U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
09/18/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/18/2024 10:24
Ranking Member Capito Participates in Hearing with Regional Commission Federal Co-Chairs on Best Practices, Economic Development
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, participated in a hearing titled "America's Regional Commissions: Sharing Best Practices in Regional and Economic Development." The hearing highlighted success stories from Regional Commissions and examined the collaboration between the Commissions, the states they serve, and the Economic Development Administration (EDA).
The hearing featured testimony from five Regional Commission federal co-chairs: Jennifer Clyburn Reed, Ed.D., Southeast Crescent Regional Commission; Jocelyn Fenton, Denali Commission (Interim); Juan Sanchez, Southwest Border Regional Commission; Chris Saunders, Northern Border Regional Commission; and Corey Wiggins, Ph.D., Delta Regional Authority.
Below is the opening statementof Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) as delivered.
"Thank you, Chairman Carper, and thank you all for being here today, and thanks for this hearing.
"Again, I want to welcome our witnesses, the federal co-chairs from the Delta Regional Authority, Denali Commission, Northern Border Regional Commission, Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, and the Southwest Border Regional Commission, and thank all of you for what we're going to hear.
"The strength of our Regional Commissions lies in their partnerships and coordination between the federal government and the states that are in their region.
"Often, the governor of each state that is within the geographic target of the Regional Commission serves on that Commission.
"Typically, a Regional Commission is co-chaired by a federal political appointee that is confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate and one governor that is selected from the states covered by the Commission.
"These entities utilize federal funding to carry out state and local economic development priorities, and the Chairman has lined out a few of those for us today.
"The Regional Commissions' intergovernmental coordination is key to the success of their economic development efforts.
"Working with the appropriate states, these entities often make investments in various areas - such as basic infrastructure and workforce training, development - that are critical to ensuring long-term economic growth and opportunity in their communities.
"Further, Regional Commissions must work in tandem with the EDA, the Economic Development Administration.
"Since EDA and the Regional Commissions have similar missions, they must strategically coordinate in order to avoid duplicative efforts and investments.
"We are here today to talk about best practices and success stories from some of our Regional Commissions that will help us to strike this balance and ensure our federal investment is implemented efficiently to achieve the maximum benefit for the states and communities that they serve.
"I look forward to hearing the ways to strengthen your partnerships with your states and your coordination with the EDA.
"Working with the Appalachian Regional Commissions in my home state of West Virginia, I know how beneficial Regional Commissions can be and the positive impacts that they can have on communities.
"Our colleague's wife, Gayle Manchin, is the federal co-chair of the ARC, and I see Guy Land in the back there, who I have worked with for many, many years on the ARC. They're not on the panel today because the legislation that we have, we've already authorized the ARC. Today, we want to make sure that we give you all the due attention.
"But anyway, they've invested $63 million, just last year, from federal and matched funding in 66 projects just across [West Virginia]. These projects served over three-thousand households and businesses, and trained and educated over two-thousand students and workers.
"I know each of the Regional Commission federal co-chairs before us is working in their areas to make the same type of impactful investments.
"To further these efforts back in March, Chairman Carper and I brought forward our bipartisan Economic Development Reauthorization Act before this Committee and the bill was reported favorably to the Senate by a unanimous voice vote.
"Title II of that legislation reauthorizes a number of the Regional Commissions from the fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
"The will bill expands the types of activities that those Regional Commissions can carry out and provides flexibility to tailor those activities to the most pressing needs of their own communities.
"The bill also modernizes Regional Commissions' administration requirements to ensure more efficient operations.
"It's important that Congress regularly reauthorize the Regional Commissions and examine what works best within their authorities and programs in order to ensure that they can continue to carry out their missions effectively.
"We look forward to working with our congressional colleagues so that the EDA reauthorization bill can become law.
"So with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back to you."
Click HEREto watch Ranking Member Capito's questions.
The hearing featured testimony from five Regional Commission federal co-chairs: Jennifer Clyburn Reed, Ed.D., Southeast Crescent Regional Commission; Jocelyn Fenton, Denali Commission (Interim); Juan Sanchez, Southwest Border Regional Commission; Chris Saunders, Northern Border Regional Commission; and Corey Wiggins, Ph.D., Delta Regional Authority.
Below is the opening statementof Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) as delivered.
"Thank you, Chairman Carper, and thank you all for being here today, and thanks for this hearing.
"Again, I want to welcome our witnesses, the federal co-chairs from the Delta Regional Authority, Denali Commission, Northern Border Regional Commission, Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, and the Southwest Border Regional Commission, and thank all of you for what we're going to hear.
"The strength of our Regional Commissions lies in their partnerships and coordination between the federal government and the states that are in their region.
"Often, the governor of each state that is within the geographic target of the Regional Commission serves on that Commission.
"Typically, a Regional Commission is co-chaired by a federal political appointee that is confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate and one governor that is selected from the states covered by the Commission.
"These entities utilize federal funding to carry out state and local economic development priorities, and the Chairman has lined out a few of those for us today.
"The Regional Commissions' intergovernmental coordination is key to the success of their economic development efforts.
"Working with the appropriate states, these entities often make investments in various areas - such as basic infrastructure and workforce training, development - that are critical to ensuring long-term economic growth and opportunity in their communities.
"Further, Regional Commissions must work in tandem with the EDA, the Economic Development Administration.
"Since EDA and the Regional Commissions have similar missions, they must strategically coordinate in order to avoid duplicative efforts and investments.
"We are here today to talk about best practices and success stories from some of our Regional Commissions that will help us to strike this balance and ensure our federal investment is implemented efficiently to achieve the maximum benefit for the states and communities that they serve.
"I look forward to hearing the ways to strengthen your partnerships with your states and your coordination with the EDA.
"Working with the Appalachian Regional Commissions in my home state of West Virginia, I know how beneficial Regional Commissions can be and the positive impacts that they can have on communities.
"Our colleague's wife, Gayle Manchin, is the federal co-chair of the ARC, and I see Guy Land in the back there, who I have worked with for many, many years on the ARC. They're not on the panel today because the legislation that we have, we've already authorized the ARC. Today, we want to make sure that we give you all the due attention.
"But anyway, they've invested $63 million, just last year, from federal and matched funding in 66 projects just across [West Virginia]. These projects served over three-thousand households and businesses, and trained and educated over two-thousand students and workers.
"I know each of the Regional Commission federal co-chairs before us is working in their areas to make the same type of impactful investments.
"To further these efforts back in March, Chairman Carper and I brought forward our bipartisan Economic Development Reauthorization Act before this Committee and the bill was reported favorably to the Senate by a unanimous voice vote.
"Title II of that legislation reauthorizes a number of the Regional Commissions from the fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
"The will bill expands the types of activities that those Regional Commissions can carry out and provides flexibility to tailor those activities to the most pressing needs of their own communities.
"The bill also modernizes Regional Commissions' administration requirements to ensure more efficient operations.
"It's important that Congress regularly reauthorize the Regional Commissions and examine what works best within their authorities and programs in order to ensure that they can continue to carry out their missions effectively.
"We look forward to working with our congressional colleagues so that the EDA reauthorization bill can become law.
"So with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back to you."
Click HEREto watch Ranking Member Capito's questions.
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