US Code

Public Law 119-83 (04/13/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 4003

Definitions applicable to Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973

(a)
As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the term—
(1)
“community” means a State or a political subdivision thereof which has zoning and building code jurisdiction over a particular area having special flood hazards;
(2)
“Federal agency” means any department, agency, corporation, or other entity or instrumentality of the executive branch of the Federal Government, and includes the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation;
(3)
“financial assistance” means any form of loan, grant, guaranty, insurance, payment, rebate, subsidy, disaster assistance loan or grant, or any other form of direct or indirect Federal assistance, other than general or special revenue sharing or formula grants made to States;
(4)
42 U.S.C. 5121 “financial assistance for acquisition or construction purposes” means any form of financial assistance which is intended in whole or in part for the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, repair, or improvement of any publicly or privately owned building or mobile home, and for any machinery, equipment, fixtures, and furnishings contained or to be contained therein, and shall include the purchase or subsidization of mortgages or mortgage loans but shall exclude assistance pursuant to the Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act [ et seq.] (other than assistance under such Act in connection with a flood);
(5)
“Federal entity for lending regulation” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Comptroller of the Currency, the National Credit Union Administration, and the Farm Credit Administration, and with respect to a particular regulated lending institution means the entity primarily responsible for the supervision of the institution;
(6)
“Administrator” means the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(7)
“Federal agency lender” means a Federal agency that makes direct loans secured by improved real estate or a mobile home, to the extent such agency acts in such capacity;
(8)
the term “improved real estate” means real estate upon which a building is located;
(9)
“lender” means a regulated lending institution or Federal agency lender;
(10)
“regulated lending institution” means any bank, savings and loan association, credit union, farm credit bank, Federal land bank association, production credit association, or similar institution subject to the supervision of a Federal entity for lending regulation; and
(11)
“servicer” means the person responsible for receiving any scheduled periodic payments from a borrower pursuant to the terms of a loan, including amounts for taxes, insurance premiums, and other charges with respect to the property securing the loan, and making the payments of principal and interest and such other payments with respect to the amounts received from the borrower as may be required pursuant to the terms of the loan.
(b)
The Administrator is authorized to define or redefine, by rules and regulations, any scientific or technical term used in this Act, insofar as such definition is not inconsistent with the purposes of this Act.

Pub. L. 93–234, § 387 Stat. 976 Pub. L. 95–128, title VII, § 703(b)91 Stat. 1145 Pub. L. 98–181, title I97 Stat. 1229 Pub. L. 100–707, title I, § 109(t)102 Stat. 4710 Pub. L. 103–325, title V, § 511(a)108 Stat. 2255 Pub. L. 111–203, title III, § 368124 Stat. 1557 Pub. L. 112–141, div. F, title II, § 100238(a)(1)126 Stat. 958 (, , ; , , ; [title IV, § 451(e)], , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 93–23487 Stat. 975 section 4001 of this titleThis Act, referred to in text, means , , , known as the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1973 Amendment note set out under and Tables.

Pub. L. 93–28888 Stat. 143 section 5121 of this titleThe Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(4), is , , , known as the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, which is classified principally to chapter 68 (§ 5121 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, and not as part of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

Pub. L. 112–1412012—Subsec. (a)(6). substituted “ ‘Administrator’ ” for “ ‘Director’ ” and “Administrator of” for “Director of”.

Pub. L. 112–141Subsec. (b). substituted “Administrator” for “Director”.

Pub. L. 111–2032010—Subsec. (a)(5). struck out “, the Office of Thrift Supervision” after “the Comptroller of the Currency”.

Pub. L. 103–325, § 511(a)(1)1994—Subsec. (a)(5). , added par. (5) and struck out former par. (5) which read as follows: “ ‘Federal instrumentality responsible for the supervision, approval, regulation, or insuring of banks, savings and loan associations, or similar institutions’ means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation, and the National Credit Union Administration; and”.

Pub. L. 103–325, § 511(a)(2)Subsec. (a)(7) to (11). , (3), added pars. (7) to (11).

Pub. L. 100–7071988—Subsec. (a)(4). substituted “Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act” for “Disaster Relief Act of 1974”.

Pub. L. 98–181, § 451(e)(2)1983—Subsec. (a)(6). , substituted definition of “Director” meaning the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for definition of “Secretary” meaning the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Pub. L. 98–181, § 451(e)(1)Subsec. (b). , substituted “Director” for “Secretary”.

Pub. L. 95–1281977—Subsec. (a)(4). substituted “assistance pursuant to the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 (other than assistance under such Act in connection with a flood)” for “assistance for emergency work essential for the protection and preservation of life and property performed pursuant to the Disaster Relief Act of 1970 or any subsequent Act of Congress which supersedes or modifies the Disaster Relief Act of 1970”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2010 Amendment

Pub. L. 111–203section 351 of Pub. L. 111–203section 906 of Title 2Amendment by effective on the transfer date, see , set out as a note under , The Congress.

Transfer of Functions

section 315(a)(1) of Title 6For transfer of all functions, personnel, assets, components, authorities, grant programs, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management relating thereto, to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, see , Domestic Security.

section 542 of Title 6For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see former section 313(1) and sections 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of , as modified, set out as a note under .