Directs the Authority to establish a Constituency Representation Board which shall: (1) ascertain state and congressional district community strategic planning efforts; and (2) evaluate and fund programs.
Amends the Delta Development Act to revise the definition of the "Lower Mississippi" region.
[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2403 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2403
To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to provide for
comprehensive community and economic development in the distressed
Southern Black Belt and Mississippi Delta region while leveraging
existing efforts, entities, and resources.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 21, 2007
Mr. Davis of Alabama introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on
Transportation and Infrastructure and Financial Services, for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to provide for
comprehensive community and economic development in the distressed
Southern Black Belt and Mississippi Delta region while leveraging
existing efforts, entities, and resources.
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 ``Southern Empowerment and Economic
Development Act to authorize the Delta Black Belt Regional Authority''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) A University of Georgia study, entitled ``Dismantling
Persistent Poverty in the Southeastern United States'', finds
that counties in the Delta Black Belt region sustained
persistent poverty over 3 census periods and comprise the
poorest of all regions in the country.
(2) A study conducted by the Southern Food Systems
Education Consortium and led by Tuskegee University, entitled
``Persistent Poverty in the South'', finds that these counties
lack a coordinating body, supporting organization, or any
central capacity building agency to link and enhance the work
of service providers to address the issue of persistent
poverty.
(3) These studies find that the economic peril facing the
region results from, and in turn contributes to, the widespread
and persistent nature of the region's poverty.
(4) These studies find that this region would benefit from
a sustained, coordinated strategy targeted at the most
distressed communities by a regional initiative.
(5) There is a Federal-State partnership that is targeted
at poverty in the Delta region but overlays with the historic
Southern Black Belt's region of persistent poverty.
(6) The Delta Regional Authority has shown early promise in
addressing causes of persistent poverty as a regional
initiative.
(7) There is value in establishing a collaborative
partnership with community-based and faith-based organizations
in the distressed region as well as institutions of higher
learning in the region as a component of any regional
initiative.
SEC. 3. DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY EXPANSION.
(a) Authority.--Section 382A(1) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009aa(1)) is amended to read as follows:
``(1) The term `Authority' means the Delta/Black Belt
Regional Authority.''.
(b) Scope of Authority.--Section 382B(a)(1) of such Act (7 U.S.C.
2009aa-1(a)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
``(1) In general.--There is established the Delta/Black
Belt Regional Authority.''.
(c) Constituency Representation Board.--Section 382B of such Act (7
U.S.C. 2009aa-1) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(k) Constituency Representation Board.--
``(1) In general.--The Authority shall establish a
Constituency Representation Board (in this subsection referred
to as the `Board').
``(2) Membership.--
``(A) Appointed members.--
``(i) In general.--With respect to each
congressional district that includes part or
all of a county or parish that is in the
region, the Governor of the State in which the
district lies may appoint to the Board 1
individual who has (or, if more than half of
the population of the district resides in 1 or
more counties or parishes in the region, 2
individuals who have) the following
qualifications:
``(I) The individual is a legal
resident of the district.
``(II) The individual resides in a
county or parish in the region.
``(III) The individual is a
community leader or economic
development and community development
practitioner who--
``(aa) represents a
community-based or faith-based
organization or institution of
higher learning in the region;
and
``(bb) has direct contact
with the persistently poverty
stricken population of the
region.
``(ii) Manner of appointment.--A Governor
shall make an appointment to the Board by
submitting the appointment in writing to the
Authority, which shall maintain records of the
membership and activities of the Board.
``(B) Federal cochairperson.--The Federal
cochairperson shall be a member of the Board.
``(3) Term of office.--
``(A) In general.--Each Board member shall be
appointed for a 2-year term that expires on January 31
of the next odd-numbered calendar year.
``(B) Continuation of service.--
``(i) In general.--A Board member may
continue to serve as such after the expiration
of the term for which appointed, until the
earlier of such time as a successor for the
member is appointed or the date that is 120
days after the end of the term.
