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Fleischmann Statement on President Donald J. Trump’s Historic Address to Congress

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN)

Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) released the following statement following President Donald J. Trump’s historic Joint Address to Congress, the first speech to both Houses of Congress that President Trump has delivered in his second term as President of the United States.

“Last night, America and the world heard President Trump’s bold America First Agenda to renew the American Dream across our nation. In less than two months since taking office, President Trump has been moving at a breathtaking pace to make our government work for the American People again, revitalize our economy, secure our borders and end uncontrolled illegal immigration, and make America respected again internationally. Working together, Congressional Conservatives and President Trump have delivered real results for the American People, like the passage of the Laken Riley Act to give law enforcement new tools and resources to detain and deport criminal illegal aliens and laying the groundwork to fulfill President Trump’s and Republican’s promise to cut taxes for workers and families and codify into law ‘no tax on tips,’ ‘no tax on Social Security,’ and ‘no tax on overtime,’” said Congressman Fleischmann.

“Last November, the American People voted overwhelmingly for real change in Washington and demanded an end to the status quo that for too long has failed to meet the needs of citizens. I applaud President Trump’s vision to renew the American Dream, so every American man, woman, and child can achieve their hopes, goals, and aspirations.”

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Congressman Fleischmann Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Defend Nuclear Assets Related to National Security Against Drones

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN)

Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03), Chairman of Energy and Water Appropriations, Rep. Susie Lee (NV-03), Mark Amodei (NV-02), and Seth Moulton (MA-06) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Nuclear Ecosystem Drone Defense (NEDD) Act in the House to increase the protection of Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear assets and facilities related to national security, including the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), from unmanned aerial systems (UAS), commonly known as drones. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) is leading companion legislation in the Senate.

NNSA is the federal agency responsible for safeguarding national security through the military application of nuclear science. NNSA has a footprint in Oak Ridge at the Y-12 National Security Complex, which works to ensure a safe and effective nuclear weapons deterrent for the United States.

Currently, the DOE lacks the authority to adequately protect the full range of nuclear facilities from drones. Recent unauthorized drone sightings have highlighted the need for the DOE to have expanded authorities and capabilities to combat evolving threats. DOE currently only has the authority to protect facilities that house nuclear material, but this excludes a wide range of facilities and activities that are critical to the nuclear security enterprise and national security.

The NEDD Act will:

  • Allow DOE to develop systems to defend a broad range of nuclear-related assets and facilities against UAS threats.
  • Expand the definition of covered assets to include facilities that house nuclear weapons components and vehicles owned or contracted by the United States to transport nuclear weapons or components.
  • Give the DOE authorities to acquire UAS technology similar to that of our adversaries to test counter-UAS systems.

“The NEDD Act will strengthen our nuclear security enterprise by enabling the Department of Energy (DOE) to protect against threats posed by unmanned aerial systems (UAS). As Chairman of Energy and Water Appropriations and Co-Chair of the Nuclear Security Working Group, it is my priority to ensure that our entire nuclear enterprise is protected throughout all stages of production. The DOE, through the National Nuclear Security Administration, is the cornerstone of our strategic production capabilities, and this bill ensures it will have the tools to protect our most sensitive security capabilities,” said Rep. Chuck Fleischmann.

“Unauthorized drones pose a serious threat to America’s nuclear resources related to national security, including at the Nevada National Security Site where we maintain America’s nuclear weapons ecosystem,” said Congresswoman Lee. “Our bipartisan NEDD Act bill will give the Department of Energy the tools it needs to defend all its nuclear and national security assets from unauthorized enemy drones.”

“In recent years, there has been a growing threat from both foreign and domestic unmanned aerial systems (UAS) targeting our nation’s nuclear sites, including six reported incidents at the Nevada National Security Site,” said Rep. Mark Amodei. “At present, the Department of Energy lacks the authority to intercept these drones and investigate their origins and intentions, allowing them to freely gather sensitive data for malign purposes. This bill empowers us to counter these threats in real-time and ensure they are not equipped to undermine our national security.”

“Our adversaries should not be able to fly a drone over anywhere in this country that makes part of a nuclear weapon. This bill closes down loopholes to make sure the Department of Energy can fully protect our most sensitive national security capabilities against the threat of drones,” said Rep. Seth Moulton.

