Depressed Smaller Cities Improvement Act of 1993

Summary: Depressed Smaller Cities Improvement Act of 1993 - Establishes the Interagency Task Force on Depressed Smaller Cities to study problems affecting depressed smaller cities and to determine the proper scope and extent of Federal assistance and programs to reduce the problems affecting such cities. 
Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Depressed Smaller Cities Improvement 
Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON DEPRESSED SMALLER CITIES.

    (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established an interagency task 
force to be known as the Interagency Task Force on Depressed Smaller 
Cities (in this Act referred to as the ``Task Force'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Task Force shall be composed of 9 
        members as follows:
                    (A) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, 
                or the Secretary's delegate.
                    (B) The Secretary of Health and Human Services, or 
                the Secretary's delegate.
                    (C) The Attorney General of the United States, or 
                the Attorney General's delegate.
                    (D) The Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary's 
                delegate.
                    (E) 5 members appointed by the Speaker of the House 
                of Representatives, not later than the expiration of 
                the 6-month period beginning on the date of the 
                enactment of this Act, who shall be public officials of 
                depressed smaller cities.
            (2) Geographical diversity.--No 2 members appointed under 
        paragraph (1)(E) may be residents of the same State.
    (c) Terms.--Members of the Task Force shall be appointed for the 
life of the Task Force. Any vacancy in the Task Force shall be filled 
in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (d) Chairperson.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
shall be the chairperson of the Task Force.
    (e) Prohibition of Compensation.--Members of the Task Force shall 
not receive pay or other compensation on account of their service on 
the Task Force.
    (f) Travel Expenses.--Each member of the Task Force shall receive 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF TASK FORCE.

    (a) Study.--The Task Force shall carry out a study of the problems 
affecting depressed smaller cities, including problems involving crime, 
the environment, housing, labor and unemployment, education, health, 
and poverty. The study shall examine and analyze Federal, State, and 
local programs to alleviate such problems, the coordination or lack of 
coordination among such programs, and the effectiveness and efficiency 
of such programs, and shall determine the proper scope and extent of 
Federal assistance and programs to reduce the problems affecting such 
cities. In conducting the study, the Task Force shall consult with 
officials of local governments to obtain and provide advice regarding 
measures that may be implemented before the completion of the study to 
alleviate such problems and to coordinate the ongoing efforts of the 
local governments with the various Federal agencies.
    (b) Reports.--
            (1) Annual reports.--
                    (A) In general.--The Task Force shall submit a 
                report to the Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban 
                Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
                Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the 
                Senate, not less than annually until the termination of 
                the Task Force under section 5.
                    (B) Contents.--Each report shall describe the 
                activities of the Task Force during the previous year 
                in conducting the study under subsection (a) and the 
                findings and determinations of the Task Force resulting 
                from the study. Each report shall also--
                            (i) identify the most pervasive problems 
                        affecting depressed smaller cities and the 
                        extent of such problems;
                            (ii) describe any efforts to alleviate such 
                        problems that the Task Force considers to have 
                        been effective and efficient;
                            (iii) identify the immediate and long-term 
                        needs of such cities in alleviating such 
                        problems;
                            (iv) identify any existing Federal programs 
                        that may be useful to such cities in 
                        alleviating such problems;
                            (v) include an agenda of actions to be 
                        taken to alleviate such problems, which 
                        describes the priorities of such actions; and
                            (vi) include recommendations of the Task 
                        Force for actions and legislation by the 
                        Federal Government to assist State and local 
                        governments to alleviate the problems affecting 
                        depressed smaller cities.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than the termination of the 
        Task Force under section 5, the Task Force shall submit to the 
        Committees referred to in paragraph (1)(A) a final report 
        describing the study conducted by the Task Force, the 
        activities of the Task Force, and the findings, conclusions, 
        and recommendations of the Task Force upon the completion of 
        the study.
    (c) Meetings.--To carry out the study under subsection (a) and 
prepare the reports under subsection (b), the Task Force shall meet not 
less than quarterly in each year.

SEC. 4. IDENTIFICATION OF DEPRESSED SMALLER CITIES.

    For purposes of this Act, the term ``depressed smaller city'' means 
any unit of general local government that, as determined by the Task 
Force for the most recent 12-month period for which statistics are 
available, is classified as a municipality by the United States Bureau 
of the Census, has a population of less than 50,000 and more than 
5,000, and meets any 3 of the following 5 criteria:
            (1) Unemployment.--The total rate of unemployment for the 
        unit of general local government (as determined by appropriate 
        available data) is 12 percent or more.
            (2) Crime rate.--For the unit of general local government, 
        the ratio of the aggregate number of violent crimes in the unit 
        (according to statistics compiled by the Federal Bureau of 
        Investigation) to the population of the unit, is 5 percent or 
        greater.
            (3) Lack of municipal health facilities.--The unit of 
        general local government does not own or operate any municipal 
        health facilities.
            (4) Income level.--The median annual household income for 
        households residing in the unit of general local government (as 
        determined by the Bureau of the Census of the Department of 
        Commerce) does not exceed $15,000.
            (5) Environmental problems.--The unit of general local 
        government has substantial environmental problems resulting 
        from industrial activities, as determined by the Task Force.

SEC. 5. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate upon the expiration of the 3-year 
period beginning on the date of the appointment of the entire 
membership of the Task Force under section 2(b).

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$750,000, which shall be available during fiscal years 1995, 1996, and 
1997.