``(ii) Exception.--If a congressional
district is eliminated as a result of
reapportionment then the preceding sentence
shall not apply with respect to the Board
member representing the district.
``(C) Term limits.--
``(i) In general.--Except as provided in
subparagraph (B) and clause (ii) of this
subparagraph, an individual may not serve more
than a single 2-year term on the Board.
``(ii) Exception.--An original Board member
may be reappointed to the Board once.
``(4) Chair and vice chair.--
``(A) In general.--The Board members shall elect a
Chair and Vice Chair from among the members.
``(B) Treatment as governor and alternate.--The
Chair and Vice Chair shall be treated as if they were a
Governor and Alternate, respectively, of a State
participating in the Authority for governance, voting,
and all other purposes under section 382B.
``(C) Term of office.--The Chair and Vice Chair
shall be elected for a 2-year term that expires on
January 31 of the next odd-numbered year.
``(D) Other duties.--The Chair and Vice Chair shall
invite the Executive Director of the Authority to each
Board meeting and keep the Executive Director apprised
of the activities of the Board.
``(5) Regional subcommittees.--
``(A) Membership.--The Board shall have 4 regional
subcommittees, as follows:
``(i) A regional subcommittee composed of
the Board members from Virginia, North
Carolina, and South Carolina.
``(ii) A regional subcommittee composed of
the Board members from Georgia, Florida, and
Alabama.
``(iii) A regional subcommittee composed of
the Board members from Texas, Arkansas, and
Louisiana.
``(iv) A regional subcommittee composed of
the Board members from Kentucky, Missouri,
Tennessee, Mississippi, and Illinois.
``(B) Duties.--Each regional subcommittee shall
review projects proposed to be carried out in the
region covered by the subcommittee, and determine which
projects should be submitted to the Executive Committee
for final approval.
``(6) Executive committee.--
``(A) Membership.--The Board shall have an
Executive Committee consisting of the following:
``(i) The Chair and Vice Chair of the
Board.
``(ii) 2 members of each regional
subcommittee, each of whom shall be elected by
a majority of the members of the regional
subcommittee involved.
``(iii) The Federal cochairperson.
``(B) Functions.--The Executive Committee shall
perform the administrative functions of the Board,
including review and approval of projects submitted by
the regional subcommittees and disbursement of funds.
``(7) Community strategic planning.--The members of the
Board shall ascertain and communicate to the Authority the
strategic planning priorities of communities in their
respective States and congressional districts. The members of
the Board shall consult with other community leaders and
economic development and community development practitioners
that represent community-based and faith-based organizations
from their respective States and congressional districts in
performing their duties under this paragraph. The members of
the Board shall collaborate with their respective Governors,
Alternates, and Members of the United States House of
Representatives in the performance of their duties under this
paragraph.
``(8) Regional and state planning.--The Board shall
participate in the development and approval of regional plans
and priorities developed by the Authority under section
382B(d)(1). Members of the Board may participate in the
development of their respective State development plans.
``(9) Programs and demonstration projects.--
``(A) Consideration and funding.--The Board shall
receive applications for, identify, evaluate, develop,
and fund programs and demonstration projects to be
organized and operated by community-based or faith-
based organizations in the region or the institutions
of higher learning in the region, consistent with the
purposes of the Authority.
``(B) Eligibility for funding.--
``(i) In general.--A program or
demonstration project shall not be funded under
subparagraph (A) unless the Board determines
that the program or project will benefit a
county or identifiable community that
experiences significant economic distress.
``(ii) Definition of county or identifiable
community that experiences significant economic
distress.--For purposes of clause (i), a county
or identifiable community is experiencing
significant economic distress if--
``(I)(aa) the 3-year average
unemployment rate for the county or
identifiable community is at least 150
percent of the national average
unemployment rate;
``(bb) the per capita income of the
county or identifiable community is not
more than 67 percent of the national
average per capita income; and
``(cc) the poverty rate of the
county or identifiable community is at
least 150 percent of the national
average poverty rate; or
``(II)(aa) the county or
identifiable community meets the
condition described in item (aa) or
(bb) of subclause (I); and
``(bb) the poverty rate of the
county or identifiable community is at
least 200 percent of the national
average poverty rate.
``(iii) Determinations.--In determining
whether a county or identifiable community is
experiencing significant economic distress in
accordance with clause (ii), the Board may use
such information as the Board deems reliable.
``(10) Source of funds.--
``(A) In general.--Not less than 20 percent of the
amount appropriated under section 382M(a) for a fiscal
year shall be available for programs and demonstration
projects approved for funding under paragraph (9) of
this subsection.
``(B) Special rule regarding administrative
expenses.--Administrative costs and expenses associated
with the activities of the Board shall not be
considered administrative expenses for purposes of
section 382M(b).
``(11) Other functions.--
``(A) Hearings.--The Board shall hold no less than
4 public hearings annually, no less than 1 in each
region covered by each regional subcommittee, on how
the Board and the Authority are serving the community-
based and faith-based organizations in the region that
interface directly with the persistently poverty
stricken population of the region. The Board shall
include the information obtained in the hearings in the
annual reports required by paragraph (12).
``(B) Assessment of relevant matters.--The Board
may assess any matter involving the region or the
Authority, including the criteria for distress,
programs of the Authority, or allocation formulas, and
shall and communicate the findings of the Board to the
Federal cochairperson.
``(12) Annual reports.--The Board shall prepare and submit
to the Congress an annual report on--
``(A) the activities and plans of the Board for
supporting community-based and faith-based
organizations in the region;
``(B) the state of the community-based and faith-
based organizations in the region that interface
directly with the persistently poverty stricken
population of the region;
``(C) the programs and demonstration projects
funded under paragraph (9) of this subsection; and
``(D) such other matters relating to the activities
described in section 382C(a) as the Board wishes to
bring to the attention of the Congress.''.
(d) Program Areas.--Section 382C(a) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009aa-
2(a)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (4);
(2) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (8); and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
``(5) to provide assistance to severely distressed and
underdeveloped areas that lack resources for improving
educational opportunities including adult and remedial
education;
``(6) to provide assistance to severely distressed and
underdeveloped areas that lack resources for improving access
to affordable, quality health care in rural areas;
``(7) to provide assistance to severely distressed and
underdeveloped areas that lack resources for eliminating sub-
standard housing facilities; and''.
(e) Expansion of Funding Priorities.--Section 382C(b)(2) of such
Act (7 U.S.C. 2009aa-2(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(E) Educational improvement including adult and
remedial education.
``(F) Access to affordable, quality rural health
care.
``(G) The elimination of sub-standard housing
facilities.''.
(f) Funding Allocations.--Section 382F(d) of such Act (7 U.S.C.
2009aa-5(d)) is amended to read as follows:
``(d) Transportation and Basic Public Infrastructure.--During a
fiscal year, the Authority shall allocate for transportation and basic
public infrastructure projects authorized under paragraphs (1) and (3)
of section 382C(a) not more than 25 percent of any funds made available
under section 382M for the fiscal year.''.
(g) Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.--Section
382M(a) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009aa-12(a)) is amended to read as
follows:
``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the
Authority to carry out this subtitle $500,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2008 through 2038, which amounts are authorized to remain
available until expended.''.
(h) Termination of Authority.--Section 382N of such Act (7 U.S.C.
2009aa-13) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 382N. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.
``This subtitle and the authority provided under this subtitle
expire on October 1, 2038.''.
SEC. 4. SCOPE OF THE REGION.
(a) Expansion.--Section 4(2) of the Delta Development Act (42
U.S.C. 3121 note; Public Law 100-460) is amended in the matter that
precedes subparagraph (A) by striking ``those areas'' and all that
follows through ``but not limited to''.
