23e7a024f19748133eb07f463ebb1e392969f98e171a3c2c78e7f6f13f512019

(a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human
Services shall request that national organizations representing health
care professionals, consumer organizations, voluntary health agencies,
the pharmaceutical industry, drug wholesalers, patient drug information
database companies, and other relevant parties collaborate to develop a
long-range comprehensive action plan to achieve goals consistent with
the goals of the proposed rule of the Food and Drug Administration on
``Prescription Drug Product Labeling: Medication Guide Requirements''
(60 Fed. Reg. 44182; relating to the provision of oral and written
prescription information to consumers).
(b) Goals.--Goals consistent with the proposed rule described in
subsection (a) are the distribution of useful written information to 75
percent of individuals receiving new precriptions by the year 2000 and
to 95 percent by the year 2006.
(c) Plan.--The plan described in subsection (a) shall--
(1) identify the plan goals;
(2) assess the effectiveness of the current private-sector
approaches used to provide oral and written prescription
information to consumers;
(3) develop guidelines for providing effective oral and written
prescription information consistent with the findings of any such
assessment;
(4) contain elements necessary to ensure the transmittal of
useful information to the consuming public, including being
scientifically accurate, non-promotional in tone and content,
sufficiently specific and comprehensive as to adequately inform
consumers about the use of the product, and in an understandable,
legible format that is readily comprehensible and not confusing to
consumers expected to use the product.
(5) develop a mechanism to assess periodically the quality of
the oral and written prescription information and the frequency
with which the information is provided to consumers; and
(6) provide for compliance with relevant State board
regulations.
(d) Limitation on the Authority of the Secretary.--The Secretary of
the Department of Health and Human Services shall have no authority to
implement the proposed rule described in subsection (a), or to develop
any similar regulation, policy statement, or other guideline specifying
a uniform content or format for written information voluntarily
provided to consumers about prescription drugs if, (1) not later than
120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the national
organizations described in subsection (a) develop and submit to the
Secretary for Health and Human Services a comprehensive, long-range
action plan (as described in subsection (a)) which shall be acceptable
to the Secretary of Health and Human Services; (2) the aforementioned
plan is submitted to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for
review and acceptance: Provided, That the Secretary shall give due
consideration to the submitted plan and that any such acceptance shall
not be arbitrarily withheld; and (3) the implementation of (a) a plan
accepted by the Secretary commences within 30 days of the Secretary's
acceptance of such plan, or (b) the plan submitted to the Secretary
commences within 60 days of the submission of such plan if the
Secretary fails to take any action on the plan within 30 days of the
submission of the plan. The Secretary shall accept, reject or suggest
modifications to the plan submitted within 30 days of its submission.
The Secretary may confer with and assist private parties in the
development of the plan described in subsections (a) and (b).
(e) Secretary Review.--Not later than January 1, 2001, the
Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services shall review
the status of private-sector initiatives designed to achieve the goals
of the plan described in subsection (a), and if such goals are not
achieved, the limitation in subsection (d) shall not apply, and the
Secretary shall seek public comment on other initiatives that may be
carried out to meet such goals.

8a608eee959d61380e87d7b04d0e1ed1f990108be8fd8858993f633e8fba65e6

U.S.C 348 note) is amended by striking out ``May 1, 1997'' and
inserting in lieu thereof ``May 1, 2002''.

