January 10, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 5 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
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AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 5
(House of Representatives - January 10, 2019)
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[Pages H375-H398] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019 Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 28, I call up the bill (H.R. 265) making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 28, the bill is considered read. [[Page H376]] The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 265 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes, namely: TITLE I AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS Processing, Research, and Marketing Office of the Secretary (including transfers of funds) For necessary expenses of the Office of the Secretary, $46,532,000, of which not to exceed $5,051,000 shall be available for the immediate Office of the Secretary; not to exceed $800,000 shall be available for the Office of the Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development: Provided, That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the Rural Development mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative support staff for the Office; not to exceed $1,496,000 shall be available for the Office of Homeland Security; not to exceed $4,711,000 shall be available for the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement; not to exceed $23,105,000 shall be available for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration, of which $22,301,000 shall be available for Departmental Administration to provide for necessary expenses for management support services to offices of the Department and for general administration, security, repairs and alterations, and other miscellaneous supplies and expenses not otherwise provided for and necessary for the practical and efficient work of the Department: Provided further, That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the Administration mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative support staff for the Office; not to exceed $3,869,000 shall be available for the Office of Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations to carry out the programs funded by this Act, including programs involving intergovernmental affairs and liaison within the executive branch; and not to exceed $7,500,000 shall be available for the Office of Communications: Provided further, That the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to transfer funds appropriated for any office of the Office of the Secretary to any other office of the Office of the Secretary: Provided further, That no appropriation for any office shall be increased or decreased by more than 5 percent: Provided further, That not to exceed $11,000 of the amount made available under this paragraph for the immediate Office of the Secretary shall be available for official reception and representation expenses, not otherwise provided for, as determined by the Secretary: Provided further, That the amount made available under this heading for Departmental Administration shall be reimbursed from applicable appropriations in this Act for travel expenses incident to the holding of hearings as required by 5 U.S.C. 551-558: Provided further, That funds made available under this heading for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations may be transferred to agencies of the Department of Agriculture funded by this Act to maintain personnel at the agency level: Provided further, That no funds made available under this heading for the Office of Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations may be obligated after 30 days from the date of enactment of this Act, unless the Secretary has notified the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress on the allocation of these funds by USDA agency. Executive Operations office of the chief economist For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief Economist, $19,786,000, of which $4,000,000 shall be for grants or cooperative agreements for policy research under 7 U.S.C. 3155. office of hearings and appeals For necessary expenses of the Office of Hearings and Appeals, $15,222,000. office of budget and program analysis For necessary expenses of the Office of Budget and Program Analysis, $9,525,000. Office of the Chief Information Officer For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief Information Officer, $63,950,000, of which not less than $38,000,000 is for cybersecurity requirements of the department. Office of the Chief Financial Officer For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, $6,028,000. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights For necessary expenses of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, $901,000: Provided, That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the Civil Rights mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative support staff for the Office. Office of Civil Rights For necessary expenses of the Office of Civil Rights, $24,206,000. Agriculture Buildings and Facilities (including transfers of funds) For payment of space rental and related costs pursuant to Public Law 92-313, including authorities pursuant to the 1984 delegation of authority from the Administrator of General Services to the Department of Agriculture under 40 U.S.C. 121, for programs and activities of the Department which are included in this Act, and for alterations and other actions needed for the Department and its agencies to consolidate unneeded space into configurations suitable for release to the Administrator of General Services, and for the operation, maintenance, improvement, and repair of Agriculture buildings and facilities, and for related costs, $58,330,000, to remain available until expended. Hazardous Materials Management (including transfers of funds) For necessary expenses of the Department of Agriculture, to comply with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.), $3,503,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That appropriations and funds available herein to the Department for Hazardous Materials Management may be transferred to any agency of the Department for its use in meeting all requirements pursuant to the above Acts on Federal and non-Federal lands. Office of Inspector General For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General, including employment pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452; 5 U.S.C. App.), $98,208,000, including such sums as may be necessary for contracting and other arrangements with public agencies and private persons pursuant to section 6(a)(9) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452; 5 U.S.C. App.), and including not to exceed $125,000 for certain confidential operational expenses, including the payment of informants, to be expended under the direction of the Inspector General pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452; 5 U.S.C. App.) and section 1337 of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (Public Law 97-98). Office of the General Counsel For necessary expenses of the Office of the General Counsel, $45,146,000. Office of Ethics For necessary expenses of the Office of Ethics, $4,136,000. Office of the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, $800,000: Provided, That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the Research, Education, and Economics mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative support staff for the Office. Economic Research Service For necessary expenses of the Economic Research Service, $86,757,000. National Agricultural Statistics Service For necessary expenses of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, $174,767,000, of which up to $45,300,000 shall be available until expended for the Census of Agriculture: Provided, That amounts made available for the Census of Agriculture may be used to conduct Current Industrial Report surveys subject to 7 U.S.C. 2204g(d) and (f). Agricultural Research Service salaries and expenses For necessary expenses of the Agricultural Research Service and for acquisition of lands by donation, exchange, or purchase at a nominal cost not to exceed $100, and for land exchanges where the lands exchanged shall be of equal value or shall be equalized by a payment of money to the grantor which shall not exceed 25 percent of the total value of the land or interests transferred out of Federal ownership, $1,300,966,000, of which $10,600,000, to remain available until expended, shall be used to carry out the science program at the National Bio- and Agro-defense Facility located in Manhattan, Kansas; of which not less than $2,000,000 shall be available to carry out the dryland agriculture research program; and of which not less than $7,000,000 shall be available for purposes of entering into a management, operations, and research support contract to expedite the hiring of a capable workforce for the commissioning of the Central Utility Plant and in support of operations and management of the National Bio- and Agro- defense Facility: Provided, That appropriations hereunder shall be available for the operation and maintenance of aircraft and the purchase of not to exceed one for replacement only: Provided further, That appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2250 for the construction, alteration, and repair of buildings and improvements, but unless otherwise provided, the cost of constructing any one building shall not exceed $500,000, except for headhouses or greenhouses which shall each be limited to $1,800,000, except for 10 buildings to be constructed or improved at a cost not to exceed $1,100,000 each, and except for two buildings to be constructed at a cost not to exceed $3,000,000 each, and the cost of altering any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value of the building or $500,000, whichever is greater: Provided further, That appropriations hereunder shall be available for entering into lease agreements at any Agricultural Research Service location for the construction of a research facility by a non-Federal entity for use by the Agricultural Research Service and a condition of the lease [[Page H377]] shall be that any facility shall be owned, operated, and maintained by the non-Federal entity and shall be removed upon the expiration or termination of the lease agreement: Provided further, That the limitations on alterations contained in this Act shall not apply to modernization or replacement of existing facilities at Beltsville, Maryland: Provided further, That appropriations hereunder shall be available for granting easements at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center: Provided further, That the foregoing limitations shall not apply to replacement of buildings needed to carry out the Act of April 24, 1948 (21 U.S.C. 113a): Provided further, That appropriations hereunder shall be available for granting easements at any Agricultural Research Service location for the construction of a research facility by a non-Federal entity for use by, and acceptable to, the Agricultural Research Service and a condition of the easements shall be that upon completion the facility shall be accepted by the Secretary, subject to the availability of funds herein, if the Secretary finds that acceptance of the facility is in the interest of the United States: Provided further, That funds may be received from any State, other political subdivision, organization, or individual for the purpose of establishing or operating any research facility or research project of the Agricultural Research Service, as authorized by law. National Institute of Food and Agriculture research and education activities For payments to agricultural experiment stations, for cooperative forestry and other research, for facilities, and for other expenses, $898,535,000, which shall be for the purposes, and in the amounts, specified in the table titled ``National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Research and Education Activities'' in the explanatory statement described in section 769 of this Act: Provided, That funds for research grants for 1994 institutions, education grants for 1890 institutions, capacity building for non-land-grant colleges of agriculture, the agriculture and food research initiative, veterinary medicine loan repayment, multicultural scholars, graduate fellowship and institution challenge grants, and grants management systems shall remain available until expended: Provided further, That each institution eligible to receive funds under the Evans-Allen program receives no less than $1,000,000: Provided further, That funds for education grants for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions be made available to individual eligible institutions or consortia of eligible institutions with funds awarded equally to each of the States of Alaska and Hawaii: Provided further, That funds for education grants for 1890 institutions shall be made available to institutions eligible to receive funds under 7 U.S.C. 3221 and 3222: Provided further, That not more than 5 percent of the amounts made available by this or any other Act to carry out the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative under 7 U.S.C. 450i(b) may be retained by the Secretary of Agriculture to pay administrative costs incurred by the Secretary in carrying out that authority. native american institutions endowment fund For the Native American Institutions Endowment Fund authorized by Public Law 103-382 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), $11,880,000, to remain available until expended. extension activities For payments to States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, Micronesia, the Northern Marianas, and American Samoa, $486,692,000, which shall be for the purposes, and in the amounts, specified in the table titled ``National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Extension Activities'' in the explanatory statement described in section 769 of this Act: Provided, That funds for facility improvements at 1890 institutions shall remain available until expended: Provided further, That institutions eligible to receive funds under 7 U.S.C. 3221 for cooperative extension receive no less than $1,000,000: Provided further, That funds for cooperative extension under sections 3(b) and (c) of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 343(b) and (c)) and section 208(c) of Public Law 93-471 shall be available for retirement and employees' compensation costs for extension agents. integrated activities For the integrated research, education, and extension grants programs, including necessary administrative expenses, $38,000,000, which shall be for the purposes, and in the amounts, specified in the table titled ``National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Integrated Activities'' in the explanatory statement described in section 769 of this Act: Provided, That funds for the Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative shall remain available until September 30, 2020: Provided further, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, indirect costs shall not be charged against any Extension Implementation Program Area grant awarded under the Crop Protection/Pest Management Program (7 U.S.C. 7626). Office of the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, $901,000: Provided, That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the Marketing and Regulatory Programs mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative support staff for the Office. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service salaries and expenses (including transfers of funds) For necessary expenses of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, including up to $30,000 for representation allowances and for expenses pursuant to the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4085), $1,000,493,000, of which $470,000, to remain available until expended, shall be available for the control of outbreaks of insects, plant diseases, animal diseases and for control of pest animals and birds (``contingency fund'') to the extent necessary to meet emergency conditions; of which $11,520,000, to remain available until expended, shall be used for the cotton pests program for cost share purposes or for debt retirement for active eradication zones; of which $37,857,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for Animal Health Technical Services; of which $705,000 shall be for activities under the authority of the Horse Protection Act of 1970, as amended (15 U.S.C. 1831); of which $62,840,000, to remain available until expended, shall be used to support avian health; of which $4,251,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for information technology infrastructure; of which $178,170,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for specialty crop pests; of which, $11,826,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for field crop and rangeland ecosystem pests; of which $16,523,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for zoonotic disease management; of which $41,466,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for emergency preparedness and response; of which $60,000,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for tree and wood pests; of which $5,725,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for the National Veterinary Stockpile; of which up to $1,500,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for the scrapie program for indemnities; of which $2,500,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for the wildlife damage management program for aviation safety: Provided, That of amounts available under this heading for wildlife services methods development, $1,000,000 shall remain available until expended: Provided further, That of amounts available under this heading for the screwworm program, $4,990,000 shall remain available until expended; of which $13,600,000, to remain available until expended, shall be used to carry out the science program at the National Bio- and Agro-defense Facility located in Manhattan, Kansas: Provided further, That no funds shall be used to formulate or administer a brucellosis eradication program for the current fiscal year that does not require minimum matching by the States of at least 40 percent: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be available for the operation and maintenance of aircraft and the purchase of not to exceed five, of which two shall be for replacement only: Provided further, That in addition, in emergencies which threaten any segment of the agricultural production industry of the United States, the Secretary may transfer from other appropriations or funds available to the agencies or corporations of the Department such sums as may be deemed necessary, to be available only in such emergencies for the arrest and eradication of contagious or infectious disease or pests of animals, poultry, or plants, and for expenses in accordance with sections 10411 and 10417 of the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8310 and 8316) and sections 431 and 442 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7751 and 7772), and any unexpended balances of funds transferred for such emergency purposes in the preceding fiscal year shall be merged with such transferred amounts: Provided further, That appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the repair and alteration of leased buildings and improvements, but unless otherwise provided the cost of altering any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value of the building. In fiscal year 2019, the agency is authorized to collect fees to cover the total costs of providing technical assistance, goods, or services requested by States, other political subdivisions, domestic and international organizations, foreign governments, or individuals, provided that such fees are structured such that any entity's liability for such fees is reasonably based on the technical assistance, goods, or services provided to the entity by the agency, and such fees shall be reimbursed to this account, to remain available until expended, without further appropriation, for providing such assistance, goods, or services. buildings and facilities For plans, construction, repair, preventive maintenance, environmental support, improvement, extension, alteration, and purchase of fixed equipment or facilities, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 2250, and acquisition of land as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 428a, $3,175,000, to remain available until expended. Agricultural Marketing Service marketing services For necessary expenses of the Agricultural Marketing Service, $155,845,000, of which $4,000,000 shall be available for the purposes of section 12306 of Public Law 113-79; and of which $7,000,000 shall be available for marketing activities authorized under section 204(b) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of [[Page H378]] 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1623(b)) to provide to State departments of agriculture, State cooperative extension services, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations grants to carry out programs and provide technical assistance to promote innovation, process improvement, and marketing relating to dairy products: Provided, That this appropriation shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the alteration and repair of buildings and improvements, but the cost of altering any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value of the building. Fees may be collected for the cost of standardization activities, as established by regulation pursuant to law (31 U.S.C. 9701). limitation on administrative expenses Not to exceed $60,982,000 (from fees collected) shall be obligated during the current fiscal year for administrative expenses: Provided, That if crop size is understated and/or other uncontrollable events occur, the agency may exceed this limitation by up to 10 percent with notification to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. funds for strengthening markets, income, and supply (section 32) (including transfers of funds) Funds available under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c), shall be used only for commodity program expenses as authorized therein, and other related operating expenses, except for: (1) transfers to the Department of Commerce as authorized by the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742a et seq.); (2) transfers otherwise provided in this Act; and (3) not more than $20,489,000 for formulation and administration of marketing agreements and orders pursuant to the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 and the Agricultural Act of 1961 (Public Law 87-128). payments to states and possessions For payments to departments of agriculture, bureaus and departments of markets, and similar agencies for marketing activities under section 204(b) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1623(b)), $1,235,000. limitation on inspection and weighing services expenses Not to exceed $55,000,000 (from fees collected) shall be obligated during the current fiscal year for inspection and weighing services: Provided, That if grain export activities require additional supervision and oversight, or other uncontrollable factors occur, this limitation may be exceeded by up to 10 percent with notification to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, $800,000: Provided, That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the Food Safety mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative support staff for the Office. Food Safety and Inspection Service For necessary expenses to carry out services authorized by the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, and the Egg Products Inspection Act, including not to exceed $10,000 for representation allowances and for expenses pursuant to section 8 of the Act approved August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 1766), $1,049,344,000; and in addition, $1,000,000 may be credited to this account from fees collected for the cost of laboratory accreditation as authorized by section 1327 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 138f): Provided, That funds provided for the Public Health Data Communication Infrastructure system shall remain available until expended: Provided further, That no fewer than 148 full-time equivalent positions shall be employed during fiscal year 2019 for purposes dedicated solely to inspections and enforcement related to the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (7 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.): Provided further, That the Food Safety and Inspection Service shall continue implementation of section 11016 of Public Law 110-246 as further clarified by the amendments made in section 12106 of Public Law 113-79: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the alteration and repair of buildings and improvements, but the cost of altering any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value of the building. TITLE II FARM PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS Office of the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, $901,000: Provided, That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the Farm Production and Conservation mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative support staff for the Office. Farm Production and Conservation Business Center For necessary expenses of the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center, $1,028,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That $149,000 of amounts appropriated for the current fiscal year pursuant to section 