Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reintroduced the Do No Harm Act, legislation to restore the Religious Freedom Restoration Act’s (RFRA) original intent and prohibit individuals and businesses from using religion to deny others’ civil rights. Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced this legislation earlier this year in the U.S. House. In response to the 1990 Supreme Court case, Employment Division v. Smith, which excused... Read More

Washington D.C. -- Senator Booker (D-NJ) joined the entire New Jersey bicameral congressional delegation in a letter urging Congressional Appropriations Committees to supply emergency funding for the state of New Jersey in wake of the destruction caused by Tropical Storm Ida. Emergency supplemental appropriations would immediately help the thousands of New Jerseyans who suffered catastrophic damage to their homes and who will undoubtedly need more assistance in the long-term.“New Jersey faces a... Read More

Newark, N.J. – U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez (both D-N.J.) today applauded President Biden and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for adding Essex, Hudson, Mercer and Union counties to the Major Disaster Declaration that was first issued to several counties on Sunday. The declaration will make these counties eligible for more federal resources as areas recover from damage caused by Tropical Storm Ida.The storm caused historic flash flooding, tornadoes and record... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, John Thune (R-S.D.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced the American Beef Labeling Act, legislation that would reinstate mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef. This legislation, which will be formally introduced next week, would require the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), in consultation with the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, to... Read More

Newark, NJ – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) met with President Joe Biden, Governor Phil Murphy, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, and local and state officials in Hillsborough, New Jersey, to discuss and survey damage following historic rain and flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. During a briefing hosted by local officials in Hillsborough, New Jersey, Booker joined the President and called for the quick completion of preliminary damage assessments by FEMA in New Jersey... Read More

Newark, N.J. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-N.J.) today applauded the Emergency Declaration issued to New Jersey for the damage inflicted on the state by Tropical Storm Ida. The storm caused historic flash flooding, tornadoes and record rainfall, and resulted in the tragic deaths of at least 23 New Jerseyans.The senators last night led the entire congressional delegation in a letter urging President Biden to approve Governor Phil Murphy’s request for a Major Disaster... Read More

NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-N.J.) today led the entire congressional delegation in calling on President Biden to approve Governor Phil Murphy’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration for all 21 counties. Approval of the request would make the state eligible for more federal resources as areas recover from damage caused by Tropical Storm Ida. The storm caused historic flash flooding, tornadoes and record rainfall, and resulted in the tragic deaths of at... Read More

Newark, NJ - U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) joined EPA Administrator Michael Regan, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Ironbound Community Corporation, and New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance for an environmental justice tour of the Ironbound neighborhood in Newark. The tour was followed by a roundtable discussion on federal policies to address issues affecting environmental justice communities. “Since my early days as... Read More

Newark, NJ - US Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement:  “My heart and my prayers are with the loved ones of the American service members and Afghan civilians who were killed in the acts of terrorism earlier today in Afghanistan. “The American heroes who were killed today undoubtedly saved the lives of many more, their enduring legacy will be one of service and sacrifice. “I strongly condemn this act... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez (both D-N.J.) released a breakdown of how the historic, $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed today in the U.S. Senate will provide record investments in New Jersey’s aging infrastructure to repair roads and bridges, expand mass transit, build the Gateway Project, replace water and sewer pipes, and increase broadband internet access.  The bill projects to generate more than two... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to President Biden urging his Administration to rescind a Trump-era opinion that would force individuals on home confinement to return to federal prison following the COVID-19 pandemic.  In their letter, Booker and Durbin note... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement on Senate passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021: “After months of bipartisan negotiations, I applaud the Senate for passing the most extensive infrastructure investment our country has seen in decades. This landmark legislation will help create millions of good-paying jobs throughout our country, strengthen our national security, and bolster our economy... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today reintroduced legislation to crack down on exploitative overdraft fees that banks charge consumers when they make a purchase or pay a bill but don’t have sufficient funds in their account. The Stop Overdraft Profiteering Act of 2021 would ban overdraft fees on debit card transactions and ATM withdrawals, and limit fees placed for checks and recurring payments. It would also mandate that banks post transactions... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) today reintroduced legislation that invests in startup accelerators and incubators in new and underserved areas. Research indicates that just three geographic clusters — the San Francisco Bay area, the Boston-Washington corridor, and Southern California—account for 77 percent of venture capital funding in the United States, driving small... Read More

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Making Essentials Available and Lawful Act, or the MEAL Act. This legislation would repeal a lifetime ban that prevents formerly incarcerated individuals convicted of felony drug offenses from accessing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or assistance under programs funded by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants. Earlier this year, Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN),... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) led a letter urging Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to include the American Opportunity Accounts Act, or “Baby Bonds,” in the reconciliation package. If included and passed, this groundbreaking legislation will create a federally-funded savings account for every American child that will make economic opportunity a birthright for every American and substantially close the racial wealth gap.  Staggering wealth inequality in the U.S. has only... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) reintroduced sweeping legislation to address the environmental injustices that harm communities of color, low-income communities, and indigenous communities around the country. The Environmental Justice Act of 2021 would require federal agencies to mitigate environmental injustices through agency action and would strengthen the legal protections of those affected by environmental injustices. Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA) introduced... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) re-introduced legislation that would ensure prison disaster response and recovery plans protect the health, safety and civil rights of incarcerated individuals during natural disasters and public health emergencies. The legislation follows a U.S. Government Accountability Office report—which is part of Duckworth and U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan’s (D-NH) requested review of the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) emergency... Read More

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Mark R. Warner (D-VA) reintroduced legislation to help lower the costs of needed medical care and prescription drugs for children. The Fair Drug Prices for Kids Act would give states the ability to purchase prescription drugs at the lowest price possible, reducing the cost of prescription drugs for children who receive coverage through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and generatingimmediate savings for states and the federal... Read More

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced legislation to reauthorize the Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department program at $10 million annually over five years. The ALTO program was created in 2018 by Booker and Capito-led measure in the Senate that was included in the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act (P.L. 115-271). Companion... Read More