PROHIBITION ON RESTRICTING WATER AND WASTE FACILITY SERVICES TO ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS.

SEC. 17. [7 U.S.C. 917] PROHIBITION ON RESTRICTING WATER AND WASTE FACILITY SERVICES TO ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS. (a) Prohibition.—Assistance under any rural development program administered by the Secretary or any agency of the Department of Agriculture shall not be conditioned on any requirement that the recipient of the assistance accept or receive electric service from any particular utility, supplier, or cooperative. (b) Ensuring Compliance.—The Secretary shall establish, by regulation, adequate safeguards to ensure that assistance under any rural development program is not subject to such a condition. The safeguards shall include periodic certifications and audits, and appropriate measures and sanctions against any person violating, or attempting to violate subsection (a). (c) Definition of Rural Development Programs.—In this section, the term “rural development program” means the following: (1) Sections 304(b), 306, 306A, 306C, 306D, 310B, and 375 and subtitle E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1924(b), 1926, 1926a, 1926c, 1926d, and 1932). (2) Subtitle G of title XVI and sections 2281, 2333, and 2381 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5901–5908, 5177a, 950aaa–2, and 3125b). (3) Subtitle C of title IX of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act Amendments of 1991 (Public Law 102–237; 7 U.S.C. 5930 note). (4) Section 1323(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (Public Law 99–198; 7 U.S.C. 1932 note). (5) Title V and section 603(c) of the Rural Development Act of 1972 (7 U.S.C. 2661–2669 and 2204a(c)). (6) Sections 5 and 311 and title IV of this Act (7 U.S.C. 905, 940a, and 941–950b). (d) Regulations.—Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, the Secretary shall issue final regulations to ensure compliance with subsection (a).