Payne will seek chairmanship of key transportation subcommittee

A New Jersey congressman is seeking the chairmanship of a powerful House subcommittee with jurisdiction over rail transportation, including Amtrak.

Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-Newark) has put his name in to succeed Daniel Lipinski as chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials.

If he gets the post, Payne will have considerable influence over rail infrastructure issues.  That outs him in the position to advance the Gateway Tunnel project and other key New Jersey transportation projects.

The panel has oversight authority over the Federal Railroad Administration, the Surface Transportation Board, and the Pipeline and Hazardous Safety Administration.

Lipinski, a longtime Chicago congressman, was defeated in the Democratic primary earlier this year.

Next in seniority on the panel is another New Jerseyan, Rep. Albio Sires (D-West New York).

Sires told the New Jersey Globe that he wants a second term as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.

“I’m going to stay where I am,” Sires said.  “One of the reasons I went to Congress is to fight for Cuba.”

Sires was born in Cuba and emigrated to the United States at age 11, months before the Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1962.

Sires confirmed that he’s discussed the rail chairmanship with Payne and that the Newark congressman wants the job.

“I’m going to support Don Payne,” he said. “I haven’t heard if anyone is running against him.”

Payne is the likely candidate for the post, which has strong potential benefits to New Jersey on rail and pipeline issues.  He still needs the approval of House Democrats to ascend to the job.

Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-Ringoes), who has a 28,412-vote lead in his bid for re-election to a second term, also serves on that subcommittee.

To take the railroads subcommittee chairmanship, Payne will need to give up his chairmanship of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery.