H.R. 5781

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To amend the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 with respect to preagreement costs of emergency watershed protection measures, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · October 17, 2025 · Sponsor: Mr. Neguse · Committee: Committee on Agriculture

Table of contents

• H.R. 5781
  • SEC. 1. Short title
  • SEC. 2. Emergency watershed program

SEC. 1. Short title

• This Act may be cited as the or the .

SEC. 2. Emergency watershed program

• Section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 () is amended by adding at the end the following: 16 U.S.C. 2203
  • (c) Preagreement costs
    • (1) Definition of sponsor
      • In this subsection, the term sponsor means—
        • a State or local government; and
        • an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ()). 25 U.S.C. 5304
    • (2) Preagreement project costs
      • Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall—
        • identify a list of emergency watershed protection measures the cost of which may be incurred by a sponsor prior to entering into an agreement with the Secretary under this section; and
        • develop a procedure, including appropriate deadlines, to be implemented at the State level, through which a sponsor may request, for a specified natural disaster, additional emergency watershed protection measures the cost of which may be incurred by a sponsor prior to entering into an agreement with the Secretary under this section.
    • (3) Agreement contribution
      • If the Secretary and a sponsor enter into an agreement under this section, the Secretary shall consider any applicable preagreement costs incurred by the sponsor for undertaking emergency watershed protection measures identified under paragraph (2) as meeting part of the contribution of the sponsor toward the cost of the project.
    • (4) Assumption of risk
      • A sponsor that undertakes emergency watershed protection measures prior to entering into an agreement with the Secretary under this section shall assume the risk of incurring any cost of undertaking those measures.
    • (5) Effect
      • Nothing in this subsection requires the Secretary to enter into an agreement with a sponsor.