I 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 281

To require a study and report regarding the construction and designation 

of a new Interstate from Augusta, Georgia to Natchez, Mississippi. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 6, 2005

Mr. NORWOOD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL

To require a study and report regarding the construction 

and designation of a new Interstate from Augusta, Georgia to Natchez, Mississippi.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘14th/14 Amendment 

5 Interstate Highway Initiation Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDING. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) The 11-State region in the Southeast that 

9 has been known historically as the Southern Black 

10 Belt is in need of the same regional economic devel-
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1 opment plans in 2005 as those modeled by the Ap2 palachian Regional Commission in 1965. 

3 (2) The Southern Black Belt has an African4 American population that is double the national av5 erage, due to historic population concentrations dat6 ing to the pre-emancipation period. It was largely 

7 with the protection and economic advancement of 

8 the residents of this region in mind that Congress 

9 passed and the states ratified the 14th Amendment 

10 to the U.S. Constitution in 1868, guaranteeing equal 

11 rights to all persons in the United States, including 

12 those formerly held in involuntary servitude. 

13 (3) This region and its residents, particularly 

14 the descendents of freed slaves, suffer from high un15 employment, low incomes, low education levels, poor 

16 health, and high infant mortality. Congress recog17 nizes the studies, findings, and recommendations on 

18 these problems of the Southern Black Belt by the 

19 University of Georgia, Tuskegee Institute, North 

20 Carolina State University, and the University of 

21 Kentucky. 

22 (4) Disparity in transportation infrastructure 

23 investment has been a key contributing factor to the 

24 persistent poverty and social ills of this region. The 

25 lack of adequate east-west Interstate highway access 
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1 has provided a significant impediment to travel 

2 throughout the region, served as a severe obstacle to 

3 the attraction of industry and jobs, and has been a 

4 detriment to public health and transportation safety. 

5 (5) Congress hereby resolves that a new Inter6 state Highway designated ‘‘United States Interstate 

7 Route 14’’ should be built through the heart of the 

8 Southern Black Belt, linking Augusta, Georgia to 

9 Natchez, Mississippi, following a route generally de10 fined through Macon and Columbus, Georgia; Mont11 gomery, Alabama; and Laurel and Natchez, Mis12 sissippi. 

13 (6) In light of the promise of economic parity 

14 made by the nation to this region in the 14th 

15 Amendment, this new interstate highway should be 

16 named the ‘‘14th Amendment Highway’’. 

17 SEC. 3. STUDY AND REPORT. 

18 Not later than December 31, 2005, the Secretary of 

19 Transportation shall study and report to the appropriate 

20 committees of Congress regarding the steps and estimated 

21 funding necessary to designate and construct a new inter22 state route (Interstate Route I–14) for the 14th Amend23 ment Highway, from Augusta, Georgia to Natchez, Mis-
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1 sissippi (formerly designated the Fall Line Freeway within 

2 the State of Georgia).

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