tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35518383395827840612024-03-14T01:32:46.071-04:00Latino Action Network BlogLANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476491951497025417noreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-64308185836206023002023-07-11T09:53:00.002-04:002023-07-11T09:56:15.269-04:00New Website<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7JG7DjpX5-1w3H9Te_jAJLKnpqhI014VC6CT4tOqzW2NJQQNwccKMKllIMYqYiq10pG5kFHR6WhRQYYQ54BPofhBcgiuT36hSrxcWTV2AiWe9bNM-eEzvDRu4inkb7Hzk9Qo8OkcOdOQ4O-tL-rXIF216WkVzh8fS_er51t9hwTrodPgCwcTSdDMpRS3I/s790/BBA470E5-CBF1-4ECF-8E43-82F0D46671F0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="790" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7JG7DjpX5-1w3H9Te_jAJLKnpqhI014VC6CT4tOqzW2NJQQNwccKMKllIMYqYiq10pG5kFHR6WhRQYYQ54BPofhBcgiuT36hSrxcWTV2AiWe9bNM-eEzvDRu4inkb7Hzk9Qo8OkcOdOQ4O-tL-rXIF216WkVzh8fS_er51t9hwTrodPgCwcTSdDMpRS3I/s320/BBA470E5-CBF1-4ECF-8E43-82F0D46671F0.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Please visit the Latino Action Network at our new website at: www.LatinoActionNetwork.org</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-49492411272369565712022-01-26T15:27:00.001-05:002022-01-26T15:27:42.501-05:00 Latino Action Network Applauds Appointment of Latina Leader to NJ Apportionment Commission <p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 20pt;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Latino Action Network President Christian Estevez issued the following statement in reaction to the appointment of Laura Matos to the New Jersey Apportionment Commission:<u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><i>We thank New Jersey Democratic Party Chairman LeRoy Jones for appointing a Latina to the New Jersey Apportionment Commission. Laura Matos is a prominent member of our community and has a long, successful track record in state politics and public affairs. Latinos represent more than 20 percent of the New Jersey population, and from the beginning of this process, we have called on the Commission to properly represent our state’s diversity.<u></u> <u></u></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><i><u></u> <u></u></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><i>While this appointment is a good first step toward representation, it is critical that in the coming weeks the Commission work closely with advocates to develop a set of state legislative maps that properly represent our state and our community and build on the gains we made during the last legislative reapportionment process. Our state is the most diverse in the nation, and our Legislature must reflect that fact.<u></u> </i></p>Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-11621056260997228822021-09-17T15:53:00.010-04:002021-09-17T15:57:37.363-04:00 Latino Action Network Endorses New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy for Re-Election<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span> </span></span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IDWvA7PlBvU/YUTyLb3lPvI/AAAAAAABddA/qFuS0z4tUoQU0ZqLOsh1PZxajZ_sub-LgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1562/16034.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="1562" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IDWvA7PlBvU/YUTyLb3lPvI/AAAAAAABddA/qFuS0z4tUoQU0ZqLOsh1PZxajZ_sub-LgCLcBGAsYHQ/w492-h300/16034.jpeg" width="492" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background: white;">The Latino Action Network (LAN)
today announced its endorsement of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy for
re-election. </span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> </span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Citing a long list of accomplishments, members
of the Latino Action Network stated that Phil Murphy kept his promises and deserves
another term as Governor of the State of New Jersey. </span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> </span><br />
<span style="background: white;">“The Latino community has accomplished more with
Phil Murphy than we have under any other Governor in the history of New
Jersey”, said Latino Action Network President Christian Estevez. “Governor
Murphy has been a great partner in helping us move forward on a myriad of
policy issues that have languished under previous administrations.”</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> </span><br />
<span style="background: white;">“The Latino Action Network gives Governor Murphy
special credit for his support for our key priorities including his signing of
bills providing financial aid for DREAMers, driver’s licenses for immigrants,
and the establishment of a fund to assist those that were excluded from relief
during the pandemic,” he added.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> </span><br />
<span style="background: white;">LAN policy leaders provided more examples of the
process the Latino community has made in partnership with Governor Murphy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> </span><br />
<span style="background: white;">“We have made great strides under Governor
Murphy in the area of housing equity and tenant protections. Just this summer
he signed sweeping protections for tenants economically devastated by the
pandemic. He also supported and signed legislation that restricts the ability
of landlords to look back into the past criminal records of prospective
tenants. Everyone deserves a chance at redemption. We look forward to another
four years of Governor Murphy’s progressive agenda,” said Frank Argote-Freyre,
President Emeritus and Chair of LAN Housing Committee</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> </span><br />
<span style="background: white;">“Governor Murphy has signed numerous historic
criminal justice reform and social justice bills into law, like the
legalization of cannabis and the Emergency COVID Bill that humanely released
several thousands of our sisters and brothers from incarceration in 2020. We
look forward to working with the Governor on the implementation of these laws
and continued progress on others,” said Ana “Cuqui” Rivera, Secretary and Chair
of LAN Criminal Justice Reform Committee</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">“In September 2020, Governor Murphy signed into
law New Jersey’s Environmental Justice law, which is the strongest measure in
the nation to protect overburdened communities from pollutants. The law defines
overburdened communities as those where a high percentage of residents are
low-income, minority, and with limited English proficiency. This welcome law
will make Latino communities stronger, healthier, and more resilient,” said
Cynthia Mellon, Chair of LAN Environmental Justice Committee</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> </span><br />
<span style="background: white;">“Over the last few years, Governor Murphy’s
leadership has improved the lives of low-wage and poor families in New Jersey
through expansions of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), an increased minimum
wage, improvements in the Temporary Assistance to Need Families (TANF) program,
access to free college, and other interconnected supports for basic
necessities. With these strong policy changes, residents have a greater quality
of life and we have a stronger economy for all,” said Renee Koubiadis, Chair of
LAN Equity Committee</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> </span><br />
<span style="background: white;">“While we are extremely proud of all we have
accomplished so far with the Governor, we know that we still have much work
left to do,” concluded Estevez. “That is why the Latino Action Network has
endorsed Governor Phil Murphy for another term and will do everything in our
power to help him win re-election.”</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> </span><br />
<span style="background: white;">LAN is a broad, statewide coalition of Latino
organizations dedicated to political empowerment, social justice, the promotion
of civil rights, and the elimination of disparities in various areas including
education, health, housing, and employment. It was founded in 2009.</span><br /></span></p>Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-5080824269332668102021-08-30T08:00:00.014-04:002021-08-30T08:03:51.879-04:00A fair and equitable New Jersey includes affordable housing<p><span face="-apple-system-font" style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 18px;">(The Op-Ed below was written by Frank Argote-Freyre, President Emeritus and Housing Committee Chair of the Latino Action Network.)</span></p><div dir="ltr" id="m_1316610435519294941AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white;"><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/story/opinion/columnists/2021/08/27/fair-and-equitable-new-jersey-must-include-affordable-housing/5584411001/?fbclid%3DIwAR0wgZC7ZxctoFHtfTGMVvEUkGVLbkgVoEP0fjqY__ue4b1NXmxG3m8nM4A&source=gmail&ust=1630410830532000&usg=AFQjCNG4u3EDvPLdn3riqWPURPFsbbJrAQ" href="https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/story/opinion/columnists/2021/08/27/fair-and-equitable-new-jersey-must-include-affordable-housing/5584411001/?fbclid=IwAR0wgZC7ZxctoFHtfTGMVvEUkGVLbkgVoEP0fjqY__ue4b1NXmxG3m8nM4A" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.<wbr></wbr>burlingtoncountytimes.com/<wbr></wbr>story/opinion/columnists/2021/<wbr></wbr>08/27/fair-and-equitable-new-<wbr></wbr>jersey-must-include-<wbr></wbr>affordable-housing/5584411001/<wbr></wbr>?fbclid=<wbr></wbr>IwAR0wgZC7ZxctoFHtfTGMVvEUkGVL<wbr></wbr>bkgVoEP0fjqY__<wbr></wbr>ue4b1NXmxG3m8nM4A</a></p><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%;">In New Jersey, too many families and individuals are fighting uphill battles to meet basic needs, including the need for quality affordable housing. Due to the Mount Laurel Doctrine, towns throughout the state are legally required to provide affordable housing units for low- and moderate-income residents. As a result of this doctrine, thousands of working poor families have found housing across New Jersey.</p><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%;">The success of the Mount Laurel Doctrine bothers some folks in the suburbs and wealthier communities who now must share their piece of paradise with — <em style="max-width: 100%;">gasp</em> — poor people of all complexions.</p><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%;">A recent opinion piece, <a rel="noopener" style="color: #416ed2; max-width: 100%;">“New Jersey must do better on housing policy to aid low-income families,”</a> smeared the Mount Laurel Doctrine as a lucrative tool for developers that does not fulfill the intent of municipalities to provide affordable housing opportunities.</p><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%;">What does the author, a philosophy professor from Fordham University, suggest? He proposes incentives to rehabilitate housing in areas in “need of renewal.” Why? So, more people are not “crammed” into his suburban town of Caldwell. His solution was tried for two decades in the late 1990s and early 2000s and led to ongoing segregation. There is nothing wrong with renewing impoverished areas, but maybe, working poor families might also want to live in the suburbs?</p><figure style="clear: both; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.65); font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 1.4em 0px; max-width: 100%;"></figure><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%;">For years, low-income people were excluded from participating in economic growth in our state. New Jersey towns saw populations grow, new housing developments built, and new businesses established. All this occurred as municipal land regulations excluded affordable housing opportunities, keeping those unable to pay for a home out of the community.</p><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%;">Imagine being unable to access decent housing, a safe neighborhood, or a good school simply because your family does not make enough money. The discriminatory zoning practices that existed throughout the state prior to the Mount Laurel Doctrine displaced poor residents who ended up being systematically left behind.</p><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%;">In January 2017, after multiple cases over many years, the New Jersey Supreme Court finally deemed exclusionary land-use unconstitutional and required every municipality across the state to provide realistic affordable housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents.</p><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%;">But years of exclusionary practices will take a long time to rectify.</p><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%;">There are now over 300 municipalities, across New Jersey, working to address the lack of affordable housing. Local officials in these towns know their obligations regarding the number of affordable units they must create. They are working to redevelop or build affordable housing through public planning processes. Towns are utilizing a mix of strategies to increase housing availability, finding creative ways to meet affordable housing obligations with projects well suited to the community.</p><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%;">This planning is important, for the demand for housing in New Jersey is great. Approvals for new housing are not thrust upon local communities from on high but are the result of local decisions about what is best for each community. The Mount Laurel Doctrine serves as the mechanism that ensures communities and properties do not price out low- and moderate-income residents. How each community meets their obligation is theirs to determine, so long as their obligation is met.</p><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%;">New Jersey is a desirable place to live. Over the past century, we have experienced consistent population growth that continues to this day. To fully realize our potential as an inclusive state where economic growth is achieved, we need to ensure that all New Jerseyans have the chance to live wherever they want, and that means having access to the sublime pleasures of suburbia.</p><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 18px; max-width: 100%;">We have a long way to go to ensure access to affordable housing for all, but with each individual and family who moves to a new town, the vision for a fair and equitable New Jersey comes closer to reality.</p></div>Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-22840104124583886302021-07-28T13:03:00.003-04:002021-07-28T13:03:28.716-04:00Testimony By the Latino Action Network at the New Jersey ARPA Virtual Hearing II<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9IYpQHF-mC0/XQqjVnTQPsI/AAAAAAABMSg/B6C9-EohOH86DSC_OATmE7KPA8JpVCKLACPcBGAYYCw/s604/12106822_10153668661850420_5561726967612501632_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="604" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9IYpQHF-mC0/XQqjVnTQPsI/AAAAAAABMSg/B6C9-EohOH86DSC_OATmE7KPA8JpVCKLACPcBGAYYCw/s320/12106822_10153668661850420_5561726967612501632_n.jpg" /></a></i></div><i><br /></i><p><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">LAN President Christian Estevez spoke at the second </span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica;">New Jersey's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) hearing. The following is his testimony:</span></i></p><p><i><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></i></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Good Morning, my name is Christian Estevez and I am the president of the Latino Action Network.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted New Jersey’s Latino Community, with Latinos having the highest rates of COVID infection and COVID-related deaths. For those of us in the Latino community, this is not just a statistic. Over the past year and a half, we have lost far too many family members and friends to this deadly virus. I will not even try to list those Latinos who were close to me that perished during this pandemic because my time allotment today will not allow it.<br /><br />In the coming years, we will see many studies that try to figure out why Latinos were overrepresented by the negative impacts of this pandemic. However, those of us on the ground in the community see the causes first hand. We know that Latinos were more likely to work in jobs that did not allow them shelter in place by working from home. At the height of the pandemic, Latinos continued to work on the front lines providing essential services to New Jerseyans at great risk to their lives. Too many did not survive. For those that did survive, too many ended up worse off than they already were prior to the pandemic.