[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2099 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2099
To extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act
of 2000.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 19, 2021
Mr. Neguse (for himself and Mrs. Rodgers of Washington) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and
in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act
of 2000.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization
Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SELF-
DETERMINATION ACT OF 2000.
(a) Definition of Full Funding Amount.--Section 3(11) of the Secure
Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C.
7102(11)) is amended by striking subparagraphs (D) and (E) and
inserting the following:
``(D) for fiscal year 2017, the amount that is
equal to 95 percent of the full funding amount for
fiscal year 2015;
``(E) for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2020,
the amount that is equal to 95 percent of the full
funding amount for the preceding fiscal year; and
``(F) for fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal year
thereafter, the amount that is equal to the full
funding amount for fiscal year 2017.''.
(b) Secure Payments for States and Counties Containing Federal
Land.--
(1) Secure payments.--Section 101 of the Secure Rural
Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C.
7111) is amended, in subsections (a) and (b), by striking
``2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020'' each place it appears and
inserting ``2015 and 2017 through 2023''.
(2) Distribution of payments to eligible counties.--Section
103(d)(2) of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-
Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7113(d)(2)) is amended by
striking ``2020'' and inserting ``2023''.
(c) Pilot Program To Streamline Nomination of Members of Resource
Advisory Committees.--Section 205 of the Secure Rural Schools and
Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7125) is amended by
striking subsection (g) and inserting the following:
``(g) Resource Advisory Committee Appointment Pilot Programs.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Applicable designee.--The term `applicable
designee' means the applicable regional forester.
``(B) National pilot program.--The term `national
pilot program' means the national pilot program
established under paragraph (4)(A).
``(C) Regional pilot program.--The term `regional
pilot program' means the regional pilot program
established under paragraph (3)(A).
``(2) Establishment of pilot programs.--In accordance with
paragraphs (3) and (4), the Secretary concerned shall carry out
2 pilot programs to appoint members of resource advisory
committees.
``(3) Regional pilot program.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary concerned shall
carry out a regional pilot program to allow an
applicable designee to appoint members of resource
advisory committees.
``(B) Geographic limitation.--The regional pilot
program shall only apply to resource advisory
committees chartered in--
``(i) the State of Montana; and
``(ii) the State of Arizona.
``(C) Responsibilities of applicable designee.--
``(i) Review.--Before appointing a member
of a resource advisory committee under the
regional pilot program, an applicable designee
shall conduct the review and analysis that
would otherwise be conducted for an appointment
to a resource advisory committee if the
regional pilot program was not in effect,
including any review and analysis with respect
to civil rights and budgetary requirements.
``(ii) Savings clause.--Nothing in this
paragraph relieves an applicable designee from
any requirement developed by the Secretary
concerned for making an appointment to a
resource advisory committee that is in effect
on December 20, 2018, including any requirement
for advertising a vacancy.
``(4) National pilot program.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary concerned shall
carry out a national pilot program to allow the Chief
of the Forest Service or the Director of the Bureau of
Land Management, as applicable, to submit to the
Secretary concerned nominations of individuals for
appointment as members of resource advisory committees.
``(B) Appointment.--Under the national pilot
program, subject to subparagraph (C), not later than 30
days after the date on which a nomination is
transmitted to the Secretary concerned under
subparagraph (A), the Secretary concerned shall--
``(i) appoint the nominee to the applicable
resource advisory committee; or
``(ii) reject the nomination.
``(C) Automatic appointment.--If the Secretary
concerned does not act on a nomination in accordance
with subparagraph (B) by the date described in that
subparagraph, the nominee shall be deemed appointed to
the applicable resource advisory committee.
``(D) Geographic limitation.--The national pilot
program shall apply to a resource advisory committee
chartered in any State other than--
``(i) the State of Montana; or
``(ii) the State of Arizona.
``(E) Savings clause.--Nothing in this paragraph
relieves the Secretary concerned from any requirement
relating to an appointment to a resource advisory
committee, including any requirement with respect to
civil rights or advertising a vacancy.
``(5) Termination of effectiveness.--The authority provided
under this subsection terminates on October 1, 2023.
``(6) Report to congress.--Not later 180 days after the
date described in paragraph (5), the Secretary concerned shall
submit to Congress a report that includes--
``(A) with respect to appointments made under the
regional pilot program compared to appointments made
under the national pilot program, a description of the
extent to which--
``(i) appointments were faster or slower;
and
``(ii) the requirements described in
paragraph (3)(C)(i) differ; and
``(B) a recommendation with respect to whether
Congress should terminate, continue, modify, or expand
the pilot programs.''.
(d) Extension of Authority To Conduct Special Projects on Federal
Land.--
(1) Existing advisory committees.--Section 205(a)(4) of the
Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of
2000 (16 U.S.C. 7125(a)(4)) is amended by striking ``December
20, 2021'' each place it appears and inserting ``December 20,
2023''.
(2) Extension of authority.--Section 208 of the Secure
Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16
U.S.C. 7128) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``2022'' and
inserting ``2025''; and
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ``2023'' and
inserting ``2026''.
(e) Access to Broadband and Other Technology.--Section 302(a) of
the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000
(16 U.S.C. 7142(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) to provide or expand access to--
``(A) broadband telecommunications services at
local schools; or
``(B) the technology and connectivity necessary for
students to use a digital learning tool at or outside
of a local school campus.''.
(f) Extension of Authority To Expend County Funds.--Section 304 of
the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000
(16 U.S.C. 7144) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``2022'' and inserting
``2025''; and
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``2023'' and inserting
``2026''.
(g) Amounts Obligated but Unspent; Prohibition on Use of Funds.--
Title III of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination
Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7141 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 304 as section 305; and
(2) by inserting after section 303 the following:
``SEC. 304. AMOUNTS OBLIGATED BUT UNSPENT; PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS.
``(a) Amounts Obligated but Unspent.--Any county funds that were
obligated by the applicable participating county before October 1,
2017, but are unspent on October 1, 2020--
``(1) may, at the option of the participating county, be
deemed to have been reserved by the participating county on
October 1, 2020, for expenditure in accordance with this title;
and
``(2)(A) may be used by the participating county for any
authorized use under section 302(a); and
``(B) on a determination by the participating county under
subparagraph (A) to use the county funds, shall be available
for projects initiated after October 1, 2020, subject to
section 305.
``(b) Prohibition on Use of Funds.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, effective beginning on the date of enactment of the
Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2021, no county funds made
available under this title may be used by any participating county for
any lobbying activity, regardless of the purpose for which the funds
are obligated on or before that date.''.
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