MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT ANNOUNCES OFFICES CLOSED ON NOVEMBER 11TH IN OBSERVANCE OF VETERANS DAY

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — This afternoon, Speaker Johnson made a trio of television appearances on Fox Business’ Kudlow, Newsmax’s The Record, and CNN’s The Lead to discuss Senate Democrats finally finding the courage to end the government shutdown. Speaker Johnson also addressed Republican efforts to drive down the cost of living following four failed years of Bidenomics.

Watch Speaker Johnson on Fox Business, on Newsmax, and on CNN.

On Senate Democrats finally finding the courage to reopen the government (CNN):

The long national nightmare is almost coming to an end now, the beginning of the end. As I said this morning in my press conference, it was long overdue. And the irony is it really was a shutdown about nothing. I mean, what we’re voting on is effectively exactly what we offered them several weeks back. We’ve added some appropriations bills now, which we’re in favor of because it’s getting us back to the regular order. We’ll take care of some other details, but I don’t think Chuck Schumer got anything out of this other than a political show. And sadly, I think that’s what he was after the whole time.

I’d like to vote tonight after the Senate is done, but it takes everybody a while to get back. We have people come from the west coast. We have a Member flying in from Guam, so he has 20 hours just to get to the west coast and then get here. So, yeah, we’ve got to get everybody back. We’re praying that they can make it through the chaos that all the other American people have been made to suffer through because of this needless political show that the Democrats have been engaging in.

On the Republican affordability agenda (Fox Business):

Remember, we have the headwinds of the mainstream media that are always parroting the talking points of the other side. And it’s not always based on fact; in fact, it usually is not. But we are the party that is delivering on affordability. And the One Big Beautiful Bill, the Working Families Tax Cut, was geared and written for lower- and middle-class earners in this country. And they’re going to feel the positive effects because as you know, Larry, that bill is full of pro-growth policies that are going to make all boats rise. All the aspects of that bill have not yet been implemented, but they will be. And as we go into the new year and we glide into the election cycle, people are going to be feeling that. And I think they’ll reward the people who put that in place. Remember, the Democrats solution to everything is more government, and that is not the answer. That will only make it worse. They grow government, they spend more money, they would spend us into oblivion. So you need common sense back and that’s what the Republican Party and President Trump are delivering.

Bidenomics was a disaster for the country. They spent far too much. And that’s the reason inflation was up. The cost of living is up so high because of the policies of the previous administration. Now, we’re working to root those policies out and implement our own. But as you know, it takes a little time. You don’t just flip a switch right after the election, and everything transfers over. So, the more time that goes by, the more they’ll feel the positive effects of what we’ve done. We are restoring common sense and fiscal responsibility to government. And that’s long overdue. And thank goodness we won that election in November because the country would’ve crashed into bankruptcy by now.

On Democrats refusing actual solutions to drive down health care costs (Newsmax):

There’s a lot of misinformation out there about [health care]. And some of that’s intentional by our Democrat colleagues because they’re trying to make this into something that it isn’t. This is what’s really important. We’re not just talking about it on the Republican side. We’re actually doing it. In the Working Families Tax Cut, in the Big Beautiful Bill, the version that passed the House, we had a provision in the bill called the cost sharing reduction provisions. And that would’ve driven down premiums on average by 12.7% for every person who has insurance. But the Democrats fought to take it out of the bill. So, if they cared so much about health care costs, they shouldn’t be fighting provisions like that. We’re putting together some ideas that will drive the premiums down because health care is too expensive in this country. It’s too expensive because the Democrats built a system that doesn’t work. So, we need to look at the root causes of the costs that have skyrocketed and address that for the people. Merely subsidizing something is not the answer. When the government subsidizes something, it almost always means it’s not working, and that’s the problem.

There are a lot of ideas on how to drive the cost down, and we have November and December to work on that. We’re going to have to get a bipartisan consensus on some of this. And so, we’ll be presenting our ideas and putting them on the table. The Democrats, this is very important to point out, they don’t have any reform ideas at all. Their argument is they want a completely unreformed continuation. They would do it permanently, most of them in government, just subsidizing the insurance companies. And that is not the solution. And we’re going to be educating the population along the way as we do this and come up with reforms that will actually solve the problem and not make it worse.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) announced the reintroduction of four bills to expand and improve health care, housing, and support services for our nation’s veterans. The bills include the Veterans Healthcare Improvement Act, the Have You Served Act of 2025, the Every Veteran Counts Act, and the Helping Homeless Veterans Act.

