March 28, 2024

Dear Friends,

I hope you've had a great year so far.  This year is an important one in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Democrats are fighting to protect women's health care choices, increase jobs and wages for middle class workers, aid for our allies in Ukraine and Israel, and provide humanitarian aid for innocent Palestinian families trapped in the Gaza conflict.  Thanks to your support, I continue to fight for the economic and social growth of New Jersey's 10th Congressional District.  I am excited to share with you a few of the items I've been working on recently. 

Supporting President Biden's State of the Union Address

Rep. Payne, Jr. speaks with Pres. Biden before the State of the Union address.

It was an incredible privilege to speak with the President before and after his historic State of the Union speech.  I want to highlight some of the ways he is working to make our country a better place to live and work.  President Biden’s leadership has created the strongest economy in the world with almost 15 million new jobs created.  He has saved Americans billions of dollars with lowered costs for medication, health insurance, and the removal of junk fees.  His actions will cut climate pollution in half by 2030.  His focus on infrastructure has created 40,000 projects in 4,500 American communities. He signed the first major, bipartisan gun safety bill in 30 years to protect Americans from gun violence and he has expanded benefits for military veterans.  The list of successes goes on and on.  The State of the Union is strong and under President Biden’s leadership, it continues to grow stronger.   

Celebrating Black History Month Across the District

Rep. Payne, Jr. visits seniors during Black History Month.

Black History Month is an important time to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans nationwide.  I spent the month attending Black History Month events in the District and reflected on the continued struggle for justice across the country. 

On February 26th, I hosted a Black History Month celebration in Newark.  At the event, I was proud to honor six local Black Americans for their work in Essex, Hudson and Union Counties to better their communities.  The honorees were Jersey City Councilwoman Denise Ridley; Union County Commissioner Michele Delisfort; William Brown, III; Jimmy Small; Reverend Daryl Griffin; and Brandon Givens. We are fortunate to have these strong leaders in our District because they make invaluable contributions to our communities. 

Improving Safety in the Rail Industry

Rail workers speak during Rep. Payne, Jr.'s roundtable.

In March, I hosted a roundtable in Congress to hear from rail workers and officials on ways to improve railroad safety and service.  I want my Congressional colleagues to understand the dangers of rail work and the urgent need to protect the health and safety of rail workers. I have introduced legislation to improve railroad working conditions, but plenty of work remains to be done. We must do everything we can to protect workers in this critical transportation industry.

Honoring Prominent Local Women During Women's History Month

Rep. Payne, Jr. honors women in the district.

I was very proud to recognize six outstanding women for their work as part of my Women’s History Month event in the District. The  honorees were Dr. Pamela Clarke, Stacey Lea Flanagan, Dr. Naima Ricks, Rebeca Lopez, Joan Dublin, and Catherine Obando.

These women have worked tirelessly to improve healthcare access in our District, among other significant contributions.  It was a great event and I look forward to exploring ways I can promote the success of more women for their great work in our community.  

Supporting Social Services Programs to Help Our Communities

Rep. Payne, Jr. speaks at St. Mark's AME Church.

Churches, mosques, synagogues and other faith-based communities work daily to help feed the homeless, care for children, and help job seekers build the skills they need to find employment.  Last month, I visited several local religious centers to see the great work they are doing for our communities. 

For example, I visited St. Mark's AME Church in East Orange to share with the congregation some of the important services my District office staff can provide, including help with a passport, assistance with IRS issues, or aid securing Social Security payment. Also, I visited Metropolitan Baptist Church in Newark to discuss how it is expanding a Willing Heart Community Care Center to create a new Family Empowerment Center. This new institution will help residents with new health care options and job training resources.  Faith-based communities play an important role in the fight to help those in need.  I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to strengthen the programs that so many rely on. 

Providing Funding for Local First Responders

Rep. Payne, Jr. speaks at his firefighter workshop.

Firefighters and other emergency services personnel risk their lives every day to keep us safe.  I hosted a workshop to provide information about federal grants and other government funding to help modernize the equipment and facilities of our local fire departments. These firefighters deserve the federal aid available to them and I hope workshops like this one can help smooth the application process so more funding requests are successful.    

Last year, I helped secure more than $200,000 for firefighter grants in the District and introduced the First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act to ensure that these heroes have state-of-the-art technology and equipment.  We must do everything we can to protect the men and women who risk their lives protecting our communities.

Welcoming U.S. Secretary of Education Cardona to our District

Rep. Payne, Jr. chats with U.S. Education Secretary Cardona

Last month, I was proud to host U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in the District.  He started his tour with a visit to the Eugenio Maria de Hostos Early Childhood Education Center to discuss the importance of federal support for early childhood education.  Then he went to my father’s namesake school, the Essex County Donald M. Payne, Sr. School of Technology (Essex Tech), to discuss how career-connected schools in our education system provide a vital resource to our economy.  During the visit to EssexTech, I had a chance to tour the culinary school and taste some of the students’ delicious cooking. Their crab cakes were one of my favorite dishes.   

Promoting More Diversity in Federal Contracting 

Rep. Payne, Jr. hosts Gateway Program roundtable.

I’m a strong supporter of efforts to provide more federal contracting opportunities to women and minority-owned businesses.  The Gateway Program is the largest and most ambitious transportation projects in the country. 

In March, I hosted a District roundtable to connect women and minority business owners with officials overseeing the Gateway Program.  When we build the new Hudson River Tunnel, we need to make sure that local business owners of historically-underrepresented groups have a seat at the table.     

Improving Health Care Access for Americans with Disabilities

Rep. Payne, Jr.'s bill would help Americans with disabilities.

Recently, I recently introduced the Health Equity for People with Disabilities Act.  My bill (H.R.7503) would provide grants to community health centers to improve care for people with disabilities. 

These grants could be used to provide transportation services, improve employee skills, and make sure facilities and equipment can serve individuals with disabilities effectively.  More than 42 million Americans are living with disabilities today.  Every single one deserves access to quality and affordable health care.   

Raising More Awareness of Colorectal Cancer

Rep. Payne, Jr. celebrates Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

On March 6th, I hosted a Colorectal Cancer Caucus reception to celebrate March as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.  This day marked the 12th anniversary of the passing of my father, Congressman Donald M. Payne, Sr., from Colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the second-highest cause of cancer deaths.  It is estimated that more than 53,000 Americans will die from it this year alone.  Colorectal cancer is increasing in young people and could become the most-deadly cancer for Americans between 20-29 years old in the coming years. However, Colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer if it is detected early.  We must create more awareness and promote more education about this horrible disease to help encourage more screenings and save lives.     

It remains my privilege to work for you.  Please contact me through my District offices and social media to let me know how I can serve you best.

Sincerely,

Donald M. Payne, Jr.
Member of Congress