[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2911 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2911

    To provide economic development assistance and the planning and 
 coordination needed to assist in development of the lower Mississippi 
                             Delta region.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 22, 1999

Mr. Berry (for himself, Mr. Ford, Mr. Gephardt, Mr. Tanner, Mr. Snyder, 
Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. John, Mr. Costello, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. 
 Hutchinson, and Mr. Dickey) introduced the following bill; which was 
      referred to the Committee on Banking and Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To provide economic development assistance and the planning and 
 coordination needed to assist in development of the lower Mississippi 
                             Delta region.

    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 ``Delta Regional Authority Act of 
1999''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the lower Mississippi River Delta region, though rich 
        in natural and human resources, lags behind the rest of the 
        country in economic growth and prosperity;
            (2) this region suffers from a greater proportion of 
        measurable poverty and unemployment than any other region of 
        the country, resulting in a drain on the national economy and 
        diminishing the national wealth;
            (3) the greatest hope for economic growth and 
        revitalization in the Delta region lies in the creation of 
        jobs, the expansion of existing businesses, and the development 
        of entrepreneurial local economies;
            (4) the economic progress of the Delta region requires an 
        adequate physical infrastructure, a skilled and trained 
        workforce, enhanced local leadership and civic capacity; and 
        greater opportunities for enterprise development and 
        entrepreneurship;
            (5) a concerted and coordinated effort among Federal, 
        State, and local agencies, as well as with the private sector, 
        nonprofit groups, and community-based organizations is needed 
        if the Delta region is to share in the prosperity of the 
        nation;
            (6) economic development planning on a regional or 
        multicounty basis offers the best prospect for achieving the 
        maximum benefit from public and private investments; and
            (7) improving the economy of the Delta requires a special 
        emphasis on those parts of the Delta region that are most 
        economically distressed.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are to--
            (1) promote and encourage the economic development of the 
        Mississippi River Delta region so that the communities and 
        people in the Delta region have the opportunity to participate 
        more fully in the nation's prosperity and so that the region's 
        economy will no longer lag behind the rest of the nation on 
        leading indicators of economic performance;
            (2) establish a formal framework for joint Federal-State 
        collaboration in meeting the region's economic development 
        needs and for focusing national attention on those needs;
            (3) assist the region in obtaining the basic 
        infrastructure, skills training, local leadership capacity, and 
        opportunities for enterprise development that are essential for 
        strong local economies;
            (4) foster coordination among all levels of government, the 
        private sector, community organizations, and nonprofit groups 
        in crafting common regional strategies that will lead to 
        broader economic growth;
            (5) strengthen efforts that emphasize regional approaches 
        to economic development and planning;
            (6) encourage the participation of interested citizens, 
        public officials, groups, agencies, and others in developing 
        and implementing local and regional plans for broad-based 
        economic and community development; and
            (7) focus special attention on those areas of the Delta 
        region that suffer from the greatest economic distress.
    (c) Concentration of Investments.--Public investments made in the 
Mississippi River Delta region under this Act shall be concentrated in 
areas where there is significant and concentrated economic distress and 
where the expected impact on the region's poorest communities will be 
the greatest. While economic development in the region will require a 
wide range of investments, the limited Federal funds available under 
this Act shall be focused on the following activities in order to best 
build the foundations for long-term, self-sustaining economies and 
complement other Federal and State resources in the region: basic 
infrastructure in distressed counties; job related infrastructure; job 
training or employment-related education; leadership and civic 
development; and business development, especially entrepreneurship.

