WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the Appalachian Regional Commission:

“I want to take a minute to say something about an amendment yesterday that would have defunded regional commissions such as the Appalachian Regional Commission, or ARC.

“While I did not support that effort, it did raise some important questions about the direction of ARC.

“I have long been a supporter of the Appalachian Regional Commission, the only government agency whose main purpose is to help poor and disadvantaged communities in the Appalachian region. I am deeply concerned, however, that after 50 years, ARC’s focus has become clouded.

“For instance, ARC’s internal guidelines cap at 30% the amount of area development funds that can be used in the most impoverished areas of Appalachia. It seems utterly illogical to me that, at a government agency whose mission should be to alleviate poverty, 70% of the funds for area development go to counties that are not among the poorest.

“What does ARC stand for if not to help the poorest areas of Appalachia? Is ARC a specialized agency with a coherent mission or is it just another federal bureaucracy that simply allocates funds among 13 selected states regardless of need?

“I hope the vote last night will serve as a wakeup call for management at ARC; a wakeup call that it is time for the agency to reform itself and focus on the counties that most need assistance.”

NOTE: In 1995, Senator McConnell took steps to save ARC, which was on the verge of being eliminated, by securing legislation in the budget to restore funding for the agency

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