U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., a ranking member of the Senate’s transit subcommittee, applauded the inclusion of critical funding to keep the Gateway infrastructure project moving in the federal spending bill that passed Congress on Thursday.

Menendez fought to secure $650 million in Amtrak Northeast Corridor funding, a portion of which will be dedicated to Gateway, and an additional $130.1 million in transit formula grants that can be used to advance the project.

“This is another major victory that keeps the Gateway Project on the right track,” Menendez said in a statement. “Despite efforts by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans to derail Gateway and slash funding for Amtrak, our delegation was able to secure the same funding levels for Amtrak as we did a year ago amid threats of shutting down the government.”

“This funding is vital to moving this critical project forward to ensure the safety and reliability of our infrastructure and the hundreds of thousands who use it each day,” he added.