                 TITLE I--THE DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY

SEC. 101. MEMBERSHIP AND VOTING.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established the Delta Regional 
Authority (in this Act referred to as the ``Authority'') which shall be 
composed of 1 Federal member (in this Act referred to as the ``Federal 
cochairman'') appointed by the President by and with the advice and 
consent of the Senate, and 1 member from each participating State in 
the Delta region. The Federal cochairman shall be 1 of the 2 Cochairmen 
of the Authority. Each State member shall be the Governor of the State. 
The State members of the Authority shall elect a cochairman of the 
Authority from among the State members for a term of not less than 1 
year.
    (b) Voting Rules.--Except as provided in section 103(c), decisions 
by the Authority shall require the affirmative vote of the Federal 
cochairman and of a majority of the State members (exclusive of members 
representing States delinquent under section 103(c)). No decision 
involving Authority policy, or any modification or revision thereof, 
approval of State or regional development plans, or any allocation of 
funds among the States may be made without a quorum of State members 
present. The approval of project and grant proposals shall be a 
responsibility of the Authority and exercised in accordance with 
section 223 of this Act.
    (c) Alternates.--Each State member may have a single alternate, 
appointed by the Governor of the State from among the members of the 
Governor's cabinet or the Governor's personal staff. The President, by 
and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint an 
alternate Federal cochairman. An alternate shall vote in the event of 
the absence, death, disability, removal, or resignation of the State or 
Federal representative for which he or she is an alternate. A State 
alternate shall not be counted toward the establishment of a quorum of 
the Authority in any instance in which a quorum of the State members is 
required to be present. No Authority powers or responsibilities 
specified in the last two sentences of subsection (b), nor the vote of 
any Authority member, may be delegated to any person not an Authority 
member or who is not entitled to vote in Authority meetings.
    (d) Compensation.--The Federal cochairman shall be paid by the 
Federal Government at the annual rate of basic pay payable for level 
III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United 
States Code. The alternate of the Federal cochairman shall be paid by 
the Federal Government at the annual rate of basic pay payable for 
level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title 5, 
and, when not actively serving as an alternate for the Federal 
cochairman, shall perform such functions and duties as are delegated by 
the Federal cochairman. Each State member and his or her alternate 
shall be paid by the State which they represent at the rate established 
by law of such State.

SEC. 102. FUNCTIONS OF THE AUTHORITY.

    (a) In General.--In carrying out the purposes of this Act, the 
Authority shall, in addition to the authorities and responsibilities 
elsewhere described in this Act--
            (1) develop, on a continuing basis, comprehensive and 
        coordinated plans and programs and establish priorities and 
        approve grants thereunder for the economic development of the 
        Delta region, giving due consideration to other Federal, State, 
        and local planning and development activities in the Delta 
        region, including establishment, not later than 9 months after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, of priorities and 5-year 
        regional outcome targets in a regional development plan;
            (2) provide for an understanding of the Delta region's 
        needs and assets through research, demonstration, 
        investigation, assessment and evaluation of the Delta region, 
        in cooperation with Federal, State, and local agencies, 
        universities and other nonprofit groups where appropriate, 
        which will further the purposes of this Act;
            (3) review and study, in cooperation with the agency 
        involved, Federal, State, and local public and private programs 
        and, where appropriate, recommend modifications or additions 
        which will increase their effectiveness in the Delta region;
            (4) formulate and recommend, where appropriate, interstate 
        compacts and other forms of interstate cooperation, and work 
        with State and local agencies in developing appropriate model 
        legislation;
            (5) encourage the formation of, build the capacity of, and 
        provide support for, local development districts;
            (6) encourage private investment in industrial, commercial, 
        and other economic development projects;
            (7) serve as a focal point and coordinating unit for Delta 
        programs; and
            (8) provide a forum for consideration of problems of the 
        Delta region and proposed solutions and establish and utilize, 
        as appropriate, citizens and special advisory councils and 
        public conferences.
    (b) Liaison.--The Federal cochairman shall provide effective and 
continuing liaison between the Federal Government and the Authority.

SEC. 103. AUTHORITIES OF THE AUTHORITY.

    (a) In General.--To carry out its duties under this Act, the 
Authority is authorized to do the following:
            (1) Adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws, rules, and regulations 
        governing the conduct of its business and the performance of 
        its functions.
            (2) Appoint and fix the pay of an executive director and 
        such other personnel as may be necessary to enable the 
        Authority to carry out its functions, except that such pay 
        shall not exceed the maximum rate for the Senior Executive 
        Service under section 5382 of title 5, United States Code, 
        including any applicable locality-based comparability payment 
        that may be authorized under section 5304(h)(2)(C) of such 
        title.
            (3) Request the head of any Federal department or agency 
        (who is so authorized) to detail to temporary duty with the 
        Authority such personnel within his administrative jurisdiction 
        as the Authority may need for carrying out its functions. Each 
        such detail shall be without loss of seniority, pay, or other 
        employee status.
            (4) Arrange for the services of personnel from any State or 
        local government or any subdivision or agency thereof, or any 
        intergovernmental agency.
            (5) Make arrangements, including contracts, with any 
        participating State government for inclusion in a suitable 
        retirement and employee benefit system of such of its personnel 
        as may not be eligible for, or continue in, another 
        governmental retirement or employee benefit system, or 
        otherwise provide for such coverage of its personnel.
            (6) Accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of 
        services or property, real, personal, or mixed, tangible or 
        intangible.
            (7) Enter into and perform such contracts, leases, 
        cooperative agreements, or other transactions as may be 
        necessary in carrying out its functions with any department, 
        agency, or instrumentality of the United States (which is so 
        authorized to the extent not otherwise prohibited by law) or 
        with any State, or any political subdivision, agency, or 
        instrumentality thereof, or with any person, firm, association, 
        or corporation.
            (8) Establish and maintain a central office at such 
        appropriate location as it may select and field offices at such 
        other places as it may deem appropriate.
            (9) Take such other actions and incur such other expenses 
        as may be necessary or appropriate.
    (b) Cooperation of Federal Agencies.--The Federal agencies shall 
cooperate with the Authority and shall provide such assistance in 
carrying out the purposes of this Act as the Federal cochairman may 
request.
    (c) Administrative Expenses.--
            (1) In general.--Administrative expenses of the Authority 
        shall be paid by the Federal Government for the period ending 
        on September 30, 2000. Thereafter, such expenses shall be paid 
        50 percent by the Federal Government and 50 percent by the 
        States in the Delta region, except that the expenses of the 
        Federal cochairman, his or her alternate, and his or her staff 
        shall be paid solely by the Federal Government.
            (2) State shares.--The share to be paid by each State shall 
        be determined by the Authority. The Federal cochairman shall 
        not participate or vote in such determination.
            (3) Limitation on assistance to states.--No assistance 
        authorized by this Act shall be furnished to any State or to 
        any political subdivision or any resident of any State, nor 
        shall a State member of the Authority participate or vote in 
        any determination by the Authority, while such State is 
        delinquent in payment of its share of the administrative 
        expenses of the Authority.
    (d) Executive Director.--The Authority shall have an executive 
director who shall be responsible for carrying out the administrative 
functions of the Authority, for direction of the Authority staff, and 
for such other duties as the Authority may assign.
    (e) Treatment of Certain Employees.--No member, alternate, officer, 
or employee of the Authority, other than the Federal cochairman of the 
Authority, his or her staff, and his or her alternate and Federal 
employees detailed to the Authority under subsection (a)(3) shall be 
treated as a Federal employee for any purpose.

SEC. 104. INFORMATION.

    In order to obtain information needed to carry out its duties, the 
Authority shall--
            (1) hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and 
        places, take such testimony, receive such evidence, and print 
        or otherwise reproduce and distribute so much of its 
        proceedings and reports thereon as it may deem advisable, and a 
        cochairman of the Authority, or any member of the Authority 
        designated by the Authority for the purpose, is authorized to 
        administer oaths when it is determined by the Authority that 
        testimony shall be taken or evidence received under oath; and
            (2) arrange for the head of any Federal, State, or local 
        department or agency (who is so authorized to the extent not 
        otherwise prohibited by law) to furnish to the Authority such 
        information as may be available to or procurable by such 
        department or agency.

SEC. 105. PERSONAL FINANCIAL INTERESTS.

    (a) Financial Interest Rule.--
            (1) In general.--Except as permitted by paragraph (2), no 
        State member or alternate and no officer or employee of the 
        Authority shall participate personally and substantially as 
        member, alternate, officer, or employee, through decision, 
        approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, 
        investigation, or otherwise, in any proceeding, application, 
        request for a ruling or other determination, contract, claim, 
        controversy, or other particular matter in which, to his or her 
        knowledge, he or she, his or her spouse, minor child, partner, 
        organization (other than a State or political subdivision 
        thereof) in which he or she is serving as officer, director, 
        trustee, partner, or employee, or any person or organization 
        with whom he or she is serving as officer, director, trustee, 
        partner, or employee, or any person or organization with whom 
        he is or she is negotiating or has any arrangement concerning 
        prospective employment, has a financial interest. Any person 
        who shall violate the provisions of this paragraph shall be 
        fined not more than $10,000, or imprisoned not more than 2 
        years, or both.
            (2) Limitation.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply if the State 
        member, alternate, officer, or employee first advises the 
        Authority of the nature and circumstances of the proceeding, 
        application, request for a ruling or other determination, 
        contract, claim, controversy, or other particular matter and 
        makes full disclosure of the financial interest and receives in 
        advance a written determination made by the Authority that the 
        interest is not so substantial as to be deemed likely to affect 
        the integrity of the services which the Authority may expect 
        from such State member, alternate, officer, or employee.
    (b) State Salary Rule.--No State member or alternate shall receive 
any salary, or any contribution to or supplementation of salary for his 
or her services on the Authority from any source other than his or her 
State. No person detailed to serve the Authority under authority of 
subsection 103(a)(4) shall receive any salary or any contribution to or 
supplementation of salary for his or her services on the Authority from 
any source other than the State, local, or intergovernmental department 
or agency from which he was detailed or from the Authority. Any person 
who shall violate the provisions of this subsection shall be fined not 
more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
    (c) Applicability of Title 18.--Notwithstanding any other 
subsection of this section, the Federal cochairman and his or her 
alternate on the Authority and any Federal officers or employees 
detailed to the Authority pursuant to section 103(a)(3) shall not be 
subject to such subsection but shall remain subject to sections 202 
through 209 of title 18, United States Code.
    (d) Voiding of Contracts.--The Authority may declare void and 
rescind any contract, loan, or grant of or by the Authority in relation 
to which the Authority finds that there has been a violation of 
subsection (a) or (b) of this section, or any of the provisions of 
sections 202 through 209 of title 18, United States Code.

