July 31, 2023

Dear Friends,

I hope you are having a safe and restful summer.  I am excited to share a few items I have been working on for New Jersey's 10th Congressional District.    

Funding the Hudson River Tunnel and Gateway Program   

The Hudson River Tunnel.

As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I am extremely excited about the Biden Administration’s plan to award a $7 billion federal grant to build the new Hudson River Tunnel between New Jersey and New York.  It is the largest federal transportation grant ever awarded for a single project.  The Hudson River Tunnel project would repair an existing tunnel and build a new one for Amtrak and state commuter lines.         

The Hudson River Tunnel is the most important infrastructure project in the country.  The current tunnel is 113 years old and needs to be replaced.  If the tunnel shuts down, it could cost our economy $100 million in lost output and disrupt travel for 200,000 daily passengers.  I worked to secure money for it and the entire Gateway Program throughout my time in Congress.  I fought to add $66 billion to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for projects like this one.  Also, I helped secure more than $3 billion for the entire Gateway Program in past appropriations bills.  We need to fix the old tunnel and build the new one to help New Jersey travelers as quickly as possible.  

Helping First Responders Protect Communities

My bill to support first responders passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week.  The bill, the First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act or H.R. 3254, amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to exempt emergency equipment with breakthrough technologies from a cumbersome approval process.  Specifically, it would create a consistent standard for grant applications to allow first responders to obtain modern equipment faster to keep communities safer and save lives.  They were critical to our national security and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic and still make tremendous sacrifices to be on the front lines.  We need to make sure they have the most effective equipment available to do their jobs.   

Celebrating the 10th Congressional District 

Rep. Payne, Jr. attends Verona Swearing-In event.

I participated in the swearing-in ceremony for Verona's Town Council.  I look forward to working with them to better Verona.  It is a great town and I am proud to represent it in Congress. 

Also, my office participated in the Verona Summer Concert Series with a mobile casework station.  It had materials for constituents, such as a previous newsletter, copies of the U.S. Constitution, flag books for children, and more.  

Protecting the Environment and Communities

Rep. Payne, Jr. visits Arxada/ Troy chemical plant.

One of my priorities in Congress is to protect the environment.  I want to make sure companies and factories are doing everything they can to avoid pollution.  I visited the Arxada/Troy Chemical plant recently to hear about their environmental efforts.  

The meeting was about their chemical business and the specific actions the company takes to protect the Newark environment through the safe disposal of chemical waste. Their work is one action of many we must take to restore and protect the environment.

Upcoming Veterans Job Fair on August 24, 2023

I wanted to remind everyone about my Veterans Job Fair on August 24, 2023 at 10 a.m. in the Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver Conference Room on the 14th floor of 60 Nelson Place in Newark, NJ.     

The event is designed to connect our veterans and their spouses with organizations that need them, such as University Hospital, the U.S. Postal Service, ShopRite, PSE&G,  and the Port Authority of NYNJ.  It is open to ALL veterans and their spouses, but you MUST REGISTER to attend.  If you have any questions or need to register, contact my staffer Samantha Washington at [email protected]. Please bring multiple copies of your resume and wear professional attire.

Securing Passports for My Constituents

My offices helped 175 constituents obtain their passports.  For example, we connected Mr. Cleveland from Newark with the U.S. Embassy in Spain to help him renew his passport when he ran out of pages during a business trip.  If you need assistance with a passport, please contact my district staff at one of my offices listed below.        

It remains my privilege to work for you.  Please contact me through my district offices and social media to let me know how I can serve you best.

Sincerely,

Donald M. Payne, Jr.
Member of Congress