Southern New England to benefit from new federal-state commission
Rhode Island’s congressional delegation is celebrating a big win with the passage of legislation to create the Southern New England Regional Commission. This new body aims to boost economic growth and attract federal investment to the state.
The measure, part of the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, sailed through both chambers of Congress with overwhelming support. It’s now on its way to President Biden’s desk for signature.
The commission will cover Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and six Connecticut counties, bringing together federal and state economic priorities with a regional focus.
Senator Jack Reed sees this as a positive development for Rhode Island.
“This is good news for Rhode Island, as is the fact that Senator Whitehouse is ascending to the top of the Environment and Public Works Committee. He’s always been a strong advocate for the Ocean State with an outstanding record of delivering for working families. The inclusion of this provision is a credit to him, as well as former Congressman David Cicilline, who worked the issue for many years as part of the Democratic leadership on the House side during his term in office,” said Reed.
Meanwhile, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave credit to former Representative David Cicilline for spearheading the effort.
“Today’s bipartisan passage of WRDA has some big wins for Rhode Island, but none bigger than the establishment of a Southern New England Regional Commission. During his years in the House, my former colleague Congressman Cicilline was the driving force behind this effort, which will leverage partnerships between local, state, and the federal government to boost the regional economy across state lines and bring home additional federal funding to Rhode Island. I’m proud to have helped secure this long-fought victory for Congressman Cicilline and for Rhode Island,” said Whitehouse, who in the next Congress will be the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where WRDA is drafted.
Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo also chimed in, with Magaziner calling it “a huge win and a longstanding goal for Rhode Island.”
“The establishment of a Southern New England Regional Commission is a huge win and a longstanding goal for Rhode Island, and would not have been possible without the advocacy of former Congressman Cicilline and my colleagues in the congressional delegation,” said Magaziner. “This is the first step to unlocking more federal funding for Rhode Island, attracting economic development, and investing in projects that support workforce training and protect the environment.”
Amo emphasized the commission’s potential to boost collaboration and prosperity in the region.
“Working as part of the Rhode Island delegation, I’ve seen firsthand how teamwork makes the dream work,” said Amo. “The Southern New England Regional Commission will increase collaboration between Rhode Island and our neighbors to unlock widespread prosperity for our region. As we celebrate the milestone of Senate passage, it is important to recognize that this moment wouldn’t have been possible without former Congressman Cicilline and Senator Whitehouse’s tenacious leadership. As the co-lead of the Southern New England Regional Commission Act, I’m excited to see my first piece of legislation on the path to being signed into law.”
This new commission joins eight existing ones and will be one of two new regional commissions authorized by the WRDA. Its focus areas include infrastructure development, environmental conservation, workforce training expansion, and business development promotion.
The delegation didn’t stop there. They say that they also secured provisions in the WRDA to enhance climate resiliency along Rhode Island’s coastline, support Blue Economy projects, reauthorize the National Dam Safety Program, and set up a Workforce Training Grants program at the Economic Development Administration.