[Pages S3690-S3691]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1044. Mr. UDALL of New Mexico (for himself and Mr. Heinrich) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 
954, to reauthorize agricultural programs through 2018; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 731, between lines 6 and 7, insert the following:

     ``SEC. 3708. LAND GRANT-MERCEDES.

       ``(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       ``(1) Spanish and Mexican land grant-mercedes are part of a 
     unique and important history in the southwest United States 
     dating back to the 1600s and becoming incorporated into the 
     United States through the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, 
     Limits, and Settlement between the United States of America 
     and the Mexican Republic, signed at Guadalupe Hidalgo 
     February 2, 1848, and entered into force May 30, 1848 (9 
     Stat. 922) (commonly referred to as the `Treaty of Guadalupe 
     Hidalgo');
       ``(2) the years following the signing of that treaty 
     resulted in a significant loss of land originally belonging 
     to the land grant-mercedes due to manipulations and 
     unfulfilled commitments;
       ``(3) the land grant-mercedes that are recognized as 
     political subdivisions are in need of increased economic 
     opportunities; and
       ``(4) the rural development programs of the Department of 
     Agriculture are an appropriate venue for addressing the needs 
     of the land grant-mercedes.
       ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Land grant-mercedes.--The term `land grant-mercedes' 
     means land that was granted by the government of Spain or the 
     government of Mexico to a community, town, colony, pueblo, or 
     person for the purpose of establishing a community, town, 
     colony, or pueblo.
       ``(2) Land grant council.--The term `Land Grant Council' 
     means an agency of the New Mexico State government 
     established by law--
       ``(A) to provide support to land grants-mercedes in the 
     State of New Mexico; and
       ``(B) to serve as a liaison between land grant-mercedes and 
     other State agencies and the Federal government.
       ``(3) Qualified land grant-mercedes.--The term `qualified 
     land grant-mercedes' means a land grant-mercedes recognized 
     under a State law.
       ``(c) Program.--
       ``(1) In general.--In addition to any other funds made 
     available for similar purposes, the Secretary shall use funds 
     set aside under paragraph (3) to provide grants to qualified 
     land grant-mercedes and the Land Grant Council for the 
     purpose of carrying out economic development initiatives 
     under--
       ``(A) the Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural 
     Communities and Households (SEARCH) program under section 
     3501(e)(6);
       ``(B) the community facility grant program under section 
     3502;
       ``(C) the program of rural business development grants and 
     rural business enterprise grants under section 3601(a);
       ``(D) the rural microentrepreneur assistance program under 
     section 3601(f)(2); and
       ``(E) the rural community development initiative.
       ``(2) Federal share.--Notwithstanding any other requirement 
     of the programs described in paragraph (1), the Secretary 
     shall make available to qualified land grant-mercedes grants 
     under those programs at a Federal share of up to 100 percent.
       ``(3) Set aside.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, of amounts made

[[Page S3691]]

     available for a fiscal year for rural development programs of 
     the Department of Agriculture, $10,000,000 shall be used to 
     carry out this section.''.
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