WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Legislation would provide states with financial tool to advance pressing drinking water infrastructure projects * * * Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) unanimously voted to advance legislation that could help communities across the country remove lead from drinking water. Specifically, the Water Infrastructure Funding Transfer Bill would give states facing public hea  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) released the following statement on his vote in support of the resolutions disapproving arm sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE): "Today's bipartisan vote disapproving of the Administration's plan to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Emirates is a clear signal that even the Administration's allies are fed up with attempts to circumvent Congres  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today testified on H.R. 40, legislation to study and develop reparations proposals, during a hearing in the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. Senator Booker's reparations bill, S.1083, is the Senate companion to H.R. 40 and was introduced in April. It is the first bill introduced in the Senate to study proposals for reparat  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Resolution marks June 12 as Women Veterans Appreciation Day * * * A bipartisan resolution written by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to designate June 12 as Women Veterans Appreciation Day passed the Senate unanimously. The resolution recognizes the distinguished service of women in the Active Duty, Guard, and Reserve Forces. The date of June 12 is significant, as i  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Bicameral bill would overhaul student loan forgiveness program, increase financial assistance; High-poverty schools suffer most from shortage of qualified teachers * * * U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), along with Congressmen Donald Norcross (D-NJ) and Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), today reintroduced legislation that addresses the country's real and growing teacher shortage by completely overhauling the  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: * * * - Subcommittee to focus on the path to restorative justice * * * Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, will preside at a hearing Wednesday on H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act, and the Path to Restorative Justice. The 10 a.m. hearing at 2141 Raybu  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- 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, June 25, at 10 am in room 2322 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, "Reauthorizing Vital Health Programs for American Families." "This   more

NEW MILFORD, New Jersey, June 15 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, June 14, 2019, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) bagged groceries for shoppers at the new ShopRite in New Milford, which opened Thursday, while speaking with constituents about the issues that matter to them. Gottheimer also highlighted the 250 jobs at the new ShopRite. "It was great to be in New Milford today to speak with local residents about the issues that matter to them  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Investment in Education and Renewable Energy Among Fifth District Wins in Appropriations Bill * * * This week, several provisions championed by U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) passed the House of Representatives - for investment in education, vocational and technical job training, child care and development grants, early childhood education, Pell Grants for college students with fina  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) commended the House Ways and Means Committee and Chairman Richard Neal (MA-1) for bringing forth a package of tax credits and extenders for the Committee to consider later this week. Gottheimer highlighted the package's revival of the ability to deduct mortgage interest premiums through the end of 2020, which will provide our hardworking homeowners with well-ear  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Blatant Giveaway to Red States, Fight to Fully Reinstate SALT and Provide Real Tax Relief Continues * * * Today, Wednesday, June 19, 2019, following the finalization of the U.S. Treasury Department's rule on charitable contributions, U.S. Congressmen Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) and Peter King (NY-2) introduced a bipartisan Joint Resolution in the House of Representatives to fully repeal the Treas  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) voted for a bipartisan provision to increase investment in the Department of Defense's medical research of traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and psychological health. The budget-neutral amendment, introduced by Congressman TJ Cox of California, passed the House 404 to 22. According to the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force,   more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: Today, Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR) unveiled a bipartisan version of the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act (HR 3375) in the House of Representatives to stop abusive robocall practices. "Americans deserve to be free of the daily danger and harassment of robocalls," Pallone and Walden said. "I  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- 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), Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and Environment and Climate Change Chairman Paul Tonko (D-NY) sent letters today to Marathon Petroleum and oil industry lobbying and policy organizations requesting information and documents related to their involvement  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- 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 Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) announced today that the Communications and Technology Subcommittee will hold a markup on Tuesday, June 25, at 2 pm in the John D. Dingell Room, 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. The Subcommittee will markup bipartisan   more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The House Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties issued the following testimony by Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, at a hearing entitled "H.R. 40 and the Path to Restorative Justice": "It's an honor to be here today to testify before the Committee. Thank you very much for holding this historic hearing on H.R. 40, the bill to study and make reparations proposals. Thank you to Representative Sheila Jackson Lee for her leadership in buil  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- The House Small Business subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access issued the following testimony by James Parker, founder and owner of Riverview Studios and testified on behalf of the New Jersey Main Street Alliance, at a hearing entitled "Importance of Accurate Census Data to Small Business Formation and Growth": "My name is James Parker, and I am the founder and owner of Riverview Studios, an award-winning digital video production company based in Bordent  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Donald W. Norcross, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) - a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor and House Armed Services Committee - voted in favor of H.R. 2740, a $982.8 billion "minibus" package that contains four Fiscal Year 2020 bills that fund federal agencies including the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Defense. "Families in South Jersey know we need t  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- 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, spoke on the Senate Floor this afternoon to announce he had reached a Unanimous Consent agreement with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that will provide for votes tomorrow on his 22 joint resolutions of disapproval to block the Trump Administration's unprecedented attempt at approving over $8 billion i  more

TRENTON, New Jersey, June 21 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) joined local leaders and law enforcement officials in Trenton today to unveil new gun safety legislation banning the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer or possession of gun silencers in response to a mass shooter in Virginia Beach last month who used a silencer to help kill a dozen innocent people. "Silencers undermine public safety. They undermine the  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the ranking member of the Senate's Housing Subcommittee, led a group of colleagues in introducing the Homeownership for Dreamers Act, which clarifies that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients - also known as Dreamers - cannot be denied mortgage loans back by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or the U.S. Department   more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- 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, today led a group of twenty-seven Democratic senators in introducing a Senate Resolution commemorating June 20th as World Refugee Day. The effort draws attention to the ongoing global refugee crisis and reaffirms the United States' commitment to provide support for the world's refugees and the countries that host t  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- 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, this morning spoke on the Senate Floor to officially start the process of consideration for the Senate to use privileged authorities to block the Trump Administration's unprecedented attempt at approving over $8 billion in arms sales to Saudi and UAE without Congressional consent. Menendez was joined earlier   more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Anti-vaccine disinformation continues to be available on the platform, contributing to a public health crisis affecting thousands of families across the country * * * U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee that sets national health policy, today sent a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg questioning misleading anti-vaccine content that remains   more

NEWARK, New Jersey, June 17 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $3,277,085 to support the Head Start program at The Children's Home Society of New Jersey in Mercer County. "Regardless of a child's zip code or the circumstances they are born into, they deserve easy access to quality, affordable early childhood education in order for   more

NEWARK, New Jersey, June 17 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker today announced $5,042,550 in federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support a flood mitigation and resiliency project in Wayne. "Superstorm Sandy took a toll on our state and now we must take proactive steps to ensure our communities and infrastructure are stronger and better prepared for when the next storm hits," sai  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez and Cory Booker today announced a combined $8,863,976.46 in federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to elevate dozens of flood-prone homes in Brigantine, along the Jersey Shore, and to support New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) flood mitigation operations. "Providing residents in flood-prone areas the option of having their homes el  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Trump Admin slashed funding for health care enrollment assistance by more than 80%, leading to fewer NJans being covered. ENROLL Act to restore funding for the Navigator program and help ensure that Americans have access to the affordable health care coverage they need * * * U.S. Senators Bob Menendez, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee that sets national health policy and a co-  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker joined several of their colleagues in urging the passage of a bicameral, bipartisan piece of legislation designed to protect ride-share customers across the state. Sami's Law comes in response to the March killing of 21-year-old Samantha "Sami" Josephson, who stepped into a car she thought was her Uber. Sami was a New Jersey resident and was about to graduate   more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Rep. Donald W. Norcross, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, the House of Representatives unanimously passed an amendment authored by Congressmen Donald Norcross (NJ-01) and Andy Kim (NJ-03) - members of the House Armed Services Committee - to improve road safety at military facilities such as Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. "Our service members should be able to efficiently and safely train - and civilians passing by bases should not face undue obs  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Donald W. Norcross, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) called on Governor Phil Murphy to issue a major disaster declaration for Camden, Gloucester and Burlington Counties following the severe storm that is still ripping through South Jersey, leaving roads flooded and closed, PATCO service suspended and cars overturned. If granted, this declaration could trigger the release of federal