[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1092 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1092
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 purpose of providing support to agricultural fairs
for losses sustained due to COVID-19.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 13, 2021
Ms. Smith (for herself and Mr. Blunt) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
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 purpose 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) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) 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 the
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
(2) Eligible agricultural fair.--The term ``eligible
agricultural fair'' means a local, county, or State fair that--
(A) is--
(i) a subunit of a government entity;
(ii) a public corporation organized and
existing pursuant to State law; or
(iii) owned and operated as an organization
described in section 501(c) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation
under section 501(a) of that 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.
(3) State.--The term ``State'' means--
(A) each of the several States;
(B) the District of Columbia;
(C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;
(D) Guam;
(E) American Samoa;
(F) the United States Virgin Islands; and
(G) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands.
(4) State department of agriculture.--The term ``State
department of agriculture'' means--
(A) the agency, commission, or department of a
State government responsible for agriculture in the
State; or
(B) another appropriate State agency assigned with
the promotion of agricultural fairs.
(b) Authorization for Grants.--Not later than September 30, 2021,
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Administrator of the
Agricultural Marketing Service, shall award a grant to each State
department of agriculture for the purpose of providing support to
eligible agricultural fairs for losses sustained by those eligible
agricultural fairs due to COVID-19.
(c) Amount of Grant.--The amount of a grant to a State department
of agriculture under this section shall be based on the difference
between--
(1) the average attendance at agricultural fairs in the
applicable State for--
(A) a calendar year occurring during the 3-
calendar-year period beginning with calendar year 2017;
or
(B) if attendance data is not available for the
entire 3-calendar-year period described in subparagraph
(A), a period shorter than a calendar year occurring
during that 3-calendar-year period; and
(2) the average attendance at agricultural fairs in the
applicable State for calendar year 2020.
(d) Conditions.--As a condition on the receipt of a grant under
this section, a 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.
(e) Use of Funds.--A State department of agriculture that receives
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 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, reestablish a
fair not later than 18 months after the termination of the
COVID-19 national emergency;
(4) agree to use all grant funds during the 18-month period
that begins on the date on which those funds are received;
(5) agree to use funds received under this section--
(A) for operating capital expenses;
(B) to reimburse operating expenses paid from
reserves not originally intended for operating
expenses;
(C) to repay indebtedness incurred to pay operating
expenses; or
(D) to repay other third parties that contributed
to funding operating expenses; and
(6) agree not to use funds received under this section for
capital improvements.
(f) Funding.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
make grants under this section $500,000,000 for--
(A) fiscal year 2021;
(B) each succeeding fiscal year occurring during
the COVID-19 national emergency; and
(C) the first fiscal year immediately following the
fiscal year in which the COVID-19 national emergency is
terminated.
(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.
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