On April 15, Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME) and Rep. John Duncan (R-TN) sent a bipartisan letter to House Appropriators asking their support of FY2012 level funding of $257.5 million for EDA in FY2014. The letter also requests full funding for the Public Works program at $111million. The letter included 62 Members of Congress as co-signers. Click here to view the final letter.

The NNMI is a collaborative effort announced by President Obama in March 2012 with the goal of improving the U.S. manufacturing sector’s competitiveness and innovation performance, focusing on the scale-up of new product and process technologies.

Invited speakers to the September 27 workshop will include industry executives, local and state leaders, and administration officials. The workshop will also feature interactive discussion sessions on topics key to the success of the NNMI and the proposed Institutes for Manufacturing Innovation.

Online pre-registration is open until September 18. Registration after this date is on a first-come, first-serve basis, should space remain available. Click here to register for this event.

The TBL model has been recognized as a valuable analytical tool among businesses including major U.S. companies such as General Electric, Unilever, and Proctor and Gamble. The model has not been widely applied within the public sector, but the development of the new tool represents a significant step forward for expanding the application of the TBL model by planners, nonprofits, community organizations, and governments to help support the assessment and decision making of critical development decisions.

In creating the TBL Tool, EDA collaborated with Portland State University and its project team and an advisory board of policy makers, practitioners, academics, and industry leaders, including the National Association of Development Organizations, the International Economic Development Council, and the Ford Foundation. Click here for more information and to view the TBL Tool.

• Alaska: Bristol Bay Jobs Accelerator Project, $405,023
• Connecticut: New England Food Hub Cluster Initiative, $568,150
• Illinois: Henry-Rural Rock Island-Mercer County Economic Development Consortium, $193,500
• Kansas: Advanced Manufacturing Institute at Kansas State University, $715,000
• Louisiana-Arkansas: I-20 Corridor Regional Accelerator, $964,134
• Mississippi: Mississippi State University, $1,065,000
• New Hampshire: Northern Tier Farm and Forest Jobs Accelerator, $708,750
• North Carolina: WNC AgriVentures — Cultivating Jobs and Innovation Project , $815,000
• North Carolina: Northern Carolina Eastern Region Aerospace and Automotive Cluster Project, $715,000
• South Carolina: Southern Carolina Alliance Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, $650,000
• Virginia: Appalachian Spring – Using Asset-Based and Creative Economy Methods to Catalyze Rural Job Acceleration, $815,000
• West Virginia: Southern West Virginia Rural Jobs Accelerator Partnership, $717,985
• West Virginia: Value Chain Cluster Initiative, $815,000

The competition was designed by the Taskforce for the Advancement of Regional Innovation Clusters and the White House Rural Council and is also supported by nine other Federal agencies including Commerce’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership; Denali Commission; U.S. Department of Education; U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration; U.S. Department of Energy; Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and the Small Business Administration.

For more information, please see Obama Administration Announces $9 Million Investment in Rural Communities to Foster Job Creation and Innovation.

U.S. Economic Development Administration

Summary of 2011-2012 House Floor Roll Call Votes

Updated May 11, 2012

During the 112^th Congress (2011-2012), the U.S. House of Representatives has held four floor votes on funding issues related to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA).  One House vote was part of the FY2011 Full Year Appropriations Act (an omnibus package of multiple appropriations bills) and the remaining three votes were part of the House floor debate on the FY2013 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill, one of the twelve annual spending bills that fund the annual discretionary programs of the federal government.  The votes included:

