---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 950aaa–3"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "950aaa–3"
heading: "Administration"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/950aaa-3"
units:
  - "Chapter 31A — Telemedicine and Distance Learning Services in Rural Areas"
---

# §950aaa–3. Administration

- (a) **Nonduplication—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/950aaa–1.md?p=3) shall ensure that facilities constructed using financial assistance provided under this chapter do not duplicate adequate established telemedicine services or distance learning services.
- (b) **Loan maturity—** The maturities of [cost of money loans](/usc/7/950aaa–1.md?p=2) shall be determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/950aaa–1.md?p=3), based on the useful life of the facility being financed, except that the loan shall not be for a period of more than 10 years.
- (c) **Loan security and feasibility—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/950aaa–1.md?p=3) shall make a [cost of money loan](/usc/7/950aaa–1.md?p=2) only if the [Secretary](/usc/7/950aaa–1.md?p=3) determines that the [security](/usc/7/24.md?p=b) for the loan is reasonably adequate and that the loan will be repaid within the period of the loan.
- (d) **Encouraging consortia—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/950aaa–1.md?p=3) shall encourage the development of consortia to provide telemedicine services or distance learning services through telecommunications in [rural areas](/usc/7/950aaa–1.md?p=4) served by a telecommunications provider.
- (e) **Coordination with other agencies—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/950aaa–1.md?p=3) shall coordinate, to the extent practicable, with other Federal and [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) agencies with similar grant or loan programs to pool resources for funding meritorious proposals in [rural areas](/usc/7/950aaa–1.md?p=4).
- (f) **Informational efforts—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/950aaa–1.md?p=3) shall establish and implement procedures to carry out informational efforts to advise potential end users located in [rural areas](/usc/7/950aaa–1.md?p=4) of each [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) about the program authorized by this chapter.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2334, as added Pub. L. 104–127, title VII, § 704, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1111.)

## Notes

### Termination of Section

For termination of section by section 1(b) of Pub. L. 102–551, see Termination of Chapter note set out under section 950aaa of this title.

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 950aaa–3, Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2334, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4019; Pub. L. 103–354, title II, § 235(b)(4)(B), (C), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3221, 3222, contained provisions relevant to telecommunications programs, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 104–127.