(b) EVALUATION BY STATE MEMBER.—An applica-
tion for a grant or any other assistance for a project under
this Act shall be made through and evaluated for approval
by the State member of the Authority representing the
applicant.
(c) CERTIFICATION.—An application for a grant or
other assistance for a project shall be approved only on
certification by the State member that the application for
the project—
(1) describes ways in which the project complies
with any applicable State development plan;
(2) meets applicable criteria under section 9;
(3) provides adequate assurance that the pro-
posed project will be properly administered, oper-
ated, and maintained; and
(4) otherwise meets the requirements of this
Act.
(d) VOTES FOR DECISIONS.—On certification by a
State member of the Authority of an application for a
grant or other assistance for a specific project under this
section, an affirmative vote of the Authority under section
3(c) shall be required for approval of the application.
SEC. 11. CONSENT OF STATES.
Nothing in this Act requires any State to engage in
or accept any program under this Act without the consent
of the State.
SEC. 12. RECORDS.
(a) RECORDS OF THE AUTHORITY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Authority shall main-
tain accurate and complete records of all trans-
actions and activities of the Authority.
(2) AVAILABILITY.—All records of the Author-
ity shall be available for audit and examination by
the Comptroller General of the United States and
the Inspector General of the Department of Agri-
culture (including authorized representatives of the
Comptroller General and the Inspector General of
the Department of Agriculture).
(b) RECORDS OF RECIPIENTS OF FEDERAL ASSIST-
ANCE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A recipient of Federal funds
under this Act shall, as required by the Authority,
maintain accurate and complete records of trans-
actions and activities financed with Federal funds
and report on the transactions and activities to the
Authority.
(2) AVAILABILITY.—All records required under
paragraph (1) shall be available for audit by the
Comptroller General of the United States, and the
Authority (including authorized representatives of
the Comptroller General, and the Authority).
(c) ANNUAL AUDIT.—The Authority shall secure an
independent auditor to audit the activities, transactions,
and records of the Authority on an annual basis.
SEC. 13. ANNUAL REPORT.
Not later than 180 days after the end of each fiscal
year, the Authority shall submit to the President and to
Congress a report describing the activities carried out
under this Act.
SEC. 14. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to the Authority to carry out this Act $40,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2007, to remain
available until expended.
(b) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Not more than 5
percent of the amount appropriated under subsection (a)
for a fiscal year shall be used for administrative expenses
of the Authority.
SEC. 15. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.
This Act shall have no force or effect on or after Oc-
tober 1, 2007.
SEC. 16. AREA COVERED BY SOUTHEAST CRESCENT AU-
THORITY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The SouthEast Crescent Author-
ity shall include all parts of the States of Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,
and Florida not already served by the Appalachian Re-
gional Commission or the Delta Regional Authority.
(b) ADDITIONAL
AREAS
ELIGIBLE
FOR
INCLU-
SION.—Upon adoption by the government of any of the
following counties in Alabama of a formal resolution indi-
cating the decision of the county to be included in the
SouthEast Crescent Authority, the county shall be so in-
cluded: Barbour, Bullock, Choctaw, Clarke, Dallas,
Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Perry, Pickens,
Russell, Sumter, Washington, Wilcox.
Æ