Establishment of web-based platform to enable recipients of Federal financial assistance administered by the Rural Utilities Service to track the status of their projects throughout the permitting and review process

(a) In general The Secretary of Agriculture, through the Rural Utilities Service, shall establish, operate, and maintain a secure, web-based platform that is designed to improve predictability and accountability for recipients of Federal financial assistance administered by the Rural Utilities Service, by enabling the recipients to track the status of their projects throughout the permitting and review process (including environmental and interagency coordination). (b) Requirements In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall— (1) require the Rural Utilities Service to determine, establish, and implement user access mechanisms enabling the recipients to view permitting and review status for their projects; (2) require clear status indicators and estimated timelines for each phase of the permitting and review process for projects assisted by the Rural Utilities Service; (3) ensure that, through the platform, documents may be uploaded and downloaded and applicants may correspond with relevant Rural Utilities Service offices; (4) ensure that automated notifications are provided to recipients when a project advances to a new review stage or when additional information or action is required; and (5) direct the Rural Utilities Service to coordinate, as appropriate, with— (A) other agencies of the Department of Agriculture; (B) the Department of Commerce; (C) the Department of Defense; (D) the Department of Energy; (E) the Department of the Interior; (F) the Department of Transportation; (G) the General Services Administration; (H) the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and (I) any relevant Federal permitting authorities, including environmental reviews conducted pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act, while maintaining the responsibility of the Rural Utilities Service for project status reporting. (c) Annual reports Within 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to Congress a written report that describes the development, implementation, use, and performance of the platform. (d) Limitations on authorization of appropriations (1) In general To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture a total of not more than $30,000,000, of which— (A) a total of not less than $20,000,000 and not more than $24,000,000 shall be available for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for development of the platform; and (B) a total of not less than $6,000,000 and not more than $10,000,000 shall be available for each of fiscal years 2028 through 2035 for operation and maintenance of the platform. (2) Availability The amounts made available by paragraph (1) are authorized to remain available until expended.