The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“APPALACHIAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACT AMENDMENTS OF 2008” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H6489-H6493 on July 15, 2008.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
APPALACHIAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACT AMENDMENTS OF 2008
Mr. SPACE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 496) to reauthorize and improve the program authorized by the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
The text of the Senate bill is as follows:
S. 496
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2008''.
SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON AVAILABLE AMOUNTS; MAXIMUM COMMISSION
CONTRIBUTION.
(a) Grants and Other Assistance.--Section 14321(a) of title 40, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(A) by striking clause (i) and inserting the following:
``(i) the amount of the grant shall not exceed--
``(I) 50 percent of administrative expenses;
``(II) at the discretion of the Commission, if the grant is to a local development district that has a charter or authority that includes the economic development of a county or a part of a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 75 percent of administrative expenses; or
``(III) at the discretion of the Commission, if the grant is to a local development district that has a charter or authority that includes the economic development of a county or a part of a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent of administrative expenses;''; and
(2) in paragraph (2) by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the following:
``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), of the cost of any activity eligible for financial assistance under this section, not more than--
``(i) 50 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this subtitle;
``(ii) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this subtitle; or
``(iii) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this subtitle.''.
(b) Demonstration Health Projects.--Section 14502 of title 40, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (d) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
``(2) Limitation on available amounts.--Grants under this section for the operation (including initial operating amounts and operating deficits, which include the cost of attracting, training, and retaining qualified personnel) of a demonstration health project, whether or not constructed with amounts authorized to be appropriated by this section, may be made for up to--
``(A) 50 percent of the cost of that operation;
``(B) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent of the cost of that operation; or
``(C) in the case of a project to be carried out for a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent of the cost of that operation.''; and
(2) in subsection (f)--
(A) in paragraph (1) by striking ``paragraph (2)'' and inserting ``paragraphs (2) and (3)''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) At-risk counties.--The maximum Commission contribution for a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526 may be increased to the lesser of--
``(A) 70 percent; or
``(B) the maximum Federal contribution percentage authorized by this section.''.
(c) Assistance for Proposed Low- and Middle-Income Housing Projects.--Section 14503 of title 40, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (d) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
``(1) Limitation on available amounts.--A loan under subsection (b) for the cost of planning and obtaining financing (including the cost of preliminary surveys and analyses of market needs, preliminary site engineering and architectural fees, site options, application and mortgage commitment fees, legal fees, and construction loan fees and discounts) of a project described in that subsection may be made for up to--
``(A) 50 percent of that cost;
``(B) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent of that cost; or
``(C) in the case of a project to be carried out for a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent of that cost.''; and
(2) in subsection (e) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--A grant under this section for expenses incidental to planning and obtaining financing for a project under this section that the Secretary considers to be unrecoverable from the proceeds of a permanent loan made to finance the project shall--
``(A) not be made to an organization established for profit; and
``(B) except as provided in paragraph (2), not exceed--
``(i) 50 percent of those expenses;
``(ii) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent of those expenses; or
``(iii) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent of those expenses.''.
(d) Telecommunications and Technology Initiative.--Section 14504 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
``(b) Limitation on Available Amounts.--Of the cost of any activity eligible for a grant under this section, not more than--
``(1) 50 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section;
``(2) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section; or
``(3) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section.''.
(e) Entrepreneurship Initiative.--Section 14505 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
``(c) Limitation on Available Amounts.--Of the cost of any activity eligible for a grant under this section, not more than--
``(1) 50 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section;
``(2) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section; or
``(3) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section.''.
(f) Regional Skills Partnerships.--Section 14506 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
``(d) Limitation on Available Amounts.--Of the cost of any activity eligible for a grant under this section, not more than--
``(1) 50 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section;
``(2) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section; or
``(3) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section.''.
