To establish the Lower Mississippi Delta Development Commission. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.1 This Act may be cited as the “Delta Development Act”.¹

The Delta Development Act was enacted into law by reference in the matter under the heading “salaries and expenses” under the heading “Farmers Home Administration” in title II of Public Law 100–460, October 1, 1988 (102 Stat. 2246), as amended by section 504(b) of the Delta Regional Authority Act of 2000 (Title V of Public Law 106–554; 2763A–281). Title II of Public Law 101–161 provides a date of extension for submission of the Commission's interim report to October 16, 1989.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress finds that— (1) the lower Mississippi River Valley region lags behind the rest of the country in economic growth and prosperity; (2) this region suffers from a greater amount of measurable poverty and unemployment than any other region of the country; (3) a concerted Federal, State, and local effort is needed if this region is to share in the general prosperity of the Nation; (4) the creation of jobs and expansion of existing business, including small business, offer the greatest hope for economic growth and revitalization in the region; (5) the availability of capital, infrastructure development, educational opportunities, health care, housing, recreational activities, and resource development are essential to successful business development and for attracting complementary industrial expansion; (6) the transportation needs through highway and bridge construction, air service availability, and river transport development must be addressed; and (7) because of the social, historical, and cultural ties of this region through its proximity to the Mississippi River, as well as common economic problems, planning for this unique region is desirable and urgently needed.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE. The purpose of this Act is to establish a Commission to study and make recommendations regarding the economic needs and economic development of the Lower Mississippi Delta region by seeking and encouraging the participation of interested citizens, public officials, groups, agencies, and others in developing a 10-year economic development plan for the region.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Act— (1) the term “Commission” means the Lower Mississippi Delta Development Commission; (2) the term “Lower Mississippi” means those areas within a reasonable proximity of the Mississippi River in Alabama, Arkansas, southern Illinois, western Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, southeastern Missouri, and western Tennessee that share common economic, social, and cultural ties, and that suffer from any combination of high unemployment; low net family income; agriculture and oil industry decline; a decrease in small business activity; or poor or inadequate transportation infrastructure, health care, housing, or educational opportunities, areas including, but not limited to— (A) the Arkansas counties of Ashley, Chicot, Drew, Bradley, Union, Desha, Lincoln, Arkansas, Cleveland, Jefferson, Lonoke, Prairie, Monroe, Lee, Phillips, St. Francis, Crittenden, White, Woodruff, Cross, Poinsett, Jackson, Mississippi, Craighead, Calhoun, Lawrence, Greene, Clay, Randolph, White, Independence, Sharp, Ouachita, Dallas, Grant, Fulton, Izard, Stone, Searcy, Marion, Van Buren, and Baxter; (B) the southern Illinois counties of Alexander, Pulaski, Massac, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Gallatin, Saline, Williamson, and Jackson; (C) the western Kentucky counties of Fulton, Hickman, Carlisle, Ballard, Graves, McCracken, Calloway, Marshall, Livingston, Crittenden, and Union; (D) the Louisiana parishes of East Carroll, West Carroll, Morehouse, Union, Lincoln, Ouachita, Jackson, Caldwell, Winn, Natchitoches, Grant, LaSalle, Richland, Madison, Franklin, Tensas, Catahoula, Concordia, Avoyelles, Pointe Coupee, St. Landry, West Feliciana, East Feliciana, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, Iberville, Assumption, Washington, Allen, Evangeline, Acadia, Ascension, St. James, Beauregard, Bienville, Cameron, Claiborne, DeSoto, Jefferson Davis, Red River, St. Mary, Vermillion, Webster, Sabine, Vernon, Terrebonne, and St. John the Baptist; (E) the Mississippi counties of DeSoto, Tunica, Tate, Marshall, Benton, Tippah, Union, Coahoma, Quitman, Panola, Bolivar, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Lafayette, Yalobusha, Washington, Humphreys, Holmes, Grenada, Carroll, Leflore, Montgomery, Issaquena, Sharkey, Yazoo, Warren, Attala, Madison, Claiborne, Copiah, Jasper, Jefferson, Adams, Lincoln, Pike, Amite, Wilkinson, Franklin, Rankin, Simpson, Smith, Lawrence, and Walthall; (F) the southeastern Missouri counties of Dunklin, Pemiscot, New Madrid, Mississippi, Scott, Studard, Butler, Ripley, Carter, Wayne, Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Oregon, Shannon, Reynolds, Iron, Madison, Perry, St. Genevieve, St. Francis, Washington, Crawford, Dent, Texas, Howell, Ozark, Douglas, Wright, and Phelps; (G) the western Tennessee counties of Tipton, Lauderdale, Dyer, Obion, Fayette, Crockett, Haywood, Hardeman, McNairy, Hardin, Chester, Gibson, Weakley, Henry, Carroll, Madison, Decatur, Benton, Lake, and Henderson; (H) such other adjoining counties as the Commission may determine are necessary for inclusion in order to carry out the purposes of this Act, including the counties of Pulaski in Arkansas, Shelby in Tennessee, and Hinds in Mississippi, and the parishes of Rapides, East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, St. Charles, Jefferson, Orleans, and St. Bernard in Louisiana; and (I) the Alabama counties of Pickens, Greene, Sumter, Choctaw, Clarke, Washington, Marengo, Hale, Perry, Wilcox, Lowndes, Bullock, Macon, Barbour, Russell, Butler, Conecuh, Escambia, Monroe, and Dallas; (3) the term “Chairman” means the Chairman of the Commission.

SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT. There is established a Commission to be known as the “Lower Mississippi Delta Development Commission”.

SEC. 6. MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION. (a) The Commission shall be composed of 9 members as follows: (1) seven members appointed one each by the Governors of Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee; and (2) two members appointed by the President chosen from the economic development community of the Lower Mississippi Delta region. (b) A member of the Commission shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing officer. (c) Five members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but the Commission may establish a lesser number for the purpose of conducting meetings. (d) Four or more members appointed pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this section shall determine the date, time, and place of the first meeting, and shall call the first meeting. At the first meeting, the members of the Commission shall appoint a chairman from among the members appointed pursuant to subsection (a)(1). The first meeting of the Commission shall be held within 45 days after the date of enactment of this Act. The Commission shall conduct such additional meetings as it deems appropriate. (e) All appointments made pursuant to this Act shall be made within 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act. (f) A vacancy on the Commission resulting from the death or resignation of a member shall not affect its powers and shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made. (g) The Commission shall establish the location for its headquarters.

SEC. 7. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION. (a) The Commission shall identify and study the economic development, infrastructure, employment, transportation, resource development, education, health care, housing, and recreation needs of the Lower Mississippi region and develop a 10-year plan that makes recommendations and establishes priorities to alleviate the needs identified. (b) In developing such plan, the Commission shall— (1) sponsor and conduct investigations, research, studies, and field hearings; (2) study and evaluate Federal, State, and local business development and financing programs and planning in the region, including the economic development programs, minority small business and capital ownership development programs, procurement assistance programs, and management assistance programs to small business; (3) develop an inventory of business resources in the region and compare the availability of such resources with those available in other regions of the Nation; (4) study existing or proposed Federal, State, and local public and private programs and projects to help the promotion of regional development; (5) study the role of small businesses in creating jobs in the region, and compare the numbers and types of jobs arising in small businesses within such region with those arising in large businesses therein during the 10-year period preceding such study; (6) evaluate the distribution and impact of Federal spending in the region, including grant-in-aid programs, research, and Federal procurement, and compare the level of spending in these categories in the region with spending in other regions of the country; evaluate the extent to which reliance on Federal, State, and local government outlays for poverty programs can be reduced by outlays targeted for economic development; (7) develop an inventory of water, mineral, energy, timber, agriculture, and other natural resources in the region; (8) assess the availability and cost of power in the region and the impact of these factors on business growth; compare the availability and cost of power in the region with other regions of the Nation; (9) review the existing system of limited-access highways interconnecting the region to other major transportation routes, and study the necessity for establishing a system of joint Federal and State-funded limited-access highways for such purposes; (10) evaluate the proper roles of State, local, and Federal governments and the private sector in fostering economic development in the region; (11) determine the feasibility of— (A) targeting Federal direct loan and loan guarantee programs, whether unilaterally or in conjunction with State and local programs; (B) establishing revolving loan funds, community development corporations, business investment corporations, and other forms of funding mechanisms; and (C) establishing Federal, State, and local recoupment and participation; (12) assess the health, educational, job training, housing, and poverty relief needs of the region; and (13) analyze such other issues affecting the region which the Commission determines to be relevant to the future economic development of the region. (c) In developing such plan, the Commission shall— (1) provide a forum for consideration of problems of the region and proposed solutions, and establish and utilize citizens, special advisory councils, public hearings, and conferences; (2) seek and encourage the participation of interested citizens, public officials, groups, agencies, economic development districts, and others; and (3) make the Commission accessible to such groups, agencies, and individuals by holding at least one well publicized public hearing in every State within such region.

SEC. 8. COMPENSATION OF THE COMMISSION AND COMMITTEE. Each member of the Commission appointed by a Governor of a State may be compensated by the State he or she represents. The compensation of the members appointed by the President, who are not otherwise employed by the United States Government, shall receive compensation at a rate equal to the lowest daily rate prescribed for GS–15 under the General Schedule contained in section 5332 of title 5, United States Code, including traveltime, for each day he or she is engaged in the actual performance of his or her duties as a member of the Commission. A member of the Commission who is an officer or employee of the United States Government shall serve without additional compensation. All members of the Commission shall be reimbursed by the United States Government for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties.

SEC. 9. POWERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. (a) The Commission is authorized to obtain the services of experts and consultants in accordance with the provisions of section 3109 of title 5, United States Code. (b) The Commission is authorized to enter into agreements with the General Services Administration for procurement of necessary financial and administrative services, for which payment shall be made by reimbursement from funds of the Commission in such amounts as may be agreed upon by the Chairman and the Administrator of General Services. (c) The Commission is authorized to procure supplies, services, and property, and make contracts in any fiscal year, only to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts. (d) The Commission is authorized to enter into contracts with Federal or State agencies, private firms, institutions, and agencies for the conduct of research or surveys, the preparation of reports, and other activities necessary to the discharge of its duties. (e) The Commission or, on the authorization of the Commission, a member thereof, may, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act, hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and places, and request the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of books, records, memoranda, papers, and documents as the Commission or such member deems advisable. (f) The Commission, or on the authorization of the Commission, any member thereof, may, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act, have such printing and binding done, enter into contracts and other arrangements to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts, and make such expenditures as the Commission or such member deems advisable. (g) The Commission may acquire directly from any executive department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, or instrumentality, information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics for the purpose of this Act. Each such department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, establishment, or instrumentality is authorized and directed to furnish, to the extent permitted by law, such information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics directly to the Commission, upon request by the Chairman. (h) The Chairman of the Commission is authorized to appoint, terminate, and fix the compensation, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, of an Executive Director and such additional personnel as the Chairman finds necessary to enable the Commission to carry out its duties. The annual rate of compensation of the Executive Director may not exceed a rate equal to the rate provided for level II of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title and the annual rate of compensation of all other personnel may not exceed a rate equal to the lowest rate for GS–15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of such title. (i) Upon request of the Commission, the head of any Federal agency is authorized to make any of the facilities and services of such agency available to the Commission or to detail any of the personnel of such agency to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, to assist the Commission in carrying out its duties under this Act, unless the head of such agency determines that overriding reasons will not permit the agency to make such facilities, services, or personnel available to the Commission and so notifies the Chairman in writing. (j) The Commission may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the United States. (k) The Commission may expend funds made available for purposes of this Act for printing and binding, notwithstanding any other provision of law.

SEC. 10. REPORTS. (a) Interim Report.—Before the end of the 9-month period beginning on the date of the first meeting of the Commission pursuant to section 6(d), the Commission shall submit a report to the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President, and the Governors of the States listed in section 6(a), describing the findings and activities of the Commission and a description of the work necessary to carry out the duties of the Commission. (b) Final Report.—Before the end of the 18-month period beginning on the date of the first meeting of the Commission pursuant to section 6(d), the Commission shall submit to the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President, and the Governors of the States listed in section 6(a), a report describing the findings and activities of the Commission, together with recommendations in the following areas regarding specific actions necessary to be taken to promote the economic development of the Lower Mississippi Delta region while preserving, as much as possible, the natural beauty and habitat of the region— (1) infrastructure development through public projects (including projects relating to highways, bridges, harbors, water, and sewer); (2) public health, education, job training, natural resource development, capital availability, recreation, tourism, and other policies and programs which will promote population and labor force stability improve the quality of the labor force, and provide for continuing educational opportunities for the labor force; (3) modifications and additions to programs and projects to help the promotion of regional development under section 7(b)(4) of this Act; (4) establishing a system of joint Federal and State-funded limited-access highways under section 6(b)(9) of this Act; (5) policies and programs that will better attract private investment in industrial, commercial, and recreational projects; (6) State, local, and Federal tax policies which might be used to further economic growth and business opportunities in the region; (7) the creation of interstate compacts and other forms of interstate or interregional cooperation to carry out the recommendations made pursuant to this Act; (8) the role of small businesses in creating jobs in the region under section 7(b)(5) of this Act; (9) such other issues affecting the region which the Commission believes are important to future economic development; and (10) the proper roles of the State, local, and Federal governments and the private sector in carrying out the recommendations submitted pursuant to this Act.

SEC. 11. LIFE OF THE COMMISSION. Upon the expiration of the 120-day period following the date on which the final report is submitted pursuant to section 10, the Commission shall cease to exist, but in no event shall the life of the Commission exceed 2 years from the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. For carrying out the purposes of this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for fiscal year 1989, and $1,000,000 for fiscal year 1990.