Media

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today secured $2 million in federal funds for the U.S. National Park Service to construct a ferry terminal and pier on Sandy Hook that will help to alleviate traffic and reduce pollution at the park.

Pallone said the funds will be used to construct a floating and fixed pier. When completed, the ferry will connect Sandy Hook to lower Manhattan and other NY/NJ ferry terminals. The Sandy Hook ferry will service the 2.5 million annual recreational visitors to the park.

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today secured $10 million in federal funds to complete improvements to the rail, bus passenger, and parking facilities at the South Amboy Intermodal Transportation Station and for the construction of a parking garage at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick.

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today secured $2 million in federal transportation funds for improvements along Route 33, between Routes 35 and 71, in Neptune. Pallone said the funds will be used to widen the road, sidewalks, and left turn lanes, as well as improve signage and drainage along the route.

Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, gave the following statement on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives last night assailing anti-Armenian propaganda by the leaders of Azerbaijan.

"Gasoline prices have hit an all-time high -- the national average for gasoline is now $1.77 per gallon, up 25 cents from the beginning of the year -- and President Bush is doing nothing to alleviate the strain that this is taking on the American people, on American businesses and on the American economy.

Washington, D.C. --- Citing a recent report by the National Intelligence Council that without the urgent implementation of a sizable, coordinated, and sustained response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic India could have as many as 25 million cases by the end of the decade, 22 members of the U.S. House of Representatives today called for a joint Congressional hearing on HIV/AIDS in India.

"Mr. Speaker, I rise on the House floor this evening to discuss Pakistan's recent designation as a 'major non-NATO ally.'

"Last week, Secretary of State Colin Powell visited India and Pakistan to support the efforts that have been made by both nations to seek peace. For the first time in decades, relations between India and Pakistan were easing and as a result, confidence-building measures (CBMs) were being established, such as transportation across the border and cricket games between the countries.

"I strongly oppose the Bush administration's recent rulemaking that seeks to rewrite a long-standing rule under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) that will give coal companies more flexibility by basically removing the protection of a stream buffer zone.

"The Bush administration claims that this new rule will 'streamline' the permitting process, and 'clarify' the existing regulations. It will not. The administration also claims that their new rule will 'minimize' the effect of coal mining on streams. It will not.