Rural Recovery Act of 2025
- senate
- house
- president
Last progress July 15, 2025 (4 months ago)
Introduced on July 15, 2025 by Peter Welch
Sponsors (3)
House Votes
Senate Votes
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Presidential Signature
AI Summary
This bill creates a program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help rural towns recover after a federally declared disaster. It sends trained helpers to work with local leaders on planning, finding solutions, and figuring out which federal or state programs to apply to. It also helps towns fill out applications, respond if they get denied, and carry out projects once money is awarded. Help can cover needs like drinking water and sewer systems, housing, energy and telecom lines, community facilities, business areas, and local government buildings .
The help is provided by state USDA rural development offices and qualified nonprofits or public bodies they hire. These helpers are expected to coordinate with state and local partners so outreach is fair and reaches the communities that need it most. A town can receive help for three years after the disaster, and the USDA may extend that for another three years if needed. Funding is sent quickly to state offices after a disaster, and then distributed by a formula based on how many people were affected. The bill authorizes $50 million per year for this work .
| Who is affected | What changes | When |
|---|---|---|
| Rural communities in areas with a federal disaster declaration | Free, hands-on technical help to plan recovery, apply for aid, address denials, and manage funded projects; covers water, housing, energy, telecom, community, business, and local government infrastructure | Assistance starts after a disaster is declared, lasts up to 3 years, with a possible 3-year extension; money flows to states quickly and is allocated by a population-based formula; $50M authorized each year |