“As the Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, one of my primary goals is to identify disparities in care for veterans and, where necessary, introduce, advocate for, and pass legislation that fixes those gaps,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “These bills build on that commitment by ensuring the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has the tools, resources, and accountability it needs to improve access to high-quality health care, housing, and support services for our veterans. Together, they address critical gaps and move us closer to upholding our solemn promise to serve our veterans as well as they have served our nation.”

Veterans Healthcare Improvement Act

The Veterans Healthcare Improvement Act seeks to guarantee adequate resources for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care programs.

“It is our duty to make certain that the VA has the resources it needs to provide the health care our veterans earned and deserve,” said Brownley. “Providing Congress with an analysis of VA’s budget for health care programs, including community care, will help ensure our nation’s veterans receive these vital health care services and ensure the VA never runs low on necessary funds.”

The Veterans Healthcare Improvement Act would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to verify the accuracy and adequacy of the VA budget for medical care. The requirement for GAO to review the VA health care budget request was first passed as part of the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act in 2009. However, the three-year requirement expired after 2013. This bill would renew this requirement to ensure VA never again runs low on funds for veterans’ health care.

The Veterans Healthcare Improvement Act is endorsed by Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA).

Read the full text of the bill here.

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Have You Served Act of 2025

The Have You Served Act of 2025 seeks to ensure that servicemembers, veterans, and their families are able to access resources to combat the epidemic of veteran suicide.

As a part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and VA’s Governor’s and Mayor’s Challenges to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families, several states throughout the country have begun carrying out “Ask the Question” campaigns to better identify veterans and let them know what state and local human services, as well as mental health resources and care, are available to them. These campaigns are run through the state departments of Veterans Affairs (state-level agencies separate from VA) that lead trainings and awareness campaigns with state and local human service providers, about how to appropriately ask their clients if they or a loved one is a veteran, and to let them know what resources are available to them. States like Maryland, New Hampshire, and Virginia have led campaigns with significant success by identifying veterans and family members in need of help that are not already in VA care.

“Far too often, veterans and their families who need help either don’t receive it or aren’t aware of the resources available to them,” said Brownley. “The Have You Served Act of 2025 strengthens our collective effort to prevent veteran suicide by investing in proven state programs that connect veterans and their families with lifesaving support, filling critical gaps, expanding awareness, and helping to ensure that no veteran or military family has to face these challenges alone.”

The Have You Served Act of 2025 directs VA to award 25 grants totaling $5 million, not to exceed $200,000 per recipient, for the next three years. This funding can be used for “Ask the Question” program costs, including staffing, technology, marketing and outreach materials, and convening. The legislation also directs the VA to work with grant recipients to establish key performance indicators of the training associated with the campaigns. Grant recipients will report their key performance indicators to VA at the end of each year, and VA will submit a report to Congress on the progress achieved in implementing these campaigns.

The Have You Served Act of 2025 is endorsed by Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA).

Read the full text of the bill here.

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Every Veteran Counts Act

The Every Veteran Counts Act would require the VA to establish and regularly update a database containing veterans’ demographic information to ensure VA programs and policies are designed to serve the changing population of veterans.

“In recent years, Congress has passed legislation intended to guide the mission of the VA to meet the growing and changing needs of an increasingly diverse veteran population. Understanding who our veterans are and what their specific needs are is essential to ensuring VA is adequately equipped to provide them with the benefits and services they have earned,” said Brownley. “That begins with ensuring that policymakers and other stakeholders have access to accurate demographic data on our nation’s veteran population. With stronger data, we can make more informed decisions about how to design and deliver programs and resources that better meet the needs of those who have bravely served our nation in uniform.”

In order to understand veteran demographic trends, VA previously conducted six national surveys of veterans. However, the last survey was conducted in 2010. Since then, the statutory framework for data collection has substantially evolved, and the population of veterans has also significantly changed. 

Through the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, VA has leveraged the vast amount of data generated within the Department and collected by other Federal partners to improve population-based information on veterans. However, the VA needs to update this information to ensure the Center’s work remains relevant.

