Southern New England Regional Commission Act

II 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 900 To amend title 40, United States Code, to establish a Southern New England Regional Commission, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 23, 2021 Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself and Mr. REED) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works A BILL To amend title 40, United States Code, to establish a South- ern New England Regional Commission, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Southern New England 4 Regional Commission Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:01 Apr 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S900.IS S900 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 900 IS SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND RE- 1 GIONAL COMMISSION. 2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 15301(a) of title 40, 3 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 4 following: 5 ‘‘(4) The Southern New England Regional 6 Commission.’’. 7 (b) PURPOSES FOR ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUC- 8 TURE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.—Section 15501 of title 9 40, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection 10 (a) and inserting the following: 11 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A Commission may make grants 12 to States and local governments, Indian Tribes, and public 13 and nonprofit organizations for projects, approved in ac- 14 cordance with section 15503— 15 ‘‘(1) to develop the transportation infrastruc- 16 ture of the region of the Commission; 17 ‘‘(2) to develop the basic public infrastructure 18 of the region of the Commission; 19 ‘‘(3) to develop the telecommunications infra- 20 structure of the region of the Commission; 21 ‘‘(4) to assist the region of the Commission in 22 obtaining job skills training, skills development and 23 employment-related education, career pathways, ap- 24 prenticeship opportunities, entrepreneurship, tech- 25 nology, job coaching to address the cliff effect, work 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:01 Apr 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S900.IS S900 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •S 900 IS supports (including child care), and business devel- 1 opment; 2 ‘‘(5) to provide assistance to severely economi- 3 cally distressed and underdeveloped areas of a region 4 that lack financial resources for improving— 5 ‘‘(A) basic health care; 6 ‘‘(B) two-generational practices that im- 7 prove school and workforce readiness and suc- 8 cess; and 9 ‘‘(C) other public services, including work 10 supports critical for families seeking employ- 11 ment, which may include quality child care, 12 transportation, health, and housing; 13 ‘‘(6) to promote resource conservation, tourism, 14 recreation, and preservation of open space in a man- 15 ner consistent with economic development goals; 16 ‘‘(7) to promote the development of renewable 17 and alternative energy sources; 18 ‘‘(8) to support the maritime economy, includ- 19 ing boat and ship building and repair industries; 20 ‘‘(9) to assist in developing defense manufac- 21 turing industries; 22 ‘‘(10) to promote the adoption of composite and 23 other innovative materials in public transportation; 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:01 Apr 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S900.IS S900 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •S 900 IS ‘‘(11) to grow the capacity for successful com- 1 munity economic development in the region of the 2 Commission; 3 ‘‘(12) to provide for employment training for 4 populations seeking employment, including parents 5 in poverty, adults in recovery, and reentry adults, in 6 areas with worker shortages; and 7 ‘‘(13) to otherwise achieve the purposes of this 8 subtitle.’’. 9 (c) DESIGNATION OF REGION.— 10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 11 157 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by 12 adding at the end the following: 13 ‘‘§ 15734. Southern New England Regional Commis- 14 sion 15 ‘‘The region of the Southern New England Regional 16 Commission shall include the following counties: 17 ‘‘(1) RHODE ISLAND.—Each county in the 18 State of Rhode Island. 19 ‘‘(2) CONNECTICUT.—The counties of Hartford, 20 New Haven, Windham, Tolland, Middlesex, and New 21 London in the State of Connecticut. 22 ‘‘(3) MASSACHUSETTS.—The counties of 23 Hampden, Plymouth, Barnstable, Essex, Worcester, 24 and Bristol in the State of Massachusetts.’’. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:58 Apr 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S900.IS S900 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •S 900 IS (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for 1 subchapter II of chapter 157 of title 40, United 2 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 3 following: 4 ‘‘15734. Southern New England Regional Commission.’’. 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