Los congresistas de Hudson Sires y Payne votan por una enorme legislación de infraestructura

On Wednesday, the United States House of Representatives voted in favor of the $1.5 trillion, Moving Forward Act by a count of 233 to 188.  This massive, national infrastructure legislation would improve the country’s roads, rail and bridges.

Congressmen Albio Sires (D- District 8) and Donald Payne, Jr. (D – District 10) each voted in favor of the resolution, H.R. 2.

Rep. Sires stated, “In the years I have served on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, I have been working to give our states the resources they need to bring their transit infrastructure into the 21^st century. Our states have the need, the know-how, and the labor to move on big infrastructure investments, all they lack is the federal financial help. As my constituents know, New Jersey has been working for years to finance its own major infrastructure effort, the Gateway Project, for years but has had to wait for years while the necessary federal commitment has been held hostage to political games.

“Hoy, voté orgullosamente por la Ley de Movimiento hacia adelante, un proyecto de ley que ayudé a elaborar, para finalmente avanzar en el Proyecto Gateway, para financiar una reparación masiva de carreteras y puentes nacionales, para incluir el cambio climático y la resiliencia climática en nuestras inversiones en infraestructura, y para crear la red nacional de infraestructura de transporte que merecemos.

“La Ley de Movimiento hacia el Futuro es un gran paso adelante en la financiación de infraestructuras nacionales. Pone más de 9.000 millones de dólares en proyectos de importancia nacional y regional, millones de dólares para la reparación de carreteras y puentes nacionales, y por primera vez proporciona miles de millones de dólares a programas estatales que apoyan la reducción de la contaminación por carbono. Estoy orgulloso de haber ayudado a elaborar este proyecto de ley, de apoyarlo en nuestra Comisión, de hablar en su apoyo en el piso de la Cámara y de votar por él”.

Rep. Payne issued the following statement.  “We need this bill to become law because the current Hudson River Tunnel needs to be repaired and work on a new tunnel needs to start immediately.  Everyone knows our roads and bridges are falling apart.  Once we have reopened safely, thousands of commuters are going to need a modern and safe New Jersey transit system.  In addition, this bill would create thousands of new jobs for Americans to improve our nation and make funding available to replace lead service lines in Newark’s water system.  Once again, I am proud of my Democratic colleagues for taking action to address our country’s needs.”

The bill would allocate almost $12 billion for New Jersey’s highway and transit improvements, as well as at least $7.6 billion for rail projects along the Northeast Corridor, such as the Hudson River Tunnel.  Also, it could help pay to replace Newark’s water distribution system because it contains an amendment to provide $22.5 billion for lead pipe replacement with a focus on low-income, minority communities.

It would also provide $300 billion to fix existing roads and bridges; $100 billion to add more environmentally-friendly public transportation to American cities; $29 billion to expand and upgrade Amtrak, the country’s public rail service; $130 billion to improve the health and safety of thousands of high-poverty schools; $100 billion to improve or create affordable housing; $100 billion to help deliver broadband Internet access nationwide; $25 billion to ensure communities have safe drinking water; and $70 billion to transform the nation’s electric grid to accommodate more renewable energy.

The resolution now awaits review by the United States Senate.