CRS Issue Statement on Community and Regional Economic Development

Eugene Boyd, Coordinator
Analyst in Federalism and Economic Development Policy

Despite evidence that the U.S. economy has begun its recovery from the longest and deepest recession since the Great Depression, the national unemployment rate remains high. As the economic recovery continues, the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress face the challenge of dealing with the prospect of a so-called "jobless recovery." In the short term, the Obama Administration has proposed, and the 111th Congress will continue to consider and debate a number of approaches to spur economic activity and job growth, including federal public works and economic development programs. 

As part of this debate, the 111th Congress may elect to address issues of duplication, fragmentation, and inefficiency in the delivery of federal economic development assistance. Responsibility for federal community and economic development assistance is shared by several agencies including, but not limited to, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Commerce, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Defense, the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Delta Regional Authority.


Date of Report: January 11, 2010
Number of Pages: 3
Order Number: IS40278
Price: $7.95

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