[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 47 (Thursday, April 13, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S2764]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ROBB (for himself, Mr. Edwards, and Ms. Landrieu):
  S. 2445. A bill to provide community-based economic development 
assistance for trade-affected communities; to the Committee on Finance.


               assistance development for communities act

  Mr. ROBB. Mr. President, I'm pleased to introduce the Assistance in 
Development to Communities Act. This bill addressed the importance--and 
need--for community-based, economic development to assist areas in 
trade-related, economic transitions.
  Despite the increased globalization of our economy, many communities 
nationwide are still one-company or one-industry towns. If that company 
or industry is adversely affected by trade, the entire community faces 
economic strain. When these communities lose a major employer or 
industry, they sadly also lose something far more valuable--they lose 
their way of life, and too often their strong sense of community.
  Currently, when an individual loses a job because of the effects of 
trade, the federal government provides Trade Adjustment Assistance or 
NAFTA-Trade Adjustment Assistance to help with income support and 
worker retraining. But what good is that training without jobs?
  While we continue to open new avenues of free trade, the federal 
government has an obligation to help trade affected communities attract 
good jobs. Unfortunately, prospective employers don't automatically 
appear on the community's doorstep. Workers have mortgages, car 
payments, health concerns, family obligations and ties to the 
community, so relocation isn't always feasible. Local officials must 
find a way to lure industries to the area. Yet, they are caught in 
vicious cycle--employers are reluctant to move to economically 
depressed areas, but without jobs, communities will never recover.
  This is an on-going reality in the Martinsville/Henry County region 
of Virginia. In January, I spoke with local officials about the steady 
stream of job losses they've endured, including the loss of the number 
two employer in Martinsville. They've faced double-digit unemployment--
something that's virtually unheard of in this strong economy. They told 
me they need help.
  This legislation is borne from their ideas. The AID to Communities 
bill give local communities the resources they need to implement their 
own ideas for attracting new employers--quickly and easily. It does 
this by providing an automatic, one-time grant to help affected 
communities formulate an economic development plan. This grant, up to 
$100,000, gives communities the resources they need to develop a long-
term plan to readjust their economic base. Once that plan has been 
developed, the AID to Communities bill establishes a second, 
competitive grant program to help affected areas implement their plans. 
These grants can be used in a variety of ways, from expanding 
commercial infrastructure to establishing small business incubators.
  My bill also offers two incentives to attract prospective employers. 
The first incentive would expand the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) 
to provide employers with a tax credit if they hire someone who lives 
in an affected community and has lost a job due to trade. My bill would 
also make explicit that the New Markets Tax Credit, which provides 
incentives for private sector investment and capital access in certain 
areas, is available for trade-affected communities.
  Finally, the bill makes the federal government a better partner be 
creating a one-stop, easily accessible clearinghouse of economic 
development information. This clearinghouse would provide access to 
cross-agency economic development tools, such as grants or low-interest 
loans, for affected communities so local officials don't have to hunt 
through each federal agency for the information they need.
  Our neighbors in places like Martinsville/Henry County, Virginia are 
eager to enjoy the economic prosperity that the rest of the country 
enjoys, yet has so far eluded them. The AID to Communities bill is one 
way to help. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure 
that this bill becomes law and that the people of Martinsville/Henry 
County, and in so many other small towns across America, get the help 
we owe them.
                                 ______