Press Releases
Rep. Watson Coleman Issues Statement Following Vandalism of Islamic Center at Rutgers University
Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) issued a statement following reports of vandalism at the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University, during the Islamic celebration of Eid-al-Fitr which marks the conclusion of Ramadan. Rep. Watson Coleman issued the following statement: “Nobody should feel threatened on their campus because of their religion. That this crime was committed during Eid and targeted art with Quranic verses and other religious symbols makes it all … Continue Reading
March 22, 2024
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman Votes to Pass Government Funding Package
Earlier today, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) voted to pass the second tranche of government funding bills to avert a partial government shutdown at midnight tonight and fund the remaining federal agencies for a full year. Rep. Watson Coleman issued the following statement regarding the vote: “Today I joined my Democratic colleagues in voting to avert a disastrous government shutdown. Yet again, my colleagues and I made up the vast majority of votes for passage, making clear that House … Continue Reading
March 14, 2024
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman Sends Letter to Starbucks CEO Requesting Information on Impending Closure of Trenton Community Store
Today, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) sent a letter to Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan seeking information regarding the upcoming closure of the Starbucks Community Store located in downtown Trenton. Community Stores are part of a program by Starbucks to provide economic opportunities in historically underserved communities. The Community Store in Trenton has been a resounding success, the letter notes, prompting questions over the reason for its closure. “Given the clear and obvious … Continue Reading
March 11, 2024
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman Issues Statement on Retirement of HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge
Earlier today, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge announced she would be stepping down from public life on March 22nd. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), who is a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee for Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, issued the following statement: “Secretary Fudge has been a champion of the underserved and the people who need help the most throughout her decades of public service,” said Rep. Watson Coleman. “Her career is a … Continue Reading
March 06, 2024
Rep. Watson Coleman Votes to Fund Government, Secure $18.1M for 12th District
Earlier today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey’s sole appropriator, voted to fund for a full year six key appropriations bills, including funding for the departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Veterans’ Affairs, among others. The appropriations package also includes $18.1 million in federal funding for projects based in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District. The money will be used to improve Trenton Mercer International Airport, … Continue Reading
March 06, 2024
TSA Releases Security Preparedness Plan Resulting from Rep. Watson Coleman Bill
Last week, the Transportation Security Administration released their Transportation Security Preparedness Plan to Address the Event of a Communicable Disease. This plan, which makes America’s transportation systems more resilient to communicable disease outbreak, is the result of Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman’s Transportation Security Preparedness Act of 2021, which became law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2022. “When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out … Continue Reading
March 04, 2024
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman Announces Princeton Anti-Poverty Scholar Matthew Desmond as State of the Union Guest
Today, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) announced her 2024 State of the Union guest, Matthew Desmond. Matthew Desmond is the Maurice P. During Professor of Sociology at Princeton University and the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Evicted and Poverty, By America. An outspoken proponent for more robust anti-poverty measures in America, Professor Desmond is also the principal investigator at The Eviction Lab, which conducts research on eviction throughout the country. “I’m honored to be … Continue Reading
February 26, 2024
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, Commissioner Adelman Visit Princeton YMCA, Discuss Importance of Federal Funding for Childcare
Today, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05), and New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman toured the Princeton YMCA, discussed the importance of childcare services like those provided by the YMCA, and committed to securing and using federal funding to support families with childcare services. The average New Jersey family pays up to $1,500 per month on childcare, which is at least 40% of monthly income for families who are eligible for … Continue Reading
February 23, 2024
Rep. Watson Coleman Hosts Town Hall on the Inflation Reduction Act
Yesterday, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman hosted a Town Hall at the Franklin Township Senior Center on the Inflation Reduction Act. She was joined by Matt Salton, Federal Campaigns Manager for the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), and Franklin Mayor Phillip Kramer. The town hall laid out how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) can help consumers and municipalities. It described the IRA’s impact on prescription drug prices, energy and consumer prices, and climate action. Included in the … Continue Reading
February 22, 2024
Rep. Watson Coleman Hosts Constituent Services Fair in South Brunswick
South Brunswick, NJ (Thursday, February 22, 2024) - Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) hosted a constituent services fair at the South Brunswick Community Center in Monmouth Junction, NJ. In attendance were representatives from the offices of State Senator Andrew Zwicker, Assemblymembers Roy Freiman and Mitchelle Drulis, the United States Postal Service, the Taxpayer Advocate, the Social Security Administration, the United Way of Central Jersey, South Brunswick Office on … Continue Reading
