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ther, That such funds shall be made available to qualified 
private, nonprofit and public intermediary organizations 
proposing to carry out a program of financial and tech-
nical assistance: Provided further, That such intermediary 
organizations shall provide matching funds from other 
sources, including Federal funds for related activities, in 
an amount not less than funds provided: Provided further, 
That of the amount appropriated for the rural business 
and cooperative development programs, not to exceed 
$500,000 shall be made available for a grant to a qualified 
national organization to provide technical assistance for 
rural transportation in order to promote economic develop-
ment; $1,000,000 shall be for grants to the Delta Regional 
Authority (7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.) for any purpose under 
this heading: Provided further, That of the amount appro-
priated for rural utilities programs, not to exceed 
$25,000,000 shall be for water and waste disposal systems 
to benefit the Colonias along the United States/Mexico 
border, including grants pursuant to section 306C of such 
Act; not to exceed $17,500,000 shall be for technical as-
sistance grants for rural water and waste systems pursu-
ant to section 306(a)(14) of such Act, unless the Secretary 
makes a determination of extreme need, of which 
$5,600,000 shall be for Rural Community Assistance Pro-
grams; and not to exceed $14,000,000 shall be for con-
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tracting with qualified national organizations for a circuit 
rider program to provide technical assistance for rural 
water systems: Provided further, That of the total amount 
appropriated, not to exceed $21,367,000 shall be available 
through June 30, 2006, for authorized empowerment 
zones and enterprise communities and communities des-
ignated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic 
Area Partnership Zones; of which $1,067,000 shall be for 
the rural community programs described in section 
381E(d)(1) of such Act, of which $12,000,000 shall be 
for the rural utilities programs described in section 
381E(d)(2) of such Act, and of which $8,300,000 shall 
be for the rural business and cooperative development pro-
grams described in section 381E(d)(3) of such Act: Pro-
vided further, That any prior year balances for high cost 
energy grants authorized by section 19 of the Rural Elec-
trification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901(19)) shall be trans-
ferred to and merged with the ‘‘Rural Utilities Service, 
High Energy Costs Grants Account’’. 
RURAL DEVELOPMENT 
SALARIES AND EXPENSES 
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) 
For necessary expenses for carrying out the adminis-
tration and implementation of programs in the Rural De-
velopment mission area, including activities with institu-
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tions concerning the development and operation of agricul-
tural cooperatives; and for cooperative agreements; 
$152,623,000: Provided, That notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, funds appropriated under this section 
may be used for advertising and promotional activities 
that support the Rural Development mission area: Pro-
vided further, That not more than $10,000 may be ex-
pended to provide modest nonmonetary awards to non- 
USDA employees: Provided further, That any balances 
available from prior years for the Rural Utilities Service, 
Rural Housing Service, and the Rural Business-Coopera-
tive Service salaries and expenses accounts shall be trans-
ferred to and merged with this appropriation. 
RURAL HOUSING SERVICE 
RURAL HOUSING INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT 
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) 
For gross obligations for the principal amount of di-
rect and guaranteed loans as authorized by title V of the 
Housing Act of 1949, to be available from funds in the 
rural housing insurance fund, as follows: $4,821,832,000 
for loans to section 502 borrowers, as determined by the 
Secretary, of which $1,140,799,000 shall be for direct 
loans, and of which $3,681,033,000 shall be for unsub-
sidized guaranteed loans; $35,969,000 for section 504 
housing repair loans; $100,000,000 for section 515 rental
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housing; $100,000,000 for section 538 guaranteed multi- 
family housing loans; $5,000,000 for section 524 site 
loans; $11,500,000 for credit sales of acquired property, 
of which up to $1,500,000 may be for multi-family credit 
sales; and $5,048,000 for section 523 self-help housing 
land development loans. 
For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, including 
the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section 502 of 
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows: section 
502 loans, $170,837,000, of which $129,937,000 shall be 
for direct loans, and of which $40,900,000, to remain 
available until expended, shall be for unsubsidized guaran-
teed loans; section 504 housing repair loans, $10,521,000; 
section 515 rental housing, $45,880,000; section 538 
multi-family housing guaranteed loans, $5,420,000; multi- 
family credit sales of acquired property, $681,000; and 
section 523 self-help housing and development loans, 
$52,000: Provided, That of the total amount appropriated 
in this paragraph, $2,500,000 shall be available through 
June 30, 2006, for authorized empowerment zones and en-
terprise communities and communities designated by the 
Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partner-
ship Zones. 