To ensure that federal policy makers have access to critical demographic information on veterans, the Every Veteran Counts Act would require VA to establish a public database containing a wide range of information on veteran demographics. This will include sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, education, race and ethnicity, income, employment, housing status, distance from a VA facility, and other categories.

This will help VA in planning its future programs and services for veterans. It will also help Congress and other stakeholders better understand veterans’ needs, and subsequently, develop policies and allocate resources to ensure these needs are met.

The Every Veteran Counts Act is endorsed by Disabled American Veterans (DAV).

Read the full text of the bill here.

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Helping Homeless Veterans Act

The Helping Homeless Veterans Act would reauthorize and make permanent vital programs that provide housing, employment assistance, and supportive services to help keep our veterans off the streets.

“Our nation’s heroes should never be living on the street, period,” said Brownley. “While we have made important strides in the fight to eradicate veteran homelessness, it is imperative that we continue to build on this progress and accelerate these successful efforts so that we can finally end this crisis once and for all. Our country’s brave men and women put their lives on the line to defend our nation, and the least we can do in return is ensure they can find and sustain permanent housing for themselves and their families.”

There is no reason to allow authorization of these programs to lapse, so instead of requiring annual renewals, this legislation makes the following programs permanent:

• The Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program
• The Acquired Property Sales for Homeless Veterans Program
• The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program
• The Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program: Homeless Veterans with Special Needs
• The Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans

Each of these important veterans’ programs is critical to eliminating veterans’ homelessness and meeting the VA’s goal of ending veterans’ homelessness.

The Helping Homeless Veterans Act is endorsed by Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA). 

Read the full text of the bill here.

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Issues: 119th Congress, Veterans’ Affairs

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

Upon reaching 100 cosponsors in the House, today, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), and Jim Himes (CT-04) sent a letter to House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast urging him to schedule a markup of H.R. 3045, the West Bank Violence Prevention Act. 

Reaching the 100-cosponsor milestone demonstrates the legislation’s wide and broad support. Additionally, companion legislation was introduced in the Senate, led by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

The lawmakers explained that the legislation would enshrine Executive Order 14115 of 2024 into law, which sought to prevent acts of violence in the West Bank and to punish those who commit such acts, regardless of their nationality. President Trump repealed EO 14115 on the first day of his term, January 20, 2025.

“As a result, violent extremist organizations like the Palestinian group Lions’ Den and the Israeli settler group Hilltop Youth are no longer designated under the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List). With their assets no longer frozen, these groups continue wreaking terror in the West Bank unencumbered,” wrote the Members.

Settler violence increased an estimated 30% over the first few months of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, according to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

“As the ceasefire in Gaza continues to command attention in the region and around the world, it is incumbent upon us not to overlook the situation in the West Bank, which continues to deteriorate. Preventing acts of violence, which have killed and injured American citizens, is the most fundamental and basic step to help bring stability to the region. The passage of the West Bank Violence Prevention Act is an important effort by the United States Congress towards that goal, which begins with you scheduling a markup of this legislation. Together, we hope the eventual passage and enactment of such legislation will help improve the reality on the ground for Israelis and Palestinians, in service of ultimately achieving a long-term peace through a negotiated and viable two-state solution,” concluded the Members.

The current cosponsors of H.R. 3045 include:

Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), James A. Himes (CT-04), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Becca Balint (VT-At Large), Donald S. Beyer (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Shontel M. Brown (OH-11), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Salud O. Carbajal (CA-24), Troy A. Carter (LA-02), Ed Case (HI-01), Sean Casten (IL-06), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), James E. Clyburn (SC-06), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Jason Crow (CO-06), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-03), Suzan K. DelBene (WA-01), Christopher R. Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Valerie P. Foushee (NC-40), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Daniel S. Goldman (NY-10), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Val T. Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), William R. Keating (MA-09), Ro Khanna (CA-17), John B. Larson (CT-01), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Mike Levin (CA-49), Sam T. Liccardo (CA-16), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), John W. Mannion (NY-22), Sarah McBride (DE-At Large), Jennifer L. McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Dave Min (CA-47), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Scott H. Peters (CA-50), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Emily Randall (WA-06), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Deborah K. Ross (NC-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Janice D. Schakowsky (IL-09), Terri A. Sewell (AL-07), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Mark Takano (CA-39), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-03), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Derek Tran (CA-45), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11), Maxine Waters (CA-43), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).

