Congressional Record, Volume 153 Issue 150 (Thursday, October 4, 2007)

[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 150 (Thursday, October 4, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H11270-H11287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

REGIONAL ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2007

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 704, I call
up the bill (H.R. 3246) to amend title 40, United States Code, to
provide a comprehensive regional approach to economic and
infrastructure development in the most severely economically distressed
regions in the Nation, and ask for its immediate consideration in the
House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 3246

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Regional Economic and
Infrastructure Development Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) certain regions of the Nation, including Appalachia,
the Mississippi Delta Region, the Northern Great Plains
Region, the Southeast Crescent Region, the Southwest Border
Region, the Northern Border Region, and rural Alaska, have
suffered from chronic distress far above the national
average;
(2) an economically distressed region can suffer
unemployment and poverty at a rate that is 150 percent of the
national average; and
(3) regional commissions are unique Federal-State
partnerships that can provide targeted resources to alleviate
pervasive economic distress.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to provide a comprehensive regional approach to
economic and infrastructure development in the most severely
economically distressed regions in the Nation; and
(2) to ensure that the most severely economically
distressed regions in the Nation have the necessary tools to
develop the basic building blocks for economic development,
such as transportation and basic public infrastructure, job
skills training, and business development.

SEC. 3. REGIONAL ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.

(a) In General.--Title 40, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating subtitle V as subtitle VI; and
(2) by inserting after subtitle IV the following:

``Subtitle V--Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development

``Chapter Sec.
``151. GENERAL PROVISIONS.....................................15101....

``153. REGIONAL COMMISSIONS...................................15301....

``155. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE...................................15501....

``157. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS..............................15701....

``CHAPTER 151--GENERAL PROVISIONS

``Sec.
``15101. Definitions.

``Sec. 15101. Definitions

``In this subtitle, the following definitions apply:
``(1) Commission.--The term `Commission' means a Commission
established under section 15301.
``(2) Local development district.--The term `local
development district' means an entity that--
``(A)(i) is an economic development district that is--
``(I) in existence on the date of enactment of this
chapter; and
``(II) located in the region; or
``(ii) if an entity described in clause (i) does not
exist--
``(I) is organized and operated in a manner that ensures
broad-based community participation and an effective
opportunity for local officials, community leaders, and the
public to contribute to the development and implementation of
programs in the region;
``(II) is governed by a policy board with at least a simple
majority of members consisting of--

``(aa) elected officials; or
``(bb) designees or employees of a general purpose unit of
local government that have been appointed to represent the
unit of local government; and

``(III) is certified by the Governor or appropriate State
officer as having a charter or authority that includes the
economic development of counties, portions of counties, or
other political subdivisions within the region; and
``(B) has not, as certified by the Federal Cochairperson--
``(i) inappropriately used Federal grant funds from any
Federal source; or
``(ii) appointed an officer who, during the period in which
another entity inappropriately used Federal grant funds from
any Federal source, was an officer of the other entity.
``(3) Federal grant program.--The term `Federal grant
program' means a Federal grant program to provide assistance
in carrying out economic and community development
activities.
``(4) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian tribe' has the
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).
``(5) Nonprofit entity.--The term `nonprofit entity' means
any entity with tax-exempt or nonprofit status, as defined by
the Internal Revenue Service, that has been formed for the
purpose of economic development.
``(6) Region.--The term `region' means the area covered by
a Commission as described in subchapter II of chapter 157.

``CHAPTER 153--REGIONAL COMMISSIONS

``Sec.
``15301. Establishment, membership, and employees.
``15302. Decisions.
``15303. Functions.
``15304. Administrative powers and expenses.
``15305. Meetings.
``15306. Personal financial interests.
``15307. Tribal representation on Northern Great Plains Regional
Commission.
``15308. Tribal participation.
``15309. Annual report.

``Sec. 15301. Establishment, membership, and employees

``(a) Establishment.--There are established the following
regional Commissions:
``(1) The Delta Regional Commission.
``(2) The Northern Great Plains Regional Commission.
``(3) The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission.
``(4) The Southwest Border Regional Commission.
``(5) The Northern Border Regional Commission.
``(b) Membership.--
``(1) Federal and state members.--Each Commission shall be
composed of the following members:
``(A) A Federal Cochairperson, to be appointed by the
President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
``(B) The Governor of each participating State in the
region of the Commission.
``(2) Alternate members.--
``(A) Alternate federal cochairperson.--The President shall
appoint an alternate Federal Cochairperson for each
Commission. The alternate Federal Cochairperson, when not
actively serving as an alternate for the Federal
Cochairperson, shall perform such functions and duties as are
delegated by the Federal Cochairperson.
``(B) State alternates.--The State member of a
participating State may have a single alternate, who shall be
appointed by the Governor of the State from among the members
of the Governor's cabinet or personal staff.

[[Page H11271]]

``(C) Voting.--An alternate member shall vote in the case
of the absence, death, disability, removal, or resignation of
the Federal or State member for which the alternate member is
an alternate.
``(3) Cochairpersons.--A Commission shall be headed by--
``(A) the Federal Cochairperson, who shall serve as a
liaison between the Federal Government and the Commission;
and
``(B) a State Cochairperson, who shall be a Governor of a
participating State in the region and shall be elected by the
State members for a term of not less than 1 year.
``(4) Consecutive terms.--A State member may not be elected
to serve as State Cochairperson for more than 2 consecutive
terms.
``(c) Compensation.--
``(1) Federal cochairpersons.--Each Federal Cochairperson
shall be compensated by the Federal Government at level III
of the Executive Schedule as set out in section 5314 of title
5.
``(2) Alternate federal cochairpersons.--Each Federal
Cochairperson's alternate shall be compensated by the Federal
Government at level V of the Executive Schedule as set out in
section 5316 of title 5.
``(3) State members and alternates.--Each State member and
alternate shall be compensated by the State that they
represent at the rate established by the laws of that State.
``(d) Executive Director and Staff.--
``(1) In general.--A Commission shall appoint and fix the
compensation of an executive director and such other
personnel as are necessary to enable the Commission to carry
out its duties. Compensation under this paragraph may not
exceed the maximum rate of basic pay established for the
Senior Executive Service under section 5382 of title 5,
including any applicable locality-based comparability payment
that may be authorized under section 5304(h)(2)(C) of that
title.
``(2) Executive director.--The executive director shall be
responsible for carrying out the administrative duties of the
Commission, directing the Commission staff, and such other
duties as the Commission may assign.
``(e) No Federal Employee Status.--No member, alternate,
officer, or employee of a Commission (other than the Federal
Cochairperson, the alternate Federal Cochairperson, staff of
the Federal Cochairperson, and any Federal employee detailed
to the Commission) shall be considered to be a Federal
employee for any purpose.

``Sec. 15302. Decisions

``(a) Requirements for Approval.--Except as provided in
section 15304(c)(3), decisions by the Commission shall
require the affirmative vote of the Federal Cochairperson and
a majority of the State members (exclusive of members
representing States delinquent under section 15304(c)(3)(C)).
``(b) Consultation.--In matters coming before the
Commission, the Federal Cochairperson shall, to the extent
practicable, consult with the Federal departments and
agencies having an interest in the subject matter.
``(c) Quorums.--A Commission shall determine what
constitutes a quorum for Commission meetings; except that--
``(1) any quorum shall include the Federal Cochairperson or
the alternate Federal Cochairperson; and
``(2) a State alternate member shall not be counted toward
the establishment of a quorum.
``(d) Projects and Grant Proposals.--The approval of
project and grant proposals shall be a responsibility of each
Commission and shall be carried out in accordance with
section 15503.

``Sec. 15303. Functions

``A Commission shall--
``(1) assess the needs and assets of its region based on
available research, demonstration projects, investigations,
assessments, and evaluations of the region prepared by
Federal, State, and local agencies, universities, local
development districts, and other nonprofit groups;
``(2) develop, on a continuing basis, comprehensive and
coordinated economic and infrastructure development
strategies to establish priorities and approve grants for the
economic development of its region, giving due consideration
to other Federal, State, and local planning and development
activities in the region;
``(3) not later than one year after the date of enactment
of this section, and after taking into account State plans
developed under section 15502, establish priorities in an
economic and infrastructure development plan for its region,
including 5-year regional outcome targets;
``(4)(A) enhance the capacity of, and provide support for,
local development districts in its region; or
``(B) if no local development district exists in an area in
a participating State in the region, foster the creation of a
local development district;
``(5) encourage private investment in industrial,
commercial, and other economic development projects in its
region;
``(6) cooperate with and assist State governments with the
preparation of economic and infrastructure development plans
and programs for participating States;
``(7) formulate and recommend to the Governors and
legislatures of States that participate in the Commission
forms of interstate cooperation and, where appropriate,
international cooperation; and
``(8) work with State and local agencies in developing
appropriate model legislation to enhance local and regional
economic development.

``Sec. 15304. Administrative powers and expenses

``(a) Powers.--In carrying out its duties under this
subtitle, a Commission may--
``(1) hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and
places, take such testimony, receive such evidence, and print
or otherwise reproduce and distribute a description of the
proceedings and reports on actions by the Commission as the
Commission considers appropriate;
``(2) authorize, through the Federal or State Cochairperson
or any other member of the Commission designated by the
Commission, the administration of oaths if the Commission
determines that testimony should be taken or evidence
received under oath;
``(3) request from any Federal, State, or local agency such
information as may be available to or procurable by the
agency that may be of use to the Commission in carrying out
the duties of the Commission;
``(4) adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws and rules governing
the conduct of business and the performance of duties by the
Commission;
``(5) request the head of any Federal agency, State agency,
or local government to detail to the Commission such
personnel as the Commission requires to carry out its duties,
each such detail to be without loss of seniority, pay, or
other employee status;
``(6) provide for coverage of Commission employees in a
suitable retirement and employee benefit system by making
arrangements or entering into contracts with any
participating State government or otherwise providing
retirement and other employee coverage;
``(7) accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations or
services or real, personal, tangible, or intangible property;
``(8) enter into and perform such contracts, cooperative
agreements, or other transactions as are necessary to carry
out Commission duties, including any contracts or cooperative
agreements with a department, agency, or instrumentality of
the United States, a State (including a political
subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the State), or a
person, firm, association, or corporation; and
``(9) maintain a government relations office in the
District of Columbia and establish and maintain a central
office at such location in its region as the Commission may
select.
``(b) Federal Agency Cooperation.--A Federal agency shall--
``(1) cooperate with a Commission; and
``(2) provide, to the extent practicable, on request of the
Federal Cochairperson, appropriate assistance in carrying out
this subtitle, in accordance with applicable Federal laws
(including regulations).
``(c) Administrative Expenses.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the
administrative expenses of a Commission shall be paid--
``(A) by the Federal Government, in an amount equal to 50
percent of the administrative expenses of the Commission; and
``(B) by the States participating in the Commission, in an
amount equal to 50 percent of the administrative expenses.
``(2) Expenses of the federal cochairperson.--All expenses
of the Federal Cochairperson, including expenses of the
alternate and staff of the Federal Cochairperson, shall be
paid by the Federal Government.
``(3) State share.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the share
of administrative expenses of a Commission to be paid by each
State of the Commission shall be determined by a unanimous
vote of the State members of the Commission.
``(B) No federal participation.--The Federal Cochairperson
shall not participate or vote in any decision under
subparagraph (A).
``(C) Delinquent states.--During any period in which a
State is more than 1 year delinquent in payment of the
State's share of administrative expenses of the Commission
under this subsection--
``(i) no assistance under this subtitle shall be provided
to the State (including assistance to a political subdivision
or a resident of the State) for any project not approved as
of the date of the commencement of the delinquency; and
``(ii) no member of the Commission from the State shall
participate or vote in any action by the Commission.
``(4) Effect on assistance.--A State's share of
administrative expenses of a Commission under this subsection
shall not be taken into consideration when determining the
amount of assistance provided to the State under this
subtitle.

