113 STAT. 1154 PUBLIC LAW 106-78 —OCT. 22, 1999 of the total amount appropriated shall be made available to cooperatives or associations of cooperatives that assist small, minority producers. SALARIES AND EXPENSES For necessary expenses of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, including administering the programs authorized by the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act; section 1323 of the Food Security Act of 1985; the Cooperative Marketing Act of 1926; for activities relating to the marketing aspects of cooperatives, including economic research findings, as authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946; for activities with institutions concerning the development and operation of agricultural cooperatives; and for cooperative agreements, $24,612,000: Provided, That this appropriation shall be available for employment pursuant to the second sentence of section 706(a) of the Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 2225), and not to exceed $260,000 may be used for employ- ment under 5 U.S.C. 3109. RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) Insured loans pursuant to the authority of section 305 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 935) shall be made as follows: 5 percent rural electrification loans, $121,500,000; 5 percent rural telecommunications loans, $75,000,000; cost of money rural telecommunications loans, $300,000,000; municipal rate rural electric loans, $295,000,000; and loans made pursuant to section 306 of that Act, rural electric, $1,700,000,000 and rural telecommunications, $120,000,000, to remain available until expended. For the cost, as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, including the cost of modifying loans, of direct and guaranteed loans authorized by the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 935 and 936), as follows: cost of direct loans, $1,935,000; cost of municipal rate loans, $10,827,000; cost of money rural telecommunications loans, $2,370,000: Provided, That notwithstanding section 305(d)(2) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, borrower interest rates may exceed 7 percent per year. In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $31,046,000, which shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for "Rural Utilities Service, Salaries and Expenses". RURAL TELEPHONE BANK PROGRAM ACCOUNT (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) The Rural Telephone Bank is hereby authorized to make such expenditures, within the limits of funds available to such corporation in accord with law, and to make such contracts and commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as provided by section 104 of the Government Corporation Control Act, as may be necessary in carrying out its authorized programs. During fiscal
�
