7 U.S.C. § 1987 — Debt adjustment and credit counseling;

Page 1147 TITLE 7—AGRICULTURE § 1988 § 1986. Conflicts of interests (a) Acceptance of fees, commissions, gifts, or other considerations prohibited No officer, attorney, or other employee of the Secretary shall, directly or indirectly, be the beneficiary of or receive any fee, commission, gift, or other consideration for or in connection with any transaction or business under this chapter other than such salary, fee, or other compensation as he may receive as such officer, attorney, or employee. (b) Acquisition of interest in land by certain offi- cers or employees of Department of Agri- culture prohibited; 3-year period Except as otherwise provided in this sub- section, no officer or employee of the Depart- ment of Agriculture who acts on or reviews an application made by any person under this chap- ter for a loan to purchase land may acquire, di- rectly or indirectly, any interest in such land for a period of three years after the date on which such action is taken or such review is made. This prohibition shall not apply to a former member of a county committee upon a determination by the Secretary, prior to the ac- quisition of such interest, that such former member acted in good faith when acting on or reviewing such application. (c) Certifications on loans to family members prohibited No member of a county committee shall know- ingly make or join in making any certification with respect to a loan to purchase any land in which he or any person related to him within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity has or may acquire any interest or with respect to any applicant related to him within the sec- ond degree of consanguinity or affinity. (d) Penalties Any persons violating any provision of this section shall, upon conviction thereof, be pun- ished by a fine of not more than $2,000 or impris- onment for not more than two years, or both. (Pub. L. 87–128, title III, § 336, Aug. 8, 1961, 75 Stat. 316; Pub. L. 98–258, title VI, § 606, Apr. 10, 1984, 98 Stat. 140; Pub. L. 107–171, title V, § 5501(b), May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 351.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), was in the original ‘‘this title’’, meaning title III of Pub. L. 87–128, Aug. 8, 1961, 75 Stat. 307, known as the Consoli- dated Farm and Rural Development Act, which is clas- sified principally to this chapter. For complete classi- fication of title III to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1921 of this title and Tables. AMENDMENTS 2002—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–171 struck out ‘‘provided for in section 1982 of this title’’ after ‘‘former member of a county committee’’. 1984—Pub. L. 98–258 designated first, second, and third sentences of existing provisions as subsecs. (a), (c), and (d), respectively, and added subsec. (b). § 1987. Debt adjustment and credit counseling; ‘‘summary period’’ defined; loan summary statements (a) The Secretary may provide voluntary debt adjustment assistance between farmers and their creditors and may cooperate with State, territorial, and local agencies and committees engaged in such debt adjustment, and may give credit counseling. (b)(1) As used in this subsection, the term ‘‘summary period’’ means— (A) the period beginning on December 23, 1985, and ending on the date on which the first loan summary statement is issued after De- cember 23, 1985; or (B) the period beginning on the date of issuance of the preceding loan summary state- ment and ending on the date of issuance of the current loan summary statement. (2) On the request of a borrower of a loan made or insured (but not guaranteed) under this chap- ter, the Secretary shall issue to such borrower a loan summary statement that reflects the ac- count activity during the summary period for each loan made or insured under this chapter to such borrower, including— (A) the outstanding amount of principal due on each such loan at the beginning of the sum- mary period; (B) the interest rate charged on each such loan; (C) the amount of payments made on and their application to each such loan during the summary period and an explanation of the basis for the application of such payments; (D) the amount of principal and interest due on each such loan at the end of the summary period; (E) the total amount of unpaid principal and interest on all such loans at the end of the summary period; (F) any delinquency in the repayment of any such loan; (G) a schedule of the amount and date of payments due on each such loan; and (H) the procedure the borrower may use to obtain more information concerning the sta- tus of such loans. (Pub. L. 87–128, title III, § 337, Aug. 8, 1961, 75 Stat. 316; Pub. L. 99–198, title XIII, § 1316, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1528.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This chapter, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), was in the original ‘‘this title’’, meaning title III of Pub. L. 87–128, Aug. 8, 1961, 75 Stat. 307, known as the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of title III to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1921 of this title and Tables. AMENDMENTS 1985—Pub. L. 99–198 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b). § 1988. Appropriations (a) Authorization There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as the Congress may from