90-637

2003
108TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Report

MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2004, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

[Graphic image not available]

NOVEMBER 25, 2003- Ordered to be printed

90-637

2003
108TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Report

MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2004, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

[Graphic image not available]

NOVEMBER 25, 2003- Ordered to be printed

MAKING FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING 2004, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

90-637

1st Session

108-401
MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2004, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

[To accompany H.R. 2673]

The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendment of the Senate to the bill (H.R. 2673) `making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, and for other purposes', having met, after full and free conference, have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses as follows:

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate, and agree to the same with an amendment, as follows:

In lieu of the matter stricken and inserted by said amendment, insert:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004'.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.

Sec. 2. Table of contents.

Sec. 3. References.

DIVISION A--AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS, 2004

Title I--Agricultural Programs

Title II--Conservation Programs

Title III--Rural Development Programs

Title IV--Domestic Food Programs

Title V--Foreign Assistance and Related Programs

Title VI--Related Agencies and Food and Drug Administration

Title VII--General Provisions

DIVISION B--COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE, THE JUDICIARY, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS, 2004

Title I--Department of Justice

Title II--Department of Commerce and Related Agencies

Title III--The Judiciary

Title IV--Department of State and Related Agency

Title V--Related Agencies

Title VI--General Provisions

Title VII--Rescissions

Title VIII--Alaskan Fisheries

DIVISION C--DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA APPROPRIATIONS, 2004

Title I--Federal Funds

Title II--District of Columbia Funds

Title III--DC School Choice Incentive Act of 2003

Title IV--General Provisions

DIVISION D--FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS, 2004

Title I--Export and Investment Assistance

Title II--Bilateral Economic Assistance

Title III--Military Assistance

Title IV--Multilateral Economic Assistance

Title V--General Provisions

Title VI--Millennium Challenge

DIVISION E--LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS, 2004

Title I--Department of Labor

Title II--Department of Health and Human Services

Title III--Department of Education

Title IV--Related Agencies

Title V--General Provisions

DIVISION F--TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS, 2004

Title I--Department of Transportation

Title II--Department of the Treasury

Title III--Executive Office of the President and Funds Appropriated to the President

Title IV--Independent Agencies

Title V--General Provisions

Title VI--General Provisions--Departments, Agencies, and Corporations

DIVISION G--VETERANS AFFAIRS AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS, 2004

Title I--Department of Veterans Affairs

Title II--Department of Housing and Urban Development

Title III--Independent Agencies

Title IV--General Provisions

Title V--Pesticide Products and Fees

DIVISION H--MISCELLANEOUS APPROPRIATIONS AND OFFSETS

SEC. 3. REFERENCES.

Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to `this Act' contained in any division of this Act shall be treated as referring only to the provisions of that division.

DIVISION A--AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2004

AN ACT

MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2004, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

That the following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, and for other purposes, namely:

TITLE I

AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS

PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, AND MARKETING

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

For necessary expenses of the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture, $5,092,000: Provided, That not to exceed $11,000 of this amount shall be available for official reception and representation expenses, not otherwise provided for, as determined by the Secretary.

EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS

CHIEF ECONOMIST

For necessary expenses of the Chief Economist, including economic analysis, risk assessment, cost-benefit analysis, energy and new uses, and the functions of the World Agricultural Outlook Board, as authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1622g), $8,707,000.

NATIONAL APPEALS DIVISION

For necessary expenses of the National Appeals Division, $13,670,000.

OFFICE OF BUDGET AND PROGRAM ANALYSIS

For necessary expenses of the Office of Budget and Program Analysis, $7,740,000.

HOMELAND SECURITY STAFF

For necessary expenses of the Homeland Security Staff, $499,000.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief Information Officer, $15,493,000.

COMMON COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

For necessary expenses to acquire a Common Computing Environment for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service and Rural Development mission areas for information technology, systems, and services, $119,289,000, to remain available until expended, for the capital asset acquisition of shared information technology systems, including services as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 6915-16 and 40 U.S.C. 1421-28: Provided, That obligation of these funds shall be consistent with the Department of Agriculture Service Center Modernization Plan of the county-based agencies, and shall be with the concurrence of the Department's Chief Information Officer.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, $5,684,000: Provided, That the Chief Financial Officer shall actively market and expand cross-servicing activities of the National Finance Center: Provided further, That no funds made available by this appropriation may be obligated for FAIR Act or Circular A-76 activities until the Secretary has submitted to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a report on the Department's contracting out policies, including agency budgets for contracting out.

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, $808,000.

OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS

For necessary expenses of the Office of Civil Rights, $17,450,000.

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration, $673,000.

AGRICULTURE BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES AND RENTAL PAYMENTS

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For payment of space rental and related costs pursuant to Public Law 92-313, including authorities pursuant to the 1984 delegation of authority from the Administrator of General Services to the Department of Agriculture under 40 U.S.C. 486, for programs and activities of the Department which are included in this Act, and for alterations and other actions needed for the Department and its agencies to consolidate unneeded space into configurations suitable for release to the Administrator of General Services, and for the operation, maintenance, improvement, and repair of Agriculture buildings and facilities, and for related costs, as follows: for payments to the General Services Administration, $123,910,000, and for buildings operations and maintenance, $32,559,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That not to exceed 5 percent of amounts which are made available for space rental and related costs for the Department of Agriculture in this Act may be transferred between such appropriations to cover the costs of new or replacement space 15 days after notice thereof is transmitted to the Appropriations Committees of both Houses of Congress.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses of the Department of Agriculture, to comply with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.), $15,611,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That appropriations and funds available herein to the Department for Hazardous Materials Management may be transferred to any agency of the Department for its use in meeting all requirements pursuant to the above Acts on Federal and non-Federal lands.

DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For Departmental Administration, $23,031,000, to provide for necessary expenses for management support services to offices of the Department and for general administration, security, repairs and alterations, and other miscellaneous supplies and expenses not otherwise provided for and necessary for the practical and efficient work of the Department: Provided, That this appropriation shall be reimbursed from applicable appropriations in this Act for travel expenses incident to the holding of hearings as required by 5 U.S.C. 551-558.

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONGRESSIONAL RELATIONS

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations to carry out the programs funded by this Act, including programs involving intergovernmental affairs and liaison within the executive branch, $3,796,000: Provided, That these funds may be transferred to agencies of the Department of Agriculture funded by this Act to maintain personnel at the agency level: Provided further, That no funds made available by this appropriation may be obligated after 30 days from the date of enactment of this Act, unless the Secretary has notified the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress on the allocation of these funds by USDA agency: Provided further, That no other funds appropriated to the Department by this Act shall be available to the Department for support of activities of congressional relations.

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

For necessary expenses to carry out services relating to the coordination of programs involving public affairs, for the dissemination of agricultural information, and the coordination of information, work, and programs authorized by Congress in the Department, $9,228,000: Provided, That not to exceed $2,000,000 may be used for farmers' bulletins.

OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

For necessary expenses of the Office of the Inspector General, including employment pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, $77,281,000, including such sums as may be necessary for contracting and other arrangements with public agencies and private persons pursuant to section 6(a)(9) of the Inspector General Act of 1978, and including not to exceed $125,000 for certain confidential operational expenses, including the payment of informants, to be expended under the direction of the Inspector General pursuant to Public Law 95-452 and section 1337 of Public Law 97-98.

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL

For necessary expenses of the Office of the General Counsel, $34,700,000.

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND ECONOMICS

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics to administer the laws enacted by the Congress for the Economic Research Service, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Agricultural Research Service, and the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, $596,000.

ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE

For necessary expenses of the Economic Research Service in conducting economic research and analysis, as authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627) and other laws, $71,402,000.

NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE

For necessary expenses of the National Agricultural Statistics Service in conducting statistical reporting and service work, including crop and livestock estimates, statistical coordination and improvements, marketing surveys, and the Census of Agriculture, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627 and 2204g, and other laws, $128,922,000, of which up to $25,279,000 shall be available until expended for the Census of Agriculture.

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For necessary expenses to enable the Agricultural Research Service to perform agricultural research and demonstration relating to production, utilization, marketing, and distribution (not otherwise provided for); home economics or nutrition and consumer use including the acquisition, preservation, and dissemination of agricultural information; and for acquisition of lands by donation, exchange, or purchase at a nominal cost not to exceed $100, and for land exchanges where the lands exchanged shall be of equal value or shall be equalized by a payment of money to the grantor which shall not exceed 25 percent of the total value of the land or interests transferred out of Federal ownership, $1,088,892,000: Provided, That appropriations hereunder shall be available for the operation and maintenance of aircraft and the purchase of not to exceed one for replacement only: Provided further, That appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2250 for the construction, alteration, and repair of buildings and improvements, but unless otherwise provided, the cost of constructing any one building shall not exceed $375,000, except for headhouses or greenhouses which shall each be limited to $1,200,000, and except for 10 buildings to be constructed or improved at a cost not to exceed $750,000 each, and the cost of altering any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value of the building or $375,000, whichever is greater: Provided further, That the limitations on alterations contained in this Act shall not apply to modernization or replacement of existing facilities at Beltsville, Maryland: Provided further, That appropriations hereunder shall be available for granting easements at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center: Provided further, That the foregoing limitations shall not apply to replacement of buildings needed to carry out the Act of April 24, 1948 (21 U.S.C. 113a): Provided further, That funds may be received from any State, other political subdivision, organization, or individual for the purpose of establishing or operating any research facility or research project of the Agricultural Research Service, as authorized by law: Provided further, That all rights and title of the United States in the 1.0664-acre parcel of land including improvements, as recorded at Book 1320, Page 253, records of Larimer County, State of Colorado, shall be conveyed to the Board of Governors of the Colorado State University for the benefit of Colorado State University.

