Skip to content
PoliticalRepoPoliticalRepo

United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 2185 (105th)

USDA Accountability and Equity Act of 1997

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

17 July 1997

Last action

23 October 1997 · Committee

Status

Committee Hearings Held.

Sponsors

Rep. Clayton, Eva M. [D-NC-1], Rep. Hilliard, Earl F. [D-AL-7], Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2], Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2], Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-20], Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18], Rep. Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [D-MI-13], Rep. Lewis, John [D-GA-5], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3], Rep. Wynn, Albert Russell [D-MD-4], Rep. Bonior, David E. [D-MI-10], Rep. Dixon, Julian C. [D-CA-32], Rep. Abercrombie, Neil [D-HI-1], Rep. Clay, William (Bill) [D-MO-1], Rep. Meek, Carrie P. [D-FL-17], Rep. Brown, Corrine [D-FL-5], Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-15], Rep. Johnson, Eddie Bernice [D-TX-30], Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH], Rep. McKinney, Cynthia A. [D-GA-4], Rep. Conyers, John, Jr. [D-MI-13], Rep. Watt, Melvin L. [D-NC-12], Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43], Rep. Mink, Patsy T. [D-HI-2], Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40], Rep. Towns, Edolphus [D-NY-10], Rep. Clyburn, James E. [D-SC-6], Rep. Carson, Julia [D-IN-7], Rep. Frost, Martin [D-TX-24], Rep. Fattah, Chaka [D-PA-2], Rep. Brown, George E., Jr. [D-CA-42], Rep. Stark, Fortney Pete [D-CA-13], Del. Christensen, Donna M. [D-VI-At Large], Del. Underwood, Robert A. [D-GU-At Large], Rep. Farr, Sam [D-CA-20], Rep. Kennelly, Barbara B. [D-CT-1], Rep. Pastor, Ed [D-AZ-4], Rep. Furse, Elizabeth [D-OR-1], Rep. Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [D-NY-25], Rep. Woolsey, Lynn C. [D-CA-6], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18], Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. Payne, Donald M. [D-NJ-10], Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Ford, Harold E., Jr. [D-TN-9]

Subjects

Environment, Housing, Agriculture, Taxation, Education

Source updated

21 August 2025

Environment · Housing · Agriculture · Taxation · Education

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Program Accountability Title II: Program Equity Title III: Funding of Farm Ownership and Operating Loans USDA Accountability and Equity Act of 1997 - Title I: Program Accountability - Amends the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act to increase the size of the county committees by two members who shall be: (1) appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary); and (2) demographically representative of local producers. States that: (1) civil service laws shall apply to all persons performing functions for any county, area, or local committee; and (2) the county executive director of such committee, or other person selected by the Secretary, shall have sole responsibility for making local agricultural loan determinations, subject to State-level approval. (Sec. 102) Provides for the conversion of permanent and temporary (at the Secretary's discretion) county and area office employees to Federal civil service status. Makes conforming amendments the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 and other Federal law. Title II: Program Equity - Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to permit agricultural operating loans to be made to delinquent borrowers under specified circumstances. (Sec. 202) Appropriates funds for lease-back or buy-back opportunities for beginning farmers or ranchers. (Sec. 203) Treats debt write-downs as non-income for tax purposes. (Sec. 204) Amends the Housing Act of 1949 to prohibit housing loan denial to an applicant who has been able to live in a financially independent manner for a reasonable time. (Sec. 205) Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 with respect to the environmental quality incentives program to: (1) increase program funding; (2) reduce the livestock set-aside; and (3) establish a set-aside for socially disadvantaged agricultural producers. (Sec. 206) Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to make permanent appropriations for 1890 land grant college grants. (Current law provides for non-permanent authorization of appropriations for such grants.) Directs the Secretary to establish an advisory committee to study whether such institutions' funding is equitable. (Sec. 208) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to make permanent appropriations (currently permanently authorized) for: (1) Indian reservation extension education programs; and (2) outreach and technical assistance programs for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Title III: Funding of Farm Ownership and Operating Loans - Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to make permanent appropriations for farm operating and ownership loans. (Current law provides for a non-permanent authorization of appropriations for such loans.)

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 17 July 1997

    Introduced

    Referred to House Agriculture

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 17 July 1997

    Introduced

    Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Government Reform and Oversight, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 17 July 1997

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 17 July 1997

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  5. 22 July 1997

    Introduced

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H5497-5498)

    Source: IntroReferral

  6. 23 July 1997

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Civil Service.

    Source: Committee

  7. 24 July 1997

    Committee

    Executive Comment Requested from USDA.

    Source: Committee

  8. 28 July 1997

    Introduced

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H5896-5897)

    Source: IntroReferral

  9. 2 September 1997

    Committee

    Favorable Executive Comment Received from USDA.

    Source: Committee

  10. 23 September 1997

    Introduced

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H7611)

    Source: IntroReferral

  11. 23 October 1997

    Committee

    Committee Hearings Held.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

View fileDownload file

This file cannot be previewed here. Use View or Download.

Leesvertaling

Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

  • Introduced in House (text)

    Introduced in House · EN · 17 July 1997

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

  • Introduced in House (PDF)

    Introduced in House · EN · 17 July 1997

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

    Leesvertaling

    Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

    Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

  • Introduced in House

    summary · EN · 17 July 1997

    Open at official source

    Leesvertaling

    Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

    Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Sponsors

Showing 48 of 69 sponsors and actors.

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.