Read the full letter here and below.

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 Dear Chairman Mast,

We write to request you schedule a markup for H.R. 3045, the West Bank Violence Prevention Act in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. 

The legislation now has 100 cosponsors in the House, signaling that it enjoys broad support. Additionally, the Senate has recently introduced a companion bill led by Senators Booker, Shaheen, Reed, Warner, Coons, and Bennet.

The West Bank Violence Prevention Act would codify and enshrine into law Executive Order 14115 of 2024, which sought to prevent acts of violence in the West Bank and to punish those who commit such acts. 

The legislation, like the Executive Order, applies to any foreign person who commits an act of violence in the West Bank, regardless of their nationality. Determinations under the Executive Order were made regarding both Palestinian and Israeli organizations and individuals.

Unfortunately, the Executive Order is no longer in effect. As a result, violent extremist organizations like the Palestinian group Lions’ Den and the Israeli settler group Hilltop Youth are no longer designated under the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List). With their assets no longer frozen, these groups continue wreaking terror in the West Bank unencumbered.

According to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, settler violence increased by an estimated 30 percent over the first few months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Such violence has reached a fever pitch, causing the West Bank to become “a tinderbox,” one match away from igniting into catastrophe.

As the ceasefire in Gaza continues to command attention in the region and around the world, it is incumbent upon us not to overlook the situation in the West Bank, which continues to deteriorate. Preventing acts of violence, which have killed and injured American citizens, is the most fundamental and basic step to help bring stability to the region. The passage of the West Bank Violence Prevention Act is an important effort by the United States Congress towards that goal, which begins with you scheduling a markup of this legislation. Together, we hope the eventual passage and enactment of such legislation will help improve the reality on the ground for Israelis and Palestinians, in service of ultimately achieving a long-term peace through a negotiated and viable two-state solution.

Sincerely,

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12)

Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09)

Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04)

CC:        

The Honorable Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member, House Committee on Foreign Affairs

The Honorable Jim Jordan, Chairman, House Committee on the Judiciary

The Honorable Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member, House Committee on the Judiciary

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) today issued the following statement on the Senate’s proposed continuing resolution, which would extend current levels of government funding through January 30 while failing to address the expiration of critical health care tax credits under the Affordable Care Act that help millions of Americans afford health insurance:

“I will be voting no on Senate Republicans’ proposed continuing resolution in the U.S. House. Republican leaders have turned their backs on Americans facing rising health care costs and refuse to engage in serious negotiations toward real solutions for the affordability crisis their own policies created. I have said from the beginning that my goal is to end the shutdown in a way that protects Americans from skyrocketing health care costs, and this bill fails that test.

“President Donald Trump prolonged the shutdown and intentionally made it worse for the American people. He illegally fired public servants across the country, illegally withheld government assistance that helps millions of Americans buy groceries, and threatened to deny federal employees the back pay they are legally owed.

“This legislation includes provisions to reverse recent reductions in force (RIFs), reinstate federal workers who were wrongfully terminated during the shutdown, and prevent further RIFs through January 30. Should this continuing resolution become law, these protections must be rigorously enforced. But the larger legislation remains deeply flawed. In addition to not addressing the health care affordability crisis, it fails to address President Trump’s illegal infringement upon Congress’s constitutional authority over federal spending or rein in his administration’s lawlessness.

“The American people deserve responsible legislation that ends the shutdown, prevents skyrocketing increases in health care costs, ensures our public servants receive the pay and protections they are legally owed, and upholds the Constitution. Anything less leaves American families, our federal workforce, and our democracy at risk.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

“In 2017, President Trump signed the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Act into law with broad bipartisan support, reaffirming America’s leadership in advancing women’s participation, protection, and empowerment worldwide. The law requires the Administration to submit regular reports to Congress detailing how it is carrying out this national-security mandate. This year’s report was due on October 31, and the Administration failed to submit it, leaving it out of compliance with the very law the President himself signed,” said Rep. Frankel.