(g) Supplements to Federal Grant Programs.--Section 14507(g) of title 40, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``paragraph (2)'' and inserting ``paragraphs (2) and (3)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) At-risk counties.--The maximum Commission contribution for a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526 may be increased to 70 percent.''.
SEC. 3. ECONOMIC AND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.
(a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 145 of subtitle IV of title 40, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 14508. Economic and energy development initiative
``(a) Projects To Be Assisted.--The Appalachian Regional Commission may provide technical assistance, make grants, enter into contracts, or otherwise provide amounts to persons or entities in the Appalachian region for projects and activities--
``(1) to promote energy efficiency in the Appalachian region to enhance the economic competitiveness of the Appalachian region;
``(2) to increase the use of renewable energy resources, particularly biomass, in the Appalachian region to produce alternative transportation fuels, electricity, and heat; and
``(3) to support the development of regional, conventional energy resources to produce electricity and heat through advanced technologies that achieve a substantial reduction in emissions, including greenhouse gases, over the current baseline.
``(b) Limitation on Available Amounts.--Of the cost of any activity eligible for a grant under this section, not more than--
``(1) 50 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section;
``(2) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section; or
``(3) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section.
``(c) Sources of Assistance.--Subject to subsection (b), grants provided under this section may be provided from amounts made available to carry out this section in combination with amounts made available under other Federal programs or from any other source.
``(d) Federal Share.--Notwithstanding any provision of law limiting the Federal share under any other Federal program, amounts made available to carry out this section may be used to increase that Federal share, as the Commission decides is appropriate.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 145 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 14507 the following:
``14508. Economic and energy development initiative.''.
SEC. 4. DISTRESSED, AT-RISK, AND ECONOMICALLY STRONG
COUNTIES.
(a) Designation of At-Risk Counties.--Section 14526 of title 40, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in the section heading by inserting ``, at-risk,'' after ``Distressed''; and
(2) in subsection (a)(1)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C);
(B) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``and'' at the end; and
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
``(B) designate as `at-risk counties' those counties in the Appalachian region that are most at risk of becoming economically distressed; and''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 145 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 14526 and inserting the following:
``14526. Distressed, at-risk, and economically strong counties.''.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--Section 14703(a) of title 40, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(a) In General.--In addition to amounts made available under section 14501, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Appalachian Regional Commission to carry out this subtitle--
``(1) $87,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
``(2) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
``(3) $105,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
``(4) $108,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
``(5) $110,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.''.
(b) Economic and Energy Development Initiative.--Section 14703(b) of such title is amended to read as follows:
``(b) Economic and Energy Development Initiative.--Of the amounts made available under subsection (a), the following amounts may be used to carry out section 14508--
``(1) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
``(2) $12,500,000 for fiscal year 2009;
``(3) $13,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
``(4) $13,500,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
``(5) $14,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.''.
(c) Allocation of Funds.--Section 14703 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Allocation of Funds.--Funds approved by the Appalachian Regional Commission for a project in a State in the Appalachian region pursuant to a congressional directive shall be derived from the total amount allocated to the State by the Appalachian Regional Commission from amounts appropriated to carry out this subtitle.''.
SEC. 6. TERMINATION.
Section 14704 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by striking ``2007'' and inserting ``2012''.
SEC. 7. ADDITIONS TO APPALACHIAN REGION.
(a) Kentucky.--Section 14102(a)(1)(C) of title 40, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by inserting ``Metcalfe,'' after ``Menifee,'';
(2) by inserting ``Nicholas,'' after ``Morgan,''; and
(3) by inserting ``Robertson,'' after ``Pulaski,''.
(b) Ohio.--Section 14102(a)(1)(H) of such title is amended--
(1) by inserting ``Ashtabula,'' after ``Adams,'';
(2) by inserting ``Mahoning,'' after ``Lawrence,''; and
(3) by inserting ``Trumbull,'' after ``Scioto,''.
(c) Tennessee.--Section 14102(a)(1)(K) of such title is amended by inserting ``Lawrence, Lewis,'' after ``Knox,''.
(d) Virginia.--Section 14102(a)(1)(L) of such title is amended--
(1) by inserting ``Henry,'' after ``Grayson,''; and
(2) by inserting ``Patrick,'' after ``Montgomery,''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Space) and the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio.
General Leave
Mr. SPACE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 496.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
Mr. SPACE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 496, as amended, a bill to authorize appropriations for the Appalachian Regional Commission for 5 years.
As we all know, the ARC was established to address the unique problems faced by the isolated Appalachian region that separates it from the economic mainstream. Although this small, well-organized, and well-run agency has accomplished a great deal over its 35-year existence, much more needs to be done. For this reason I enthusiastically support the legislation and the continuation of the ARC.
ARC programs affect 406 counties located in 13 States, including all of West Virginia and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. This region covers nearly 200,000 square miles and contains approximately 22 million people. Using criteria based on national averages for income, unemployment, and poverty rates, the ARC administers its programs. Currently of ARC's 406 counties, 114 are considered distressed.
ARC'S decision making and service delivery is so efficient that the ARC served as a model for the Delta Regional Authority. The partnership between the Federal Government and the States rests on true shared decision making between the Federal co-chair and the States with funding decisions devolving back to the States. The ARC is successful because it responds to identified and agreed-upon needs and is extremely flexible in its approach. This bill also authorizes the designation of at-risk counties and identifies the percentage of funds for which these counties are eligible.
The bill allows the ARC to continue its economic development activities. I want to thank Chairman Oberstar for including provisions I offered during the committee's markup to establish a new economic and energy development initiative. This provision authorizes $65 million over the next 5 years for projects that increase the use of renewable energy resources in the region to promote alternative transportation fuels, electricity, and heat.
We all know that economies require energy and infrastructure to thrive. And I believe that alternative energy production will breathe life into the struggling areas of Appalachia. In addition to these potential alternative energy resources, the Appalachian region possesses an extensive industrial manufacturing base that is already engaged in some of these emerging energy technologies, particularly wind turbine components, solar components, photovoltaic panels, and biofuel plants.
This provision will enable ARC to fund projects that utilize the region's natural resources in a positive way and to promote the development of renewable energy. We will be invigorating the economies of our Appalachian counties while working to gain energy independence.
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That is a principle that all of us agree is important.
Let me end by saying that what we're doing today is consistent with the forward-looking approach that President John Kennedy employed when he first created the Appalachian Regional Commission in the early 1960s. After witnessing firsthand an Appalachia that was home to, in his words, ``hungry children, old people who cannot pay their doctors' bills, families forced to give up their farms,'' President Kennedy vowed to create a bold, new approach to ridding the region of poverty. Today we're attempting to carry on that legacy. We are boldly seeking to employ 21st-century technologies to bring economic development to a region that for decades has been underserved.
I support this bill and urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill because it goes a long way to enabling the ARC to fulfill its mission.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today in support of S. 496, the Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2008. I would like to thank Chairman Oberstar, Chairwoman Norton, Ranking Member Mica, Ranking Member Graves and also my colleague from Ohio, Representative Space, for their steadfast support of the Commission and for the people of Appalachia.
As a Member of Congress from West Virginia, I can attest to the tremendous work the Appalachian Regional Commission, or the ARC as it is called, has done to bring clean water, safe roads, new jobs and a better quality of life to millions of people in the Appalachian region.
Over the last few years, the ARC has made a number of investments in my district, including an economic development strategy and business incubator in Elkins, a child care facility in Moorefield, and the new Corridor H highway.
The Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 established the ARC to promote regional coordination and develop projects that will trigger jobs, economic growth, and a better quality of life. The Commission is led by two co-chairmen. One is Presidentially appointed and Senate-
confirmed, and the other is selected by the Governors of the participating States. As my colleague mentioned, the Commission includes all or part of 13 States, including the entire State of West Virginia, parts of Tennessee, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Mississippi. The House companion bill passed the House last year. The Senate bill we are considering today includes an amendment that reflects our agreement with the Senate on the differences.
The bill reauthorizes the Commission for 5 years. In addition, the bill amends current law to allow the Commission to cover up to 70 percent of costs for projects that address problems in communities at risk of becoming distressed in the region. These programs include infrastructure projects, demonstration health projects, housing projects and initiatives for telecommunications, technology and entrepreneurship.
This bill also authorizes the creation, as my colleague mentioned, of the Economic and Energy Development Initiative, which I think is a great addition, which will provide grants to develop new alternatives for utilizing our vast conventional energy resources. I'm also pleased that this compromise includes language from the House bill which would discourage earmarking projects in future appropriation bills.
Leveraging Federal funds in West Virginia and the other Appalachian States has helped dramatically improve our communities over the years. The investment has resulted in a reduction of poverty, the creation of jobs, and the improvement of health and education. We still have a ways to go. And that is why I think this bill is extremely important for reauthorization today.
The work of the Commission is an example of the Federal and State partnership that has promoted economic growth in needed areas and distressed areas of high unemployment and high poverty so that these communities can begin to prosper independently in the future.
Thank you again. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SPACE. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 3 minutes to my friend and colleague from West Virginia, Congressman Rahall.
Mr. RAHALL. I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding.
I certainly want to commend him as well as our full committee chairman, Mr. Oberstar from Minnesota, for their invaluable work over the years that I have been in this body on the Appalachian Regional Commission. Their full committee chairman, Mr. Oberstar, is strongly in support of the Appalachian Regional Commission. He has been to our State of West Virginia and seen how important it is. And this bill certainly would not only extend the work of the Appalachian Regional Commission, but it would enhance that work.
Throughout my career as a Member of this body, I have supported the work of ARC. West Virginia is the only State that has its entire borders within the jurisdiction of the Appalachian Regional Commission. We have seen firsthand how it has enabled struggling communities throughout West Virginia and the Appalachian region to provide economic opportunity and a renewed sense of hope to our citizens.
I would like to point out specific provisions in this bill aimed at increasing American-made energy for America. We have spent weeks on this floor hearing about the need to increase domestic energy supplies by becoming even more beholden to Big Oil. But we have at our fingertips the chance to help forge a better solution.
We possess the technological know-how to convert coal to environmentally advanced transportation fuels and electric power. This bill recognizes that and provides for an infusion of investment to help make that happen. A provision in this legislation, for example, would enable the ARC to make grants, provide technical assistance, enter into contracts and otherwise provide for projects that would increase the use of renewable energy, particularly biomass, in the Appalachian Region to produce alternative transportation fuels.
This is extremely important in helping make a commercial coal-to-
liquids industry a reality in this country. The use of biomass with coal in the conversion process can sharply cut carbon emissions of coal-to-liquid fuels.
A study provided by Princeton University found that by combining 30 percent biomass with coal in the conversion process and capturing and sequestering the carbon dioxide, CTL fuel can be made cleaner than other conventional liquid fuels in use today. A second provision in the bill would provide support for the development of conventional energy resources, such as coal, to provide electricity using advanced greenhouse gas reduction technologies. More plainly, it would help to advance projects which would capture and store carbon emissions, a necessity to our continued use of coal and other fossil fuels throughout the foreseeable future.
In this age of increasing energy need and growing carbon awareness, it makes sense that such an initiative would find a home in Appalachia, a region in which much of the economy is intertwined with coal. The development of CTL and the success of carbon capture and storage is vital to the Nation's quest for greater energy independence. CTL fuels will assure us of a readily usable, environmentally advanced alternative to current high-
cost transportation fuels.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman from West Virginia has expired.
Mr. SPACE. I yield the gentleman 30 additional seconds.
Mr. RAHALL. And they are strategically beneficial to our Defense Department, which is vigorously pursuing the growth of a domestic alternative fuels industry to make the fuels it needs to keep America secure.
So I conclude with proud support of this bill to get our Nation beyond our reliance on foreign fuels and to get our people out from under the heavy hand of Big Oil.
Again, I commend the gentleman from Ohio for his leadership on this issue.
Mr. SPACE. I reserve my time.
Mrs. CAPITO. I would like to yield such time as he may consume to my friend from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan).
Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding this time.
I rise in support of this bill. I have seen over the years a great deal of good work that has gone on by the Appalachian Regional Commission and the projects it has funded in its 13-State region and especially in my home State of Tennessee where much of their activities have been concentrated.
I read recently that two-thirds of the counties in the U.S. are losing population. That surprises people in my particular district because the Knoxville area has become one of the most popular places to move to in the whole country. But there are many counties in Tennessee and throughout the Appalachian region and many small towns and rural areas that are still struggling. Many of these small towns and rural areas are barely holding on.
The previous speaker mentioned more energy production. We've got to have more production of oil in this country or we're going to put the final nail in the coffin of the small towns and the rural areas because those people as a rule have to drive further distances to go to work and to meet other needs.
In addition, the Office of Surface Mining caused almost all the small coal companies in east Tennessee to go out of business. I was told at one time that in 1978 there were 157 small coal companies in east Tennessee, and now are there none. I have noticed over the years that most of these environmental radicals come from very wealthy and very upper-income families. And they have always wanted gas to go higher, and they have always opposed all types of energy production. Well maybe they can afford $5 and $6-per-gallon gasoline. But most lower and middle-income people in this country can't. It may be true that we can't drill our way out of the current crisis. But we also can't get out of the crisis that we're in on energy without having more drilling for oil in this country and more production of coal where it can be done in environmentally safe ways where it couldn't be done previously.
So I agree with the previous speaker that we need more domestic energy production in this country to help the Appalachian Region and also to further the activities of the Appalachian Regional Commission.
Mr. SPACE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes.
This bill helps rectify some of the injustices and inequities that exist in this country with respect to rural America and in particular rural Appalachian America. We who live in Appalachian America understand all too well that we suffer from disadvantages, access to education, access to health care and access to technology put us at a distinct disadvantage. With the price of gas now at $4 plus per gallon, we don't generally have public transportation. We generally have to drive farther to where we need to be, work, school and the doctor. The price of gas has just made this discrepancy all the more onerous and difficult for the folks of Appalachia to bear.
Recently, I had the experience of visiting a food line in Zanesville, Ohio, and a food distribution line in Logan, Ohio, where lines of hungry people in Logan over 2 miles long, cars lined up on the side of the road waiting to participate in food drives. We're talking about people that have worked all their lives, senior citizens that can no longer afford to put food on the table. We're talking about young mothers who are working full time yet can't afford to feed their children. This bill will help address many of the inequities and injustice that John Kennedy identified in Appalachia in the early 1960s.
In many ways, those same injustices are still present, and these funds represent vital sources of funding for the people that we represent, ``we'' being those of us from Appalachia.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 3 minutes to my colleague from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).
Mr. LaTOURETTE. I thank the gentlelady for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 496, the reauthorization of the Appalachian Regional Commission. While we would have enjoyed having the House bill on the floor, we appreciate very much having the Senate bill. I want to express my thanks during the first part of my remarks to the chairman of the full committee, Mr. Oberstar of Minnesota, for really making sure that this happened. I had the pleasure of being the chairman of this subcommittee in a couple of previous Congresses ago, and this is a difficult bill to navigate through the House and the Senate.
And the fact that we're here today is a tribute to the leadership of the gentleman from Minnesota. I also thank the ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Mica of Florida. And I want to thank a colleague of mine from Ohio, because in this bill we have added three counties in Ohio to the 29 counties in Ohio already located within the ARC. And the last county was Columbiana County added in 1990. We now are adding in this bill Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning Counties.
