July 15, 2025
Mr. Welch (for himself, Mr. Sanders, and Mrs. Shaheen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to provide to rural communities technical assistance in recovering from disasters, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Rural Recovery Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Rural development disaster recovery technical assistance program
(a) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Disaster
The term disaster means a major disaster declared by the President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
(2) Eligible rural community
The term eligible rural community means each rural community all or part of which is within an area covered by a disaster.
(3) Program
The term program means the program established under subsection (b).
(4) Rural community
(A) In general
Subject to subparagraph (B), the term rural community means any census designated place with a population of less than 20,000.
(B) Modification; waiver
The Secretary may, as the Secretary determines to be necessary—
(i)
modify the definition of rural community under subparagraph (A); or
(ii)
waive the applicability of the definition of rural community under this paragraph to a particular area.
(5) Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.
(b) Establishment
The Secretary shall establish within the rural development mission area a program to provide technical assistance for eligible rural communities.
(c) Providers of technical assistance
(1) In general
Technical assistance under the program shall be provided by—
(A)
a State office of the rural development mission area;
(B)
an entity described in paragraph (2) that enters into a contract with a State office of the rural development mission area; or
(C)
both entities described in subparagraphs (A) and (B).
(2) Eligibility of contractors
(A) In general
An entity eligible to enter into a contract under paragraph (1)(B) is a public body or private nonprofit corporation described in section 306(a)(26)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(26)(A)).
(B) Priority
In entering into contracts under paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall give priority to entities described in section 306(a)(26)(B) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(26)(B)).
(3) Coordination
A provider of technical assistance under the program shall, to the extent practicable, coordinate with State governments and local stakeholders to ensure the equitable distribution of outreach to eligible rural communities.
(d) Requirements of technical assistance
A provider of technical assistance under the program shall provide technical assistance to eligible rural communities relating to disaster recovery—
(1)
including assistance in—
(A)
planning, and identifying issues, potential solutions, and sources of funding, with respect to disaster recovery;
(B)
preparing and submitting applications with respect to assistance for disaster recovery to Federal agencies, such as the Economic Development Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the rural development mission area, and State agencies;
(C)
addressing denials of applications described in subparagraph (B); and
(D)
implementing funding received for disaster recovery from Federal agencies and State agencies described in subparagraph (B); and
(2)
which may involve—
(A)
telecommunications;
(B)
water infrastructure;
(C)
housing;
(D)
energy infrastructure;
(E)
community facilities;
(F)
business infrastructure; and
(G)
local government infrastructure.
(e) Duration
(1) In general
An eligible rural community may receive technical assistance under the program during the 3-year period beginning on the date on which a disaster is declared for the area within which all or part of the eligible rural community lies.
(2) Extension
The Secretary may extend the period of eligibility described in paragraph (1) for an additional 3-year period with respect to an eligible rural community on a case-by-case basis.
(f) Multiple recipients
More than 1 eligible rural community all or part of which are within an area covered by a disaster may receive technical assistance under the program.
(g) Funding
(1) Provision
As soon as practicable after the date on which a disaster is declared for the area within which all or part of an eligible rural community lies, the Secretary shall make available to the applicable State office of the rural development mission area amounts available to carry out this section, without any requirement for the submission of an application by such State office.
(2) Allocation
The Secretary shall allocate amounts made available to carry out this section for each fiscal year to eligible rural communities in accordance with a formula established by the Secretary that is based on the population of individuals affected by a disaster, as determined using data from the most recent decennial census.
(h) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each fiscal year.