[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2099 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
S.2099
One Hundred Third Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the twenty-fifth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-
four
An Act
To establish the Northern Great Plains Rural Development Commission,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Great Plains Rural
Development Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) the rural economy of the Northern Great Plains is
undergoing a substantial and potentially threatening
transformation;
(2) the rural Northern Great Plains suffers from substantial
measurable poverty, unemployment, outmigration, underemployment,
aging of the population, and low per capita income;
(3) the Northern Great Plains is highly rural and has a highly
dispersed population, and contains many Native American
reservations;
(4) many of the basic industries of the rural Northern Great
Plains in natural resources are under stress;
(5) a concerted Federal, State, and local public and private
effort is needed if the rural Northern Great Plains is to share in
the general prosperity of the United States;
(6) the creation of jobs and expansion of existing businesses,
including small businesses, offer the greatest hope for rural
economic growth and revitalization in the Northern Great Plains;
(7) the availability of capital, technology, market
information, infrastructure development, educational opportunities,
health care, housing, recreational activities, and resource
development are essential to successful business development in the
rural Northern Great Plains;
(8) the transportation needs of the rural Northern Great Plains
must be addressed through highway and bridge construction, air
service availability, and rail service and river transport
development;
(9) because of the social, geographic, weather, historical, and
cultural ties of the rural Northern Great Plains as well as common
economic problems, planning for this unique region is desirable and
urgently needed; and
(10) in the rural Northern Great Plains, the tourism industry
offers significant additional potential for supporting economic
development and job growth, fostered by the wise stewardship of
natural resources.
SEC. 3. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to establish the Northern Great Plains
Rural Development Commission to study and make recommendations
regarding the economic needs and economic development of the rural
Northern Great Plains by seeking and encouraging the participation of
interested citizens, public officials, groups, agencies, businesses,
and other entities in developing a 10-year rural economic development
plan for the Northern Great Plains.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Act:
(1) Chairperson.--The term ``chairperson'' means the
chairperson of the Commission.
(2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Northern
Great Plains Rural Development Commission.
(3) Northern great plains.--The term ``Northern Great Plains''
means the States of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and
Minnesota.
(4) State.--The term ``State'' means a State in the Northern
Great Plains.
SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a Commission to be known as the ``Northern
Great Plains Rural Development Commission''.
SEC. 6. MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION.
(a) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of 10 members, of
whom--
(1) 1 member shall be appointed by the Governor of each State;
and
(2) 1 member shall be appointed from each of the States by the
Secretary of Agriculture.
(b) Term.--Each member of the Commission shall serve for such term
as the official who appoints the member determines is appropriate.
(c) Quorum.--Five members of the Commission shall constitute a
quorum, but the Commission may establish that a lesser number shall
constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting hearings.
(d) Meetings.--
(1) First meetings.--Five or more members appointed under
subsection (a)(1) shall determine the date, time, and place of the
first meeting, and shall call the first meeting. At the first
meeting, the members of the Commission shall appoint a chairperson
from among the members appointed under subsection (a)(1). The first
meeting of the Commission shall be held not later than 45 days
after the date of enactment of this Act.
(2) Additional meetings.--The Commission shall conduct such
additional meetings as the Commission determines are appropriate.
(e) Appointments.--Each appointment under this Act shall be made
not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
(f) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Commission shall not affect the
powers of the Commission and shall be filled in the same manner in
which the original appointment was made.
(g) Headquarters.--The Commission shall establish the location for
the headquarters of the Commission.
SEC. 7. DUTIES.
(a) Plan.--The Commission shall identify and study the economic
development, infrastructure, technology, telecommunications, capital,
employment, transportation, business resource development, education,
health care, housing, and recreation needs of the Northern Great Plains
and develop a 10-year plan that makes recommendations and establishes
priorities to address the needs.
