[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3895 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3895
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 6, 2005
Received
October 25, 2005
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend title V of the Housing Act of 1949 to provide rural housing
assistance to families affected by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Housing Hurricane Relief Act
of 2005''.
SEC. 2. DISASTER AUTHORITY.
Section 541 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490q) is amended
to read as follows:
``SEC. 541. DISASTER ASSISTANCE.
``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this
title, the Secretary may exercise any authority described in subsection
(b) with respect to the counties designated as disaster areas pursuant
to the declaration by the President of a major disaster or emergency
under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) in connection with Hurricane Katrina or
Hurricane Rita, and the counties contiguous to such counties, and for
any individuals who resided in such counties at the time of the
disaster.
``(b) Special Authorities.--The authorities described in this
subsection are as follows:
``(1) Conversion of rental assistance.--The Secretary may
convert rental assistance under section 521 allocated for a
property that is not inhabitable because of the disaster into
``(A) housing voucher assistance authorized under
section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937
(42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)); or
``(B) rural housing vouchers authorized under this
title.
Any conversion and use of rental assistance pursuant to this
paragraph shall apply only for the period described in
subsection (c) or a portion thereof, as determined by the
Secretary.
``(2) Waiver of rural area requirements.--The Secretary
may, for the period described in subsection (c) or any portion
thereof, waive the application of the provisions of section 520
with respect to assistance provided under this section, as the
Secretary considers appropriate.
``(c) Duration of Authority.--The period described in this
subsection is the 6-month period that begins upon the date of the
enactment of this Act.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to funds
otherwise available to carry out this section, there are authorized to
be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out, during the
period described in subsection (c), this section or any other activity
authorized under this title.''.
SEC. 3. RURAL HOUSING VOUCHER AUTHORITY.
During the 6-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture may exercise the authority under
section 542 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490r), except that
in carrying out this section--
(1) notwithstanding the first sentence of subsection (a) of
such section 542, the Secretary may assist low-income families
and persons, but only if--
(A) such family or person
(i) resides or resided, on August 25, 2005,
in any area that is subject to a declaration by
the President of a major disaster or emergency
under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et
seq.) in connection with Hurricane Katrina; or
(ii) resides or resided, on September 24,
2005, in any area that is subject to a
declaration by the President of a major
disaster or emergency under the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) in
connection with Hurricane Rita; and
(B) the residence of such family or person became
uninhabitable or inaccessible as result of a major
disaster or emergency referred to in subparagraph (A)
of this paragraph; and
(2) subsection (b) of such section 542 shall not apply.
SEC. 4. GUARANTEED LOANS FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING.
Section 502(h) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472(h)) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (4), by striking ``or construct'' and
inserting ``, construct, repair, or rehabilitate''; and
(2) in paragraph (14)(A), by striking ``made under this
section or guaranteed under this subsection'' and inserting
``used to acquire or construct a single-family residence that
meets the requirements of subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of
paragraph (4)''.
Passed the House of Representatives October 6, 2005.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.