(1) the lower Mississippi River Delta region,
though rich in natural and human resources, lags
behind the rest of the country in economic growth
and prosperity;
(2) this region suffers from a greater propor-
tion of measurable poverty and unemployment than
any other region of the country, resulting in a drain
on the national economy and diminishing the na-
tional wealth;
(3) the greatest hope for economic growth and
revitalization in the Delta region lies in the creation
of jobs, the expansion of existing businesses, and the
development of entrepreneurial local economies;
(4) the economic progress of the Delta region
requires an adequate physical infrastructure, a
skilled and trained workforce, enhanced local leader-
ship and civic capacity; and greater opportunities for
enterprise development and entrepreneurship;
(5) a concerted and coordinated effort among
Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as with
the private sector, nonprofit groups, and community-
based organizations is needed if the Delta region is
to share in the prosperity of the nation;
(6) economic development planning on a re-
gional or multicounty basis offers the best prospect
for achieving the maximum benefit from public and
private investments; and
(7) improving the economy of the Delta re-
quires a special emphasis on those parts of the Delta
region that are most economically distressed.
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are to—
(1) promote and encourage the economic devel-
opment of the Mississippi River Delta region so that
the communities and people in the Delta region have
the opportunity to participate more fully in the na-
tion’s prosperity and so that the region’s economy
will no longer lag behind the rest of the nation on
leading indicators of economic performance;
(2) establish a formal framework for joint Fed-
eral-State collaboration in meeting the region’s eco-
nomic development needs and for focusing national
attention on those needs;
(3) assist the region in obtaining the basic in-
frastructure, skills training, local leadership capac-
ity, and opportunities for enterprise development
that are essential for strong local economies;
(4) foster coordination among all levels of gov-
ernment, the private sector, community organiza-
tions, and nonprofit groups in crafting common re-
gional strategies that will lead to broader economic
growth;
(5) strengthen efforts that emphasize regional
approaches to economic development and planning;
(6) encourage the participation of interested
citizens, public officials, groups, agencies, and others
in developing and implementing local and regional
plans for broad-based economic and community de-
velopment; and
(7) focus special attention on those areas of the
Delta region that suffer from the greatest economic
distress.
(c) CONCENTRATION OF INVESTMENTS.—Public in-
vestments made in the Mississippi River Delta region
under this Act shall be concentrated in areas where there
is significant and concentrated economic distress and
where the expected impact on the region’s poorest commu-
nities will be the greatest. While economic development in
the region will require a wide range of investments, the
limited Federal funds available under this Act shall be fo-
cused on the following activities in order to best build the
foundations for long-term, self-sustaining economies and
complement other Federal and State resources in the re-
gion: basic infrastructure in distressed counties; job re-
lated infrastructure; job training or employment-related
education; leadership and civic development; and business
development, especially entrepreneurship.
TITLE I—THE DELTA REGIONAL
AUTHORITY
SEC. 101. MEMBERSHIP AND VOTING.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Delta
Regional Authority (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Au-
thority’’) which shall be composed of 1 Federal member
(in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Federal cochairman’’) ap-
pointed by the President by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate, and 1 member from each participating
State in the Delta region. The Federal cochairman shall
be 1 of the 2 Cochairmen of the Authority. Each State
member shall be the Governor of the State. The State
members of the Authority shall elect a cochairman of the
Authority from among the State members for a term of
not less than 1 year.
(b) VOTING RULES.—Except as provided in section
103(c), decisions by the Authority shall require the affirm-
ative vote of the Federal cochairman and of a majority
of the State members (exclusive of members representing
States delinquent under section 103(c)). No decision in-
volving Authority policy, or any modification or revision
thereof, approval of State or regional development plans,
or any allocation of funds among the States may be made
without a quorum of State members present. The approval
of project and grant proposals shall be a responsibility of
the Authority and exercised in accordance with section
223 of this Act.
