II
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 95
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
NOVEMBER 13, 1997
Received
JOINT RESOLUTION
Granting the consent of Congress to the Chickasaw Trail
Economic Development Compact.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, The
Congress consents to the Chickasaw Trail Economic De-
velopment Compact entered into by the State of Tennessee
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and the State of Mississippi. The compact is substantially
as follows:
CHICKASAW TRAIL ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMPACT
Article I. The purpose of this compact is to pro-
mote the development of an undeveloped rural area of
Marshall County, Mississippi, and Fayette County, Ten-
nessee (hereinafter referred to as ‘‘Chickasaw Trail Eco-
nomic Development Area’’), and to create a development
authority which incorporates public and private partner-
ships to facilitate the economic growth of such areas by
providing developed sites for the location and construction
of manufacturing plants, distribution facilities, research
facilities, regional and national offices with supportive
services, and facilities, and to establish a joint interstate
authority to assist in these efforts.
Article II. This compact shall become effective im-
mediately whenever the states of Tennessee and Mis-
sissippi have ratified it and Congress has given consent
thereto.
Article III. The states which are parties to this
compact (hereinafter referred to as ‘‘party states’’) do
hereby establish and create a joint agency which shall be
known as the Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Au-
thority (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Authority’’). The
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membership of the Authority shall consist of an appointee
of the Governor of each party state, each state’s chief eco-
nomic development official or his/her representative, ap-
pointee of each of the member counties board of super-
visors/county legislative body, selected from nominees from
the county’s industrial development board, and an ap-
pointee of the property owners’ group. The appointive
members of the authority shall serve for terms of four (4)
years. Vacancies on the Authority shall be filled by ap-
pointment by the Governor or the appropriate appointing
authority for the unexpired part of the term. The members
of the Authority shall serve without compensation or reim-
bursement of expenses. The members of the Authority
shall hold regular quarterly meetings and such special
meetings as its business may require. They shall choose
annually a chairman and vice-chairman from among their
members, and the chairmanship shall rotate each year be-
tween the party states. The secretary of the Authority
(hereinafter provided for) shall notify each member in
writing of all meetings of the Authority in such a manner
and under such rules and regulations as the Authority
may prescribe. The Authority shall adopt rules and regula-
tions for the transaction of its business; and the secretary
shall keep a record of all its business, and shall furnish
a copy thereof to each member of the Authority. It shall
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be the duty of the Authority in general, to promote, en-
courage and coordinate the efforts of the party states to
secure the development of the Chickasaw Trail Economic
Development Authority. Toward this end, the authority
shall have power to hold hearings; to conduct studies and
surveys of all problems, benefits and other matters associ-
ated with the development of the Chickasaw Trail Eco-
nomic Development Area and to make reports thereon; to
acquire, by gift or otherwise, and hold and dispose of such
money and property as may be provided for the proper
performance of their functions; to cooperate with other
public or private groups, whether local, state, regional or
national, having an interest in economic development; to
formulate and execute plans and policies for emphasizing
the purpose of this compact before the Congress of the
United States and other appropriate officers and agencies
of the United States and the respective states; and the
exercise of such other powers as may be appropriate to
enable it to accomplish its functions and duties in connec-
tion with the development of the Chickasaw Trail Eco-
nomic Development Area and to carry out the purposes
of this compact.
Article IV. The Authority shall appoint a secretary,
who shall be a person familiar with the nature, procedures
and significance of economic development and the infor-
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mational, educational and publicity methods of stimulating
general interest in such developments, and who shall be
the compact administrator. His/her term of office shall be
at the pleasure of the Authority. He/she shall maintain
custody of the Authority’s books, records and papers,
which he/she shall keep at the office of the Authority, and
he/she shall perform all functions and duties, and exercise
all powers and authorities, that may be delegated to him/
her by the Authority.
Article V. Nothing in this compact shall be con-
strued to conflict with any existing statute, or to limit the
powers of any party or state or to repeal or prevent legisla-
tion, or to authorize or permit curtailment or diminution
of any other economic development project, or to affect
existing or future cooperative arrangements or relation-
ships between any federal agency and a party state.
Article VI. This compact shall continue in force
and remain binding upon each party state until the Legis-
lature or Governor of each or either state takes action to
withdraw therefrom; provided that such withdrawal shall
not become effective until six (6) months after the date
of the action taken. Notice of such action shall be given
by the Secretary of State of the party state which takes
such action.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, Kirk Fordice, have
subscribed my signature and caused the Great Seal of the
State of Mississippi to be affixed this 9th day of May,
1997.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, Don Sundquist,
have subscribed my signature and caused the Great Seal
of the State of Tennessee to be affixed this 9th day of
April, 1997.
SEC. 2. INCONSISTENCY OF LANGUAGE.
The validity of the compact consented to by this Act
shall not be affected by any insubstantial difference in its
form or language as adopted by the States.
SEC. 3. RIGHT TO ALTER, AMEND, OR REPEAL.
The right to alter, amend, or repeal this joint resolu-
tion is hereby expressly reserved.
Passed the House of Representatives November 12,
1997.
Attest:
ROBIN H. CARLE,
Clerk.