Rotary Program

10/11/06

Program Chairperson: Kitty White

Speaker: Anna B. Pope. Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission

Anna Pope has served on the Appalachian Regional Commission since she was nominated by President Bush and unanimously confirmed by the Senate in February, 2003. She is a native of Kingsport, TN., where she formerly served Gov. Sundquist as Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance. Anna is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and the Cumberland School of Law.

Anna described the ARC as a partnership between the Federal, State, and local governments of 13 states from New York to Mississippi established in 1965 which exists to promote economic growth and social development in the area. She says the funds appropriated by Congress are used to plant the seeds of economic growth and development in four major areas, namely, (1.) Job creation and employment stability - More than 3500 new jobs have been created and countless others were saved through the efforts of the ARC in the past 5 years. (2.) Infrastructure - Clean water, sewer systems, and broadband communication. Some 63,000 water and sewer projects have been completed in the past 5 years. (3.) People - Education and Healthcare. The J-1 Visa program is just one example of the successful programs funded by the ARC. It has recruited many doctors from foreign countries to serve in impoverished areas to meet the healthcare needs of thousands of people. (4.) Highways - $450 Million was appropriated for the ARC and $65 Million of that was awarded to projects in Kentucky to finish the Appalachian Highway System, which is nearly 95% complete.

Anna emphasized that because of the efforts of the ARC, every dollar that is appropriated by Congress, there is a return of nearly eleven dollars in the economy of the public and private sectors of the region. With only between 5 and 10% of the funds used for the administration of the ARC , much has been done with most of the money going directly to the projects for which it was designated. - JMC