(b) Preparation of Plan.--In developing the plan, the Commission
shall, with respect to the Northern Great Plains--
(1) sponsor and conduct investigations, research studies, and
field hearings;
(2) review and evaluate available research, studies, and
information on conditions in the areas referred to in subsection
(a);
(3) study the economy, identifying strengths, weaknesses,
participation levels, opportunities, and methods of addressing
outmigration;
(4) develop a profile of, and a description of resources
devoted to, economic development (including tourism), human
resources (including demographics, outmigration, poverty, Native
Americans, education, and training), infrastructure (including air,
water, highway, rail, and telecommunications), and natural
resources;
(5) study and evaluate the economic development resources,
coordination, collaboration, and ``best practices'' of the Federal,
State, and local governments, nonprofit organizations,
universities, businesses, agricultural and natural resources
groups, foundations, cooperatives, and other organizations;
(6) identify methods of facilitating the employment and
business startups of unemployed, underemployed, and low-income
individuals and households;
(7) identify effective methods for promoting development on
Native American reservations;
(8) study the availability of methods of delivering public,
private, and nonprofit capital and technical assistance for
business startups and expansions, including farming and ranching;
(9) evaluate the availability of, need for, and strategies for
providing and maintaining, the infrastructure, including air,
water, highway, rail, and telecommunications;
(10) study the structure and potential development of major
industries, including agriculture, timber, mining, tourism, and
manufacturing (including the use of advanced technologies and
processes and adding value to raw materials and component parts);
(11) study the competence and availability of the labor force,
including the health, educational, training, housing, and economic
needs of the labor force;
(12) develop an inventory of water, mineral, energy, timber,
agricultural, fishery, wildlife, and other natural resources;
(13) assess the comparative cost of doing business;
(14) assess the international trading levels, markets, and
practices, and potential opportunities;
(15) assess the interconnection between metropolitan and rural
areas and identify methods through which the areas can collaborate;
(16) assess methods by which small communities and regions are
collaborating or can collaborate in economic development
initiatives;
(17) evaluate--
(A) the distribution and impact of Federal spending,
including grant-in-aid programs, research, and Federal
procurement, and compare the level of spending in these
categories with spending in other regions of the country; and
(B) the extent to which reliance on Federal, State, and
local government outlays for poverty programs can be reduced by
outlays targeted for economic development;
(18) identify Federal, State, and local government programs,
policies, and regulations that enhance or obstruct the development
of businesses and well-paying jobs with long-term potential and
that effectively use the skills, education, and training of the
labor force;
(19) evaluate the potential for States to jointly finance
projects and activities of regional benefit; and
(20) analyze such other issues as the Commission determines are
relevant to future economic development.
(c) Development of Plan.--In developing the plan, the Commission
shall--
(1) provide a forum for the consideration of the problems of
the rural Northern Great Plains and proposed solutions, and
establish and utilize citizens groups, special advisory councils,
public hearings, and conferences;
(2) seek and encourage the participation of interested
citizens, public officials, groups, agencies, economic development
organizations, natural resource organizations, and other
organizations;
(3) make the Commission accessible to the individuals, groups,
agencies, and organizations referred to in paragraph (2) by holding
at least 1 well publicized public hearing in each State; and
(4) consult with--
(A) Federal, State, and local government agencies,
including the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education,
Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban
Development, and Transportation, and the Small Business
Administration, bank regulatory agencies, and rural development
councils;
(B) banks, insurance companies, venture capital companies,
and other for-profit financial institutions;
(C) nonprofit and community-based development
organizations, revolving loan funds, and other organizations;
(D) industry and sectoral organizations;
(E) foundations and universities; and
(F) other organizations involved in economic development
activities.
SEC. 8. COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.
(a) Members Appointed by Governors.--Each member of the Commission
appointed by a Governor of a State may be compensated by the State that
the member represents.
(b) Members Appointed by the Secretary.--Each member appointed by
the Secretary of Agriculture, who is not otherwise employed by the
United States Government, shall receive compensation at a rate
determined by the Secretary of not to exceed the daily equivalent of
the lowest annual rate of basic pay payable for grade GS-15 of the
General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code,
including traveltime, for each day the member is engaged in the actual
performance of the duties of the Commission. A member of the Commission
appointed by the Secretary who is an officer or employee of the United
States Government shall serve without additional compensation.