funds to help communit  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Donald W. Norcross, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross - a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor - celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Camden High School, which will be an approximately 270,000 square-foot school for around 1,200 ninth- through twelfth-grade students. "Every child needs and deserves a safe place to learn with all of the necessary resources, tools and technology available to th  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) along with Congressman Gus M. Bilirakis (FL-12), Congressman Peter King (NY-03), Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA-14), and Congressman Adam Schiff (CA-28) introduced a bipartisan resolution that reaffirms the critical importance of the relationship between the United States and Armenia. It also recognizes the recent free and fair parliamentary elections an  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Amendment Adopted with Broad, Bipartisan Support * * * Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) spoke on the House Floor in support of his amendment to stop the Trump Administration's dangerous plans to drill off the Atlantic Coast. In 2017, President Trump signed an executive order aimed toward allowing offshore oil and gas drilling along the East Coast. Pallone's amendment would pro  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), New Jersey's only member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, today praised the announcement that the House Ways and Means Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee will be a holding a hearing, "How Recent Limitations to the SALT Deduction Harm Communities, Schools, First Responders, and Housing Values" on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 , at 10:00am, in room 1  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Bipartisan tax legislation would help create equitable EITC benefits for island residents facing pervasive poverty * * * U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), a member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, and Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez -Colon (R-PR) introduced H.R. 3307, a slightly revised version of the Tax Equity and Prosperity for Puerto Rican Families Act   more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Rep. Jeff Van Drew's (D-N.J.) bill to fully fund LWCF at its authorized level of $900 million annually passed at the Natural Resources Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee on Wednesday. Van Drew introduced the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Permanent Funding Act with Chair Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and a bipartisan group of Congressional lawmakers and environmental leaders at a press c  more

DUMONT, New Jersey, June 18 -- Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Gottheimer Calls for Boost in Action to Address Dangerous Lead Water in Homes and Schools, Governor Should Enforce School Lead Water Reporting - Gottheimer addresses lead water affecting children and families, homes and schools * * * U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) called for concrete and immediate steps to address North Jersey's widespread lead water problem in too many hom  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement in response to news of the planned deployment of an additional 1,000 troops to the Middle East: "The Administration owes the American people a strategy behind these actions. They owe the families of the servicemembers deployed an explanation of why and to what end. "We can't bring stability and security to the Middle East without a strategy. If the Administration has one, I'm eager to listen, and will work to s  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Small Business subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access, issued the following statement on the importance of accurate census data to small business formation and growth: "One of the most important goals of this Subcommittee is to assure that small businesses are equipped with the tools they need to grow, create new jobs, and generate wealth in their communities. No matter where a business decides to set up   more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement in response to the proposed military action against Iran: "Last night's decision to pull the United States back from the brink of an armed conflict with Iran was the right one. But it was also one that shouldn't have been needed. "If the President truly believes that rogue elements led the shoot down of a U.S. drone, it only goes to underscore the need for direct military-to-military channels to be established b  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, a bipartisan group of House members introduced the Locking Up Robocallers Act of 2019, which directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide evidence of unlawful robocall violations to the Attorney General. This would strengthen enforcement of current robocall laws aimed at ending the scourge of predatory robocalls. The bill was introduced by Congressman Donald McEachin (D-VA), Congress  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, the House passed a sweeping appropriations package to fund the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education agencies, including $50 million for gun violence research. Federal research on firearm injury and mortality prevention has not been funded since 1996, making this a landmark occasion. In 2017 alone guns killed nearly 40,000 Americans- the highest number in the developed world. The civ  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - Nine American tourists have died in the country since June 2018, including one victim from Avenel * * * Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) called for transparency during the investigations into the shocking and untimely death of nine American tourists. In a letter to the Department of State and Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pallone requested that bereaving families receive ti  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following opening remarks at the Subcommittee on Health hearing entitled "Strengthening Health Care in the U.S. Territories for Today and Into the Future": "Today, our Committee continues its efforts to ensure that all Americans have access to health care, whether they live in one of the 50 states or one of the five territories. "The territories are on the verge of a fin  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following remarks at the Subcommittee on Energy hearing entitled "Legislative Solutions