“These reports are essential for Congress to conduct oversight, evaluate progress, and ensure the United States is living up to its commitments to elevate women’s leadership in preventing conflict, building peace, and strengthening global stability. The delay blocks transparency, undermines informed policymaking, and weakens our credibility with allies who look to the United States for leadership on Women, Peace, and Security.

At a time of growing global conflict, WPS principles are more vital than ever. As Co-Chair of the bipartisan WPS Caucus, I am calling on the Administration to follow the law, release this overdue report, and reaffirm America’s commitment to peace through women’s leadership.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) announced today that Morris County School of Technology student Paul Rowe is the winner of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for New Jersey’s 11th District for his app SoniSight.

SoniSight is an AI-powered web application designed to make ultrasound analysis clearer, more transparent, and more educational. The app allows users to upload or select from a set of built-in breast ultrasound images and receive an instant analysis of whether the scan appears normal or suspicious.

It works by combining computer vision and artificial intelligence. Behind the scenes, OpenCV (an image-processing library) cleans up the ultrasound image, enhances contrast, and detects potential regions of interest (like lesions or dense tissue areas). Then, Google Gemini AI steps in to interpret those findings, explaining what visual features make a region look suspicious or normal. The model analyzes traits such as shape, margins, and texture, and produces a short, human-readable rationale along with probabilities for each category. The results include clear measurements, probabilities, and even an overlay box showing where the mass is located, all designed for easy interpretation by medical students and early-stage professionals. To see Paul’s work, click here. 

“The Congressional App Challenge brings out the best from students across NJ-11, and every year, I look forward to the immense talent and hard work that goes into these projects,” said Rep Sherrill. “Allowing students to express their creativity with STEM resources is a great way to promote achievement in our schools, and Paul’s work is a prime example of how this project can stimulate learning while helping our community. Congratulations, Paul, and thank you to all of this year’s participants and judges.”

“On behalf of the staff of the Morris County School of Technology, congratulations to Paul on his amazing accomplishment and we commend his ability to merge his personal experience with his technical skills to develop a concept that can provide greater medical insight to those facing situations similar to his own.”  said Mark Menadier, Principal of Academies at MCST.

The 2025 App Challenge winners are:

1st Place: Paul Rowe, Morris County School of Technology 
2nd Place: Oma Makhija, Morris Hills High School
3rd Place: Claire Gao, Tanya Shah, Yug Shah, Atiksh Akunuri, Livingston High School

46 submissions representing 20 schools participated in the App Challenge this year. Judges scored apps based on functionality, creativity, and user experience. The NJ-11 panel of judges included:
 

• Dr. Alfred Bentley III PhD, Founder and CEO, vipHomeLink
• Professor Hongbou Zhou Montclair State University
• Brian Nixon, Picatinny Arsenal

The Congressional App Challenge, launched in 2014, is designed to engage student creativity and encourage their participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education fields. The winner’s app is eligible to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol building and featured on the U.S. House of Representatives’ website.

The competition was open to middle school and high school students who live or attend school in NJ-11. The full set of eligibility rules for individual and team entries can be found at https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

Griffith Attends Fort Chiswell Middle School Veterans Day Assembly

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued the following statement after Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman announced she would not seek another term in the House of Representatives:

Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman has never been afraid to speak truth to power. During her time in public service, Rep. Watson Coleman has been a historic leader, an inspiring trailblazer and an incredible advocate for those she has been privileged to represent.

As the first Black woman from New Jersey to serve in the House of Representatives, her iconic leadership has opened the door for a new generation of leaders. Continuing the legendary legacy of her late father, Rep. Watson Coleman broke barriers as the Majority Leader of the New Jersey General Assembly. During her time in the Assembly, she fought for the least, the lost and the left-behind and led the effort to help formerly-incarcerated individuals successfully reenter their communities.

In the Congress, Bonnie twice passed the CROWN Act through the People’s House to ban discrimination based on an individual’s hair texture and established the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls. She has brought funding home to her constituents and led House Democrats in introducing bills that support women and children, protect our communities and stand up for economic, social and racial justice.

Her entire career has been focused on making America live up to its promise of liberty and justice for all. Rep. Watson Coleman will be deeply missed by the House Democratic Caucus and we wish her, her husband William and their family the very best in this next chapter.

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