(c) Travel and Other Expenses.--Each member of the Commission shall
be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence,
at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from the home or
regular place of business of the member in the performance of services
for the Commission. Each member of the Commission shall also be
reimbursed by the United States Government for other necessary expenses
incurred by the member in the performance of the duties of the member.
SEC. 9. POWERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
(a) Experts and Consultants.--The Commission may obtain the
services of experts and consultants in accordance with section 3109 of
title 5, United States Code.
(b) Financial and Administrative Services.--The Commission may
enter into agreements with the Administrator of General Services for
the procurement of necessary financial and administrative services, for
which payment shall be made by reimbursement from funds of the
Commission in such amounts as are agreed on by the chairperson and the
Administrator of General Services.
(c) Contracts.--Subject to subsection (d), the Commission may enter
into contracts with Federal and State agencies and private firms,
institutions, and agencies for the conduct of research and surveys, the
preparation of reports, and other activities necessary to carry out the
duties of the Commission.
(d) Supplies, Services, Property, and Contracts.--The Commission
may procure supplies, services, and property, and make contracts in any
fiscal year, only to such extent and in such amounts as are provided in
appropriation Acts.
(e) Hearings.--The Commission or, on the authorization of the
Commission, a member of the Commission may, for the purpose of carrying
out this Act, hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places,
and request the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the
production of such books, records, memoranda, papers, and documents as
the Commission or the member considers appropriate.
(f) Information.--The Commission may acquire directly from any
executive department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office,
independent establishment, or instrumentality, information,
suggestions, estimates, and statistics for the purpose of this Act.
Each department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office,
establishment, or instrumentality shall provide, to the extent
permitted by law, the information, suggestions, estimates, and
statistics directly to the Commission, upon request by the chairperson.
(g) Personnel.--
(1) In general.--Without regard to the provisions of title 5,
United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive
service, and without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of
chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General
Schedule pay rates, the chairperson of the Commission may appoint,
terminate, and fix the compensation of an Executive Director and
such additional personnel as the chairperson determines are
necessary to enable the Commission to carry out the duties of the
Commission.
(2) Compensation.--The rate of compensation of the Executive
Director may not exceed a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the
annual rate of basic pay payable for level V of the Executive
Schedule under section 5316 of such title. The rate of compensation
of all other personnel may not exceed a rate equal to the daily
equivalent of the lowest annual rate of basic pay payable for grade
GS-15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of such title.
(h) Assistance From Other Agencies.--Upon request of the
Commission, the head of any Federal agency may make any of the
facilities and services of the agency available to the Commission or
detail any of the personnel of the agency to the Commission, on a
reimbursable basis, to assist the Commission in carrying out the duties
of the Commission under this Act. If the head of an agency determines
that the agency cannot make the facilities, services, or personnel
available to the Commission, the head shall notify the chairperson in
writing.
(i) Postal Services.--The Commission may use the United States
mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other
departments and agencies of the United States.
SEC. 10. REPORTS.
(a) Interim Report.--Before the end of the 270-day period beginning
on the date of the first meeting of the Commission under section
6(d)(1), the Commission shall submit a report to the Secretary of
Agriculture, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives, the President, and the Governor of each State,
describing the findings and activities of the Commission and the
further activities necessary to carry out the duties of the Commission.
(b) Final Report.--
(1) In general.--Before the end of the 18-month period
beginning on the date of the first meeting of the Commission under
section 6(d)(1), the Commission shall submit to the Secretary of
Agriculture, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Committee
on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Agriculture of
the House of Representatives, the President, and the Governor of
each State, a report describing the findings and activities of the
Commission and recommendations in accordance with paragraph (2)
regarding specific actions that are necessary to promote the
economic development of the rural Northern Great Plains while
preserving, to the maximum extent possible, the natural beauty and
habitat of the Northern Great Plains.
