[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 174 (Tuesday, November 25, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S15986]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. BOXER:
  S. 1960. A bill to exempt airports in economically depressed 
communities from matching grant obligations under the Airport 
Improvement Program; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, last summer I visited Del Norte County--in 
the most northern part of my State. Del Norte County has been hit 
particularly hard during these tough economic times. Unemployment in 
the county tops 7.6 percent. Local officials are working hard to 
revitalize the economy, and one of their top priorities is to renovate 
Del Norte County's airport. And they would like federal assistance.
  However, under the federal Airport Improvement Program, federal 
grants must be matched with local funds. In general, I support that 
policy. But, for communities facing severe economic problems, this 
match is prohibitive. It's a bit of a Catch-22. The Federal funds that 
would help the local economy rebound are not available because the 
local economy is in such bad shape that the community can't match the 
federal grants.
  The bill that I am introducing today would address this by 
eliminating the match required under the Airport Improvement Program 
for economically depressed communities.
  To be considered an economically depressed community, a community 
would have a variety of ways to quality. First, for the last two years, 
the unemployment rate could be one percent higher than the nation's 
unemployment rate. Second, the per capita income of the community could 
be 80 percent or less of the nation's per capita income. Or third, the 
Secretary of Transportation could decide that a particular community 
had a special needs. These criteria are consistent with other 
provisions of federal law.
  I believe that by waiving the matching grant in communities that have 
a high unemployment rate or low per capita income, we will help to 
rejuvenate their business climate and reinvigorate their local 
economies.
  With a little bit of help, I am very optimistic about the future of 
Del Norte County and other areas in California and across the Nation 
that are facing tough economic times. This bill will provide that 
little bit of help.
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