S.Amdt. 2412

1. Rewrites page 751, line 23

   ReplacesPrinted page

   Removes page 751, line 23 of the printed bill. See that page

   Inserted: SEC. 3915. COMMUNITY LAND GRANT-MERCEDES.

   Inserted: (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--

   Inserted: (1) Spanish and Mexican community land grant-mercedes are part of a unique and important history in the southwest United States dating back to the 1600s and becoming incorporated into the United States through the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits, and Settlement between the United States of America and the Mexican Republic, signed at Guadalupe Hidalgo February 2, 1848, and entered into force May 30, 1848 (9 Stat. 922) (commonly referred to as the 'Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo');

   Inserted: (2) the years following the signing of that treaty resulted in a significant loss of land originally belonging to the community land grant-mercedes due to manipulations and unfulfilled commitments;

   Inserted: (3) the community land grant-mercedes that are recognized as political subdivisions are in need of increased economic opportunities; and

   Inserted: (4) the rural development programs of the Department of Agriculture are an appropriate venue for addressing the needs of the community land grant-mercedes.

   Inserted: (b) Definitions.--In this section:

   Inserted: (1) Community land grant-mercedes.--The term 'community land grant-mercedes' means a political subdivision of a State that is part of the United States and is located on land that was granted by the government of Spain or the government of Mexico to--

   Inserted: (A) a community, town, colony, or pueblo; or

   Inserted: (B) a person for the purpose of founding or establishing a community, town, colony, or pueblo.

   Inserted: (2) Land grant council.--The term 'land grant council' means an agency of a State government established by law--

   Inserted: (A) to provide support to land grants-mercedes; and

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   Inserted: (B) to serve as a liaison between land grant-mercedes and other State agencies and the Federal government.

   Inserted: (c) Program.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--In addition to any other funds made available for similar purposes, the Secretary shall use funds set aside under paragraph (3) to provide grants to community land grant-mercedes and land grant councils for the purpose of carrying out economic and community development initiatives under--

   Inserted: (A) the water and waste disposal systems for rural communities program under section 3501;

   Inserted: (B) the Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (SEARCH) program under section 3501(e)(6);

   Inserted: (C) the community facility grant program under section 3502;

   Inserted: (D) the program of rural business development grants under section 3601(a)(3)(A);

   Inserted: (E) the program of rural business enterprise grants under section 3601(a)(3)(B);

   Inserted: (F) the rural microentrepreneur assistance program under section 3601(f)(2); and

   Inserted: (G) the rural community development initiative.

   Inserted: (2) Federal share.--Notwithstanding any other requirement of the programs described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall make available to community land grant-mercedes grants under those programs at a Federal share of up to 100 percent.

   Inserted: (3) Set aside.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of amounts made available for a fiscal year for rural development programs of the Department of Agriculture, $10,000,000 shall be used to carry out this section.

   Inserted: SEC. 3916. REGULATIONS.

   Original wording

   On page 751, strike line 23 and insert the following:

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

As printed