USC Chapter 71

USC Chapter 71
in effect

31 U.S.C. § 7101 Purposes

The purposes of this chapter are to— (1) enable States, local governments, and private nonprofit organizations to use assistance of the United States Government more effectively and efficiently; (2) adapt the assistance more readily to particular needs through wider use of projects that are supported by more than one executive agency, assistance program, or appropriation of the United States Government; and (3) encourage Federal-State arrangements under which local governments and private nonprofit organizations may more effectively and efficiently combine Federal and State resources to support projects of common interest to those local governments and those organizations.

31 U.S.C. § 7102 Definitions

In this chapter— (1) “applicant” means a State, local government, or private nonprofit organization applying for assistance for one project. (2) “assistance program” means a program of the United States Government providing assistance through a grant or contract but does not include revenue sharing, a loan, a loan guarantee, or insurance. (3) “local government” means a county, city, political subdivision of a county or city, or other general purpose political subdivision of a State, a school district, a council of governments, or other instrumentality of a local government. (4) “project” means an undertaking that includes components that contribute materially to carrying out one purpose or closely related purposes and are proposed or approved for assistance under—(A) more than one United States Government program; or (B) at least one Government program and at least one State program. (5) “State” means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, a territory or possession of the United States, an agency or instrumentality of a State, and a tribe as defined in section 3(c) of the Indian Financing Act of 1974 (25 U.S.C. 1452(c)).

31 U.S.C. § 7103 Authority of the President and heads of executive agencies

(a) The President shall prescribe necessary regulations to carry out section 7101 of this title and to ensure that this chapter is applied by all executive agencies consistently. The regulations may require executive agencies to adopt or prescribe procedures requiring applicants for assistance for a project to be jointly financed under this chapter to take steps to—(1) get the views and recommendations of States and local governments that may be significantly affected by the project; and (2) resolve questions of common interest to those States and local governments before making application. (b) Subject to regulations prescribed under subsection (a) of this section and other law, the head of an executive agency may do the following by an order of the agency head or by agreement with another executive agency:(1) identify related programs likely to be particularly suitable in providing joint financing for specific kinds of projects. (2) to assist in planning and developing a project financed from different programs, develop and prescribe—(A) guidelines; (B) model or illustrative projects; (C) joint or common application forms; and (D) other materials or guidance. (3) review administrative program requirements to identify requirements that may impede joint financing of a project and modify the requirements when appropriate. (4) establish common technical or administrative regulations for related programs to assist in providing joint financing to support a specific project or class of projects. (5) establish joint or common application processing and project supervision procedures, including procedures for designating—(A) a lead agency responsible for processing applications; and (B) a managing agency responsible for project supervision. (c) The head of an executive agency shall—(1) take maximum action to carry out section 7101 of this title in conducting an assistance program of the agency; and (2) consult and cooperate with the heads of other executive agencies to carry out section 7101 of this title in conducting assistance programs of different executive agencies that may be used jointly to finance projects undertaken by States, local governments, or private nonprofit organizations.

31 U.S.C. § 7104 Processing project requests to be financed by at least 2 assistance programs

In processing an application or request for assistance for a project to be financed by at least 2 assistance programs, the head of an executive agency shall take action that will ensure that— (1) required reviews and approvals are handled expeditiously; (2) complete account is taken of special considerations of timing that are made known by the applicant that would affect the feasibility of a jointly financed project; (3) an applicant is required to deal with a minimum number of representatives of the United States Government; (4) an applicant is promptly informed of a decision or special problem that could affect the feasibility of providing joint assistance under the application; and (5) an applicant is not required to get information or assurances from one executive agency for a requesting executive agency when the requesting agency may get the information or assurances directly.

