Volume 10 SPRING 2002 Number 3
Congressman Don Young of Alaska, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is on record describing New Jersey as "a major hub" for moving goods in and out of the United States.

Young made the comment at a luncheon sponsored by the New jersey Alliance for Action on April 22, which highlighted the Congressman’s visit to the state. The luncheon attracted a capacity crowd of some 250 leaders of business, labor, government and transportation. They came to welcome and greet the man who will play a pivotal role as Congress debates reauthorization of TEA-21, the federal transportation funding program which expires next year.

Alliance President Philip K. Beachem said the luncheon provided a valuable opportunity to impress Congressman Young with the bipartisan and business/labor unity in New Jersey needed tofight for a fair share of federal transportation dollars.

On hand to make the case for New Jersey were Governor James McGreevey, U.S. Senator Jon Corzine, State Transportation Commissioner James Fox, six members of the Congressional delegation and former Congressman Robert Roe, who was known as "Mr. Transportation" when he chaired the House Committee now led by Young.

Governor McGreevey stressed the unity of the "team" and that transportation and school construction were the highest priority in

New Jersey. He commended the Alliance for Action as "a tremendous advocacy group for infrastructure."

"It is a sacred principle in New Jersey", the Governor declared, "that we can move people and products, our economy will stay in the ascendancy."

Young noted that New Jersey has four members on his committee--more than any other state delegation--as congress addresses reauthorization of the federal transportation funding program. He emphasized that the competition for dollars will be strong since every state has serious transportation needs.

Comments supporting New Jersey in that competition also came at the luncheon from Congressmen Robert Menendez, Rodney Frelinghuysen, Donald Payne, Frank LoBiondo, Bill Pascrell and Michael Ferguson.

Tom Bracken, the banking executive who is chairman of the Keep New Jersey Moving Coalition, said his group is mobilizing again to fight to protect the state’s interests in the Congressional debate over transportation funding. He made the point that an investment in New Jersey’s transportation system benefits the entire nation because the state is a strategic gateway.

Roe served as the personal host for chairman Young on his New Jersey visit, which also included stops at the Allied Junction project and the old Military Ocean Terminal in Bayonne. Senator Corzine greeted Young in Bayonne. Young also made an appearance before the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority meeting held the same day.