[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 78 (Tuesday, May 10, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4761-H4763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         TARGETING RESOURCES TO COMMUNITIES IN NEED ACT OF 2022

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6531) to provide an increased allocation of funding under 
certain programs for assistance in areas of persistent poverty, and for 
other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6531

       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 ``Targeting Resources to 
     Communities in Need Act of 2022''.

     SEC. 2. INCREASING SHARE OF FEDERAL RESOURCES TO AREAS OF 
                   PERSISTENT POVERTY AND OTHER HIGH-POVERTY 
                   AREAS.

       (a) Increasing Share of Federal Resources.--
       (1) Guidance and measures to increase federal 
     investments.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director, in consultation with 
     Federal agencies, shall implement guidance to increase the 
     share of Federal investments targeted to--
       (A) areas of persistent poverty; and
       (B) other areas of high and persistent poverty that the 
     Director, in consultation with Federal agencies, determines 
     to be appropriate.
       (2) Guidance for agencies.--Not later than 120 days after 
     the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall issue 
     guidance to Federal agencies identifying--
       (A) the scope and type of programs subject to the guidance 
     and measures required by paragraph (1);
       (B) the share of Federal investments to be targeted to the 
     areas described under paragraph (1);
       (C) the manner in which Federal investments are to be 
     targeted to the areas described under paragraph (1); and
       (D) measures to track the Federal investments targeted to 
     the areas described under paragraph (1) over time.
       (3) Investment amount.--In developing the guidance and 
     measures under paragraph (1), the Director shall include a 
     minimum goal that Federal investments targeted to areas of 
     persistent poverty or other areas with high and persistent 
     poverty be in an amount that is greater than the amount that 
     is proportional to the population of such areas in the United 
     States relative to the population of the United States as a 
     whole.
       (4) Reports to congress.--The Director, in consultation 
     with Federal agencies, shall submit each fiscal year to the 
     appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes--
       (A) a list of the programs, by agency, under which the 
     amount of Federal funds targeted to areas described under 
     paragraph (1) were increased in the previous fiscal year, in 
     accordance with such paragraph; and

[[Page H4762]]

       (B) for each program listed under subparagraph (A)--
       (i) the amount of funds that were targeted under the 
     program to an area of persistent poverty or other area with 
     high and persistent poverty during the previous fiscal year;
       (ii) the percent change from the fiscal year before the 
     previous fiscal year in the amount of funds that were 
     targeted under the program toward an area of persistent 
     poverty or other area with high and persistent poverty; and
       (iii) to the extent practicable, an assessment of the 
     economic impact of the program on the area, including data on 
     the categories of individuals impacted by the targeting of 
     funds to such areas under the program, disaggregated by 
     household income, race, gender, age, national origin, 
     disability status, and whether the individuals live in an 
     urban area, suburban area, or rural area.
       (b) Publication of List of Areas of Persistent Poverty.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Bureau of the Census shall publish 
     a list of all areas of persistent poverty.
       (2) Update.--The Bureau of the Census shall update annually 
     the list published under paragraph (1).
       (c) GAO Reports.--
       (1) Initial report.--Not later than two years after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
     United States shall provide to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress a report on the effectiveness of the measures 
     implemented under subsection (a), including an assessment 
     regarding the impact of increasing Federal investments spent 
     in areas of persistent poverty and other areas with high and 
     persistent poverty.
       (2) Subsequent reports.--Not later than 10 years after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
     United States shall provide at least two subsequent reports 
     (as described in paragraph (1)) to the appropriate committees 
     of Congress.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated for fiscal year 2023, $5,000,000 for 
     salaries and expenses (including for entering contracts with 
     non-Federal persons) to carry out this Act.
       (e) Definitions.--In this Act:
       (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
     ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on the 
     Budget, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation, and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
       (B) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on the 
     Budget, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee 
     on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Committee on 
     Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives; and
       (C) any other committee of Congress that has jurisdiction 
     over an agency with a role developing or implementing 
     measures under subsection (a).
       (2) Area of persistent poverty.--The term ``area of 
     persistent poverty'' means an area that is a high-poverty 
     census tract or a persistent poverty county.
       (3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
     the Office of Management and Budget.
       (4) High-poverty census tract.--The term ``high-poverty 
     census tract'' means a census tract that has a poverty rate 
     of not less than 20 percent in the most recent American 
     Community Survey 5-year data published by the Bureau of the 
     Census.
       (5) Persistent poverty county.--The term ``persistent 
     poverty county'' means--
       (A) a county, parish, or other equivalent county division 
     (as determined by the Bureau of the Census) with a poverty 
     rate of not less than 20 percent in the Small Area Income and 
     Poverty Estimates by the Bureau of the Census in at least 25 
     of the last 30 years, including the most recent year for 
     which the estimates are available; or
       (B) for areas where Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates 
     are not available, a county, parish, or equivalent level of 
     geography, with a poverty rate of not less than 20 percent in 
     at least 25 of the last 30 years, including the most recent 
     year for which the estimates are available, as determined by 
     the Bureau of the Census.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Connolly) and the gentlewoman from South Carolina (Ms. 
Mace) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6531, the Targeting 
Resources to Communities in Need Act. This bill is bipartisan, and it 
was introduced by the distinguished majority whip, Representative  Jim 
Clyburn of South Carolina, and Mr. Hal Rogers of Kentucky.

                              {time}  1745

  This bill is timely and would make a difference in the lives of the 
people across the Nation facing the difficulties of living in 
persistent poverty.
  According to the Census Bureau, in 2020 the official rate of poverty 
in the United States was 11.4 percent. That statistic illustrates the 
hardships faced by over 37.2 million people. As we know, poverty can be 
experienced by Americans of all backgrounds in rural, urban, and 
suburban communities.
  The aims of this important bill are straightforward. The bill would 
provide additional transparency about the areas of the country facing 
persistent poverty and would target more Federal resources for program 
assistance to those areas.
  Specifically, H.R. 6531 would require the Census Bureau to publish a 
list of all areas of persistent poverty, and the Office of Management 
and Budget would work with agencies to direct additional funds to the 
places where people need them most.
  Reports to Congress would be submitted annually--noting the programs 
included in the bill's efforts, along with assessments of the economic 
impacts of the additional investments, to the extent possible.
  This bill also calls for GAO to evaluate the effectiveness of the 
investments over time. Those areas of the country facing exceptional 
hardship require our exceptional attention and support.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan 
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6531 directs the Office of Management and Budget to 
lead a government-wide effort to review the share of Federal funds 
addressing poverty in a consistent manner across agency assistance 
programs.
  Specifically, this legislation will ensure that a more up-to-date and 
consistent listing of the areas of persistent poverty in our Nation 
will be used by agencies to determine funding allocations. This will 
help struggling rural Americans getting greater access to the many 
taxpayer-funded poverty assistance programs.
  The Federal Government currently spends an enormous amount of 
taxpayer funds on low-income populations. However, it is important that 
funding be targeted especially to our most vulnerable counties 
experiencing prolonged struggles with poverty.
  This bill creates a consistent approach across competitively awarded 
Federal grant and financial assistance programs.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Congressman Clyburn and 
Congressman Hal Rogers, for their bipartisan efforts on this 
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), the majority whip.
  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6531, the 
Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act, a bipartisan bill that 
I introduced with Hal Rogers of Kentucky and Senators Cory Booker and 
Rob Portman, to ensure that communities that have been determined to be 
suffering from persistent poverty received a more equitable share of 
Federal investments.
  According to the Census Bureau there are nearly 500 persistent 
poverty counties in our great country. They are defined as counties 
that have had a poverty rate of 20 percent or more for the last 30 
years.
  These counties are as diverse as the country, including White 
communities in Appalachia, African-American communities in the South, 
Latino communities in the Southwest, and Native American communities 
throughout the West.
  In 2009, I included a provision in the American Recovery and 
Reinvestment Act requiring that at least 10 percent of the funds in 
three rural development accounts be spent in these counties. This 
became known as the 10-20-30 funding formula.
  The formula worked effectively, efficiently, and equitably; funding 
infrastructure projects including water neglected for far too long.