``Sec. 15305. Meetings

``(a) Initial Meeting.--Each Commission shall hold an
initial meeting not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this section.
``(b) Annual Meeting.--Each Commission shall conduct at
least 1 meeting each year with the Federal Cochairperson and
at least a majority of the State members present.
``(c) Additional Meetings.--Each Commission shall conduct
additional meetings at such times as it determines and may
conduct such meetings by electronic means.

``Sec. 15306. Personal financial interests

[[Page H11272]]

Commission, through decision, approval, disapproval,
recommendation, request for a ruling, or other determination,
contract, claim, controversy, or other matter in which, to
the individual's knowledge, any of the following has a
financial interest:
``(A) The individual.
``(B) The individual's spouse, minor child, or partner.
``(C) An organization (except a State or political
subdivision of a State) in which the individual is serving as
an officer, director, trustee, partner, or employee.
``(D) Any person or organization with whom the individual
is negotiating or has any arrangement concerning prospective
employment.
``(2) Exception.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply if the
individual, in advance of the proceeding, application,
request for a ruling or other determination, contract, claim
controversy, or other particular matter presenting a
potential conflict of interest--
``(A) advises the Commission of the nature and
circumstances of the matter presenting the conflict of
interest;
``(B) makes full disclosure of the financial interest; and
``(C) receives a written decision of the Commission that
the interest is not so substantial as to be considered likely
to affect the integrity of the services that the Commission
may expect from the individual.
``(3) Violation.--An individual violating this subsection
shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 1
year, or both.
``(b) State Member or Alternate.--A State member or
alternate member may not receive any salary, or any
contribution to, or supplementation of, salary, for services
on a Commission from a source other than the State of the
member or alternate.
``(c) Detailed Employees.--
``(1) In general.--No person detailed to serve a Commission
shall receive any salary, or any contribution to, or
supplementation of, salary, for services provided to the
Commission from any source other than the State, local, or
intergovernmental department or agency from which the person
was detailed to the Commission.
``(2) Violation.--Any person that violates this subsection
shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned not more than 1
year, or both.
``(d) Federal Cochairman, Alternate to Federal Cochairman,
and Federal Officers and Employees.--The Federal Cochairman,
the alternate to the Federal Cochairman, and any Federal
officer or employee detailed to duty with the Commission are
not subject to this section but remain subject to sections
202 through 209 of title 18.
``(e) Rescission.--A Commission may declare void any
contract, loan, or grant of or by the Commission in relation
to which the Commission determines that there has been a
violation of any provision under subsection (a)(1), (b), or
(c), or any of the provisions of sections 202 through 209 of
title 18.

``Sec. 15307. Tribal representation on Northern Great Plains
Regional Commission

``(a) Tribal Cochairperson.--
``(1) Appointment.--In addition to the members specified in
section 15301(b)(1), the membership of the Northern Great
Plains Regional Commission shall include a Tribal
Cochairperson, to be appointed by the President, by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate. The Tribal
Cochairperson shall be a member of an Indian tribe in the
Commission's region.
``(2) Duties.--In addition to the Federal Cochairperson and
State Cochairperson, the Commission shall be headed by the
Tribal Cochairperson, who shall serve as a liaison between
the governments of Indian tribes in the region and the
Commission.
``(b) Alternate Tribal Cochairperson.--
``(1) Appointment.--The President shall appoint an
alternate to the Tribal Cochairperson.
``(2) Duties.--The alternate Tribal Cochairperson, when not
actively serving as an alternate for the Tribal
Cochairperson, shall perform such functions and duties as are
delegated by the Tribal Cochairperson.
``(3) Voting.--The alternate Tribal Cochairperson shall
vote in the case of the absence, death, disability, removal,
or resignation of the Tribal Cochairperson.
``(c) Compensation.--
``(1) Tribal cochairperson.--The Tribal Cochairperson shall
be compensated by the Federal Government at level III of the
Executive Schedule as set out in section 5314 of title 5.
``(2) Alternate tribal cochairperson.--The Tribal
Cochairperson's alternate shall be compensated by the Federal
Government at level V of the Executive Schedule as set out in
section 5316 of title 5.
``(d) Expenses of Tribal Cochairperson.--All expenses of
the Tribal Cochairperson, including expenses of the alternate
and staff of the Tribal Cochairperson, shall be paid by the
Federal Government.
``(e) Duties and Privileges.--Except as provided in
subsections (c) and (d), the Tribal Cochairperson shall have
the same duties and privileges as the State Cochairperson.

``Sec. 15308. Tribal participation

``Governments of Indian tribes in the region of the
Northern Great Plains Regional Commission or the Southwest
Border Regional Commission shall be allowed to participate in
matters before that Commission in the same manner and to the
same extent as State agencies and instrumentalities in the
region.

``Sec. 15309. Annual report

``(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the last
day of each fiscal year, each Commission shall submit to the
President and Congress a report on the activities carried out
by the Commission under this subtitle in the fiscal year.
``(b) Contents.--The report shall include--
``(1) a description of the criteria used by the Commission
to designate counties under section 15702 and a list of the
counties designated in each category;
``(2) an evaluation of the progress of the Commission in
meeting the goals identified in the Commission's economic and
infrastructure development plan under section 15303 and State
economic and infrastructure development plans under section
15502;
``(3) any policy recommendations approved by the
Commission.

``CHAPTER 155--FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

``Sec.
``15501. Economic and infrastructure development grants.
``15502. Comprehensive economic and infrastructure development plans.
``15503. Approval of applications for assistance.
``15504. Program development criteria.
``15505. Local development districts and organizations.
``15506. Supplements to Federal grant programs.

``Sec. 15501. Economic and infrastructure development grants

``(a) In General.--A Commission may make grants to States
and local governments, Indian tribes, and public and
nonprofit organizations for projects, approved in accordance
with section 15503--
``(1) to develop the transportation infrastructure of its
region;
``(2) to develop the basic public infrastructure of its
region;
``(3) to develop the telecommunications infrastructure of
its region;
``(4) to assist its region in obtaining job skills
training, skills development and employment-related
education, entrepreneurship, technology, and business
development;
``(5) to provide assistance to severely economically
distressed and underdeveloped areas of its region that lack
financial resources for improving basic health care and other
public services;
``(6) to promote resource conservation, tourism,
recreation, and preservation of open space in a manner
consistent with economic development goals;
``(7) to promote the development of renewable and
alternative energy sources; and
``(8) to otherwise achieve the purposes of this subtitle.
``(b) Allocation of Funds.--A Commission shall allocate at
least 40 percent of any grant amounts provided by the
Commission in a fiscal year for projects described in
paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (a).
``(c) Sources of Grants.--Grant amounts may be provided
entirely from appropriations to carry out this subtitle, in
combination with amounts available under other Federal grant
programs, or from any other source.
``(d) Maximum Commission Contributions.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the
Commission may contribute not more than 50 percent of a
project or activity cost eligible for financial assistance
under this section from amounts appropriated to carry out
this subtitle.
``(2) Distressed counties.--The maximum Commission
contribution for a project or activity to be carried out in a
county for which a distressed county designation is in effect
under section 15702 may be increased to 80 percent.
``(3) Special rule for regional projects.--A Commission may
increase to 60 percent under paragraph (1) and 90 percent
under paragraph (2) the maximum Commission contribution for a
project or activity if--
``(A) the project or activity involves 3 or more counties
or more than one State; and
``(B) the Commission determines in accordance with section
15302(a) that the project or activity will bring significant
interstate or multicounty benefits to a region.
``(e) Maintenance of Effort.--Funds may be provided by a
Commission for a program or project in a State under this
section only if the Commission determines that the level of
Federal or State financial assistance provided under a law
other than this subtitle, for the same type of program or
project in the same area of the State within region, will not
be reduced as a result of funds made available by this
subtitle.
``(f) No Relocation Assistance.--Financial assistance
authorized by this section may not be used to assist a person
or entity in relocating from one area to another.

``Sec. 15502. Comprehensive economic and infrastructure
development plans

[[Page H11273]]

programs and projects for assistance), a State shall--
``(1) consult with local development districts, local units
of government, and local colleges and universities; and
``(2) take into consideration the goals, objectives,
priorities, and recommendations of the entities described in
paragraph (1).
``(d) Public Participation.--
``(1) In general.--A Commission and applicable State and
local development districts shall encourage and assist, to
the maximum extent practicable, public participation in the
development, revision, and implementation of all plans and
programs under this subtitle.
``(2) Guidelines.--A Commission shall develop guidelines
for providing public participation, including public
hearings.

``Sec. 15503. Approval of applications for assistance

``(a) Evaluation by State Member.--An application to a
Commission for a grant or any other assistance for a project
under this subtitle shall be made through, and evaluated for
approval by, the State member of the Commission representing
the applicant.
``(b) Certification.--An application to a Commission for a
grant or other assistance for a project under this subtitle
shall be eligible for assistance only on certification by the
State member of the Commission representing the applicant
that the application for the project--
``(1) describes ways in which the project complies with any
applicable State economic and infrastructure development
plan;
``(2) meets applicable criteria under section 15504;
``(3) adequately ensures that the project will be properly
administered, operated, and maintained; and
``(4) otherwise meets the requirements for assistance under
this subtitle.
``(c) Votes for Decisions.--On certification by a State
member of a Commission of an application for a grant or other
assistance for a specific project under this section, an
affirmative vote of the Commission under section 15302 shall
be required for approval of the application.

``Sec. 15504. Program development criteria

``(a) In General.--In considering programs and projects to
be provided assistance by a Commission under this subtitle,
and in establishing a priority ranking of the requests for
assistance provided to the Commission, the Commission shall
follow procedures that ensure, to the maximum extent
practicable, consideration of--
``(1) the relationship of the project or class of projects
to overall regional development;
``(2) the per capita income and poverty and unemployment
and outmigration rates in an area;
``(3) the financial resources available to the applicants
for assistance seeking to carry out the project, with
emphasis on ensuring that projects are adequately financed to
maximize the probability of successful economic development;
``(4) the importance of the project or class of projects in
relation to the other projects or classes of projects that
may be in competition for the same funds;
``(5) the prospects that the project for which assistance
is sought will improve, on a continuing rather than a
temporary basis, the opportunities for employment, the
average level of income, or the economic development of the
area to be served by the project; and
``(6) the extent to which the project design provides for
detailed outcome measurements by which grant expenditures and
the results of the expenditures may be evaluated.

``Sec. 15505. Local development districts and organizations

``(a) Grants to Local Development Districts.--Subject to
the requirements of this section, a Commission may make
grants to a local development district to assist in the
payment of development planning and administrative expenses.
``(b) Conditions for Grants.--
``(1) Maximum amount.--The amount of a grant awarded under
this section may not exceed 80 percent of the administrative
and planning expenses of the local development district
receiving the grant.
``(2) Maximum period for state agencies.--In the case of a
State agency certified as a local development district, a
grant may not be awarded to the agency under this section for
more than 3 fiscal years.
``(3) Local share.--The contributions of a local
development district for administrative expenses may be in
cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including space,
equipment, and services.
``(c) Duties of Local Development Districts.--A local
development district shall--
``(1) operate as a lead organization serving multicounty
areas in the region at the local level;
``(2) assist the Commission in carrying out outreach
activities for local governments, community development
groups, the business community, and the public;
``(3) serve as a liaison between State and local
governments, nonprofit organizations (including community-
based groups and educational institutions), the business
community, and citizens; and
``(4) assist the individuals and entities described in
paragraph (3) in identifying, assessing, and facilitating
projects and programs to promote the economic development of
the region.