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Rep. Castro Recognized as Most Effective Democratic House Member in the 118th Congress

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

March 25, 2025

The Center for Effective Lawmaking Highlights Rep. Castro for His Continued Legislative Success 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) was recognized by the Center for Effective Lawmaking as the most effective Democratic House member in the 118th Congress. The Congressman introduced over 30 bills and bipartisan amendments in the 118th Congress and worked effectively behind the scenes to move his proposals through the legislative process. Despite being a member of the minority party, Congressman Castro has prioritized bipartisan relationships and ingenuity–striking compromises to insert his bill language in other legislative vehicles – when standalone bills would not pass in a fractured Congress. 

“I am honored to be recognized by the Center for Effective Lawmaking as the most effective Democratic House member in the 118th Congress. None of this would have been possible without my dedicated staff – in San Antonio and Washington, D.C. – and I want to thank them for all their great work on behalf of Texans and the American people to earn our office this recognition,” said Congressman Castro.

“The legislative process is a grind and often one that folks do not see. Over the years, my staff and I have beencommitted to that behind-the-scenes work. I will continue to partner with my colleagues in Congress who share that vision, and find legislative solutions that make a real and lasting impactin the lives of all Americans. 

“Thank you to the Center for Effective Lawmaking for this incredible honor,” concluded Congressman Castro.

Read an excerpt of the report below, and a link to the entire report can be found here.

“At the top of the list, we see Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas, who introduced 30 bills into the 118th Congress. Similar to the experiences of Rep. Don Bacon, the scope of Rep. Castro’s success in navigating the lawmaking process seems quite limited at first glance, given that only one of his sponsored bills (the Providing Appropriate Recognition and Treatment Needed to Enhance Relations with ASEAN Act) passed the House, and none of his sponsored bills became law as standalone measures. 

A deeper consideration of his legislative agenda, however, illustrates the ways in which Rep. Castro, similar to Rep. Bacon, was able to work behind the scenes to move his proposals through the lawmaking process, such that a substantial portion of the language in ten of his sponsored bills were ultimately incorporated into other vehicles that became law. Examples of these bills include the Internet at Hardship Posts Act, the U.S.-ASEAN Center Act, the Intelligence Community Joint Duty Improvements Act, and the Southeast Asia Partnership Expansion Act, all of which were incorporated (in large part) into the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. Taken together, Rep. Castro’s Legislative Effectiveness Score places him as the sixth overall in the House, despite being a member of the minority party. His approach of working behind the scenes – to strike compromises and insert his bill language in other legislative vehicles – shows further opportunities for minority-party lawmakers to succeed in Congress.”

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Reps. Castro, Jayapal, Raskin, Scanlon Demand Answers Over Detention and Attempted Deportation of Mahmoud Khalil

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

March 14, 2025

WASHINGTON — Today, Representative Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Ranking Member of the Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee, are leading 103 Members of Congress in demanding answers from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Department of State Secretary Marco Rubio regarding the detention of Mahmoud Khalil and stripping of his Green Card.

Khalil, a lawful permanent resident of the United States, was arrested and detained, and the administration has attempted to revoke his Green Card under an obscure statute in the Immigration and Nationality Act.

“The Administration does not allege that Mr. Khalil has committed any crime nor that he has ever been charged with a crime,” wrote the Members. “And the Administration has failed to provide any explanation of what deleterious foreign policy consequences Mr. Khalil has caused by exercising his free speech rights. […] This maneuver evokes the Alien and Sedition Acts and McCarthyism. It is the playbook of authoritarians, not of elected officials in a democratic society who claim to be champions of free speech.”

This arrest comes as Trump has said Khalil’s attempted removal would be “first of many,” with dozens of universities and colleges across the country having received threats from the Department of Education if they protect non-citizen students who have engaged in protest.

“While there may be disagreement with Mr. Khalil’s speech, it is his Constitutional right in our democracy to express his political views. That is why every American should be outraged by this brazen attempt to use the power of the United States government to silence and punish people who do not agree with the sitting President,” continued the Members. 

Judge Jesse Furman issued an order temporarily preventing the government from removing Mr. Khalil while he considers the legality of the arrest and detention. 

The Members are requesting a response from Noem and Rubio by March 27th, 2025.

The letter was signed by Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Becca Balint (VT-At Large), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Ami Bera (CA-06), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sean Casten (IL-06), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Herbert Conaway (NJ-03), Gerald Connolly (VA-11), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny K. Davis (IL) (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX) (TX-29), Al Green (TX-09), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Jim Himes (CT-04), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), William Keating (MA-09), Ro Khanna (CA-17), John Larson (CT-01), Summer Lee (PA-12), Summer Lee (PA-12), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Sarah McBride (DE-At Large), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Dave Min (CA-47), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Stacey Plaskett (VI), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Mark Takano (CA-39), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).

