Governor Murphy announced in his press conference he has signed an Executive Order allowing gyms, health clubs and indoor amusement facilities to reopen on September 1. Gyms and health clubs alone employ about 55,000 people in New Jersey and opening businesses and putting people back to work is the best solution to the state’s budget gap.

Also today, the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration announced that $248 million has been allocated for the Portal North Bridge Project. We want to thank the Murphy Administration and the members of our Congressional delegation for their efforts in making this happen; modernizing our infrastructure is critical to New Jersey’s economic future.

We also applaud the effort Governor Murphy announced today to apply for federal relief from FEMA’s Lost Wages Supplemental Assistance Program on behalf of New Jersey’s unemployed citizens. While the dollars available in the program are comparatively less than prior federal relief programs, everything that can be done must be done to help remedy the fiscal distress many of our fellow citizens face.

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce is a business advocacy organization that represents its members on a wide range of business and education issues. Based in Trenton, the organization also links the state’s local and regional chambers on issues of importance through its grassroots legislative network. For more information, visit njchamber.com