Norton Got a New Economic Development Bill Through Committee With a New University Center for D.C.
Norton Got a New Economic Development Bill Through Committee With a New University Center for D.C.
July 29, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC -- The full House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today passed the five-year reauthorization of the Economic Development Administration (EDA), one of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's (D-DC) most important bills. The EDA is the primary federal agency that focuses on economic development in distressed areas of the country.
Norton used her chairmanship to secure funding to help rebuild Eastern Market in 2007 following a devastating fire. This year's reauthorization includes increased funding to support university centers, including funds to establish a university center in the District to lend expertise to D.C. organizations and residents seeking to engage in economic development in depressed parts of the city. Norton said, "With unemployment in the District higher than the national average, the EDA reauthorization is just what the city needs now. Until I became chair, the city had made little use of EDA funding. A new university center here at one of our universities is even better than the funding it can obtain from EDA for projects in the District. Depressed areas of our city typically require additional expertise in order to assure access to funding for which they would qualify. All but seven states and D.C. have such a center. Now this vital resource will be available in the District as well."
The bill, which comes under the jurisdiction of Norton's subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, provides $500 million for the EDA to continue to foster partnerships between the federal government and state and local development entities to create jobs and alleviate conditions of substantial and persistent unemployment in economically distressed areas and regions. The EDA funds projects that include construction of water and sewer facilities, access roads, ports improvements, job training facilities and business incubator buildings. Under her chairmanship, Norton has held several hearings on proposals for the reauthorization of the EDA and has conducted vigorous oversight of stimulus funds allocated to the EDA.