Press Releases
Rep. Watson Coleman Introduces the SHADE Act to Combat the Environmental Impacts of Redlining
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) introduced the Saving Hazardous and Declining Environments Act (SHADE Act). This legislation would create a grant program under the Department of Housing and Urban Development, to plant trees in formerly redlined districts graded “hazardous” and “definitely declining” by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) and other overburdened communities. Redlining, a discriminatory housing policy developed by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation … Continue Reading
June 15, 2021
Reps. Watson Coleman and Bush Introduce Federal Bill to Decriminalize Drug Possession, Replace with Health-Centered Approach
Today, ahead of Thursday’s 50th Anniversary of President Richard Nixon’s declaration of the “war on drugs,” Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Cori Bush (MO-1) introduced the Drug Policy Reform Act (DPRA), a bill to end criminal penalties for drug possession at the federal level and to shift regulatory authority from the Justice Department to the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill would also expunge existing records and provide for resentencing, reinvest in … Continue Reading
June 04, 2021
Reps. Watson Coleman, Pallone, Sires and Espaillat Lead Introduction of Commonsense Gun Violence Prevention Legislation
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) along with co-sponsors Congressmen Frank Pallone (NJ-6), Albio Sires (NJ-8) and Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) reintroduced the Handgun Licensing and Registration Act of 2021. This legislation would overturn an outdated 1986 law to build a framework of commonsense standards for handgun ownership in the United States by creating a federal licensing and registration process for gun ownership with minimum requirements that: the person seeking … Continue Reading
May 27, 2021
Congresswoman Watson Coleman Leads Bipartisan Letter Calling on Attorney General Garland to Reverse Justice Department Legal Memo Set to Return Prisoners on Home Confinement to Prison
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), along with a bipartisan group of 29 members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging him to reverse a legal memo issued in the waning days of the Trump administration that would require thousands of people on home confinement to return to federal prison. In March 2020, Congress passed the CARES Act, which authorized the Attorney General to give people in federal prison extended home confinement … Continue Reading
May 19, 2021
Rep. Watson Coleman Votes to Uncover the Truth of January 6th Attacks, Establish Independent, Bipartisan Commission
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) voted for H.R. 3233, legislation to establish an independent, bipartisan 9/11-type commission to examine and report upon the facts, causes and security relating to the terrorist mob attack on the United States Capitol on January 6th, 2021. The Commission would also be charged with making recommendations to prevent future attacks on our democracy. “January 6th was one of the darkest days in our nation’s history,” said Watson Coleman. “It was … Continue Reading
May 17, 2021
Watson Coleman Introduces Filer Voter Act to Aid Americans in Registering to Vote
Today, on Tax Day, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) introduced the Filer Voter Act to make it easier to register to vote. The bill would allow voters to register to vote when they file their taxes. Forty-nine states require Americans to register to vote. One of the best ways to make it easier for people to register to vote is to create more opportunities for people to easily access voter registration forms. Much like the “Motor Voter Law” of the 1990s that allowed voters to … Continue Reading
May 12, 2021
House Passes Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act on a Wide Bipartisan Basis
Today, by a vote of 349-74, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1475, the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act, bipartisan legislation authored by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and introduced by Watson Coleman and Rep. John Katko (NY-24) to address the disparities in access, care and study of mental health issues among people of color. The bill, written following nine months of work by the Congressional Black Caucus Emergency Taskforce on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health, … Continue Reading
May 11, 2021
Watson Coleman sends letter to Secretary of State Blinken Regarding Violence in Jerusalem
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) sent the following letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling on the State Department and the Biden Administration to address the issue of accountability and our goals in the pursuit of peace in Jerusalem, hold responsible those who violate the rights of protesters and worshipers and to examine a proactive approach to peace: Dear Secretary Blinken, May 11, 2021 I am writing to express my deep concern at … Continue Reading
May 11, 2021
Watson Coleman Reintroduces the Healthy MOM Act to Add Special Enrollment Period for Pregnant Mothers
On the heels of Mother’s Day, Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) re-introduced legislation to expand healthcare options for expectant mothers. The bill, the Healthy Maternal and Obstetric Medicine (Healthy MOM) Act, would ensure that all women eligible for coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance marketplaces, as well as women eligible for other individual or group health plan coverage, can access affordable health coverage throughout their pregnancies. The bill would … Continue Reading
May 10, 2021
Watson Coleman Urges Families to File Taxes Before May 17 to Get Their Advance Child Tax Credit Payments As Soon As Possible
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) is urging hardworking families in the 12th district to file their taxes before the upcoming May 17thdeadline to ensure they receive the accurate amount in new advance monthly Child TaxCredit payments they are entitled to as soon as possible. As part of the American Rescue Plan Watson Coleman helped pass, families could get monthly payments of up to $300 per child beginning as soon as July. The best way to ensure eligible families receive their … Continue Reading
