ONSHORE Act of 2024
H.R. 7968118th Congress

ONSHORE Act of 2024

Introduced in the HouseRep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17)55 sections · 4 min read
Version: Introduced in House · Apr 11, 2024

Section 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Opportunities for Non-developed Sites to Have Opportunities to be Rehabilitated for Economic development Act of 2024 or the ONSHORE Act of 2024.

Section 2. Findings

Section 2(a) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121(a)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (5), by striking and at the end;

(2) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting; and; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

(7) economic development in Tribal nations, States, cities, and rural areas of the United States can be best promoted by assisting communities and regions in developing and implementing cluster-based regional economic and innovation strategies that strengthen critical domestic supply chains, including by promoting industrial site development or expansion projects for the purposes of—

(A) reshoring companies to the United States; and

(B) incentivizing greenfield foreign direct investments by companies headquartered outside the United States.

(a) In general

Title II of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after section 207 (42 U.S.C. 3147) the following:

(a) Establishment

The Secretary shall establish a grant program, to be known as the Critical Supply Chain Site Development grant program (referred to in this section as the grant program), to provide grants to eligible recipients to carry out site development or expansion projects for the purpose of making the site ready for manufacturing projects, including foreign direct investment projects and advanced manufacturing projects, in industries determined to be of strategic importance by the Secretary.

(b) Considerations

In awarding a grant to an eligible recipient under the grant program, the Secretary may consider whether—

(1) the proposed improvements to the site will improve economic conditions for—

(A) rural or Tribal communities; or

(B) economically disadvantaged regions experiencing chronic high unemployment, underemployment, outmigration, or low per-capita incomes, as determined by the Secretary;

(2) the project is consistent with regional economic development plans, which may include a comprehensive economic development strategy; and

(3) the eligible recipient has initiatives to prioritize job training and workforce development.

(c) Priority

In awarding grants to eligible recipients under the grant program, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible recipients that propose to carry out a project that—

(1) has State, local, private, or nonprofit funds being contributed to assist with site development efforts; and

(2) supports the domestic manufacturing of technologies in—

(A) a key technology focus area included on the list required under section 10387(a)(2) of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 19107(a)(2)) (referred to in this section as a key technology focus area); or

(B) other industries or technology sectors identified by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, to be critical to national security and economic competitiveness.

(d) Use of funds

A grant awarded under the grant program may be used for the following activities relating to the development or expansion of a site:

(1) Investments in site utility readiness, including—

(A) construction of on-site utility infrastructure;

(B) construction of last-mile infrastructure, including road infrastructure, water infrastructure, power infrastructure, broadband infrastructure, and other physical last-mile infrastructure;

(C) site grading; and

(D) other activities to extend public utilities or services to a site, as determined appropriate by the Secretary.

(2) Investments in site readiness, including—

(A) land assembly and other land or property acquisition;

(B) environmental reviews;

(C) zoning;

(D) design;

(E) engineering; and

(F) permitting.

(3) Investments in workforce development programs, including job training and retraining programs.

(4) Investments to ensure that economically disadvantaged communities have access to on-site jobs.

(e) Eligible recipient

Entities eligible to receive a grant under this section are—

(1) an economic development district;

(2) an Indian tribe;

(3) a State;

(4) a city or other political subdivision of a State, including a special purpose unit of a State or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure development activities, or a consortium of political subdivisions;

(5) an institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education; or

(6) a public or private nonprofit organization or association acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision of a State.

(f) Minimum number of grants

Each fiscal year, the Secretary shall award not fewer than 10 grants under the grant program.

(g) Grant restrictions

In awarding grants under the grant program, the Secretary shall not—

(1) require an eligible recipient to demonstrate that a private company or investment has selected the site for development or expansion;

(2) award a grant—

(A) to a foreign entity of concern (as defined in section 10612(a) of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 19221(a))); or

(B) for a project that would benefit a foreign entity of concern (as so defined); or

(3) award more than 20 percent of amounts made available to carry out the grant program for a fiscal year for projects that support any 1 particular key technology focus area or an industry or technology sector identified under subsection (c)(2)(B).

(h) Cost sharing

Notwithstanding section 204, the Federal share of the cost of a project carried out with an award under the grant program may be up to 100 percent of the total project cost.

(i) Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the grant program $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.

(b) Clerical amendment

The table of contents contained in section 1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (Public Law 89–136) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 207 the following:

Section 4. Use of funds in projects constructed under projected cost

Section 211(a) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3151(a)) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking section 201 or 209 and inserting section 201, 208, or 209.

Section 5. Direct expenditure or redistribution by recipient

Section 217(a) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3154c(a)) is amended by striking section 201, 203, or 207 and inserting section 201, 203, 207, or 208.

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