I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2501
To reauthorize the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 16, 2001
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska (for himself, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. LATOURETTE, and
Mr. COSTELLO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To reauthorize the Appalachian Regional Development Act
of 1965.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; AMENDMENTS TO APPALACHIAN
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1965.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Appalachian Regional Development Reauthorization Act
of 2001’’.
(b) AMENDMENTS TO APPALACHIAN REGIONAL DE-
VELOPMENT ACT OF 1965.—Except as otherwise specifi-
cally provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or re-
peal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal
of, a section or other provision of law, the reference shall
be considered to be made to a section or other provision
of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 (40
U.S.C. App.).
SEC. 2. COORDINATION OF APPALACHIAN REGIONAL DE-
VELOPMENT PROGRAMS.
Section 104 (40 U.S.C. App.) is amended—
(1) by striking the section heading and all that
follows through ‘‘The President’’ and inserting the
following:
‘‘SEC. 104. COORDINATION OF APPALACHIAN REGIONAL DE-
VELOPMENT PROGRAMS.
‘‘(a) LIAISON BETWEEN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
AND COMMISSION.—The President’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(b) INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out subsection
(a), the President shall establish an interagency
council to be known as the ‘Interagency Coordi-
nating Council on Appalachia’.
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Council shall be com-
posed of—
‘‘(A) the Federal Cochairman, who shall
serve as Chairperson of the Council; and
‘‘(B) representatives of Federal agencies
that carry out economic development programs
in the Appalachian region.’’.
SEC. 3. TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY.
The Act (40 U.S.C. App.) is amended by inserting
after section 202 the following:
‘‘SEC. 203. TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to ensure that the peo-
ple and businesses of the Appalachian region have the
knowledge, skills, and access to telecommunications serv-
ices to compete in the technology-based economy, the
Commission may provide technical assistance and make
grants, enter into contracts, and otherwise provide funds
for the following purposes:
‘‘(1) To increase affordable access to advanced
telecommunications in the region.
‘‘(2) To provide education and training for peo-
ple, businesses, and governments in the region in the
use of telecommunications technology.
‘‘(3) To develop relevant technology readiness
programs for industry groups and businesses in the
region.
‘‘(4) To support entrepreneurial opportunities
in information technology in the region.
‘‘(b) SOURCES OF FUNDING.—Assistance provided
under this section may be provided entirely from appro-
priations made available to carry out this section or in
combination with funds available under a Federal grant-
in-aid program (as defined in section 214(c)), under an-
other Federal program, or from any other source.
‘‘(c) FEDERAL SHARE LIMITATIONS SPECIFIED IN
OTHER LAWS.—Notwithstanding any provision of law lim-
iting the Federal share in a Federal grant-in-aid program
or other Federal program, funds appropriated to carry out
this section may be used to increase such Federal share,
as the Commission determines appropriate.
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
is authorized to be appropriated to the Commission to
carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2002
and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2003
through 2006. Such sums shall remain available until ex-
pended.’’.
SEC. 4. PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA.
(a) ELIMINATION OF GROWTH CENTER CRITERIA.—
Section 224(a)(1) (40 U.S.C. App.) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘in an area determined by the State have a significant
potential for growth or’’.
(b) DISTRESSED COUNTIES
AND AREAS.—Section
224 (40 U.S.C. App.) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
‘‘(d) ASSISTANCE TO DISTRESSED COUNTIES AND
AREAS.—For each fiscal year, at least one-half of the
amount of grant expenditures approved by the Commis-
sion under this Act shall support activities or projects that
benefit counties for which distressed county designations
are in effect under section 226.’’.
SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES OF
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS.
Section 302(a)(1)(A) (40 U.S.C. App.) is amended
by inserting ‘‘(or 75 percent for a development district
that includes 1 or more counties for which a distressed
county designation is in effect under section 226)’’ after
‘‘50 percent’’.
SEC. 6. ADDITION OF COUNTIES TO APPALACHIAN REGION.
Section 403 is amended—
(1) in the third undesignated paragraph, relat-
ing to Kentucky—
(A) by inserting ‘‘Edmonson,’’ after ‘‘Cum-
berland,’’;
(B) by inserting ‘‘Hart,’’ after ‘‘Harlan,’’;
and