``Sec. 15506. Supplements to Federal grant programs

``(a) Finding.--Congress finds that certain States and
local communities of the region, including local development
districts, may be unable to take maximum advantage of Federal
grant programs for which the States and communities are
eligible because--
``(1) they lack the economic resources to provide the
required matching share; or
``(2) there are insufficient funds available under the
applicable Federal law with respect to a project to be
carried out in the region.
``(b) Federal Grant Program Funding.--A Commission, with
the approval of the Federal Cochairperson, may use amounts
made available to carry out this subtitle--
``(1) for any part of the basic Federal contribution to
projects or activities under the Federal grant programs
authorized by Federal laws; and
``(2) to increase the Federal contribution to projects and
activities under the programs above the fixed maximum part of
the cost of the projects or activities otherwise authorized
by the applicable law.
``(c) Certification Required.--For a program, project, or
activity for which any part of the basic Federal contribution
to the project or activity under a Federal grant program is
proposed to be made under subsection (b), the Federal
contribution shall not be made until the responsible Federal
official administering the Federal law authorizing the
Federal contribution certifies that the program, project, or
activity meets the applicable requirements of the Federal law
and could be approved for Federal contribution under that law
if amounts were available under the law for the program,
project, or activity.
``(d) Limitations in Other Laws Inapplicable.--Amounts
provided pursuant to this subtitle are available without
regard to any limitations on areas eligible for assistance or
authorizations for appropriation in any other law.
``(e) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a
project or activity receiving assistance under this section
shall not exceed 80 percent.
``(f) Maximum Commission Contribution.--Section 15501(d),
relating to limitations on Commission contributions, shall
apply to a program, project, or activity receiving assistance
under this section.

``CHAPTER 156--ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

``subchapter i--general provisions

``Sec.
``15701. Consent of States.
``15702. Distressed counties and areas.
``15703. Counties eligible for assistance in more than one region.
``15704. Inspector General; Records.
``15705. Biannual meetings of representatives of all commissions.
``15706. Relationship to other laws.

``subchapter ii--designation of regions

``15731. Delta Regional Commission.
``15732. Northern Great Plains Regional Commission.
``15733. Southeast Crescent Regional Commission.
``15734. Southwest Border Regional Commission.
``15735. Northern Border Regional Commission.

``subchapter iii--authorization of appropriations

``15751. Authorization of appropriations.

``SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS

``Sec. 15701. Consent of States

``This subtitle does not require a State to engage in or
accept a program under this subtitle without its consent.

``Sec. 15702. Distressed counties and areas

[[Page H11274]]

``(2) Exceptions.--
``(A) Administrative expenses of local development
districts.--The funding prohibition under paragraph (1) shall
not apply to grants to fund the administrative expenses of
local development districts under section 15505.
``(B) Multicounty and other projects.--A Commission may
waive the application of the funding prohibition under
paragraph (1) with respect to--
``(i) a multicounty project that includes participation by
an attainment county; and
``(ii) any other type of project, if a Commission
determines that the project could bring significant benefits
to areas of the region outside an attainment county.
``(3) Isolated areas of distress.--For a designation of an
isolated area of distress to be effective, the designation
shall be supported--
``(A) by the most recent Federal data available; or
``(B) if no recent Federal data are available, by the most
recent data available through the government of the State in
which the isolated area of distress is located.

``Sec. 15703. Counties eligible for assistance in more than
one region

``(a) Limitation.--A political subdivision of a State may
not receive assistance under this subtitle in a fiscal year
from more than one Commission.
``(b) Selection of Commission.--A political subdivision
included in the region of more than one Commission shall
select the Commission with which it will participate by
notifying, in writing, the Federal Cochairperson and the
appropriate State member of that Commission.
``(c) Changes in Selections.--The selection of a Commission
by a political subdivision shall apply in the fiscal year in
which the selection is made, and shall apply in each
subsequent fiscal year unless the political subdivision, at
least 90 days before the first day of the fiscal year,
notifies the Cochairpersons of another Commission in writing
that the political subdivision will participate in that
Commission and also transmits a copy of such notification to
the Cochairpersons of the Commission in which the political
subdivision is currently participating.
``(d) Inclusion of Appalachian Regional Commission.--In
this section, the term `Commission' includes the Appalachian
Regional Commission established under chapter 143.

``Sec. 15704. Inspector General; records

``(a) Appointment of Inspector General.--There shall be an
Inspector General for the Commissions appointed in accordance
with section 3(a) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5
U.S.C. App.). All of the Commissions shall be subject to a
single Inspector General.
``(b) Records of a Commission.--
``(1) In general.--A Commission shall maintain accurate and
complete records of all its transactions and activities.
``(2) Availability.--All records of a Commission shall be
available for audit and examination by the Inspector General
(including authorized representatives of the Inspector
General).
``(c) Records of Recipients of Commission Assistance.--
``(1) In general.--A recipient of funds from a Commission
under this subtitle shall maintain accurate and complete
records of transactions and activities financed with the
funds and report to the Commission on the transactions and
activities.
``(2) Availability.--All records required under paragraph
(1) shall be available for audit by the Commission and the
Inspector General (including authorized representatives of
the Commission and the Inspector General).
``(d) Annual Audit.--The Inspector General shall audit the
activities, transactions, and records of each Commission on
an annual basis.

``Sec. 15705. Biannual meetings of representatives of all
Commissions

``(a) In General.--Representatives of each Commission, the
Appalachian Regional Commission, and the Denali Commission
shall meet biannually to discuss issues confronting regions
suffering from chronic and contiguous distress and successful
strategies for promoting regional development.
``(b) Chair of Meetings.--The chair of each meeting shall
rotate among the Commissions, with the Appalachian Regional
Commission to host the first meeting.

``Sec. 15706. Relationship to other laws

``Projects receiving assistance under this subtitle shall
be treated in the manner provided in section 602 of the
Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C.
3212).

``SUBCHAPTER II--DESIGNATION OF REGIONS

``Sec. 15731. Delta Regional Commission

``The region of the Delta Regional Commission shall consist
of the following political subdivisions:
``(1) Alabama.--The counties of Barbour, Bullock, Butler,
Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Escambia, Greene, Hale,
Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Perry, Pickens, Russell,
Sumter, Washington, and Wilcox in the State of Alabama.
``(2) Arkansas.--The counties of Arkansas, Ashley, Baxter,
Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Clay, Cleveland, Craighead,
Crittenden, Cross, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Fulton, Grant,
Greene, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence,
Lee, Lincoln, Lonoke, Marion, Mississippi, Monroe, Ouachita,
Phillips, Poinsett, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, St. Francis,
Searcy, Sharp, Stone, Union, Van Buren, White, and Woodruff
in the State of Arkansas.
``(3) Illinois.--The counties of Alexander, Franklin,
Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry,
Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Union, White, and Woodruff
in the State of Illinois.
``(4) Kentucky.--The counties of Ballard, Caldwell,
Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves,
Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, Livingston, Lyon, Marshall,
McCracken, McLean, Muhlenberg, Todd, Trigg, Union, and
Webster in the State of Kentucky.
``(5) Louisiana.--The parishes of Acadia, Allen, Ascension,
Assumption, Avoyelles, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, E.
Baton Rouge, E. Carroll, E. Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin,
Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafourche, La
Salle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches,
Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides,
Richland, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James,
St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, Tangipahoa,
Tensas, Union, Washington, W. Baton Rouge, W. Carroll, W.
Feliciana, and Winn in the State of Louisiana.
``(6) Mississippi.--The counties of Adams, Amite, Attala,
Benton, Bolivar, Carroll, Claiborne, Coahoma, Copiah,
Covington, Desoto, Franklin, Grenada, Hinds, Holmes,
Humphreys, Issaquena, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette,
Lawrence, Leflore, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, Marshall,
Montgomery, Panola, Pike, Quitman, Rankin, Sharkey, Simpson,
Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tunica, Union,
Walthall, Warren, Washington, Wilkinson, Yalobusha, and Yazoo
in the State of Mississippi.
``(7) Missouri.--The counties Bollinger, Butler, Cape
Girardeau, Carter, Crawford, Dent, Douglas, Dunklin, Howell,
Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark,
Pemiscott, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, Ste. Genevieve,
St. Francois, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Texas, Washington,
Wayne, and Wright in the State of Missouri.
``(8) Tennessee.--The counties of Benton, Carroll, Chester,
Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin,
Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, McNairy,
Madison, Obion, Shelby, Tipton, and Weakley in the State of
Tennessee.

``Sec. 15732. Northern Great Plains Regional Commission

``The region of the Northern Great Plains Regional
Commission shall consist of all counties of the States of
Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

``Sec. 15733. Southeast Crescent Regional Commission

``The region of the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission
shall consist of all counties of the States of Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi, and Florida not already served by the
Appalachian Regional Commission or the Delta Regional
Commission.

``Sec. 15734. Southwest Border Regional Commission

``The region of the Southwest Border Regional Commission
shall consist of the following political subdivisions:
``(1) Arizona.--The counties of Cochise, Gila, Graham,
Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma
in the State of Arizona.
``(2) California.--The counties of Imperial, Los Angeles,
Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura in
the State of California.
``(3) New mexico.--The counties of Catron, Chaves, Dona
Ana, Eddy, Grant, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Luna, Otero, Sierra, and
Socorro in the State of New Mexico.
``(4) Texas.--The counties of Atascosa, Bandera, Bee,
Bexar, Brewster, Brooks, Cameron, Coke, Concho, Crane,
Crockett, Culberson, Dimmit, Duval, Ector, Edwards, El Paso,
Frio, Gillespie, Glasscock, Hidalgo, Hudspeth, Irion, Jeff
Davis, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kendall, Kenedy, Kerr,
Kimble, Kinney, Kleberg, La Salle, Live Oak, Loving, Mason,
Maverick, McMullen, Medina, Menard, Midland, Nueces, Pecos,
Presidio, Reagan, Real, Reeves, San Patricio, Shleicher,
Sutton, Starr, Sterling, Terrell, Tom Green Upton, Uvalde,
Val Verde, Ward, Webb, Willacy, Wilson, Winkler, Zapata, and
Zavala in the State of Texas.

``Sec. 15735. Northern Border Regional Commission

``The region of the Northern Border Regional Commission
shall include the following counties:
``(1) Maine.--The counties of Androscoggin, Aroostook,
Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Oxford, Penobscot,
Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo, and Washington in the State of
Maine.
``(2) New hampshire.--The counties of Carroll, Coos,
Grafton, and Sullivan in the State of New Hampshire.
``(3) New york.--The counties of Cayuga, Clinton, Essex,
Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis,
Madison, Oneida, Oswego, Seneca, and St. Lawrence in the
State of New York.
``(4) Vermont.--The counties of Caledonia, Essex, Franklin,
Grand Isle, Lamoille, and Orleans in the State of Vermont.

``SUBCHAPTER III--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

``Sec. 15751. Authorization of appropriations

``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated
to each Commission to carry out this subtitle--

[[Page H11275]]

``(1) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
``(2) $45,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
``(3) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
``(4) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
``(5) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.
``(b) Administrative Expenses.--Not more than 10 percent of
the funds made available to a Commission in a fiscal year
under this section may be used for administrative
expenses.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of subtitles for
chapter 40, United States Code, is amended by striking the
item relating to subtitle V and inserting the following:

``V. REGIONAL ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.............15101
``VI. MISCELLANEOUS...........................................17101.''.

SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

(a) Repeals.--Subtitles F and G of the Consolidated Farm
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009aa-2009bb-13) are
repealed.
(b) Inspector General Act.--Section 11 of the Inspector
General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``or the President of the
Export-Import Bank;'' and inserting ``the President of the
Export-Import Bank; or the Federal Cochairpersons of the
Commissions established under section 15301 of title 40,
United States Code;''; and
(2) in paragraph (2) by striking ``or the Export-Import
Bank,'' and inserting ``the Export-Import Bank, or the
Commissions established under section 15301 of title 40,
United States Code,''.

SEC. 5. TRANSFERS OF AUTHORITY AND SAVINGS PROVISIONS.

(a) Transfers of Authority.--Subject to the requirements of
this Act (including the amendments made by this Act)--
(1) all of the functions of the Delta Regional Authority
are transferred to the Delta Regional Commission; and
(2) all of the functions of the Northern Great Plains
Regional Authority are transferred to the Northern Great
Plains Regional Commission.
(b) Legal Documents.--All orders, determinations, rules,
regulations, grants, loans, contracts, and agreements--
(1) that have been issued, made, granted, or allowed to
become effective by the Delta Regional Authority or the
Northern Great Plains Regional Authority in the performance
of any function that is transferred by this section, and
(2) that are in effect on the effective date of such
transfer (or become effective after such date pursuant to
their terms as in effect on such effective date),

shall continue in effect according to their terms until
modified, terminated, superseded, set aside, or revoked in
accordance with law by an authorized official, a court of
competent jurisdiction, or operation of law.
(c) Transfer of Assets and Personnel.--
(1) Delta regional commission.--There shall be transferred
to the Delta Regional Commission such assets, funds,
personnel, records, and other property of the Delta Regional
Authority relating to the functions of the Authority as the
Commission determines appropriate.
(2) Northern great plains regional commission.--There shall
be transferred to the Northern Great Plains Regional
Commission such assets, funds, personnel, records, and other
property of the Northern Great Plains Regional Authority as
the Commission determines appropriate.

SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall take
effect on the first day of the first fiscal year beginning
after the date of enactment of this Act.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 704, the
amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in the bill, modified
by the amendment printed in House Report 110-361, is adopted and the
bill, as amended, is considered read.
The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:

H.R. 3246

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Regional Economic and
Infrastructure Development Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

SEC. 3. REGIONAL ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.

(a) In General.--Title 40, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating subtitle V as subtitle VI; and
(2) by inserting after subtitle IV the following:

``Subtitle V--Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development

``Chapter Sec.
``151. GENERAL PROVISIONS.....................................15101....

``153. REGIONAL COMMISSIONS...................................15301....

``155. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE...................................15501....

``157. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS..............................15701....

``CHAPTER 151--GENERAL PROVISIONS

``Sec.
``15101. Definitions.

``Sec. 15101. Definitions

``(aa) elected officials; or
``(bb) designees or employees of a general purpose unit of
local government that have been appointed to represent the
unit of local government; and

``CHAPTER 153--REGIONAL COMMISSIONS

``Sec. 15301. Establishment, membership, and employees

[[Page H11276]]

``(3) Cochairpersons.--A Commission shall be headed by--
``(A) the Federal Cochairperson, who shall serve as a
liaison between the Federal Government and the Commission;
and
``(B) a State Cochairperson, who shall be a Governor of a
participating State in the region and shall be elected by the
State members for a term of not less than 1 year.
``(4) Consecutive terms.--A State member may not be elected
to serve as State Cochairperson for more than 2 consecutive
terms.
``(c) Compensation.--
``(1) Federal cochairpersons.--Each Federal Cochairperson
shall be compensated by the Federal Government at level III
of the Executive Schedule as set out in section 5314 of title
5.
``(2) Alternate federal cochairpersons.--Each Federal
Cochairperson's alternate shall be compensated by the Federal
Government at level V of the Executive Schedule as set out in
section 5316 of title 5.
``(3) State members and alternates.--Each State member and
alternate shall be compensated by the State that they
represent at the rate established by the laws of that State.
``(d) Executive Director and Staff.--
``(1) In general.--A Commission shall appoint and fix the
compensation of an executive director and such other
personnel as are necessary to enable the Commission to carry
out its duties. Compensation under this paragraph may not
exceed the maximum rate of basic pay established for the
Senior Executive Service under section 5382 of title 5,
including any applicable locality-based comparability payment
that may be authorized under section 5304(h)(2)(C) of that
title.
``(2) Executive director.--The executive director shall be
responsible for carrying out the administrative duties of the
Commission, directing the Commission staff, and such other
duties as the Commission may assign.
``(e) No Federal Employee Status.--No member, alternate,
officer, or employee of a Commission (other than the Federal
Cochairperson, the alternate Federal Cochairperson, staff of
the Federal Cochairperson, and any Federal employee detailed
to the Commission) shall be considered to be a Federal
employee for any purpose.

``Sec. 15302. Decisions

``Sec. 15303. Functions

``Sec. 15304. Administrative powers and expenses

``Sec. 15305. Meetings

``Sec. 15306. Personal financial interests

``(a) Conflicts of Interest.--
``(1) No role allowed.--Except as permitted by paragraph
(2), an individual who is a State member or alternate, or an
officer or employee of a Commission, shall not participate
personally and substantially as a member, alternate, officer,
or employee of the Commission, through decision, approval,
disapproval, recommendation, request for a ruling, or other
determination, contract, claim, controversy, or other matter
in which, to the individual's knowledge, any of the following
has a financial interest:
``(A) The individual.
``(B) The individual's spouse, minor child, or partner.
``(C) An organization (except a State or political
subdivision of a State) in which the individual is serving as
an officer, director, trustee, partner, or employee.
``(D) Any person or organization with whom the individual
is negotiating or has any arrangement concerning prospective
employment.
``(2) Exception.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply if the
individual, in advance of the proceeding, application,
request for a ruling or other determination, contract, claim
controversy, or other particular matter presenting a
potential conflict of interest--

[[Page H11277]]

``(A) advises the Commission of the nature and
circumstances of the matter presenting the conflict of
interest;
``(B) makes full disclosure of the financial interest; and
``(C) receives a written decision of the Commission that
the interest is not so substantial as to be considered likely
to affect the integrity of the services that the Commission
may expect from the individual.
``(3) Violation.--An individual violating this subsection
shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 1
year, or both.
``(b) State Member or Alternate.--A State member or
alternate member may not receive any salary, or any
contribution to, or supplementation of, salary, for services
on a Commission from a source other than the State of the
member or alternate.
``(c) Detailed Employees.--
``(1) In general.--No person detailed to serve a Commission
shall receive any salary, or any contribution to, or
supplementation of, salary, for services provided to the
Commission from any source other than the State, local, or
intergovernmental department or agency from which the person
was detailed to the Commission.
``(2) Violation.--Any person that violates this subsection
shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned not more than 1
year, or both.
``(d) Federal Cochairman, Alternate to Federal Cochairman,
and Federal Officers and Employees.--The Federal Cochairman,
the alternate to the Federal Cochairman, and any Federal
officer or employee detailed to duty with the Commission are
not subject to this section but remain subject to sections
202 through 209 of title 18.
``(e) Rescission.--A Commission may declare void any
contract, loan, or grant of or by the Commission in relation
to which the Commission determines that there has been a
violation of any provision under subsection (a)(1), (b), or
(c), or any of the provisions of sections 202 through 209 of
title 18.

``Sec. 15307. Tribal representation on Northern Great Plains
Regional Commission

``Sec. 15308. Tribal participation

``Sec. 15309. Annual report

``(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the last
day of each fiscal year, each Commission shall submit to the
President and Congress a report on the activities carried out
by the Commission under this subtitle in the fiscal year.
``(b) Contents.--The report shall include--
``(1) a description of the criteria used by the Commission
to designate counties under section 15702 and a list of the
counties designated in each category;
``(2) an evaluation of the progress of the Commission in
meeting the goals identified in the Commission's economic and
infrastructure development plan under section 15303 and State
economic and infrastructure development plans under section
15502; and
``(3) any policy recommendations approved by the
Commission.

``CHAPTER 155--FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

``Sec. 15501. Economic and infrastructure development grants

``Sec. 15502. Comprehensive economic and infrastructure
development plans

``(a) State Plans.--In accordance with policies established
by a Commission, each State member of the Commission shall
submit a comprehensive economic and infrastructure
development plan for the area of the region represented by
the State member.
``(b) Content of Plan.--A State economic and infrastructure
development plan shall reflect the goals, objectives, and
priorities identified in any applicable economic and
infrastructure development plan developed by a Commission
under section 15303.
``(c) Consultation With Interested Local Parties.--In
carrying out the development planning process (including the
selection of programs and projects for assistance), a State
shall--
``(1) consult with local development districts, local units
of government, and local colleges and universities; and
``(2) take into consideration the goals, objectives,
priorities, and recommendations of the entities described in
paragraph (1).
``(d) Public Participation.--
``(1) In general.--A Commission and applicable State and
local development districts shall encourage and assist, to
the maximum extent practicable, public participation in the
development, revision, and implementation of all plans and
programs under this subtitle.
``(2) Guidelines.--A Commission shall develop guidelines
for providing public participation, including public
hearings.

``Sec. 15503. Approval of applications for assistance

[[Page H11278]]

``(3) adequately ensures that the project will be properly
administered, operated, and maintained; and
``(4) otherwise meets the requirements for assistance under
this subtitle.
``(c) Votes for Decisions.--On certification by a State
member of a Commission of an application for a grant or other
assistance for a specific project under this section, an
affirmative vote of the Commission under section 15302 shall
be required for approval of the application.

``Sec. 15504. Program development criteria

``Sec. 15505. Local development districts and organizations

``Sec. 15506. Supplements to Federal grant programs

``CHAPTER 157--ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

``subchapter i--general provisions

``Sec.
``15701. Consent of States.
``15702. Distressed counties and areas.
``15703. Counties eligible for assistance in more than one region.
``15704. Inspector General; records.
``15705. Biannual meetings of representatives of all Commissions.
``15706. Relationship to other laws.

``subchapter ii--designation of regions

``subchapter iii--authorization of appropriations

``15751. Authorization of appropriations.

``SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS

``Sec. 15701. Consent of States

``This subtitle does not require a State to engage in or
accept a program under this subtitle without its consent.

``Sec. 15702. Distressed counties and areas

``(a) Designations.--Not later than 90 days after the date
of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, each
Commission shall make the following designations:
``(1) Distressed counties.--The Commission shall designate
as distressed counties those counties in its region that are
the most severely and persistently economically distressed
and underdeveloped and have high rates of poverty,
unemployment, or outmigration.
``(2) Transitional counties.--The Commission shall
designate as transitional counties those counties in its
region that are economically distressed and underdeveloped or
have recently suffered high rates of poverty, unemployment,
or outmigration.
``(3) Attainment counties.--The Commission shall designate
as attainment counties, those counties in its region that are
not designated as distressed or transitional counties under
this subsection.
``(4) Isolated areas of distress.--The Commission shall
designate as isolated areas of distress, areas located in
counties designated as attainment counties under paragraph
(3) that have high rates of poverty, unemployment, or
outmigration.
``(b) Allocation.--A Commission shall allocate at least 50
percent of the appropriations made available to the
Commission to carry out this subtitle for programs and
projects designed to serve the needs of distressed counties
and isolated areas of distress in the region.
``(c) Attainment Counties.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2),
funds may not be provided under this subtitle for a project
located in a county designated as an attainment county under
subsection (a).
``(2) Exceptions.--
``(A) Administrative expenses of local development
districts.--The funding prohibition under paragraph (1) shall
not apply to grants to fund the administrative expenses of
local development districts under section 15505.
``(B) Multicounty and other projects.--A Commission may
waive the application of the funding prohibition under
paragraph (1) with respect to--
``(i) a multicounty project that includes participation by
an attainment county; and
``(ii) any other type of project, if a Commission
determines that the project could bring significant benefits
to areas of the region outside an attainment county.
``(3) Isolated areas of distress.--For a designation of an
isolated area of distress to be effective, the designation
shall be supported--
``(A) by the most recent Federal data available; or
``(B) if no recent Federal data are available, by the most
recent data available through the government of the State in
which the isolated area of distress is located.

``Sec. 15703. Counties eligible for assistance in more than
one region

[[Page H11279]]

``(d) Inclusion of Appalachian Regional Commission.--In
this section, the term `Commission' includes the Appalachian
Regional Commission established under chapter 143.

``Sec. 15704. Inspector General; records

``Sec. 15705. Biannual meetings of representatives of all
Commissions

``Sec. 15706. Relationship to other laws

``Projects receiving assistance under this subtitle shall
be treated in the manner provided in section 602 of the
Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C.
3212).

