Transportation
 
The Hudson Valley is a vibrant and diverse region, with many long distance commuters.  From my seat on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure I am devoted to making sure that the components are in place to allow residents of the 19th District to enjoy better commutes and more accessible air travel so they can stay connected to the world, and to each other.
 
Commuting and Smart Growth
The Hudson Valley is home to a growing population, is blessed with an abundance of natural resources, and is in close proximity to New York City.  In order to balance these dynamic components, I believe that we must find ways to engage in long term planning that will increase the use of mass transit, encourage “green” infrastructure, and allow the Hudson Valley to grow while protecting our open spaces.
 
Roads and Public Transportation
As part of pursuing a smart growth strategy for the Hudson Valley, I believe we must make sure that our roads are safe, and that they are capable of allowing people and products to move freely in the region.  To reduce the strain on those roads, we also need to invest heavily in new, improved forms of public transportation that will be more accessible, more effective, and rely on new technologies like biofuels and hybrid engines to be more efficient.
 
Stewart International Airport
Stewart International Airport is a growing hub of commercial air travel that can serve as the Hudson Valley’s gateway to the rest of America and the rest of the world.  Expanding road and rail access to the airport, as well as making necessary improvements to Stewart itself, are vitally important to making sure that Stewart can serve as an engine of growth and prosperity in the Hudson Valley.  Through my work on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure I am pursing ways to make sure that the highways leading to Stewart can be improved and expanded, that rail service to Stewart is increased, and that the New York region has an adequate number of air traffic controllers to handle more flights.