31 U.S.C. § 7105 Prescribing uniform technical and administrative provisions

(a) To make participation in a project easier than would be possible because of varying or conflicting technical or administrative regulations and procedures not required by law, the head of an executive agency may prescribe uniform provisions about inconsistent or conflicting requirements on—(1) financial administration of the project (including accounting, reporting and auditing, and maintaining a separate bank account), to the extent consistent with section 7108 of this title; (2) the timing of payments by the United States Government for the project when one schedule or a combined schedule is to be established for the project; (3) providing assistance by grant rather than procurement contract or by procurement contract rather than by grant; and (4) accountability for, or the disposition of, records, property, or structures acquired or constructed with assistance from the Government when common regulations are established for the project. (b) To make easier the processing of applications for assistance, the head of an executive agency may provide for review of proposals for a project by one panel, board, or committee where reviews by separate panels, boards, or committees are not specifically required by law. (c) Notwithstanding a requirement that one public agency or a specific public agency be established or designated to carry out or supervise that part of the assistance from the Government under an assistance program for a jointly financed project, the head of the executive agency carrying out the program may waive the requirement when—(1) administration by another public agency is consistent with State or local law and the objectives of the assistance program; and (2)(A) the waiver is requested by the head of a unit of general government certifying jurisdiction over the public agencies concerned; or (B) the State or local public agencies concerned agree to the waiver.

31 U.S.C. § 7106 Delegation of supervision of assistance

With the approval of the President, the head of an executive agency may delegate or otherwise arrange to have another executive agency carry out or supervise a project or class of projects jointly financed under this chapter. A delegation— (1) shall be made under conditions ensuring that duties and powers delegated are exercised consistent with law; and (2) may not relieve the head of an executive agency of responsibility for the proper and efficient management of a project for which the agency provides assistance.

31 U.S.C. § 7107 Joint management funds

(a) In supporting a project, a joint management fund may be established to administer more effectively amounts received from more than one assistance program or appropriation. A proportional share of the amount required to pay a grantee shall be transferred periodically to the fund from each program or appropriation. When a project is completed, the grantee shall return to the fund an amount not expended. (b) An account in a joint management fund is subject to an agreement made by the heads of the executive agencies providing assistance for the project about the responsibilities of each agency. An agreement shall—(1) ensure the availability of necessary information to the executive agencies and Congress; (2) provide that the agency administering a fund is responsible and accountable by program and appropriation for the amounts provided for the purposes of each account in the fund; and (3) include procedures for returning, subject to fiscal year limitations, an excess amount to participating executive agencies under the applicable appropriation. An excess amount of an expired appropriation lapses from the fund. (c) For each project financed through an account in a joint management fund, a recipient of an amount from the fund shall keep records prescribed by the head of the executive agency responsible for administering the fund. The records shall include—(1) the amount and disposition by the recipient of assistance received under each program and appropriation; (2) the total cost of the project for which assistance was given or used; (3) that part of the cost of the project provided from other sources; and (4) other records that will make it easier to carry out an audit. (d) Records of a recipient related to an amount received from a joint management fund shall be made available to the head of the executive agency responsible for administering the fund and the Comptroller General for inspection and audit. (e) For a project subject to a joint management fund, one non-Government share may be established conforming to—(1) the proportional shares applicable to the assistance programs involved; and (2) the proportional shares of an amount transferred to the project account from each of the programs.

31 U.S.C. § 7108 Limitation on authority under sections 7105–7107

Under regulations prescribed by the President, the head of an executive agency may act under sections 7105–7107 of this title for a project assisted under at least 2 assistance programs. The regulations shall ensure that the head of an executive agency acts under those sections only— (1) when a problem cannot be adequately solved through other action under this chapter or other law; (2) when necessary to promote expeditious processing of applications or effective and efficient administration of the project; and (3) in a way consistent with protecting the interest of the United States Government and with the program purposes and requirements of law.

31 U.S.C. § 7109 Appropriations available for joint financing

An appropriation available for technical assistance or personnel training under an assistance program is available for technical assistance and training for a project proposed or approved for joint financing involving the program and another assistance program.

31 U.S.C. § 7110 Use of joint financing provisions for Federal-State assisted projects

Under regulations prescribed by the President, the head of an executive agency may make an agreement with a State to extend the benefits of this chapter to a project involving assistance from at least one executive agency and at least one State agency. The agreement may include arrangements to process requests or administer assistance on a joint basis.

31 U.S.C. § 7111 Report to Congress

By February 3, 1984, the President shall submit to Congress a report on actions taken under this chapter and make recommendations for its continuation, amendment, or termination. The report shall include a detailed evaluation of the operation of the chapter, including information on the benefits and costs of jointly financed projects that accrue to participating States, local governments, private nonprofit organizations, and the United States Government.