Democrat,

During the month of July we recognize National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. I’d like to bring attention to this cause because the mental challenges and tolls that BIPOC face are often overlooked and underserved. Studies have shown that racial and ethnic minorities face barriers to equitable mental health care, including cultural differences, social disparities and discrimination. We are living in an age where addressing these disparities is normalized and instead of brushing them under the rug, we must address them head on. This is crucial for achieving health equity and ensuring that all individuals, especially our youth, receive timely and appropriate mental health support.

Here in New Jersey, the Department of Women Overview and History (DOW) oversees the Culturally Specific Initiative. This aims to ensure there are culturally relevant, inclusive and accessible services that meet the needs of historically marginalized and underserved communities. If you know of a family member, friend or neighbor who could use these services, please take a moment to share it with them. Gone are the times where mental health is ostracized, let’s instead provide support and education ourselves on available programs here in our home state.

This week, the Gateway Development Commission (GDC) completed a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), obtaining $6.88 billion in federal funding for the Hudson Tunnel Project. Furthermore, the GDC finalized Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loans amounting to $4.06 billion from the Build America Bureau to finance the project's local expenses.

These actions ensure that the GDC has obtained the full $16 billion required to complete the Hudson Tunnel Project. This funding package includes a historic federal commitment of $12 billion, marking the largest investment in a rail transportation project in recent history.

“Today marks a significant milestone on the path to ensuring the success of our nation’s most vital infrastructure project,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “Thanks to the leadership of our partners, both in Congress and across the Hudson, our federal government will be covering over 70 percent of the total cost of the Gateway Tunnel Project. As the main artery of our nation’s economy continues to be pushed to its limits, we are now one step closer to transforming the 100-year-old infrastructure under the Hudson River. New Jersey thanks the Biden-Harris Administration for delivering this critical investment so that our region’s transportation system will be able to support a new century of American leadership.”

“I am proud to have helped secure the largest federal infrastructure grant in U.S. history to finally expand rail capacity across the Hudson River and bring our rail system into the 21st century,” said Senator Cory Booker.

This project has projected nearly 95,000 jobs and generated almost $20 billion in economic activity for New Jersey and New York.

This week, President Joe Biden signed the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act into law, marking a significant achievement in advancing nuclear energy in the United States. The ADVANCE Act aims to bolster American leadership in nuclear energy by empowering the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to lead in international regulatory forums and enhancing the Department of Energy's (DOE) process for exporting nuclear technology while maintaining strict non-proliferation standards. We are proud to see that our very own Senator Cory Booker was a co-sponsor.

This initiative reduces regulatory costs for licensing advanced nuclear reactors, establishes incentives for next-generation technologies, and seeks to modernize rules to strengthen the nuclear fuel cycle and supply chain infrastructure. This legislation is seen as pivotal for bolstering energy security, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and creating new union jobs, reflecting a comprehensive effort to advance clean energy solutions in the face of our current climate crisis.

— Chairman LeRoy J. Jones, Jr.

P.S. Join Team Coalitions and the National Democratic Training Committee to discover effective ways to partner with coalition communities and increase Democratic voter turnout on Thursday, July 18th!

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July 18th, 2024
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