[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4006 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4006
To reauthorize programs of the Economic Development Administration, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 20, 2024
Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself and Mr. Kelly) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment
and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reauthorize programs of the Economic Development Administration, 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 ``Increasing our Nation's Value
through Economic Support and Tourism in Our Communities Act'' or the
``INVEST in Our Communities Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
Section 3 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965
(42 U.S.C. 3122) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (8) through (12) as
paragraphs (10), (11), (12), (14), and (15), respectively;
(2) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following:
``(8) Outdoor recreation.--The term `outdoor recreation'
means all recreational activities, and the economic drivers of
those activities, that occur in nature-based environments
outdoors.
``(9) Project predevelopment.--The term `project
predevelopment' means a measure required to be completed before
the initiation of a project, including--
``(A) planning and community asset mapping;
``(B) training;
``(C) technical assistance and organizational
development;
``(D) feasibility and market studies;
``(E) demonstration projects; and
``(F) other predevelopment activities determined by
the Secretary to be appropriate.''; and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (12) (as so redesignated)
the following:
``(13) Travel and tourism.--The term `travel and tourism'
means any economic activity that primarily serves to encourage
recreational or business travel within the United States or
from abroad.''.
SEC. 3. INCREASE IN FEDERAL SHARE.
Section 204 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3144) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``50'' and inserting
``60''; and
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the
following:
``(2) Certain states, political subdivisions, and nonprofit
organizations.--In the case of a grant to a State, or a
political subdivision of a State, that the Secretary determines
has exhausted the effective taxing and borrowing capacity of
the State or political subdivision or can otherwise document
that no local matching funds are reasonably obtainable, or in
the case of a grant to a nonprofit organization that the
Secretary determines has exhausted the effective borrowing
capacity of the nonprofit organization, the Secretary may
increase the Federal share above the percentage specified in
subsection (a) up to 100 percent of the cost of the project.'';
and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Small communities.--In the case of a grant to a
political subdivision of a State (as described in section
3(4)(A)(iv)) that has a population of fewer than 10,000
residents, the Secretary may increase the Federal share above
the percentage specified in subsection (a) up to 100 percent of
the total cost of the project.
``(5) Communities affected by disasters.--In the case of a
grant under section 209(c)(2), the Federal share of the cost of
a project carried out with the grant shall be 100 percent.''.
SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR PLANNING AND GRANTS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
Section 203 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3143) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(e) Administrative Expenses.--Administrative expenses described
in subsection (a) shall include--
``(1) expenses related to carrying out the planning process
described in subsection (b);
``(2) expenses related to project predevelopment; and
``(3) expenses related to hiring professional staff to
assist communities in--
``(A) project predevelopment and the implementation
of projects and priorities included in--
``(i) a comprehensive economic development
strategy; or
``(ii) an economic development planning
grant;
``(B) identifying and using other Federal, State,
and Tribal economic development programs;
``(C) leveraging private and philanthropic
investment;
``(D) preparing disaster coordination and
preparation plans; and
``(E) carrying out economic development activities
in accordance with professional economic development
best practices.''.
SEC. 5. TOURISM, OUTDOOR RECREATION, AND SUPPORT.
(a) In General.--Section 201 of the Public Works and Economic
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) Additional Considerations.--In providing grants under
subsection (a) and subject to the criteria in subsection (b), the
Secretary may also consider the extent to which a project would--
``(1) benefit highly rural communities without adequate tax
revenues to invest in long-term or costly infrastructure;
``(2) increase access to high-speed broadband;
``(3) support outdoor recreation to spur economic
development, with a focus on rural communities;
``(4) promote job creation or retention relative to the
population of the impacted region with outsized significance;
or
``(5) promote travel and tourism.''.
(b) Economic Adjustment.--Section 209(c)(5) of the Public Works and
Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3149(c)(5)) is amended by
inserting ``, travel and tourism, or natural resource-based'' after
``manufacturing''.
SEC. 6. TOURISM MARKETING.
Section 2(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121(b)) 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) tourism marketing is an economic development tool
used by communities for economic development and should be
considered an eligible use of economic development funding
awarded by the Federal Government through the Economic
Development Administration.''.
