Tuesday - April 30, 2024
U.S. Congressional Tipoffs Involving New Jersey Newsletter for Sunday November 12, 2023 ( 39 items )  

Booker Announces $4.5 Billion for New Jersey, Northeast Corridor Transit Improvements, Including Gateway
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: NEWARK, N.J. - Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) announced $4.5 billion in federal funding for mass transit improvements in New Jersey and the region, including historic investments in the Gateway Program and the modernization of Newark Penn Station. Joining Booker at Newark Penn Station on Monday morning for the announcement were Representative Rob Menendez, Jr. (D-NJ), Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, NJ  more

Congressman Kim Reintroduces Legislation to Honor Veterans' Loved Ones and Military Community
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 (TNSres) -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on Nov. 9, 2023: Today, Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) reintroduced the Protecting Our Veterans' Memories Act to help state-run veteran cemeteries properly honor those who served our nation. The bill would provide state's Departments of Veterans Affairs with partial reimbursement for costs associated with the funerals and burials of veterans' spouses and d  more

Congressman Rob Menendez Announces Inaugural Youth Advisory Council
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- Rep. Rob Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on Nov. 8, 2023: Congressman Rob Menendez today announced his inaugural Youth Advisory Council for high school students from across New Jersey's Eighth Congressional District. "I am thrilled to launch the Youth Advisory Council as part of our efforts to support our next generation of leaders," said Congressman Menendez. "This is a unique opportunity for high school students across our district to provide t  more

Congressman Rob Menendez Announces Over $6 Million in Federal Funding for Community Policing Initiatives in the Eighth Congressional District
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 -- Rep. Rob Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on Nov. 9, 2023: Congressman Rob Menendez today announced the award of $6.25 million in U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) funding for Essex County, North Bergen, Elizabeth, and Newark. The funding secured by Congressman Menendez will be utilized to hire career law enforcement officers to facilitate community policing and crime prevention efforts. "The over $6 million i  more

Congressman Van Drew Leads Colleagues in Letter to Sec. Mayorkas & Sec. Blinken Urging Expedited Entry for Jewish Individuals Seeking Temporary Stay in the United States
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, R-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Van Drew led eight of his colleagues in a bipartisan letter to Department of State Secretary Antony Blinken and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urging the departments to establish a lawful pathway for any individual identifying as Jewish who requires immediate temporary relocation. "The abhorrent and disgusting events that have unfolded across America, and ac  more

Durbin Questions Judicial Nominees at Latest Judicial Committee Nominations Hearing
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release on Nov. 7, 2023: During today's Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Seth Aframe, nominated to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit Court of Appeals; Sarah Russell, nominated to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut; and Judge Edward Kiel, nominated to be   more

Gottheimer Meets Congressional App Challenge Winner - Creator of "PlantThis!" App
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (TNSres) -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) met the Fifth District Congressional App Challenge winner, Yaman Caglar from Haworth, New Jersey. Yaman's app, PlantThis!, detects the health of any plant from a picture of its leaf and checks if a plant has a disease. Click here (https://y3.netlify.app/) to try Yaman's app PlantThis! 9,011 students registered across the country for the 2022 competition  more

Gottheimer Statement on Republican's Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement on Nov. 7, 2023: * * * Today, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer released the following statement after Republicans failed to adopt his amendments to stop New York's $23/day Congestion Tax. The bill text, however, included his amendment to move forward with the Bergen-Hudson Light Rail. "I was pleased to see Republicans adopt my amendment to expedite approval of the Bergen-Hudson Light Rail expansion becaus  more

Gottheimer's Provisions Included in Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, November 8, 2023, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) had four of his amendments included in the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act of 2024. Gottheimer's provisions include: * Investments for the Treasury's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence to counter criminal and terrorist groups by (1) improving blockchain analysis tools; (2) training on cryptocurre  more