(c) ALTERNATES.—Each State member may have a
single alternate, appointed by the Governor of the State
from among the members of the Governor’s cabinet or the
Governor’s personal staff. The President, by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint an alter-
nate Federal cochairman. An alternate shall vote in the
event of the absence, death, disability, removal, or resigna-
tion of the State or Federal representative for which he
or she is an alternate. A State alternate shall not be count-
ed toward the establishment of a quorum of the Authority
in any instance in which a quorum of the State members
is required to be present. No Authority powers or respon-
sibilities specified in the last two sentences of subsection
(b), nor the vote of any Authority member, may be dele-
gated to any person not an Authority member or who is
not entitled to vote in Authority meetings.
(d) COMPENSATION.—The Federal cochairman shall
be paid by the Federal Government at the annual rate of
basic pay payable for level III of the Executive Schedule
under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code. The
alternate of the Federal cochairman shall be paid by the
Federal Government at the annual rate of basic pay pay-
able for level V of the Executive Schedule under section
5316 of such title 5, and, when not actively serving as
an alternate for the Federal cochairman, shall perform
such functions and duties as are delegated by the Federal
cochairman. Each State member and his or her alternate
shall be paid by the State which they represent at the rate
established by law of such State.
SEC. 102. FUNCTIONS OF THE AUTHORITY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the purposes of
this Act, the Authority shall, in addition to the authorities
and responsibilities elsewhere described in this Act—
(1) develop, on a continuing basis, comprehen-
sive and coordinated plans and programs and estab-
lish priorities and approve grants thereunder for the
economic development of the Delta region, giving
due consideration to other Federal, State, and local
planning and development activities in the Delta re-
gion, including establishment, not later than 9
months after the date of enactment of this Act, of
priorities and 5-year regional outcome targets in a
regional development plan;
(2) provide for an understanding of the Delta
region’s needs and assets through research, dem-
onstration, investigation, assessment and evaluation
(b) LIAISON.—The Federal cochairman shall provide
effective and continuing liaison between the Federal Gov-
ernment and the Authority.
SEC. 103. AUTHORITIES OF THE AUTHORITY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—To carry out its duties under this
Act, the Authority is authorized to do the following:
(1) Adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws, rules, and
regulations governing the conduct of its business
and the performance of its functions.
(2) Appoint and fix the pay of an executive di-
rector and such other personnel as may be necessary
to enable the Authority to carry out its functions,
except that such pay shall not exceed the maximum
rate for the Senior Executive Service under section
5382 of title 5, United States Code, including any
applicable locality-based comparability payment that
may be authorized under section 5304(h)(2)(C) of
such title.
(3) Request the head of any Federal depart-
ment or agency (who is so authorized) to detail to
temporary duty with the Authority such personnel
within his administrative jurisdiction as the Author-
ity may need for carrying out its functions. Each
such detail shall be without loss of seniority, pay, or
other employee status.
(4) Arrange for the services of personnel from
any State or local government or any subdivision or
agency thereof, or any intergovernmental agency.
(5) Make arrangements, including contracts,
with any participating State government for inclu-
sion in a suitable retirement and employee benefit
system of such of its personnel as may not be eligi-
ble for, or continue in, another governmental retire-
ment or employee benefit system, or otherwise pro-
vide for such coverage of its personnel.
(6) Accept, use, and dispose of gifts or dona-
tions of services or property, real, personal, or
mixed, tangible or intangible.
(7) Enter into and perform such contracts,
leases, cooperative agreements, or other transactions
as may be necessary in carrying out its functions
with any department, agency, or instrumentality of
the United States (which is so authorized to the ex-
tent not otherwise prohibited by law) or with any
State, or any political subdivision, agency, or instru-
mentality thereof, or with any person, firm, associa-
tion, or corporation.
(8) Establish and maintain a central office at
such appropriate location as it may select and field
offices at such other places as it may deem appro-
priate.
(9) Take such other actions and incur such
other expenses as may be necessary or appropriate.
(b) COOPERATION
OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The
Federal agencies shall cooperate with the Authority and
shall provide such assistance in carrying out the purposes
of this Act as the Federal cochairman may request.
