[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1206 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1206

 To reauthorize the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 19, 2001

 Mr. Voinovich (for himself, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Frist, and Mr. McConnell) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
               Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To reauthorize the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965, and 
                          for other purposes.

    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 2001''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to reauthorize the Appalachian Regional Development Act 
        of 1965 (40 U.S.C. App.); and
            (2) to ensure that the people and businesses of the 
        Appalachian region have the knowledge, skills, and access to 
        telecommunication and technology services necessary to compete 
        in the knowledge-based economy of the United States.

SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION.

    Section 102(a) of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 
(40 U.S.C. App.) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5), by inserting ``, and support,'' after 
        ``formation of'';
            (2) in paragraph (7), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (3) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(9) seek to coordinate the economic development 
        activities of, and the use of economic development resources 
        by, Federal agencies in the region.''.

SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL ON APPALACHIA.

    Section 104 of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 (40 
U.S.C. App.) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``The President'' and inserting ``(a) In 
        General.--The President''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Interagency Coordinating Council on Appalachia.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
        President shall establish an interagency council to be known as 
        the `Interagency Coordinating Council on Appalachia'.
            ``(2) Membership.--The Council shall be composed of--
                    ``(A) the Federal Cochairman, who shall serve as 
                Chairperson of the Council; and
                    ``(B) representatives of Federal agencies that 
                carry out economic development programs in the 
                region.''.

SEC. 5. TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE.

    Title II of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 (40 
U.S.C. App.) is amended by inserting after section 202 the following:

``SEC. 203. TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Commission may provide technical assistance, 
make grants, enter into contracts, or otherwise provide funds to 
persons or entities in the region for projects--
            ``(1) to increase affordable access to advanced 
        telecommunications, entrepreneurship, and management 
        technologies or applications in the region;
            ``(2) to provide education and training in the use of 
        telecommunications and technology;
            ``(3) to develop programs to increase the readiness of 
        industry groups and businesses in the region to engage in 
        electronic commerce; or
            ``(4) to support entrepreneurial opportunities for 
        businesses in the information technology sector.
    ``(b) Source of Funding.--
            ``(1) In general.--Assistance under this section may be 
        provided--
                    ``(A) exclusively from amounts made available to 
                carry out this section; or
                    ``(B) from amounts made available to carry out this 
                section in combination with amounts made available 
                under any other Federal program or from any other 
                source.
            ``(2) Federal share requirements specified in other laws.--
        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 determines to be appropriate.
    ``(c) Cost Sharing for Grants.--Not more than 50 percent (or 80 
percent in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for 
which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 226) 
of the costs of any activity eligible for a grant under this section 
may be provided from funds appropriated to carry out this section.''.

SEC. 6. PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA.

    (a) Elimination of Growth Center Criteria.--Section 224(a)(1) of 
the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 (40 U.S.C. App.) is 
amended by striking ``in an area determined by the State have a 
significant potential for growth or''.
    (b) Assistance to Distressed Counties and Areas.--Section 224 of 
the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 (40 U.S.C. App.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Assistance to Distressed Counties and Areas.--For each fiscal 
year, not less than 50 percent of the amount of grant expenditures 
approved by the Commission shall support activities or projects that 
benefit severely and persistently distressed counties and areas.''.

SEC. 7. GRANTS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES OF LOCAL DEVELOPMENT 
              DISTRICTS.

    Section 302(a)(1)(A)(i) of the Appalachian Regional Development Act 
of 1965 (40 U.S.C. App.) is amended by inserting ``(or, at the 
discretion of the Commission, 75 percent of such expenses in the case 
of a local development district that has a charter or authority that 
includes the economic development of a county or part of a county for 
which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 226)'' 
after ``such expenses''.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 401 of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 (40 
U.S.C. App.) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 401. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--In addition to amounts authorized by section 201 
and other amounts made available for the Appalachian development 
highway system program, there are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Commission to carry out this Act--
            ``(1) $83,000,000 for fiscal year 2002;
            ``(2) $86,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
            ``(3) $89,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
            ``(4) $92,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; and
            ``(5) $95,000,000 for fiscal year 2006.
    ``(b) Telecommunications and Technology Initiative.--Of the amounts 
made available under subsection (a), $10,000,000 for each fiscal year 
shall be made available to carry out section 203.
    ``(c) Availability.--Sums made available under subsection (a) shall 
remain available until expended.''.

SEC. 9. TERMINATION.

