§ 7478. Declaratory judgments relating to status of certain governmental obligations
(a)
Creation of remedy
In a case of actual controversy involving—
(1)
a determination by the Secretary whether interest on prospective obligations will be excludable from gross income under section
103
(a), or
(2)
a failure by the Secretary to make a determination with respect to any matter referred to in paragraph (1),
upon the filing of an appropriate pleading, the Tax Court may make a declaration whether interest on such prospective obligations will be excludable from gross income under section
103
(a). Any such declaration shall have the force and effect of a decision of the Tax Court and shall be reviewable as such.
(b)
Limitations
(2)
Exhaustion of administrative remedies
The court shall not issue a declaratory judgment or decree under this section in any proceeding unless it determines that the petitioner has exhausted all available administrative remedies within the Internal Revenue Service. A petitioner shall be deemed to have exhausted its administrative remedies with respect to a failure of the Secretary to make a determination with respect to an issue of obligations at the expiration of 180 days after the date on which the request for such determination was made if the petitioner has taken, in a timely manner, all reasonable steps to secure such determination.