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Administrative expenses of
the Authority shall be paid by the Federal Govern-
ment for the period ending on September 30, 2000.
Thereafter, such expenses shall be paid 50 percent
by the Federal Government and 50 percent by the
States in the Delta region, except that the expenses
of the Federal cochairman, his or her alternate, and
his or her staff shall be paid solely by the Federal
Government.
(2) STATE SHARES.—The share to be paid by
each State shall be determined by the Authority.
The Federal cochairman shall not participate or vote
in such determination.
(3) LIMITATION ON ASSISTANCE TO STATES.—
No assistance authorized by this Act shall be fur-
nished to any State or to any political subdivision or
any resident of any State, nor shall a State member
of the Authority participate or vote in any deter-
mination by the Authority, while such State is delin-
quent in payment of its share of the administrative
expenses of the Authority.
(d) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—The Authority shall
have an executive director who shall be responsible for car-
rying out the administrative functions of the Authority,
for direction of the Authority staff, and for such other
duties as the Authority may assign.
(e) TREATMENT
OF
CERTAIN
EMPLOYEES.—No
member, alternate, officer, or employee of the Authority,
other than the Federal cochairman of the Authority, his
or her staff, and his or her alternate and Federal employ-
ees detailed to the Authority under subsection (a)(3) shall
be treated as a Federal employee for any purpose.
SEC. 104. INFORMATION.
In order to obtain information needed to carry out
its duties, the Authority shall—
(1) hold such hearings, sit and act at such
times and places, take such testimony, receive such
evidence, and print or otherwise reproduce and dis-
tribute so much of its proceedings and reports there-
on as it may deem advisable, and a cochairman of
the Authority, or any member of the Authority des-
ignated by the Authority for the purpose, is author-
ized to administer oaths when it is determined by
the Authority that testimony shall be taken or evi-
dence received under oath; and
(2) arrange for the head of any Federal, State,
or local department or agency (who is so authorized
to the extent not otherwise prohibited by law) to fur-
nish to the Authority such information as may be
available to or procurable by such department or
agency.
SEC. 105. PERSONAL FINANCIAL INTERESTS.
(a) FINANCIAL INTEREST RULE.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Except as permitted by
paragraph (2), no State member or alternate and no
officer or employee of the Authority shall participate
personally and substantially as member, alternate,
officer, or employee, through decision, approval, dis-
approval, recommendation, the rendering of advice,
investigation, or otherwise, in any proceeding, appli-
cation, request for a ruling or other determination,
contract, claim, controversy, or other particular mat-
ter in which, to his or her knowledge, he or she, his
or her spouse, minor child, partner, organization
(other than a State or political subdivision thereof)
in which he or she is serving as officer, director,
trustee, partner, or employee, or any person or orga-
nization with whom he or she is serving as officer,
director, trustee, partner, or employee, or any person
or organization with whom he is or she is negoti-
ating or has any arrangement concerning prospective
employment, has a financial interest. Any person
who shall violate the provisions of this paragraph
shall be fined not more than $10,000, or imprisoned
not more than 2 years, or both.
(2) LIMITATION.—Paragraph (1) shall not
apply if the State member, alternate, officer, or em-
ployee first advises the Authority of the nature and
circumstances of the proceeding, application, request
for a ruling or other determination, contract, claim,
controversy, or other particular matter and makes
full disclosure of the financial interest and receives
in advance a written determination made by the Au-
thority that the interest is not so substantial as to
be deemed likely to affect the integrity of the serv-
ices which the Authority may expect from such State
member, alternate, officer, or employee.
(b) STATE SALARY RULE.—No State member or al-
ternate shall receive any salary, or any contribution to or
supplementation of salary for his or her services on the
Authority from any source other than his or her State.
No person detailed to serve the Authority under authority
of subsection 103(a)(4) shall receive any salary or any
contribution to or supplementation of salary for his or her
services on the Authority from any source other than the
State, local, or intergovernmental department or agency
from which he was detailed or from the Authority. Any
person who shall violate the provisions of this subsection
shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not
more than 1 year, or both.
(c) APPLICABILITY OF TITLE 18.—Notwithstanding
any other subsection of this section, the Federal cochair-
man and his or her alternate on the Authority and any
Federal officers or employees detailed to the Authority
pursuant to section 103(a)(3) shall not be subject to such
subsection but shall remain subject to sections 202
through 209 of title 18, United States Code.
(d) VOIDING OF CONTRACTS.—The Authority may
declare void and rescind any contract, loan, or grant of
or by the Authority in relation to which the Authority
finds that there has been a violation of subsection (a) or
(b) of this section, or any of the provisions of sections 202
through 209 of title 18, United States Code.
TITLE II—DELTA PROGRAMS
PART A—PROGRAMS
SEC. 201. ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
GRANTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Authority is authorized to ap-
prove grants to States and public and nonprofit entities
for projects, approved in accordance with section 223 of
this Act, which will—
(1) assist the Delta region in obtaining the job
training or employment-related education, leadership
and civic development, and business development, es-
pecially entrepreneurship, that are essential for
building strong local economies;
(2) provide special assistance to severely dis-
tressed and underdeveloped counties that lack finan-
cial resources for improving basic services;
(3) fund research, demonstrations, evaluations
and assessments of the Delta region, technical as-
sistance, training programs, and construction of nec-
essary facilities incident to such activities; or
(4) otherwise serve the purposes of this Act.
(b) FUNDING.—Grant funds may be provided entirely
from appropriations to carry out this section or in com-
bination with funds available under other Federal or Fed-
eral grant-in-aid programs or from any other source. Not-
withstanding any provision of law limiting the Federal
share in any such other program, funds appropriated to
carry out this section may be used to increase such Fed-
eral share, as the Authority determines appropriate.
SEC. 202. SUPPLEMENTS TO FEDERAL GRANT-IN-AID PRO-
GRAMS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to enable the people,
States, and local communities of the Delta region, includ-
ing local development districts, to take maximum advan-
tage of Federal grant-in-aid programs for which they are
eligible but for which, because of their economic situation,
they cannot supply the required matching share, or for
which there are insufficient funds available under the Fed-
eral grant-in-aid law authorizing such programs to meet
pressing needs of the Delta region, the Federal cochair-
man may use amounts made available to carry out this
Act for all or any portion of the basic Federal contribution
to projects or activities (in this section referred to as
‘‘projects’’) under such Federal grant-in-aid programs au-
thorized by Federal grant-in-aid laws, and for the purpose
of increasing the Federal contribution to projects under
such programs above the fixed maximum portion of the
cost of such projects otherwise authorized by the applica-
ble law. Funds provided pursuant to this Act shall be
available without regard to any limitations on areas eligi-
ble for assistance or authorizations for appropriation in
any other Act.
(b) CONTRIBUTION.—In the case of any program or
project for which all or any portion of the basic Federal
contribution to the project under a Federal grant-in-aid
program is proposed to be made under this section, no
such Federal contribution shall be made until the respon-
sible Federal official administering the Federal grant-in-
aid law authorizing such contribution certifies that such
program or project meets the applicable requirements of
such Federal grant-in-aid law and could be approved for
Federal contribution under such law if funds were avail-
able under such law for such program or project. The cer-
tifications and determinations required to be made by the
Authority for approval of projects under this Act in ac-
cordance with section 223 shall be controlling and shall
be accepted by the Federal agencies. Any findings, report,
certification, or documentation required to be submitted
to the head of the department, agency, or instrumentality
of the Federal Government responsible for the administra-
tion of any Federal grant-in-aid program shall be accepted
by the Federal cochairman with respect to a supplemental
grant for any project under such program.
(c) FEDERAL SHARE.—Except as provided in section
204(b), the Federal share of the cost of a project for which
assistance is provided under this title shall not exceed 80
percent.
(d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘Federal
grant-in-aid programs’’ means those Federal grant-in-aid
programs authorized for the acquisition or development of
land, the construction or equipping of facilities, or other
community or economic development or economic adjust-
ment activities.
