[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2424 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 93
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2424
[Report No. 117-129]
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program under
which the Secretary awards grants to States or State departments of
agriculture for the purposes of providing support to agricultural fairs
for losses sustained due to COVID-19.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 8, 2021
Mr. Panetta (for himself, Mr. Long, Mr. Levin of California, and Mr.
Newhouse) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture
September 27, 2021
Additional sponsors: Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Costa, Mr. DeFazio, Ms. Kaptur,
Ms. Stefanik, Mr. Welch, Ms. Craig, Mr. Rose, Mr. Thompson of
California, Mr. Fortenberry, Mr. Kahele, Mr. Kind, Mr. Khanna, Mr.
Mann, Mr. McGovern, Mrs. Bice of Oklahoma, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Jacobs of
New York, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. Trone, Mr. Meuser, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Carl,
Mr. Delgado, Mr. Gimenez, Ms. Kuster, Mr. O'Halleran, Ms. Salazar, and
Mr. Sablan
September 27, 2021
Reported with an amendment; committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April
8, 2021]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program under
which the Secretary awards grants to States or State departments of
agriculture for the purposes of providing support to agricultural fairs
for losses sustained due to COVID-19.
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 ``Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act''.
SEC. 2. AGRICULTURAL FAIR RESCUE GRANTS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which
funds are made available to carry out this section, the Secretary of
Agriculture, acting through the Administrator of the Agricultural
Marketing Service, shall award a grant to each State department of
agriculture (or other appropriate State agency assigned with the
promotion of agricultural fairs) for the purposes of providing support
to eligible agricultural fairs for losses sustained by such fairs due
to COVID-19.
(b) Amount of Grant.--The amount of a grant to a State or State
department of agriculture under this section shall be based on the
difference between the average attendance at agricultural fairs in the
State for a calendar year occurring during the 3-calendar-year period
beginning with calendar year 2017 (or over a shorter period, if
attendance data is not available for the entire 3-calendar-year period)
compared to calendar year 2020.
(c) Conditions.--As a condition on the receipt of a grant under
this section, a State or State department of agriculture shall agree--
(1) to prioritize supporting eligible agricultural fairs in
the State facing the greatest financial hardship; and
(2) to use not more than 5 percent of grant funds for
administrative costs incurred in providing support to eligible
agricultural fairs.
(d) Use of Funds.--A State or State department of agriculture
selected to receive a grant under this section may only use grant funds
to assist eligible agricultural fairs that--
(1) host annual events that are drivers and promoters of
agribusiness in the State (as determined by the State);
(2) have experienced a closure, stoppage, or cancellation
of a local, county or State fair operations as a direct or
indirect result of--
(A) the COVID-19 national emergency; or
(B) any associated actions taken by any
governmental authority at the Federal, State, county,
or municipal level in response to that national
emergency;
(3) agree to, and demonstrate the intent to, re-establish a
fair within 18 months of the termination of the declaration
specified in subsection (f)(2);
(4) agree to use all grant funds within the 18-month period
that begins on the date on which such funds are received; and
(5) agree to use funds received pursuant to this section
for operating capital expenses, to reimburse operating expenses
paid from reserves not originally intended for operating
expenses, repay indebtedness incurred to pay operating
expenses, or repay other third parties that contributed to
funding operating expenses, but not for capital improvements.
(e) Funding.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
make grants under this section $500,000,000 for fiscal year
2022, each succeeding fiscal year occurring during the COVID-19
national emergency, and the first fiscal year immediately
following the termination of such national emergency.
(2) Administrative expenses.--Of the funds made available
under paragraph (1) to carry out this section for a fiscal
year, not more than 8 percent may be used for expenses related
to administering the program under this section.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible agricultural fair.--The term ``eligible
agricultural fair'' means a local, county, or State fair that--
(A) is a subunit of a government entity, a public
corporation organized and existing pursuant to State
law, or is owned and operated as a not-for-profit
organization described in section 501(c) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation
under section 501(a) of such Code; and
(B) helps farmers, ranchers, or foresters--
(i) promote their products; or
(ii) expand agricultural markets through
conservation programs, agricultural research,
educational programs, or other events that
encourage agriculture, horticulture, and the
domestic arts.
(2) COVID-19 national emergency.--The term ``COVID-19
national emergency'' means the national emergency declared by
the President under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C.
1601 et seq.) on March 13, 2020, with respect to COVID-19.
(3) State.--The term ``State'' means the several States,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
(4) State department of agriculture.--The term ``State
department of agriculture'' means the agency, commission, or
department of a State government responsible for agriculture in
the State.
Union Calendar No. 93
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2424
[Report No. 117-129]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program under
which the Secretary awards grants to States or State departments of
agriculture for the purposes of providing support to agricultural fairs
for losses sustained due to COVID-19.
_______________________________________________________________________
September 27, 2021
Reported with an amendment; committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed