Press Release

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez Announces Secretarial Advisory Committee for President’s Strengthening America’s Communities Initiative

U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez today announced that the Department of Commerce will form a Secretarial Advisory Committee to provide comprehensive advice and recommendations on the implementation of the President's Strengthening America's Communities Initiative.

“President Bush's proposed new initiative will help strengthen America's neediest communities and make better use of taxpayer dollars," said Gutierrez. "This Committee will ensure that we have a diverse range of voices from community leaders all across the country advising us on how best to implement this important initiative.”

In his Fiscal Year 2006 budget, President Bush proposed the reforming and restructuring of 18 existing Federal economic and community development programs. The new $3.71 billion unified grant-making program, called Strengthening America’s Communities Initiative, will better target assistance and achieve greater results for low-income individuals and families, and economically-distressed areas.

For additional information on the President’s Strengthening America’s Communities Initiative, visit the Department of Commerce’s website at the following link: http://www.commerce.gov/SACI/index.htm (inactive link). Nominations for committee membership can be made within the next few days by accessing the same website.