None of the funds appropriated under this heading shall be available to carry out research related to the production, processing or marketing of tobacco or tobacco products.

BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

For acquisition of land, construction, repair, improvement, extension, alteration, and purchase of fixed equipment or facilities as necessary to carry out the agricultural research programs of the Department of Agriculture, where not otherwise provided, $63,810,000, to remain available until expended.

COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION SERVICE

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES

For payments to agricultural experiment stations, for cooperative forestry and other research, for facilities, and for other expenses, $621,447,000, as follows: to carry out the provisions of the Hatch Act of 1887 (7 U.S.C. 361a-i), $180,148,000; for grants for cooperative forestry research (16 U.S.C. 582a through a-7), $21,884,000; for payments to the 1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee University and West Virginia State College (7 U.S.C. 3222), $36,000,000, of which $1,507,496 shall be made available only for the purpose of ensuring that each institution shall receive no less than $1,000,000; for special grants for agricultural research (7 U.S.C. 450i(c)), $111,312,000; for special grants for agricultural research on improved pest control (7 U.S.C. 450i(c)), $13,675,000; for competitive research grants (7 U.S.C. 450i(b)), $165,000,000; for the support of animal health and disease programs (7 U.S.C. 3195), $4,559,000; for supplemental and alternative crops and products (7 U.S.C. 3319d), $1,069,000; for grants for research pursuant to the Critical Agricultural Materials Act (7 U.S.C. 178 et seq.), $1,118,000, to remain available until expended; for the 1994 research grants program for 1994 institutions pursuant to section 536 of Public Law 103-382 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), $1,093,000, to remain available until expended; for rangeland research grants (7 U.S.C. 3333), $900,000; for higher education graduate fellowship grants (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(6)), $2,900,000, to remain available until expended (7 U.S.C. 2209b); for higher education challenge grants (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(1)), $4,888,000; for a higher education multicultural scholars program (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(5)), $992,000, to remain available until expended (7 U.S.C. 2209b); for an education grants program for Hispanic-serving Institutions (7 U.S.C. 3241), $4,673,000; for noncompetitive grants for the purpose of carrying out all provisions of 7 U.S.C. 3242 (section 759 of Public Law 106-78) to individual eligible institutions or consortia of eligible institutions in Alaska and in Hawaii, with funds awarded equally to each of the States of Alaska and Hawaii, $3,150,000; for a secondary agriculture education program and 2-year post-secondary education (7 U.S.C. 3152(j)), $895,000; for aquaculture grants (7 U.S.C. 3322), $4,024,000; for sustainable agriculture research and education (7 U.S.C. 5811), $12,295,000; for a program of capacity building grants (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(4)) to colleges eligible to receive funds under the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321-326 and 328), including Tuskegee University and West Virginia State College, $11,479,000, to remain available until expended (7 U.S.C. 2209b); for payments to the 1994 Institutions pursuant to section 534(a)(1) of Public Law 103-382, $1,689,000; and for necessary expenses of Research and Education Activities, $37,704,000.

None of the funds appropriated under this heading shall be available to carry out research related to the production, processing or marketing of tobacco or tobacco products: Provided, That this paragraph shall not apply to research on the medical, biotechnological, food, and industrial uses of tobacco.

NATIVE AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS ENDOWMENT FUND

For the Native American Institutions Endowment Fund authorized by Public Law 103-382 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), $9,000,000.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

For payments to States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, Micronesia, Northern Marianas, and American Samoa, $441,731,000, as follows: payments for cooperative extension work under the Smith-Lever Act, to be distributed under sections 3(b) and 3(c) of said Act, and under section 208(c) of Public Law 93-471, for retirement and employees' compensation costs for extension agents, $279,390,000; payments for extension work at the 1994 Institutions under the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 343(b)(3)), $2,946,000; payments for the nutrition and family education program for low-income areas under section 3(d) of the Act, $52,366,000; payments for the pest management program under section 3(d) of the Act, $9,620,000; payments for the farm safety program under section 3(d) of the Act, $4,940,000; payments to upgrade research, extension, and teaching facilities at the 1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee University and West Virginia State College, as authorized by section 1447 of Public Law 95-113 (7 U.S.C. 3222b), $15,000,000, to remain available until expended; payments for youth-at-risk programs under section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act, $7,583,000; for youth farm safety education and certification extension grants, to be awarded competitively under section 3(d) of the Act, $446,000; payments for carrying out the provisions of the Renewable Resources Extension Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1671 et seq.), $4,064,000; payments for Indian reservation agents under section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act, $1,785,000; payments for sustainable agriculture programs under section 3(d) of the Act, $4,359,000; payments for rural health and safety education as authorized by section 502(i) of Public Law 92-419 (7 U.S.C. 2662(i)), $2,345,000; payments for cooperative extension work by the colleges receiving the benefits of the second Morrill Act (7 U.S.C. 321-326 and 328) and Tuskegee University and West Virginia State College, $31,908,000, of which $1,724,884 shall be made available only for the purpose of ensuring that each institution shall receive no less than $1,000,000; for grants to youth organizations pursuant to section 7630 of title 7, United States Code, $2,683,000; and for necessary expenses of Extension Activities, $22,296,000.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITIES

For the integrated research, education, and extension grants programs, including necessary administrative expenses, $50,493,000, as follows: for competitive grants programs authorized under section 406 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7626), $39,793,000, including $11,598,000 for the water quality program, $13,384,000 for the food safety program, $4,052,000 for the regional pest management centers program, $4,371,000 for the Food Quality Protection Act risk mitigation program for major food crop systems, $1,338,000 for the crops affected by Food Quality Protection Act implementation, $3,150,000 for the methyl bromide transition program, and $1,900,000 for the organic transition program; for a competitive international science and education grants program authorized under section 1459A of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3292b), to remain available until expended, $900,000; for grants programs authorized under section 2(c)(1)(B) of Public Law 89-106, as amended, $1,800,000, including $447,000, to remain available until September 30, 2005 for the critical issues program, and $1,353,000 for the regional rural development centers program; and $8,000,000 for the homeland security program authorized under section 1484 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Act of 1977, to remain available until September 30, 2005.

OUTREACH FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS

For grants and contracts pursuant to section 2501 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279), $5,970,000, to remain available until expended.

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR MARKETING AND REGULATORY PROGRAMS

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs to administer programs under the laws enacted by the Congress for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; the Agricultural Marketing Service; and the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration; $725,000.

ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary to prevent, control, and eradicate pests and plant and animal diseases; to carry out inspection, quarantine, and regulatory activities; and to protect the environment, as authorized by law, $720,580,000, of which $4,112,000 shall be available for the control of outbreaks of insects, plant diseases, animal diseases and for control of pest animals and birds to the extent necessary to meet emergency conditions; of which $51,000,000 shall be used for the boll weevil eradication program for cost share purposes or for debt retirement for active eradication zones: Provided, That no funds shall be used to formulate or administer a brucellosis eradication program for the current fiscal year that does not require minimum matching by the States of at least 40 percent: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be available for the operation and maintenance of aircraft and the purchase of not to exceed four, of which two shall be for replacement only: Provided further, That, in addition, in emergencies which threaten any segment of the agricultural production industry of this country, the Secretary may transfer from other appropriations or funds available to the agencies or corporations of the Department such sums as may be deemed necessary, to be available only in such emergencies for the arrest and eradication of contagious or infectious disease or pests of animals, poultry, or plants, and for expenses in accordance with sections 10411 and 10417 of the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8310 and 8316) and sections 431 and 442 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7751 and 7772), and any unexpended balances of funds transferred for such emergency purposes in the preceding fiscal year shall be merged with such transferred amounts: Provided further, That appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the repair and alteration of leased buildings and improvements, but unless otherwise provided the cost of altering any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value of the building.

In fiscal year 2004, the agency is authorized to collect fees to cover the total costs of providing technical assistance, goods, or services requested by States, other political subdivisions, domestic and international organizations, foreign governments, or individuals, provided that such fees are structured such that any entity's liability for such fees is reasonably based on the technical assistance, goods, or services provided to the entity by the agency, and such fees shall be credited to this account, to remain available until expended, without further appropriation, for providing such assistance, goods, or services.

BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

For plans, construction, repair, preventive maintenance, environmental support, improvement, extension, alteration, and purchase of fixed equipment or facilities, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 2250, and acquisition of land as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 428a, $4,996,000, to remain available until expended.

