Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson (IL-15) and other Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate formally joined together Wednesday to launch the establishment of the Congressional Delta Caucus, a group of elected officials concerned with economic revitalization in the Delta region and with better connecting the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) to Capitol Hill.  The Delta Regional Authority was established by Congress in 2000 to help alleviate poverty and stimulate growth in impoverished counties within the eight member states of Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky and Illinois.  Rep. Johnson will participate with the bipartisan group because three counties in the southern part of his District are part of the DRA.  Those counties are White, Saline and Gallatin.

“Areas in Southern Illinois, much like areas in Mississippi, Missouri, and Arkansas, have absorbed repeated economic blows,” said Rep. Johnson.  “Whether it was the loss of a major employer or unfavorable climate conditions for farming, this region has seen substantial economic decline over the course of the last 25 years.  The Congressional Delta Caucus is committed to breathing some life back into that region.  I want to be a part of this group and help the communities in Gallatin, Saline and White Counties overcome the economic disadvantages with which they’ve been coping for several years now.” 

The inaugural meeting of the bipartisan panel took place Wednesday afternoon in Washington, D.C.  Members from the several Delta Region states banded together behind the mission:  “We believe in the Delta, we know there are many problems in the Delta but we are launching this caucus to bring Congressional attention to this impoverished region and to work together to benefit our constituents living there…”  The Caucus will meet periodically on Capitol Hill to monitor the progress its members are making in their individual states.

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