WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was joined by 19 of his Senate colleagues in urging the Trump Administration to grant emergency refugee protections to Sikh and Hindu communities in Afghanistan facing persecution as religious minorities. In a bipartisan letter addressed to Secretary  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: leaders of the Energy and Commerce Committee and Science, Space, and Technology Committee sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar expressing concerns about the Trump Administration's termination of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant awarded to EcoHealth Alliance that supported research on bats an  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: Leaders of the Energy and Commerce and Science, Space, and Technology Committees submitted a comment to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler for the proposed rule on the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Particulate Matter (PM), which was released on April 14, 2020. The Chairs urged   more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: After ignoring numerous calls from bicameral Democratic health committee leaders to create a broad special enrollment period and release data on health care enrollment trends, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finally released limited data yesterday. In response, House Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), House W  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Diana DeGette (D-CO) released a report on the Committee's year-long investigation into the anti-consumer practices of Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance (STLDI) health care plans and the  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: In a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) demanded bipartisan talks to get to a constructive starting point on policing reform legislation. Leader McConnell said last week that he would not negotiate with Democrats before bringing Senate Republicans' JUSTICE Act to the floor, d  more

WASHINGTON, June 23 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) was joined by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark Warner (D-Va.) in sending a strong rebuke to the Trump Admini  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: A vote is set for Monday, June 29, 2020, on vital new protections for consumers' credit and greatly expanded transparency into Americans' credit scores -- through H.R. 5332, the bipartisan Protecting Your Credit Score Act -- bipartisan legislation introduced by Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) and cosponsored by Congressman Tom Reed (NY-23) The bill will create a new online credit portal to provide   more

WASHINGTON, June 23 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez announced that the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA) has endorsed his bipartisan bill that will provide much needed economic relief to states and municipalities to ensure they can continue providing the public services that businesses across the state rely on. As state and local governments respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and face increased expenses, the sena  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) wrote to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar to request that he provide Congress the state testing plans that the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act required to be submitted to HHS. The Act, which was signed into law on April 24, requires each  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), the ranking member of the Senate's transit subcommittee that oversees the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, and Cory Booker (D-NJ), along with U.S. Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), Albio Sires (D-NJ-08), Tom Malinowski (D-NJ-11), and Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11) announced that the Portal North Bridge replacement  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on June 25: On Thursday, June 25, 2020, the House of Representatives passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, cosponsored by U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). The bill will increase accountability, address racial discrimination, ensure structural reforms, and help save lives. Gottheimer spoke on the House floor today in support of the bill. "This need for serious structural reform coul  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) debated his bipartisan bill on the House floor -- H.R. 5332, the Protecting Your Credit Score Act -- to create a new one-stop shop online portal to protect Americans' financial futures. A vote is set for the bill on Monday, June 29, 2020. Watch Gottheimer's remarks on the House floor here https://twitter.com/RepJoshG/status/1276684216047034369. This bipartisan   more

GLEN ROCK, New Jersey, June 25 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement opposing proposed annexation of territory in West Bank: "I strongly support our ally Israel and its non-negotiable right to defend itself. I believe it is in America's national interest to maintain our ironclad commitment to Israel's security by providing American security assistance under the 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding negotiated during the Obama Administration. I remain com  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) announced that he's been awarded the "Spirit of Enterprise" Award, which is given to members of Congress who support, "pro-business legislation, bipartisan leadership, and constructive governing." "New Jersey is a small business state, and I'm proud to stand with our job creators and the thousands of our neighbors who make our communities a great place to live," said Congressman   more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03), Congressman Denny Heck (WA-10), Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06), and Congressman Derek Kilmer (WA-06) introduced the Defense Communities Coronavirus Relief Act, H.R. 7290. The bill would provide targeted aid to defense communities; towns across America that proudly host U.S. military installations. "Our communities surrounding the Joint Base have been hard hit during this crisis,  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) pressed United States Comptroller General, Gene L. Dodaro, head of the Government Accountability Office, on the federal government's readiness to handle increased cases of COVID-19 and the lack of transparency of the Strategic National Stockpile, at a hearing of the House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis. Today's briefing comes following the release of the Government Ac  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on June 24: Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) released the third in a series of stories of veterans impacted by the failure of the Department of Veterans Affairs to deliver a new veteran's health facility to Ocean County. Today's release comes 37 days after Congressman Kim, along with Senators Booker and Menendez sent a letter to VA officials demanding answers on why the effort to secure a new veterans' health car  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) voted to pass the Justice in Policing Act, H.R. 7120, a bill that would make critical reforms to America's law enforcement system in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, and a number of other deaths within communities of color by law enforcement personnel. The Justice in Policing Act provides critical reforms that address ongoing issues impacting law enforcement and communitie  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: This week, Representative Tom Malinowski joined with fellow members of the House Rural Broadband Task Force to introduce the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, which will ensure all Americans have access to affordable high-speed internet. Lack of internet access is a problem for an estimated 18 million Americans, and the COVID-19 crisis exacerbated this issue as school moved online, and many  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: The House of Representatives passed H.R. 7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This comprehensive bipartisan legislation combats racial bias and promotes greater accountability in policing to increase trust between law enforcement officers and the communities they are sworn to protect. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 will: * Ban all chokeholds and requires that deadly forc  more

