Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), announced today they will introduce on Wednesday an ambitious bill that pioneers a groundbreaking approach to our justice system by giving a “second look” to those behind bars. The Second Look Act would allow any individual who has served at least 10 years in federal prison to petition a court to take a “second look” at their... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bill authored by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) to give formerly incarcerated individuals a fairer shot at finding employment passed the House of Representatives today, as part of a larger package related to military defense. The bicameral legislation, the Fair Chance Act, was included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) led the companion efforts in the House.   This bipartisan bill prohibits the federal... Read More

NEWARK, N.J.—U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, applauded legislation that Governor Phil Murphy (D-NJ) signed into law in New Jersey today that limits solitary confinement and bans the practice for vulnerable populations in state prisons.   “Today’s signing of the Isolated Confinement Restriction Act into law is a historic step towards restoring human dignity for detained New Jerseyans,” Booker said. “Solitary confinement is torture. It is an archaic,... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the below statement following today’s Senate Judiciary Committee markup where Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) agreed to hold a hearing “about the conditions” at the Southern Border after being pressed by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). Two weeks ago, Booker sent a letter to Graham formally requesting such a hearing.    “It’s encouraging that Chairman Graham has agreed to hold a hearing on the... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today will introduce legislation to prohibit the United States Census Bureau from including any citizenship information in the data it provides to states for legislative redistricting. Title 13 of the United States Code mandates that the Census Bureau provide states with the small-area, block-level data necessary for legislative redistricting and population totals. This legislation will safeguard... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), called for an investigation into potentially hazardous emissions from flooring that has been widely installed in public spaces across the country since the 1960s. Some synthetic rubberized floors found in schools, hospitals, and community centers were made using a substance that may release mercury vapor into the air as they deteriorate, posing a potential risk to public... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today blasted the Trump Administration’s immigration policy that limits the number of people allowed to apply for asylum, known as metering, in light of recent fatalities near the Southern Border.    “This administration has used its power to create a humanitarian crisis while stripping migrants of their basic dignity,” Booker wrote, in a letter to Acting DHS Secretary Kevin McAleenan. “Seeking asylum in this country is a legal right, not a tool... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the below statement following his vote in favor of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which would prohibit funds from being used for military operations against Iran without explicit authorization from Congress: “The Trump Administration has chaotically and irresponsibly escalated tensions with Iran by marching our country to the brink of an... Read More

WASHINGTON D.C.—U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today urged the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to more closely examine how racial disparities affect the student debt crisis. The letter comes as Congress considers student loan legislation as part of the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.     In a letter to John C. Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Senator Booker asked that the Bank assess the effects of racial disparities on the... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today introduced the Remove Marijuana from Deportable Offenses Act, which would no longer make marijuana use, possession, and distribution grounds for inadmissibility or deportation under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The bill would end efforts by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to use minor drug offences—including possession of as little as 30 grams of marijuana—to target immigrants for deportation.   According to a Human... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to hold an oversight hearing on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in the wake of “egregious and appalling abuses” revealed in recent news reports.   “I am writing to you to request that the Senate Judiciary Committee hold an oversight hearing over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to provide Committee members... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kamala Harris (D-CA), along with Representative Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) today introduced a resolution honoring the contributions of African Americans to America’s musical heritage. The resolution also calls for greater access to music education for African American students, who received the lowest scores of all ethnicities on the most recent National Assessment for Educational Progress arts assessment. Another recent Department of Education... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09), along with Reps. Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Jeff Van Drew (NJ.-02), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Tom Malinowski (NJ-07), Albio Sires (NJ-08), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ -12) sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross regarding growing concerns about the 2020... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the below statement on the breaking news on Iran:   “For months, this Administration has led us on a march to war, with no off ramp. This is not reality television, where decisions are made in the pursuit of maximum drama. The President together with his top officials have been bent on escalating an already tenuous situation in the Middle East, with no plan in place to de-escalate... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) released the following statement on his vote in support of the resolutions disapproving arm sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE):    “Today’s bipartisan vote disapproving of the Administration’s plan to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Emirates is a clear signal that even the Administration’s allies are fed up with attempts to circumvent Congressional authority and continue to provide arms to Saudi Arabia and the... Read More

WASHINGTON D.C.—U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), along with Congressmen Donald Norcross (D-NJ) and Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), today reintroduced legislation that addresses the country’s real and growing teacher shortage by completely overhauling the current student loan forgiveness program and boosting financial assistance for teachers.    The Supporting the Teaching Profession Through Revitalizing Investments in Valuable Educators (STRIVE) Act would overhaul the student loan forgiveness program by... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today testified on H.R. 40, legislation to study and develop reparations proposals, during a hearing in the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.   Senator Booker’s reparations bill, S.1083, is the Senate companion to H.R. 40 and was introduced in April. It is the first bill introduced in the Senate to study proposals for reparations for African-Americans. The landmark bill has reached 12 cosponsors... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) unanimously voted to advance legislation that could help communities across the country remove lead from drinking water. Specifically, the Water Infrastructure Funding Transfer Bill would give states facing public health crises from lead in drinking water the flexibility to make a one-time transfer of a portion of their available funds from their Clean Water State Revolving Fund to their Drinking Water State... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A bipartisan resolution written by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to designate June 12 as Women Veterans Appreciation Day passed the Senate unanimously. The resolution recognizes the distinguished service of women in the Active Duty, Guard, and Reserve Forces. The date of June 12 is significant, as it marks the anniversary of the signing of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948, allowing women to serve as permanent members of the... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bipartisan bill authored by U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) to modernize the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) income verification process passed the Senate late Thursday, as part of a broader IRS reform package.    The IRS Data Verification Modernization Act, co-authored by Booker and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), would improve the process by which the IRS verifies the income of small businesses and consumers who are seeking credit assessments by automating it.     “It’s... Read More