H.R. 1246

119 HR 1246 IH: Investing in Rural America Act of 2025
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2025-02-12
 text/xml
 EN
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 I  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  H. R. 1246  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   February 12, 2025   Mrs. Fischbach  (for herself,  Mr. Finstad , and  Mr. Davis of North Carolina ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Agriculture    A BILL
To amend the Farm Credit Act of 1971 to provide support for facilities providing healthcare, education, child care, public safety, and other vital services in rural areas.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Investing in Rural America Act of 2025  .
2.
Authority of farm credit system institutions to provide financial support for essential rural community facilities projects
(a)
In general
The Farm Credit Act of 1971 is amended by inserting after section 4.18A ( 12 U.S.C. 2206a ) the following:
4.18.
Essential community facilities
(a)
In general
A Farm Credit Bank, direct lender association, or bank for cooperatives chartered under this Act may, for the purpose of making available capital to develop, build, maintain, improve, or provide related equipment or other support for essential community facilities in rural areas, make and participate in loans and commitments, and extend other technical and financial assistance for projects for essential community facilities eligible for financing under section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.
(b)
Eligibility
Only an entity eligible for financing under section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act may receive financing or any other assistance under subsection (a) of this section.
(c)
Limitations
(1)
Financing
A Farm Credit System institution described in subsection (a) shall not provide financing or assistance under this section in an aggregate amount that exceeds 15 percent of the total of all outstanding loans of the institution.
(2)
Offer requirement
(A)
In general
A Farm Credit System institution shall not provide financing or assistance under this section unless the institution—
(i)
has offered, under reasonable terms and conditions acceptable to the borrower involved, an interest in the financing to at least 1 domestic lending institution not referred to in subsection (a) other than the Department of Agriculture; and
(ii)
has reported the offer to the Farm Credit Administration.
(B)
Rural community bank priority
In offering an interest in a financing to a domestic lending institution described in subparagraph (A)(i), the Farm Credit System institution shall give priority to community banks located in the service area of the essential community facility being financed.
(d)
Annual report to Congress
Within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the Farm Credit Administration shall provide a report to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate on the activities undertaken pursuant to this section by Farm Credit System institutions during the period covered by the report, including through partnerships between such an institution and other lending institutions, which shall also be posted on the website of the Farm Credit Administration.
 .
(b)
Effective date
The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2025.