<br /><br />As the Governor has said on many occasions, the pandemic did not create inequity in communities of color, but it has laid those inequities bare. <br /><br />Latino Community based organizations have a long history of providing much-needed direct outreach and social services to hard-to-reach Latino and immigrant communities throughout New Jersey. However, funding to these organizations which has always been inadequate has been severely cut over the past decade. <br /><br />If we are to make sure that all New Jerseyans participate in the recovery from this pandemic, we have to make additional investments in communities that were already behind prior to the pandemic and have fallen further behind during the pandemic.<br /> <br />The Latino Action Network asks that American Rescue Plan funds be used to:</div><ul style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><li style="margin-left: 15px; text-align: left;">Provide an additional $2 million to the Center for Hispanic Policy, Research, and Development targeted for direct services. These services should include expanding the capacity of community-based organizations to provide affordable immigration legal services and multi-service outreach in Latino communities. These multi-service programs will help offset the gap in COVID-19 testing and vaccination among Latino immigrants, as well as identify families in need of mediation for other basic life needs.</li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><li style="margin-left: 15px; text-align: left;">Provide sufficient support for the Fund for Excluded New Jerseyans so that all people left behind from aid that are in need are able to access relief. Each individual that was excluded from aid during the pandemic should receive a $2,000 payment. Furthermore, many workers who lost their jobs were excluded from aid and have not received a penny in unemployment insurance, despite the fact that undocumented workers have paid more than $1.3 billion into the system over the past ten years in New Jersey. The Fund for Excluded New Jerseyans should also provide unemployment-like benefits in the form of $600 per week payments to workers that lost their jobs during the pandemic but do not qualify for unemployment insurance due to their immigration status. The total cost of this program is approximately $989 million. </li></ul><div style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">The State of New Jersey is in a unique position to make investments that will make sure that Latinos get to participate in the State’s recovery. We ask that you do so.</div>Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-54279165445383612182021-07-24T15:06:00.002-04:002021-07-24T15:07:17.690-04:00LAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM COMMITTEE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT 2021<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9IYpQHF-mC0/XQqjVnTQPsI/AAAAAAABMSg/B6C9-EohOH86DSC_OATmE7KPA8JpVCKLACPcBGAYYCw/s604/12106822_10153668661850420_5561726967612501632_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="604" height="254" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9IYpQHF-mC0/XQqjVnTQPsI/AAAAAAABMSg/B6C9-EohOH86DSC_OATmE7KPA8JpVCKLACPcBGAYYCw/w254-h254/12106822_10153668661850420_5561726967612501632_n.jpg" width="254" /></span></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The murder of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer, in what should have been a routine arrest, has ignited a national debate over the practices of police departments across the country and in New Jersey. One year after Floyd’s death, an AP-NORC poll shows 45% of Americans believe police violence against the public is extreme or very serious. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The shooting death of 14-year-old Adam Toledo by Chicago police has brought police violence against Latinos to the forefront and UnidosUS (formerly the National Council of La Raza) is partnering with Black Lives Matter groups to call attention to the disproportionate rate of Latino deaths at the hands of police officers (27 deaths per million residents for Latinos) versus 36 per million for African Americans and 15 per million for whites). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">While many local departments continue to cling to and defend outmoded policing practices, the Latino Action Network recommends the following actions, which we believe will substantially reduce police violence and bring law enforcement strategies into the 21st century:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Require each county and each municipality of 100,000+ residents to establish Civilian Complaint Review Boards under the control of the Administrative Office of the Courts, with subpoena and investigatory powers as approved by a judge of the Superior Court.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Review and update currently available trainings/regulations on de-escalation techniques. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Eliminate “qualified immunity” for all local and state law enforcement officers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Develop guidelines for tiered disciplinary actions for misconduct.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Enforce mandatory use of body cameras and discipline officers who turn off or manipulate the device in order to obscure an interaction.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Reverse the militarization of police department weapons, vehicles, tactics, and equipment.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Establish police-mental health collaborations to minimize the use of police officers in situations involving people with mental health or substance use disorders.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Pass laws that require forfeiture of pension for public servants who commit egregious violent acts or felonies and use forfeited funds to improve community/law enforcement relations.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Provide “active bystander” training to encourage officers to intervene when witnessing misconduct by another officer and increase safe reporting systems to protect officers who report misconduct.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Update licensing and decertification standards to increase the professionalization of law enforcement personnel.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Conduct psychological, culturally appropriate screening of recruits and officers, perform periodic reviews and retraining, as needed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Provide greater and more effective supervision of officers in the field.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Emphasize the use of non-lethal methods to immobilize and restrain suspects and control crowds. Increase funding for research into the development of new methods for non-lethal restraint of violent or dangerous suspects.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Increase diversity of police personnel at all levels through statewide mandates that prioritize diversity in recruitment and hiring practices.</span></p>Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-69388124888386495492021-07-24T14:41:00.010-04:002021-07-24T14:47:31.658-04:00LAN Board Member, Community Advocate, & Diversity Business Leader Elisa Charters Appointed to NJIT Board of Trustees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QForkd9EgQ4/YPxe0ojGYNI/AAAAAAABda0/upJveWLpOKwYfDOR6kDUPvd3bSdSlb5uwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1140/elisacharters.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1140" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QForkd9EgQ4/YPxe0ojGYNI/AAAAAAABda0/upJveWLpOKwYfDOR6kDUPvd3bSdSlb5uwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/elisacharters.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Elisa Charters, a stalwart for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and a dedicated alumna of New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), has been appointed to its Board of Trustees.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Charters, a first-generation college student-athlete who attended NJIT with support from its Educational Opportunity Program, said, “I cannot express how extremely proud I am in this moment — as a daughter and first to attend college, as a mother of a daughter and son, as a wife of an NJIT alumnus (Brian Charters M.Eng. ’93) and most especially as a Latina advocate and professional representing other multicultural women who led before me and those who will follow.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Charters is a principal in the consultancy EAC Business International and president of Latina Surge, a national nonprofit advocacy organization that she co-founded in 2015. Her NJIT roots run deep, as she earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees here, has served on the Board of Advisors of its Martin Tuchman School of Management since 2014 and this year became a charter member of its Hispanic and Latinx Leadership Council (HLLC). The HLLC partners with corporate leaders and prominent community and professional organizations like the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of N.J. as it seeks to enroll more Hispanic and Latinx students and fuel NJIT’s drive to earn the federal designation of being a Hispanic-serving institution.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Charters personifies NJIT’s actionable goals in its strategic plan, as the university works to achieve DEIB across its core priorities of students, faculty, research, resources, and prominence. As the third Latina to serve on the Board, this appointment represents another concrete step toward progress.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">“The Trustees and I look forward to the significant contribution that Elisa will make,” NJIT President Joel S. Bloom said. “She embodies the best of NJIT: smart, driven, passionate, and a champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion. And Elisa’s dedication to her alma mater is exceptional.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">In addition to her degrees at NJIT — a bachelor’s in environmental science/science, technology, and society in 1992 and a master’s in environmental science/chemical engineering in 1993 — Charters holds a master of international affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, a graduate certificate in commercial real estate, development and finance from New York University, professional certification in diversity and inclusion from Cornell University’s ILR School and ABA paralegal accreditation from Fairleigh Dickinson University.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Charters has also served on the Essex County Planning Board; Columbia University’s Task Force on Belonging; the Latino Alumni Association of Columbia University, where she is president; the Board of Advisors of the Feliciano School of Business at Montclair State University; and the Board of Regents at Delbarton School. She’s passionate about volunteering to serve women and children at risk, as a global network leader within the Lean In organization, a sustainer of the Junior League of Montclair-Newark, and a Latino Action Network Steering Committee member. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Gov. Phil Murphy’s appointment of Elisa to NJIT’s Board marks her third gubernatorial appointment. She previously served as vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the N.J. Health Care Facilities Financing Authority under former Gov. Chris Christie and on the N.J. Minority and Business Advisory Board under former Gov. Jon Corzine.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Earlier in her career, Charters spent 14 years at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which hired her directly from NJIT’s Career Development Services. While there, she held a series of progressively responsible roles — from management fellow to lead negotiator for site acquisitions and operations in the redevelopment of the World Trade Center and ultimately, assistant comptroller for Port Commerce financial services. She also served as president of the Port Authority Hispanic Society, a Latinx employee affinity group.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Charters began her term as a Trustee this month. NJIT’s 15-member board is chaired by alumnus Robert C. Cohen ’83, ’84, ’87, the president of digital, robotics, and enabling technologies at Stryker.</span></p><p></p>Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-28042193758088463512021-03-15T22:25:00.001-04:002021-03-15T22:25:11.671-04:00Latino Action Network Applauds the Nomination of Rachel Wainer Apter to the New Jersey Supreme Court<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">The Latino Action Network applauds Governor Murphy for nominating Rachel Wainer Apter to the New Jerry Supreme Court. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;">Director of the Division of Civil Rights since October 2018, Apter received her J.D. from Harvard Law School magna cum laude and her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania summa cum laude.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;">She began her career as a law clerk to federal judges on the Southern District of New York, the Second Circuit, and finally Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court. She went on to become a highly experienced appellate litigator both for a global law firm (Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP) and at the ACLU, where she worked on cases involving voting rights and civil rights.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;">“At times like these, when the civil rights of people of color are under attack throughout our nation, it is refreshing to see such a strong fighter for equality nominated to the highest court in our state.”, said Latino Action Network President Christian Estevez. “Rachel Wainer Apter has time and again proven her commitment to protecting the most vulnerable, including immigrants.”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;">Rachel Wainer Apter’s work on behalf of immigrants include:</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;"><i>• Successfully argued on behalf of New Jersey in federal court against Texas’s efforts to end the DACA program for Dreamers;</i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;"><em>• Principal drafter of the Immigrant Trust Directive, ensuring that victims and witnesses can report crimes without fear of deportation;</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;">“The New Jersey Supreme Court will be stronger with the addition of such a highly qualified and accomplished jurist.”, concluded Estevez. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;">LAN is a broad, statewide coalition of Latino organizations dedicated to political empowerment, the promotion of civil rights, and the elimination of disparities in the areas of education, health, and employment. It was founded in 2009.</p>Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-25587536063405832562021-03-04T13:04:00.000-05:002021-03-04T13:04:13.848-05:002021 LAN (Virtual) Legislative Conference - Register NOW!!!<p> <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z__3mA-3f7I/YC3uK7TKLHI/AAAAAAAAH-8/WnJbGCEWIUYgrLV0f3PIDK8_X8IZ8DAuwCPcBGAYYCw/s1200/6EC8965A-8DD3-467A-B50A-66DED480C848.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z__3mA-3f7I/YC3uK7TKLHI/AAAAAAAAH-8/WnJbGCEWIUYgrLV0f3PIDK8_X8IZ8DAuwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/6EC8965A-8DD3-467A-B50A-66DED480C848.png" width="320" /></a></p><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/latino-action-network-2021-annual-legislative-virtual-conference-tickets-139259664405?fbclid=IwAR0GbXKMwWHqFd2rAX8U9BN0ltP57vy104wZNOzHRAtsKUD0VRY9jTDSgWk">REGISTER HERE FOR TICKET TO CONFERENCE</a> <br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
Latino Action Network’s annual Legislative Conference is the largest
gathering of Hispanic community organizers and public policy advocates
in the state of New Jersey. The 2020 conference was attended by over 350
activists and elected officials from every corner of our great state.