779b45e710fac8c481c269300c37bbad543b4d6a3472c7e4c2b394b34c7ecd1a

(a) Imports for Export.--Section 801(d)(3) of the Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act is amended--
(1) by striking ``accessory of a device which is ready'' and
inserting ``accessory of a device, or other article of device
requiring further processing, which is ready'';
(2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``is intended to be'' and
inserting ``is intended to be further processed by the initial
owner or consignee, or''; and
(3) in subparagraph (C)--
(A) by striking ``part,'' and inserting ``part, article,'';
and
(B) by striking ``incorporated'' and inserting
``incorporated or further processed''.
(b) Labeling of Exported Drugs.--Section 801(f) of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``If a drug'' and inserting
``If a drug (other than insulin, an antibiotic drug, an animal
drug, or a drug exported under section 802)''; and
(2) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end the following new
sentence: ``A drug exported under section 802 is exempt from this
section.''.
(c) Export of Certain Unapproved Drugs and Devices.--Section
802(f)(5) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act is amended by
striking ``if the drug or device is not labeled'' and inserting ``if
the labeling of the drug or device is not''.
buildings and facilities
For plans, construction, repair, improvement, extension,
alteration, and purchase of fixed equipment or facilities of or used by
the Food and Drug Administration, where not otherwise provided,
$21,350,000, to remain available until expended (7 U.S.C. 2209b).
rental payments (fda)
(including transfers of funds)
For payment of space rental and related costs pursuant to Public
Law 92-313 for programs and activities of the Food and Drug
Administration which are included in this Act, $46,294,000: Provided,
That in the event the Food and Drug Administration should require
modification of space needs, a share of the salaries and expenses
appropriation may be transferred to this appropriation, or a share of
this appropriation may be transferred to the salaries and expenses
appropriation, but such transfers shall not exceed 5 percent of the
funds made available for rental payments (FDA) to or from this account.
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Financial Management Service
payments to the farm credit system financial assistance corporation
For necessary payments to the Farm Credit System Financial
Assistance Corporation by the Secretary of the Treasury, as authorized
by section 6.28(c) of the Farm Credit Act of 1971, as amended, for
reimbursement of interest expenses incurred by the Financial Assistance
Corporation on obligations issued through 1994, as authorized
$10,290,000.
INDEPENDENT AGENCIES
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of the Commodity
Exchange Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), including the purchase
and hire of passenger motor vehicles; the rental of space (to include
multiple year leases) in the District of Columbia and elsewhere; and
not to exceed $25,000 for employment under 5 U.S.C. 3109; $55,101,000,
including not to exceed $1,000 for official reception and
representation expenses: Provided, That the Commission is authorized to
charge reasonable fees to attendees of Commission sponsored educational
events and symposia to cover the Commission's costs of providing those
events and symposia, and notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, said fees
shall be credited to this account, to be available without further
appropriation.
Farm Credit Administration
limitation on administrative expenses
Not to exceed $37,478,000 (from assessments collected from farm
credit institutions and from the Federal Agricultural Mortgage
Corporation) shall be obligated during the current fiscal year for
administrative expenses as authorized under 12 U.S.C. 2249: Provided,
That this limitation shall not apply to expenses associated with
receiverships.

ddd0d79b8aa539c41268825ed1f2321af47437f99f106cd17f04720d3d9ffd3e

appropriations and authorizations made for the Department of
Agriculture for the fiscal year 1997 under this Act shall be available
for the purchase, in addition to those specifically provided for, of
not to exceed 667 passenger motor vehicles, of which 643 shall be for
replacement only, and for the hire of such vehicles.

9de0e0f8bbdd44219b296b9d61a1a6eb4fd13e1284b4461057f1e5a1bc1a6131

TITLE VII

-GENERAL PROVISIONS

Agriculture shall be available for uniforms or allowances therefore as
authorized by law (5 U.S.C. 5901-5902).

5806719ffc3338fb1000e569bd1ed10cf02810d576361086b855df4de4524d8c

Department of Agriculture in this Act for research and service work
authorized by the Acts of August 14, 1946, and July 28, 1954 (7 U.S.C.
427, 1621-1629), and by chapter 63 of title 31, United States Code,
shall be available for contracting in accordance with said Acts and
chapter.

2764039c2f91ca96ea60e53aa660abb8abcad480ac231a8a5acb1c6ec903ba1d

Fund for the purpose of accumulating growth capital for data services
and National FinanceCenter operations shall not exceed $2,000,000:
Provided, That no funds in this Act appropriated to an agency of the
Department shall be transferred to the Working Capital Fund without the
approval of the agency administrator.

bfca13145ecb0f06019ba7d48b4e4133fddfccf2270c13e3ef523644b75916e8

appropriation items in this Act shall remain available until expended
(7 U.S.C. 2209b): Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the
contingency fund to meet emergency conditions, fruit fly program, and
integrated systems acquisition project; Farm Service Agency, salaries
and expenses funds made available to county committees; and Foreign
Agricultural Service, middle-income country training program.
New obligational authority for the boll weevil program; up to 10
percent of the screwworm program of the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service; Food Safety and Inspection Service, field
automation and information management project; funds appropriated for
rental payments; funds for the Native American institutions endowment
fund in the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension
Service, and funds for the competitive research grants (7 U.S.C.
450i(b)), shall remain available until expended.

e19617e2c38ef8624582b9d0bfdc2d31aea37b5b2a7280e2c0d0dd884ebf8eb4

remain available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year unless
expressly so provided herein.

