To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to authorize the National Rural Development Partnership, and for other purposes.

To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to authorize the National Rural Development Partnership, 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 `National Rural Development Partnership Act of 2001'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--

(1) rural development has been given high priority throughout most of this century as a means of achieving a sound balance between rural and urban areas in the United States, a balance that Congress considers essential to the peace, prosperity, and welfare of all citizens of the United States;

(2)(A) during the last half century, Congress has enacted many laws and established many programs to provide resources to rural communities;

(B) in addition, many efforts have been made to coordinate Federal rural development programs; and

(C) during the last decade, the National Rural Development Partnership and its principal components, the National Rural Development Council and State rural development councils, have successfully provided opportunities for collaboration and coordination among Federal agencies and between Federal agencies and States, nonprofit organizations, the private sector, tribal governments, and other entities committed to rural advancement;

(3) Congress enacted the Rural Development Act of 1972 (86 Stat. 657) and the Rural Development Policy Act of 1980 (94 Stat. 1171) as a manifestation of this commitment to rural development;

(4) section 607(b)(3) of the Rural Development Policy Act of 1972 (7 U.S.C. 2204b(b)(3)) directs the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a process through which multi-state, State, substate, and local rural development needs, goals objectives, plans, and recommendations can be received and assessed on a continuing basis;

(5) the National Rural Development Partnership and State rural development councils were established as vehicles to help coordinate development of rural programs in 1990;

(6) in 1991, the Secretary began to execute those statutory responsibilities, in part through the innovative mechanism of national, State, and local rural development partnerships administered by the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Small Community and Rural Development;

(7) that mechanism, now known as the `National Rural Development Partnership', has been recognized as a model of new governance and as an example of the effectiveness of collaboration between the Federal, State, local, tribal, private, and nonprofit sectors in addressing the needs of the rural communities of the United States;

(8) partnerships by agencies and entities in the Partnership would extend scarce but valuable funding through collaboration and cooperation; and

(9) the continued success and efficacy of the Partnership could be enhanced through specific Congressional authorization removing any statutory barriers that could detract from the benefits potentially achieved through the Partnership's unique structure.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP.

Subtitle E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`SEC. 381P. NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP.

`(a) DEFINITIONS- In this section:

`(1) AGENCY WITH RURAL RESPONSIBILITIES- The term `agency with rural responsibilities' means any executive agency (as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code) that--

`(A) implements Federal law targeted at rural areas, including--

`(i) the Act of April 24, 1950 (commonly known as the `Granger-Thye Act') (64 Stat. 82, chapter 9);

`(ii) the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act of 1968 (82 Stat. 1098);

`(iii) section 41742 of title 49, United States Code;

`(iv) the Rural Development Act of 1972 (86 Stat. 657);

`(v) the Rural Development Policy Act of 1980 (94 Stat. 1171);

`(vi) the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.);

`(vii) amendments made to section 334 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254g) by the Rural Health Clinics Act of 1983 (97 Stat. 1345); and

`(viii) the Rural Housing Amendments of 1983 (97 Stat. 1240) and the amendments made by the Rural Housing Amendments of 1983 to title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.); or

`(B) administers a program that has a significant impact on rural areas, including--

`(i) the Appalachian Regional Commission;

`(ii) the Department of Agriculture;

`(iii) the Department of Commerce;

`(iv) the Department of Defense;

`(v) the Department of Education;

`(vi) the Department of Energy;

`(vii) the Department of Health and Human Services;

`(viii) the Department of Housing and Urban Development;

`(ix) the Department of the Interior;

`(x) the Department of Justice;

`(xi) the Department of Labor;

`(xii) the Department of Transportation;

`(xiii) the Department of the Treasury.

`(xiv) the Department of Veterans Affairs;

`(xv) the Environmental Protection Agency;

`(xvi) the Federal Emergency Management Administration;

`(xvii) the Small Business Administration;

`(xviii) the Social Security Administration;

`(xix) the Federal Reserve System;

`(xx) the United States Postal Service;

`(xxi) the Corporation for National Service;

`(xxii) the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities; and

`(xxiii) other agencies, commissions, and corporations.

`(2) COORDINATING COMMITTEE- The term `Coordinating Committee' means the National Rural Development Coordinating Committee established by subsection (c).

`(3) PARTNERSHIP- The term `Partnership' means the National Rural Development Partnership established by subsection (b).

