104 STAT. 4028 PUBLIC LAW 101-624—NOV. 28, 1990 "(3) establish and administer various pilot projects through electric and telephone borrowers that the Administrator determines are useful or necessary, and recommend specific rural development projects for rural areas; "(4) act as an information clearinghouse (using, to the extent practicable, the resources of the National Agricultural Library) and conduit to provide information to electric and telephone borrowers under this Act concerning useful and effective rural development efforts that such borrowers may wish to apply in their areas of operation and concerning State, regional, or local plans for long-term rural economic development; "(5) provide information to electric and telephone borrowers under this Act concerning the eligibility of such borrowers to apply for financial assistance, loans, or grants from other Federal agencies and non-Federal sources to enable such borrowers to expand their rural development efforts; and "(6) promote local partnerships and other coordination between borrowers under this Act and community organizations. States, counties, or other entities, to improve rural development. "(c) FUNDING. — Not less than 2 percent of the salaries and expenses of the Rural Electrification Administration shall be made available during each fiscal year to the technical assistance unit established under this section.". SEC. 2344. DEFERMENT OF PAYMENT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOANS. Section 12 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 912) is amended— (1) by inserting "(a)" before "The Administrator"; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: "(b)(1) Subject to limitations established in appropriations Acts, the Administrator shall permit any borrower to defer the payment of principal and interest on any insured or direct loan made under this Act under circumstances described in this subsection, notwithstanding any limitation contained in subsection (a), except that such deferment shall not be permitted based on the determination of the Administrator of the financial hardship of the borrower. "(2)(A) In the case of deferments made to enable the borrower to provide financing to local businesses, the deferment shall be repaid in equal installments, without the accrual of interest, over the 60- month period beginning on the date of the deferment, and the total amount of such payments shall be equal to the amount of the payment deferred. "(B) In the case of deferments made to enable the borrower to provide community development assistance, technical assistance to businesses, and for other community, business, or economic development projects not included under subparagraph (A), the deferment shall be repaid in equal installments, without the accrual of interest, over the 120-month period beginning on the date of the deferment, and the total amount of such payments shall be equal to the amount of the payment deferred. "(3)(A) A borrower may defer its debt service payments only in an amount equal to an investment made by such borrower as described in paragraph (2).
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