7770463076f9f59a2cd4c29b71d116e217918273a4ebbc20184321af00939d06

the Department of Agriculture in this Act shall be available to provide
appropriate orientation and language training pursuant to Public Law
94-449.

b831657ba63b693fbed7c56fd2275e1e89262eaf73243e9b9d96e0b948c47470

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.

0b8ec679b09bfcafaca43dd47fcef8e718a81a27953ce6a3f01cdc2467f699d7

commodities acquired by the Department in connection with Commodity
Credit Corporation and section 32 price support operations may be used,
as authorized by law (15 U.S.C. 714c and 7 U.S.C. 612c), to provide
commodities to individuals in cases of hardship as determined by the
Secretary of Agriculture.

4cbd35ba673e6e2574847c18947e01f7a4a8d987162f6fb71783bdf1e56dddf4

reimburse the General Services Administration for payment of space
rental and related costs in excess of the amounts specified in this
Act; nor shall this or any other provision of law require a reduction
in the level of rental space or services below that of fiscal year 1996
or prohibit an expansion of rental space or services with the use of
funds otherwise appropriated in this Act. Further, no agency of the
Department of Agriculture, from funds otherwise available, shall
reimburse the General Services Administration for payment of space
rental and related costs provided to such agency at a percentage rate
which is greater than is available in the case of funds appropriated in
this Act.

b048669a6ef4cff2e6cb0b91be75a75fd9b733aa27efc6a07b9b98826a77957e

restrict the authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation to lease
space for its own use or to lease space on behalf of other agencies of
the Department of Agriculture when such space will be jointly occupied.

3b026dfdb1f3e141d50f58018d2a830436d4608143dbf5829262f5a07290b5f4

Business Innovation Development Act of 1982, Public Law 97-219, as
amended (15 U.S.C. 638), none of the funds in this Act shall be
available to pay indirect costs on research grants awarded
competitively by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and
Extension Service that exceed 14 percent of total Federal funds
provided under each award.

7f64ed67cedfc9e16382ca9e0eaf13ea58c14a75ae9177843d75506a5e0a3a9f

loan levels provided in this Act shall be considered estimates, not
limitations.

53c6ca24e052ed38e9535bffa07bdcc41cecdf0c77da6922d005958caa8682e8

cost of direct and guaranteed loans made available in fiscal year 1997
shall remain available until expended to cover obligations made in
fiscal year 1997 for the following accounts: the rural development loan
fund program account; the Rural Telephone Bank program account; the
rural electrification and telecommunications loans program account; and
the rural economic development loans program account.

bfe396914af2ae4f105f2e5d96cd6d540fd8b834bca0d423a251e96ed7207cdc

raises for programs funded by this Act shall be absorbed within the
levels appropriated in this Act.

9f5c43c544bd70af57e63e0471b4c7dfdb8bffe433fc3e4798261ce0973e494f

made available in this Act may be expended by an entity unless the
entity agrees that in expending the funds the entity will comply with
sections 2 through 4 of the Act of March 3, 1933 (41 U.S.C. 10a-10c;
popularly known as the ``Buy American Act'').
(b) Sense of Congress; Requirement Regarding Notice.--
(1) Purchase of american-made equipment and products.--In the
case of any equipment or product that may be authorized to be
purchased with financial assistance provided using funds made
available in this Act, it is the sense of the Congress that
entities receiving the assistance should, in expending the
assistance, purchase only American-made equipment and products.
(2) Notice to recipients of assistance.--In providing financial
assistance using funds made available in this Act, the head of each
Federal agency shall provide to each recipient of the assistance a
notice describing the statement made in paragraph (1) by the
Congress.
(c) Prohibition of Contracts With Persons Falsely Labeling Products
as Made in America.--If it has been finally determined by a court or
Federal agency that any person intentionally affixed a label bearing a
``Made in America'' inscription, or any inscription with the same
meaning, to any product sold in or shipped to the United States that is
not made in the United States, the person shall be ineligible to
receive any contract or subcontract made with funds made available in
this Act, pursuant to the debarment, suspension, and ineligibility
procedures described in sections 9.400 through 9.409 of title 48, Code
of Federal Regulations.

