### §1478. Local committees to assist Secretary

#### (a) Composition, appointment, and compensation; chairman; promulgation of procedural rules; forms and equipment

For the purposes of this subsection and subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary may use the services of any existing committee of farmers operating (pursuant to laws or regulations carried out by the Department of Agriculture) in any county or parish in which activities are carried on under this subchapter. In any county or parish in which activities are carried on under this subchapter and in which no existing satisfactory committee is available, the Secretary is authorized to appoint a committee composed of three persons residing in the county or parish. Each member of such existing or newly appointed committee shall be allowed compensation at the rate determined by the Secretary while engaged in the performance of duties under this subchapter and, in addition, shall be allowed such amounts as the Secretary may prescribe for necessary traveling and subsistence expenses. One member of the committee shall be designated by the Secretary as chairman. The Secretary shall prescribe rules governing the procedures of the committees, furnish forms and equipment necessary for the performance of their duties, and authorize and provide for the compensation of such clerical assistance as he deems may be required by any committee.

#### (b) Duties

The committees utilized or appointed pursuant to this section may examine applications of persons desiring to obtain the benefits of section 1471(a)(1) and (2) of this title as they relate to the successful operation of a farm, and may submit recommendations to the Secretary with respect to each applicant as to whether the applicant is eligible to receive such benefits, whether by reason of his character, ability, and experience he is likely successfully to carry out undertakings required of him under a loan under such section, and whether the farm with respect to which the application is made is of such character that there is a reasonable likelihood that the making of the loan requested will carry out the purposes of this subchapter. The committees may also certify to the Secretary with respect to the amount of any loan.

(July 15, 1949, ch. 338, title V, §508, 63 Stat. 436; Pub. L. 87–70, title VIII, §806, June 30, 1961, 75 Stat. 188; Pub. L. 91–609, title VIII, §803(b), Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1807; Pub. L. 93–383, title V, §508, Aug. 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 694.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Amendments

1974—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 93–383 substituted provisions relating to examination of applications under section 1471(a)(1) and (2) of this title, and certification to the Secretary with respect to amount of any loan, for provisions relating to examination of applications under provisions of this subchapter, certification to the Secretary with respect to the amount of the loan or grant, and requiring performance of such other duties as the Secretary requests.

1970—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 91–609 substituted "may" for "shall" in first and second sentences where reading "shall examine", "shall submit", and "shall also certify".

1961—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 87–70, §806(a), substituted "at the rate determined by the Secretary" for "at the rate of $5 per day".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 87–70, §806(b), substituted "certify to the Secretary as to the amount of the loan or grant" for "certify to the Secretary their opinions of the reasonable values of the farms".