Dear Friend,
Here you will find information about the work my team is doing in South Jersey to support you and the latest legislative updates from Washington, D.C. Serving you in Congress is one of my highest honors and is something I take very seriously. Feel free to forward this newsletter to family, friends, and colleagues and encourage them to sign-up for my weekly update.
Sincerely, |
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Jeff Van Drew
Member of Congress
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Recently, I announced that I will be holding a field hearing in South Jersey to address the skyrocketing electricity costs affecting New Jersey families. While the date, time, and location will be released soon, Exelon and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) will be invited along with experts in the field to examine the issue. Along with this hearing, I will be introducing a package of five bills that are aimed at increasing transparency from utility companies and protecting consumers from future rate hikes.
Bills Package Highlights:
1. Prohibits utilities from passing the costs of projects like smart meters onto consumers through rate hikes.
2. Closes loopholes that currently allow large companies to acquire small utilities while operating under different names for tax benefits.
3. Mandates utility companies to provide a 30-day notice of planned rate increases, detailing its justification and consumer impact.
4. Requires utility companies to provide transparent reporting on service interruptions and overdue payments to the Department of Energy, which is information not currently collected.
5. Requires states to establish procedures to protect households from energy shutoffs and late fees when facing rate increases above a certain percentage.
Click here to view the full release. |
Last week, I spoke at a House Transportation and Infrastructure Markup in support of H.R. 8610, a bill that reauthorizes the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice's authority to use drones to address security threats.
Recognizing concerns about state and local law enforcement's limited ability to protect against unauthorized drone (UAS) incursions, as well as uncertainty around the use of detection technology, I worked with the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) and others to address these issues. As a result, I passed an amendment through committee to change the definition of a "covered entity" to include critical infrastructure facilities, oil refineries, amusement parks, and state prisons. This ensures that all infrastructure, from our most critical facilities to South Jersey attractions like Morey's Piers, is better protected from potential threats.
In support of this amendment, IAAPA President and CEO Jakob Wahl said, "Guest and employee safety is a top priority for the IAAPA, The Global Association for the Attractions Industry, and its members. We appreciate Congressman Van Drew's leadership on H.R. 8610, which highlights the importance of protecting fixed site amusement parks from the unauthorized use of drones."
Click here or the image below to view my full remarks. |
This Congress, House Judiciary Committee has focused on protecting and strengthening the fundamental rights of American citizens. We have taken significant action, sending over 950 letters to various agencies and individuals while issuing more than 100 subpoenas. Nearly 100 hearings have been held, where we have heard testimony from federal officials, citizens, whistleblowers, and more.
Free Speech: One of our key efforts has been defending Americans' First Amendment right to free speech. We led Mark Zuckerberg to admit that Facebook censored Americans under pressure from the Biden-Harris Administration. We also played a role in dissolving the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), which was working to stop advertising on conservative platforms. Additionally, we uncovered how the FBI collaborated with Ukrainian intelligence to censor American speech.
Border Crisis: We have also shone a light on the Biden-Harris Administration's open-border policies and the harm they have caused communities across the nation. Together with the Homeland Security Committee, we advanced H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act—the strongest immigration bill ever passed by the House. Field hearings were held in affected communities, and we pushed through several bills to close loopholes that allowed criminal aliens to remain in the U.S.
Rising Crime: On the rising crime crisis, the Committee held hearings in cities like Philadelphia, Manhattan, Chicago, and Washington D.C., hearing directly from residents, victims, and law enforcement professionals impacted by the Biden-Harris crime wave.
Weaponization of Federal Agencies: We exposed the weaponization of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Our efforts uncovered and halted the FBI's plan to target Catholic Americans for their religious beliefs, forced the Justice Department to stop its preferential treatment of Hunter Biden, and ended IRS harassment of American taxpayers and their homes.
Reining in the Administrative State: In confronting the out-of-control administrative state, we uncovered mismanagement and waste at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and revealed ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) collusion among asset managers. This prompted at least 63 members of Climate Action 100+, a global cartel that pressured American companies to decarbonize and reduce the use of affordable American energy, to leave the group.
Our priority remains delivering real results for constituents and ensuring accountability from leaders across the nation. |
This week, I joined Todd Piro on Fox News to discuss the urgent need to counter China's growing influence in the United States.
China poses a serious threat not only to our national security but also to our farmers and food supply. In rural areas like ours, it is crucial that we protect the backbone of our communities—our farmers—who are already struggling under the Biden-Harris administration's economic policies. China now owns nearly 400,00 acres of U.S. farmland, much of it near military bases and other critical infrastructure. By controlling this land, China could potentially disrupt or manipulate our food supply, endangering both our food security and national security.
House Republicans have made it a priority this Congress to push back against China's influence. We have passed key legislation like H.R. 9456, the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act, to prevent foreign adversaries from acquiring U.S. farmland; H.R. 1398, the Protect America's Innovation and Economic Security from Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Act, to safeguard American research and intellectual property; and H.R. 8333, the BIOSECURE Act, to remove the CCP from our biotechnology supply chains.
Our national security must come first. We need to protect our critical farmland and ensure that it remains under American control. We cannot allow our country to be sold out any longer.
Click here or the image below to watch the full interview. |
This week, I spoke at a House Judiciary Markup to speak in support of my bill, The Ensuring Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act (EJVTA).
This year marks 23 years since the devastating terrorist attacks on 9/11—a day we vowed to never forget. Years ago, we passed the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) to help the families of those we lost hold guilty parties responsible in U.S. courts. Unfortunately, loopholes in the law have allowed justice to be stalled by these bad actors in the courtroom. For too long, the families of these victims have waited for the justice they deserve. My bill addresses these mistakes and would finally deliver the closure they have fought for decades to achieve.
Click here or the image below to watch the full remarks. |
This week, it was my honor to recognize Sergeant Andrew "Tim" Kiniry, a 102-year-old U.S. Army veteran who served his country heroically on the shores of Normandy during World War II.
Sergeant Kiniry volunteered as a medic on the front lines of one of America's bloodiest battles. Despite heavy fire, Tim courageously carried out his duties, applying tourniquets, bandaging wounds, and helping evacuate casualties to hospitals.
This past year, he returned to Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and pay homage to all the fallen heroes. Tim serves as a constant reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of our service members, and it is my privilege to thank him for all that he has done to protect our country.
Click here or the image below to watch the full speech. |
This week in the House Transportation Committee, we passed H.R. 8995, the Baby Changing on Board Act, a bill I was proud to be a co-lead alongside Representatives Underwood, Adams, Fitzpatrick, Trone, Grijalva, Davis, Brown, and Tokuda.
This important bill will greatly improve the travel experience for families with young children on Amtrak trains. Right now, there are very few safe and clean spaces to change a baby, leaving parents with the choice of using the restroom floor or trying to manage in their seat—something that should not still be an issue in 2024.
This bill will require all Amtrak trains to have baby changing stations in accessible restrooms, ensuring families with infants can travel more comfortably and with greater ease.
Click here or the image below to view my full remarks. |
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