The New Jersey State AFL-CIO is proud to endorse Donald Payne, Jr., the leader we want to send to Washington to represent the 10th Congressional District.
According to Congressman Payne, investing in our nation’s transportation and infrastructure is not only important for public safety, but it is also vital to creating jobs, strengthening our economy, and making America competitive in the 21st Century. This is why he has led efforts in Congress to make the Gateway tunnel project a reality. In fact, just last January, he co-led a letter to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao calling for Congress and the Trump Administration to finally dedicate spending to infrastructure projects and get to work on the Gateway Project.
“Deputy Federal Transit Administrator Jane Williams’ claims that Gateway is merely a project of local concern and that there is no agreement for the federal government to cover half of its cost are patently false,” Congress Payne said. “New Jersey and New York have committed over $5 billion to make the Gateway Project a reality. It’s time for Washington to uphold its end of the bargain.”
Congressman Payne also believes that every American should have access to quality, affordable health care, which is why he strongly supports the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Since ACA’s enactment, nearly 3.1 million New Jerseyans have received a free preventative service including cancer screenings. Because of ACA, 73,000 young people in New Jersey have gained access to care under their parents’ health plan, the average New Jerseyan on Medicare will save about $4,200 from 2011 to 2021, and those with high prescription drug costs will save up to $16,000.
On his campaign website, Congressman Payne writes, “I will continue to work hard for you to reduce health disparities in New Jersey and around the world. I have led efforts to increase education and public awareness about the importance that HIV testing and preventative cancer screenings play in saving lives. Furthermore, I strongly support community health centers and school-based health centers in providing quality healthcare to underserved populations in communities across New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District.”
Another top priority for Congressman Payne is creating jobs and strengthening the local economy. He supports a comprehensive jobs plan to put people back to work right away. Through this plan, he intends to grow the economy for working and middle-class families by rebuilding our roads and bridges, investing in education and jobs training, creating incentives for clean energy innovation, encouraging companies to “make it in America,” and reforming our tax code so that everyone pays their fair share.
Congressman Payne was instrumental in brokering a deal that brought Panasonic’s North American Headquarters to Newark, where the company is building a $200 million office tower and is expected to create nearly 1,000 jobs. He also partnered with Essex County College and area hotels to create a ground-breaking jobs training program for students who seek careers in Newark’s growing hospitality industry. As Congressman, he pledges to continue to fight to “create incentives for high-tech and green-tech businesses, create infrastructure jobs rebuilding the district’s roads and bridges, and bring back jobs for our public sector employees, including teachers and our first responders.”
However you vote on November 6 is your decision, of course, but we at the New Jersey State AFL-CIO have done our homework, and we believe Congressman Payne is the best choice for working people.