US Code

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

7 U.S.C. § 8790

Signature authority

(a)

In general

In carrying out this title and title II and amendments made by those titles, if the Secretary approves a document, the Secretary shall not subsequently determine the document is inadequate or invalid because of the lack of authority of any person signing the document on behalf of the applicant or any other individual, entity, general partnership, or joint venture, or the documents relied upon were determined inadequate or invalid, unless the person signing the program document knowingly and willfully falsified the evidence of signature authority or a signature.

(b)

Affirmation

(1)

In general

Nothing in this section prohibits the Secretary from asking a proper party to affirm any document that otherwise would be considered approved under subsection (a).

(2)

No retroactive effect

A denial of benefits based on a lack of affirmation under paragraph (1) shall not be retroactive with respect to third-party producers who were not the subject of the erroneous representation of authority, if the third-party producers—
(A)
relied on the prior approval by the Secretary of the documents in good faith; and
(B)
1
1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.
substantively complied with all program requirements 

Pub. L. 110–234, title I, § 1617122 Stat. 1021 Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a)122 Stat. 1664 (, , ; , title I, § 1617, , , 1750.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 110–246122 Stat. 1664 This title and title II, referred to in subsec. (a), are titles I and II of , , , 1753, which enacted this chapter and enacted, amended, and repealed numerous other sections and notes in the Code. For complete classification of titles I and II to the Code, see Tables.

Codification

Pub. L. 110–234Pub. L. 110–246Pub. L. 110–234section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246 and enacted identical sections. was repealed by .

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 110–234Pub. L. 110–246Pub. L. 110–234section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246section 8701 of this titleEnactment of this section and repeal of by effective , the date of enactment of , see , set out as a note under .