[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4188 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4188
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
June 15, 2023
Ms. Stefanik (for herself, Ms. Kuster, Ms. Tenney, Ms. Pingree, Mr.
Golden of Maine, Mr. Pappas, Ms. Balint, and Mr. Molinaro) 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 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 Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Border Regional Commission
Reauthorization Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. REGIONAL COMMISSIONS MODIFICATIONS.
(a) Membership of Commissions.--Section 15301(b)(2)(C) of title 40,
United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``An alternate member'' and inserting the
following:
``(i) In general.--An alternate member'';
and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(ii) State alternates.--If the alternate
State member is unable to vote in accordance
with clause (i), the alternate State member may
delegate voting authority 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.''.
(b) Decisions of Commissions.--Section 15302 of title 40, United
States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``or State alternate
members, including designees'' after ``State members''; and
(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 meetings of a
Commission shall include--
``(A) the Federal Cochairperson or the alternate
Federal Cochairperson; and
``(B) a majority of State members or alternate
State members, including designees (exclusive 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 government 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
``(2) at least a majority of the State members or alternate
State members (including designees) present in-person or via
electronic means.''.
SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.
(a) In General.--Chapter 153 of subtitle V of title 40, United
States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 15308 as section 15309; and
(2) by inserting after section 15307 the following:
``Sec. 15308. Transfer of funds from other Federal agencies
``(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (c), for purposes of this
subtitle, each Commission may accept transfers of funds from other
Federal agencies.
``(b) Transfers.--Any Federal agency authorized to carry out an
activity that is within the authority of a Commission may transfer to
the Commission any appropriated funds for the activity.
``(c) Treatment.--Any funds transferred to a Commission under this
section--
``(1) shall remain available until expended; and
``(2) may, to the extent necessary to carry out this
subtitle, be transferred to, and merged with, the amounts made
available by appropriations Acts for the Commission by the
Federal Cochairperson.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 153 of subtitle V
of title 40, United States Code, is amended by striking the item
relating to section 15308 and inserting the following:
``15308. Transfer of funds from other Federal agencies
``15309. Annual reports''.
SEC. 4. ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.
Section 15501 of title 40, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (9) as
paragraphs (8) through (10), respectively;
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (6) as
paragraphs (5) through (7), respectively;
(C) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
``(4) to promote the production of housing to meet economic
development and workforce needs;''; and
(D) in paragraph (6) (as redesignated by
subparagraph (A)) by inserting before the semicolon the
following: ``, including to plan, construct, acquire
equipment, and operate health, nutrition, and child
care projects, including hospitals, regional health
diagnostic and treatment centers, and other facilities
and services, including--
``(A) the acquisition of privately owned facilities
by an eligible entity--
``(i) not operated for profit; or
``(ii) previously operated for profit if
the Commission finds that health services would
not otherwise be provided in the area served by
the facility if the acquisition is not made;
and
``(B) initial equipment;'';
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``paragraph (1), (2),
(3), or (7)'' and inserting ``paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4),
(5), or (8)''.
SEC. 5. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
(a) In General.--Chapter 155 of subtitle V of title 40, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 15507. Discretionary grants
``(a) Grants to Which Percentage Limitation Doesn't Apply.--
Discretionary grants made by a Commission to implement significant
regional initiatives, to take advantage of special development
opportunities, or to respond to emergency economic distress in the
region of the Commission may be made without regard to the percentage
limitations described in section 15501(d).
``(b) Limitation on Aggregate Amount.--For each fiscal year, the
aggregate amount of discretionary grants referred to in subsection (a)
shall not be more than 10 percent of the amount made available to carry
out this subtitle for the fiscal year.
``Sec. 15508. Payment of non-Federal share for certain Federal grant
programs
``Notwithstanding any other provision of law relating to payment of
a non-Federal share of a project carried out under a Federal grant
program, amounts made available to carry out this subtitle shall be
available for the payment of such a non-Federal share for any project
for which a Commission is not the sole or primary funding source,
subject to the condition that the project is consistent with the
purposes of the Commission.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 155 of subtitle V
of title 40, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``15507. Discretionary grants
``15508. Payment of non-Federal share for certain Federal grant
programs''.
SEC. 6. NORTHERN BORDER REGIONAL COMMISSION.
(a) Counties in Maine, New Hampshire and New York.--Section 15733
of title 40, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``Lincoln,'' after
``Knox,'';
(2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``Merrimack,'' after
``Grafton,''; and
(3) in paragraph (3)--
(A) by inserting ``Schoharie'' after
``Schenectady,''; and
(B) by inserting ``Wyoming'' after ``Wayne,''.
(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 appropriated to each
Commission to carry out this subtitle $40,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2023 through 2027 and $45,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2028
through 2032.''.
<all>