RE–VAC Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1651 To authorize assistance to be provided under certain rural development pro- grams for the establishment or expansion of animal care facilities or veterinary practices in rural areas. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 8, 2019 Mr. FORTENBERRY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To authorize assistance to be provided under certain rural development programs for the establishment or expansion of animal care facilities or veterinary practices in rural areas. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Returning Essential 4 Rural Veterinary Animal Care Act’’ or the ‘‘RE–VAC 5 Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:15 Mar 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1651.IH H1651 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1651 IH SEC. 2. AUTHORITY FOR ASSISTANCE TO BE PROVIDED 1 UNDER CERTAIN RURAL DEVELOPMENT PRO- 2 GRAMS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OR EXPAN- 3 SION OF ANIMAL CARE FACILITIES OR VET- 4 ERINARY PRACTICES IN RURAL AREAS. 5 (a) COMMUNITY FACILITIES LOANS AND GRANTS.— 6 Section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Devel- 7 opment Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)) is amended by adding at 8 the end the following: 9 ‘‘(27) COMMUNITY FACILITY DIRECT LOANS 10 AND GRANTS FOR ESTABLISHMENT OR EXPANSION 11 OF ANIMAL CARE FACILITIES OR VETERINARY PRAC- 12 TICES IN RURAL AREAS.—The Secretary may pro- 13 vide community facility direct loans and grants 14 under paragraphs (1), (19), (20), and (21) for the 15 establishment or expansion of an animal care facility 16 or a veterinary practice in a rural area. The Sec- 17 retary may not deny such a loan or grant to an enti- 18 ty otherwise eligible for the loan or grant on the 19 basis that any facility constructed using the loan or 20 grant will be used by a for-profit entity.’’. 21 (b) RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOANS AND 22 GRANTS.—Section 313B(a) of the Rural Electrification 23 Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 940c–2(a)) is amended by at the 24 end the following: ‘‘A project designed to establish or ex- 25 pand an animal care facility or a veterinary practice in 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:15 Mar 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1651.IH H1651 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1651 IH a rural area shall be eligible for a grant or loan under 1 this section. The Secretary may not deny such a grant 2 or loan to an entity otherwise eligible for the grant or loan 3 on the basis that any facility constructed using the grant 4 or loan will be used by a for-profit entity.’’. 5 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:15 Mar 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1651.IH H1651 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS