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Trump Budget Eliminates Appalachian Regional Commission - What Is The ARC?

ARC.gov
Areas the ARC serves

Among the many federal programs and agencies President Donald Trump is proposing to eliminate in his budget plan is the Appalachian Regional Commission.  The agency serves parts of 13 states, including Western North Carolina.  President John F. Kennedy first proposed the ARC, though it was not officially created until after his death.  Smoky Mountain News reporter Corey Vaillancourt stopped by BPR News studios to discuss the history, reach, and impact of the Appalachian Regional Commission - and the likelihood the president's push to eliminate it will come true.  

Matt Bush joined Blue Ridge Public Radio as news director in August 2016. Excited at the opportunity the build up the news service for both stations as well as help launch BPR News, Matt made the jump to Western North Carolina from Washington D.C. For the 8 years prior to coming to Asheville, he worked at the NPR member station in the nation's capital as a reporter and anchor. Matt primarily covered the state of Maryland, including 6 years of covering the statehouse in Annapolis. Prior to that, he worked at WMAL in Washington and Metro Networks in Pittsburgh, the city he was born and raised in.