I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6986 
To amend title 40, United States Code, to modify certain requirements 
for Regional Commissions, to reauthorize the Northern Border Regional 
Commission, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 8, 2022 
Ms. KUSTER (for herself, Ms. STEFANIK, Mr. KATKO, Mr. PAPPAS, Ms. PIN-
GREE, and Mr. WELCH) 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 provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 40, United States Code, to modify certain 
requirements for Regional Commissions, to reauthorize 
the Northern Border Regional Commission, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Northern Border Re-
gional Commission Reauthorization Act of 2022’’. 
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SEC. 2. REGIONAL COMMISSIONS MODIFICATIONS. 
(a) MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSIONS.—Section 15301 
of title 40, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2)(C)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘An alternate member’’ 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(i) 
IN
GENERAL.—An 
alternate 
member’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(ii) STATE ALTERNATES.—If the al-
ternate State member is unable to vote in 
accordance with clause (i), the alternate 
State member may delegate voting author-
ity to a designee, subject to the condition 
that the executive director shall be notified, 
in writing, of the designation not less than 
1 week before the applicable vote is to take 
place.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘a Federal em-
ployee’’ and inserting ‘‘an employee’’. 
(b) DECISIONS OF COMMISSIONS.—Section 15302 of 
title 40, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘or State al-
ternate members, including designees’’ after ‘‘State 
members’’; and 
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(2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(c) QUORUMS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), a 
Commission shall determine what constitutes a 
quorum for meetings of the Commission. 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—Any quorum for meet-
ings of a Commission shall include— 
‘‘(A) the Federal Cochairperson or the al-
ternate Federal Cochairperson; and 
‘‘(B) a majority of State members or alter-
nate State members, including designees (exclu-
sive of members representing States delinquent 
under section 15304(c)(3)(C)).’’. 
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE POWERS AND EXPENSES OF 
COMMISSIONS.—Section 15304(a)(9) of title 40, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘maintain a govern-
ment relations office in the District of Columbia and’’. 
(d) MEETINGS OF COMMISSIONS.—Section 15305(b) 
of title 40, United States Code, is amended by striking 
‘‘with the Federal Cochairperson’’ and all that follows 
through the period at the end and inserting the following: 
‘‘with— 
‘‘(1) the Federal Cochairperson; and 
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‘‘(2) at least a majority of the State members 
or alternate State members (including designees) 
present in-person or via electronic means.’’. 
SEC. 3. ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT 
GRANTS. 
Section 15501 of title 40, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(4) 
through (9) as paragraphs (6) through (11), re-
spectively; and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (3) the 
following: 
‘‘(4) to design, build, implement, or upgrade 
transportation or basic public infrastructure or 
workforce capacity to support the adaption to and 
mitigation of climate challenges; 
‘‘(5) to promote the production of housing to 
meet economic development and workforce needs;’’; 
and 
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘paragraph 
(1), (2), (3), or (7)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (1), 
(2), (3), (4), or (9)’’. 
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SEC. 4. NORTHERN BORDER REGIONAL COMMISSION. 
(a) COUNTIES IN MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE.— 
Section 15733 of title 40, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘Lincoln,’’ 
after ‘‘Knox,’’; and 
(2) 
in 
paragraph 
(2), 
by 
inserting 
‘‘Merrimack,’’ after ‘‘Grafton,’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
15751 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by 
striking subsection (a) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be ap-
propriated to each Commission to carry out this subtitle— 
‘‘(1) $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 
through 2026; and 
‘‘(2) $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 
through 2031.’’. 
SEC. 5. NORTHERN FOREST REGION PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle V of title 40, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘CHAPTER 159—NORTHERN FOREST 
REGION PROGRAMS 
‘‘§ 15901. Definitions 
‘‘In this chapter: 
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