U.S. Chamber Spurs Discussion on Infrastructure in New Jersey and New York

Investments in Air Traffic System, Roads, Rails, and Ports Are Key for Growth

NEWARK, N.J.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today continued its nationwide grassroots and advocacy campaign on the critical role of transportation to America's workers, consumers, and businesses. Business and local government officials from the Chamber's Let's Rebuild America (LRA) initiative held its Leadership Council meeting at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport and called for investment in the air traffic control system, ports, transit systems and other infrastructure. The Chamber also announced that it was joining a national coalition advocating for more efficient air travel.

"You can't move people and goods in and out of the region without a strong infrastructure," said Tom Donohue, Chamber president and CEO. "Our job is to drive action, create investment, and
open more doors for businesses so that they're better positioned to get this economy moving forward."

At the meeting, the Chamber announced that it joined the National Alliance to Advance NextGen, a broad-based coalition created by the Port Authority focused on making our skies safer and less congested—a central piece of the Chamber's LRA initiative.

"America's outdated air traffic control system is threatening the safety and efficiency of the airports in the New York metropolitan area as well as overall economic growth," said Donohue. "We need to modernize this system now so that we get these essential pieces of our nation's infrastructure working for our future."

The Chamber met with business and local government leaders to learn how stimulus funds are being used in the region and to explore ways of overcoming infrastructure challenges. More than $890 million in New Jersey transportation projects are ready for funding from the economic stimulus legislation. The state is expected to use $469 million in funds for roads and highways and $424 million for mass transit.

The event at the airport continues the Chamber's multiyear program that advocates for maintaining, modernizing, and expanding the nation's transportation, energy, broadband and water infrastructure. Businesses attending the Chamber event were: The Dow Chemical Company, FedEx Corporation, Halcrow, Inc., The HNTB Companies, and Skanska AB.

The Let's Rebuild America initiative, officially launched in 2007, affirms the Chamber's belief that infrastructure is a core competitiveness issue for the business community. The Chamber is putting money, people, research, programs, and political action around a sustained, long-term campaign to rebuild the economic platform of our nation.

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

# # #