Edit

Chairman’s Update: Teaming up with North Carolina, NJ’s Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund, Aftermath Hurricane Helene and More

Government and Politics

October 4, 2024


Democrat,

This week voters across the country got to hear directly from Governor Tim Walz and JD Vance in the Vice-Presidential debate. I’m incredibly proud of Governor Walz as he spoke powerfully on abortion and healthcare. One of the most poignant moments was when he reminded Vance that he once said on record that Donald Trump was unsuitable for office. While Vance attempted to make the radical right wing agenda look and sound like a plan for everyday Americans, Governor Walz put a stop to it by pressing him on January 6th and the overturn of Roe vs. Wade. After watching the debate, I hope everyone signed up for a phone/text banking shift or a door knocking shift because we have just 31 days to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

As we have seen in the news this past week, Hurricane Helene has ravished cities and displaced civilians from Florida to Tennessee. We have planned for months to call into North Carolina to #FlipNCBlue and with the support of the NC Dems, we continued with our plan. Our North Carolina counterparts asked us to call into the Eastern part of the state that was not as affected while they were doing wellness checks in the more affected areas. I was proud to join over 100 callers for this tri-state and labor led effort. Special shout out to NC Representative Terence Everett who grew up in NJ and joined us on our call. I invite you to join us next Thursday at 7:00PM for the next phone bank!

I had the amazing opportunity to kick off NJ Black Men for Harris this week in collaboration with our Black Caucus. With so much at stake this election, it’s crucial for every Democrat to get involved and make their voices heard. Join our Black Caucus and help Get Out the Vote in North Carolina, a key swing state in this year’s election! Together, we can elect the first Black, South Asian and woman President.

Governor Phil Murphy announced the allocation of over $25 million from New Jersey’s Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund to enhance efforts against the opioid crisis. The funding will expand legal services for individuals in recovery, improve youth substance use treatment and prevention, and strengthen emergency response initiatives. This new allocation adds to more than $95 million in opioid settlement spending previously announced this year.

“While our collective battle against the overdose epidemic is far from over, we have made tremendous progress in expanding evidence-based care and community-informed support to more New Jerseyans. With today’s announcement, we are reaffirming our commitment to support both individuals and communities that continue to face the tragic impacts of the overdose crisis,” said Governor Murphy.

President Biden and Vice President Harris are leading a robust federal response to Hurricane Helene, focusing on life-saving and life-sustaining efforts in affected communities. The Administration aims to ensure that displaced individuals have quick access to federal resources for essential items and recovery support. In a coordinated effort, President Biden has directed the Department of Defense to deploy up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers to assist with the delivery of food, water, and other critical supplies. This deployment is effective immediately and will enhance the capabilities of FEMA and other agencies to reach the hardest-hit areas swiftly.

“The road to recovery will be long, but know that my Administration will be with you every step of the way. We’re not going to walk away. We’re not going to give up. As we turn toward recovery efforts, we will make certain that no resource is spared to ensure that families, businesses, schools, hospitals, and entire communities can quickly begin their road to rebuilding. Jill and I are praying for those who lost loved ones from Hurricane Helene, and for those whose homes, businesses, and communities were impacted by this terrible storm” said President Biden.

— Chairman LeRoy J. Jones, Jr.

P.S. Shanah Tovah to our Jewish Community as they celebrate Rosh Hashanah!

To our New Jersey Hindu, Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains may the Navratri celebrations over these nine days give your life an unmatched energy and happiness!