I 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4925 

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 

JULY 22, 2004 

Mr. BURNS (for himself, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. BISHOP

of Georgia, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. BONNER, Mr. 

PICKERING, Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. KINGSTON, and Ms. MAJETTE) 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: 
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1 (1) The 11-State region in the Southeast that 

2 has been known historically as the Southern Black 

3 Belt is in need of the same regional economic devel4 opment plans in 2004 as those modeled by the Ap5 palachian Regional Commission in 1965. 

6 (2) The Southern Black Belt has an African7 American population that is double the national av8 erage, due to historic population concentrations dat9 ing to the pre-emancipation period. It was largely 

10 with the protection and economic advancement of 

11 the residents of this region in mind that Congress 

12 passed and the states ratified the 14th Amendment 

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

14 rights to all persons in the United States, including 

15 those formerly held in involuntary servitude. 

16 (3) This region and its residents, particularly 

17 the descendents of freed slaves, suffer from high un18 employment, low incomes, low education levels, poor 

19 health, and high infant mortality. Congress recog20 nizes the studies, findings, and recommendations on 

21 these problems of the Southern Black Belt by the 

22 University of Georgia, Tuskegee Institute, North 

23 Carolina State University, and the University of 

24 Kentucky. 
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1 (4) Disparity in transportation infrastructure 

2 investment has been a key contributing factor to the 

3 persistent poverty and social ills of this region. The 

4 lack of adequate east-west Interstate highway access 

5 has provided a significant impediment to travel 

6 throughout the region, served as a severe obstacle to 

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

8 detriment to public health and transportation safety. 

9 (5) Congress hereby resolves that a new Inter10 state Highway designated ‘‘United States Interstate 

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

12 Southern Black Belt, linking Augusta, Georgia to 

13 Natchez, Mississippi, following a route generally de14 fined through Macon and Columbus, Georgia; Mont15 gomery, Alabama; and Laurel and Natchez, Mis16 sissippi. 

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

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

19 Amendment, this new interstate highway should be 

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

21 SEC. 3. STUDY AND REPORT. 

22 Not later than December 31, 2004, the Secretary of 

23 Transportation shall study and report to the appropriate 

24 committees of Congress regarding the steps and estimated 

25 funding necessary to designate and construct a new inter-
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1 state route (Interstate Route I–14) for the 14th Amend2 ment Highway, from Augusta, Georgia to Natchez, Mis3 sissippi (formerly designated the Fall Line Freeway within 

4 the State of Georgia). 

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