``SUBCHAPTER II--DESIGNATION OF REGIONS

``Sec. 15731. Delta Regional Commission

``The region of the Delta Regional Commission shall consist
of the following political subdivisions:
``(1) Alabama.--The counties of Barbour, Bullock, Butler,
Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Escambia, Greene, Hale,
Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Perry, Pickens, Russell,
Sumter, Washington, and Wilcox in the State of Alabama.
``(2) Arkansas.--The counties of Arkansas, Ashley, Baxter,
Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Clay, Cleveland, Craighead,
Crittenden, Cross, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Fulton, Grant,
Greene, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence,
Lee, Lincoln, Lonoke, Marion, Mississippi, Monroe, Ouachita,
Phillips, Poinsett, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, St. Francis,
Searcy, Sharp, Stone, Union, Van Buren, White, and Woodruff
in the State of Arkansas.
``(3) Illinois.--The counties of Alexander, Franklin,
Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry,
Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Union, White, and Williamson
in the State of Illinois.
``(4) Kentucky.--The counties of Ballard, Caldwell,
Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves,
Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, Livingston, Lyon, Marshall,
McCracken, McLean, Muhlenberg, Todd, Trigg, Union, and
Webster in the State of Kentucky.
``(5) Louisiana.--The parishes of Acadia, Allen, Ascension,
Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Caldwell,
Cameron, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, E. Baton Rouge,
DeSoto, E. Carroll, E. Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin,
Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson
Davis, Lafourche, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison,
Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines,
Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, Richland, St. Bernard, St.
Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St.
Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Union,
Vermilion, Washington, Webster, W. Baton Rouge, W. Carroll,
W. Feliciana, and Winn in the State of Louisiana.
``(6) Mississippi.--The counties of Adams, Amite, Attala,
Benton, Bolivar, Carroll, Claiborne, Coahoma, Copiah,
Covington, DeSoto, Franklin, Grenada, Hinds, Holmes,
Humphreys, Issaquena, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis,
Lafayette, Lawrence, Leflore, Lincoln, Madison, Marion,
Marshall, Montgomery, Panola, Pike, Quitman, Rankin, Sharkey,
Simpson, Smith, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah,
Tunica, Union, Walthall, Warren, Washington, Wilkinson,
Yalobusha, and Yazoo in the State of Mississippi.
``(7) Missouri.--The counties Bollinger, Butler, Cape
Girardeau, Carter, Crawford, Dent, Douglas, Dunklin, Howell,
Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark,
Pemiscott, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, Ste. Genevieve,
St. Francois, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Texas, Washington,
Wayne, and Wright in the State of Missouri.
``(8) Tennessee.--The counties of Benton, Carroll, Chester,
Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin,
Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, McNairy,
Madison, Obion, Shelby, Tipton, and Weakley in the State of
Tennessee.

``Sec. 15732. Northern Great Plains Regional Commission

``The region of the Northern Great Plains Regional
Commission shall consist of the following:
``(1) All counties of the States of Iowa, Minnesota,
Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
``(2) The counties of Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell,
Carroll, Chariton, Clay, Clinton, Cooper, Daviess, DeKalb,
Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Howard, Jackson, Linn,
Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Platte, Putnam, Schuyler,
Sullivan, and Worth in the State of Missouri.

``Sec. 15733. Southeast Crescent Regional Commission

``Sec. 15734. Southwest Border Regional Commission

``Sec. 15735. Northern Border Regional Commission

``SUBCHAPTER III--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

``Sec. 15751. Authorization of appropriations

``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated
to each Commission to carry out this subtitle--
``(1) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
``(2) $45,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
``(3) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
``(4) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
``(5) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.
``(b) Administrative Expenses.--Not more than 10 percent of
the funds made available to a Commission in a fiscal year
under this section may be used for administrative
expenses.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of subtitles for
chapter 40, United States Code, is amended by striking the
item relating to subtitle V and inserting the following:

``V. REGIONAL ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT........15101 ....

``VI. MISCELLANEOUS........................................17101''.....

SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

SEC. 5. TRANSFERS OF AUTHORITY AND SAVINGS PROVISIONS.

[[Page H11280]]

Regional Authority in the performance of any function that is
transferred by this section, and
(2) that are in effect on the effective date of such
transfer (or become effective after such date pursuant to
their terms as in effect on such effective date),

SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall take
effect on the first day of the first fiscal year beginning
after the date of enactment of this Act.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar)
and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) each will control 30
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development Act of 2007
reauthorizes two existing commissions and establishes three new
commissions. The two existing commissions, one, the Delta Regional
Commission, was created through the appropriation process, and the
Northern Great Plains Regional Commission was established some time
ago, but we establish three new regional economic development
commissions: The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, the Southwest
Border Regional Commission, and the Northern Border Regional
Commission.
The purpose of the regional commission approach to economic
development is a recognition that economic difficulties don't stop at
political dividing lines, county lines, State lines, that they
transcend our political boundaries, that the economic development
problems are grouped by region. By economy, if you will.
Some years ago, we had the Upper Great Lakes Regional Commission
linking the upper peninsula of Michigan, the upper counties of
Wisconsin and the northern tier of Minnesota. They had in common
forestry, wood, wood fiber industries, fisheries, travel/tourism and
Great Lakes ports connected to the international economy through the
St. Lawrence Seaway. Projects conceived by the Upper Great Lakes
Commission were to be linked to the commonality of regional economic
difficulties the three States experienced. The same with Appalachia
coal; the attendant difficulties of the coal sector of our economy
stretched across State boundaries and linked the entire Appalachian
region with their forestry difficulties as well and also with their
need for surface transportation development. That is the principle that
is extended to the three new commissions, the Southeast Crescent, the
Southwest Border and the Northern Border Commission.
The Delta Regional Commission is one that has unique problems,
exacerbated and at the same time underscored by the tragedy of
Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. All of the counties, or I should
say most of the counties, and parishes in Louisiana, in that region
suffered common economic problems. Creating an economic development
structure on a regional basis will join the resources and the forces of
these States, the counties and the parishes, to bring forth new ideas
that will benefit not just one community, not just one parish, but a
commonality of parishes, a commonality of counties and a commonality of
the States.
In this legislation, we establish a structure, a common framework for
administration and management modeled after the Appalachian Regional
Commission but also modeled after the difficulties we experienced in
previous regional economic development commissions in the sixties and
seventies and early eighties. We need standard procedures. We need a
voting structure. We need standard procedures for staffing, standards
that establish conditions under which conflicts of interest can be
evaluated and avoided. Commonality establishment of local economic
development districts, a consistent method for distributing economic
development funds, a uniform set of procedures that will apply to all
of the commission, and, finally, with commonality then we can have
uniform evaluation standards of the results of these commissions. And
it will be the purpose of our Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure to hold intensive oversight hearings as these
commissions get under way with their work, they are funded, and we will
want to hold them accountable, we will want to see their record of
success, and I am quite confident, given the grassroots-up nature of
establishment of planning and mission of these commissions, that there
will be great success stories.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I would yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, the Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development Act
of 2007 reauthorizes two economic development commissions, the Delta
Regional Commission and the Northern Great Plains Regional Commission.
The bill also creates three new commissions, the Southeast Crescent
Regional Commission, the Southwest Border Regional Commission and the
Northern Border Regional Commission.
First, I want to thank Chairman Oberstar and Subcommittee Chairwoman
Norton for working with me to add several counties in northwest
Missouri to the Northern Great Plains Regional Commission and for
working with other members of the committee to add their counties to
the bill as well. I appreciate it very much.
The Northern Great Plains Regional Commission borders my district in
the north and the west. The counties added by this bill are contiguous
to the counties in the commission. Additionally, these northwest
Missouri counties are experiencing problems similar to the counties in
the commission already, yet they have higher levels of economic
distress.
The Northern Great Plains Regional Commission will set the stage for
economic growth by creating an effective Federal-State partnership for
attracting new businesses, creating new jobs and developing the
infrastructure in northwest Missouri. The commission will encourage
local economic development by making use of local resources for the
benefit of the community. The commission is designed to successfully
leverage other public and private funds, providing northwest Missouri
with a very valuable economic development tool.
Economic development plays a very vital role in maintaining our rural
way of life by keeping folks in those communities and keeping that
culture alive. A major component to economic development is the build-
out of broadband services throughout many regions in the country.

{time} 1230

No matter where you live, broadband can bring a world of
opportunities and possibilities to your doorstep. It is imperative to
our rural way of life that we push broadband out to every corner of the
country. Where you live should not limit your opportunities for
education, commerce, and medical care.
Many citizens in rural America's small communities do not have
broadband access at a reasonable cost. It should be available to
everyone no matter where they live at a reasonable rate. Through this
legislation and other efforts that my colleagues and I have taken on,
grants will be available to further establish an infrastructure that
can support this important tool to rural economic development.
Additionally, I must commend two members of the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, Mr. Hayes and Mr. Boustany, who have
been tireless advocates for their districts. I would like to recognize
Mr. Hayes for his dedication to stimulating economic development and
job promotion in the State of North Carolina and leading efforts to
create the Southeast Crescent Authority.
Additionally, he has championed efforts to recruit new industry and
create new jobs while sharpening the competitive proficiency of
existing industries in the Eighth Congressional District of North
Carolina.
Mr. Boustany has also worked tirelessly to promote development and
create opportunities for communities in

[[Page H11281]]

his district and has been a leader on the issue for the entire State of
Louisiana.
Again, thank you, Chairman Oberstar and Chairwoman Norton for working
with Members and working with me to bring this legislation to the
floor.
Mr. Speaker, I know we have a few speakers out there, so I will cut
mine short.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to
the very distinguished Chair of our Subcommittee on Economic
Development and other subject matters, the gentlewoman from the
District of Columbia who presided over the hearings and whose steady
hands shaped this legislation. I am greatly appreciative of her
splendid work.
Ms. NORTON. I thank the chairman for yielding.
I understand the gentleman from Maine, who is a major sponsor of this
bill, has a hearing. In deference to him, I will wait until after he
finishes and yield my time at this time to him, if it is all right with
the chairman.
Mr. OBERSTAR. I will then yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Maine.
Mr. MICHAUD. I thank the gentlewoman and the gentleman for yielding.
The Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development Act of 2007
represents a vision for economic development in our Nation that will
help Americans in the most distressed regions of our country.
In the northern border region, we are seeing clearly persistent
patterns of economic distress. If you look at the 36 counties that lie
on the border or right next to the border between Maine and New York,
you will find poverty above the national average, medium household
income that is more than $6,500 below the national average, persistent
unemployment through layoffs in traditional manufacturing industries,
and most striking of all, a meager gain of only 0.6 percent in
population between 1990 and 2000, compared to the 13 percent growth
nationally over the same period.
In short, Mr. Speaker, our mills are closing, our young people are
leaving, and too many of our workers are looking for work. Clearly,
this region has a common set of challenges and a compelling need for
investment in new growth.
Two days after I was elected to Congress, the very mill that I worked
at for over 28 years went bankrupt, and my hometown and region were
devastated. The story of my town and the mill that I worked at has been
repeated across our region. That is why we need to support our regional
industries and build new job opportunities, and that is why we need the
investment, leadership and focus in our regional economic development
bill.
The Northern Border Commission would help the region invest in
transportation, health care, agriculture, broadband, and alternative
energy. It can be a partner with businesses to maintain our industry
and build a new industry cluster. It can help us create jobs in the
long term.
We have all the ingredients we need to face our challenges head-on
and make our region an economic engine. This new commission will help
us make the fundamental changes for our future.
I want to once again thank the chairman and chairwoman for all their
hard work on this bill. This bill is a new way to look at economic
development in our Nation.
So with that, hopefully our colleagues will pass this bill.
Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Louisiana
(Mr. Boustany). He has worked tirelessly for his district. And since,
not so much Hurricane Katrina, but Hurricane Rita, which devastated his
district, he has been working very hard to bring some economic
development to his district.
I yield such time as he may consume for his remarks.
Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend, Mr.
Graves, for yielding time to me.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill. H.R. 3246 reauthorizes
the Delta Regional Authority, which works to improve the life for
residents in some of the most economically distressed areas in our
country. Those parishes and counties served by the DRA have per capita
incomes at or far below the national average, and poverty in the region
runs nearly 55 percent higher than the national rate.
Since being created, DRA has worked to improve the economy in the
delta and allowed these residents to achieve parity with the rest of
the country. The key to DRA's success is its ability to foster
partnerships throughout the region and to collaborate with local
development districts and other Federal and State agencies to ensure
maximum benefit from the dollars invested.
In fact, in an article published last year, the Economist noted: ``It
is creating, or helping to retain, 36,000 jobs, mostly in
manufacturing, which will generate $1 billion in salaries. It has also
helped 23,000 families get running water and sewage.''
In the aftermath, Mr. Speaker, of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, the
DRA took a leadership role in working to address many of the recovery
issues facing our State of Louisiana.
I want to thank Chairman Oberstar, my good friend, and the leadership
of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the staff,
subcommittee Chairman Graves, my good friend, for working with me to
ensure that several of the parishes in my district that were hit
hardest by Hurricane Rita are included in the DRA.
Data provided by the Department of Commerce shows that these parishes
are now among the most economically distressed in our country, and
recovery has been slow. I want to emphasize, though, that the people of
southwest Louisiana are resilient, and we will rebuild and, in fact, we
are rebuilding. This legislation will provide them with just yet
another tool to facilitate growth and return to economic prosperity in
the region.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Again, I thank Chairman
Oberstar, the Democratic staff, Chairman Graves, Chairman Mica and our
staff. I want to thank also my legislative director, Terry Fisk, for
working with me on this very important piece of legislation.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I also want to express my great
appreciation to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) and admiration
for the time that he devoted personally and committed to the hearings,
both in the past Congress and in this Congress, and for his
consolidation of the interests of the various Members on the Republican
side. We really developed a very strong bipartisan initiative as a
result of the gentleman's diligent efforts.
And to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany), who also worked
within the Louisiana and Mississippi delegations, did extraordinary
yeoman's work bringing disparate issues, interests and personalities
together which have resulted in this successful initiative we have
today.
I now yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from the
District of Columbia.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I echo the comments of our chairman,
especially as regards our ranking member, Mr. Graves, who worked
closely with me on this bill to ensure its profoundly bipartisan nature
as counties, regardless of part of the country, regardless of who
represents them, were selected based on very objective and competitive
criteria. I appreciate the bipartisan support that he helped round up
and the bipartisan support of so many Members of Congress.
I'm going to ask that my full statement be in the Record, and say
only a few words, first about the chairman. It needs to be mentioned
where this all started. It started with the extraordinary chairman of
the full committee decades ago, when he created the notion of a bill to
address the most impoverished sections of the country, beginning with,
of course, the classic one that everyone knows, Appalachia. All we're
doing here is expanding on Mr. Oberstar's work.
I must say, so much that has happened in our committee is emblematic
of his career. It will be hard to say what his signature bill is; but
knowing him, I think he would probably want this bill to rise up among
them because of who benefits, those who have least benefited from the
most prosperous economy the world has ever known.
This bill is back here by popular demand, and I use that in the
technical sense of the word. The subcommittee