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

MARKETING SERVICES

For necessary expenses to carry out services related to consumer protection, agricultural marketing and distribution, transportation, and regulatory programs, as authorized by law, and for administration and coordination of payments to States, $75,430,000, including funds for the wholesale market development program for the design and development of wholesale and farmer market facilities for the major metropolitan areas of the country: Provided, That this appropriation shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the alteration and repair of buildings and improvements, but the cost of altering any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value of the building: Provided further, That, in the case of the term of protection for the variety for which certificate number 8200179 was issued, on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall issue a new certificate for a term of protection of 10 years for the variety, except that the Secretary may terminate the certificate (at the end of any calendar year that is more than 5 years after the date of issuance of the certificate) if the Secretary determines that a new variety of seed (that is substantially based on the genetics of the variety for which the certificate was issued) is commercially viable and available in sufficient quantities to meet market demands.

Fees may be collected for the cost of standardization activities, as established by regulation pursuant to law (31 U.S.C. 9701).

LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

Not to exceed $62,577,000 (from fees collected) shall be obligated during the current fiscal year for administrative expenses: Provided, That if crop size is understated and/or other uncontrollable events occur, the agency may exceed this limitation by up to 10 percent with notification to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.

FUNDS FOR STRENGTHENING MARKETS, INCOME, AND SUPPLY (SECTION 32)

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

Funds available under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c), shall be used only for commodity program expenses as authorized therein, and other related operating expenses, except for: (1) transfers to the Department of Commerce as authorized by the Fish and Wildlife Act of August 8, 1956; (2) transfers otherwise provided in this Act; and (3) not more than $15,392,000 for formulation and administration of marketing agreements and orders pursuant to the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 and the Agricultural Act of 1961.

PAYMENTS TO STATES AND POSSESSIONS

For payments to departments of agriculture, bureaus and departments of markets, and similar agencies for marketing activities under section 204(b) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1623(b)), $3,338,000, of which not less than $2,000,000 shall be used to make noncompetitive grants under this heading.

GRAIN INSPECTION, PACKERS AND STOCKYARDS ADMINISTRATION

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of the United States Grain Standards Act, for the administration of the Packers and Stockyards Act, for certifying procedures used to protect purchasers of farm products, and the standardization activities related to grain under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, $35,890,000: Provided, That this appropriation shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the alteration and repair of buildings and improvements, but the cost of altering any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value of the building.

LIMITATION ON INSPECTION AND WEIGHING SERVICES EXPENSES

Not to exceed $42,463,000 (from fees collected) shall be obligated during the current fiscal year for inspection and weighing services: Provided, That if grain export activities require additional supervision and oversight, or other uncontrollable factors occur, this limitation may be exceeded by up to 10 percent with notification to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOOD SAFETY

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety to administer the laws enacted by the Congress for the Food Safety and Inspection Service, $599,000.

FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE

For necessary expenses to carry out services authorized by the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, and the Egg Products Inspection Act, including not to exceed $50,000 for representation allowances and for expenses pursuant to section 8 of the Act approved August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 1766), $784,511,000, of which no less than $701,823,000 shall be available for Federal food safety inspection; and in addition, $1,000,000 may be credited to this account from fees collected for the cost of laboratory accreditation as authorized by section 1327 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 138f): Provided, That no fewer than 50 full time equivalent positions above the fiscal year 2002 level shall be employed during fiscal year 2004 for purposes dedicated solely to inspections and enforcement related to the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the alteration and repair of buildings and improvements, but the cost of altering any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value of the building.

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FARM AND FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICES

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services to administer the laws enacted by Congress for the Farm Service Agency, the Foreign Agricultural Service, the Risk Management Agency, and the Commodity Credit Corporation, $635,000.

FARM SERVICE AGENCY

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses for carrying out the administration and implementation of programs administered by the Farm Service Agency, $988,768,000: Provided, That the Secretary is authorized to use the services, facilities, and authorities (but not the funds) of the Commodity Credit Corporation to make program payments for all programs administered by the Agency: Provided further, That other funds made available to the Agency for authorized activities may be advanced to and merged with this account.

STATE MEDIATION GRANTS

For grants pursuant to section 502(b) of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987, as amended (7 U.S.C. 5101-5106), $3,974,000.

DAIRY INDEMNITY PROGRAM

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses involved in making indemnity payments to dairy farmers and manufacturers of dairy products under a dairy indemnity program, $100,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That such program is carried out by the Secretary in the same manner as the dairy indemnity program described in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public Law 106-387, 114 Stat. 1549A-12).

AGRICULTURAL CREDIT INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct and guaranteed farm ownership (7 U.S.C. 1922 et seq.) and operating (7 U.S.C. 1941 et seq.) loans, Indian tribe land acquisition loans (25 U.S.C. 488), and boll weevil loans (7 U.S.C. 1989), to be available from funds in the Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund, as follows: farm ownership loans, $1,079,158,000, of which $950,000,000 shall be for guaranteed loans and $129,158,000 shall be for direct loans; operating loans, $2,083,752,000, of which $1,200,000,000 shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans, $266,249,000 shall be for subsidized guaranteed loans and $617,503,000 shall be for direct loans; Indian tribe land acquisition loans, $2,000,000; and for boll weevil eradication program loans, $100,000,000.

For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, including the cost of modifying loans as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows: farm ownership loans, $33,648,000, of which $5,130,000 shall be for guaranteed loans, and $28,518,000 shall be for direct loans; operating loans, $163,004,000, of which $39,960,000 shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans, $34,000,000 shall be for subsidized guaranteed loans, and $89,044,000 shall be for direct loans.

In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $290,968,000, of which $283,020,000 shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for `Farm Service Agency, Salaries and Expenses'.

Funds appropriated by this Act to the Agricultural Credit Insurance Program Account for farm ownership and operating direct loans and guaranteed loans may be transferred among these programs: Provided, That the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress are notified at least 15 days in advance of any transfer.

RISK MANAGEMENT AGENCY

For administrative and operating expenses, as authorized by section 226A of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6933), $71,422,000: Provided, That not to exceed $1,000 shall be available for official reception and representation expenses, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 1506(i).

CORPORATIONS

The following corporations and agencies are hereby authorized to make expenditures, within the limits of funds and borrowing authority available to each such corporation or agency and in accord with law, and to make contracts and commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as provided by section 104 of the Government Corporation Control Act as may be necessary in carrying out the programs set forth in the budget for the current fiscal year for such corporation or agency, except as hereinafter provided.

FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE CORPORATION FUND

For payments as authorized by section 516 of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1516), such sums as may be necessary, to remain available until expended.

COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION FUND

REIMBURSEMENT FOR NET REALIZED LOSSES

For the current fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for net realized losses sustained, but not previously reimbursed, pursuant to section 2 of the Act of August 17, 1961 (15 U.S.C. 713a-11).

HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT

(LIMITATION ON EXPENSES)

For the current fiscal year, the Commodity Credit Corporation shall not expend more than $5,000,000 for site investigation and cleanup expenses, and operations and maintenance expenses to comply with the requirement of section 107(g) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9607(g)), and section 6001 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6961).

TITLE II

CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment to administer the laws enacted by the Congress for the Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, $745,000.

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

CONSERVATION OPERATIONS

For necessary expenses for carrying out the provisions of the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-f), including preparation of conservation plans and establishment of measures to conserve soil and water (including farm irrigation and land drainage and such special measures for soil and water management as may be necessary to prevent floods and the siltation of reservoirs and to control agricultural related pollutants); operation of conservation plant materials centers; classification and mapping of soil; dissemination of information; acquisition of lands, water, and interests therein for use in the plant materials program by donation, exchange, or purchase at a nominal cost not to exceed $100 pursuant to the Act of August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 428a); purchase and erection or alteration or improvement of permanent and temporary buildings; and operation and maintenance of aircraft, $853,004,000, to remain available until expended (7 U.S.C. 2209b), of which not less than $9,250,000 is for snow survey and water forecasting, and not less than $11,500,000 is for operation and establishment of the plant materials centers, and of which not less than $23,500,000 shall be for the grazing lands conservation initiative: Provided, That appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2250 for construction and improvement of buildings and public improvements at plant materials centers, except that the cost of alterations and improvements to other buildings and other public improvements shall not exceed $250,000: Provided further, That when buildings or other structures are erected on non-Federal land, that the right to use such land is obtained as provided in 7 U.S.C. 2250a: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be available for technical assistance and related expenses to carry out programs authorized by section 202(c) of title II of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 (43 U.S.C. 1592(c)): Provided further, That qualified local engineers may be temporarily employed at per diem rates to perform the technical planning work of the Service: Provided further, That none of the funds made available under this paragraph by this or any other appropriations Act may be used to provide technical assistance with respect to programs listed in section 1241(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(a)).

WATERSHED SURVEYS AND PLANNING

For necessary expenses to conduct research, investigation, and surveys of watersheds of rivers and other waterways, and for small watershed investigations and planning, in accordance with the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1001-1009), $10,562,000: Provided, That none of the funds made available under this paragraph by this or any other appropriations Act may be used to provide technical assistance with respect to programs listed in section 1241(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(a)).