SEC. 203. LOCAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS; CERTIFI-
CATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
(a) DEFINITION.—In this Act, a ‘‘local development
district’’ means an entity certified to the Authority either
by the Governor of the State, or the Governors of the
States, in which such entity is located, or by the State
officer designated by the appropriate State law to make
such certification, as having a charter or authority that
includes the economic development of counties or parts of
counties or other political subdivisions within the Delta re-
gion. No entity shall be certified as a local development
district for the purposes of this Act unless it is—
(1)(A) a nonprofit incorporated body organized
or chartered under the law of the State in which it
is located;
(B) a nonprofit agency or instrumentality of a
State or local government;
(C) a nonprofit agency or instrumentality cre-
ated through an interstate compact; or
(D) a nonprofit association or combination of
such bodies, agencies, and instrumentalities; and
(2) organized and operated in a manner that
assures broad-based community participation and an
effective opportunity for other nonprofit and citizen
groups to contribute to the development and imple-
mentation of programs in the Delta region.
(b) AS LEAD ORGANIZATIONS.—Local development
districts shall be the lead organizations serving multi-
county regions at the local level and shall provide the link-
age between State and local governments, nonprofit orga-
nizations, including community-based groups and edu-
cational institutions, the business community, and citi-
zens. Activities of these organizations shall include but not
be limited to multijurisdictional planning, technical assist-
ance to local jurisdictions and potential grantees, and
leadership and civic development assistance.
(c) GRANTS.—The Authority is authorized to make
grants for administrative expenses of local development
districts, but (1) the amount of any such grant shall not
exceed 80 percent of such expenses, (2) no grants for ad-
ministrative expenses shall be made for a State agency
certified as a local development district for a period in ex-
cess of 3 years beginning on the date the initial grant is
made for such development district, and (3) the local de-
velopment district contributions for administrative ex-
penses may be in cash or in-kind, fairly evaluated, includ-
ing space, equipment, and services.
SEC. 204. DISTRESSED COUNTIES AND ECONOMICALLY
STRONG COUNTIES.
(a) DESIGNATIONS.—Not later than 90 days after
the date enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter,
the Authority, in accordance with such criteria as the Au-
thority may establish, shall—
(1) designate as ‘‘distressed counties’’ those
counties in the Delta region that are the most se-
verely and persistently distressed and under-
developed; and
(2) designate as ‘‘economically strong counties’’
those counties in the Delta region that are approach-
ing or have reached economic parity with the rest of
the Nation.
(b) DISTRESSED COUNTIES.—The Authority shall al-
locate at least 50 percent of the appropriations made
available under section 301 of this Act for programs and
projects designed to serve the needs of distressed counties.
The funding limitations contained in section 202(c) of this
Act shall not apply to projects providing basic services to
residents in 1 or more of the Delta region’s distressed
counties.
(c) ECONOMICALLY STRONG COUNTIES: FUNDING
PROHIBITIONS.—Except as provided in this subsection, no
funds may be provided under this Act for a project located
in a county for which a designation as an ‘‘economically
strong county’’ is in effect under this section; except that
the Authority may designate 1 or more areas in an eco-
nomically strong county with respect to which financial as-
sistance under this Act may be provided. This prohibition
shall not apply to local development district administrative
projects authorized by section 203(c) of this Act. The Au-
thority may approve further exceptions to this prohibition
for multi-county projects that include an economically
strong county and for other projects upon a showing of
significant potential benefits in areas of the Delta region
outside the designated economically strong county.
PART B—GENERAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 221. DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS.
(a) STATE DEVELOPMENT PLANS.—
(1) SCHEDULE.—Pursuant to policies estab-
lished by the Authority, each State member shall
submit on such schedule as the Authority shall pre-
scribe a development plan for the area of the State
within the Delta region.