SEC. 7. ECONOMIC DISTRESS FORMULA.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Commerce shall review the economic distress formula
under section 301 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3161) and submit to Congress a report that includes--
(1) recommendations for modifications to the formula to
ensure that all areas, including distressed areas, are eligible
to receive a higher percentage of Federal funding than those
areas currently are eligible to receive;
(2) a recommendation on whether to reduce the non-Federal
share for projects carried out with grants under that Act (42
U.S.C. 3121 et seq.); and
(3) an analysis of the financial limitations of eligible
recipients located within counties with a majority of acreage
under Federal management in accessing Economic Development
Administration funding opportunities.
SEC. 8. OFFICE OF TRIBAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
(a) In General.--Title V of the Public Works and Economic
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3191 et seq.) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``SEC. 508. OFFICE OF TRIBAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
``(a) Establishment.--There is established within the Economic
Development Administration an Office of Tribal Economic Development
(referred to in this section as the `Office').
``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Office shall be--
``(1) to coordinate all Tribal economic development
activities carried out by the Secretary;
``(2) to help Tribal communities access economic
development assistance programs, including the assistance
provided under this Act;
``(3) to coordinate Tribal economic development strategies
and efforts with other Federal agencies; and
``(4) to be a participant in any negotiated rulemakings or
consultations relating to, or having an impact on, projects,
programs, or funding that benefit Tribal communities.
``(c) Tribal Economic Development Strategy.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the INVEST in Our Communities Act, the Office
shall initiate a Tribal consultation process to develop, and
not less frequently than every 3 years thereafter, update, a
strategic plan for Tribal economic development for the Economic
Development Administration.
``(2) Submission to congress.--Not later than 1 year after
the date of enactment of the INVEST in Our Communities Act and
not less frequently than every 3 years thereafter, the Office
shall submit to Congress the strategic plan for Tribal economic
development developed under paragraph (1).
``(d) Outreach.--The Secretary shall establish a publicly facing
website to help provide a comprehensive, single source of information
for Indian tribes, Tribal leaders, Tribal businesses, and citizens in
Tribal communities to better understand and access programs that
support economic development in Tribal communities, including the
economic development programs administered by Federal agencies or
departments other than the Department.
``(e) Dedicated Staff.--The Secretary shall ensure that the Office
has sufficient staff to carry out all outreach activities under this
section.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents contained in section
1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (79 Stat.
552; 112 Stat. 3597) is amended by inserting after the item relating to
section 507 the following:
``Sec. 508. Office of Tribal Economic Development.''.
SEC. 9. ESTABLISHMENT OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE LIAISONS.
(a) In General.--Title V of the Public Works and Economic
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3191 et seq.) (as amended by section
8(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 509. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE LIAISONS.
``(a) In General.--A Regional Director of a regional office of the
Economic Development Administration may designate a staff member to act
as a `Technical Assistance Liaison' for any State served by the
regional office.
``(b) Role.--A Technical Assistance Liaison shall--
``(1) work in coordination with an Economic Development
Representative to provide technical assistance, in addition to
technical assistance under section 207, to eligible recipients
that are underresourced communities, as determined by the
Technical Assistance Liaison, that submit applications for
assistance under title II; and
``(2) at the request of an eligible recipient that
submitted an application for assistance under title II, provide
technical feedback on unsuccessful grant applications.
``(c) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may enter into a
contract or cooperative agreement with an eligible recipient for the
purpose of providing technical assistance to eligible recipients that
are underresourced communities that have submitted or may submit an
application for assistance under this Act.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents contained in section
1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (79 Stat.
552; 112 Stat. 3597) (as amended by section 8(b)) is amended by
inserting after the item relating to section 508 the following:
``Sec. 509. Technical assistance liaisons.''.
SEC. 10. FLEXIBLE HIRING AND DISASTER AUTHORITIES.
(a) In General.--Title V of the Public Works and Economic
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3191 et seq.) (as amended by section
9(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 510. FLEXIBLE HIRING AND DISASTER AUTHORITIES.
``(a) Appointment and Compensation Authorities.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may appoint and fix the
compensation of such temporary personnel as may be necessary to
carry out this Act and to implement post-disaster economic
recovery responsibilities, without regard to the provisions of
subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code,
governing appointments in competitive service and compensation
of personnel.
