Press Releases
Biden Admin Announces Support for Children Who Lost Caregivers to COVID-19 Following Letter Lead by Reps. Watson Coleman and Pressley
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement regarding the Biden Administration’s decision to include support for bereaved children in its updated National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan: We applaud the Biden Administration for prioritizing support for bereaved children in its national COVID-19 strategy. The unprecedented trauma, hurt and grief caused by the pandemic has exacerbated the mental health crisis and has particularly impacted … Continue Reading
March 02, 2022
Rep. Watson Coleman Introduces the Securing Air Travel Act
Today, the House Committee on Homeland Security will consider H.R. 6856, the Securing Air Travel Act introduced by Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) chair of the subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security. This act would establish minimum monetary penalties for repeat and egregious violations of the prohibition on firearms at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints. Last year, TSA intercepted nearly 6,000 firearms at checkpoints - an 83% increase over the … Continue Reading
February 28, 2022
Republican Obstructionists Delay Passage of the CROWN Act
Today, Republican obstructionists prevented the passage of the CROWN Act under the House rules intended for non-controversial bills. The CROWN Act would prohibit discrimination based on a person's hair texture or hairstyle if that style or texture is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin. Specifically, the bill prohibits this type of discrimination against those participating in federally assisted programs, housing programs, public accommodations, and employment. … Continue Reading
February 18, 2022
Watson Coleman Leads Letter to House and Senate Leadership Calling for Immediate Consideration of Fire Safety Bills
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) led a bipartisan group of her House colleagues in a letter to House and Senate Leadership calling for immediate consideration of two bills designed to reduce the risk of fires in residential buildings. The Public Housing Fire Safety Act (H.R.2638, S.265) would create a grant program for public housing agencies to install automatic sprinklers in public housing buildings and collect data on the status of sprinkler installations. The High-Rise … Continue Reading
February 16, 2022
Watson Coleman, New Jersey Delegation Urge FEMA To Provide Data In Order To Allocate Hurricane Ida Disaster Relief Funds
Yesterday, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and the Democratic members of New Jersey Congressional delegation wrote a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urging them to ensure that communities impacted by natural disasters receive the support they need. Specifically, the letter calls for FEMA to provide data that would help the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocate funding in a way that would most effectively benefit struggling … Continue Reading
February 09, 2022
Levin, Watson Coleman, 129 Colleagues Introduce Resolution Recognizing Congressional Workers’ Right to Organize
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) joined 129 House Democratic colleagues in cosponsoring H.Res 915, Recognizing Congressional Workers’ Right to Organize introduced by Congressman Andy Levin (MI-9). Following the passage of the Congressional Accountability Act in 1995, the Office of Compliance and Workplace Rights ruled in 1996 that passage of this resolution was the final step to give congressional workers legal protection to organize and bargain collectively. … Continue Reading
February 02, 2022
Rep. Watson Coleman Statement on Recent Bomb Threats Against Nation's HBCUs
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security released the following statement concerning recent bomb threats at over a dozen HBCUs around the country: The bomb threats against Historically Black Colleges and Universities are domestic terrorism that must be investigated and understood as such. As we consider the security of our homeland, it is imperative that we clearly understand the potential peril to our country represented by the … Continue Reading
January 21, 2022
Congresswomen Watson Coleman and Bush Call on Federal Bureau of Prisons to Not Require Individuals in Home Confinement to Return to Prison
Today, Congresswomen Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Cori Bush (MO-01) sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director Michael Carvajal asking how the BOP plans to enforce a policy allowing incarcerated individuals to remain in home confinement instead of returning to prison. In December 2021, the Department of Justice (DOJ) directed the BOP to allow incarcerated individuals placed in home confinement through the CARES Act to remain there. The letter begins: We write to you today … Continue Reading
January 19, 2022
Rep. Watson Coleman Announces $496 Million in Infrastructure Spending to Complete Green Brook Sub Basin Flood Control Project
Today, the Biden Administration, the Army Corps of Engineers, and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) announced $496 million in disaster supplemental funding to complete the Green Brook Sub Basin Flood Control Project. This new funding is in addition to $261 million previously allocated. In October 2021, following devastating flooding from Hurricane Ida and a visit to the region by President Biden, Congresswoman Watson Coleman wrote a letter to President Biden; Lieutenant General … Continue Reading
January 12, 2022
Rep. Watson Coleman Rallies Support for Passage of Voting Rights Legislation
Following President Biden’s remarks in Georgia demanding progress on voting rights legislation, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) urged Senators to do whatever it takes – including changing their rules – to get these key bills over the finish line. The Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would ensure every American has equal freedom to vote and make their voice heard in our democracy. “The Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis … Continue Reading
January 12, 2022
