H.R. 4039

119 HR 4039 IH: Connecting the Northern Mariana Islands through Ferry Services Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2025-06-17
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 I  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  H. R. 4039  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   June 17, 2025   Ms. King-Hinds  introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure    A BILL
To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to allow the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to be eligible to receive certain funding for use providing basic essential ferry service in rural areas, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Connecting the Northern Mariana Islands through Ferry Services Act   or the   CNMI Ferry Act  .
2.
Ferry service funding for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Section 71103 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ( 23 U.S.C. 147  note) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
in paragraph (2)—
(i)
by striking  means a ferry service  and all that follows through the period and inserting  means— ; and
(ii)
by adding at the end the following:
(A)
a ferry service that—
(i)
operated a regular schedule at any time during the 5-year period ending on March 1, 2020; and
(ii)
served not less than 2 rural areas located more than 50 sailing miles apart; and
(B)
a ferry service operating, or being planned or established with the intent that the ferry service operate, a regular schedule in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
 ;
(B)
in paragraph (3) to read as follows:
(3)
Rural area
(A)
In general
The term  rural area  has the meaning given the term in section 5302 of title 49, United States Code.
(B)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
For purposes of the program established under subsection (b), the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any area therein, shall be deemed to be a rural area.
 ; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
(5)
State
The term  State  means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and any other territory or possession of the United States.
 ; and
(2)
in subsection (c) by striking  including requirements for the provision of funds to States.  and inserting
including—
(1)
requirements for the provision of funds to States; and
(2)
requirements for the provision of funds to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for the establishment and operation of an eligible service.
 .