    Section 405 of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 (40 
U.S.C. App.) is amended by striking ``2001'' and inserting ``2006''.

SEC. 10. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Section 101(b) of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 
1965 (40 U.S.C. App.) is amended in the third sentence by striking 
``implementing investment program'' and inserting ``strategy 
statement''.
    (b) Section 106(7) of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 
1965 (40 U.S.C. App.) is amended by striking ``expiring no later than 
September 30, 2001''.
    (c) Sections 202, 214, and 302(a)(1)(C) of the Appalachian Regional 
Development Act of 1965 (40 U.S.C. App.) are amended by striking 
``grant-in-aid programs'' each place it appears and inserting ``grant 
programs''.
    (d) Section 202(a) of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 
1965 (40 U.S.C. App.) is amended in the second sentence by striking 
``title VI of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 291-291o), the 
Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers 
Construction Act of 1963 (77 Stat. 282),'' and inserting ``title VI of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 291 et seq.), the 
Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 
(42 U.S.C. 15001 et seq.),''.
    (e) Section 207(a) of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 
1965 (40 U.S.C. App.) is amended by striking ``section 221 of the 
National Housing Act, section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 
1937, section 515 of the Housing Act of 1949,'' and inserting ``section 
221 of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1715l), section 8 of the 
United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f), section 515 of the 
Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1485),''.
    (f) Section 214 of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 
(40 U.S.C. App.) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``grant-in-aid'' 
        and inserting ``grant'';
            (2) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``grant-in-aid Act'' each place it 
                appears and inserting ``Act'';
                    (B) in the first sentence, by striking ``grant-in-
                aid Acts'' and inserting ``Acts'';
                    (C) by striking ``grant-in-aid program'' each place 
                it appears and inserting ``grant program''; and
                    (D) by striking the third sentence;
            (3) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
    ``(c) Definition of Federal Grant Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--In this section, the term `Federal grant 
        program' means any Federal grant program authorized by this Act 
        or any other Act that provides assistance for--
                    ``(A) the acquisition or development of land;
                    ``(B) the construction or equipment of facilities; 
                or
                    ``(C) any other community or economic development 
                or economic adjustment activity.
            ``(2) Inclusions.--In this section, the term `Federal grant 
        program' includes a Federal grant program such as a Federal 
        grant program authorized by--
                    ``(A) the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
                Act (7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.);
                    ``(B) the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 
                1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-4 et seq.);
                    ``(C) the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention 
                Act (16 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.);
                    ``(D) the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical 
                Education Act of 1998 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.);
                    ``(E) the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
                U.S.C. 1251 et seq.);
                    ``(F) title VI of the Public Health Service Act (42 
                U.S.C. 291 et seq.);
                    ``(G) sections 201 and 209 of the Public Works and 
                Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141, 
                3149);
                    ``(H) title I of the Housing and Community 
                Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.); or
                    ``(I) part IV of title III of the Communications 
                Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 390 et seq.).
            ``(3) Exclusions.--In this section, the term `Federal grant 
        program' does not include--
                    ``(A) the program for construction of the 
                Appalachian development highway system authorized by 
                section 201;
                    ``(B) any program relating to highway or road 
                construction authorized by title 23, United States 
                Code; or
                    ``(C) any other program under this Act or any other 
                Act to the extent that a form of financial assistance 
                other than a grant is authorized.''; and
            (4) by striking subsection (d).
    (g) Section 224(a)(2) of the Appalachian Regional Development Act 
of 1965 (40 U.S.C. App.) is amended by striking ``relative per capita 
income'' and inserting ``per capita market income''.
    (h) Section 225 of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 
(40 U.S.C. App.)--
            (1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ``development 
        program'' and inserting ``development strategies''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)(2), by striking ``development 
        programs'' and inserting ``development strategies''.
    (i) Section 303 of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 
(40 U.S.C. App.) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``investment 
        programs'' and inserting ``strategy statements'';
            (2) in the first sentence, by striking ``implementing 
        investments programs'' and inserting ``strategy statements''; 
        and
            (3) by striking ``implementing investment program'' each 
        place it appears and inserting ``strategy statement''.
    (j) Section 403 of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 
(40 U.S.C. App.) is amended--
            (1) in the next-to-last undesignated paragraph, by striking 
        ``Committee on Public Works and Transportation'' and inserting 
        ``Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure''; and
            (2) by striking the last undesignated paragraph.
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