4e8c5fc66f31c0d8dbf1c27356b0b371f793c4a7876dad42b1ed1a84b21a9bc1

Agreement Act, marketing services of the Agricultural Marketing Service
and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service may use cooperative
agreements to reflect a relationship between Agricultural Marketing
Service or the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and a State
or Cooperator to carry out agricultural marketing programs or to carry
out programs to protect the Nation's animal and plant resources.

b6f02f82fb5b17f9de6fa4097c9193107bc4bf3fea3ca5757363eec8576f5551

than 5% of the Class A stock of the Rural Telephone Bank or to maintain
any account or subaccount within the accounting records of the Rural
Telephone Bank the creation of which has not specifically been
authorized by statute: Provided, That notwithstanding any other
provision of law, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available in this Act may be used to transfer to the Treasury or to the
Federal Financing Bank any unobligated balance of the Rural Telephone
Bank telephone liquidating account which is in excess of current
requirements and such balance shall receive interest as set forth for
financial accounts in section 505(c) of the Federal Credit Reform Act
of 1990.

0f6fa58b3c5bb246ab4e4593fe0fb7e7c2490a6dca21811ae8e88dfaee32a2fa

available by this Act may be used to provide food stamp benefits to
households whose benefits are calculated using a standard deduction
greater than the standard deduction in effect for fiscal year 1995.

0ad80d4a0930c67b9dc3b8a357452c20c2f9177ebbe713d6e61ed8af03f19ab6

to provide assistance to, or to pay the salaries of personnel who carry
out a market promotion/market access program pursuant to section 203 of
the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5623) that provides
assistance to the United States Mink Export Development Council or any
mink industry trade association.

c7a1475723baac93743e2ee8a840767fa93079a8eeda7483f81e6aadd785bf48

available by this Act, or made available through the Commodity Credit
Corporation, shall be used to enroll in excess of 130,000 acres in the
fiscal year 1997 wetlands reserve program, as authorized by section
3837 of title 16, United States Code: Provided, That additional acreage
may be enrolled in the program to the extent that non-Federal funds
available to the Secretary are used to fully compensate for the cost of
additional enrollments: Provided further, That the condition on
enrollments provided in section 1237(b)(2)(B) of the Food Security Act
of 1985, as amended (16 U.S.C. 3837(b)(2)(B)) shall be deemed met upon
the enrollment of 43,333 acres through the use of temporary easements:
Provided further, That the Secretary shall not enroll acres in the
wetlands reserve program through the use of new permanent easements in
fiscal year 1998 until the Secretary has enrolled at least 31,667 acres
in the program through the use of temporary easements.

e5a680beda85abdfea56f0d350c2ee8c44f710fd1ec68e683d1403d185c6c336

$1,000,000 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.

4b5f63d32257f2346d5205503c947019b62f2f5fe45481ae3ea3cd8a9def63e2

available by this Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of
personnel who carry out an export enhancement program if the aggregate
amount of funds and/or commodities under such program exceeds
$100,000,000.

0c5f702aad2830fa001d0e38db75ec3aa04f8ba10c29c710956263e0058e8fe5

available by this Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of
personnel who carry out a farmland protection program in excess of
$2,000,000 authorized by section 388 of Public Law 104-127.

3839909fe9e866a983d428cc0756e3253cb066252f8fb06bca2fe2d37821a963

available by this Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of
personnel who carry out a conservation farm option program in excess of
$2,000,000 authorized by section 335 of Public Law 104-127.

562950aa93f9ca8598b28ae147ac3d2bbd54afa4245e4ce9bf0840e60be4b225

to pay the salaries of employees of the Department of Agriculture who
make payments pursuant to a production flexibility contract entered
into under section 111 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and
Reform Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-127; 7 U.S.C. 7211) when it is made
known to the Federal official having authority to obligate or expend
such funds that the land covered by that production flexibility
contract is not being used for the production of an agricultural
commodity or is not devoted to a conserving use, unless it is also made
known to that Federal official that the lack of agriculturalproduction
or the lack of a conserving use is a consequence of drought, flood, or
other natural disaster.

3b5b3c166057fb9bf6c63a0b427d2e4e885631ea632580c4b25b7bd2883698e3

available by this Act shall be used to extend any existing or expiring
contract in the Conservation Reserve Program authorized by 16 U.S.C.
3831-3845.

977303334336be45c29e46deda213225217bd513870d66a5bda4546037eb15a6

carry out the provisions of section 918 of Public Law 104-127, the
Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act.

1793985d78fdd157d900648ab91e2c6d6398590c11bf3d2f820226fdbbc6f979

Agriculture may be used for incidental expenses such as transportation,
uniforms, lodging, and subsistence for volunteers serving under the
authority of 7 U.S.C. 2272, when such volunteers are engaged in the
work of the United States Department of Agriculture; and for
promotional items of nominal value relating to the United States
Department of Agriculture Volunteer Programs.

b7bedb43178d064c95b829c4d2018bc31335ee1a65f1d72907980a08fb9fee4c

detailed or assigned from an agency or office funded by this Act to any
other agency or office of the Department for more than 30 days 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.