(b) Arkansas.--Section 4(2)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3121 note;
Public Law 100-460) is amended by inserting ``Carroll, Clark, Columbia,
Conway, Crawford, Franklin, Garland, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard,
Johnson, Lafayette, Little River, Logan, Madison, Miller, Montgomery,
Nevada, Newton, Perry, Pike, Polk, Pope, Scott, Sevier, Yell,'' after
``Van Buren,''.
(c) Louisiana.--Section 4(2)(D) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3121 note;
Public Law 100-460) is amended by inserting ``Beauregard, Bienville,
Calcasieu, Claiborne, De Soto, Jefferson Davis, Red River, Sabine,
Vermilion, Vernon, Webster,'' after ``St. James,''.
(d) Mississippi.--Section 4(2)(E) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3121 note;
Public Law 100-460) is amended by inserting ``Clarke, Forrest, George,
Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Lauderdale, Leake, Neshoba,
Newton, Pearl River, Perry, Scott, Smith, Stone, Wayne,'' after
``Lawrence,''.
(e) Other.--Section 4(2)(H) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3121 note;
Public Law 100-460) is amended by striking ``and'' at the end.
(f) Alabama.--Section 4(2)(I) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3121 note;
Public Law 100-460) is amended by inserting ``Coffee, Covington,
Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Pike,'' after ``Monroe,''.
(g) Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas,
Virginia.--Section 4(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3121 note; Public Law
100-460) is amended by inserting after subparagraph (I) the following:
``(J) the Florida counties of Alachua, Baker, Bay,
Bradford, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Franklin, Gadsden,
Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson,
Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Putnam,
Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Walton, and Washington;
``(K) the Georgia counties of Appling, Atkinson,
Bacon, Baker, Baldwin, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bleckley,
Brantley, Brooks, Bulloch, Burke, Calhoun, Candler,
Charlton, Clarke, Clay, Clinch, Coffee, Colquit, Cook,
Crawford, Crisp, Decatur, Dodge, Dooly, Dougherty,
Early, Echols, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Glynn, Grady,
Greene, Hancock, Irwin, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jefferson,
Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Lincoln,
Long, Lowndes, Macon, Marion, McDuffie, McIntosh,
Meriwether, Miller, Mitchell, Montgomery, Oglethorpe,
Peach, Pierce, Pulaski, Putnam, Quitman, Randolph,
Schley, Screven, Seminole, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot,
Taliaferro, Tattnall, Taylor, Telfair, Terrell, Thomas,
Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Troup, Turner, Twiggs, Ware,
Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wheeler, Wilcox,
Wilkes, Wilkinson, and Worth;
``(L) the North Carolina counties of Anson,
Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Caswell, Chowan, Columbus,
Craven, Duplin, Edgecombe, Gates, Greene, Halifax,
Harnett, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Jones, Lenoir, Martin,
Montgomery, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Pamilco,
Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Pitt, Richmond,
Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, Tyrrell, Vance, Warren,
Washington, Wayne, and Wilson;
``(M) the South Carolina counties of Abbeville,
Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Chester,
Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon,
Edgefield, Fairfield, Florence, Georgetown, Greenwood,
Hampton, Jasper, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, McCormick,
Newberry, Orangeburg, Saluda, Sumter, Union, and
Williamsburg;
``(N) the Texas counties of Anderson, Angelina,
Bowie, Brazos, Burleson, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Delta,
Falls, Fannin, Franklin, Freestone, Gregg, Grimes,
Harrison, Hill, Hopkins, Houston, Jasper, Lamar, Leon,
Limestone, McLennan, Madison, Marion, Milam, Morris,
Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Orange, Panola, Polk,
Rains, Red River, Robertson, Rusk, Sabine, San
Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Trinity,
Tyler, Upshur, Van Zandt, Walker, and Wood; and
``(O) the Virginia counties of Brunswick,
Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Danville, Emporia,
Greensville, Halifax, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway,
Prince Edward, Southampton, and Sussex;''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development, and Foreign Agriculture.
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