I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 826 

To establish a grant program to support cluster-based economic development 

efforts. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 3, 2009 

Mr. MCHUGH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on 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 establish a grant program to support cluster-based 

economic development efforts. 

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 ‘‘Cluster-Based Econ5 omy Enhancement Act of 2009’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR CLUSTER-BASED ECONOMIC DEVEL2 OPMENT. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title II of the Public Works and 

4 Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141 et 

5 seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘SEC. 219. GRANTS FOR CLUSTER-BASED ECONOMIC DE7 VELOPMENT. 

8 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following 

9 definitions apply: 

10 ‘‘(1) CLUSTER.—The term ‘cluster’ means a ge11 ographic concentration of business entities that— 

12 ‘‘(A) are in competing, complementary, or 

13 interdependent firms and industries; 

14 ‘‘(B) do business with one another; and 

15 ‘‘(C) have common needs for talent, tech16 nology, and infrastructure. 

17 ‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE APPLICANT.—The term ‘eligible 

18 applicant’ means— 

19 ‘‘(A) a State or local government; 

20 ‘‘(B) an institution of higher education; or 

21 ‘‘(C) a nonprofit economic development or22 ganization. 

23 ‘‘(3) REGION.—The term ‘region’ means an 

24 area that on the date of submission of an application 

25 for a grant under this section, meets 1 or more of 

26 the criteria described in section 301(a), and— 


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1 ‘‘(A) is determined by the Secretary to 

2 qualify for a grant under this section; or 

3 ‘‘(B) has been designated by the Consoli4 dated Farm and Rural Development Act and 

5 the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 

6 2008, as an area in which a regional develop7 ment commission has been established, includ8 ing: 

9 ‘‘(i) THE DELTA REGION.—The term 

10 ‘Delta Region’ means the region defined in 

11 section 382A(2) of the Consolidated Farm 

12 and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 

13 2009aa(2)). 

14 ‘‘(ii) THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS

15 REGION.—The term ‘Northern Great 

16 Plains Region’ means the region defined in 

17 section 383A(4) of the Consolidated Farm 

18 and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 

19 2009bb(4)). 

20 ‘‘(iii) THE SOUTHEAST CRESCENT RE21 GION.—The term ‘Southeast Crescent Re22 gion’ means the region defined in section 

23 15731 of title 40, United States Code (as 

24 amended by the Food, Conservation, and 


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1 Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110– 

2 234)). 

3 ‘‘(iv) THE SOUTHWEST BORDER RE4 GION.—The term ‘Southwest Border Re5 gion’ means the region defined in section 

6 15732 of title 40, United States Code (as 

7 amended by the Food, Conservation, and 

8 Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110– 

9 234)). 

10 ‘‘(v) THE NORTHERN BORDER RE11 GION.—The term ‘Northern Border Re12 gion’ means the region defined in section 

13 15733 of title 40, United States Code (as 

14 amended by the Food, Conservation, and 

15 Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110– 

16 234)). 

17 ‘‘(b) GRANTS.—On the application of an eligible ap18 plicant, the Secretary may make a grant— 

19 ‘‘(1) to assess the potential for the development 

20 of clusters and the enhancement of existing clusters; 

21 ‘‘(2) to establish cluster development programs 

22 in a region; and 

23 ‘‘(3) to promote cluster development programs 

24 in a region and support the staff who operate such 

25 programs. 


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1 ‘‘(c) COST SHARING.— 

2 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal share of the 

3 cost of a project carried out using funds made avail4 able under this section shall be 50 percent. 

5 ‘‘(2) IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS.—Not more than 

6 50 percent of the non-Federal share of the cost of 

7 a project carried out using funds made available 

8 under this section may be provided through in-kind 

9 contributions. 

10 ‘‘(3) INAPPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN SECTION.— 

11 Section 204 shall not apply to this section. 

12 ‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

13 is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

14 $50,000,000, to remain available until expended.’’. 

15 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of con16 tents contained in section 1(b) of the Public Works and 

17 Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 

18 note) is amended by inserting after the item relating to 

19 section 218 the following: 

‘‘Sec. 219. Grants for cluster-based economic development.’’. 

Æ 


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