To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to modify the definitions of the terms rural and rural area for purposes of grants and loans to remedy a lack of compliance with certain drinking water standards, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · July 27, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3764)
This bill modifies the definition of "rural" and "rural area" under federal farm and rural development law to expand eligibility for grants and loans aimed at fixing drinking water compliance problems. Currently, the definition is more restrictive, but this legislation would allow communities with populations up to 20,000 to qualify as rural for purposes of obtaining federal funding to meet drinking water safety standards. The bill primarily affects small towns and communities that struggle to comply with federal and state drinking water requirements and lack the resources to fix infrastructure problems on their own. By broadening the definition, more rural communities become eligible for federal grants and loans through existing USDA rural development programs. The bill was introduced in July 2023 and referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry but does not specify new funding amounts or implementation timelines in the text provided.
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