``(2) Appointment to position within eda.--Notwithstanding
chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code, or any other
provision of law relating to the examination, certification,
and appointment of individuals in the competitive service, the
Secretary may convert a temporary employee appointed under
paragraph (1) to a permanent appointment in the competitive
service in the Economic Development Administration under merit
promotion procedures if--
``(A) the employee has served continuously in that
appointment for not less than 2 years; and
``(B) the performance of the employee has been at
an acceptable level of performance throughout the
period or periods referred to in subparagraph (A).
``(b) Disaster Team.--
``(1) Establishment.--As soon as practicable after the date
of enactment of the INVEST in Our Communities Act, the
Secretary shall establish a disaster team for the deployment of
individuals to carry out post-disaster economic recovery
efforts after a major disaster or emergency has been declared
under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) and an agency has been
activated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
``(2) Membership.--
``(A) Designation of staff.--As soon as practicable
after the date of enactment of the INVEST in Our
Communities Act, the Secretary shall designate to serve
on the disaster team, in conjunction with staff of the
Department--
``(i) employees of the Department who are
not employees of the agency; and
``(ii) in consultation with the heads of
other Federal agencies, employees of those
agencies, as appropriate.
``(B) Capabilities.--In designating individuals
under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall ensure that
the disaster team includes a sufficient number of--
``(i) individuals who are capable of
deploying rapidly and efficiently to respond to
major disasters and emergencies; and
``(ii) in conjunction with permanent agency
staff, highly trained individuals employed
full-time to lead and manage the disaster team.
``(3) Training.--The Secretary shall ensure that
appropriate and ongoing training is provided to members of the
disaster team designed under paragraph (2) to ensure that the
members are adequately trained with respect to the programs and
policies of the agency relating to post-disaster economic
recovery efforts.
``(4) Expenses.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Secretary may--
``(A) use, with or without reimbursement, any
service, equipment, personnel, or facility of any
Federal agency with the explicit support of that
agency, to the extent such use does not impair or
conflict with the authority of the President or the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) to
direct Federal agencies in any major disaster or
emergency declared under that Act; and
``(B) provide members of the disaster team with
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of
subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of
agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5,
United States Code, relating to service as a member of
the disaster team.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents contained in section
1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (79 Stat.
552; 112 Stat. 3597) (as amended by section 9(b)) is amended by
inserting after the item relating to section 509 the following:
``Sec. 510. Flexible hiring and disaster authorities.''.
SEC. 11. INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means--
(A) the Economic Development Administration; and
(B) the Department of Agriculture, with respect to
the rural development mission area.
(2) Covered program.--The term ``covered program'' means a
program administered by a covered agency that provides funding
and technical assistance for rural economic development.
(b) Interagency Agreement.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the heads of the covered agencies shall enter
into an interagency agreement requiring coordination between the
covered agencies with respect to covered programs.
(c) Requirements.--The interagency agreement entered into under
subsection (b) shall require that the covered agencies--
(1) share information about existing or planned projects
that have received or will receive funds for new rural economic
development under a covered program;
(2) coordinate at all levels to support communities in
broadening awareness of, and access to, covered programs and
obtaining additional Federal funding opportunities to help
address the needs of local or regional economies;
(3) align the collaborative efforts of the covered agencies
based on current priorities and determine the extent to which
any additional agencies should be included in the interagency
agreement entered into under subsection (b);
(4) on request from another Federal agency with authority
to award or authorize funds for rural economic development,
provide to that agency any information the covered agencies
possess relating to--
(A) each entity that has received or will receive
funds under the covered program; and
(B) the geographic scope of rural economic
development in the area in which the project is carried
out;
(5) monitor progress toward achieving outcomes of the
covered agencies relating to rural economic development;
(6) coordinate with the Council on Rural Community
Innovation and Economic Development established by section
6306(b)(1) of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (7 U.S.C.
2204b-3(b)(1)) and the Rural Broadband Integration Working
Group established by section 6214(a)(1) of that Act (Public Law
115-334; 132 Stat. 4746) to assist communities in addressing
and resolving Federal barriers to administering, fulfilling, or
expanding economic development goals associated with
investments from the covered agencies;
(7) establish, maintain, and update not less frequently
than once every 2 years, an effective resource guide to
boosting economic development in rural communities, which shall
include information on, and Internet links to, the key
priorities and resources of the covered agencies and outline
programs and services that can be used to advance community and
economic development in rural communities through 4 key focus
areas, including--
(A) planning and technical assistance;
(B) infrastructure and broadband expansion;
(C) entrepreneurship and business assistance; and
(D) workforce development and livability; and
(8) expand, in writing, the joint efforts of the covered
agencies with respect to rural economic development with the
Department of Housing and Urban Development, as appropriate.