SOMERVILLE, New Jersey, June 25 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Representative Malinowski is sending a reminder to all small business owners of New Jersey's 7th Congressional District of the approaching June 30th application deadline for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). For additional information on small business relief options and to apply for a forgivable loan, click here. "The Paycheck Protection Program has been an important, necessary prog  more

SOMERVILLE, New Jersey, June 25 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: The Federal Transit Administration announced that New Jersey Transit will receive $13.3 million in funds directed towards operations in rural communities. This funding is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the $2 trillion emergency stimulus package Congress passed in March. New Jersey Transit was hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, and saw a steep decl  more

SOMERVILLE, New Jersey, June 22 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: The Department of Transportation announced that the Portal North Bridge replacement--a key component of the broader Gateway Project that includes building a new trans-Hudson rail tunnel--has officially moved forward into the engineering phase of the program. "Delivering the Portal North Bridge for my constituents has been among my highest priorities since coming to Congress," said Represe  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Rep. Donald W. Norcross, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Congressmen Donald Norcross (NJ-01) led the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces (TAL) through the subcommittee's mark-up of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), H.R. 6395. "We live in an uncertain world where there are credible threats to our nation and our democracy, so it is more important than ever that we support our men and women in  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Rep. Donald W. Norcross, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) joined House Democrats in releasing the text of H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act. The Moving Forward Act marks a transformational investment in American infrastructure that will create millions of jobs, take bold action on the climate crisis and address disparities in urban, suburban and rural communities across our country. The Moving Forward Act includes the  more

CHERRY HILL, New Jersey, June 24 -- Rep. Donald W. Norcross, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement on June 23 after the House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee mark-up of the fiscal National Defense Authorization Act: "Today, I voted for the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee provisions of the FY21 NDAA. These provisions take the commonsense approaches necessary to support our air and sea forces as they defend our democracy and our allies overseas and co  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Donald W. Norcross, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) voted yes to H.R. 7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which passed through the House of Representatives this evening. This transformative legislation reimagines the culture of policing in America with unprecedented reforms to build greater trust between law enforcement and our communities. "I stand with my community and all those around the nati  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today applauded the extension of federal support for coronavirus testing at New Jersey pharmacies through August. Pallone and his delegation colleagues sent a letter in May requesting the Trump Administration extend existing agreements with pharmacies in New Jersey for at least an additional three months. "As one of the hardest hit states, federal support is cr  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following opening remarks at a hearing entitled "Oversight of the Trump Administration's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic" on June 23: Today, the Energy and Commerce Committee continues its important work overseeing the Administration's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is difficult to overstate this disease's devastating impact. To date, more than 2.2 million Americ  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement on the Government Accountability Office's report on opportunities to improve the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic: "GAO's report provides a detailed accounting of the Trump Administration's inept handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The report finds routine inconsistencies in the Administration's testing data, perpetual shortages  more

WASHINGTON, June 23 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced the introduction of an historic $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill that would rebuild America's infrastructure, stimulate our economy, create millions of good paying jobs and make investments in clean energy initiatives to combat climate change. The Moving Forward Act invests in roads, bridges and clean energy to put the United States on a path toward z  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following statement on June 25 regarding House passage of the Justice in Policing Act: "For too long, Black Americans have faced systemic racism and unjust force by the police. That is why I cast my vote today in support of the Justice in Policing Act. "It's past time to end police brutality, stop profiling, and hold police accountable. "The bill bans chokeholds and no-knock warrants. It ensures that state and local law  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: As Americans face both the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting severe economic downturn, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) unveiled The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act, a legislative package that will provide much needed relief by making health care and prescription drugs more affordable. The legislation also expands access to health care, strengthens protections for peopl  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Anna G. Eshoo announced that the Health Subcommittee will hold a fully remote hearing on Tuesday, June 30, at 11 a.m. (EDT). The legislative hearing is entitled, "High Anxiety and Stress: Legislation to Improve Mental Health During Crisis." "As we confront a   more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: As Americans face both the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting severe economic downturn, Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Ways and Means Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) and Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA) unveiled The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act, a legislative package tha  more

WASHINGTON, June 23 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR) was joined by Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Ne  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on June 26: U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) this morning lambasted a legal petition filed late last night by the Trump-Barr Justice Department asking the Supreme Court to invalidate the entire Affordable Care Act in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and a worsening economic depression. "Yesterday the United States set a new record for COVID cases in a single day. Nearly 125,000 Americans are  more

PATERSON, New Jersey, June 23 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Clean energy legislation led by U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) has been included in the Moving Forward Act (H.R. 2), a transformational infrastructure package that makes investments in our nation's transportation systems and clean energy sectors. H.R. 2 incorporates Pascrell's Incentivizing Offshore Wind Power Act (H.R. 4887), which would help reduce reliance on dirtier energy sourc  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on June 25: U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), co-chair of the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, today voted in favor of H.R.7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020. Co-sponsored by Pascrell, this landmark legislation will ban chokeholds during arrests, outlaw racial profiling, increase data collection and transparency, and make lynching a federal hate crime. He spoke on the Ho  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) proudly voted in favor of landmark legislation to admit the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth as the 51st member of the United States of America. "Residents of our nation's capital pay their taxes like you and me. In fact, D.C. residents pay more federal taxes per capita than any other Americans and more federal taxes than the residents of 22 states,"   more

WASHINGTON, June 23 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following joint statement with Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, D-Illinois and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-California, regarding the Trump administration's decision to bar H-1B and other work visas through the end of the year: Durbin, Pascrell, and Khanna are sponsors of bipartisan, bicameral legislation to reform and close loopholes in the H-1B and L-1 visa programs. The H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act will reduce fraud and abuse, p  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. co-sponsored the Moving Forward Act. The $1.5 trillion bill (H.R. 2) would provide funds to build or repair critical roads, bridges and other infrastructure throughout the country as well as build schools, create new housing, and expand the nation's broadband Internet access. In addition, it would allocate at least $7.6 billion for rail projects along the Northeast   more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. co-sponsored the COVID-19 Homeowner Assistance Fund Act. The $75 billion bill (H.R. 6729) would provide financial assistance to homeowners who are struggling to pay their mortgage during the coronavirus global pandemic. It would help them pay their mortgage as well as property taxes, property insurance, utilities, and other housing-related costs to prevent foreclosu  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. voted for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020. The historic bill (H.R. 7120) would end racial profiling in law enforcement, ban chokeholds and "no-knock" warrants, and establish a federal standard for police conduct to end police brutality, particularly against minorities. It comes after thousands of Americans have taken to the streets to protest the br  more

NEWARK, New Jersey, June 22 -- Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the ranking member of the Senate's transit subcommittee that oversees the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with U.S. Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr. (N.J.-09), Albio Sires (N.J.-08), Donald Payne, Jr. (N.J.-10), Tom Malinowski (N.J.-07), and Mikie Sherrill (N.J.-11) announc  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. voted for the Washington, D.C. Admission Act. The bill (H.R. 51) would create a new state from the current District of Columbia named Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and a separate federal district that would contain the government buildings on or near the Capitol Mall and Capitol Building, such as the White House and Supreme Court. "I voted for this bill because  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement on the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act: "A month ago, the brutal murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis shocked the conscience of this nation. And I promised New Jersey residents that I would act. "The Justice in Policing Act will increase transparency, combat racial profiling, ban the use of chokeholds, improve training and data collection, and limit the access to weapons of war that do  more

NEWARK, New Jersey, June 23 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the ranking member of the Senate's transit subcommittee that oversees the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with U.S. Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr. (N.J.-09), Albio Sires (N.J.-08), Tom Malinowski (N.J.-07), and Mikie Sherrill (N.J.-11) announced today that the Portal North Bri  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Albio Sires (D-NJ) announced that Family and Children's Services, Inc. of Elizabeth, New Jersey, has been awarded a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services worth $333,333. "I am glad to see that Family and Children's Services, will get federal support for their programs to address mental health and substance abuse in Elizabeth communities. This organization acts as a resource f  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: As briefs were filed in the Supreme Court case to undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA) this week, Congressman Sires slammed the Trump Administration's irresponsible attempt to eliminate health care for millions of Americans. "As the number of U.S. deaths from coronavirus approaches 125,000, the global pandemic continues to ravage our country and we unfortunately continue to break case records. Yet, the  more

WASHINGTON, June 22 -- Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement expressing concern about Israel's annexation of territory in the West Bank: * * * "Israel is a vital ally and friend to the United States, and the special relationship between the U.S. and Israel has a long history. A strong Israel is in the best interest of both of our countries, which is why continued U.S. security assistance to Israel remains a fundamental part of our strategic partnership. "As a long-ti  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement urging support for COVID-19 testing: "At a time when the United States has had over 120,000 deaths from COVID-19 and several states are experiencing a spike in cases, it is absolutely essential that we continue to aggressively test our communities in order to accurately understand where the virus is spreading. "Congress has provided tens of billions of dollars to bolster testing efforts, meanwhile the Presi  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement after voting in favor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which passed the House by a vote 236-181: "I was proud to vote in favor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, an important step forward as we confront the systemic racism that has plagued our nation since its founding. We must address the bias and historical lack of accountability in our policing systems. In addition, this bill includes   more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Albio Sires (NJ-8), along with U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, and Congressmen Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), and Tom Malinowski (NJ-7), all members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, announced the awarding of $13,321,545 from the Federal Transit Agency (FTA) to ensure NJ Transit can continue operations in rural parts of the state despite a significant drop-off in  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Rep. Chris Smith's (R-NJ) joined Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Presidential Advisor Ivanka Trump, and U.S. anti-trafficking ambassador John Richmond at the State Department for the release of the 20th annual "Trafficking in Persons" or TIP Report mandated by Smith's groundbreaking human trafficking law enacted in 2000 "The TIP Report is a key component of our nation's robust efforts to combat human traf  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, issued the following statement: The JUSTICE Act is designed to ensure greater transparency and accountability in policing in order to build safer communities. I cosponsored the JUSTICE Act because it is a serious, comprehensive and balanced reform initiative--an important step forward. I am deeply grateful to Senator Tim Scott and Congressman Pete Stauber for authoring this bicameral legislation. The killing of George Floyd while in cust  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, issued the following statement in response to Secretary Mike Pompeo actions to impose restrictions on Chinese Communist Party officials responsible for the severe crackdown on the people of Hong Kong: "I welcome Secretary Mike Pompeo's announcement that the Trump Administration is sanctioning Chinese Communist Party officials responsible for undermining the freedom of the citizens of Hong Kong. "In seeking to destroy the 'high degree of a  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement regarding the destruction of historical and religious statues across the U.S.: Congressman Van Drew is also supportive of pending legislative or executive action to protect statues from being vandalized or destroyed on Federal property. Many statues and murals are on private or state/locally owned land which might not have the same protections. On a daily basis, violent mobs tear down statues with whic  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Indiana, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) on Thursday joined fellow Republicans on the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis in urging the attorneys general of New York, California, Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania to investigate these states' orders requiring long-term care facilities to accept COVID-19 patients and the impact of these policies on vulnerable nursing home populations. Letters sent   more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement: Following the passage of H.R. 7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020, in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) issued the following statement pointing out the urgent need for the measure, and the bill's comprehensive transparency and accountability reforms. * * * "This country is finally waking up to the realities of life for Black Americans: constant  more

WASHINGTON, June 23 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Diana DeGette (D-CO) wrote to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar, Department of Justice (DOJ) Attorney General William Barr, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf to inquire about what efforts th  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on June 24: U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and Katie Porter (D-CA-45) are calling for increased transparency of the $175 billion Provider Relief Fund (PRF) passed by Congress as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to support frontline health care providers battling COVID-19. In a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar, the members  more

WASHINGTON, June 23 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on June 22: Today, Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce Chair Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) announced the inclusion of critical auto safety provisions in H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act. The provisions will improve auto safety and will help prevent tragic deaths from drunk drivi  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) introduced the bipartisan Protect Telehealth Access Act today to build on telehealth's proven success during the COVID-19 pandemic by codifying Medicare reimbursements for telehealth services. The Protect Telehealth Access Act removes the requirement that (1) an individual receiving telehealth services must be located in a rural  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Regional Recovery Task Force Co-Chairs Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Peter King (NY-02) led the introduction of the COVID-19 Stop Calling Americans Maliciously (SCAM) Act (H.R. 7299). The legislation will empower the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to better address scam calls by giving them the authority to seek civil penalties against those carrying out COVID-19 related calls or texting scams. According t  more

WASHINGTON, June 23 -- Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, issued the following news release: With the U.S. and all nations aggressively combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of African countries face the added threat of starvation wrought by a devastating locust plague, leading Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to author the bipartisan East Africa Locust Eradication Act to help mitigate the crisis. Smith, the former chairman and current ranking Republican of the congressional panel that oversees U.S.   more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement: U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the below statement after the GOP forced a vote, which ultimately failed, on the inadequate, deeply flawed Justice Act. * * * "We will not meet this moment with half-measures and half-steps that don't meaningfully fix our broken policing system. "The Justice Act is woefully inadequate, deeply flawed, and painfully weak, but don't take my word for it - take the word o  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement on June 25: U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the below statement on passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the House of Representatives, a bill he co-authored with U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass, and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler. The sweeping legislation, which is cosponsored by 37 Senators and 230 members of the House of Represen  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on June 25: Today, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Representatives Ted Deutch (FL-22) and Max Rose (NY-11) introduced the Countering Global White Supremacist Terrorism Act, bicameral legislation to strengthen the U.S. government's counter-terrorism efforts against transnation  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on June 24: Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is calling for the Trump Administration to immediately confirm or clarify former National Security Advisor John Bolton's claims that President Trump explicitly endorsed the Chinese governments' repressive system of surveillance and mass internment against millions of Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and   more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is calling for the Trump Administration to immediately confirm or clarify former National Security Advisor John Bolton's claims that President Trump explicitly endorsed the Chinese governments' repressive system of surveillance and mass internment ag  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on the U.S.-Poland relationship ahead of President Andrzej Duda's visit to the White House: "While I am a strong supporter of the U.S.-Poland relationship, President Andrzej Duda's visit to the White House days before Poland's presidential election is inappropriate. The U.S.-Poland relationship rests on shared values, mutual membership in de  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Ahead of the five-year anniversary of the funeral service for the victims of the mass shooting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) joined a group of Senate colleagues in introducing the Background Check Completion Act. This legislation would close a current loophole that allows gun sales to proceed if a background check is not completed after 72 hours  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, requested the State Department's Acting Inspector General Stephen Akard open a review to determine whether Michael Pack, the newly-installed CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), violated a federal regulation when he fired the heads of Rad  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, requested the State Department's Acting Inspector General Stephen Akard open a review to determine whether Michael Pack, the newly-installed CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), violated a federal regulation when he fired the heads of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, the Office of Cuba   more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is raising serious concerns about the Trump Administration's expenditure of more than $200 million in taxpayer dollars to donate ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic to countries President Donald Trump personally selected. In an effort to ensure U.S. efforts to fight the global pandemic do not fall victim to   more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on June 25: Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Representatives Ted Deutch (FL-22) and Max Rose (NY-11) introduced the Countering Global White Supremacist Terrorism Act, bicameral legislation to strengthen the U.S. government's counter-terrorism efforts against transnational white supremacy and identity groups. As white identity and other far-  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was joined by 19 of his Senate colleagues in urging the Trump Administration to grant emergency refugee protections to Sikh and Hindu communities in Afghanistan facing persecution as religious minorities. In a bipartisan letter addressed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the senators called on the State Department  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is calling for a full accounting of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's role in President Trump's repeated efforts to manipulate our nation's foreign policy to further his own interests above that of our national security. The Senator's letter foll  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is calling for a full accounting of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's role in President Trump's repeated efforts to manipulate our nation's foreign policy to further his own interests above that of our national security. The Senator's letter foll  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is calling for a full accounting of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's role in President Trump's repeated efforts to manipulate our nation's foreign policy to further his own interests above that of our national security. The Senator's letter follows former national security adviser John Bolton's explosive claim  more

WASHINGTON, June 23 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) was joined by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark Warner (D-Va.) in sending a strong rebuke to the Trump Administration for the President's decision to unilaterally withdraw the  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced legislation that would increase tree planting and reduce residential energy bills across the United States. The Tackling Residential Energy burdens Efficiently Act, or the TREE Act, creates a cost-share grant program at the Department of Energy to provide funding to plant a minimum of 300,000 trees annually in residential neighborh  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) announced they will introduce Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. "Juneteenth", observed on June 19, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and is also known as "Emancipation Day", "Jubilee Day", and "Juneteenth Independence Day". On  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Delaware, issued the following joint statement with Sens. Jim Risch, D-Idaho, Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey and Cory Gardner, D-Colorado, after the Chinese government announced it will prosecute two Canadian citizens, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, on alleged spying charges. Kovrig and Spavor were detained on Dec. 10, 2018 in retaliation for Huawei Technologies Co, Ltd. Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou's arrest by Canadian authorities: * * *  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker announced the awarding of $15,014,758 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support the New Jersey Department of Health's (DOH) Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Cooperative Agreement, which will help the state continue to respond to the COVID-19 health crisis and prepare for future spikes. "COVID-19 hit our state hard and t  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker announced the awarding of a combined $84 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to New Jersey's Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to provide low-cost financing and loan forgiveness for a wide range of water infrastructure development projects across the state. State Revolving Funds (SRFs) have been an  more

NEWARK, New Jersey, June 23 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker announced $169,200 in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grants and loans to support firefighters and first responders in Cape May and Ocean counties. "New Jersey's firefighters and first responders put their lives on the lines every single day to protect families and businesses in their communities," said Sen. Menendez. "This cri  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on June 26: In recognizing and honoring the 25th anniversary of National HIV Testing Day tomorrow, U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-N.J.) joined a group of Senate colleagues in calling on Senate leadership to include federal funding for HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention, and housing programs in the next COVID-19 pandemic response package to continue providing life-saving services to peopl  more

WASHINGTON, June 23 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on June 22: Following last week's historic Supreme Court ruling rejecting President Donald Trump's repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-N.J.) joined the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) calling on him to immediately take up the bipartisan House-passed American Dr  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, along with U.S. Congressmen Albio Sires (N.J.-08), Donald Payne, Jr. (N.J.-10), Tom Malinowski (N.J.-07), all members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, announced NJ Transit was awarded $13,321,545 from the Federal Transportation Agency (FTA) to ensure local communities have the resources to ensure residents in rural communities have ac  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, along with 34 Democratic colleagues, introduced legislation requiring the Pentagon to remove all names, symbols, displays, monuments and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America from all military bases and other assets of the Department of Defense within one year. "At a time when our nation is finally grappling with its ugly   more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Bill Cassidy M.D. (R-La.) called on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to thoroughly investigate a recent whistleblower complaint alleging Facebook is aware of, and failing to police, illegal activities on its platforms, including the selling of counterfeit drugs. The Washington Post reported that in a sworn statement attached to the complaint "a forme  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on June 24: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee that sets national health policy, and U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (N.J.-09) led the delegation's opposition to a new proposed rule by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that would effectively slash over $100 million in annual federal funding to New Jersey hospitals in the midst of a global  more

MIAMI, Florida, June 27 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following joint statement with Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, encouraging Guyanese authorities to begin a democratic transition of power that reflects results of the March 2 general and regional elections: "Nearly four months since their national election, the Guyanese people are still waiting for an official result following the general and regional elections in their nati  more