Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, together with her House colleagues Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01), Rep. Peter Welch (VT-AL), and Chellie Pingree (ME-01), sent a letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leadership requesting continued funding for the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC). Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee proposed spending legislation that would fund the NBRC at $30 million for FY21. The House-passed spending legislation includes a provision to temporarily remove the 20% matching funds requirement for NBRC grantees in light of the financial hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic. This letter, sent by a bipartisan group of Members, urges the Appropriations Committee to ensure an omnibus spending package to fund the government is consistent with these critical provisions.
“The Northern Border Regional Commission continues to promote economic development and job growth in our North Country communities, and it is crucial that the federal government continues to fully fund it,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “As Co-Chair of the Northern Border Caucus, I am committed to advocating for rigorous funding and temporary fiscal relief for NBRC grantees, so the program remains accessible in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to ensure that these provisions are included in any legislation to fund the government.”
Congresswoman Stefanik has been advocating for the NBRC to have the discretion to waive the matching requirement and allow projects to access up to 100% of federal funding since April, when she and her colleagues introduced H.R. 6447, the Northern Border Regional Commission Financial Flexibility Act and sent a letter on this issue to House and Senate leadership. She also sent a letter requesting additional resources for NBRC funding in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
