The Portal Bridge is a key part of Phase 1 of the Gateway Program, the nation’s most pressing and long-overdue infrastructure project. New Jersey and New York have already held up our sides of the bargain by committing to fund our fair share. But, time and again, the White House and Republican leadership in Congress have failed to understand the critical need for this project to be fully funded. This morning is an example of what happens to commuters and the economy when the federal government is missing in action.

I applaud Senator Menendez, Senator Booker, Congressman Frelinghuysen, and our bipartisan congressional delegation for fighting tooth and nail to secure funding for the Gateway Program. It’s now time for the federal government to step in and end their groundless opposition to a project critical to over 50 million Americans who depend on reliable infrastructure to go about their daily lives.