SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Economic Development Administration Reauthorization
Act of 2003’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Amendments to Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965.
TITLE I—GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 101. Findings and declarations.
Sec. 102. Definitions.
Sec. 103. Establishment of economic development partnerships.
Sec. 104. Coordination.
TITLE II—GRANTS FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
Sec. 201. Grants for planning.
Sec. 202. Cost sharing.
Sec. 203. Supplementary grants.
Sec. 204. Regulations on relative needs and allocations.
Sec. 205. Grants for training, research, and technical assistance.
Sec. 206. Prevention of unfair competition.
Sec. 207. Grants for economic adjustment.
Sec. 208. Use of funds in projects constructed under projected cost.
Sec. 209. Special impact areas.
Sec. 210. Performance awards.
Sec. 211. Planning performance awards.
Sec. 212. Subgrants.
Sec. 213. Brownfields redevelopment.
Sec. 214. Brightfields demonstration program.
TITLE III—COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
STRATEGIES
Sec. 301. Comprehensive economic development strategies.
TITLE IV—ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS
Sec. 401. Incentives.
Sec. 402. Provision of comprehensive economic development strategies to re-
gional commissions.
TITLE V—ADMINISTRATION
Sec. 501. Economic development information clearinghouse.
Sec. 502. Businesses desiring Federal contracts.
Sec. 503. Performance evaluations of grant recipients.
Sec. 504. Conforming amendments.
TITLE VI—MISCELLANEOUS
Sec. 601. Relationship to assistance under other law.
Sec. 602. Sense of Congress regarding economic development representatives.
TITLE VII—FUNDING
Sec. 701. Authorization of appropriations.
TITLE VIII—APPALACHIAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Sec. 801. Additions to appalachian region.
Sec. 802. Authorization of appropriations.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1965.
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in
this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms
of an amendment to, or a repeal of, a section or other
provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to
a section or other provision of the Public Works and Eco-
nomic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.).
TITLE I—GENERAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 101. FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS.
Section 2 (42 U.S.C. 3121) is amended to read as
follows:
‘‘SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS.
‘‘(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
‘‘(1) There continue to be areas experiencing
chronic high unemployment, underemployment, out-
migration, and low per capita incomes, as well as
areas facing sudden and severe economic dislocations
due to structural economic changes, changing trade
patterns, certain Federal actions (including environ-
mental requirements that result in the removal of
economic activities from a locality), and natural dis-
asters.
‘‘(2) Economic growth in our Nation, States,
cities, and rural areas is produced by expanding eco-
nomic opportunities, expanding free enterprise
through trade, developing and strengthening public
infrastructure, and creating a climate for job cre-
ation and business development.
‘‘(3) The goal of Federal economic development
programs is to raise the standard of living for all
citizens and increase the wealth and overall rate of
growth of the economy by encouraging communities
to develop a more competitive and diversified eco-
nomic base by—
‘‘(A) creating an environment that pro-
motes economic activity by improving and ex-
panding public infrastructure;
‘‘(B) promoting job creation through in-
creased innovation, productivity, and entrepre-
neurship; and
‘‘(C) empowering local and regional com-
munities experiencing chronic high unemploy-
ment and low per capita income to develop pri-
vate sector business and attract increased pri-
vate sector capital investment.
‘‘(4) While economic development is an inher-
ently local process, the Federal Government should
work in partnership with public and private local, re-
gional, tribal, and State organizations to maximize
the impact of existing resources and enable regions,
communities, and citizens to participate more fully
in the American dream and national prosperity.
‘‘(5) In order to avoid duplication of effort and
achieve meaningful, long-lasting results, Federal,
State, tribal, and local economic development activi-
ties should have a clear focus, improved coordina-
tion, a comprehensive approach, and simplified and
consistent requirements.
‘‘(6) Federal economic development efforts will
be more effective if they are coordinated with, and
build upon, the trade, workforce investment, trans-
portation, and technology programs of the United
States.
‘‘(b) DECLARATIONS.—In order to promote a strong
and growing economy throughout the United States, Con-
gress declares the following:
‘‘(1) Assistance under this Act should be made
available to both rural- and urban-distressed com-
munities.
‘‘(2) Local communities should work in partner-
ship with neighboring communities, the States, In-
dian tribes, and the Federal Government to increase
their capacity to develop and implement comprehen-
sive economic development strategies to alleviate eco-
nomic distress and enhance competitiveness in the
global economy.
‘‘(3) Whether suffering from long-term distress
or a sudden dislocation, distressed communities
should be encouraged to support entrepreneurship to
take advantage of the development opportunities af-
forded by technological innovation and expanding
newly opened global markets.’’.
SEC. 102. DEFINITIONS.
(a) ELIGIBLE
RECIPIENT.—Section 3(4)(A) (42
U.S.C. 3122(4)(A)) is amended—
(1) by striking clause (i) and redesignating
clauses (ii) through (vii) as clauses (i) through (vi),
respectively; and
(2) in clause (iv) (as so redesignated) by insert-
ing ‘‘, including a special purpose unit of a State or
local government engaged in economic or infrastruc-
ture development activities,’’ after ‘‘State’’.
(b) REGIONAL COMMISSIONS.—Section 3 (42 U.S.C.
3122) is amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (8), (9), and
(10) as paragraphs (9), (10), and (11), respectively;
and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (7) the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(8) REGIONAL COMMISSIONS.—The term ‘Re-
gional Commissions’ means the following entities:
‘‘(A) The Appalachian Regional Commis-
sion established under chapter 143 of title 40,
United States Code.
‘‘(B) The Delta Regional Authority estab-
lished under subtitle F of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.
2009aa et seq.).
‘‘(C) The Denali Commission established
under the Denali Commission Act of 1998 (42
U.S.C. 2131 note; 112 Stat. 2681–637 et seq.).
‘‘(D) The Northern Great Plains Regional
Authority established under subtitle F of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act
(7 U.S.C. 2009bb et seq.).’’.