(2) Recommendations.--
(A) Regional collaboration.--The Commission shall, with
respect to the Northern Great Plains--
(i) determine the most effective and appropriate method
for ensuring continued collaboration within the region on
economic development matters, considering regional
compacts, cooperatives, foundations, development
corporations, and other agreements and organizations;
(ii) identify the organizational structure, method of
financing, functions, and participating organizations, of
the collaboration referred to in clause (i);
(iii) identify methods of effective multi-community,
substate, and small region development; and
(iv) assess the interconnection between metropolitan
and rural areas and identify methods of collaboration
between the areas.
(B) Business development.--The Commission shall, with
respect to the rural Northern Great Plains--
(i) recommend methods of diversifying the rural
economy, including the development and financing of value-
added and new-use agricultural products;
(ii) develop methods to promote and finance beginning
owner-occupied farming and ranching operations;
(iii) recommend methods of promoting entrepreneurial
development, including business startups and expansions;
(iv) recommend methods in which the public, private,
and nonprofit sectors can help increase international
trading levels and penetrate new markets in agricultural,
manufactured, and service products;
(v) evaluate the potential utility of business and
manufacturing networks in target sectors;
(vi) assess the competitiveness of manufacturers and
the use of modern technology, processes, and information by
the manufacturers, and methods of assisting manufacturers
lacking the technology, processes, or information;
(vii) recommend methods in which capital and technical
assistance can be provided on a regional or sectoral basis
to business startups and expansions by public, private, and
nonprofit organizations; and
(viii) recommend ways in which Federal and State
resource conservation programs can be used to encourage
tourism in the region.
(C) Capital.--The Commission shall, with respect to the
rural Northern Great Plains--
(i) determine if there are capital needs in the
economy, and in what part of the economy the needs are
located, and recommend how governmental, nonprofit,
cooperative, community-based, microlending, banking,
venture, seed, and nonbanking financing sources can assist
in meeting the needs;
(ii) identify such strategies in organization,
regulations, policy, marketing, and coordination as are
needed to implement a plan to meet the needs referred to in
clause (i); and
(iii) recommend methods of utilizing secondary
financial markets to increase the capital available for
business development.
(D) Infrastructure.--The Commission shall, with respect to
the rural Northern Great Plains--
(i) prepare a plan to preserve, finance, and operate
effective freight railroad service in coordination with
States, the Federal Railroad Administration, the Interstate
Commerce Commission, rail operators, shippers, and the
financial community;
(ii) prepare an assessment and agreement on the capital
needs, coordination, and financing of telecommunications
infrastructure, in cooperation with the Department of
Agriculture, the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration of the Department of Commerce,
the Federal Communications Commission, the public utilities
commission of each State, telephone companies and
cooperatives, representative users, and such other entities
as the Commission determines are appropriate; and
(iii) recommend strategies for addressing air, water,
and highway needs.
(E) Human resources.--The Commission shall, with respect to
the rural Northern Great Plains--
(i) identify methods of facilitating the employment and
business startups of individuals who are not effectively
participating in the labor force, including unemployed,
underemployed, and low-income individuals and households;
(ii) identify methods of coordinating on a regional or
sectoral basis education and training programs that are
tied to economic development initiatives, especially
programs that address the outmigration of youth; and
(iii) study the competence and availability of the
labor force and the effects of the health, educational,
training, housing, and economic needs of the labor force,
and identify regional strategies addressing the needs.
(F) Government programs, policies, and regulations.--The
Commission shall submit to the appropriate government,
nonprofit, and private sector organizations recommendations for
modifications or additions to the programs, policies, and
regulations referred to in section 7(b)(18) to promote the
rural development of the Northern Great Plains.
SEC. 11. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall terminate on the earlier of--
(1) 120 days after the date of submission of the final report
under section 10; and
(2) 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary
to carry out this Act.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.