45

STATEMENT ON APPALACHIAN DEVELOPMENT

TO SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC
WORKS COMMITTEE, U. S. SENATE

January 30, 1967

The State of Maryland has a special pride in the Appalachian
Regional Development Act, which your subcommittee is now con-
sidering amending. It was in our State, at a meeting in Annapolis,
where this concept of states uniting on a regional basis for a joint
attack with the Federal Government on common problems had its
beginnings in May, 1960.

It is, therefore, with particular pleasure that I support the testi-
mony given before your subcommittee on behalf of the 12 Appalachian
states by Governor Hulett C. Smith of West Virginia, acting as co-
chairman for the states in the Appalachian Regional Commission.

Governor Smith's testimony as it relates to the overall Appalachian
program and his comments on the success of the new concept of cre-
ative Federalism — the unique Federal-State partnership that forms
the cornerstone of the program — strongly reflect Maryland's views.
It is our conviction that this concept, with proper planning by the
Federal establishment and by the states, should be expanded to other
Federal developmental programs.

Governor Smith endorses the amendments to the Appalachian Re-
gional Development Act that have been proposed by the Commission.
I am in complete agreement, especially with respect to (1) providing
direct funding to the Commission — a more efficient procedure which
will save time and money, and (2) making more flexible the use of
operating funds for demonstration health facilities.

A very important element of Governor Smith's statement related to
the long range impact of the planning and the projects now being
generated by the Appalachian program. It is these projects and the
results of this planning, acting in combination with each other to
build and to perfect an adequate community and regional economic
infrastructure, that will restore Appalachia to its deserved place as a
self-sufficient region in our country.

Only the three westernmost counties of Maryland are directly in
volved in this program, but they are already feeling benefits which
will extend to the entire State.