25 USC 4196 – Demonstration program for guaranteed loans to finance tribal community and economic development activities
(a) Authority
(1) In general
Subject to paragraph (2), to the extent and in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts, subject to the requirements of this section, and in accordance with such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary may guarantee and make commitments to guarantee the notes and obligations issued by Indian tribes or tribally designated housing entities with tribal approval, for the purposes of financing activities carried out on Indian reservations and in other Indian areas that, under the first sentence of section 5308(a) of title 42, are eligible for financing with notes and other obligations guaranteed pursuant to that section.
(2) Limitation
The Secretary may guarantee, or make commitments to guarantee, under paragraph (1) the notes or obligations of not more than 4 Indian tribes or tribally designated housing entities located in each Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Native American Programs region.
(b) Low-income benefit requirement
Not less than 70 percent of the aggregate amount received by an Indian tribe or tribally designated housing entity as a result of a guarantee under this section shall be used for the support of activities that benefit low-income families on Indian reservations and other Indian areas.
(c) Financial soundness
(1) In general
The Secretary shall establish underwriting criteria for guarantees under this section, including fees for the guarantees, as the Secretary determines to be necessary to ensure that the program under this section is financially sound.
(2) Amounts of fees
Fees for guarantees established under paragraph (1) shall be established in amounts that are sufficient, but do not exceed the minimum amounts necessary, to maintain a negative credit subsidy for the program under this section, as determined based on the risk to the Federal Government under the underwriting requirements established under paragraph (1).
(d) Terms of obligations
(1) In general
Each note or other obligation guaranteed pursuant to this section shall be in such form and denomination, have such maturity, and be subject to such conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, by regulation.
(2) Limitation
The Secretary may not deny a guarantee under this section on the basis of the proposed repayment period for the note or other obligation, unless—
(A) the period is more than 20 years; or
(B) the Secretary determines that the period would cause the guarantee to constitute an unacceptable financial risk.
(e) Limitation on percentage
Terms Used In 25 USC 4196
- Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
A guarantee made under this section shall guarantee repayment of 95 percent of the unpaid principal and interest due on the note or other obligation guaranteed.
(f) Security and repayment
(1) Requirements on issuer
To ensure the repayment of notes and other obligations and charges incurred under this section and as a condition for receiving the guarantees, the Secretary shall require the Indian tribe or housing entity issuing the notes or obligations—
(A) to enter into a contract, in a form acceptable to the Secretary, for repayment of notes or other obligations guaranteed under this section;
(B) to demonstrate that the extent of each issuance and guarantee under this section is within the financial capacity of the Indian tribe; and
(C) to furnish, at the discretion of the Secretary, such security as the Secretary determines to be appropriate in making the guarantees, including increments in local tax receipts generated by the activities assisted by a guarantee under this section or disposition proceeds from the sale of land or rehabilitated property, except that the security may not include any grant amounts received or for which the issuer may be eligible under subchapter I.
(2) Full faith and credit
(A) In general
The full faith and credit of the United States is pledged to the payment of all guarantees made under this section.
(B) Treatment of guarantees
(i) In general
Any guarantee made by the Secretary under this section shall be conclusive evidence of the eligibility of the obligations for the guarantee with respect to principal and interest.
(ii) Incontestable nature
The validity of any such a guarantee shall be incontestable in the hands of a holder of the guaranteed obligations.
(g) Training and information
The Secretary, in cooperation with Indian tribes and tribally designated housing entities, may carry out training and information activities with respect to the guarantee program under this section.
(h) Limitations on amount of guarantees
(1) Aggregate fiscal year limitation
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, subject only to the absence of qualified applicants or proposed activities and to the authority provided in this section, and to the extent approved or provided for in appropriations Acts, the Secretary may enter into commitments to guarantee notes and obligations under this section with an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013.
(2) Authorization of appropriations for credit subsidy
There are authorized to be appropriated to cover the costs (as defined in section 661a of title 2) of guarantees under this section $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013.
(3) Aggregate outstanding limitation
The total amount of outstanding obligations guaranteed on a cumulative basis by the Secretary pursuant to this section shall not at any time exceed $1,000,000,000 or such higher amount as may be authorized to be appropriated for this section for any fiscal year.
(4) Fiscal year limitations on Indian tribes
(A) In general
The Secretary shall monitor the use of guarantees under this section by Indian tribes.
(B) Modifications
If the Secretary determines that 50 percent of the aggregate guarantee authority under paragraph (3) has been committed, the Secretary may—
(i) impose limitations on the amount of guarantees pursuant to this section that any single Indian tribe may receive in any fiscal year of $25,000,000; or
(ii) request the enactment of legislation increasing the aggregate outstanding limitation on guarantees under this section.
(i) Report
Not later than 4 years after October 14, 2008, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the use of the authority under this section by Indian tribes and tribally designated housing entities, including—
(1) an identification of the extent of the use and the types of projects and activities financed using that authority; and
(2) an analysis of the effectiveness of the use in carrying out the purposes of this section.
(j) Termination
The authority of the Secretary under this section to make new guarantees for notes and obligations shall terminate on October 1, 2013.