H.R. 5812 – Reading Mode

109th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 5812

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 17, 2006

Mr. Young of Alaska (for himself, Mr. Oberstar, Mr. Shuster, Ms. Norton, Mr. Bachus, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Chandler, Mr. Davis of Tennessee, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Holden, Mr. Kuhl of New York, and Mr. Rahall) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

A BILL

To reauthorize and improve the program authorized by the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2006.

Limitation on available amounts; maximum commission contribution

(a)

Grants and other assistance

Section 14321(a) of title 40, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1)(A), by striking clause (i) and inserting the following:

(i)

the amount of the grant shall not exceed—

(I)

50 percent of administrative expenses;

(II)

at the discretion of the Commission, if the grant is to a local development district that has a charter or authority that includes the economic development of a county or a part of a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 75 percent of administrative expenses; or

(III)

at the discretion of the Commission, if the grant is to a local development district that has a charter or authority that includes the economic development of a county or a part of a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent of administrative expenses;

; and

(2)

in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the following:

(A)

In general

Except as provided in subparagraph (B), of the cost of any activity eligible for financial assistance under this section, not more than—

(i)

50 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this subtitle;

(ii)

in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this subtitle; or

(iii)

in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this subtitle.

(b)

Demonstration health projects

Section 14502 of title 40, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in subsection (d), by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:

(2)

Limitation on available amounts

Grants under this section for the operation (including initial operating amounts and operating deficits, which include the cost of attracting, training, and retaining qualified personnel) of a demonstration health project, whether or not constructed with amounts authorized by this section, may be made for up to—

(A)

50 percent of the cost of that operation;

(B)

in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent of the cost of that operation; or

(C)

in the case of a project to be carried out for a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent of the cost of that operation.

; and

(2)

in subsection (f), by adding at the end the following:

(3)

At-risk counties

The maximum Commission contribution for a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526 may be increased to the lesser of—

(A)

70 percent; or

(B)

the maximum Federal contribution percentage authorized by this section.

(c)

Assistance for proposed low- and middle-income housing projects

Section 14503 of title 40, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in subsection (d), by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

(1)

Limitation on available amounts

A loan under subsection (b) for the cost of planning and obtaining financing (including the cost of preliminary surveys and analyses of market needs, preliminary site engineering and architectural fees, site options, application and mortgage commitment fees, legal fees, and construction loan fees and discounts) of a project described in that subsection may be made for up to—

(A)

50 percent of that cost;

(B)

in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent of that cost; or

(C)

in the case of a project to be carried out for a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent of that cost.

; and

(2)

in subsection (e), by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

(1)

In general

A grant under this section for expenses incidental to planning and obtaining financing for a project under this section that the Secretary considers to be unrecoverable from the proceeds of a permanent loan made to finance the project shall—

(A)

not be made to an organization established for profit; and

(B)

except as provided in paragraph (2), not exceed—

(i)

50 percent of those expenses;

(ii)

in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent of those expenses; or

(iii)

in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent of those expenses.

(d)

Telecommunications and technology initiative

Section 14504 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:

(b)

Limitation on available amounts

Of the cost of any activity eligible for a grant under this section, not more than—

(1)

50 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section;

(2)

(3)

(e)

Entrepreneurship initiative

Section 14505 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:

(c)

Limitation on available amounts

Of the cost of any activity eligible for a grant under this section, not more than—

(1)

50 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section;

(2)

(3)

(f)

Regional skills partnerships

Section 14506 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:

(d)

Limitation on available amounts

Of the cost of any activity eligible for a grant under this section, not more than—

(1)

50 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section;

(2)

(3)

(g)

Supplements to Federal grant programs

Section 14507(g) of title 40, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(3)

At-risk counties

The maximum Commission contribution for a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526 may be increased to 70 percent.

Distressed, at-risk, and economically strong counties

(a)

Designation of at-risk counties

Section 14526 of title 40, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in the section heading, by inserting , at-risk, after Distressed; and

(2)

in subsection (a)(1) —

(A)

by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C);

(B)

in subparagraph (A), by striking and at the end; and

(C)

by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:

(B)

designate as at-risk counties those counties in the Appalachian region that are most at risk of becoming economically distressed; and

(b)

Conforming amendment

The analysis for chapter 145 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 14526 and inserting the following:

14526. Distressed, at-risk, and economically strong counties.

Authorization of appropriations

(a)

In general

Section 14703(a) of title 40, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a)

In general

In addition to amounts made available under section 14501, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Appalachian Regional Commission to carry out this subtitle—

(1)

$95,200,000 for fiscal year 2007;

(2)

$98,600,000 for fiscal year 2008;

(3)

$102,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;

(4)

$105,700,000 for fiscal year 2010; and

(5)

$109,400,000 for fiscal year 2011.

(b)

Allocation of funds

Section 14703 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

(d)

Allocation of funds

Funds approved by the Commission for a project in an Appalachian State pursuant to congressional direction shall be derived from such State’s portion of the Commission’s allocation of appropriated amounts among the States.

Termination

Section 14704 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by striking 2006 and inserting 2011.

Effective date

The amendments made by this Act take effect on October 1, 2006.