WATERSHED AND FLOOD PREVENTION OPERATIONS

For necessary expenses to carry out preventive measures, including but not limited to research, engineering operations, methods of cultivation, the growing of vegetation, rehabilitation of existing works and changes in use of land, in accordance with the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1001-1005 and 1007-1009), the provisions of the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-f), and in accordance with the provisions of laws relating to the activities of the Department, $87,000,000, to remain available until expended; of which up to $10,000,000 may be available for the watersheds authorized under the Flood Control Act (33 U.S.C. 701 and 16 U.S.C. 1006a): Provided, That not to exceed $40,000,000 of this appropriation shall be available for technical assistance: Provided further, That not to exceed $1,000,000 of this appropriation is available to carry out the purposes of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-205), including cooperative efforts as contemplated by that Act to relocate endangered or threatened species to other suitable habitats as may be necessary to expedite project construction: Provided further, That none of the funds made available under this paragraph by this or any other appropriations Act may be used to provide technical assistance with respect to programs listed in section 1241(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(a)).

WATERSHED REHABILITATION PROGRAM

For necessary expenses to carry out rehabilitation of structural measures, in accordance with section 14 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1012), and in accordance with the provisions of laws relating to the activities of the Department, $29,805,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That none of the funds made available under this paragraph by this or any other appropriations Act may be used to provide technical assistance with respect to programs listed in section 1241(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(a)).

RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT

For necessary expenses in planning and carrying out projects for resource conservation and development and for sound land use pursuant to the provisions of sections 31 and 32 of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act (7 U.S.C. 1010-1011; 76 Stat. 607); the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-f); and subtitle H of title XV of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3451-3461), $51,947,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That none of the funds made available under this paragraph by this or any other appropriations Act may be used to provide technical assistance with respect to programs listed in section 1241(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(a)): Provided further, That the Secretary shall enter into a cooperative or contribution agreement with a national association regarding a Resource Conservation and Development program and such agreement shall contain the same matching, contribution requirements, and funding level, set forth in a similar cooperative or contribution agreement with a national association in fiscal year 2002: Provided further, That not to exceed $3,504,300, the same amount as in the budget, shall be available for national headquarters activities.

TITLE III

RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development to administer programs under the laws enacted by the Congress for the Rural Housing Service, the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and the Rural Utilities Service of the Department of Agriculture, $636,000.

RURAL COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For the cost of direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 1926, 1926a, 1926c, 1926d, and 1932, except for sections 381E-H and 381N of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, $757,425,000, to remain available until expended, of which $75,919,000 shall be for rural community programs described in section 381E(d)(1) of such Act; of which $605,006,000 shall be for the rural utilities programs described in sections 381E(d)(2), 306C(a)(2), and 306D of such Act, of which not to exceed $500,000 shall be available for the rural utilities program described in section 306(a)(2)(B) of such Act, and of which not to exceed $1,000,000 shall be available for the rural utilities program described in section 306E of such Act; and of which $76,500,000 shall be for the rural business and cooperative development programs described in sections 381E(d)(3) and 310B(f) of such Act: Provided, That of the amount appropriated for rural business and cooperative development programs, $100,000 shall be for a pilot program in the State of Alaska to assist communities with community planning: Provided further, That of the total amount appropriated in this account, $24,000,000 shall be for loans and grants to benefit Federally Recognized Native American Tribes, including grants for drinking water and waste disposal systems pursuant to section 306C of such Act, of which $4,000,000 shall be available for community facilities grants to tribal colleges, as authorized by section 306(a)(19) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, and of which $250,000 shall be available for a grant to a qualified national organization to provide technical assistance for rural transportation in order to promote economic development: Provided further, That of the amount appropriated for rural community programs, $6,000,000 shall be available for a Rural Community Development Initiative: Provided further, That such funds shall be used solely to develop the capacity and ability of private, nonprofit community-based housing and community development organizations, low-income rural communities, and Federally Recognized Native American Tribes to undertake projects to improve housing, community facilities, community and economic development projects in rural areas: Provided further, That such funds shall be made available to qualified private, nonprofit and public intermediary organizations proposing to carry out a program of financial and technical assistance: Provided further, That such intermediary organizations shall provide matching funds from other sources, including Federal funds for related activities, in an amount not less than funds provided: Provided further, That of the amount appropriated for the rural business and cooperative development programs, not to exceed $500,000 shall be made available for a grant to a qualified national organization to provide technical assistance for rural transportation in order to promote economic development; $1,750,000 shall be for grants to the Delta Regional Authority (7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.); and not less than $2,000,000 shall be available for grants in accordance with section 310B(f) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act: Provided further, That of the amount appropriated for rural utilities programs, not to exceed $25,000,000 shall be for water and waste disposal systems to benefit the Colonias along the United States/Mexico border, including grants pursuant to section 306C of such Act; not to exceed $28,000,000 shall be for water and waste disposal systems for rural and native villages in Alaska pursuant to section 306D of such Act, with up to 1 percent available to administer the program and up to 1 percent available to improve interagency coordination may be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for `Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses', of which $100,000 shall be provided to develop a regional system for centralized billing, operation, and management of rural water and sewer utilities through regional cooperatives, of which 25 percent shall be provided for water and sewer projects in regional hubs, and the State of Alaska shall provide a 25 percent cost share; not to exceed $17,733,000 shall be for technical assistance grants for rural water and waste systems pursuant to section 306(a)(14) of such Act, of which $5,513,000 shall be for Rural Community Assistance Programs; and not to exceed $13,000,000 shall be for contracting with qualified national organizations for a circuit rider program to provide technical assistance for rural water systems: Provided further, That of the amount appropriated for the circuit rider program, Alaska shall receive two additional full circuit rider contracts and not less than $750,000 shall be for contracting with qualified national organizations to establish a Native American circuit rider program to provide technical assistance for rural water systems: Provided further, That of the total amount appropriated, not to exceed $22,132,000 shall be available through June 30, 2004, for authorized empowerment zones and enterprise communities and communities designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones; of which $1,000,000 shall be for the rural community programs described in section 381E(d)(1) of such Act, of which $12,582,000 shall be for the rural utilities programs described in section 381E(d)(2) of such Act, and of which $8,550,000 shall be for the rural business and cooperative development programs described in section 381E(d)(3) of such Act: Provided further, That of the amount appropriated for rural community programs, not to exceed $22,000,000 shall be to provide grants for facilities in rural communities with extreme unemployment and severe economic depression (Public Law 106-387), with 5 percent for administration and capacity building in the State rural development offices: Provided further, That of the amount appropriated, $28,000,000 shall be transferred to and merged with the `Rural Utilities Service, High Energy Cost Grants Account' to provide grants authorized under section 19 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 918a): Provided further, That any prior year balances for high cost energy grants authorized by section 19 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901(19)) shall be transferred to and merged with the `Rural Utilities Service, High Energy Costs Grants Account'.

RURAL DEVELOPMENT SALARIES AND EXPENSES

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses for carrying out the administration and implementation of programs in the Rural Development mission area, including activities with institutions concerning the development and operation of agricultural cooperatives; and for cooperative agreements;$141,869,000: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds appropriated under this section may be used for advertising and promotional activities that support the Rural Development mission area: Provided further, That not more than $10,000 may be expended to provide modest nonmonetary awards to non-USDA employees: Provided further, That any balances available from prior years for the Rural Utilities Service, Rural Housing Service, and the Rural Business-Cooperative Service salaries and expenses accounts shall be transferred to and merged with this appropriation.

RURAL HOUSING SERVICE

RURAL HOUSING INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct and guaranteed loans as authorized by title V of the Housing Act of 1949, to be available from funds in the rural housing insurance fund, as follows: $4,091,634,000 for loans to section 502 borrowers, as determined by the Secretary, of which $1,366,462,000 shall be for direct loans, and of which $2,725,172,000 shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans; $35,004,000 for section 504 housing repair loans; $116,545,000 for section 515 rental housing; $100,000,000 for section 538 guaranteed multi-family housing loans; $5,045,000 for section 524 site loans; $11,500,000 for credit sales of acquired property, of which up to $1,500,000 may be for multi-family credit sales; and $2,400,000 for section 523 self-help housing land development loans.

For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows: section 502 loans, $165,921,000, of which $126,018,000 shall be for direct loans, and of which $39,903,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans; section 504 housing repair loans, $9,612,000; section 515 rental housing, $50,126,000; section 538 multi-family housing guaranteed loans, $5,950,000; multi-family credit sales of acquired property, $663,000; and section 523 self-help housing land development loans, $75,000: Provided, That of the total amount appropriated in this paragraph, $7,100,000 shall be available through June 30, 2004, for authorized empowerment zones and enterprise communities and communities designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones.

In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $443,302,000, which shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for `Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses'.

RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

For rental assistance agreements entered into or renewed pursuant to the authority under section 521(a)(2) or agreements entered into in lieu of debt forgiveness or payments for eligible households as authorized by section 502(c)(5)(D) of the Housing Act of 1949, $584,000,000; and, in addition, such sums as may be necessary, as authorized by section 521(c) of the Act, to liquidate debt incurred prior to fiscal year 1992 to carry out the rental assistance program under section 521(a)(2) of the Act: Provided, That of this amount, not more than $5,900,000 shall be available for debt forgiveness or payments for eligible households as authorized by section 502(c)(5)(D) of the Act, and not to exceed $20,000 per project for advances to nonprofit organizations or public agencies to cover direct costs (other than purchase price) incurred in purchasing projects pursuant to section 502(c)(5)(C) of the Act: Provided further, That agreements entered into or renewed during the current fiscal year shall be funded for a four-year period: Provided further, That any unexpended balances remaining at the end of such four-year agreements may be transferred and used for the purposes of any debt reduction; maintenance, repair, or rehabilitation of any existing projects; preservation; and rental assistance activities authorized under title V of the Act.

MUTUAL AND SELF-HELP HOUSING GRANTS

For grants and contracts pursuant to section 523(b)(1)(A) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490c), $34,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of the total amount appropriated, $1,000,000 shall be available through June 30, 2004, for authorized empowerment zones and enterprise communities and communities designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones.

RURAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANTS

For grants and contracts for very low-income housing repair, supervisory and technical assistance, compensation for construction defects, and rural housing preservation made by the Rural Housing Service, as authorized by 42 U.S.C. 1474, 1479(c), 1490e, and 1490m, $46,222,000, to remain available until expended, of which $5,000,000 shall be available for a processing and/or fishery workers housing demonstration project in Alaska, Mississippi, Utah, and Wisconsin: Provided, That of the total amount appropriated, $1,800,000 shall be available through June 30, 2004, for authorized empowerment zones and enterprise communities and communities designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones.

FARM LABOR PROGRAM ACCOUNT

For the cost of direct loans, grants, and contracts, as authorized by 42 U.S.C. 1484 and 1486, $36,307,000, to remain available until expended, for direct farm labor housing loans and domestic farm labor housing grants and contracts.

RURAL BUSINESS--COOPERATIVE SERVICE

RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOAN FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized by the Rural Development Loan Fund (42 U.S.C. 9812(a)), $40,000,000.

For the cost of direct loans, $17,308,000, as authorized by the Rural Development Loan Fund (42 U.S.C. 9812(a)), of which $1,724,000 shall be available through June 30, 2004, for Federally Recognized Native American Tribes and of which $3,449,000 shall be available through June 30, 2004, for the Delta Regional Authority (7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.): Provided, That such costs, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided further, That of the total amount appropriated, $2,447,000 shall be available through June 30, 2004, for the cost of direct loans for authorized empowerment zones and enterprise communities and communities designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones.

In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the direct loan programs, $4,272,000 shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for `Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses'.

RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING RESCISSION OF FUNDS)

For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized under section 313 of the Rural Electrification Act, for the purpose of promoting rural economic development and job creation projects, $15,002,000.

For the cost of direct loans, including the cost of modifying loans as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, $2,792,000.

Of the funds derived from interest on the cushion of credit payments in the current fiscal year, as authorized by section 313 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, $2,792,000 shall not be obligated and $2,792,000 are rescinded.

RURAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

For rural cooperative development grants authorized under section 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932), $24,000,000, of which $2,500,000 shall be for cooperative agreements for the appropriate technology transfer for rural areas program: Provided, That not to exceed $1,500,000 shall be for cooperatives or associations of cooperatives whose primary focus is to provide assistance to small, minority producers and whose governing board and/or membership is comprised of at least 75 percent minority; and of which not to exceed $15,000,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for value-added agricultural product market development grants, as authorized by section 6401 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note).

RURAL EMPOWERMENT ZONES AND ENTERPRISE COMMUNITIES GRANTS

For grants in connection with second and third rounds of empowerment zones and enterprise communities, $12,667,000, to remain available until expended, for designated rural empowerment zones and rural enterprise communities, as authorized by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 and the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105-277): Provided, That of the funds appropriated, $1,000,000 shall be made available to third round empowerment zones, as authorized by the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act (Public Law 106-554).

RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM

For the cost of a program of direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants, under the same terms and conditions as authorized by section 9006 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8106), $23,000,000 for direct and guaranteed renewable energy loans and grants: Provided, That the cost of direct loans and loan guarantees, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE

RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Insured loans pursuant to the authority of section 305 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 935) shall be made as follows: 5 percent rural electrification loans, $240,000,000; municipal rate rural electric loans, $1,000,000,000; loans made pursuant to section 306 of that Act, rural electric, $2,000,000,000; Treasury rate direct electric loans, $750,000,000; 5 percent rural telecommunications loans, $145,000,000; cost of money rural telecommunications loans, $250,000,000; loans made pursuant to section 306 of that Act, rural telecommunications loans, $120,000,000; and for guaranteed underwriting loans pursuant to section 313A, $1,000,000,000.

For the cost, as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, including the cost of modifying loans, of direct and guaranteed loans authorized by sections 305 and 306 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 935 and 936), as follows: cost of rural electric loans, $60,000, and the cost of telecommunication loans, $125,000: Provided, That notwithstanding section 305(d)(2) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, borrower interest rates may exceed 7 percent per year.

In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $37,853,000 which shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for `Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses'.

RURAL TELEPHONE BANK PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

The Rural Telephone Bank is hereby authorized to make such expenditures, within the limits of funds available to such corporation in accord with law, and to make such contracts and commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as provided by section 104 of the Government Corporation Control Act, as may be necessary in carrying out its authorized programs. During fiscal year 2004 and within the resources and authority available, gross obligations for the principal amount of direct loans shall be $173,503,000.

In addition, for administrative expenses, including audits, necessary to carry out the loan programs, $3,171,000, which shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for `Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses'.

DISTANCE LEARNING, TELEMEDICINE, AND BROADBAND PROGRAM

For the principal amount of direct distance learning and telemedicine loans, $300,000,000; and for the principal amount of direct broadband telecommunication loans, $602,000,000.

For grants for telemedicine and distance learning services in rural areas, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa et seq., $39,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That $14,000,000 shall be made available to convert analog to digital operation those noncommercial educational television broadcast stations that serve rural areas and are qualified for Community Service Grants by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting under section 396(k) of the Communications Act of 1934, including associated translators, repeaters, and studio-to-transmitter links.

For the cost of broadband loans, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., $13,116,000: Provided, That the interest rate for such loans shall be the cost of borrowing to the Department of the Treasury for obligations of comparable maturity: Provided further, That the cost of direct loans shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

In addition, $9,000,000, to remain available until expended, for a grant program to finance broadband transmission in rural areas eligible for Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program benefits authorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa.

TITLE IV

DOMESTIC FOOD PROGRAMS

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOOD, NUTRITION AND CONSUMER SERVICES

For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services to administer the laws enacted by the Congress for the Food and Nutrition Service, $599,000.

FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE

CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses to carry out the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), except section 21, and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.), except sections 17 and 21; $11,417,441,000, to remain available through September 30, 2005, of which $6,717,780,000 is hereby appropriated and $4,699,661,000 shall be derived by transfer from funds available under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c): Provided, That $5,000,000 shall be available for the Food and Nutrition Service to conduct a study of over and under certification errors and the effect on expenditures in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and an assessment of the feasibility of using income data matching in those programs: Provided further, That except as specifically provided under this heading, none of the funds made available under this heading shall be used for studies and evaluations: Provided further, That up to $5,235,000 shall be available for independent verification of school food service claims.

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN (WIC)

For necessary expenses to carry out the special supplemental nutrition program as authorized by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), $4,639,232,000, to remain available through September 30, 2005: Provided, That of the total amount available, the Secretary shall obligate not less than $15,000,000 for a breastfeeding support initiative in addition to the activities specified in section 17(h)(3)(A) and up to $25,000,000 for a management information system initiative upon a determination by the Secretary that funds are available to meet caseload requirements: Provided further, That up to $4,000,000 shall be available for pilot projects to prevent childhood obesity upon a determination by the Secretary that funds are available to meet caseload requirements: Provided further, That of the total amount available, the Secretary shall obligate $23,000,000 for the farmers' market nutrition program: Provided further, That notwithstanding section 17(h)(10)(A) of such Act, $14,000,000 shall be available for the purposes specified in section 17(h)(10)(B): Provided further, That none of the funds made available under this heading shall be used for studies and evaluations: Provided further, That none of the funds in this Act shall be available to pay administrative expenses of WIC clinics except those that have an announced policy of prohibiting smoking within the space used to carry out the program: Provided further, That none of the funds provided in this account shall be available for the purchase of infant formula except in accordance with the cost containment and competitive bidding requirements specified in section 17 of such Act: Provided further, That none of the funds provided shall be available for activities that are not fully reimbursed by other Federal Government departments or agencies unless authorized by section 17 of such Act.