(d) Periodic Updates.--The covered agencies shall periodically
update the interagency agreement entered into under subsection (b).
(e) Public Comment; Assessment and Report.--
(1) Public comment.--Not later than 1 year after the date
on which the covered agencies enter into the interagency
agreement under subsection (b), the Secretary of Commerce and
the Secretary of Agriculture shall jointly seek public comment
on--
(A) the effectiveness of the interagency agreement
in facilitating efficient use of funds for rural
economic development;
(B) the availability of Tribal, State, and local
data relating to rural economic development and the
inclusion of those data in interagency coordination;
and
(C) modifications to the interagency agreement that
would improve the efficacy of interagency coordination.
(2) Assessment; report.--Not later than 18 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce and
the Secretary of Agriculture shall jointly--
(A) review and assess the comments received under
paragraph (1); and
(B) submit to the Committees on Environment and
Public Works and Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
of the Senate and the Committees on Transportation and
Infrastructure and Agriculture of the House of
Representatives a report detailing any findings and
recommendations from the assessment under subparagraph
(A).
SEC. 12. HOSPITALITY AND OUTDOOR-RECREATION SUPPORTING TOURISM (HOST)
GRANTS.
(a) In General.--Title II of the Public Works and Economic
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141 et seq.) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``SEC. 219. HOSPITALITY AND OUTDOOR-RECREATION SUPPORTING TOURISM
(HOST) GRANTS.
``(a) Definition of Tourism, Hospitality, or Special Event
Activity.--In this section, the term `tourism, hospitality, or special
event activity' means any economic activity that primarily serves to
encourage recreational or business travel within the United States or
from abroad, including tourist attractions, business and recreational
conventions, large entertainment events and venues, and promotion or
organization of any such activity.
``(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a program to
provide grants to eligible recipients to support outdoor recreation,
travel, and tourism, hospitality, or special event activities to spur
economic development.
``(c) Goals.--A project carried out with a grant under this section
shall be carried out for the goal of--
``(1) in the case of an infrastructure project--
``(A) leading to long-term increases in tourist
activity in a region, including in communities adjacent
to National Park System units, National Forest System
land, State parks, national marine sanctuaries,
National Heritage Areas, Tribal parks, or other natural
destinations;
``(B) using nature-based infrastructure projects
and other projects intended to enhance public access to
outdoor recreation opportunities; and
``(C) enhancing the visitor experience or economic
value of the local tourism, hospitality, or special
event industries; or
``(2) in the case of other projects as determined
appropriate by the Secretary, supporting the outdoor
recreation, travel, tourism, hospitality, or special event
industries, in a manner consistent with the National Travel and
Tourism Strategy or as recommended by the United States Travel
and Tourism Advisory Board, if any.
``(d) Eligible Uses.--
``(1) In general.--A grant under this section may be used--
``(A) for short-term and long-term economic
development planning and coordination of local or
regional outdoor recreation, travel, tourism,
hospitality, and special event industries;
``(B) to carry out technical assistance projects to
assist local or regional economies in--
``(i) the recovery from, and response to,
damage to the outdoor recreation, travel,
tourism, hospitality, and special event
industries as a result of a natural disaster or
public health emergency; and
``(ii) future development of the outdoor
recreation, travel, tourism, hospitality, or
special event industries;
``(C) to pay costs associated with obtaining State,
Tribal, county, city, community, or regional tourism,
hospitality, or special event activity marketing and
promotion campaigns, including through nonprofit or
quasigovernmental Destination Marketing Organizations
(DMOs);
``(D) to carry out construction activities that
support local or regional outdoor recreation, travel,
tourism, hospitality, or special events, including
activities involving--
``(i) construction of new, or improvements
to existing, outdoor recreation and trail
infrastructure, including public access and
safety enhancements to that infrastructure;
``(ii) nature-based infrastructure projects
to improve access to outdoor recreation;
``(iii) improvement of cultural, arts,
convention, special event, outdoor recreation,
and tourism facilities, such as visitor or
tourist information centers, including
through--
``(I) general accessibility
upgrades, such as increasing disability
access;
``(II) improving ventilation,
heating, and cooling systems;
``(III) increasing energy
efficiency; and
``(IV) incorporating additional
renewable energy generation associated
with that infrastructure, including
zero-emission vehicle fleets and
charging infrastructure;