`(4) RURAL AREA- The term `rural area' means--

`(A) all the territory of a State that is not within the boundary of any standard metropolitan statistical area, as designated by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;

`(B) all territory within any standard metropolitan statistical area described in subparagraph (A) within a census tract having a population density of less than 20 persons per square mile, as determined by the Secretary according to the most recent census of the United States as of any date; and

`(C) such areas as a State rural development council may identify as rural.

`(5) STATE RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL- The term `State rural development council' means a State rural development council that meets the requirements of subsection (d).

`(b) ESTABLISHMENT-

`(1) IN GENERAL- There is established a National Rural Development Partnership composed of--

`(A) the Coordinating Committee; and

`(B) State rural development councils.

`(2) PURPOSES- The purposes of the Partnership are--

`(A) to empower and build the capacity of States and rural communities within States to design unique responses to their own special rural development needs, with local determinations of progress and selection of projects and activities;

`(B) to encourage participants to be flexible and innovative in establishing new partnerships and trying fresh, new approaches to rural development issues, with responses to rural development that use different approaches to fit different situations; and

`(C) to encourage all partners in the Partnership (Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations) to be fully engaged and share equally in decisions.

`(3) ROLE OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT- The role of the Federal Government in the Partnership shall be that of a partner, coach, and facilitator, with Federal agencies authorized--

`(A) to cooperate closely with States to implement the Partnership;

`(B) to provide States with the technical and administrative support necessary to plan and implement tailored rural development strategies to meet local needs;

`(C) to delegate decisionmaking to other levels;

`(D) to ensure that the head of each agency referred to in subsection (a)(1)(B) designates a senior-level agency official to represent the agency on the Coordinating Committee and directs appropriate field staff to participate fully with the State rural development council within the jurisdiction of the field staff; and

`(E) to enter into cooperative agreements with, and to provide grants and other assistance to, State rural development councils, regardless of the legal form of organization of a State rural development council and notwithstanding any other provision of law.

`(4) ROLE OF PRIVATE AND NONPROFIT SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS- Private and nonprofit sector organizations are encouraged--

`(A) to act as full partners in the Partnership and State rural development councils; and

`(B) to cooperate with participating government organizations in developing innovative approaches to the solution of rural development problems.

`(c) NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT COORDINATING COMMITTEE-

`(1) ESTABLISHMENT- There is established a National Rural Development Coordinating Committee.

`(2) COMPOSITION- The Coordinating Committee shall be composed of--

`(A) 1 representative of each agency with rural responsibilities that elects to participate in the Coordinating Committee; and

`(B) representatives of--

`(i) national associations of State, regional, local, and tribal governments and intergovernmental and multi-jurisdictional agencies and organizations;

`(ii) national public interest groups; and

`(iii) other national nonprofit organizations that elect to participate in the activities of the Coordinating Committee.

`(3) DUTIES- The Coordinating Committee shall--

`(A) provide support for the work of the State rural development councils;

`(B) facilitate coordination among Federal programs and activities, and with State, local, tribal, and private programs and activities, affecting rural development;

`(C) enhance the effectiveness, responsiveness, and delivery of Federal programs in rural areas;

`(D) gather and provide to Federal authorities information and input for the development and implementation of Federal programs impacting rural economic and community development;

`(E) review and comment on policies, regulations, and proposed legislation that affect or would affect rural areas;

`(F) provide technical assistance to State rural development councils for the implementation of Federal programs; and

`(G) develop and facilitate strategies to reduce or eliminate administrative and regulatory impediments.

`(4) ELECTION NOT TO PARTICIPATE- An agency with rural responsibilities that elects not to participate in the Partnership shall submit to Congress a report that describes--

`(A) how the programmatic responsibilities of the Federal agency that target or have an impact on rural areas are better achieved without participation by the agency in the Partnership; and

`(B) a more effective means of partnership-building and collaboration to achieve the programmatic responsibilities of the agency.

`(5) PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS- In conducting a performance evaluation of an employee of an agency with rural responsibilities, the agency shall consider any comments submitted by a State rural development council.

`(d) STATE RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS-

`(1) ESTABLISHMENT- Each State may elect to participate in the Partnership by entering into an agreement with the Secretary to establish a State rural development council.

`(2) STATE DIVERSITY- Each State rural development council shall--

`(A) have a nonpartisan and nondiscriminatory membership that is broad and representative of the economic, social, and political diversity of the State; and

`(B) carry out programs and activities in a manner that reflects the diversity of the State.

