[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 56 (Monday, April 1, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2158-S2159]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 244. Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina (for himself and Mr. Graham)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 201
proposed by Mr. Shelby to the bill H.R. 268, making supplemental
appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. REPLACEMENT OF RURAL MEDICAL FACILITIES IMPACTED BY
MAJOR DISASTERS.
(a) In General.--The President shall make a contribution
under section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172) for each
eligible rural medical facility that was damaged or destroyed
by a major disaster during calendar year 2015, regardless of
whether the operations of such medical facility were
subsequently carried out in a temporary replacement facility.
Such contribution shall be sufficient to provide for a full
permanent replacement of each such medical facility to the
resiliency standards described in subsection (b).
(b) Resiliency Standards.--A permanent replacement facility
provided for under this section shall meet--
(1) the definition of resilient developed pursuant to
section 406(e) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172(e)); and
(2) any relevant consensus-based codes, specifications, and
standards.
(c) Temporary Replacement Facility.--In any case in which
the President, acting through the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, has provided funding to lease or purchase
a temporary replacement facility to house the operations of
an eligible rural medical facility for which a permanent
replacement facility is required under this section, the
President shall continue such funding until a permanent
replacement facility is operational, including for any period
of time for which funding has not otherwise been provided.
(d) Hospital Successor Entity.--A transfer in ownership of
an eligible rural medical facility or of a permanent
replacement facility, or the execution of a transaction by
the owner of an eligible rural medical facility resulting in
different ownership of a permanent replacement facility,
shall not affect the requirement in subsection (a) to provide
for a full replacement of the facility for which funds are
provided under this section, provided that such funds are
provided to an entity otherwise eligible for assistance under
section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172).
(e) Definition of Eligible Rural Medical Facility.--In this
section, the term ``eligible rural medical facility'' means a
private nonprofit hospital facility--
(1) located in a county with a population below 40,000, as
determined by the most recent decennial census;
(2) that sustained damage during calendar year 2015 that
was eligible for financial assistance under section 406 of
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172); and
(3) that was closed following damage sustained during a
major disaster and remains closed as of the date of enactment
of this Act.
SEC. __. RESTORING CRITICAL WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE.
(a) In General.--The President shall make a contribution
under section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172) to the
applicable State or local government for each eligible
hydroelectric facility that was damaged or destroyed by a
major disaster during calendar year 2015 to carry out the
improvements for which such contribution was provided under
this section.
(b) Contribution.--Each contribution provided for
improvements to an eligible hydroelectric facility under
subsection (a) shall be sufficient to--
(1) rebuild canal embankments to meet all applicable
guidelines in the Engineering Guidelines for the Evaluation
of Hydropower Projects prepared by the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission;
(2) restore all other water-control and retaining
structures to meet all applicable such Engineering
Guidelines; and
(3) provide for either--
[[Page S2159]]
(A) the restoration of the eligible hydroelectric facility
to full operation of its function as a primary water source
and hydroelectric power supply; or
(B) the establishment of an alternative primary water
source and the restoration of the full operation of the
hydroelectric power supply function of the eligible
hydroelectric facility pursuant to the requirements of
subsection (c).
(c) Alternative Contribution.--A contribution may cover the
establishment of an alternative primary water source under
subsection (b)(3)(B) only if--
(1) the water source could provide redundancy to the water
supply provided by an eligible hydroelectric facility;
(2) the water source is approved by any applicable
regulatory agencies; and
(3) the cost of the establishment of such water source and
the restoration of the full operation of the hydroelectric
power supply function of the eligible hydroelectric facility
is less than the cost of restoring the eligible hydroelectric
facility to full operation as described under subsection
(b)(3)(A).
(d) Resiliency Standards.--An improvement carried out under
this section shall meet the definition of resilient developed
pursuant to section 406(e) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172(e)).
(e) Definition of Eligible Hydroelectric Facility.--In this
section, the term ``eligible hydroelectric facility'' means a
hydroelectric facility that--
(1) is part of a system that provides the primary water
source for more than 200,000 people;
(2) sustained damage eligible for financial assistance
under section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172);
(3) is licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
under part I of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 792 et
seq.); and
(4) has been assigned a significant hazard potential
classification in accordance with chapter 1 of the
Engineering Guidelines for the Evaluation of Hydropower
Projects prepared by the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
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