This bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide technical assistance to help local partners in certain rural places. The help must begin within 1 year after the bill becomes law. The Secretary may give the help directly or through cooperative agreements. Local partners named include local governments, cooperatives, businesses, health care facilities and networks, community anchor institutions, and nonprofit organizations. The bill requires the Secretary to publish and send an annual report to the House and Senate agriculture committees starting 1 year after enactment. The bill defines a "geographically underserved and distressed area" as a rural area that the Secretary finds is in a socially vulnerable community, a persistent poverty county, an economically distressed area, or an area near the U.S.–Mexico border that lacks adequate water, sewer, or decent housing.
If you are part of a local government, cooperative, business, health care provider, community anchor institution, or nonprofit in a qualifying rural area, this bill would aim to increase access to technical help and make it easier to use rural development programs administered by the Department of Agriculture. The bill sets a one-year timeline to begin providing that assistance and requires public annual reports on how the assistance affected these areas.
No publicly available information. The bill text does not specify funding amounts or how the technical assistance will be paid for.
The bill’s stated purpose is to provide technical assistance and strengthen local capacity so local partners can better access rural development programs. Supporters would point to the required help for underserved and distressed rural areas and the annual public reports to Congress.
No publicly available information. The bill text does not include specific statements of opposition or projected negative effects.