1c9c39c43d28a03c82ab7e707a2e32e82825b43f96aa5494ea7a3e4e2715d6c6

Reform Act of 1996 is amended by inserting, ``effective October 1,
1996,'' following ``The Secretary shall make grants'' in section
310B(e)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act:
Provided, That this section shall take effect upon enactment of this
Act into law.

e68aa29f796e94a55950e5ae40b762e543dcf92f206fa9d9fc6cc31a920a144f

(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none
of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may
be used to implement or enforce the final rule related to the labeling
of raw poultry products promulgated by the Food Safety and Inspection
Service on August 25, 1995 (60 Fed. Reg. 44395), and the final rule
shall not be effective during fiscal year 1997.
(b) Final Rule.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall issue a revised final
rule related to the labeling of raw poultry products that--
(1) maintains the standard that the term ``fresh'' may be used
only for raw poultry products the internal core temperature of
which has not fallen below 26+ Fahrenheit;
(2) deletes the requirement that poultry products the internal
core temperature of which has ever been less than 26+ Fahrenheit,
but more than 0+ Fahrenheit, be labeled as ``hard chilled'' or
``previously hard chilled'', except that--
(A) the products shall be prohibited under the rule from
being labeled as ``fresh'' but shall not be required to bear
any specific alternative labeling; and
(B) nothing in this section shall be interpreted as
modifying the requirements for labeling of all poultry products
the internal core temperature of which has ever fallen to 0+
Fahrenheit as ``frozen'';
(3) provides for a tolerance from the 26+ Fahrenheit standard
established by the rule of--
(A) 1+ Fahrenheit for poultry products within an official
processing establishment;
(B) 2+ Fahrenheit for poultry products in commerce;
(4) exempts from temperature testing wings, tenders, hearts,
livers, gizzards, necks, and products that undergo special
processing, such as sliced poultry products; and
(5) in all other terms and conditions (including the period of
time permitted for implementation) is substantively identical to
the rule referred to in subsection (a).
(c) Revised Labeling Standards.--Not later than 60 days after the
issuance of a revised final rule under subsection (b), the Secretary of
Agriculture, acting through the Administrator of the Food Safety and
Inspection Service, shall issue a compliance directive for the
enforcement of the revised labeling standards established by the rule,
including standards for--
(1) temperature testing that are based on measurements at the
center of the deepest muscle; and
(2) sampling methods that ensure that the average of individual
temperatures within poultry product lots of each specific product
type (such as whole birds, whole muscle leg products, and whole
muscle breast products) meet the standards.
(d) Severability.--If any provision of this section or the
application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
validity of the remainder of this section and of the application of the
provision to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected.

17d135b78e79d6c152e41b618b9e030eb34c830d284defa69d09cfb0efb199f2

any domestic fish or fish product produced in compliance with food
safety standards or procedures accepted by the Food and Drug
Administration as satisfying the requirements of the ``Procedures for
the Safe and Sanitary Processing and Importing of Fish and Fish
Products'' (published by the Food and Drug Administration as a final
regulation in the Federal Register of December 18, 1995), shall be
deemed to have met any inspection requirements of the Department of
Agriculture or other Federal agency for any Federal commodity purchase
program, including the program authorized under section 32 of the Act
of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c) except that the Department of
Agriculture or other Federal agency may utilize lot inspection to
establish a reasonable degree of certainty that fish or fish products
purchased under a Federal commodity purchase program, including the
program authorized under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 (7
U.S.C. 612c), meet Federal product specifications.

