I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5124 

To amend title 40, United States Code, to establish a Southern New England 

Regional Commission, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 15, 2019 

Mr. CICILLINE (for himself, Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. LYNCH, and 

Mr. COURTNEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the 

Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend title 40, United States Code, to establish a Southern New England Regional Commission, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Southern New England 

5 Regional Commission Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND RE2 GIONAL COMMISSION. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 15301(a) of title 40, 

4 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 

5 following: 

6 ‘‘(4) The Southern New England Regional 

7 Commission.’’. 

8 (b) PURPOSES FOR ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUC9 TURE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.—Section 15501(a) of such 

10 title is amended to read as follows: 

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 ac14 cordance with section 15503— 

15 ‘‘(1) to develop the transportation infrastruc16 ture of its region; 

17 ‘‘(2) to develop the basic public infrastructure 

18 of its region; 

19 ‘‘(3) to develop the telecommunications infra20 structure of its region; 

21 ‘‘(4) to assist its region in obtaining job skills 

22 training, skills development and employment-related 

23 education, entrepreneurship, technology, and busi24 ness development; 

25 ‘‘(5) to provide assistance to severely economi26 cally distressed and underdeveloped areas of its reVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5124.IH H5124

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1 gion that lack financial resources for improving 

2 basic health care and other public services; 

3 ‘‘(6) to promote resource conservation, tourism, 

4 recreation, and preservation of open space in a man5 ner consistent with economic development goals; 

6 ‘‘(7) to promote the development of renewable 

7 and alternative energy sources; 

8 ‘‘(8) to support the maritime economy, includ9 ing boat and ship building and repair industries; 

10 ‘‘(9) to assist in developing defense manufac11 turing industries; 

12 ‘‘(10) to promote the adoption of composite and 

13 other innovative materials in public transportation; 

14 ‘‘(11) to grow the capacity for successful com15 munity economic development in its region; and 

16 ‘‘(12) to otherwise achieve the purposes of this 

17 subtitle.’’. 

18 (c) DESIGNATION OF REGION.— 

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 

20 157 of such title is amended by adding at the end 

21 the following: 

22 ‘‘§ 15734. Southern New England Regional Commis23 sion 

24 ‘‘The region of the Southern New England Regional 

25 Commission shall include the following counties: 


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1 ‘‘(1) RHODE ISLAND.—The counties of Provi2 dence, Washington, Newport, and Bristol in the 

3 State of Rhode Island. 

4 ‘‘(2) CONNECTICUT.—The counties of Hartford, 

5 New Haven, and New London in the State of Con6 necticut. 

7 ‘‘(3) MASSACHUSETTS.—The counties of 

8 Hampden and Bristol in the State of Massachu9 setts.’’. 

10 (2) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMEND11 MENT.—The analysis for Subchapter II of chapter 

12 157 of such title is amended by adding at the end 

13 the following: 

‘‘15734. Southern New England Regional Commission.’’. 

14 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—The au15 thorization of appropriations in section 15751 of title 40, 

16 United States Code, shall apply with respect to the South17 ern New England Regional Commission beginning with 

18 fiscal year 2020. 

Æ 


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