7 U.S.C. § 2204a — Rural development; utilization of non-

Page 1432 TITLE 7—AGRICULTURE § 2204–2 ized or required by law, and (2) any action which is required or authorized to be per- formed before, after, or in connection with, such determining, making, prescribing, issuing, or promulgating. (Apr. 4, 1940, ch. 75, § 1, 54 Stat. 81.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section was formerly classified to section 450c of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section, and to section 516a of Title 5 prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 5, Govern- ment Organization and Employees, by Pub. L. 89–554, § 1, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 378. § 2204–2. Delegation of regulatory functions to designated employees; status of employees; number; revocation of delegation Whenever the Secretary of Agriculture deems that the delegation of the whole or any part of any regulatory function which the Secretary is, now or after April 4, 1940, required or authorized to perform will result in the more expeditious discharge of the duties of the Department of Ag- riculture, he is authorized to make such delega- tion to any officer or employee designated under this section. The Secretary is authorized to des- ignate officers or employees of the Department to whom functions may be delegated under this section and to assign appropriate titles to such officers or employees. There shall not be in the Department at any one time more than two offi- cers or employees designated under this section and vested with a regulatory function or part thereof delegated under this section. The Sec- retary may at any time revoke the whole or any part of a delegation or designation made by him under this section. (Apr. 4, 1940, ch. 75, § 2, 54 Stat. 81; Pub. L. 89–554, § 8(a), Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 632, 650.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section was formerly classified to section 450d of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section, and to section 516b of Title 5 prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 5, Govern- ment Organization and Employees, by Pub. L. 89–554, § 1, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 378. AMENDMENTS 1966—Pub. L. 89–554 repealed third sentence which re- lated to grade of a position. See section 5109 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. § 2204–3. Authority of designated employees; ret- roactive revocation of delegation Whenever a delegation is made under section 2204–2 of this title, all provisions of law shall be construed as if the regulatory function or the part thereof delegated had (to the extent of the delegation) been vested by law in the individual to whom the delegation is made, instead of in the Secretary of Agriculture. A revocation of delegation shall not be retroactive, and each regulatory function or part thereof performed (within the scope of the delegation) by such in- dividual prior to the revocation shall be consid- ered as having been performed by the Secretary. (Apr. 4, 1940, ch. 75, § 3, 54 Stat. 82.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section was formerly classified to section 450e of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section, and to section 516c of Title 5 prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 5, Govern- ment Organization and Employees, by Pub. L. 89–554, § 1, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 378. § 2204–4. Delegation of functions under other laws as unaffected The provisions of section 2204–2 of this title shall not be deemed to prohibit the delegation, under authority of any other provision of law, of the whole or any part of any regulatory function or other function to any officer or employee of the Department of Agriculture. (Apr. 4, 1940, ch. 75, § 4, 54 Stat. 82.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section was formerly classified to section 450f of this title prior to editorial reclassification as this section, and to section 516d of Title 5 prior to the general revi- sion and enactment of Title 5, Government Organiza- tion and Employees, by Pub. L. 89–554, § 1, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 378. § 2204–5. Authorization of appropriations for co- operative research projects There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the pur- poses of sections 2204–1 to 2204–5 of this title. (Apr. 4, 1940, ch. 75, § 5, 54 Stat. 82.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section was formerly classified to section 450g of this title prior to editorial reclassification as this section, and to section 516e of Title 5 prior to the general revi- sion and enactment of Title 5, Government Organiza- tion and Employees, by Pub. L. 89–554, § 1, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 378. § 2204a. Rural development; utilization of non- Federal offices; location of field units; inter- change of personnel and facilities The Secretary of Agriculture shall utilize to the maximum extent practicable State, re- gional, district, county, local, or other Depart- ment of Agriculture offices to enhance rural de- velopment, and shall to the maximum extent practicable provide directly, or, in the case of agencies outside of the Department of Agri- culture, through arrangements with the heads of such agencies, for— (1) the location of all field units of the Fed- eral Government concerned with rural devel- opment in the appropriate Department of Ag- riculture offices covering the geographical areas most similar to those covered by such field units, and (2) the interchange of personnel and facili- ties in each such office to the extent necessary or desirable to achieve the most efficient utili- zation of such personnel and facilities and pro- Page 1433 TITLE 7—AGRICULTURE § 2204b vide the most effective assistance in the devel- opment of rural areas in accordance with State rural development plans. (Pub. L. 92–419, title VI, § 603(c), Aug. 30, 1972, 86 Stat. 675; Pub. L. 96–355, § 4(5), Sept. 24, 1980, 94 Stat. 1174.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1980—Pub. L. 96–355 struck out designation for former par. (1) and, in such par., redesignated former subpars. (A) and (B) as pars. (1) and (2), respectively, and struck out former par. (2) which related to contents of report submitted under section 2204(b) of this title. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1980 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 96–355 effective Oct. 1, 1980, see section 10 of Pub. L. 96–355, set out as an Effective Date note under section 2204b of this title. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS Powers, duties, and assets of agencies, offices, and other entities within Department of Agriculture relat- ing to rural development functions transferred to Rural Development Administration by section 2302(b) of Pub. L. 101–624. § 2204b. Rural development policy (a) Coordination of nationwide rural develop- ment program using services of executive branch departments and agencies and State and local governments The Secretary of Agriculture shall provide leadership within the executive branch for, and shall assume responsibility for coordinating, a nationwide rural development program using the services of executive branch departments and agencies, including, but not limited to, the agencies, bureaus, offices, and services of the Department of Agriculture, in coordination with rural development programs of State and local governments. (b) Policy development; systematic review of Federal programs; access to information; de- velopment of process to receive and assess needs, goals, etc.; cooperative agreements to improve Federal programs affecting rural areas; public hearings and comments (1) The Secretary shall conduct a systematic review of Federal programs affecting rural areas to (A) determine whether such areas are bene- fiting from such programs in an equitable pro- portion to the benefits received by urban areas and (B) identify any factors that may restrict accessibility to such programs in rural areas or limit participation in such programs. (2) Subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 [5 U.S.C. 552a], the Secretary may secure directly from any Federal department or agency information necessary to carry out the Secretary’s duties under this section. Upon request of the Sec- retary under this paragraph, the head of any such Federal department or agency shall furnish such information to the Secretary. (3) The Secretary shall develop a process through which multistate, State, substate, and local rural development needs, goals, objectives, plans, and recommendations can be received and assessed on a continuing basis. Such process may include the use of those rural development experts, advisors, and consultants that the Sec- retary deems appropriate, as well as the estab- lishment of temporary advisory committees under the terms of chapter 10 of title 5. (4) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— (A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding chapter 63 of title 31, the Secretary may enter into coop- erative agreements with other Federal agen- cies, State and local governments, and any other organization or individual to improve the coordination and effectiveness of Federal programs, services, and actions affecting rural areas, including the establishment and financ- ing of interagency groups, if the Secretary de- termines that the objectives of the agreement will serve the mutual interest of the parties in rural development activities. (B) COOPERATORS.—Each cooperator, includ- ing each Federal agency, to the extent that funds are otherwise available, may participate in any cooperative agreement or working group established pursuant to this paragraph by contributing funds or other resources to the Secretary to carry out the agreement or functions of the group. (5) The Secretary may hold public hearings and receive comments on any matter that the Secretary determines may have a significant impact on rural development or the economic development of rural communities. (c) Rural development strategy and annual up- dates; preparation and scope; purposes; time for updates; public hearings and suggestions and recommendations; transmittal to Con- gressional committees; analysis of budgetary considerations and factors; evaluation and recommendations regarding implementation and revisions (1) The Secretary shall prepare a comprehen- sive rural development strategy based on the needs, goals, objectives, plans, and recommenda- tions of local communities, substate areas, States, and multistate regions, which is de- signed to— (A) maximize the effectiveness, increase the responsiveness, and improve the delivery of Federal programs to rural areas; (B) increase the coordination of Federal pro- grams with the development needs, objectives, and resources of local communities, substate areas, States, and multistate regions; and (C) achieve the most effective combinations of Federal, State, and local resources to meet the needs of rural areas for orderly growth and development. (2) The rural development strategy shall take into account the need to— (A) improve the economic well-being of all rural residents and alleviate the problems of low income, elderly, minority, and otherwise disadvantaged rural residents; (B) improve the business and employment opportunities, occupational training and em- ployment services, health care services, edu- cational opportunities, energy utilization and availability, housing, transportation, commu- nity services, community facilities, water sup-