The letter was endorsed by 18 Million Rising; A New Policy; Action Corps; Adalah Justice Project; Alliance of Baptists; America’s Voice; American Civil Liberties Union; American Friends of Combatants for Peace; American Friends Service Committee; American Humanist Association; American Immigration Council; American Immigration Lawyers Association; American Muslims for Palestine (AMP); Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action); Amnesty International USA; Arab American Institute (AAI); Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund; Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC; Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote); Bend the Arc: Jewish Action; CASA; Center for Constitutional Rights; Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law; Center for Jewish Nonviolence; Center for Victims of Torture; Christians for a Free Palestine; Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA); CODEPINK; Communities United for Status & Protection (CUSP); Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim; Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR); DAWN; Defending Rights & Dissent; Detention Watch Network; Emgage Action; Franciscan Action Network ; Freedom Forward; Friends Committee on National Legislation; Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA); Hindus for Human Rights; Human Rights First; IfNotNow Movement; IMEU Policy Project; Immigrant Defense Project; Immigrant Justice Network ; Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC); Immigration Equality; Indivisible; International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN); International Refugee Assistance Project; J Street; Jewish Voice for Peace Action; Justice Democrats; MADRE; MoveOn; MPower Change Action Fund; Muslim Advocates; Muslim Legal Fund of America; Muslims for Just Futures; National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum; National Immigrant Justice Center; National Immigration Law Center; National Immigration Project; National Iranian American Council; NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice; New Israel Fund; New Jewish Narrative; Nonviolent Peaceforce; P Street; Partners for Progressive Israel; Pax Christi Young Adult Caucus; Peace Action; Prayers for Peace Alliance; Presente.org; Project South; Rabbis for Ceasefire; ReThinking Foreign Policy; Right to the City Alliance; Rising Majority; RootsAction.org; Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team; Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC); Sunrise Movement; T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights; The Nexus Project; The Southern Poverty Law Center; Unitarian Universalist Association; United Church of Christ; United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR); United We Dream Network; US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action; USAHello; Win Without War; Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation ; Arlington For Palestine; Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta; Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago; Borderlands for Equity; CAIR- Philadelphia; CAIR-WA; Dignidad/The Right to Immigration Institute; Elmahaba Center; Estrella del Paso; Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef); Jews For Racial & Economic Justice; Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition; Mennonite Action Philadelphia; Miami Valley Immigration Coalition; New York Immigration Coalition; North Carolina Muslim Bar Association; OneAmerica; Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans – PANA; Pax Christi New Jersey ; Peace Action Montgomery; Prayers for Peace Alliance; Saratoga Black Lives Matter; Showing Up For Racial Justice Bay Area; SURJ Northern Virginia; West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship; Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center; Woori Juntos.

The full letter can be read here.

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Reps. Castro, Tran Lead 40+ Democrats Demanding Immediate Action to Reverse Mass Firings of Veterans, Military Spouses

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

March 07, 2025

WASHINGTON — This week, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Congressman Derek Tran (CA-45) led 41 of their colleagues to demand that the Trump administration halt the mass firings of veterans and military spouses from federal agencies and reverse previous terminations. In a letter sent yesterday, lawmakers expressed outrage at the administration’s callous disregard for military families and instructed the Office of Personnel Management to provide comprehensive data on the specific number of veterans and military spouses affected by the administration’s illegal mass layoffs.

This letter comes after reports that the Trump administration is planning to cut over 80,000 jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs – eliminating key positions that were created to assist with implementation of the 2022 Honoring Our PACT Act.

“The federal government bears a fundamental responsibility to provide stable, meaningful career paths for these high priority groups — a responsibility that stems from both our national security interests and our obligations to military families. We urge the Trump Administration to reverse the mass firings of veterans and military families and halt further job cuts to protect those who have dedicated their lives to serving our country,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Recent mass terminations not only violate our commitment to those who served, they actively undermine the strength and quality of our federal workforce. Veterans and military spouses bring invaluable leadership experience, diverse perspectives, and proven dedication to public service that enhances government performance at every level. Additionally, federal employment has been essential to addressing veteran unemployment levels and the economic instability that affects military families. The Administration’s indiscriminate firing of probationary employees threatens to reverse decades of progress in building a strong and capable federal workforce. We are alarmed by the Administration’s sweeping termination of probationary employees conducted without transparency or concern about its impact on veterans and military spouses. These widespread dismissals send a clear message to thousands of veterans and military spouses: the government they defended now views them as disposable,” the lawmakers continued.

The full letter can be viewed here.

