[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 27, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6996-S6998]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CRAIG (for himself, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Allard, Mr. Baucus, 
        Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Burns, Ms. Collins, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Daschle, 
        Mr. Dayton, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Gramm, Mr. Grassley, Mr. 
        Hagel, Mr. Helms, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Johnson, 
        Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Lugar, Ms. Mikulski, 
        Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Reed, Mr. Roberts, Mr. 
        Sarbanes, Mr.

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        Smith of New Hampshire, Mr. Smith of Oregon, Mr. Thomas, and 
        Mr. Wellstone):
  S. 1111. A bill to amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act to authorize the National Rural Development Partnership, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture Nutrition and Forestry.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I rise today with Senator Conrad to 
introduce the National Rural Development Partnership Act of 2001--a 
bill to codify the National Rural Development Partnership, NRDP or the 
Partnership, and provided a funding source for the program, I am 
pleased that Senators Allard, Baucus, Bingaman, Burns, Collins, Crapo, 
Daschle, Dayton, Dorgan, Enzi, Gramm, Grassley, Hagel, Helms, 
Hutchison, Jeffords, Johnson, Kennedy, Kerry, Leahy, Lugar, Mikulski, 
Murray, Ben Nelson, Reed, Roberts, Sarbanes, Bob Smith, Gordon Smith, 
Thomas, and Wellstone are joining us as original cosponsors.
  The Partnership was established under the Bush administration in 
1990, by Executive Order 12720. Although the partnership has existed 
for ten years, it has never been formally authorized by Congress. The 
current basis for the existence of the partnership is found in the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act of 1972 and the Rural 
Development Policy Act of 1980. In addition, the conference committee 
report on the 1996 federal farm bill created specific responsibilities 
and expectations for the partnership and State rural development 
councils, SRDCs.
  The partnership is a nonpartisan interagency working group whose 
mission is to ``contribute to the vitality of the Nation by 
strengthening the ability of all rural Americans to participate in 
determining their futures.'' The NRDP and SRDCs do something no other 
entities do: facilitate collaboration among federal agencies and 
between Federal agencies and State, local, and tribal governments and 
the private and non-profit sectors to increase coordination of programs 
and services to rural areas. When successful, these efforts result in 
more efficient use of limited rural development resources and actually 
add value to the efforts and dollars of others.
  On March 8, 2000, the Subcommittee on Forestry, Conservation, and 
Rural Revitalization, which I chaired, held an oversight hearing on the 
operations and accomplishments of the NRDP and SRDCs. The subcommittee 
heard from a number of witnesses, including officials of the U.S. 
Departments of Agriculture, Transportation, and Health and Human 
Services, State agencies, and private sector representatives. The 
hearing established the need for some legislative foundation and 
consistent funding. The legislation we introduced last year and are 
reintroducing this Congress accomplishes just that.
  This legislation formally recognizes the existence and operations of 
the partnership, the National Rural Development Coordinating Committee, 
NRDCC, and SRDCs. In addition, the legislation gives specific 
responsibilities to each component of the Partnership and authorizes it 
to receive congressional appropriations.
  Specifically, the bill formally establishes the NRDP and indicates it 
is composed of the NRDCC and SRDCs. NRDP is established for empowering 
and building the capacity of rural communities, encouraging 
participation in flexible and innovative methods of addressing the 
challenges of rural areas, and encouraging all those involved in the 
partnership to be fully engaged and to share equally in decisionmaking. 
This legislation also identifies the role of the Federal Government in 
the partnership as being that of partner, coach, and facilitator. 
Federal agencies are called upon to designate senior-level officials to 
participate in the NRDCC and to encourage field staff to participate in 
SRDCs. Federal agencies are also authorized to enter into cooperative 
agreements with, and to provide grants and other assistance to, State 
rural development councils, regardless of the form of legal 
organization of a State rural development council.

