On April 30, 2020, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) hosted his sixth video conference call with mayors throughout the Fifth District during the coronavirus pandemic. Gottheimer hosts this call weekly to hear directly from mayors about what is happening on the ground in their towns, how the coronavirus is affecting local economies throughout Warren, Sussex, Passaic, and Bergen Counties, and how he can best help our communities.

Gottheimer updated the North Jersey mayors on:

• Federal resources and economic assistance available to local communities, businesses, and residents; 

• Efforts to protect residents and staff in New Jersey’s long-term care facilities; and

• His fight for federal investment and resources for state, county, and local governments to support their efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

As of today, in the North Jersey counties that make up the Fifth District, there have been more than 30,000 positive cases and more than 1,900 deaths.

Overall, New Jersey continues to be ranked as having the second largest coronavirus outbreak in the country by total number of cases.

“These regular updates are so we can keep our conversation going about how the coronavirus is affecting the Fifth District and our local economies throughout Warren, Sussex, Passaic, and Bergen Counties. I want to thank all of our elected officials for joining me on this call so we can discuss how I can best help you and your communities, and so I can update you on my efforts to help our District,” Congressman Gottheimer (NJ-5) said via video conference. “The packages of bipartisan legislation Congress has passed in recent weeks has been an unprecedented undertaking to provide relief while we work to stop the spread of this pandemic. It is critically important that we get this right and I won’t stop fighting until everyone can get the resources they need.

In response to the coronavirus outbreak, Gottheimer noted his fight for emergency grant investment for the Assistance for Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. This grant opportunity is currently open for applications, and it is specifically for Fire and EMS Departments to purchase and/or reimburse the purchase of PPE, such as eye protection, N95s and surgical masks, gloves, gowns, footwear covers, protective coveralls, and costs of decontaminating PPE. 

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