Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the senior Democrat from the Northeast on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, lauded the increase in transit funding in H.R. 5850, the FY 2011 Transportation-HUD Appropriations Act, which passed the House of Representatives late last night. Nadler, joined by colleagues and the leadership of the Appropriations Committee, fought successfully to increase funding for essential mass transit networks nationwide, to a total of $11.3 billion for transit programs and $79.4 billion for transportation overall. This is an increase of 5% from last year, and will create an estimated 20,000 additional jobs for transit workers around the country. The bill also includes $250 million for operating assistance subject to authorization. Nadler continues to push for more operating funds for transit agencies to stave off service cuts and layoffs.

Nadler also secured funding for two key New York infrastructure projects, also within the FY 2011 Transportation-HUD Appropriations Act:

• $600,000 for a new ferry terminal for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, with a new, larger multi-purpose facility, bulkheads and docks in Battery Park. The new terminal will safely and efficiently accommodate a greater number of passengers.
• $450,000 for a Brooklyn Waterfront Transportation Study by the Empire State Development Corporation. The Study will determine the transportation improvements necessary to develop a container port at South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park. The development of deep water port facilities in New York Harbor will create tens of thousands of jobs in New York City and the region, and will protect New York’s position as the East Coast’s major gateway to global trade.
  

“This year, we have successfully increased funding for vital transit programs across the country,” said Nadler. “For New York, this is critical for straphangers and our entire workforce, and will foment significant economic growth and employment. This is especially crucial today, when thousands of New Yorkers are out of work and experiencing hard times. I am also very pleased to have secured funding for two important New York infrastructure projects. The new ferry terminal for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island will generate jobs and rebuild an extremely well-trafficked ferry hub. The Brooklyn Waterfront Transportation Study is a key step in the long-term plan to create a major deep water container port in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. This port will ultimately generate thousands of jobs, spurn considerable economic development in the region, and improve New York’s standing as an international shipping hub.”