The House delegation of North Jersey was sworn into office in the early morning of Jan. 7 after nearly a week of votes that resulted with Kevin McCarty winning the Speaker’s gavel on the 15th round of voting.
The occasion ushered in two freshman members in to the 118th Congress— Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. in the 7th after a hard-fought race withe former office holder Tom Malinowski and Rep. Rob Menendez taking over from the retiring Albio Sires in the seat his father, Sen. Bob Menendez, once sat in.
Following are the following reflections from the House members as they start their two year terms and what their priorities will be during that time.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer, 5th Congressional District
“As part of my oath I took, I swore to support and defend the Constitution — a responsibility I endeavor to uphold every hour of every day. At its core, it’s about protecting our fundamental freedoms: from speech to religion, to safeguarding our democracy and the values we all hold dear. I also swore to defend us against all enemies, foreign and domestic, to protect our state and community, and to fight for the people I represent. In the 118th Congress, and as Co-Chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, I will continue to fight for North Jersey families, veterans, seniors, first responders, small businesses, and all our communities. I will continue to fight to lower taxes and health care costs, keep our air and water clean, fix our roads and bridges, solve problems, and get things done.”
Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. 7th Congressional District
“I am honored that New Jersey families have trusted me with the great responsibility of serving them in the 118th Congress. From Rahway to Raritan, and Sparta to Somerville, the people of the 7th Congressional District will always have a seat at the table in Washington, DC. New Jersey is my home, and my number one priority is to improve the lives and livelihoods of every family I was sent here to represent. This includes cutting inflation, bringing jobs to our district to boost innovation and manufacturing, and keeping our communities safe. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the New Jersey delegation, and throughout the country, to deliver greater opportunity, security and prosperity for all Americans.”
Rep. Rob Menendez 8th Congressional District
“The opportunity to serve the residents of the Eighth Congressional District in Congress is a privilege and an honor. With their help, I am ready to meet this moment. Our constituents can always count on our office to be their top advocates before the federal government and to work on their behalf. I am ready to take on issues that impact our residents the most – increasing affordability, defending civil rights, battling climate change, making neighborhoods safe from senseless gun violence and investing in our infrastructure, among the many other policy priorities I will work to advance. I look forward to working with Leader Jeffries, House Democratic leadership, and the members of our Caucus to deliver on our party’s pro-working families agenda.”
Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. 9th Congressional District
“I was delighted to finally take the oath of office beside my family. Representing the people of North Jersey is the honor of my life and I’ll work every day to earn their trust. God bless America
The devil knows what Mr. McCarthy agreed to do to secure these votes to seal his fate. Make no mistake: the last week has been one of the most embarrassing episodes in the history of the Congress. That House Republicans can barely choose a leader reminds Americans how they are incapable of governing the most advanced economy in the world. Our majority is now fully in the thrall of a group of radicals and zealots who are a direct threat to democracy at home and abroad, and Mr. McCarthy is serving at their whim and their pleasure.
The only ‘winner’ is Kevin McCarthy, who made any promise or grovel to cobble together just enough votes to claim his gavel. The losers tonight are clearer: they are working class Americans, who like me want the Congress to function, yet have watched the House go from the most productive Congress in generations to one whose majority can’t even tie its own shoes.”
Rep. Mikie Sherrill, 11th Congressional District
“I am honored that the people of NJ-11 have entrusted me with the responsibility of representing them in Congress. The path to forming our Congress has been rocky and many of the challenges we face were laid bare, but I remain steadfast in my commitment to working every day on behalf of my constituents and fighting for the priorities of New Jersey communities in Washington. I look forward to working together to make life more affordable, protect our rights, grow our innovation economy, make our communities safer, and bring more of your hard-earned tax dollars back to NJ-11. I am ready to work with both Republicans and Democrats to deliver real results for New Jersey families. Let’s get to work!”
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