H.R. 6462

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6462 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6462

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to 
provide to rural communities technical assistance in recovering from 
disasters, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 4, 2025

Mrs. McClain Delaney (for herself, Mr. Evans of Colorado, Ms. Salinas, 
Ms. Stansbury, and Mr. Thompson of California) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to 
provide to rural communities technical assistance in recovering from 
disasters, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Recovery Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. RURAL DEVELOPMENT DISASTER RECOVERY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAM.

(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Disaster.--The term ``disaster'' means a major disaster 
declared by the President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
(2) Eligible rural community.--The term ``eligible rural 
community'' means each rural community all or part of which is 
within an area covered by a disaster.
(3) Program.--The term ``program'' means the program 
established under subsection (b).
(4) Rural community.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
term ``rural community'' means any census designated 
place with a population of less than 20,000.
(B) Modification; waiver.--The Secretary may, as 
the Secretary determines to be necessary--
(i) modify the definition of ``rural 
community'' under subparagraph (A); or
(ii) waive the applicability of the 
definition of ``rural community'' under this 
paragraph to a particular area.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Agriculture.
(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish within the rural 
development mission area a program to provide technical assistance for 
eligible rural communities.
(c) Providers of Technical Assistance.--
(1) In general.--Technical assistance under the program 
shall be provided by--
(A) a State office of the rural development mission 
area;
(B) an entity described in paragraph (2) that 
enters into a contract with a State office of the rural 
development mission area; or
(C) both entities described in subparagraphs (A) 
and (B).
(2) Eligibility of contractors.--
(A) In general.--An entity eligible to enter into a 
contract under paragraph (1)(B) is a public body or 
private nonprofit corporation described in section 
306(a)(26)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(26)(A)).
(B) Priority.--In entering into contracts under 
paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall give priority to 
entities described in section 306(a)(26)(B) of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
1926(a)(26)(B)).
(3) Coordination.--A provider of technical assistance under 
the program shall, to the extent practicable, coordinate with 
State governments and local stakeholders to ensure the 
equitable distribution of outreach to eligible rural 
communities.
(d) Requirements of Technical Assistance.--A provider of technical 
assistance under the program shall provide technical assistance to 
eligible rural communities relating to disaster recovery--
(1) including assistance in--
(A) planning, and identifying issues, potential 
solutions, and sources of funding, with respect to 
disaster recovery;
(B) preparing and submitting applications with 
respect to assistance for disaster recovery to Federal 
agencies, such as the Economic Development 
Administration, the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, and the rural development mission area, and 
State agencies;
(C) addressing denials of applications described in 
subparagraph (B); and
(D) implementing funding received for disaster 
recovery from Federal agencies and State agencies 
described in subparagraph (B); and
(2) which may involve--
(A) telecommunications;
(B) water infrastructure;
(C) housing;
(D) energy infrastructure;
(E) community facilities;
(F) business infrastructure; and
(G) local government infrastructure.
(e) Duration.--
(1) In general.--An eligible rural community may receive 
technical assistance under the program during the 3-year period 
beginning on the date on which a disaster is declared for the 
area within which all or part of the eligible rural community 
lies.
(2) Extension.--The Secretary may extend the period of 
eligibility described in paragraph (1) for an additional 3-year 
period with respect to an eligible rural community on a case-
by-case basis.
(f) Multiple Recipients.--More than 1 eligible rural community all 
or part of which are within an area covered by a disaster may receive 
technical assistance under the program.
(g) Funding.--
(1) Provision.--As soon as practicable after the date on 
which a disaster is declared for the area within which all or 
part of an eligible rural community lies, the Secretary shall 
make available to the applicable State office of the rural 
development mission area amounts available to carry out this 
section, without any requirement for the submission of an 
application by such State office.
(2) Allocation.--The Secretary shall allocate amounts made 
available to carry out this section for each fiscal year to 
eligible rural communities in accordance with a formula 
established by the Secretary that is based on the population of 
individuals affected by a disaster, as determined using data 
from the most recent decennial census.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $50,000,000 for 
each fiscal year.
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