Above: Gottheimer testifying before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee this week.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to highlight key infrastructure priorities for North Jersey, including building the Gateway Tunnel, stopping New York’s congestion tax, improving school bus safety, and repealing the cap on the State and Local Tax deduction. 

“We desperately need the Gateway Project to move forward, because it is critical to replace the tunnels underneath the Hudson River that connect Jersey with New York City, and because the regional economy depends on these tunnels daily,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) this week. “These 110-year old tunnels are literally crumbling. Amtrak has said that one of the tunnels would likely have to be shut down within five years. I ask that the Committee, in the upcoming surface reauthorization, work with New Jersey and New York, including Rail Subcommittee Chairman Payne, to create investment streams for a transformative project like Gateway.”

Gottheimer also requested that the Committee include his bipartisan bus safety legislation — the SECURES Act and Miranda’s Law— which, respectively, would require three-point seat belts on school buses and improve school bus driver background checks nationwide. 

In his continued fight to protect North Jersey families and workers, Gottheimer highlighted his opposition to New York City’s proposed congestion tax hike and asked the Committee to work with him and other members of the New Jersey delegation to find an alternative solution that does not whack New Jersey commuters.  

Finally, Gottheimer reiterated his stance that any infrastructure package that includes tax changes that affect families must include reinstating the State and Local Tax Deduction. The SALT cap, put in place by the Moocher States as part of the 2017 partisan Tax Hike Bill, disproportionately affects the Fifth District and negatively impacts New Jersey’s middle-class families, businesses, and communities. 

Watch Gottheimer’s full testimony here.

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