Sanders, Khanna, Watson Coleman Reintroduce Legislation to Give Every American Lifesaving N95 Masks
As the world enters the third year of the coronavirus pandemic, with Omicron surging and cases skyrocketing, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), with more than 50 of their Democratic colleagues in the Senate and House, reintroduced lifesaving legislation to manufacture and distribute highly-protective N95 masks to every person in America. Under the Sanders-Khanna Masks for All Act - first introduced in 2020 and developed in consultation with health experts including Andy … Continue Reading
January 07, 2022
Watson Coleman Doubles Help for New Jersey Families to Afford Energy Costs This Winter
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) highlighted a new report from the White House outlining how she delivered more than double the annual investment to help New Jersey families afford energy costs. In total, Watson Coleman helped secure $285,638,960 for New Jersey through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in the American Rescue Plan and annual appropriations. As Americans continue to deal with the impacts of the pandemic and high energy costs, New Jersey … Continue Reading
December 22, 2021
Thompson, Watson Coleman, DeFazio, Larsen Write Airlines to Urge Them to Require and Pay for Crew Members to Attend TSA’s Self Defense Program
Committee on Homeland Security Chair Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Transportation & Maritime Security Subcommittee Chair Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR), and Aviation Subcommittee Chair Rick Larsen (D-WA) sent letters to four major airlines urging them to require their crew members to attend TSA’s Crew Member Self Defense Program so that they are equipped with the necessary skills to deter and mitigate dangerous … Continue Reading
December 22, 2021
Reps. Watson Coleman, Kim, Sires Call on NJ State Officials to Equitably Distribute Federal Infrastructure Funding
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Congressmen Andy Kim (NJ-03) and Albio Sires (NJ-08) sent a letter to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, the NJ Department of Transportation and NJ Transit urging them to distribute funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to underrepresented businesses. Specifically, the letter asks that state elected officials ensure that Small, Minority, Women or Veteran-owned Business Enterprises (SMWVBE), Disability-owned businesses, and … Continue Reading
December 20, 2021
Watson Coleman, Pressley Lead Letter to President Biden and Secretary Becerra to Highlight Needs of Children Who Have Lost Caretakers to Covid
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), vice-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-7) lead 21 of their colleagues in a letter to President Joe Biden and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra urging them to prioritize the needs of children who have lost parents and caregivers to Covid 19. The letter reads in part: As Members of Congress, we are concerned that these bereaved children are not receiving support, both … Continue Reading
December 17, 2021
Rep. Watson Coleman Announces Trenton-Mercer Airport to Receive $3.4 Million From Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Today, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) announced that $3,482,989 in new federal funding from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is headed to New Jersey’s 12th District to make much-needed improvements to Trenton-Mercer Airport. The funding can be used to update runways and taxiways, improve safety and sustainability, or invest in terminals, airport-transit connections and roadway projects. “Thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, this nearly $3.5 million … Continue Reading
December 17, 2021
Rep. Watson Coleman Urges Justice Department to Investigate Use of Racist Prosecutorial Tactics in Domestic Terrorism Cases
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, led three of her colleagues in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland calling for the Department of Justice to investigate the Department’s use of prosecutorial tactics that disproportionately harm Black and brown Americans. The letter reads in part: This past June you gave remarks on the first National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism and spoke about the efforts to … Continue Reading
December 08, 2021
Bipartisan, Bicameral Group Introduces Legislation to Create National Liberty Memorial, Honor African American Revolutionary War Patriots
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa along with Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-1) today introduced legislation to extend authorization of the National Liberty Memorial, a monument to commemorate enslaved and free African Americans who fought in the United States Revolutionary War. The bipartisan National Liberty Memorial Preservation Act (H.R. 6201/S. 3334) would allow a nonprofit to continue its important work … Continue Reading
December 03, 2021
House Progressives Call for Rep. Lauren Boebert to Be Removed From Committee Assignments
Representatives Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Cori Bush (MO-01), André Carson (IN-07), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), were joined by 34 House progressives to issue the following statement today calling for Representative Lauren Boebert (CO-03) to be removed from her committee assignments following her Islamophobic comments and incitement of anti-Muslim animus. “Rep. Boebert has repeatedly weaponized dangerous, anti-Muslim bigotry at our colleague Representative Ilhan Omar … Continue Reading
November 10, 2021
Rep. Watson Coleman Votes to Pass Infrastructure Bill and Advance Build Back Better Act
On Friday, under the leadership of President Biden, Congress delivered a long awaited “infrastructure week.” The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, is a once-in-a generation investment that will modernize our nation’s infrastructure while creating millions of good-paying union jobs. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) will fund and jumpstart the manufacture of solar panels, wind farms, and electric vehicle charging … Continue Reading