[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8138 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8138
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a disaster response
training program to train certain Farm Service Agency employees to
provide outreach and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers
affected by a natural disaster, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 26, 2024
Mr. Soto (for himself and Mr. Scott Franklin of Florida) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a disaster response
training program to train certain Farm Service Agency employees to
provide outreach and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers
affected by a natural disaster, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DISASTER RESPONSE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN FARM SERVICE
AGENCY EMPLOYEES.
(a) In General.--Subtitle E of title I of the Agricultural Act of
2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 1502. DISASTER RESPONSE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN FARM
SERVICE AGENCY EMPLOYEES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the
Administrator of the Farm Service Agency, shall--
``(1) not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this section, establish a disaster response
training program--
``(A) to train covered employees--
``(i) to provide outreach and technical
assistance to farmers and ranchers affected by
a natural disaster, including by providing
information on available disaster relief
assistance; and
``(ii) with respect to the appropriate
protocols for assisting such farmers and
ranchers; and
``(B) that, with respect to a natural disaster,
provides on-demand trainings on--
``(i) the conditions and effects of each
such natural disaster;
``(ii) the needs of farmers and ranchers in
responding to each such natural disaster; and
``(iii) the disaster relief assistance that
may be available with respect to addressing
each such natural disaster; and
``(2) not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act and at least annually thereafter--
``(A) provide the training required by subparagraph
(A) of paragraph (1) to each covered employee; and
``(B) make the on-demand trainings required by
subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) available to covered
employees.
``(b) Format of Training.--Training sessions required by subsection
(a)(1)(A) may be conducted in-person or through teleconference or other
virtual means.
``(c) Survey Required.--The Secretary shall establish and offer a
completion survey to each covered employee who completes a training
session or on-demand training provided under the training program
established under subsection (a)(1) to solicit feedback with respect to
such session or on-demand training.
``(d) Exit Survey for Farmers and Ranchers.--The Secretary shall
offer an exit survey to each farmer and rancher provided outreach and
technical assistance pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(A)(i) that allows
the farmer or rancher to--
``(1) evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of
such outreach and technical assistance; and
``(2) summarize the outcome of such farmer or rancher with
respect to receiving disaster relief assistance.
``(e) Report Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of
Agriculture shall submit to Congress a report describing--
``(1) the training program established under subsection
(a)(1);
``(2) with respect to the year preceding the report--
``(A) the number of trainings carried out pursuant
to each of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection
(a)(2);
``(B) the number of covered employees who received
each such training; and
``(C) the level of the General Schedule and the
position of each such employee;
``(3) the results of the completion surveys offered under
subsection (c); and
``(4) the results of the exit surveys offered under
subsection (d).
``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Covered employee.--The term `covered employee' means
any employee of the Farm Service Agency who could be deployed
to carry out disaster relief assistance with respect to farmers
and ranchers.
``(2) Disaster relief assistance.--The term `disaster
relief assistance' means assistance under any program--
``(A) to address natural disasters; and
``(B) that is administered by the Administrator of
the Farm Service Agency.
``(3) Natural disaster.--The term `natural disaster'
includes--
``(A) any hurricane, tornado, storm, high water,
wind driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake,
volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, or
drought; and
``(B) such other natural disaster as may be
determined appropriate by the Administrator.''.
(b) Technical Amendment.--The table of contents for the
Agricultural Act of 2014 is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 1501 the following:
``1502. Disaster response training program for certain Farm Service
Agency employees.''.
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