What does Preamble of HR 7579 do?

This bill aims to improve access to Department of Agriculture Rural Development discretionary grant programs. It proposes establishing a technical assistance set-aside. The set-aside is intended to support low-capacity rural communities.

What does SHORT TITLE. of HR 7579 do?

This bill is formally titled Empowering Rural Communities Act

What does TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SET-ASIDE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT of HR 7579 do?

The Secretary shall reserve at least 2.5% of Rural Development discretionary grant program funds for technical assistance activities. Funds can be used for technical assistance, pre-development support, outreach activities, and project-ready grant application development. The Secretary may deliver technical assistance through cooperative agreements, grants, subgrants, or contracts with eligible entities. Priority is given to entities serving communities lacking grant writing staff, with low participation rates, or in persistent poverty areas. State offices of Rural Development must identify high-need communities, collaborate with technical assistance providers, and ensure geographically balanced service delivery.

What does ANNUAL REPORT. of HR 7579 do?

This section mandates the Secretary to submit an annual report to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. The report must detail the amounts reserved and expended under the Act. It also requires the report to describe the number, type, and geographic distribution of communities assisted. Measurable outcomes, such as increased application completion rates and award success, must be included. The Secretary must provide recommendations for improving technical assistance delivery. The report must be made publicly available on the Department of Agriculture website.

What does NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED. of HR 7579 do?

The Secretary may use existing appropriations to carry out this Act No additional funds are authorized or required by this Act

What does DEFINITIONS. of HR 7579 do?

This section defines key terms used throughout the Act. A 'discretionary grant program' is defined as any grant program funded through an appropriations Act. An 'eligible entity' can be a unit of local government, nonprofit organization, rural electric/telephone cooperative, institution of higher education, private-sector firm, or a State/territory cooperative extension service. A 'high-need area' is characterized by economic distress or limited local capacity, including high poverty/unemployment, population loss, inadequate infrastructure, or limited administrative capacity. A 'high-need community' experiences economic distress, limited administrative capacity, or significant infrastructure deficiencies. A 'low-capacity community' is a rural area with a population of 20,000 or less, or lacking full-time grant writing/administrative staff. A 'persistent poverty area' is a county with 20% or more of the population in poverty for at least 30 years. The definition of 'rural area' references section 343(a)(13)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act. ‘Rural Development’ refers to the mission area of the Department of Agriculture. The 'Secretary' is defined as the Secretary of Agriculture. An 'underserved area' is a community facing historical barriers to accessing federal programs, funding, or technical assistance.

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Empowering Rural Communities Act — HR. 7579

Last updated: 2/13/2026 · Introduced: 2/13/2026

Author: Julia Letlow (R-LA)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to reserve at least 2.5% of Rural Development discretionary grant program funds for technical assistance to support low-capacity rural communities.
The bill mandates an annual report to Congress detailing the use of these funds, including the number and types of communities assisted and measurable outcomes.
The bill clarifies definitions of key terms, such as 'eligible entity' and 'high-need community,' to guide the implementation of the technical assistance program.

119th Congressin committeeOfficial page

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Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 4 more.

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