FOOD STAMP PROGRAM

For necessary expenses to carry out the Food Stamp Act (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), $30,945,981,000, of which $3,000,000,000 shall be placed in reserve for use only in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations: Provided, That none of the funds made available under this heading shall be used for studies and evaluations: Provided further, That of the funds made available under this heading and not already appropriated to the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) established under section 4(b) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2013(b)), not to exceed $4,000,000 shall be used to purchase bison meat for the FDPIR from Native American bison producers as well as from producer-owned cooperatives of bison ranchers: Provided further, That funds provided herein shall be expended in accordance with section 16 of the Food Stamp Act: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be subject to any work registration or workfare requirements as may be required by law: Provided further, That funds made available for Employment and Training under this heading shall remain available until expended, as authorized by section 16(h)(1) of the Food Stamp Act.

COMMODITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

For necessary expenses to carry out disaster assistance and the commodity supplemental food program as authorized by section 4(a) of the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c note); the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983; and special assistance (in a form determined by the Secretary of Agriculture) for the nuclear affected islands, as authorized by section 103(h)(2) of the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985 (48 U.S.C. 1903(h)(2)) (or a successor law), $150,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 2005: Provided, That none of these funds shall be available to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for commodities donated to the program.

NUTRITION PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION

For necessary administrative expenses of the domestic nutrition assistance programs funded under this Act, $138,304,000, of which $5,000,000 shall be available only for simplifying procedures, reducing overhead costs, tightening regulations, improving food stamp benefit delivery, and assisting in the prevention, identification, and prosecution of fraud and other violations of law; and of which not less than $4,000,000 shall be available to improve integrity in the Food Stamp and Child Nutrition programs.

TITLE V

FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AND RELATED PROGRAMS

FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses of the Foreign Agricultural Service, including carrying out title VI of the Agricultural Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1761-1769), market development activities abroad, and for enabling the Secretary to coordinate and integrate activities of the Department in connection with foreign agricultural work, including not to exceed $158,000 for representation allowances and for expenses pursuant to section 8 of the Act approved August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 1766), $132,148,000: Provided, That the Service may utilize advances of funds, or reimburse this appropriation for expenditures made on behalf of Federal agencies, public and private organizations and institutions under agreements executed pursuant to the agricultural food production assistance programs (7 U.S.C. 1737) and the foreign assistance programs of the United States Agency for International Development.

PUBLIC LAW 480 TITLE I PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For the cost, as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, of agreements under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, and the Food for Progress Act of 1985, including the cost of modifying credit arrangements under said Acts, $103,887,000, to remain available until expended.

In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the credit program of title I, Public Law 83-480, and the Food for Progress Act of 1985, to the extent funds appropriated for Public Law 83-480 are utilized, $2,134,000, of which $1,075,000 may be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for `Foreign Agricultural Service, Salaries and Expenses', and of which $1,059,000 may be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for `Farm Service Agency, Salaries and Expenses'.

PUBLIC LAW 480 TITLE I OCEAN FREIGHT DIFFERENTIAL GRANTS

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For ocean freight differential costs for the shipment of agricultural commodities under title I of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 and under the Food for Progress Act of 1985, $28,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That funds made available for the cost of agreements under title I of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 and for title I ocean freight differential may be used interchangeably between the two accounts with prior notice to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.

PUBLIC LAW 480 TITLE II GRANTS

For expenses during the current fiscal year, not otherwise recoverable, and unrecovered prior years' costs, including interest thereon, under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, for commodities supplied in connection with dispositions abroad under title II of said Act, $1,192,000,000, to remain available until expended.

MCGOVERN-DOLE INTERNATIONAL FOOD FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM GRANTS

For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of section 3107 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 1736o-1), $50,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That the Commodity Credit Corporation is authorized to provide the services, facilities, and authorities for the purpose of implementing such section, subject to reimbursement from amounts provided herein.

COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION EXPORT LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For administrative expenses to carry out the Commodity Credit Corporation's export guarantee program, GSM 102 and GSM 103, $4,152,000; to cover common overhead expenses as permitted by section 11 of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and in conformity with the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, of which $3,306,000 may be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for `Foreign Agricultural Service, Salaries and Expenses', and of which $846,000 may be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for `Farm Service Agency, Salaries and Expenses'.

TITLE VI

RELATED AGENCIES AND FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For necessary expenses of the Food and Drug Administration, including hire and purchase of passenger motor vehicles; for payment of space rental and related costs pursuant to Public Law 92-313 for programs and activities of the Food and Drug Administration which are included in this Act; for rental of special purpose space in the District of Columbia or elsewhere; for miscellaneous and emergency expenses of enforcement activities, authorized and approved by the Secretary and to be accounted for solely on the Secretary's certificate, not to exceed $25,000; and notwithstanding section 521 of Public Law 107-188; $1,673,441,000: Provided, That of the amount provided under this heading, $249,825,000 shall be derived from prescription drug user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379h, and shall be credited to this account and remain available until expended; $31,654,000 shall be derived from medical device user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j, and shall be credited to this account and remain available until expended; and $5,000,000 shall be derived from animal drug user fees (subject to enactment of legislation authorizing such fees), and shall be credited to this account and remain available until expended: Provided further, That fees derived from prescription drug, medical device, and animal drug assessments received during fiscal year 2004, including any such fees assessed prior to the current fiscal year but credited during the current year, shall be subject to the fiscal year 2004 limitation: Provided further, That none of these funds shall be used to develop, establish, or operate any program of user fees authorized by 31 U.S.C. 9701: Provided further, That of the total amount appropriated: (1) $413,112,000 shall be for the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (2) $477,966,000 shall be for the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (3) $169,429,000 shall be for the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research and for related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (4) $89,396,000 shall be for the Center for Veterinary Medicine and for related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (5) $209,420,000 shall be for the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and for related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (6) $39,887,000 shall be for the National Center for Toxicological Research; (7) $39,276,000 shall be for Rent and Related activities, other than the amounts paid to the General Services Administration for rent; (8) $119,594,000 shall be for payments to the General Services Administration for rent; and (9) $115,361,000 shall be for other activities, including the Office of the Commissioner; the Office of Management and Systems; the Office of External Relations; the Office of Policy and Planning; and central services for these offices: Provided further, That funds may be transferred from one specified activity to another with the prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.

In addition, mammography user fees authorized by 42 U.S.C. 263b may be credited to this account, to remain available until expended.

In addition, export certification user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 381 may be credited to this account, to remain available until expended.

BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

For plans, construction, repair, improvement, extension, alteration, and purchase of fixed equipment or facilities of or used by the Food and Drug Administration, where not otherwise provided, $7,000,000 to remain available until expended.

INDEPENDENT AGENCIES

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), including the purchase and hire of passenger motor vehicles, and the rental of space (to include multiple year leases) in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, $90,435,000, including not to exceed $3,000 for official reception and representation expenses.

FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION

LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

Not to exceed $40,900,000 (from assessments collected from farm credit institutions and from the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation) shall be obligated during the current fiscal year for administrative expenses as authorized under 12 U.S.C. 2249: Provided, That this limitation shall not apply to expenses associated with receiverships.

TITLE VII--GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 701. Within the unit limit of cost fixed by law, appropriations and authorizations made for the Department of Agriculture for the current fiscal year under this Act shall be available for the purchase, in addition to those specifically provided for, of not to exceed 398 passenger motor vehicles, of which 396 shall be for replacement only, and for the hire of such vehicles.

SEC. 702. Funds in this Act available to the Department of Agriculture shall be available for uniforms or allowances therefor as authorized by law (5 U.S.C. 5901-5902).

SEC. 703. Funds appropriated by this Act shall be available for employment pursuant to the second sentence of section 706(a) of the Department of Agriculture Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 2225) and 5 U.S.C. 3109.

SEC. 704. The Secretary of Agriculture may transfer unobligated balances of discretionary funds appropriated by this Act or other available unobligated discretionary balances of the Department of Agriculture to the Working Capital Fund for the acquisition of plant and capital equipment necessary for the delivery of financial, administrative, and information technology services of primary benefit to the agencies of the Department of Agriculture: Provided, That none of the funds made available by this Act or any other Act shall be transferred to the Working Capital Fund without the prior approval of the agency administrator: Provided further, That none of the funds transferred to the Working Capital Fund pursuant to this section shall be available for obligation without the prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.

SEC. 705. New obligational authority provided for the following appropriation items in this Act shall remain available until expended: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the contingency fund to meet emergency conditions, information technology infrastructure, fruit fly program, emerging plant pests, boll weevil program, and up to 25 percent of the screwworm program; Food Safety and Inspection Service, field automation and information management project; Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, funds for competitive research grants (7 U.S.C. 450i(b)), funds for the Research, Education, and Economics Information System (REEIS), and funds for the Native American Institutions Endowment Fund; Farm Service Agency, salaries and expenses funds made available to county committees; Foreign Agricultural Service, middle-income country training program and up to $2,000,000 of the Foreign Agricultural Service appropriation solely for the purpose of offsetting fluctuations in international currency exchange rates, subject to documentation by the Foreign Agricultural Service.

SEC. 706. No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein.

SEC. 707. Not to exceed $50,000 of the appropriations available to the Department of Agriculture in this Act shall be available to provide appropriate orientation and language training pursuant to section 606C of the Act of August 28, 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1766b).