• Michaud Amendment to H.R. 1, FY2011 Full Year Appropriations Act. The amendment (#22) offered by Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME) proposed to restore an $80 million cut to EDA as part of the long-term Continuing Resolution for FY2011 with an $80 million funding offset from the Census Bureau’s periodic census account.  The Michaud amendment was adopted with a strong bipartisan support on 305-127 vote (1 absent).  (Roll Call Vote 50, February 16, 2011)
• Michaud Amendment to H.R. 5326, FY2013 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Act.  The amendment (#1038) offered by Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME) proposed to restore a $38 million cut to EDA as part of the FY2013 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill with a $38 million funding offset from the Census Bureau’s periodic census account.  The Michaud amendment was defeated by a 190-218 vote (23 absent / 3 vacancies).  (Roll Call Vote 205, May 8, 2012)
• Pompeo Amendment to H.R. 5326, FY2013 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Act.  The amendment (#1039) offered by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) proposed to eliminate EDA as part of the FY2013 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill.  The Pompeo amendment was defeated by a bipartisan vote of 129-279 (23 absent / 3 vacancies).  (Roll Call Vote 207, May 8, 2012)
• Scalise Amendment to H.R. 5326, FY2013 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Act.  The amendment (#1041) offered by Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) proposed to reduce the salaries and expense line items for three U.S. Department of Commerce accounts, including EDA’s operations account by $7.5 million, as part of the FY2013 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill.  The Scalise amendment was defeated by a vote of 174-233 (24 absent / 3 vacancies).  (Roll Call Vote 207, May 8, 2012)

Following is a summary of the voting trends and key findings.

OVERALL:  ANALYSIS OF 4 KEY EDA HOUSE FLOOR APPROPRIATIONS VOTES

• 181 House members voted in support of the Michaud amendment to restore the proposed $38 million cut to EDA’s FY2013 budget and against the Pompeo amendment to eliminate EDA. This total includes 142 Democrats and 39 Republicans.
• 150 House members voted in favor of EDA on all 4 key votes in 2011 and 2012, including 126 Democrats and 24 Republicans.
• 99 House members voted against restoring EDA’s FY2013 budget to the current level, YET also opposed eliminating the agency as part of the Pompeo amendment.  This total includes 33 Democrats and 66 Republicans.
• 62 House members voted against EDA on all 4 key votes in 2011 and 2012. All were Republicans.
• 14 House members voted against EDA under H.R. 1 in 2011, but these same members voted in support of EDA as part of the Michaud and Pompeo amendments in 2012.
• 9 House members voted BOTH to restore the proposed $38 million cut to EDA’s FY2013 budget as part of the Michaud amendment and to eliminate the agency as part of the Pompeo amendment.             All of these members were Republicans. (Note: One explanation may be the member wanted to reduce funding for the Census Bureau’s periodic census account.)

Michaud Amendment to H.R. 1, FY2011 full-year appropriations act

Amendment #22 by Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME) to restore proposed $80 million funding cut from EDA’s FY2011 budget with $80 million funding offset from the Census Bureau’s periodic census account.

• Amendment was adopted with strong bipartisan support on 305-127 vote (1 absent) (Roll Call 50, February 16, 2011)
• Supported Restoring EDA FY11 Funding
  • 145 of 240 Republicans (60% of Republican Caucus)
  • 160 of 192 Democrats (83% of Democratic Caucus)
•  Opposed Restoring EDA FY11 Funding
  • 95 of 240 Republicans (40% of Republican Caucus)
  • 32 of 192 Democrats (17% of Democratic Caucus
• Noteworthy Findings
  • House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) and 8 of the 12 Appropriations subcommittee chairmen (known as the Cardinals) supported the EDA amendmen
  • Of the 50 members of the House Appropriations Committee
    • Total:  36 supported passage of EDA amendment while 14 opposed the amendment
    • 29 Republicans:  21 voted in support of EDA while only 8 opposed the amendment
    • 21 Democrats:  15 voted in support of EDA while 6 opposed the amendmen
• Voting Records of House Freshman Class
  • Republicans
    • 49 of 86 House Republican Freshmen supported restoring EDA funding (57%)
    • 37 of 86 House Republican Freshmen opposed restoring EDA funding (43%)
  • Democrats
    • 8 of 9 House Democratic Freshmen supported restoring EDA funding

EDA amendment received second highest vote total in support of restoring funding as part of long-term FY2011 Continuing Resolution - second only to amendment to restore FEMA’s firefighter grant program. 

Michaud Amendment to H.R. 5326, FY2013 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Act

Amendment #1038 by Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME) to restore proposed $38 million funding cut from EDA’s FY2013 budget with $38 million funding offset from the Census Bureau’s periodic census account.

