This division may be cited as the “Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019”.
Division B — Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019
DIVISION B Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019
TITLE I Agricultural Programs
Processing, Research, and Marketing
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Secretary, $46,603,000, 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 $23,176,000 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 $22,000 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 Information Officer
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief Information Officer, $55,630,000, 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
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, $59,967,000, to remain available until expended.
Hazardous Materials Management
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 Solid Waste Disposal 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, $174,517,000, 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
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
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
Agricultural Marketing Service
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
Farm Service Agency
Risk Management Agency
Natural Resources Conservation Service
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.
TITLE III Rural Development Programs
Rural Development
Rural Housing Service
Rural Business—Cooperative Service
Rural Utilities Service
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
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.
Foreign Agricultural Service
TITLE VI Related Agency and Food and Drug Administration
Department of Health and Human Services
Independent Agency
TITLE VII General Provisions
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, 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 716 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 716 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 313B(a) 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) or by a successor to that Act, 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—
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
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 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.
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. 714.
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 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. 715.
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. 716.
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—
creates new programs;
eliminates a program, project, or activity;
increases funds or personnel by any means for any project or activity for which funds have been denied or restricted;
relocates an office or employees;
reorganizes offices, programs, or activities; or
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.
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—
augments existing programs, projects, or activities;
reduces by 10 percent funding for any existing program, project, or activity, or numbers of personnel by 10 percent as approved by Congress; or
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.
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.
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—
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;
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
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.
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. 717.
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. 718.
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. 719.
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. 720.
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. 721.
For the purposes of determining eligibility or level of program assistance for Rural Development programs the Secretary shall not include incarcerated prison populations.
Sec. 722.
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 the joint explanatory statement accompanying this Act.
Sec. 723.
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), $500,000,000 are hereby rescinded.
Sec. 724.
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. 725.
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. 726.
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. 727.
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: 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. 728.
None of the funds made available by this Act or any other Act may be used—
in contravention of section 7606 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 5940); or
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. 729.
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. 730.
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. 731.
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. 732.
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. 733.
Funds made available under title II of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.) may only be used to provide assistance to recipient nations if adequate monitoring and controls, as determined by the Administrator, are in place to ensure that emergency food aid is received by the intended beneficiaries in areas affected by food shortages and not diverted for unauthorized or inappropriate purposes.
Sec. 734.
None of the funds made available by this Act may be used by the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Food and Nutrition Service, to commence any new research and evaluation projects until the Secretary submits to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a research and evaluation plan for fiscal year 2019, prepared in coordination with the Research, Education, and Economics mission area of the Department of Agriculture, and a period of 30 days beginning on the date of the submission of the plan expires to permit Congressional review of the plan.
Sec. 735.
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, or comparable entities that provide energy efficiency services using their own billing mechanism 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. 736.
The Secretary of Agriculture shall—
conduct audits in a manner that evaluates the following factors in the country or region being audited, as applicable—
veterinary control and oversight;
disease history and vaccination practices;
livestock demographics and traceability;
epidemiological separation from potential sources of infection;
surveillance practices;
diagnostic laboratory capabilities; and
emergency preparedness and response; and
promptly make publicly available the final reports of any audits or reviews conducted pursuant to subsection (1).
This section shall be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under its international trade agreements.
Sec. 737.
No food that bears or contains 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 considered to be adulterated within the meaning of subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2)(C)(i) of section 402 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 342(a)) because such food contains such partially hydrogenated oils until the applicable compliance dates specified by FDA in the Federal Register on May 21, 2018 (83 Fed. Reg. 23358 et seq.).
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 other applicable schedule, as appropriate, but may not be more than the rate payable for a position at level I of the Executive Schedule, unless the rate is approved by the President under section 5377(d)(2) of title 5.
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.
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. 741.
There is hereby appropriated $1,996,000 to carry out section 1621 of Public Law 110–246.
Sec. 742.
None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to carry out any activities or incur any expense related to the issuance of licenses under section 3 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2133), or the renewal of such licenses, to class B dealers who sell dogs and cats for use in research, experiments, teaching, or testing.
Sec. 743.
There is appropriated $6,000,000 to the Commodity Credit Corporation, in addition to amounts otherwise made available, for section 1110(f)(3) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1736o(f)(3)).
Sec. 744.
