I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5098 

To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to 

authorize the Secretary of Commerce to make predevelopment grants, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 1, 2023 

Mr. CARTER of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana) 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 amend the Public Works and Economic Development 

Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Commerce 

to make predevelopment grants, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Economic Empower5 ment Through Predevelopment Act of 2023’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PREDEVELOPMENT GRANTS. 

7 (a) PREDEVELOPMENT GRANTS.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Title II of the Public Works 

2 and Economic Development Act of 1965 is amended 

3 by inserting after section 207 (42 U.S.C. 3147) the 

4 following: 

5 ‘‘SEC. 208. PREDEVELOPMENT GRANTS. 

6 ‘‘(a) PREDEVELOPMENT GRANTS.—On the applica7 tion of an eligible recipient, the Secretary may make 

8 grants or cooperative agreements for— 

9 ‘‘(1) community asset mapping; 

10 ‘‘(2) training; 

11 ‘‘(3) technical assistance and organizational de12 velopment; 

13 ‘‘(4) feasibility, environmental, and market 

14 studies; 

15 ‘‘(5) demonstration projects; 

16 ‘‘(6) organizational capacity building; 

17 ‘‘(7) organizing and facilitating convenings; 

18 ‘‘(8) permitting, including professional services; 

19 and 

20 ‘‘(9) other predevelopment activities determined 

21 by the Secretary to be appropriate. 

22 ‘‘(b) APPLICATION ASSISTANCE.—In the case of a 

23 project under this section that provides assistance to 1 or 

24 more eligible recipients with low organizational capacity, 


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1 as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary may waive 

2 the prohibition under section 213.’’. 

3 (2) COST SHARING.—Section 204(c)(3) of the 

4 Public Works and Economic Development Act of 

5 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3144(c)(3)) is amended— 

6 (A) in the paragraph heading, by inserting 

7 ‘‘AND PREDEVELOPMENT GRANTS’’ after ‘‘AND

8 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE’’; and 

9 (B) by striking ‘‘section 207’’ and insert10 ing ‘‘section 207 or 208’’. 

11 (3) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con12 tents contained in section 1(b) of the Public Works 

13 and Economic Development Act of 1965 (79 Stat. 

14 552; 112 Stat. 3597; 118 Stat. 1761) is amended by 

15 inserting after the item relating to section 207 the 

16 following: 

‘‘Sec. 208. Predevelopment grants.’’. 

17 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 

18 (1) DIRECT EXPENDITURE OR REDISTRIBUTION

19 BY RECIPIENT.—Section 217(a) of the Public Works 

20 and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 

21 3154c(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘or 207’’ and in22 serting ‘‘207, or 208’’. 

23 (2) POWERS OF SECRETARY.—Section 

24 601(a)(12) of the Public Works and Economic De25 velopment Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3211(a)(12)) is 


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1 amended by striking ‘‘section 207’’ and inserting 

2 ‘‘sections 207 and 208’’. 

Æ 


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