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(5) INSURANCE.-In accordance with practices in the private capital market, as determined by the Board, the applicant for a loan guarantee under this Act shall obtain, at its expense, insurance sufficient to protect the financial interests of the United States, as determined by the Board.

(c) ASSIGNMENT OF LOAN GUARANTEES.-The holder of a loan guarantee under this Act may assign the loan guaranteed under this Act in whole or in part, subject to such requirements as the Board may prescribe.

(d) EXPIRATION OF LOAN GUARANTEE UPON STRIPPING.-Notwithstanding subsections (c), (e), and (h), a loan guarantee under this Act shall have no force or effect if any part of the guaranteed portion of the loan is transferred separate and apart from the unguaranteed portion of the loan.

(e) ADJUSTMENT.-The Board may approve the adjustment of any term or condition of a loan guarantee or a loan guaranteed under this Act, including the rate of interest, time of payment of principal or interest, or security requirements only if—

(1) the adjustment is consistent with the financial interests of the United States;

(2) consent has been obtained from the parties to the loan agreement;

(3) the adjustment is consistent with the underwriting criteria developed under section 1004(g);

(4) the adjustment does not adversely affect the interest of the Federal Government in the assets or collateral of the applicant;

(5) the adjustment does not adversely affect the ability of the applicant to repay the loan; and

(6) the National Telecommunications and Information Administration has been consulted by the Board regarding the adjustment.

(f) PERFORMANCE SCHEDULES.—

(1) PERFORMANCE SCHEDULES.-An applicant for a loan guarantee under this Act for a project covered by section 4(e)(1) shall enter into stipulated performance schedules with the Administrator with respect to the signals to be provided through the project.

(2) PENALTY.-The Administrator may assess against and collect from an applicant described in paragraph (1) a penalty not to exceed three times the interest due on the guaranteed loan of the applicant under this Act if the applicant fails to meet its stipulated performance schedule under that paragraph.

(g) COMPLIANCE.-The Administrator, in cooperation with the Board and as the regulations of the Board may provide, shall enforce compliance by an applicant, and any other party to a loan guarantee for whose benefit assistance under this Act is intended, with the provisions of this Act, any regulations under this Act, and the terms and conditions of the loan guarantee, including through the submittal of such reports and documents as the Board may require in regulations prescribed by the Board and through regular periodic inspections and audits.

(h) COMMERCIAL VALIDITY.-A loan guarantee under this Act shall be incontestable

(1) in the hands of an applicant on whose behalf the loan guarantee is made, unless the applicant engaged in fraud or misrepresentation in securing the loan guarantee; and

(2) as to any person or entity (or their respective successor in interest) who makes or contracts to make a loan to the applicant for the loan guarantee in reliance thereon, unless such person or entity (or respective successor in interest) engaged in fraud or misrepresentation in making or contracting to make such loan.

(i) DEFAULTS.-The Board shall prescribe regulations governing defaults on loans guaranteed under this Act, including the administration of the payment of guaranteed amounts upon de

fault.

(j) RECOVERY OF PAYMENTS.

(1) IN GENERAL.-The Administrator shall be entitled to recover from an applicant for a loan guarantee under this Act the amount of any payment made to the holder of the guarantee with respect to the loan.

(2) SUBROGATION.-Upon making a payment described in paragraph (1), the Administrator shall be subrogated to all rights of the party to whom the payment is made with respect to the guarantee which was the basis for the payment.

(3) DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY.

(A) SALE OR DISPOSAL.-The Administrator shall, in an orderly and efficient manner, sell or otherwise dispose of any property or other interests obtained under this Act in a manner that maximizes taxpayer return and is consistent with the financial interests of the United States.

(B) MAINTENANCE.-The Administrator shall maintain in a cost-effective and reasonable manner any property or other interests pending sale or disposal of such property or other interests under subparagraph (A).

(k) ACTION AGAINST OBLIGOR.

(1) AUTHORITY TO BRING CIVIL ACTION.-The Administrator may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court of the United States in the name of the United States or of the holder of the obligation in the event of a default on a loan guaranteed under this Act. The holder of a loan guarantee shall make available to the Administrator all records and evidence necessary to prosecute the civil action.

(2) FULLY SATISFYING OBLIGATIONS OWED THE UNITED STATES.-The Administrator may accept property in satisfaction of any sums owed the United States as a result of a default on a loan guaranteed under this Act, but only to the extent that any cash accepted by the Administrator is not sufficient to satisfy fully the sums owed as a result of the default. (1) BREACH OF CONDITIONS.-The Administrator shall commence a civil action in a court of appropriate jurisdiction to enjoin any activity which the Board finds is in violation of this Act, the regulations under this Act, or any conditions which were duly agreed to, and to secure any other appropriate relief, including relief against any affiliate of the applicant.

(m) ATTACHMENT.-No attachment or execution may be issued against the Administrator or any property in the control of the Administrator pursuant to this Act before the entry of a final judgment (as to which all rights of appeal have expired) by a Federal, State, or other court of competent jurisdiction against the Administrator in a proceeding for such action.

(n) FEES.

(1) APPLICATION FEE.-The Board shall charge and collect from an applicant for a loan guarantee under this Act a fee to cover the cost of the Board in making necessary determinations and findings with respect to the loan guarantee application under this Act. The amount of the fee shall be reasonable. (2) LOAN GUARANTEE ORIGINATION FEE.-The Board shall charge, and the Administrator may collect, a loan guarantee origination fee with respect to the issuance of a loan guarantee under this Act.

(3) USE OF FEES COLLECTED.—

(A) IN GENERAL.-Any fee collected under this subsection shall be used, subject to subparagraph (B), to offset administrative costs under this Act, including costs of the Board and of the Administrator.