In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to 
carry out the direct and guaranteed loan programs,
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$455,242,000, which shall be transferred to and merged 
with the appropriation for ‘‘Rural Development, Salaries 
and Expenses’’. 
RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 
For rental assistance agreements entered into or re-
newed pursuant to the authority under section 521(a)(2) 
or agreements entered into in lieu of debt forgiveness or 
payments for eligible households as authorized by section 
502(c)(5)(D) of the Housing Act of 1949, $650,026,000; 
and, in addition, such sums as may be necessary, as au-
thorized by section 521(c) of the Act, to liquidate debt 
incurred prior to fiscal year 1992 to carry out the rental 
assistance program under section 521(a)(2) of the Act: 
Provided, That of this amount, $5,900,000 shall be avail-
able for debt forgiveness or payments for eligible house-
holds as authorized by section 502(c)(5)(D) of the Act, 
and not to exceed $20,000 per project for advances to non- 
profit organizations or public agencies to cover direct costs 
(other than purchase price) incurred in purchasing 
projects pursuant to section 502(c)(5)(C) of the Act: Pro-
vided further, That agreements entered into or renewed 
during the current fiscal year shall be funded for a four- 
year period: Provided further, That any unexpended bal-
ances remaining at the end of such four-year agreements 
may be transferred and used for the purposes of any debt
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reduction; maintenance, repair, or rehabilitation of any ex-
isting projects; preservation; and rental assistance activi-
ties authorized under title V of the Act. 
MUTUAL AND SELF-HELP HOUSING GRANTS 
For grants and contracts pursuant to section 
523(b)(1)(A) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 
1490c), $34,000,000, to remain available until expended: 
Provided, That of the total amount appropriated, 
$1,000,000 shall be available through June 30, 2006, for 
authorized empowerment zones and enterprise commu-
nities and communities designated by the Secretary of Ag-
riculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones. 
RURAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANTS 
For grants and contracts for very low-income housing 
repair, supervisory and technical assistance, compensation 
for construction defects, and rural housing preservation 
made by the Rural Housing Service, as authorized by 42 
U.S.C. 1474, 1479(c), 1490e, and 1490m, $41,000,000, 
to remain available until expended: Provided, That of the 
total amount appropriated, $1,200,000 shall be available 
through June 30, 2006, for authorized empowerment 
zones and enterprise communities and communities des-
ignated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic 
Area Partnership Zones.
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FARM LABOR PROGRAM ACCOUNT 
For the cost of direct loans, grants, and contracts, 
as authorized by 42 U.S.C. 1484 and 1486, $32,728,000, 
to remain available until expended, for direct farm labor 
housing loans and domestic farm labor housing grants and 
contracts. 
RURAL BUSINESS-COOPERATIVE SERVICE 
RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOAN FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
For the principal amount of direct loans, as author-
ized by the Rural Development Loan Fund (42 U.S.C. 
9812(a)), $34,212,000. 
For the cost of direct loans, $14,718,000, as author-
ized by the Rural Development Loan Fund (42 U.S.C. 
9812(a)), of which $1,724,000 shall be available through 
June 30, 2006, for Federally Recognized Native American 
Tribes and of which $3,449,000 shall be available through 
June 30, 2006, for the Delta Regional Authority (7 U.S.C. 
1921 et seq.): Provided, That such costs, including the 
cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 
502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided 
further, That of the total amount appropriated, $887,000 
shall be available through June 30, 2006, for the cost of 
direct loans for authorized empowerment zones and enter-
prise communities and communities designated by the Sec-
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retary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership 
Zones. 
In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out 
the direct loan programs, $4,719,000 shall be transferred 
to and merged with the appropriation for ‘‘Rural Develop-
ment, Salaries and Expenses’’. 
RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOANS PROGRAM 
ACCOUNT 
(INCLUDING RESCISSION OF FUNDS) 
For the principal amount of direct loans, as author-
ized under section 313 of the Rural Electrification Act, 
for the purpose of promoting rural economic development 
and job creation projects, $25,003,000. 
For the cost of direct loans, including the cost of 
modifying loans as defined in section 502 of the Congres-
sional Budget Act of 1974, $4,993,000, to remain avail-
able until expended. 