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.
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.
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—
applying subsection (a) would be inconsistent with the public interest;
iron and steel products are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or of a satisfactory quality; or
inclusion of iron and steel products produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall project by more than 25 percent.
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.
This section shall be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements.
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.
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.
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. 745.
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. 746.
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 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. 747.
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. 748.
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.
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—
county data of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (referred to in this section as “NASS data”) is used for the calculations;
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
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.
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.
The amount of a supplemental payment to an agricultural producer under this section may not exceed the difference between—
the payment that the agricultural producer would have received without the alternate calculation method described in subsection (b); and
the payment that the agricultural producer would receive using the alternate calculation method.
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.
Of the funds appropriated, the Secretary shall use not more than $5,000,000 to carry out the pilot program described in this section.
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).
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.
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.
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. 749.
None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to procure raw or processed poultry products imported into the United States from the People’s Republic of China for use in the school lunch program under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), the Child and Adult Care Food Program under section 17 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1766), the Summer Food Service Program for Children under section 13 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1761), or the school breakfast program under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.).
Sec. 750.
None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to pay the salaries or expenses of personnel—
to inspect horses under section 3 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 603);
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
to implement or enforce section 352.19 of title 9, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation).
Sec. 751.
In response to an eligible community where the drinking water supplies are inadequate due to a natural disaster, as determined by the Secretary, including drought or severe weather, the Secretary may provide potable water through the Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant Program for an additional period of time not to exceed 120 days beyond the established period provided under the Program in order to protect public health.
Sec. 752.
Of the total amounts made available by this Act for direct loans and grants in the following headings: “Rural Housing Service—Rural Housing Insurance Fund Program Account”; “Rural Housing Service—Mutual and Self-Help Housing Grants”; “Rural Housing Service—Rural Housing Assistance Grants”; “Rural Housing Service—Rural Community Facilities Program Account”; “Rural Business-Cooperative Service—Rural Business Program Account”; “Rural Business-Cooperative Service—Rural Economic Development Loans Program Account”; “Rural Business-Cooperative Service—Rural Cooperative Development Grants”; “Rural Utilities Service—Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account”; “Rural Utilities Service—Rural Electrification and Telecommunications Loans Program Account”; and “Rural Utilities Service—Distance Learning, Telemedicine, and Broadband Program”, to the maximum extent feasible, at least 10 percent of the funds shall be allocated for assistance in persistent poverty counties under this section, including, notwithstanding any other provision regarding population limits, any county seat of such a persistent poverty county that has a population that does not exceed the authorized population limit by more than 10 percent: Provided, That for purposes of this section, the term “persistent poverty counties” means any county that has had 20 percent or more of its population living in poverty over the past 30 years, as measured by the 1980, 1990, and 2000 decennial censuses, and 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-year average: Provided further, That with respect to specific activities for which program levels have been made available by this Act that are not supported by budget authority, the requirements of this section shall be applied to such program level.
Sec. 753.
No funds shall be used to finalize the proposed rule entitled “Eligibility of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to Export to the United States Poultry Products from Birds Slaughtered in the PRC” published in the Federal Register by the Department of Agriculture on June 16, 2017 (82 Fed. Reg. 27625), unless the Secretary of Agriculture shall—
ensure that the poultry slaughter inspection system for the PRC is equivalent to that of the United States;
ensure that, before any poultry products can enter the United States from any such poultry plant, such poultry products comply with all other applicable requirements for poultry products in interstate commerce in the United States;
conduct periodic verification reviews and audits of any such plants in the PRC intending to export into the United States processed poultry products;
conduct re-inspection of such poultry products at United States ports-of-entry to check the general condition of such products, for the proper certification and labeling of such products, and for any damage to such products that may have occurred during transportation; and
ensure that shipments of any such poultry products selected to enter the United States are subject to additional re-inspection procedures at appropriate levels to verify that the products comply with relevant Federal regulations or standards, including examinations for product defects and laboratory analyses to detect harmful chemical residues or pathogen testing appropriate for the products involved.
This section shall be applied in a manner consistent with obligations of the United States under any trade agreement to which the United States is a party.
Sec. 754.
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. 755.
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. 756.
There is hereby appropriated $2,000,000, 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. 757.
For an additional amount for “Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service—Salaries and Expenses”, $8,500,000, 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. 758.