[[Page H11282]]

was besieged by Members saying, We want commissions, How come we don't
have a commission, and then coming forward with statistics to show
that, under the definition of persistent poverty, they now qualified.
It wasn't easy to get a commission or to get in this bill, with one of
the counties included in this bill. We held hearings, and we used very
objective criteria that you had to fit in order for us, after the
hearings, after full study to say, yes, that county, among many in the
United States that are suffering today, should have the special
attention of a regional commission.
And we think, Mr. Speaker, that as the global economy has expanded
throughout our country because of all the pressures, the natural
pressures that come from that and from international trade, many came
forward and wanted to be included as part of these commissions. But we
held to the criteria set when the Oberstar bill was first passed: there
had to be systemic poverty. And the region or the county, in order to
be included, had to be clearly underdeveloped relative to what was
possible. And so you had only two commissions, and then you have three
added now.
When it comes to poverty, there is always controversy about what
works. And this time we really know what works because this bill is
patterned on the very successful, indeed the acclaimed, Appalachian
Regional Commission. And the bill itself simply wants to make sure that
administrative procedures and methods for distributing the economic
development funds are uniform. When you consider that most of the funds
that will flow to these regions far and away are private funds, one has
to really look at this bill as a small public investment for enormous
returns in private attraction and investment.
Mr. Speaker, I want to say just a word to extricate ourselves from
the stereotypes about certain regions, like the northern border region
which stretches from Maine to New York. We're talking about a region
that some might consider in light of large cities in the region; but if
you look as the commission methodology looks at counties in the region,
you will understand why the northern border qualifies: few basic
industries, overdependence in today's economy on agriculture, and 12.5
percent of the population living in poverty.
Or take the southeastern region of the United States, the Sunbelt,
which everyone associates with economic growth, and well you might. But
these are also the States which have historically most lagged behind
the national economy.
And so we have regions in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. And the reason we have
them, of course, is that on top of industrial and technological
underdevelopment, this is the region in the United States that has
natural disasters at a rate of two or three times the rest of the
country.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to say that, of all of the aspects of
this bill, I think that which has been embraced most by our committee
is the record of private investment in the region once we designate a
commission and once it begins to operate.

{time} 1245

It really does tell us much about the ``blessing of the Federal
Government'' and the methodology used by this commission. It tells us
much about the reputation of what these commissions have done.
I have been in Congress 16 years. I have seldom sat in hearings where
people came forward not with criticisms but with glowing examples of
how a specific approach to poverty in our country works. I therefore
strongly recommend the bill. I commend all of those, of whom there are
dozens, who had a hand in its design.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3246 amends title 40, United States Code, to
provide a comprehensive regional approach to economic and
infrastructure development in the most severly economically distressed
regions in the Nation.
H.R. 3246 the Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development Act of
2007, authorizes two existing comissions and three new regional
economic development commissions under a common framework of
administration and management, and further provides a framework for
good decision making and planning. These Commissions are designed to
address problems of systemic poverty and underdevelopment in their
respective regions. The five commissions are: the Delta Regional
Commission, the Northern Great Plains Regional Commission, the
Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, the Southwest Border Regional
Commission, and the Northern Border Regional Commission.
This bill models the administrative and management procedures for
these five Comissions after the highly successful Appalachian Regional
Commission. The bill provides for a voting structure, provisions
regarding staffing, conflicts of interest, local development districts,
and other matters designed to produce a standard administrative
framework. By providing a uniform set of procedures, this bill provides
a consistent method for distributing economic development funds
throughout the regions most in need of such assistance and ensures a
comprehensive regional approach to economic and infrastructure
development in the most severely distressed regions in the country.
The Northern Border Regional Commission, the Southeast Crescent
Regional Commission, and the Southwest Border Regional Commission have
been proposed in legislation introduced in this and previous Congresses
and are designed to address problems of systemic poverty and
underdevelopment in those regions. Additional, the Delta Regional
Commission and the Northern Great Plains Commission would be
reauthorized through this legislation.
H.R. 3246 authorizes funds for each commission to provide vital
assistance for the development of our Nation's most chronically poor
and distressed regions.
I would like to say of few words about the uniqueness of each of the
new commissions being authorized by this bill. The Southwest border
region includes all counties within 150 miles of the U.S.-Mexico
border. This region contains 11 counties in New Mexico, 65 counties in
Texas, 10 counties in Arizona, and 7 counties in California for a
combined population of approximately 29 million. According to research
compiled by the Interagency Task Force on the Economic Development of
the Southwest Border: 20 percent of the residents in this region of the
nation live below the poverty level, unemployment rates often reach as
high as five times the national unemployment rate, and a lack of
adequate access to capital has created economic disparities and made it
difficult for businesses to start up in the region.
The Northern border region stretching from Maine to New York, while
abundant in natural resources and rich in potential, lags behind much
of the Nation in its economic growth, and its people have not shared
properly in the Nation's prosperity. The region's historic reliance on
a few basic industries and agriculture has failed to provide a diverse
enough economic base for vigorous, self-sustaining growth. In the belt
of counties along the Northern border from Maine through New York, 12.5
percent of the population lives in poverty, median household income is
more than $6,500 below the national average, unemployment through
layoffs in traditional manufacturing industries is persistent, and the
population only grew by 0.6 percent between 1990 and 2000, while the
U.S. population rose by 13.2 percent, showing significant out migration
and loss of young people.
The southeastern portion of the United States, encompassing the
states of Virgina, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi, and Florida, is an area which has seen poverty rates well
above the national average coupled with record unemployment. The region
has also experienced natural disasters at a rate of two to three times
greater than any other region of the U.S. The SouthEast Crescent
Authority (SECA) authorizes a local-state-federal partnership to lift
citizens in this geographic area out of poverty and create jobs. With
the federal allocation of funding, SECA seeks to funnel monies to
programs which address one or more of the following criteria for
community betterment: (1) infrastructure, (2) education and job
training, (3) health care, (4) entrepreneurship, and (5) leadership
development. Those communities with the greatest need will be targeted,
and grants will be made according to the degree of distress.
This bill has broad bi-partisan support, and the Committee has held a
series of hearings regarding the need for these economic development
commissions.
I support the bill and urge the passage of H.R. 3246.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre), a strong advocate for
this legislation.
Mr. McINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Regional
Economic and Infrastructure Development

[[Page H11283]]

Act which provides a comprehensive regional approach to economic and
infrastructure development in the most severely economically distressed
part of our Nation.
This bill includes legislation that I have introduced in every
Congress since the 107th Congress that will establish the Southeast
Crescent Authority for Economic Development. This authority would cover
the southeastern portion of the United States, including the States of
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi
and Florida, which have all seen poverty rates well above the national
average coupled with record unemployment.
I would like to thank Chairman Oberstar and the ranking member, Mr.
Mica, as well as the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on
Economic Development Chairwoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and the ranking
member, Mr. Graves, Mr. Michaud and Mr. Hayes and my other colleagues
who together have worked with us in trying to help the most
economically disadvantaged areas of our country. It is their
compassion, cooperation and commitment that has brought us here today.
I applaud all those who have worked together to help our areas of the
country that have suffered so much. The southeastern U.S. has suffered
a double whammy, the highest levels of poverty coupled with the highest
levels of unemployment over the last several years.
As a Member that represents a district from one of the southern
States that has experienced stagnation in job growth, I have seen
firsthand the restructuring of the South's economy. Jobs in textile and
furniture-making have decreased substantially. Although a more high-
tech and globally competitive economy has created new opportunities for
employment in the South, it also has meant that we have lost many jobs
held by employees who have few prospects for shifting to other jobs
with comparable pay. In addition, the seven States of the Southeast
Crescent Authority region also have experienced natural disasters at a
rate of two to three times greater than any other region in the United
States, and this vulnerability to natural disasters further exacerbates
the ability to recover from economic distress.
Modeled primarily after the successful Appalachian Regional
Commission, the Southeast Crescent Authority would enjoin a local,
State and Federal partnership to lift our citizens out of poverty and
give them job opportunity.
The Southeast Crescent Authority would help communities by doing
several things: improving infrastructure, giving the opportunity for
education and job training, better health care, business
entrepreneurship and leadership development. What is great about this
opportunity, Mr. Speaker, is that those areas in the greatest need will
be targeted. Those with the greatest need of economic distress will be
helped.
It is time indeed to change the pattern of poverty and unemployment
in the southeastern United States, the only major region of the country
that has never had this type of Federal focus on economic development.
We are excited that we are now able to help the least of these, our
brothers and sisters, who have suffered enough and suffered so much.
Now we can help bolster a better opportunity for economic progress and
possibility. May God bless our efforts to help those who have suffered
so much and now can see a life-changing difference in economic
opportunity.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Minnesota has 10\1/2\
minutes. The gentleman from Missouri has 24 minutes.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch) and I yield myself 15 seconds to
explain that, through a clerical error, unfortunately, I regret and I
apologize to the gentleman, his name was not included in the cosponsors
of the reintroduced bill or bill reported from the Rules Committee. I
just want it known that the gentleman has, from the outset, been a
vigorous supporter of this legislation. His name should have been
listed as a cosponsor.
Mr. WELCH of Vermont. I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for his
leadership. I thank the Chair of the subcommittee, Ms. Holmes Norton,
and I thank Mr. Graves for his good work.
Mr. Speaker, this commission is going to be very helpful to Vermont.
We have in the northern tier of Vermont six counties, Caledonia, Grand
Isle, Lamoille, Franklin, Orleans and Essex. It is among the most
beautiful parts of Vermont. It has among the most industrious people in
Vermont. But it has the highest unemployment rate and the lowest wages,
about $10,000 below the national median. We want economic development
in our northern counties. This legislation is going to give that
impetus that is going to allow our regional economic commissions that
have been providing excellent leadership but on threadbare resources
the opportunity to use local decisionmaking, local ingenuity and local
people committed to a prosperous economy in that region to get a leg
up.
What is tremendous about this legislation, modeled after its
predecessors, is that it is a bottom-up approach. So if we have a
proposal from folks in Caledonia County that broadband penetration is
going to be what they need, or if we have folks in Franklin County who
are going to do an agriculture-to-energy-related project, or something
with dairy and that is what they need, they are going to have the
opportunity for that to become a reality.
This is a situation where we actually have bottom-up leadership
integrated into this legislation where the Federal Government here in
Washington is going to be a partner, not an impediment, to the goals,
the aspirations, and the accomplishments of people back home. This bill
is really about hope for the future. It is about confidence that local
people in those counties in Vermont can make the best decision for
themselves, and it is about Congress finally working as a partner with
our local communities and local leadership.
Mr. OBERSTAR. I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from
New Hampshire (Mr. Hodes), who has, Mr. Speaker, been a tireless
advocate. He has worn me out, frankly, advocating for this commission.
Mr. HODES. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
First, I thank the distinguished chairman, Mr. Oberstar, and the
distinguished subcommittee chairwoman, Ms. Eleanor Holmes Norton, as
well as Mr. Graves for their work on this important bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues on both sides of the
aisle to support this bill which includes the Northern Border Regional
Development Commission. Parts of my home State of New Hampshire,
Grafton, Sullivan and Carroll Counties, and especially in Coos County,
the beautiful region known as the North Country, have taken an economic
beating and are struggling to recover. A staggering number of jobs have
been lost. We have seen manufacturing plants close, pulp plants
disappear, and our young people leave to places that offer more
opportunity.
New Hampshire's North Country has suffered repeated economic body
blows. For people who live there, it is getting harder and harder to
get by. As I travel throughout my State, I speak to hardworking folks
who have the drive to improve their neighborhood but who feel their
communities have been ignored by the Federal Government for years. The
commissions created in this bill would be charged with investing
Federal resources for economic development and job creation in the most
distressed counties in New Hampshire and the ice belt region. I use the
word ``invest'' purposely. New Hampshire is a very frugal State. We
believe in small, effective Government. But we also know that a wise,
effective Federal Government honors local control and invests wisely to
promote opportunity and prosperity.
This commission employs a bottom-up grassroots approach that ensures
that actions reflect both local needs and regional economic development
goals. It also ensures that States have a deciding voice in what
investment is made within their borders. The bill says that if you are
willing to work hard and play by the rules, we are here to help you get
ahead. That is why this bill enjoys such bipartisan support. It is an
important step for many communities in New Hampshire.
Mr. Speaker, I urge its passage.

