---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 9551"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "9551"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/9551"
units:
  - "Chapter 120 — Minority Business Development"
  - "Subchapter III — Rural Minority Business Center Program"
---

# §9551. Definitions


In this subchapter:

- (1) **Appropriate congressional committees—** The term “appropriate congressional committees” means—
  - (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and
  - (B) the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives.
- (2) **Eligible entity—** The term “eligible entity” means—
  - (A) a [minority-serving institution](#5); or
  - (B) a consortium of institutions of higher education that is led by a [minority-serving institution](#5).
- (3) **MBDA Rural Business Center—** The term “MBDA Rural Business Center” means an [MBDA Business Center](/usc/15/9501.md?p=7) that provides technical business assistance to [minority business enterprises](/usc/15/9501.md?p=9-A) located in [rural areas](#6).
- (4) **MBDA Rural Business Center agreement—** The term “MBDA Rural Business Center agreement” means an [MBDA Business Center agreement](/usc/15/9501.md?p=8) that establishes the terms by which the recipient of the Federal assistance award that is the subject of the [agreement](/usc/15/7a.md?p=2) shall operate an [MBDA Rural Business Center](#3).
- (5) **Minority-serving institution—** The term “minority-serving institution” means an institution described in any of paragraphs (1) through (7) of [section 1067q(a) of title 20](/usc/20/1067q.md?p=a).
- (6) **Rural area—** The term “rural area” has the meaning given the term in [section 1991(a) of title 7](/usc/7/1991.md?p=a).
- (7) **Rural minority business enterprise—** The term “rural minority business enterprise” means a [minority business enterprise](/usc/15/9501.md?p=9-A) located in a [rural area](#6).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–58, div. K, title III, § 100301, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1458.)