to Make Our Nation's Pipelines Safer:" Today's hearing focuses on two legislative proposals to improve pipeline safety in America. In May, the Subcommittee held an oversight hearing to hear from stakeholders about what changes are needed as we consider reauthorization of the Pipeline S  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following remarks at the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce and Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change joint hearing entitled "Driving in Reverse: The Administration's Rollback of Fuel Economy and Clean Car Standards": "It's fitting that the Committee's first joint hearing of this Congress is being held by the Subcommittees on Consumer Protection and  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- 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 "Protecting Title X and Safeguarding Quality Family Planning Care": "Today's hearing is the latest step in this Committee's ongoing work to hold the Trump Administration accountable for the dramatic changes it has proposed to our nation's Title X family planning program. The Adm  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency released its "Affordable Clean Energy" rule to replace the Clean Power Plan: "Two years and countless taxpayer dollars later, and this is what we get - a replacement for the Clean Power Plan that doesn't set a single carbon reduction requirement, lets polluters off the hook, and utterly fails to value Americans  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: Today, 11 House Committee chairs sent a letter (https://edlabor.house.gov/imo/media/doc/2019-06-21%20Dem%20Chairs%20Letter%20-%20Poverty%20Inflation%20Proposal.pdf) to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney in opposition to the Trump administration's proposal to redefine the poverty threshold--a move that would drastically shr  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement regarding the Trump administration's decision to move ahead with funding cuts to foreign assistance programs intended to address the root causes of migration from Central America: "President Trump's decision to cut funding for poverty and violence-reducing programs that mitigate the root causes of migration proves that this policy is purely about satisfying extreme elements in his political base. "This illog  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Albio Sires, D-New Jersey, chairman of the House subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security and Trade, issued the following statement regarding the Nicaraguan government's failure to meet a June 18 deadline that had been agreed to with opposition groups and the Organization of American States for the release of all political prisoners: "Ortega's disregard for the deadline to release all political prisoners reaffirms that he has no plans to relinquish his a  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today Congressman Jeff Van Drew, Co-Chair of the Blue Dog Task Force on National Security, and the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate democrats that focus on issues related to fiscal responsibility and national security, released a package of legislative proposals in response to the conclusions presented in Volume I of the Mueller Report regarding Russia's attack against the U.S. political syst  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, Congressman Malinowski's amendment to increase funding for the Department of Justice's Domestic Terrorism Counsel was approved without opposition. Below is a transcript of his remarks on the House Floor in support of the amendment, and you can find a video of the remarks here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrW2QoURfGs&t=17s). "When I visit a synagogue or Jewish community center in my congres  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: This week the House approved nearly $20 billion in funding for the FY 2020 budget to support early childhood education programs, a $4 billion increase over the previous year budget, and the largest single year increase ever provided for these programs. The funding will include $7.6 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant. In New Jersey single parents pay roughly 40% of their income for  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: The House of Representatives has approved a $13 billion funding package for the Social Security Administration; a $300 million increase over FY2019. The additional funding will be used to hire additional staff at field offices, teleservice and processing centers and improve public services. New Jersey's 7th Congressional District is home to over 127,000 social security recipients who rely on the Soci  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: This week the House passed a bipartisan amendment that would prevent further implementation of the Administration's trans military ban by eliminating funding for it. There are more than 14,700 transgender servicemembers who have dedicated their lives to serving our country. A 2015 study by RAND Corporation commissioned by Defense Secretary Ash Carter found that having transgender servicemembers would  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: The House has approved nearly $90 million in appropriations to improve the health and well being of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and advance best practices for early identification and treatment. This funding will support the NJ LEND Program administered by Rutgers RWJ Medical School Boggs Center to provide medical professionals with comprehensive, family centered, culturall  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Rep. Tomaz Malinowski, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: This week the House passed an amendment cosponsored by Congressman Malinowski to increase funding for flood risk management, flood damage data collection, and for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Corps Water Management System, the information system used by USACE to support its water control management mission. In total, the House-passed appropriations bill includes $7.36 billion for the U.S  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: On May 10th, Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) introduced the bipartisan SALT Relief and Marriage Penalty Elimination Act (H.R. 2624) to provide tax relief to New Jersey residents, and today she announced endorsements from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Association of Realtors. Eleven million Americans were hit by the $10,000 state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap in t  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Today, the House of Representatives unanimously passed an amendment authored by Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) and Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) to improve road safety at military facilities such as Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. "Simply put, if our servicemen and women can't safely drive, they can't safely train. And that puts our military at a distinct disadvantage," said Congressman Kim. "This amen  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Reps. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Anna G. Eshoo, D-California, chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Health, issued the following joint statement after the House passed the Empowering Beneficiaries, Ensuring Access and Strengthening Accountability Act (H.R. 3253) by a 371-46 vote: "This bipartisan bill extends several important programs that will strengthen and improve Medicaid coverage for millions of Americans.   more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the below statement on Iran: "For months, this Administration has led us on a march to war, with no off ramp. This is not reality television, where decisions are made in the pursuit of maximum drama. "The President together with his top officials have been bent on escalating an already tenuous situation in the Middle East, with no plan in place to de-escalate tensions. This is a cr  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: A bipartisan bill authored by U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) to modernize the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) income verification process passed the Senate late Thursday, as part of a broader IRS reform package. The IRS Data Verification Modernization Act, co-authored by Booker and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), would improve the process by which the IRS verifies the income of small businesses and consumer  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) are urging their colleagues to swiftly move forward bicameral, bipartisan legislation (S. 1871) designed to protect ride-share customers across the country. Their legislation, called "Sami's Law," comes in response to the March killing of 21-year-old Samantha "Sam  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- 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, spoke on the Senate Floor this afternoon to announce he had reached a Unanimous Consent agreement with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that will provide for votes tomorrow on his 22 joint resolutions of disapproval to block the Trump Admi  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today questioned the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on the Trump Administration's misuse of tariffs for issues unrelated to trade, including the President's threat to impose tariffs on Mexico to force them into an agreement on immigration. Menendez   more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following floor remarks ahead of a series of votes on his 22 joint resolutions of disapproval to block the Trump administration's attempt to push through over $8 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates: Following this speech, the Senate voted in support of blocking the sales. "I come to the floor again to urge my colleagues to stand up   more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement at a committee hearing for the nomination of Ambassador Kelly Craft to be U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations: "Ambassador Craft, welcome to your second confirmation hearing for a deeply consequential position. "The United States was instrumental in creating the United Nations in the post-war era, built on founding American values   more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following statement on the death of political, business and civic leader Joseph Simunovich: "Joe Simunovich was a dear friend, a tremendous human being and an incredible public servant. I first met Joe when he was a Hudson County freeholder, and remember fondly taking him door to door in a Cuban neighborhood that had recently been added to his district, introducing him to the community and explaining to folks that he was a go  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement in reaction to the publication of the 2019 Trafficking in Persons report by the State Department: "The Trafficking in Persons report is a crucial part of the United States' commitment to advancing the fight to end the scourge of modern day slavery. While this year's report shows some improvement over past years in its assessment of global hu  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement in reaction to the publication of the 2019 Trafficking in Persons report by the State Department: "The Trafficking in Persons report is a crucial part of the United States' commitment to advancing the fight to end the scourge of modern day slavery. While this year's report shows some improvement over past years in its assessment of global human traf  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- 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, today led a group of twenty-seven Democratic senators in introducing a Senate Resolution commemorating June 20th as World Refugee Day. The effort draws attention to the ongoing global refugee crisis and reaffirms the United States' commitment to prov  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- 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, this morning spoke on the Senate Floor to officially start the process of consideration for the Senate to use privileged authorities to block the Trump Administration's unprecedented attempt at approving over $8 billion in arms sales to Saudi an  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, issued the following news release: The author of America's landmark human trafficking law, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), called the 2019 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report released today by the Trump Administration "honest, tough, comprehensive--a game-changer." Each year, pursuant to Smith's law--the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 (P.L. 106-386)--the State Department assesses every country's record on sex and labor tra  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), along with Representatives David Trone (D-MD) and Denver Riggleman (R-VA) announced $1.5 billion in funding for State Opioid Response Grants (SOR) and Tribal Opioid Response Grants (TOR) that was included in the Fiscal Year 2020 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill. These grants provide funding to states to reduce overdose related dea  more