RURAL HOUSING INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

For additional gross obligations for the principal amount of direct loans as authorized by title V of the Housing Act of 1949, to be available from funds in the rural housing insurance fund, $17,000,000 for section 504 housing repair loans: Provided, That this loan level shall be considered an estimate and not a limitation.

For the additional cost of direct loans, including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: section 504 housing repair loans, $5,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That the amounts provided under this heading are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of S. Con. Res. 95 (108th Congress), as made applicable to the House of Representatives by H. Res. 649 (108th Congress) and applicable to the Senate by section 14007 of Public Law 108-287.

RURAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANTS

For an additional amount for `Rural Housing Assistance Grants', $13,000,000, to remain available until expended, of which $8,000,000 shall be for grants and contracts for very low-income housing repair, made by the Rural Housing Service, as authorized by 42 U.S.C. 1474, and of which $5,000,000 shall be for domestic farm labor housing grants and contracts, as authorized by 42 U.S.C. 1486: Provided, That of the funds made available for domestic farm labor housing grants, the Secretary may use up to $3,000,000 to provide grants authorized under 42 U.S.C. 5 177a(a): Provided further, That such grants and contracts under this heading shall only be available for projects in communities affected by hurricanes and tropical storms in calendar year 2003 or 2004: Provided further, That the amounts provided under this heading are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of S. Con. Res. 95 (108th Congress), as made applicable to the House of Representatives by H. Res. 649 (108th Congress) and applicable to the Senate by section 14007 of Public Law 108-287.

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER

SEC. 101. AGRICULTURAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE.

(a) Crop Disaster Assistance-

(1) DEFINITIONS- In this subsection:

(A) ADDITIONAL COVERAGE- The term `additional coverage' has the meaning given the term in section 502(b)(1) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1502(b)(1)).

(B) INSURABLE COMMODITY- The term `insurable commodity' means an agricultural commodity (excluding livestock) for which the producers on a farm are eligible to obtain a policy or plan of insurance under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.).

(C) NONINSURABLE COMMODITY- The term `noninsurable commodity' means an eligible crop for which the producers on a farm are eligible to obtain assistance under section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333).

(2) EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE- Notwithstanding section 508(b)(7) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1508(b)(7)), the Secretary of Agriculture shall use such sums as are necessary of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to make emergency financial assistance authorized under this subsection available to producers on a farm other than producers of cottonseed or sugar cane that have incurred qualifying crop or quality losses for the 2003, 2004, or 2005 crop (as elected by a producer), but limited to only one of the crop years listed, due to damaging weather or related condition, as determined by the Secretary: Provided, That qualifying crop losses for the 2005 crop are limited to only those losses caused by a hurricane or tropical storm of the 2004 hurricane season in counties declared disaster areas by the President of the United States: Provided further, That notwithstanding the crop year election limitation in this paragraph, $53,000,000 shall be provided to the Secretary of Agriculture, of which $50,000,000 shall be for crop losses in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and of which $3,000,000 shall be for fruit and vegetable losses in the State of North Carolina: Provided further, That these losses resulted from hurricanes, tropical storms, and other weather related disasters that occurred during calendar year 2003, to remain available until expended.

(3) ADMINISTRATION- The Secretary shall make assistance available under this subsection in the same manner as provided under section 815 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public Law 106-387; 114 Stat. 1549A-55), including using the same loss thresholds for the quantity and quality losses as were used in administering that section.

(4) INELIGIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE- Except as provided in paragraph (5), the producers on a farm shall not be eligible for assistance under this subsection with respect to losses to an insurable commodity or noninsurable commodity if the producers on the farm--

(A) in the case of an insurable commodity, did not obtain a policy or plan of insurance for the insurable commodity under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) for the crop incurring the losses;

(B) in the case of a noninsurable commodity, did not file the required paperwork, and pay the administrative fee by the applicable State filing deadline, for the noninsurable commodity under section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333) for the crop incurring the losses;

(C) had adjusted gross incomes, as defined by section 1001D of the Food Security Act of 1985, of greater than $2,500,000 in 2003; or

(D) were not in compliance with highly erodible land conservation and wetland conservation provisions.

