WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Legislation follows spate of recent instances of hair discrimination, sparking national outcry * * * U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today unveiled a bill that would ban discrimination based on hair textures and hairstyles that are commonly associated with a particular race or national origin. U.S. Representative Cedric Richmond (D-LA) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representati  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Letters to FTC, CMS, health care companies follow disturbing revelations of flawed algorithms impacting care for black patients * * * U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) today called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and five of the largest health care companies in the nation to provide more information on how they are   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Trump Administration has failed to provide adequate rationale for withholding assistance * * * House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot L. Engel (D-NY) and Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security and Trade Chairman Albio Sires (D-NJ) today demanded answers from the Trump Administration on the continued withholding of crucial USAID poverty reduction assistance to Central Am  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Cedric L. Richmond, D-Louisiana, issued the following statements with Reps. Barbara Lee, D-California, Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts, and Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following statements after the introduction of the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act: "For far too long, Black Americans have faced senseless forms of discrimination merely because of how they choose to wear their hair. As states begin to tac  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Bipartisan bicameral plan allows families to receive advance Child Tax Credits to offset leave, childcare, other expenses * * * Today, Wednesday, December 4, 2019, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) joined a bipartisan bicameral group of original cosponsors to introduce new legislation that provides resources to help new parents pay for leave and cover the cost of child care, infant care  more

TEANECK, New Jersey, Nov. 30 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, Saturday, November 30, 2019, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) delivered an address to the 2nd Battalion of the 113th Infantry Regiment of the New Jersey National Guard, following their nine-month deployment in East Africa fighting terror. The Battalion returned from Africa last night. "I know that the 2nd Battalion of the 113th Infantry represents the best of our citizen-force.   more

FORT LEE, New Jersey, Dec. 2 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - New Carpool Tax will cost Jersey drivers $2,125 more annually in higher tolls and increase traffic and emissions * * * Today, Monday, December 2, 2019, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) announced plans, along with fellow New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-9), to urge the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) to reverse course on its proposal to eliminat  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- 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 (D-CA) announced today that the Health Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Tuesday, December 10, at 10:30 am in 2322 Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled "Proposals to Achieve Universal Health Care Coverage." "Universal health c  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The House Natural Resources subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands issued the following testimony by R. David Vela, deputy director for operations at Interior Department's National Park Service, at a hearing to designate the Peter J. McGuire Memorial and Peter J. McGuire Gravesite located in Pennsauken, New Jersey, as a National Historic Landmark (H.R. 2317): "Chairwoman Haaland, Ranking Member Young, and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opp  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Protects America's Ironclad Commitment To Israel's Security, Consistent With Obama-Era Mou Key To U.S. Fight Against Terror * * * Today, Friday, December 6, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed bipartisan language introduced by U.S. Congressmen Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Tom Reed (NY-23) and Ted Deutch (FL-22), and cosponsored by more than 30 Republican and Democratic Members of Congre  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - House Passes Congressman Kim's Anti-Robocall Bill into Law - Bill will make its way to President Trump for his final signature * * * Today, the House passed S. 151, the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act, or TRACED Act, by a bipartisan margin of 417 to 3. The bill incorporated H.R. 3325, the Locking Up Robocallers Act of 2019, a bipartisan bill co-led by Congressman K  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- 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, questioned a senior Trump Administration official about interference in the 2016 presidential election. In response to Menendez, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale confirmed that it was Russia that interfered in the election--not Ukraine, as President Trump has frequently, and falsely, claimed  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- 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, questioned a senior Trump Administration official about interference in the 2016 presidential election. In response to Menendez, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale confirmed that it was Russia that interfered in the election--no  more

