Bill > S2389

This bill, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015, makes appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2015, for the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Farm Credit Administration, and includes various provisions that specify how these funds can be used or prohibit certain uses. For instance, it limits the purchase of new vehicles for the USDA to those deemed essential for safety and operational efficiency, allows for the transfer of unobligated discretionary funds within the USDA to a Working Capital Fund for necessary equipment and services with Congressional approval, and restricts the use of funds for negotiated indirect cost rates on cooperative agreements with non-profit institutions to 10% of the total direct cost. The bill also clarifies that appropriations for direct and guaranteed loans for rural development programs will remain available until expended, and that funds for information technology systems within the USDA require approval from the Chief Information Officer and the Executive Information Technology Investment Review Board. Furthermore, it sets limits on certain program expenditures, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Child Nutrition Programs, and rescinds specific unobligated balances. The bill also includes provisions regarding travel expenses, conference reporting, and the relinquishment of jurisdiction over certain federal lands in Arkansas. Finally, it addresses the eligibility of fresh fruits and vegetables for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and sets conditions for implementing new nutrition standards for school meals, including sodium reduction and whole grain requirements, pending further research and assessment.