John Hall Receives Key Assignment

Congressman-Elect John Hall, who will represent New York�s 19th Congressional District in January, was chosen by Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives to serve on the powerful Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The Transportation Committee has jurisdiction over highways, turnpikes, rail systems and other related systems. The Committee, which will serve under Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN), will have a key voice in the upcoming debate on energy independence and will play a vital role in transportation issues in the Hudson Valley. Having a voice on the Transportation Committee is a big victory for Hudson Valley residents, who have seen population and economic growth as well as growing challenges with traffic, energy prices and flooding in the area.

�The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is losing two New Yorkers� my predecessor, Rep. Sue Kelly, and retiring Rep. Sherwood Boehlert in the next Congress,� said Hall. Rep. Kelly recognized the importance of this Committee to the District, and so do I. New York�s 19th Congressional District is located in the most rapidly growing part of upstate New York, the Hudson River Valley, directly north of New York City. It is a major transportation corridor with a large number of commuters and an aging and inadequate infrastructure.

�A position on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee allows me to play a key role on the issues faced by my District as a result of its economically strategic location and growing population,� continued Hall. And so I am honored to have been selected by the congressional leadership to serve on this Transportation Committee because it gives me the opportunity to work on the legislation that is truly important in securing our present and future transportation future while also preserving our quality of life.

Rail, highway, and bridge links connect the Hudson Valley to New York City, the metropolitan area, and the major markets of the Eastern U.S. and Canada. Interstates 87 (north-south) and 84 (east-west), major arteries for truck transport, intersect in the District. One of Amtrak�s most successful lines runs through the Hudson Valley between New York City and Albany. Stewart International Airport, the nation�s only privately operated airport, is key to the region�s future prosperity, and may well become the fourth major airport in the greater New York City area. The Hudson River remains a significant commercial waterway, with ships and barges carrying fuel oil and other vital supplies year-round. Finally, rapid suburban growth is driving demand for protection of water resources in the District, including the watershed for New York City�s drinking water.

The Democratic Caucus is expected to vote in early January to make all committee appointments official. To read more about the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, please visit the following wedsite http://www.house.gov/transportation.

Congressman-Elect Hall completed his freshman congressional orientation recently and embarked on a �listening tour� of the 19th Congressional District that included stops at a community health clinic in Beacon, Lakeland High School in Westchester and meetings with �first responders� and emergency management officials in Rockland and Orange counties. Hall has met with a number of elected government officials, labor leaders and healthcare professionals during the week as well.

Hall recently also announced that Jean Bordewich, the Hudson Valley district director for Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), had agreed to become his congressional chief-of-staff. Pictured Above: Congressman-Elect. John Hall