As we head into this new year, we are looking forward to continuing to
address the political and social issues that affect all Latinos living
in our communities.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;"><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: large;">The conference will take place on Saturday, March 6th, 2021, VIRTUALLY</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/latino-action-network-2021-annual-legislative-virtual-conference-tickets-139259664405?fbclid=IwAR0GbXKMwWHqFd2rAX8U9BN0ltP57vy104wZNOzHRAtsKUD0VRY9jTDSgWk">REGISTER HERE FOR TICKET TO CONFERENCE</a> <br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;">The
Latino Action Network’s annual Legislative Conference is the largest
gathering of Hispanic community organizers and public policy advocates
all around the state of New Jersey. The 2020 conference was attended by
over 350 activists and elected officials from every corner of our great
state. As we head into this new year, we are looking forward to
continuing to address the political and social issues that affect all
Latinos living in our communities.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;">The conference will take place on Saturday, March 6th, 2021, VIRTUALLY</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;">The
schedule will include a full day’s program, with keynote presentations
from federal and state legislators plus dynamic workshops with panels
discussing a full array of issues in accordance with our legislative
agenda for 2021 and beyond.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;">These
VIRTUAL PANELS will focus on immigration, political empowerment,
workers' rights, criminal justice, and many other topics. We are asking
those who register to consider attending two of these panels based on
their interests and legislative priorities. </div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;">The
Latino Action Network is looking forward to your presence during our
annual conference, as we work together to advocate for the Latino
community all around the state of New Jersey.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;">This
event is hosted by the Latino Action Network (LAN) in collaboration
with The Latino Institute, Inc., a private, non-profit, charitable
organization, and the Latino Coalition, a member organization of the
Latino Action Network.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;">*NOTE* LINK to Latino Action Network 2021 Annual Legislative Virtual Conference will be sent to registered participants only.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;">#latinonetworking</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;">#latinoactionnetwork</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;">#njlatinos</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;">#lan2021</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: top;"> </div></span></div></div>
<span style="font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/latino-action-network-2021-annual-legislative-virtual-conference-tickets-139259664405?fbclid=IwAR0GbXKMwWHqFd2rAX8U9BN0ltP57vy104wZNOzHRAtsKUD0VRY9jTDSgWk">REGISTER HERE FOR TICKET TO CONFERENCE</a> </span> <br /></span><p> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-21912483209767407012021-01-20T21:59:00.004-05:002021-01-20T22:05:21.622-05:00 Menendez to Lead Biden-Harris Immigration Legislation in the Senate<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><div lang="EN-US"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PQgn44ToKiQ/YAju3WytLRI/AAAAAAABcZk/E_hc2BjfjCc5HyAPMJSbTU9rSqxZADY0ACLcBGAsYHQ/s373/image001.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="175" data-original-width="373" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PQgn44ToKiQ/YAju3WytLRI/AAAAAAABcZk/E_hc2BjfjCc5HyAPMJSbTU9rSqxZADY0ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/image001.png" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /> </span></b><u></u><u></u><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>Menendez to Lead Biden-Harris Immigration Legislation in the Senate</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></p><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><div lang="EN-US"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who has spent decades fighting for immigrant rights and reforms to our nation’s broken immigration system, announced today that he will lead the legislative effort in the U.S. Senate<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>and introduce the Biden-Harris Administration’s immigration<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>bill to build a fair, humane and functional immigration system.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">“The past four years have been traumatic for immigrant communities who have endured relentless attacks from the Trump Administration. Today, we turn the page on this dark chapter of our history and begin the hard work of repairing the damage and rebuilding a better union that reflects the values of our nation. As the son of Cuban immigrants and someone who has spent my adult life fighting for immigration reform, I am filled with hope to have President Biden and Vice President Harris as strong partners to advance a bold vision for immigration reform,” said Menendez.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b> </b><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">“This plan is not only about fixing our broken immigration system, but building a better one that reunites families, brings the undocumented community out of the shadows and on a path to citizenship, stands up for human rights, addresses root causes of migration, and includes a smart border security strategy," Menendez explained. "As I prepare this bill for introduction, I know all too well from my work with the ‘Gang of Eight’ that passing immigration reform through the United States Congress will be a challenging task. However, there is a moral and economic imperative to get this done.”<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Menendez added, “History shows our nation is stronger and more prosperous when we embrace immigration and treat immigrants with the dignity and respect every human deserves. Immigrants will always be our country’s greatest believers in the American Dream. I have lived that dream, just as Vice President Harris has, and I look forward to working with her, President Biden, and their administration to build a 21<sup>st</sup> century immigration system that keeps the promise of this dream alive for generations to come.”<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Sen. Menendez has been a life-long advocate for Latinos and immigrant families in New Jersey and across the nation, consistently calling immigration reform one of the few unresolved civil rights issues of our time. </span></p></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><div lang="EN-US"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.menendez.senate.gov/news-and-events/press/video-menendez-announces-support-for-bipartisan-deal-to-protect-dreamers-from-deportation&source=gmail&ust=1611283279395000&usg=AFQjCNHWAUsqvM8vLnBHfNeGja18wawCgA" href="https://www.menendez.senate.gov/news-and-events/press/video-menendez-announces-support-for-bipartisan-deal-to-protect-dreamers-from-deportation" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Sen. Menendez was a member of the “Gang of Six” that crafted a bipartisan DACA bill to provide Dreamers with a pathway to citizenship</a><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>that garnered 54 votes in the Senate, after Trump refused to support it.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">In 2013, <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.menendez.senate.gov/news-and-events/press/menendez-bipartisan-gang-of-8-introduce-common-sense-immigration-reform&source=gmail&ust=1611283279395000&usg=AFQjCNHVHVKOYeW5QULVhVfoT7vJ7Co0vw" href="https://www.menendez.senate.gov/news-and-events/press/menendez-bipartisan-gang-of-8-introduce-common-sense-immigration-reform" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Sen. Menendez was also a member of the “Gang of Eight”</a><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>that passed bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform in 2013 by an overwhelming majority in the U.S. Senate, only to be blocked by Republican leaders from coming to a vote in the House of Representatives. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><u></u> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">---</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="ES-US" style="color: #2e75b6;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Menéndez Presentará Reforma Migratoria de la Administración Biden-Harris en el Senado<u></u><u></u></span></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="ES-US" style="color: #2e75b6;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><u></u> <u></u></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span lang="ES-US">WASHINGTON, DC - El senador estadounidense Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), quien por décadas ha luchado por los derechos de los inmigrantes y para reformar el sistema migratorio</span><span lang="ES-US" style="color: #1f497d;"> </span><span lang="ES-US">de nuestra nación, anunció hoy que liderará el esfuerzo legislativo en el Senado para presentar el proyecto de ley de la administración Biden-Harris para construir un sistema de inmigración justo, humano y funcional.<u></u><u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="ES-US"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><u></u> <u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="ES-US"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">“Los últimos cuatro años han sido verdaderamente traumáticos para las comunidades migrantes, teniendo que aguantar un sinnúmero de ataques de parte de la Administración Trump. Hoy, pasamos la página de este capítulo oscuro de nuestra historia y comenzamos el arduo trabajo de reparar el daño y reconstruir una mejor unión que refleje los valores de nuestra nación. Como hijo de inmigrantes cubanos y alguien que ha dedicado su carrera a luchar por la reforma migratoria y los derechos del inmigrante, estoy lleno de esperanza de contar con el presidente Biden y a la vicepresidenta Harris como aliados firmes para por fin lograr una visión audaz de una reforma migratoria”, dijo el Senador Menéndez.<b><u></u><u></u></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="ES-US"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><u></u> <u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="ES-US"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">“Este plan no solo se trata de arreglar nuestro sistema migratorio deficiente, sino de construir uno mejor que reúna a las familias, saque a la comunidad indocumentada de las sombras y los ponga en un camino hacia la ciudadanía, defienda los derechos humanos, aborde las causas fundamentales de la migración e incluya una estrategia de seguridad fronteriza que haga sentido. A medida que empezamos a preparar este proyecto de ley para su presentación oficial en el Senado, tengo muy claro por mi experiencia con la "Banda de los Ocho" lo verdaderamente difícil que será aprobar una reforma migratoria en el Congreso de los Estados Unidos. Sin embargo, hoy más que nunca, contamos con un imperativo moral y económico para lograrlo lo antes posible".<u></u><u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="ES-US"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><u></u> <u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span lang="ES-US">Menéndez agregó:</span><span lang="ES-US"> “La historia demuestra que nuestra nación es más fuerte y más próspera cuando reconocemos los beneficios de la inmigración y tratamos a los inmigrantes con la dignidad y el respeto que todo ser humano merece. Los inmigrantes siempre serán los mayores creyentes del Sueño Americano en nuestro país. He vivido ese sueño en carne propia, al igual que la vicepresidenta Harris, y espero trabajar con ella, el presidente Biden y su administración para construir un sistema migratorio del siglo 21 que mantenga viva la promesa de este sueño para futuras generaciones”.<u></u><u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="ES-US"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><u></u> <u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span lang="ES-US">El Senador Menéndez ha sido un constante defensor de los latinos y las familias inmigrantes en Nueva Jersey y en todo el país, y constantemente ha llamado la reforma migratoria uno de los pocos problemas de derechos civiles sin resolver de nuestros tiempos. En 2018, <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.menendez.senate.gov/newsroom/press/menendez-rubio-durbin-leahy-introduce-temporary-protected-status-legislation-to-support-displaced-venezuelans&source=gmail&ust=1611283279395000&usg=AFQjCNEPAcaDxmwhPYi9NTwQTXhcWjS61w" href="https://www.menendez.senate.gov/newsroom/press/menendez-rubio-durbin-leahy-introduce-temporary-protected-status-legislation-to-support-displaced-venezuelans" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">lideró el esfuerzo para proteger a los venezolanos desplazados</a> que huyen de las terribles condiciones en su país y para brindar apoyo a los sistemas migratorios en los países que rodean a Venezuela. </span><span lang="ES-US" style="color: #2e75b6;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.menendez.senate.gov/news-and-events/press/video-menendez-announces-support-for-bipartisan-deal-to-protect-dreamers-from-deportation&source=gmail&ust=1611283279395000&usg=AFQjCNHWAUsqvM8vLnBHfNeGja18wawCgA" href="https://www.menendez.senate.gov/news-and-events/press/video-menendez-announces-support-for-bipartisan-deal-to-protect-dreamers-from-deportation" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2e75b6;">El Senador Menéndez también fue miembro de la llamada “Banda de los Seis” que presentó un proyecto de ley bipartidista de DACA para brindarles a los soñadores un camino hacia la ciudadanía</span></a></span><span lang="ES-US">. Este proyecto obtuvo 54 votos en el Senado, luego de que el Presidente Trump se negara a apoyarlo.<u></u><u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="ES-US"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><u></u> <u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="ES-US"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">En 2013, <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.menendez.senate.gov/news-and-events/press/menendez-bipartisan-gang-of-8-introduce-common-sense-immigration-reform&source=gmail&ust=1611283279395000&usg=AFQjCNHVHVKOYeW5QULVhVfoT7vJ7Co0vw" href="https://www.menendez.senate.gov/news-and-events/press/menendez-bipartisan-gang-of-8-introduce-common-sense-immigration-reform" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">el Senador Menéndez también fue miembro de la llamada “Banda de los Ocho”</a> que logró aprobar una reforma migratoria bipartidista en 2013 por una abrumadora mayoría en el Senado de los Estados Unidos, solo para ser bloqueada por líderes republicanos en la Cámara de Representantes.</span></span></p></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote>Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-47885248673557622282020-12-23T10:56:00.003-05:002020-12-23T10:56:35.512-05:00We need safeguards to ensure that Latinos and others can fully participate in the political process | Opinion<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JHMDs7EH-XE/X-NomjSTIUI/AAAAAAABcV4/D_SI4ySPSxIbZ-QKAQehGvXXnPjLhD3xQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/NJ%2Bdemographic%2Bmap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JHMDs7EH-XE/X-NomjSTIUI/AAAAAAABcV4/D_SI4ySPSxIbZ-QKAQehGvXXnPjLhD3xQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/NJ%2Bdemographic%2Bmap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">This originally appeared in NJ.com:</span><p></p><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://LatinoActionNetwork.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3D384f3dbc874eea974a038dec1%26id%3Dd552ee1c14%26e%3Dd686510364&source=gmail&ust=1608825115881000&usg=AFQjCNGCaQ_pUg6q8_bWZCc120W0CBETzQ" href="https://latinoactionnetwork.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=384f3dbc874eea974a038dec1&id=d552ee1c14&e=d686510364" style="background-color: white; color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" target="_blank">https://www.nj.com/opinion/<wbr></wbr>2020/12/we-need-safeguards-to-<wbr></wbr>ensure-that-<span class="il">latinos</span>-and-<wbr></wbr>others-can-fully-participate-<wbr></wbr>in-the-political-process-<wbr></wbr>opinion.html</a><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">By Star-Ledger Guest Columnist</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">By Christian Estevez</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">The chairmen of both of New Jersey’s major political parties missed an important opportunity to demonstrate their parties’ commitment to diversity. They announced a slate of members to sit on the Apportionment Commission, responsible for drawing new state legislative districts, that drastically underrepresent the </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Latino</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;"> community.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Even though </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Latinos</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;"> make up more than 20% of the state’s residents, not a single member of the 10-person board is Hispanic. Similarly, Black New Jerseyans and women are dramatically underrepresented.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Representation is important because it ensures that the people who are drawing our legislative maps understand the experiences of communities of color, women and other traditionally represented groups.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Now that both political parties have made their picks to serve on the Apportionment Commission, it will be up to Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, who appoints the tie-breaking vote, to address these critical diversity issues with his selection. Every prior tiebreaker has been a white man; it is time to recognize that this tiebreaker role can and should also be inclusive of women and people of color.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">While party leaders have failed to appoint a properly representative commission, our elected leaders in Trenton do have an opportunity to dismantle a series of structural problems with the redistricting process that have long frustrated the ability of disadvantaged groups to engage in the political process.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">While New Jersey is one of the most diverse states in the nation, our political system is still largely controlled by white, male, and suburban political interests.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">The Legislature’s decision to push back redistricting because of the COVID-19 pandemic gives lawmakers time to pass a comprehensive constitutional amendment that will protect the rights of disadvantaged groups, particularly Hispanic and Black New Jerseyans, and ensure that we are finally properly represented in Trenton.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">A group of civil rights organizations, including the </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Latino</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;"> </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Action</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;"> Network, has come together to demand that key reforms to the redistricting process be enshrined in the Constitution to provide protections for communities of color and other disadvantaged groups.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">As currently written, the state Constitution is practically silent on how districts can be drawn — which gives political insiders a free hand to choose districts that serve them and not the people they represent.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">These reforms would change that dynamic.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Most important, we are asking that the Constitution be amended to include an objective set of standards for any legislative maps.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">These standards would be designed to prevent </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Latinos</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">, Black New Jerseyans, and other so-called “communities of interest” from having their political power diluted by having their neighborhoods split into multiple legislative districts. They would also codify important protections that have been watered down at the federal level as national Republicans attack civil rights laws, like the federal Voting Rights Act.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Similarly, we are asking that new legislative districts avoid splitting towns, cities, and counties into separate districts as much as possible.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">At the same time, to prevent gerrymandering, the commission should have clear standards to stop the commissioners from drawing maps that favor one political party over another.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">To ensure a transparent process, the commission should be required to hold multiple public hearings that are broadcast statewide. Advocates should be able to submit their own proposed legislative maps for public review, and the commission should be required to issue a report justifying the maps that they do adopt.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">To prevent an obvious conflict of interest, state legislators should not be permitted to draw their own maps and should thus be barred from serving on the commission.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">At a time when progressives nationally are pushing for new safeguards to protect the political process from partisan gerrymandering and attacks on our civil rights laws, it’s time that New Jersey’s legislators step up and provide a model for what a fair redistricting process looks like.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Legislative leaders must take advantage of this once in a decade opportunity to establish important safeguards to demonstrate that they care about ensuring that </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Latinos</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;"> and other traditionally excluded communities get the opportunity to fully participate in the political process.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Christian Estevez is president of the </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Latino</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;"> </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;">Action</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 20px;"> Network.</span></div>Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-16270380784842574452020-12-14T19:12:00.000-05:002020-12-14T19:12:04.974-05:00Latino Action Network Political Action Committee Endorses Mayor Wilda Diaz for Re-Election in Perth Amboy Run-off<p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Contact:</span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Christian Estevez, President</span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: right;"><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-DO;">(973)
