SENATE BILL: Appalachian Region Development Act (Passed)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The Amendment is adopted.


That leaves settling on a number for the placeholder amount.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

That leaves settling on a number for the placeholder amount.

I realize money isn't a sexy topic for most but could we at least get a ballpark range to work with. I am not good at just pulling numbers out of my A@%, I need a set range to start with to be realistic.

[Former President tack50]

Not sure how much it helps, but according to this article, in real life the US government spent $114 billion among all its workforce development and education programs, 34% of which goes to higher education

Not sure what a good number here would be, but if I had to guess, maybe somewhere in the mid single digit billions?

Tbh we should also be slightly concerned about the deficit and what not.

[Mike Thick]

Would like to suggest this amendment, to align with the House version + the Appalachia bill from last year. Looking for someone to introduce.

(a) in Alabama, the counties of Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman, De Kalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Pickens, Randolph, St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston;
(b) in Georgia, the counties of Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Dade, Dawson, Douglas, Elbert, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Gordon, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Hart, Heard, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, Walker, White, and Whitfield;
(c) in Kentucky, the counties of Adair, Bath, Bell, Bourbon, Boyd, Bracken, Breathitt, Carter, Casey, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Garrard, Green, Greenup, Harlan, Harrison, Hart, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, McCreary, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Mason, Menifee, Metcalfe, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Pendleton, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Wayne, Whitley, and Wolfe;
(d) in Maryland, the counties of Allegany, Garrett, and Washington;
(e) in Mississippi, the counties of Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clay, Itawamba, Kemper, Lee, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Webster, Winston, and Yalobusha;
(f) in New York, the counties of Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, and Tompkins;
(g) in North Carolina, the counties of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Davie, Forsyth, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey;
(h) in Ohio, the counties of Adams, Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mahoning, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Vinton, and Washington;
(i) in Pennsylvania, the counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lawrence, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, and Wyoming;
(j) in South Carolina, the counties of Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, and Union;
(k) in Tennessee, the counties of Anderson, Bedford, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Carter, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Cumberland, De Kalb, Fentress, Franklin, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, McMinn, Macon, Marion, Meigs, Monroe, Moore, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Rutherford, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Smith, Sullivan, Sumner, Trousdale, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Washington, and White, and Wilson;
(l) in Virginia, the counties of Alleghany, AugustaBath, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Carroll, Clarke, Craig, Dickenson, Floyd, Frederick, Giles, Grayson, Henry, Highland, Lee, Montgomery, Page, Patrick, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Russell, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Tazewell, Warren, Washington, Wise, and Wythe; as well as the independent cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Winchester; and
(m) all the counties of West Virginia.

[Former President tack50]

Sponsoring Ted's amendment

[Esteemed Jimmy]

No objections to the amendment.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators have 24 hours to object.

[YE]

No objections.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The amendment is adopted.


What is next here?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The amendment is adopted.


What is next here?

[Former President tack50]

I could have sworn someone introduced an amendment to give this actual funding. If I am not mistaken, this should be the final text of the bill, including the amendment I will introduce now to give this bill actual funding

An Act

To increase investment in economic development, environmental reclamation, and other development in localities in the Appalachian Region of Atlasia, and for other purposes.

Section 1. Short title

This Act shall be cited as the “Appalachian Region Development Act".

Section 2. Definitions

As used in Act, unless otherwise provided or indicated by the context —
  (1) the term "eligible applicant" means —
      (a) an entity or individual that has received a loan or loan guarantee under this Act; or
      (b) a cooperative that is eligible to receive a loan or loan guarantee under this Act.
  (2) the term "qualified purpose" shall mean the following —
      (a) the purchase, repair, construction, restoration, or redevelopment, of property or infrastructure, including, but not limited to —
            (A) abandoned mine land, and other approved land;
            (B) abandoned, condemned, blighted property or buildings;
            (C) public roads and sidewalks; and
            (D) public utility poles and underground pipes;
      (b) the cleanup of any lands or water bodies; and
      (c) any other necessary costs for research and development.
  (3) the term "Appalachian region" shall mean —

(a) in Alabama, the counties of Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman, De Kalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Pickens, Randolph, St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston; (b) in Georgia, the counties of Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Dade, Dawson, Douglas, Elbert, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Gordon, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Hart, Heard, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, Walker, White, and Whitfield; (c) in Kentucky, the counties of Adair, Bath, Bell, Bourbon, Boyd, Bracken, Breathitt, Carter, Casey, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Garrard, Green, Greenup, Harlan, Harrison, Hart, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, McCreary, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Mason, Menifee, Metcalfe, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Pendleton, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Wayne, Whitley, and Wolfe; (d) in Maryland, the counties of Allegany, Garrett, and Washington; (e) in Mississippi, the counties of Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clay, Itawamba, Kemper, Lee, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Webster, Winston, and Yalobusha; (f) in New York, the counties of Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, and Tompkins; (g) in North Carolina, the counties of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Davie, Forsyth, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey; (h) in Ohio, the counties of Adams, Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mahoning, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Vinton, and Washington; (i) in Pennsylvania, the counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lawrence, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, and Wyoming; (j) in South Carolina, the counties of Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, and Union; (k) in Tennessee, the counties of Anderson, Bedford, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Carter, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Cumberland, De Kalb, Fentress, Franklin, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, McMinn, Macon, Marion, Meigs, Monroe, Moore, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Rutherford, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Smith, Sullivan, Sumner, Trousdale, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Washington, and White, and Wilson; (l) in Virginia, the counties of Alleghany, AugustaBath, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Carroll, Clarke, Craig, Dickenson, Floyd, Frederick, Giles, Grayson, Henry, Highland, Lee, Montgomery, Page, Patrick, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Russell, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Tazewell, Warren, Washington, Wise, and Wythe; as well as the independent cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Winchester; and (m) all the counties of West Virginia. Section 3. Grants (a) In general. — Eligible applicants shall be eligible to receive grants for a reasonable amount as determined by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), which shall not be required to be paid back by eligible applicants, except where described in this Act. (b) Terms. — The  ARC shall establish such reasonable terms and conditions as necessary to ensure participation and proper use of received funds by eligible applicants. Section 4. Interest free loans (a) In general. — Eligible applicants shall be eligible to receive interest-free loans for a reasonable amount as determined by the  ARC. (b) Terms. — The  ARC shall establish such reasonable terms and conditions as necessary to ensure participation, proper use of received funds, and repayment by eligible applicants. Section 5. Compliance In the event of any —   (1) fraud;   (2) misconduct; or   (3) other misuse of any grant or loan money received as listed in the signed agreements to receive such grant or loan —       (a) any such grants or loan money received shall be payed back in full; and       (b) any failure to do so shall result in further civil and criminal penalties. Section 6. Appropriations[/b] There is hereby authorized to carry out this Act $[placeholder] 6 billion for fiscal year 2020, and for each succeeding fiscal year. Section 7. Effective date This Act shall take effect immediately on the date of the enactment of this Act.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

Proposing the amendment introduced in the House:

An Act

To increase investment in economic development, environmental reclamation, and other development in localities in the Appalachian Region of Atlasia, and for other purposes.

Section 1. Short title

This Act shall be cited as the “Appalachian Region Development Act".

Section 2. Definitions

As used in Act, unless otherwise provided or indicated by the context —
  (1) the term "eligible applicant" means —
      (a) an entity or individual that has received a loan or loan guarantee under this Act; or
      (b) a cooperative that is eligible to receive a loan or loan guarantee under this Act.
  (2) the term "qualified purpose" shall mean the following —
      (a) the purchase, repair, construction, restoration, or redevelopment, of property or infrastructure, including, but not limited to —
            (A) abandoned mine land, and other approved land;
            (B) abandoned, condemned, blighted property or buildings;
            (C) public roads and sidewalks; and
            (D) public utility poles and underground pipes;
      (b) the cleanup of any lands or water bodies; and
      (c) any other necessary costs for research and development.
  (3) the term "Appalachian region" shall mean —
      (a) in Alabama, the counties of Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman, De Kalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Pickens, Randolph, St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston;
      (b) in Georgia, the counties of Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Dade, Dawson, Douglas, Elbert, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Gordon, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Hart, Heard, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, Walker, White, and Whitfield;
      (c) in Kentucky, the counties of Adair, Bath, Bell, Bourbon, Boyd, Bracken, Breathitt, Carter, Casey, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Garrard, Green, Greenup, Harrison, Harlan, Hart, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, McCreary, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Mason, Menifee, Metcalfe, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Pendleton, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Wayne, Whitley, and Wolfe;
      (d) in Maryland, the counties of Allegany, Garrett, and Washington;
      (e) in Mississippi, the counties of Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clay, Itawamba, Kemper, Lee, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Webster, Winston, and Yalobusha;
      (f) in New York, the counties of Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, and Tompkins;
      (g) in North Carolina, the counties of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Davie, Forsyth, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey;
      (h) in Ohio, the counties of Adams, Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mahoning, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Vinton, and Washington;
      (i) in Pennsylvania, the counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lawrence, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, and Wyoming;
      (j) in South Carolina, the counties of Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, and Union;
      (k) in Tennessee, the counties of Anderson, Bedford, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Carter, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Cumberland, De Kalb, Fentress, Franklin, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, McMinn, Macon, Marion, Meigs, Monroe, Moore, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Rutherford, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Smith, Sullivan, Sumner, Trousdale, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Washington, White, and Wilson;
      (l) in Virginia, the counties of Alleghany, Augusta, Bath, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Carroll, Clarke, Craig, Dickenson, Floyd, Frederick, Giles, Grayson, Henry, Highland, Lee, Montgomery, Page, Patrick, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Russell, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Tazewell, Warren, Washington, Wise, and Wythe, as well as the independent cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Winchester; and
      (m) all the counties of West Virginia.

Section 3. Grants

(a) In general. —

Eligible applicants shall be eligible to receive grants for a reasonable amount as determined by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), which shall not be required to be paid back by eligible applicants, except where described in this Act.

(b) Terms. —

The ARC shall establish such reasonable terms and conditions as necessary to ensure participation and proper use of received funds by eligible applicants.

Section 4. Interest free loans

(a) In general. —

Eligible applicants shall be eligible to receive interest-free loans for a reasonable amount as determined by the ARC.

(b) Terms. —

The ARC shall establish such reasonable terms and conditions as necessary to ensure participation, proper use of received funds, and repayment by eligible applicants.

Section 5. Compliance

In the event of any —
  (1) fraud;
  (2) misconduct; or
  (3) other misuse of any grant or loan money received as listed in the signed agreements to receive such grant or loan —
      (a) any such grants or loan money received shall be payed back in full; and
      (b) any failure to do so shall result in further civil and criminal penalties.

Section 6. Appropriations

There is hereby authorized to carry out this Act $[placeholder]300,000,000, to be drawn from funding allotted to the ARC for fiscal year 2020, and for each succeeding fiscal year., of which —
  (1) a minimum of $30,000,000 shall be allotted to fund grants as per Section 3; and
  (2) a minimum of $30,000,000 shall be allotted to fund interest-free loans as per Section 4.

Section 7. Effective date

This Act shall take effect immediately on the date of the enactment of this Act.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators have 24 hours to object.

[YE]

Sounds good.

[Former President tack50]

If that is what the House settled on, I am fine with it. Withdrawing my amendment.

[Joseph Cao]

If that is what the House settled on, I am fine with it. Withdrawing my amendment.

Well, technically speaking there’s been exactly zero response to my amendment so I can’t say for sure if the House as a whole has settled on it. My fellow Representatives, if you're reading this, please go offer some feedback on the amendment.

That said, I will take the Senators’ response to it as a good sign.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

If that is what the House settled on, I am fine with it. Withdrawing my amendment.

Well, technically speaking there’s been exactly zero response to my amendment so I can’t say for sure if the House as a whole has settled on it. My fellow Representatives, if you're reading this, please go offer some feedback on the amendment.

That said, I will take the Senators’ response to it as a good sign.

When it doubt PM them like crazy

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Jimmy's amendment is adopted.

So it occurs to me that Tack and Jimmy introduced their amendments within six minutes of each other and being on my phone I didn't notice both yesterday. This could have got messy without Tack's withdrawal.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

What is next here?

[Former President tack50]

Now that we have settled in the amount of money needed, the next thing to do would be a final vote right?

Motion for a final vote

[Esteemed Jimmy]

Now that we have settled in the amount of money needed, the next thing to do would be a final vote right?

Motion for a final vote

Seconding.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators have 24 hours to object.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

No objection.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

A final vote is now open on this legislation, Senators please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

Aye