S. 2558 (Introduced in Senate) — Colonias Improvement Act of 2014

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the “Colonias Improvement Act of 2014”.

2. Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Administrator— The term Administrator means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

(2)

Covered program— The term covered program means—

(A)

water and waste facility loans and grants under section 306C of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926c);

(B)

wastewater assistance to colonias under section 307 of the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 (33 U.S.C. 1281 note; Public Law 104–182);

(C)

drinking water assistance to colonias under section 1456 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–16);

(D)

housing assistance under section 509(f) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1479(f));

(E)

community development block grant assistance under section 916 of the Cranston–Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 5306 note; Public Law 101–625);

(F)

assistance under section 108 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5308); and

(G)

any other program of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or the Department of Agriculture that specifically includes assistance for colonias, as determined by the Administrator.

3. Revised definition

(a)

Revised definition required— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of Agriculture, shall issue a proposed rule containing a definition of the term colonia that—

(1)

is the same for each covered program, to the extent consistent with the provisions of law described in subparagraphs (A) through (F) of section 2(2) and the requirements of any program described in subparagraph (G) of such section 2(2);

(2)

is limited to a community that—

(A)

is located within 75 miles of the border between the United States and Mexico; or

(B)

has applied for or received funding under a covered program before the date of enactment of this Act;

(3)

reflects and preserves the historic, geographic, and cultural character of the communities served by the covered programs; and

(4)

may be used to determine whether an applicant qualifies for assistance under any covered program.

(b)

Exemptions— The rule issued under subsection (a) may include a process by which the Administrator may request a limited exemption from the application of the revised definition to a covered program.

(c)

Final rule— The Administrator shall ensure that the final rule under subsection (a) takes effect not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.

4. Webpage

The Administrator, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish and regularly update a webpage that—

(1)

serves as a clearinghouse for information relating to the covered programs; and

(2)

includes links to information specific to each State in which a covered program operates, including local contact information.

5. Working Group

(a)

Establishment— The Administrator shall establish a working group that includes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of Agriculture—

(1)

to review covered programs;

(2)

to record information relating to each award that is and has been made under a covered program;

(3)

to hold public hearings relating to covered programs; and

(4)

to make recommendations to Congress for improvements to covered programs, including improvements—

(A)

that address the economic and social development of colonias; and

(B)

to the application process for covered programs.

(b)

Report— Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report that includes—

(1)

the results of the review under subsection (a)(1);

(2)

a summary of the information recorded under subsection (a)(2);

(3)

the recommendations under subsection (a)(3);

(4)

a plan to include transportation planning and health considerations in covered programs;

(5)

a survey of needs that are not met by covered programs;

(6)

a plan to develop key indicators for living standards in communities served by covered programs, including health, education, and housing conditions;

(7)

proposed metrics for tracking the success of covered programs and identifying areas for the improvement of covered programs; and

(8)

any other applicable information, as determined by the Administrator.

6. Cultural sensitivity

The Administrator, and any person working with the Administrator to carry out a covered program, shall make every effort—

(1)

to carry out this Act in a manner that is sensitive to the cultural and regional differences among communities served by covered programs; and

(2)

to work with local organizations that carry out activities in communities served by covered programs.

Colonias Improvement Act of 2014