(b)
Declarations
In order to promote a strong and growing economy throughout the United States, Congress declares that—
(1)
assistance under this chapter should be made available to both rural- and urban-distressed communities;
(2)
local communities should work in partnership with neighboring communities, the States, Indian tribes, and the Federal Government to increase the capacity of the local communities to develop and implement comprehensive economic development strategies to alleviate economic distress and enhance competitiveness in the global economy;
(3)
whether suffering from long-term distress or a sudden dislocation, distressed communities should be encouraged to support entrepreneurship to take advantage of the development opportunities afforded by technological innovation and expanding newly opened global markets; and
(4)
assistance under this chapter should be made available to promote the productive reuse of abandoned industrial facilities and the redevelopment of brownfields.