Rural Business—Cooperative Service

Rural Business—Cooperative Service Rural Development Loan Fund Program Account (including transfer of funds) For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized by the Rural Development Loan Fund (42 U.S.C. 9812(a)), $40,000,000. For the cost of direct loans, $19,304,000, as authorized by the Rural Development Loan Fund (42 U.S.C. 9812(a)), of which $1,724,000 shall be available through June 30, 2003, for Federally Recognized Native American Tribes and of which $3,449,000 shall be available through June 30, 2003, for Mississippi Delta Region counties (as defined by Public Law 100–460): Provided, That such costs, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided further, That of the total amount appropriated, $2,730,000 shall be available through June 30, 2003, for the cost of direct loans for authorized empowerment zones and enterprise communities and communities designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones. In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the direct loan programs, $4,190,000 shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for “Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses”. 117 STAT. 31 Rural Economic Development Loans Program Account (including rescission of funds) For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized under section 313 of the Rural Electrification Act, for the purpose of promoting rural economic development and job creation projects, $14,967,000. For the cost of direct loans, including the cost of modifying loans as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, $3,197,000. Of the funds derived from interest on the cushion of credit payments in fiscal year 2003, as authorized by section 313 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, $3,197,000 shall not be obligated and $3,197,000 are rescinded. Rural Cooperative Development Grants For rural cooperative development grants authorized under section 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932), $9,000,000, of which $2,500,000 shall be for cooperative agreements for the appropriate technology transfer for rural areas program: Provided, That not to exceed $1,500,000 of the total amount appropriated shall be made available to cooperatives or associations of cooperatives whose primary focus is to provide assistance to small, minority producers and whose governing board and/or membership is comprised of at least 75 percent minority. RURAL EMPOWERMENT ZONES AND ENTERPRISE COMMUNITIES GRANTS For grants in connection with a second round of empowerment zones and enterprise communities, $14,967,000, to remain available until expended, for designated rural empowerment zones and rural enterprise communities, as authorized by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 and the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105–277).