, $29,851,000.
For grants for telemedicine and distance learning services
in rural areas, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa et seq.,
$33,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That $3,000,000 shall be made available for grants authorized
by 379G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act:
Provided further, That funding provided under this heading
for grants under 379G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act may only be provided to entities that meet
all of the eligibility criteria for a consortium as
established by this section.
For the cost of broadband loans, as authorized by section
601 of the Rural Electrification Act, $5,830,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That the cost of direct
loans shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974.
In addition, $30,000,000, 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.
rural health and safety education programs
Any funds provided by this Act for rural health and safety
education programs authorized under section 502(i) of the
Rural Development Act of 1972 (7 U.S.C. 2662(i)) may be used
under those programs to address the opioid abuse epidemic and
to combat opioid abuse in rural communities.
TITLE IV
DOMESTIC FOOD PROGRAMS
Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer
Services
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary
for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, $800,000:
Provided, That funds made available by this Act to an agency
in the Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services mission area for
salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one
administrative support staff for the Office.
Food and Nutrition Service
child nutrition programs
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses to carry out the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), except
section 21,
[[Page H382]]
and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.),
except sections 17 and 21; $23,184,012,000 to remain
available through September 30, 2020, of which such sums as
are made available under section 14222(b)(1) of the Food,
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-246), as
amended by this Act, shall be merged with and available for
the same time period and purposes as provided herein:
Provided, That of the total amount available, $17,004,000
shall be available to carry out section 19 of the Child
Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.): Provided
further, That of the total amount available, $30,000,000
shall be available to provide competitive grants to State
agencies for subgrants to local educational agencies and
schools to purchase the equipment, with a value of greater
than $1,000, needed to serve healthier meals, improve food
safety, and to help support the establishment, maintenance,
or expansion of the school breakfast program: Provided
further, That of the total amount available, $28,000,000
shall remain available until expended to carry out section
749(g) of the Agriculture Appropriations Act of 2010 (Public
Law 111-80): Provided further, That section 26(d) of the
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.
1769g(d)) is amended in the first sentence by striking ``2010
through 2018'' and inserting ``2010 through 2019'': Provided
further, That section 9(h)(3) of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(h)(3)) is amended
in the first sentence by striking ``for fiscal year 2018''
and inserting ``for fiscal year 2019'': Provided further,
That section 9(h)(4) of the Richard B. Russell National
School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(h)(4)) is amended in the
first sentence by striking ``for fiscal year 2018'' and
inserting ``for fiscal year 2019''.
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),
$6,150,000,000, to remain available through September 30,
2020, of which $25,000,000 shall be placed in reserve, to
remain available until expended, to be allocated as the
Secretary deemed necessary, notwithstanding section 17(i) of
such Act, to support participation should cost or
participation exceed budget estimates: Provided, That
notwithstanding section 17(h)(10) of the Child Nutrition Act
of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(h)(10)), not less than $67,500,000
shall be used for breastfeeding peer counselors and other
related activities, and $19,000,000 shall be used for
infrastructure, of which $5,000,000 shall be for competitive
grants to promote breastfeeding and improved nutritional
health through technologies and services, including
telemedicine: 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:
Provided further, That upon termination of a federally
mandated vendor moratorium and subject to terms and
conditions established by the Secretary, the Secretary may
waive the requirement at 7 CFR 246.12(g)(6) at the request of
a State agency.
supplemental nutrition assistance program
For necessary expenses to carry out the Food and Nutrition
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), $73,219,274,000, of
which $3,000,000,000, to remain available through December
31, 2020, 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
and Nutrition Act of 2008: Provided further, That of the
funds made available under this heading, $998,000 may be used
to provide nutrition education services to State agencies and
Federally Recognized Tribes participating in the Food
Distribution Program on Indian Reservations: 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 through September 30, 2020: Provided further, That
funds made available under this heading for section 28(d)(1),
section 4(b), and section 27(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act
of 2008 shall remain available through September 30, 2020:
Provided further, That none of the funds made available under
this heading may be obligated or expended in contravention of
section 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1183A): Provided further, That funds made available under
this heading may be used to enter into contracts and employ
staff to conduct studies, evaluations, or to conduct
activities related to program integrity provided that such
activities are authorized by the Food and Nutrition Act of
2008.
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,
$322,139,000, to remain available through September 30, 2020:
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 2019 to support the
Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, as authorized by
section 4402 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of
2002, such funds shall remain available through September 30,
2020: Provided further, That of the funds made available
under section 27(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7
U.S.C. 2036(a)), the Secretary may use up to 15 percent for
costs associated with the distribution of commodities.
nutrition programs administration
For necessary administrative expenses of the Food and
Nutrition Service for carrying out any domestic nutrition
assistance program, $164,688,000: Provided, That of the
funds provided herein, $2,000,000 shall be used for the
purposes of section 4404 of Public Law 107-171, as amended by
section 4401 of Public Law 110-246.
TITLE V
FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AND RELATED PROGRAMS
Office of the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural
Affairs
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary
for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, $875,000:
Provided, That funds made available by this Act to any agency
in the Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs mission area
for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one
administrative support staff for the Office.
office of codex alimentarius
For necessary expenses of the Office of Codex Alimentarius,
$3,976,000, including not to exceed $40,000 for official
reception and representation expenses.
Foreign Agricultural Service
salaries and expenses
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses of the Foreign Agricultural Service,
including not to exceed $250,000 for representation
allowances and for expenses pursuant to section 8 of the Act
approved August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 1766), $212,230,000, of
which no more than 6 percent shall remain available until
September 30, 2020, for overseas operations to include the
payment of locally employed staff: 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: Provided further, That funds made
available for middle-income country training programs, funds
made available for the Borlaug International Agricultural
Science and Technology Fellowship 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, shall
remain available until expended.
food for peace title i direct credit and food for progress program
account
(including transfer of funds)
For administrative expenses to carry out the credit program
of title I, Food for Peace Act (Public Law 83-480) and the
Food for Progress Act of 1985, $142,000, shall be transferred
to and merged with the appropriation for ``Farm Service
Agency, Salaries and Expenses''.
food for peace title ii grants
For expenses during the current fiscal year, not otherwise
recoverable, and unrecovered prior years' costs, including
interest thereon, under the Food for Peace Act (Public Law
83-480), for commodities supplied in connection with
dispositions abroad under title II of said Act,
$1,716,000,000, to remain available until expended.
mcgovern-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 U.S.C. 1736o-1), $210,255,000, 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: Provided further, That of the amount made available
under this heading, $15,000,000, shall remain available until
expended for necessary expenses to carry out the provisions
of section 3207 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C.
1726c).
commodity credit corporation export (loans) credit guarantee 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, $8,845,000; to cover common overhead expenses as
permitted by section 11 of the Commodity Credit Corporation
Charter Act and
[[Page H383]]
in conformity with the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, of
which $6,382,000 shall be transferred to and merged with the
appropriation for ``Foreign Agricultural Service, Salaries
and Expenses'', and of which $2,463,000 shall be transferred
to and merged with the appropriation for ``Farm Service
Agency, Salaries and Expenses''.
TITLE VI
RELATED AGENCY 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; in addition to amounts appropriated to the FDA
Innovation Account, for carrying out the activities described
in section 1002(b)(4) of the 21st Century Cures Act (Public
Law 114-255); 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; $5,419,299,000: Provided,
That of the amount provided under this heading, $960,568,000
shall be derived from prescription drug user fees authorized
by 21 U.S.C. 379h, and shall be credited to this account and
remain available until expended; $196,668,000 shall be
derived from medical device user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C.
379j, and shall be credited to this account and remain
available until expended; $501,396,000 shall be derived from
human generic drug user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-42,
and shall be credited to this account and remain available
until expended; $40,922,000 shall be derived from biosimilar
biological product user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-52,
and shall be credited to this account and remain available
until expended; $30,331,000 shall be derived from animal drug
user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-12, and shall be
credited to this account and remain available until expended;
$18,336,000 shall be derived from generic new animal drug
user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-21, and shall be
credited to this account and remain available until expended;
$712,000,000 shall be derived from tobacco product user fees
authorized by 21 U.S.C. 387s, and shall be credited to this
account and remain available until expended: Provided
further, That in addition to and notwithstanding any other
provision under this heading, amounts collected for
prescription drug user fees, medical device user fees, human
generic drug user fees, biosimilar biological product user
fees, animal drug user fees, and generic new animal drug user
fees that exceed the respective fiscal year 2019 limitations
are appropriated and shall be credited to this account and
remain available until expended: Provided further, That fees
derived from prescription drug, medical device, human generic
drug, biosimilar biological product, animal drug, and generic
new animal drug assessments for fiscal year 2019, including
any such fees collected prior to fiscal year 2019 but
credited for fiscal year 2019, shall be subject to the fiscal
year 2019 limitations: Provided further, That the Secretary
may accept payment during fiscal year 2019 of user fees
specified under this heading and authorized for fiscal year
2020, prior to the due date for such fees, and that amounts
of such fees assessed for fiscal year 2020 for which the
Secretary accepts payment in fiscal year 2019 shall not be
included in amounts under this heading: 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) $1,052,315,000 shall be for the Center for
Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and related field
activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs, of which no
less than $15,000,000 shall be used for inspections of
foreign seafood manufacturers and field examinations of
imported seafood; (2) $1,720,807,000 shall be for the Center
for Drug Evaluation and Research and related field activities
in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (3) $369,857,000 shall
be for the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research and
for related field activities in the Office of Regulatory
Affairs; (4) $216,914,000 shall be for the Center for
Veterinary Medicine and for related field activities in the
Office of Regulatory Affairs; (5) $495,988,000 shall be for
the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and for
related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs;
(6) $65,531,000 shall be for the National Center for
Toxicological Research; (7) $662,043,000 shall be for the
Center for Tobacco Products and for related field activities
in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (8) not to exceed
$174,751,000 shall be for Rent and Related activities, of
which $50,987,000 is for White Oak Consolidation, other than
the amounts paid to the General Services Administration for
rent; (9) not to exceed $240,887,000 shall be for payments to
the General Services Administration for rent; and (10)
$420,206,000 shall be for other activities, including the
Office of the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, the Office of
Foods and Veterinary Medicine, the Office of Medical and
Tobacco Products, the Office of Global and Regulatory Policy,
the Office of Operations, the Office of the Chief Scientist,
and central services for these offices: Provided further,
That not to exceed $25,000 of this amount shall be for
official reception and representation expenses, not otherwise
provided for, as determined by the Commissioner: Provided
further, That any transfer of funds pursuant to section
770(n) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C.
379dd(n)) shall only be from amounts made available under
this heading for other activities: Provided further, That of
the amounts that are made available under this heading for
``other activities'', and that are not derived from user
fees, $1,500,000 shall be transferred to and merged with the
appropriation for ``Department of Health and Human Services--
Office of Inspector General'' for oversight of the programs
and operations of the Food and Drug Administration and shall
be in addition to funds otherwise made available for
oversight of the Food and Drug Administration: 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, export certification user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C.
381, priority review user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 360n
and 360ff, food and feed recall fees, food reinspection fees,
and voluntary qualified importer program fees authorized by
21 U.S.C. 379j-31, outsourcing facility fees authorized by 21
U.S.C. 379j-62, prescription drug wholesale distributor
licensing and inspection fees authorized by 21 U.S.C.
353(e)(3), third-party logistics provider licensing and
inspection fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 360eee-3(c)(1),
third-party auditor fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 384d(c)(8),
and medical countermeasure priority review voucher user fees
authorized by 21 U.S.C. 360bbb-4a, shall be credited to this
account, to remain available until expended.
buildings and facilities
For plans, construction, repair, improvement, extension,
alteration, demolition, and purchase of fixed equipment or
facilities of or used by the Food and Drug Administration,
where not otherwise provided, $11,788,000, to remain
available until expended.
fda innovation account, cures act
For necessary expenses to carry out the purposes described
under section 1002(b)(4) of the 21st Century Cures Act, in
addition to amounts available for such purposes under the
heading ``Salaries and Expenses'', $70,000,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That amounts
appropriated in this paragraph are appropriated pursuant to
section 1002(b)(3) of the 21st Century Cures Act, are to be
derived from amounts transferred under section 1002(b)(2)(A)
of such Act, and may be transferred by the Commissioner of
Food and Drugs to the appropriation for ``Department of
Health and Human Services--Food and Drug Administration--
Salaries and Expenses'' solely for the purposes provided in
such Act: Provided further, That upon a determination by the
Commissioner that funds transferred pursuant to the previous
proviso are not necessary for the purposes provided, such
amounts may be transferred back to the account: Provided
further, That such transfer authority is in addition to any
other transfer authority provided by law.