1241(a) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(a)) shall be transferred to and merged with this account. Farm Service Agency salaries and expenses (including transfers of funds) For necessary expenses of the Farm Service Agency, $1,202,146,000: Provided, That not more than 50 percent of the $44,691,000 made available under this heading for information technology related to farm program delivery, including the Modernize and Innovate the Delivery of Agricultural Systems and other farm program delivery systems, may be obligated until the Secretary submits to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress, and receives written or electronic notification of receipt from such Committees of, a plan for expenditure that (1) identifies for each project/investment over $25,000 (a) the functional and performance capabilities to be delivered and the mission benefits to be realized, (b) the estimated lifecycle cost, including estimates for development as well as maintenance and operations, and (c) key milestones to be met; (2) demonstrates that each project/investment is, (a) consistent with the Farm Service Agency Information Technology Roadmap, (b) being managed in accordance with applicable lifecycle management policies and guidance, and (c) subject to the applicable Department's capital planning and investment control requirements; and (3) has been reviewed by the Government Accountability Office and approved by the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress: Provided further, That the agency shall submit a report by the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019 to the Committees on Appropriations and the Government Accountability Office, that identifies for each project/ investment that is operational (a) current performance against key indicators of customer satisfaction, (b) current performance of service level agreements or other technical metrics, (c) current performance against a pre-established cost baseline, (d) a detailed breakdown of current and planned spending on operational enhancements or upgrades, and (e) an assessment of whether the investment continues to meet business needs as intended as well as alternatives to the investment: Provided further, That the Secretary is authorized to use the services, facilities, and authorities (but not the funds) of the Commodity Credit Corporation to make program payments for all programs administered by the Agency: Provided further, That other funds made available to the Agency for authorized activities may be advanced to and merged with this account: Provided further, That funds made available to county committees shall remain available until expended: Provided further, That none of the funds available to the Farm Service Agency shall be used to close Farm Service Agency county offices: Provided further, That none of the funds available to the Farm Service Agency shall be used to permanently relocate county based employees that would result in an office with two or fewer employees without prior notification and approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. state mediation grants For grants pursuant to section 502(b) of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987, as amended (7 U.S.C. 5101-5106), $3,904,000. grassroots source water protection program For necessary expenses to carry out wellhead or groundwater protection activities under section 1240O of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb-2), $6,500,000, to remain available until expended. dairy indemnity program (including transfer of funds) For necessary expenses involved in making indemnity payments to dairy farmers and manufacturers of dairy products under a dairy indemnity program, such sums as may be necessary, to remain available until expended: Provided, That such program is carried out by the Secretary in the same manner as the dairy indemnity program described in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public Law 106-387, 114 Stat. 1549A-12). agricultural credit insurance fund program account (including transfers of funds) For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct and guaranteed farm ownership (7 U.S.C. 1922 et seq.) and operating (7 U.S.C. 1941 et seq.) loans, emergency loans (7 U.S.C. 1961 et seq.), Indian tribe land acquisition loans (25 U.S.C. 488), boll weevil loans (7 U.S.C. 1989), guaranteed conservation loans (7 U.S.C. 1924 et seq.), and Indian highly fractionated land loans (25 U.S.C. 488) to be available from funds in the Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund, as follows: $2,750,000,000 for guaranteed farm ownership loans and $1,500,000,000 for farm ownership direct loans; $1,960,000,000 for unsubsidized guaranteed operating loans and $1,530,000,000 for direct operating loans; emergency loans, $37,668,000; Indian tribe land acquisition loans, $20,000,000; guaranteed conservation loans, $150,000,000; Indian highly fractionated land loans, $10,000,000; and for boll weevil eradication program loans, $60,000,000: Provided, That the Secretary shall deem the pink bollworm to be a boll weevil for the purpose of boll weevil eradication program loans. [[Page H379]] For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans and grants, including the cost of modifying loans as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows: farm operating loans, $59,670,000 for direct operating loans, $21,168,000 for unsubsidized guaranteed operating loans, emergency loans, $1,567,000 and $2,134,000 for Indian highly fractionated land loans to remain available until expended. In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $325,068,000: Provided, That of this amount, $314,998,000 shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ``Farm Service Agency, Salaries and Expenses'', of which $8,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2020. Funds appropriated by this Act to the Agricultural Credit Insurance Program Account for farm ownership, operating and conservation direct loans and guaranteed loans may be transferred among these programs: Provided, That the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress are notified at least 15 days in advance of any transfer. Risk Management Agency salaries and expenses For necessary expenses of the Risk Management Agency, $74,829,000: Provided, That not to exceed $1,000 shall be available for official reception and representation expenses, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 1506(i). Natural Resources Conservation Service conservation operations For necessary expenses for carrying out the provisions of the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-f), including preparation of conservation plans and establishment of measures to conserve soil and water (including farm irrigation and land drainage and such special measures for soil and water management as may be necessary to prevent floods and the siltation of reservoirs and to control agricultural related pollutants); operation of conservation plant materials centers; classification and mapping of soil; dissemination of information; acquisition of lands, water, and interests therein for use in the plant materials program by donation, exchange, or purchase at a nominal cost not to exceed $100 pursuant to the Act of August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 428a); purchase and erection or alteration or improvement of permanent and temporary buildings; and operation and maintenance of aircraft, $879,107,000, to remain available until September 30, 2020: Provided, That appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2250 for construction and improvement of buildings and public improvements at plant materials centers, except that the cost of alterations and improvements to other buildings and other public improvements shall not exceed $250,000: Provided further, That when buildings or other structures are erected on non-Federal land, that the right to use such land is obtained as provided in 7 U.S.C. 2250a: Provided further, That of the amounts made available under this heading, $5,600,000, shall remain available until expended for the authorities under 16 U.S.C. 1001-1005 and 1007-1009 for authorized ongoing watershed projects with a primary purpose of providing water to rural communities. watershed and flood prevention operations For necessary expenses to carry out preventive measures, including but not limited to surveys and investigations, engineering operations, works of improvement, and changes in use of land, in accordance with the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1001-1005 and 1007-1009) and in accordance with the provisions of laws relating to the activities of the Department, $150,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That for funds provided by this Act or any other prior Act, the limitation regarding the size of the watershed or subwatershed exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand acres in which such activities can be undertaken shall only apply for activities undertaken for the primary purpose of flood prevention (including structural and land treatment measures): Provided further, That of the amounts made available under this heading, $50,000,000 shall be allocated to projects and activities that can commence promptly following enactment; that address regional priorities for flood prevention, agricultural water management, inefficient irrigation systems, fish and wildlife habitat, or watershed protection; or that address authorized ongoing projects under the authorities of section 13 of the Flood Control Act of December 22, 1944 (Public Law 78-534) with a primary purpose of watershed protection by preventing floodwater damage and stabilizing stream channels, tributaries, and banks to reduce erosion and sediment transport. CORPORATIONS The following corporations and agencies are hereby authorized to make expenditures, within the limits of funds and borrowing authority available to each such corporation or agency and in accord with law, and to make contracts and commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as provided by section 104 of the Government Corporation Control Act as may be necessary in carrying out the programs set forth in the budget for the current fiscal year for such corporation or agency, except as hereinafter provided. Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund For payments as authorized by section 516 of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1516), such sums as may be necessary, to remain available until expended. Commodity Credit Corporation Fund reimbursement for net realized losses (including transfers of funds) For the current fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for net realized losses sustained, but not previously reimbursed, pursuant to section 2 of the Act of August 17, 1961 (15 U.S.C. 713a-11): Provided, That of the funds available to the Commodity Credit Corporation under section 11 of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714i) for the conduct of its business with the Foreign Agricultural Service, up to $5,000,000 may be transferred to and used by the Foreign Agricultural Service for information resource management activities of the Foreign Agricultural Service that are not related to Commodity Credit Corporation business. hazardous waste management (limitation on expenses) For the current fiscal year, the Commodity Credit Corporation shall not expend more than $5,000,000 for site investigation and cleanup expenses, and operations and maintenance expenses to comply with the requirement of section 107(g) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9607(g)), and section 6001 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6961). TITLE III RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS Rural Development salaries and expenses (including transfers of funds) For necessary expenses for carrying out the administration and implementation of Rural Development programs, including activities with institutions concerning the development and operation of agricultural cooperatives; and for cooperative agreements; $232,835,000: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds appropriated under this heading may be used for advertising and promotional activities that support Rural Development programs: Provided further, That in addition to any other funds appropriated for purposes authorized by section 502(i) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472(i)), any amounts collected under such section will immediately be credited to this account and will remain available until expended for such purposes. Rural Housing Service rural housing insurance fund program account (including transfers of funds) For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct and guaranteed loans as authorized by title V of the Housing Act of 1949, to be available from funds in the rural housing insurance fund, as follows: $1,100,000,000 shall be for direct loans and $24,000,000,000 shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans; $28,000,000 for section 504 housing repair loans; $40,000,000 for section 515 rental housing; $230,000,000 for section 538 guaranteed multi-family housing loans; $10,000,000 for credit sales of single family housing acquired property; $5,000,000 for section 523 self-help housing land development loans; and $5,000,000 for section 524 site development loans. For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows: section 502 loans, $53,900,000 shall be for direct loans; section 504 housing repair loans, $3,419,000; section 523 self-help housing land development loans, $431,000; section 524 site development loans, $176,000; and repair, rehabilitation, and new construction of section 515 rental housing, $9,484,000: Provided, That to support the loan program level for section 538 guaranteed loans made available under this heading the Secretary may charge or adjust any fees to cover the projected cost of such loan guarantees pursuant to the provisions of the Credit Reform Act of 1990 (2 U.S.C. 661 et seq.), and the interest on such loans may not be subsidized: Provided further, That applicants in communities that have a current rural area waiver under section 541 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490q) shall be treated as living in a rural area for purposes of section 502 guaranteed loans provided under this heading: Provided further, That of the amounts available under this paragraph for section 502 direct loans, no less than $5,000,000 shall be available for direct loans for individuals whose homes will be built pursuant to a program funded with a mutual and self-help housing grant authorized by section 523 of the Housing Act of 1949 until June 1, 2019: Provided further, That the Secretary shall implement provisions to provide incentives to nonprofit organizations and public housing authorities to facilitate the acquisition of Rural Housing Service (RHS) multifamily housing properties by such nonprofit organizations and public housing authorities that commit to keep such properties in the RHS multifamily housing program for a period of time as determined by the Secretary, with such incentives to include, but not be limited to, the following: allow such nonprofit entities and public housing authorities to earn a Return on Investment on their own resources to include proceeds from low income housing tax credit syndication, own contributions, grants, and developer loans at favorable rates and terms, invested in a deal; and allow [[Page H380]] reimbursement of organizational costs associated with owner's oversight of asset referred to as ``Asset Management Fee'' of up to $7,500 per property. In addition, for the cost of direct loans, grants, and contracts, as authorized by sections 514 and 516 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1484, 1486), $14,281,000, to remain available until expended, for direct farm labor housing loans and domestic farm labor housing grants and contracts: Provided, That any balances available for the Farm Labor Program Account shall be transferred to and merged with this account. In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $412,254,000 shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ``Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses''. rental assistance program For rental assistance agreements entered into or renewed pursuant to the authority under section 521(a)(2) of the Housing Act of 1949 or agreements entered into in lieu of debt forgiveness or payments for eligible households as authorized by section 502(c)(5)(D) of the Housing Act of 1949, $1,331,400,000, of which $40,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2020; and in addition such sums as may be necessary, as authorized by section 521(c) of the Act, to liquidate debt incurred prior to fiscal year 1992 to carry out the rental assistance program under section 521(a)(2) of the Act: Provided, That rental assistance agreements entered into or renewed during the current fiscal year shall be funded for a one-year period: Provided further, That any unexpended balances remaining at the end of such one-year agreements may be transferred and used for purposes of any debt reduction; maintenance, repair, or rehabilitation of any existing projects; preservation; and rental assistance activities authorized under title V of the Act: Provided further, That rental assistance provided under agreements entered into prior to fiscal year 2019 for a farm labor multi-family housing project financed under section 514 or 516 of the Act may not be recaptured for use in another project until such assistance has remained unused for a period of 12 consecutive months, if such project has a waiting list of tenants seeking such assistance or the project has rental assistance eligible tenants who are not receiving such assistance: Provided further, That such recaptured rental assistance shall, to the extent practicable, be applied to another farm labor multi-family housing project financed under section 514 or 516 of the Act: Provided further, That except as provided in the third proviso under this heading and notwithstanding any other provision of the Act, the Secretary may recapture rental assistance provided under agreements entered into prior to fiscal year 2019 for a project that the Secretary determines no longer needs rental assistance and use such recaptured funds for current needs. multi-family housing revitalization program account For the rural housing voucher program as authorized under section 542 of the Housing Act of 1949, but notwithstanding subsection (b) of such section, and for additional costs to conduct a demonstration program for the preservation and revitalization of multi-family rental housing properties described in this paragraph, $50,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of the funds made available under this heading, $26,000,000, shall be available for rural housing vouchers to any low-income household (including those not receiving rental assistance) residing in a property financed with a section 515 loan which has been prepaid after September 30, 2005: Provided further, That the amount of such voucher shall be the difference between comparable market rent for the section 515 unit and the tenant paid rent for such unit: Provided further, That funds made available for such vouchers shall be subject to the availability of annual appropriations: Provided further, That the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, administer such vouchers with current regulations and administrative guidance applicable to section 8 housing vouchers administered by the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development: Provided further, That if the Secretary determines that the amount made available for vouchers in this or any other Act is not needed for vouchers, the Secretary may use such funds for the demonstration program for the preservation and revitalization of multi-family rental housing properties described in this paragraph: Provided further, That of the funds made available under this heading, $24,000,000 shall be available for a demonstration program for the preservation and revitalization of the sections 514, 515, and 516 multi- family rental housing properties to restructure existing USDA multi-family housing loans, as the Secretary deems appropriate, expressly for the purposes of ensuring the project has sufficient resources to preserve the project for the purpose of providing safe and affordable housing for low- income residents and farm laborers including reducing or eliminating interest; deferring loan payments, subordinating, reducing or reamortizing loan debt; and other financial assistance including advances, payments and incentives (including the ability of owners to obtain reasonable returns on investment) required by the Secretary: Provided further, That the Secretary shall as part of the preservation and revitalization agreement obtain a restrictive use agreement consistent with the terms of the restructuring: Provided further, That if the Secretary determines that additional funds for vouchers described in this paragraph are needed, funds for the preservation and revitalization demonstration program may be used for such vouchers: Provided further, That if Congress enacts legislation to permanently authorize a multi-family rental housing loan restructuring program similar to the demonstration program described herein, the Secretary may use funds made available for the demonstration program under this heading to carry out such legislation with the prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress: Provided further, That in addition to any other available funds, the Secretary may expend not more than $1,000,000 total, from the program funds made available under this heading, for administrative expenses for activities funded under this heading. mutual and self-help housing grants For grants and contracts pursuant to section 523(b)(1)(A) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490c), $30,000,000, to remain available until expended. rural housing assistance grants For grants for very low-income housing repair and rural housing preservation made by the Rural Housing Service, as authorized by 42 U.S.C. 1474, and 1490m, $40,000,000, to remain available until expended. rural community facilities program account (including transfers of funds) For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct and guaranteed loans as authorized by section 306 and described in section 381E(d)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, $3,000,000,000 for direct loans and $148,287,000 for guaranteed loans. For the cost of guaranteed loans, including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, $4,285,000, to remain available until expended. For the cost of grants for rural community facilities programs as authorized by section 306 and described in section 381E(d)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, $47,778,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That $6,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be available for a Rural Community Development Initiative: Provided further, That such funds shall be used solely to develop the capacity and ability of private, nonprofit community-based housing and community development organizations, low-income rural communities, and Federally Recognized Native American Tribes to undertake projects to improve housing, community facilities, community and economic development projects in rural areas: Provided further, That such funds shall be made available to qualified private, nonprofit and public intermediary organizations proposing to carry out a program of financial and technical assistance: Provided further, That such intermediary organizations shall provide matching funds from other sources, including Federal funds for related activities, in an amount not less than funds provided: Provided further, That $5,778,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be to provide grants for facilities in rural communities with extreme unemployment and severe economic depression (Public Law 106-387), with up to 5 percent for administration and capacity building in the State rural development offices: Provided further, That $4,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be available for community facilities grants to tribal colleges, as authorized by section 306(a)(19) of such Act: Provided further, That sections 381E-H and 381N of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act are not applicable to the funds made available under this heading. Rural Business--Cooperative Service rural business program account (including transfers of funds) For the cost of loan guarantees and grants, for the rural business development programs authorized by section 310B and described in subsections (a), (c), (f) and (g) of section 310B of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, $69,619,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of the amount appropriated under this heading, not to exceed $500,000 shall be made available for one grant to a qualified national organization to provide technical assistance for rural transportation in order to promote economic development and $8,000,000 shall be for grants to the Delta Regional Authority (7 U.S.C. 2009aa et seq.), the Northern Border Regional Commission (40 U.S.C. 15101 et seq.), and the Appalachian Regional Commission (40 U.S.C. 14101 et seq.) for any Rural Community Advancement Program purpose as described in section 381E(d) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, of which not more than 5 percent may be used for administrative expenses: Provided further, That $4,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be for business grants to benefit Federally Recognized Native American Tribes, including $250,000 for a grant to a qualified national organization to provide technical assistance for rural