Gottheimer, Bacon, ADL, Announce New Action to Combat Terrorists & Disinformation on Social Media, China Owned-TikTok
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on Nov. 8, 2023: Today, November 8, 2023, U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Don Bacon (NE-2), and Mike Gallagher (WI-8), Chair of the Select Committee on the CCP, and Anti-Defamation League (ADL) CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt held a press call on action to combat terrorists and disinformation on social media, including China-owned TikTok. Since Hamas terrorists invaded Israel   more

House Foreign Affairs Committee Issues Testimony From Rep. Pallone
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- The House Foreign Affairs Committee issued the following testimony by Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, at a member day hearing on Nov. 3, 2023, on humanitarian assistance for Armenia: * * * Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Meeks, thank you for this opportunity to share several of my priorities that are under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. As Co-Chair of the Armenia Caucus, I would like to highlight the grave and urgent need for humanita  more

Kean and Bonamici Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Satellite Data Sharing
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- Rep. Thomas Kean Jr., R-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Representatives Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) introduced H.R. 6219, the Accessing Satellite Capabilities to Enable New Discoveries Act, or the "ASCEND Act," a bill to permanently authorize the Commerical SmallSat Data Acquisition program within NASA. There is an unprecedented growth of the commercial space industry, including a sharp increase in the number of privately owned and op  more

Kean and Moskowitz Send Letter to U.K. Foreign Secretary to Ban Flights That Threaten Ukrainian Security
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Rep. Thomas Kean Jr., R-New Jersey, issued the following news release on Nov. 7, 2023: Today, House Foreign Affairs, Europe Subcommittee Chairman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) and Congressman Jared Moskowitz (FL-23) sent a bipartisan letter to U.K. Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, urging that the United Kingdom ban flights from certain Iranian airlines to Heathrow Airport and other U.K. airports, due to reports that Iran is utilizing its commercial airlines to traffic munitions   more

Pallone Announces New Federal Funding to Hire Law Enforcement Officers in New Brunswick and Carteret
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Washington, DC - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced new federal funding to support public safety and strengthen law enforcement in Middlesex County. New Brunswick will receive $987,102 to hire 8 law enforcement officers, and Carteret will receive $625,000 to hire 5 law enforcement officers. The funding is provided through the Department of Justice's (DOJ) COPS Hiring Program that support  more

Pallone Announces New Jersey Towns and Cities Will Join Federal Program to Accelerate Replacement of Lead Service Lines
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: New Brunswick, NJ - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) joined the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today to announce which New Jersey communities will participate in a major new initiative to accelerate progress toward the Biden-Harris Administration's goal of 100 percent lead service line removal and replacement. The communities in the state selected for the program include Blackwood, Clemen  more

Pallone Secures $180 Million for New Brunswick Facility to Improve the Efficiency and Reliability of Passenger Train Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Washington, DC - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today announced that New Jersey Transit (NJT) will receive $180 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for the Delco Lead project in New Brunswick, which will improve efficiency and reliability of passenger train service throughout New Jersey. NJT's Delco Lead is an obsolete and undersized rail yard facility used to store trai  more

Pascrell Asks EPA to Clean Quanta Superfund Site
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) has submitted official comment to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asking the agency to ensure any cleanup of the contaminated Quanta superfund site in Edgewater, New Jersey preserve the quality of life for community residents and businesses. "Cleaning up the Hudson River in an expeditious manner while minimizing disruptions to our residents is essential.  more

Pascrell Condemns Despicable Republican Palestinian Expulsion Bill
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), whose diverse North Jersey district includes one of the largest Palestinian American communities in the nation, today vociferously condemned a new House Republican bill that seeks to expel Palestinians from the United States. "This bill designed to expel Palestinians and refugees from America is absolutely despicable. It is one of the most xenophobic immigrat  more

Pascrell, Colleagues Celebrate Expanded Medicare Outpatient Mental Services
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the calendar year (CY) 2024 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) final rule, which includes the expansion of access to behavioral health services for people with Medicare through coverage of intensive outpatient services, effective January 1, 2024. In September 2022, Reps. Ju  more