INDEPENDENT AGENCY
Farm Credit Administration
limitation on administrative expenses
Not to exceed $74,600,000 (from assessments collected from
farm credit institutions, including 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: Provided
further, That the agency may exceed this limitation by up to
10 percent with notification to the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
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 71 passenger
motor vehicles of which 68 shall be for replacement only, and
for the hire of such vehicles: Provided, That
notwithstanding this section, the only purchase of new
passenger vehicles shall be for those determined by the
Secretary to be necessary for transportation safety, to
reduce operational costs, and for the protection of life,
property, and public safety.
Sec. 702. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act,
the Secretary of Agriculture may transfer unobligated
balances of discretionary funds appropriated by this Act or
any other available unobligated discretionary balances that
are remaining available of the Department of Agriculture to
the Working Capital Fund for the acquisition of plant and
capital equipment necessary for the delivery of financial,
administrative, and information technology services of
primary benefit to the agencies of the Department of
Agriculture, such transferred funds to remain available until
expended: Provided,
[[Page H384]]
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 written notification to and
the prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress: Provided further, That none of the
funds appropriated by this Act or made available to the
Department's Working Capital Fund shall be available for
obligation or expenditure to make any changes to the
Department's National Finance Center without written
notification to and prior approval of the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress as required by
section 717 of this Act: Provided further, That none of the
funds appropriated by this Act or made available to the
Department's Working Capital Fund shall be available for
obligation or expenditure to initiate, plan, develop,
implement, or make any changes to remove or relocate any
systems, missions, or functions of the offices of the Chief
Financial Officer or any personnel from the National Finance
Center prior to written notification to and prior approval of
the Committee on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress
and in accordance with the requirements of section 717 of
this Act: Provided further, That the Secretary of
Agriculture and the offices of the Chief Financial Officer
shall actively market to existing and new Departments and
other government agencies National Finance Center shared
services including, but not limited to, payroll, financial
management, and human capital shared services and allow the
National Finance Center to perform technology upgrades:
Provided further, That of annual income amounts in the
Working Capital Fund of the Department of Agriculture
attributable to the amounts in excess of the true costs of
the shared services provided by the National Finance Center
and budgeted for the National Finance Center, the Secretary
shall reserve not more than 4 percent for the replacement or
acquisition of capital equipment, including equipment for the
improvement, delivery, and implementation of financial,
administrative, and information technology services, and
other systems of the National Finance Center or to pay any
unforeseen, extraordinary cost of the National Finance
Center: Provided further, That none of the amounts reserved
shall be available for obligation unless the Secretary
submits written notification of the obligation to the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress:
Provided further, That the limitations on the obligation of
funds pending notification to Congressional Committees shall
not apply to any obligation that, as determined by the
Secretary, is necessary to respond to a declared state of
emergency that significantly impacts the operations of the
National Finance Center; or to evacuate employees of the
National Finance Center to a safe haven to continue
operations of the National Finance Center.
Sec. 703. 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. 704. 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. 705. 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 disburse 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. 706. 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 written
notification to and the prior approval of the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress: Provided further,
That, notwithstanding section 11319 of title 40, United
States Code, none of the funds available to the Department of
Agriculture for information technology shall be obligated for
projects, contracts, or other agreements over $25,000 prior
to receipt of written approval by the Chief Information
Officer: Provided further, That the Chief Information
Officer may authorize an agency to obligate funds without
written approval from the Chief Information Officer for
projects, contracts, or other agreements up to $250,000 based
upon the performance of an agency measured against the
performance plan requirements described in the explanatory
statement accompanying Public Law 113-235.
Sec. 707. Funds made available under section 524(b) of the
Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1524(b)) in the current
fiscal year shall remain available until expended to disburse
obligations made in the current fiscal year.
Sec. 708. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any
former RUS borrower that has repaid or prepaid an insured,
direct or guaranteed loan under the Rural Electrification Act
of 1936, or any not-for-profit utility that is eligible to
receive an insured or direct loan under such Act, shall be
eligible for assistance under section 313(b)(2)(B) of such
Act in the same manner as a borrower under such Act.
Sec. 709. Except as otherwise specifically provided by
law, not more than $20,000,000 in unobligated balances from
appropriations made available for salaries and expenses in
this Act for the Farm Service Agency shall remain available
through September 30, 2020, for information technology
expenses: Provided, That except as otherwise specifically
provided by law, unobligated balances from appropriations
made available for salaries and expenses in this Act for the
Rural Development mission area shall remain available through
September 30, 2020, for information technology expenses.
Sec. 710. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available by this Act may be used for first-class travel by
the employees of agencies funded by this Act in contravention
of sections 301-10.122 through 301-10.124 of title 41, Code
of Federal Regulations.
Sec. 711. In the case of each program established or
amended by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79),
other than by title I or subtitle A of title III of such Act,
or programs for which indefinite amounts were provided in
that Act, that is authorized or required to be carried out
using funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation--
(1) such funds shall be available for salaries and related
administrative expenses, including technical assistance,
associated with the implementation of the program, without
regard to the limitation on the total amount of allotments
and fund transfers contained in section 11 of the Commodity
Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714i); and
(2) the use of such funds for such purpose shall not be
considered to be a fund transfer or allotment for purposes of
applying the limitation on the total amount of allotments and
fund transfers contained in such section.
Sec. 712. Of the funds made available by this Act, not
more than $2,900,000 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. 713. None of the funds in this Act shall be available
to pay indirect costs charged against any agricultural
research, education, or extension grant awards issued by the
National Institute of Food and Agriculture that exceed 30
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 National Institute of Food and
Agriculture 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. 714. (a) None of the funds made available in this Act
may be used to maintain or establish a computer network
unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and
exchanging of pornography.
(b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall limit the use of funds
necessary for any Federal, State, tribal, or local law
enforcement agency or any other entity carrying out criminal
investigations, prosecution, or adjudication activities.
Sec. 715. Notwithstanding subsection (b) of section 14222
of Public Law 110-246 (7 U.S.C. 612c-6; in this section
referred to as ``section 14222''), 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 to carry out a program under section 32 of the Act
of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c; in this section referred
to as ``section 32'') in excess of $1,299,600,000 (exclusive
of carryover appropriations from prior fiscal years), as
follows: Child Nutrition Programs Entitlement Commodities--
$485,000,000; State Option Contracts-- $5,000,000; Removal of
Defective Commodities--$2,500,000; Administration of Section
32 Commodity Purchases--$35,853,000: Provided, That of the
total funds made available in the matter preceding this
proviso that remain unobligated on October 1, 2019, such
unobligated balances shall carryover into fiscal year 2020
and shall remain available until expended for any of the
purposes of section 32, except that any such carryover funds
used in accordance with clause (3) of section 32 may not
exceed $350,000,000 and may not be obligated until the
Secretary of Agriculture provides written notification of the
expenditures to the Committees on Appropriations of both
Houses of Congress at least two weeks in advance: Provided
further, That, with the exception of any available carryover
funds authorized in any prior appropriations Act to be used
for the purposes of clause (3) of section 32, none of the
funds appropriated or otherwise made available by
[[Page H385]]
this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries or
expenses of any employee of the Department of Agriculture to
carry out clause (3) of section 32.
Sec. 716. 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 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 2020 appropriations Act.
Sec. 717. (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 derived by the collection of fees
available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be
available for obligation or expenditure through a
reprogramming, transfer of funds, or reimbursements as
authorized by the Economy Act, or in the case of the
Department of Agriculture, through use of the authority
provided by section 702(b) of the Department of Agriculture
Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 2257) or section 8 of Public
Law 89-106 (7 U.S.C. 2263), that--
(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 Secretary of Agriculture, or the Secretary of
Health and Human Services (as the case may be) notifies in
writing and receives approval from the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days in
advance of the reprogramming of such funds or the use of such
authority.
(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 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 or use of the authorities
referred to in subsection (a) involving funds in excess of
$500,000 or 10 percent, whichever 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 Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of
Health and Human Services (as the case may be) notifies in
writing and receives approval from the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days in
advance of the reprogramming or transfer of such funds or the
use of such authority.
(c) The Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of Health
and Human Services shall notify in writing and receive
approval from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses
of Congress before implementing any 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.
(d) 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 derived by the collection of fees available to the
agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for--
(1) modifying major capital investments funding levels,
including information technology systems, that involves
increasing or decreasing funds in the current fiscal year for
the individual investment in excess of $500,000 or 10 percent
of the total cost, whichever is less;
(2) realigning or reorganizing new, current, or vacant
positions or agency activities or functions to establish a
center, office, branch, or similar entity with five or more
personnel; or
(3) carrying out activities or functions that were not
described in the budget request; unless the agencies funded
by this Act notify, in writing, the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days in
advance of using the funds for these purposes.
(e) As described in this section, no funds may be used for
any activities unless the Secretary of Agriculture or the
Secretary of Health and Human Services receives from the
Committee on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress
written or electronic mail confirmation of receipt of the
notification as required in this section.
Sec. 718. Notwithstanding section 310B(g)(5) of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.
1932(g)(5)), the Secretary may assess a one-time fee for any
guaranteed business and industry loan in an amount that does
not exceed 3 percent of the guaranteed principal portion of
the loan.
Sec. 719. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available to the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug
Administration, or the Farm Credit Administration shall be
used to transmit or otherwise make available reports,
questions, or responses to questions that are a result of
information requested for the appropriations hearing process
to any non-Department of Agriculture, non-Department of
Health and Human Services, or non-Farm Credit Administration
employee.
Sec. 720. 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. 721. No employee of the Department of Agriculture may
be detailed or assigned from an agency or office funded by
this Act or any other Act to any other agency or office of
the Department for more than 60 days in a fiscal year 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.
Sec. 722. There is hereby appropriated $2,000,000 for a
pilot program to provide competitive grants to State
departments of agriculture, State cooperative extension
services, and nonprofit organizations to carry out programs
to address farmer stress and suicide.
Sec. 723. Not later than 30 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, the
Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and the
Chairman of the Farm Credit Administration shall submit to
the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a
detailed spending plan by program, project, and activity for
all the funds made available under this Act including
appropriated user fees, as defined in Senate Report 115-259.
Sec. 724. Of the unobligated balances from amounts made
available for the supplemental nutrition program as
authorized by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966
(42 U.S.C. 1786), $501,000,000 are hereby rescinded.
Sec. 725. The Secretary shall continue an intermediary
loan packaging program based on the pilot program in effect
for fiscal year 2013 for packaging and reviewing section 502
single family direct loans. The Secretary shall continue
agreements with current intermediary organizations and with
additional qualified intermediary organizations. The
Secretary shall work with these organizations to increase
effectiveness of the section 502 single family direct loan
program in rural communities and shall set aside and make
available from the national reserve section 502 loans an
amount necessary to support the work of such intermediaries
and provide a priority for review of such loans.
Sec. 726. For loans and loan guarantees that do not
require budget authority and the program level has been
established in this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture may
increase the program level for such loans and loan guarantees
by not more than 25 percent: Provided, That prior to the
Secretary implementing such an increase, the Secretary
notifies, in writing, the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress at least 15 days in advance.
Sec. 727. None of the credit card refunds or rebates
transferred to the Working Capital Fund pursuant to section
729 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002
(7 U.S.C. 2235a; Public Law 107-76) shall be available for
obligation without written notification to, and the prior
approval of, the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses
of Congress: Provided, That the refunds or rebates so
transferred shall be available for obligation only for the
acquisition of plant and capital equipment necessary for the
delivery of financial, administrative, and information
technology services of primary benefit to the agencies of the
Department of Agriculture.
Sec. 728. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used to implement, administer, or enforce the ``variety''
requirements of the final rule entitled ``Enhancing Retailer
Standards in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP)'' published by the Department of Agriculture in the
Federal Register on December 15, 2016 (81 Fed. Reg. 90675)
until the Secretary of Agriculture amends the definition of
the term ``variety'' as de fined in section
278.1(b)(1)(ii)(C) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations,
and ``variety'' as applied in the definition of the term
``staple food'' as defined in section 271.2 of title 7, Code
of Federal Regulations, to increase the number of items that
qualify as acceptable varieties in each staple food category
so that the total number of such items in each staple food
category exceeds the number of such items in each staple food
category included in the final rule as published on December
15, 2016:
[[Page H386]]
Provided, That until the Secretary promulgates such
regulatory amendments, the Secretary shall apply the
requirements regarding acceptable varieties and breadth of
stock to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program retailers
that were in effect on the day before the date of the
enactment of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-
79).