[[Page H4763]]

  Over the past 12 years, Democrats and Republicans have worked 
together to expand this approach to nearly 20 appropriations accounts. 
Much of this progress was made when Mr. Rogers was chair of the 
Appropriations Committee, and I thank him for his leadership.
  This legislation would expand this 10-20-30 targeted formula 
throughout the Federal Government; recognizing that the best way to 
target funding in these areas may differ from program to program.
  Our bill gives discretion to Federal agencies led by OMB to tailor 
the policy to the needs of each program while requiring them to report 
to Congress on the progress being made to create and expand 
opportunities in these communities.
  This bill does not increase Federal spending one iota. It simply 
targets Federal resources to communities that are most in need.
  In closing, I thank my friend Hal Rogers for his collaboration, and I 
ask our colleagues for their support of this effort to make America's 
greatness more accessible and affordable to all communities.
  Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Rogers).
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 
6531, the Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act.
  The impetus for this legislation was the understanding that in 
certain parts of the country there are pockets of systemic poverty 
caused by a variety of factors that can be very difficult to boost 
economically.
  Ranging from rural towns to populated urban areas, these areas of 
persistent poverty deserve a keen eye from our Federal Government and a 
plan to help them reinvigorate.
  I have been proud to work with Majority Whip  Jim Clyburn on this for 
many years now with some modest success, but hopefully a great future 
today. I have been happy to work with Mr. Clyburn on legislative 
efforts to alleviate persistent poverty and set up these communities 
for economic success and self-sufficiency.

  This bill directs the Office of Management and Budget, in 
consultation with Federal agencies, to develop and implement guidance 
and measures to increase the share of Federal investments targeted to 
areas of persistent poverty.
  The bill will require the OMB director to submit to Congress each 
fiscal year a report including the list of programs, by agency, under 
which the amount of Federal funds targeted to persistent poverty areas 
were increased in the previous fiscal year.
  By targeting Federal resources to these communities, we will spur 
economic development in the areas of the country that need it most and 
strengthen the American economy as a whole.
  The bill further requires the U.S. Government Accountability Office 
to report on the effectiveness of the measures implemented, which will 
responsibly ensure that this legislation is making a meaningful impact.
  We have made great strides to lift up impoverished areas, like 
Kentucky's Appalachian region, but we have more work to do in my 
district and similar parts of the country that need our attention. This 
targeted bill will help communities break through the cycle of poverty 
and provide resources necessary to thrive.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Whip Clyburn for his partnership and his great 
work on this over the years and his commitment, and I urge support for 
the bill.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), and the manager for the minority.
  Mr. Speaker, let me rise with enthusiasm for this legislation for it 
has been a long-time investment of Whip Clyburn.
  The Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act of 2022 tracks 
work that I have done as it relates to equity in various entities, but 
in particular in African Americans.
  This work of Mr. Clyburn, 10-20-30, has the ability to reach poor 
communities that have not been necessarily receiving the benefits 
equitably of Federal resources. This can be a great boost to our rural 
communities. It can be a source of change.
  For example, in Texas, during the pandemic, we lost a large number of 
rural hospitals, and in those communities people were deprived of 
access to good healthcare. The hospitals just closed because they did 
not have the resources.
  This, as well, deals with education, flood mitigation, 
infrastructure, all of these issues come out of appropriations.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Rogers who I know has been working with Whip 
Clyburn for a long time on this equitable approach to the distribution 
of our funds.
  I think it is important for the American people to know that Members 
of Congress are concerned that Federal funds get to the people, and 
they get to the people that are most in need--they are life-changing 
efforts.
  For example, as we worked on the community projects, many Members 
have found that when they give those pointed dollars, you can change 
lives of communities, schools, neighborhoods, and families. This 
particular legislation, the Targeting Resources to Communities in Need 
Act, is an appropriate approach to ensuring that tax dollars get to 
where they are needed and help those in need.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 6531 and 
congratulate Mr. Clyburn for his work.
  Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 6531, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, let me just say, this is how it is 
supposed to work--watching the collaboration between our dear friend 
from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn) and the dean of the House (Mr. 
Rogers) on addressing endemic poverty in the United States is how this 
House works best. I congratulate both of them for showing us the way. I 
hope we emulate it on more than this occasion.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of 
legislation. Let's help our fellow Americans when we can, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 6531, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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