[[Page H11284]]

Mr. OBERSTAR. I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Hinojosa).
Mr. HINOJOSA. Thank you, Chairman Oberstar, for yielding time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3246, the Regional
Economic and Development Act of 2007.
The U.S.-Mexico border region's economic challenges are deeply
entrenched and have been overlooked by national policymakers for far
too long. Throughout my district, low incomes and high unemployment
have translated into a stagnant and depressed local marketplace. Many
colonias along the border lack adequate water supplies and paved roads
while a shortage of investment and development has limited the economic
opportunities of residents throughout that region.
In addition to current challenges, the border region's population is
expanding very rapidly and straining our local infrastructure.
Historically, Congress has confronted regional economic challenges by
creating multi-State development commissions designed to coordinate
local resources and encourage cooperation between Federal, State and
local governments.
The Southwest Regional Border Commission included within this bill
would represent a significant commitment by Congress to developing the
economy of the Southwest. Because the challenges of this region cannot
be isolated in any one city, county or State, the commission will work
to stimulate the entirety of the area's economy by recognizing the
connections between local economies and by coordinating the efforts of
local officials.
By facilitating the provision of grants to States, local governments,
universities, small businesses, and nonprofit entities, the commission
will plant the seeds of future economic growth throughout the region.
By expanding the transportation, public health facilities, wastewater
treatment plants and telecommunications networks, these grants will
provide the border region with the infrastructure it needs to meet its
current needs while preparing for the strain of an expanding
population.
Mr. Speaker, at a time when the mounting pressures of the global
economy and income disparities are causing great economic distress in
the border region, the Southwest Regional Border Authority has never
been more needed. I urge my colleagues to support this critical
legislation, H.R. 3246.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, does the gentleman from Missouri have any
further speakers besides himself?
Mr. GRAVES. I don't. Just my own final words before the chairman
closes.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Cuellar).

{time} 1300

Mr. CUELLAR. I want to thank the distinguished Member from Minnesota
for yielding. Again, I applaud the committee's tremendous work and the
work of Chairman Oberstar for the leadership and vision that he has
provided, along with Chairman Reyes.
This bill creates the Southwest Border Region Commission and will
positively impact the State of Texas. Eleven out of the 12 counties
that I represent will be impacted in a positive way. These counties are
struggling with common infrastructure needs that inhibit the
community's ability to increase economic development. Some of these
communities on the U.S.-Mexico border can be identified as colonias. As
you know, colonias are found in Texas, New Mexico Arizona, and
California, all States that will benefit from the establishment of the
Southwest Border Regional Commission.
These colonias many times do not have paved roads, hospitals, or even
utilities. Many colonias do not have sewage systems, forcing residents
to rely on often inadequate wastewater disposal methods, such as small
and outdated septic tanks. These conditions often result in sewage
pooling on the ground. Even if these colonias do have adequate sewage
systems, the border area lacks sufficient facilities to treat
wastewater in this area.
Mr. Speaker, again, this Southwest Border Commission will provide the
resources to help colonias and other underdeveloped regions to
adequately address needs to be solved. By the establishment of this
commission, this will address the basic needs that are needed in these
areas. This is why I am asking the Members to support this bill.
Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard now from folks talking about Louisiana,
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, myself from Missouri; and I think folks
can see that we have a lot of areas in the United States that are very
economically distressed, and for various reasons. Every one of those
regions, and, traditionally the Appalachia region, are distressed for
different reasons. This bill allows these commissions to leverage
public and private dollars. It is a great partnership.
Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank the chairman for allowing me to
add counties in northwest Missouri. It is very important to the folks
there. I know he has been working on various aspects of these
commissions for a long, long time. I appreciate his expertise and his
willingness to be very open in this process and work with us.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, again, I express my great appreciation to Mr. Mica, the
ranking member of the full committee, and especially to Mr. Graves, who
devoted so much time to the hearings, to the diligent effort within the
committee of shaping and crafting this bill.
In the matter of adding counties that were not in the original
commissions' proposals, we adhered to a very strict principle, that is,
the additions had to conform with unemployment rate significantly above
national average, per capita income rates that were significantly below
national average rates, and out-migrations. In all cases, the counties
recommended by the gentleman from Missouri, the parishes by the
gentleman from Louisiana, and the gentleman from Mississippi all
conformed when we got updated census information.
Mr. Speaker, I think we have here a splendid structure, one in which
we can achieve accountability, one in which there already is success.
In a report the committee received just this morning from the Delta
Regional Commission on cumulative projects over the last year, the
leveraging ratio is 16 to 1. That is for every $1 the commission
invested in projects within the region, $16 additional in private
sector and non-Federal funds have been invested. That is an
extraordinary success ratio, and we want to ensure that that success
will continue and will be extended to all of the commissions.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and ask for a
resounding affirmative vote for this legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Serrano). All time for debate has
expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 704, the previous question is ordered on
the bill, as amended.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.

Motion to Recommit Offered by Mr. Jordan of Ohio

Mr. JORDAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill?
Mr. JORDAN of Ohio. I am in its current form.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to
recommit.
The Clerk read as follows:

Mr. Jordan of Ohio moves to recommit the bill H.R. 3246 to
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure with
instructions to report the same back to the House promptly
with the following amendment:
At the end of the bill, add the following:

SEC. 7. LIMITATION ON THE USE OF FUNDS.

None of the funds authorized by this Act, including the
amendments made by this Act, may be used--
(1) to lobby or retain a lobbyist for the purpose of
influencing a Federal, State, or local governmental entity or
officer; or
(2) to pay for expenses related to the membership of any
individual or entity in an organization or association.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Ohio is recognized for 5 minutes in support of his motion.
Mr. JORDAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the work of the
chairman of the committee and the ranking member. The motion to
recommit that we

[[Page H11285]]

have in front of us is an insurance policy. It will guarantee that no
funds in the bill go to lobbyists or lobbying activities. This motion,
in other words, is a step towards breaking that link between
legislation and lobbyists.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3246, as we have heard from the language here on
the floor today, is intended to aid the economic and infrastructure
development in economically distressed regions of the country. Taxpayer
dollars should be used for that purpose, and that purpose only.
The motion does two things: first, it prevents any of the funds
authorized by this bill from being used to lobby or retain a lobbyist
for the purposes of influencing a Federal, State or local government
entity or officer. Second, the motion prohibits funds to pay for
expenses related to the membership of an individual or entity in an
organization or association.
Mr. Speaker, the majority promised in its opening-day rules package,
section 202 of H. Res. 6, to end the K Street Project. This motion to
recommit is policy that all Members should support. In fact, when this
same language was offered to H.R. 569, the Water Quality Investment
Act, it was approved by a 425-0 vote. That same act came out of this
same committee, and the full House in unanimous fashion supported this
same language.
Again, Mr. Speaker, this motion to recommit is an opportunity to
improve the bill by adding explicit language to make sure that taxpayer
dollars are used for their intended purpose.
Mr. Speaker, I would yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to
recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Minnesota is recognized
for 5 minutes.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, it is well known, has been debated many
times in this body, that a motion to recommit that uses the term
``promptly'' is simply a motion to kill the bill by sending it back to
committee, where it will take weeks to then return it to the House
floor. Why an initiative to try to kill this legislation would be
offered is puzzling to me, since there was no opposition to the
legislation in subcommittee, full committee.
Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago when the bill was debated on the
suspension calendar, no one rose in opposition to the bill. There was
no opposition raised to the legislation this afternoon. So the motion
to recommit on the merits of the term ``promptly'' is clearly an effort
to send it back to committee, kill the bill.
But I point out, since the gentleman offering the motion referred to
initiatives by the Democratic majority to have accountability, on page
17 of the bill, section 15-306, Personal Financial Interests, conflicts
of interest, we address the issue of personal conflict of interest, of
integrity of personnel employed by the commission in either the Federal
co-chairman's office or the State co-chairman's office, and establish
very clear obligations for reporting and excluding of such activity.
Furthermore, under general Federal legislation, lobbying by a Federal
Government agency of the Congress is not permitted.
So this is a non sequitur motion. It does not accomplish anything
except the purpose of sending the bill back to committee and, in
effect, killing it by delay. Again, I repeat, there was no opposition
registered. When the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
considered this bill in subcommittee, in full committee markup, when it
came to the floor under suspension of the rules, nor was there any
opposition today, why there would be a motion of this nature to kill
the bill is beyond me.
Furthermore, there are restraints, very explicit language on personal
financial interest, conflict of interest not allowed; and, in general,
Federal law, Federal agencies are prohibited from retaining a lobbyist,
to pay expenses for lobbying.
Mr. Speaker, this is a transparent effort to try to kill the bill
rather than deal with it on its merits. So I oppose the motion to
recommit with instructions.
Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3246,
the Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development Act of 2007. As a
cosponsor of this legislation, I was disappointed when the full House
failed to adopt a motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3246 on
September 17. That said, I am pleased that the House is reconsidering
the bill today.
As I have previously stated, H.R. 3246 is important to my
constituents in Northern and Central New York because it would create
the Northern Border Regional Commission to help further economic
development. There is no question this assistance is needed.
Specifically, in 2000, each of the counties I represent--Clinton,
Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida,
Oswego, and St. Lawrence--had a median household income that was below
the national median of $41,994. Moreover, seven of these counties had
poverty rates in excess of the national rate of 12.4 percent, and
three, Franklin, Oswego and St. Lawrence counties, had poverty rates in
excess of 14 percent. Similarly, from 2004 to 2006, 8 of these counties
had unemployment rates in excess of the national average.
I greatly appreciate the efforts of the Gentleman from Maine, Mr.
Michaud, to move this measure one step closer to enactment. Since the
108th Congress, we have been working to enact legislation to create a
Northern Border Regional Commission, and I look forward to working with
him further to do so.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3246, the
Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development Act of 2007.
This bill acknowledges a critical component of our country's success,
and creates the Southwest Border Regional Commission for border
counties in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.
First, I thank the committee for the inclusion of this region in the
bill. I am proud to represent this region, home to one of the most
vibrant communities. Where the United States and Mexico meet, it is a
symbiotic community. For cities in my district, there is often a
division.
Many times on this house floor, the debate of the border is divisive
and based on demagoguery. There is no room for those issues in today's
debate. This commission is about investing in U.S. citizens that live
in a unique community, a community that is the gateway to our country.
For as much as this Congress debates and exploits immigration and
constantly works to militarize our border, we could spare some time to
discuss needed investment in the region.
The residents of the southwest border are burdened with concerns that
include low income, low education levels, the lowest number of health
professionals, some of the highest rates of diabetes, tuberculosis,
AIDS and other health crises, a lack of economic development, and the
list goes on.
The southwest border communities are at the periphery of the United
States and Mexico's national economic and political concerns. The U.S.
Government has historically forgotten this community in terms of
economic development, education and social programs.
The Southwest Border Regional Commission takes a great step to
correct this misguided omission. It is our responsibility to assist our
border communities and our border residents.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill and reject any attempts to
further exploit the citizens who are at the gateway of this country and
who sacrifice so much already to the demands of our border security.
Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to be a cosponsor of this bill to
provide a comprehensive, regional approach to economic and
infrastructure development in areas that need it the most, including
South Texas.
The Southwest Regional Border Authority helps areas along the U.S.-
Mexican border, which have: a 20 percent poverty rate, unemployment
rates much higher than the national rate, and a lack of capital to spur
business growth.
This bill offers a significant investment for federal-state
partnerships to help economically distressed and underdeveloped areas
that have experienced high levels of unemployment, poverty, or
population loss.
The bill provides an unprecedented amount of money to develop
transportation and infrastructure, provide job skills training and
support business development.
I am personally offended--as are my constituents in South Texas--that
the only infrastructure Congress has approved along the border is a
wall . . . a wall that won't work and that is entirely about political
expediency, not border security.
Developing the South Texas infrastructure helps ensure that this
region can support the trade that churns through the U.S. economy.
South Texas faces a host of challenges in terms of economic
development and infrastructure to support trade all along the Southwest
border--and the only way to tackle it is all together, not piecemeal.
I ask my colleagues to join me in passing this bill that is important
to both the border region--and the Nation.