f56015af542fd555fa75d3e386a3287faa04e5a37234e792dbd2f531242c7c95

(a) Extension of Multifamily Rural Housing Loan Program.--
(1) Authority to make loans.--Section 515(b)(4) of the Housing
Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1485(b)(4)) is amended by striking
``September 30, 1996'' and inserting ``September 30, 1997''.
(2) Set-aside for nonprofit entities.--The first sentence of
section 515(w)(1) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1485(w)(1))
is amended by striking ``fiscal year 1996'' and inserting ``fiscal
year 1997''.
(b) Extension of Housing in Underserved Areas Program.--The first
sentence of section 509(f)(4)(A) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C.
1479(f)(4)(A)) is amended by striking ``fiscal year 1996'' and
inserting ``fiscal year 1997''.
(c) Reforms for Multifamily Rural Housing Loan Program.--
(1) Limitation on project transfers.--Section 515 of the
Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1485) is amended by inserting after
subsection (g) the following new subsection:
``(h) Project Transfers.--After the date of the enactment of the
Act entitled `An Act making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1997, and for other
purposes', the ownership or control of a project for which a loan is
made or insured under this section may be transferred only if the
Secretary determines that such transfer would further the provision of
housing and related facilities for low-income families or persons and
would be in the best interests of residents and the Federal
Government.''.
(2) Equity loans.--Section 515(t) of the Housing Act of 1949
(42 U.S.C. 1485(t)) is amended--
(A) by striking paragraphs (4) and (5); and
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (8) as
paragraphs (4) through (6), respectively.
(3) Equity takeout loans to extend low-income use.--
(A) Authority and limitation.--Section 502(c)(4)(B)(iv) of
the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472(c)(4)(B)(iv)) is
amended by inserting before the period at the end the
following: ``or under paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 514(j),
except that an equity loan referred to in this clause may not
be made available after the date of the enactment of the Act
entitled `An Act making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1997, and for
other purposes', unless the Secretary determines that the other
incentives available under this subparagraph are not adequate
to provide a fair return on the investment of the borrower, to
prevent prepayment of the loan insured under section 514 or
515, or to prevent the displacement of tenants of the housing
for which the loan was made''.
(B) Approval of assistance.--Section 502(c)(4)(C) of the
Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472(c)(4)(C)) is amended by
striking ``(C)'' and all that follows through ``provided-- ''
and inserting the following:
``(C) Approval of assistance.--The Secretary may approve assistance
under subparagraph (B) for assisted housing only if the restrictive
period has expired for any loan for the housing made or insured under
section 514 or 515 pursuant to a contract entered into after December
21, 1979, but before the date of the enactment of the Department of
Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, and the Secretary
determines that the combination of assistance provided--''.
(C) Technical correction.--Section 515(c)(1) of the Housing
Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1485(c)(1)) is amended by striking
``December 21, 1979'' and inserting ``December 15, 1989''.
(d) Reform of Section 515.--Section 515 of the Housing Act of 1949
(42 U.S.C. 1485) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (r) and inserting the following:
``(r)(1) the Secretary--
``(A) may require that the initial operating reserve under this
section may be in the form of an irrevocable letter of credit; and
``(B) except as provided in paragraph (2), may require not more
than a 3 percent contribution to equity, except that the Secretary
shall require a 5 percent contribution in the case of a project
that is allocated a low-income housing tax credit pursuant to
section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
``(2) The Secretary may adjust the amount of equity contribution to
ensure that assistance provided is not more than is necessary to
provide affordable housing after taking account of assistance from all
Federal, State, and local sources.
``(3) Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of the Act
entitled `An Act making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1997, and for other
purposes', the Secretary shall issue regulations to implement
subsection (r)(2) in accordance with the negotiated rulemaking
procedures set forth in subchapter III of chapter 5 of title 5, United
States Code: Provided, That if the negotiated rulemaking is not
completed within the designated time, the Secretary shall proceed to
promulgate regulations under the rulemaking authority contained in 5
U.S.C. 557.''; and
(2) by striking subsection (z).
(e) Equity Skimming Penalties.--
(1) Insurance of loans for the provision of housing and related
facilities for domestic farm labor.--Section 514 of the Housing Act
of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1484) is amended by adding at the end the
following new subsection:
``(j) Equity Skimming Penalty.--Whoever, as an owner, agent, or
manger, or who is otherwise in custody, control, or possession of
property that is security for a loan made or insured under this section
willfully uses, or authorizes the use, of any part of the rents,
assets, proceeds, income, or other funds derived from such property,
for any purpose other than to meet actual or necessary expenses of the
property, or for any other purpose not authorized by this title or the
regulations adopted pursuant to this title, shall be fined not more
than $250,000 or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.''.
(2) Direct and insured loans to provide housing and related
facilities for elderly persons and families in rural areas.--
Section 515 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1485), as amended
by subsection (d)(2) of this section, is amended by adding at the
end the following new subsection:
``(z) Equity Skimming Penalty.--Whoever, as an owner, agent, or
manager, or who is otherwise in custody, control, or possession of
property that is security for a loan made or insured under this section
willfully uses, or authorizes the use, of any part of the rents,
assets, proceeds, income, or other fund derived from such property, for
any purpose other than to meet actual or necessary expenses of the
property, or for any other purpose not authorized by this title or the
regulations adopted pursuant to this title, shall be fined not more
than $250,000 or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.''.
(f) Prioritization of Assistance.--Section 532 of the Housing Act
of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490l) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``The Secretary'' and
inserting ``Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), the
Secretary''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(c) Prioritization of Section 515 Housing Assistance.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall make assistance under
section 515 available pursuant to an objective procedure
established by the Secretary, under which the Secretary shall
identify counties and communities having the greatest need for such
assistance and designate such counties and communities to receive
such assistance.
``(2) Objective measures.--The Secretary shall use the
following objective measures to determine the need for rental
housing assistance under paragraph (1):
``(A) The incidence of poverty.
``(B) The lack of affordable housing and the existence of
substandard housing.
``(C) The lack of mortgage credit.
``(D) The rural characteristics of the location.
``(E) Other factors as determined by the Secretary,
demonstrating the need for affordable housing.
``(3) Information.--In administering this subsection, the
Secretary shall use information from the most recent decennial
census of the United States, relevant comprehensive affordable
housing strategies under section 105 of the Cranston-Gonzalez
National Affordable Housing Act, and other reliable sources
obtained by the Secretary which demonstrate the need for affordable
housing in rural areas.
``(4) Designation.--A designation under this subsection shall
not be effective for a period of more than 3 years, but may be
renewed by the Secretary in accordance with the procedure set forth
in this subsection. The Secretary shall take such other reasonable
actions as the Secretary considers to be appropriate to notify the
public of such designations.''.

