Title 7, Chapter 31 — Rural Electrification and Telephone Service

Short title

General authority of Secretary of Agriculture

Authorization of appropriations

Loans for electrical plants and transmission lines

Fees for certain loan guarantees

Funding for administrative expenses

Use of funds outside the United States or its territories prohibited

Acquisition of property pledged for loans; disposition; sale of pledged property by borrower

Limitations on use of assistance

Administration on nonpolitical basis; dismissal of officers or employees for violating provision

Repealed. Pub. L. 104–127, title VII, § 777, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1150

Acceptance of services of Federal or State officers; application of civil service laws; expenditures for supplies and equipment

Repealed. Pub. L. 103–354, title II, § 235(a)(5), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3221

Extension of time for repayment of loans

Rescheduling and refinancing of loans

Definitions

Separability

Purchase of financial and credit reports

Criteria for loans

Prohibition on restricting water and waste facility services to electric customers

General prohibitions

Energy generation, transmission, and distribution facilities efficiency grants and loans in rural communities with extremely high energy costs

Acquisition of existing systems in rural communities with high energy costs

Rural and remote communities electrification grants

Congressional declaration of policy

Repealed. Pub. L. 115–334, title VI, § 6602(b)(13), (14), Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4777

Loans for telephone service

State regulation of telephone service

Definition of telephone service and rural area

Loan feasibility

Certain rural development investments by qualified telephone borrowers not treated as dividends or distributions

General duties and prohibitions

Prompt processing of telephone loans

Congressional declaration of policy

Rural Electrification and Telephone Revolving Fund

Level of loan programs under Rural Electrification and Telephone Revolving Fund

Liabilities and uses of Rural Electrification and Telephone Revolving Fund

Moneys in the Rural Electrification and Telephone Revolving Fund

Authorized financial transactions; interim notes; purchase of obligations for resale; sale of notes and certificates; liens

Insured loans; interest rates and lending levels

Guaranteed loans; accommodations and subordination of liens; interest rates; assignability of guaranteed loans and related guarantees

Prepayment of loans

Sale or prepayment of direct or insured loans

Refinancing and prepayment of FFB loans

Eligibility of distribution borrowers for loans, loan guarantees, and lien accommodations

Administrative prohibitions applicable to certain electric borrowers

Substantially underserved trust areas

Loans from other credit sources

Full faith and credit of the United States

Loan terms and conditions

Refinancing of rural development loans

Repealed. Pub. L. 104–127, title VII, § 780, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1151

Use of funds

Cushion of credit payments program

Guarantees for bonds and notes issued for electrification or telephone purposes

Rural development loans and grants

Repealed. Pub. L. 115–334, title VI, § 6601(b), Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4776

Expansion of 911 access

Extension of period of existing guarantee

Electric loans for renewable energy

Bonding requirements

Cybersecurity and grid security improvements

Repealed. Pub. L. 115–334, title VI, § 6602(a), (b)(15), Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4776, 4777

Additional powers and duties

Repealed. Pub. L. 104–127, title VII, § 781(a), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1151

Access to broadband telecommunications services in rural areas

Expansion of middle mile infrastructure into rural areas

Innovative Broadband Advancement Program

Community Connect Grant Program

Outdated broadband systems

Default and deobligation; deferral

Federal broadband program coordination

Public notice, assessments, and reporting requirements

Environmental reviews

Use of loan proceeds to refinance loans for deployment of broadband service

Purpose

Definitions

Telemedicine and distance learning services in rural areas

Administration

Regulations

Authorization of appropriations