Of the funds derived from interest on the cushion of 
credit payments in the current fiscal year, as authorized 
by section 313 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, 
$18,877,000 shall not be obligated and $18,877,000 are 
rescinded. 
RURAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS 
For rural cooperative development grants authorized 
under section 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm and
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Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932), $24,000,000, of 
which $500,000 shall be for cooperative research agree-
ments; and of which $2,500,000 shall be for cooperative 
agreements for the appropriate technology transfer for 
rural areas program: Provided, That not to exceed 
$1,000,000 shall be for cooperatives or associations of co-
operatives whose primary focus is to provide assistance to 
small, minority producers and whose governing board and/ 
or membership is comprised of at least 75 percent minor-
ity; and of which not to exceed $15,500,000, to remain 
available until expended, shall be for value-added agricul-
tural product market development grants, as authorized 
by section 6401 of the Farm Security and Rural Invest-
ment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note). 
RURAL EMPOWERMENT ZONES AND ENTERPRISE 
COMMUNITY GRANTS 
For grants in connection with second and third 
rounds of empowerment zones and enterprise commu-
nities, $10,000,000, to remain available until expended, 
for designated rural empowerment zones and rural enter-
prise communities, as authorized by the Taxpayer Relief 
Act of 1997 and the Omnibus Consolidated and Emer-
gency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public 
Law 105–277): Provided, That of the funds appropriated, 
$1,000,000 shall be made available to third round em-
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powerment zones, as authorized by the Community Re-
newal Tax Relief Act (Public Law 106–554). 
RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM 
For the cost of a program of direct loans, loan guar-
antees, and grants, under the same terms and conditions 
as authorized by section 9006 of the Farm Security and 
Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8106), 
$23,000,000 for direct and guaranteed renewable energy 
loans and grants: Provided, That the cost of direct loans 
and loan guarantees, including the cost of modifying such 
loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congres-
sional Budget Act of 1974. 
RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER 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 electrifica-
tion loans, $100,000,000; municipal rate rural electric 
loans, $100,000,000; loans made pursuant to section 306 
of that Act, rural electric, $2,100,000,000; Treasury rate 
direct electric loans, $1,000,000,000; guaranteed under- 
writing loans pursuant to section 313A, $1,000,000,000; 
5 percent rural telecommunications loans, $145,000,000; 
cost 
of 
money 
rural 
telecommunications 
loans,
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$424,000,000; and for loans made pursuant to section 306 
of 
that 
Act, 
rural 
telecommunications 
loans, 
$125,000,000. 
For the cost, as defined in section 502 of the Con-
gressional Budget Act of 1974, including the cost of modi-
fying loans, of direct and guaranteed loans authorized by 
sections 305 and 306 of the Rural Electrification Act of 
1936 (7 U.S.C. 935 and 936), as follows: cost of rural 
electric loans, $6,160,000, and the cost of telecommuni-
cations loans, $212,000: 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, 
$38,907,000 which shall be transferred to and merged 
with the appropriation for ‘‘Rural Development, Salaries 
and Expenses’’. 
RURAL TELEPHONE BANK PROGRAM ACCOUNT 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
The Rural Telephone Bank is hereby authorized to 
make such expenditures, within the limits of funds avail-
able 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 Govern-
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ment Corporation Control Act, as may be necessary in car-
rying out its authorized programs. 
For administrative expenses, including audits, nec-
essary to continue to service existing loans, $2,500,000, 
which shall be transferred to and merged with the appro-
priation for ‘‘Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses’’. 
Of the unobligated balances from the Rural Tele-
phone Bank Liquidating Account, $2,500,000 shall not be 
obligated and $2,500,000 are rescinded. 
DISTANCE LEARNING, TELEMEDICINE, AND BROADBAND 
PROGRAM 
For the principal amount of direct distance learning 
and telemedicine loans, $50,000,000; and for the principal 
amount of direct broadband telecommunication loans, 
$463,860,000. 
For the cost of direct loans and grants for telemedi-
cine and distance learning services in rural areas, as au-
thorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa et seq., $25,750,000, to re-
main available until expended, of which $750,000 shall be 
for direct loans: Provided, That the cost of direct loans 
shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974. 
For the cost of broadband loans, as authorized by 7 
U.S.C. 901 et seq., $9,973,000, to remain available until 
expended: Provided, That the interest rate for such loans