ed0917e02c9a43e105fc98d101211836a16af7aa6675c5b65669f355f2d9b70a

Payments.--
(a) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section--
(1) the term ``agency'' means the Department of Agriculture;
(2) the term ``employee'' means an employee (as defined by
section 2105 of title 5, United States Code) who is employed by the
agency (or an individual employed by a county committee established
under section 8(b)(5) of the Soil Conservation and Domestic
Allotment Act (16 U.S.C. 590h(b)(5))), is serving under an
appointment without time limitation, and has been currently
employed for a continuous period of at least 3 years, but does not
include--
(A) a reemployed annuitant under subchapter III of chapter
83 or chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code, or another
retirement system for employees of the agency;
(B) an employee having a disability on the basis of which
such employee is or would be eligible for disability retirement
under the applicable retirement system referred to in
subparagraph (A);
(C) an employee who is in receipt of a specific notice of
involuntary separation for misconduct or unacceptable
performance;
(D) an employee who, upon completing an additional period
of service as referred to in section 3(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the
Federal Workforce Restructuring Act of 1994 (5 U.S.C. 5597
note), would qualify for a voluntary separation incentive
payment under section 3 of such Act;
(E) an employee who has previously received any voluntary
separation incentive payment by the Federal Government under
this section or any other authority and has not repaid such
payment;
(F) an employee covered by statutory reemployment rights
who is on transfer to another organization; or
(G) any employee who, during the twenty-four month period
preceding the date of separation, has received a recruitment or
relocation bonus under section 5753 of title 5, United States
Code, or who, within the twelve month period preceding the date
of separation, received a retention allowance under section
5754 of title 5, United States Code.
(b) Agency Strategic Plan.--
(1) In general.--The head of the agency, prior to obligating
any resources for voluntary separation incentive payments, shall
submit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations and the
Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee
on Government Reform and Oversight of the House of Representatives
a strategic plan outlining the intended use of such incentive
payments and a proposed organizational chart for the agency once
such incentive payments have been completed.
(2) Contents.--The agency's plan shall include--
(A) the positions and functions to be reduced or
eliminated, identified by organizational unit, geographic
location, occupational category and grade level;
(B) the number and amounts of voluntary separation
incentive payments to be offered; and
(C) a description of how the agency will operate without
the eliminated positions and functions.
(c) Authority to Provide Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments.--
(1) In general.--A voluntary separation incentive payment under
this section may be paid by an agency to any employee only to the
extent necessary to eliminate the positions and functions
identified by the strategic plan.
(2) Amount and treatment of payments.--A voluntary separation
incentive payment--
(A) shall be paid in a lump sum after the employee's
separation;
(B) shall be paid from appropriations or funds available
for the payment of the basic pay of the employees;
(C) shall be equal to the lesser of--
(i) an amount equal to the amount the employee would be
entitled to receive under section 5595(c) of title 5,
United States Code; or
(ii) an amount determined by the agency head not to
exceed $25,000 in fiscal year 1997, $20,000 in fiscal year
1998, $15,000 in fiscal year 1999, or $10,000 in fiscal
year 2000;
(D) shall not be a basis for payment, and shall not be
included in the computation, of any other type of Government
benefit; and
(E) shall not be taken into account in determining the
amount of any severance pay to which the employee may be
entitled under section 5595 of title 5, United States Code,
based on any other separation.
(3) Limitation.--No amount shall be payable under this section
based on any separation occurring before the date of the enactment
of this Act, or after September 30, 2000.
(d) Additional Agency Contributions to the Retirement Fund.--
(1) In general.--In addition to any other payments which it is
required to make under subchapter III of chapter 83 or chapter 84
of title 5, United States Code, the agency shall remit to the
Office of Personnel Management for deposit in the Treasury of the
United States to the credit of the Civil Service Retirement and
Disability Fund an amount equal to 15 percent of the final basic
pay of each employee of the agency who is covered under subchapter
III of chapter 83 or chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code, to
whom a voluntary separation incentive has been paid under this
section.
(2) Definition.--For the purpose of paragraph (1), the term
``final basic pay'', with respect to an employee, means the total
amount of basic pay which would be payable for a year of service by
such employee, computed using the employee's final rate of basic
pay, and, if last serving on other than a full-time basis, with
appropriate adjustment therefor.
(e) Effect of Subsequent Employment with the Government.--An
individual who has received a voluntary separation incentive payment
under this section and accepts any employment for compensation with the
Government of the United States, or who works for any agency of the
United States Government through a personal services contract, within 5
years after the date of the separation on which the payment is based
shall be required to pay, prior to the individual's first day of
employment, the entire amount of the incentive payment to the agency
that paid the incentive payment.
(f) Reduction of Agency Employment Levels.--
(1) In general.--The total number of funded employee positions
in the agency shall be reduced by one position for each vacancy
created by the separation of any employee who has received, or is
due to receive, a voluntary separation incentive payment under this
section. For the purposes of this subsection, positions shall be
counted on a full-time-equivalent basis.
(2) Enforcement.--The President, through the Office of
Management and Budget, shall monitor the agency and take any action
necessary to ensure that the requirements of this subsection are
met.
(g) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect October 1,
1996.