PATERSON, New Jersey, Dec. 6 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Trump Admin cut enrollment period to 6 weeks - Sunday, Dec. 15 deadline fast approaching Go to GetCovered.NJ.gov or call toll-free consumer hotline at 1-800-446-7467 to enroll in health care coverage * * * U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee that sets national health policy and a co-author of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), today joined  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- 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) announced today that the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Tuesday, December 10, at 10 am in the John D. Dingell Hearing Room, 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled "Sec  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is joining a bicameral Congressional Delegation trip, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA-12), to Madrid, Spain for the 2019 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, known as COP25. "I'm proud to join Speaker Pelosi and other Congressional environmental leaders in attending COP25 to demonstrate to t  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) joined a bicameral Congressional Delegation trip, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA-12), to Madrid, Spain for the 2019 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, known as COP25. At the conference, he said the U.S. is still playing a leadership role. "We are here to tell the world that the United States is still committed to combating climate change wit  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today supported H.Res. 585, a House resolution that expresses Congress's support of the "historic and groundbreaking success" of the Good Friday Agreement. Additionally, this resolution supports "continued peace on the island of Ireland and the principles, objectives, and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement" during a time of unrest in the European Union an  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today voted in favor of H.Res. 546, a House resolution that expresses Congress's support of Ukraine and demands the Russian Federation remain outside the G7 until it ends its illegal occupation of Crimea and its broader attacks on democracy. Pascrell is an original cosponsor of the legislation which cleared the House 339-71. "Under Vladimir Putin, the Russian go  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today voted in favor of S.151, the bipartisan TRACED Act, which passed the House of Representatives 417-to-3. The legislation will outlaw numerous prevalent practices by robocallers and establish new government powers to go after fraudsters. "With this legislation, we can continue our campaign to end the incessant harassment of robocalls and prove that governmen  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Letter to U.S. Trade Representative signed by Ways and Means Committee Democrats demand explanation on recent trade pacts * * * U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and Daniel T. Kildee (D-MI-05) led a letter signed by 23 Ways and Means Committee Democrats to United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer seeking information on recently-announced trade agreements between the Unite  more

GARFIELD, New Jersey, Nov. 26 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Input from community leaders, including religious officials and law enforcement, bolstered wide-ranging conversation on public safety * * * Today, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), Governor Phil Murphy, and former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson held a roundtable discussion in Garfield, New Jersey, with local law enforcement, elected officials, and rel  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Bipartisan Bill Will Soon Head To The President's Desk For Final Signature 1.4 Billion Robocalls Placed To New Jersey In 2019 So Far * * * On Wednesday, December 4, 2019, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) voted to pass the bipartisan Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (TRACED Act) to attack the issue from every angle and finally put a stop to predatory robo  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) voted to pass H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would update and restore key sections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and strengthen additional voting rights protections. "Casting a vote is a sacred expression of our Democracy and should be protected for every American citizen," said Congressman Kim. "Unfortunately, that right has been under attack for gener  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today the House overwhelmingly passed the TRACED Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will protect Americans from illegal robocalls. Congressman Malinowski was a co-sponsor of the legislation, and it is expected to be signed into law by the President. In 2018 an estimated 48 billion robocalls were placed nationwide, an increase of 17 billion calls from just the previous year. Many of those call  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today the House passed H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA). This legislation restores the protections and enforcement of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) to its former strength, before it was gutted by the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder Supreme Court decision. Congressman Malinowski is a co-sponsor of this legislation. Following the Shelby decision, several states passed voter suppression laws t  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following opening remarks at the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing entitled "Accountability and Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission": "Congress mandated that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) do its work in the public interest. That means its actions, policies, and rules should put consumers first. Unfortunately, this FCC, under  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following opening remarks at a legislative hearing entitled "Building Consumer Confidence by Empowering FDA to Improve Cosmetic Safety": "Today, we will discuss two legislative proposals that empower the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to more effectively regulate cosmetic and personal care products. "Consumers today assume that the cosmetic products they purchase are   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following opening remarks at the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing entitled "Flu Season: U.S. Public Health Preparedness and Response": "Every year, Influenza causes millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and tens of thousands of deaths across the United States. Last year, more than 100 children died as a result of this prevent  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following remarks at the Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change hearing entitled "Building a 100 Percent Clean Economy: Solutions for Economy-Wide Deep Decarbonization": This is the seventh hearing in the Committee's climate change series aimed at developing comprehensive legislation to achieve a 100 percent clean economy by 2050: "Today's hearing is the seventh h  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, the House of Representatives passed Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.'s (NJ-06) bill, the Pallone-Thune TRACED Act, by an overwhelming vote of 417-3. The Pallone-Thune TRACED Act was announced as part of a bipartisan, bicameral agreement by the House and Senate last month, which reconciled the different anti-robocalls bills passed by the Senate in May and the House in June. This agreement increases the c  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - File Bicameral Amicus Brief in June Medical Services LLC v. Gee - 197 members of the Senate and House urge the Supreme Court to uphold constitutionally protected reproductive rights in June Medical Services LLC v. Gee * * * Today, 161 members of the U.S. House of Representatives led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representatives Frank Pallo  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today voted in favor of S. 187, the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019 that highlights the Chinese Communist Party's continued subjugation and internment of Muslim ethnic Uyghurs. The legislation condemns China's internment camps, seeks more information on the extent of these crimes, and paves the way for imposing human rights sanctions on actors carrying o  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following statement: U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today reacted to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA-12) announcement that the House is proceeding with impeachment of Donald Trump and will soon be introducing articles of impeachment. "No one should mistake why we have arrived here at this moment. The hearings we have held so far have revealed a constitutional crime spree by the sitting chief executive unpara  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today voted in favor of H.Res. 326, a House resolution that expresses Congress's support of a negotiated two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinian people. The legislation posits that "a United States proposal to achieve a just, stable, and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should expressly endorse a two-state solution as its objecti  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Pascrell is original cosponsor of landmark legislation to restore key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 * * * Today, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) voted in favor of H.R.4 the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019. The legislation would help address modern forms of voter suppression by requiring states and municipalities with a recent history of voting rights violations to  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. wants the federal government to do more to protect Americans from unwanted phone calls. Congressman Payne, Jr. voted for the TRACED Act (S.151) yesterday, a bill that would establish stronger consumers protections against illegal robocalls. It would require telephone carriers to use more advanced caller-ID technology to identify and screen scammers, establish more s  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. wants to protect the voting rights of all Americans from state policies that violate those rights. Congressman Payne, Jr. voted for the Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R.4) today, a bill that would require states that have violated federal voting laws multiple times to get permission from the federal government before they can change voting practices. The bill wou  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - $89,837.54 in USDA Rural Development Grants will go to improve housing for low-income homeowners * * * Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) announced today that Hopatcong Borough received a $89,837.54 grant from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Rural Development to repair and rehabilitate housing in the borough. The Housing Preservation Grant will support households wi  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Livingston's Dina Brustein Designed App to Help Families Navigate the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) * * * Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) announced today that Livingston High School senior Dina Brustein is the winner of the 2019 Congressional App Competition for New Jersey's 11th Congressional District. Dina's SNAPApp helps low-income families get information about t  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Representative Sherrill Announces "12 Days of SALT" Campaign on the House Floor to Lift the Federal Cap on State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction * * * With 12 days left on the legislative calendar, Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) launched a "12 Days of SALT" campaign on the House Floor to urge the House to lift the federal cap on state and local tax (SALT) deduction before the end of 2019  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) voted for the Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4), critical legislation to restore the full strength of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA). The Supreme Court's Shelby v. Holder decision gutted the VRA's ability to combat voter suppression and discrimination. Since the Shelby v. Holder decision, at least 23 states have enacted voter suppression law  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement after his bipartisan resolution (H.Res.546) disapproving Russia's inclusion in future Group of Seven (G-7) summits until it respects the territorial integrity of its neighbors and adheres to the standards of democratic societies, passed the House by a 339-71 vote: "In 2014, Russia was expelled from the Group of Eight as a direct result of its aggressive actions in Ukraine and the remaining seven nations agreed   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her intention to move forward with articles of impeachment: "I support Speaker Pelosi's decision to move forward with articles of impeachment. "Even with the Administration's lack of cooperation - the testimony relayed by numerous witnesses shows that the President has abused his office. Not only that, it appears he has a fundamental flaw in his understanding of the   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, Congressman Albio Sires (D-NJ) joined Congressman David Price (D-NC) and members of the Appropriations Committee, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and other members at a press conference to pressure the Administration to follow the law and release recovery funds to Puerto Rico. Two years ago, Puerto Rico suffered two back-to-back hurricanes that caused unprecedented damage. The U.S. Congress appr  