418-7012</span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: right;"><a href="mailto:esteveznj@gmail.com"><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-DO;">esteveznj@gmail.com</span></a><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-DO;"></span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: right;"><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-DO;"> </span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: right;"><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-DO;">Daniel
Ulloa</span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: right;"><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-DO;">(908)
421-1422</span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: right;"><a href="mailto:dlulloa216@gmail.com"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">dlulloa216@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Latino Action Network Political Action Committee Endorses Mayor Wilda
Diaz for Re-Election</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">in Perth Amboy Run-off</span></b>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">PERTH-AMBOY
- The Latino Action Network Political Action Committee [LAN-PAC] today endorsed
Incumbent Mayor Wilda Diaz for Re-Election in the Perth Amboy Mayoral run-off
race against challenger Helmin J. Caba.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In
deciding to endorse Diaz, the committee considered her years of advocacy on many
issues important to Latino communities. LAN-PAC acknowledged Caba’s talent and
potential, but it did not outweigh Diaz’s record of accomplishment.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Mayor
Wilda Diaz has stood with our community for more than a decade,” said LAN
President Christian Estevez.<span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">“On issues of affordable housing,
immigrant rights, and Latino political empowerment, she has been a powerful and
constant voice locally and on the state level. At every turn, her
administration has sought to address the specific needs of the immigrant
population in her city.”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Among the issues cited for the endorsement was
her advocacy of emergency COVID legislation to protect renters from eviction. Diaz
endorsed a plan this summer to allow tenants to pay back rent in installments
over many months rather than face homelessness.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">She has spoken out about the need for driver’s
licenses for the undocumented and in-state tuition for Dreamers. As one of the
few Latina mayors in New Jersey, she has served as a role model for more than a
decade.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">“The Perth Amboy community, and Latinos in
particular, have no greater advocate than Wilda Diaz, and we enthusiastically
endorse her candidacy,” Estevez concluded.</span></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-60552496329547092522020-10-22T09:31:00.003-04:002020-10-22T11:08:00.405-04:00Latino Action Network Phone Bank for Joe Biden<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
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</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b> <br /></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> Latino Action Network Phone Bank for Joe Biden</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4UWAB_S14u8/X5GJfdRkZaI/AAAAAAAAHu4/RzO4Yv-7KL8PTJ0ZLR6Qao630R_WNo5kwCLcBGAsYHQ/s948/LAN%2B-%2BTodos%2Bcon%2BBiden.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="948" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4UWAB_S14u8/X5GJfdRkZaI/AAAAAAAAHu4/RzO4Yv-7KL8PTJ0ZLR6Qao630R_WNo5kwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/LAN%2B-%2BTodos%2Bcon%2BBiden.png" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Please join the
Latino Action Network in making phone calls into battleground states to encourage
people to vote for Joe Biden for President.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>We will be
coming together to make calls on Thursday, October 22, 2020 from
7 pm - 9 pm.</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Latinos in the
United States cannot afford another four years of Donald Trump as
President.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under Donald Trump’s
presidency we have witnessed the caging of babies who were torn from their
mothers and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 that has infected and killed
Latinos at a rate that is higher than any other community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>President Trump has shown a complete lack of
concern for the Latino victims of the Coronavirus just as he ignored the death
and suffering of thousands of victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Latinos have an
opportunity to throw Donald Trump out of office and rid our nation of his
hateful leadership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is imperative
that Latinos turn out in record numbers to elect Joe Biden as our next
President so we can begin to rebuild our country into one that looks out for all
of its residents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Please
register in advance below to help us make phone calls into battleground states
for Joe Biden for President:</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYlfuirqz0jGNwV3QZrVpVFIjKwFSoYTfj1 "><b>https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYlfuirqz0jGNwV3QZrVpVFIjKwFSoYTfj1</b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">After
registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about
joining the meeting.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-3687589680080006752020-10-07T20:00:00.001-04:002020-10-08T00:31:28.984-04:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AIDHtiIfm48/X36V1ouBxXI/AAAAAAAAHsg/REUdnljn1O8vAUxysbOBGbeBx386OL6VACLcBGAsYHQ/s941/LAN-PAC%2BHEADER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="941" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AIDHtiIfm48/X36V1ouBxXI/AAAAAAAAHsg/REUdnljn1O8vAUxysbOBGbeBx386OL6VACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/LAN-PAC%2BHEADER.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="s4" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"> </p><p align="center" class="s4" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"> <span class="bumpedfont15"><strong>LATINO ACTION NETWORK - POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES ENDORSEMENT OF JOE BIDEN </strong></span><br /></p><p align="center" class="s4" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span class="bumpedfont15"><strong>FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES</strong></span></p><p class="s4" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><span class="bumpedfont15"><strong>Newark, NJ</strong> – The Latino Action Network - Political Action Committee [LAN-PAC] today announced its support for Joe Biden for President of the United States of America and urged Latinos to vote in the upcoming presidential election in November.</span><p class="s2" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="s2" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="bumpedfont15">The Latino Action Network Political Action Committee was established in 2012 to promote candidates working on behalf of the issues of greatest importance to the Latino Community on the national level. </span></p><p class="s2" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="s2" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="bumpedfont15">Citing his extensive experience as Vice President under President Obama and a U.S. Senator (D-Delaware), Christian Estevez, Chair of LAN-PAC said that, “Joe Biden is the leader we need during these difficult and unprecedented times”. </span></p><p class="s2" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="bumpedfont15"> </span></p><p class="s2" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="bumpedfont15">“Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris will provide the experience and stability we desperately need to rebuild our nation from the chaos created by our current President”, continued Estevez. “Joe Biden is a leader with compassion that has always dedicated himself to helping working families.”</span></p><p class="s2" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in;"><br />“<span class="bumpedfont15">Latinos in the United States cannot afford another four years of Donald Trump as President.” added Estevez. “Under Donald Trump’s presidency we have witnessed the caging of babies who were torn from their mothers and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 that has infected and killed Latinos at a rate that is higher than any other community”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="s2" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="bumpedfont15"> </span></p><p class="s2" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="bumpedfont15">“President Trump has shown a complete lack of concern for the Latino victims of the Coronavirus just as he ignored the death and suffering of thousands of victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico” said Javier Robles who serves on the Board of the LAN-PAC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="s2" style="line-height: 16.2pt; margin: 0in;"><br />“Latinos have an opportunity throw Donald Trump out of office and rid our nation of his hateful leadership”, continued Robles. “It is imperative that Latinos turn out in record numbers to elect Joe Biden as our next President so we can begin to rebuild our country into one that looks out for all of its residents”.</p><p> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-28716164814298840492020-08-26T13:43:00.009-04:002020-08-26T14:18:06.672-04:0055 Labor, Community and Faith Organizations Call on Governor Murphy, Legislature to Provide COVID Aid to Immigrants<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span face="" style="color: #333333;">“Creating a COVID relief program that provides income replacement to workers and their families who have been excluded from federal and other aid will help save lives and contribute to the public health of all New Jersey residents”, </span><span face="" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-weight: 700;">said Latino Action Network President Christian Estevez</span><span face="" style="color: #333333;">. “Immigrants want to help flatten the curve by staying home when possible but are forced to work in dangerous conditions to make ends meet. It is past due for us to provide financial relief to the most vulnerable members of our community.”</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/55-labor-community-faith-organizations-call-governor-murphy-legislature-provide-covid-aid-immigrants/&source=gmail&ust=1598549745336000&usg=AFQjCNFc0Ms4Y-qDQuDsh5Z0zzHZ9HINJw" href="https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/55-labor-community-faith-organizations-call-governor-murphy-legislature-provide-covid-aid-immigrants/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.insidernj.com/<wbr></wbr>press-release/55-labor-<wbr></wbr>community-faith-organizations-<wbr></wbr>call-governor-murphy-<wbr></wbr>legislature-provide-covid-aid-<wbr></wbr>immigrants/</a></div><p><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">August 17, 2020</span></p><p><em style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.6px; max-width: 100%;">Elizabeth, NJ – August 17, 2020: </em><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Urging New Jersey to take action to create a COVID relief fund for immigrant families and workers excluded from federal aid, fifty-five labor, community and faith-based organizations sent a </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.maketheroadnj.org/r?u%3DFHnL8ikUv8WviObJjkW8kdWOxpTbWYtQKL0oAej53G1YM6_RGG0lzNyddfoR-sXfinfC-ZHpT2b7ElK5qVbo3TQpoPfkaeNz7Y9ZOEtc3as0PS8gDdHsD18H-KkUVaB1Ea-CvFxK1T88WETO46D0Qw%26e%3D27749a3b966ef41d3f8a0820846065d6%26utm_source%3Dmaketheroadnj%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3D8_17_2020_covid_letter_gov%26n%3D2&source=gmail&ust=1598549745336000&usg=AFQjCNEmHbzYqc8zbZfNt1hBTH_aR-2bXA" href="https://www.maketheroadnj.org/r?u=FHnL8ikUv8WviObJjkW8kdWOxpTbWYtQKL0oAej53G1YM6_RGG0lzNyddfoR-sXfinfC-ZHpT2b7ElK5qVbo3TQpoPfkaeNz7Y9ZOEtc3as0PS8gDdHsD18H-KkUVaB1Ea-CvFxK1T88WETO46D0Qw&e=27749a3b966ef41d3f8a0820846065d6&utm_source=maketheroadnj&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=8_17_2020_covid_letter_gov&n=2" style="color: #416ed2; font-size: 15.6px; max-width: 100%;" target="_blank">letter</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> today to Gov. Murphy and legislative leadership. In New Jersey, as many as 604,615 people, including 262,527 U.S. citizens who live with an immediate undocumented family member, have been left behind by aid under the CARES Act. Undocumented immigrants are also ineligible for unemployment insurance, pandemic unemployment insurance, SNAP and TANF. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 15.6px; max-width: 100%;"><span>The organizations called on the Governor and the state legislature to create a COVID relief program that provides income replacement to workers and their families who have been excluded from federal and other aid, to include $600 weekly payments for excluded workers who have lost their jobs and stimulus-style payments to undocumented immigrants who pay taxes but were not permitted to obtain federal stimulus payments under the CARES Act. Pending legislation S2480/A4171 would provide one time payments to some undocumented tax filers in New Jersey. This legislation currently has bipartisan support in the state legislature and 17 co-sponsors in the Senate and nearly as many in the Assembly. Recently, the Star Ledger editorial board endorsed the legislation, calling it a “reasonable first step” to meet the vast need.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 15.6px; max-width: 100%;">“I worked in a food processing plant through the quarantine until I started to get COVID-19 symptoms. Then I lost my job. I haven’t received a penny in aid. I’m a single mom of three kids who were born in the United States. I pay taxes every year. Every day I worry about how I will buy medicine, keep my kids fed and stay safe. I urge New Jersey to stand up for the half-million undocumented immigrants and our US citizen kids,” <strong style="max-width: 100%;">said Maria Perez, member of Make the Road New Jersey.</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 15.6px; max-width: 100%;">“We are one state with one future. The welfare of any New Jersey family affects the welfare of every New Jersey family. We support taking measures to ensure that every New Jersey child lives in a home with adequate resources so that they can learn, grow and thrive. Our students’ access and opportunities should not be limited by their parents‘ immigration status,” <strong style="max-width: 100%;">said Marie Blistan, President of the New Jersey Education Association.</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 15.6px; max-width: 100%;">“Creating a COVID relief program that provides income replacement to workers and their families who have been excluded from federal and other aid will help save lives and contribute to the public health of all New Jersey residents”, <strong style="max-width: 100%;">said Latino Action Network President Christian <span class="il">Estevez</span></strong>. “Immigrants want to help flatten the curve by staying home when possible, but are forced to work in dangerous conditions to make ends meet. It is past due for us to provide financial relief to the most vulnerable members of our community.”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 15.6px; max-width: 100%;">“In caring for our communities, we come face to face with those forced to work in dangerous conditions or risk poverty; and the many more whose work was devastated and families sickened by COVID-19, with no relief even if they pay taxes, or have families with mostly U.S. citizens, who are all punished along with them. We see the hunger, the uncertainty, the threat of becoming homeless, the fight to not lose faith in the social systems and sheer human integrity we should be able to count on. The CARES Act left out millions, putting divisions between us while the disease knows no boundaries. The HEROES Act is stalled in the Senate, but growing desperation takes no pause. New Jersey’s political leadership has a chance to address this crisis, and a moral obligation to pass and sign S2480/A4171 into law. We believe they have the political will, good sense and empathy to do so too, and in this case hope that is something we can count on,” <strong style="max-width: 100%;">said Gloria E. Blanco, Wind of the Spirit.</strong></p>Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-75289403890462942992020-08-06T13:02:00.001-04:002020-08-06T13:06:22.365-04:00Menendez Delivers Remarks Calling for Inclusion of Immigrant Families in COVID-19 Stimulus Package and Beyond<p class="wordsection1" align="center" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><br></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br></p><p class="wordsection1" align="center" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(22, 97, 170);">Menendez Delivers Remarks Calling for Inclusion of Immigrant Families in COVID-19 Stimulus Package and Beyond<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="wordsection1" align="center" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(22, 97, 170);"> </span></b></p><p class="wordsection1" align="center" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: center; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;"><i><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(22, 97, 170);">‘This Administration and my Republican colleagues need to open their eyes and realize how we are treating immigrants in this country’<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" align="center" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: center; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;"><i><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(22, 97, 170);">‘All families deserve to be treated with dignity. It’s the humane thing to do’</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify; background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the highest-ranking Latino in Congress, today delivered remarks on the Senate Floor on the need for Congress to ensure that immigrants – so many of whom have been on the frontlines as essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and have been disproportionately impacted – are not left behind in the upcoming stimulus package being negotiated in the Senate. As the son of Cuban immigrants and a first generation American, Sen. Menendez recognized the labor and countless contributions of immigrant families to America’s economy in the midst of the pandemic and beyond, and continued to warn against the dangers of the Trump Administration’s xenophobic, anti-immigrant agenda.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify; background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify; background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“The history of America is intertwined with immigrant stories. In every state of our Union, immigrants work in every industry and contribute in all facets of American life,” <b>Sen. Menendez said in his Senate Floor remarks</b>. “They work in our fields picking our fruits and vegetables, they are checkers at grocery stores, and construction workers building our bridges and homes. They educate our children in our schools. They treat the sick in our hospitals as nurses, doctors and mental health professionals. They wear our uniform and carry our flag in the U.S. Armed Services.