PUBLIC LAW 107-171—MAY 13, 2002 116 STAT. 407 "(c) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. — The Secretary, on a reimbursable basis, may provide such administrative support to the National Board as the Secretary determines is necessary to carry out the duties of the National Board. "(d) DUTIES. —The National Board shall— "(1) certify Regional Boards in accordance with section 385C, with the initial certification of Regional Boards occurring not later than 540 days after the date of enactment of this subtitle; "(2) approve, negotiate, or disapprove each regional plan that is submitted by a Regional Board to the National Board under section 385C; "(3) develop, and submit to the Secretary for approval, a national strategic investment plan; "(4) use the amount received from the Secretary under section 385E to make planning grants and innovation grants to Regional Boards and to otherwise carry out the program; "(5) provide leadership and advice to Regional Boards on issues, best practices, and emerging trends relating to rural development; "(6) evaluate the progress of each Regional Board in achieving the benchmarks of the regional plan using annual reports submitted under section 385C(b)(3)(D) and any other information that is available to the Regional Board; and "(7) submit an annual report on the performance of Regional Boards and the program to— "(A) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives; "(B) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate; and "(C) the Secretary. "SEC. 385E. RURAL STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PROGRAM. 7 USC 2009dd-4. "(a) IN GENERAL.— If the Secretary approves a national strategic investment plan submitted by the National Board, of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall transfer to the National Board $100,000,000, to remain available until expended, for the Board to use to make planning grants and innovation grants to Regional Boards and to otherwise carry out this subtitle. "(b) USE BY NATIONAL BOARD.— Of the amount transferred by the Secretary to the National Board under subsection (a), the National Board shall use— "(1) not less than $8,000,000 to make planning grants to Regional Boards under section 385F; "(2) not less than $87,000,000 to make innovation grants to Regional Boards under section 385G; and "(3) the remainder of the funds to carry out section 385H and administer this subtitle (other than section 385H). "SEC. 385F. REGIONAL STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLANNING GRANTS. 7 USC 2009dd-5. "(a) IN GENERAL. —The National Board shall use amounts made available under section 385E(b)(l) to make not fewer than 80 planning grants, on a competitive basis, to applicant Regional Boards to develop, maintain, evaluate, and report progress on regional strategic investment plans in accordance with section 385C and this section.
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