[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 90 (Friday, June 25, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               NORTHEAST REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL H. MICHAUD

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 25, 2004

  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill I authored 
that will create the Northeast Regional Development Commission. The 
Commission would be charged with investing federal resources for 
economic development and job creation in the most distressed areas of 
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.
  This is an idea whose time has come. Its roots can be traced as far 
back as 1965, when Congress approved the creation of the Appalachian 
Regional Commission (ARC). This unique Federal-State partnership was 
charged with promoting development in the depressed Appalachian area 
through regional planning, technical assistance, and funding of 
projects aimed at encouraging economic prosperity.
  It was a bold idea, and it worked. According to the National 
Association of Development Organizations, since its creation, the ARC 
has reduced the number of distressed counties in their region from 219 
to 100. It has cut the poverty rate from 31 percent to 15 percent, and 
helped 1,400 businesses create 26,000 new jobs in the region since 
1977.
  With a record like that, other regions began to look at this model, 
and realize that they needed the same thing in their own area. Over the 
past decade, this has led to the creation of three additional 
commissions and proposals for two more.
  When I arrived in Congress and saw these proposals, it became clear 
that other regions were catching on to a good idea, but that the 
Northeast could be missing the boat. There is currently no single body 
focused on the need for jobs and economic development in the Northeast 
region.
  The Northeast has a clear, compelling case for coordinated federal 
investment. Compared to the counties of some of the other regions that 
have an existing or proposed commission, a sample of Northeast counties 
along the Northern border showed higher unemployment, much higher 
outmigration, and extremely similar, and low, household income. All of 
these measures were far worse than the national average.
  Creating a regional commission would give us the chance to look at 
economic development in a whole new way: as a challenge that we can 
tackle together as a region. Together we all face declining natural 
resource industries, aging infrastructure, and youth who are leaving to 
seek opportunity elsewhere. But together, we also still possess 
abundant resources, a good geographic location with opportunities to 
ship our products to the world, and a trained workforce that is ready 
to take on new challenges.
  The Commission created in my bill would utilize the successful ARC 
approach where local development districts and other non-profit 
organizations bring project ideas and priorities to the Commission from 
the local level. Because local plans are approved by the state, no 
state would have mandates thrust upon it from outside.
  Whether the need is new irrigation systems for agriculture, land and 
forestry conservation to maintain productive traditional uses, 
investment in our fishing infrastructure, new roads, or health care 
facilities--a Federal commission can play a key role in investing in 
our economy. Our region needs this kind of investment.
  Already, the interest that this proposal has generated among many 
diverse groups has been a step in the right direction, as it has helped 
to bring people together from many different sectors to think 
creatively, constructively, and cooperatively about our future. We are 
off to a good start, and now there is a lot more work to be done.

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