• Amendment failed in the House with a vote of 190 to 218
  • Supported Restoring EDA’s FY13 Funding
    • 48 of 242 Republicans (8 did not vote) – (19% of the caucus)
    • 142 of 190 Democrats (15 did not vote) – (74% of the caucus)
  •  Opposed Restoring EDA’s FY13 Funding
    • 185 of 242 Republicans – (19% of the caucus)
    • 33 of 190 Democrats – (16% of the caucus)
  •  Did Not Vote
    • 8 of 242 Republicans
    • 15 of 190 Democrats
    • 3 vacancies
•  House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) and 2 of the 12 Appropriations subcommittee chairmen (known as the Cardinals) supported the EDA Amendment.  Ranking Member Norm Dicks (D-WA) also supported the amendment to restore EDA’s funding.
  • Cardinals Supported: Reps. Rogers (R-KY), Rehberg (R-MT), and Latham (R-IA)
  • Cardinals Opposed: Reps. Aderholt (R-AL), Crenshaw (R-FL), Culberson (R-TX), Emerson (R-MO), Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Granger (R-TX), Kingston (R-GA), Simpson (R-ID), Wolf (R-VA), and Young (R-FL)
•  Of the 50 members of the House Appropriations Committee
  • Total: 19 supported passage of EDA amendment while 28 opposed
  • 29 Republicans: 7 supported passage of EDA amendment while 21 opposed.  Rep. Bonner (R-AL) did not vote.
  • 21 Democrats: 12 supported passage of EDA amendment while 7 opposed and 2 did not vot
• Voting Records of the House Freshmen Class:  There are 94 new freshman members
  • Total:  33 freshmen supported the Michaud amendment to restore EDA’s budget
  • 85 Republicans:  Only 25 Republican freshmen supported the amendment
  • 9 Democrats: 8 Democrat freshmen supported the amendment

POMPEO Amendment to H.R. 5326, FY2013 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Act

Amendment #1039 by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) to eliminate any FY2013 program funding for the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

• Amendment failed in the House with a vote of 129 to 279 (23 did not vote)
• Supported Elimination of EDA
  • 129 of 233 Republicans (8 did not vote) – (55% of the caucus)
  • 0 of 175 Democrats (15 did not vote) – (0% of the caucus)
• Voted Against Eliminating EDA
  • 104 of 233 Republicans (8 did not vote) – (45% of the caucus)
  • 175 of 175 Democrats (15 did not vote) – (100% of the caucus
• Did Not Vote
  • 8 of 241 Republicans
  • 15 of 190 Democrats
  • 3 vacancies
• Noteworthy Findings
  • House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) and 8 of the 12 Appropriations Subcommittee chairs (known as the Cardinals) voted against the Pompeo amendment to eliminate EDA.  Ranking Member Norm Dicks (D-WA) also opposed Pompeo’s amendment.  Four of the 12 Cardinals voted to eliminate EDA.
  • 8 Cardinals Supported EDA:  Reps. Aderholt (R-AL), Crenshaw (R-FL), Emerson (R-MO), Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Latham (R-IA), Rehberg (R-MT), Simpson (R-ID), and Wolf (R-VA)
  • 4 Cardinals Voted to Eliminate EDA:  Reps. Culberson (R-TX), Granger (R-TX), Kingston (R-GA), and Young (R-FL
• Of the 50 members of the House Appropriations Committee
  • Total:  10 voted “yes” to eliminate EDA while 37 opposed (3 did not vote)
  • Of the 29 Republicans:  10 supported passage of Pompeo’s amendment to eliminate EDA while 18 opposed.  Rep. Bonner (R-AL) did not vote.
  • Of the 21 Democrats: 19 opposed eliminating EDA and 2 did not vote.
• Voting Records of the House Freshman Class:  There are 94 new freshman members
  • Total:  41 freshmen supported the amendment—all were Republican
  • 52 freshmen opposed Pompeo’s amendment (one freshman did not vote)

TO RESTORE FUNDING FOR THE U.S. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

ACTION NEEDED: Urge your Representatives to vote “yes” on the Rep. Michael Michaud (D-ME) amendment to restore a proposed $38 million cut to the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) as the House considers the FY2013 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill. This year, the U.S. House of Representatives has proposed to cut EDA’s FY2013 budget to $219 million, $38 million below FY2012 and level with the President’s FY2013 budget request.  The amendment offered by Rep. Michaud would restore the $38 million cut.