0b3c531f4e6d86baaae2973f8a3eab428c06e565e840be0fea1400264aed9498

(a) Moratorium.--Section 389(a) of Public Law 104-127 is amended by
striking ``an 18-month'' after the word ``be'' and inserting ``a 20-
month''.
(b) Report.--Section 389(d)(4) of Public Law 104-127 is amended by
striking ``1 year'' after the word ``than'' and inserting ``14
months''.
(c) Extension for Delay.--Section 389 of Public Law 104-127 is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection--
``(e) Extension for Delay.--There shall be a day-for-day extension
to the 20-month moratorium required by subsection (a) and a day-for-day
extension to the report required by subsection (d)(4)--
``(1) for every day of delay in implementing or establishing
the Water Rights Task Force caused by a failure to nominate Task
Force members by the Administration or by the Congress; or
``(2) for every day of delay caused by a failure by the
Secretary of Agriculture to identify adequate resources as
determined by the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out the
purposes of the Task Force.''.
YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1996
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Farm Service Agency
agricultural credit insurance fund program account
For an additional amount for the Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund
Program Account for the additional cost of emergency insured loans
authorized by 7 U.S.C. 1928-1929, including the cost of modifying such
loans as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, resulting from droughts in the Western United States, Hurricane
Bertha, and other natural disasters, to remain available until
expended, $32,244,000: Provided, That these funds are available to
subsidize additional gross obligations for the principal amount of
direct loans of $110,000,000: Provided further, That the entire amount
is designated by Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(D)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985, as amended: Provided further, That the amount
shall be available to the extent that the President notifies Congress
of his designation of any or all of these amounts as an emergency
requirement under section 251(b)(2)(D)(i) of the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
salaries and expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'', to be used
in connection with investigations of arson or violence against
religious institutions, $12,011,000, to remain available until
expended.
Internal Revenue Service
Information Systems
(rescission)
Of the funds made available under this heading in Public Law 104-
52, $16,500,000 are rescinded.
This Act may be cited as the ``Agriculture, Rural Development, Food
and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
1997''.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.

266122c7d7a3ca923ab842b0061b124b33c7596a0a1fbaff3d6832d893458b0f

Appropriations bill FY97, Agriculture — HR. 3603

Other Sections

TITLE VII

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