Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – On the heels of two recent derailments at New York Penn Station that crippled travel along the Northeast Corridor, today U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez (both D-NJ) urged Senate leadership to include robust infrastructure funding in the FY 2018 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill. In a letter to Chairman Susan Collins and Ranking Member Jack Reed, Booker and Menendez called for $2.3 billion for the New Starts capital grant... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on the U.S. strike on Syria.  “The chemical attack in Syria that killed dozens of innocent civilians, including many children, is a heinous act and a crime against humanity. The ongoing war in Syria is a tragedy of historic proportions – the loss of life there unfathomable — and the United States should always seek to, in a thoughtful... Read More

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Cory Booker issued the following statement regarding Amtrak President and CEO Wick Moorman’s update on the causes of two recent train derailments that resulted in staggering delays across the Northeast Corridor.  “It comes as no surprise to learn that the recent Amtrak and NJ Transit derailments can largely be attributed to inadequate investment in our region’s infrastructure,” said Sen. Booker.  “If we continue down... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) today re-introduced the REDEEM Act (Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment Act), a bipartisan, bicameral bill to help fix our broken criminal justice system.  While the U.S. is home to less than five percent of the world’s population, it is responsible for almost 25 percent of the world’s prison population. Our crippled system wastes massive... Read More

Washington, DC – U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement after the Department of Justice announced a review of federal consent decrees with law enforcement agencies across the country: “As mayor of Newark, I began as a skeptic of federal law enforcement consent decrees as we worked proactively to address long-standing issues with the Newark Police Department, working with the ACLU and residents to increase transparency and seek reforms. But I learned through my... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) with U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Sherrod Brown (R-OH), and Rob Portman (R-OH) today introduced the Fair Chance Act, which would prohibit federal employers and contractors from asking a job applicant about his or her criminal history until the final stages of the interview process. The bipartisan bill is being introduced in the House of Representatives today by Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-MD)... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – New Jersey U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) today joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers in introducing legislation to honor Larry Doby, the first African-American to play in the American League, with the Congressional Gold Medal for his career and contributions to the American civil rights movement. In joining the American League, Doby effectively integrated all of professional baseball. “As... Read More

EDISON, NJ — Today, outside of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Edison Environmental Center, U.S. Senator Cory Booker, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), state and local elected officials and environmental advocates stood in solidarity against President Trump’s anti-environment agenda and abandonment of the fight against climate change. “It’s simply shameful that President Trump continues to put the interests of corporate polluters ahead of the health... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/29/17]— In the wake of Congressional Republicans’ failed attempt to rip health coverage away from millions of Americans, U.S. Senator Cory Booker joined Senator Al Franken and a key group of Senate Democrats launched a major push to improve the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by bringing down the skyrocketing price of prescription drugs, one of the main reasons why health care costs are rising. An overwhelming majority of Americans agree that prescription drug prices... Read More

NEWARK, NJ – U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement regarding Camden Mayor Dana Redd’s announcement that she will not be seeking reelection:  “Every story of resurgence starts with a strong leader, and Mayor Redd has faithfully served that role in Camden’s rising. Under Mayor Redd's leadership, Camden has experienced steady growth, attracted new businesses and families, and continues to become a prominent New Jersey destination. “I’ve... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order to roll-back former President Barack Obama’s climate change initiatives:  “Today is a sad day for our nation, and for our planet. With the stroke of his pen, President Trump is doing serious damage to nearly a decade of progress on one of the most defining – and important – issues of our time. Climate change is an... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Edward Markey (D-MA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Angus King (I-ME), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today introduced the Community Broadband Act to preserve and protect the rights of cities and localities to build municipal broadband networks.  Municipal broadband can often provide an affordable, reliable option for rural and low-income communities that face persistent barriers to high-speed internet... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement in response to today’s announcement by Attorney General Jeff Sessions that the Department of Justice would begin executing President Trump’s Executive Order barring federal grants to sanctuary cities and “clawing back” existing federal awards to such cities: "As a former mayor, I know first-hand how disastrous these policies would be for American cities, law enforcement officers,... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement in response to the failure of the Trumpcare bill today: “The failure of Trumpcare is a victory for millions of everyday Americans who didn’t want to see their healthcare costs rise, their coverage worsen, and millions more people uninsured, all to give the wealthiest individuals and corporations a massive tax cut. Today’s outcome is a testament to countless Americans who made their voices... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) urged Attorney General Jeff Sessions to maintain current drug charging policies that give federal prosecutors discretion not to charge the mandatory minimum for nonviolent, low-level drug cases, instead of requiring them to charge one-size-fits-all penalties.  Mandatory minimum penalties, the Senators state in a letter to Sessions, are one of the largest drivers of mass... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson questioning his commitment to transparency and human rights. Specifically, the letter raised concerns about Tillerson’s recent decisions to break with precedent by limiting press access on international trips, drastically cutting the number of weekly press briefings, and not participating in the public release of the annual... Read More

Washington, DC – U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement: “President Trump’s budget would set our country back and make hardworking Americans suffer. If adopted by Congress, it would stifle our nation's economic competitiveness, hurt the most vulnerable among us, and make our country less safe. “By gutting the institutions that protect the rights of workers, Trump’s budget would make it more difficult for hardworking people who play by the rules... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) have urged the CEOs of two large agricultural trading companies, Bunge Ltd. and Cargill, Inc., to take action in response to reports that their soy purchasing policies have contributed to the widespread destruction of tropical forests and other native ecosystems across South America. Noting Bunge and Cargill’s successful past efforts to stop deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, the Senators pressed the... Read More

Washington, DC – U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement:   “The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office just put into stark relief the devastating impact of the Republican plan to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and give tax breaks to corporations and the wealthiest Americans. According to the CBO, this bill will explode healthcare costs for millions, particularly older Americans, cause the number of uninsured to rise by 24 million over the next decade,... Read More

NEWARK, NJ – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez urged U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Thomas Homan to give full consideration to the stay of removal application filed by Catalino Guerrero, a New Jersey grandfather facing deportation under President Trump’s aggressive immigration policies.  Mr. Guerrero, an undocumented immigrant living in the United States for 25 years, has no criminal record and has owned a home in Union City,... Read More