(B) SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATIONS.-The authority provided by this subsection shall be effective only to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriations Acts.

(C) LIMITATION ON FEES.-The aggregate amount of fees imposed by this subsection shall not exceed the actual amount of administrative costs under this Act.

(0) REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO AFFILIATES.—

(1) INDEMNIFICATION.-The United States shall be indemnified by any affiliate (acceptable to the Board) of an applicant for a loan guarantee under this Act for any losses that the United States incurs as a result of—

(A) a judgment against the applicant or any of its affiliates;

(B) any breach by the applicant or any of its affiliates of their obligations under the loan guarantee agreement; (C) any violation of the provisions of this Act, and the regulations prescribed under this Act, by the applicant or any of its affiliates;

(D) any penalties incurred by the applicant or any of its affiliates for any reason, including violation of a stipulated performance schedule under subsection (f); and

(E) any other circumstances that the Board considers appropriate.

(2) LIMITATION ON TRANSFER OF LOAN PROCEEDS.-An applicant for a loan guarantee under this Act may not transfer any part of the proceeds of the loan to an affiliate. (p) EFFECT OF BANKRUPTCY.—

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever any person or entity is indebted to the United States as a result of any loan guarantee issued under this Act and such person or entity is insolvent or is a debtor in a case under title

11, United States Code, the debts due to the United States shall be satisfied first.

(2) A discharge in bankruptcy under title 11, United States Code, shall not release a person or entity from an obligation to the United States in connection with a loan guarantee under this Act.

SEC. 1006. [47 U.S.C. 1105] ANNUAL AUDIT.

(a) REQUIREMENT.-The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct on an annual basis an audit of—

(1) the administration of the provisions of this Act; and

(2) the financial position of each applicant who receives a loan guarantee under this Act, including the nature, amount, and purpose of investments made by the applicant.

(b) REPORT.-The Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Banking and Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report on each audit conducted under subsection (a).

SEC. 1007. [47 U.S.C. 1106] IMPROVED CELLULAR SERVICE IN RURAL AREAS.

EES.

(a) REINSTATEMENT OF APPLICANTS AS TENTATIVE SELECT

(1) IN GENERAL.-Notwithstanding the order of the Federal Communications Commission in the proceeding described in paragraph (3), the Commission shall

(A) reinstate each applicant as a tentative selectee under the covered rural service area licensing proceeding; and

(B) permit each applicant to amend its application, to the extent necessary to update factual information and to comply with the rules of the Commission, at any time before the Commission's final licensing action in the covered rural service area licensing proceeding.

(2) EXEMPTION FROM PETITIONS TO DENY.-For purposes of the amended applications filed pursuant to paragraph (1)(B), the provisions of section 309(d)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(d)(1)) shall not apply.

(3) PROCEEDING.-The proceeding described in this paragraph is the proceeding of the Commission In re Applications of Cellwave Telephone Services L.P., Futurewave General Partners L.P., and Great Western Cellular Partners, 7 FCC Rcd No. 19 (1992).

(b) CONTINUATION OF LICENSE PROCEEDING; FEE ASSESS

MENT.

(1) AWARD OF LICENSES.-The Commission shall award licenses under the covered rural service area licensing proceeding within 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(2) SERVICE REQUIREMENTS.-The Commission shall provide that, as a condition of an applicant receiving a license pursuant to the covered rural service area licensing proceeding, the applicant shall provide cellular radiotelephone service to subscribers in accordance with sections 22.946 and 22.947 of

the Commission's rules (47 CFR 22.946, 22.947); except that the time period applicable under section 22.947 of the Commission's rules (or any successor rule) to the applicants identified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (d)(1) shall be 3 years rather than 5 years and the waiver authority of the Commission shall apply to such 3-year period.

(3) CALCULATION OF LICENSE FEE.

(A) FEE REQUIRED.-The Commission shall establish a fee for each of the licenses under the covered rural service area licensing proceeding. In determining the amount of the fee, the Commission shall consider

(i) the average price paid per person served in the Commission's Cellular Unserved Auction (Auction No. 12); and

(ii) the settlement payments required to be paid by the permittees pursuant to the consent decree set forth in the Commission's order, In re the Tellesis Partners (7 FCC Rcd 3168 (1992)), multiplying such payments by two.

(B) NOTICE OF FEE.-Within 30 days after the date an applicant files the amended application permitted by subsection (a)(1)(B), the Commission shall notify each applicant of the fee established for the license associated with its application.

(4) PAYMENT FOR LICENSES.-No later than 18 months after the date that an applicant is granted a license, each applicant shall pay to the Commission the fee established pursuant to paragraph (3) for the license granted to the applicant under paragraph (1).

(5) AUCTION AUTHORITY.—If, after the amendment of an application pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(B), the Commission finds that the applicant is ineligible for grant of a license to provide cellular radiotelephone services for a rural service area or the applicant does not meet the requirements under paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Commission shall grant the license for which the applicant is the tentative selectee (pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(B) by competitive bidding pursuant to section 309(j) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)).

(c) PROHIBITION OF TRANSFER.-During the 5-year period that begins on the date that an applicant is granted any license pursuant to subsection (a), the Commission may not authorize the transfer or assignment of that license under section 310 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 310). Nothing in this Act may be construed to prohibit any applicant granted a license pursuant to subsection (a) from contracting with other licensees to improve cellular telephone service.

(d) DEFINITIONS.-For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) APPLICANT.-The term "applicant" means

(A) Great Western Cellular Partners, a California general partnership chosen by the Commission as tentative selectee for RSA #492 on May 4, 1989;

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