114 STAT. 424 PUBLIC LAW 106-224—JUNE 20, 2000 Deadline. 7 USC 1941 note. Effective date. Termination date. SEC. 254. TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF AUTHORITY TO COMBINE CER- TAIN OFFICES. (a) SUSPENSION,—During the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on June 1, 2001, the Secretary may not combine or take any action to combine, at the State level, oflEices of the agencies specified in subsection (b) unless the offices are located in the same county as of the date of the enactment of this Act. (b) COVERED OFFICES.— Subsection (a) applies to an office of any of the following agencies: (1) The Farm Service Agency. (2) The Natural Resources Conservation Service. (3) The Rural Utilities Service. (4) The Rural Housing Service. (5) The Rural Business-Cooperative Service. (c) REPORT. —Not later than April 1, 2001, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report descriJbing any proposed combination of offices specified in subsection (b) that includes a certification that the proposed combination would result in the lowest cost to the Federal Government over the long term. SEC. 255. FARM OPERATING LOAN ELIGIBILITY. During the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on December 31, 2002— (1) sections 311(c) and 319 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1941(c), 1949) shall have no force or effect; and (2) in making direct loans under subtitle B of that Act (7 U.S.C. 1941 et seq.), the Secretary shall give priority to a qualified beginning farmer or rancher who has not operated a farm or ranch, or who has operated a farm or ranch for not more than 5 years. SEC. 256. WATER SYSTEMS FOR RURAL AND NATIVE VILLAGES IN ALASKA. Section 306D of the Consolidated Farm and Rurgd Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926d) is amended by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following: "(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. — "(1) IN GENERAL.— T here are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 and 2002. "(2) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Not more than 2 percent of the amount made available under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year may be used by the State of Alaska for training and technical assistance programs relating to the operation and management of water and waste disposal services in rural and Native villages. "(3) AVAILABILITY.—Funds appropriated pursuguit to the authorization of appropriations in paragraph (1) shall be available until expended.". SEC. 257. CROP AND PASTURE FLOOD COMPENSATION PROGRAM. 7 USC 1421 note. (a) DEFINITION OF COVERED LAND.— In this section: (1) IN GENERAL. — The term "covered land" means land that—
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