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U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 2642. Acceleration of public works
(a) Eligible areas
For the purposes of this section the term "eligible area" means -
(1) those areas which the Secretary of Labor designates each
month as having been areas of substantial unemployment for at
least nine of the preceding twelve months; and
(2) those areas which are designated by the Secretary of
Commerce under subsections (a) and (b) of section 2504 of this
title as "redevelopment areas".
(b) Authority to initiate and accelerate projects; allocation of
funds
The President is authorized to initiate and accelerate in
eligible areas those Federal public works projects which have been
authorized by Congress, and those public works projects of States
and local governments for which Federal financial assistance is
authorized under provisions of law other than this chapter, by
allocating funds appropriated to carry out this section -
(1) to the heads of the departments, agencies, and
instrumentalities of the Federal Government responsible for the
construction of Federal public works projects, and
(2) to the heads of the departments, agencies, and
instrumentalities of the Federal Government responsible for the
administration of laws authorizing Federal financial assistance
to public works projects of State and local governments.
(c) Grants-in-aid; law governing; amount of Federal contributions
All grants-in-aid made from allocations made by the President
under this section shall be made by the head of the department,
agency, or instrumentality of the Federal Government administering
the law authorizing such grants, and, except as otherwise provided
in this subsection, shall be made in accordance with all of the
provisions of such law except (1) provisions requiring allocation
of funds among the States, and (2) limitations upon the total
amount of such grants for any period. Notwithstanding any
provisions of such law requiring the Federal contribution to the
State or local government involved to be less than a fixed portion
of the cost of a project, grants-in-aid may be made under authority
of this section which bring the total of all Federal contributions
to such project up to 50 per centum of the cost of such project, or
up to 75 per centum of the cost of such project if the State or
local government does not have economic and financial capacity to
assume all of the additional financial obligations required.
(d) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated not to exceed $900,000,000
to be allocated by the President in accordance with subsection (b)
of this section, except that not less than $300,000,000 shall be
allocated for public works projects in areas designated by the
Secretary of Commerce as redevelopment areas under subsection (b)
of section 2504 of this title.
(e) Rules and regulations; considerations
The President shall prescribe rules, regulations, and procedures
to carry out this section which will assure that adequate
consideration is given to the relative needs of eligible areas. In
prescribing such rules, regulations, and procedures the President
shall consider among other relevant factors (1) the severity of the
rates of unemployment in the eligible areas and the duration of
such unemployment and (2) the income levels of families and the
extent of underemployment in eligible areas.
(f) Restrictions on allocated funds
Funds allocated by the President under this section shall be
available only for projects -
(1) which can be initiated or accelerated within a reasonably
short period of time;
(2) which will meet an essential public need;
(3) a substantial portion of which can be completed within
twelve months after initiation or acceleration;
(4) which will contribute significantly to the reduction of
local unemployment;
(5) which are not inconsistent with locally approved
comprehensive plans for the jurisdiction affected, wherever such
plans exist.
(g) Limit on allocations available for projects in any one State
Not more than 10 per centum of all amounts allocated by the
President under this section shall be made available for public
works projects within any one State.
(h) Criteria determining substantial unemployment
The criteria to be used by the Secretary of Labor in determining
areas of substantial unemployment for the purposes of paragraph (1)
of subsection (a) of this section shall be the criteria established
in section 6.3 of title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations as in
effect May 1, 1962.
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