Norvell Emerson: “Mr. Chairman, I rise today to urge my colleagues to oppose the Hefley amendment and other amendments to eliminate…”

“Mr. Chairman, I rise today to urge my colleagues to oppose the Hefley amendment and other amendments to eliminate funding authorizations for the Economic Development Administration [EDA] and instead support EDA's reauthorization. I commend the Subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from West Virginia [Mr. Wise] and the ranking Republican, the gentlewoman from New York [Ms. Molinari] for addressing the many needs of rural America in this important legislation. This bill adequately addresses many of the past criticisms of the EDA. For instance, the grandfathering of eligibility resulting in over 85 percent of the country being eligible has been eliminated. I believe that a honest, good-faith effort has been made to reach a compromise on this bill. I am not advocating that it is a perfect bill, but I can tell you from first-hand, hands-on experience that the EDA in my district has been crucial in providing needed funds to many of the small, rural communities in Southern Missouri.”