[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4463 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4463

  To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow the empowerment 
zone employment credit for additional empowerment zones and enterprise 
  communities and to increase funding for such zones and communities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 16, 2000

  Mrs. Bono (for herself, Mr. LoBiondo, Mr. Talent, Mr. Watkins, Mr. 
    Foley, Mr. Sisisky, Mr. Duncan, and Ms. Granger) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow the empowerment 
zone employment credit for additional empowerment zones and enterprise 
  communities and to increase funding for such zones and communities.

    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 ``Empowerment Zones Enhancement Act of 
2000''.

SEC. 2. EMPOWERMENT ZONE EMPLOYMENT CREDIT ALLOWED FOR ADDITIONAL 
              EMPOWERMENT ZONES AND ENTERPRISE COMMUNITIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 1396 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
(relating to empowerment zone employment credit) is amended by striking 
subsection (e).
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall apply 
to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL EMPOWERMENT ZONES AND ENTERPRISE 
              COMMUNITIES.

    (a) Entitlement.--Section 2007(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1397f(a)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``in the State; and'' 
        and inserting ``that is in the State and is designated pursuant 
        to section 1391(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;'';
            (2) by adding after subparagraph (B) the following:
                    ``(C)(i) 8 grants under this section for each 
                qualified empowerment zone that is in an urban area in 
                the State and is designated pursuant to section 1391(g) 
                of such Code; and
                    ``(ii) 8 grants under this section for each 
                qualified empowerment zone that is in a rural area in 
                the State and is designated pursuant to section 1391(g) 
                of such Code; and
                    ``(D) 8 grants under this section for each 
                qualified enterprise community that is in the State and 
                is designated pursuant to section 766 of the 
                Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug 
                Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations 
                Act, 1999.
                    ``(E) 1 grant under this section for each strategic 
                planning community.''.
    (b) Amount of Grants.--Section 2007(a)(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
1397f(a)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in the heading of subparagraph (A), by inserting 
        ``Original'' before ``Empowerment'';
            (2) in subparagraph (A), in the matter preceding clause 
        (i), by inserting ``referred to in paragraph (1)(A)'' after 
        ``empowerment zone'';
            (3) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (F); 
        and
            (4) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:
                    ``(C) Additional empowerment grants.--The amount of 
                the grant to a State under this section for a qualified 
                empowerment zone referred to in paragraph (1)(C) shall 
                be--
                            ``(i) if the zone is in an urban area, 
                        $11,675,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 
                        through 2008; or
                            ``(ii) if the zone is in a rural area, 
                        $4,600,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 
                        through 2008,
                multiplied by the proportion of the population of the 
                zone that resides in the State.
                    ``(D) Additional enterprise community grants.--The 
                amount of the grant to a State under this section for a 
                qualified enterprise community referred to in paragraph 
                (1)(D) shall be $2,750,000, multiplied by the 
                proportion of the population of the community that 
                resides in the State.
                    ``(E) Strategic planning community grants.--The 
                amount of the grant to a State under this section for a 
                strategic planning community shall be $3,000,000, 
                multiplied by the proportion of the population of the 
                community that resides in the State.''.
    (c) Timing of Grants.--Section 2007(a)(3) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
1397f(a)(3)) is amended--
            (1) in the heading of subparagraph (A), by inserting 
        ``Original'' before ``Qualified'';
            (2) in subparagraph (A), in the matter preceding clause 
        (i), by inserting ``referred to in paragraph (1)(A)'' after 
        ``empowerment zone''; and
            (3) by adding after subparagraph (B) the following:
                    ``(C) Additional qualified empowerment zones.--With 
                respect to each qualified empowerment zone referred to 
                in paragraph (1)(C), the Secretary shall make 1 grant 
                under this section to the State in which the zone lies, 
                on the first day of fiscal year 2001 and of each of the 
                7 succeeding fiscal years.
                    ``(D) Additional qualified enterprise 
                communities.--With respect to each qualified enterprise 
                community referred to in paragraph (1)(D), the 
                Secretary shall make 1 grant under this section to the 
                State in which the community is located, on the first 
                day of fiscal year 2001 and of each of the 7 succeeding 
                fiscal years.
                    ``(E) Strategic planning communities.--With respect 
                to each strategic planning community, the Secretary 
                shall make 1 grant under this section to the State in 
                which the community is located, on the first day of 
                fiscal year 2001.''.
    (d) Funding.--Section 2007(a)(4) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
1397f(a)(4)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(4) Funding.--$1,000,000'' and inserting 
        the following:
            ``(4) Funding.--
                    ``(A) Original grants.--$1,000,000'';
            (2) by inserting ``for empowerment zones and enterprise 
        communities described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph 
        (1)'' before the period; and
            (3) by adding after and below the end the following:
                    ``(B) Additional empowerment zone grants.--
                $1,585,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary 
                for grants under this section for empowerment zones 
                referred to in paragraph (1)(C).
                    ``(C) Additional enterprise community grants.--
                $55,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary 
                for grants under this section for enterprise 
                communities referred to in paragraph (1)(D).
                    ``(D) Strategic planning community grants.--
                $45,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary 
                for grants under this section for strategic planning 
                communities.''.
    (e) Direct Funding for Indian Tribes.--Section 2007(a) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1397f(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(5) Direct funding for indian tribes.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may make a grant 
                under this section directly to the governing body of an 
                Indian tribe if--
                            ``(i) the tribe is identified in the 
                        strategic plan of a qualified empowerment zone 
                        or qualified enterprise community as the entity 
                        that assumes sole or primary responsibility for 
                        carrying out activities and projects under the 
                        grant; and
                            ``(ii) the grant is to be used for 
                        activities and projects that are--
                                    ``(I) included in the strategic 
                                plan of the qualified empowerment zone 
                                or qualified enterprise community, 
                                consistent with this section; and
                                    ``(II) approved by the Secretary of 
                                Agriculture, in the case of a qualified 
                                empowerment zone or qualified 
                                enterprise community in a rural area, 
                                or the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
                                Development, in the case of a qualified 
                                empowerment zone or qualified 
                                enterprise community in an urban area.
                    ``(B) Rules of interpretation.--
                            ``(i) If grant under this section is made 
                        directly to the governing body of an Indian 
                        tribe under subparagraph (A), the tribe shall 
                        be considered a State for purposes of this 
                        section.
                            ``(ii) This subparagraph shall not be 
                        construed as making applicable to this section 
                        the provisions of the Indian Self-Determination 
                        and Education Assistance Act.''.
    (f) Definitions.--
            (1) Qualified enterprise community.--Section 2007(f)(2)(A) 
        of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1397f(f)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting 
        ``or under section 766 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, 
        Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies 
        Appropriations Act, 1999'' before the semicolon.
            (2) Strategic plan.--Section 2007(f)(3) of such Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1397f(f)(3)) is amended by inserting ``or under section 
        766 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug 
        Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999'' 
        before the period.
            (3) Strategic planning community.--Section 2007(f) of such 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 1397f(f)) is amended by adding at the end the 
        following:
            ``(8) Strategic planning community.--The term `strategic 
        planning community' means a respondent to the Notice Inviting 
        Applications at 63 Federal Register 19162 (April 16, 1998) 
        whose application was ranked 16th through 30th in the 
        competition that concluded Decembr 1998.''.
            (4) Indian tribe.--Section 2007(f) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1397f(f)) is further amended by adding at the end the 
        following:
            ``(9) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian tribe' means any 
        Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or 
        community, including any Alaska Native village or regional or 
        village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to 
        the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which is recognized as 
        eligible for the special programs and services provided by the 
        United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.''.

