This week, National Economic Advisor Lael Brainard convened White House officials and the Federal Co-Chairs of six Regional Commissions: the Appalachian Regional Commission, Denali Commission, Delta Regional Authority, Northern Border Regional Commission, Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, and Southwest Border Regional Commission. Participants discussed the importance of Regional Commissions to President Biden’s commitment to investing in all of America and all Americans; helping rural and distressed communities make a comeback — which the President spoke about in his State of the Union address.

Structured as federal-state partnerships dedicated to different regions of the country, Regional Commissions make place-based investments in technical assistance, capacity building, economic development, workforce, and infrastructure. Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the six Regional Commissions received over $1 billion in additional funding to help local economies and distressed communities attract historic public and private investments in manufacturing, infrastructure, and clean energy.

Federal Co-Chairs discussed priorities and success stories in their regions. To date, Regional Commissions have used Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to support more than 300 projects in 19 states. For example: the Delta Regional Authority funded infrastructure projects to support a $5.6 billion investment by Ford in a new electric truck and battery plant in West Tennessee; the Denali Commission provided technical assistance to an Alaska Native Tribal consortium to help secure over $90 million in federal grants for broadband projects in remote communities; the Northern Border Regional Commission awarded a $3 million grant to construct and expand child care facilities in Lewis County, New York; and the Appalachian Regional Commission expanded its ARISE program to build capacity across multi-state regional partnerships. The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission also launched its inaugural $20 million State Economic and Infrastructure Development grant program.

Meeting participants included:

Lael Brainard, National Economic Advisor

Gayle Manchin, Federal Co-Chair, Appalachian Regional Commission

Jocelyn Fenton, Interim Federal Co-Chair, Denali Commission

Corey Wiggins, Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority

Chris Saunders, Federal Co-Chair, Northern Border Regional Commission

Jennifer Clyburn Reed, Federal Co-Chair, Southeast Crescent Regional Commission

Juan Sanchez, Federal Co-Chair, Southwest Border Regional Commission

Samantha Silverberg, Deputy Assistant to the President for Infrastructure Implementation

Heather Boushey, Member of the Council of Economic Advisers & Chief Economist of the Investing in America Cabinet

Alex Jacquez, Special Assistant to the President for Economic Development & Industrial Strategy

Brian Anderson, Executive Director of the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization, Department of Energy

Vaishant Sharma, Senior Policy Advisor, National Economic Council

Ishan Sharma, Senior Advisor, Office of Science and Technology Policy

John McAuliff, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Clean Energy Innovation & Implementation

Anna Duffy, Policy Advisor, National Economic Council

Jordan Arnold, Policy Advisor, Infrastructure Implementation Team

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