### §3149. Grants for economic adjustment

#### (a) In general

On the application of an eligible recipient, the Secretary may make grants for development of public facilities, public services, business development (including funding of a revolving loan fund), planning, technical assistance, training, and any other assistance to alleviate long-term economic deterioration and sudden and severe economic dislocation and further the economic adjustment objectives of this subchapter.

#### (b) Criteria for assistance

The Secretary may provide assistance under this section only if the Secretary determines that—

(1) the project will help the area to meet a special need arising from—

(A) actual or threatened severe unemployment; or

(B) economic adjustment problems resulting from severe changes in economic conditions; and

(2) the area for which a project is to be carried out has a comprehensive economic development strategy and the project is consistent with the strategy, except that this paragraph shall not apply to planning projects.

#### (c) Particular community assistance

Assistance under this section may include assistance provided for activities identified by communities, the economies of which are injured by—

(1) military base closures or realignments, defense contractor reductions in force, or Department of Energy defense-related funding reductions, for help in diversifying their economies through projects to be carried out on Federal Government installations or elsewhere in the communities;

(2) disasters or emergencies, in areas with respect to which a major disaster or emergency has been declared under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), for post-disaster economic recovery;

(3) international trade, for help in economic restructuring of the communities;

(4) fishery failures, in areas with respect to which a determination that there is a commercial fishery failure has been made under section 1861a(a) of title 16; or

(5) the loss of manufacturing jobs, for reinvesting in and diversifying the economies of the communities.

#### (d) Special provisions relating to revolving loan fund grants

#### (1) In general

The Secretary shall promulgate regulations to maintain the proper operation and financial integrity of revolving loan funds established by recipients with assistance under this section.

#### (2) Efficient administration

The Secretary may—

(A) at the request of a grantee, amend and consolidate grant agreements governing revolving loan funds to provide flexibility with respect to lending areas and borrower criteria;

(B) assign or transfer assets of a revolving loan fund to third party for the purpose of liquidation, and the third party may retain assets of the fund to defray costs related to liquidation; and

(C) take such actions as are appropriate to enable revolving loan fund operators to sell or securitize loans (except that the actions may not include issuance of a Federal guaranty by the Secretary).

#### (3) Treatment of actions

An action taken by the Secretary under this subsection with respect to a revolving loan fund shall not constitute a new obligation if all grant funds associated with the original grant award have been disbursed to the recipient.

#### (4) Preservation of securities laws

#### (A) Not treated as exempted securities

No securities issued pursuant to paragraph (2)(C) shall be treated as exempted securities for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.) or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.), unless exempted by rule or regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

#### (B) Preservation

Except as provided in subparagraph (A), no provision of this subsection or any regulation promulgated by the Secretary under this subsection supersedes or otherwise affects the application of the securities laws (as the term is defined in section 3(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a))) or the rules, regulations, or orders of the Securities and Exchange Commission or a self-regulatory organization under that Commission.

#### (e) Disaster mitigation

In providing assistance pursuant to subsection (c)(2), if appropriate and as applicable, the Secretary may encourage hazard mitigation in assistance provided pursuant to such subsection.

(Pub. L. 89–136, title II, §209, as added Pub. L. 105–393, title I, §102(a), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3605; amended Pub. L. 108–373, title II, §207, Oct. 27, 2004, 118 Stat. 1762; Pub. L. 115–254, div. D, §1217(a), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3451.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### References in Text

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), is Pub. L. 93–288, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 143, which is classified principally to chapter 68 (§5121 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5121 of this title and Tables.

The Securities Act of 1933, referred to in subsec. (d)(4)(A), is title I of act May 27, 1933, ch. 38, 48 Stat. 74, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§77a et seq.) of chapter 2A of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 77a of Title 15 and Tables.

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, referred to in subsec. (d)(4)(A), is act June 6, 1934, ch. 404, 48 Stat. 881, which is classified principally to chapter 2B (§78a et seq.) of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 78a of Title 15 and Tables.

#### Amendments

2018—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 115–254 added subsec. (e).

2004—Subsec. (c)(5). Pub. L. 108–373, §207(a), added par. (5).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 108–373, §207(b), added subsec. (d) and struck out heading and text of former subsec. (d). Text read as follows:

"(1) In general.—Subject to paragraph (2), an eligible recipient of a grant under this section may directly expend the grant funds or may redistribute the funds to public and private entities in the form of a grant, loan, loan guarantee, payment to reduce interest on a loan guarantee, or other appropriate assistance.

"(2) Limitation.—Under paragraph (1), an eligible recipient may not provide any grant to a private for-profit entity."

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Effective Date

Section effective Feb. 11, 1999, see section 105 of Pub. L. 105–393, set out as a note under section 3121 of this title.