Assistance for Rural Health, Safety and Educational Facilities Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7758 To provide for assistance to rural health, education, and public safety facilities affected by the COVID–19 pandemic, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JULY 23, 2020 Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia (for himself and Mr. HAGEDORN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To provide for assistance to rural health, education, and public safety facilities affected by the COVID–19 pan- demic, and for other purposes. 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 ‘‘Assistance for Rural 4 Health, Safety and Educational Facilities Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE FOR RURAL HEATH, SAFETY AND EDU- 6 CATIONAL FACILITIES. 7 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture (in 8 this section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) may— 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 16:12 Aug 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7758.IH H7758 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7758 IH (1) make a grant to any hospital, health facil- 1 ity, public safety facility, or education facility that is 2 eligible for assistance under section 306(a)(1) or 3 310B(g) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Devel- 4 opment Act and is located in a rural area (within 5 the meaning of section 343(a)(13)(C) of such Act, 6 subject to sections 343(a)(13)(H) and 343(a)(13)(I) 7 of such Act); 8 (2) provide a zero interest loan or a 1 percent 9 loan to, forgive principal or interest or modify any 10 term or condition of an outstanding loan made to, 11 or refinance part or all of any other loan if the pur- 12 pose of the loan or loan part is an eligible purpose 13 under such section 306(a)(1) to any hospital, health 14 facility, public safety facility, or education facility 15 that is eligible for a direct loan under such section 16 306(a)(1); and 17 (3) reduce or eliminate any fee that would oth- 18 erwise be required to be paid under such section 19 306(a)(1) or 310B(g) with respect to a loan guar- 20 antee provided to any hospital, health facility, public 21 safety facility, or education facility, on the condition 22 that the borrower receives the benefit resulting from 23 the reduction or elimination of the fee. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 16:12 Aug 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7758.IH H7758 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7758 IH (b) LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may pro- 1 vide assistance to an entity under this section as the Sec- 2 retary determines is necessary to— 3 (1) ensure that the entity has the necessary re- 4 sources to maintain public health, safety, or order; 5 (2) address financial hardships of the entity 6 due to the COVID–19 public health emergency; and 7 (3) promote the financial stability of the entity. 8 (c) USE OF FUNDS.—An entity to which assistance 9 is provided under this section may use the assistance— 10 (1) for any purpose for which the entity is eligi- 11 ble for assistance under such section 306(a)(1) or 12 310B; or 13 (2) for any eligible direct operational expenses 14 of the entity, as determined by the Secretary. 15 (d) NOTICE.—The Secretary may disburse funds 16 under this section pursuant to 1 or more notices in the 17 Federal Register, without regard to publication of any 18 final rulemaking. 19 (e) APPROPRIATION.— 20 (1) IN GENERAL.—Out of any money in the 21 Treasury of the United States not otherwise appro- 22 priated, there are appropriated $4,000,000,000 to 23 carry out this section. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 16:12 Aug 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7758.IH H7758 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 7758 IH (2) RESERVATION FOR ASSISTANCE TO HOS- 1 PITALS AND HEALTH FACILITIES.—The Secretary 2 shall reserve $2,000,000,000 of the amount appro- 3 priated by paragraph (1) for assistance to hospitals 4 and health facilities eligible for assistance under this 5 section. 6 (3) RESERVATION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EX- 7 PENSES.—The Secretary shall reserve 3 percent of 8 the amount appropriated by paragraph (1) for ad- 9 ministrative expenses incurred in carrying out this 10 section. 11 (4) AVAILABILITY.—The amount appropriated 12 in paragraph (1) shall remain available through De- 13 cember 31, 2021. 14 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 16:12 Aug 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7758.IH H7758 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS