[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 142 (Saturday, August 7, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6026-S6027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2648. Mr. KENNEDY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 2137 proposed by Mr. Schumer (for Ms. Sinema (for 
herself, Mr. Portman, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Cassidy, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. 
Collins, Mr. Tester, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Romney)) to the 
bill H.R. 3684, to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway 
safety programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
        At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. REVITALIZING MAIN STREETS IN SMALL TOWNS AND CITIES 
                   OF THE UNITED STATES.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Eligible community.--The term ``eligible community'' 
     means a city, town, village, or other incorporated unit of a 
     municipal local government that has a population of less than 
     40,000 individuals.
       (2) Main street.--The term ``Main Street'', with respect to 
     an eligible community, means a main street and the area 
     around the main street that constitute the cultural, 
     historical, economic, civic, and emotional heart of the 
     eligible community.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Housing and Urban Development.
       (4) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
     States and the territories and possessions of the United 
     States.
       (b) Grants.--The Secretary, in accordance with subsection 
     (f)(1), shall award grants on a competitive basis to eligible 
     communities for the purpose of revitalizing Main Streets in 
     the eligible communities.
       (c) Separate Competitions.--In awarding grants to eligible 
     communities under subsection (b), the Secretary shall hold a 
     separate grant competition for each State.
       (d) Applications.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall initiate the grant 
     competitions described in subsection (c) by soliciting grant 
     applications from eligible communities by publishing a notice 
     of funding opportunity in the Federal Register that provides 
     sufficient notice of the grant competition, the terms of the 
     grant competition, and the submission requirements of an 
     application for the grant competition.
       (2) Contents.--An application submitted by an eligible 
     entity for a grant under this section shall include--
       (A) a description of how the eligible community plans to 
     spend amounts from a grant under this section and the non-
     Federal funds of the eligible community described in 
     subsection (e)(2)(A) to revitalize the Main Street of the 
     eligible community; and
       (B) a description of how the eligible community meets the 
     factors described in subsection (f)(3).
       (3) Prohibition.--The Secretary may not impose additional 
     application or evaluation requirements with respect to an 
     application submitted under paragraph (1).
       (e) Maximum Amounts.--
       (1) State maximum.--The maximum amount of funds that may be 
     awarded to eligible communities in a particular State under 
     this section shall be an amount that bears the same 
     proportion to the total amount awarded to eligible 
     communities in all States under this section as the total 
     population of all eligible communities within the State, 
     bears to the total population of all eligible communities in 
     all States.
       (2) Eligible community maximum.--
       (A) In general.--The maximum amount of funds that may be 
     awarded to an eligible

[[Page S6027]]

     community under this section shall be equal to the amount of 
     non-Federal funds that the eligible community dedicates 
     specifically for revitalizing the Main Street in the eligible 
     community, as specified by the eligible community in the 
     application submitted under subsection (d).
       (B) Taxes.--
       (i) In general.--An eligible community may not include in 
     the amount of dedicated non-Federal funds specified in an 
     application under subsection (d), for purposes of 
     subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, any amounts that will be 
     raised by new taxes or increased taxes unless voters in the 
     eligible community have approved the new tax or increased 
     tax.
       (ii) Conditional taxes.--In proposing a new tax or 
     increased tax described in clause (i) to voters, an eligible 
     community may propose a new tax or increased tax that is 
     conditioned upon the eligible community receiving a grant 
     under this section.
       (f) Selection.--
       (1) Selection committees.--In awarding grants to eligible 
     communities in a particular State under this section, the 
     Secretary shall select the eligible communities in the State 
     recommended by the selection committee for the State 
     established under paragraph (2).
       (2) Establishment of committees.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a selection 
     committee for each State, which shall be comprised of--
       (i) 1 official of the National Trust for Historic 
     Preservation designated by the National Trust for Historic 
     Preservation;
       (ii) 1 official of the Main Street America Institute 
     designated by the Main Street America Institute; and
       (iii) 3 licensed architects--

       (I) selected jointly by the United States Senators from the 
     State; or
       (II) with respect to a State that is a territory or 
     possession of the United States, selected by the delegate or 
     resident commissioner to the House of Representatives from 
     the territory or possession.

       (B) Employment.--The Secretary shall appoint each member of 
     a selection committee selected under subparagraph (A) that is 
     not a Federal employee as an employee of the Department of 
     Housing and Urban Development for the purpose of performing 
     the duties described in subparagraph (C).
       (C) Duties.--Each selection committee of a State 
     established under subparagraph (A) shall--
       (i) meet to jointly review applications for a grant under 
     this section submitted by eligible communities located in the 
     State under subsection (d); and
       (ii) provide to the Secretary recommendations with respect 
     to the eligible communities located in the State that should 
     receive a grant under this section.
       (D) Termination.--Notwithstanding section 14 of the Federal 
     Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App), each selection 
     committee established under this section shall terminate on 
     the day after the date on which the selection committee 
     completes the recommendations required under subparagraph 
     (C)(ii).
       (3) Selection factors.--In providing recommendations to the 
     Secretary under paragraph (2)(C)(ii), the selection committee 
     of a State shall evaluate the application of an eligible 
     community based on the following factors:
       (A) The economic vitality of the eligible community, which 
     shall be based on whether the eligible community focuses on 
     capital, incentives, and other economic and financial tools 
     to--
       (i) assist new and existing businesses;
       (ii) catalyze property development; and
       (iii) create a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and 
     innovators that drive local economies.
       (B) The proposed design of the eligible community, which 
     shall be based on the transformation of the eligible 
     community by enhancing the physical and visual assets that 
     set the Main Street of the eligible community apart.
       (C) The promotion of the Main Street by the eligible 
     community, which shall be based on whether the eligible 
     community--
       (i) positions the Main Street of the eligible community as 
     the center and hub of the economic activity of the eligible 
     community; and
       (ii) creates a positive image of the Main Street that 
     showcases the unique characteristics of the eligible 
     community.
       (D) The organization of the eligible community, which shall 
     be based on whether the plan of the eligible community 
     involves creating a strong foundation for a sustainable 
     revitalization effort, including cultivating partnerships, 
     community involvement, and resources for the Main Street.
       (E) The preservation proposed by the eligible community, 
     which shall be based on the proposed quality of preservation, 
     rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction of the 
     historic Main Street facades.
       (F) The quality of any new buildings proposed by the 
     eligible community on the Main Street of the eligible 
     community and whether those buildings--
       (i) fit with the architecture of the existing historic 
     buildings; and
       (ii) project the architecture of the time, as of the date 
     of enactment of this Act.
       (g) Funding.--
       (1) Reduction.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     Act or an amendment made by this Act, any amount appropriated 
     under this Act or an amendment made by this Act shall be 
     reduced by 1 percent.
       (2) Direct appropriation.--Out of any money in the Treasury 
     not otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated to the 
     Secretary to carry out this section for fiscal year 2022 an 
     amount equal to the amount of the reductions made under 
     paragraph (1).
                                 ______