Hi --
I hope you had a terrific holiday and are ready for the New Year! It’s obviously been an interesting start here in Washington. As we wrap up the 117th Congress and enter the 118th (or, at least, hopefully), I wanted to take a moment to look back on what we accomplished together and share a quick update on our work at the end of 2022. That includes getting two major pieces of my legislation over the finish line — the Darren Drake Act and the Electoral Count Act!
As last Congress proved, we’ve been on the front lines of negotiating a host of huge wins – all bipartisan – for Jersey and the country. In the last two years, largely through my work as Co-Chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, I helped craft and pass:
✓ The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill;
✓ Bipartisan commonsense gun safety legislation;
✓ The Invest to Protect Act, to invest in, not defund law enforcement;
✓ The CHIPS Act to build semiconductors in the US;
✓ The PACT Act to support our veterans exposed to toxic chemicals; and
✓ Clawed back federal resources to invest in alternative energy, clean drinking water, and more.
We’ve accomplished a lot and I’m honored that the New Jersey Globe just named us “Winner of the Year Runner Up” in recognition of our success. [link removed]
As always, please don’t hesitate to drop me a note with any questions or feedback. I’m looking forward to continuing our work together and keeping our momentum going in 2023!
1. Big Election Win – Commonsense, Bipartisan Problem Solving Beats Extremism.
-From the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting me and our campaign. Our more than ten-point win was an overwhelming victory for our Jersey Values and the margin was much bigger than expected.
-Please read my latest op-ed discussing why this election showed that pragmatic, moderate problem-solving will always win out over extremism. Read at NorthJersey.com. [link removed].
-Please also read this great op-ed from Paul Juliano, Chairman of the Democratic Committee of Bergen County, who discusses how Democrats successfully defeated extremists this year. Read at NorthJersey.com. [link removed]
2. Combating Terrorism – Darren Drake Act Signed into Law.
-I joined Darren Drake’s family in New Milford to announce that my Darren Drake Act was signed into law – helping prevent ISIS-inspired, lone-wolf terrorist vehicular attacks. Read at NorthJersey.com [[link removed]] and NJ Globe [[link removed]].
3. Protecting Democracy – Election Count Reform Act Signed into Law.
-My bipartisan, bicameral Election Count Reform legislation to preserve the integrity of presidential elections and protect the future of our democracy was signed into law by President Biden. Read about this critical law at WRNJ. [link removed]
4. Demanding Action from the USPS to Protect Mail, Stop Postal Pirates.
-This holiday season I demanded action and accountability from USPS to put an end to rampant mail fraud, stolen checks, and post office pirates. Watch at CBS [[link removed]] and ABC [[link removed]] and read at NorthJersey.com [[link removed]] and NJ.com [[link removed]].
5. Fighting Hate and Antisemitism. Standing by Law Enforcement.
-To combat the growing threats of extremist violence and antisemitism, I helped host a House Homeland Security Hearing in Teaneck. Read at NJ Spotlight [[link removed]] and New Jersey Monitor [[link removed]].
-We must never cower or back down in the face of antisemitic terrorist threats. We must always have the backs of our law enforcement who keep our families and communities safe. Read at Politico [[link removed]] and NJ.com [[link removed]].
-I introduced a bipartisan House resolution condemning celebrities and public figures who spread vile antisemitic hate. Read at NJ.com [[link removed]] and Jewish Insider [[link removed]].
-I also introduced new bipartisan legislation to examine Holocaust education efforts in public schools across the country. Read at Jewish Insider. [link removed]
6. Delivering on Bipartisan Infrastructure and Protecting Clean Water.
-One year after I helped shape and pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, I proudly announced that the once-in-a-century law has brought in $169 million of federal investment to fund critical water infrastructure projects and improve access to clean, safe, and reliable drinking water. Read at WRNJ. [link removed]
7. Lowering Health Care Costs.
-At Zufall Health Center in Newton, I announced a new $300,000 federal investment clawed back to Jersey for a new prescription medication delivery program and pop-up vaccination clinics. Read at WRNJ. [link removed]
8. Combating the Christmas-Crushing Congestion Tax.
-I highlighted the devastating impact the MTA’s $23/day Congestion Tax would have on Jersey families, especially during the holiday season. I introduced legislation to stop federal money from going to the MTA if they move ahead with this brutal, regressive tax on our hardworking families. Watch at ABC [[link removed]] and PIX11 [[link removed]]. Read at WRNJ [[link removed]].
-In Hackensack, I called for a Congressional investigation to hold the MTA accountable for their mismanagement, which has led to their proposed Congestion Tax. Read at WRNJ [[link removed]] and TAPInto [[link removed]]. Watch at News12 [[link removed]].
9. Protecting Marriage Equality Nationwide.
-In a historic vote, I joined my colleagues in the House and Senate in passing the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act. It will protect marriage equality and prohibit states from discriminating against same-sex and interracial couples across our nation. Read at WRNJ. [link removed]
10. Getting the Backs of our First Responders.
-I gladly helped Hackensack revise their federal grant application to hire five new firefighters. Although I wish the Council accepted the full $2.4 million we clawed back for 12 firefighters, this is a great start. It’s all about getting the backs of our first responders and families.
-Read at NorthJersey [[link removed]], TapInto [[link removed]], and North-JerseyNews.com [[link removed]].
11. Combating Car Theft.
-After months of inaction by the Dept. of Homeland Security, I’m taking further steps to keep our families safe from the recent spike in carjackings and auto theft. Read at WRNJ [[link removed]] and NJ101.5 [[link removed]].
12. Supporting Small Businesses.
-I’m proud to fight for the small businesses that are the foundation of our communities. Thank you to From Scratch Ridgewood, Treat Me Sweet Cookies, Ridgewood Coin, and The Table at Latonas for welcoming me on my Small Business Saturday tour!
13. Honoring Hometown Heroes.
-In Fair Lawn, I was proud to honor more than 20 Fifth District residents as Hometown Heroes for their dedication to improving their communities. Watch at News12. [link removed]
14. Giving Back This Holiday Season.
-I joined volunteers in Teaneck serving warm Thanksgiving meals to veterans, seniors, first responders, and families in need. Watch at PIX11. [link removed]
-It was also great to join the Bergen County NAACP and many volunteers to hand out turkeys to families in need.
-One of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions is taking part in the annual Upper Saddle River 5K, joining nearly 2,000 people to support some great local organizations.
Please don’t forget to follow us on Twitter [[link removed]] and on Facebook [[link removed]] and please reach out to me at
[email protected] if you need anything.
I’d also be grateful if you’d consider contributing here to support our efforts to deliver common-sense leadership. [link removed]
Thank you.
Yours,
Josh
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| Paid for by Josh Gottheimer for Congress |
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Josh Gottheimer for Congress
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE
#15845
Washington DC 20003 United States
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