Cory Booker: “I hope to have the opportunity to speak about amendments Nos. 720 and 722 later, but I would like to speak now about No.…”

“I hope to have the opportunity to speak about amendments Nos. 720 and 722 later, but I would like to speak now about No. 721, which is a freight rail amendment. I am very happy to see the Presiding Officer, Senator Rubio, whom I have worked with on other legislation. Having bipartisan work on important critical issues is essential. I am happy to join with Senator Fischer on this important amendment. It focuses on the urgency to improve the movement of freight and strengthen our competitiveness by investing in a comprehensive multimodal national network that includes not just our major highways but our rails, seaports, local roads, and intermodal facilities. I am happy to see Senator Sanders, who has the courage to stand and speak about the infrastructure deficit in our country and calls for bold, fiscally sound investment. I want to make sure, as we move forward, that freight planning and investment as seen by this amendment is prioritized. Along with Senator Fischer, I support broadening our approach to freight policy that would promote greater national productivity. Why is this important? Hundreds of millions of tons of freight are annually shipped through our ports, rails, and highway networks. The Great Corridor runs from my State of New Jersey to New York, to Philadelphia, moving over $55 billion in goods each year, and is one of the most significant chokepoints in the U.S.…”