To clarify that the Small Business Administration has authority to provide disaster relief for small business concerns damaged by drought.

1. Adds SEC. 846. DISASTER RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS DAMAGED BY DROUGHT on page 237, line 17

   Adds a sectionPrinted page

   Inserted: SEC. 846. DISASTER RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS DAMAGED BY DROUGHT.

   Inserted: (a) Drought Disaster Authority.--

   Inserted: (1) Definition of disaster.--Section 3(k) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(k)) is amended--

   Inserted: (A) by inserting "(1)" after "(k)"; and

   Inserted: (B) by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: "(2) For purposes of section 7(b)(2), the term 'disaster' includes--

   Inserted: "(A) drought; and

   Inserted: "(B) below average water levels in the Great Lakes, or on any body of water in the United States that supports commerce by small business concerns.".

   Inserted: (2) Drought disaster relief authority.--Section 7(b)(2) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)(2)) is amended--

   Inserted: (A) by inserting "(including drought), with respect to both farm-related and nonfarm-related small business concerns," before "if the Administration"; and

   Inserted: (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking "the Consolidated Farmers Home Administration Act of 1961 (7 U.S.C. 1961)" and inserting the following: "section 321 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1961), in which case, assistance under this paragraph may be provided to farm-related and nonfarm-related small business concerns, subject to the other applicable requirements of this paragraph".

   Inserted: (b) Limitation on Loans.--From funds otherwise appropriated for loans under section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)), not more than $9,000,000 may be used during each of fiscal years 2005 through 2008, to provide drought disaster loans to nonfarm-related small business concerns in accordance with this section and the amendments made by this section.

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   Inserted: (c) Prompt Response to Disaster Requests.--Section 7(b)(2)(D) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)(2)(D)) is amended by striking "Upon receipt of such certification, the Administration may" and inserting "Not later than 30 days after the date of receipt of such certification by a Governor of a State, the Administration shall respond in writing to that Governor on its determination and the reasons therefore, and may".

   Inserted: (d) Rulemaking.--Not later than 45 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall promulgate final rules to carry out this section and the amendments made by this section.

   Original wording

   On page 237, after line 17, insert the following:

Read automatically from the Congressional Record. Check the original before relying on it.

As printed