[105th Congress Public Law 145] [From the U.S. Government Printing Office] <DOC> [DOCID: f:publ145.105] [[Page 111 STAT. 2669]] Public Law 105-145 105th Congress Joint Resolution Granting the consent of Congress to the Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Compact. <<NOTE: Dec. 15, 1997 - [H.J. Res. 95]>> Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Tennessee. Mississippi.>> The Congress consents to the Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Compact entered into by the State of Tennessee and the State of Mississippi. The compact is substantially as follows: ``CHICKASAW TRAIL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMPACT ``Article I. The purpose of this compact is to promote the development of an undeveloped rural area of Marshall County, Mississippi, and Fayette County, Tennessee (hereinafter referred to as `Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Area'), and to create a development authority which incorporates public and private partnerships to facilitate the economic growth of such areas by providing developed sites for the location and construction of manufacturing plants, distribution facilities, research facilities, regional and national offices with supportive services, and facilities, and to establish a joint interstate authority to assist in these efforts. ``Article II. This compact shall become effective immediately whenever the states of Tennessee and Mississippi have ratified it and Congress has given consent thereto. ``Article III. The states which are parties to this compact (hereinafter referred to as `party states') do hereby establish and create a joint agency which shall be known as the Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Authority (hereinafter referred to as the `Authority'). The membership of the Authority shall consist of an appointee of the Governor of each party state, each state's chief economic development official or his/her representative, appointee of each of the member counties board of supervisors/county legislative body, selected from nominees from the county's industrial development board, and an appointee of the property owners' group. The appointive members of the authority shall serve for terms of four (4) years. Vacancies on the Authority shall be filled by appointment by the Governor or the appropriate appointing authority for the unexpired part of the term. The members of the Authority shall serve without compensation or reimbursement of expenses. The members of the Authority shall hold regular quarterly meetings and such special meetings as its business may require. They shall choose annually a chairman and vice- chairman from among their members, and the chairmanship shall rotate each year between the party states. The secretary of the Authority [[Page 111 STAT. 2670]] (hereinafter provided for) shall notify each member in writing of all meetings of the Authority in such a manner and under such rules and regulations as the Authority may prescribe. The Authority shall adopt rules and regulations for the transaction of its business; and the secretary shall keep a record of all its business, and shall furnish a copy thereof to each member of the Authority. It shall be the duty of the Authority in general, to promote, encourage and coordinate the efforts of the party states to secure the development of the Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Authority. Toward this end, the authority shall have power to hold hearings; to conduct studies and surveys of all problems, benefits and other matters associated with the development of the Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Area and to make reports thereon; to acquire, by gift or otherwise, and hold and dispose of such money and property as may be provided for the proper performance of their functions; to cooperate with other public or private groups, whether local, state, regional or national, having an interest in economic development; to formulate and execute plans and policies for emphasizing the purpose of this compact before the Congress of the United States and other appropriate officers and agencies of the United States and the respective states; and the exercise of such other powers as may be appropriate to enable it to accomplish its functions and duties in connection with the development of the Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Area and to carry out the purposes of this compact. ``Article IV. The Authority shall appoint a secretary, who shall be a person familiar with the nature, procedures and significance of economic development and the informational, educational and publicity methods of stimulating general interest in such developments, and who shall be the compact administrator. His/her term of office shall be at the pleasure of the Authority. He/she shall maintain custody of the Authority's books, records and papers, which he/she shall keep at the office of the Authority, and he/she shall perform all functions and duties, and exercise all powers and authorities, that may be delegated to him/her by the Authority. ``Article V. Nothing in this compact shall be construed to conflict with any existing statute, or to limit the powers of any party or state or to repeal or prevent legislation, or to authorize or permit curtailment or diminution of any other economic development project, or to affect existing or future cooperative arrangements or relationships between any federal agency and a party state. ``Article VI. This compact shall continue in force and remain binding upon each party state until the Legislature or Governor of each or either state takes action to withdraw therefrom; provided that such withdrawal shall not become effective until six (6) months after the date of the action taken. Notice of such action shall be given by the Secretary of State of the party state which takes such action. ``IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, Kirk Fordice, have subscribed my signature and caused the Great Seal of the State of Mississippi to be affixed this 9th day of May, 1997. ``IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, Don Sundquist, have subscribed my signature and caused the Great Seal of the State of Tennessee to be affixed this 9th day of April, 1997.''. [[Page 111 STAT. 2671]] SEC. 2. INCONSISTENCY OF LANGUAGE. The validity of the compact consented to by this Act shall not be affected by any insubstantial difference in its form or language as adopted by the States. SEC. 3. RIGHT TO ALTER, AMEND, OR REPEAL. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this joint resolution is hereby expressly reserved. Approved December 15, 1997. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.J. Res. 95: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOUSE REPORTS: No. 105-389 (Comm. on the Judiciary). CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 143 (1997): Nov. 12, considered and passed House. Nov. 13, considered and passed Senate. <all>