February 22, 2024
Rep. Watson Coleman Honored by Rutgers Bloustein School of Public Policy as Governor James J. Florio Distinguished Visiting Scholar Lecturer
Yesterday, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) addressed an auditorium full of young, aspiring public servants at the Rutgers Bloustein School of Public Policy. The Congresswoman’s lecture was titled, Defending Democracy: The Fight for a Floor Beneath Which No Person Should Fall, and covered the myriad ways in which the federal government can more aptly marshal resources to combat poverty. “Poverty is among the most intractable problems facing our country, threatening access to the … Continue Reading
February 22, 2024
Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman and Young Kim Lead World Thinking Day Resolution for Girl Scout Troop Capitol Hill
This week, Congresswomen Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Young Kim (CA-40), co-chairs of Girl Scout Troop Capitol Hill, introduced a bipartisan resolution to recognize February 22, 2024 as World Thinking Day and encourage Girl Scouts and girls and women to connect with one another, speak out on issues important to them, be good stewards of the environment, and make a positive impact in their communities. The Girl Scouts’ 2024 World Thinking Day theme is “Our World, Our Thriving Future: The … Continue Reading
February 16, 2024
Rep. Watson Coleman Leads 47 Members of Congress in Letter to HUD Secretary Fudge Requesting Information on Efforts to Reduce Evictions Among Vulnerable Groups
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and 47 of her House colleagues sent a letter to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requesting information on the efforts HUD can make to address the disparate impact of eviction on Black renters, women, and children - three classes protected by the Fair Housing Act. Each year, 2.9 million children are affected by an eviction or one child every ten seconds. Eviction rates during childhood are higher than at any other age. … Continue Reading
February 13, 2024
Watson Coleman Statement on Republicans’ Second Attempt at a Sham Impeachment
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) announced her intent to vote against a resolution impeaching Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. This is the second attempt to impeach the Secretary in as many weeks. Last week, House Republicans failed to impeach Secretary Mayorkas. They had attempted to time their vote for a period in which enough House Democrats were absent that they could pass the resolution with a one-vote majority. Instead, Democrats stood … Continue Reading
February 13, 2024
Rep. Watson Coleman Issues Statement In Strong Support of Workers’ Rights
Washington, D.C. (February 13, 2024) — Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman issued the following statement in support of workers’ rights, including the right to form a union and negotiate a fair contract with their employer: “As a progressive, I am a proud supporter of union power and collective bargaining to achieve fair pay, benefits, and dignity for their workers. “Workers who generate billions of dollars in profit for some of the biggest airlines in the world deserve fair … Continue Reading
February 09, 2024
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman Sends Letter To Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Seeking Information on Women’s Urinary Health Care Coverage Options
Washington, D.C. (February 9, 2024) — Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) sent a letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure inquiring about the coverage options and accessibility of external urinary collection devices (EUDs) for women. “I am concerned about the potential gender disparities and accessibility in coverage of these devices,” Congresswoman Watson Coleman states in the letter. “Women are still more likely to develop a … Continue Reading
February 06, 2024
Rep. Watson Coleman Statement on Republicans’ Cynical Political Posturing
Washington, D.C. (February 6, 2024) — Today, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman issued the following statement regarding Republicans’ cynical political posturing around foreign aid to Israel: “Throughout my time in Congress I’ve had a consistent voting record, providing our ally Israel with the resources it needs to keep its people safe, in keeping with our own values of defending democracy and human rights. Helping our allies like Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan defend themselves from outside aggression … Continue Reading
February 06, 2024
Rep. Watson Coleman Statement on Sham Impeachment Vote of Secretary Mayorkas
Washington, D.C. (February 6, 2024) — Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) issued the following statement regarding the sham impeachment vote of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas: “Today, for the first time in 150 years, the House of Representatives has brought articles of impeachment against a member of the President’s Cabinet. “House Republicans today are trying to impeach Secretary Mayorkas because they don’t have any legislative proposals that are popular … Continue Reading
February 04, 2024
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman Statement on World Cancer Day
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, a lung cancer survivor, issued the following statement for World Cancer Day: “A little over five years ago, I went to the doctor’s office for a check-up because I had a persistent cough. I thought I had bronchitis. I didn’t. The doctor found a ‘spot’ on one of my lungs, and then referred me to a specialist for further examination. The specialist determined that the spot was lung cancer. “If it wasn’t caught early, I wouldn’t be here today to remind … Continue Reading
January 31, 2024
Rep. Watson Coleman Statement on Tax Deal
Washington, D.C. (January 31, 2024) — Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) issued the following statement after voting Yes on the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act which was brought to the floor tonight: I voted yes on this bill reluctantly and even though it’s not enough, it will still help those who need it. That being said, I find it obscene that it is considered a compromise to give billions of dollars in tax breaks to wealthy corporations while doling out … Continue Reading