Rep. Gottheimer Hosts Second Community Discussion on Events Unfolding in Israel, Across Middle East
FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Nov. 7 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on Nov. 6, 2023: Last night, on Sunday, November 5, 2023, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) held a second community discussion on the events unfolding in Israel, Gaza, across the Middle East, and at home, encouraging dialogue and answering questions about the war, public safety, and the rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia. The discussion occurred at Gottheimer's own congregation,   more

Rep. Kim Fact Sheet: PROTECTING OUR VETERANS' MEMORIES ACT
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following fact sheet: * * * Protecting Our Veterans' Memories Act The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) National Cemetery Administration maintains 155 national cemeteries in 42 states and Puerto Rico, as well as 34 soldiers' lots and monument sites. Many states have established state veteran cemeteries, where eligibility is similar to VA national cemeteries but may include residency requirements. These cemeteries serve as the f  more

Rep. Kim Introduces Legislation to Increase Transparency Online, Helping Boost American Businesses
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on Nov. 8, 2023: Today, Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) and Congressman Carlos Gimenez (FL-28)introduced the bipartisan Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Online Act to ensure that products sold online list their country-of-origin to protect Americans' right to know where the products they buy are made and support American businesses. "At one of my town halls, a constituent raised a concern they had with me. They  more

Rep. Payne, Jr. Announces $3.8 Billion in Federal Funding for Hudson River Tunnel
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following statement on Nov. 6, 2023: * * * Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr., Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, issued the following statement today regarding the Biden Administration's plan to award $4.48 billion in federal funding for transportation and infrastructure improvements throughout New Jersey. The funding in  more

Rep. Sherrill: "The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Delivers for New Jersey"
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Parsippany, NJ - Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill released the following statement commending today's announcement of the allocation of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding towards 25 passenger rail projects on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. "Today's announcement underscores the fact that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivers for New Jersey. I worked hard to ensure we had robust federal funding for the  more

Sen. Menendez Advocates to Reduce Prescription Drug Costs for Seniors During Finance Markup on Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drug, & Extenders Act
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) yesterday participated in a Senate Finance Committee open Executive Session to consider the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act, which seeks to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for senior adults on Medicare among many other policy objectives. Sen. Menendez partnered with Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) to offer an amendm  more

Sen. Menendez Announces $4.5 Billion to Amtrak in Federal Railroad Administration Funding to Further Improve and Modernize Critical Infrastructure in New Jersey
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) announces a combined total of $4,473,614,197 to Amtrak in Federal Railroad Administration funding to further improve and modernize critical transportation infrastructure across New Jersey, including the Hudson River and the North River tunnels project, the rehabilitation of the Dock Bridge in Newark and Harrison, the Sawtooth Bridges replacement proj  more

Sen. Menendez Asked Secretary O'Brien a Series of Questions Regarding the Impact of Pulling Support for Ukraine on U.S. National Security, Economy, and Relationship with Allies
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) yesterday asked Mr. James O'Brien, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs for the U.S. Department of State, a series of questions during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing entitled "U.S. National Security Interest in Ukraine." "Isn't it true that our support of Ukraine avoids the need to risk American lives in   more

Sen. Menendez Joins Senate Colleagues in Urging the Biden Administration to Require Insurers to Fully Cover Over-the-Counter Birth Control, With No Out-of-Pocket Costs or Prescription Barrier
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) joined Senate colleagues in sending a letter urging the Biden Administration to require federally and state-regulated health insurance plans to fully cover over-the-counter contraceptives, including Opill - the first-ever FDA-approved over-the-counter birth control pill, which will become available in early 2024 - with no copays or out of pocket cost  more

Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee Issues Testimony From Health Professionals & Allied Employees President White
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee issued the following testimony by Health Professionals and Allied Employees President Debbie White involving a hearing on Oct. 27, 2023, entitled "Overworked and Undervalued: Is the Severe Hospital Staffing Crisis Endangering the Well-Being of Patients and Nurses?": * * * Thank you, Chairman Sanders, for organizing this crucial hearing. I am Debbie White; I have been a nurse for 35 years. I am also president of th  more

Sherrill Continues Her Fight for SALT Relief in 2024 Budget Bill
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) introduced an amendment to the FY 2024 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations bill prohibiting the Internal Revenue Service from interfering in state and local tax (SALT) relief programs for hard-working, middle class families. New Jersey was among the first states to provide such tax relief before their initiative   more

Sherrill Fights Back Against House Republicans' Attempts to Eliminate Gateway Tunnel Funding
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill helped beat back Republican attempts to slash federal funding for New Jersey's infrastructure, the Gateway Tunnel Project, and Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. House Republicans eventually pulled their Transportation Appropriations bill from the House floor not long after Rep. Sherrill spoke about the need to protect federal investments in the Gatewa  more

Sherrill Leads House Efforts to Extend Critical Child Care Funding and Bring Costs Down for New Jersey Families
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Supplemental Funding Would Bring Back $300 Million to New Jersey and Strengthen Economy and Workforce WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) continued her charge to extend critical federal stabilization funding to help New Jersey child care centers keep their doors open and costs down for families, after House Republicans let federal funding expire earlier this year. Sherrill co  more

Smith bill continues to gain consensus on way to House Floor Smith's legislation to combat human trafficking passed by House Foreign Affairs Committee with strong bipartisan support
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 -- Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to combat human trafficking cleared a major hurdle today, winning strong support from the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a vote to send the bill to the House Floor for consideration and passage. Named in honor of Frederick Douglass, the renowned abolitionist, Smith's legislation--the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Preventio  more

Smith hearing exposes the unbridled antisemitism at the United Nations that fuels its anti-Israel bias
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, issued the following news release: A congressional hearing chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) today exposed the unbridled antisemitism that pervades the United Nations and fuels its anti-Israel bias, which has become increasingly apparent in the aftermath of the barbaric terrorist attacks launched by Hamas against innocent Israeli civilians last month. "Make no mistake, antisemitic bigotry is at the root of the UN's   more

Smith presses Biden officials on rampant antisemitism at UN agency that receives US taxpayer funding from the Biden Administration
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, issued the following news release: At a Wednesday House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) presses two high-ranking Biden officials on the rampant antisemitism that pervades the United Nations' many agencies and bodies--especially and including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which receives US taxpayer funding from the Biden Administration. The issue was the central focus of the congres  more

Statement by Congressman Rob Menendez on H.Res. 845 Vote
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- Rep. Rob Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement on Nov. 7, 2023: * * * Following his "No" vote on H.Res. 845, Congressman Rob Menendez released the following statement: "Let me be clear: I vehemently oppose Rep. Tlaib's defense of the 'From the River to the Sea' chant and her inflammatory comments including those about the President. I stand with Israel in its right to self-defense and its continuing efforts to return hostages being held in Gaza to their   more

Statement by Rep. Mikie Sherrill on Censure Resolution
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) released the following statement after voting against yesterday's censure resolution: "I wholeheartedly condemn Rep. Tlaib's comments that uplifted language used by Hamas and others to signal their wish to destroy Israel. This type of language is irresponsible and counterproductive to the crucial efforts towards lasting peace and safety for  more

Stefanik Demands Answers from Secretary Buttigieg Over Conversion of Nation's Airports Into Housing for Illegal Immigrants
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 -- Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Elise Stefanik led a letter along with Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO), Subcommittee Chairman Garret Graves (R-LA), and Congressman Anthony D'Esposito (R-NY) demanding answers from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on reports that the federal government is encouraging the use of American airports as temporary shelters for illegal immigrants.    more

United Nations' Bigotry Towards Israel: UNRWA Antisemitism Poisons Palestinian Youth
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, issued the following news release: A congressional hearing chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) today exposed the unbridled antisemitism that pervades the United Nations and fuels its anti-Israel bias, which has become increasingly apparent in the aftermath of the barbaric terrorist attacks launched by Hamas against innocent Israeli civilians last month. "Make no mistake, antisemitic bigotry is at the root of the UN's   more