View all text of Subchapter IV [§ 1981 - § 2008x]
§ 2008m. National Rural Development Partnership
(a) DefinitionsIn this section:
(1) Agency with rural responsibilities
(2) Coordinating Committee
(3) Partnership
(4) State rural development council
(b) Partnership
(1) In generalThe Secretary shall continue the National Rural Development Partnership composed of—
(A) the Coordinating Committee; and
(B) State rural development councils.
(2) Purposes
(3) Governing panel
(A) In general
(B) Annual reports
(4) Role of Federal GovernmentThe role of the Federal Government in the Partnership may be that of a partner and facilitator, with Federal agencies authorized—
(A) to cooperate with States to implement the Partnership;
(B) to provide States with the technical and administrative support necessary to plan and implement tailored rural development strategies to meet local needs;
(C) to ensure that the head of each agency with rural responsibilities designates a senior-level agency official to represent the agency on the Coordinating Committee and directs appropriate field staff to participate fully with the State rural development council within the jurisdiction of the field staff; and
(D) to enter into cooperative agreements with, and to provide grants and other assistance to, the Coordinating Committee and State rural development councils.
(c) National Rural Development Coordinating Committee
(1) Establishment
(2) CompositionThe Coordinating Committee shall be composed of—
(A) 1 representative of each agency with rural responsibilities; and
(B) representatives, approved by the Secretary, of—
(i) national associations of State, regional, local, and tribal governments and intergovernmental and multijurisdictional agencies and organizations;
(ii) national public interest groups;
(iii) other national nonprofit organizations that elect to participate in the activities of the Coordinating Committee; and
(iv) the private sector.
(3) DutiesThe Coordinating Committee shall—
(A) support the work of the State rural development councils;
(B) facilitate coordination of rural development policies, programs, and activities among Federal agencies and with those of State, local, and tribal governments, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations;
(C) review and comment on policies, regulations, and proposed legislation that affect or would affect rural areas and gather and provide related information;
(D) develop and facilitate strategies to reduce or eliminate administrative and regulatory impediments; and
(E) require each State rural development council receiving funds under this section to submit an annual report on the use of the funds, including a description of strategic plans, goals, performance measures, and outcomes for the State rural development council of the State.
(4) Federal participation in Coordinating Committee
(A) In general
(B) Conflicts
(5) Administrative support
(6) Procedures
(d) State rural development councils
(1) Establishment
(2) CompositionA State rural development council shall—
(A) be composed of representatives of Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, regional organizations, the private sector, and other entities committed to rural advancement; and
(B) have a nonpartisan and nondiscriminatory membership that—
(i) is broad and representative of the economic, social, and political diversity of the State; and
(ii) shall be responsible for the governance and operations of the State rural development council.
(3) DutiesA State rural development council shall—
(A) facilitate collaboration among Federal, State, local, and tribal governments and the private and nonprofit sectors in the planning and implementation of programs and policies that have an impact on rural areas of the State;
(B) monitor, report, and comment on policies and programs that address, or fail to address, the needs of the rural areas of the State;
(C) as part of the Partnership, in conjunction with the Coordinating Committee, facilitate the development of strategies to reduce or eliminate conflicting or duplicative administrative or regulatory requirements of Federal, State, local, and tribal governments; and
(D)
(i) provide to the Coordinating Committee an annual plan with goals and performance measures; and
(ii) submit to the Coordinating Committee an annual report on the progress of the State rural development council in meeting the goals and measures.
(4) Federal participation in State rural development councils
(A) In general
(B) Conflicts
(e) Administrative support of the Partnership
(1) Detail of employees
(A) In general
(B) Civil service status
(2) Additional support
(3) Intermediaries
(f) Matching requirements for State rural development councils
(1) In general
(2) Exceptions to matching requirement for certain Federal fundsParagraph (1) shall not apply to funds, grants, funds provided under contracts or cooperative agreements, gifts, contributions, or technical assistance received by a State rural development council from a Federal agency that are used—
(A) to support 1 or more specific program or project activities; or
(B) to reimburse the State rural development council for services provided to the Federal agency providing the funds, grants, funds provided under contracts or cooperative agreements, gifts, contributions, or technical assistance.
(3) Department’s share
(g) Funding
(1) Authorization of appropriations
(2) Federal agencies
(A) In general
(B) Assistance
(3) Contributions
(h) Termination
(Pub. L. 87–128, title III, § 378, as added Pub. L. 107–171, title VI, § 6021, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 363; amended Pub. L. 110–234, title VI, § 6019, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1172; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VI, § 6019, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1933; Pub. L. 113–79, title VI, § 6021, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 847; Pub. L. 115–334, title VI, § 6420, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4765.)