§936f — Title 7 Agriculture | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary can run a program to find and improve access to Rural Utilities Service (RUS) programs in communities on trust land that have a high need. The Secretary must work with local governments and federal agencies to do this. "Eligible program" means RUS programs under this chapter or under paragraph (1), (2), (14), (22), or (24) of 1926(a) or sections 1926a, 1926c, 1926d, or 1926e. "Substantially underserved trust area" means a community on trust land (see 38 U.S.C. 3765) with a high need. The Secretary may offer loans or loan guarantees with interest rates as low as 2 percent and longer payback, waive some funding or credit rules to build or improve infrastructure, give top priority to projects in these areas, and only approve loans that are financially feasible and deliver RUS benefits. Within 1 year after the law is enacted and then every year, the Secretary must report to Congress on progress and recommend any regulatory or legislative changes.

Title 7, §936f

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In this section:

(1)The term “eligible program” means a program administered by the Rural Utilities Service and authorized in—

(A)this chapter; or

(B)paragraph (1), (2), (14), (22), or (24) of section 1926(a) of this title or section 1926a, 1926c, 1926d, or 1926e of this title.

(2)The term “substantially underserved trust area” means a community in “trust land” (as defined in section 3765 of title 38) with respect to which the Secretary determines has a high need for the benefits of an eligible program.

(b)The Secretary, in consultation with local governments and Federal agencies, may implement an initiative to identify and improve the availability of eligible programs in communities in substantially underserved trust areas.

(c)In carrying out subsection (b), the Secretary—

(1)may make available from loan or loan guarantee programs administered by the Rural Utilities Service to qualified utilities or applicants financing with an interest rate as low as 2 percent, and with extended repayment terms;

(2)may waive nonduplication restrictions, matching fund requirements, or credit support requirements from any loan or grant program administered by the Rural Utilities Service to facilitate the construction, acquisition, or improvement of infrastructure;

(3)may give the highest funding priority to designated projects in substantially underserved trust areas; and

(4)shall only make loans or loan guarantees that are found to be financially feasible and that provide eligible program benefits to substantially underserved trust areas.

(d)Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that describes—

(1)the progress of the initiative implemented under subsection (b); and

(2)recommendations for any regulatory or legislative changes that would be appropriate to improve services to substantially underserved trust areas.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (d), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–246, which was approved June 18, 2008. Codification Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 enacted identical sections. Pub. L. 110–234 was repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Enactment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 8701 of this title.

§936f Substantially Underserved Trust Areas