(5) CONTRACT WAIVER- The Secretary may waive paragraph (4) with respect to the producers on a farm if the producers enter into a contract with the Secretary under which the producers agree--

(A) in the case of an insurable commodity, to obtain a policy or plan of insurance under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) providing additional coverage for the insurable commodity for each of the next 2 crops; and

(B) in the case of a noninsurable commodity, to file the required paperwork and pay the administrative fee by the applicable State filing deadline, for the noninsurable commodity for each of the next 2 crops under section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333).

(6) EFFECT OF VIOLATION- In the event of the violation of a contract under paragraph (5) by a producer, the producer shall reimburse the Secretary for the full amount of the assistance provided to the producer under this subsection.

(7) PAYMENT LIMITATIONS-

(A) LIMIT ON AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE- Assistance provided under this subsection to a producer for losses to a crop, together with the amounts specified in subparagraph (B) applicable to the same crop, may not exceed 95 percent of what the value of the crop would have been in the absence of the losses, as estimated by the Secretary.

(B) OTHER PAYMENTS- In applying the limitation in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall include the following:

(i) Any crop insurance payment made under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) or payment under section 196 of the Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333) that the producer receives for losses to the same crop.

(ii) The value of the crop that was not lost (if any), as estimated by the Secretary.

(C) EFFECT OF FLORIDA DISASTER PROGRAMS- Persons that received payments from section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 with respect to 2004 hurricane crop losses are not eligible for payments under this subsection.

(b) Livestock Assistance Program-

(1) EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE- The Secretary of Agriculture shall use such sums as are necessary of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to make and administer payments for livestock losses to producers for 2003 or 2004 losses (as elected by a producer), but not both, in a county that has received an emergency designation by the President or the Secretary after January 1, 2003, of which an amount determined by the Secretary shall be made available for the American Indian livestock program under section 806 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public Law 106-387; 114 Stat. 1549A-51).

(2) ADMINISTRATION- The Secretary shall make assistance available under this subsection in the same manner as provided under section 806 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public Law 106-387; 114 Stat. 1549A-51).

(3) MITIGATION- In determining the eligibility for or amount of payments for which a producer is eligible under the livestock assistance program, the Secretary shall not penalize a producer that takes actions (recognizing disaster conditions) that reduce the average number of livestock the producer owned for grazing during the production year for which assistance is being provided.

(c) Tree Assistance Program-

(1) EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE- The Secretary of Agriculture shall use such sums as are necessary of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to provide assistance under the tree assistance program established under sections 10201 through 10204 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8201 et seq.) to producers who suffered tree losses during the period beginning on December 1, 2003, and ending on December 31, 2004.

(2) ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE- In addition to providing assistance to eligible orchardists under the tree assistance program, the Secretary shall use an additional $15,000,000 of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to provide reimbursement under sections 10203 and 10204 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8203, 8204) to eligible forest land owners who produce periodic crops of timber from trees for commercial purposes and who have suffered tree losses during the period specified in paragraph (1).

(3) EFFECT OF FLORIDA DISASTER PROGRAMS- Persons that received payments from section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 with respect to 2004 hurricane crop losses are not eligible for payments under this section.

(d) Emergency Conservation Program- The Secretary of Agriculture shall use an additional $50,000,000 of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to provide assistance under the Emergency Conservation Program under title IV of the Agriculture Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.).

(e) Offset- Section 1241(a)(3) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(a)(3)) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: `, using not more than $6,037,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2005 through 2014'.

(f) That for purposes of the budget scoring guidance in effect for the Congress and the Executive branch respectively, and notwithstanding the Budget Scorekeeping Guidelines set forth in the joint explanatory statement of the committee of conference accompanying Conference Report 105-217, any savings from subsection (e) shall not be scored until fiscal year 2008.

