H.R. 4039

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 4039 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4039 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. _______________________________________________________________________ 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. 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 ``Connecting the Northern Mariana Islands through Ferry Services Act'' or the ``CNMI Ferry Act''. SEC. 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.''. <all>