Discusses Affordability Agenda, support for law enforcement and veterans, All-of-the-Above energy plan, and clawing back federal tax dollars to North Jersey

Above: Congressman Gottheimer answering questions from constituents during his 79th “Cup of Joe with Josh” Town Hall.

NORTH JERSEY — U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) hosted his 79th “Cup of Joe with Josh” Town Hall on Facebook Live to take questions from constituents and discuss action to make life more affordable for Jersey families, to invest in local law enforcement, fight crime, stand by our veterans, push for an All-of-the-Above energy plan to increase domestic production to lower gas prices, and to claw more of our federal tax dollars back to North Jersey. 

“As we are seeing a rise in crime across the country, including antisemitic and anti-Asian hate crimes, it’s critical that we take steps to invest — not defund — law enforcement,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “That is why I’m incredibly proud that my bipartisan, bicameral Invest to Protect Act recently passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support — 360 votes — to make real progress for public safety by investing in good policing to protect our families and officers.” 

Gottheimer continued, “I’m fighting to keep more dollars in our families’ pockets by clawing back more federal dollars to our towns, boroughs, municipalities, and emergency departments — to lower the impact on our local property taxes. In fact, in 2021 alone, we clawed back more than $750 for every single North Jersey household — dollars going back into the pockets of our hardworking families when they need them most.” 

Watch the “Cup of Joe with Josh” Town Hall HERE.

Some of Gottheimer’s recent initiatives to help North Jersey residents include:

• Gottheimer’s bill, the Invest to Protect Act, which unanimously passed the Senate, was passed in the House with sweeping bipartisan support. The legislation will make critical, targeted investments in local police departments to ensure our officers have the resources they need to keep communities and themselves safe.

• Gottheimer’s All-of-the-Above Energy Plan to help lower gas and oil prices includes ramping up domestic oil production and tapping our existing domestic energy resources, helping eliminate America’s reliance on oil from Russia, terrorist states, and other bad actors, including Iran and Venezuela — with the goal of becoming energy independent,  and pursuing long-term climate goals, while tapping our existing domestic energy supplies in the near term.

• Gottheimer passed a provision in the U.S. House of Representatives to ensure that veterans in North Jersey and nationwide are prioritized to receive access to high-quality job training, workforce development, and career services.

• Gottheimer helped get the bipartisan PACT Act signed into law, which included his key bipartisan provision to examine the impacts toxic exposure has had on our veterans’ mental health. The PACT Act will expand access to VA care and benefits to roughly 3.5 million of our brave veterans exposed to burn pits and toxic substances. 

• Gottheimer announced the new American Rescue Plan Firefighter Grant Program, which claws back federal investment back from Washington for New Jersey firefighters, ensuring our fire departments have the resources to not only keep our communities, families, and brave first responders safe, but also help lower property taxes and make life more affordable for North Jersey residents. 

• Gottheimer helped pass the bipartisan Lower Food and Fuels Costs Act to help lower the cost of a family’s grocery bill, tackle rising costs and the supply chain crisis, and take action against meat or poultry companies that are colluding and making insane profits on the backs of our hard-working middle class families.

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