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. 759.
None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to revoke an exception made—
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
on a date before April 14, 2017.
Sec. 760.
For school year 2019–2020, only a school food authority that had a negative balance in the nonprofit school food service account as of December 31, 2018, shall be required to establish a price for paid lunches in accordance with Section 12(p) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C. 1760(p).
Sec. 761.
There is hereby appropriated $16,000,000, 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. 762.
There is hereby appropriated $125,000,000, to remain available until expended, for an additional amount for Sec. 779 of Public Law 115–141.
Section 313 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as amended (7 U.S.C. 940c), shall be applied for fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal year thereafter until the specified funding has been expended as if the following were inserted after the final period in subsection (b)(2): “In addition, the Secretary shall use $425,000,000 of funds available in this subaccount in fiscal year 2019 for an additional amount for the same purpose and under the same terms and conditions as funds appropriated by Sec. 779 of Public Law 115–141.”: Provided, That any use of such funds shall be treated as a reprogramming of funds under section 716 of this Act.
Sec. 763.
For an additional amount for the cost of direct loans and grants made under the “Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account”, $75,000,000, to remain available until expended.
Sec. 764.
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. 765.
Not later than September 30, 2019, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall finalize the draft guidance for industry entitled “Bacterial Risk Control Strategies for Blood Collection Establishments and Transfusion Services to Enhance the Safety and Availability of Platelets for Transfusion” issued by the Food and Drug Administration in March of 2016.
Sec. 766.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit a report to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress that includes a summary of the process used in establishing the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans published pursuant to section 301 of the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5341) and an explanation with respect to the decision to incorporate or exclude in such Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations from the report by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine entitled “Redesigning the Process for Establishing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans” and issued September, 2017.
Sec. 767.
None of the funds made available by this Act shall be used to implement, administer, or 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. 768.
None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to implement or enforce the matter following the first comma in the second sentence of footnote (c) of section 220.8(c) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, with respect to the substitution of vegetables for fruits under the school breakfast program established under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773).
Sec. 769.
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—
to assess damage to agricultural production and rural infrastructure; and
to develop recovery plans for impacted farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.
Sec. 770.
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”)—
to study how mangroves, kelp forests, tidal marshes, and seagrass meadows could help deacidify the oceans;
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
to coordinate and conduct research to develop and enhance pilot-scale research for farming of kelp and seagrass in order—
to deacidify ocean environments;
to produce a feedstock for agriculture; and
to develop other scalable commercial applications for kelp, seagrass, or products derived from kelp or seagrass.
The working group shall include—
the Secretary of Agriculture;
the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;
representatives of any relevant offices within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the working group shall submit to Congress a report that includes—
the findings of the research described in subsection (a);
the results of the pilot-scale research described in subsection (a)(3); and
any policy recommendations based on those findings and results.
Sec. 771.
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. 772.
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—
a description of—
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;
the location of each property described in subparagraph (A);
the number of units in each property described in subparagraph (A); and
the date on which each the loan for each property described in subparagraph (A) is expected to reach maturity;
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
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. 773.
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. 774.
In addition to any funds made available in this Act or any other Act, there is hereby appropriated $5,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2020, for grants from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to the 1890 Institutions to support the Centers of Excellence.
Sec. 775.
Section 6(e)(1)(B) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1755(e)(1)(B)) is amended by striking “ September 30, 2020” and inserting “ September 30, 2018”.
Sec. 776.
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. 777.
In addition to funds appropriated in this Act, there is hereby appropriated $216,000,000, to remain available until expended, under the heading “Food for Peace Title II Grants”: Provided, That the funds made available under this section shall be used for the purposes set forth in the Food for Peace Act for both emergency and non-emergency purposes.
Sec. 778.
There is appropriated to the “Farm Service Agency” $9,000,000 for purposes of making payments to producers impacted by an oriental fruit fly quarantine as referenced in H.Rpt.115-232 to remain available until expended: Provided, That of the unobligated balances available under Treasury symbol code 12 18/19 0600, $5,000,000 are rescinded.
Sec. 779.
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—
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
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.
Sec. 780.
For the cost of loans and grants, $3,000,000 under the same terms and conditions as authorized by section 379E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2008s): Provided, That such costs of loans, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.