(g) The issuance of regulations shall be made without regard to: (1) the notice and comment provisions of section 553 of title 5, United States Code; (2) the Statement of Policy of the Secretary of Agriculture effective July 24, 1971 (36 Fed. Reg. 138O4), relating to notices of proposed rulemaking and public participation in rulemaking; and (3) chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the `Paperwork Reduction Act'): Provided, That in carrying out this section, the Secretary shall use the authority provided under section 808 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 102. The Secretary of Agriculture shall use $40,000,000, of which, $7,200,000 shall be provided to the State of Hawaii for assistance to an agricultural transportation cooperative in Hawaii, the members of which are eligible to participate in the Farm Service Agency administered Commodity Loan Program, and of which $32,800,000 shall be to make payments to processors in Florida that are eligible to obtain a loan under section 156(a) of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(a)) to compensate first processors and producers for crop and other losses that are related to hurricanes, tropical storms, excessive rains, and floods in Florida during calendar year 2004, to be calculated and paid on the basis of losses on 40 acre harvesting units, in counties declared a disaster by the President of the United States in 2004 due to hurricanes, on the same terms and conditions, to the extent practicable, as the payments made under section 207 of the Agricultural Assistance Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-7).

SEC. 103. The Secretary of Agriculture shall use $10,000,000 to make payments to dairy producers for dairy production losses, and dairy spoilage losses in counties declared a disaster by the President of the United States in 2004 due to hurricanes.

SEC. 104. The Secretary of Agriculture shall use $10,000,000 to provide assistance to producers and first handlers of the 2004 crop of cottonseed located in counties declared a disaster by the President of the United States in 2004 due to hurricanes.

SEC. 105. (a) The Secretary shall use the funds, facilities, and authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out section 101, 102, 103, 104, 108, 109, 110, and 111 of this chapter, to remain available until expended.

(b) The amounts provided under sections 101, 102, 103, 104, 108, 109, 110, and 111 in this chapter are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of S. Con. Res. 95 (108th Congress), as made applicable to the House of Representatives by H. Res. 649 (108th Congress) and applicable to the Senate by section 14007 of Public Law 108-287.

SEC. 106. (a) RURAL COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM- The communities in Burlington and Camden Counties in New Jersey, affected by the flood which occurred on July 12, 2004, are deemed to be rural areas during fiscal year 2005 for purposes of subtitle E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act. Any limitations under subtitle E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act that are based on the income of families shall not apply during fiscal year 2005 with respect to such communities, or to businesses or families residing in such communities.

(b) RURAL HOUSING INSURANCE FUND AND RURAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANTS- The communities referred to in subsection (a) are deemed to be rural areas during fiscal year 2005 for purposes of the direct and guaranteed loan programs under title V of the Housing Act of 1949 and the grant programs under sections 504, 509(c), 525, and 533 of such title V. Any limitations under title V of the Housing Act of 1949 that are based on the income of families shall not apply during fiscal year 2005 with respect to such communities or to families residing in such communities.

SEC. 107. The Secretary of Agriculture shall provide financial and technical assistance to repair, and if necessary, replace Hope Mills Dam, Cumberland County, North Carolina, in accordance with the dam safety standards of the state of North Carolina: Provided, That from within the funds provided in this chapter for the Emergency Watershed Protection program of the Natural Resources Conservation Service $1,600,000 is provided for this purpose.

SEC. 108. The Secretary shall provide $90,000,000 to the fund established by section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c), to make payments with respect to 2004 hurricane losses.

SEC. 109. The Secretary, acting through the Farm Service Agency, may use not more than $4,000,000 to cover administrative expenses associated with the implementation of sections 101 and 102 of this chapter.

SEC. 110. In addition to amounts provided in this Act for the tree assistance program, $10,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture, to remain available until expended, to provide assistance to eligible private forest landowners owning not more than 5,000 acres of forest crop in counties declared Presidential disaster areas as a result of hurricane, tropical storm, or related events for the purposes of debris removal, replanting of timber, and other such purposes.

SEC. 111. In addition to amounts provided in this Act for the tree assistance program, $8,500,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture, to remain available until expended, to provide assistance under the tree assistance program established under subtitle C of title X of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to pecan producers in counties declared a disaster by the President of the United States who suffered tree loss or damage due to damaging weather related to any hurricane or tropical storm of the 2004 hurricane season: Provided, That the funds made available under this section shall also be made available to cover costs associated with pruning, rehabilitating, and other appropriate activities as determined by the Secretary.