Sec. 729. None of the funds made available by this Act or
any other Act may be used--
(1) in contravention of section 7606 of the Agricultural
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 5940); or
(2) to prohibit the transportation, processing, sale, or
use of industrial hemp, or seeds of such plant, that is grown
or cultivated in accordance with subsection section 7606 of
the Agricultural Act of 2014, within or outside the State in
which the industrial hemp is grown or cultivated.
Sec. 730. Funds provided by this or any prior
Appropriations Act for the Agriculture and Food Research
Initiative under 7 U.S.C. 450i(b) shall be made available
without regard to section 7128 of the Agricultural Act of
2014 (7 U.S.C. 3371 note), under the matching requirements in
laws in effect on the date before the date of enactment of
such section: Provided, That the requirements of 7 U.S.C.
450i(b)(9) shall continue to apply.
Sec. 731. In carrying out subsection (h) of section 502 of
the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472), the Secretary of
Agriculture shall have the same authority with respect to
loans guaranteed under such section and eligible lenders for
such loans as the Secretary has under subsections (h) and (j)
of section 538 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1490p-2) with respect
to loans guaranteed under such section 538 and eligible
lenders for such loans.
Sec. 732. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used to propose, promulgate, or implement any rule, or
take any other action with respect to, allowing or requiring
information intended for a prescribing health care
professional, in the case of a drug or biological product
subject to section 503(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 353(b)(1)), to be distributed to such
professional electronically (in lieu of in paper form) unless
and until a Federal law is enacted to allow or require such
distribution.
Sec. 733. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used to notify a sponsor or otherwise acknowledge receipt
of a submission for an exemption for investigational use of a
drug or biological product under section 505(i) of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355(i)) or
section 351(a)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
262(a)(3)) in research in which a human embryo is
intentionally created or modified to include a heritable
genetic modification. Any such submission shall be deemed to
have not been received by the Secretary, and the exemption
may not go into effect.
Sec. 734. None of the funds made available by this or any
other Act may be used to carry out the final rule promulgated
by the Food and Drug Administration and put into effect
November 16, 2015, in regards to the hazard analysis and
risk-based preventive control requirements of the current
good manufacturing practice, hazard analysis, and risk-based
preventive controls for food for animals rule with respect to
the regulation of the production, distribution, sale, or
receipt of dried spent grain byproducts of the alcoholic
beverage production process.
Sec. 735. There is hereby appropriated $1,996,000 to carry
out section 1621 of Public Law 110-246.
Sec. 736. No partially hydrogenated oils as defined in the
order published by the Food and Drug Administration in the
Federal Register on June 17, 2015 (80 Fed. Reg. 34650 et
seq.) shall be deemed unsafe within the meaning of section
409(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C.
348(a)) and no food that is introduced or delivered for
introduction into interstate commerce that bears or contains
a partially hydrogenated oil shall be deemed adulterated
under sections 402(a)(1) or 402(a)(2)(C)(i) of this Act by
virtue of bearing or containing a partially hydrogenated oil
until the compliance date as specified in such order (June
18, 2018).
Sec. 737. There is hereby appropriated $10,000,000, to
remain available until expended, to carry out section 6407 of
the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C.
8107a): Provided, That the Secretary may allow eligible
entities to offer loans to customers in any part of their
service territory and to offer loans to replace a
manufactured housing unit with another manufactured housing
unit, if replacement would be more cost effective in saving
energy.
Sec. 738. For fiscal years 2019 through 2025, the
Administrators of the Agricultural Research Service and the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service may make not to
exceed 50 appointments in any fiscal year for employees of
such agencies at the National Bio- and Agro-defense Facility
(NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas: Provided, That such
appointments may be made in the manner provided by 7 U.S.C.
7657(b)(4)(A)(i-v): Provided further, That such appointments
may be made at a rate of basic pay that exceeds the rate
payable for such positions under the General Schedule or the
Executive Schedule, or other applicable schedule, as
appropriate.
Sec. 739. There is hereby appropriated $1,000,000 for the
Secretary to carry out a pilot program that provides forestry
inventory analysis, forest management and economic outcomes
modelling for certain currently enrolled Conservation Reserve
Program participants. The Secretary shall allow the Commodity
Credit Corporation to enter into agreements with and provide
grants to qualified non-profit organizations dedicated to
conservation, forestry and wildlife habitats, that also have
experience in conducting accurate forest inventory analysis
through the use of advanced, cost-effective technology. The
Secretary shall focus the analysis on lands enrolled for at
least eight years and located in areas with a substantial
concentration of acres enrolled under conservation practices
devoted to multiple bottomland hardwood tree species
including CP03, CP03A, CP11, CP22, CP31 and CP40.
Sec. 740. During fiscal year 2019, the Food and Drug
Administration shall not allow the introduction or delivery
for introduction into interstate commerce of any food that
contains genetically engineered salmon until the FDA
publishes final labeling guidelines for informing consumers
of such content.
Sec. 741. In addition to amounts otherwise made available
by this Act and notwithstanding the last sentence of 16
U.S.C. 1310, there is appropriated $4,000,000, to remain
available until expended, to implement non-renewable
agreements on eligible lands, including flooded agricultural
lands, as determined by the Secretary, under the Water Bank
Act (16 U.S.C. 1301-1311).
Sec. 742. (a)(1) No Federal funds made available for this
fiscal year for the rural water, waste water, waste disposal,
and solid waste management programs authorized by sections
306, 306A, 306C, 306D, 306E, and 310B of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926 et seq.) shall
be used for a project for the construction, alteration,
maintenance, or repair of a public water or wastewater system
unless all of the iron and steel products used in the project
are produced in the United States.
(2) In this section, the term ``iron and steel products''
means the following products made primarily of iron or steel:
lined or unlined pipes and fittings, manhole covers and other
municipal castings, hydrants, tanks, flanges, pipe clamps and
restraints, valves, structural steel, reinforced precast
concrete, and construction materials.
(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply in any case or category
of cases in which the Secretary of Agriculture (in this
section referred to as the ``Secretary'') or the designee of
the Secretary finds that--
(1) applying subsection (a) would be inconsistent with the
public interest;
(2) iron and steel products are not produced in the United
States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or
of a satisfactory quality; or
(3) inclusion of iron and steel products produced in the
United States will increase the cost of the overall project
by more than 25 percent.
(c) If the Secretary or the designee receives a request for
a waiver under this section, the Secretary or the designee
shall make available to the public on an informal basis a
copy of the request and information available to the
Secretary or the designee concerning the request, and shall
allow for informal public input on the request for at least
15 days prior to making a finding based on the request. The
Secretary or the designee shall make the request and
accompanying information available by electronic means,
including on the official public Internet Web site of the
Department.
(d) This section shall be applied in a manner consistent
with United States obligations under international
agreements.
(e) The Secretary may retain up to 0.25 percent of the
funds appropriated in this Act for ``Rural Utilities
Service--Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account'' for
carrying out the provisions described in subsection (a)(1)
for management and oversight of the requirements of this
section.
(f) Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to a
project for which the engineering plans and specifications
include use of iron and steel products otherwise prohibited
by such subsection if the plans and specifications have
received required approvals from State agencies prior to the
date of enactment of this Act.
(g) For purposes of this section, the terms ``United
States'' and ``State'' shall include each of the several
States, the District of Columbia, and each federally
recognized Indian tribe.
Sec. 743. The Secretary shall set aside for Rural Economic
Area Partnership (REAP) Zones, until August 15, 2019, an
amount of funds made available in title III under the
headings of Rural Housing Insurance Fund Program Account,
Mutual and Self-Help Housing Grants, Rural Housing Assistance
Grants, Rural Community Facilities Program Account, Rural
Business Program Account, Rural Development Loan Fund Program
Account, and Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account,
equal to the amount obligated in REAP Zones with respect to
funds provided under such headings in the most recent fiscal
year any such funds were obligated under such headings for
REAP Zones.
Sec. 744. For the purposes of determining eligibility or
level of program assistance for Rural Development programs
the Secretary shall not include incarcerated prison
populations.
Sec. 745. There is hereby appropriated $1,000,000, to
remain available until expended, for a pilot program for the
Secretary to provide grants to qualified non-profit
organizations and public housing authorities to provide
technical assistance, including financial and legal services,
to RHS multi-family housing borrowers to facilitate the
[[Page H387]]
acquisition of RHS multi-family housing properties in areas
where the Secretary determines a risk of loss of affordable
housing, by non-profit housing organizations and public
housing authorities as authorized by law that commit to keep
such properties in the RHS multi-family housing program for a
period of time as determined by the Secretary.
Sec. 746. None of the funds appropriated by this Act may
be used in any way, directly or indirectly, to influence
congressional action on any legislation or appropriation
matters pending before Congress, other than to communicate to
Members of Congress as described in 18 U.S.C. 1913.
Sec. 747. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in
this section as the ``Secretary'') shall carry out a pilot
program during fiscal year 2019 with respect to the 2018 crop
year for county-level agriculture risk coverage payments
under section 1117(b)(1) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7
U.S.C. 9017(b)(1)), that provides all or some of the State
Farm Service Agency offices in each State the opportunity to
provide agricultural producers in the State a supplemental
payment described in subsection (c) based on the alternate
calculation method described in subsection (b) for 1 or more
counties in a State if the office for that State determines
that the alternate calculation method is necessary to ensure
that, to the maximum extent practicable, there are not
significant yield calculation disparities between comparable
counties in the State.
(b) The alternate calculation method referred to in
subsection (a) is a method of calculating the actual yield
for the 2018 crop year for county-level agriculture risk
coverage payments under section 1117(b)(1) of the
Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9017(b)(1)), under which--
(1) county data of the National Agricultural Statistics
Service (referred to in this section as ``NASS data'') is
used for the calculations;
(2) if there is insufficient NASS data for a county (as
determined under standards of the Secretary in effect as of
the date of enactment of this Act) or the available NASS data
produces a substantially disparate result, the calculation of
the county yield is determined using comparable contiguous
county NASS data as determined by the Farm Service Agency
office in the applicable State; and
(3) if there is insufficient NASS data for a comparable
contiguous county (as determined under standards of the
Secretary in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act),
the calculation of the county yield is determined using
reliable yield data from other sources, such as Risk
Management Agency data, National Agricultural Statistics
Service district data, National Agricultural Statistics
Service State yield data, or other data as determined by the
Farm Service Agency office in the applicable State.
(c)(1) A supplemental payment made under the pilot program
established under this section may be made to an agricultural
producer who is subject to the alternate calculation method
described in subsection (b) if that agricultural producer
would otherwise receive a county-level agriculture risk
coverage payment for the 2018 crop year in an amount that is
less than the payment that the agricultural producer would
receive under the alternate calculation method.
(2) The amount of a supplemental payment to an agricultural
producer under this section may not exceed the difference
between--
(A) the payment that the agricultural producer would have
received without the alternate calculation method described
in subsection (b); and
(B) the payment that the agricultural producer would
receive using the alternate calculation method.
(d)(1) There is appropriated to the Secretary, out of funds
of the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $5,000,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2020, to carry out the
pilot program described in this section.
(2) Of the funds appropriated, the Secretary shall use not
more than $5,000,000 to carry out the pilot program described
in this section.
(e)(1) To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary
shall select States to participate in the pilot program under
this section so the cost of the pilot program equals the
amount provided under subsection (d).
(2) To the extent that the cost of the pilot program
exceeds the amount made available, the Secretary shall reduce
all payments under the pilot program on a pro rata basis.
(f) Nothing in this section affects the calculation of
actual yield for purposes of county-level agriculture risk
coverage payments under section 1117(b)(1) of the
Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9017(b)(1)) other than
payments made in accordance with the pilot program under this
section.
(g) A calculation of actual yield made using the alternate
calculation method described in subsection (b) shall not be
used as a basis for any agriculture risk coverage payment
determinations under section 1117 of the Agricultural Act of
2014 (7 U.S.C. 9017) other than for purposes of the pilot
program under this section.
Sec. 748. The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary's
designees are hereby granted the same access to information
and subject to the same requirements applicable to the
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development as provided in
section 453 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653) and
section 6103(1)(7)(D)(ix) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 (26 U.S.C. 1603(1)(7)(D)(ix)) to verify the income for
individuals participating in sections 502, 504, 521, and 542
of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472, 1474, 1490a, and
1490r), notwithstanding section 453(l)(1) of the Social
Security Act.
Sec. 749. In addition to any other funds made available in
this Act or any other Act, there is appropriated $5,000,000
to carry out section 18(g)(8) of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769(g)), to remain
available until expended.