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify; background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“This Administration and my Republican colleagues need to open their eyes and realize how we are treating immigrants in this country,” <b>Sen. Menendez continued</b>. “We need them to do it now, in this moment, as we are pleading with our colleagues to do what is right—to give families a fighting chance to beat this virus and put the economy back on track. We can’t turn a blind eye to the fact that immigrant families will likely be excluded from help desperately needed during this pandemic in the next COVID-19 package.”</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">[</span><span lang="ES-US" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://youtu.be/m7jRVKXyOh4" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" id="id_c7f0_4509_1aa4_fb4" target="_self">CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO</a></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">]</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.399999618530273px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify; background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify; background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“In the face of this tremendous public health crisis, we should not let the insidious, cruel and relentless scapegoating of immigrants prevent us from providing much-needed relief to the very same families and workers who are helping us survive,” <b>Sen. Menendez added</b>. “All families deserve to be treated with dignity. It’s the humane thing to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify; background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify; background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In his impassioned speech, Sen. Menendez not only urged his colleagues to address the growing inequalities in the immigrant communities, but also urged them to put aside partisan politics and restart the long-overdue discussions to find path forward to achieving real immigration reform.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify; background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“We must come together, as we did before, to restart these long-overdue discussions and find a path forward to achieving real, immigration reform,”<b>Sen. Menendez concluded.</b> “I have always believed and still believe that reforming our immigration laws is the civil rights issue of our time. It is time to treat immigrants fairly and recognize their hard work and contributions to this nation.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Below are the Senator’s full remarks as delivered:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Mr. President, I come to the Senate Floor today to speak about a topic very close to my heart.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As the son of Cuban immigrants and a first generation American, the struggles of immigrant families are not something I read about in books or watched on television.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I lived it. I saw with my own eyes what it means to grow up in an immigrant family … in a low-income tenement in Union City, New Jersey. My mother worked tirelessly as a seamstress and sacrificed everything to make sure that my siblings and I could have a better life and a brighter future.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Because that is the very essence of what we call “the American Dream.” It’s about ensuring that the next generation has it better than we do. That our children and grandchildren … and their children and grandchildren have greater opportunities than we do to realize their full potential.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And it doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from, or where your ancestors came to when they came to this country.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We are a nation built by immigrants. Every single member of this great and storied body is a descendant of someone who came to America seeking a better life for themselves and their loved ones.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The President is a second generation American. His grandfather, Friedrich Trump, came here from Germany. Our First Lady is herself an immigrant.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And yet, this Administration and President Trump have gone to painstaking lengths to deny, erase and ignore the contributions of immigrants to American life and culture, innovation and ingenuity, economy and prosperity. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">They have worked overtime to deny the very fact that the immigrant story IS America’s story.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But as an old saying in Spanish goes: No hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver which means there’s nothing worse than not wanting to see what’s right in front of you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Donald Trump’s endless lies and attacks on immigrants started long before he descended down the escalator in Trump Tower to announce his run for the presidency. They haven’t stopped since.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The President recently took another aggressive step in his war to erase immigrants from the portrait of America when he issued an unconstitutional edict to exclude our undocumented brothers and sisters from being counted in the 2020 census for the purpose of determining representation in Congress. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">His message was loud and clear to immigrant communities across the country: You are not welcome here. You don’t belong here. You don’t count.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">His goal is to instill fear in immigrant communities. And that’s shameful and un-American.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Let’s be clear, the United States Constitution is explicit on this particular point.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Article 1, Section 2 clearly states, and I quote: “Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons…”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Census requires an accurate count of ALL persons living in this country. It does not distinguish between status or citizenship. It could have said, it requires a count of all citizens of the then-United States of the Union. It could have said, it is a count of all citizens and all legal permanent residents. It didn’t say that either. And it specifically recognizes that because as the union was developing, there would be people from different walks of life in the United States. And it purposefully understood that not all of them would necessarily be a citizen at the time of the counting but who was in America at any given time from the creation of the Constitution was important. All persons.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">My friends, we have been sent here to serve ALL our constituents in our home states, no matter the color of their skin, their gender or their legal status.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The history of America is intertwined with immigrant stories. In every state of our Union, immigrants work in every industry and contribute in all facets of American life…..the most important part of our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">They work in our fields picking our fruits and vegetables, they are checkers at grocery stores, and construction workers building our bridges and homes. They educate our children in our schools. They treat the sick in our hospitals as nurses, doctors and mental health professionals. They wear our uniform and carry our flag in the U.S. Armed Services.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In fact, during this pandemic, hundreds of thousands of immigrants—including undocumented immigrants—have put their lives on the line to serve as essential frontline workers and to keep businesses open … despite the Administration actively seeking to deport them.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Like many American citizens, they are risking their lives every day –while being disproportionately affected by COVID-19– to provide others with the services they need and protect the health and safety of our fellow Americans. All the while, facing disproportionate infection and death rates from this horrible disease. They are the invisible heroes of this pandemic. They’re the ones who make it possible for us to receive the essential goods and services so that we can stay home, which is what we’re told to do by the nation’s public health officials.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But the message from the President to these essential workers who perform back breaking work in our fields, care for our children or treat you at our hospitals is: You are not worthy.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’d ask every single one of my colleagues, if God forbid, you were infected with COVID-19, would you really care about the citizenship status of the doctor or nurse treating you? Would you ask for his or her “legal papers” before getting help?<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Would any of you refuse to eat fruit or vegetables in your homes picked by the calloused hands of an undocumented immigrant sweating in our fields?<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Would you rather not have a highway built in your state because the workers have a native language other than English?<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Many of you would tell me that’s non-sense. But yet, Trump’s presidency has been marked by deafening silence in the face of his inflammatory, xenophobic, immoral campaign against immigrants.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Just take the example of TPS and DACA beneficiaries…<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As my home State of New Jersey struggled in the early days of the pandemic – until recently, we had the second most cases of COVID-19 – TPS holders like Madelia Cartagena in Newark, and Dreamers like Daysi from Monmouth County rose to the challenge presented by this pandemic.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As more than 131,000 Temporary Protected Status holders across the nation and 7,500 in New Jersey alone, Madelia was considered an essential worker as the company she has worked for in the last 17 years had to respond to the increasing demand for sanitizer dispensers. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">For Daisy, the fact she was brought to the United States from Central America at just nine years old meant nothing to the patients whose lives she was helping save. What mattered was that she showed up when she was needed. And that she did so despite the lingering threat that DACA – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – could be abruptly terminated and with it, her ability to remain in this country. She showed up every day helping to save lives.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Put simply, TPS holders like Madelia and DACA beneficiaries like Daysi will help us heal and will also help our economy recover. They represent among the best of America.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">To give you some context, Dreamers bring in a net $3.4 billion annually to the U.S. Treasury and generate $42 billion in Gross Domestic Product each year. Dreamers.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Yet, this Administration has fought tooth and nail to send Dreamers packing, despite the American flag being the only one they’ve ever pledged allegiance to. The National Anthem being the only national anthem they’ve every sung. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Even after the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, that the termination of DACA was unlawful, the Administration has openly defied the Supreme Court’s order by not reopening the full DACA program. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">These Dreamers are battling the Coronavirus and the Trump Administration!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Polls show that even a majority of Trump voters want to protect Dreamers from deportation, and wide swaths of registered voters support Dreamers regardless of the voter’s gender, education, income, ethnicity, religion and ideology. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">That includes 68 percent of Republicans, 71 percent of conservatives and 64 percent of those who approve of the job the President is doing.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But instead of accepting the Supreme Court’s decision and acknowledging the enormous contributions of Dreamers, this Administration is planning new efforts to end DACA. It’s no secret – they indicate as much in the latest Department of Homeland Security memo. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And let’s be honest, if it’s not outright termination they seek, the Administration will treat the protection of Dreamers as a bargaining chip in order to undo our LEGAL immigration system. They want to cut LEGAL family immigration in exchange for what they call “merit-based” immigration. That’s pretty shameful and offensive because there are many that are here that would never be here under a merit-based system.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This Administration and my Republican colleagues need to open their eyes and realize how we are treating immigrants in this country. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We need them to do it now, in this moment, as we are pleading with our colleagues to do what is right—to give families a fighting chance to beat the virus and put the economy back on track.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We can’t turn a blind eye to the fact that immigrant families will likely be excluded from help desperately needed during this pandemic in the next COVID-19 package.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So far, undocumented immigrants who pay their taxes and selflessly risk their lives as essential workers to save others have been deliberately excluded from the federal pandemic assistance Congress has provided.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Virtually all immigrants who use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or as we call it ITIN, to file their federal taxes and their U.S. citizen spouses and children were left out from any economic impact payments in the CARES Act. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In other words, we denied American citizens and their American-citizen children badly needed assistance as a punishment for being married to an undocumented immigrant or belonging to a mixed status family during this economic emergency.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I grew up believing that an American Citizen is an American Citizen is an American Citizen, regardless of who I marry; regardless of whether my children are the offspring of one parent who’s an American Citizen and another one who is not. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Thousands of American citizens were denied $1,200 individual stimulus checks to which other American citizens were entitled to just because of who they love. American citizen children were denied $500 in assistance to which other American citizen children were entitled. It’s wrong. Are there two classes of American children in this country now? Are there two classes of American citizens now?<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As we consider the next COVID-19 relief package, Congress has to fix this injustice. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If you work hard, follow the rules, and pay your taxes – you deserve tax relief – regardless of how you filed. At the very least if you are an American citizen living in a mixed-status family, an American child who is the offspring of a mixed-status family —you should not be denied the cash benefit you’re rightfully entitled to. It’s just that simple. It’s justice. It’s what’s right.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In the face of this tremendous public health crisis, we should not let the insidious, cruel and relentless scapegoating of immigrants prevent us from providing much-needed relief to the very same families and workers who are helping us survive. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">All families deserve to be treated with dignity. It’s the humane thing to do.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But that’s not all…<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As we expanded access to free COVID-19 testing, undocumented immigrants were left behind. That makes no sense. The coronavirus doesn’t check your status before infecting you. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">An undocumented immigrant living in America with COVID-19 is no less a threat to become a seriously ill individual or spread the virus than an American citizen who’s infected. The virus does not discriminate on race, or gender, ethnicity, borders, or legal status. As a public health proposition, you want everybody to be tested.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Given the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on low-income and communities of color, and the fact that they are serving in essential industries, I would argue they are more likely to be infected.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What good does it do any of us if someone—regardless of who or where they are—is walking around with an undiagnosed case of COVID-19 because they couldn’t afford a test?<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">That person can unwittingly infect their relatives, neighbors and coworkers. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If we ever want to see our economy and lives return to some semblance of normal, there must be access to free COVID-19 testing, treatment and vaccines for EVERYONE living in the United States—regardless of immigration status. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">America has to do better to acknowledge the hard work, sacrifice, and contributions of immigrants. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sadly, these past four years have seen a rise in hate crimes and hateful rhetoric targeting immigrants.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Led by this President, immigrants are continuously scapegoated for every problem. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">One of my Senate colleagues even suggested recently that Hispanics were to blame for the rise in COVID cases across our own country—instead of the epic failure of the Administration to develop and implement a national pandemic response plan, or one that includes culturally competent outreach to minority-majority communities.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As elected officials and leaders in our communities, we have a moral responsibility to rise above the immigrant fearmongering and the President’s hateful rhetoric to reunite our country.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Not only must we include immigrant families in the upcoming relief package, but to truly address these injustices, we must reform our immigration laws – once and for all.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We must come together … as we did before here in the Senate, I was part of that Gang of 8 … to restart these long-overdue discussions and find a path forward to achieving real, immigration reform.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I have always believed and still believe that reforming our immigration laws is the civil rights issue of this community of it this time.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It is time to treat immigrants fairly and recognize their hard work and contributions to this nation. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Immigrants like my mother, Evangelina, who came here with nothing but the conviction that everything in America was possible. She refused to let not speaking English or her modest wages as a seamstress stop her from giving us the best life she could. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And here I am, one of 100 U.S. Senators in a country of over 300 million people. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I am the embodiment of that American dream, and my story is no less meaningful than that of any immigrant coming to this country or in this country to build a better future for their family and this nation. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">That is our past. That is our history. That is our present. And it will be our future.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It’s past time that due acknowledgment and respect are given, it’s now time for action. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" align="center" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" align="center" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></i></p><p class="wordsection1" align="center" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></i> <i><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(22, 97, 170);">###</span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="wordsection1" align="center" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></i></b></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="wordsection1" style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 8pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.399999618530273px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-27777299722660955762020-04-24T17:29:00.001-04:002020-04-24T17:29:44.143-04:00Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order Providing Critical Short-Term Support for Renters<div class="m_1792590701699626115e2ma-p-div" style="color: #454b55; color: #454b55; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-size: 14px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; line-height: 105%; line-height: 21px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order Providing Critical Short-Term Support for Renters</span> </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px;">Additional Informational Resources for Renters, Homeowners, and Landlords Now Available</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><b>TRENTON – </b>To provide additional options to tenants<b> </b>who