During the U.S. House debate on the Full Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011 (H.R. 1), Rep. Michaud successfully offered a similar amendment to restore a proposed $80 million cut, or 33 percent reduction, in EDA’s FY2011 funding.  The House overwhelmingly adopted, by a strong bipartisan vote of 305 to 127, to retain EDA’s funding at the FY2010 enacted level.  With 60 percent of the Republican caucus and 83 percent of the Democratic caucus supporting full funding for EDA, this was a clear demonstration of the agency’s results over the years and the need for future strategic public investments to lower the unemployment rate and generate high-quality private sector employment opportunities.

BACKGROUND: On April 19, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a FY2013 Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) Appropriations bill that would provide $238 million for EDA, approximately $20 million below FY2012 and $19 million above the President’s FY2013 budget request. On April 26, the House Appropriations Committee approved their version of the FY2013 CJS Appropriations bill that would provide $219 million for EDA, $38 million below FY2012 and level with the President’s FY2013 budget request.  The FY2012 appropriation for EDA included $200 million for disaster assistance for areas that received a disaster designation in fiscal year 2011.

KEY TALKING POINTS:

• EDA is unique among federal programs.  While other federal programs often support broader community development activities, EDA focuses strictly on private sector job creation and economic growth.
• By federal law, EDA projects typically require a 50 percent local cost share and significant private sector investment, ensuring that local leaders and businesses are committed to the project’s success.  In addition, EDA investments are focused on high quality jobs, especially in advanced manufacturing, science and technology, and emerging knowledge-based industries and sectors.
• By federal law, EDA project investments must be tied into a regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) developed and vetted by local officials (including Economic Development Districts)—this helps ensure projects have significant local support and are part of a broader regional strategy.
• EDA invests in public assets that private companies are reluctant to fund themselves.  These assets are often lacking in the nation’s most distressed areas, yet they are a prerequisite for private industry to remain or locate in these areas.  As we have witnessed in recent years, private companies will relocate to places with these basic yet vital public infrastructure assets, including outside of the United States.

ACTION NEEDED: Urge your Representatives to vote “yes” on the Rep. Michael Michaud (D-ME) amendment to restore a proposed $38 million cut to the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) as the House considers the FY2013 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill. This year, the U.S. House of Representatives has proposed to cut EDA’s FY2013 budget to $219 million, $38 million below FY2012 and level with the President’s FY2013 budget request. The amendment offered by Rep. Michaud would restore the $38 million cut.

During the U.S. House debate on the Full Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011 (H.R. 1), Rep. Michaud successfully offered a similar amendment to restore a proposed $80 million cut, or 33 percent reduction, in EDA’s FY2011 funding.  The House overwhelmingly adopted, by a strong bipartisan vote of 305 to 127, to retain EDA’s funding at the FY2010 enacted level.  With 60 percent of the Republican caucus and 83 percent of the Democratic caucus supporting full funding for EDA, this was a clear demonstration of the agency’s results over the years and the need for future strategic public investments to lower the unemployment rate and generate high-quality private sector employment opportunities.

BACKGROUND: On April 19, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a FY2013 Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) Appropriations bill that would provide $238 million for EDA, approximately $20 million below FY2012 and $19 million above the President’s FY2013 budget request. On April 26, the House Appropriations Committee approved their version of the FY2013 CJS Appropriations bill that would provide $219 million for EDA, $38 million below FY2012 and level with the President’s FY2013 budget request.  The FY2012 appropriation for EDA included $200 million for disaster assistance for areas that received a disaster designation in fiscal year 2011.

KEY TALKING POINTS:

• EDA is unique among federal programs.  While other federal programs often support broader community development activities, EDA focuses strictly on private sector job creation and economic growth.
• By federal law, EDA projects typically require a 50 percent local cost share and significant private sector investment, ensuring that local leaders and businesses are committed to the project’s success.  In addition, EDA investments are focused on high quality jobs, especially in advanced manufacturing, science and technology, and emerging knowledge-based industries and sectors.
• By federal law, EDA project investments must be tied into a regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) developed and vetted by local officials (including Economic Development Districts)—this helps ensure projects have significant local support and are part of a broader regional strategy.

