Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 75.djvu/355

 75

STAT.]

PUBLIC LAW 87-128-AUG. 8, 1961

(d) such provision for supervision of the borrower's operations as the Secretary shall deem necessary to achieve the objectives of the loan and protect the interests of the United States; and (e) the applications of veterans for loans under subtitle A or B of this title to be ^iven preference over similar applications of nonveterans on file m any county or area office at the same time. Veterans as used herein shall mean persons who served in the Armed Forces of the United States during any war between the United States and any other nation or during the Korean conflict and who were discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable. SEC. 334. All property subject to a lien held by the United States Taxes, or the title to which is acquired or held by the Secretary under this title other than property used for administrative purposes shall be subject to taxation by State, territory, district, and local political subdivisions in the same manner and to the same extent as other property is taxed: Provided, however, That no tax shall be imposed or collected on or with respect to any instrument if the tax is based on— (1) the value of any notes or mortgages or other lien instruments held by or transferred to the Secretary; (2) any notes or lien instruments administered under this title which are made, assigned, or held by a person otherwise liable for such tax; or (3) the value of any property conveyed or transferred to the Secretary, whether as a tax on the instrument, the privilege of conveying or transferring or the recordation thereof; nor shall the failure to pay or collect any such tax be a ground for refusal to record or file such instruments, or for failure to impart notice, or prevent the enforcement of its provisions in any State or Federal court. SEC. 335. (a) The Secretary is authorized and empowered to make advances, without regard to any loan or total indebtedness limitation, to preserve and protect the security for or the lien or priority of the lien securing any loan or other indebtedness owing to, insured by, or acquired by the Secretary under this title or under any other programs administered by the Farmers Home Administration; to bid for and purchase at any execution, foreclosure, or other sale or otherwise to acquire property upon which the United States has a lien by reason of a judgment or execution arising from, or which is pledged, mortgaged, conveyed, attached, or levied upon to secure the payment of, any such indebtedness whether or not such property is subject to other liens, to accept title to any property so purchased or acquired; and to sell, manage, or otherwise dispose of such property as hereinafter provided. (b) Real property administered under the provisions of this title may be operated or leased by the Secretary for such period or periods as the Secretary may deem necessary to protect the Government's investment therein. (c) The Secretary may determine whether real property administered under this title is suitable for disposition to persons eligible for assistance under subtitle A. Any property which the Secretary determines to be suitable for such purposes shall, whenever practicable, be sold by the Secretary as expeditiously as possible to such eligible persons in a manner consistent with the provisions of subtitle A hereof. Real property which is not determined suitable for sale to such eligible persons or which has not been purchased hj such persons within a period of three years from the date of acquisition, shall be sold by the Secretary after public notice at public sale and, if no acceptable bid is received then by negotiated sale, at the best price ob-

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