Sec. 750. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used by the Food and Drug Administration to develop,
issue, promote, or advance any regulations applicable to food
manufacturers for population-wide sodium reduction actions or
to develop, issue, promote or advance final guidance
applicable to food manufacturers for long term population-
wide sodium reduction actions until the date on which a
dietary reference intake report with respect to sodium is
completed.
Sec. 751. There is hereby appropriated $1,000,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2020, for the cost of
loans and grants that is consistent with section 4206 of the
Agricultural Act of 2014, for necessary expenses of the
Secretary to support projects that provide access to healthy
food in underserved areas, to create and preserve quality
jobs, and to revitalize low-income communities.
Sec. 752. For an additional amount for ``Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service--Salaries and Expenses'',
$7,500,000, to remain available until September 30, 2020, for
one-time control and management and associated activities
directly related to the multiple-agency response to citrus
greening.
Sec. 753. None of the funds made available by this or any
other Act may be used to enforce the final rule promulgated
by the Food and Drug Administration entitled ``Standards for
the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for
Human Consumption,'' and published on November 27, 2015, with
respect to the regulation of the production, distribution,
sale, or receipt of grape varietals that are grown, harvested
and used solely for wine and receive commercial processing
that adequately reduces the presence of microorganisms of
public health significance.
Sec. 754. There is hereby appropriated $20,000,000, to
remain available until expended, for an additional amount for
telemedicine and distance learning services in rural areas,
as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa et seq., to help address the
opioid epidemic in rural America.
Sec. 755. There is hereby appropriated $5,000,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2020, for a pilot
program for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to
provide grants to nonprofit organizations for programs and
services to establish and enhance farming and ranching
opportunities for military veterans.
Sec. 756. There is hereby appropriated $425,000,000, to
remain available until expended, for an additional amount for
Sec. 779 of Public Law 115-141.
Sec. 757. For an additional amount for the cost of direct
loans and grants made under the ``Rural Water and Waste
Disposal Program Account'', $400,000,000, to remain available
until expended.
Sec. 758. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used to pay the salaries or expenses of personnel--
(1) to inspect horses under section 3 of the Federal Meat
Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 603);
(2) to 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) to implement or enforce section 352.19 of title 9, Code
of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation).
Sec. 759. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used to revoke an exception made--
(1) pursuant to the final rule of the Department of
Agriculture entitled ``Exceptions to Geographic Areas for
Official Agencies Under the USGSA'' (68 Fed. Reg. 19137
(April 18, 2003)); and
(2) on a date before April 14, 2017.
Sec. 760. The Secretary of Agriculture shall provide to
any State or county impacted by a volcanic eruption covered
by a major disaster declared by the President in calendar
year 2018 in accordance with section 401 of the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 5170) technical assistance--
(1) to assess damage to agricultural production and rural
infrastructure; and
(2) to develop recovery plans for impacted farmers,
ranchers, and rural communities.
research on ocean agriculture
Sec. 761. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture, in
coordination with the Administrator of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, shall establish a working
group (referred to in this section as the ``working
group'')--
(1) to study how mangroves, kelp forests, tidal marshes,
and seagrass meadows could help deacidify the oceans;
(2) to study emerging ocean farming practices that use kelp
and seagrass to deacidify the oceans while providing
feedstock for agriculture and other commercial and industrial
inputs; and
(3) to coordinate and conduct research to develop and
enhance pilot-scale research for farming of kelp and seagrass
in order--
(A) to deacidify ocean environments;
(B) to produce a feedstock for agriculture; and
[[Page H388]]
(C) to develop other scalable commercial applications for
kelp, seagrass, or products derived from kelp or seagrass.
(b) The working group shall include--
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture;
(2) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration;
(3) representatives of any relevant offices within the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
(4) the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy.
(c) Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the working group shall submit to Congress a report
that includes--
(1) the findings of the research described in subsection
(a);
(2) the results of the pilot-scale research described in
subsection (a)(3); and
(3) any policy recommendations based on those findings and
results.
Sec. 762. Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall
submit to Congress a report describing the ways in which
conservation programs administered by the Natural Resources
Conservation Service may be better used for the conservation
of ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) and any action taken by the
Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service relating
to the conservation of ocelots.
Sec. 763. Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Rural Housing Service of the
Department of Agriculture shall submit to Congress a report
including--
(1) a description of--
(A) the number of properties assisted under title V of the
Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.) that are
reaching the end of their loan term;
(B) the location of each property described in subparagraph
(A);
(C) the number of units in each property described in
subparagraph (A); and
(D) the date on which each the loan for each property
described in subparagraph (A) is expected to reach maturity;
(2) the strategy of the Rural Housing Service to preserve
the long-term affordability of the properties described in
paragraph (1)(A) when the loan matures; and
(3) a description of the resources and tools that the Rural
Housing Service needs from Congress in order to preserve the
long-term affordability of the properties described in
paragraph (1) (A).
Sec. 764. Out of amounts appropriated to the Food and Drug
Administration under title VI, the Secretary of Health and
Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and
Drugs, shall, not later than July 1, 2019, and following the
review required under Executive Order 12866 (5 U.S.C. 601
note; relating to regulatory planning and review), issue
advice revising the advice provided in the notice of
availability entitled ``Advice About Eating Fish, From the
Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug
Administration; Revised Fish Advice; Availability'' (82 Fed.
Reg. 6571 (January 19, 2017)), in a manner that is consistent
with nutrition science recognized by the Food and Drug
Administration on the net effects of seafood consumption.
Sec. 765. In administering the pilot program established
by section 779 of division A of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141), the Secretary
of Agriculture shall--
(1) ensure that applicants that are determined to be
ineligible for the pilot program have a means of appealing or
otherwise challenging that determination in a timely fashion;
and
(2) in determining whether an entity may overbuild or
duplicate broadband expansion efforts made by any entity that
has received a broadband loan from the Rural Utilities
Service, not consider loans that were rescinded or defaulted
on, or loans the terms and conditions of which were not met,
if the entity under consideration has not previously
defaulted on, or failed to meet the terms and conditions of,
a Rural Utilities Service loan or had a Rural Utilities
Service loan rescinded.
1890 land-grant colleges, including tuskegee university
Sec. 767. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Act, the amounts made available by this Act to carry out
sections 1444 and 1445, respectively, of the National
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of
1977 (7 U.S.C. 3221, 3222) shall each be increased by
$3,000,000.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the
amount made available under the heading ``(including
transfers of funds)'' under the heading ``Agriculture
Buildings and Facilities'' under the heading ``AGRICULTURAL
PROGRAMS'' in title I shall be decreased by $6,000,000.
Sec. 768. None of the funds made available by this Act
shall be used to enforce the requirement in the final rule
entitled ``Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and
Supplement Facts Labels'', published in the Federal Register
on May 27, 2016 (81 Fed. Reg. 33742), that any single
ingredient sugar, honey, agave, or syrup (including maple
syrup) that is packaged and offered for sale as a single
ingredient food bear the declaration ``Includes `X'g Added
Sugars''.
Sec. 769. The explanatory statement regarding division C
of H.R. 21, printed in the Congressional Record on January 3,
2019, and submitted by the Chair of the Committee on
Appropriations, shall have the same effect with respect to
allocation of funds and implementation of this Act as if it
were a joint explanatory statement of a committee of
conference.
Sec. 770. (a) Employees furloughed as a result of any lapse
in appropriations beginning on or about December 22, 2018 and
ending on the date of enactment of this Act shall be
compensated at their standard rate of compensation, for the
period of such lapse in appropriations, as soon as
practicable after such lapse in appropriations ends.
(b) For purposes of this section, ``employees'' means any
Federal employees whose salaries and expenses are provided in
this Act.
(c) All obligations incurred in anticipation of the
appropriations made and authority granted by this Act for the
purposes of maintaining the essential level of activity to
protect life and property and bringing about orderly
termination of Government functions, and for purposes as
otherwise authorized by law, are hereby ratified and approved
if otherwise in accord with the provisions of this Act.
Sec. 771. (a) If a State (or another Federal grantee) used
State funds (or the grantee's non-Federal funds) to continue
carrying out a Federal program or furloughed State employees
(or the grantee's employees) whose compensation is advanced
or reimbursed in whole or in part by the Federal Government--
(1) such furloughed employees shall be compensated at their
standard rate of compensation for such period;
(2) the State (or such other grantee) shall be reimbursed
for expenses that would have been paid by the Federal
Government during such period had appropriations been
available, including the cost of compensating such furloughed
employees, together with interest thereon calculated under
section 6503(d) of title 31, United States Code; and
(3) the State (or such other grantee) may use funds
available to the State (or the grantee) under such Federal
program to reimburse such State (or the grantee), together
with interest thereon calculated under section 6503(d) of
title 31, United States Code.
(b) For purposes of this section, the term ``State'' and
the term ``grantee,'' including United States territories and
possessions, shall have the meaning given such terms under
the applicable Federal program under subsection (a). In
addition, ``to continue carrying out a Federal program''
means the continued performance by a State or other Federal
grantee, during the period of a lapse in appropriations, of a
Federal program that the State or such other grantee had been
carrying out prior to the period of the lapse in
appropriations.
(c) The authority under this section applies with respect
to any period in fiscal year 2019 (not limited to periods
beginning or ending after the date of the enactment of this
Act) during which there occurs a lapse in appropriations with
respect to any department or agency of the Federal Government
receiving funding in this Act which, but for such lapse in
appropriations, would have paid, or made reimbursement
relating to, any of the expenses referred to in this section
with respect to the program involved. Payments and
reimbursements under this authority shall be made only to the
extent and in amounts provided in advance in appropriations
Acts.
This Act may be cited as the ``Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill shall be debatable for 1 hour,
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member
of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees.
The gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) and the gentleman from
Alabama (Mr. Aderholt) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
General Leave
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and to include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Georgia?
There was no objection.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Madam Speaker, today marks the 20th day of the partial government
shutdown. Each day pushes many of our government's vital services to
the breaking point, further jeopardizing the 800,000 Federal employees
who are furloughed and the countless other Americans feeling the
shutdown's impact.
The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act is a critically important piece of
legislation for our Nation. From the food we eat to the medications we
depend on, this bill touches the lives of every American.
[[Page H389]]
It must be passed now, and the furloughed employees at these vital
Federal agencies, our farmers, our agribusinesses, and the other
Americans who are depending on their livelihoods must be brought back
to work.
Because of the shutdown, USDA has stopped making loans and grants for
rural development programs such as housing, water and wastewater
facilities, and community facilities. New grants to our universities
for agriculture research can't be made.
Across the Nation, Farm Service Agency county offices have been
closed since December 28. Farmers applying for relief from retaliatory
tariffs are in limbo, waiting for the shutdown to end. Nearly 33,000
USDA employees who are funded by this bill are currently furloughed.
At the Food and Drug Administration, more than 10,000 employees are
working without pay, while another 7,000 have been furloughed, which is
impacting everything from user fee collections to the reduction of food
safety inspections, jeopardizing the food we eat. According to USDA,
nearly 9,000 people are working without pay to inspect our meat,
poultry, and egg products.
This bill would fund the Food Safety and Inspection Service at over
$1 billion and restore our safety.
I will be the first person to admit that this bill is not perfect,
but no bill ever is. However, this is about opening the government and
putting it back to work for the American people.
This bill has passed the Senate by a vote of 92-6. There is no reason
why we should not pass this bill since it has already been adopted by
the leadership of the Senate and the Members of the Senate
overwhelmingly, so that we can put American workers back on the job.
Specifically, this legislation provides over $23 billion in
discretionary funding for USDA and FDA. That is $225 million above the
2018 enacted level.
It provides $2.73 billion for agriculture research conducted by the
Agricultural Research Service and NIFA, an increase of $114 million
from fiscal year 2018. These increases will help to ensure American
agriculture remains competitive with other nations.
The Farm Service Agency, whose county offices were shuttered on
December 28, is funded at $1.6 billion. In my district, all the county
offices are now closed. These offices are the primary line of
communication for our farmers and our ranchers, providing critical
data, processing loans, and answering questions. Without this
assistance and information, they are left in the dark when it comes to
planning for next year's harvest.
Peanut sellers and cotton growers, who suffered from Hurricane
Michael recently, are at a loss. They have product that is stored in
warehouses that they need to sell in order to get income, but they
can't get those sales accomplished without an okay from the Farm
Service Agency. Those offices are closed. Nobody is there.
This legislation also makes significant investments in rural
development by providing $3.8 billion. It takes a balanced approach
with investments in water and wastewater facilities, broadband,
housing, and rural businesses.