And the fact that they're in the bill is not only a credit to Mr. Oberstar, Mr. Mica and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, but also to Mr. Tim Ryan, the Congressman from Youngstown, who shares at least two of those counties with me. And we saw the vital need to have them included in the ARC. And we're very grateful.
On the Senate side we are grateful to Senator Voinovich for making sure these counties, despite the fact that we have been at this 5 years, and every year we get the counties added in the bill, and then it goes over to the Senate and somebody has a goofy idea over there and they drop out. This year I'm grateful that Senator Voinovich and our colleagues in the House have maintained these three counties in the bill. And just the way when my friend and colleague from Ohio (Mr. Space) was speaking, we recognize the value of John Kennedy's vision when he dispatched folks to look at the conditions in Appalachia. And we've really moved light years from that.
The ARC is a template for economic development in all of those regions. And we just want to be part of it. If you look at a map of the State of Ohio, the only sort of areas of white, and white being where there is no Regional Development Commission, Federal Commission, are the three counties that are being added today.
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Just one example, Kinsman, Ohio, the home of Clarence Darrow, the famous orator and attorney, is looking at a major sewer project. We are working with the United States Department of Agriculture, but by being in the ARC, they will get extra points, extra opportunities to make that a reality. So when you are dealing with 300 landowners and a price tag of $20 million, the assessment isn't astronomical in terms of
$70,000 or $80,000 just to hook up the water and sewer.
So we are excited about this opportunity and very grateful that this bill has come to the floor in a way that adds these counties.
I would say to Mr. Space that we are all suffering, rural America, suburban America, exurban America. I don't like to trumpet in a partisan fashion on the floor, but I will tell you the folks in my part of Ohio want us to do something. They have said enough arguing. You have a lot of brainy ideas in Washington, DC. It is time to stop favoring one group over the other. Let's bring it all together and let's talk about oil, let's talk about coal, let's talk about nuclear, let's talk about renewables, but get it done so I can put gas in my gas tank.
Mr. SPACE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Lincoln Davis).
(Mr. LINCOLN DAVIS of Tennessee asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. LINCOLN DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I say thanks to my good friend from Ohio (Mr. Space) and others on the other side of the aisle who have taken it upon themselves to be sure that the ARC, the Appalachian Regional Commission, continues to exist.
Appalachia has long been plagued by lack of job opportunities and high unemployment, resulting in low per capita income, educational deficiencies, and a dilapidated infrastructure.
The Conference of Appalachian Governors was formed in 1960 to develop a regional approach to resolving these problems. In 1961 they brought their cause to President John F. Kennedy, known to have been moved by the poverty he saw during his campaign trips to West Virginia. At the time, one of every three Appalachians lived in poverty. Per capita income was 23 percent lower than the U.S. average. High unemployment and harsh living conditions had, in the 1950s, forced more than 2 million Appalachians to leave their homes and seek work in other regions of the Nation. By 1963, Kennedy had formed the President's Appalachian Regional Commission and directed it to create a comprehensive program for economic development of the Appalachian region. The resulting report was endorsed by the Conference of Appalachian Governors and President John Kennedy's cabinet. Soon after, Lyndon B. Johnson used the report to create legislation which ultimately created the Appalachian Regional Commission in 1965.
The ARC has long worked to address the long-term economic distress and isolation of the Appalachian region, and to press for greater Federal involvement in addressing the region's common problems. The ARC funds several hundreds projects annually affecting one of our Nation's most underserved populations. The ARC has played a leading role in granting consistently impoverished communities with improving water and sewer systems, sometimes providing running water for the first time, improving educational resources and teacher training in schools, access to health care, access to telecommunications and the Internet, and providing technical assistance for new business initiatives. They provide State and local agencies such as economic development agencies and human resource agencies in my 10,000-square mile congressional district, as well as nonprofit organizations. These projects have resulted in thousands of jobs.
