[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 22 (Thursday, February 6, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E160-E161]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EAST BAY CONVERSION AND 
                        REINVESTMENT COMMISSION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 5, 2003

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the East Bay Conversion 
and Reinversion Commission for its great contributions to Alameda 
County for the past 10 years.
  In 1993, Congress authorized four pilot projects charged with seeking 
ways to improve the defense conversion process. Then-Congressman Ronald 
V. Dellums of California's Ninth District convened the EBCRC to manage 
one project in Alameda County, California. Members included elected 
officials, as well as representatives of public agencies, community 
groups, labor unions, educational institutions, business organizations, 
environmental advocacy groups and the military.
  Since its inception, the EBCRC has had an impressive track record in 
assisting base closure communities locally and nationally. It has 
developed sound economic strategies to replace lost jobs and reuse 
dormant facilities. Under contract with the Department of Defense, the 
EBCRC has conducted two national studies examining the challenges and 
difficulties that accompany the base closure process and have published 
two internationally acclaimed reports, Defense Conversion: A Road Map 
for Communities, and The Upside of Base Closure: Tools for Reinvesting 
in Communities.
  The East Bay Conversion and Reinvestment Commission has helped bring 
over $50 million

[[Page E161]]

of Federal support into Alameda County since 1993. These monies have 
gone to successfully close the bases and spur economic redevelopment on 
these former military facilities. In this vein, the EBCRC launched a 
small business development and assistance program to aid former base 
employees start their own businesses. The Workers to Business Owners 
National Demonstration Project has generated millions of dollars in 
economic activity and created hundreds of new jobs.
  To further assist small businesses, The EBCRC established the Defense 
Conversion Revolving Loan Fund to provide access to capital to 
businesses unable to secure loans from traditional lenders. With $1 
million currently in the fund and expected growth to $20 million, the 
fund targets financially disadvantaged businesses and provides pre- and 
post-loan technical assistance to help its customers. As a result of 
these efforts, the EBCRC has made loans to eight small businesses 
totaling $1,046,000. These eight companies will precipitate $24 million 
in business activity, create more than 75 new jobs, and support several 
hundred direct and indirect jobs.
  To date, the EBCRC has introduced new economic activity and jobs to 
six former military bases in Alameda County. It has reached out to 
nearly 250 businesses and provided support to more than half of those. 
Reporting businesses indicated nearly $9 million in new contracts, 
millions in lease revenues for the cities of Alameda and Oakland, and 
nearly $7 million in Local, State/Federal taxes. Redevelopment at these 
bases is accelerating and more than 2700 units of new housing is being 
built, 25 percent of which will be affordable units. Soon, the EBCRC 
will begin making First Time Home Buyer Home Mortgages to low- and 
moderate-income-families.
  I ask Congress to join me and the constituents of the 9th 
Congressional District in celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the East 
Bay Conversion and Reinvestment Commission and wishing them many more 
years of success and affirmative developments.

                          ____________________