SEC. 708. No funds appropriated by this Act may be used to pay negotiated indirect cost rates on cooperative agreements or similar arrangements between the United States Department of Agriculture and nonprofit institutions in excess of 10 percent of the total direct cost of the agreement when the purpose of such cooperative arrangements is to carry out programs of mutual interest between the two parties. This does not preclude appropriate payment of indirect costs on grants and contracts with such institutions when such indirect costs are computed on a similar basis for all agencies for which appropriations are provided in this Act.

SEC. 709. None of the funds in this Act shall be available to restrict the authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation to lease space for its own use or to lease space on behalf of other agencies of the Department of Agriculture when such space will be jointly occupied.

SEC. 710. None of the funds in this Act shall be available to pay indirect costs charged against competitive agricultural research, education, or extension grant awards issued by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service that exceed 20 percent of total Federal funds provided under each award: Provided, That notwithstanding section 1462 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3310), funds provided by this Act for grants awarded competitively by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service shall be available to pay full allowable indirect costs for each grant awarded under section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638).

SEC. 711. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, all loan levels provided in this Act shall be considered estimates, not limitations.

SEC. 712. Appropriations to the Department of Agriculture for the cost of direct and guaranteed loans made available in the current fiscal year shall remain available until expended to cover obligations made in the current fiscal year for the following accounts: the Rural Development Loan Fund program account, the Rural Telephone Bank program account, the Rural Electrification and Telecommunication Loans program account, the Rural Housing Insurance Fund program account, and the Rural Economic Development Loans program account.

SEC. 713. None of the funds in this Act may be used to retire more than 5 percent of the Class A stock of the Rural Telephone Bank or to maintain any account or subaccount within the accounting records of the Rural Telephone Bank the creation of which has not specifically been authorized by statute: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available in this Act may be used to transfer to the Treasury or to the Federal Financing Bank any unobligated balance of the Rural Telephone Bank telephone liquidating account which is in excess of current requirements and such balance shall receive interest as set forth for financial accounts in section 505(c) of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990.

SEC. 714. Of the funds made available by this Act, not more than $1,800,000 shall be used to cover necessary expenses of activities related to all advisory committees, panels, commissions, and task forces of the Department of Agriculture, except for panels used to comply with negotiated rule makings and panels used to evaluate competitively awarded grants.

SEC. 715. None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be used to carry out section 410 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 679a) or section 30 of the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 471).

SEC. 716. No employee of the Department of Agriculture may be detailed or assigned from an agency or office funded by this Act to any other agency or office of the Department for more than 30 days unless the individual's employing agency or office is fully reimbursed by the receiving agency or office for the salary and expenses of the employee for the period of assignment.

SEC. 717. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Agriculture shall be used to transmit or otherwise make available to any non-Department of Agriculture employee questions or responses to questions that are a result of information requested for the appropriations hearing process.

SEC. 718. None of the funds made available to the Department of Agriculture by this Act may be used to acquire new information technology systems or significant upgrades, as determined by the Office of the Chief Information Officer, without the approval of the Chief Information Officer and the concurrence of the Executive Information Technology Investment Review Board: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be transferred to the Office of the Chief Information Officer without the prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.

SEC. 719. (a) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the Treasury of the United States derived by the collection of fees available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for obligation or expenditure through a reprogramming of funds which: (1) creates new programs; (2) eliminates a program, project, or activity; (3) increases funds or personnel by any means for any project or activity for which funds have been denied or restricted; (4) relocates an office or employees; (5) reorganizes offices, programs, or activities; or (6) contracts out or privatizes any functions or activities presently performed by Federal employees; unless the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress are notified 15 days in advance of such reprogramming of funds.

(b) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the Treasury of the United States derived by the collection of fees available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for obligation or expenditure for activities, programs, or projects through a reprogramming of funds in excess of $500,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less, that: (1) augments existing programs, projects, or activities; (2) reduces by 10 percent funding for any existing program, project, or activity, or numbers of personnel by 10 percent as approved by Congress; or (3) results from any general savings from a reduction in personnel which would result in a change in existing programs, activities, or projects as approved by Congress; unless the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress are notified 15 days in advance of such reprogramming of funds.

(c) The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission shall notify the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress before implementing a program or activity not carried out during the previous fiscal year unless the program or activity is funded by this Act or specifically funded by any other Act.

SEC. 720. With the exception of funds needed to administer and conduct oversight of grants awarded and obligations incurred in prior fiscal years, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act may be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to carry out the provisions of section 401 of Public Law 105-185, the Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (7 U.S.C. 7621).

SEC. 721. None of the funds appropriated by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel who prepare or submit appropriations language as part of the President's Budget submission to the Congress of the United States for programs under the jurisdiction of the Appropriations Subcommittees on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies that assumes revenues or reflects a reduction from the previous year due to user fees proposals that have not been enacted into law prior to the submission of the Budget unless such Budget submission identifies which additional spending reductions should occur in the event the user fees proposals are not enacted prior to the date of the convening of a committee of conference for the fiscal year 2005 appropriations Act.

SEC. 722. None of the funds made available by this or any other Act may be used to close or relocate a state Rural Development office unless or until cost effectiveness and enhancement of program delivery have been determined.

SEC. 723. In addition to amounts otherwise appropriated or made available by this Act, $3,000,000 is appropriated for the purpose of providing Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland Hunger Fellowships, as authorized by Public Law 108-58.

SEC. 724. Notwithstanding section 412 of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1736f), any balances available to carry out title III of such Act as of the date of enactment of this Act, and any recoveries and reimbursements that become available to carry out title III of such Act, may be used to carry out title II of such Act.

SEC. 725. Of any shipments of commodities made pursuant to section 416(b) of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1431(b)), the Secretary of Agriculture shall, to the extent practicable, direct that tonnage equal in value to not more than $25,000,000 shall be made available to foreign countries to assist in mitigating the effects of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome on communities, including the provision of--

(1) agricultural commodities to--

(A) individuals with Human Immunodeficiency Virus or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome in the communities; and

(B) households in the communities, particularly individuals caring for orphaned children; and

(2) agricultural commodities monetized to provide other assistance (including assistance under microcredit and microenterprise programs) to create or restore sustainable livelihoods among individuals in the communities, particularly individuals caring for orphaned children.

SEC. 726. Section 375(e)(6)(B) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2008j(e)(6)(B)) is amended by striking `$26,499,000' and inserting `$26,998,000'.

SEC. 727. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Natural Resources Conservation Service may provide financial and technical assistance through the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program for the Kuhn Bayou and Ditch 26 Improvement projects in Arkansas, the Matanuska River erosion control project in Alaska, the DuPage County Sawmill Creek Watershed project in Illinois, and the Coal Creek project in Utah, and four flood control structures in Marmaton, Kansas.

SEC. 728. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall consider the County of Lawrence, Ohio; the City of Havelock, North Carolina; the City of Portsmouth, Ohio; the City of Binghamton, New York; the Town of Vestal, New York; the City of Ithaca, New York; the City of Casa Grande, Arizona; the City of Clarksdale, Mississippi; the City of Coachella, California; the City of Salinas, California; the City of Watsonville, California; the City of Hollister, California; the Municipality of Carolina, Puerto Rico; and the City of Kinston, North Carolina, as meeting the eligibility requirements for loans and grants programs in the Rural Development mission area.

SEC. 729. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Natural Resources Conservation Service shall provide financial and technical assistance to the DuPage County, Illinois, Kress Creek Watershed Plan, from funds available for the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program, not to exceed $1,600,000 and Rockhouse Creek Watershed, Leslie County, Kentucky, not to exceed $1,000,000.

SEC. 730. None of the funds made available in this Act may be transferred to any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government, except pursuant to a transfer made by, or transfer authority provided in, this or any other appropriation Act.

SEC. 731. None of the funds made available to the Food and Drug Administration by this Act shall be used to close or relocate, or to plan to close or relocate, the Food and Drug Administration Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis in St. Louis, Missouri, outside the city or county limits of St. Louis, Missouri.

SEC. 732. Agencies and offices of the Department of Agriculture may utilize any unobligated salaries and expenses funds to reimburse the Office of the General Counsel for salaries and expenses of personnel, and for other related expenses, incurred in representing such agencies and offices in the resolution of complaints by employees or applicants for employment, and in cases and other matters pending before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, or the Merit Systems Protection Board with the prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.

SEC. 733. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of the funds made available in this Act for competitive research grants (7 U.S.C. 450i(b)), the Secretary may use up to 20 percent of the amount provided to carry out a competitive grants program under the same terms and conditions as those provided in section 401 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7621), including requests for proposals for grants for critical emerging issues described in section 401(c)(1) of that Act for which the Secretary has not issued requests for proposals for grants in fiscal year 2002 or 2003.

SEC. 734. None of the funds appropriated or made available by this or any other Act may be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to carry out section 14(h)(1) of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1012(h)(1)).

SEC. 735. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Natural Resources Conservation Service shall provide financial and technical assistance through the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program to carry out the Upper Tygart Valley Watershed project, West Virginia: Provided, That the Natural Resources Conservation Service is authorized to provide 100 percent of the engineering assistance and 75 percent cost share for installation of the water supply component of this project.

SEC. 736. None of the funds appropriated or made available by this or any other Act may be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to carry out subtitle I of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009dd through dd-7).

