[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4666 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4666

   To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to 
establish a grant program to support cluster-based economic development 
                                efforts.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 23, 2010

  Mr. Owens (for himself, Mr. Welch, and Mr. McIntyre) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
   and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial 
Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
   each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to 
establish a grant program to support cluster-based economic development 
                                efforts.

    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 ``Cluster-Based Economy Enhancement 
Act of 2010''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR CLUSTER-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) In General.--Title II of the Public Works and Economic 
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following:

``SEC. 219. GRANTS FOR CLUSTER-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions 
apply:
            ``(1) Cluster.--The term `cluster' means a geographic 
        concentration of business entities that--
                    ``(A) are competing, complementary, or 
                interdependent firms and industries;
                    ``(B) do business with one another; and
                    ``(C) have common needs for talent, technology, and 
                infrastructure.
            ``(2) Eligible applicant.--The term `eligible applicant' 
        means--
                    ``(A) a State or local government;
                    ``(B) an institution of higher education; or
                    ``(C) a nonprofit economic development 
                organization.
            ``(3) Region.--The term `region' means any of the following 
        regions, if on the date of submission of an application for a 
        grant under this section the region meets one or more of the 
        criteria described in section 301(a):
                    ``(A) The Delta Region, as described in section 
                382A(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
                Act (7 U.S.C. 2009aa(2)).
                    ``(B) The Northern Great Plains Region, as 
                described in section 383A(4) of the Consolidated Farm 
                and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb(4)).
                    ``(C) The Southeast Crescent Region, as described 
                in section 15731 of title 40, United States Code.
                    ``(D) The Southwest Border Region, as described in 
                section 15732 of title 40, United States Code.
                    ``(E) The Northern Border Region, as described in 
                section 15733 of title 40, United States Code.
                    ``(F) The Appalachian Region, as described in 
                section 14102 of title 40, United States Code.
                    ``(G) Such other region as the Secretary determines 
                appropriate.
    ``(b) Block Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--On the application of an eligible 
        applicant, the Secretary may make a block grant to the 
        applicant--
                    ``(A) to assess the potential for the development 
                of clusters and the enhancement of existing clusters in 
                a region;
                    ``(B) to establish cluster development programs in 
                a region; and
                    ``(C) to promote cluster development programs in a 
                region and support the staff who operate such programs.
            ``(2) Use of grants.--A recipient of grant funds under this 
        subsection may use the funds to provide assistance for startup 
        costs, worker training, relocation costs, planning, and other 
        projects identified by the recipient that are consistent with 
        the purposes of this section.
    ``(c) Cost Sharing.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Federal share of the cost of a 
        project carried out using funds made available under this 
        section shall be 50 percent.
            ``(2) In-kind contributions.--Not more than 50 percent of 
        the non-Federal share of the cost of a project carried out 
        using funds made available under this section may be provided 
        through in-kind contributions.
            ``(3) Inapplicability of certain section.--Section 204 
        shall not apply to this section.
    ``(d) Reports to Congress.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress 
        reports on the results of the program established under this 
        section.
            ``(2) Frequency of reports.--The Secretary shall submit a 
        report under this subsection annually for the first 4 years of 
        the program and biennially thereafter.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000. Such sums shall 
remain available until expended.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents contained in 
section 1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 
(42 U.S.C. 3121 note) is amended by inserting after the item relating 
to section 218 the following:

``Sec. 219. Grants for cluster-based economic development.''.
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