Again, right now, as a result of the shutdown, loans and grants that
help small towns and rural communities all across the country are not
being made.
This legislation rejects the President's proposed elimination of the
Food for Peace program and instead funds it at $1.716 billion, which is
$216 million above the House bill. The McGovern-Dole program, which was
also proposed for elimination by the President, is funded at $210
million, slightly above the House level. I might note that the House
funded both of these, contrary to the President's wishes.
Finally, this legislation funds the Food and Drug Administration at
$2.97 billion, which is $159 million above the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level, a 6 percent increase.
I would also like to point out that this bill does better than the
House in addressing the opioid crisis that is hitting every single
district in the country.
It also provides more funding for food safety than the House bill.
After nearly 3 weeks of uncertainty, it looks like the nearly 40
million people who are receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program benefits will be able to keep their benefits at least through
February. However, the funds for SNAP beneficiaries, for a single
mother or a small shopkeeper, will run dry in March.
This bill, which provides $73.2 billion in mandatory funding for
SNAP, will end any doubt about this, and it will give these recipients
the peace of mind that they deserve.
Through a diverse urban-rural coalition, this legislation includes
our farmer safety net, our food and nutrition programs.
Families, farmers, ranchers, and producers go to work every morning;
so should their government.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the bill that is before us. I
not only oppose the bill that is before us, but I also have to oppose
the process by which the remaining fiscal year 2019 bills are being
dealt with by the new majority.
Anything but a full open rule on appropriations bills was absolutely
condemned by the Democrats for the past 8 years. However, the new
majority, as one of their first actions, has proposed a closed rule for
all four appropriations bills this week.
{time} 1245
I, along with my colleagues, am dismayed at the prospect of adopting
the Senate-passed Agriculture appropriations bill to represent the
House's position on funding and policy matters for our farmers,
ranchers, producers, consumers, and nearly all the citizens impacted by
the great work that has been done by USDA, FDA, and the CFTC.
The priorities of literally hundreds of Members were part of the
original FY19 Republican-led legislation.
Around 10 months ago, we began the process of developing a House bill
with House priorities. We drafted H.R. 5961 after holding five
oversight hearings, after receiving and reviewing nearly 6,000 bills
and report requests that were submitted by over 350 Members of
Congress, after we incorporated bipartisan House Member requests
covering House priorities from every corner of the Nation and from all
demographics, after we held a subcommittee markup with full
participation by the Agriculture Subcommittee members, and after we
held a full committee markup that lasted several hours and was an open
process by which all the members of the committee, Democrats and
Republicans, could offer amendments.
The House Members invested hundreds of hours to produce a spending
bill that is best for the needs and the priorities of the constituents
back home, whether they came from rural, whether they came from
suburban, or whether they come from urban communities.
Starting this past summer, we started the process of negotiating the
House and Senate bills and reports to arrive at a four-corner agreement
between the House and the Senate. The House and the Senate majority and
minority parties made tremendous progress in coming along with a
negotiated agreement.
After all of that time and effort that was invested in the process,
why would we throw it all away today?
I want to point out that over the course of the past 10 months and
during my 6 years that I have served as chairman of the Appropriations
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and
Related Agencies Subcommittee, it has been an honor to work beside my
friend and my colleague and now the incoming chairman, Mr. Bishop of
Georgia, as we develop the bills to meet the needs of our fellow
citizens.
But now we have an Agriculture appropriations bill in front of us
today which totals $23.1 billion and $101 million below the Senate-
passed Agriculture appropriations bill. And I will point out that the
$101 million represents a change to the Senate bill made by the House
majority to reduce funding for the Special Supplemental Feeding Program
for Women, Infants, and Children.
Let me provide this Chamber with a few of the examples where this
current bill fails to fund House Member priorities:
[[Page H390]]
Regarding public health, the House Republican bill included $3.1
billion for the Food and Drug Administration, while the new Democratic
proposal that is before us includes only $2.9 billion for the Food and
Drug Administration. The higher levels in the Republican bill are
critical to helping industry advance their medical product innovations
to the marketplace sooner, safer, and with greater efficiency. The
ultimate beneficiary is the American consumer or the patient.
Also, compared to the House Republican bill, the Democratic bill
fails to include two provisions that place limits on chicken imported
from China. The Republican bill includes an outright ban on Chinese
chicken in school meals, while the Democratic bill fails to include
this protection for our children.
Regarding rural broadband, in FY 2018, we established a pilot program
to expand broadband infrastructure to rural communities. One of the
greatest needs that I have heard when talking to my constituents in
rural Alabama--and I know this is the same from other Members whom I
have talked to across the Nation--this bill provides $125 million less
than what we provided in the House bill.
When it comes to agriculture research, our Republican bill included
nearly $30 million more for National Institute of Food and Agriculture
for research priorities of House Members who are not included in the
Democratic proposal.
When it comes to rural infrastructure, the Republican bill included
language to secure set-aside funds for persistent poverty counties in
rural areas. This provision is vital to rural communities across the
country that face challenges escaping poverty. This language is not
included in the Democratic bill, and so the new majority chose to
dismiss this protection for the rural poor.
These are just a few examples of why the new House majority's
adoption of a Senate-passed bill is not going in the right direction.
The other side wants to claim that these bills are bipartisan, but
they are clearly not bicameral, and they have no input from the 435
House Members.
Some of the great House appropriators of our time on both sides of
the aisle would probably be rolling over in their graves right now if
they knew of such a move to take up Senate spending bills without any
House input.
So I urge my fellow Members to stand up for the House priorities for
public health and for rural development and reject a strategy of
passing the Senate bills, which at the end of the day is not going to
bring us any closer to resolving the partial government shutdown.
To paraphrase the President's remarks two nights ago: In order for us
to resolve this funding dispute, we need to invest in border security
not because we hate the people on the outside of our borders, but
because we love the people within our borders. The only thing that is
immoral is for politicians to stand by and do nothing.
So I would encourage my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), who is the first female chair
of the United States House Committee on Appropriations.
Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, the Trump shutdown is now in its 20th day.
More than 800,000 Federal employees are going without pay, many while
they are still working and the American people are being denied vital
services.
Due to President Trump's shutdown over his demands for a wasteful
border wall, the Food and Drug Administration cannot conduct routine
inspections for food safety and has slowed evaluation of new drugs and
medical products.
USDA is no longer able to provide farmers and rural communities with
loans and grants to assist housing, utilities, or economic development.
And approximately 40 million Americans who depend on SNAP for food
assistance, including more than 3 million New Yorkers, have faced
unnecessary fear and uncertainty about whether they are weeks away from
going hungry.
House Democrats have passed bills to open the government, but the
President and Senate Republicans continue to obstruct instead of
working with us to get the people's business done.
In my judgment, the solution to this crisis is simple: Let's pass the
bills where we can agree, where there is bipartisan support, and let's
extend funding for Homeland Security for 30 days--1 month--to allow
time for negotiation on border security and immigration policy. This
seems to me, in my judgment, to be fair, to be thoughtful, and to be
the way for us to get together and open this government. I do hope that
my colleagues across the Capitol come to their senses and stop this
ridiculous Trump shutdown.
We can begin this bipartisan path by passing the bill before us. This
bill passed the Senate in September with a vote of 92-6. This bill
would open the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug
Administration and adequately fund these services through the end of
the fiscal year.
Sadly, to date, my Republican colleagues have followed the
President's blind lead all while jeopardizing these vital services upon
which American families and businesses rely.
Let's pass the bill today and put USDA and FDA back to work for the
American people.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Yoho), who serves on the authorizing committee, the
Agriculture Committee.
Mr. YOHO. Madam Speaker, the President has shown his willingness to
negotiate and has negotiated. The President has proposed various dollar
amounts he is willing to accept for border security, has said he is
ready to discuss DACA, and has listened to the other side's request for
materials other than concrete to be considered for a structure on our
southern border.
The crisis at the southern border should not be a partisan issue. It
is an American and immigrant crisis. The solution should be one that is
best for America and not a party; for if it is best for America, we all
benefit from that. Yet the Democrats continue to dig in their heels and
not budge. Republicans have shown time and again that they are willing
to talk.
The House should oppose this bill that will not bring our country any
closer to a border security solution or resolve the partial government
shutdown.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I am delighted to yield 2
minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), a member of
the Committee on Appropriations and chair of the Subcommittee on Labor,
Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and is the
former chair of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of Appropriations.
Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, the President is holding the country
hostage, putting hundreds of thousands of families at great risk.
The President has manufactured a crisis at the border that has no
basis in fact and has used the wall to incite fear. Vital agriculture
programs, which millions of families and farmers depend on, are at
risk.
At the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farm service loans are
stalled, family farmers need the capital to buy seed and equipment for
the approaching planting season. Rural development programs are at
risk.
Food stamps, food banks, and food programs are down to their last
dollars. School lunch programs and other nutrition programs are at
risk. Forty-seven million Americans could go hungry.
Let's take a look at the Food and Drug Administration, because our
food supply is at risk. When you go to the grocery store, you can't be
sure that the product you are buying is safe because almost all food
safety inspectors have been furloughed. The FDA remains understaffed
for food surveillance and food recall operations.
The Commissioner of the FDA, Scott Gottlieb, said routine food safety
inspections are not taking place. The FDA has stopped posting warning
letters. Routine inspections of food facilities are not taking place,
and FDA's work finalizing guidance and implementing rules related to
the Food Safety Modernization Act is in limbo.
Foodborne illness kills 3,000 Americans every year, and because of
the
[[Page H391]]
President's manufactured crisis, the safety of every American is in
question. We have a duty to our constituents and their safety. We
cannot stand by while this President holds the country hostage. Their
physical and their financial well-being is at stake.
Let's pass this bipartisan bill so that hungry families can eat,
consumers can be safe, and farmers can do their job.
{time} 1300
Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Mississippi (Mr. Palazzo), who serves on the Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Subcommittee. He has been a vital part of that
subcommittee.
Mr. PALAZZO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, there is a host of things wrong with bringing this
bill to the floor. By bringing forth the Senate version of this bill,
it completely ignores all of the work this subcommittee has done over
the past year. It ignores Members' priorities, and all of the testimony
that we received that served as the basis of the House version of the
Agriculture bill.
I will name a few examples of what this looks like. First, for the
Food and Drug Administration, Madam Speaker, the House bill included
$3.1 billion for the FDA. The Senate bill before us today includes $2.9
billion.
The additional $149 million in the original House bill supported a
number of medical product initiatives above the level in the Senate
bill, including initiatives like the promotion of domestic
manufacturing, the new domestic drug industry, and the new medical data
enterprise initiative.
Madam Speaker, the higher levels in the Republican bill are critical
to helping industry advance medical products to the marketplace sooner,
safer, and with greater efficiency. The ultimate beneficiary is the
American consumer or patient.
Lastly, an issue that is very important to my home State of
Mississippi and the Nation at large: rural broadband. The House
Republican bill made a major investment in a broadband pilot program
for rural America. We included $550 million to expand broadband
infrastructure for some of our country's most underserved communities.
The appropriation in this bill before us today falls short of meeting
this critical priority. Madam Speaker, ultimately bringing the Senate
version of this bill to the floor is just plain lazy, as it ignores the
will of this House and all of the hard work Members from both sides of
the aisle have put into this process.
Madam Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on the legislation.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Let me just say that, as we said before, this bill is not perfect,
but we should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Chief among
the funding in this bill is funding that is included to combat one of
the biggest public health risks today which is opioids. The bill
provides strong support for the FDA to combat this opioid epidemic.
In addition to funds provided last year, it provides $59 million to
continue the activities involved in inspecting, investigating, and
screening of opioids. As the agency that oversees these drugs, the FDA
has a vital responsibility, I agree, to make sure that the public
health impacts of opioid abuse is mitigated, but this funding is just
one part of a broad strategy to address opioids.
The committee strongly supports the FDA's role in intergovernmental
efforts to confront the crisis, but since we must move forward and open
the government, we urge adoption of this bill.
Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California
(Ms. Lee), a member of the Committee on Appropriations, co-chair of the
House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, and a long-time
advocate for the elimination of persistent poverty in America and
across the world.
Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, let me thank Chairman Bishop
for bringing forth this bill and for his tremendous leadership.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the fiscal 2019
Agriculture appropriations bill, which provides more than $23 billion
to partially reopen the government. This critical bill would ensure
that struggling families do not go hungry.
Madam Speaker, there are 38 million families who rely on SNAP food
stamps to help put food on the table. And while USDA has said they will
pay for SNAP and WIC in February, there is no guarantee for families in
March. Let's be clear. We are talking about 38 million Americans going
hungry.