are struggling financially as result of COVID-19, Governor Phil Murphy
today signed Executive Order No. 128, allowing tenants to direct their
landlords to use their security deposits to offset rent or back rent. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;">“We
recognize the anxiety that so many are feeling about looming rent
payments, and during this emergency renters should have the ability to
utilize their security deposit to help them stay in their place of
residence,”<b> said Governor Murphy. </b>“While this action does not
resolve the broader financial concerns of New Jerseyans, this will
provide critical short-term support as the first of the month
approaches. My Administration will continue working with the housing
community and federal government to develop long-term solutions to this
crisis.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;">Governor
Murphy’s executive order waives provisions of statutory law that
prohibit the use of security deposits for rental payments, enabling
tenants to instruct landlords to use their security deposits to offset
rent or back rent. Tenants will not be obligated to make any further
security deposit relating to their current lease agreement but would
still be responsible for any monies landlords expend that would have
been reimbursable via the security deposit as outlined in the original
contract (i.e. damage to the property). However, should the tenant and
landlord extend or renew their lease, then the tenant would be obligated
to replenish the security deposit in full either six months following
the end of the Public Health Emergency established by Executive Order
No. 103 (2020), or on the date on which the current lease agreement is
extended or renewed, whichever is later. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_1792590701699626115e2ma-p-div" style="color: #454b55; color: #454b55; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-size: 14px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; line-height: 21px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;">The order will take effect immediately and will be in place until 60 days after the public health emergency is terminated.</span></span></div>
<div class="m_1792590701699626115e2ma-p-div" style="color: #454b55; color: #454b55; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-size: 14px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; line-height: 21px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_1792590701699626115e2ma-p-div" style="color: #454b55; color: #454b55; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-size: 14px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; line-height: 21px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;">Governor
Murphy also announced that the Department of Community Affairs has
established a rental housing information page and question portal as a
single point of reference for tenants and landlords seeking information
about their rights during the public health emergency. </span></span></div>
<div class="m_1792590701699626115e2ma-p-div" style="color: #454b55; color: #454b55; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-size: 14px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; line-height: 21px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_1792590701699626115e2ma-p-div" style="color: #454b55; color: #454b55; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-size: 14px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; line-height: 21px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;">In
addition, a standing information page has been added to the State’s
COVID-19 website for homeowners interested in taking advantage of the
previously announced mortgage forbearance agreement with private
lenders. Homeowners with questions or concerns related to conditions of
an agreement with their mortgage lender will be directed to the
Department of Banking and Insurance’s intake form for further
assistance.</span></span></div>
<div class="m_1792590701699626115e2ma-p-div" style="color: #454b55; color: #454b55; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-size: 14px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; line-height: 21px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_1792590701699626115e2ma-p-div" style="color: #454b55; color: #454b55; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-size: 14px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; line-height: 21px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;">A copy of Executive Order No. 128 can be found <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://t.e2ma.net/click/nb5j5c/rqftwxn/jsjrkj&source=gmail&ust=1587849293411000&usg=AFQjCNGwGxJKBCsnwzBrWEkonsQgW-KwOg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/nb5j5c/rqftwxn/jsjrkj" style="color: #f28474; color: #f28474; font-weight: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></div>
<div class="m_1792590701699626115e2ma-p-div" style="color: #454b55; color: #454b55; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-size: 14px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; line-height: 21px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_1792590701699626115e2ma-p-div" style="color: #454b55; color: #454b55; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-size: 14px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; line-height: 21px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;">The rental housing information page and question form can be found at: <span style="color: blue;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://t.e2ma.net/click/nb5j5c/rqftwxn/zkkrkj&source=gmail&ust=1587849293411000&usg=AFQjCNGIDkGWUjnc9EpZFUNkgkZXWHfNgg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/nb5j5c/rqftwxn/zkkrkj" style="color: #f28474; color: #f28474; font-weight: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">https://covid19.nj.gov/forms/<wbr></wbr>renter</a></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_1792590701699626115e2ma-p-div" style="color: #454b55; color: #454b55; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-size: 14px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; line-height: 21px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_1792590701699626115e2ma-p-div" style="color: #454b55; color: #454b55; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-size: 14px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; line-height: 21px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;">For more information on COVID-19-related mortgage forbearance, please visit <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://covid19.nj.gov&source=gmail&ust=1587849293411000&usg=AFQjCNGUPQCjgqm7xfkyMT_Bxmeqfpge8Q" href="http://covid19.nj.gov/" target="_blank">covid19.nj.gov</a> and search “Get Assistance.” </span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-68874522243994054302020-03-25T16:28:00.000-04:002020-04-21T20:08:33.103-04:00Menendez Lauds Wins for NJ Workers, Hospitals, Small Businesses in Bipartisan COVID-19 Response Package<span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="mailto:Steven_Sandberg@menendez.senate.gov" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"></span></a></span><span class="m_2660738600861618737MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></span>
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<i><span style="color: #2f5597; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Senator: Bipartisan deal gives NJ, nation fighting chance at defeating COVID-19, restoring promise of our economy</span></i><span style="color: #2f5597; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #2f5597; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">$2T package includes direct payments & enhanced unemployment assistance for workers, unprecedented aid to small businesses,
critical support for frontline hospitals & states </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">WASHINGTON, D.C. –
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">U.S.
Senator Bob Menendez, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee
and a member of the select bipartisan team negotiating the bill, issued
the following statement on the agreement
of a $2 trillion federal stimulus package to respond to the COVID-19
pandemic:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">"I
am relieved that bipartisanship prevailed at a time when the stakes
have never been higher, and the lives of so many Americans are on the
line.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“At
the start of these negotiations, there was a strong possibility that
the Senate majority would push through a trillion-dollar spending
package that failed to shore up
our fight against COVID-19, abandoned states like New Jersey on the
frontlines of this pandemic, and left small businesses and working
families behind while big corporations pocketed massive bailouts.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Fortunately,
we fought back, we stood our ground, and today we have a bipartisan
deal that gives New Jersey and the nation a fighting chance at defeating
COVID-19 and restoring
the promise of our economy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">"First
and foremost, this package will deliver billions of dollars of aid and
loans to hospitals so that our doctors, nurses, and frontline health
care workers have the resources
they need to conduct testing, treat the sick, and ultimately save
lives. The wealth of our nation hinges on the health of our people, and
there’s simply no path to long-term economic prosperity that does not
begin with defeating COVID-19.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Secondly,
this legislation responds to the urgent needs of states like New
Jersey, which has already spent billions of dollars battling the
nation’s second-highest number
of COVID-19 cases. I’m proud to have fought for the state
stabilization funds in this deal, which will ensure New Jersey’s state
and local governments are not bankrupted by the battle against a global
pandemic while maintaining essential critical services,
like emergency response, during this critical time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Finally,
this bipartisan package comes to the aid of small businesses and
workers suffering as a result of the drastic, but vital social
distancing measures we must take
to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and ultimately save lives.
Direct payments will help working families weather this storm, and I’m
pleased that Democrats successfully fought to ensure low-income
Americans aren’t shortchanged in the middle of a national
crisis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“We
also secured major improvements to unemployment benefits. For the
first time ever, employers will be able to furlough workers instead of
outright laying them off, enabling
them to keep their health benefits while receiving an additional four
months of enhanced unemployment benefits from the federal government.
This will not only keep working people afloat, but also ensure they have
jobs to return to once this crisis is behind
us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“We
also won an unprecedented $377 billion pool of economic aid for
America’s small businesses. These low-cost and forgivable loans will
help New Jersey’s restaurants, retailers,
and other local businesses make payroll, pay rent, protect jobs and
ultimately drive our recovery.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Congress
had an obligation not just to respond to this crisis quickly but to do
so in a responsible way. When spending a trillion-plus dollars of
American taxpayer money,
we cannot afford to get it wrong and we must always stand up for what’s
right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“There
is much more work to do to ensure the safety and economic wellbeing of
our residents and communities, and I stand ready to fight for New
Jersey’s priorities in Washington.”</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">BROAD PACKAGE DETAILS</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$260 billion for workers.
</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">An
extended and expanded Unemployment Insurance program increases the
maximum unemployment benefit amount by $600 per week above one’s base
unemployment compensation benefit through July
and ensures that workers who are laid-off or out of work, on average,
will receive their full pay for four months. It ensures that workers are
protected whether they work for businesses small, medium or large,
along with self-employed and workers in the gig
economy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Direct payments to families.
</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$1,200 for most individuals, $2,400 for couples and $500 per child.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$377 billion</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> <b>for small business.</b>
A priority for Sen. Menendez, these funds would
be used for forgivable loans and grants to small businesses and
non-profits so they can maintain their existing workforce and help pay
other expenses during this crisis, like rent, a mortgage or utilities. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$150 billion for hospitals, health care facilities.</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
A priority for Sen. Menendez, this
includes a massive new grant program for hospitals and health care
providers, personal and protective equipment for health care workers,
testing supplies, increased workforce and training, new construction to
house patients, emergency operation centers and
more. Additional funding is also dedicated to increased Medicare
payments to all hospitals and providers to ensure that they receive the
funding they need during this crisis, and new investments in our
country’s Strategic National Stockpile, surge capacity
and medical research into COVID-19.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$150 billion state and local government stabilization fund. </span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">This
critical funding will
be a temporary lifeline to states and communities that are seeing huge
budget holes that have been created by the economic slowdown and
response to COVID-19. While more work needs to be done, this $150
billion fund is a strong down payment that will keep
communities going and ensure they have the resources to respond to this
public health emergency.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$230 billion</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> “<b>emergency appropriations.</b>”
Funding ranges from billions for hard-hit
airports, increased aid to municipalities, funding for child care,
nutrition for seniors, housing assistance, support for local school and
colleges, and for the National Guard to support to the hardest hit
States and territories.</span></div>
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<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 11.0pt;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$25 billion for transit systems.
</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">These
dollars can be used to supplement revenues due to steep declines in
ridership and to cover additional costs of coronavirus-related cleaning
products and labor.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 11.0pt;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$400 million in election assistance.</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
Funding for the states to help prepare for the 2020
election cycle, including to increase the ability to vote by mail,
expand early voting and online registration, and increase the safety of
voting in-person by providing additional voting facilities and more poll
workers.</span></div>
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<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 11.0pt;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$7 billion for affordable housing and homelessness assistance programs.</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
Funding will help
low-income and working class Americans avoid evictions and minimize any
impacts caused by loss of employment, child care, or other unforeseen
circumstances related to COVID-19. Funding also supports additional
assistance and for people experiencing homelessness.</span></div>
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<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 11.0pt;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$30 billion for grants to provide emergency support to local school systems and higher education institutions</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
to continue to provide<b> </b>educational services to their students and support the on-going<b>
</b>functionality of school districts and institutions.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 11.0pt;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$3.5 billion in additional funding for the Child Care Development Block Grant</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
to provide
child care assistance to health care sector employees, emergency
responders, sanitation workers, and other workers deemed essential
during the response to the coronavirus.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 11.0pt;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$6.5 billion in Federal funding for CDBG, the Economic Development Administration, and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
to help mitigate the local<b> </b>economic crisis and rebuild impacted industries such as tourism or manufacturing supply<b>
</b>chains.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 11.0pt;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$10 billion in grants to help our nation’s airports</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> as the aviation sector grapples with
the most steep and potentially sustained decline in air travel in history.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 11.0pt;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$4.3 billion to CDC to support federal, state, and local public health agencies</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
to prevent,
prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus, including for the purchase
of personal protective equipment; laboratory testing to detect positive
cases; infection control and mitigation at the local level to prevent
the spread of the virus; and other public
health preparedness and response activities.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737MsoListParagraph">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 11.0pt;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$1.4 billion for deployments of the National Guard</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
to support up to 20,000 members of the
National Guard, under the direction of the governors of each state, for
the next six months in order to bolster state and local response
efforts.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737MsoListParagraph">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 11.0pt;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$19.57 billion for VA</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> to provide equipment, tests, and support services necessary to provide
veterans with the additional care they need at facilities nationwide.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 11.0pt;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$45 billion for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund.</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
More than doubling the available funding,
to provide for the immediate needs of state, local, tribal, and
territorial governments, as well as private non-profits performing
critical and essential services, to protect citizens and help them
recover from the overwhelming effects of COVID-19. Reimbursable
activities may include medical response, personal protective equipment,
National Guard deployment, coordination of logistics, safety measures,
and community services nationwide.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737MsoListParagraph">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 11.0pt;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$16 billion to replenish the Strategic National Stockpile</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
supplies of pharmaceuticals, personal
protective equipment, and other medical supplies, which are distributed
to State and local health agencies, hospitals and other healthcare
entities facing shortages during emergencies.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 11.0pt;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$1 billion for the Defense Production Act</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
to bolster domestic supply chains, enabling industry
to quickly ramp up production of personal protective equipment,
ventilators, and other urgently needed medical supplies, and billions
dollars more for federal, state, and local health agencies to purchase
such equipment.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Sen.
