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Hello Neighbors,
Wishing you all a happy Labor Day as we celebrate the many ways workers and organized labor have strengthened our country. It's been a busy month of August in the 12th District, but I look forward to continuing the important work of representing the 12th District in Washington next week. Let's take a look at the past month.
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Plainfield Hybrid Office Hours
My office is hosting a Hybrid Office Hours next Thursday, September 4th from 11am - 2pm on Zoom and at the Plainfield Public Library, 800 Park Avenue, Plainfield, NJ 07060.
You can RSVP here.
Please stop by if you are having issues navigating a federal agency or accessing your benefits. Someone from our team will be happy to assist you!
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In This Newsletter:
1. CDC Firings and Resignations
2. Federal Takeover of DC
3. ICE Operations in Trenton
4. National Night Out
5. Speech on Anniversary of March on Washington
6. Black Breastfeeding Week
7. Calls to Recognize Palestine
CDC Firings and Resignations
On Thursday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr. fired CDC Director Susan Monarez, less than four weeks after her confirmation. In addition, At least four top CDC officials announced their resignations, including Dr. Debra Houry, the Chief Medical Officer; Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Dr. Daniel Jernigan, the Director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; and Dr. Jen Layden, Director of the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance and Technology.
The firing of the Director of the CDC, as well as the resignations of four other senior CDC officials, are indications of the grave danger Secretary Kennedy represents to the country. The conspiracy theories and medical quackery the Secretary promotes put Americans at risk and threaten American greatness in the field of public health.
This constitutes an emergency. American lives are in jeopardy. I will be introducing a privileged resolution calling for an emergency declaration and taking immediate legislative action calling for the removal of Secretary Kennedy.
As Dr. Daskalakis wrote in his resignation letter, “Their desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults. Their base should be the people they serve, not a political voting bloc.”
Federal Takeover of Washington, D.C.
Trump’s Federal Takeover of Washington, D.C. is an alarming development. This isn’t about crime, which is at a 30-year low in D.C. It’s about creating fear among the people and normalizing state violence, especially against those perceived as not being sufficiently supportive and subservient to Donald Trump.
I’ve signed on to Jaime Raskin’s resolution (H.J.Res. 115) to terminate the “emergency period” Trump is using as his legal excuse for the federalization of DC Metro police.
ICE Operation in Trenton
On Thursday, August 22nd, several vehicles with uniformed ICE and HSI agents arrived at a home on Bayard Street, having stopped a work van and detained Julio Lopez Najera, who was using it to travel to work. Mr. Lopez Najera has a pending application with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services seeking legal status. He has no criminal record. The agents attempted to use threats against Mr. Lopez Najera’s status to gain entry to the home. They did not have a warrant for those in the home and left the scene with Mr. Lopez Najera when a federal judge rejected their application for a warrant.
I spoke with residents, clergy, and community leaders who had gathered at the scene. I told them, “We have the right to be treated as human beings. We have the right to have law enforcement conduct its responsibilities appropriately and legally. When they don’t, it is citizens like you that hold them accountable. You and I, all want people who commit crimes off the streets, so ICE needs to get about its business and take care of the dangerous, and leave those who simply want to work and live and worship and leave that part of the community alone.”
Anniversary of the March on Washington
Thursday marked the 62nd Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. On Sunday, I had the honor of giving the keynote address at a ceremony commemorating that momentous day.
Dr. King explained that while the moral arc of the universe is long and bends towards justice, he also warned us that it is irrational to think “that there is something in the very flow of time that will inevitably cure all ills.”
Our condition will not improve, our future will not brighten, our rights will not be protected, unless and until all of us, together, take action. We cannot be passive participants. We must act in the world to change it.
Black Breastfeeding Week
On Tuesday, Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12) and I introduced a resolution recognizing August 25th, 2025, through August 31st, 2025, as Black Breastfeeding Week to highlight the disparity in breastfeeding rates between Black mothers and white mothers.
According to the CDC’s 2022 Breastfeeding Report Card, only 74% of Black mothers initiated breastfeeding compared to 85% of white mothers. Breastfeeding has been found to have improved health outcomes for infants, including lowering risk of short- and long-term illnesses and diseases, strengthening immune systems, and providing vital nutrients during early childhood development. We must recognize breastfeeding as both a hunger issue and a health equity issue.
Growing Calls to Recognize Palestinian Statehood
This month, I signed onto a letter urging President Trump and Secretary Rubio to take steps toward a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. It supports French President Macron’s recent announcement that France will recognize Palestinian statehood and calls on the United States and other governments to do the same. The letter also recognizes that a Palestinian state is essential to securing both Palestinian national rights and Israel’s future as a democratic Jewish state.
Casework Testimonials
"[Bonnie Watson Coleman's office is] checking in every 30 days without fail" - Howard from Franklin
"I was always able to speak to someone on the telephone." - Beth from Monroe
If you need assistance with a federal agency please reach out to my District Office at (609) 883-0026 or on our website here.
As always, if you would like to share your opinion on legislation or share with me how you feel about the work I'm doing, my DC office is available to take your call at (202) 225-5801 or you can message us here.
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