S.Amdt. 2648

SA 2648. Mr. KENNEDY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
to amendment SA 2137 proposed by Mr. Schumer (for Ms. Sinema (for
herself, Mr. Portman, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Cassidy, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms.
Collins, Mr. Tester, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Romney)) to the
bill H.R. 3684, to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway
safety programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. ___. REVITALIZING MAIN STREETS IN SMALL TOWNS AND CITIES
OF THE UNITED STATES.

(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible community.--The term ``eligible community''
means a city, town, village, or other incorporated unit of a
municipal local government that has a population of less than
40,000 individuals.
(2) Main street.--The term ``Main Street'', with respect to
an eligible community, means a main street and the area
around the main street that constitute the cultural,
historical, economic, civic, and emotional heart of the
eligible community.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development.
(4) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several
States and the territories and possessions of the United
States.
(b) Grants.--The Secretary, in accordance with subsection
(f)(1), shall award grants on a competitive basis to eligible
communities for the purpose of revitalizing Main Streets in
the eligible communities.
(c) Separate Competitions.--In awarding grants to eligible
communities under subsection (b), the Secretary shall hold a
separate grant competition for each State.
(d) Applications.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall initiate the grant
competitions described in subsection (c) by soliciting grant
applications from eligible communities by publishing a notice
of funding opportunity in the Federal Register that provides
sufficient notice of the grant competition, the terms of the
grant competition, and the submission requirements of an
application for the grant competition.
(2) Contents.--An application submitted by an eligible
entity for a grant under this section shall include--
(A) a description of how the eligible community plans to
spend amounts from a grant under this section and the non-
Federal funds of the eligible community described in
subsection (e)(2)(A) to revitalize the Main Street of the
eligible community; and
(B) a description of how the eligible community meets the
factors described in subsection (f)(3).
(3) Prohibition.--The Secretary may not impose additional
application or evaluation requirements with respect to an
application submitted under paragraph (1).
(e) Maximum Amounts.--
(1) State maximum.--The maximum amount of funds that may be
awarded to eligible communities in a particular State under
this section shall be an amount that bears the same
proportion to the total amount awarded to eligible
communities in all States under this section as the total
population of all eligible communities within the State,
bears to the total population of all eligible communities in
all States.
(2) Eligible community maximum.--
(A) In general.--The maximum amount of funds that may be
awarded to an eligible

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community under this section shall be equal to the amount of
non-Federal funds that the eligible community dedicates
specifically for revitalizing the Main Street in the eligible
community, as specified by the eligible community in the
application submitted under subsection (d).
(B) Taxes.--
(i) In general.--An eligible community may not include in
the amount of dedicated non-Federal funds specified in an
application under subsection (d), for purposes of
subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, any amounts that will be
raised by new taxes or increased taxes unless voters in the
eligible community have approved the new tax or increased
tax.
(ii) Conditional taxes.--In proposing a new tax or
increased tax described in clause (i) to voters, an eligible
community may propose a new tax or increased tax that is
conditioned upon the eligible community receiving a grant
under this section.
(f) Selection.--
(1) Selection committees.--In awarding grants to eligible
communities in a particular State under this section, the
Secretary shall select the eligible communities in the State
recommended by the selection committee for the State
established under paragraph (2).
(2) Establishment of committees.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a selection
committee for each State, which shall be comprised of--
(i) 1 official of the National Trust for Historic
Preservation designated by the National Trust for Historic
Preservation;
(ii) 1 official of the Main Street America Institute
designated by the Main Street America Institute; and
(iii) 3 licensed architects--

(I) selected jointly by the United States Senators from the
State; or
(II) with respect to a State that is a territory or
possession of the United States, selected by the delegate or
resident commissioner to the House of Representatives from
the territory or possession.

(B) Employment.--The Secretary shall appoint each member of
a selection committee selected under subparagraph (A) that is
not a Federal employee as an employee of the Department of
Housing and Urban Development for the purpose of performing
the duties described in subparagraph (C).
(C) Duties.--Each selection committee of a State
established under subparagraph (A) shall--
(i) meet to jointly review applications for a grant under
this section submitted by eligible communities located in the
State under subsection (d); and
(ii) provide to the Secretary recommendations with respect
to the eligible communities located in the State that should
receive a grant under this section.
(D) Termination.--Notwithstanding section 14 of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App), each selection
committee established under this section shall terminate on
the day after the date on which the selection committee
completes the recommendations required under subparagraph
(C)(ii).
(3) Selection factors.--In providing recommendations to the
Secretary under paragraph (2)(C)(ii), the selection committee
of a State shall evaluate the application of an eligible
community based on the following factors:
(A) The economic vitality of the eligible community, which
shall be based on whether the eligible community focuses on
capital, incentives, and other economic and financial tools
to--
(i) assist new and existing businesses;
(ii) catalyze property development; and
(iii) create a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and
innovators that drive local economies.
(B) The proposed design of the eligible community, which
shall be based on the transformation of the eligible
community by enhancing the physical and visual assets that
set the Main Street of the eligible community apart.
(C) The promotion of the Main Street by the eligible
community, which shall be based on whether the eligible
community--
(i) positions the Main Street of the eligible community as
the center and hub of the economic activity of the eligible
community; and
(ii) creates a positive image of the Main Street that
showcases the unique characteristics of the eligible
community.
(D) The organization of the eligible community, which shall
be based on whether the plan of the eligible community
involves creating a strong foundation for a sustainable
revitalization effort, including cultivating partnerships,
community involvement, and resources for the Main Street.
(E) The preservation proposed by the eligible community,
which shall be based on the proposed quality of preservation,
rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction of the
historic Main Street facades.
(F) The quality of any new buildings proposed by the
eligible community on the Main Street of the eligible
community and whether those buildings--
(i) fit with the architecture of the existing historic
buildings; and
(ii) project the architecture of the time, as of the date
of enactment of this Act.
(g) Funding.--
(1) Reduction.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Act or an amendment made by this Act, any amount appropriated
under this Act or an amendment made by this Act shall be
reduced by 1 percent.
(2) Direct appropriation.--Out of any money in the Treasury
not otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated to the
Secretary to carry out this section for fiscal year 2022 an
amount equal to the amount of the reductions made under
paragraph (1).
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