Dear neighbor,
Last weekend, I attended the North Stelton AME Church’s wonderful Juneteenth Freedom Festival. Juneteenth commemorates the day when Union General Gordon Granger and his troops arrived in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865 to announce the end of slavery, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued by President Abraham Lincoln. By increasing awareness and education about Juneteenth, we ensure its historical significance is understood and remembered. That’s why I strongly supported legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, reinforcing its importance to all Americans and serving as a time to recall the enduring fight for racial justice. Next Wednesday, June 19th I hope, like me, you’ll take time to reflect on this significant milestone.
North Stelton AME Church Juneteenth Freedom Festival with Pastor Billips and Piscataway Councilwoman Sharon Carmichael.
Taking on Big Oil’s Greed
I'm tackling Big Oil's greed head-on by investigating potential price manipulation following troubling reports from the Federal Trade Commission. Recently, it came to light that former Pioneer Natural Resources Company CEO Scott Sheffield attempted to conspire with competitors and OPEC to hike up gas prices, which could directly impact you and our local tourism economy. On Monday, at a press conference held at the Jon Bon Jovi rest stop, I outlined how illegal collusion by Big Oil constitutes a breach of antitrust laws as well as how it’s costing Jersey drivers and the tourism economy. As the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, I'm spearheading an investigation into reports of illegal coordination among Big Oil companies to artificially inflate gas prices, aiming to ensure transparency and fairness for consumers. Watch my press conference here.
Joined Ed Potosnak of New Jersey's League of Conservation Voters for a press conference about my congressional investigation into reports that Big Oil is illegally colluding to artificially inflate gas prices for regular Americans
House Passes No Hidden FEES Act
This week, the House passed the No Hidden FEES Act, and I was happy to vote in favor of this bipartisan bill. It's a big win for consumers because it tackles the costly issue of surprise fees in the hotel industry, bringing more transparency to the table. Now, companies have to spill the beans on all those mandatory fees upfront when they advertise a hotel room. Plus, lodging providers have to give the total cost of a room to third-party websites. It's all about giving you the power to make informed decisions and protecting you from unfair surprise charges at checkout. I will keep working towards fairness and transparency in the short-term lodging world.
Contact me!
If you ever need any assistance, please contact our offices either through my website, or call our offices directly (Middlesex County: 732-249-8892; Monmouth County: 732-571-1140.) My door is always open to you.