SEC. 737. None of the funds appropriated or made available by this or any other Act may be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to carry out section 6405 of Public Law 107-171 (7 U.S.C. 2655).

SEC. 738. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to carry out the provisions of sections 7404(a)(1) and 7404(c)(1) of Public Law 107-171.

SEC. 739. The Agricultural Marketing Service and the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, that have statutory authority to purchase interest bearing investments outside of the Treasury, are not required to establish obligations and outlays for those investments, provided those investments are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or are collateralized at the Federal Reserve with securities approved by the Federal Reserve, operating under the guidelines of the United States Department of the Treasury.

SEC. 740. Of the funds made available under section 27(a) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the Secretary may use up to $10,000,000 for costs associated with the distribution of commodities.

SEC. 741. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to enroll in excess of 189,144 acres in the calendar year 2004 wetlands reserve program as authorized by 16 U.S.C. 3837.

SEC. 742. None of the funds made available in fiscal year 2004 or preceding fiscal years for programs authorized under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.) in excess of $20,000,000 shall be used to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for the release of eligible commodities under section 302(f)(2)(A) of the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act (7 U.S.C. 1736f-1): Provided, That any such funds made available to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation shall only be used pursuant to section 302(b)(2)(B)(i) of the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act.

SEC. 743. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel who carry out an environmental quality incentives program authorized by chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa et seq.) in excess of $975,000,000.

SEC. 744. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Natural Resources Conservation Service may provide from appropriated funds financial and technical assistance to the Dry Creek project, Utah.

SEC. 745. The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to permit employees of the United States Department of Agriculture to carry and use firearms for personal protection while conducting field work in remote locations in the performance of their official duties.

SEC. 746. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to expend the $23,000,000 made available by section 9006(f) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8106(f)).

SEC. 747. ACCESS TO BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to expend the $20,000,000 made available by section 601(j)(1)(A) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb(j)(1)(A)) for fiscal year 2004.

SEC. 748. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to expend the $40,000,000 made available by section 231(b)(4) of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note) for fiscal year 2004.

SEC. 749. Section 285 of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (16 U.S.C. 1638d et seq.) is amended by striking `2004' and inserting in lieu thereof `2006, except for `farm-raised fish' and `wild fish' which shall be September 30, 2004'.

SEC. 750. (a) Notwithstanding subsections (c) and (e)(2) of section 313A of the Rural Electrification Act (7 U.S.C. 940c(c) and (e)(2)) in implementing section 313A of that Act, the Secretary shall, with the consent of the lender, structure the schedule for payment of the annual fee, not to exceed an average of 30 basis points per year for the term of the loan, to ensure that sufficient funds are available to pay the subsidy costs for note guarantees under that section; and

(b) The Secretary shall publish a proposed rule to carry out section 313A of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 within 60 days of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 751. Any unobligated balances in the Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Revolving Fund are hereby rescinded.

SEC. 752. Not more than $41,443,000 for fiscal year 2004 of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act shall be used to carry out the conservation security program established under subchapter A of chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838 et seq.).

SEC. 753. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to carry out a ground and surface water conservation program authorized by section 2301 of Public Law 107-171, the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, in excess of $51,000,000.

SEC. 754. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to carry out section 2502 of Public Law 107-171, the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, in excess of $42,000,000.

SEC. 755. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to carry out section 2503 of Public Law 107-171, the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, in excess of $112,044,000.

SEC. 756. (a) ASSISTANCE FOR COMMERCIAL TREE LOSSES- The Secretary of Agriculture shall use $5,000,000 of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to provide assistance under the Tree Assistance Program, subtitle C of title X of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8201 et seq.), to tree-fruit growers located in a federally declared disaster area in the State of New York who suffered tree losses in 2003 as a result of an April 4-6, 2003, icestorm.

(b) The Secretary of Agriculture shall use $10,000,000 of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, to remain available until expended, to compensate commercial citrus and lime growers in the State of Florida for tree replacement and for lost production with respect to trees removed to control citrus canker, and with respect to certified citrus nursery stocks within the citrus canker quarantine areas, as determined by the Secretary. For a grower to receive assistance for a tree under this section, the tree must have been removed after September 30, 2001.

SEC. 757. There is hereby appropriated $1,500,000 to carry out section 6028 of Public Law 107-171, the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002: Provided, That notwithstanding section 383B(g)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb-1(g)(1)), the Federal share of the administrative expenses of the Northern Great Plains Regional Authority for fiscal year 2004 shall be 100 percent.

SEC. 758. Section 204(a)(3) of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1724(a)(3)) is amended by striking everything from `the Committee on Foreign Affairs' through `the Committee on' and inserting in lieu thereof `the Committees on International Relations, Agriculture and Appropriations of the House of Representatives, and the Committees on Appropriations and'.

SEC. 759. None of the funds appropriated or made available by this or any other Act may be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to carry out section 6029 of Public Law 107-171, the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002: Provided, That this section shall not apply to activities related to the promulgation of regulations or the receipt and review of applications for the Rural Business Investment Program.

SEC. 760. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available in this Act shall be expended to violate Public Law 105-264.

SEC. 761. COST-SHARING FOR ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH EMERGENCY PROGRAMS. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to issue a final rule in furtherance of, or otherwise implement, the proposed rule on cost-sharing for animal and plant health emergency programs of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service published on July 8, 2003 (Docket No. 02-062-1; 68 Fed. Reg. 40541).

SEC. 762. Agencies and offices of the Department of Agriculture may utilize any available discretionary funds to cover the costs of preparing, or contracting for the preparation of, final agency decisions regarding complaints of discrimination in employment or program activities arising within such agencies and offices.

SEC. 763. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for any fiscal year, in the case of a high cost isolated rural area in Alaska that is not connected to a road system, the maximum level for the single family housing assistance shall be 150 percent of the average income level in the metropolitan areas of the State and 115 percent of all other eligible areas of the State.

SEC. 764. There is hereby appropriated $1,000,000, to remain available until expended, for the Denali Commission to address deficiencies in solid waste disposal sites which threaten to contaminate rural drinking water supplies.

SEC. 765. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall consider the City of Vicksburg, Mississippi; the City of Aberdeen, South Dakota; and the City of Starkville, Mississippi as meeting the requirements of a rural area contained in section 520 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490) until receipt of the decennial Census for the year 2010.

SEC. 766. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall consider the City of Berlin, New Hampshire; the City of Guymon, Oklahoma; the City of Shawnee, Oklahoma; and the City of Altus, Oklahoma, to be eligible for loans and grants provided through the Rural Community Advancement Program until receipt of the decennial Census in the year 2010.

SEC. 767. None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to study, complete a study of, or enter into a contract with a private party to carry out, without specific authorization in a subsequent Act of Congress, a competitive sourcing activity of the Secretary of Agriculture, including support personnel of the Department of Agriculture, relating to rural development or farm loan programs.

SEC. 768. Section 501(b)(5)(B) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1471(b)(5)(B)) is amended by striking `for fiscal years 2002 and 2003,'.

SEC. 769. AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE. Section 524(b)(4)(B) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1524(b)(4)(B)) is amended--

(1) in clause (i), by striking `clause (ii)' and inserting `clauses (ii) and (iii)'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

`(iii) CERTAIN USES- Of the amounts made available to carry out this subsection for each fiscal years 2004 through 2007 the Commodity Credit Corporation shall use not less than--

`(I) $14,000,000 to carry out subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (2) through the Natural Resources Conservation Service;

`(II) $1,000,000 to provide organic certification cost share assistance through the Agricultural Marketing Service; and

`(III) $5,000,000 to conduct activities to carry out subparagraph (F) of paragraph (2) through the Risk Management Agency.'.

SEC. 770. Hereafter, no funds provided in this or any other Act shall be available to the Secretary of Agriculture acting through the Foreign Agricultural Service to promote the sale or export of tobacco or tobacco products.

SEC. 771. IN GENERAL- Section 3(o)(4) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended (7 U.S.C. 2012(o)(4)), is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: `, and except that on October 1, 2003, in the case of households residing in Alaska and Hawaii the Secretary may not reduce the cost of such diet in effect on September 30, 2002'.

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall be effective beginning on September 30, 2003.

SEC. 772. Section 601(b)(2) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb(b)(2)) is amended to read as follows:

`(2) ELIGIBLE RURAL COMMUNITY- The term `eligible rural community' means any area of the United States that is not contained in an incorporated city or town with a population in excess of 20,000 inhabitants.'.

SEC. 773. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for all activities under programs of the Rural Development Mission Area within the County of Honolulu, Hawaii, the Secretary may designate any portion of the county as a rural area or eligible rural community that the Secretary determines is not urban in character: Provided, That the Secretary shall not include in any such rural area or eligible rural community any area included in the Honolulu Census Designated Place as determined by the Secretary of Commerce.

SEC. 774. The first sentence of section 306(g)(1) of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1721(g)(1)) is amended--

(1) by striking `or title V of the Housing Act of 1949'; and

(2) by inserting after `1944' the following: `, title V of the Housing Act of 1949,'.

SEC. 775. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (including the associated regul