[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 95 Received in Senate (RDS)]

  1st Session
H. J. RES. 95


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 13, 1997

                                Received

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
   Granting the consent of Congress to the Chickasaw Trail Economic 
                          Development Compact.

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, The Congress consents to the 
Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Compact entered into by the State 
of Tennessee 
and the State of Mississippi. The compact is substantially as follows:

              CHICKASAW TRAIL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMPACT

    Article I. The purpose of this compact is to promote the 
development of an undeveloped rural area of Marshall County, 
Mississippi, and Fayette County, Tennessee (hereinafter referred to as 
``Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Area''), and to create a 
development authority which incorporates public and private 
partnerships to facilitate the economic growth of such areas by 
providing developed sites for the location and construction of 
manufacturing plants, distribution facilities, research facilities, 
regional and national offices with supportive services, and facilities, 
and to establish a joint interstate authority to assist in these 
efforts.
    Article II. This compact shall become effective immediately 
whenever the states of Tennessee and Mississippi have ratified it and 
Congress has given consent thereto.
    Article III. The states which are parties to this compact 
(hereinafter referred to as ``party states'') do hereby establish and 
create a joint agency which shall be known as the Chickasaw Trail 
Economic Development Authority (hereinafter referred to as the 
``Authority''). The membership of the Authority shall consist of an 
appointee of the Governor of each party state, each state's chief 
economic development official or his/her representative, appointee of 
each of the member counties board of supervisors/county legislative 
body, selected from nominees from the county's industrial development 
board, and an appointee of the property owners' group. The appointive 
members of the authority shall serve for terms of four (4) years. 
Vacancies on the Authority shall be filled by appointment by the 
Governor or the appropriate appointing authority for the unexpired part 
of the term. The members of the Authority shall serve without 
compensation or reimbursement of expenses. The members of the Authority 
shall hold regular quarterly meetings and such special meetings as its 
business may require. They shall choose annually a chairman and vice-
chairman from among their members, and the chairmanship shall rotate 
each year between the party states. The secretary of the Authority 
(hereinafter provided for) shall notify each member in writing of all 
meetings of the Authority in such a manner and under such rules and 
regulations as the Authority may prescribe. The Authority shall adopt 
rules and regulations for the transaction of its business; and the 
secretary shall keep a record of all its business, and shall furnish a 
copy thereof to each member of the Authority. It shall be the duty of 
the Authority in general, to promote, encourage and coordinate the 
efforts of the party states to secure the development of the Chickasaw 
Trail Economic Development Authority. Toward this end, the authority 
shall have power to hold hearings; to conduct studies and surveys of 
all problems, benefits and other matters associated with the 
development of the Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Area and to 
make reports thereon; to acquire, by gift or otherwise, and hold and 
dispose of such money and property as may be provided for the proper 
performance of their functions; to cooperate with other public or 
private groups, whether local, state, regional or national, having an 
interest in economic development; to formulate and execute plans and 
policies for emphasizing the purpose of this compact before the 
Congress of the United States and other appropriate officers and 
agencies of the United States and the respective states; and the 
exercise of such other powers as may be appropriate to enable it to 
accomplish its functions and duties in connection with the development 
of the Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Area and to carry out the 
purposes of this compact.
    Article IV. The Authority shall appoint a secretary, who shall be a 
person familiar with the nature, procedures and significance of 
economic development and the informational, educational and publicity 
methods of stimulating general interest in such developments, and who 
shall be the compact administrator. His/her term of office shall be at 
the pleasure of the Authority. He/she shall maintain custody of the 
Authority's books, records and papers, which he/she shall keep at the 
office of the Authority, and he/she shall perform all functions and 
duties, and exercise all powers and authorities, that may be delegated 
to him/her by the Authority.
    Article V. Nothing in this compact shall be construed to conflict 
with any existing statute, or to limit the powers of any party or state 
or to repeal or prevent legislation, or to authorize or permit 
curtailment or diminution of any other economic development project, or 
to affect existing or future cooperative arrangements or relationships 
between any federal agency and a party state.
    Article VI. This compact shall continue in force and remain binding 
upon each party state until the Legislature or Governor of each or 
either state takes action to withdraw therefrom; provided that such 
withdrawal shall not become effective until six (6) months after the 
date of the action taken. Notice of such action shall be given by the 
Secretary of State of the party state which takes such action.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, Kirk Fordice, have subscribed my signature 
and caused the Great Seal of the State of Mississippi to be affixed 
this 9th day of May, 1997.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, Don Sundquist, have subscribed my signature 
and caused the Great Seal of the State of Tennessee to be affixed this 
9th day of April, 1997.

SEC. 2. INCONSISTENCY OF LANGUAGE.

    The validity of the compact consented to by this Act shall not be 
affected by any insubstantial difference in its form or language as 
adopted by the States.

SEC. 3. RIGHT TO ALTER, AMEND, OR REPEAL.

    The right to alter, amend, or repeal this joint resolution is 
hereby expressly reserved.

            Passed the House of Representatives November 12, 1997.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.