`(3) DUTIES- A State rural development council shall--

`(A) facilitate collaboration among Federal, State, local, and tribal governments and the private and nonprofit sectors in the planning and implementation of programs and policies that target or have an impact on rural areas of the State;

`(B) enhance the effectiveness, responsiveness, and delivery of Federal and State programs in rural areas of the State;

`(C) gather and provide to the Coordinating Committee and other appropriate organizations information on the condition of rural areas in the State;

`(D) monitor and report on policies and programs that address, or fail to address, the needs of the rural areas of the State;

`(E) facilitate the formulation of local needs assessments for the rural areas of the State and participate in the development of criteria for the distribution of Federal funds to the rural areas of the State;

`(F) provide comments to the Coordinating Committee and other appropriate organizations on policies, regulations, and proposed legislation that affect or would affect the rural areas of the State;

`(G) in conjunction with the Coordinating Committee, facilitate the development of strategies to reduce or eliminate conflicting or duplicative administrative or regulatory requirements of Federal, State, local, and tribal governments; and

`(H) use grant or cooperative agreement funds available to the Partnership to--

`(i) retain an Executive Director and such support staff as are necessary to facilitate and implement the directives of the State rural development council; and

`(ii) pay expenses associated with carrying out subparagraphs (A) through (G) and subparagraph (J).

`(4) AUTHORITIES- A State rural development council may--

`(A) solicit funds to supplement and match funds granted under paragraph (3)(H); and

`(B) engage in activities, in addition to those specified in paragraph (3), appropriate to

`(5) COMMENTS OR RECOMMENDATIONS-

`(A) IN GENERAL- A State rural development council may provide comments and recommendations to an agency with rural responsibilities related to the activities of the State rural development council within the State.

`(B) AGENCY- The agency with rural responsibilities shall provide to the State rural development council a written response to the comments or recommendations.

`(6) ACTIONS OF STATE RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL MEMBERS- When carrying out a program or activity authorized by a State rural development council, a member of the council shall be regarded as an employee of the Federal Government for purposes of chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code.

`(7) FEDERAL PARTICIPATION IN STATE RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS-

`(A) IN GENERAL- Subject to subparagraph (B), Federal employees may participate in a State rural development council.

`(B) CONFLICTS- A Federal employee who participates in a State rural development council shall not participate in the making of any council decision if the agency represented by the Federal employee has any financial or other interest in the outcome of the decision.

`(C) FEDERAL GUIDANCE- The Attorney General shall issue guidance to all Federal employees that participate in State rural development councils that describes specific decisions that--

`(i) would constitute a conflict of interest for the Federal employee; and

`(ii) from which the Federal employee must recuse himself or herself.

`(e) ADMINISTRATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP-

`(1) DETAIL OF EMPLOYEES- In order to provide experience in intergovernmental collaboration, with the approval of the head of an agency with rural responsibilities that elects to participate in the Partnership, an employee of the agency with rural responsibilities is encouraged to be detailed to the Partnership without reimbursement, and such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.

`(2) ADDITIONAL SUPPORT- The Secretary shall provide for any additional support staff to the Partnership as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out the duties of the Partnership.

`(3) PANEL-

`(A) IN GENERAL- A panel consisting of representatives of the Coordinating Committee and State rural development councils shall be established to lead and coordinate the strategic operation, policies, and practices of the Partnership.

`(B) ANNUAL REPORTS- In conjunction with the Coordinating Committee and State rural development councils, the panel shall prepare and submit to Congress an annual report on the activities of the Partnership.

`(f) FUNDING-

`(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS-

`(A) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.

`(B) FUNDING FORMULA- In the case of general financial support provided by the Federal Government to all State rural development councils, such support shall be uniform in amount, but the Secretary may distribute general financial support that exceeds 200 percent of the uniform amount received by all State rural development councils for fiscal year 2002 under a formula that takes into account the geographic size of the rural areas of the respective States, the rural populations of the respective States, economic factors, and other appropriate factors.

`(2) FEDERAL AGENCIES-

`(A) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in order to carry out the purposes described in subsection (b)(2), the Partnership shall be eligible to receive grants, gifts, contributions, or technical assistance from, or enter into contracts with, any Federal agency, to the extent permitted by law.

`(B) ASSISTANCE- Federal agencies are encouraged to use funds made available for programs that target or have an impact on rural areas to provide assistance to, and enter into contracts with, the Partnership, as described in subparagraph (A).

`(3) CONTRIBUTIONS- The Partnership may accept private contributions.

`(g) MATCHING REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS- A State rural development council shall provide matching funds, or in-kind goods or services, to support the activities of the State rural development council in an amount that is not less than 33 percent of the amount of Federal funds received under an agreement under subsection (d)(1).

`(h) TERMINATION- The authority provided under this section shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this section.'.