Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act of 2022
Floor Speech
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Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6531) to provide an increased allocation of funding under certain programs for assistance in areas of persistent poverty, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6531
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 ``Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act of 2022''. SEC. 2. INCREASING SHARE OF FEDERAL RESOURCES TO AREAS OF PERSISTENT POVERTY AND OTHER HIGH-POVERTY AREAS.
(a) Increasing Share of Federal Resources.--
(1) Guidance and measures to increase federal investments.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director, in consultation with Federal agencies, shall implement guidance to increase the share of Federal investments targeted to--
(A) areas of persistent poverty; and
(B) other areas of high and persistent poverty that the Director, in consultation with Federal agencies, determines to be appropriate.
(2) Guidance for agencies.--Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall issue guidance to Federal agencies identifying--
(A) the scope and type of programs subject to the guidance and measures required by paragraph (1);
(B) the share of Federal investments to be targeted to the areas described under paragraph (1);
(C) the manner in which Federal investments are to be targeted to the areas described under paragraph (1); and
(D) measures to track the Federal investments targeted to the areas described under paragraph (1) over time.
(3) Investment amount.--In developing the guidance and measures under paragraph (1), the Director shall include a minimum goal that Federal investments targeted to areas of persistent poverty or other areas with high and persistent poverty be in an amount that is greater than the amount that is proportional to the population of such areas in the United States relative to the population of the United States as a whole.
(4) Reports to congress.--The Director, in consultation with Federal agencies, shall submit each fiscal year to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes--
(A) a list of the programs, by agency, under which the amount of Federal funds targeted to areas described under paragraph (1) were increased in the previous fiscal year, in accordance with such paragraph; and
(B) for each program listed under subparagraph (A)--
(i) the amount of funds that were targeted under the program to an area of persistent poverty or other area with high and persistent poverty during the previous fiscal year;
(ii) the percent change from the fiscal year before the previous fiscal year in the amount of funds that were targeted under the program toward an area of persistent poverty or other area with high and persistent poverty; and
(iii) to the extent practicable, an assessment of the economic impact of the program on the area, including data on the categories of individuals impacted by the targeting of funds to such areas under the program, disaggregated by household income, race, gender, age, national origin, disability status, and whether the individuals live in an urban area, suburban area, or rural area.
(b) Publication of List of Areas of Persistent Poverty.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Bureau of the Census shall publish a list of all areas of persistent poverty.
(2) Update.--The Bureau of the Census shall update annually the list published under paragraph (1).
(c) GAO Reports.--
(1) Initial report.--Not later than two years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the effectiveness of the measures implemented under subsection (a), including an assessment regarding the impact of increasing Federal investments spent in areas of persistent poverty and other areas with high and persistent poverty.
(2) Subsequent reports.--Not later than 10 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall provide at least two subsequent reports (as described in paragraph (1)) to the appropriate committees of Congress.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2023, $5,000,000 for salaries and expenses (including for entering contracts with non-Federal persons) to carry out this Act.
(e) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on the Budget, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on the Budget, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives; and
(C) any other committee of Congress that has jurisdiction over an agency with a role developing or implementing measures under subsection (a).
(2) Area of persistent poverty.--The term ``area of persistent poverty'' means an area that is a high-poverty census tract or a persistent poverty county.
(3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(4) High-poverty census tract.--The term ``high-poverty census tract'' means a census tract that has a poverty rate of not less than 20 percent in the most recent American Community Survey 5-year data published by the Bureau of the Census.
(5) Persistent poverty county.--The term ``persistent poverty county'' means--
(A) a county, parish, or other equivalent county division (as determined by the Bureau of the Census) with a poverty rate of not less than 20 percent in the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates by the Bureau of the Census in at least 25 of the last 30 years, including the most recent year for which the estimates are available; or
(B) for areas where Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates are not available, a county, parish, or equivalent level of geography, with a poverty rate of not less than 20 percent in at least 25 of the last 30 years, including the most recent year for which the estimates are available, as determined by the Bureau of the Census.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6531, the Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act. This bill is bipartisan, and it was introduced by the distinguished majority whip, Representative Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, and Mr. Hal Rogers of Kentucky.
This bill is timely and would make a difference in the lives of the people across the Nation facing the difficulties of living in persistent poverty.
According to the Census Bureau, in 2020 the official rate of poverty in the United States was 11.4 percent. That statistic illustrates the hardships faced by over 37.2 million people. As we know, poverty can be experienced by Americans of all backgrounds in rural, urban, and suburban communities.
The aims of this important bill are straightforward. The bill would provide additional transparency about the areas of the country facing persistent poverty and would target more Federal resources for program assistance to those areas.
Specifically, H.R. 6531 would require the Census Bureau to publish a list of all areas of persistent poverty, and the Office of Management and Budget would work with agencies to direct additional funds to the places where people need them most.
Reports to Congress would be submitted annually--noting the programs included in the bill's efforts, along with assessments of the economic impacts of the additional investments, to the extent possible.
This bill also calls for GAO to evaluate the effectiveness of the investments over time. Those areas of the country facing exceptional hardship require our exceptional attention and support.
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Mr. CONNOLLY. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), and the manager for the minority.
Mr. Speaker, let me rise with enthusiasm for this legislation for it has been a long-time investment of Whip Clyburn.
The Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act of 2022 tracks work that I have done as it relates to equity in various entities, but in particular in African Americans.
This work of Mr. Clyburn, 10-20-30, has the ability to reach poor communities that have not been necessarily receiving the benefits equitably of Federal resources. This can be a great boost to our rural communities. It can be a source of change.
For example, in Texas, during the pandemic, we lost a large number of rural hospitals, and in those communities people were deprived of access to good healthcare. The hospitals just closed because they did not have the resources.
This, as well, deals with education, flood mitigation, infrastructure, all of these issues come out of appropriations.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Rogers who I know has been working with Whip Clyburn for a long time on this equitable approach to the distribution of our funds.
I think it is important for the American people to know that Members of Congress are concerned that Federal funds get to the people, and they get to the people that are most in need--they are life-changing efforts.
For example, as we worked on the community projects, many Members have found that when they give those pointed dollars, you can change lives of communities, schools, neighborhoods, and families. This particular legislation, the Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act, is an appropriate approach to ensuring that tax dollars get to where they are needed and help those in need.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 6531 and congratulate Mr. Clyburn for his work.
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Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, let me just say, this is how it is supposed to work--watching the collaboration between our dear friend from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn) and the dean of the House (Mr. Rogers) on addressing endemic poverty in the United States is how this House works best. I congratulate both of them for showing us the way. I hope we emulate it on more than this occasion.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation. Let's help our fellow Americans when we can, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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