Infrastructure and Innovation
Infrastructure and Transportation
New Jersey drives the regional economy through its network of highways, bridges, tunnels, airports and the largest port on the East Coast. With more than 130 million consumers located within a day's drive from New Jersey and more than 38,000 miles of public roads in our state, smart investments in transportation networks are vital to New Jersey and the region's economic growth. Unfortunately, our nation is falling behind other countries when it comes to investment in our infrastructure. Senator Booker understands we need to reverse these trends. Increasing the resources we devote to modernizing infrastructure will make our economy and our country more attractive to investment, and will help create jobs. It will also help New Jersey commuters save time and money.
As the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security, Senator Booker works every day to develop smarter federal strategy for our nation's transportation network that improves efficiency and safety.
Senator Booker's efforts helped to jumpstart the Gateway Project, a massive infrastructure project which seeks to update the 100 year old Hudson River passenger rail tunnel complex, a critical transportation artery for the northeastern United States that is especially critical for New Jersey rail commuters.
Senator Booker has also authored bipartisan legislation that boosts investment in the Northeast Corridor and makes needed reforms to Amtrak. The Railroad Reform, Enhancement, and Efficiency Act was included in the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and signed into law by the President in December 2015.
Senator Booker has also been a strong advocate for highway and auto safety. He authored the Truck Safety Act in 2015, which improves safety on America's highways, and provides strong oversight through his role on the Senate Commerce Committee.
Connecting Communities
Senator Booker recognizes that access to the Internet is no longer a luxury; it's a necessity to anyone seeking to participate in the modern economy. From powering small businesses, to fueling academic achievement, to spurring U.S. innovation, technology has the potential to serve as a transformative and democratizing force for so many Americans.
Senator Booker introduced the Community Broadband Act to preserve the rights of cities and municipalities seeking to invest in creating their own broadband networks. This idea has been lauded by technology experts and local governments as a solution to make Internet access more widely available and affordable and was highlighted as part of the Obama Administration's broadband initiative.
Senator Booker also introduced the Broadband Adoption Act which leverages the existing Lifeline Universal Service Program to make it easier for low-income individuals to access broadband. This legislation aims to close the digital divide and empower individuals to reap the social and economic benefits of being connected.
Supporting Tech Innovation
Senator Booker is a strong advocate for net neutrality, believing that the free and open Internet is the best platform to allow new businesses and innovations to thrive and compete on level playing field.
Recognizing the unprecedented growth in connected devices, Senator Booker has joined with colleagues in supporting policies that promote the Internet of Things. He introduced a bipartisan resolution that was passed unanimously by the Senate calling for a national strategy to spur innovation in connected device technology. Senator Booker has also called for comprehensive policies to support increasing the availability of wireless spectrum, a scarce resource that fuels connectivity. To this end, he introduced the bipartisan Wi-Fi Innovation Act to help meet the growing demand for spectrum and support greater technological innovation in the United States.