                        TITLE II--DELTA PROGRAMS

                            PART A--PROGRAMS

SEC. 201. ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Authority is authorized to approve grants to 
States and public and nonprofit entities for projects, approved in 
accordance with section 223 of this Act, which will--
            (1) assist the Delta region in obtaining the job training 
        or employment-related education, leadership and civic 
        development, and business development, especially 
        entrepreneurship, that are essential for building strong local 
        economies;
            (2) provide special assistance to severely distressed and 
        underdeveloped counties that lack financial resources for 
        improving basic services;
            (3) fund research, demonstrations, evaluations and 
        assessments of the Delta region, technical assistance, training 
        programs, and construction of necessary facilities incident to 
        such activities; or
            (4) otherwise serve the purposes of this Act.
    (b) Funding.--Grant funds may be provided entirely from 
appropriations to carry out this section or in combination with funds 
available under other Federal or Federal grant-in-aid programs or from 
any other source. Notwithstanding any provision of law limiting the 
Federal share in any such other program, funds appropriated to carry 
out this section may be used to increase such Federal share, as the 
Authority determines appropriate.

SEC. 202. SUPPLEMENTS TO FEDERAL GRANT-IN-AID PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--In order to enable the people, States, and local 
communities of the Delta region, including local development districts, 
to take maximum advantage of Federal grant-in-aid programs for which 
they are eligible but for which, because of their economic situation, 
they cannot supply the required matching share, or for which there are 
insufficient funds available under the Federal grant-in-aid law 
authorizing such programs to meet pressing needs of the Delta region, 
the Federal cochairman may use amounts made available to carry out this 
Act for all or any portion of the basic Federal contribution to 
projects or activities (in this section referred to as ``projects'') 
under such Federal grant-in-aid programs authorized by Federal grant-
in-aid laws, and for the purpose of increasing the Federal contribution 
to projects under such programs above the fixed maximum portion of the 
cost of such projects otherwise authorized by the applicable law. Funds 
provided pursuant to this Act shall be available without regard to any 
limitations on areas eligible for assistance or authorizations for 
appropriation in any other Act.
    (b) Contribution.--In the case of any program or project for which 
all or any portion of the basic Federal contribution to the project 
under a Federal grant-in-aid program is proposed to be made under this 
section, no such Federal contribution shall be made until the 
responsible Federal official administering the Federal grant-in-aid law 
authorizing such contribution certifies that such program or project 
meets the applicable requirements of such Federal grant-in-aid law and 
could be approved for Federal contribution under such law if funds were 
available under such law for such program or project. The 
certifications and determinations required to be made by the Authority 
for approval of projects under this Act in accordance with section 223 
shall be controlling and shall be accepted by the Federal agencies. Any 
findings, report, certification, or documentation required to be 
submitted to the head of the department, agency, or instrumentality of 
the Federal Government responsible for the administration of any 
Federal grant-in-aid program shall be accepted by the Federal 
cochairman with respect to a supplemental grant for any project under 
such program.
    (c) Federal Share.--Except as provided in section 204(b), the 
Federal share of the cost of a project for which assistance is provided 
under this title shall not exceed 80 percent.
    (d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``Federal grant-in-aid 
programs'' means those Federal grant-in-aid programs authorized for the 
acquisition or development of land, the construction or equipping of 
facilities, or other community or economic development or economic 
adjustment activities.

SEC. 203. LOCAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS; CERTIFICATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE 
              EXPENSES.

