(WENY) -- Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced that new provisions of her bipartisan Northern Border Regional Commission Reauthorization Act were approved in the Economic Development Reauthorization package.  

These provisions would reauthorize the Northern Border Regional Commission, a federal-state economic development partnership, that is designed to help create new jobs in rural areas of Upstate New York. 

The NBRC’s authority is going to expire on September 30th. Due to insufficient funding and an outdated program, Sen. Gillibrand said the NBRC’s reauthorization through the Economic Development Reauthorization package would empower it to meet the needs of upstate communities.  

“It would give the Commission new authorities to support rural housing projects, infrastructure resilience, and programs for the planning, construction, and operation of health, nutrition, and childcare projects,” she said. “It would help make sure that the Commission better coordinates with other federal agencies for a whole of government approach to economic development.” 

Sen. Gillibrand said if this bill gets passed with her new improvements, it will help modernize the NBRC’s development programs. The senator added she is looking for to pushing for reauthorization before the end of September rolls around.