Another Crazy Week

Dear Neighbor, President Trump and Elon Musk are continuing their unconstitutional, unlawful raid of the federal government, all under the auspices of DOGE. They’re forcing their way into federal buildings, pushing career public servants out, and seizing government systems and records, including the private date of American citizens. Elon Musk is an unelected billionaire, and DOGE is not a federal agency. Yet, they are launching a full-fledged attack on our government and stealing taxpayer dollars. This can impact everything from Social Security payments to housing assistance to health care coverage and more. My office has received hundreds of calls expressing outrage at these brazen attacks. Democrats are pushing back against the far-right extremism that Trump and Musk are trying to force on the American people. First, we are speaking out against these illegal efforts and using every tool we have available to put a stop to it. Second, Democrats introduced legislation this week to prevent unlawful access to the Department of Treasury payment system that is responsible for delivering trillions in Social Security and Medicare benefits, tax refunds, and payments to government contractors. By taking control over this system, Musk and his goons are attempting to undermine Congress’ power of the purse. This legislation will ensure the confidential records of all Americans are safeguarded and only fully vetted career civil servants are able to access this sensitive data and system. Third, Democrat-led states, including New Jersey, are taking this fight to the Courts. There are currently more than 20 different lawsuits challenging at least 11 of Trump’s executive orders. We will keep fighting against Trump’s complete and total disregard for our Constitution and the rule of law. If your organization, business, or community was affected by Trump’s policies, I want to hear from you. If you’re affected, please take my survey here. Your stories help me push back against these harmful policies and ensure New Jersey gets the resources it deserves. Trump’s Tariff Disaster Trump has started a global trade war — including with two of our closest allies. He’s taking these chaotic actions without even considering the impact on American families. Starting a trade war will increase the price on the cars that we drive, the lumber we use to build homes, the food on our families’ tables, and so much more. In response, our trade partners quickly threatened significant tariffs on American exports – including the $12+ million in goods that New Jersey exports to Canada and Mexico — needlessly jeopardizing the jobs and businesses of hardworking New Jerseyans. These chaotic moves do nothing to stop the flow of fentanyl, as Trump falsely claims, and instead unnecessarily punishes our allies, while forcing higher prices onto American consumers. After Democrats and the American people made their voices heard, Trump quickly realized how devastating these tariffs would be for the economy and backed down on his reckless decision. Make no mistake though – this was a bad policy from the get-go. Republican tariffs would have raised costs on food, gas, and housing for every American. The “concessions” that Trump claims to have received from Mexico and Canada are also completely bogus since they were either already in the works or have been regularly offered in the past. Protecting Medicare Drug Price Negotiation I led a letter this week urging a key government watchdog to actively monitor the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program to ensure the Trump Administration upholds its legal obligation to deliver lower prescription drug prices for Americans. This comes in response to alarming testimony last week from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., President Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, declining to commit to faithfully implementing the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. I authored the Medicare drug price negotiation provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that Democrats passed to put an end to the days of Americans paying more than people in other countries for the same prescription drugs. I will continue fighting to protect this progress and will strongly oppose Trump and Republicans’ extreme agenda to make health care less accessible and affordable by repealing drug price negotiation and ending Medicare & Medicaid as we know them. Read more here. Trump’s Illegal Federal Funding Freeze President Trump reversed his reckless and unconstitutional freeze on billions in federal funding, but it never should have happened in the first place. The chaotic rollout of his unconstitutional power grab left communities and organizations that are owed federal funding reeling. This week, I demanded answers from the Trump Administration as to what steps are being taken to comply with the Constitution and orders from federal judges which require federal agencies to immediately release congressionally appropriated funds. From day one, Trump has illegally stolen crucial investments from American workers, businesses, and communities, and we must stand up in defense of the Constitution. Read more here. Trump’s Dangerous and Corrupt Dismantlement of NOAA The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) supports our fisheries and a marine economy that helps New Jerseyans bring home $6.7 billion in wages annually, leads efforts to prevent marine mammal deaths, and funds coastal resiliency infrastructure that guards us against flooding and sea level rise. Now, with the Project 2025 blueprint in hand, Trump and Musk want to illegally gut the agency, hand off its functions to their tech billionaire buddies who think they can do better, and erase decades of climate science from public policy—all in service of their Big Oil donors. They think we are stupid for listening to the climate scientists and worrying about hurricanes and flash flooding impacts on our homes, schools, and businesses. The United States has the best scientists in the world, including right here at the NOAA fisheries lab on Sandy Hook. Let’s be clear: this is dangerous and corrupt, plain and simple. We will fight this Trump-Musk power grab with everything we’ve got—our safety and economy are not for sale. AM Radio for Every Vehicle It’s critical we ensure all Americans can access AM Radio from their cars. AM radio provides a broad variety of programming and lifesaving information during emergencies, which we saw firsthand during Superstorm Sandy. That’s why, this week, I reintroduced the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, legislation to ensure AM radio remains accessible in all new motor vehicles. The bill directs the federal government to require automakers to include AM broadcast radio as standard equipment, ensuring drivers can access essential news, entertainment, and emergency information at no additional cost. Click here to visit my website or call my offices directly if you have questions or need help with a federal agency: Middlesex County: 732-249-8892Monmouth County: 732-571-1140 Sincerely, Congressman PalloneImage image widgetImage image widget

