DISASTER RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS DAMAGED BY DROUGHT.

SEC. 845. DISASTER RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS DAMAGED BY DROUGHT.(a) Drought Disaster Authority.—(1) Definition of disaster.—Section 3(k) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(k)) is amended—(A) by inserting “(1)” after “(k)”; and(B) by adding at the end the following:“(2) For purposes of section 7(b)(2), the term ‘disaster’ includes—“(A) drought; and“(B) below average water levels in the Great Lakes, or on any body of water in the United States that supports commerce by small business concerns.”.(2) Drought disaster relief authority.—Section 7(b)(2) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)(2)) is amended—(A) by inserting “(including drought), with respect to both farm-related and nonfarm-related small business concerns,” before “if the Administration”; and(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking “the Consolidated Farmers Home Administration Act of 1961 (7 U.S.C. 1961)” and inserting the following: “section 321 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1961), in which case, assistance under this paragraph may be provided to farm-related and nonfarm-related small business concerns, subject to the other applicable requirements of this paragraph”.119 STAT. 3391(b) Limitation on Loans.—From funds otherwise appropriated for loans under section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)), not more than $9,000,000 may be used during each of fiscal years 2005 through 2008, to provide drought disaster loans to nonfarm-related small business concerns in accordance with this section and the amendments made by this section.(c) Prompt Response to Disaster Requests.—Section 7(b)(2)(D) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)(2)(D)) is amended by striking “Upon receipt of such certification, the Administration may” and inserting “Not later than 30 days after the date of receipt of such certification by a Governor of a State, the Administration shall respond in writing to that Governor on its determination and the reasons therefore, and may”.(d) Rulemaking.—Not later than 45 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall promulgate final rules to carry out this section and the amendments made by this section.