SEC. 4. USE OF GRANT FUNDS.

    (a) Revolving Loan Activities.--Section 2007(b) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397f(b)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
            ``(5) Revolving loan activities.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In order to assist disadvantaged 
                adults and youths in achieving and maintaining economic 
                self-support, a State may use amounts paid under this 
                section to fund revolving loan funds or similar 
                arrangements for the purpose of making loans to 
                residents, institutions, organizations, or businesses 
                that hire disadvantaged adults and youths.
                    ``(B) Rules for disbursement.--Amounts to be used 
                as described in subparagraph (A) shall be disbursed by 
                the Secretary, consistent with the provisions of the 
                Cash Management Improvement Act and its implementing 
                rules, regulations, and procedures issued by the 
                Secretary of the Treasury--
                            ``(i) in the case of a grant to a revolving 
                        loan fund--
                                    ``(I) pursuant to a written 
                                irrevocable grant commitment; and
                                    ``(II) at such time or times as the 
                                Secretary determines that the funds are 
                                needed to meet the purposes of such 
                                commitment; or
                            ``(ii) in the case of a grant for purposes 
                        of capitalizing an insured depository 
                        institution (as defined in section 3 of the 
                        Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813)) 
                        or an insured credit union (as defined in 
                        section 101 of the Federal Credit Union Act (12 
                        U.S.C. 1742)), at such time or times as the 
                        Secretary determines that funds are needed for 
                        such capitalization.''.
    (b) Use as Non-Federal Share.--Section 2007(b) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 1397f(b)), as amended by subsection (a) of this section, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) A State may use amounts received from a grant under 
        this section to pay all or part of the non-Federal share of 
        expenditures under any other Federal grant to a local public or 
        nonprofit private agency or organization for activities 
        consistent with the purposes of this section, unless the 
        statutory authority for such other grant expressly prohibits 
        counting of Federal grant funds as such non-Federal share.''.
                                 <all>