``(iv) construction of workforce training
facilities in order to carry out capacity
building programs;
``(v) water or wastewater and stormwater
improvements;
``(vi) pier construction and improvements;
and
``(vii) accessibility enhancements;
``(E) to pay costs associated with upgrades and
retrofits, including filtration and sanitation and
physical modifications to existing local or regional
outdoor recreation, travel, tourism, hospitality, or
special event infrastructure, such as convention
centers, large event spaces, campsites, or associated
community attractions, with precautions to provide for
safe worker, traveler, or event environments to
increase travel and tourism activities or to make the
infrastructure more functional as a result of a natural
disaster or a public health emergency;
``(F) to establish programs to provide assistance
to businesses in local or regional outdoor recreation,
travel, tourism, hospitality, or special events
industries--
``(i) for development;
``(ii) to recover from the impacts of a
major disaster or emergency declared under the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et
seq.) or a public health emergency declared
under section 319 of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 247d); or
``(iii) for expansion of programs;
``(G) to carry out workforce training, recruitment,
and research programs that support the outdoor
recreation, travel, tourism, hospitality, or special
event industries to improve the skills of, and job
opportunities for, workers in those industries,
including through a program registered under the Act of
August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the `National
Apprenticeship Act'; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.), and other
work and learn models;
``(H) to pay costs associated with providing
information to visitors about the health and safety
protections, guidance, or requirements of Federal,
State, Tribal, or local governments and businesses in
the wake of a natural disaster or a public health
emergency; and
``(I) as applicable, and a result of a natural
disaster or a public health emergency to pay the costs
of salaries and expenses associated with the operations
of the eligible recipient, other than salaries and
expenses of the executives of the eligible recipient,
if the applicant--
``(i) demonstrates the capacity to maintain
the positions for which the funds are used; or
``(ii) demonstrates that the positions for
which the funds are used are temporary or
seasonal.
``(2) Examples.--Examples of activities that comply with
the eligible uses described in subparagraphs (A) through (I) of
paragraph (1) include activities that involve--
``(A) media and marketing;
``(B) installing or constructing visitor kiosks;
``(C) installing interpretive signage;
``(D) building improvements; and
``(E) support or technical assistance for small
businesses, including activities that bring public
awareness to those small businesses.
``(3) Prohibition.--Amounts provided under this section may
not be used--
``(A) for recruitment efforts to bring in or host
particular events, such as sporting competitions or
other activities; or
``(B) to invest in facilities, events, or
operations that are not open or broadly available to
the general public.
``(e) Coordination With BIA.--In carrying out this section, the
Secretary shall coordinate with, as appropriate, the Tribal Tourism
Grant Program of the Office of Indian Economic Development of the
Bureau of Indian Affairs to support Tribal communities when funding
provided under that grant program is helpful in developing or expanding
the outdoor recreation, travel, tourism, hospitality, and special event
economies of those Tribal communities.
``(f) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority to eligible
recipients that seek to carry out an activity that--
``(1) is based on long-term, regionally oriented,
coordinated, and collaborative economic development or
redevelopment strategies that foster economic growth and
resilience;
``(2) will promote workforce development; or
``(3) will involve a minority-owned, rural, Native
American, or otherwise underserved small business concern.
``(g) Consideration Relating to Indian Tribes, Tribal
Organizations, and Native Hawaiian Organizations.--In providing a grant
under this section to an eligible recipient that is an Indian tribe, a
tribal organization (as defined in section 3 of the NATIVE Act (25
U.S.C. 4352)), or a Native Hawaiian organization (as defined in that
section), the Secretary--
``(1) may consider whether the Indian tribe, tribal
organization (as so defined), or Native Hawaiian organization
(as so defined), as applicable, has matching funds from other
sources to carry out an activity; and
``(2) shall not require the Indian tribe, tribal
organization (as so defined), or Native Hawaiian organization
(as so defined), as applicable, to provide matching funds from
other sources to receive a grant under this section.
``(h) Regional Distribution.--
``(1) In general.--In providing grants under this section,
the Secretary shall distribute the funds to eligible recipients
in each region served by the Economic Development
Administration in accordance with the distribution parameters
described in paragraph (2)(A).
