CNMI Ferry Act

The "Connecting the Northern Mariana Islands through Ferry Services Act" seeks to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, specifically Section 71103, to enable the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to receive federal funding for essential ferry services in rural areas. This legislation expands the definition of an "eligible service" to include ferry services operating, planned, or established with the intent to operate a regular schedule within the CNMI. Crucially, the bill explicitly deems the CNMI, and any area therein, as a "rural area" for the purposes of this program, ensuring it meets eligibility criteria for funding. It also broadens the definition of "State" to include the CNMI, along with other U.S. territories and possessions, thereby allowing it to directly receive these federal funds. Finally, the legislation adds specific requirements for the provision of funds to the CNMI for the establishment and operation of these vital ferry services, mirroring those for States.