Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Heath Shuler’s efforts to improve the economy of rural,
Appalachian mountain communities were recognized this afternoon as he was named “Congressman of the Year” by the Development District Association of Appalachia.
“Our mountain communities are a vital part of America’s past, present, and future,” Shuler said
after receiving the award. “I am committed to making certain that our communities are properly
represented in Congress.”
The Development District Association of Appalachia created the “Congressman of the Year”
award is designed to recognize and honor members of Congress who have demonstrated
exceptional support for the Appalachian region.
“Congressman Shuler has been a tireless advocate for Appalachian communities throughout his
time in the House of Representatives,” said Anne Pope, federal co-chair of the ARC. “He has
consistently fought to improve the economy of Western North Carolina, and the entire
Appalachian region, by investing in infrastructure, education, and new technologies.”
In Congress Shuler has advocated for the reauthorization of the ARC and improved funding for its
programs nationwide. Locally Shuler has worked to secure funding to complete the Appalachian
Development Highway System’s Corridor K project in Graham and Cherokee Counties.
The Development District Association of Appalachia is composed of 74 local development
districts across Appalachia that are funded by the ARC and composed largely of local elected
officials and development district staff from all across the 13-state region.
The ARC was created by Congress in the 1960s to develop and improve the region’s roads and
infrastructure, build the Appalachian Development Highway System to reduce the area’s isolation,
increase job opportunities, and strengthen the ability of Appalachian communities to compete in
the global economy.
Funding from the ARC is sent from the federal government to North Carolina, and the other states
in the Appalachian Region, to be used specifically for development in Appalachian communities.
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Download: Rep. Shuler Named “Congressman of the Year” by ARC’s Development District Association of Appalachia