Menendez and other Democrats fought to achieve the following
improvements from the original bill put forth Sunday by Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.):</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">$10
billion for SBA emergency grants of up to $10,000 to provide immediate
relief for operating costs once a small business or non-profit has
applied for an Economic Injury Disaster
Loan.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$17 billion for SBA to cover six months of payments for small businesses with existing SBA loans.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Allow rent, mortgage and utility costs to be eligible for SBA loan forgiveness.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$30 billion in emergency education funding and $25 billion in emergency transit funding.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Four months of enhanced unemployment insurance, instead of 3 months.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$55 billion increase in support for our healthcare system.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$150 billion for a state and local Coronavirus Relief fund.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">$30
billion in additional funding for the Disaster Relief Fund to provide
financial assistance to state and local governments, as well as private
nonprofits providing
critical and essential services. </span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Ban stock buybacks for the term of the government assistance plus one year on any company receiving a government loan.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Establish robust worker protections attached to all federal loans for businesses.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Create
real-time public reporting of Treasury transactions under the Act,
including terms of loans, investments or other assistance to
corporations. </span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Add a retention tax credit for employers to encourage businesses to keep workers on payroll during the crisis.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Provide income tax exclusion for individuals who are receiving student loan repayment assistance from their employer.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Eliminated $3 billion bailout for big oil.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Eliminated “secret bailout” provision that would have allowed bailouts to corporations to be concealed for six months.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Saved hundreds of thousands of airline industry jobs and prohibited airlines from stock buybacks and CEO bonuses.</span></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.menendez.senate.gov/coronavirus&source=gmail&ust=1585249354598000&usg=AFQjCNELGwRvlAjqSY3qYTNH8njaFG8mqg" href="https://www.menendez.senate.gov/coronavirus" target="_blank">Click Here</a> for the full list of Sen. Menendez’s<span style="color: #0070c0;">
</span>actions to protect New Jersey families during the COVID-19 outbreak.</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></i></b></div>
<div class="m_2660738600861618737wordsection1">
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<i><span style="color: #1661aa; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">###</span></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-32004554636123026262020-03-01T16:35:00.003-05:002020-03-01T20:20:56.216-05:00Elección Latina and Ready to Run<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="templateContainer" style="background-color: #fafafa; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px; color: black; max-width: 600px !important; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
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<tr><td align="left" style="text-size-adjust: 100%;" valign="top"><blockquote align="center" style="text-size-adjust: 100%;">
LUPE PAC is sponsoring the first ten women to register for Elección Latina, a pre-conference session of the New Jersey Ready to Run<sup>®</sup> Campaign Training for Women. </blockquote>
<blockquote align="center" style="text-size-adjust: 100%;">
<strong>About Elección Latina and Ready to Run<sup>®</sup></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote align="center" style="text-size-adjust: 100%;">
Elección Latina participants attend a half-day session that targets issues of particular interest to Latinas running for political office. They then attend Ready to Run<sup>®</sup> to learn about the nuts and bolts of working on a campaign.</blockquote>
<blockquote align="center" style="text-size-adjust: 100%;">
Ready to Run<sup>®</sup> features two tracks for women at different points in their political careers: </blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-size-adjust: 100%;">
Track 1 - I'm Ready to Run, Now What? </blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-size-adjust: 100%;">
Track 2 - I'm Not Ready to Run Yet, But... </blockquote>
<blockquote align="center" style="text-size-adjust: 100%;">
<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0013C1gdSXx3exTW-Wapv6-Yp6MRGz9UOKmwF8yOErvpj2GVw3epasGY4czpNopckECS60W2XAu_YM8-q8R74GdgXObHYY8Csb6zJuD9Je-Vl32pV57v-d7535W71qyb-KnKs_YFvY39Ok1VvZigLCYwov4iNkbUEq9xckzP0GleGDCpRZXfyKkYJaW-mUo9zj6B34zVRhqdy4rQuSJtJZCJilK4QLl9TNN_GYUrK2pVf6H0cbEhvQ195lRCfcLTy55Ws60guWqTSeDFet_598O4lr7HtKDwlcDhU-IdueejOtCNtCYSrnroimBXE7IZB9lcJ5vDFlORsd5tFDYrPsU3XsnQ_ZlZe9JCHBFo0TFfwb5yEgOozNGva1lhOq1EYATfPfLQWI34FvNaAAnsUAB1y6Yey1_Q27aPHscEK8aIIa29bAM544JxJ2nvaiysQMFAMCo9VfnQqoJdaVoXDgXJBxlvhiaNkykraUEp_gaQZvc8IVKxHtkL2bgnFIwuQMM_5KUJoHZewREc6GMFRB9Wq7H9-shbZ7oKZjnV4u5BdxqtYTJyfL6CJ8qyRrg5NhxDkVjgUyBvcWw-J6X3EgY2K5UDWBj88yJSs_HkQ208EMlOGfbySi5750fqgLo99Rf9m8mkcObxvdF9Af_8T2bmlh8uO7a4IVmY5mklHg9FNZRxcVE4j1iXIly-sWZtE_YzQ-95G-fvYH6ApBN0M5mD_T7yYuC5aBYfm0dVXqd_lXzT8ygyR97FW85ZrxXDfYDXbKZHyEtgpfeTbBNst141S0czGQ0V61bf1J3gSK4Gfdy0g8jwuEDqXlgDy4Mmlz62ilD_xIsJVdCt-N6DV3692x4eI0uLQA6JfdCp8ng1faBkcG7QUu-YJERZcsE2SFHc8JWneogjwmR-bABBOP4pnv8ugegJDvZ4N_TIIII4GPJaQxPGU4Qh2u_mSiokcQiSRs9uNeudnUH1XsIytM9zW37t4d2NHHclUdxpJL18HM59TLLFV0TxhOxkZDdVDD3rxpq9fRo3XIA2428j90CqDIvf2zJqEZT2fMYi9lqoElkoFrnspTT1jpUZm88mgJC%26c%3DPgSCJg55gvHgvb74eiHyu4iF74lvoTfsvMoYQPbzU7RHUl-74Of-zQ%3D%3D%26ch%3DgvO3bYomwhYZN4tBiqcutL4-WbxeRtVhGiKbq0o8I4J0qW9MqPrKpg%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1582924981073000&usg=AFQjCNHAERJcGGJz3nbxDWt1wtSRi_Ct5g" href="https://cawp.rutgers.edu/education_training/ready_to_run/newjersey-2020" style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">Full conference details are available here.</a></blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%;">
<span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong>REGISTER <a href="https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07egnu14ma163f42f8&oseq=&c=&ch=" style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">HERE</a>!</strong></span></blockquote>
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Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-49794513767687741262020-03-01T16:33:00.004-05:002020-03-03T20:14:06.007-05:00Op-Ed: Victory Seen in Fight over Affordable Housing in NJ<a href="https://www.njspotlight.com/2020/02/op-ed-victory-seen-in-fight-over-affordable-housing-in-nj/?ct=t%28EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_02_26_2020_COPY_01%29&mc_cid=8b7fc55f83&mc_eid=ffaf790330" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://www.njspotlight.com/2020/02/op-ed-victory-seen-in-fight-over-affordable-housing-in-nj/?ct=t%28EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_02_26_2020_COPY_01%29&mc_cid=8b7fc55f83&mc_eid=ffaf790330</span></a><br />
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Op-Ed:
Victory Seen in Fight over Affordable Housing in NJ</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nearly 350 towns have now reached settlements with
fair-housing advocates, paving the way for thousands of new residences<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After years of struggle, New Jersey can finally mark an
important victory in the fight for fair and affordable housing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Years of inaction from Trenton had helped make our state —
one of the most expensive in the country — even more segregated. But decisive
action by the New Jersey Supreme Court in 2015 helped break through the
gridlock, reviving our fair-housing laws, known as the Mount Laurel doctrine,
by giving the courts jurisdiction over enforcement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Four years later, almost all of the 350 towns that sought
court approval for their housing plans have reached settlements with advocates
and civil-rights leaders to clear the way for the construction of tens of
thousands of new homes for working families, in safe neighborhoods that are
close to jobs and good schools.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our state is now a national leader in the fight for
affordable and inclusive housing. New Jersey has done much in such a short
period of time to ensure that wealthier communities are opened up to people of
all races and income levels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With thousands of new homes being built across the state,
good jobs and schools will soon be in reach for families locked out of
opportunity by restrictive zoning rules that artificially drove up the cost of
housing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These new homes represent a renewed sense of promise and the
hope for a bright future, giving parents and grandparents a leg up in the
struggle to lift their children out of poverty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And they prove the naysayers wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Unfounded fears<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For years, powerful forces within our state kept us from
making progress in the fight to address New Jersey’s affordable-housing crisis,
claiming that expanding opportunities for low-income families and breaking down
barriers of racial exclusion would somehow hurt middle-class families.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Instead, we’re learning that our communities are stronger
when blighted office parks and empty strip malls are redeveloped into vibrant
mixed-use communities that reduce sprawl and increase affordability with
diverse housing options, like apartments and starter homes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The affordable-housing process established by the state
Supreme Court didn’t just cut through years of Trenton gridlock. It also
brought towns to the table with advocates and nonprofits to come up with
creative solutions that leveraged new reforms at the state level.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Last year, Gov. Phil Murphy instituted changes to the Low-Income
Housing Tax Credit, a federal program administered at the state level that
funds affordable rental-housing projects. The administration’s reforms ensured
millions of additional dollars would flow to projects in wealthier, whiter
suburban communities to tackle the problem of racial segregation — while still
preserving funds to rebuild urban centers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this major
civil-rights victory without leadership from the governor, the courts and our
legislative leaders. Sticking with the court process has gotten shovels in the
ground and opened doors to high-opportunity communities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">More work needs to be done<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But as far as we’ve come, there is still more we can do to
ensure we take full advantage of this historic opportunity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Legislature and the governor must work together to
combat insidious racial barriers that can prevent families of color from moving
into these new homes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We need to pass strong new protections that ensure that New
Jerseyans aren’t excluded from housing opportunities because of prior criminal
convictions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Affordable-housing opportunities are also sometimes
difficult to track down for working families. We need a central clearinghouse
that residents and advocates can turn to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And we still need to build on the work Governor Murphy and
the Legislature have already done to tackle the current foreclosure crisis by
converting vacant and abandoned residential properties into new
affordable-housing opportunities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The new homes being constructed as a result of the Mount
Laurel doctrine won’t end our state’s housing crisis. Far more people need
access to safe, affordable homes than exist in our state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But the fair and aggressive enforcement of our fair-housing
laws provides real opportunities for tens of thousands of families.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s time to celebrate this milestone while continuing the
fight so that every New Jersey family, no matter their race or income, has the
ability to live in a community with good schools and jobs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size: small;">Christian Estevez is president of the Latino Action Network, a statewide advocacy organization.</span></div>
<br />Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-79211095621029347302020-03-01T16:30:00.000-05:002020-03-01T20:32:09.224-05:00The 2020 LAN Legislative Conference<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">The 2020 LAN Legislative
Conference </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sk8OQ4pZBkA/XlwosvmwCFI/AAAAAAABZzs/qXOlG8gr_N8QiKv9ATK0Xxra899f1qANwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/84610483_527113828206669_1362000409496911872_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="959" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sk8OQ4pZBkA/XlwosvmwCFI/AAAAAAABZzs/qXOlG8gr_N8QiKv9ATK0Xxra899f1qANwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/84610483_527113828206669_1362000409496911872_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our annual conference was a success! We celebrated a
decade of advocacy! Hispanic leaders from across the state convened at the Robert
Treat Hotel in Newark to discuss the major issues affecting their respective
communities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Governor Phil Murphy Spoke about the great work he
has that has helped Hispanic families in New Jersey such as signing bills
raising the minimum wage and providing driver’s licenses to the undocumented.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nN9x7T4hN_s/Xlwo3dmiJ8I/AAAAAAABZzw/7LDixaSjDM0v0e6pCsqwByC9QqD_cpx9wCEwYBhgL/s1600/83787018_849763982144349_4721977553068228608_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nN9x7T4hN_s/Xlwo3dmiJ8I/AAAAAAABZzw/7LDixaSjDM0v0e6pCsqwByC9QqD_cpx9wCEwYBhgL/s320/83787018_849763982144349_4721977553068228608_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p>The Reverend Charles Boyer was our keynote speaker.
