Greetings,

We hope you have had a great week! This was a busy week at the Capitol and in New Jersey. Before we get into our recap, we want to wish everyone well ahead of the holiday weekend. While Memorial Day brings a moment of rest from work and school for many, it is also a solemn opportunity to remember and honor fallen servicemembers for their courage and sacrifice for our nation. This weekend, we join in recognizing and showing our appreciation for them and their loved ones’ service.

As always, we hope you find these updates and resources helpful.

Congressman Kim Hosts 75th Town Hall

Yesterday, Congressman Kim hosted his 75th town hall to share updates about his work in Congress and commemorate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month as well as Mental Health Awareness Month.

He spoke about his ongoing commitment to expanding mental heathcare access in our local communities and was joined by the Associate Clinical Director at the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide to speak about the importance of reducing stigma around seeking mental health help and share available resources and support services. If you missed the town hall, you can catch-up on the resources and information our guest shared, here.

Congressman Kim Votes to Advance Bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act that Provides Historic Pay Raise for Troops, Secures Jobs in New Jersey, and Bolsters U.S. Global Strength

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the Ranking Member of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, Congressman Kim participated in what’s called a “mark-up” of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this week. This annual legislation is critical to delivering for our country’s military and national security needs.

This week, the Congressman was proud to advance a bipartisan NDAA that will work to ensure America is investing in our brave servicemembers and their families while also securing historic investments in technology and innovation that will help keep jobs in New Jersey and ensure the United States remains the most powerful country in the world.

Congressman Kim on advancing this year’s NDAA out of committee

“I’m proud to have delivered a deserved pay raise for our troops and to advance a bill that invests in servicemembers and their families. This bill makes our country safer and will make the lives of the men and women in uniform at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and across New Jersey better. I look forward to seeing it passed through the House and will work to bring it to President Biden’s desk.”

Look in-depth at more provisions championed by Congressman Kim in this year’s NDAA!

NDAA Spotlight! Congressman Kim’s Amendment to Open Up Military Contracts for Local Workers

During a 12-hour hearing to advance the NDAA, we were excited to highlight one of Congressman Kim’s amendments when it was voted to be included in this critical legislation. The amendment would create more opportunities for local hiring from military construction projects. This brings us one step closer to helping prioritize local contractors and workers around Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst for military construction projects.

Hearing from the Local Military Community on Mental Health Needs

This Monday and during Mental Health Awareness Month as well as Military Appreciation Month, Congressman Kim hosted a group of women veterans and military spouses from New Jersey to hear their experiences of trauma and mental health challenges from service. Their courage and stories guide our work to deliver the entire military community the comprehensive care and support they deserve.

Congressman Kim is committed to expanding mental healthcare in our community, including through increasing access to local healthcare services and working with the local military community to address unique mental health challenges for servicemembers and veterans. We have a duty to address the levels of mental health challenges and suicide rates seen in our local military community. Together, we are working to expand access to care, reduce stigma, and make sure our servicemembers and veterans always have a place to go for help.

Major PACT Act Milestone

No servicemember or veteran should go without the care they need. Congressman Kim helped pass the PACT Act into law to deliver the critical care that our veterans deserve. This week, we were proud to celebrate that the law is now responsible for approving 1 million claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs from veterans injured by toxic exposure during service.

As a part of his efforts to protect veterans’ benefits, Congressman Kim is also following this progress with the PACT Act with action to make sure these benefits are as accessible as possible to veterans. Unfortunately, some private firms are trying to find ways to make profits off of these benefits. It is despicable for veterans' hard-earned benefits to be used for others' profit. That's why Congressman Kim supports the GUARD VA Benefits Act to create criminal penalties for non accredited groups trying to charge veterans fees like this.

New Grant Program in Burlington County Thanks to Federal Aid

We are thrilled that legislation Congressman Kim passed helped create a critical program to offer grants up to $75,000 to nonprofit organizations that are providing food assistance to residents in Burlington County and have experienced increased demand since the beginning of COVID-19.

As we continue our work in Congress to end food insecurity across New Jersey, we are proud federal aid will be there to support local groups' everyday service helping families put food on the table.

Three Years After the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act

Last weekend, we recognized the three-year anniversary of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. Passing this into law was a critical step in combating anti-Asian hate, but we still see hateful violence and xenophobia targeting communities across the nation. We must continue our work to bring the full promise of this law into reality and build a future that protects the safety and well-being of all Americans.

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Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you every day!

Have a wonderful weekend,

The Office of Congressman Andy Kim

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