EDA invests in public assets that private companies are reluctant to fund themselves.  These assets are often lacking in the nation’s most distressed areas, yet they are a prerequisite for private industry to remain or locate in these areas.  As we have witnessed in recent years, private companies will relocate to places with these basic yet vital public infrastructure assets, including outside of the United States.

These markups are one of the first steps of the appropriations process (final FY2013 agency and program levels will be determined later in the year), and provide a very important first glance at the initial appropriations numbers which will be used in final House and Senate negotiations over FY2013 appropriations.

Today, three appropriations subcommittees held markups—one in the House and two in the Senate.  The following is a brief overview of some of the FY2013 funding levels included in the appropriations subcommittee bills.  More details will be released in the next several days.

1. The Senate Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee (which has funding jurisdiction over EDA):

• Economic Development Administration (EDA):  The Senate subcommittee bill provides $238 million for EDA, which is $20 million below the FY2012 level and $19 million above the President’s FY2013 budget request.
• The Senate subcommittee bill provides $38 million for the Salaries and Expenses account (essentially level with current funding) and $200 million for Economic Development Assistance Programs, including $25 million for the Administration’s Regional Innovation Partnership program.  Details have not yet been released for the Planning, Public Works, and Economic Adjustment Assistance accounts. 
• The House Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee will hold a markup of their FY2013 bill on Thursday, March 19.

1. The Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) Appropriations Subcommittee (which has funding jurisdiction over U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development programs):

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development programs:

• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program: The Senate subcommittee bill includes $3.1 billion for CDBG grant funding, $152 million above the FY2012 level. The President’s FY2013 budget request included $2.94 billion for CDBG.
• HOME Investment Partnership: The Senate subcommittee bill includes $1 billion for the HOME Investment Partnership program, which is level with FY2012 and the President’s FY2013 budget request.
• Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI): The Senate subcommittee bill includes $50 million within HUD’s Community Development Fund for the Sustainable Communities Initiative. The funding included in the bill will provide grants for integrated housing and transportation planning efforts on both the regional and local level. No funding was provided for SCI in FY2012 and the President’s FY2013 budget request included $100 million for SCI.

U.S. Department of Transportation programs:

• Funding for Significant Transportation Projects (“TIGER” program): The Senate subcommittee bill includes $500 million for grants to support significant transportation projects in a wide variety of modes, including highways and bridges, public transportation, passenger and freight railroads, and port infrastructure. The bill requires the Secretary to allocate no less than $120 million for projects in rural communities. The funding included in the Senate bill is level with FY2012 and level with the President’s FY2013 budget request.
• Highway Investments: The Senate subcommittee bill includes $39.1 billion for the annual Federal-aid Highway program to support essential investments in roads and bridges, and is level with FY2012. (This amount supports SAFETEA-LU levels for highways)
• Transit Investments: The Senate subcommittee bill includes $2.044 billion for the transit “New Starts” program, which is $89 million above the FY2012 level.
• Rail Investments: The Senate subcommittee bill includes $1.75 billion for rail infrastructure, of which $1.45 billion is for Amtrak. Of the total amount provided, $100 million is for the High Performance Passenger Rail grant program to assist states with the improvement of existing intercity services, congestion mitigation and multi-state planning initiatives. This funding is $126 million above the FY2012 level.

1. The House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee (which has funding jurisdiction over the federal-state regional commissions)

• Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC): The House subcommittee bill includes $75.317 million for the ARC, $7.05 million above the FY2012 level and $10.46 million above the President’s FY2013 budget request.
• Delta Regional Authority (DRA): The House subcommittee bill includes $11.67 million for the DRA, which is level with the FY2012 funding.  The President’s FY2013 budget request included $11.31 million for DRA.
• Denali Commission: The House subcommittee bill includes $10.67 million for the commission, level with FY2012 funding. The President’s FY2013 budget request included $10.16 million for the Commission.
• Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC): The House subcommittee bill includes $1.425 million for the Commission, just slightly less than the FY2012 level of $1.49 million.  The President’s FY2013 budget request included $1.42 million for NBRC.
• Southeast Crescent Regional Commission: The House subcommittee bill includes $250,000 for the Commission, level with FY2012 funding. The President’s FY2013 budget request did not include funding for the Commission.