Southern New England Regional Commission Proposed to Boost Economic Development

U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Gabe Amo (RI-01) introduced the Southern New England Regional Commission Act. The Southern New England Regional Commission Act would establish a commission that would encourage jurisdictions at different levels to work together to leverage federal support to strengthen the area’s economy.

"The Southern New England Regional Commission is a game-changer for Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, driving investments in defense, maritime manufacturing, and infrastructure to create good-paying jobs and strengthen our economy,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “Together, we’ll harness federal resources to tackle shared challenges, because our economic future requires regional collaboration."

“It is great to join with our regional leaders in introducing this important piece of legislation to tackle problems that do not stop at the border of one state,” said Congressman Gabe Amo. “Through the Southern New England Regional Commission, we will better coordinate efforts to fight climate change and grow our blue economy as we leverage the unique strengths of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts to unlock widespread prosperity for our communities.”

This legislation would establish a regional commission covering Rhode Island and surrounding counties in Massachusetts and Connecticut for purposes of promoting economic development in renewable energy, defense manufacturing, the maritime economy, infrastructure, and job training, among others. By facilitating collaboration across various levels of government with federal support, this initiative seeks to bolster the region’s economic resilience and growth.

The Southern New England Regional Commission will include the following counties in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut:

·         Rhode Island: Providence, Washington, Newport, Bristol, and Kent

·         Massachusetts: Hampden, Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Essex, and Worcester

·         Connecticut: Hartford, New Haven, New London, Windham, Tolland and Middlesex

The Southern New England Regional Commission Act, proposed by Rep. Cicilline, will promote economic growth for distressed counties in Southern New England. Federal regional commissions address regional economic underdevelopment by using federal funds to reduce poverty, unemployment, and outmigration.

The Southern New England Regional Commission would receive federal funds that would then be used for employment generating projects to spur economic development and expand on regional strengths such as defense manufacturing and the maritime economy.

Federal regional commissions and authorities address perceived regional economic underdevelopment. These organizations generally accommodate multileveled and multijurisdictional participation and implementation, which Congress could utilize to address growing interest in broad-based and intensive economic development efforts.