    (a) Definition.--In this Act, a ``local development district'' 
means an entity certified to the Authority either by the Governor of 
the State, or the Governors of the States, in which such entity is 
located, or by the State officer designated by the appropriate State 
law to make such certification, as having a charter or authority that 
includes the economic development of counties or parts of counties or 
other political subdivisions within the Delta region. No entity shall 
be certified as a local development district for the purposes of this 
Act unless it is--
            (1)(A) a nonprofit incorporated body organized or chartered 
        under the law of the State in which it is located;
            (B) a nonprofit agency or instrumentality of a State or 
        local government;
            (C) a nonprofit agency or instrumentality created through 
        an interstate compact; or
            (D) a nonprofit association or combination of such bodies, 
        agencies, and instrumentalities; and
            (2) organized and operated in a manner that assures broad-
        based community participation and an effective opportunity for 
        other nonprofit and citizen groups to contribute to the 
        development and implementation of programs in the Delta region.
    (b) As Lead Organizations.--Local development districts shall be 
the lead organizations serving multi-county regions at the local level 
and shall provide the linkage between State and local governments, 
nonprofit organizations, including community-based groups and 
educational institutions, the business community, and citizens. 
Activities of these organizations shall include but not be limited to 
multijurisdictional planning, technical assistance to local 
jurisdictions and potential grantees, and leadership and civic 
development assistance.
    (c) Grants.--The Authority is authorized to make grants for 
administrative expenses of local development districts, but (1) the 
amount of any such grant shall not exceed 80 percent of such expenses, 
(2) no grants for administrative expenses shall be made for a State 
agency certified as a local development district for a period in excess 
of 3 years beginning on the date the initial grant is made for such 
development district, and (3) the local development district 
contributions for administrative expenses may be in cash or in-kind, 
fairly evaluated, including space, equipment, and services.

SEC. 204. DISTRESSED COUNTIES AND ECONOMICALLY STRONG COUNTIES.

    (a) Designations.--Not later than 90 days after the date enactment 
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Authority, in accordance with 
such criteria as the Authority may establish, shall--
            (1) designate as ``distressed counties'' those counties in 
        the Delta region that are the most severely and persistently 
        distressed and underdeveloped; and
            (2) designate as ``economically strong counties'' those 
        counties in the Delta region that are approaching or have 
        reached economic parity with the rest of the Nation.
    (b) Distressed Counties.--The Authority shall allocate at least 50 
percent of the appropriations made available under section 301 of this 
Act for programs and projects designed to serve the needs of distressed 
counties. The funding limitations contained in section 202(c) of this 
Act shall not apply to projects providing basic services to residents 
in 1 or more of the Delta region's distressed counties.
    (c) Economically Strong Counties: Funding Prohibitions.--Except as 
provided in this subsection, no funds may be provided under this Act 
for a project located in a county for which a designation as an 
``economically strong county'' is in effect under this section; except 
that the Authority may designate 1 or more areas in an economically 
strong county with respect to which financial assistance under this Act 
may be provided. This prohibition shall not apply to local development 
district administrative projects authorized by section 203(c) of this 
Act. The Authority may approve further exceptions to this prohibition 
for multi-county projects that include an economically strong county 
and for other projects upon a showing of significant potential benefits 
in areas of the Delta region outside the designated economically strong 
county.

                       PART B--GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 221. DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS.

    (a) State Development Plans.--
            (1) Schedule.--Pursuant to policies established by the 
        Authority, each State member shall submit on such schedule as 
        the Authority shall prescribe a development plan for the area 
        of the State within the Delta region.
            (2) General requirements.--The State development plan shall 
        reflect the goals, objectives, and priorities identified in the 
        regional development plan developed under section 102(a)(1) of 
        this Act. The State development plan shall--
                    (A) describe the State organization and continuous 
                process for development planning, including the 
                procedures established by the State for the 
                participation of local development districts in such 
                process, the means by which such process is related to 
                overall statewide planning and budgeting processes, and 
                the method of coordinating planning and projects in the 
                Delta region under this Act, and other Federal, State, 
                and local programs;
                    (B) set forth the goals, objectives, priorities, 
                and expected outcomes of the State for the Delta 
                region, as determined by the Governor of the State, and 
                identify the needs on which such goals, objectives, and 
                priorities are based;
                    (C) describe the development strategy for achieving 
                such goals, objectives, priorities, and expected 
                outcomes; and
                    (D) describe how its proposed strategies will 
                advance the Authority's goals and outcome targets.
            (3) Consultation.--In carrying out the development planning 
        process, including the selection of programs and projects for 
        assistance, States shall consult with local development 
        districts, local units of government, and citizen groups and 
        take into consideration the goals, objectives, priorities, and 
        recommendations of such bodies.
    (b) Public Participation.--The Authority shall take such action as 
may be necessary to ensure public participation in the development, 
revision, and implementation of all plans and programs under this Act 
by the Authority, any State, or any local development district. The 
Authority shall develop and publish regulations specifying minimum 
guidelines for such public participation, including public hearings.

