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The law › Title 7, Agriculture › Chapter 31

7 U.S.C. 950bb: Access to broadband telecommunications services in rural areas

Created in 2002 by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-171). Changed by 5 later laws. No bill we track in this Congress changes it.

13 other sections of the Code cite this one, including 7 U.S.C. 908, 7 U.S.C. 950bb–1, 7 U.S.C. 950bb–2, 7 U.S.C. 950bb–3, 7 U.S.C. 950bb–4.

This Congress

No bill we track in the 119th Congress changes this section.

    How it got here

    2018

    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(1), substituted "provide grants, provide loans, and provide loan guarantees" for "provide loans and loan guarantees". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(2), inserted "in the case of a grant or direct loan," before "a city". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (b)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6301(b), added subpar. (C). (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (b)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(3)(A), substituted "Grants, loans, and" for "Loans and" in heading. (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (c)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(3)(B), substituted "shall make grants, shall make loans, and shall guarantee loans" for "shall make or guarantee loans". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (c)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(3)(C), added pars. (2) to (4) and struck out former par. (2) which related to priority in making loans or loan guarantees. (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (c)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(4)(A)(i)(I), substituted "grant, loan, or" for "loan or" in introductory provisions. (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(4)(A)(i)(II), added cl. (i) and struck out former cl. (i) which read as follows: "demonstrate the ability to furnish, improve in order to meet the minimum acceptable level of broadband service established under subsection (e), or extend broadband service… (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(4)(A)(i)(III), substituted "an application" for "a loan application". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(4)(A)(i)(IV), struck out "loan" before "application" and substituted "infrastructure" for "service", "5" for "3", and "assistance under this section is" for "proceeds from the loan made or guaranteed under this section are". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(4)(A)(ii), substituted "(j)" for "(k)". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(4)(B)(i), substituted "assistance" for "the proceeds of a loan made or guaranteed" and "of the eligible entity" for "for the loan or loan guarantee" in introductory provisions. (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(4)(B)(ii), substituted "50 percent (in the case of loans or loan guarantees provided in accordance with subsection (g)(1)(A))" for "15 percent" and "level of fixed broadband service, whether terrestrial or wireless," for "level of broadband service". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(4)(C), substituted "grant, loan, or" for "loan or". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(4)(D), substituted "assistance" for "a loan or loan guarantee". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(4)(E), added par. (5) and struck out former pars. (5) to (10), which related to notice requirements, paperwork reduction, preapplication process, reporting by entities receiving assistance under this section, loan default and deobligation of awards, an… (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(5)(A)(i), substituted "25-Mbps" for "4-Mbps". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(5)(A)(ii), substituted "3-Mbps" for "1-Mbps". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(5)(B), struck out subpar. (A) designation and heading before "At least once", inserted "and broadband buildout requirements under paragraph (4)" after "(1)", and struck out subpar. (B). Prior to amendment, text of subpar. (B) read as follows: "In making an adj… (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(5)(C), added par. (4). (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(6), substituted "provide assistance" for "make a loan or loan guarantee". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (f)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(7), redesignated par. (3) as (2) and struck out former par. (2). Prior to amendment, text of par. (2) read as follows: "In determining the term and conditions of a loan or loan guarantee, the Secretary may— (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (g), (3)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(8), added subsec. (i) and struck out former subsec. (i). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the proceeds of any loan made or guaranteed by the Secretary under this chapter may be used by the recipient o… (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (i)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(8), (11), redesignated subsec. (k) as (j) and struck out former subsec. (j) which related to reports to Congress on participation in loan and loan guarantee program. (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (j)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(11), redesignated subsec. (l) as (k). Former subsec. (k) redesignated (j). (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (k)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(9), substituted "$350,000,000" for "$25,000,000" and "2019 through 2023" for "2008 through 2018". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (k)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(11), redesignated subsec. (l) as (k). (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (l)
    • Pub. L. 115–334, §6201(10), substituted "grant, or loan, or" for "loan or" and "2023" for "2018". (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) Law text · (l)

    2014

    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(1), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "In making or guaranteeing loans under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give the highest priority to applicants that offer to provide broadband service to the grea… (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (c)
    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(2)(A), added cl. (i) and struck out former cl. (i). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "demonstrate the ability to furnish, improve, or extend a broadband service to a rural area;". (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(2)(B)(i), added cl. (i) and struck out former cl. (i). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "not less than 25 percent of the households in the proposed service territory is offered broadband service by not more than 1 incumbent service provider; a… (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(2)(B)(ii), struck out "25" before "percent" in heading. (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(2)(B)(iii)(I), struck out "3 or more" before "incumbent" in heading. (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(2)(B)(iii)(II), added cl. (i) and struck out former cl.(i). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "Except as provided in clause (ii), subparagraph (A)(ii) shall not apply to an incumbent service provider that is upgrading broadband service to the e… (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(2)(C), added cl. (iii). (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(2)(D), added par. (5) and struck out former par. (5) which related to notice requirement. (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(2)(E), added pars. (8) to (10). (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(3), added pars. (1) and (2), redesignated former par. (2) as (3), and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: "The Secretary shall, from time to time as advances in technology warrant, review and recommend modifications of rate-of-data transmission cr… (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(4), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "In determining the term of a loan or loan guarantee, the Secretary shall consider whether the recipient is or would be serving an area that is not receiving broadba… (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (g)
    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(5)(A), inserted ", including any loan terms or conditions for which the Secretary provided additional assistance to unserved areas" before semicolon at end. (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (j)
    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(5)(B)–(D), added par. (7). (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (j)
    • Pub. L. 113–79, §6104(a)(6), substituted "2018" for "2012". (Agricultural Act of 2014) Law text · (k), (l)

    2008

    • Pub. L. 110–246, §6110(a), amended section generally, substituting provisions authorizing loans and loan guarantees for the costs of construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment for broadband service in rural areas and terminating such authority on Sept. 30, 2012, for prov… (Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008) Law text

    2004

    • Pub. L. 108–199 amended heading and text of subsec. (b)(2) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "The term 'eligible rural community' means any incorporated or unincorporated place that— (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004) Law text · (b)

    Text, outline and history from the official U.S. Code (2024 edition) on GovInfo, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel. Changes made after that edition appear under This Congress.