Additional members signing the letter include Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Joe Courtney (CT-02), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Greg Casar (TX-35), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Ted W. Lieu (CA-36), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Judy Chu (CA-28), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Marc A. Veasey (TX-33), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Al Green (TX-09), Dina Titus (NV-01), Laura Friedman (CA-30), John B. Larson (CT-01), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Sam T. Liccardo (CA-17), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Ro Khanna (CA-17), and Salud Carbajal (CA-24).

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Congressman Castro Slams Trump-Musk Plan to Sabotage PACT Act Implementation with Mass Firings at the Department of Veterans Affairs

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

March 05, 2025

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement in response to reports that President Trump and Elon Musk plan to fire more than 80,000 employees who work at the Department of Veterans Affairs, including tens of thousands of employees who were hired in recent years to support implementation of the 2022 Honoring Our PACT Act:

“San Antonio is home to more than 90,000 veterans who risked everything to serve our country. I challenge Trump and Elon Musk to come to San Antonio and explain why tax cuts for billionaires matter more than their lives. Trump’s plan to fire tens of thousands of VA employees is illegal, and I will not support a budget that makes harmful cuts to VA programs or services.

“Three years ago, sick and dying veterans had to come to Washington to shame Republican senators into passing the PACT Act. If Trump’s plan moves forward, VA employees who were hired to help veterans with their PACT Act benefits will be thrown to the curb. People will suffer because Republican lawmakers are too scared to stand up to Trump’s attacks on our veterans.”

 

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Congressman Castro, 150+ Democrats Fight Back Against Trump-Musk Plan to Gut Social Security Workforce

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

March 05, 2025

WASHINGTON — On Monday, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and more than 150 House Democrats sent an urgent demand to the acting head of the Social Security Administration (SSA), pushing to halt a Trump-Musk plan that would gut the Social Security workforce and threaten benefits for millions of American seniors.

Multiple reports have indicated that the Trump administration is advancing plans to close Social Security field offices and significantly cut the SSA workforce. In San Antonio, more than 115,178 Social Security recipients including retirees, spouses, children, disabled workers, and children would be negatively affected.  

“Shuttering field offices and gutting SSA staffing has nothing to do with ‘governmental efficiency,’” wrote the members. “As you know, SSA already operates with a customer service budget of under one percent of benefit payments. Staffing is at a 50-year low, despite serving a record number of beneficiaries. Years of understaffing and lack of resources have led to a customer service crisis at SSA. Closing the very field and hearing offices that beneficiaries rely on and gutting staff would only deepen the crisis, chaos, and confusion,” the members wrote.

“We stand with the 70 million Americans who rely on Social Security to make ends meet, and the civil servants who work tirelessly to ensure beneficiaries receive their payments in full and on time every month. We have a clear message: devastating SSA’s ability to deliver benefits to the public is a de facto benefit cut. We urge you to halt any plans for laying off SSA employees and shuttering field or hearing offices,” the members concluded.

The full text of the letter is available HERE.

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Sherrill Leads NJ Democratic House Delegation in Standing up for Local Journalism and Workers

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

WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) led the entire Democratic New Jersey House delegation in demanding that Gannett – the owner of several local New Jersey newspapers and publications – bargain in good faith with their employees and reach a contract agreement as quickly as possible that provides fair wages and benefits. The lawmakers also urged Gannett to end all unfair, retaliatory labor practices that undermine workers’ lawful collective bargaining rights. 

The letter was co-led by Representative Donald Norcross (NJ-01), and additional co-signers included Reps. Herb Conaway Jr. (NJ-03), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rob Menendez (NJ-08), Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-06), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

“New Jersey families, our economy, and our democracy rely on local journalism. From traffic and weather reports, to updates from town council meetings and investigative journalism that holds the people in power accountable, local journalism provides accessible and transparent information all across the Garden State. However, in recent years, far too many of New Jersey’s news outlets have closed their doors, and our local journalists often do not make enough to live and support their families in a high cost state like New Jersey. That’s why I am leading New Jersey’s Democratic House lawmakers to demand that Gannett returns to the negotiating table to reach a fair contract that promotes good wages and working conditions for our local journalists,” said Rep. Sherrill.

Read the full letter here and below:

Mike Reed

Chief Executive Officer

Gannett Co., Inc.

