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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4851 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4851
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish State assistance
for soil health and wildlife habitat, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 22, 2026
Mr. Hoeven introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish State assistance
for soil health and wildlife habitat, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Conservation through
Advancing Local Efforts Act of 2026'' or the ``SCALE Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. STATE ASSISTANCE FOR SOIL HEALTH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT.
Subchapter B of chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-21 et seq.) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``SEC. 1240L-2. STATE ASSISTANCE FOR SOIL HEALTH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Agricultural land.--The term `agricultural land'
means--
``(A) cropland;
``(B) grassland;
``(C) rangeland;
``(D) pasture land;
``(E) nonindustrial private forest land; and
``(F) other land in agricultural areas (including
wetlands, marshes, and agricultural land used or
capable of being used for the production of livestock),
as determined by the Secretary.
``(2) Eligible indian tribe.--The term `eligible Indian
Tribe' means an Indian Tribe that is--
``(A) implementing a soil health and wildlife
habitat program for the area over which the Indian
Tribe has jurisdiction; and
``(B) meeting or exceeding performance measures
established by the Indian Tribe for the soil health and
wildlife habitat program.
``(3) Eligible state.--The term `eligible State' means a
State that is--
``(A) implementing a new or existing soil health
and wildlife habitat program for the State; and
``(B) meeting or exceeding performance measures
established by the State for the soil health and
wildlife habitat program.
``(4) Soil health and wildlife habitat program.--The term
`soil health and wildlife habitat program' means a program to
improve soil health and wildlife habitat on agricultural land
that--
``(A) is broadly consistent with the soil health
principles of the Natural Resources Conservation
Service, as determined by the Secretary, including the
use of perennial grasses; and
``(B) may include--
``(i) technical assistance;
``(ii) financial assistance;
``(iii) on-farm research and demonstration;
``(iv) education, outreach, and training;
``(v) monitoring and evaluation; or
``(vi) such other components as the
Secretary determines appropriate.
``(b) Availability and Purpose of Grants.--For fiscal years 2027
through 2031, the Secretary shall make grants to eligible States and
eligible Indian Tribes for the purpose of improving soil health and
wildlife habitat on agricultural lands through the implementation of
State and Tribal soil health and wildlife habitat programs.
``(c) Applications.--
``(1) In general.--To receive a grant under this section,
an eligible State or eligible Indian Tribe shall submit to the
Secretary an application that shall contain--
``(A) a description of performance measures to be
used to evaluate the State or Tribal soil health and
wildlife habitat program and the expected results of
any activities carried out using grant funds received
under this section; and
``(B) an assurance that grant funds received under
this section will supplement the expenditure of State
or Tribal funds in support of soil health and wildlife
habitat, rather than replace such funds.
``(2) Tribal option.--An Indian Tribe shall have the
option, at the sole discretion of the Indian Tribe, to be
incorporated into the application of an eligible State.
``(d) Grants.--
``(1) Amount.--The amount of a grant to an eligible State
or eligible Indian Tribe under this section for a fiscal year
may not exceed $10,000,000.
``(2) Term.--A grant under this section shall be for 5
years, and may be renewed.
``(3) Matching funds.--
``(A) In general.--Except as provided in
subparagraph (B), to be eligible to receive a grant
under this section, a State shall provide matching
funds in the form of cash or an in-kind contribution in
an amount equal to the amount of Federal funds
provided.
``(B) Exception.--If a State is unable to provide
matching funds under subparagraph (A) sufficient to
receive the full amount for which the State is
otherwise eligible, the Secretary shall provide the
State a proportional amount of Federal funds equal to
the amount of matching funds the State commits to
provide.
``(e) Audits and Reviews.--An eligible State or eligible Indian
Tribe receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the
Secretary, for each year for which the State or Indian Tribe receives
such a grant, the results of an audit of the expenditures of the grant
funds.
``(f) Effect of Noncompliance.--If the Secretary, after reasonable
notice to an eligible State or eligible Indian Tribe receiving a grant
under this section, finds that the State or Indian Tribe has failed to
comply with the terms of the grant, the Secretary may disqualify, for 1
or more years, the State or Indian Tribe from receipt of future grants
under this section.
``(g) Funding.--Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation,
the Secretary shall use to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
``(h) Administration.--
``(1) Department.--The Secretary may not use more than 3
percent of the funds made available to carry out this section
for a fiscal year for administrative expenses.
``(2) States or indian tribes.--An eligible State or
eligible Indian Tribe receiving a grant under this section may
not use more than 7 percent of the granted funds for a fiscal
year for administrative expenses.
``(3) Deadline.--The Secretary shall award the grants under
this section not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this section.
``(4) No conditions.--A grant awarded under this section
shall not--
``(A) be conditioned on any requirement, guideline,
technical standard, or administrative directive of the
Department of Agriculture; or
``(B) direct or require modification of any soil
health and wildlife habitat program established,
funded, or administered by a State or local
government.''.
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