§940e Expansion of 911 Access

Summary

The Secretary may make loans to entities that can borrow from the Rural Utilities Service, to State or local governments, to Indian tribes (as defined in law), or to other public entities. The loans pay for facilities and equipment to expand or improve 911 access, interoperable emergency communications (including multiuse networks that also carry transportation information), homeland security communications, transportation safety communications, and location technologies used outside urbanized areas. Fees that governments charge for emergency communications, like State or local 911 fees, can be used as security for these loans. The Secretary can also lend to emergency-communications equipment providers if the local government cannot legally take on the debt. Funds that were set aside for telephone loans for fiscal years 2008 through 2023 must be used to make these loans.