47 USC § 393 - Criteria for approval and expenditures by Secretary

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t47/s393"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "47 USC § 393 - Criteria for approval and expenditures by Secretary"
title_number: 47
title_name: "TELECOMMUNICATIONS"
section_number: "393"
section_name: "Criteria for approval and expenditures by Secretary"
chapter_number: 5
chapter_name: "WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO RADIO"
part_number: "IV"
part_name: "Assistance for Planning and Construction of Public Telecommunications Facilities; Telecommunications Demonstrations; Corporation for Public Broadcasting; General Provisions"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2025-08-11"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title III, § 393, as added Pub. L. 87–447, May 1, 1962, 76 Stat. 66; amended Pub. L. 90–129, title II, § 201(2), Nov. 7, 1967, 81 Stat. 367; Pub. L. 95–567, title I, § 104, Nov. 2, 1978, 92 Stat. 2408; Pub. L. 99–272, title V, § 5001(b), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 117; Pub. L. 102–356, § 3, Aug. 26, 1992, 106 Stat. 949.)"
---


# § 393. Criteria for approval and expenditures by Secretary

**(a)** **Construction and planning grants** The Secretary, in consultation with the Corporation, public telecommunications entities, and as appropriate with others, shall establish criteria for making construction and planning grants. Such criteria shall be consistent with the objectives and provisions set forth in this subpart, and shall be made available to interested parties upon request.

**(b)** **Basis for determination** The Secretary shall base determinations of whether to approve applications for grants under this subpart, and the amount of such grants, on criteria developed pursuant to subsection (a) and designed to achieve—

**(1)** the provision of new telecommunications facilities to extend service to areas currently not receiving public telecommunications services;

**(2)** the expansion of the service areas of existing public telecommunications entities;

**(3)** the development of public telecommunications facilities owned by, operated by, and available to minorities and women; and

**(4)** the improvement of the capabilities of existing public broadcast stations to provide public telecommunications services, including services to underserved audiences such as deaf and hearing impaired individuals and blind and visually impaired individuals.

**(c)** **Noncommercial radio broadcast station facilities** section 391 of this title

Of the sums appropriated pursuant to  for any fiscal year, a substantial amount shall be available for the expansion and development of noncommercial radio broadcast station facilities.

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**Source Credit**: (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title III, § 393, as added Pub. L. 87–447, May 1, 1962, 76 Stat. 66; amended Pub. L. 90–129, title II, § 201(2), Nov. 7, 1967, 81 Stat. 367; Pub. L. 95–567, title I, § 104, Nov. 2, 1978, 92 Stat. 2408; Pub. L. 99–272, title V, § 5001(b), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 117; Pub. L. 102–356, § 3, Aug. 26, 1992, 106 Stat. 949.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1992—Subsec. (b)(4).  inserted before period at end “, including services to underserved audiences such as deaf and hearing impaired individuals and blind and visually impaired individuals”.

1986—Subsecs. (c), (d).  redesignated subsec. (d) as (c) and struck out former subsec. (c) relating to extension of services to new areas.

1978— amended section generally, striking out provisions dealing with keeping records and access to records by Secretary and Comptroller General and inserting provisions dealing with criteria for approval and expenditures by Secretary. See sections 392(h) and 395(h) of this title.

1967— substituted “subpart” for “part” wherever appearing.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , see , set out as a note under .