H.R. 6433
Rural Uplift and Revitalization Assistance Act
Sponsor: Donald G. Davis
1 cosponsor
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
Rural Uplift and Revitalization Assistance Act
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide technical assistance in geographically underserved and distressed areas for USDA rural development programs.
Specifically, USDA must provide (directly or through cooperative agreements) technical assistance and strengthen local capacity to improve USDA rural development program access for local partners (e.g., local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations) in geographically underserved and distressed areas.
Under the bill, a geographically underserved and distressed area means a rural area (1) in a socially vulnerable community; (2) in a persistent poverty county; (3) in an economically distressed area; or (4) that lacks adequate water services, sewer services, or decent housing in any region near the border between the United States and Mexico.
On an annual basis, USDA must submit to Congress (and make publicly available) a report on how the provision of technical assistance under this bill has affected geographically underserved and distressed areas.
Text of the bill
This Act may be cited as the Rural Uplift and Revitalization Assistance Act.
(a) In general. Within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Agriculture (in this section referred to as the Secretary) shall directly, or through cooperative agreements, provide technical assistance and strengthen local capacity to improve access to rural development programs administered by the Secretary for local partners (including local governments, cooperatives, businesses, healthcare facilities and networks, community anchor institutions (as defined in section 60302(6) of the Digital Equity Act of 2021), and nonprofit organizations) in geographically underserved and distressed areas.
(b) Reports. Beginning 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall annually publish, make available to the public, and submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report on how the provision of technical assistance under subsection (a) has affected geographically underserved and distressed areas in the year covered by the report.
(c) Definition of geographically underserved and distressed area. In this section, the term geographically underserved and distressed area means a rural area (as determined by the Secretary)—
(1) in a socially vulnerable community (as determined by the Secretary);
(2) in a persistent poverty county (as determined by the Secretary);
(3) in a economically distressed area (as determined by the Secretary); or
(4) that lacks adequate water services, sewer services, or decent housing in any region near the border between the United States and Mexico.