Hal Rogers: “Appalachia confronts a combination of challenges that few other parts of the country face: mountainous terrain and…”

“Appalachia confronts a combination of challenges that few other parts of the country face: mountainous terrain and isolation, a dispersed population, inadequate infrastructure, a lack of financial and human resources, and a weak track record in applying for and receiving assistance from other Federal programs. For decades, Appalachia has experienced an economic lag. Even during years of economic expansion, employment growth in this 13 State region was significantly lower than the Nation's as a whole. Even with ARC's funding, in fiscal '09, Appalachia received 33 percent fewer Federal expenditures per capita than the Nation. It's clear ARC programs do not duplicate other Federal programs. Instead, they extend the reach of those programs. In the last 5 years, every dollar of ARC investment yielded $10 of private sector investment. Clearly, ARC is an effective and efficient steward of the taxpayer dollar, targeting these funds where they are needed the most. As a result, 125,000 households were served by infrastructure. Nearly 140,000 jobs were created or retained. And 100,000 students received vital job training skills. In addition, completing the Appalachian Development Highway System is expected to generate some $5 billion in annual economic benefit for the entire country by 2035. But perhaps just as important as ARC's winning investment strategies is its working knowledge of the communities served.…”