``(2) Distribution of awards.--
``(A) In general.--The distribution parameters
referred to in paragraph (1) shall include
consideration of each of the following:
``(i) Using the most recent data from the
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages and
the Current Employment Statistics, employment
in the leisure and hospitality sectors (other
than food service businesses) as a percentage
of total employment in States in the region,
using a 5-year average.
``(ii) Using the most recent data from the
Arts and Cultural Production and Outdoor
Recreation Satellite Account, employment in
arts and cultural production and outdoor
recreation as a percentage of total employment
in States in the region, using a 5-year
average.
``(iii) The number of international and
domestic visitors in States in the region,
using data from the Department or another
source as the Secretary determines to be
appropriate.
``(iv) The impacts of natural or economic
disasters, or public health emergencies, on the
outdoor recreation, travel, tourism,
hospitality, or special event industries in
States in the region.
``(v) Any other data that the Secretary
determines reliably measures the impact of
outdoor recreation, travel, tourism,
hospitality, or special events to the economy
of a State.
``(B) Out of date, discontinued, or inaccurate data
sources.--If the Secretary determines that a data
source described in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph
(A) is out of date, discontinued, or otherwise
inaccurate, the Secretary may substitute other data
sources to obtain the employment statistics described
in those clauses, subject to the condition that the
Secretary provides to Congress a report describing the
new data source used by the Secretary.
``(i) Outdoor Recreation Set-Aside.--Of the amounts made available
for each fiscal year to carry out this section, the Secretary shall
ensure that not less than 40 percent is used to provide assistance to
eligible recipients for activities that benefit the local outdoor
recreation sector.
``(j) Rural Set-Aside.--
``(1) In general.--Of the amounts made available for each
fiscal year to carry out this section, the Secretary shall
ensure that not less than 20 percent is used to provide
assistance to eligible recipients located in, or that serve, a
rural area (as defined in section 343(a) of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a))), with a
particular focus on rural areas that are located in distressed
or underserved communities.
``(2) Waiver.--If there are not sufficient qualified
eligible recipients located in, or that serve, a rural area (as
so defined), to carry out paragraph (1), the Secretary may
waive the requirement under that paragraph.
``(k) Native American Set-Aside.--
``(1) In general.--Of the amounts made available for each
fiscal year to carry out this section, the Secretary shall
ensure that not less than 5 percent is used to provide
assistance to eligible recipients that are Indian tribes,
tribal organizations (as defined in section 3 of the NATIVE Act
(25 U.S.C. 4352)), and Native Hawaiian organizations (as
defined in that section).
``(2) Waiver.--If there are not sufficient qualified
eligible recipients that are Indian tribes, tribal
organizations (as so defined), or Native Hawaiian organizations
(as so defined) to carry out paragraph (1), the Secretary may
waive the requirement under that paragraph.''.
(b) Federal Share.--Section 204(c) of the Public Works and Economic
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3144(c)) (as amended by section
3(2)(B)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``In the case'' and
inserting ``Except as provided in paragraph (6), in the case'';
and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) HOST grant to indian tribes, tribal organizations, or
native hawaiian organizations.--In the case of a grant to an
Indian tribe, a tribal organization (as defined in section 3 of
the NATIVE Act (25 U.S.C. 4352)), or a Native Hawaiian
organization (as defined in that section) for a project under
section 219, the Federal share of the cost of the project shall
be 100 percent.''.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents contained in section
1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (79 Stat.
552; 112 Stat. 3597; 118 Stat. 1767) is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 218 the following:
``Sec. 219. Hospitality and Outdoor-Recreation Supporting Tourism
(HOST) grants.''.
SEC. 13. FUNDING FOR HOST GRANTS.
(a) In General.--Title VII of the Public Works and Economic
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3231 et seq.) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``SEC. 705. FUNDING FOR HOST GRANTS.
``Of the amounts made available to carry out this Act for each of
fiscal years 2025 through 2029, $100,000,000 shall be used to carry out
section 219, of which 3 percent shall be used for the administrative
costs of carrying out that section, including for maintaining the
distribution parameters described in subsection (h)(2) of that
section.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents contained in section
1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (79 Stat.
552; 112 Stat. 3597; 118 Stat. 1772) is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 704 the following:
``Sec. 705. Funding for HOST grants.''.
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