(a) Establishment

There is hereby established in the Small Business Administration an Office of Rural Affairs (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Office”).

(b) Appointment of director

Terms Used In 15 USC 653

  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • State: means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other territory or possession of the United States. See 1 USC 7
  • United States: includes the several States, the Territories and possessions of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the District of Columbia. See 15 USC 633

The Office shall be headed by a director who shall be appointed by the Administrator not later than 90 days after November 15, 1990.

(c) Functions

The Office shall—

(1) strive to achieve an equitable distribution of the financial assistance available from the Administration for small business concerns located in rural areas;

(2) to the extent practicable, compile annual statistics on rural areas, including statistics concerning the population, poverty, job creation and retention, unemployment, business failures, and business startups;

(3) provide information to industries, organizations, and State and local governments concerning the assistance available to rural small business concerns through the Administration and through other Federal departments and agencies;

(4) provide information to industries, organizations, educational institutions, and State and local governments concerning programs administered by private organizations, educational institutions, and Federal, State, and local governments which improve the economic opportunities of rural citizens; and

(5) work with the United States Tourism and Travel Administration to assist small businesses in rural areas with tourism promotion and development.

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