Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016
Floor Speech
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Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, my amendment is pretty straightforward. It eliminates duplicative and wasteful spending. It eliminates $200 million from the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Delta Regional Authority, the Denali Commission, and the Northern Border Regional Commission.
These entities have a mission to provide ``strategic investments'' for economic development, broadband deployment, infrastructure improvements, and housing. You name it; there is funding for it. That is laudable, but there are already several Federal, State, and local programs that fund these types of projects.
What is worse is that a quick look at some of the grants awarded from these entities show questionable choices: Should $100,000 be awarded to the Lake Placid Ski Club to build ski jumps? Should $125,000 be awarded for a Chinese medicine herb growers consortium? Should $250,000 be awarded to a tribe in Maine to build a maple processing facility--after it was awarded about $100,000 from USDA to launch maple syrup ventures? This is through the Federal Government. I don't believe so.
I ask us to support my amendment and stop such duplicative and wasteful spending.
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Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, my amendment is straightforward. I am asking for support on amendment No. 3803.
3803.
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Mrs. ERNST. Thank you, Mr. President.
The amendment is pretty straightforward. What we are doing is eliminating duplicative programs. Many programs exist out there already which will provide for housing needs, for infrastructure needs, many other needs. What we are doing is stating that we shouldn't be providing separate funds for very specific regions and duplicating processes that are found in the Federal Government.
Just a few examples: $100,000 awarded to Lake Placid Ski Club to build ski jumps, $125,000 awarded for Chinese Medicine Herb Growers Consortium, and $250,000 awarded to a tribe in Maine to build a maple- processing facility after it received $100,000 from the USDA to launch Maple Syrup Ventures.
I don't believe this is activity the Federal Government should be engaged in. Again, these are duplicative programs. There are many other programs available out there. So I am asking for the support of my colleagues on this amendment.
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Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, again, this is $200 million. I would beg to differ that this is not a lot of spending, and $200 million is a lot of money for folks back in Iowa.
Iowa does not have one of these funds. Many other States don't have these same types of funds. This is just an additional way for certain regions to tap into Federal dollars. So there are many programs. As I stated earlier. I have heard folks say this is about jobs. We have workforce investment programs that everyone across the Nation can dive into to provide opportunity for everyone. Everyone needs opportunity, so everyone should be able to tap into these Federal dollars.
Mr. President, $200 million is a lot of Federal spending.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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