Press Releases

Congressman Matt Cartwright delivered the below Floor Speech before leading the unanimous passage of his bill, H.R. 6364: The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Commercial Vehicle Exemption Act, before the U.S. House of Representatives on September 28^th, 2022

Thank you for this opportunity to speak about my bill, H.R. 6364, which would extend the use of federally owned portions of Highway 209 by certain commercial vehicles serving Northeastern Pennsylvania businesses.

As I’m sure you’re well aware, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area stretches across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, preserving 70,000 acres of land on both sides of the Delaware River.

Highway 209, which runs through Pennsylvania and New York, cuts directly through the middle of this national recreation area.

Up until the 1980s, this strip of Highway 209 served as a heavily trafficked truck route.

In 1981, the National Park Service (Nreceived jurisdiction over the section of Highway 209 within the national recreation area.

And two years later, the 1983 Supplemental Appropriations Act closed the federally owned segment of Highway 209 to all commercial traffic with one exception: for light commercial vehicles serving businesses or people located in, or along, the boundaries of the national recreation area.  

Since then, this commercial vehicle exemption has been reauthorized by Congress multiple times on a bipartisan basis.  

In fact, former Republican Congressman Tom Marino and I co-led the 2018 commercial vehicle exemption that passed this body by voice vote and was signed into law by former President Trump.

When that exemption expired last year, Congress included a short, one-year extension in the FY22 Omnibus.

However, that exemption expires on September 30^th – this Friday.

If Congress fails to renew this exemption, commercial traffic in Northeastern Pennsylvania will be faced with limited acceptable alternatives.

Commercial vehicles based in places like Monroe and Pike counties, in my district, would have to travel a minimum of an extra ten miles to avoid the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

And so that’s why I’ve introduced H.R. 6364, which will simply extend the existing commercial vehicle exemption until September 30, 2026.

With this extension, qualifying, commercial vehicles would be allowed to continue using the federally owned portion of Highway 209 with an annual permit.

My bill would also ensure that emergency vehicles and school buses could continue utilizing sections of Highway 209, within the boundaries of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, toll-free.  

This is commonsense, bipartisan legislation that is not only supported by the National Park Service and local officials, but is also broadly supported here in the House, having passed unanimously out of the House Natural Resources Committee in July.

On behalf of the entire Commonwealth, I would like to thank Representatives Meuser and Fitzpatrick for cosponsoring my bill, as well as Senators Toomey and Casey, who are championing this measure in the Senate.

This legislation would go a long way towards protecting Northeastern Pennsylvania small businesses and our regional economy.

I urge my colleagues on both side of the aisle to vote for this bill.

Thank you. I yield back.