  The composition of the NRDCC is specified as being one representative 
from each Federal agency with rural responsibilities, and governmental 
and non-governmental for-profit and non-profit organizations that elect 
to participate in the NRDCC. The legislation outlines the duties of the 
council as being to provide support to SRDCs; facilitate coordination 
among Federal agencies and between the Federal, State, local and tribal 
governments and private organizations; enhance the effectiveness, 
responsiveness, and delivery of Federal Government programs; gather and 
provide to Federal agencies information about the impact of government 
programs on rural areas; review and comment on policies, regulations, 
and proposed legislation; provide technical assistance to SRDCs; and 
develop strategies for eliminating administrative and regulatory 
impediments. Federal agencies do have the ability to opt out of 
participation in the council, but only if they can show how they can 
more effectively serve rural areas without participating in the 
partnership and council.
  This legislation provides that states may participate in the 
partnership by entering into a memorandum of understanding with USDA to 
establish an SRDC. SRDCs are required to operate in a nonpartisan and 
nondiscriminatory manner and to reflect the diversity of the States 
within which they are organized. The duties of the SRDCs are to 
facilitate collaboration among government agencies at all levels and 
the private and non-profit sectors; to enhance the effectiveness, 
responsiveness, and delivery of Federal and State Government programs; 
to gather information about rural areas in its State and share it with 
the NRDCC and other entities; to monitor and report on policies and 
programs that address, or fail to address, the needs of rural areas; to 
facilitate the formulation of needs assessments for rural areas and 
participate in the development of the criteria for the distribution of 
Federal funds to rural areas; to provide comments to the NRDCC and 
others on policies, regulations, and proposed legislation; assist the 
NRDCC in developing strategies for reducing or eliminating impediments; 
to hire an executive director and support staff; and to fundraise.
  As I have stated before, this legislation authorizes the partnership 
to receive appropriations as well as authorizing and encouraging 
federal agencies to make grants and provide other forms of assistance 
to the partnership and authorizing the partnership to accept private 
contributions. The SRDCs are required to provide at least a 33-percent 
match for funds it receives as a result of its cooperative agreement 
with the Federal Government.
  As you know, too many parts of rural America have not shared in the 
boom that has brought great prosperity to urban America. We need to do 
more to ensure that rural citizens will have opportunities similar to 
those enjoyed by urban areas. To do so, we do not necessarily need new 
government programs. Instead, we must do a better job of coordinating 
the many programs available from USDA and other Federal agencies that 
can benefit rural communities. With the passage of this legislation, 
the NRDP and SRDCs will be better situated to provide that much needed 
coordination.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I am pleased to join Senator Larry Craig 
and 31 of our colleagues today in the introduction of the National 
Rural Development Partnership Act of 2001. This bill is similar to S. 
3175 which Senator Craig and I sponsored last year during the 106th 
Congress. I am pleased that so many members from both sides of the 
aisle have recognized the importance of this measure by agreeing to 
join as original cosponsors.
  The National Rural Development Partnership had its origin in 
Executive Order 12720, issued by President George H. Bush in 1990. 
Through the issuance of this order, the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
was assigned the responsibilities of creating the partnership and 
providing assistance to States that wish to form rural development 
partnerships. The intent of the legislation is the same. At least 40 
States have now formed partnership councils to coordinate rural 
development activities of Federal, State, local, and tribal governments 
with private and non-profit organizations, to address community and 
economic development needs, and to coordinate community and job 
building activities in rural areas. The funding for these activities 
has been voluntary from various Federal agencies, including the 
Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, Transportation, 
Veterans, and state

[[Page S6998]]

agencies. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has historically provided 
the largest single amount.
  The needs of rural America are great. The demands on the Federal 
budget are also great. If we are to make optimum use of hard-to-find 
Federal, State, local, and private resources in rural areas, it is 
imperative that we find ways to coordinate development activities. This 
legislation does that. It formally authorizes National Rural 
Development Councils and also authorizes appropriations for this 
program.
  The existing partnerships are doing an outstanding job in 
coordinating activities to enhance the quality of life and to build 
jobs in areas that have historically lacked high paying opportunities. 
While we recognize the continuing importance of the agriculture 
industry in many States, especially a State like North Dakota, we 
recognize that, unless we diversify our economy, we will continue to 
see out migration from the rural areas into the already crowded 
metropolitan areas of our country.
  Again, I am pleased to join this bipartisan effort.
                                 ______