A long-time advocate of social justice, Boyer spoke about the great work being
done.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H87n5vlHEJU/XlwpD0I-rOI/AAAAAAABZz4/QVNeKGX3TFcNb6v5_N7QNMn2xZyJ4LR5QCEwYBhgL/s1600/84748514_849762325477848_5524198373613109248_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="948" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H87n5vlHEJU/XlwpD0I-rOI/AAAAAAABZz4/QVNeKGX3TFcNb6v5_N7QNMn2xZyJ4LR5QCEwYBhgL/s200/84748514_849762325477848_5524198373613109248_n.jpg" width="197" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our panels on political involvement, immigration,
education, labor, criminal justice, the census, poverty, housing, </span><span style="font-size: large;">youth activism, health, and women's health </span><span style="font-size: large;">sparked lively debates and connected
advocates.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">“This great conference was a success thanks to the
strength in collaboration of many entities and the diversity in strengths. The
Latino Action Network is only as effective as the people that make up our
membership. By bringing together grassroots organizers and leaders like you,
LAN harnesses the natural talent and energy that already exists in our
community. Working together, we turn that collective power into community
action,” said Vice President of Membership Maria Andrade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And while much remains to be done, LAN is happy to
celebrate the victories it has won over the years fighting to improve the lives
of Hispanic families in the state and ending solitary confinement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-47377591642607984562019-12-23T12:07:00.002-05:002019-12-23T17:30:37.825-05:00Governor Murphy Signs Driver’s License Bill into Law<br />
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Governor Murphy Signs Driver’s License Bill into Law<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Culmination of a 15-Year Struggle</span></b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qHoo4NzO2Fw/XgE_u_BdsrI/AAAAAAAAHK8/h-yS5qGr2-AqnKR2vjAY6XiHQYjDpfoqACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/DL%2BBill%2BSigning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qHoo4NzO2Fw/XgE_u_BdsrI/AAAAAAAAHK8/h-yS5qGr2-AqnKR2vjAY6XiHQYjDpfoqACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DL%2BBill%2BSigning.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LAN President Emeritus Frank Argote-Freyre receiving pen from Governor Phil Murphy during Bill Signing Ceremony.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Governor Phil Murphy
today signed the law permitting undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s
licenses, the culmination of a 15-year advocacy campaign by the Latino activist
organizations across New Jersey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“Since the founding of
the Latino Action Network in 2009, this has been our number one legislative
priority,” said Christian Estevez, President of LAN. “Governor Murphy’s signing
of this bill is a landmark moment for our community and the entire state of New
Jersey. It makes our state a more humane and safer place to live. The coming
together of a wide range of constituencies made this possible. It challenges
the tone of intolerance set by President Trump at the national level.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Estevez noted that the list
of allies both in government and on the activist side that helped make it
possible is long. In addition to Governor Murphy, key allies were Senate
President Steve Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, Assemblywoman Annette
Quijano, and State Senators Teresa Ruiz, Nellie Pou, Nilsa Cruz-Perez, Ron Rice
and Nia Gill. Key allies in the African American community included NAACP NJ
State Conference President Richard Smith, Charles Boyer, leader of Salvation
and Social Justice and Eric Dobson of the Fair Share Housing Center. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Frank Argote-Freyre,
President Emeritus of LAN and a professor of Latin American history at Kean
University made the following statement: “This is a historic moment for the
Latino community of New Jersey. It is a moment when the organizing power of the
community reached a new level. I am confident it will be seen as a turning
point in the struggle for self-empowerment by generations to come. We are
fortunate at this time to have a Governor willing to show courage in the face
of unrelenting attacks on the immigrant community by a shameless President. His
support for our community will be long remembered.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The Latino Action
Network is a broad, statewide coalition of Latino organizations dedicated to
political empowerment, the promotion of civil rights, and the elimination of
disparities in the areas of education, health, and employment. It was founded
in 2009.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-4804603697800546452019-10-09T22:42:00.003-04:002019-12-23T12:08:52.596-05:002020 LAN Legislative Conference<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Join the Latino Action
Network Legislative Conference to celebrate a decade of advocacy. This will be
a conference to remember!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">About this Event:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">The LAN Legislative
Conference is the largest gathering of Latino community organizers and public
policy advocates in the State of New Jersey. Last year's conference was
attended by over 350 activists from every corner of the state. The conference
will include a full program, with keynote presentations and dynamic workshops
with panels discussing a full array of issues in accordance with our
Legislative Agenda for 2020.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Register <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/latino-action-network-10th-annual-legislative-conference-tickets-76079936137?utm_source=eventbrite&utm_medium=email&utm_content=follow_notification&utm_campaign=following_published_event&utm_term=Latino%20Action%20Network%2010th%20Annual%20Legislative%20Conference&aff=ebemoffollowpublishemail&fbclid=IwAR3N6vn_WjSYw0LRALYXsJTs2eqRMOz9Et5SZ9MnvQKjkam6D7SXSOtMtho">here</a>
for free! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<img alt="" class="structured-content__image g-img" src="https://img.evbuc.com/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.evbuc.com%2Fimages%2F76184999%2F277002343642%2F1%2Foriginal.20191009-173756?h=2000&w=720&auto=compress&s=6657ceaa06a975a24433db9ea8856b42" style="border: 0px; color: #39364f; display: block; font-size: 0.933333rem; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%; padding-top: 0px;" /></div>
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Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-77881754197861125102019-08-23T13:06:00.000-04:002019-12-24T13:11:14.059-05:00Governor Murphy Strengthens Expungement Reforms and Provides for Pathway to Automatic Expungement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">08/23/2019</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Governor’s Conditional
Veto Also Requires Sealing of Marijuana Offenses and Allows for “Clean Slate”
Expungements for Those Who Have Clean Records for Ten Years</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">TRENTON – </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Governor Phil Murphy
today conditionally vetoed Senate Bill No. 3205, which would institute several
major reforms to the State’s expungement law and allow individuals convicted of
certain offenses to petition a court to remove information about those offenses
from their criminal records. As described in more detail below, the
Governor’s recommendations require the creation of a system for automatic
expungements for those with clean records for at least ten years, and allow for
judicial sealing of low-level marijuana offenses, ensuring that individuals
cannot have those convictions used against them in the future.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I applaud the sponsors’ commitment to
social justice, and their efforts to correct historic wrongs inflicted on our
communities by a criminal justice system that has at times unfairly, and
harshly punished individuals,” <b>said Governor Murphy. </b>“Providing
relief for those who have served their time, and lifting the constraints placed
on them from finding meaningful work, and providing for their families
following a conviction and time served is a priority that I share with
legislative leaders and advocates.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“However, I believe this bill can go
further for the cause of justice, and I am hopeful that we can move forward together
with a bill that provides a path to automatic expungement and allows for relief
for those convicted for those convicted of low-level marijuana offenses,”<b> Governor
Murphy continued.</b> “I will continue to work with the Legislature build
a more complete system of expungements, so that more New Jerseyans are given a
second chance and can better reintegrate into our society.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clean Slate Expungement
System</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Governor’s changes would require the
State to implement an “automated clean slate expungement system” – an automatic
system of expungements for individuals convicted of multiple crimes who have
had a clean record for at least ten years, obviating the need for an attorney
or the need to engage in a paperwork heavy administrative process. In order to
meet the bill’s implementation requirement, the Governor’s changes establish a
task force to study the technological, fiscal, resource and practical issues
and challenges involved in developing such a system, and to provide
recommendations on how to create the system.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As an interim measure to help those who
have had clean records for at least a decade, the Governor’s changes recommend
that a clean slate petition process be available for the limited period between
the bill’s effective date and the implementation of an automated clean slate
expungement system. The bill calls for a $15 million supplemental
appropriation to the Department of Law and Public Safety to support its
processing of clean slate expungement petitions. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Marijuana and Hashish
Convictions</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As passed, S3205 establishes an expedited
expungement process for certain minor marijuana, hashish, and paraphernalia
convictions. While laudable for its social justice aims, such a process may
have the unintended and unfair effect of delaying the review of standard
expungement petitions. The Governor’s changes therefore suggest having the
court immediately seal an individual’s record upon the disposition of charges
for possession or distribution of a small amount of marijuana or hashish or
related drug paraphernalia. Further, the Governor’s change would ensure
that the sealed marijuana or hashish convictions cannot not be used for
sentencing purposes in any other case. This process provides relief while
avoiding delays.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Changes to Existing
Expungement Procedures</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Governor’s changes would require the
State to establish an electronic expungement filing system that would
streamline expungement processing, eliminate filing fees to petition for an
expungement, and eliminate the current expensive requirement on individuals to
send notices of the petition to various law enforcement agencies. These changes
would lift the financial and time-consuming burden on individuals seeking
relief.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Governor’s changes also recommend
incorporating amendments suggested by the Administrative Office of the Courts,
which address technical and procedural issues identified by the Judicial
Branch, which is responsible for conducting the expungement petition filing and
hearing process. The Governor’s changes suggest modifications from the
Department of Treasury that are designed to facilitate the collection of fines
in response to changes in the bill that shift responsibility from the courts to
the Department. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Advocates expressed their support for the
Governor’s conditional veto.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The NAACP has been involved in the
cannabis conversation solely because of its connection to civil rights,” <b>said
Richard T. Smith, President of the NAACP New Jersey State Chapter.</b> “We
believe that the wrongs committed by the war on drugs and its agents can not
begin to be repaired until people can have their lives back from senseless
low-level marijuana offenses. We are glad to see the Governor's office
conditionally veto this bill in hopes of making it stronger and the language
clearer. The NAACP looks forward to working with the Governor's office to
ensure that everyone will have open access to free and expedited
expungement."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“This is a major step towards the
restoration of thousands of lives,” <b>said Reverend Charles Boyer.</b> “Governor
Murphy continues to show his commitment to unravel a punitive system
disproportionately inflicted upon people of color. This is robust; this is a
commitment; this is real.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"On behalf of the Latino Acton
Network we celebrate not only this legislation but also Governor Murphy’s conditional
veto that adds automatic expungement for individuals who have had stayed crime
and conviction free for ten years or more," <b>said Cuqui Rivera,
Criminal Justice Reform Chair at the Latino Action Network.</b> “The
stigma surrounding a criminal record is debilitating in so many aspects of
one’s journey that to rebuild their lives after time served is virtually beyond
possible. As advocates in criminal justice reform for the last 2 decades, we
have worked long and hard on this very legislation. Thank you to ALL in the
legislature, the administration and the advocate community who have worked so
hard to realize this victory. It takes the Village. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Governor Murphy's conditional veto puts
our state on the path to ensure that New Jerseyans burdened with criminal
convictions – disproportionately people of color – will no longer need to
navigate an onerous legal system to obtain the well-documented benefits of
expungement," <b>said Amol Sinha, Executive Director of the
American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey.</b> "Instead, they will
be able to expunge their records as soon as they become eligible. In the coming
months, the ACLU-NJ will work hard to guarantee that the task force
created by the CV provides recommendations, and that the Legislature takes
up legislation, to create a fairer and more efficient system for
expungements."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Read the conditional veto </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562019/docs/S3205CV.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">here</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551838339582784061.post-60806965056556422462019-08-15T12:29:00.000-04:002019-12-24T12:33:09.002-05:00Governor Murphy Signs Resolution Designating “Puerto Rico Day” in New Jersey<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">TRENTON 08/15/2019
- Governor Phil Murphy today signed SJR129, designating the third Sunday of
September of each year as “Puerto Rico Day” in New Jersey. New Jersey is home
to the third-largest Puerto Rican population in the continental United States.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“This resolution
recognizes the many contributions that Puerto Ricans and those of Puerto Rican
heritage have contributed to our state,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Puerto
Ricans are our teachers, our doctors, our small business owners, and our U.S.
Supreme Court justices. The third Sunday of this September and every September
from now on will be dedicated to the nearly 500,000 Puerto Ricans living in New
Jersey and to the countless contributions they make to our state and nation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Primary sponsors
of the resolution include Senators M. Teresa Ruiz, Nellie Pou, and Nilsa
Cruz-Perez, and Assembly members Eliana Pintor Marin, Shanique Speight, and
Yvonne Lopez.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“Designating the
third Sunday of September of each year as Puerto Rico Day in New Jersey
signifies the unique relationship between the Garden State and the island of
Puerto Rico,” said Senate President Pro Tempore M. Teresa Ruiz. “It is a chance
to celebrate the Puerto Rican people, language and culture and their many
contributions to the state of New Jersey. As the first Puerto Rican woman
elected to the Senate, it is an honor to have put forth legislation that
continues to highlight one of our greatest assets in the state, our diversity.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“Puerto Ricans
have long been one of our states largest minority populations. We have helped
build, create and lead New Jersey in immeasurable ways,” said Senator Nilsa
Cruz-Perez. “It’s only right that our state acknowledges these efforts and contributions
from a community that has given so much throughout our long and storied
history. I look forward to celebrating with everyone next month for New
Jersey’s first Puerto Rican Day.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“New Jersey truly
is a melting pot of various cultures and that diversity is what makes our state
great,” said Senator Nellie Pou. “Our state has one of the largest Puerto Rican
populations in the country and as a proud Puerto Rican, I am glad to have had
the opportunity to sponsor legislation that recognizes and celebrates a
community whose influence on New Jersey has undeniably shaped the great state
we have today.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“The Puerto Rican
Community has long contributed to the diversity present in New Jersey. Puerto
Ricans, who comprise more than 5 percent of the state’s total population, and
growing, continue to play a major role in all aspects of New Jersey’s cultural,
social, political and economic life, said Assembly bill sponsors in a joint
statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“Puerto Ricans and
their descendants continue to be present and active throughout New Jersey
communities. From the first Puerto Ricans who arrived at Picatinny Arsenal in
Dover, NJ during the First World War to Borinqueneer Veterans who were
Presidential Gold Medal Recipients of the Korean War, Puerto Ricans have made significant
contributions to the Garden State and the nation.” the sponsors continued. “The
State of New Jersey and Puerto Rico also continue to have a strong sense of
shared community, perhaps best evidenced recently in the immediate and generous
action taken by New Jersey residents to offer assistance in the aftermath of
Hurricane Maria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Formally designating
an annual Puerto Rico Day acknowledges the meaningful relationship between
Puerto Rico and New Jersey and serves to encourage residents to celebrate the
people, language and culture of Puerto Rico.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“We are deeply
gratified to know that Governor Murphy continues to stand with the people of
Puerto Rico,” said Bishop Joshua Rodriguez, Chair of the New Jersey Commission
on Puerto Rico Relief. “As an inclusive leader, he has been instrumental in
Puerto Rico’s healing process since Hurricanes Irma and Maria and continues to
support the rebuilding of our precious island, Borinquén, as well as ensuring
that the state of New Jersey provides vital services and recovery assistance to
Puerto Ricans who have relocated across the region since the devastating
Hurricanes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“As the first Miss
Puerto Rico of the Statewide Parade of New Jersey, I am thankful that our
Puerto Rican community is being honored with SJR129. I want to thank the
Legislators and the Governor for making the third Sunday in September of each
year as "Puerto Rican Day" in New Jersey,” said Peggy Anastos,
Vice-Chair of the New Jersey Commission on Puerto Rico Relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My Puerto Rican Brothers and sisters here
and in Puerto Rico should be treated equally as all other American Citizens in
the Country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This bill will remind
people that we are the largest of any Latino group in New Jersey. Puerto Ricans
have seen our island go through many difficulties in the past years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celebrating our culture and love for our
music and people is important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>thank you
again Governor Murphy and Senator Pou, Senator Ruiz, Senator Nilsa Cruz Perez,
Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez, Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marín and Assemblywoman
Shanique Speight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“The designation
of the third Sunday of every September as “Puerto Rico Day” is another
indication of Governor Murphy’s inclusive agenda and his desire to recognize
every community in this beautifully diverse state. Puerto Ricans have been
civil rights pioneers in New Jersey and across the nation,” said <b>Frank
Argote-Freyre, Chair of the Latino Action Network Foundation</b>. “They were
the founders of many of the community organizations in New Jersey that now
serve hundreds of thousands of needy individuals of all backgrounds.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The history of
Puerto Ricans in New Jersey is one that spans well over a half-century and
encompasses a series of social, cultural and political accomplishments by the
community throughout this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By
declaring the third Sunday of every September, as "Puerto Rican Day",
Governor Murphy does not only recognize these past achievements but also
reaffirms the important role that Puerto Ricans will have on the future success
of the Garden State,” said <b>David Ortiz, Sr., Puerto Rican Community Leader</b>.
“I would like to thank the Governor for bestowing such an honor to all Puerto
Ricans who call New Jersey their home. It will be well received and highly
appreciated by our community for many years to come."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">"The island
of Puerto Rico has endured some of the most horrendous challenges of its time
from natural catastrophes, to the recent ousting of Governor Rosello and more.
The Latino Action Network (LAN) has been directly on the ground in several
relief and rebuild missions since Hurricane Maria and knows firsthand the
turmoil related to these challenges,” <b>said Cuqui Rivera, Executive Secretary
of the Latino Action Network</b>. “Governor Murphy you again stand up and with
our Latino community in recognition of our New Jersey Puerto Rican
constituents. Your gesture of love and support through this legislation is
appreciated and applauded…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Gracias!!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Dan Ulloahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887172664218585411noreply@blogger.com0