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Debate on the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019 * * * The following are excerpts of remarks by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) during debate in the U.S. House of Representatives on the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019 December 3, 2019 Special thanks to the 128 bipartisan cosponsors of my bill, the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019, HR 649--comprehensive human rights legislation I introd  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Jeff Van Drew (NJ02) voted today to pass the TRACED Act, an anti-robocall bill that would crack down on robocall violations and enforcement. This bipartisan legislation, which requires phone companies to offer screening technologies to identify and block spam robocalls at no cost to customers, is a critical step toward ending the scourge of robocalls. Robocall scams are at an all-time hi  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Rep. Eliot L. Engel, D-New York, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement with Ranking Member Michael McCaul, R-Texas, Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security and Trade, and Ranking Member Francis Rooney, R-Florida, regarding the need for an extension of the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras which expires in January 2020: "Endemic   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Joint Letter Highlights Jeffrey Epstein's Exploitation Of Gaps In Tsa Monitoring At Teterboro Airport * * * Today, U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05) called on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to update its Security Guidelines for General Aviation Airport Operators and Users to block human trafficking at general aviation airports. In a letter  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following joint statement with Chairman Eliot L. Engel, D-New York, Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security and Trade, and Ranking Member Francis Rooney, R-Florida, regarding the need for an extension of the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras which expires in January  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Massachusetts, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following joint statement with Reps. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, announcing the investments in Medicare and the search for cures that will be included in the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) when it goes to the House  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Massachusetts, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following joint statement with four congressmen - Reps. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, announcing floor vote on the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Cost  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following joint statement with Reps. Richard E. Neal, D-Massachusetts, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, announcing the investments in Medicare and the search for cures that will be included in the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) when it goes to the House  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following joint statement with four congressmen - Reps. Richard E. Neal, D-Massachusetts, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, announcing floor vote on the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Cost  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following joint statement with Ranking Member Greg Walden, R-Oregon, Rep. Michael Doyle, D-Pennsylvania, chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, and Ranking Member Robert E. Latta, R-Ohio, after the House passed an anti-robocalls bill, the Pallone-Thune TRACED Act, by a 417-3 vote: "We're proud of this overwhelming vote by the House to pass the Pallo  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Joint letter highlights Jeffrey Epstein's exploitation of gaps in TSA monitoring at Teterboro Airport * * * Today, U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05) called on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to update its Security Guidelines for General Aviation Airport Operators and Users to block human trafficking at general aviation airports. In a lett  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Bicameral letters to HHS Secretary Azar, X12 Committee urge approval of draft recommendation to include device identifiers * * * U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-35), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), and Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) have sent two letters calling for urgency in the inclusion of Unique Device Identifiers (UDI) on Medica  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following joint statement with Reps. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Richard E. Neal, D-Massachusetts, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, announcing the investments in Medicare and the search for cures that will be included in the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) when it goes to the House  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following joint statement with Chairman Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, Reps. Michael Doyle, D-Pennsylvania, chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, and Ranking Member Robert E. Latta, R-Ohio, after the House passed an anti-robocalls bill, the Pallone-Thune TRACED Act, by a 417-3 vote: "We're proud of this overwhelming vote by the House to pa  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement: * * * - Move follows Booker's repeated calls for U.S. diplomatic leadership during a critical period in Sudan * * * U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement in response to the U.S. State Department's announcement that it will appoint an ambassador to Sudan: "After numerous calls for the urgent need for U.S. diplomatic leadership i  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today announced he is joining a bipartisan working group to facilitate ongoing discussions about student athlete compensation and related issues. The working group will provide an informal setting for discussions among members, and also with collegiate partners, athletes, and experts who wish to engage lawmakers. Additional members of the working group are Mitt Romney (R-UT),  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - New Jersey home to 13 minority-serving institutions * * * The Senate today reauthorized funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and other minority serving institutions (MSIs) by passing the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act, a bill cosponsored by U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez. Booke  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - Legislation Extends Targeted Sanctions in Response to Continued Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms * * * Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on the Western Hem  more