[[Page H11286]]

Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this
legislation and urge my colleagues to oppose it.
I am a strong supporter of economic development in rural America.
That is why I have been pressing for reform of the Universal Service
Fund to bring the benefits of broadband telecommunications to the rural
areas of the country. I also strongly support the programs of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and our State Department of Agriculture that
promote economic growth in Nebraska.
But, Mr. Speaker, I cannot support this bill. The State of Nebraska
already participates in the existing Northern Great Plains Commission
and the North Central BioEconomic Consortium. I am told by Nebraska's
Deputy Director of Agriculture that there are even more of these
organizations in the Midwest dedicated to the same goals. H.R. 3246
would just add one more entity to this existing number of economic
development groups now in place.
Even more troubling is the $1.25 billion price tag authorized by the
bill and the creation of permanent regional commissions that will
require millions of dollars in tax dollars for administrative expenses.
We need to cut federal spending, not increase it.
Finally, the legislation also includes a provision requiring
prevailing wages under the Davis-Bacon Act. For all of these reasons, I
urge a ``no'' vote on this bill.
Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R.
3246, the Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development Act of 2007.
This bill provides the opportunity for many communities along the
border to receive the assistance and resources they have long needed in
order for them to develop their infrastructure and economic prospects.
Mr. Speaker, I represent an expansive district spanning from El Paso
County in far west Texas, to Dimmitt County about 550 miles south and
to South San Antonio about 150 miles west. This district encompasses
the longest stretch of U.S.-Mexico border of any district in the United
States.
These communities along the border lack some of the most basic
infrastructure including sewers, roads and health care. These mostly
rural communities along the border are often too poor to take advantage
of government grants and loan programs. These cities, towns and
counties don't have the revenue to provide local matching funds to
qualify for federal grants and programs or have the tax base to build
million-dollar waste water plants on their own.
A regional economic development commission on the southwest border, I
believe will put the hundreds of small, rural border communities on the
fast track to becoming self-sustaining and developing economically.
Mr. Speaker, a Southwest Border Regional Commission would essentially
bring the federal government to the border. This bill will not raise
taxes, will not create duplicative programs and certainly not provide
any services to illegal or undocumented immigrants; this bill instead
provides opportunity for our communities that are most in need.
I strongly urge my colleagues to pass this bipartisan bill.
Mr. OBERSTAR. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is
ordered on the motion to recommit.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. JORDAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, the Chair
will reduce to 5 minutes the minimum time for any electronic vote on
the question of passage.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 201,
nays 218, not voting 13, as follows:

[Roll No. 945]

YEAS--201

Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Altmire
Bachmann
Bachus
Baker
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehner
Bonner
Bono
Boozman
Brady (TX)
Broun (GA)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Buchanan
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Calvert
Camp (MI)
Campbell (CA)
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Carter
Castle
Chabot
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Crenshaw
Culberson
Davis (KY)
Davis, David
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Doolittle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Ehlers
Emerson
English (PA)
Everett
Fallin
Feeney
Ferguson
Flake
Forbes
Fortenberry
Fossella
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Giffords
Gilchrest
Gillibrand
Gingrey
Gohmert
Goode
Goodlatte
Granger
Hall (TX)
Hastert
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Hill
Hobson
Hoekstra
Hulshof
Hunter
Inglis (SC)
Issa
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jordan
Keller
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline (MN)
Knollenberg
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Lamborn
Lampson
Latham
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
LoBiondo
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Mack
Mahoney (FL)
Manzullo
Marchant
Marshall
McCarthy (CA)
McCaul (TX)
McCotter
McCrery
McHenry
McHugh
McKeon
McMorris Rodgers
McNerney
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller, Gary
Mitchell
Moran (KS)
Murphy, Tim
Musgrave
Myrick
Neugebauer
Nunes
Paul
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Porter
Price (GA)
Putnam
Radanovich
Ramstad
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Royce
Ryan (WI)
Sali
Saxton
Schmidt
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Shays
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Souder
Space
Stearns
Tancredo
Terry
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Turner
Upton
Walberg
Walden (OR)
Walsh (NY)
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Weller
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Young (AK)
Young (FL)

NAYS--218

Abercrombie
Ackerman
Allen
Andrews
Arcuri
Baca
Baird
Baldwin
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blumenauer
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd (FL)
Boyda (KS)
Brady (PA)
Braley (IA)
Brown, Corrine
Butterfield
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carney
Castor
Chandler
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Cramer
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis, Lincoln
DeFazio
DeGette
DeLauro
Dicks
Doggett
Donnelly
Doyle
Edwards
Ellison
Ellsworth
Emanuel
Engel
Eshoo
Etheridge
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Frank (MA)
Gonzalez
Gordon
Graves
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Hare
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Herseth Sandlin
Higgins
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hodes
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hoyer
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Jones (OH)
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind
Klein (FL)
Kucinich
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
LaTourette
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lynch
Maloney (NY)
Markey
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (NY)
McCollum (MN)
McDermott
McGovern
McIntyre
McNulty
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Michaud
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy, Patrick
Murtha
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Peterson (MN)
Pomeroy
Price (NC)
Rahall
Rangel
Reyes
Richardson
Rodriguez
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sestak
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Shuler
Sires
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Spratt
Stark
Stupak
Sutton
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Towns
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Walz (MN)
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch (VT)
Wexler
Wilson (OH)
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
Yarmuth

NOT VOTING--13

Barrett (SC)
Carson
Cubin
Davis, Jo Ann
Delahunt
Dingell
Jindal
Lee
Perlmutter
Pickering
Pryce (OH)
Sullivan
Visclosky

{time} 1337

Mr. KAGEN, Mr. COOPER, Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas, Ms. WOOLSEY and Mr. MEEK
of Florida changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
Messrs. PAUL, HASTERT, FORBES, MAHONEY of Florida and Mrs. DRAKE
changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So the motion to recommit was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.

[[Page H11287]]

The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 264,
nays 154, not voting 14, as follows:

[Roll No. 946]

YEAS--264

Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Alexander
Allen
Altmire
Andrews
Arcuri
Baca
Bachus
Baird
Baker
Baldwin
Barrow
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blackburn
Blumenauer
Boozman
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd (FL)
Boyda (KS)
Brady (PA)
Braley (IA)
Brown, Corrine
Buchanan
Butterfield
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carney
Castor
Chandler
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Coble
Cohen
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Cramer
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis, Lincoln
DeFazio
DeGette
DeLauro
Dent
Dicks
Doggett
Donnelly
Doyle
Drake
Edwards
Ellison
Ellsworth
Emanuel
Emerson
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Farr
Fattah
Ferguson
Filner
Fortenberry
Frank (MA)
Gerlach
Giffords
Gilchrest
Gillibrand
Gonzalez
Gordon
Graves
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Hare
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Hayes
Herseth Sandlin
Higgins
Hill
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hodes
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hoyer
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Jones (NC)
Jones (OH)
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind
Klein (FL)
Kucinich
Kuhl (NY)
Lampson
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
LaTourette
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lynch
Mahoney (FL)
Maloney (NY)
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (NY)
McCollum (MN)
McCrery
McDermott
McGovern
McHugh
McIntyre
McNerney
McNulty
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Michaud
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy, Patrick
Murphy, Tim
Murtha
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Pomeroy
Price (NC)
Rahall
Rangel
Rehberg
Renzi
Reyes
Reynolds
Richardson
Rodriguez
Rogers (AL)
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sestak
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Shimkus
Shuler
Sires
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Space
Spratt
Stark
Stupak
Sutton
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Towns
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Walsh (NY)
Walz (MN)
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch (VT)
Weller
Wexler
Wilson (OH)
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
Yarmuth
Young (AK)

NAYS--154

Akin
Bachmann
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Blunt
Boehner
Bonner
Bono
Brady (TX)
Broun (GA)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Calvert
Camp (MI)
Campbell (CA)
Cannon
Cantor
Carter
Castle
Chabot
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Crenshaw
Culberson
Davis (KY)
Davis, David
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Doolittle
Dreier
Duncan
Ehlers
Everett
Fallin
Flake
Forbes
Fossella
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gingrey
Gohmert
Goode
Goodlatte
Granger
Hall (TX)
Hastert
Hastings (WA)
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Hobson
Hoekstra
Hulshof
Hunter
Inglis (SC)
Issa
Johnson, Sam
Jordan
Keller
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline (MN)
Knollenberg
LaHood
Lamborn
Latham
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
LoBiondo
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Mack
Manzullo
Marchant
McCarthy (CA)
McCaul (TX)
McCotter
McHenry
McKeon
McMorris Rodgers
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller, Gary
Moran (KS)
Musgrave
Neugebauer
Nunes
Paul
Pearce
Pence
Petri
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Porter
Price (GA)
Putnam
Radanovich
Ramstad
Regula
Reichert
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Royce
Ryan (WI)
Sali
Saxton
Schmidt
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Shays
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (NE)
Souder
Stearns
Tancredo
Terry
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Turner
Upton
Walberg
Walden (OR)
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Young (FL)

NOT VOTING--14

Barrett (SC)
Carson
Cubin
Davis, Jo Ann
Delahunt
Dingell
Feeney
Jindal
Lee
Perlmutter
Pickering
Pryce (OH)
Sullivan
Visclosky

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). Members are advised there
are 2 minutes remaining in this vote.

{time} 1346

Mrs. DRAKE changed her vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________