‘‘(1) NBRC.—The term ‘NBRC’ means the 
Northern Border Regional Commission established 
by section 15301(a)(3). 
‘‘(2) NORTHERN FOREST REGION.—The term 
‘Northern Forest region’ means the counties in-
cluded in the NBRC under section 15733. 
‘‘§ 15902. State capacity building grant program 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) COMMISSION STATE.—The term ‘Commis-
sion State’ means each of the States of Maine, New 
Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE
COUNTY.—The term ‘eligible 
county’ means a county described in section 15733. 
‘‘(3) PROGRAM.—The term ‘program’ means 
the State capacity building grant program estab-
lished under subsection (b). 
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The NBRC shall establish a 
State capacity building grant program to provide grants 
to Commission States to carry out the purpose under sub-
section (c). 
‘‘(c) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the program is to 
support the efforts of the NBRC— 
‘‘(1) to better support business retention and 
expansion in eligible counties; 
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‘‘(2) to create programs to encourage job cre-
ation and workforce development in eligible counties; 
‘‘(3) to prepare economic and infrastructure 
plans for eligible counties; 
‘‘(4) to expand access to high-speed broadband 
in eligible counties; 
‘‘(5) to provide technical assistance that results 
in NBRC investments in transportation, water, 
wastewater, and other critical infrastructure; 
‘‘(6) to create initiatives to increase the effec-
tiveness of local development districts in eligible 
counties; and 
‘‘(7) to implement new or innovative economic 
development practices that will better position the el-
igible counties of Commission States to compete in 
the global economy. 
‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Funds from a grant under 
the program may be used to support a project, pro-
gram, or related expense of the Commission State in 
an eligible county. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—Funds from a grant under 
the program shall not be used for— 
‘‘(A) the purchase of furniture, fixtures, or 
equipment; 
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‘‘(B) the compensation of— 
‘‘(i) any State member of the Com-
mission 
(as 
described 
in 
section 
15301(b)(1)(B)); or 
‘‘(ii) any State alternate member of 
the Commission (as described in section 
15301(b)(2)(B)); or 
‘‘(C) the cost of supplanting existing State 
programs. 
‘‘(e) ANNUAL WORK PLAN.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For each fiscal year, before 
providing a grant under the program, each Commis-
sion State shall provide to the NBRC an annual 
work plan that includes the proposed use of the 
grant. 
‘‘(2) APPROVAL.—No grant under the program 
shall be provided to a Commission State unless the 
NBRC has approved the annual work plan of the 
State. 
‘‘(f) AMOUNT OF GRANT.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amount of a grant 
provided to a Commission State under the program 
for a fiscal year shall be based on the proportion 
that— 
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‘‘(A) the amount paid by the Commission 
State (including any amounts paid on behalf of 
the Commission State by a nonprofit organiza-
tion) for administrative expenses for the appli-
cable fiscal year (as determined under section 
15304(c)); bears to 
‘‘(B) the amount paid by all Commission 
States (including any amounts paid on behalf of 
a Commission State by a nonprofit organiza-
tion) for administrative expenses for that fiscal 
year (as determined under that section). 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENT.—To be eligible to receive 
a grant under the program for a fiscal year, a Com-
mission State (or a nonprofit organization on behalf 
of the Commission State) shall pay the amount of 
administrative expenses of the Commission State for 
the applicable fiscal year (as determined under sec-
tion 15304(c)). 
‘‘(3) APPROVAL.—For each fiscal year, a grant 
provided under the program shall be approved and 
made available as part of the approval of the annual 
budget of the NBRC. 
‘‘(g) GRANT AVAILABILITY.—Funds from a grant 
under the program shall be available only during the fiscal 
year for which the grant is provided. 
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‘‘(h) REPORT.—Each fiscal year, each Commission 
State shall submit to the NBRC and make publicly avail-
able a report that describes the use of the grant funds 
and the impact of the program in the Commission State. 
‘‘(i) CONTINUATION
OF PROGRAM.—The program 
under this section shall be a continuation of the program 
under section 6304(c) of the Agriculture Improvement Act 
of 2018 (40 U.S.C. 15501 note; Public Law 115–334) (as 
in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this 
section). 
‘‘(j) FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2019 through 2028. 
‘‘(2) SUPPLEMENT, NOT
SUPPLANT.—Funds 
made available to carry out this section shall supple-
ment and not supplant funds made available for the 
NBRC and other activities of the NBRC. 
‘‘§ 15903. Demonstration health projects 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—To demonstrate the value of ade-
quate health facilities and services to the economic devel-
opment of the Northern Forest region, the NBRC may 
make grants for the planning, construction, equipment, 
and operation of demonstration health, nutrition, and 
child care projects, including hospitals, regional health di-
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