H.R. 6462: Rural Recovery Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Rural Recovery Act of 2025, is aimed at helping rural communities recover from disasters. Here’s a breakdown of what the bill proposes:

Definitions

• Disaster: A major disaster as declared by the President under the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.
• Eligible Rural Community: A rural community that is part of an area affected by a declared disaster, generally defined as any census-designated place with a population of less than 20,000.
• Program: Refers to the program that the Secretary of Agriculture will establish under this bill.

Establishment of the Program

The Secretary of Agriculture is required to create a program to provide technical assistance to eligible rural communities for disaster recovery. This program will be set up within the rural development mission area of the Department of Agriculture.

Providers of Technical Assistance

Technical assistance will be offered by:

1. State offices of the rural development mission area.
2. Other entities that can enter a contract with the state offices.
3. Both of the above as needed.

Entities eligible to contract for technical assistance include public bodies and private nonprofit organizations specified in existing legislation. The Secretary must prioritize certain entities as laid out in the law.

Requirements for Technical Assistance

Providers of technical assistance will support eligible rural communities in areas such as:

• Planning for disaster recovery, identifying issues, potential solutions, and funding sources.
• Preparing and submitting applications for disaster recovery assistance from federal and state agencies.
• Addressing denials of funding applications.
• Implementing funding received for disaster recovery.

The technical assistance can also involve various infrastructure aspects including telecommunications, water supply, housing, energy, community facilities, and business infrastructure.

Duration of Assistance

A rural community can receive this technical assistance for three years from the date a disaster is declared in their area. This period may be extended for another three years on a case-by-case basis.

Multiple Recipients

Multiple eligible rural communities that are affected by the same disaster can receive technical assistance under this program.

Funding

The bill specifies that after a disaster is declared, funds will be made available to relevant state offices without requiring a separate application. The funding allocated will be based on a formula related to the affected population and will use data from the most recent census.

Authorization of Appropriations

The bill authorizes $50 million for each fiscal year to carry out the provisions of this program.

Relevant Companies

None found