---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 6996"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "6996"
heading: "Right of participants to Division hearing"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/6996"
units:
  - "Chapter 98 — Department of Agriculture Reorganization"
  - "Subchapter VIII — National Appeals Division"
---

# §6996. Right of participants to Division hearing

- (a) **Appeal to Division for hearing—** Subject to [subsection (b)](#b), a [participant](/usc/7/6991.md?p=9) shall have the right to appeal an [adverse decision](/usc/7/6991.md?p=1) to the [Division](/usc/7/6991.md?p=6) for an evidentiary hearing by a [hearing officer](/usc/7/6991.md?p=7) consistent with [section 6997 of this title](/usc/7/6997.md).
- (b) **Time for appeal—** To be entitled to a hearing under [section 6997 of this title](/usc/7/6997.md), a [participant](/usc/7/6991.md?p=9) shall request the hearing not later than 30 days after the date on which the [participant](/usc/7/6991.md?p=9) first received notice of the [adverse decision](/usc/7/6991.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 103–354, title II, § 276, Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3230.)