Already, SNAP benefits are woefully insufficient to feed a family. No
one can make a meal off of $1.40 a meal, and now families may be left
with nothing.
Madam Speaker, contrary to what President Trump says, food banks and
charities cannot make up the difference. They are already struggling
with the volume of need in our communities throughout the country. This
is simply immoral.
I am reminded of a very difficult period when I was a young, single
mother raising two little boys and had to rely on food stamps to get my
family through some very difficult, tough times. It was a bridge over
troubled water. That lifeline should be there for all families all of
the time.
Our billionaire President may not know what it is like to choose
between putting food on the table or gas in the car, but I tell you, I
do.
And forcing the choice on families because of a manufactured showdown
is unconscionable. So let's pass the bill to reopen the government.
Let's get Federal employees back to work, and get them the paychecks
they need.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and
``yes'' to reopen the government. The American people deserve no less.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield such time as she
may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger), the new
ranking member of the Appropriations Committee.
Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 265.
Unfortunately, moving this bill across the House floor will not
resolve the partial government shutdown. As the President has said, he
will not sign this bill into law.
It is the job and responsibility of the Congress to appropriate
funds, who must come together to find a solution that will reopen the
government and fund border security. We need a compromise that
represents the will of both Chambers and the American people.
By considering the Senate-passed versions of the appropriations
bills, we are eliminating House Members' involvement in the process.
When it comes to investment in agriculture, rural development, and
public health programs that are important to Americans across the
country, H.R. 265 funds Senate priorities by shortchanging House
priorities.
For example, this bill provides less funding for food and drug safety
and public health. For the average American, this means decreased
access to medical products because there are less resources to bring
those products to market in a safe and efficient manner.
This bill also leaves behind funding to address persistent poverty in
rural areas. This is a vital resource as rural communities across the
country seek to break the cycle of poverty. We can and we must do
better.
Madam Speaker, Republicans stand ready and willing to negotiate with
our friends on the other side of the aisle on legislation that includes
priorities of both Houses, and both Chambers. This is how this
legislative body and our system of government are designed to work.
I want to thank my colleague from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt) for his
efforts today and over the last several months to ensure that the
House's voice is heard in this debate.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
It has been said many times that we shouldn't pass this bill which
has previously been adopted by the Senate because the President will
not sign it.
Well, I believe that we have three branches of government, and it is
our obligation as the legislative branch to pass the laws. If we do our
job, then we will let the President be held responsible for his failure
to do his. We must keep this government open for the American people.
[[Page H392]]
Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maine (Ms.
Pingree), a member of the Committee on Appropriations and a member of
the Subcommittee for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies.
Ms. PINGREE. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Bishop of Georgia, our future
chair, for yielding me the time. I rise in support of H.R. 265, the
fiscal year 2019 Agriculture appropriations bill.
There is no reason we cannot pass these individual appropriations
bills that have nothing to do with border security and have strong
bipartisan support.
The fiscal year 2019 Agriculture appropriations bill includes robust
funding for the USDA and the FDA, two Federal agencies that touch the
lives of every American.
President Trump's obsession with the wall should not jeopardize
Americans' access to important food, housing, and farm programs at USDA
and FDA.
The shutdown is having real impacts back in my home State of Maine:
for the farmer who would lose their family farm before refinancing of
their FSA mortgage can be approved; for the single parent trying to
make ends meet and not knowing whether their SNAP benefits will be
there next month; and for the couple who won't be able to close on
their dream home because they can't access a rural housing loan.
These are just a few examples of how disruptive this shutdown has
been in my district. Just last month we finalized the 2018 farm bill,
finally giving farmers and families certainty about these important
USDA programs. That certainty was ripped away from them because the
USDA can't start implementing the new farm bill until the shutdown
ends.
Additionally, recent reports that the FDA is no longer conducting
routine food safety inspections are alarming and totally unacceptable.
The fiscal year 2019 Agriculture appropriations bill will provide the
funding necessary for the USDA and FDA to once again fulfill their
regulatory duties and provide resources to Americans who are counting
on them.
Let's reopen our local USDA offices. Let's restart routine
inspections to ensure safety of our food system, and let's keep
nutrition assistance programs going to make sure hungry families have
food on their tables.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the fiscal year 2019
Agriculture appropriations bill and end the shutdown.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Mitchell), who serves on the
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and also the Armed
Services Committee.
Mr. MITCHELL. Madam Speaker, you may wonder why I am down here. It is
because agriculture is huge in Michigan's 10th Congressional District.
Earlier this week, I spoke with most of the agriculture leaders in my
district about these bills.
I would be supporting these bills under other conditions. It supports
farm safety net programs as have been described. It provides support
for rural development, including rural infrastructure and broadband
access, which is sorely needed in the 10th Congressional District of
Michigan.
It provides food and drug safety inspections for the FDA and USDA,
and nutrition assistance programs that my colleague discussed.
However, I cannot support these bills because it is being brought up
in bad faith. Let's be honest. It is a charade. It is not a serious
attempt to fund agriculture or any other programs in my district or
throughout this country. This vote is dead on arrival.
It is a messaging point by the Democrat majority. It is an attempt to
delay and distract from the real problem. The real problem is securing
our borders, a comprehensive package to secure our borders that the
President, the administration, has provided to the Democrat majority.
We have spent hours on the floor here talking about various bills to
fund the majority. Yet, somehow, rather than negotiate, the Democrat
majority will go to the White House and say nothing for the wall;
nothing for border security to put a barrier up. We will simply talk
about, nope, we are not going to do that. We want to put the squeeze on
the American people.
They are squeezing the people in multiple ways. People won't get
their paychecks tomorrow. I am sorry. Really, guys? Come on. We have
farmers that are struggling, waiting to get loans so that they can
plant. We are not securing our border.
We had a humanitarian crisis. Thirty percent of the women that are
arriving at the border--Doctors Without Borders data, not anybody
else's--have been sexually assaulted on the way to the border. This
proposal includes money to provide for applying for asylum in their
home countries. Why are we not doing this?
Why are we not addressing a comprehensive border security package and
passing all of these appropriations bills and moving on to other
priorities? We may disagree about those.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Michigan.
Mr. MITCHELL. Madam Speaker, we may disagree about what some of those
priorities are, but why are we spending 2 weeks rather than spend 2
hours negotiating an outcome and getting done with this problem? Let's
grow up. Let's be adults and solve the problems instead of bickering.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair reminds Members to address their
remarks to the Chair.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Madam Speaker, at this point I would just like to say that it is
unconscionable that we will hold the American people hostage in denying
them the services and the protections of their government, the much-
needed paychecks for the workers employed by these agencies, simply to
satisfy the ego of someone at the end of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey
(Mr. Pallone), who is the chairman of the authorizing Committee on
Energy and Commerce.
{time} 1315
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman of the subcommittee
for yielding me the time.
Madam Speaker, this bill is really important. It would provide
funding for our critical food, nutrition, and rural development
agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration.
What we are really asking is to keep the government open. There may
be disagreement about the wall and some aspects of border security, but
that shouldn't hold hostage these important spending bills that keep
the government going.
I wanted to talk about the FDA. The FDA is one of our most critical
public health agencies overseeing food, medical products, cosmetics,
and tobacco, products that account for 20 cents of every dollar spent
by U.S. consumers.
As a result of the Trump government shutdown, the FDA has had to
cease a number of important activities that keep our Nation's food and
drugs safe for all Americans.
For example, the FDA has stopped conducting nearly two-thirds of the
domestic food inspections that the agency typically conducts, putting
our Nation's food supply and food safety system at risk. This comes on
the heels of a multi-State national recall of romaine lettuce in
November and December. This stoppage should be alarming to all of us.
The FDA has halted routine inspections at food, drug, device, and
compounding facilities. It stopped accepting any new medical product
applications unless the application is within a small subset that did
not require a user fee. This includes applications for new generic
drugs that may bring further competition to the pharmaceutical market.
The FDA has ceased any activities related to over-the-counter
products.
It put on hold any enforcement activities related to medical products
or facilities that have been found to be in violation of the law.
What we are seeing are no inspections, no enforcement activities.
And, today, more than 6,000 FDA employees are furloughed, and another
1,000 are working without pay.
This Trump shutdown has had a dramatic effect on our economy, our
Federal employees, and the functioning of our government. Agency heads
are
[[Page H393]]
being forced to plan without knowledge of whether the shutdown will
last another day, another week, or another month. These are real lives
that are being impacted.
Madam Speaker, I urge the Senate majority leader and the President to
support this bill so we can restore funding to the FDA so that
consumers continue to have safe food and medical supplies.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
the State of Washington (Mr. Newhouse), who serves on the
Appropriations Committee.
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the ranking member
on the House Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Mr. Aderholt, for
yielding, as well as for his strong leadership on behalf of our
agricultural community.
Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the bill before us today.
Throughout last year, the House Appropriations Committee worked on a
bipartisan basis to find common ground for fiscal year 2019
appropriations bills, including the vitally important Agriculture
appropriations legislation.
Unfortunately, the bill before us today does not reflect those
bipartisan efforts. As I have been sharing with my constituents, the
bill before us has never had a hearing in this body, has never had a
markup in this body, and now has no opportunity for amendments to be
offered.
By taking up this bill, unfortunately, House Democrats are
effectively writing off the people's House and shirking our
responsibilities by deferring to the U.S. Senate. My constituents'
priorities--and I would submit those of constituents of my colleagues
across the aisle--deserve to be heard.
I offered two important amendments to the Agriculture appropriations
bill in the Rules Committee this week. Both amendments previously
passed unanimously in the Appropriations Committee and, rightfully,
should be in the bill before us.
The first was a bipartisan amendment I offered with my colleague,
Sanford Bishop, who was the then-ranking member of the Agriculture,
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Subcommittee. The amendment would have upheld the longstanding
prohibition of releasing proprietary SNAP sales data of food retailers.
Due to a decision last year in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals,
USDA will be required to release the SNAP redemption data of all retail
stores across the United States. The result will be irreparable harm to
competition in the food retail marketplace. My amendment sought to
prevent the closure of grocery stores in both rural and urban areas by
upholding this longstanding USDA practice.
The second bipartisan amendment passed unanimously in the
Appropriations Committee directed USDA to work with H-2A agency
partners to modernize, develop, and implement an online application
system for the H-2A program.
I constantly hear from farmers in central Washington about how
inefficient the H-2A program operates due to the continued use of
paper-only applications. Many farmers have had to deal with lost
applications and other logistical inefficiencies, making the H-2A
program inconsistent and all too often an unreliable program for
farmers.
This amendment supported the administration's regulatory task force
reform efforts to modernize that program with technological
advancements that would make the program more user-friendly. It
demonstrated an important step to providing relief for farmers facing a
broken bureaucratic maze when trying to access a reliable workforce.
Madam Speaker, these are just two of the many reasons that I am not
supporting the bill before us. But there are other issues that must be
pointed out, like the fact that the House bill made a major investment
in the new broadband pilot program for rural America by adding an
additional $550 million in infrastructure for the unserved and
underserved. This bill undercuts that by $125 million.
In regard to the important matter of food and drug safety, our House
bill included higher levels of funding for the FDA, which is critical
to helping industry advance their medical products to the marketplace
sooner, safer, and with greater efficiency.
The House bill included language to secure set-aside funds for
persistent poverty counties in rural areas. This provision was vital to
rural communities across the country that face challenges escaping
poverty. Unfortunately, that is not included in this bill.
Lastly, the House bill included nearly $30 million more for the
National Institute of Food and Agriculture for research that is vital
to our Nation's food security priorities. Again, that is not included
in this bill.
Madam Speaker, as a proud member of the Appropriations Committee, I
urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this legislation. The bipartisan
work conducted by House appropriators must be honored. We should not
abdicate our responsibility and the voices of our constituents to the
Senate.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume to just say that the gentleman from Washington makes some
salient points. I agree with the gentleman that the Freedom of
Information Act and the SNAP retail sales language is something that we
would love to have and should be in this legislation.
Also, I look forward to working with the gentleman to take care of
that as we move forward in the 116th Congress, as well as our work on
the H-2A program, which is in bad need of repair. And persistent
poverty, the 10-20-30 program, we are happy that the gentleman is
supportive and that the committee has been supportive. We look forward
to making sure that that is implemented fully as we move forward.
But, right now, we have to open the government. We cannot afford to
let this government remain closed to continue to hurt the American
people.
Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
Scott), who is my classmate and the chair of the Committee on Education
and Labor.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Bishop for his
distinguished leadership, and I thank the gentleman for the opportunity
to mention several of the issues relevant to the jurisdiction of the
Education and Labor Committee.
Madam Speaker, this legislation funds critical nutrition assistance
programs that serve children and families. Nutrition programs are among
the most important and cost-effective investments in the Federal
budget.
Study after study demonstrates that freedom from hunger is the
foundation that children and families need to lift themselves out of
poverty. Beyond the tragedy of any child going to school on an empty
stomach, we cannot expect hungry children to reach their full potential
at school or to grow up into healthy adults unless they have proper
nutrition.
This reckless shutdown has left our constituents with uncertainty and
anxiety about their access to programs they rely on, such as WIC, SNAP,
or school meals. Now, while these programs are still available and USDA
is temporarily paying benefits, it is imperative that we secure funding
for these vital programs to ensure that children and families are not
left behind.
This should not be a controversial bill. But the shutdown has created
a crisis, so we are not going to go back and forth over the details. We
are going to pass a bill.
The Republican Senate passed this exact language with overwhelming
support last year, and we have to pass something. Some have said we
shouldn't pass this bill, but they have not said we should pass
anything. We have to pass a bill to reopen the government.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Costa), who is a member of the
authorizing House Committee on Agriculture. He represents an area in
California that is called the salad bowl of our country.
Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, this legislation, along with the other bills that we
have been voting on, is about doing our job.
[[Page H394]]
It is about reopening government. It is about reestablishing Congress
as a coequal branch of government.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bipartisan funding bill for
the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.
The day before the government shutdown began, the President signed
into law the 2018 farm bill, after much debate and work. As a member of
the conference committee, we negotiated the farm bill in good faith.
Therefore, it has been incredibly disappointing to see the shutdown
prevent key pieces of the legislation from taking effect. Examples of
the impacts in my district are the following.
One such program allows a company in my district to deliver fresh
California produce to our local school districts to improve the quality
of food for the children. This contractor now is not allowed to be
paid.
They are among many of the subcontractors who do business with
governmental entities. Because of the shutdown, the USDA cannot pay
them to provide services, putting in jeopardy the future of their
businesses and people who work for them, and the delivery, in this
case, of healthy fruits and vegetables to our local schools.
Additionally, if the shutdown lingers into March, it is uncertain how
millions of Americans, including one-quarter of my constituents, will
receive SNAP benefits. These are young people; these are elderly; and
these are part of the working poor. The future funding for the Women,
Infants and Children's Nutrition Program is also at risk.
Without passing the bill before us today, valley dairymen and almond
farmers in my district, and many other producers across the Nation,
will not be able to sign up for retaliatory tariff relief payments, and
the impacts of these tariff wars have been significant throughout the
country.
In addition, farmers cannot sign up for newly revamped conservation
programs that I helped pass in the farm bill. These programs are vital
for California agriculture, where farmers work through drought years
and continue their responsible stewardship of the land.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman from
California an additional 20 seconds.
Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, farmers cannot sign up for new crop
insurance as well to help them manage risks as we approach the planting
season, and farming is a risky business.
What is more, food safety is put at risk while food inspectors are
forced to work without pay.
Madam Speaker, it is time to pass this bill so that the USDA and the
FDA can go back to work for Americans. We should do our job. It is
irresponsible to shut down government and leverage American citizens in
this fashion.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time
remains.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Georgia has 5\1/4\
minutes remaining. The gentleman from Alabama has 10\1/2\ minutes
remaining.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee), who is a member of the House
Committee on Ways and Means and who is also the chief deputy whip.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding and for
his leadership in bringing this legislation, which I support, to the
floor, legislation that would fund the Department of Agriculture for
the rest of the year.
This bill would end part of the shutdown that this President has
orchestrated and fund the Department of Agriculture, which helps people
from going hungry and supports our farmers.
{time} 1330
With the shutdown of the Department of Agriculture, we are not
implementing the farm bill that we passed here, which means we are not
helping increase access to fruits and vegetables through programs like
the Double Up Food Bucks program in Michigan. We are not helping
struggling farmers sign up for crop insurance, our best risk mitigation
tool. The agriculture industry is already being hurt by President
Trump's poor trade practices. This is just another attack on them.
Also, programs cannot proceed to address drinking water needs in our
rural communities. We have places like Oscoda in my home district
experiencing a drinking water emergency from PFAS. They have relied on
the Department of Agriculture for help. That help won't be available.
By passing this bill, we put thousands of Michigan workers back to
work. We ensure families who rely on food nutrition assistance will get
the help they need. Right now, they are only guaranteed that help
through the end of February.
Additionally, there are contractors who are essentially doing much of
the same work as government employees but are not getting paid and will
not see a paycheck when all of this is over.
During this Trump shutdown, these hardworking employees don't know
where their next paycheck is coming from. They can't turn to their
parents like some can when they run out of money to pay their bills.
They need help for healthcare. They need help to pay for childcare.
They need to be able to cover their housing costs. They need to be able
to buy food for their families. They can't plan for their own future
when they don't know what they are going to be able to do next week.
President Trump is using these families and farmers who work or
depend on the Department of Agriculture as pawns in a political game.
We may have disagreements, but we should never, ever shut the
government down in order to achieve something that the President and
his party are unwilling to submit to the legislative process.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
As I noted earlier, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee
received over 350 Members who came before our subcommittee and
submitted requests. Many of those requests included support for animal
disease and for plant pests destroying agriculture products. Let me
just give an example of some that we heard.
The House bill included $15 million to fight the pest from China
called the spotted lanternfly. This pest is destroying fruits,
vegetables, and ornamentals in the mid-Atlantic States.
The House bill included $5 million more for the oriental fruit fly
that ravaged south Florida.
The House bill and also the House report included higher amounts for
the citrus greening disease killing the orange groves across Florida.
I can give numerous examples of other House priorities and directives
included in the House bill and report by the majority that have been
dismissed by the Senate bill. Like I said, these are just some examples
that our Members have requested. It has been important to their
districts. They thought it was very important for agriculture in their
regions.
Again, by us adopting the bill today, we would be doing this for
nothing.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the chair-designate
of Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge Congress to pass this bill, which
would fund agricultural and nutrition programs that are vital to our
Nation's farmers and well-being. I also rise to ask that my colleagues
refrain from turning millions of hardworking SNAP recipients into pawns
in a shutdown fight over a feckless border wall.
While the President continues to insist on shutting down key agencies
like the USDA, our Nation's farmers are facing uncertainty. Every
month, USDA releases the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates
report, which provides important information about the size of crop
harvests. However, due to the shutdown, the USDA is unable to send out
this highly anticipated report, casting doubt on the agricultural
commodities markets.
Even worse, the shutdown has forced USDA to stop providing assistance
to
[[Page H395]]
the thousands of farmers feeling intense pressure from President
Trump's ridiculous trade war. Agriculture is the number two economic
driver of Florida's economy.
This shutdown could also potentially affect our public health. The
FDA cannot accept any new regulatory submissions during the shutdown.
This means that food and drug manufacturers can't provide documentation
to the agency to verify compliance with safety regulations.
The FDA has also been forced to cut back inspections of food
processing facilities, putting public health at risk. Essential
inspectors are working without pay. The FDA sets targets for
inspections, and the shutdown will prevent the agency from meeting
those targets.
Finally, we must pass this bill to avoid potentially disastrous
effects on Americans suffering from food insecurity. SNAP, also known
as food stamps, is a crucial program that helps these Americans put
food on the table, but SNAP is estimated to have only enough funding to
last until February. After that, Federal law requires USDA to ration
any available funding among SNAP recipients.
If President Trump continues to refuse to reopen the government,
almost 3.7 million people in Florida may lose the assistance that helps
feed their families. That would be a shameful situation for the
wealthiest nation on Earth.
The longer the shutdown goes on, the bigger the impact will be on our
Nation's food safety and health. I urge my colleagues to vote for this
bill because people's livelihoods and well-being are on the line.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart), who is another member of the Appropriations
Committee. He, of course, chaired the Transportation, Housing and Urban
Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee in the 115th Congress.
Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, here is the sad truth which, by the
way, everybody knows, unfortunately: This bill, if passed, will not
reopen the Federal Government.
By the way, how do I know that? Because this bill already passed last
week. It is sitting in the Senate. It has not reopened the Federal
Government. This is another false attempt to fool the American people.
Some of the great Appropriations members of our time would be rolling
in their graves right now if they knew that the House is taking up a
Senate bill with zero input and zero amendments from any Member of the
House--not one Member of the House. So, obviously, we should reject
this flawed strategy.
But I want to thank the ranking member, Mr. Aderholt, for speaking
about some of the specifics. I want to just talk about a couple of
specifics in this bill where it falls, frankly, very, very, very, very
short. Let me talk about a couple issues that are very important to
Florida.
Citrus is a key, critical industry for Florida. This bill does not
adequately fund citrus greening research. It falls seriously short on
funding something that is so important for the survival of our farmers
and the industry in Florida.
Also, Mr. Speaker, it falls short on combating the oriental fruit
fly, another critical issue for our farmers in Florida.
We have to recall that Florida is still recovering from the
devastation caused by recent hurricanes. This bill falls short in
helping the farmers in the State of Florida.
But as I said at the beginning, Mr. Speaker, if that wasn't enough,
this is all a charade.
By the way, do you know what the sad part is, Mr. Speaker? I am going
to be proven right.
Last week, a lot of us said that about those bills that our friends
on the other side of the aisle said were going to reopen the
government. Do you know who was proven right and who was proven wrong?
We are going to be proven right again.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Jeffries). The time of the gentleman has
expired.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Florida an
additional 30 seconds.
Mr. DIAZ-BALART. This is a sham. I would ask, respectfully, to defeat
this bill, which is a charade, a sham, and will not open the Federal
Government. Everybody knows that. Everybody knows that it will not
reopen the Federal Government. It doesn't have any input from the House
and falls shorts for Florida farmers and other farmers around the
country.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to say, as it has already been said by many
of my colleagues here on the Republican side, that this bill serves
only to give a false impression that the new majority is trying to
resolve our funding differences.
The American people want and need both enhanced border security and
funding of remaining government agencies that are operating on limited
staff currently, as we speak. This bill is really an affront to the
House of Representatives and to the citizens who elected them to serve
them because, as has been said over and over this afternoon, there has
been no input from any of the 435 House Members into this legislation.
Therefore, in closing, Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to
vote ``no'' on this legislation that is before us this afternoon, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta), as I prepare to
close and urge my colleagues to open the Department of Agriculture, the
Food and Drug Administration, and all the agencies. He is a member of
the House Committee on Agriculture and Committee on Ways and Means. He
also represents the salad bowl of this country.
Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, today, we, unfortunately, are enduring our
government's second longest government shutdown since 1981.
I realize that some call it a partial government shutdown, but let me
tell you, there is nothing partial about the lost wages that our
Federal workers are encountering, there is nothing partial about the
lost income that our small business owners are enduring, and there is
nothing partial about the lost services that my farmers in the salad
bowl of the world will experience during this shutdown.
That is why it has fallen on all of us in this Congress to make whole
the victims of the shutdown. And it starts today by passing this
Agriculture Appropriations act.
As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I was proud to have
passed and have signed into law the 2018 farm bill. But if this
shutdown doesn't end soon, there are many provisions of that farm bill
that will not be implemented.
Why? The USDA is closed, the Farm Service Agency is shuttered,
agricultural research is suspended, organic certification programs are
stopped, and families may not get their benefits through the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Those are just part of the problems with this partial government
shutdown, a shutdown in which all of our farmers will be affected. That
is why all of us in this government must do our job and live up to our
responsibility to govern. Some may call it a charade. We call it
governing. That is why I ask my colleagues to pass this Agriculture
Appropriations Act.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues in supporting House
passage today of the long overdue FY 2019 Department of Agriculture,
Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bill which
will help bring an end to the reckless shutdown for the agencies,
programs, and federal employees that are covered by this measure.
We need to pass this bill today, and the Senate needs to follow suit,
to help stave off some of the worst consequences that face some of the
most vulnerable as a result of the President's reckless decision.
If the partial government shutdown, which the President is so proud
to have caused, continues there may not be sufficient appropriations
for food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) to provide full benefits or any benefits. USDA recently
announced it was making moves to try and delay the inevitable for these
programs. But that is just a stall--one of the many desperate actions
by an Administration
[[Page H396]]
apparently just now starting to realize the damage it is inflicting
across America.