NEWARK, New Jersey, Dec. 6 -- 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, issued the following statement after Omoyele Sowore, a prominent Nigerian-American journalist and activist, was arbitrarily re-arrested yesterday by Nigerian authorities. Sowore, a New Jersey resident, was first arrested in August and despite   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following opening remarks at a full committee hearing titled "The Future of U.S. Policy Towards Russia": Testifying before the committee were David Hale, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, and Christopher A. Ford, Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation. "I am under no illusion that President Trump shares my views on these five   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following opening remarks at a hearing titled "Oversight Of The Millennium Challenge Corporation": Testifying before the committee was Sean Cairncross, Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation. Senator Menendez's full remarks as delivered can be found below: "Thank you for holding today's Millennium Challenge Corporation oversight hearing, and t  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following opening remarks at a full committee hearing entitled "The Future of U.S. Policy Towards Russia": Testifying before the committee were David Hale, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, and Christopher A. Ford, Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation. "Before we hear from our witnesses, I would like to outline five   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following opening remarks at a hearing entitled "Oversight of the Millennium Challenge Corporation": Testifying before the committee was Sean Cairncross, Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation. "Prior to Mr. Cairncross's confirmation, there were several news reports about a growing toxic work cultural at MCC. Blatant cultural insensitiv  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: During a hearing in the Senate Banking Committee today, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez urged Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairwoman Jelena McWilliams that any potential Trump Administration changes to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) must prioritize the best interests of underserved communities and consumers, not banks. The CRA, passed by Congress in 1977 and reviewed in 1995, establishe  more

NEWARK, New Jersey, Dec. 6 -- 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, today stood with the family of Omoyele Sowore, a prominent Nigerian-American journalist and activist and a New Jersey resident who was arbitrarily re-arrested yesterday by Nigerian authorities hours after the Senator helped secure his rel  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- 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, made a Unanimous Consent request today for the Senate to pass his legislation formally recognizing the Armenian genocide on behalf of the U.S. government. For the third time in less than a month, a Republican senator objected to the request, blocking the Senate from passing the Resolution recognizing the Ottoman Emp  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Legislation Extends Targeted Sanctions in Response to Continued Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms * * * Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, last night introduced theVenezuela Defense of Human Right  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - NJ home to 13 minority-serving institutions * * * The Senate today reauthorized funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and other minority serving institutions (MSIs) by passing the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act, a bill cosponsored by U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker. Menendez,  more

NEWARK, New Jersey, Nov. 27 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, and Benjamin Cardin, D-Maryland, issued the following statements after President Trump signed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act (S. 1838) into law: The Senate unanimously passed the bill on Nov. 19, with the House following on Nov. 20 by a vote of 417 to 1, sending the bill directly to the presi  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Sens. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following statements after the House passed an amended version of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act (S. 178): The bill is an important step in countering the totalitarian Chinese government's widespread and horrific human rights abuses in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, including the mass internment of more than one million Uyghu  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, issued the following floor remarks in support of the Uighur Intervention and Global Humanitarian Unified Response Act (S. 178), which passed on a 406-1 vote: "I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership, and to you and to Mr. Smith, to gentleman from New Jersey, for being champions for human rights. Mr. McCaul and Mr. Eliot Engel, also I thank them - the Chair and Ranking - Mr. Eliot Engel, the Chair, and Mr. McCaul,   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Representatives Jeff Van Drew(NJ-2), Doris Matsui(CA-6) and Steven Horsford(NV-4) introduce the Fair Indexing for Health Care Affordability Act, legislation to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare costs by reversing the administration's rule that would make fewer Americans eligible for the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) premium tax credits and cause those who are eligible to receive less in tax credit suppor  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Congressman Jeff Van Drew Announces Resolution to Reverse the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rule to End Food Security for Poor and Vulnerable Americans: "Today, the USDA announced that it would finalize its rule to tighten restrictions on the eligibility of Able-Bodies Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) for benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program also known as "SNAP.  more