Dear Neighbor,

President Trump and Elon Musk are continuing their unconstitutional, unlawful raid of the federal government, all under the auspices of DOGE. They’re forcing their way into federal buildings, pushing career public servants out, and seizing government systems and records, including the private date of American citizens. Elon Musk is an unelected billionaire, and DOGE is not a federal agency. Yet, they are launching a full-fledged attack on our government and stealing taxpayer dollars. This can impact everything from Social Security payments to housing assistance to health care coverage and more. My office has received hundreds of calls expressing outrage at these brazen attacks.

Democrats are pushing back against the far-right extremism that Trump and Musk are trying to force on the American people. First, we are speaking out against these illegal efforts and using every tool we have available to put a stop to it. Second, Democrats introduced legislation this week to prevent unlawful access to the Department of Treasury payment system that is responsible for delivering trillions in Social Security and Medicare benefits, tax refunds, and payments to government contractors. By taking control over this system, Musk and his goons are attempting to undermine Congress’ power of the purse.

This legislation will ensure the confidential records of all Americans are safeguarded and only fully vetted career civil servants are able to access this sensitive data and system. Third, Democrat-led states, including New Jersey, are taking this fight to the Courts. There are currently more than 20 different lawsuits challenging at least 11 of Trump’s executive orders. We will keep fighting against Trump’s complete and total disregard for our Constitution and the rule of law.

If your organization, business, or community was affected by Trump’s policies, I want to hear from you. If you’re affected, please take my survey here. Your stories help me push back against these harmful policies and ensure New Jersey gets the resources it deserves.

Trump’s Tariff Disaster

Trump has started a global trade war — including with two of our closest allies. He’s taking these chaotic actions without even considering the impact on American families. Starting a trade war will increase the price on the cars that we drive, the lumber we use to build homes, the food on our families’ tables, and so much more.

In response, our trade partners quickly threatened significant tariffs on American exports – including the $12+ million in goods that New Jersey exports to Canada and Mexico — needlessly jeopardizing the jobs and businesses of hardworking New Jerseyans. These chaotic moves do nothing to stop the flow of fentanyl, as Trump falsely claims, and instead unnecessarily punishes our allies, while forcing higher prices onto American consumers.

After Democrats and the American people made their voices heard, Trump quickly realized how devastating these tariffs would be for the economy and backed down on his reckless decision. Make no mistake though – this was a bad policy from the get-go. Republican tariffs would have raised costs on food, gas, and housing for every American. The “concessions” that Trump claims to have received from Mexico and Canada are also completely bogus since they were either already in the works or have been regularly offered in the past.

Protecting Medicare Drug Price Negotiation

I led a letter this week urging a key government watchdog to actively monitor the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program to ensure the Trump Administration upholds its legal obligation to deliver lower prescription drug prices for Americans. This comes in response to alarming testimony last week from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., President Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, declining to commit to faithfully implementing the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program.

I authored the Medicare drug price negotiation provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that Democrats passed to put an end to the days of Americans paying more than people in other countries for the same prescription drugs. I will continue fighting to protect this progress and will strongly oppose Trump and Republicans’ extreme agenda to make health care less accessible and affordable by repealing drug price negotiation and ending Medicare & Medicaid as we know them.