SEC. 222. PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA.

    (a) In General.--In considering programs and projects to be given 
assistance under this Act and in establishing a priority ranking of the 
requests for assistance presented to the Authority, the Authority shall 
follow procedures that will ensure consideration of the following 
factors:
            (1) The relationship of the program or project or class of 
        programs or projects to overall regional development.
            (2) The relative per capita income, poverty, and 
        unemployment rates in the area to be served by the program or 
        project.
            (3) The relative financial resources available to the 
        applicants for assistance seeking to undertake the program or 
        project.
            (4) The importance of the program or project or class of 
        programs or projects in relation to other projects or classes 
        of programs or projects which may be in competition for the 
        same funds.
            (5) The prospects that the program or project for which 
        assistance is sought will improve, on a continuing rather than 
        a temporary basis, the opportunities for employment, the 
        average level of income, or the economic and social development 
        of the area served by the program or project.
            (6) The extent to which the program or project design 
        provides for detailed outcome measurements by which grant 
        expenditures may be evaluated.
    (b) No Relocations.--No financial assistance shall be authorized 
under this Act to be used to assist establishments relocating from 1 
area to another.
    (c) Limitation.--Funds may be provided for programs and projects in 
a State under this Act only if the Authority determines that the level 
of Federal and State financial assistance under laws other than this 
Act for the same type of programs or projects in that portion of the 
State within the Delta region will not be diminished in order to 
substitute funds authorized by this Act.

SEC. 223. APPROVAL OF DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND PROJECTS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to section 101(b) of this Act, a State or 
regional development plan or any multistate subregional plan which is 
developed under this title shall be reviewed by the Authority for 
approval under this section. An application for a grant or any other 
assistance for a project under this title shall be made through and 
evaluated for approval by the State member of the Authority 
representing the applicant.
    (b) Certification.--An application for a grant or other assistance 
for a project shall be approved only on certification by the State 
member and the Federal cochairman that the application--
            (1) reflects an intent that the project comply with any 
        applicable State development plan;
            (2) meets applicable criteria under section 222;
            (3) provides adequate assurance that the proposed project 
        will be properly administered, operated, and maintained; and
            (4) otherwise meets the requirements of this title.
    (c) Votes for Decisions.--The certification by a State member of an 
application for a grant or other assistance for a project under this 
title shall, when joined by an affirmative vote of the Federal 
cochairman for the application, be considered to satisfy the 
requirements for affirmative votes for decisions under section 101(b).

SEC. 224. CONSENT OF STATES.

    Nothing contained in this Act shall be interpreted as requiring any 
State to engage in or accept any program under this Act without its 
consent.

         TITLE III--AUTHORIZATIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Authority to carry 
out this Act and for necessary expenses for the Federal cochairman of 
the Authority, his or her alternate, and his or her staff, and for 
payment of the Federal share of the administrative expenses of the 
Authority to be available until expended, $30,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2001 through 2005.

SEC. 302. DEFINITION OF DELTA REGION.

    In this Act, the term ``Delta region'' means those areas within the 
States of Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, 
Missouri, and Tennessee as defined in section 4 of the Lower 
Mississippi Delta Development Act (Public Law 100-460).

SEC. 303. RECORDS.

    (a) Authority.--The Authority shall maintain accurate and complete 
records of its doings and transactions and of all transactions and 
activities financed with Federal funds. The records of the Authority 
shall be available for audit and examinations by the Comptroller 
General or the duly authorized representative of the Comptroller 
General.
    (b) Recipients of Federal Assistance.--Recipients of Federal 
assistance under this Act shall, as required by the Authority, maintain 
accurate and complete records of transactions and activities financed 
with Federal funds and report thereon to the Authority. Such records 
shall be available for audit by the Comptroller General and the 
Authority or their duly authorized representatives.

SEC. 304. ANNUAL REPORT.

    Not later than 6 months after the last day of each fiscal year, the 
Authority shall prepare and submit to the President, for transmittal to 
Congress, a report on the activities carried out under this Act during 
such year.
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