H.R. 6716

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6716 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6716

To establish a program to provide grants and loans to facilitate the 
care, rehabilitation, and welfare of domestic animals in rural areas, 
and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 15, 2025

Mr. Hernandez (for himself, Ms. Norton, and Ms. Titus) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish a program to provide grants and loans to facilitate the 
care, rehabilitation, and welfare of domestic animals in rural areas, 
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 ``Save Animals Through Operational 
Shelters Act of 2025'' or the ``SATOS Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Rural communities often lack adequate infrastructure 
(including animal shelters and veterinary care facilities) to 
support animal welfare.
(2) Associations, units of general local government, 
nonprofit corporations, and Indian Tribes play a critical role 
in promoting the health, safety, and humane treatment of 
animals.
(3) Investment in animal care facilities contributes to 
public health, safety, and community well-being.

SEC. 3. GRANTS AND LOANS FOR DOMESTIC ANIMAL CARE FACILITIES IN RURAL 
AREAS.

(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a program to 
provide a grant or loan to an eligible entity--
(1) to construct, expand, or renovate a facility in a rural 
area for--
(A) an animal shelter;
(B) an animal adoption center;
(C) a veterinary care clinic;
(D) a spay and neuter clinic;
(E) an animal control operation; or
(F) an emergency animal shelter; or
(2) to purchase or install equipment, furnishings, 
vehicles, or technology for such a facility.
(b) Terms of Grant.--
(1) Amount.--The total amount that may be provided as 
grants under subsection (a) for a fiscal year may not exceed 
$10,000,000.
(2) Federal share.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in 
subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Secretary shall, by 
rule, establish the amount of the Federal share of the 
cost of developing a facility pursuant to a grant under 
subsection (a).
(B) Maximum amount.--The amount of a grant provided 
under subsection (a) for a facility may not exceed 75 
percent of the cost of developing such facility.
(C) Graduated scale.--The Secretary shall establish 
a graduated scale for the amount of the Federal share 
provided under this paragraph, with a greater Federal 
share, not more than the maximum amount described in 
subparagraph (B), for a facility located in a community 
that has a lesser population or income level, as 
determined by the Secretary.
(c) Technical Assistance and Training.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may make a grant to an 
eligible entity to procure technical assistance and training 
to--
(A) assist such eligible entity in identifying and 
planning for the needs of a facility developed pursuant 
to a grant or loan under subsection (a);
(B) identify resources to finance the needs of such 
a facility;
(C) prepare a report or survey to be included in an 
application for a grant or loan under subsection (a);
(D) prepare an application for such grant or loan;
(E) improve the administration, including financial 
administration, of such a facility; and
(F) assist with any other area of need, as 
identified by the Secretary, relating to the 
administration of--
(i) such a facility; or
(ii) a grant or loan under subsection (a).
(2) Selection priority.--In selecting a recipient of a 
grant under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority 
to an eligible entity that has experience in the planning, 
design, operation, or management of a facility described in 
subsection (a)(1), as demonstrated in the application for such 
grant submitted by such eligible entity.
(3) Funding.--Not less than 3 nor more than 5 percent of 
any funds appropriated to carry out this section for a fiscal 
year shall be reserved for grants under this subsection.
(d) Rule Making.--Within 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall finalize a rule to carry out this 
section.
(e) Implementation.--Within 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall begin providing grants and loans under 
subsection (a).
(f) Reports.--Within 2 years after the date of enactment of this 
Act, and not less frequently than every 2 years thereafter, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry of the Senate a report describing--
(1) the amount of grants and loans provided under 
subsections (a) and (c);
(2) the geographic distribution of the recipients of such 
grants and loans;
(3) the outcomes achieved by such grants and loans; and
(4) any recommendations for improving the effectiveness of 
the program established under subsection (a).
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``domestic animal'' means an animal, including 
a dog, cat, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, or bird, that is not 
kept by the owner for any commercial purpose.
(2) The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a State, local, or Tribal government or an 
agency thereof; or
(B) a nonprofit corporation.
(3) The term ``rural area'' means any area other than--
(A) a city or town that has a population of greater 
than 50,000 inhabitants; and
(B) the urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to 
such a city or town.
(4) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
Agriculture, acting through the Under Secretary of Agriculture 
for Rural Development.
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