FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 6th, 2026
CONTACT: press@rebeccabennettforcongress.com
Rebecca Bennett Demands Congressman Tom Kean Jr. Call Trump Out By Name to Release Gateway Funding
Navy Helicopter Pilot and Democratic Candidate for Congress, Rebecca Bennett, slams Tom Kean Jr. for his capitulation in the Gateway funding fight as construction on the project halts
SOMERVILLE, NJ – Today, Rebecca Bennett, Navy pilot, healthcare leader, mom of two, and candidate for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, condemned Congressman Tom Kean Jr. for refusing to call out Donald Trump after he demanded that Penn Station and Dulles Airport be renamed after him in exchange for releasing $16 billion in frozen Gateway Tunnel funding.
“President Trump is holding thousands of New Jersey jobs hostage and threatening our entire region’s economy – but Congressman Tom Kean Jr. refuses to call him out by name,” said Rebecca Bennett. “Where’s our congressman? Tom Kean Jr. is too weak, too scared, and too beholden to Trump to stand up for the people he represents. This is all part of a larger pattern for him, who has refused to stand up to Trump when it matters most and instead votes for devastating health care cuts, cost-spiking tariffs, and pain for families. He won’t hold town halls. He won’t face reporters. And he certainly won’t stand up for New Jersey. It’s time to send a servant leader to Congress who will put New Jersey first, not party bosses.”
Trump froze over $16 billion in congressionally approved Gateway funding in September 2025. Without those federal funds, construction operations ceased today, resulting in the immediate layoff of approximately 1,000 union workers. The Gateway Tunnel supports 200,000 daily commuters and 100,000 jobs across the region. Now, Trump is trying to cut a deal with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to release funding if Schumer agrees to rename Penn Station and Dulles Airport after him. All the while, Congressman Tom Kean Jr. is silent. POLITICO New Jersey reported this week that his public statement on Gateway “made no specific mention of the man who’s responsible for the funds being held up.” Tom Kean Jr. refused to join fellow members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation in signing a letter to Trump demanding the release of Gateway funding, and he refused to join the delegation today at the construction site with Governor Sherrill as construction on the project comes to a halt.
Rebecca Bennett is a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, officer in the Air National Guard, business leader in healthcare, and mom of two. Rebecca served in the Navy for over a decade as a helicopter pilot and aircraft commander. After serving her country for over fifteen years in the military and making waves in healthcare innovation, Rebecca is running for Congress to build a better future for our community. As a mom to two young girls, Rebecca understands first-hand the challenges of balancing work & family while navigating inflation and the rising cost of living.
For more information, please visit rebeccabennettforcongress.com.
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