[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.
____________________