The longstanding J-1 physician waiver programs at the Appalachian Regional Commission and Delta Regional Authority would be dismantled if the Bowles-Simpson deficit reduction commission recommendations were adopted. The two programs are likely not the basis for the report recommendation (the DRA program, for example, is funded from its fees and not taxpayer dollars). Rather, the programs’ grant programs are considered by the report to duplicate other federal agency work.
The DRA’s Director Chris Masingill noted that the DRA has created 19,000 jobs through its grant program and that the program pays for itself through increasing tax revenue for its program beneficiaris.