PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jul 31, 1998
Rural Opportunity Communities Act of 1998 - Amends title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to entitle each State to Federal grants for: (1) each rural opportunity community in the State designated pursuant to this Act; and (2) each additional qualified empowerment zone in the State designated pursuant to the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. Specifies a formula for the amount of each grant, with separate base amounts for empowerment zones in urban or rural areas. Provides funding for the additional grants made available by this Act. Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to designate up to ten rural opportunity communities. Sets forth the criteria an area must meet to be designated as a rural opportunity community, including that the area must demonstrate economic distress resulting from poverty or certain other factors during the most recent five-year time period. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that well-performing empowerment zones and enterprise communities: (1) may be given additional points in the designation process; and (2) shall be recognized annually, and their best practices disseminated to other designated empowerment zones and enterprise communities. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to set aside ten percent of amounts otherwise made available for urban empowerment zones for use by any urban empowerment zone or enterprise community that the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development determines has completed or made satisfactory progress in implementing its approved ten year strategic plan.
People & committees
Sen. Jeffords, James M. [R-VT] · R–VT
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9591-9592)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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