Mr. Speaker, this is just the tip of the iceberg of ARC's good works. It is necessary and appropriate to reauthorize this valuable asset for rural America. It is my hope this Congress does. And on a note from those that I represent, without that funding from ARC and many of the Federal agencies, people who are my neighbors would not be able to have a water line that has usable water, safe water, a sewer system, nor would they have in many cases first responder buildings, as well as equipment that is much needed.
Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I would just like to offer my gratitude to all of the Members who have worked so hard on this. This is extremely important to my home State of West Virginia. My entire State is part of the ARC. I mentioned several projects in my State. The gentleman from Tennessee mentioned water projects. I have two going right now that are the beneficiaries of ARC funding.
I think it is important to realize, too, that this is a partnership between the Federal Government and the States. By leveraging ARC funds just this year, $9.55 million in my State of West Virginia, has resulted in another $16 million of additional investment.
This part of our country has historically struggled, and with the current energy issues that we have before us and the high price of gasoline, we are an energy-rich region of this country. We can contribute to the solutions through either coal to liquid and our natural gas reserves and other things that need to be added to a comprehensive, all-of-the-above energy plan for this country.
With that, I express my deep gratitude and also my deep commitment to the ARC and its continuation.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 496, as amended, a bipartisan bill to improve the programs authorized by the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 (Pub. L. 89-4) and reauthorize the Appalachian Regional Commission (``ARC'') for 5 years through fiscal year 2012.
The Appalachian Regional Commission was created to address economic issues and social problems of the Appalachian region as a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society program. Historically, the Appalachian region has faced high levels of poverty and economic distress resulting from geographic isolation and inadequate infrastructure.
As a regional economic development agency, the ARC supports the development of Appalachia's economy and critical infrastructure to provide a climate for industry growth and job creation in 13 States, including all of West Virginia, and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The Appalachian region covers nearly 200,000 square miles and contains nearly 23 million people. Currently, of the 410 counties included in the ARC, 78 are economically distressed counties and an additional 78 counties are classified as ``at-risk''.
Since its creation in 1965, the ARC has administered a variety of programs to aid in the advancement of the region, including construction of the Appalachian Development Highway System, enhancements in education and job training, and the development of water and sewer systems. The ARC's funding and projects have contributed significantly to employment, health, and general economic development improvements in the region. According to research conducted by Brandow Co. and the Economic Development Research Group, three fourths of ARC infrastructure projects with specific business or job-
related goals met or exceeded formal projections.
S. 496 builds upon more than four decades of economic development successes by providing additional, much-needed Federal investment in the region. It authorizes $510 million over the 5-year period through fiscal years 2012.
In addition, the bill provides authority for the Commission to make technical assistance grants for energy efficient projects or projects to increase the use of renewable energy resources. The bill authorizes
$65 million for the ARC to provide grants to promote energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy in Appalachia. This energy efficiency authorization is an outgrowth of the ARC's Energizing Appalachia report and I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Space) for working to include this provision in the House bill and this House-
Senate compromise bill. The gentleman is a true champion of Appalachia and I thank him for his efforts to move this bill forward.
ARC's authorization expired at the end of fiscal year 2006. This bill includes the anti-earmarking provision that I have insisted upon for the last three years in response to the Republican-led earmarking of ARC projects by the Committee on Appropriations. I am encouraged that the Committee on Appropriations, under the leadership of Chairman Obey and Chairman Visclosky, has halted this practice. This provision will ensure that a future Congress doesn't restart it.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this House-Senate bipartisan compromise bill, S. 496, to reauthorize the Appalachian Regional Commission.
Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SPACE. Mr. Speaker, in thanking the gentlewoman from West Virginia for her very able advocacy of this bill, I too yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Space) that the House suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 496, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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