transportation in order to promote economic development: Provided further, That sections 381E-H and 381N of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act are not applicable to funds made available under this heading. [[Page H381]] intermediary relending program fund account (including transfer of funds) For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized by the Intermediary Relending Program Fund Account (7 U.S.C. 1936b), $18,889,000. For the cost of direct loans, $4,157,000, as authorized by the Intermediary Relending Program Fund Account (7 U.S.C. 1936b), of which $557,000 shall be available through June 30, 2019, for Federally Recognized Native American Tribes; and of which $1,072,000 shall be available through June 30, 2019, for Mississippi Delta Region counties (as determined in accordance with Public Law 100-460): Provided, That such costs, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the direct loan programs, $4,468,000 shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ``Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses''. rural economic development loans program account For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized under section 313 of the Rural Electrification Act, for the purpose of promoting rural economic development and job creation projects, $45,000,000. The cost of grants authorized under section 313 of the Rural Electrification Act, for the purpose of promoting rural economic development and job creation projects shall not exceed $10,000,000. rural cooperative development grants For rural cooperative development grants authorized under section 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932), $30,050,000, of which $3,750,000 shall be for cooperative agreements for the appropriate technology transfer for rural areas program: Provided, That not to exceed $3,000,000 shall be for grants for cooperative development centers, individual cooperatives, or groups of cooperatives that serve socially disadvantaged groups and a majority of the boards of directors or governing boards of which are comprised of individuals who are members of socially disadvantaged groups; and of which $17,500,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for value-added agricultural product market development grants, as authorized by section 231 of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 1632a), of which $2,500,000 shall be for Agriculture Innovation Centers authorized pursuant to section 6402 of Public Law 107-171. rural energy for america program For the cost of a program of loan guarantees, under the same terms and conditions as authorized by section 9007 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107), $338,000: Provided, That the cost of loan guarantees, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Rural Utilities Service rural water and waste disposal program account (including transfers of funds) For the cost of direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants for the rural water, waste water, waste disposal, and solid waste management programs authorized by sections 306, 306A, 306C, 306D, 306E, and 310B and described in sections 306C(a)(2), 306D, 306E, and 381E(d)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, $558,183,000, to remain available until expended, of which not to exceed $1,000,000 shall be available for the rural utilities program described in section 306(a)(2)(B) of such Act, and of which not to exceed $993,000 shall be available for the rural utilities program described in section 306E of such Act: Provided, That not to exceed $15,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be for grants authorized by section 306A(i)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act in addition to funding authorized by section 306A(i)(1) of such Act and such grants may not exceed $1,000,000 notwithstanding section 306A(f)(1) of such Act: Provided further, That $68,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be for loans and grants including water and waste disposal systems grants authorized by section 306C(a)(2)(B) and section 306D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, and Federally Recognized Native American Tribes authorized by 306C(a)(1) of such Act: Provided further, That funding provided for section 306D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act may be provided to a consortium formed pursuant to section 325 of Public Law 105-83: Provided further, That not more than 2 percent of the funding provided for section 306D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act may be used by the State of Alaska for training and technical assistance programs and not more than 2 percent of the funding provided for section 306D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act may be used by a consortium formed pursuant to section 325 of Public Law 105-83 for training and technical assistance programs: Provided further, That not to exceed $40,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be for technical assistance grants for rural water and waste systems pursuant to section 306(a)(14) of such Act, unless the Secretary makes a determination of extreme need, of which $8,000,000 shall be made available for a grant to a qualified nonprofit multi-State regional technical assistance organization, with experience in working with small communities on water and waste water problems, the principal purpose of such grant shall be to assist rural communities with populations of 3,300 or less, in improving the planning, financing, development, operation, and management of water and waste water systems, and of which not less than $800,000 shall be for a qualified national Native American organization to provide technical assistance for rural water systems for tribal communities: Provided further, That not to exceed $19,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be for contracting with qualified national organizations for a circuit rider program to provide technical assistance for rural water systems: Provided further, That not to exceed $4,000,000 shall be for solid waste management grants: Provided further, That $10,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be transferred to, and merged with, the Rural Utilities Service, High Energy Cost Grants Account to provide grants authorized under section 19 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 918a): Provided further, That any prior year balances for high-energy cost grants authorized by section 19 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 918a) shall be transferred to and merged with the Rural Utilities Service, High Energy Cost Grants Account: Provided further, That sections 381E-H and 381N of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act are not applicable to the funds made available under this heading. rural electrification and telecommunications loans program account (including transfer of funds) The principal amount of direct and guaranteed loans as authorized by sections 305, 306, and 317 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 935, 936, and 940g) shall be made as follows: loans made pursuant to sections 305, 306, and 317, notwithstanding 317(c), of that Act, rural electric, $5,500,000,000; guaranteed underwriting loans pursuant to section 313A, $750,000,000; 5 percent rural telecommunications loans, cost of money rural telecommunications loans, and for loans made pursuant to section 306 of that Act, rural telecommunications loans, $690,000,000: Provided, That up to $2,000,000,000 shall be used for the construction, acquisition, design and engineering or improvement of fossil-fueled electric generating plants (whether new or existing) that utilize carbon subsurface utilization and storage systems. For the cost of direct loans as authorized by section 305 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 935), including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, cost of money rural telecommunications loans, $1,725,000. In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $33,270,000, which shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ``Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses''. distance learning, telemedicine, and broadband program For the principal amount of broadband telecommunication loans, $29,851,000. For grants for telemedicine and distance learning services in rural areas, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa et seq., $33,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That $3,000,000 shall be made available for grants authorized by 379G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act: Provided further, That funding provided under this heading for grants under 379G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act may only be provided to entities that meet all of the eligibility criteria for a consortium as established by this section. For the cost of broadband loans, as authorized by section 601 of the Rural Electrification Act, $5,830,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That the cost of direct loans shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. In addition, $30,000,000, to remain available until expended, for a grant program to finance broadband transmission in rural areas eligible for Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program benefits authorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa. rural health and safety education programs Any funds provided by this Act for rural health and safety education programs authorized under section 502(i) of the Rural Development Act of 1972 (7 U.S.C. 2662(i)) may be used under those programs to address the opioid abuse epidemic and to combat opioid abuse in rural communities. TITLE IV DOMESTIC FOOD PROGRAMS Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, $800,000: Provided, That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative support staff for the Office. Food and Nutrition Service child nutrition programs (including transfers of funds) For necessary expenses to carry out the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), except section 21, [[Page H382]] and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.), except sections 17 and 21; $23,184,012,000 to remain available through September 30, 2020, of which such sums as are made available under section 14222(b)(1) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-246), as amended by this Act, shall be merged with and available for the same time period and purposes as provided herein: Provided, That of the total amount available, $17,004,000 shall be available to carry out section 19 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.): Provided further, That of the total amount available, $30,000,000 shall be available to provide competitive grants to State agencies for subgrants to local educational agencies and schools to purchase the equipment, with a value of greater than $1,000, needed to serve healthier meals, improve food safety, and to help support the establishment, maintenance, or expansion of the school breakfast program: Provided further, That of the total amount available, $28,000,000 shall remain available until expended to carry out section 749(g) of the Agriculture Appropriations Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-80): Provided further, That section 26(d) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769g(d)) is amended in the first sentence by striking ``2010 through 2018'' and inserting ``2010 through 2019'': Provided further, That section 9(h)(3) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(h)(3)) is amended in the first sentence by striking ``for fiscal year 2018'' and inserting ``for fiscal year 2019'': Provided further, That section 9(h)(4) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(h)(4)) is amended in the first sentence by striking ``for fiscal year 2018'' and inserting ``for fiscal year 2019''. special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (wic) For necessary expenses to carry out the special supplemental nutrition program as authorized by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), $6,150,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 2020, of which $25,000,000 shall be placed in reserve, to remain available until expended, to be allocated as the Secretary deemed necessary, notwithstanding section 17(i) of such Act, to support participation should cost or participation exceed budget estimates: Provided, That notwithstanding section 17(h)(10) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(h)(10)), not less than $67,500,000 shall be used for breastfeeding peer counselors and other related activities, and $19,000,000 shall be used for infrastructure, of which $5,000,000 shall be for competitive grants to promote breastfeeding and improved nutritional health through technologies and services, including telemedicine: Provided further, That none of the funds provided in this account shall be available for the purchase of infant formula except in accordance with the cost containment and competitive bidding requirements specified in section 17 of such Act: Provided further, That none of the funds provided shall be available for activities that are not fully reimbursed by other Federal Government departments or agencies unless authorized by section 17 of such Act: Provided further, That upon termination of a federally mandated vendor moratorium and subject to terms and conditions established by the Secretary, the Secretary may waive the requirement at 7 CFR 246.12(g)(6) at the request of a State agency. supplemental nutrition assistance program For necessary expenses to carry out the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), $73,219,274,000, of which $3,000,000,000, to remain available through December 31, 2020, shall be placed in reserve for use only in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations: Provided, That funds provided herein shall be expended in accordance with section 16 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008: Provided further, That of the funds made available under this heading, $998,000 may be used to provide nutrition education services to State agencies and Federally Recognized Tribes participating in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be subject to any work registration or workfare requirements as may be required by law: Provided further, That funds made available for Employment and Training under this heading shall remain available through September 30, 2020: Provided further, That funds made available under this heading for section 28(d)(1), section 4(b), and section 27(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 shall remain available through September 30, 2020: Provided further, That none of the funds made available under this heading may be obligated or expended in contravention of section 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1183A): Provided further, That funds made available under this heading may be used to enter into contracts and employ staff to conduct studies, evaluations, or to conduct activities related to program integrity provided that such activities are authorized by the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008. commodity assistance program For necessary expenses to carry out disaster assistance and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program as authorized by section 4(a) of the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c note); the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983; special assistance for the nuclear affected islands, as authorized by section 103(f)(2) of the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-188); and the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, as authorized by section 17(m) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, $322,139,000, to remain available through September 30, 2020: Provided, That none of these funds shall be available to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for commodities donated to the program: Provided further, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, effective with funds made available in fiscal year 2019 to support the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, as authorized by section 4402 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, such funds shall remain available through September 30, 2020: Provided further, That of the funds made available under section 27(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2036(a)), the Secretary may use up to 15 percent for costs associated with the distribution of commodities. nutrition programs administration For necessary administrative expenses of the Food and Nutrition Service for carrying out any domestic nutrition assistance program, $164,688,000: Provided, That of the funds provided herein, $2,000,000 shall be used for the purposes of section 4404 of Public Law 107-171, as amended by section 4401 of Public Law 110-246. TITLE V FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AND RELATED PROGRAMS Office of the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, $875,000: Provided, That funds made available by this Act to any agency in the Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative support staff for the Office. office of codex alimentarius For necessary expenses of the Office of Codex Alimentarius, $3,976,000, including not to exceed $40,000 for official reception and representation expenses. Foreign Agricultural Service salaries and expenses (including transfers of funds) For necessary expenses of the Foreign Agricultural Service, including not to exceed $250,000 for representation allowances and for expenses pursuant to section 8 of the Act approved August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 1766), $212,230,000, of which no more than 6 percent shall remain available until September 30, 2020, for overseas operations to include the payment of locally employed staff: Provided, That the Service may utilize advances of funds, or reimburse this appropriation for expenditures made on behalf of Federal agencies, public and private organizations and institutions under agreements executed pursuant to the agricultural food production assistance programs (7 U.S.C. 1737) and the foreign assistance programs of the United States Agency for International Development: Provided further, That funds made available for middle-income country training programs, funds made available for the Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship program, and up to $2,000,000 of the Foreign Agricultural Service appropriation solely for the purpose of offsetting fluctuations in international currency exchange rates, subject to documentation by the Foreign Agricultural Service, shall remain available until expended. food for peace title i direct credit and food for progress program account (including transfer of funds) For administrative expenses to carry out the credit program of title I, Food for Peace Act (Public Law 83-480) and the Food for Progress Act of 1985, $142,000, shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ``Farm Service Agency, Salaries and Expenses''. food for peace title ii grants For expenses during the current fiscal year, not otherwise recoverable, and unrecovered prior years' costs, including interest thereon, under the Food for Peace Act (Public Law 83-480), for commodities supplied in connection with dispositions abroad under title II of said Act, $1,716,000,000, to remain available until expended. mcgovern-dole international food for education and child nutrition program grants For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of section 3107 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 1736o-1), $210,255,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That the Commodity Credit Corporation is authorized to provide the services, facilities, and authorities for the purpose of implementing such section, subject to reimbursement from amounts provided herein: Provided further, That of the amount made available under this heading, $15,000,000, shall remain available until expended for necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of section 3207 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 1726c). commodity credit corporation export (loans) credit guarantee program account (including transfers of funds) For administrative expenses to carry out the Commodity Credit Corporation's Export Guarantee Program, GSM 102 and GSM 103, $8,845,000; to cover common overhead expenses as permitted by section 11 of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and [[Page H383]] in conformity with the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, of which $6,382,000 shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ``Foreign Agricultural Service, Salaries and Expenses'', and of which $2,463,000 shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ``Farm Service Agency, Salaries and Expenses''. TITLE VI RELATED AGENCY AND FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION Department of Health and Human Services food and drug administration salaries and expenses For necessary expenses of the Food and Drug Administration, including hire and purchase of passenger motor vehicles; for payment of space rental and related costs pursuant to Public Law 92-313 for programs and activities of the Food and Drug Administration which are included in this Act; for rental of special purpose space in the District of Columbia or elsewhere; in addition to amounts appropriated to the FDA Innovation Account, for carrying out the activities described in section 1002(b)(4) of the 21st Century Cures Act (Public Law 114-255); for miscellaneous and emergency expenses of enforcement activities, authorized and approved by the Secretary and to be accounted for solely on the Secretary's certificate, not to exceed $25,000; and notwithstanding section 521 of Public Law 107-188; $5,419,299,000: Provided, That of the amount provided under this heading, $960,568,000 shall be derived from prescription drug user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379h, and shall be credited to this account and remain available until expended; $196,668,000 shall be derived from medical device user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j, and shall be credited to this account and remain available until expended; $501,396,000 shall be derived from human generic drug user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-42, and shall be credited to this account and remain available until expended; $40,922,000 shall be derived from biosimilar biological product user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-52, and shall be credited to this account and remain available until expended; $30,331,000 shall be derived from animal drug user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-12, and shall be credited to this account and remain available until expended; $18,336,000 shall be derived from generic new animal drug user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-21, and shall be credited to this account and remain available until expended; $712,000,000 shall be derived from tobacco product user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 387s, and shall be credited to this account and remain available until expended: Provided further, That in addition to and notwithstanding any other provision under this heading, amounts collected for prescription drug user fees, medical device user fees, human generic drug user fees, biosimilar biological product user fees, animal drug user fees, and generic new animal drug user fees that exceed the respective fiscal year 2019 limitations are appropriated and shall be credited to this account and remain available until expended: Provided further, That fees derived from prescription drug, medical device, human generic drug, biosimilar biological product, animal drug, and generic new animal drug assessments for fiscal year 2019, including any such fees collected prior to fiscal year 2019 but credited for fiscal year 2019, shall be subject to the fiscal year 2019 limitations: Provided further, That the Secretary may accept payment during fiscal year 2019 of user fees specified under this heading and authorized for fiscal year 2020, prior to the due date for such fees, and that amounts of such fees assessed for fiscal year 2020 for which the Secretary accepts payment in fiscal year 2019 shall not be included in amounts under this heading: Provided further, That none of these funds shall be used to develop, establish, or operate any program of user fees authorized by 31 U.S.C. 9701: Provided further, That of the total amount appropriated: (1) $1,052,315,000 shall be for the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs, of which no less than $15,000,000 shall be used for inspections of foreign seafood manufacturers and field examinations of imported seafood; (2) $1,720,807,000 shall be for the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (3) $369,857,000 shall be for the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research and for related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (4) $216,914,000 shall be for the Center for Veterinary Medicine and for related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (5) $495,988,000 shall be for the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and for related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (6) $65,531,000 shall be for the National Center for Toxicological Research; (7) $662,043,000 shall be for the Center for Tobacco Products and for related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (8) not to exceed $174,751,000 shall be for Rent and Related activities, of which $50,987,000 is for White Oak Consolidation, other than the amounts paid to the General Services Administration for rent; (9) not to exceed $240,887,000 shall be for payments to the General Services Administration for rent; and (10) $420,206,000 shall be for other activities, including the Office of the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, the Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine, the Office of Medical and Tobacco Products, the Office of Global and Regulatory Policy, the Office of Operations, the Office of the Chief Scientist, and central services for these offices: Provided further, That not to exceed $25,000 of this amount shall be for official reception and representation expenses, not otherwise provided for, as determined by the Commissioner: Provided further, That any transfer of funds pursuant to section 770(n) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 379dd(n)) shall only be from amounts made available under this heading for other activities: Provided further, That of the amounts that are made available under this heading for ``other activities'', and that are not derived from user fees, $1,500,000 shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ``Department of Health and Human Services-- Office of Inspector General'' for oversight of the programs and operations of the Food and Drug Administration and shall be in addition to funds otherwise made available for oversight of the Food and Drug Administration: Provided further, That funds may be transferred from one specified activity to another with the prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. In addition, mammography user fees authorized by 42 U.S.C. 263b, export certification user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 381, priority review user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 360n and 360ff, food and feed recall fees, food reinspection fees, and voluntary qualified importer program fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-31, outsourcing facility fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-62, prescription drug wholesale distributor licensing and inspection fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 353(e)(3), third-party logistics provider licensing and inspection fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 360eee-3(c)(1), third-party auditor fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 384d(c)(8), and medical countermeasure priority review voucher user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 360bbb-4a, shall be credited to this account, to remain available until expended. buildings and facilities For plans, construction, repair, improvement, extension, alteration, demolition, and purchase of fixed equipment or facilities of or used by the Food and Drug Administration, where not otherwise provided, $11,788,000, to remain available until expended. fda innovation account, cures act For necessary expenses to carry out the purposes described under section 1002(b)(4) of the 21st Century Cures Act, in addition to amounts available for such purposes under the heading ``Salaries and Expenses'', $70,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That amounts appropriated in this paragraph are appropriated pursuant to section 1002(b)(3) of the 21st Century Cures Act, are to be derived from amounts transferred under section 1002(b)(2)(A) of such Act, and may be transferred by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs to the appropriation for ``Department of Health and Human Services--Food and Drug Administration-- Salaries and Expenses'' solely for the purposes provided in such Act: Provided further, That upon a determination by the Commissioner that funds transferred pursuant to the previous proviso are not necessary for the purposes provided, such amounts may be transferred back to the account: Provided further, That such transfer authority is in addition to any other transfer authority provided by law. INDEPENDENT AGENCY Farm Credit Administration limitation on administrative expenses Not to exceed $74,600,000 (from assessments collected from farm credit institutions, including the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation) shall be obligated during the current fiscal year for administrative expenses as authorized under 12 U.S.C. 2249: Provided, That this limitation shall not apply to expenses associated with receiverships: Provided further, That the agency may exceed this limitation by up to 10 percent with notification to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. TITLE VII GENERAL PROVISIONS (including rescissions and transfers of funds) Sec. 701. Within the unit limit of cost fixed by law, appropriations and authorizations made for the Department of Agriculture for the current fiscal year under this Act shall be available for the purchase, in addition to those specifically provided for, of not to exceed 71 passenger motor vehicles of which 68 shall be for replacement only, and for the hire of such vehicles: Provided, That notwithstanding this section, the only purchase of new passenger vehicles shall be for those determined by the Secretary to be necessary for transportation safety, to reduce operational costs, and for the protection of life, property, and public safety. Sec. 702. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture may transfer unobligated balances of discretionary funds appropriated by this Act or any other available unobligated discretionary balances that are remaining available of the Department of Agriculture to the Working Capital Fund for the acquisition of plant and capital equipment necessary for the delivery of financial, administrative, and information technology services of primary benefit to the agencies of the Department of Agriculture, such transferred funds to remain available until expended: Provided, [[Page H384]] That none of the funds made available by this Act or any other Act shall be transferred to the Working Capital Fund without the prior approval of the agency administrator: Provided further, That none of the funds transferred to the Working Capital Fund pursuant to this section shall be available for obligation without written notification to and the prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress: Provided further, That none of the funds appropriated by this Act or made available to the Department's Working Capital Fund shall be available for obligation or expenditure to make any changes to the Department's National Finance Center without written notification to and prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress as required by section 717 of this Act: Provided further, That none of the funds appropriated by this Act or made available to the Department's Working Capital Fund shall be available for obligation or expenditure to initiate, plan, develop, implement, or make any changes to remove or relocate any systems, missions, or functions of the offices of the Chief Financial Officer or any personnel from the National Finance Center prior to written notification to and prior approval of the Committee on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress and in accordance with the requirements of section 717 of this Act: Provided further, That the Secretary of Agriculture and the offices of the Chief Financial Officer shall actively market to existing and new Departments and other government agencies National Finance Center shared services including, but not limited to, payroll, financial management, and human capital shared services and allow the National Finance Center to perform technology upgrades: Provided further, That of annual income amounts in the Working Capital Fund of the Department of Agriculture attributable to the amounts in excess of the true costs of the shared services provided by the National Finance Center and budgeted for the National Finance Center, the Secretary shall reserve not more than 4 percent for the replacement or acquisition of capital equipment, including equipment for the improvement, delivery, and implementation of financial, administrative, and information technology services, and other systems of the National Finance Center or to pay any unforeseen, extraordinary cost of the National Finance Center: Provided further, That none of the amounts reserved shall be available for obligation unless the Secretary submits written notification of the obligation to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress: Provided further, That the limitations on the obligation of funds pending notification to Congressional Committees shall not apply to any obligation that, as determined by the Secretary, is necessary to respond to a declared state of emergency that significantly impacts the operations of the National Finance Center; or to evacuate employees of the National Finance Center to a safe haven to continue operations of the National Finance Center. Sec. 703. No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein. Sec. 704. No funds appropriated by this Act may be used to pay negotiated indirect cost rates on cooperative agreements or similar arrangements between the United States Department of Agriculture and nonprofit institutions in excess of 10 percent of the total direct cost of the agreement when the purpose of such cooperative arrangements is to carry out programs of mutual interest between the two parties. This does not preclude appropriate payment of indirect costs on grants and contracts with such institutions when such indirect costs are computed on a similar basis for all agencies for which appropriations are provided in this Act. Sec. 705. Appropriations to the Department of Agriculture for the cost of direct and guaranteed loans made available in the current fiscal year shall remain available until expended to disburse obligations made in the current fiscal year for the following accounts: the Rural Development Loan Fund program account, the Rural Electrification and Telecommunication Loans program account, and the Rural Housing Insurance Fund program account. Sec. 706. None of the funds made available to the Department of Agriculture by this Act may be used to acquire new information technology systems or significant upgrades, as determined by the Office of the Chief Information Officer, without the approval of the Chief Information Officer and the concurrence of the Executive Information Technology Investment Review Board: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be transferred to the Office of the Chief Information Officer without written notification to and the prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress: Provided further, That, notwithstanding section 11319 of title 40, United States Code, none of the funds available to the Department of Agriculture for information technology shall be obligated for projects, contracts, or other agreements over $25,000 prior to receipt of written approval by the Chief Information Officer: Provided further, That the Chief Information Officer may authorize an agency to obligate funds without written approval from the Chief Information Officer for projects, contracts, or other agreements up to $250,000 based upon the performance of an agency measured against the performance plan requirements described in the explanatory statement accompanying Public Law 113-235. Sec. 707. Funds made available under section 524(b) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1524(b)) in the current fiscal year shall remain available until expended to disburse obligations made in the current fiscal year. Sec. 708. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any former RUS borrower that has repaid or prepaid an insured, direct or guaranteed loan under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, or any not-for-profit utility that is eligible to receive an insured or direct loan under such Act, shall be eligible for assistance under section 313(b)(2)(B) of such Act in the same manner as a borrower under such Act. Sec. 709. Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, not more than $20,000,000 in unobligated balances from appropriations made available for salaries and expenses in this Act for the Farm Service Agency shall remain available through September 30, 2020, for information technology expenses: Provided, That except as otherwise specifically provided by law, unobligated balances from appropriations made available for salaries and expenses in this Act for the Rural Development mission area shall remain available through September 30, 2020, for information technology expenses. Sec. 710. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used for first-class travel by the employees of agencies funded by this Act in contravention of sections 301-10.122 through 301-10.124 of title 41, Code of Federal Regulations. Sec. 711. In the case of each program established or amended by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79), other than by title I or subtitle A of title III of such Act, or programs for which indefinite amounts were provided in that Act, that is authorized or required to be carried out using funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation-- (1) such funds shall be available for salaries and related administrative expenses, including technical assistance, associated with the implementation of the program, without regard to the limitation on the total amount of allotments and fund transfers contained in section 11 of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714i); and (2) the use of such funds for such purpose shall not be considered to be a fund transfer or allotment for purposes of applying the limitation on the total amount of allotments and fund transfers contained in such section. Sec. 712. Of the funds made available by this Act, not more than $2,900,000 shall be used to cover necessary expenses of activities related to all advisory committees, panels, commissions, and task forces of the Department of Agriculture, except for panels used to comply with negotiated rule makings and panels used to evaluate competitively awarded grants. Sec. 713. None of the funds in this Act shall be available to pay indirect costs charged against any agricultural research, education, or extension grant awards issued by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture that exceed 30 percent of total Federal funds provided under each award: Provided, That notwithstanding section 1462 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3310), funds provided by this Act for grants awarded competitively by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture shall be available to pay full allowable indirect costs for each grant awarded under section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638). Sec. 714. (a) None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to maintain or establish a computer network unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography. (b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall limit the use of funds necessary for any Federal, State, tribal, or local law enforcement agency or any other entity carrying out criminal investigations, prosecution, or adjudication activities. Sec. 715. Notwithstanding subsection (b) of section 14222 of Public Law 110-246 (7 U.S.C. 612c-6; in this section referred to as ``section 14222''), none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to carry out a program under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c; in this section referred to as ``section 32'') in excess of $1,299,600,000 (exclusive of carryover appropriations from prior fiscal years), as follows: Child Nutrition Programs Entitlement Commodities-- $485,000,000; State Option Contracts-- $5,000,000; Removal of Defective Commodities--$2,500,000; Administration of Section 32 Commodity Purchases--$35,853,000: Provided, That of the total funds made available in the matter preceding this proviso that remain unobligated on October 1, 2019, such unobligated balances shall carryover into fiscal year 2020 and shall remain available until expended for any of the purposes of section 32, except that any such carryover funds used in accordance with clause (3) of section 32 may not exceed $350,000,000 and may not be obligated until the Secretary of Agriculture provides written notification of the expenditures to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least two weeks in advance: Provided further, That, with the exception of any available carryover funds authorized in any prior appropriations Act to be used for the purposes of clause (3) of section 32, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by [[Page H385]] this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries or expenses of any employee of the Department of Agriculture to carry out clause (3) of section 32. Sec. 716. None of the funds appropriated by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel who prepare or submit appropriations language as part of the President's budget submission to the Congress for programs under the jurisdiction of the Appropriations Subcommittees on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies that assumes revenues or reflects a reduction from the previous year due to user fees proposals that have not been enacted into law prior to the submission of the budget unless such budget submission identifies which additional spending reductions should occur in the event the user fees proposals are not enacted prior to the date of the convening of a committee of conference for the fiscal year 2020 appropriations Act. Sec. 717. (a) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by previous appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the Treasury derived by the collection of fees available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for obligation or expenditure through a reprogramming, transfer of funds, or reimbursements as authorized by the Economy Act, or in the case of the Department of Agriculture, through use of the authority provided by section 702(b) of the Department of Agriculture Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 2257) or section 8 of Public Law 89-106 (7 U.S.C. 2263), that-- (1) creates new programs; (2) eliminates a program, project, or activity; (3) increases funds or personnel by any means for any project or activity for which funds have been denied or restricted; (4) relocates an office or employees; (5) reorganizes offices, programs, or activities; or (6) contracts out or privatizes any functions or activities presently performed by Federal employees; unless the Secretary of Agriculture, or the Secretary of Health and Human Services (as the case may be) notifies in writing and receives approval from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days in advance of the reprogramming of such funds or the use of such authority. (b) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the Treasury derived by the collection of fees available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for obligation or expenditure for activities, programs, or projects through a reprogramming or use of the authorities referred to in subsection (a) involving funds in excess of $500,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less, that-- (1) augments existing programs, projects, or activities; (2) reduces by 10 percent funding for any existing program, project, or activity, or numbers of personnel by 10 percent as approved by Congress; or (3) results from any general savings from a reduction in personnel which would result in a change in existing programs, activities, or projects as approved by Congress; unless the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of Health and Human Services (as the case may be) notifies in writing and receives approval from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days in advance of the reprogramming or transfer of such funds or the use of such authority. (c) The Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall notify in writing and receive approval from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress before implementing any program or activity not carried out during the previous fiscal year unless the program or activity is funded by this Act or specifically funded by any other Act. (d) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the Treasury derived by the collection of fees available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for-- (1) modifying major capital investments funding levels, including information technology systems, that involves increasing or decreasing funds in the current fiscal year for the individual investment in excess of $500,000 or 10 percent of the total cost, whichever is less; (2) realigning or reorganizing new, current, or vacant positions or agency activities or functions to establish a center, office, branch, or similar entity with five or more personnel; or (3) carrying out activities or functions that were not described in the budget request; unless the agencies funded by this Act notify, in writing, the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days in advance of using the funds for these purposes. (e) As described in this section, no funds may be used for any activities unless the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of Health and Human Services receives from the Committee on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress written or electronic mail confirmation of receipt of the notification as required in this section. Sec. 718. Notwithstanding section 310B(g)(5) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(g)(5)), the Secretary may assess a one-time fee for any guaranteed business and industry loan in an amount that does not exceed 3 percent of the guaranteed principal portion of the loan. Sec. 719. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, or the Farm Credit Administration shall be used to transmit or otherwise make available reports, questions, or responses to questions that are a result of information requested for the appropriations hearing process to any non-Department of Agriculture, non-Department of Health and Human Services, or non-Farm Credit Administration employee. Sec. 720. Unless otherwise authorized by existing law, none of the funds provided in this Act, may be used by an executive branch agency to produce any prepackaged news story intended for broadcast or distribution in the United States unless the story includes a clear notification within the text or audio of the prepackaged news story that the prepackaged news story was prepared or funded by that executive branch agency. Sec. 721. No employee of the Department of Agriculture may be detailed or assigned from an agency or office funded by this Act or any other Act to any other agency or office of the Department for more than 60 days in a fiscal year unless the individual's employing agency or office is fully reimbursed by the receiving agency or office for the salary and expenses of the employee for the period of assignment. Sec. 722. There is hereby appropriated $2,000,000 for a pilot program to provide competitive grants to State departments of agriculture, State cooperative extension services, and nonprofit organizations to carry out programs to address farmer stress and suicide. Sec. 723. Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and the Chairman of the Farm Credit Administration shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a detailed spending plan by program, project, and activity for all the funds made available under this Act including appropriated user fees, as defined in Senate Report 115-259. Sec. 724. Of the unobligated balances from amounts made available for the supplemental nutrition program as authorized by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), $501,000,000 are hereby rescinded. Sec. 725. The Secretary shall continue an intermediary loan packaging program based on the pilot program in effect for fiscal year 2013 for packaging and reviewing section 502 single family direct loans. The Secretary shall continue agreements with current intermediary organizations and with additional qualified intermediary organizations. The Secretary shall work with these organizations to increase effectiveness of the section 502 single family direct loan program in rural communities and shall set aside and make available from the national reserve section 502 loans an amount necessary to support the work of such intermediaries and provide a priority for review of such loans. Sec. 726. For loans and loan guarantees that do not require budget authority and the program level has been established in this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture may increase the program level for such loans and loan guarantees by not more than 25 percent: Provided, That prior to the Secretary implementing such an increase, the Secretary notifies, in writing, the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 15 days in advance. Sec. 727. None of the credit card refunds or rebates transferred to the Working Capital Fund pursuant to section 729 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002 (7 U.S.C. 2235a; Public Law 107-76) shall be available for obligation without written notification to, and the prior approval of, the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress: Provided, That the refunds or rebates so transferred shall be available for obligation only for the acquisition of plant and capital equipment necessary for the delivery of financial, administrative, and information technology services of primary benefit to the agencies of the Department of Agriculture. Sec. 728. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to implement, administer, or enforce the ``variety'' requirements of the final rule entitled ``Enhancing Retailer Standards in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)'' published by the Department of Agriculture in the Federal Register on December 15, 2016 (81 Fed. Reg. 90675) until the Secretary of Agriculture amends the definition of the term ``variety'' as de fined in section 278.1(b)(1)(ii)(C) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, and ``variety'' as applied in the definition of the term ``staple food'' as defined in section 271.2 of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, to increase the number of items that qualify as acceptable varieties in each staple food category so that the total number of such items in each staple food category exceeds the number of such items in each staple food category included in the final rule as published on December 15, 2016: [[Page H386]] Provided, That until the Secretary promulgates such regulatory amendments, the Secretary shall apply the requirements regarding acceptable varieties and breadth of stock to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program retailers that were in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113- 79). Sec. 729. None of the funds made available by this Act or any other Act may be used-- (1) in contravention of section 7606 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 5940); or (2) to prohibit the transportation, processing, sale, or use of industrial hemp, or seeds of such plant, that is grown or cultivated in accordance with subsection section 7606 of the Agricultural Act of 2014, within or outside the State in which the industrial hemp is grown or cultivated. Sec. 730. Funds provided by this or any prior Appropriations Act for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative under 7 U.S.C. 450i(b) shall be made available without regard to section 7128 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 3371 note), under the matching requirements in laws in effect on the date before the date of enactment of such section: Provided, That the requirements of 7 U.S.C. 450i(b)(9) shall continue to apply. Sec. 731. In carrying out subsection (h) of section 502 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472), the Secretary of Agriculture shall have the same authority with respect to loans guaranteed under such section and eligible lenders for such loans as the Secretary has under subsections (h) and (j) of section 538 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1490p-2) with respect to loans guaranteed under such section 538 and eligible lenders for such loans. Sec. 732. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to propose, promulgate, or implement any rule, or take any other action with respect to, allowing or requiring information intended for a prescribing health care professional, in the case of a drug or biological product subject to section 503(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 353(b)(1)), to be distributed to such professional electronically (in lieu of in paper form) unless and until a Federal law is enacted to allow or require such distribution. Sec. 733. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to notify a sponsor or otherwise acknowledge receipt of a submission for an exemption for investigational use of a drug or biological product under section 505(i) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355(i)) or section 351(a)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262(a)(3)) in research in which a human embryo is intentionally created or modified to include a heritable genetic modification. Any such submission shall be deemed to have not been received by the Secretary, and the exemption may not go into effect. Sec. 734. None of the funds made available by this or any other Act may be used to carry out the final rule promulgated by the Food and Drug Administration and put into effect November 16, 2015, in regards to the hazard analysis and risk-based preventive control requirements of the current good manufacturing practice, hazard analysis, and risk-based preventive controls for food for animals rule with respect to the regulation of the production, distribution, sale, or receipt of dried spent grain byproducts of the alcoholic beverage production process. Sec. 735. There is hereby appropriated $1,996,000 to carry out section 1621 of Public Law 110-246. Sec. 736. No partially hydrogenated oils as defined in the order published by the Food and Drug Administration in the Federal Register on June 17, 2015 (80 Fed. Reg. 34650 et seq.) shall be deemed unsafe within the meaning of section 409(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 348(a)) and no food that is introduced or delivered for introduction into interstate commerce that bears or contains a partially hydrogenated oil shall be deemed adulterated under sections 402(a)(1) or 402(a)(2)(C)(i) of this Act by virtue of bearing or containing a partially hydrogenated oil until the compliance date as specified in such order (June 18, 2018). Sec. 737. There is hereby appropriated $10,000,000, to remain available until expended, to carry out section 6407 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107a): Provided, That the Secretary may allow eligible entities to offer loans to customers in any part of their service territory and to offer loans to replace a manufactured housing unit with another manufactured housing unit, if replacement would be more cost effective in saving energy. Sec. 738. For fiscal years 2019 through 2025, the Administrators of the Agricultural Research Service and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service may make not to exceed 50 appointments in any fiscal year for employees of such agencies at the National Bio- and Agro-defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas: Provided, That such appointments may be made in the manner provided by 7 U.S.C. 7657(b)(4)(A)(i-v): Provided further, That such appointments may be made at a rate of basic pay that exceeds the rate payable for such positions under the General Schedule or the Executive Schedule, or other applicable schedule, as appropriate. Sec. 739. There is hereby appropriated $1,000,000 for the Secretary to carry out a pilot program that provides forestry inventory analysis, forest management and economic outcomes modelling for certain currently enrolled Conservation Reserve Program participants. The Secretary shall allow the Commodity Credit Corporation to enter into agreements with and provide grants to qualified non-profit organizations dedicated to conservation, forestry and wildlife habitats, that also have experience in conducting accurate forest inventory analysis through the use of advanced, cost-effective technology. The Secretary shall focus the analysis on lands enrolled for at least eight years and located in areas with a substantial concentration of acres enrolled under conservation practices devoted to multiple bottomland hardwood tree species including CP03, CP03A, CP11, CP22, CP31 and CP40. Sec. 740. During fiscal year 2019, the Food and Drug Administration shall not allow the introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce of any food that contains genetically engineered salmon until the FDA publishes final labeling guidelines for informing consumers of such content. Sec. 741. In addition to amounts otherwise made available by this Act and notwithstanding the last sentence of 16 U.S.C. 1310, there is appropriated $4,000,000, to remain available until expended, to implement non-renewable agreements on eligible lands, including flooded agricultural lands, as determined by the Secretary, under the Water Bank Act (16 U.S.C. 1301-1311). Sec. 742. (a)(1) No Federal funds made available for this fiscal year for the rural water, waste water, waste disposal, and solid waste management programs authorized by sections 306, 306A, 306C, 306D, 306E, and 310B of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926 et seq.) shall be used for a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public water or wastewater system unless all of the iron and steel products used in the project are produced in the United States. (2) In this section, the term ``iron and steel products'' means the following products made primarily of iron or steel: lined or unlined pipes and fittings, manhole covers and other municipal castings, hydrants, tanks, flanges, pipe clamps and restraints, valves, structural steel, reinforced precast concrete, and construction materials. (b) Subsection (a) shall not apply in any case or category of cases in which the Secretary of Agriculture (in this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') or the designee of the Secretary finds that-- (1) applying subsection (a) would be inconsistent with the public interest; (2) iron and steel products are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or of a satisfactory quality; or (3) inclusion of iron and steel products produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall project by more than 25 percent. (c) If the Secretary or the designee receives a request for a waiver under this section, the Secretary or the designee shall make available to the public on an informal basis a copy of the request and information available to the Secretary or the designee concerning the request, and shall allow for informal public input on the request for at least 15 days prior to making a finding based on the request. The Secretary or the designee shall make the request and accompanying information available by electronic means, including on the official public Internet Web site of the Department. (d) This section shall be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements. (e) The Secretary may retain up to 0.25 percent of the funds appropriated in this Act for ``Rural Utilities Service--Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account'' for carrying out the provisions described in subsection (a)(1) for management and oversight of the requirements of this section. (f) Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to a project for which the engineering plans and specifications include use of iron and steel products otherwise prohibited by such subsection if the plans and specifications have received required approvals from State agencies prior to the date of enactment of this Act. (g) For purposes of this section, the terms ``United States'' and ``State'' shall include each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and each federally recognized Indian tribe. Sec. 743. The Secretary shall set aside for Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) Zones, until August 15, 2019, an amount of funds made available in title III under the headings of Rural Housing Insurance Fund Program Account, Mutual and Self-Help Housing Grants, Rural Housing Assistance Grants, Rural Community Facilities Program Account, Rural Business Program Account, Rural Development Loan Fund Program Account, and Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account, equal to the amount obligated in REAP Zones with respect to funds provided under such headings in the most recent fiscal year any such funds were obligated under such headings for REAP Zones. Sec. 744. For the purposes of determining eligibility or level of program assistance for Rural Development programs the Secretary shall not include incarcerated prison populations. Sec. 745. There is hereby appropriated $1,000,000, to remain available until expended, for a pilot program for the Secretary to provide grants to qualified non-profit organizations and public housing authorities to provide technical assistance, including financial and legal services, to RHS multi-family housing borrowers to facilitate the [[Page H387]] acquisition of RHS multi-family housing properties in areas where the Secretary determines a risk of loss of affordable housing, by non-profit housing organizations and public housing authorities as authorized by law that commit to keep such properties in the RHS multi-family housing program for a period of time as determined by the Secretary. Sec. 746. None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be used in any way, directly or indirectly, to influence congressional action on any legislation or appropriation matters pending before Congress, other than to communicate to Members of Congress as described in 18 U.S.C. 1913. Sec. 747. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall carry out a pilot program during fiscal year 2019 with respect to the 2018 crop year for county-level agriculture risk coverage payments under section 1117(b)(1) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9017(b)(1)), that provides all or some of the State Farm Service Agency offices in each State the opportunity to provide agricultural producers in the State a supplemental payment described in subsection (c) based on the alternate calculation method described in subsection (b) for 1 or more counties in a State if the office for that State determines that the alternate calculation method is necessary to ensure that, to the maximum extent practicable, there are not significant yield calculation disparities between comparable counties in the State. (b) The alternate calculation method referred to in subsection (a) is a method of calculating the actual yield for the 2018 crop year for county-level agriculture risk coverage payments under section 1117(b)(1) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9017(b)(1)), under which-- (1) county data of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (referred to in this section as ``NASS data'') is used for the calculations; (2) if there is insufficient NASS data for a county (as determined under standards of the Secretary in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act) or the available NASS data produces a substantially disparate result, the calculation of the county yield is determined using comparable contiguous county NASS data as determined by the Farm Service Agency office in the applicable State; and (3) if there is insufficient NASS data for a comparable contiguous county (as determined under standards of the Secretary in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act), the calculation of the county yield is determined using reliable yield data from other sources, such as Risk Management Agency data, National Agricultural Statistics Service district data, National Agricultural Statistics Service State yield data, or other data as determined by the Farm Service Agency office in the applicable State. (c)(1) A supplemental payment made under the pilot program established under this section may be made to an agricultural producer who is subject to the alternate calculation method described in subsection (b) if that agricultural producer would otherwise receive a county-level agriculture risk coverage payment for the 2018 crop year in an amount that is less than the payment that the agricultural producer would receive under the alternate calculation method. (2) The amount of a supplemental payment to an agricultural producer under this section may not exceed the difference between-- (A) the payment that the agricultural producer would have received without the alternate calculation method described in subsection (b); and (B) the payment that the agricultural producer would receive using the alternate calculation method. (d)(1) There is appropriated to the Secretary, out of funds of the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $5,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2020, to carry out the pilot program described in this section. (2) Of the funds appropriated, the Secretary shall use not more than $5,000,000 to carry out the pilot program described in this section. (e)(1) To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall select States to participate in the pilot program under this section so the cost of the pilot program equals the amount provided under subsection (d). (2) To the extent that the cost of the pilot program exceeds the amount made available, the Secretary shall reduce all payments under the pilot program on a pro rata basis. (f) Nothing in this section affects the calculation of actual yield for purposes of county-level agriculture risk coverage payments under section 1117(b)(1) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9017(b)(1)) other than payments made in accordance with the pilot program under this section. (g) A calculation of actual yield made using the alternate calculation method described in subsection (b) shall not be used as a basis for any agriculture risk coverage payment determinations under section 1117 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9017) other than for purposes of the pilot program under this section. Sec. 748. The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary's designees are hereby granted the same access to information and subject to the same requirements applicable to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development as provided in section 453 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653) and section 6103(1)(7)(D)(ix) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 1603(1)(7)(D)(ix)) to verify the income for individuals participating in sections 502, 504, 521, and 542 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472, 1474, 1490a, and 1490r), notwithstanding section 453(l)(1) of the Social Security Act. Sec. 749. In addition to any other funds made available in this Act or any other Act, there is appropriated $5,000,000 to carry out section 18(g)(8) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769(g)), to remain available until expended. Sec. 750. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used by the Food and Drug Administration to develop, issue, promote, or advance any regulations applicable to food manufacturers for population-wide sodium reduction actions or to develop, issue, promote or advance final guidance applicable to food manufacturers for long term population- wide sodium reduction actions until the date on which a dietary reference intake report with respect to sodium is completed. Sec. 751. There is hereby appropriated $1,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2020, for the cost of loans and grants that is consistent with section 4206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014, for necessary expenses of the Secretary to support projects that provide access to healthy food in underserved areas, to create and preserve quality jobs, and to revitalize low-income communities. Sec. 752. For an additional amount for ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service--Salaries and Expenses'', $7,500,000, to remain available until September 30, 2020, for one-time control and management and associated activities directly related to the multiple-agency response to citrus greening. Sec. 753. None of the funds made available by this or any other Act may be used to enforce the final rule promulgated by the Food and Drug Administration entitled ``Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption,'' and published on November 27, 2015, with respect to the regulation of the production, distribution, sale, or receipt of grape varietals that are grown, harvested and used solely for wine and receive commercial processing that adequately reduces the presence of microorganisms of public health significance. Sec. 754. There is hereby appropriated $20,000,000, to remain available until expended, for an additional amount for telemedicine and distance learning services in rural areas, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa et seq., to help address the opioid epidemic in rural America. Sec. 755. There is hereby appropriated $5,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2020, for a pilot program for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to provide grants to nonprofit organizations for programs and services to establish and enhance farming and ranching opportunities for military veterans. Sec. 756. There is hereby appropriated $425,000,000, to remain available until expended, for an additional amount for Sec. 779 of Public Law 115-141. Sec. 757. For an additional amount for the cost of direct loans and grants made under the ``Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account'', $400,000,000, to remain available until expended. Sec. 758. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to pay the salaries or expenses of personnel-- (1) to inspect horses under section 3 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 603); (2) to inspect horses under section 903 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 1901 note; Public Law 104-127); or (3) to implement or enforce section 352.19 of title 9, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation). Sec. 759. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to revoke an exception made-- (1) pursuant to the final rule of the Department of Agriculture entitled ``Exceptions to Geographic Areas for Official Agencies Under the USGSA'' (68 Fed. Reg. 19137 (April 18, 2003)); and (2) on a date before April 14, 2017. Sec. 760. The Secretary of Agriculture shall provide to any State or county impacted by a volcanic eruption covered by a major disaster declared by the President in calendar year 2018 in accordance with section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) technical assistance-- (1) to assess damage to agricultural production and rural infrastructure; and (2) to develop recovery plans for impacted farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. research on ocean agriculture Sec. 761. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture, in coordination with the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall establish a working group (referred to in this section as the ``working group'')-- (1) to study how mangroves, kelp forests, tidal marshes, and seagrass meadows could help deacidify the oceans; (2) to study emerging ocean farming practices that use kelp and seagrass to deacidify the oceans while providing feedstock for agriculture and other commercial and industrial inputs; and (3) to coordinate and conduct research to develop and enhance pilot-scale research for farming of kelp and seagrass in order-- (A) to deacidify ocean environments; (B) to produce a feedstock for agriculture; and [[Page H388]] (C) to develop other scalable commercial applications for kelp, seagrass, or products derived from kelp or seagrass. (b) The working group shall include-- (1) the Secretary of Agriculture; (2) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; (3) representatives of any relevant offices within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and (4) the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. (c) Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the working group shall submit to Congress a report that includes-- (1) the findings of the research described in subsection (a); (2) the results of the pilot-scale research described in subsection (a)(3); and (3) any policy recommendations based on those findings and results. Sec. 762. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to Congress a report describing the ways in which conservation programs administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service may be better used for the conservation of ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) and any action taken by the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service relating to the conservation of ocelots. Sec. 763. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Rural Housing Service of the Department of Agriculture shall submit to Congress a report including-- (1) a description of-- (A) the number of properties assisted under title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.) that are reaching the end of their loan term; (B) the location of each property described in subparagraph (A); (C) the number of units in each property described in subparagraph (A); and (D) the date on which each the loan for each property described in subparagraph (A) is expected to reach maturity; (2) the strategy of the Rural Housing Service to preserve the long-term affordability of the properties described in paragraph (1)(A) when the loan matures; and (3) a description of the resources and tools that the Rural Housing Service needs from Congress in order to preserve the long-term affordability of the properties described in paragraph (1) (A). Sec. 764. Out of amounts appropriated to the Food and Drug Administration under title VI, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, shall, not later than July 1, 2019, and following the review required under Executive Order 12866 (5 U.S.C. 601 note; relating to regulatory planning and review), issue advice revising the advice provided in the notice of availability entitled ``Advice About Eating Fish, From the Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration; Revised Fish Advice; Availability'' (82 Fed. Reg. 6571 (January 19, 2017)), in a manner that is consistent with nutrition science recognized by the Food and Drug Administration on the net effects of seafood consumption. Sec. 765. In administering the pilot program established by section 779 of division A of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141), the Secretary of Agriculture shall-- (1) ensure that applicants that are determined to be ineligible for the pilot program have a means of appealing or otherwise challenging that determination in a timely fashion; and (2) in determining whether an entity may overbuild or duplicate broadband expansion efforts made by any entity that has received a broadband loan from the Rural Utilities Service, not consider loans that were rescinded or defaulted on, or loans the terms and conditions of which were not met, if the entity under consideration has not previously defaulted on, or failed to meet the terms and conditions of, a Rural Utilities Service loan or had a Rural Utilities Service loan rescinded. 1890 land-grant colleges, including tuskegee university Sec. 767. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the amounts made available by this Act to carry out sections 1444 and 1445, respectively, of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3221, 3222) shall each be increased by $3,000,000. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the amount made available under the heading ``(including transfers of funds)'' under the heading ``Agriculture Buildings and Facilities'' under the heading ``AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS'' in title I shall be decreased by $6,000,000. Sec. 768. None of the funds made available by this Act shall be used to enforce the requirement in the final rule entitled ``Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels'', published in the Federal Register on May 27, 2016 (81 Fed. Reg. 33742), that any single ingredient sugar, honey, agave, or syrup (including maple syrup) that is packaged and offered for sale as a single ingredient food bear the declaration ``Includes `X'g Added Sugars''. Sec. 769. The explanatory statement regarding division C of H.R. 21, printed in the Congressional Record on January 3, 2019, and submitted by the Chair of the Committee on Appropriations, shall have the same effect with respect to allocation of funds and implementation of this Act as if it were a joint explanatory statement of a committee of conference. Sec. 770. (a) Employees furloughed as a result of any lapse in appropriations beginning on or about December 22, 2018 and ending on the date of enactment of this Act shall be compensated at their standard rate of compensation, for the period of such lapse in appropriations, as soon as practicable after such lapse in appropriations ends. (b) For purposes of this section, ``employees'' means any Federal employees whose salaries and expenses are provided in this Act. (c) All obligations incurred in anticipation of the appropriations made and authority granted by this Act for the purposes of maintaining the essential level of activity to protect life and property and bringing about orderly termination of Government functions, and for purposes as otherwise authorized by law, are hereby ratified and approved if otherwise in accord with the provisions of this Act. Sec. 771. (a) If a State (or another Federal grantee) used State funds (or the grantee's non-Federal funds) to continue carrying out a Federal program or furloughed State employees (or the grantee's employees) whose compensation is advanced or reimbursed in whole or in part by the Federal Government-- (1) such furloughed employees shall be compensated at their standard rate of compensation for such period; (2) the State (or such other grantee) shall be reimbursed for expenses that would have been paid by the Federal Government during such period had appropriations been available, including the cost of compensating such furloughed employees, together with interest thereon calculated under section 6503(d) of title 31, United States Code; and (3) the State (or such other grantee) may use funds available to the State (or the grantee) under such Federal program to reimburse such State (or the grantee), together with interest thereon calculated under section 6503(d) of title 31, United States Code. (b) For purposes of this section, the term ``State'' and the term ``grantee,'' including United States territories and possessions, shall have the meaning given such terms under the applicable Federal program under subsection (a). In addition, ``to continue carrying out a Federal program'' means the continued performance by a State or other Federal grantee, during the period of a lapse in appropriations, of a Federal program that the State or such other grantee had been carrying out prior to the period of the lapse in appropriations. (c) The authority under this section applies with respect to any period in fiscal year 2019 (not limited to periods beginning or ending after the date of the enactment of this Act) during which there occurs a lapse in appropriations with respect to any department or agency of the Federal Government receiving funding in this Act which, but for such lapse in appropriations, would have paid, or made reimbursement relating to, any of the expenses referred to in this section with respect to the program involved. Payments and reimbursements under this authority shall be made only to the extent and in amounts provided in advance in appropriations Acts. This Act may be cited as the ``Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill shall be debatable for 1 hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees. The gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) and the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt) each will control 30 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia. General Leave Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the bill under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Georgia? There was no objection. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, today marks the 20th day of the partial government shutdown. Each day pushes many of our government's vital services to the breaking point, further jeopardizing the 800,000 Federal employees who are furloughed and the countless other Americans feeling the shutdown's impact. The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act is a critically important piece of legislation for our Nation. From the food we eat to the medications we depend on, this bill touches the lives of every American. [[Page H389]] It must be passed now, and the furloughed employees at these vital Federal agencies, our farmers, our agribusinesses, and the other Americans who are depending on their livelihoods must be brought back to work. Because of the shutdown, USDA has stopped making loans and grants for rural development programs such as housing, water and wastewater facilities, and community facilities. New grants to our universities for agriculture research can't be made. Across the Nation, Farm Service Agency county offices have been closed since December 28. Farmers applying for relief from retaliatory tariffs are in limbo, waiting for the shutdown to end. Nearly 33,000 USDA employees who are funded by this bill are currently furloughed. At the Food and Drug Administration, more than 10,000 employees are working without pay, while another 7,000 have been furloughed, which is impacting everything from user fee collections to the reduction of food safety inspections, jeopardizing the food we eat. According to USDA, nearly 9,000 people are working without pay to inspect our meat, poultry, and egg products. This bill would fund the Food Safety and Inspection Service at over $1 billion and restore our safety. I will be the first person to admit that this bill is not perfect, but no bill ever is. However, this is about opening the government and putting it back to work for the American people. This bill has passed the Senate by a vote of 92-6. There is no reason why we should not pass this bill since it has already been adopted by the leadership of the Senate and the Members of the Senate overwhelmingly, so that we can put American workers back on the job. Specifically, this legislation provides over $23 billion in discretionary funding for USDA and FDA. That is $225 million above the 2018 enacted level. It provides $2.73 billion for agriculture research conducted by the Agricultural Research Service and NIFA, an increase of $114 million from fiscal year 2018. These increases will help to ensure American agriculture remains competitive with other nations. The Farm Service Agency, whose county offices were shuttered on December 28, is funded at $1.6 billion. In my district, all the county offices are now closed. These offices are the primary line of communication for our farmers and our ranchers, providing critical data, processing loans, and answering questions. Without this assistance and information, they are left in the dark when it comes to planning for next year's harvest. Peanut sellers and cotton growers, who suffered from Hurricane Michael recently, are at a loss. They have product that is stored in warehouses that they need to sell in order to get income, but they can't get those sales accomplished without an okay from the Farm Service Agency. Those offices are closed. Nobody is there. This legislation also makes significant investments in rural development by providing $3.8 billion. It takes a balanced approach with investments in water and wastewater facilities, broadband, housing, and rural businesses. Again, right now, as a result of the shutdown, loans and grants that help small towns and rural communities all across the country are not being made. This legislation rejects the President's proposed elimination of the Food for Peace program and instead funds it at $1.716 billion, which is $216 million above the House bill. The McGovern-Dole program, which was also proposed for elimination by the President, is funded at $210 million, slightly above the House level. I might note that the House funded both of these, contrary to the President's wishes. Finally, this legislation funds the Food and Drug Administration at $2.97 billion, which is $159 million above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level, a 6 percent increase. I would also like to point out that this bill does better than the House in addressing the opioid crisis that is hitting every single district in the country. It also provides more funding for food safety than the House bill. After nearly 3 weeks of uncertainty, it looks like the nearly 40 million people who are receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will be able to keep their benefits at least through February. However, the funds for SNAP beneficiaries, for a single mother or a small shopkeeper, will run dry in March. This bill, which provides $73.2 billion in mandatory funding for SNAP, will end any doubt about this, and it will give these recipients the peace of mind that they deserve. Through a diverse urban-rural coalition, this legislation includes our farmer safety net, our food and nutrition programs. Families, farmers, ranchers, and producers go to work every morning; so should their government. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the bill that is before us. I not only oppose the bill that is before us, but I also have to oppose the process by which the remaining fiscal year 2019 bills are being dealt with by the new majority. Anything but a full open rule on appropriations bills was absolutely condemned by the Democrats for the past 8 years. However, the new majority, as one of their first actions, has proposed a closed rule for all four appropriations bills this week. {time} 1245 I, along with my colleagues, am dismayed at the prospect of adopting the Senate-passed Agriculture appropriations bill to represent the House's position on funding and policy matters for our farmers, ranchers, producers, consumers, and nearly all the citizens impacted by the great work that has been done by USDA, FDA, and the CFTC. The priorities of literally hundreds of Members were part of the original FY19 Republican-led legislation. Around 10 months ago, we began the process of developing a House bill with House priorities. We drafted H.R. 5961 after holding five oversight hearings, after receiving and reviewing nearly 6,000 bills and report requests that were submitted by over 350 Members of Congress, after we incorporated bipartisan House Member requests covering House priorities from every corner of the Nation and from all demographics, after we held a subcommittee markup with full participation by the Agriculture Subcommittee members, and after we held a full committee markup that lasted several hours and was an open process by which all the members of the committee, Democrats and Republicans, could offer amendments. The House Members invested hundreds of hours to produce a spending bill that is best for the needs and the priorities of the constituents back home, whether they came from rural, whether they came from suburban, or whether they come from urban communities. Starting this past summer, we started the process of negotiating the House and Senate bills and reports to arrive at a four-corner agreement between the House and the Senate. The House and the Senate majority and minority parties made tremendous progress in coming along with a negotiated agreement. After all of that time and effort that was invested in the process, why would we throw it all away today? I want to point out that over the course of the past 10 months and during my 6 years that I have served as chairman of the Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, it has been an honor to work beside my friend and my colleague and now the incoming chairman, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, as we develop the bills to meet the needs of our fellow citizens. But now we have an Agriculture appropriations bill in front of us today which totals $23.1 billion and $101 million below the Senate- passed Agriculture appropriations bill. And I will point out that the $101 million represents a change to the Senate bill made by the House majority to reduce funding for the Special Supplemental Feeding Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Let me provide this Chamber with a few of the examples where this current bill fails to fund House Member priorities: [[Page H390]] Regarding public health, the House Republican bill included $3.1 billion for the Food and Drug Administration, while the new Democratic proposal that is before us includes only $2.9 billion for the Food and Drug Administration. The higher levels in the Republican bill are critical to helping industry advance their medical product innovations to the marketplace sooner, safer, and with greater efficiency. The ultimate beneficiary is the American consumer or the patient. Also, compared to the House Republican bill, the Democratic bill fails to include two provisions that place limits on chicken imported from China. The Republican bill includes an outright ban on Chinese chicken in school meals, while the Democratic bill fails to include this protection for our children. Regarding rural broadband, in FY 2018, we established a pilot program to expand broadband infrastructure to rural communities. One of the greatest needs that I have heard when talking to my constituents in rural Alabama--and I know this is the same from other Members whom I have talked to across the Nation--this bill provides $125 million less than what we provided in the House bill. When it comes to agriculture research, our Republican bill included nearly $30 million more for National Institute of Food and Agriculture for research priorities of House Members who are not included in the Democratic proposal. When it comes to rural infrastructure, the Republican bill included language to secure set-aside funds for persistent poverty counties in rural areas. This provision is vital to rural communities across the country that face challenges escaping poverty. This language is not included in the Democratic bill, and so the new majority chose to dismiss this protection for the rural poor. These are just a few examples of why the new House majority's adoption of a Senate-passed bill is not going in the right direction. The other side wants to claim that these bills are bipartisan, but they are clearly not bicameral, and they have no input from the 435 House Members. Some of the great House appropriators of our time on both sides of the aisle would probably be rolling over in their graves right now if they knew of such a move to take up Senate spending bills without any House input. So I urge my fellow Members to stand up for the House priorities for public health and for rural development and reject a strategy of passing the Senate bills, which at the end of the day is not going to bring us any closer to resolving the partial government shutdown. To paraphrase the President's remarks two nights ago: In order for us to resolve this funding dispute, we need to invest in border security not because we hate the people on the outside of our borders, but because we love the people within our borders. The only thing that is immoral is for politicians to stand by and do nothing. So I would encourage my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), who is the first female chair of the United States House Committee on Appropriations. Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, the Trump shutdown is now in its 20th day. More than 800,000 Federal employees are going without pay, many while they are still working and the American people are being denied vital services. Due to President Trump's shutdown over his demands for a wasteful border wall, the Food and Drug Administration cannot conduct routine inspections for food safety and has slowed evaluation of new drugs and medical products. USDA is no longer able to provide farmers and rural communities with loans and grants to assist housing, utilities, or economic development. And approximately 40 million Americans who depend on SNAP for food assistance, including more than 3 million New Yorkers, have faced unnecessary fear and uncertainty about whether they are weeks away from going hungry. House Democrats have passed bills to open the government, but the President and Senate Republicans continue to obstruct instead of working with us to get the people's business done. In my judgment, the solution to this crisis is simple: Let's pass the bills where we can agree, where there is bipartisan support, and let's extend funding for Homeland Security for 30 days--1 month--to allow time for negotiation on border security and immigration policy. This seems to me, in my judgment, to be fair, to be thoughtful, and to be the way for us to get together and open this government. I do hope that my colleagues across the Capitol come to their senses and stop this ridiculous Trump shutdown. We can begin this bipartisan path by passing the bill before us. This bill passed the Senate in September with a vote of 92-6. This bill would open the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration and adequately fund these services through the end of the fiscal year. Sadly, to date, my Republican colleagues have followed the President's blind lead all while jeopardizing these vital services upon which American families and businesses rely. Let's pass the bill today and put USDA and FDA back to work for the American people. Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Yoho), who serves on the authorizing committee, the Agriculture Committee. Mr. YOHO. Madam Speaker, the President has shown his willingness to negotiate and has negotiated. The President has proposed various dollar amounts he is willing to accept for border security, has said he is ready to discuss DACA, and has listened to the other side's request for materials other than concrete to be considered for a structure on our southern border. The crisis at the southern border should not be a partisan issue. It is an American and immigrant crisis. The solution should be one that is best for America and not a party; for if it is best for America, we all benefit from that. Yet the Democrats continue to dig in their heels and not budge. Republicans have shown time and again that they are willing to talk. The House should oppose this bill that will not bring our country any closer to a border security solution or resolve the partial government shutdown. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I am delighted to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), a member of the Committee on Appropriations and chair of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and is the former chair of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of Appropriations. Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, the President is holding the country hostage, putting hundreds of thousands of families at great risk. The President has manufactured a crisis at the border that has no basis in fact and has used the wall to incite fear. Vital agriculture programs, which millions of families and farmers depend on, are at risk. At the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farm service loans are stalled, family farmers need the capital to buy seed and equipment for the approaching planting season. Rural development programs are at risk. Food stamps, food banks, and food programs are down to their last dollars. School lunch programs and other nutrition programs are at risk. Forty-seven million Americans could go hungry. Let's take a look at the Food and Drug Administration, because our food supply is at risk. When you go to the grocery store, you can't be sure that the product you are buying is safe because almost all food safety inspectors have been furloughed. The FDA remains understaffed for food surveillance and food recall operations. The Commissioner of the FDA, Scott Gottlieb, said routine food safety inspections are not taking place. The FDA has stopped posting warning letters. Routine inspections of food facilities are not taking place, and FDA's work finalizing guidance and implementing rules related to the Food Safety Modernization Act is in limbo. Foodborne illness kills 3,000 Americans every year, and because of the [[Page H391]] President's manufactured crisis, the safety of every American is in question. We have a duty to our constituents and their safety. We cannot stand by while this President holds the country hostage. Their physical and their financial well-being is at stake. Let's pass this bipartisan bill so that hungry families can eat, consumers can be safe, and farmers can do their job. {time} 1300 Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Palazzo), who serves on the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. He has been a vital part of that subcommittee. Mr. PALAZZO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, there is a host of things wrong with bringing this bill to the floor. By bringing forth the Senate version of this bill, it completely ignores all of the work this subcommittee has done over the past year. It ignores Members' priorities, and all of the testimony that we received that served as the basis of the House version of the Agriculture bill. I will name a few examples of what this looks like. First, for the Food and Drug Administration, Madam Speaker, the House bill included $3.1 billion for the FDA. The Senate bill before us today includes $2.9 billion. The additional $149 million in the original House bill supported a number of medical product initiatives above the level in the Senate bill, including initiatives like the promotion of domestic manufacturing, the new domestic drug industry, and the new medical data enterprise initiative. Madam Speaker, the higher levels in the Republican bill are critical to helping industry advance medical products to the marketplace sooner, safer, and with greater efficiency. The ultimate beneficiary is the American consumer or patient. Lastly, an issue that is very important to my home State of Mississippi and the Nation at large: rural broadband. The House Republican bill made a major investment in a broadband pilot program for rural America. We included $550 million to expand broadband infrastructure for some of our country's most underserved communities. The appropriation in this bill before us today falls short of meeting this critical priority. Madam Speaker, ultimately bringing the Senate version of this bill to the floor is just plain lazy, as it ignores the will of this House and all of the hard work Members from both sides of the aisle have put into this process. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on the legislation. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me just say that, as we said before, this bill is not perfect, but we should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Chief among the funding in this bill is funding that is included to combat one of the biggest public health risks today which is opioids. The bill provides strong support for the FDA to combat this opioid epidemic. In addition to funds provided last year, it provides $59 million to continue the activities involved in inspecting, investigating, and screening of opioids. As the agency that oversees these drugs, the FDA has a vital responsibility, I agree, to make sure that the public health impacts of opioid abuse is mitigated, but this funding is just one part of a broad strategy to address opioids. The committee strongly supports the FDA's role in intergovernmental efforts to confront the crisis, but since we must move forward and open the government, we urge adoption of this bill. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), a member of the Committee on Appropriations, co-chair of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, and a long-time advocate for the elimination of persistent poverty in America and across the world. Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, let me thank Chairman Bishop for bringing forth this bill and for his tremendous leadership. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the fiscal 2019 Agriculture appropriations bill, which provides more than $23 billion to partially reopen the government. This critical bill would ensure that struggling families do not go hungry. Madam Speaker, there are 38 million families who rely on SNAP food stamps to help put food on the table. And while USDA has said they will pay for SNAP and WIC in February, there is no guarantee for families in March. Let's be clear. We are talking about 38 million Americans going hungry. Already, SNAP benefits are woefully insufficient to feed a family. No one can make a meal off of $1.40 a meal, and now families may be left with nothing. Madam Speaker, contrary to what President Trump says, food banks and charities cannot make up the difference. They are already struggling with the volume of need in our communities throughout the country. This is simply immoral. I am reminded of a very difficult period when I was a young, single mother raising two little boys and had to rely on food stamps to get my family through some very difficult, tough times. It was a bridge over troubled water. That lifeline should be there for all families all of the time. Our billionaire President may not know what it is like to choose between putting food on the table or gas in the car, but I tell you, I do. And forcing the choice on families because of a manufactured showdown is unconscionable. So let's pass the bill to reopen the government. Let's get Federal employees back to work, and get them the paychecks they need. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and ``yes'' to reopen the government. The American people deserve no less. Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger), the new ranking member of the Appropriations Committee. Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 265. Unfortunately, moving this bill across the House floor will not resolve the partial government shutdown. As the President has said, he will not sign this bill into law. It is the job and responsibility of the Congress to appropriate funds, who must come together to find a solution that will reopen the government and fund border security. We need a compromise that represents the will of both Chambers and the American people. By considering the Senate-passed versions of the appropriations bills, we are eliminating House Members' involvement in the process. When it comes to investment in agriculture, rural development, and public health programs that are important to Americans across the country, H.R. 265 funds Senate priorities by shortchanging House priorities. For example, this bill provides less funding for food and drug safety and public health. For the average American, this means decreased access to medical products because there are less resources to bring those products to market in a safe and efficient manner. This bill also leaves behind funding to address persistent poverty in rural areas. This is a vital resource as rural communities across the country seek to break the cycle of poverty. We can and we must do better. Madam Speaker, Republicans stand ready and willing to negotiate with our friends on the other side of the aisle on legislation that includes priorities of both Houses, and both Chambers. This is how this legislative body and our system of government are designed to work. I want to thank my colleague from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt) for his efforts today and over the last several months to ensure that the House's voice is heard in this debate. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. It has been said many times that we shouldn't pass this bill which has previously been adopted by the Senate because the President will not sign it. Well, I believe that we have three branches of government, and it is our obligation as the legislative branch to pass the laws. If we do our job, then we will let the President be held responsible for his failure to do his. We must keep this government open for the American people. [[Page H392]] Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maine (Ms. Pingree), a member of the Committee on Appropriations and a member of the Subcommittee for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. Ms. PINGREE. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Bishop of Georgia, our future chair, for yielding me the time. I rise in support of H.R. 265, the fiscal year 2019 Agriculture appropriations bill. There is no reason we cannot pass these individual appropriations bills that have nothing to do with border security and have strong bipartisan support. The fiscal year 2019 Agriculture appropriations bill includes robust funding for the USDA and the FDA, two Federal agencies that touch the lives of every American. President Trump's obsession with the wall should not jeopardize Americans' access to important food, housing, and farm programs at USDA and FDA. The shutdown is having real impacts back in my home State of Maine: for the farmer who would lose their family farm before refinancing of their FSA mortgage can be approved; for the single parent trying to make ends meet and not knowing whether their SNAP benefits will be there next month; and for the couple who won't be able to close on their dream home because they can't access a rural housing loan. These are just a few examples of how disruptive this shutdown has been in my district. Just last month we finalized the 2018 farm bill, finally giving farmers and families certainty about these important USDA programs. That certainty was ripped away from them because the USDA can't start implementing the new farm bill until the shutdown ends. Additionally, recent reports that the FDA is no longer conducting routine food safety inspections are alarming and totally unacceptable. The fiscal year 2019 Agriculture appropriations bill will provide the funding necessary for the USDA and FDA to once again fulfill their regulatory duties and provide resources to Americans who are counting on them. Let's reopen our local USDA offices. Let's restart routine inspections to ensure safety of our food system, and let's keep nutrition assistance programs going to make sure hungry families have food on their tables. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the fiscal year 2019 Agriculture appropriations bill and end the shutdown. Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Mitchell), who serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and also the Armed Services Committee. Mr. MITCHELL. Madam Speaker, you may wonder why I am down here. It is because agriculture is huge in Michigan's 10th Congressional District. Earlier this week, I spoke with most of the agriculture leaders in my district about these bills. I would be supporting these bills under other conditions. It supports farm safety net programs as have been described. It provides support for rural development, including rural infrastructure and broadband access, which is sorely needed in the 10th Congressional District of Michigan. It provides food and drug safety inspections for the FDA and USDA, and nutrition assistance programs that my colleague discussed. However, I cannot support these bills because it is being brought up in bad faith. Let's be honest. It is a charade. It is not a serious attempt to fund agriculture or any other programs in my district or throughout this country. This vote is dead on arrival. It is a messaging point by the Democrat majority. It is an attempt to delay and distract from the real problem. The real problem is securing our borders, a comprehensive package to secure our borders that the President, the administration, has provided to the Democrat majority. We have spent hours on the floor here talking about various bills to fund the majority. Yet, somehow, rather than negotiate, the Democrat majority will go to the White House and say nothing for the wall; nothing for border security to put a barrier up. We will simply talk about, nope, we are not going to do that. We want to put the squeeze on the American people. They are squeezing the people in multiple ways. People won't get their paychecks tomorrow. I am sorry. Really, guys? Come on. We have farmers that are struggling, waiting to get loans so that they can plant. We are not securing our border. We had a humanitarian crisis. Thirty percent of the women that are arriving at the border--Doctors Without Borders data, not anybody else's--have been sexually assaulted on the way to the border. This proposal includes money to provide for applying for asylum in their home countries. Why are we not doing this? Why are we not addressing a comprehensive border security package and passing all of these appropriations bills and moving on to other priorities? We may disagree about those. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired. Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Michigan. Mr. MITCHELL. Madam Speaker, we may disagree about what some of those priorities are, but why are we spending 2 weeks rather than spend 2 hours negotiating an outcome and getting done with this problem? Let's grow up. Let's be adults and solve the problems instead of bickering. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair reminds Members to address their remarks to the Chair. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, at this point I would just like to say that it is unconscionable that we will hold the American people hostage in denying them the services and the protections of their government, the much- needed paychecks for the workers employed by these agencies, simply to satisfy the ego of someone at the end of Pennsylvania Avenue. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), who is the chairman of the authorizing Committee on Energy and Commerce. {time} 1315 Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman of the subcommittee for yielding me the time. Madam Speaker, this bill is really important. It would provide funding for our critical food, nutrition, and rural development agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration. What we are really asking is to keep the government open. There may be disagreement about the wall and some aspects of border security, but that shouldn't hold hostage these important spending bills that keep the government going. I wanted to talk about the FDA. The FDA is one of our most critical public health agencies overseeing food, medical products, cosmetics, and tobacco, products that account for 20 cents of every dollar spent by U.S. consumers. As a result of the Trump government shutdown, the FDA has had to cease a number of important activities that keep our Nation's food and drugs safe for all Americans. For example, the FDA has stopped conducting nearly two-thirds of the domestic food inspections that the agency typically conducts, putting our Nation's food supply and food safety system at risk. This comes on the heels of a multi-State national recall of romaine lettuce in November and December. This stoppage should be alarming to all of us. The FDA has halted routine inspections at food, drug, device, and compounding facilities. It stopped accepting any new medical product applications unless the application is within a small subset that did not require a user fee. This includes applications for new generic drugs that may bring further competition to the pharmaceutical market. The FDA has ceased any activities related to over-the-counter products. It put on hold any enforcement activities related to medical products or facilities that have been found to be in violation of the law. What we are seeing are no inspections, no enforcement activities. And, today, more than 6,000 FDA employees are furloughed, and another 1,000 are working without pay. This Trump shutdown has had a dramatic effect on our economy, our Federal employees, and the functioning of our government. Agency heads are [[Page H393]] being forced to plan without knowledge of whether the shutdown will last another day, another week, or another month. These are real lives that are being impacted. Madam Speaker, I urge the Senate majority leader and the President to support this bill so we can restore funding to the FDA so that consumers continue to have safe food and medical supplies. Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from the State of Washington (Mr. Newhouse), who serves on the Appropriations Committee. Mr. NEWHOUSE. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the ranking member on the House Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Mr. Aderholt, for yielding, as well as for his strong leadership on behalf of our agricultural community. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the bill before us today. Throughout last year, the House Appropriations Committee worked on a bipartisan basis to find common ground for fiscal year 2019 appropriations bills, including the vitally important Agriculture appropriations legislation. Unfortunately, the bill before us today does not reflect those bipartisan efforts. As I have been sharing with my constituents, the bill before us has never had a hearing in this body, has never had a markup in this body, and now has no opportunity for amendments to be offered. By taking up this bill, unfortunately, House Democrats are effectively writing off the people's House and shirking our responsibilities by deferring to the U.S. Senate. My constituents' priorities--and I would submit those of constituents of my colleagues across the aisle--deserve to be heard. I offered two important amendments to the Agriculture appropriations bill in the Rules Committee this week. Both amendments previously passed unanimously in the Appropriations Committee and, rightfully, should be in the bill before us. The first was a bipartisan amendment I offered with my colleague, Sanford Bishop, who was the then-ranking member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. The amendment would have upheld the longstanding prohibition of releasing proprietary SNAP sales data of food retailers. Due to a decision last year in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, USDA will be required to release the SNAP redemption data of all retail stores across the United States. The result will be irreparable harm to competition in the food retail marketplace. My amendment sought to prevent the closure of grocery stores in both rural and urban areas by upholding this longstanding USDA practice. The second bipartisan amendment passed unanimously in the Appropriations Committee directed USDA to work with H-2A agency partners to modernize, develop, and implement an online application system for the H-2A program. I constantly hear from farmers in central Washington about how inefficient the H-2A program operates due to the continued use of paper-only applications. Many farmers have had to deal with lost applications and other logistical inefficiencies, making the H-2A program inconsistent and all too often an unreliable program for farmers. This amendment supported the administration's regulatory task force reform efforts to modernize that program with technological advancements that would make the program more user-friendly. It demonstrated an important step to providing relief for farmers facing a broken bureaucratic maze when trying to access a reliable workforce. Madam Speaker, these are just two of the many reasons that I am not supporting the bill before us. But there are other issues that must be pointed out, like the fact that the House bill made a major investment in the new broadband pilot program for rural America by adding an additional $550 million in infrastructure for the unserved and underserved. This bill undercuts that by $125 million. In regard to the important matter of food and drug safety, our House bill included higher levels of funding for the FDA, which is critical to helping industry advance their medical products to the marketplace sooner, safer, and with greater efficiency. The House bill included language to secure set-aside funds for persistent poverty counties in rural areas. This provision was vital to rural communities across the country that face challenges escaping poverty. Unfortunately, that is not included in this bill. Lastly, the House bill included nearly $30 million more for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture for research that is vital to our Nation's food security priorities. Again, that is not included in this bill. Madam Speaker, as a proud member of the Appropriations Committee, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this legislation. The bipartisan work conducted by House appropriators must be honored. We should not abdicate our responsibility and the voices of our constituents to the Senate. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to just say that the gentleman from Washington makes some salient points. I agree with the gentleman that the Freedom of Information Act and the SNAP retail sales language is something that we would love to have and should be in this legislation. Also, I look forward to working with the gentleman to take care of that as we move forward in the 116th Congress, as well as our work on the H-2A program, which is in bad need of repair. And persistent poverty, the 10-20-30 program, we are happy that the gentleman is supportive and that the committee has been supportive. We look forward to making sure that that is implemented fully as we move forward. But, right now, we have to open the government. We cannot afford to let this government remain closed to continue to hurt the American people. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), who is my classmate and the chair of the Committee on Education and Labor. Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Bishop for his distinguished leadership, and I thank the gentleman for the opportunity to mention several of the issues relevant to the jurisdiction of the Education and Labor Committee. Madam Speaker, this legislation funds critical nutrition assistance programs that serve children and families. Nutrition programs are among the most important and cost-effective investments in the Federal budget. Study after study demonstrates that freedom from hunger is the foundation that children and families need to lift themselves out of poverty. Beyond the tragedy of any child going to school on an empty stomach, we cannot expect hungry children to reach their full potential at school or to grow up into healthy adults unless they have proper nutrition. This reckless shutdown has left our constituents with uncertainty and anxiety about their access to programs they rely on, such as WIC, SNAP, or school meals. Now, while these programs are still available and USDA is temporarily paying benefits, it is imperative that we secure funding for these vital programs to ensure that children and families are not left behind. This should not be a controversial bill. But the shutdown has created a crisis, so we are not going to go back and forth over the details. We are going to pass a bill. The Republican Senate passed this exact language with overwhelming support last year, and we have to pass something. Some have said we shouldn't pass this bill, but they have not said we should pass anything. We have to pass a bill to reopen the government. Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation. Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa), who is a member of the authorizing House Committee on Agriculture. He represents an area in California that is called the salad bowl of our country. Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, this legislation, along with the other bills that we have been voting on, is about doing our job. [[Page H394]] It is about reopening government. It is about reestablishing Congress as a coequal branch of government. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bipartisan funding bill for the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. The day before the government shutdown began, the President signed into law the 2018 farm bill, after much debate and work. As a member of the conference committee, we negotiated the farm bill in good faith. Therefore, it has been incredibly disappointing to see the shutdown prevent key pieces of the legislation from taking effect. Examples of the impacts in my district are the following. One such program allows a company in my district to deliver fresh California produce to our local school districts to improve the quality of food for the children. This contractor now is not allowed to be paid. They are among many of the subcontractors who do business with governmental entities. Because of the shutdown, the USDA cannot pay them to provide services, putting in jeopardy the future of their businesses and people who work for them, and the delivery, in this case, of healthy fruits and vegetables to our local schools. Additionally, if the shutdown lingers into March, it is uncertain how millions of Americans, including one-quarter of my constituents, will receive SNAP benefits. These are young people; these are elderly; and these are part of the working poor. The future funding for the Women, Infants and Children's Nutrition Program is also at risk. Without passing the bill before us today, valley dairymen and almond farmers in my district, and many other producers across the Nation, will not be able to sign up for retaliatory tariff relief payments, and the impacts of these tariff wars have been significant throughout the country. In addition, farmers cannot sign up for newly revamped conservation programs that I helped pass in the farm bill. These programs are vital for California agriculture, where farmers work through drought years and continue their responsible stewardship of the land. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman from California an additional 20 seconds. Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, farmers cannot sign up for new crop insurance as well to help them manage risks as we approach the planting season, and farming is a risky business. What is more, food safety is put at risk while food inspectors are forced to work without pay. Madam Speaker, it is time to pass this bill so that the USDA and the FDA can go back to work for Americans. We should do our job. It is irresponsible to shut down government and leverage American citizens in this fashion. Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Georgia has 5\1/4\ minutes remaining. The gentleman from Alabama has 10\1/2\ minutes remaining. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee), who is a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means and who is also the chief deputy whip. Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding and for his leadership in bringing this legislation, which I support, to the floor, legislation that would fund the Department of Agriculture for the rest of the year. This bill would end part of the shutdown that this President has orchestrated and fund the Department of Agriculture, which helps people from going hungry and supports our farmers. {time} 1330 With the shutdown of the Department of Agriculture, we are not implementing the farm bill that we passed here, which means we are not helping increase access to fruits and vegetables through programs like the Double Up Food Bucks program in Michigan. We are not helping struggling farmers sign up for crop insurance, our best risk mitigation tool. The agriculture industry is already being hurt by President Trump's poor trade practices. This is just another attack on them. Also, programs cannot proceed to address drinking water needs in our rural communities. We have places like Oscoda in my home district experiencing a drinking water emergency from PFAS. They have relied on the Department of Agriculture for help. That help won't be available. By passing this bill, we put thousands of Michigan workers back to work. We ensure families who rely on food nutrition assistance will get the help they need. Right now, they are only guaranteed that help through the end of February. Additionally, there are contractors who are essentially doing much of the same work as government employees but are not getting paid and will not see a paycheck when all of this is over. During this Trump shutdown, these hardworking employees don't know where their next paycheck is coming from. They can't turn to their parents like some can when they run out of money to pay their bills. They need help for healthcare. They need help to pay for childcare. They need to be able to cover their housing costs. They need to be able to buy food for their families. They can't plan for their own future when they don't know what they are going to be able to do next week. President Trump is using these families and farmers who work or depend on the Department of Agriculture as pawns in a political game. We may have disagreements, but we should never, ever shut the government down in order to achieve something that the President and his party are unwilling to submit to the legislative process. Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As I noted earlier, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee received over 350 Members who came before our subcommittee and submitted requests. Many of those requests included support for animal disease and for plant pests destroying agriculture products. Let me just give an example of some that we heard. The House bill included $15 million to fight the pest from China called the spotted lanternfly. This pest is destroying fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals in the mid-Atlantic States. The House bill included $5 million more for the oriental fruit fly that ravaged south Florida. The House bill and also the House report included higher amounts for the citrus greening disease killing the orange groves across Florida. I can give numerous examples of other House priorities and directives included in the House bill and report by the majority that have been dismissed by the Senate bill. Like I said, these are just some examples that our Members have requested. It has been important to their districts. They thought it was very important for agriculture in their regions. Again, by us adopting the bill today, we would be doing this for nothing. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the chair-designate of Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee. Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge Congress to pass this bill, which would fund agricultural and nutrition programs that are vital to our Nation's farmers and well-being. I also rise to ask that my colleagues refrain from turning millions of hardworking SNAP recipients into pawns in a shutdown fight over a feckless border wall. While the President continues to insist on shutting down key agencies like the USDA, our Nation's farmers are facing uncertainty. Every month, USDA releases the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, which provides important information about the size of crop harvests. However, due to the shutdown, the USDA is unable to send out this highly anticipated report, casting doubt on the agricultural commodities markets. Even worse, the shutdown has forced USDA to stop providing assistance to [[Page H395]] the thousands of farmers feeling intense pressure from President Trump's ridiculous trade war. Agriculture is the number two economic driver of Florida's economy. This shutdown could also potentially affect our public health. The FDA cannot accept any new regulatory submissions during the shutdown. This means that food and drug manufacturers can't provide documentation to the agency to verify compliance with safety regulations. The FDA has also been forced to cut back inspections of food processing facilities, putting public health at risk. Essential inspectors are working without pay. The FDA sets targets for inspections, and the shutdown will prevent the agency from meeting those targets. Finally, we must pass this bill to avoid potentially disastrous effects on Americans suffering from food insecurity. SNAP, also known as food stamps, is a crucial program that helps these Americans put food on the table, but SNAP is estimated to have only enough funding to last until February. After that, Federal law requires USDA to ration any available funding among SNAP recipients. If President Trump continues to refuse to reopen the government, almost 3.7 million people in Florida may lose the assistance that helps feed their families. That would be a shameful situation for the wealthiest nation on Earth. The longer the shutdown goes on, the bigger the impact will be on our Nation's food safety and health. I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill because people's livelihoods and well-being are on the line. Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart), who is another member of the Appropriations Committee. He, of course, chaired the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee in the 115th Congress. Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, here is the sad truth which, by the way, everybody knows, unfortunately: This bill, if passed, will not reopen the Federal Government. By the way, how do I know that? Because this bill already passed last week. It is sitting in the Senate. It has not reopened the Federal Government. This is another false attempt to fool the American people. Some of the great Appropriations members of our time would be rolling in their graves right now if they knew that the House is taking up a Senate bill with zero input and zero amendments from any Member of the House--not one Member of the House. So, obviously, we should reject this flawed strategy. But I want to thank the ranking member, Mr. Aderholt, for speaking about some of the specifics. I want to just talk about a couple of specifics in this bill where it falls, frankly, very, very, very, very short. Let me talk about a couple issues that are very important to Florida. Citrus is a key, critical industry for Florida. This bill does not adequately fund citrus greening research. It falls seriously short on funding something that is so important for the survival of our farmers and the industry in Florida. Also, Mr. Speaker, it falls short on combating the oriental fruit fly, another critical issue for our farmers in Florida. We have to recall that Florida is still recovering from the devastation caused by recent hurricanes. This bill falls short in helping the farmers in the State of Florida. But as I said at the beginning, Mr. Speaker, if that wasn't enough, this is all a charade. By the way, do you know what the sad part is, Mr. Speaker? I am going to be proven right. Last week, a lot of us said that about those bills that our friends on the other side of the aisle said were going to reopen the government. Do you know who was proven right and who was proven wrong? We are going to be proven right again. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Jeffries). The time of the gentleman has expired. Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Florida an additional 30 seconds. Mr. DIAZ-BALART. This is a sham. I would ask, respectfully, to defeat this bill, which is a charade, a sham, and will not open the Federal Government. Everybody knows that. Everybody knows that it will not reopen the Federal Government. It doesn't have any input from the House and falls shorts for Florida farmers and other farmers around the country. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say, as it has already been said by many of my colleagues here on the Republican side, that this bill serves only to give a false impression that the new majority is trying to resolve our funding differences. The American people want and need both enhanced border security and funding of remaining government agencies that are operating on limited staff currently, as we speak. This bill is really an affront to the House of Representatives and to the citizens who elected them to serve them because, as has been said over and over this afternoon, there has been no input from any of the 435 House Members into this legislation. Therefore, in closing, Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this legislation that is before us this afternoon, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta), as I prepare to close and urge my colleagues to open the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and all the agencies. He is a member of the House Committee on Agriculture and Committee on Ways and Means. He also represents the salad bowl of this country. Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, today, we, unfortunately, are enduring our government's second longest government shutdown since 1981. I realize that some call it a partial government shutdown, but let me tell you, there is nothing partial about the lost wages that our Federal workers are encountering, there is nothing partial about the lost income that our small business owners are enduring, and there is nothing partial about the lost services that my farmers in the salad bowl of the world will experience during this shutdown. That is why it has fallen on all of us in this Congress to make whole the victims of the shutdown. And it starts today by passing this Agriculture Appropriations act. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I was proud to have passed and have signed into law the 2018 farm bill. But if this shutdown doesn't end soon, there are many provisions of that farm bill that will not be implemented. Why? The USDA is closed, the Farm Service Agency is shuttered, agricultural research is suspended, organic certification programs are stopped, and families may not get their benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Those are just part of the problems with this partial government shutdown, a shutdown in which all of our farmers will be affected. That is why all of us in this government must do our job and live up to our responsibility to govern. Some may call it a charade. We call it governing. That is why I ask my colleagues to pass this Agriculture Appropriations Act. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues in supporting House passage today of the long overdue FY 2019 Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bill which will help bring an end to the reckless shutdown for the agencies, programs, and federal employees that are covered by this measure. We need to pass this bill today, and the Senate needs to follow suit, to help stave off some of the worst consequences that face some of the most vulnerable as a result of the President's reckless decision. If the partial government shutdown, which the President is so proud to have caused, continues there may not be sufficient appropriations for food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to provide full benefits or any benefits. USDA recently announced it was making moves to try and delay the inevitable for these programs. But that is just a stall--one of the many desperate actions by an Administration [[Page H396]] apparently just now starting to realize the damage it is inflicting across America. To make his case, the President held a national press conference earlier this week to sell his made up ``crisis'' along the Southern border. A ``crisis'' that experts say is not happening. Border apprehensions are at lows not seen in nearly two decades. The ``crisis,'' if any exists, is his policy of denying asylum seekers their legal right to make their claims. President Trump inflicted this chaotic shutdown on the American people to try and bully the nation into building his vanity wall. Well, let me tell you about the real crisis that he is creating in millions of households across the country from the dedicated federal employees who have been sent home without pay or those working without pay who are wondering how they will pay rent or their mortgage and their bills now that the federal government has broken faith with them. Or the real crisis this Administration is creating for the millions of families and individuals who depend on SNAP and WIC to help keep food on the table. In my home state, that includes hundreds of thousands of women, children, seniors, low-income military veterans, and the disabled who are already struggling. These harms aren't hypothetical, folks. Hunger is real in our country and millions of Americans are struggling to put food on the table. And the Trump Shutdown is only making it harder to do. One estimate is that if USDA does not have enough funding on hand to pay full benefits and provide partial funding spread evenly across all SNAP households, it would result in an average benefit cut per household of at least $90 or close to 40 percent. Similarly, benefits available through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) are at risk. WIC is such an important program that helps provide targeted nutrition and other services to at-risk women. This program has helped improve breastfeeding rates among its target population and saves lives and money for the taxpayer. Over 7 million mothers, pregnant women, and children rely on WIC. WIC clinics are currently open and operating normally but that funding will run out if the shutdown continues. If the shutdown continues as long as the President wants it to, WIC agencies may be forced to start waiting lists for benefits, freeze new applications, furlough staff, or close clinics in the face of declining or no funding. And even with doors open, the uncertainty created by the shutdown may be discouraging eligible individuals from reaching out to WIC for support, undermining the program's purpose. And we will all pay in the end if taxpayers have to bear health care expenses and other costs for individuals that could have been avoided. The bill before us, that the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved last year, will ensure that these critical benefits continue to be paid and that families can continue to put food on the table. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this special order to speak against the devastating cuts being proposed for the Farm Bill's Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP). The $20.5 billion cuts would remove 2 million Americans from the food assistance program, and 210,000 children would lose access to free school meals. The House Democrats' bill, is virtually identical to legislation that has already passed the Senate on a 92-6 vote, will reopen these agencies and stop some the worst impacts of the Trump Shutdown on families, businesses, and communities. It provides $23.235 billion in discretionary funding, $225 million above the FY2018 enacted level. In addition, it provides the latest estimates for mandatory programs required by law--including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Child Nutrition Programs. It will ensure that the Department of Agriculture and the FDA are both able to operate through September 30. This bill rejects President Trump's proposed budget cuts to agriculture, rural development, and conservation programs. It includes funding for rural broadband that President Trump had proposed eliminating. Finally, the bill rejects President Trump's proposed elimination of Food for Peace and the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, both which provide lifesaving food assistance overseas. For one in six Americans hunger is real and far too many people assume that problems with hunger are isolated in small pockets of the country. That is not the case--hunger is persistent and the impacts real for millions of people who struggle to find enough to eat. According to Feeding America: In 2016, 46.2 million people were in poverty, 1.1 million people are food insecure in the Houston area, 2.4 million rural households face hunger; Three-quarters of the counties with the highest rates of food insecurity are in rural areas; 86% of the counties with the highest rates of child food insecurity are rural; In 2017, there were 39.7 million people in poverty. There are 3.7 million Texans at risk of losing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits if the Trump Shutdown does not end. The more important statistic is how many other Americans will have their local grocery store put at risk of closing or having reduced supplies of groceries to serve their customers because of the economic chaos that will ensue if SNAP benefits across the nation are ended due to the shutdown. Most Americans have no idea how SNAP, Women, Infants and Children's (WIC) Food and Nutrition Service and other federal food subsidy programs contribute to the affordability of food found in grocery stores. For grocers, convenience stores and other food retailers, the suspension of funding for the food-stamp program, or SNAP, comes at a time when they cannot afford to lose sales. Over 3,500 grocery and convenience stores operate on a 1% profit margin, with the proposed cuts to the SNAP program, these stores will experience a large decrease in profit. There is no feasible way to absorb any kind of decrease in sales. The abrupt end of SNAP, WIC and other Federal food subsidy program funding that is spent at local grocers would be devastating to all large grocery store chains. In 2016, more than 52% of SNAP dollars, or $33 billion, were redeemed at big-box stores such as Walmart Inc. and Target Corp., up from 47% in 2015, U.S. Department of Agriculture data show. Big retailers routinely notice a bump in sales around the time states disperse SNAP money to recipients each month. Walmart generates roughly $13 billion in annual sales from SNAP transactions, accounting for around 18% of the money spent through the program nationwide. Some retailers serve regions where more than one-third of shoppers buy groceries with food stamps, without this money most of these stores will not be able to maintain the diverse food choices that are usually available to their consumers. The retailer with the highest risk of lost sales is Walmart which receives roughly 56% of its food sales. Dollar General, gets about 5 percent of its sales from SNAP benefits and their traffic slowed tremendously during the last government shutdown, they can't afford the same outcome this year. President Trump has previously demonstrated a hostility towards the SNAP program in his proposal that retailers pay a fee for authorization to accept food stamps. The government's overall SNAP spending declines when the economy improves and fewer people rely on the program and this means that grocery store customers are instead using funds from employment or other sources instead. A government shutdown will have a depressing effect on grocery store sales and compounding this will be a cut in SNAP and WIC funds. Government low wage workers will be seeking SNAP and WIC assistance as they work to cope with not being paid. Dean said cutting benefits when people's financial situations are not improving could mean they use money they otherwise would have spent on needs like clothing or even medicine to make up for the gaps in their food budget. So there's still an impact to the overall economy, she said. A report by the USDA in 2010 also said that boosting SNAP benefits during economic downturns starts a ``multiplier process'' in transactions and consumption. It found that boosting SNAP expenditures by $1 billion was estimated to increase economic activity by $1.79 billion. Unfortunately, benefits cannot be increased as a direct consequence of the shutdown. SNAP offers nutrition assistance to millions of low income individuals and families. SNAP is the largest program in the American domestic hunger safety net. If the Trump Shutdown extends for weeks or months, the damage to the food economy may not be easily repaired. The Child Nutrition Programs, including School Lunch, School Breakfast, Child and Adult Care Feeding, Summer Food Service and Special Milk will continue operations into February according to the Department of Agriculture. We cannot afford to create food deserts and greater hunger in our country. While prices for agricultural products are not expected to be significantly altered in the short term, an extended shutdown coupled with ongoing trade tensions could impact the ability for farmers to operate in the domestic and international marketplace. The following USDA activities have been shut down during the government funding lapse: [[Page H397]] Provision of new rural development loans and grants for housing, community facilities, utilities and businesses. All recreation sites across the U.S. National Forest System, unless they are operated by external parties under a recreational special use permit. New timber sales. Most forest fuels reduction activities in and around communities. National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) statistics, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, and other agricultural economic and statistical reports and projections. Investigation of packers and stockyards related to fraudulent and anti-competitive activities. Assistance for the control of most plant and animal pests and diseases unless funded by cooperators or other non-appropriated sources. Research facilities except for the care for animals, plants and associated infrastructure to preserve agricultural research. Provision of new grants or processing of payments for existing grants to support research, education, and extension. ERS Commodity Outlook Reports, Data Products, research reports, staff analysis, and projections. The ERS public website has been taken offline. Most departmental management, administrative and oversight functions, including civil rights, human resources, financial management, audit, investigative, legal and information technology activities. Mandatory Audits (Financial Statements, FISMA, and potentially Improper Payments) will be suspended and may not be completed and released on the date mandated by law. Farm loans and some farm payments (including direct payments, market assistance loans, market facilitation payments for those producers who have not certified production, and disaster assistance programs). The Agriculture Industry has been harmed by the tariff battles that President Trump started and continues to wage. Funding was put in the Farm Bill that passed in December to offer some relief that will not come until the shutdown ends. I ask my Colleagues to join me in voting for the passage of this bill. President Trump needs to end this shutdown now. The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired. Pursuant to House Resolution 28, the previous question is ordered on the bill. The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill. The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was read the third time. Motion to Recommit Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill? Mr. ADERHOLT. I am, in its current form. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to recommit. The Clerk read as follows: Mr. Aderholt moves to recommit the bill H.R. 265 to the Committee on Appropriations with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith with the following amendments: Page 2, line 7, after the first dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $19,000,000)''. Page 2, line 18, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $12,000,000)''. Page 2, line 19, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $12,000,000)''. Page 3, line 5, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $2,000,000)''. Page 3, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $5,000,000)''. Page 4, line 15, after the first dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $6,000,000)''. Page 5, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $34,000,000)''. Page 5, line 4, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $10,000,000)''. Page 5, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $3,000,000)''. Page 6, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $58,000,000)''. Page 17, line 22, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $3,000,000)''. Page 66, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $2,000,000)''. Page 100, line 22, after the dollar amount, insert ``(increased by $125,000,000)''. Mr. ADERHOLT (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to dispense with the reading. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Alabama? There was no objection. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve a point of order on the gentleman's motion. The SPEAKER pro tempore. A point of order is reserved. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt) is recognized for 5 minutes in support of his motion. Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, this motion to recommit restores a House priority that had overwhelming support when we put together the FY 2019 Agriculture bill during the last Congress. As I mentioned in my opening statement, our House bill last year placed a high priority on delivery of broadband to the unserved and underserved populations in rural America. Eighty percent of the 24 million American households that do not have reliable, affordable, high-speed internet, are in rural areas. {time} 1345 That is according to the most recent report by the Federal Communications Commission. Again, 80 percent are in rural areas. Reliable and affordable internet connectivity is fundamental for economic activity throughout the United States. It is also a fundamental need for rural American households, for schools, and for healthcare centers. The National Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Task Force recommended connectivity for all rural Americans because it has become a modern-day necessity. It is not simply an amenity anymore. In today's information age and where we live today, it is driving our global economy. Our House appropriation bill last year included $550 million for this new pilot program. This motion that is now before us will simply add an additional $125 million to the $440 million in the bill before us today. This higher level will not fully address the multi-billion-dollar requirement to address rural broadband internet needs, but it is a wise and necessary investment. The new rural broadband program that was designed by USDA this year takes into account lessons learned from prior-year broadband initiatives. The new pilot program is a good balance between grants to the neediest communities and low-cost loans to those communities and citizens that can afford the loans. Mr. Speaker, you might not find a great deal of agreement between the priorities of President Trump and former President Obama, but the vital need for rural broadband is one of those things. This motion is a modest proposal that all of us feel obligated to support, regardless of your politics. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the motion, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of a point of order. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The reservation of a point of order is withdrawn. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Georgia is recognized for 5 minutes. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as many know, I have been and will continue to be an advocate and a supporter of rural broadband expansion. I view it as an obligation to provide adequate service for everyone, as it is vital to health, safety, the economy, and the welfare of all of our rural communities. The $425 million that is provided in this bill will complement the $600 million that was provided in the FY 2018 bill, which has not yet been spent. USDA recently completed the program design, and it can now begin implementing and, if this bill is enacted, awarding over $1 billion in broadband expansion funding to the communities that need it the most. This funding is in addition to the other programs that assist communities in getting broadband services, including the Community Connect Program, the Broadband Loan Program, and the Distance Learning and Telecommunication Program. We have funding in the works to accomplish the needs for rural broadband. We need to pass this bill because we need to open the government. We need to make sure that USDA and the Food and Drug Administration and all of the agencies that are shut down will open, and open quickly, to support the needs of the American people. Mr. Speaker, I urge that this motion to recommit be rejected, and I yield back the balance of my time. [[Page H398]] The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit. There was no objection. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit. The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the noes appeared to have it. Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. ____________________
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