Carper Highlights Importance of Reauthorizing Regional Commissions, Economic Development Success Stories

HIGHLIGHTS:

ON LEGISLATION TO REAUTHORIZE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION AND REGIONAL COMMISSIONS:

Chairman Carper:

"[I]n March, this committee unanimously passed legislation to reauthorize each of our regional commissions that are represented before us here today, as well as the Economic Development Administration. Enacting this reauthorization bill into law is a crucial part of the work we must do in order to ensure that our regional commissions can continue to support economic growth in communities of all sizes throughout our country."

ON REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUCCESS STORIES:

Chairman Carper:

"Working hand-in-glove with the Economic Development Administration, our regional commissions are reinvigorating some of America's most distressed regional economies … Regional commissions have used Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to support more than 300 projects in 19 states … Commissions have used their funding in diverse and innovative ways."

Jocelyn Fenton, Interim Federal Co-Chair, Denali Commission:

"For Fiscal Year 2024, the commission will be making awards that total just over $32 million of which 93% will go to distressed areas … the Denali Commission has been most successful by focusing on preparing projects for larger funding programs by providing planning or design assistance, [by providing] 'gap funding' when projects experience unexpected cost increases or delays or by contributing to a community's non-federal match local requirement."

Chris Saunders, Federal Co-Chair, Northern Border Regional Commission:

"The Northeast is known for … outdoor recreation, but we weren't seeing much coordination among that industry. And [we were seeing a lack of a] connection between folks working to promote outdoor recreation and businesses that sold goods. So we held [a] symposium to try to strengthen those connections. We saw each of our states create offices of outdoor recreation. We saw state legislatures look at the work we have done and create their own grant programs. So we see the convening power really as a way ... [to bring] people together around a topic."

ON THE WORK OF REGIONAL COMMISSIONS TO CREATE A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT FOR JOB GROWTH AND CREATION:

Chairman Carper:

"What we [can] do together - and what we need to do - is … create a nurturing environment for job creation and job preservation throughout America. The work of our regional commissions - from workforce development and infrastructure improvements to promoting access to capital and broadband deployment - is necessary in order to create that nurturing environment."

Click here to watch Chairman Carper's round of questions.

Click here to watch Chairman Carper's opening statement.