--- kind: "section" citation: "48 U.S.C. § 2161" title: "48" title_heading: "Territories and Insular Possessions" number: "2161" heading: "Applicability of other laws; definitions" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/48/2161" units: - "Chapter 20 — Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability" - "Subchapter III — Adjustments of Debts" --- # §2161. Applicability of other laws; definitions - (a) **Sections applicable to cases under this subchapter—** Sections 101 (except as otherwise provided in this section), 102, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 112, 333, 344, 347(b), 349, 350(b), 351, 361, 362, 364(c), 364(d), 364(e), 364(f), 365, 366, 501, 502, 503, 504, 506, 507(a)(2), 509, 510, 524(a)(1), 524(a)(2), 544, 545, 546, 547, 548, 549(a), 549(c), 549(d), 550, 551, 552, 553, 555, 556, 557, 559, 560, 561, 562, 902 (except as otherwise provided in this section), 922, 923, 924, 925, 926, 927, 928, 942, 944, 945, 946, 1102, 1103, 1109, 1111(b), 1122, 1123(a)(1), 1123(a)(2), 1123(a)(3), 1123(a)(4), 1123(a)(5), 1123(b), 1123(d), 1124, 1125, 1126(a), 1126(b), 1126(c), 1126(e), 1126(f), 1126(g), 1127(d), 1128, 1129(a)(2), 1129(a)(3), 1129(a)(6), 1129(a)(8), 1129(a)(10), 1129(b)(1), 1129(b)(2)(A), 1129(b)(2)(B), 1142(b), 1143, 1144, 1145, and [1146(a)](/usc/11/1146.md?p=a) of title 11 apply in a case under this subchapter and [section 930 of title 11](/usc/11/930.md) applies in a case under this subchapter; however, [section 930](/usc/11/930.md) shall not apply in any case during the first 120 days after the date on which such case is commenced under this subchapter. - (b) **Meanings of terms—** A term used in a section of [title 11](/usc/11.md), made applicable in a case under this subchapter by [subsection (a)](#a), has the meaning given to the term for the purpose of the applicable section, unless the term is otherwise defined in this subchapter. - (c) **Definitions—** In this subchapter: - (1) **Affiliate—** The term “affiliate” means, in addition to the definition made applicable in a case under this subchapter by [subsection (a)](#a)— - (A) for a [territory](/usc/48/2104.md?p=20), any [territorial instrumentality](/usc/48/2104.md?p=19-A); and - (B) for a [territorial instrumentality](/usc/48/2104.md?p=19-A), the governing [territory](/usc/48/2104.md?p=20) and any of the other [territorial instrumentalities](/usc/48/2104.md?p=19-A) of the [territory](/usc/48/2104.md?p=20). - (2) **Debtor—** The term “debtor” means the [territory](/usc/48/2104.md?p=20) or [covered territorial instrumentality](/usc/48/2104.md?p=7) concerning which a case under this subchapter has been commenced. - (3) **Holder of a claim or interest—** The term “holder of a claim or interest”, when used in [section 1126 of title 11](/usc/11/1126.md), made applicable in a case under this subchapter by [subsection (a)](#a)— - (A) shall exclude any Issuer or Authorized Instrumentality of the [Territory](/usc/48/2104.md?p=20) Government Issuer (as defined under subchapter VI of this chapter) or a corporation, trust or other legal entity that is controlled by the Issuer or an Authorized [Territorial Instrumentality](/usc/48/2104.md?p=19-A) of the [Territory](/usc/48/2104.md?p=20) Government Issuer, provided that the beneficiaries of such claims, to the extent they are not referenced in this subparagraph, shall not be excluded, and that, for each excluded trust or other legal entity, the court shall, upon the request of any participant or beneficiary of such trust or entity, at any time after the commencement of the case, order the appointment of a separate committee of creditors pursuant to [section 1102(a)(2) of title 11](/usc/11/1102.md?p=a-2); and - (B) with reference to [Insured Bonds](#c-4), shall mean the monoline insurer insuring such [Insured Bond](#c-4) to the extent such insurer is granted the right to vote [Insured Bonds](#c-4) for purposes of directing remedies or consenting to proposed amendments or modifications as provided in the applicable documents pursuant to which such [Insured Bond](#c-4) was issued and insured. - (4) **Insured Bond—** The term “Insured Bond” means a [bond](/usc/48/2104.md?p=2) subject to a financial guarantee or similar insurance contract, policy and/or surety issued by a monoline insurer. - (5) **Property of the estate—** The term “property of the estate”, when used in a section of [title 11](/usc/11.md) made applicable in a case under this subchapter by [subsection (a)](#a), means property of the [debtor](#c-2). - (6) **State—** The term “State”[^1] when used in a section of [title 11](/usc/11.md) made applicable in a case under this subchapter by [subsection (a)](#a)[^1] means State or [territory](/usc/48/2104.md?p=20) when used in reference to the relationship of a State to the municipality of the State or the [territorial instrumentality](/usc/48/2104.md?p=19-A) of a [territory](/usc/48/2104.md?p=20), as applicable. - (7) **Trustee—** The term “trustee”, when used in a section of [title 11](/usc/11.md) made applicable in a case under this subchapter by [subsection (a)](#a), means the [Oversight Board](/usc/48/2104.md?p=17), except as provided in [section 926 of title 11](/usc/11/926.md). The term “trustee” as described in this paragraph does not mean the U.S. Trustee, an official of the United States Trustee Program, which is a component of the United States Department of Justice. - (d) **Reference to subchapter—** Solely for purposes of this subchapter, a reference to “this title”, “this chapter”, or words of similar import in a section of [title 11](/usc/11.md) made applicable in a case under this subchapter by [subsection (a)](#a) or to “this title”, “[title 11](/usc/11.md)”, “[Chapter 9](/usc/48/chch9.md)”, “[Chapter 11](/usc/48/chch11.md)”, “the Code”, or words of similar import in the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure made applicable in a case under this subchapter shall be deemed to be a reference to this subchapter. - (e) **Substantially similar—** In determining whether claims are “substantially similar” for the purpose of [section 1122 of title 11](/usc/11/1122.md), made applicable in a case under this subchapter by [subsection (a)](#a), the [Oversight Board](/usc/48/2104.md?p=17) shall consider whether such claims are secured and whether such claims have priority over other claims. - (f) **Operative clauses—** A section made applicable in a case under this subchapter by [subsection (a)](#a) that is operative if the business of the [debtor](#c-2) is authorized to be operated is operative in a case under this subchapter. ## Footnotes [^1]: So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma. ## Source credit (Pub. L. 114–187, title III, § 301, June 30, 2016, 130 Stat. 577.)