[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 104 (Tuesday, July 15, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9424-S9425]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. STABENOW (for herself and Mr. Levin):

  S. 1412. A bill to suspend the implementation of the revised 

definitions of Metropolitan Statistical Areas applicable to Kent, 

Ottawa, Muskegon, and Allegan Counties in the State of Michigan; to the 

Committee on Governmental Affairs.

  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 

along with Mr. Levin, that would stop the implementation of a new 

Metropolitan Statistical Area, MSA, in the Michigan counties of Kent, 

Ottawa, Muskegon, and Allegan, KOMA.

  On June 6, 2003, the Office of Management and Budget issued its 

Bulletin No. 03-04 on Revised Definition of Metropolitan Statistical 

Areas, New Definitions of Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined 

Statistical Areas, and Guidance on the Use of the Statistical 

Definitions in These Areas.

  This bulletin finalizes a process that began with the last census. 

Statistical areas, as explained by the OMB, are designed solely for 

statistical purposes. As stated in the bulletin, they are designed to 

``provide nationally consistent definitions in collecting, tabulating, 

and publishing Federal statistics for a set of geographic areas.'' The 

problem is that the are used for much more than that. They are 

principal tool for allocating Federal dollars. And, although OMB 

recognizes this, it will ``not take into account or attempt to 

anticipate any nonstatistical uses that may be made of the MSAs.''

  This is a serious problem. On one hand, we are implementing new MSAs 

to serve basic statistical purposes. On the other hand, these new MSAs 

are critical for the allocation of Federal money and OMB does not 

consider, in the least bit, how these new MSAs may negatively or 

positively affect communities. It is easy for OMB staff to say that 

their hands are tied by rules and strict methodologies, but this is not 

about number-crunching. This is about real dollars for Michigan.

  I have heard from numerous constituents in West Michigan who are 

concerned about how these new statistical, designations will affect 

Medicaid and Medicare payments, Housing and Urban Development grants, 

Community Development Block Grants, and other important programs in 

Michigan. I share these concerns and want to make sure that we do not 

allow a new system of Federal dollar allocations to come into effect 

that would hurt West Michigan. We need time to study the impact of the 

new MSAs. That is why I am offering legislation to stay the 

implementation of the new West Michigan MSAs until October 1, 2004, 

leaving the current Kent-Ottawa-Muskegon-Allegan, KOMA, MSA in place.

  The KOMA region has developed a common identity over the last decade. 

It shares regional challenges such as tourism, transportation networks, 

environmental protection, and community health. Business leaders have 

worked hard to market the region as a common community with much to 

offer potential new businesses and families looking to relocate. I do 

not want these leaders to lose this marketing tool. By the OMB setting 

up a new MSA with no consideration of the economic and social 

integration of the existing MSA, we could see the undermining of a 

great deal of progress for this part of Michigan.

  We, in Congress, should eventually look at this issue of MSAs 

comprehensively. We should ensure that communities do not have to fact 

this uncertainty every decade with a new census. We should either 

ensure that the OMB takes into account economic and other community 

concerns when creating MSAs or we should make sure that Federal funding 

allocations are not made through MSAs. Regardless, in the short run, it 

is essential that the hospitals, the community development 

organizations, the business leaders, and the social service providers 

of West Michigan who are raising these concerns with me have time to 

study the problem and understand the impact of OMB's decision. Once 

that has been studied, we can work with OMB and





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the interested parties to ensure that there is no loss of Federal money 

to West Michigan.

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