[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 110 (Friday, June 7, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 26644]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-11924]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Announcement of New Cushion of Credit Program Provisions

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a Rural Development agency 
of the United States Department of Agriculture, is issuing this notice 
regarding the new provisions affecting RUS borrower participation in 
the Cushion of Credit (CoC) program pursuant to the Agriculture 
Improvement Act of 2018, (the 2018 Farm Bill).

DATES: Effective December 20, 2018, all future deposits into CoC 
accounts have been prohibited; however, withdrawal from these accounts 
is permitted for prepayment on RUS direct or guaranteed loans, and 
without penalty.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  If you have other questions or 
concerns, please send your questions or comments to: 
[email protected], or you can contact Steven Tempia, telephone 
number: (314) 457-4088. A Rural Development representative will follow 
up with a response by email or phone. Additionally, RUS will maintain 
FAQs on its web page with respect to CoC prepayments.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective December 20, 2018, all future 
deposits into CoC accounts have been prohibited; however, withdrawal 
from these accounts is permitted for prepayment on RUS direct or 
guaranteed loans, and without penalty. Pursuant to Section 6503 of the 
2018 Farm Bill (H.R. 2 (115th), no new CoC deposits could be accepted 
as of December 20, 2018. With respect to existing CoC deposits, Section 
6503 altered the prior, fixed interest rate with phased in interest 
rate reductions over the next two years. The current 5 percent rate 
will be paid until the end of fiscal year 2020, September 30, 2020. 
Beginning on October 1, 2020, CoC deposits will earn 4 percent interest 
until September 30, 2021. Starting on October 1, 2021 and thereafter, 
account balances will earn the applicable, variable 1-year Treasury 
rate.
    Additionally, pursuant to Section 6503, from December 20, 2018 
until September 30, 2020, RUS borrowers, may, at their sole discretion, 
apply their CoC balances to prepay their outstanding loans made or 
guaranteed under the Rural Electrification Act, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., 
whether direct RUS loans or Federal Financing Bank guaranteed loans. 
The principal portion of the loan that is prepaid with CoC balances 
during this period will not be subject to a prepayment premium. With 
respect to RUS direct loans that prepay using CoC accounts during the 
period, all terms and conditions of the loan, or a prepayment 
agreement, if any, that restrict or qualify such prepayment shall be 
waived. Prepayments using funds not in CoC accounts will remain subject 
to existing agreements.
    Instructions: Unless otherwise directed, borrowers requesting to 
prepay loan balances with CoC accounts will have the amount specified 
applied first to outstanding interest and fees, and then to outstanding 
principal, pursuant to their loan agreements. Borrowers must also 
indicate which accounts they would like to prepay, otherwise such 
amounts will be applied to the oldest debt accounts first. If a 
borrower requests an entire prepayment to outstanding principal but 
does not provide for an additional payment to cover outstanding 
interest and fees, such payment will be applied first to interest and 
fees. At the borrower's request, a prepayment calculation will be 
provided to confirm the amount due for individual accounts.
    Should borrowers choose to supplement additional non-CoC funds to 
prepay additional loan accounts, or portions thereof, the associated 
premium will be applied to that portion of the prepayment.
    In order that borrower's prepayments are fulfilled as requested, 
borrowers should submit the following information to: 
[email protected] with the subject line title ``CUSHION OF 
CREDIT PREPAY REQUEST'' and the following:
    (1) The dollar amount of the CoC to be applied;
    (2) The specific loan advance accounts to be prepaid;
    (3) The method in which they wish CoC balances to be applied 
(optional);
    (4) Whether the borrower intends to supplement the prepayment with 
additional funds and the amount of such supplemental funds; and
    (5) Contact information to coordinate prepayment, and for any 
necessary correspondence (i.e. notice as to whether any amounts are 
missing pursuant to their specific request).
    All requests will be promptly processed, and the transactions will 
be reflected on the next Statement of Account and Transactions 
(Statement) after the prepayment is made. If the Statement does not 
reflect the correct application, please contact 
[email protected] immediately.

Chad Rupe,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-11924 Filed 6-6-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P