April 30, 2021
Watson Coleman Announces Formation of Advisory Council on Immigration Reform
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman announced today the formation of an Advisory Council on Immigration Reform. Formed in response to the growing need for immigration reform, the council will meet regularly with the Congresswoman to discuss policy initiatives and emerging issues related to immigration including case processing delays, deportation, detention centers, the border crisis, and the broader impact of federal regulations on immigrants in NJ and nationwide. The Advisory Council … Continue Reading
April 28, 2021
Watson Coleman Uplifts Trenton Resident as Virtual Guest to Presidential Address
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman is uplifting a Trenton resident named Paula Skelton as her virtual guest to President Biden’s Joint Address to Congress on Wednesday. Paula works for the Dept of Health in their Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health program. She is an essential worker and during the pandemic was on the front lines of inspections, delivering PPE, and holding employers accountable for the wellbeing of their workers. The Joint Address, which is President Biden’s … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Watson Coleman, Rutherford Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Install Sprinkler Systems in Older Public Housing Units
Today, Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and John Rutherford (FL-4) introduced bipartisan legislation to encourage public housing authorities to equip their older units with sprinkler systems improving the safety of residents and local communities. The Public Housing Fire Safety Act would create a grant program at the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide funds to public housing authorities who wish to retrofit older high-rise apartments. It would collect data on … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Menendez, Watson Coleman Reintroduce Gun Safety Legislation to Outlaw Gun Silencers
U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.-12) today reintroduced the Help Empower Americans to Respond (HEAR) Act, federal gun safety legislation to ban the importation, sale, manufacturing, transfer and possession of gun silencers or suppressors. “Gun silencers are dangerous devices with one purpose and one purpose only - to muffle the sound of gunfire from unsuspecting victims,” said Sen. Menendez. “The sound of gunshots is what signals you to run, … Continue Reading
April 08, 2021
Congresswoman Watson Coleman Leads Bipartisan Letter Calling on President Biden to Reverse “Cruel” Trump Justice Department Legal Memo
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), along with a bipartisan group of 27 members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to reverse a legal memo issued in the waning days of the Trump administration that would require thousands of people on home confinement to return to federal prison. In March 2020, Congress passed the CARES Act, which authorized the Attorney General to give people in federal prison extended home confinement in order to … Continue Reading
April 07, 2021
Congresswoman Watson Coleman Leads Letter Calling on Attorney General to Investigate Recent Voter Suppression Efforts
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), along with ten women from the Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland calling on him to investigate the recent increase in proposals to limit voter access as a potential criminal conspiracy. In recent weeks and months, more than 40 states have introduced voter suppression legislation that threaten the very existence of our nation’s democracy. These efforts, coupled with persistent lies about voter … Continue Reading
March 31, 2021
Watson Coleman, Malinowski Introduce Bill to Ensure Full Reviews of Proposed Pipelines
Today, Congressmembers Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Tom Malinowski (NJ-7) announced the introduction of the Safe and Accountable Federal Energy Review for Pipelines Act of 2021 (H.R. 2115). The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has for years relied on outdated private agreements to determine whether to approve future natural gas pipelines, failing to comprehensively evaluate or consider duplicate, competing or contiguous pipelines and their impact on local environments. … Continue Reading
March 26, 2021
Reps. Pressley, Watson Coleman, Omar Re-Introduce Bold Legislation to End School Pushout of Girls of Color
Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), along with Congresswomen Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Ilhan Omar (MN-05), re-introduced the Ending Punitive, Unfair, School-based Harm that is Overt and Unresponsive to Trauma (Ending PUSHOUT) Act, bold legislation to end the punitive pushout of girls of color from schools and disrupt the school-to-confinement pathway. The Ending PUSHOUT Act acknowledges the harmful ways in which Black and Brown girls are … Continue Reading
March 22, 2021
Watson Coleman, Lee, Pressley, Omar, Moore Press for Support from VP Harris on Passage of the CROWN Act in Both Chambers This Congress
Today, Congressmembers Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Gwen Moore (WI-04) announced the reintroduction of The Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair or CROWN Act in the House of Representatives, simultaneously releasing a letter sent to Vice President Kamala Harris urging her to use her platform as the first Black woman to hold that office to help ensure the bill reaches the President’s desk this Congress. … Continue Reading
March 18, 2021
Watson Coleman, Payne Introduce Resolution to Recognize the Impact of Colorectal Cancer on the Black Community
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) introduced H.Res. 242, a resolution acknowledging the horrific impact colorectal cancer has on the Black community and that the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force needs to reduce the age of screening for this cancer. Colorectal Cancer, or CRC, is the third most common cancer in the United States for men and women combined, and it’s the second leading cause of cancer death. On average, CRC takes more … Continue Reading