LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN LITIGATION INVOLVING COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AND OBLIGATIONS ARISING OUT OF RURAL HOUSING PROGRAMS.

SEC. 1045. LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN LITIGATION INVOLVING COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AND OBLIGATIONS ARISING OUT OF RURAL HOUSING PROGRAMS. Section 510(d) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1480(d)) is amended by inserting before the semicolon at the end the following: “; except that— “(1) prosecution and defense of any litigation under section 502 shall be conducted, at the discretion of the Secretary, by— “(A) the United States attorneys for the districts in which the litigation arises and any other attorney that the Attorney General may designate under law, under the supervision of the Attorney General; “(B) the General Counsel of the Department of Agriculture; or “(C) any other attorney with whom the Secretary enters into a contract after a determination by the Secretary that— 102 STAT. 3274 “(i) the attorney will provide competent and cost-effective representation for the Farmers Home Administration; and “(ii) representation by the attorney will either (1) accelerate the process by which a family or person eligible for assistance under section 502 will be able to purchase and occupy the housing involved; or (II) preserve the quality of the housing involved; and “(2) the Secretary shall annually submit to the Congress a report describing activities carried out under paragraph (1)(C), including the cost of entering into contracts with such attorneys and the savings resulting from expedited foreclosure proceedings”.