[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2604 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2604
To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to
provide grants for outdoor recreation projects to spur economic
development, with a focus on rural communities, and to provide training
for rural communities on funding opportunities for outdoor recreation,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 27, 2023
Mr. Bennet (for himself and Mr. Schumer) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and
Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to
provide grants for outdoor recreation projects to spur economic
development, with a focus on rural communities, and to provide training
for rural communities on funding opportunities for outdoor recreation,
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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Outdoor Investment Act''.
SEC. 2. OUTDOOR RECREATION GRANTS.
Title II of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965
is amended by inserting after section 207 (42 U.S.C. 3147) the
following:
``SEC. 208. OUTDOOR RECREATION GRANTS.
``(a) Definition of Outdoor Recreation.--In this section, the term
`outdoor recreation' means all recreational activities undertaken for
pleasure that--
``(1) generally involve some level of intentional physical
exertion; and
``(2) occur in nature-based environments outdoors.
``(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall make grants to eligible
recipients for outdoor recreation projects to spur economic
development, with a focus on rural communities.
``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary for each of fiscal years 2024 through
2028--
``(1) $30,000,000 for grants under section 201 for outdoor
recreation projects to spur economic development, with a focus
on rural communities;
``(2) $5,000,000 for grants under section 203 for outdoor
recreation projects to spur economic development, with a focus
on rural communities; and
``(3) $2,500,000 for grants under section 207 for outdoor
recreation projects to spur economic development, with a focus
on rural communities.''.
SEC. 3. TRAINING FOR RURAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUTDOOR
RECREATION.
Beginning not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development,
in consultation with the Administrator of the Small Business
Administration and the Secretary of Agriculture, shall develop a
partnership agreement--
(1) to provide for the development of--
(A) basic training, including in-person or modular
training sessions, for small business concerns (as
defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 632)) and rural communities relating to existing
funding opportunities for outdoor recreation, including
funding opportunities for--
(i) business development;
(ii) community planning;
(iii) infrastructure investment;
(iv) community capacity building; and
(v) marketing and communications;
(B) informational materials relating to existing
funding opportunities described in subparagraph (A);
and
(C) opportunities to coordinate among Federal
departments and agencies to share the basic training
and informational materials developed under
subparagraphs (A) and (B) with those departments and
agencies and relevant nongovernmental organizations;
(2) to provide the basic training and informational
materials developed under paragraph (1)--
(A) through electronic formats, including internet-
based webinars; and
(B) at physical locations, including offices of the
rural development mission area; and
(3) to make the basic training and informational materials
developed under paragraph (1) available to rural business
development entities that partner with programs of the rural
development mission area, including institutions of higher
education, nonprofit organizations, business incubators, and
business accelerators.
SEC. 4. RECREATION ECONOMY FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES.
(a) Definition of Program.--In this section, the term ``program''
means the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities planning assistance
program sponsored by the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the
Under Secretary for Rural Development, the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency, and the Secretary of Agriculture,
acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
(b) Partnerships.--To build on the program, the Secretary of
Agriculture, acting through the Under Secretary for Rural Development,
in partnership with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency and the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of
the Forest Service, shall develop partnerships to connect the program
to--
(1) the Economic Development Administration and the Small
Business Administration; and
(2) the basic training and informational materials
described in section 3.
(c) Grants.--The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Under
Secretary for Rural Development, in partnership with the Administrator
of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of
Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall
carry out a competitive grant program to assist entities otherwise
eligible to receive assistance under the program in carrying out an
action plan developed under the program.
(d) Consultation.--
(1) In general.--On request of a regional commission
described in paragraph (2), the entities carrying out the
program shall consult with the requesting regional commission
in carrying out the program.
(2) Regional commissions described.--A regional commission
referred to in paragraph (1) is any of the following:
(A) The Appalachian Regional Commission established
by section 14301(a) of title 40, United States Code.
(B) The Delta Regional Authority established under
subtitle F of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009aa et seq.).
(C) The Denali Commission established under the
Denali Commission Act of 1998 (42 U.S.C. 3121 note;
title III of division C of Public Law 105-277).
(D) The Great Lakes Authority established by
section 15301(a)(4) of title 40, United States Code.
(E) The Northern Border Regional Commission
established by section 15301(a)(3) of title 40, United
States Code.
(F) The Northern Great Plains Regional Authority
established under subtitle G of the Consolidated Farm
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb et seq.).
(G) The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission
established by section 15301(a)(1) of title 40, United
States Code.
(H) The Southwest Border Regional Commission
established by section 15301(a)(2) of title 40, United
States Code.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
carry out the program $12,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2024
through 2028.
(2) Grants.--Beginning with fiscal year 2025, of the funds
made available under paragraph (1) for each fiscal year, not
less than 50 percent shall be used to carry out the grant
program under subsection (c).
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