TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF AUTHORITY TO COMBINE CERTAIN OFFICES.

SEC. 254. TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF AUTHORITY TO COMBINE CERTAIN 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, offices 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 describing 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.