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Rural Electrification Act

{{Short description|1936 United States federal law}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}

{{Infobox U.S. legislation

| shorttitle = Rural Electrification Act

| othershorttitles = Rural Electrification and Telephone Service Act of 1936

| longtitle = An Act to provide for rural electrification, and for other purposes.

| colloquialacronym =

| nickname = Rural Electrification Act of 1936

| enacted by = 74th

| effective date = May 20, 1936

| public law url =

| cite public law = {{USPL|74|605}}

| cite statutes at large = {{usstat|49|1363}}

| acts amended =

| acts repealed =

| title amended = 7 U.S.C.: Agriculture

| sections created = {{Usc-title-chap|7|31}} § 901 et seq.

| sections amended =

| leghisturl =

| introducedin = Senate

| introducedbill = {{USBill|74|S.|3483}}

| introducedby = George W. Norris (I–NE)

| introduceddate = February 17, 1936

| committees = Senate Agriculture and Forestry, House Interstate and Foreign Commerce

| passedbody1 = Senate

| passeddate1 = March 5, 1936

| passedvote1 = Passed

| passedbody2 = House

| passedas2 =

| passeddate2 = April 9, 1936

| passedvote2 = Passed

| conferencedate = April 13, 1936

| passedbody3 = House

| passeddate3 = May 14, 1936

| passedvote3 = Agreed

| agreedbody3 =

| agreeddate3 =

| agreedvote3 =

| agreedbody4 =

| agreeddate4 =

| agreedvote4 =

| passedbody4 = Senate

| passeddate4 = May 15, 1936

| passedvote4 = Agreed

| signedpresident = Franklin D. Roosevelt

| signeddate = May 20, 1936

| unsignedpresident =

| unsigneddate =

| vetoedpresident =

| vetoeddate =

| overriddenbody1 =

| overriddendate1 =

| overriddenvote1 =

| overriddenbody2 =

| overriddendate2 =

| overriddenvote2 =

| amendments =

| SCOTUS cases =

}}

Image:FDRJohnRankin,GeorgeWNorris.jpg (center) signs the Rural Electrification Act with Representative John Rankin (left) and Senator George William Norris (right)]]

The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (REA), enacted on May 20, 1936, provided federal loans for the installation of electrical distribution systems to serve isolated rural areas of the United States.

The funding was channeled through cooperative electric power companies, hundreds of which still exist today.{{Cite periodical |last=Sablik |first=Tim |date=First Quarter 2020 |title=Electrifying Rural America |magazine=Econ Focus |publisher=Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond}} These member-owned cooperatives purchased power on a wholesale basis and distributed it using their own network of transmission and distribution lines. The Rural Electrification Act was one of many New Deal proposals by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to remedy high unemployment during the Great Depression.

History

On May 11, 1935, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 7037, which created the Rural Electrification Administration.{{Cite web |title=Rural Electrification Act |url=http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Rural_Electrification_Act |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227183437/http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Rural_Electrification_Act |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |website=Ohio History Central}}{{cite web |author1=Peters |first=Gerhard |author2=Woolley |first2=John T. |title=Franklin D. Roosevelt: 'Executive Order 7037 Establishing the Rural Electrification Administration.,' May 11, 1935 |url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=15057 |access-date=July 3, 2016 |work=The American Presidency Project |publisher=University of California, Santa Barbara}} In 1936, the Congress endorsed Roosevelt's action by passing the Rural Electrification Act. At the time the Rural Electrification Act was passed, electricity was commonplace in cities but largely unavailable in farms, ranches, and other rural places. Representative John E. Rankin{{cite web |last=Zwiers |first=Maarten |date=July 11, 2017 |title=John Elliott Rankin |url=https://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/john-elliott-rankin/ |access-date=November 9, 2021 |website=Mississippi Encyclopedia |publisher=Center for Study of Southern Culture}} and Senator George William Norris{{cite web |title=Rural Electrification Act (1936) |url=https://livingnewdeal.org/glossary/rural-electrification-act-1936/ |access-date=November 9, 2021 |website=Living New Deal |publisher=University of California, Berkeley}} were supporters of the Rural Electrification Act, which was signed into law by Roosevelt on May 20, 1936.

Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn was a major proponent of the REA, which he helped pass in 1936 as Chairman of the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee. Rayburn stated in 1959 that ninety percent of farm homes in the U.S. were electrified, compared to three percent in the early 1930s.{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Paul E. |title=Sam Rayburn and Rural Electrification |url=https://easttexashistory.org/items/show/73 |access-date=August 16, 2024 |website=East Texas History}}

Technical issues

In the 1930s, the provision of power to remote areas was not thought to be economically feasible.{{cite web |last=McBride |first=Brandon |date=May 20, 2016 |title=Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the Rural Electrification Administration |url=https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2016/05/20/celebrating-80th-anniversary-rural-electrification-administration |access-date=November 9, 2021 |website=USDA}} A 2300-volt distribution system was then used in cities. This relatively low voltage could be carried only about {{Convert|4|miles|km|abbr=on}} before the voltage drop became unacceptable. REA cooperatives used a 6900-volt distribution network (soon changed to the present-day 12,470/7200V 4-wire Y system), which could support much longer runs (up to about {{Convert|40|mi|km|abbr=on}}). Despite requiring more expensive transformers at each home, the overall system cost was manageable.{{Cite web |title=The Rural Electrification Act |url=https://www.harrisonrea.com/history.html |access-date=November 9, 2021 |website=Harrison Rural Electrification Association, Inc.}}

Wiring homes and farms

REA crews traveled through the American countryside, bringing teams of electricians along with them. The electricians added wiring to houses and barns to utilize the newly available power provided by the line crews. A standard REA installation in a house (post-World War II) consisted of:

  1. A 60-amp range circuit
  2. A 20-amp kitchen circuit
  3. Two or three 15-amp lighting circuits

A ceiling-mounted light fixture was installed in each room, usually controlled by a single switch mounted near a door. At most, one outlet was installed per room, since plug-connected appliances were expensive and uncommon. Wiring was performed using type NM (nonmetallic sheathed cable), insulated with asbestos-reinforced rubber covered with jute and tar.

Many of these original installations still exist today, though most have been augmented to support a greater number and variety of appliances.

Later amendments

Some amendments to the Rural Electrification Act include:

class=wikitable
style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background:#bbddff; color:black;"

! style=" border-bottom:1.5px solid black"|Date of enactment

! style=" border-bottom:1.5px solid black"|Public law number

! style=" border-bottom:1.5px solid black"|U.S. statute citation

! style=" border-bottom:1.5px solid black"|U.S. legislative bill

! style=" border-bottom:1.5px solid black"|U.S. Presidential administration

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|September 21, 1944

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 78-425

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|58|734}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|78|H.R.|4278}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|Franklin D. Roosevelt

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|October 28, 1949

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 81-423

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|63|948}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|81|H.R.|2960}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|Harry S. Truman

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|June 15, 1955

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 84–70

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|69|131}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|84|S.|153}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|Dwight D. Eisenhower

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|October 23, 1962

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 87-862

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|76|1140}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|87|H.R.|10708}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|John F. Kennedy

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|May 7, 1971

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 92–12

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|85|29}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|92|S.|70}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|Richard M. Nixon

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|June 30, 1972

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 92-324

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|86|390}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|92|H.R.|14423}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|Richard M. Nixon

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|May 11, 1973

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 93–32

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|87|65}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|93|S.|394}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|Richard M. Nixon

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|November 4, 1975

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 94–124

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|89|677}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|94|H.R.|4799}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|Gerald R. Ford

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|October 20, 1976

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 94-570

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|90|2701}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|94|H.R.|12207}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|Gerald R. Ford

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|May 25, 1984

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 98-300

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|98|215}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|98|H.R.|2211}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|Ronald W. Reagan

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|October 21, 1992

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 102–428

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|106|2183}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|102|H.R.|5237}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|George H.W. Bush

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|November 1, 1993

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 103–129

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|107|1356}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|103|H.R.|3123}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|William J. Clinton

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|December 17, 1993

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 103–201

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|107|2342}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|103|H.R.|3514}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|William J. Clinton

style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5;"|June 18, 2008

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 110–246

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|122|1651}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|110|H.R.|6124}}

| style="border-bottom:1px solid gray; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|George W. Bush

style="border-bottom:1.5px solid black; background:#F5F5F5;"|February 7, 2014

| style="border-bottom:1.5px solid black; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|P.L. 113–79

| style="border-bottom:1.5px solid black; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{usstat|128|649}}

| style="border-bottom:1.5px solid black; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|{{USBill|113|H.R.|2642}}

| style="border-bottom:1.5px solid black; background:#F5F5F5; text-align:center;"|Barack H. Obama II

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.ccrh.org/comm/moses/primary/electrif.html Full text of the original Rural Electrification Act of 1936]
  • [http://www.usda.gov/rus/regs/info/100-1/title_i.htm Rural Electrification Act of 1936 With Amendments as Approved through December 31, 2000]

{{New Deal}}

Category:Acts of the 74th United States Congress

Category:Electric cooperatives of the United States

Category:New Deal legislation

Category:Rural electrification in the United States

Category:United States federal energy legislation