I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7590 
To reauthorize and improve the programs authorized by the Public Works 
and Economic Development Act of 1965, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 26, 2022 
Ms. TITUS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee 
on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To reauthorize and improve the programs authorized by the 
Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, 
and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Economic Development 
Promotion and Resiliency Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PREDEVELOPMENT GRANTS. 
(a) PREDEVELOPMENT GRANTS.—Title II of the 
Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 
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U.S.C. 3141 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 
207 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 208. PREDEVELOPMENT GRANTS. 
‘‘(a) PREDEVELOPMENT GRANTS.—On the applica-
tion of an eligible recipient, the Secretary may make 
grants or cooperative agreements for— 
‘‘(1) community asset mapping; 
‘‘(2) training; 
‘‘(3) technical assistance and organizational de-
velopment; 
‘‘(4) feasibility, environmental, and market 
studies; 
‘‘(5) demonstration projects; 
‘‘(6) organizational capacity building; 
‘‘(7) organizing and facilitating convenings; 
‘‘(8) site preparation and infrastructure; 
‘‘(9) permitting, including professional services; 
and 
‘‘(10) other predevelopment activities deter-
mined by the Secretary to be appropriate. 
‘‘(b) APPLICATION ASSISTANCE.—In the case of a 
project carried out with a grant under this section that 
provides assistance to one or more eligible entities with 
low organizational capacity, the Secretary may waive sec-
tion 213.’’. 
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(b) GRANT RATE FOR PREDEVELOPMENT GRANTS.— 
Section 204(c)(3) of the Public Works and Economic De-
velopment Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3144) is amended— 
(1) in the paragraph heading, by striking ‘‘AND 
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE’’ and inserting ‘‘TECHNICAL 
ASSISTANCE, AND PREDEVELOPMENT’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘section 207’’ and inserting 
‘‘sections 207 or 208’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) DIRECT EXPENDITURE OR REDISTRIBUTION 
BY RECIPIENT.—Section 217(a) of the Public Works 
and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 
3154c(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘or 207’’ and in-
serting ‘‘207, or 208’’. 
(2) 
POWERS
OF
SECRETARY.—Section 
601(a)(12) of the Public Works and Economic De-
velopment Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3211(a)(12)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘section 207’’ and inserting 
‘‘sections 207 and 208’’. 
(d) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in section 1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Devel-
opment Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 note) is amended 
by inserting after the item related to section 207 the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘Sec. 208. Predevelopment grants.’’. 
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SEC. 3. CAPACITY BUILDING PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 218 of the Public Works 
and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 
3154d) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 218. STRONG COMMUNITIES ECONOMIC DEVELOP-
MENT CAPACITY BUILDING PILOT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish a program, to be known as the ‘Strong Communities 
Economic Development Capacity Building Pilot Program’, 
under which the Secretary shall provide grants, on a com-
petitive basis, to an eligible recipient to hire 1 or more 
qualified economic development professionals to assist the 
eligible recipient in implementing certain projects and pri-
orities. 
‘‘(b) APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this section, an eligible recipient shall 
submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(2) INCLUSIONS.—Each application under this 
subsection shall include— 
‘‘(A) a demonstration of need for economic 
development staffing, support, and technical as-
sistance; and 
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‘‘(B) an explanation of the means for 
which the eligible recipient would use the serv-
ices of each qualified economic development 
professional hired using a grant under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible recipient shall use 
a grant provided under this section to hire 1 or more 
qualified economic development professionals to assist the 
eligible recipient in— 
‘‘(1) implementing projects and priorities, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(A) a comprehensive economic develop-
ment strategy; 
‘‘(B) a locally-derived economic develop-
ment strategic plan other than a comprehensive 
economic development strategy; 
‘‘(C) projects carried out with grants 
awarded under this Act; 
‘‘(D) a predevelopment project; 
‘‘(E) a public-private partnership initiative; 
‘‘(F) business retention and expansion ef-
forts; 
‘‘(G) entrepreneur and small business de-
velopment activities; 
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‘‘(H) real estate development and reuse 
projects; 
‘‘(I) financial and credit analysis resources; 
‘‘(J) a workforce and economic develop-
ment program; and 
‘‘(K) other projects and priorities related 
to core economic development practices; 
‘‘(2) identifying and using other Federal and 
State economic development programs; 
‘‘(3) leveraging private and philanthropic in-
vestment; and 
‘‘(4) carrying out economic development activi-
ties in accordance with professional economic devel-
opment best practices. 
‘‘(d) REQUIREMENTS.—A grant provided under this 
section shall be— 
‘‘(1) in an amount equal to not more than 
$500,000; and 
‘‘(2) provided for a term of— 
‘‘(A) not less than 3 years; and 
‘‘(B) not more than 5 years. 
‘‘(e) LIMITATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2)— 
‘‘(A) a grant recipient may use a grant 
provided under this section to pay an amount 
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