I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1480 
To increase the expertise and capacity of community-based organizations 
involved in economic development activities and key community develop-
ment programs. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 27, 2003 
Mrs. JONES of Ohio (for herself, Mr. TIBERI, Ms. LEE, Mr. BLUMENAUER, 
Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. FATTAH, Ms. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. 
BASS, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. LAMPSON, 
Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. DAVIS of Alabama, Ms. 
KAPTUR, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. RUSH, and Mr. WYNN) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To increase the expertise and capacity of community-based 
organizations involved in economic development activities 
and key community development programs. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Community Economic 
Development Expertise Enhancement Act of 2003’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.—The Congress finds 
that— 
(1) there are a multitude of community eco-
nomic development programs that the Federal Gov-
ernment successfully administers that help many of 
the Nation’s most economically distressed areas revi-
talize their physical and economic structures and 
provide support to small and medium-sized busi-
nesses to help them grow and generate long-term 
jobs and economic opportunity; 
(2) there are many nonprofit, nongovernmental, 
community-based economic development organiza-
tions, including faith-based organizations, that have 
successfully operated community economic develop-
ment programs that create jobs, build homes, and 
revitalize local markets; 
(3) existing Federal community economic devel-
opment programs are intended to leverage private 
sector investment as part of an overall community 
development effort; 
(4) existing Federal community economic devel-
opment programs connect residents of distressed 
neighborhoods to jobs and opportunities of the re-
gional marketplace, thereby replacing economic dis-
tress with opportunity; 
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(5) existing Federal community economic devel-
opment programs provide financial assistance, in-
cluding tax credits and loan guarantees, involve pri-
vate investment institutions and universities, and 
provide technical expertise for small businesses; 
(6) existing Federal community economic devel-
opment programs build upon ongoing efforts to en-
courage economic growth in distressed communities, 
helping to create new affordable housing opportuni-
ties, allowing communities to address important pub-
lic safety, access to capital, infrastructure, and envi-
ronmental concerns, and providing social services in-
cluding affordable health care, transportation, child 
care, and youth development; 
(7) the continuing success of Federal commu-
nity economic development programs will depend in 
great measure upon the ability of community-based 
organizations and private sector institutions to form 
partnerships that connect residents of distressed 
neighborhoods to jobs and other opportunities; 
(8) the Federal Government administers various 
programs that employ the services and capabilities 
of community-based organizations to deliver a wide 
range of services to residents of distressed commu-
nities; 
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