Jim Bunning: “I rise in support of funding for the Appalachian Regional Commission and in opposition to the Klug amendment. The…”

“I rise in support of funding for the Appalachian Regional Commission and in opposition to the Klug amendment. The amendment cuts ARC highway funding, a key ingredient in the effort to move Appalachia into the Nation's economic mainstream. But, ARC funding has already been cut by almost 50 percent over the past 2 years. There's no more blood to be taken from this stone. ARC serves the poorest and neediest in the country. In Kentucky, it has helped us reach the lonely hollers. It has linked isolated communities. Our interstate highway system largely bypasses areas like eastern Kentucky because of the cost of building roads over the mountains. Except for a few communities on the major east-west routes, most Appalachian communities have had a hard time competing for jobs because of poor access to national markets. But, the Appalachian Development Highway System is helping to link our people with the outside world. The facts speak for themselves. For instance, back in the 1980's, improved transportation and roads created over half a million jobs in local economies in Appalachia. And studies show that counties with major highways have three times the job growth than those without. More and better jobs are helping to make a difference. Since 1960, ARC has helped cut the poverty rate in Appalachia by 50 percent. Infant mortality is down by two-thirds, high school graduations have doubled.”