NRDP Authorizing Legislation
NRDP Authorization Language. Part of the 2002 Farm Bill, signed by President Bush on May 13, 2002.
SEC. 6021. NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP.
Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development
Act (7 U.S.C. 1981 et seq.) (as amended by section 5321) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
''SEC. 378. 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
implements a Federal law, or administers a program, targeted
at or having a significant impact on rural areas.
''(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 continued by subsection
(b).
''(4) STATE RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.—The term 'State
rural development council' means a State rural development
council that meets the requirements of subsection (d).
''(b) PARTNERSHIP.—
''(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall continue the National
Rural Development Partnership composed of—
''(A) the Coordinating Committee; and
''(B) State rural development councils.
''(2) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Partnership are to empower
and build the capacity of States and rural communities
to design flexible and innovative responses to their own special
rural development needs, with local determinations of progress
and selection of projects and activities.
''(3) GOVERNING 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.
''(4) ROLE OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.—The role of the Federal
Government in the Partnership may be that of a partner
and facilitator, with Federal agencies authorized—
''(A) to cooperate 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 ensure that the head of each agency with rural
responsibilities 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
''(D) to enter into cooperative agreements with, and to
provide grants and other assistance to, the Coordinating
Committee and State rural development councils.
''(c) NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT COORDINATING COMMITTEE.
—
''(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish a National
Rural Development Coordinating Committee within the
Department of Agriculture.
''(2) COMPOSITION.—The Coordinating Committee shall be
composed of—
''(A) 1 representative of each agency with rural responsibilities;
and
''(B) representatives, approved by the Secretary, of—
''(i) national associations of State, regional, local,
and tribal governments and intergovernmental and
multijurisdictional agencies and organizations;
''(ii) national public interest groups;
''(iii) other national nonprofit organizations that
elect to participate in the activities of the Coordinating
Committee; and
''(iv) the private sector.
''(3) DUTIES.—The Coordinating Committee shall—
''(A) support the work of the State rural development
councils;
''(B) facilitate coordination of rural development policies,
programs, and activities among Federal agencies and
with those of State, local, and tribal governments, the private
sector, and nonprofit organizations;
''(C) review and comment on policies, regulations, and
proposed legislation that affect or would affect rural areas
and gather and provide related information;
''(D) develop and facilitate strategies to reduce or eliminate
administrative and regulatory impediments; and
''(E) require each State rural development council receiving
funds under this section to submit an annual report
on the use of the funds, including a description of strategic
plans, goals, performance measures, and outcomes for the
State rural development council of the State.
''(4) FEDERAL PARTICIPATION IN COORDINATING COMMITTEE.
—
''(A) IN GENERAL.—A Federal employee shall fully participate
in the governance and operations of the Coordinating
Committee, including activities related to grants,
contracts, and other agreements, in accordance with this
section.
''(B) CONFLICTS.—Participation by a Federal employee
in the Coordinating Committee in accordance with this
paragraph shall not constitute a violation of section 205 or
208 of title 18, United States Code.
''(5) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.—The Secretary may provide
such administrative support for the Coordinating Committee as
the Secretary determines is necessary to carry out the duties of
the Coordinating Committee.
''(6) PROCEDURES.—The Secretary may prescribe such regulations,
bylaws, or other procedures as are necessary for the operation
of the Coordinating Committee.
''(d) STATE RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS.—
''(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Notwithstanding chapter 63 of title
31, United States Code, each State may elect to participate in
the Partnership by entering into an agreement with the Secretary
to recognize a State rural development council.
''(2) COMPOSITION.—A State rural development council
shall—
''(A) be composed of representatives of Federal, State,
local, and tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, regional
organizations, the private sector, and other entities
committed to rural advancement; and
''(B) have a nonpartisan and nondiscriminatory membership
that—
''(i) is broad and representative of the economic, social,
and political diversity of the State; and
''(ii) shall be responsible for the governance and
operations of the State rural development council.
''(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 have an impact on rural areas of the
State;
''(B) monitor, report, and comment on policies and programs
that address, or fail to address, the needs of the
rural areas of the State;
''(C) as part of the Partnership, 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
''(D)(i) provide to the Coordinating Committee an annual
plan with goals and performance measures; and
''(ii) submit to the Coordinating Committee an annual
report on the progress of the State rural development council
in meeting the goals and measures.
''(4) FEDERAL PARTICIPATION IN STATE RURAL DEVELOPMENT
COUNCILS.—
''(A) IN GENERAL.—A State Director for Rural Development
of the Department of Agriculture, other employees of
the Department, and employees of other Federal agencies
with rural responsibilities shall fully participate as voting
members in the governance and operations of State rural
development councils (including activities related to grants,
contracts, and other agreements in accordance with this
section) on an equal basis with other members of the State
rural development councils.
''(B) CONFLICTS.—Participation by a Federal employee
in a State rural development council in accordance with
this paragraph shall not constitute a violation of section
205 or 208 of title 18, United States Code.
''(e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT OF THE PARTNERSHIP.—
''(1) DETAIL OF EMPLOYEES.—
''(A) IN GENERAL.—In order to provide experience in
intergovernmental collaboration, the head of an agency
with rural responsibilities that elects to participate in the
Partnership may, and is encouraged to, detail to the Secretary
for the support of the Partnership 1 or more employees
of the agency with rural responsibilities without reimbursement
for a period of up to 1 year.
''(B) CIVIL SERVICE STATUS.—The detail shall be without
interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.
''(2) ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.—The Secretary may 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) INTERMEDIARIES.—The Secretary may enter into a contract
with a qualified intermediary under which the intermediary
shall be responsible for providing administrative and
technical assistance to a State rural development council, including
administering the financial assistance available to the
State rural development council.
''(f) MATCHING REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE RURAL DEVELOPMENT
COUNCILS.—
''(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), 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 from a Federal
agency under subsection (g)(2).
''(2) EXCEPTIONS TO MATCHING REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN
FEDERAL FUNDS.—Paragraph (1) shall not apply to funds,
grants, funds provided under contracts or cooperative agreements,
gifts, contributions, or technical assistance received by a
State rural development council from a Federal agency that are
used—
''(A) to support 1 or more specific program or project
activities; or
''(B) to reimburse the State rural development council
for services provided to the Federal agency providing the
funds, grants, funds provided under contracts or cooperative
agreements, gifts, contributions, or technical assistance.
''(3) DEPARTMENT'S SHARE.—The Secretary shall develop a
plan to decrease, over time, the share of the Department of Agriculture
of the cost of the core operations of State rural development
councils.
''(g) FUNDING.—
''(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2003 through 2007.
''(2) FEDERAL AGENCIES.—
''(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision
of law limiting the ability of an agency, along with
other agencies, to provide funds to the Coordinating Committee
or a State rural development council in order to
carry out the purposes of this section, a Federal agency may
make grants, gifts, or contributions to, provide technical assistance
to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements
with, the Coordinating Committee or a State rural
development council.
''(B) ASSISTANCE.—Federal agencies are encouraged to
use funds made available for programs that have an impact
on rural areas to provide assistance to, and enter into
contracts with, the Coordinating Committee or a State
rural development council, as described in subparagraph (A).
''(3) CONTRIBUTIONS.—The Coordinating Committee and a
State rural development council may accept private contributions.
''(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.''.
From Page 238-239:
''(D) MULTIJURISDICTIONAL REGIONAL PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS;
NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP.—
In sections 306(a)(23) and 378, the term 'rural area'
means—
''(i) all the territory of a State that is not within
the boundary of any standard metropolitan statistical
area; and
''(ii) all territory within any standard metropolitan
statistical area 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.
