,i  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #djci  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,june #ag1 #bjbe,ms4 
,king-,hinds introduced the following   
bill2 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 areas1 and for other   
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,connecting the     
,northern ,mariana ,islands through     
,ferry ,services ,act or the ,,cnmi     
,ferry ,act4  #b4 ,ferry service funding
 for the ,commonwealth of the ,northern 
,mariana ,islands ,section #gaajc of the
 ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs  
,act 7#bc ,u4,s4,c4 #adg note7 is       
amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 
in paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 by striking     
means a ferry service and all that      

follows through the period and inserting
 means--2 and  7ii7 by adding at the end
 the following3  7,a7 a ferry service   
that-- 7i7 operated a regular schedule  
at any time during the #e-year period   
ending on ,march #a1 #bjbj2 and  7ii7   
served not less than #b rural areas     
located more than #ej sailing miles     
apart2 and  7,b7 a ferry service        
operating1 or being planned or          
established with the intent that the    
ferry service operate1 a regular        
schedule in the ,commonwealth of the    
,northern ,mariana ,islands4  2  7,b7 in
 paragraph 7#c7 to read as follows3     
7#c7 ,rural area  7,a7 ,in general ,the 
term rural area has the meaning given   
the term in section #ecjb of title #di1 
,united ,states ,code4  7,b7            
,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana 
,islands ,for purposes of the program   
established under subsection 7b71 the   
,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana 
,islands1 and any area therein1 shall be
 deemed to be a rural area4  2 and  7,c7

 by adding at the end the following3    
7#e7 ,state ,the term ,state means any  
,state of the ,united ,states1 the      
,district of ,columbia1 the             
,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 the     
,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana 
,islands1 the ,united ,states ,virgin   
,islands1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 and  
any other territory or possession of the
 ,united ,states4  2 and  7#b7 in       
subsection 7c7 by striking including    
requirements for the provision of funds 
to ,states4 and inserting including--   
7#a7 requirements for the provision of  
funds to ,states2 and  7#b7 requirements
 for the provision of funds to the      
,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana 
,islands for the establishment and      
operation of an eligible service4  4