1675 Broadway, 23rd Floor

New York, NY 10019

Dear Mr. Reed:

Our constituents rely on local, independent journalism to stay informed on key issues, gain transparent access to the workings of our political and economic systems, and hold those in power accountable for their actions. Journalists play a critical role in protecting American democracy and safeguarding our core freedoms and values. However, in New Jersey and nationwide, local newspapers have been decimated over the past decade and have seen their staffing levels dramatically cut. Many journalists today work long hours for low pay and minimal benefits, all the while putting themselves in harm’s way to serve our communities. We believe that they deserve to earn a living wage that can support their family in a high-cost state like New Jersey, and that the future of high-quality journalism throughout the nation relies on good-paying jobs existing in the industry.

Furthermore, we know that collective bargaining rights and fair negotiations between workers and employers are critical to boosting wages, benefits, and job security for working families. It is critical that workers be able to exercise their legally protected organizing and bargaining rights without interference, and we are committed to ensuring that journalists have access to these protections in New Jersey.

With this in mind, we are greatly alarmed and disappointed that Gannett – after more than three years of negotiations with workers at several of your local New Jersey newspapers, including the Bergen Record, Daily Record, and NJ Herald – continues to delay progress in negotiations and hasn’t put forward a good faith contract offer, as required by the National Labor Relations Act, that provides good wages and job certainty to your employees in New Jersey. We are furthermore very concerned that Gannett remains the subject of multiple unfair labor practice complaints currently being heard by the National Labor Relations Board. These include allegations relating to overall bad faith bargaining on contracts, discriminating against bargaining unit employees regarding the terms and conditions of employment, refusing to bargain, and engaging in surface level bargaining.

Given this, we write today to urge you to bargain in good faith, in accordance with Section 8 of the NLRA, with your employees represented by the NewsGuild – Communications Workers of America and to settle contracts as quickly as possible that provide fair wages, benefits, and job security to your employees in New Jersey. We were pleased to see that tentative contract agreements that increase journalists’ pay and job protections were reached between Gannett and workers at three New Jersey publications last week – the Asbury Park Press, Home News Tribune, and Courier News. It is our hope that similar good-faith agreements can now be reached with your employees at the Bergen Record, Daily Record, and NJ Herald, and we urge both parties to work in good faith at your next bargaining session to reach a contract agreement as soon as possible.

We also urge you to immediately address the unfair labor practice complaints that are currently being heard by the NLRB under Section 158 of the NLRA and to cease any actions that unilaterally change your employees’ conditions of employment or discriminate against employees who are members of the bargaining unit.

We greatly appreciate the important role that your newspapers and publications play in providing accessible information and hard-hitting investigative journalism to our constituents in New Jersey. Local, independent journalism is essential to protecting American democracy and the rights of citizens. However, we believe that large job cuts and stagnant wages will endanger this critical function. It is essential that both parties return to the negotiating table and immediately work in good faith towards a contract that provides good wages, benefits, and job certainty to your employees. We look forward to staying engaged on this issue as bargaining continues, and will continue to stand with local journalists throughout New Jersey.

Sincerely, 

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Sherrill Statement on Senate Passage of Washington Republicans’ Continuing Resolution

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

WASHINGTON, DC — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) released the following statement after Senate passage of the extreme Republican continuing resolution:

“Republican politicians have abandoned their oaths to the Constitution and bent the knee to Trump and Musk. It is deeply upsetting that some Senate Democrats failed to protect the American people and fight for the future of our country. This moment demands bold leadership, and it’s time for Democrats to step up.

“I voted NO on Republicans’ continuing resolution earlier this week because it jeopardizes access to important programs, like veterans’ health care and disaster relief, while allowing Musk and Trump to turn a profit using New Jersey’s hard-earned tax dollars.

“I believe deeply in the promise of this country — that the American dream should be within reach for all, not just the wealthy and well-connected. And I vow to continue to stand in the breach to protect New Jersey families and the American people.”

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Sherrill to Hold Town Hall on Thursday, April 3rd

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

LIVINGSTON, NJ — On Thursday, April 3 at 5:00 PM, Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) will hold a town hall focused on her work fighting to protect New Jerseyans from Donald Trump and Elon Musk and standing up for the Constitution in Washington. 

Residents are invited to register here by April 3rd at 12:00 PM. Preregistration is required to attend. Those who register will receive the exact address of the town hall in an email confirmation sent on the day prior to the event. Please individually register each guest in your party. If you are looking to bring friends, family, or neighbors, fill out this form separately for each individual looking to attend. Please note, only registered guests will be admitted.

The town hall will also stream live at 5:00 PM directly on Representative Sherrill’s Facebook page.

DETAILS:

WHAT: Representative Sherrill Town Hall
WHEN:  Thursday, April 3rd, 2025
TIME:  5:00 PM
LOCATION: RSVP for address

RSVP: https://sherrill.house.gov/townhall

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