[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 2615-2616]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF THE CLUSTER-BASED ECONOMY ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN M. McHUGH

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 3, 2009

  Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation, the 
Cluster-Based Economy Enhancement Act of 2009. This proposal is 
designed to stimulate collaborative interactions between businesses in 
regional economies to produce innovation and create jobs.

[[Page 2616]]

  ``Clusters'' are geographic concentrations of competing, 
complementary, or interdependent business entities or industries that 
do business with one another and have common needs for talent, 
technology, and infrastructure. The bill recognizes that such clusters 
boost competitiveness and growth of a region as a whole.
  As the recent economic turmoil has highlighted, American industries 
must become better equipped to thrive in the increasingly competitive 
global economy. Rather than continuing to see skilled workers move 
abroad, we need to take actions conducive to the creation of new 
employment, both through traditional means of expansion and in-sourcing 
of foreign jobs. As we do so, we must be mindful that there are regions 
within America, like Central and Northern New York, that continue to 
struggle disproportionately demanding we seek ways to overcome those 
challenges to economic development they face.
  In response, this legislation would authorize up to $50 million for 
cluster-based economic development grants to state and local 
governments, colleges and universities, and nonprofit economic 
development organizations to further enhance economic development. Of 
note, this initiative would make those entities within the five 
regional development commissions, authorized in the Food, Conservation, 
and Energy Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-246) eligible to apply for such 
grants. It is important to note that these recently created bodies are 
configured to encompass some of our nation's poorest areas. In addition 
to the Northern Border Regional Development Commission, which I worked 
to create, the other commissions include the Delta Regional Authority, 
the Northern Great Plains Regional Authority, the Southeast Crescent 
Regional Commission, and the Southwest Border Regional Commission.
  Madam Speaker, this legislation would not only help increase 
America's economic competitiveness, it would also create new 
opportunities in areas like Northern and Central New York, that are 
particularly in need of economic opportunities. Accordingly, I ask my 
colleagues to join with me as I work to enact the Cluster-Based Economy 
Enhancement Act of 2009.

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