To make his case, the President held a national press conference
earlier this week to sell his made up ``crisis'' along the Southern
border. A ``crisis'' that experts say is not happening. Border
apprehensions are at lows not seen in nearly two decades. The
``crisis,'' if any exists, is his policy of denying asylum seekers
their legal right to make their claims.
President Trump inflicted this chaotic shutdown on the American
people to try and bully the nation into building his vanity wall.
Well, let me tell you about the real crisis that he is creating in
millions of households across the country from the dedicated federal
employees who have been sent home without pay or those working without
pay who are wondering how they will pay rent or their mortgage and
their bills now that the federal government has broken faith with them.
Or the real crisis this Administration is creating for the millions
of families and individuals who depend on SNAP and WIC to help keep
food on the table. In my home state, that includes hundreds of
thousands of women, children, seniors, low-income military veterans,
and the disabled who are already struggling. These harms aren't
hypothetical, folks. Hunger is real in our country and millions of
Americans are struggling to put food on the table. And the Trump
Shutdown is only making it harder to do.
One estimate is that if USDA does not have enough funding on hand to
pay full benefits and provide partial funding spread evenly across all
SNAP households, it would result in an average benefit cut per
household of at least $90 or close to 40 percent.
Similarly, benefits available through the Special Supplemental
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) are at risk.
WIC is such an important program that helps provide targeted nutrition
and other services to at-risk women. This program has helped improve
breastfeeding rates among its target population and saves lives and
money for the taxpayer. Over 7 million mothers, pregnant women, and
children rely on WIC.
WIC clinics are currently open and operating normally but that
funding will run out if the shutdown continues. If the shutdown
continues as long as the President wants it to, WIC agencies may be
forced to start waiting lists for benefits, freeze new applications,
furlough staff, or close clinics in the face of declining or no
funding.
And even with doors open, the uncertainty created by the shutdown may
be discouraging eligible individuals from reaching out to WIC for
support, undermining the program's purpose.
And we will all pay in the end if taxpayers have to bear health care
expenses and other costs for individuals that could have been avoided.
The bill before us, that the Senate Appropriations Committee
unanimously approved last year, will ensure that these critical
benefits continue to be paid and that families can continue to put food
on the table.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this special order
to speak against the devastating cuts being proposed for the Farm
Bill's Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP).
The $20.5 billion cuts would remove 2 million Americans from the food
assistance program, and 210,000 children would lose access to free
school meals.
The House Democrats' bill, is virtually identical to legislation that
has already passed the Senate on a 92-6 vote, will reopen these
agencies and stop some the worst impacts of the Trump Shutdown on
families, businesses, and communities.
It provides $23.235 billion in discretionary funding, $225 million
above the FY2018 enacted level. In addition, it provides the latest
estimates for mandatory programs required by law--including the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Child Nutrition Programs.
It will ensure that the Department of Agriculture and the FDA are both
able to operate through September 30.
This bill rejects President Trump's proposed budget cuts to
agriculture, rural development, and conservation programs. It includes
funding for rural broadband that President Trump had proposed
eliminating.
Finally, the bill rejects President Trump's proposed elimination of
Food for Peace and the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education
and Child Nutrition Program, both which provide lifesaving food
assistance overseas.
For one in six Americans hunger is real and far too many people
assume that problems with hunger are isolated in small pockets of the
country. That is not the case--hunger is persistent and the impacts
real for millions of people who struggle to find enough to eat.
According to Feeding America:
In 2016, 46.2 million people were in poverty, 1.1 million people are
food insecure in the Houston area, 2.4 million rural households face
hunger;
Three-quarters of the counties with the highest rates of food
insecurity are in rural areas;
86% of the counties with the highest rates of child food insecurity
are rural;
In 2017, there were 39.7 million people in poverty.
There are 3.7 million Texans at risk of losing Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits if the Trump Shutdown does not end.
The more important statistic is how many other Americans will have
their local grocery store put at risk of closing or having reduced
supplies of groceries to serve their customers because of the economic
chaos that will ensue if SNAP benefits across the nation are ended due
to the shutdown.
Most Americans have no idea how SNAP, Women, Infants and Children's
(WIC) Food and Nutrition Service and other federal food subsidy
programs contribute to the affordability of food found in grocery
stores.
For grocers, convenience stores and other food retailers, the
suspension of funding for the food-stamp program, or SNAP, comes at a
time when they cannot afford to lose sales.
Over 3,500 grocery and convenience stores operate on a 1% profit
margin, with the proposed cuts to the SNAP program, these stores will
experience a large decrease in profit.
There is no feasible way to absorb any kind of decrease in sales.
The abrupt end of SNAP, WIC and other Federal food subsidy program
funding that is spent at local grocers would be devastating to all
large grocery store chains.
In 2016, more than 52% of SNAP dollars, or $33 billion, were redeemed
at big-box stores such as Walmart Inc. and Target Corp., up from 47% in
2015, U.S. Department of Agriculture data show.
Big retailers routinely notice a bump in sales around the time states
disperse SNAP money to recipients each month.
Walmart generates roughly $13 billion in annual sales from SNAP
transactions, accounting for around 18% of the money spent through the
program nationwide.
Some retailers serve regions where more than one-third of shoppers
buy groceries with food stamps, without this money most of these stores
will not be able to maintain the diverse food choices that are usually
available to their consumers.
The retailer with the highest risk of lost sales is Walmart which
receives roughly 56% of its food sales.
Dollar General, gets about 5 percent of its sales from SNAP benefits
and their traffic slowed tremendously during the last government
shutdown, they can't afford the same outcome this year.
President Trump has previously demonstrated a hostility towards the
SNAP program in his proposal that retailers pay a fee for authorization
to accept food stamps.
The government's overall SNAP spending declines when the economy
improves and fewer people rely on the program and this means that
grocery store customers are instead using funds from employment or
other sources instead.
A government shutdown will have a depressing effect on grocery store
sales and compounding this will be a cut in SNAP and WIC funds.
Government low wage workers will be seeking SNAP and WIC assistance
as they work to cope with not being paid.
Dean said cutting benefits when people's financial situations are not
improving could mean they use money they otherwise would have spent on
needs like clothing or even medicine to make up for the gaps in their
food budget. So there's still an impact to the overall economy, she
said.
A report by the USDA in 2010 also said that boosting SNAP benefits
during economic downturns starts a ``multiplier process'' in
transactions and consumption. It found that boosting SNAP expenditures
by $1 billion was estimated to increase economic activity by $1.79
billion.
Unfortunately, benefits cannot be increased as a direct consequence
of the shutdown.
SNAP offers nutrition assistance to millions of low income
individuals and families. SNAP is the largest program in the American
domestic hunger safety net.
If the Trump Shutdown extends for weeks or months, the damage to the
food economy may not be easily repaired.
The Child Nutrition Programs, including School Lunch, School
Breakfast, Child and Adult Care Feeding, Summer Food Service and
Special Milk will continue operations into February according to the
Department of Agriculture.
We cannot afford to create food deserts and greater hunger in our
country.
While prices for agricultural products are not expected to be
significantly altered in the short term, an extended shutdown coupled
with ongoing trade tensions could impact the ability for farmers to
operate in the domestic and international marketplace.
The following USDA activities have been shut down during the
government funding lapse:
[[Page H397]]
Provision of new rural development loans and grants for housing,
community facilities, utilities and businesses.
All recreation sites across the U.S. National Forest System, unless
they are operated by external parties under a recreational special use
permit.
New timber sales.
Most forest fuels reduction activities in and around communities.
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) statistics, World
Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, and other agricultural
economic and statistical reports and projections. Investigation of
packers and stockyards related to fraudulent and anti-competitive
activities.
Assistance for the control of most plant and animal pests and
diseases unless funded by cooperators or other non-appropriated
sources.
Research facilities except for the care for animals, plants and
associated infrastructure to preserve agricultural research. Provision
of new grants or processing of payments for existing grants to support
research, education, and extension.
ERS Commodity Outlook Reports, Data Products, research reports, staff
analysis, and projections. The ERS public website has been taken
offline.
Most departmental management, administrative and oversight functions,
including civil rights, human resources, financial management, audit,
investigative, legal and information technology activities.
Mandatory Audits (Financial Statements, FISMA, and potentially
Improper Payments) will be suspended and may not be completed and
released on the date mandated by law.
Farm loans and some farm payments (including direct payments, market
assistance loans, market facilitation payments for those producers who
have not certified production, and disaster assistance programs).
The Agriculture Industry has been harmed by the tariff battles that
President Trump started and continues to wage.
Funding was put in the Farm Bill that passed in December to offer
some relief that will not come until the shutdown ends.
I ask my Colleagues to join me in voting for the passage of this
bill.
President Trump needs to end this shutdown now.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 28, the previous question is ordered on
the bill.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.
Motion to Recommit
Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill?
Mr. ADERHOLT. I am, in its current form.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to
recommit.
The Clerk read as follows:
Mr. Aderholt moves to recommit the bill H.R. 265 to the
Committee on Appropriations with instructions to report the
same back to the House forthwith with the following
amendments:
Page 2, line 7, after the first dollar amount, insert
``(reduced by $19,000,000)''.
Page 2, line 18, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $12,000,000)''.
Page 2, line 19, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $12,000,000)''.
Page 3, line 5, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $2,000,000)''.
Page 3, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $5,000,000)''.
Page 4, line 15, after the first dollar amount, insert
``(reduced by $6,000,000)''.
Page 5, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $34,000,000)''.
Page 5, line 4, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $10,000,000)''.
Page 5, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $3,000,000)''.
Page 6, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $58,000,000)''.
Page 17, line 22, after the dollar amount, insert
``(reduced by $3,000,000)''.
Page 66, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert
``(reduced by $2,000,000)''.
Page 100, line 22, after the dollar amount, insert
``(increased by $125,000,000)''.
Mr. ADERHOLT (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous
consent to dispense with the reading.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Alabama?
There was no objection.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve a point of order on the
gentleman's motion.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. A point of order is reserved.
Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt) is
recognized for 5 minutes in support of his motion.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, this motion to recommit restores a House
priority that had overwhelming support when we put together the FY 2019
Agriculture bill during the last Congress.
As I mentioned in my opening statement, our House bill last year
placed a high priority on delivery of broadband to the unserved and
underserved populations in rural America. Eighty percent of the 24
million American households that do not have reliable, affordable,
high-speed internet, are in rural areas.
{time} 1345
That is according to the most recent report by the Federal
Communications Commission. Again, 80 percent are in rural areas.
Reliable and affordable internet connectivity is fundamental for
economic activity throughout the United States. It is also a
fundamental need for rural American households, for schools, and for
healthcare centers.
The National Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Task Force recommended
connectivity for all rural Americans because it has become a modern-day
necessity. It is not simply an amenity anymore. In today's information
age and where we live today, it is driving our global economy.
Our House appropriation bill last year included $550 million for this
new pilot program. This motion that is now before us will simply add an
additional $125 million to the $440 million in the bill before us
today.
This higher level will not fully address the multi-billion-dollar
requirement to address rural broadband internet needs, but it is a wise
and necessary investment.
The new rural broadband program that was designed by USDA this year
takes into account lessons learned from prior-year broadband
initiatives.
The new pilot program is a good balance between grants to the
neediest communities and low-cost loans to those communities and
citizens that can afford the loans.
Mr. Speaker, you might not find a great deal of agreement between the
priorities of President Trump and former President Obama, but the vital
need for rural broadband is one of those things. This motion is a
modest proposal that all of us feel obligated to support, regardless of
your politics.
Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the motion, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of a
point of order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The reservation of a point of order is
withdrawn.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the
motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Georgia is recognized for
5 minutes.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as many know, I have been and
will continue to be an advocate and a supporter of rural broadband
expansion. I view it as an obligation to provide adequate service for
everyone, as it is vital to health, safety, the economy, and the
welfare of all of our rural communities.
The $425 million that is provided in this bill will complement the
$600 million that was provided in the FY 2018 bill, which has not yet
been spent.
USDA recently completed the program design, and it can now begin
implementing and, if this bill is enacted, awarding over $1 billion in
broadband expansion funding to the communities that need it the most.
This funding is in addition to the other programs that assist
communities in getting broadband services, including the Community
Connect Program, the Broadband Loan Program, and the Distance Learning
and Telecommunication Program.
We have funding in the works to accomplish the needs for rural
broadband. We need to pass this bill because we need to open the
government. We need to make sure that USDA and the Food and Drug
Administration and all of the agencies that are shut down will open,
and open quickly, to support the needs of the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I urge that this motion to recommit be rejected, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
[[Page H398]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is
ordered on the motion to recommit.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the noes appeared to have it.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
____________________