(2) GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.—The State de-
velopment plan shall reflect the goals, objectives, and
priorities identified in the regional development plan
developed under section 102(a)(1) of this Act. The
State development plan shall—
(A) describe the State organization and
continuous process for development planning,
including the procedures established by the
State for the participation of local development
districts in such process, the means by which
such process is related to overall statewide plan-
ning and budgeting processes, and the method
of coordinating planning and projects in the
Delta region under this Act, and other Federal,
State, and local programs;
(B) set forth the goals, objectives, prior-
ities, and expected outcomes of the State for
the Delta region, as determined by the Gov-
ernor of the State, and identify the needs on
which such goals, objectives, and priorities are
based;
(C) describe the development strategy for
achieving such goals, objectives, priorities, and
expected outcomes; and
(D) describe how its proposed strategies
will advance the Authority’s goals and outcome
targets.
(3) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the devel-
opment planning process, including the selection of
programs and projects for assistance, States shall
consult with local development districts, local units
of government, and citizen groups and take into con-
sideration the goals, objectives, priorities, and rec-
ommendations of such bodies.
(b) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.—The Authority shall
take such action as may be necessary to ensure public par-
ticipation in the development, revision, and implementa-
tion of all plans and programs under this Act by the Au-
thority, any State, or any local development district. The
Authority shall develop and publish regulations specifying
minimum guidelines for such public participation, includ-
ing public hearings.
SEC. 222. PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA.
(a) IN GENERAL.—In considering programs and
projects to be given assistance under this Act and in estab-
lishing a priority ranking of the requests for assistance
presented to the Authority, the Authority shall follow pro-
cedures that will ensure consideration of the following fac-
tors:
(1) The relationship of the program or project
or class of programs or projects to overall regional
development.
(2) The relative per capita income, poverty, and
unemployment rates in the area to be served by the
program or project.
(3) The relative financial resources available to
the applicants for assistance seeking to undertake
the program or project.
(4) The importance of the program or project
or class of programs or projects in relation to other
projects or classes of programs or projects which
may be in competition for the same funds.
(5) The prospects that the program or project
for which assistance is sought will improve, on a
continuing rather than a temporary basis, the oppor-
tunities for employment, the average level of income,
or the economic and social development of the area
served by the program or project.
(6) The extent to which the program or project
design provides for detailed outcome measurements
by which grant expenditures may be evaluated.
(b) NO RELOCATIONS.—No financial assistance shall
be authorized under this Act to be used to assist establish-
ments relocating from 1 area to another.
(c) LIMITATION.—Funds may be provided for pro-
grams and projects in a State under this Act only if the
Authority determines that the level of Federal and State
financial assistance under laws other than this Act for the
same type of programs or projects in that portion of the
State within the Delta region will not be diminished in
order to substitute funds authorized by this Act.
SEC. 
223. 
APPROVAL 
OF 
DEVELOPMENT 
PLANS 
AND
PROJECTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to section 101(b) of this
Act, a State or regional development plan or any
multistate subregional plan which is developed under this
title shall be reviewed by the Authority for approval under
this section. An application for a grant or any other assist-
ance for a project under this title shall be made through
and evaluated for approval by the State member of the
Authority representing the applicant.
(b) CERTIFICATION.—An application for a grant or
other assistance for a project shall be approved only on
certification by the State member and the Federal cochair-
man that the application—
(1) reflects an intent that the project comply
with any applicable State development plan;
(2) meets applicable criteria under section 222;
(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
title.
(c) VOTES FOR DECISIONS.—The certification by a
State member of an application for a grant or other assist-
ance for a project under this title shall, when joined by
an affirmative vote of the Federal cochairman for the ap-
plication, be considered to satisfy the requirements for af-
firmative votes for decisions under section 101(b).
SEC. 224. CONSENT OF STATES.
Nothing contained in this Act shall be interpreted as
requiring any State to engage in or accept any program
under this Act without its consent.
TITLE 
III—AUTHORIZATIONS
AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVI-
SIONS
SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Author-
ity to carry out this Act and for necessary expenses for
the Federal cochairman of the Authority, his or her alter-
nate, and his or her staff, and for payment of the Federal
share of the administrative expenses of the Authority to
President, for transmittal to Congress, a report on the ac-
tivities carried out under this Act during such year.
Æ