Frank Lautenberg

Measure Would Extend Homebuyer Tax Credit Through June

November 4, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - Following weeks of Republican obstruction, U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today voted to approve legislation that would extend unemployment benefits for an additional 14 weeks in every state and an additional 20 weeks in New Jersey and other states where unemployment exceeds 8.5 percent. The legislation will also extend and expand the first-time homebuyers tax credit.    » read more »

Environment Committee Passes Measure To Reduce Pollution, Create Jobs, Reduce Dependence on Oil

November 5, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today applauded committee approval of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act of 2009. The legislation includes aggressive targets and timetables for emissions reductions, significant funding increases for R & D and the development of smart transportation options.    » read more »

October 29, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today announced that the Senate has approved the final version of the FY 2010 Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, which includes $15 million for projects in New Jersey to preserve open space in national wildlife refuges, protect forests, renovate infrastructure and help local communities provide clean water.

The legislation also provides federal funds to protect bats from White Nose Syndrome and to develop a management plan for the Great Falls National Historic Park. The legislation was approved in the House of Representatives earlier today and will now be sent to the White House where it is expected to be signed.    » read more »

Bill Includes Funding for Energy Upgrades at Municipal Buildings in Hudson County, Elizabeth and Perth Amboy

October 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today announced that the Senate voted to approve the final version of the FY 2010 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act which will provide more than $5 million for clean energy projects across the state. The legislation, which also includes more than $20 million for beach renourishment projects and more than $130 million for other water projects throughout the state, now heads to the White House where it is expected to be signed into law.    » read more »

Measure Would Fund Flood Damage Reduction, Water Quality Projects and Other Vital Programs

October 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today announced the Senate approved the FY 2010 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill. The legislation, which also includes more than $20 million for beach renourishment projects, has a total of more than $130 million for water projects throughout the state and now heads to the White House where it is expected to be signed into law.    » read more »

NJ Senator Is Author of Legislation To Require Background Checks At Gun Shows

October 7, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), the author of legislation to close the gun show loophole, today applauded a City of New York investigation that exposed overwhelming evidence that criminals and terrorists can easily access firearms at gun shows.    » read more »

Bill Would Establish National Plan to Address Growing Asthma Epidemic

October 7, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY-4) today introduced The Family Asthma Act of 2009, a bill that would help prevent future generations of Americans from getting asthma by establishing a national strategic plan to fight the nation’s asthma epidemic. The legislation would increase funding for asthma monitoring and initiate studies of environmental factors that impact asthma attacks.    » read more »

October 6, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded New Jersey more than $8 million in new federal funding to improve intermodal stations and expand local bus service throughout the state. The funds will provide for construction and the expansion of existing stations.    » read more »

September 29, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today lauded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) release of new chemical safety principles as an important breakthrough for public health in America.

Lautenberg, a leader in the Senate on improving chemical safety, is preparing legislation that would put the burden on chemical companies to provide data to the EPA so that Americans can be assured the chemicals they are exposed to are safe.    » read more »

Senator Lautenberg Introduces Legislation to Close "Terror Gap" In Nation's Gun Laws

June 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Congressmen John Conyers (D-MI) and Bobby Scott (D-VA) today released a new GAO report finding that, from February 2004 to February 2009, there were 963 cases in which a known or suspected terrorist attempted to buy a gun. In 90 percent of those cases – a total of 865 times – they were cleared to proceed with that purchase. One of those cases involved the purchase of explosives.    » read more »

Will Improve Health, Protect Children; Long-Time Senate Leader on Anti-Tobacco Efforts Hails President Obama's Signing Legislation into Law

June 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – President Obama today signed into law legislation Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) cosponsored to give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate the sale and distribution of tobacco products, and prevent cigarette makers from targeting children in their advertising and marketing and making false claims to the public.

The New Jersey Senator is a longtime Senate leader in the fight against Big Tobacco.    » read more »

Bill To Reduce Congestion On Roads By Encouraging More Freight To Be Carried By Barges and Ships; Would Create 'Maritime Highway', Help States Improve Ports

June 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today introduced a bill to reduce congestion on the nation’s roads by encouraging more freight to be carried by barges and ships. The legislation would create a grant program for ‘America’s Marine Highways’ to encourage shipping by sea or inland waterway and establish a new program to modernize port facilities to make freight movement more efficient.    » read more »

Provision Now Goes to President; Would Provide Payments to Service Members Held Beyond Enlistment Between 2001-2008

June 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – The Senate yesterday approved a spending bill which includes $534.4 million to pay retroactive bonuses for troops affected by “stop loss,” a policy which involuntarily extends military service beyond an enlistment contract, between 2001 and 2008.

The funding for the retroactive bonuses was included in the Fiscal Year 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act, which a key conference committee Lautenberg served on passed last week and the House of Representatives passed earlier his week. The bill will now be sent to President Obama for his signature.    » read more »

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health, released the following statements regarding a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO)

Biomonitoring involves assessing chemical levels in blood and tissue samples to study levels of human exposure to toxic chemicals in our workplaces, homes, and environment. showing that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should increase its ability to protect public health by expanding its assessment of toxic chemical exposures through the use of biomonitoring.    » read more »

June 4, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone Jr. and U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) praised the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for passing legislation that requires tough new beach water quality testing and public notification standards so beachgoers are better informed about the safety of their beaches.

The Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act of 2009 reauthorizes grants awarded to states through the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act through 2013. It will also increase the annual grant levels from $30 million to $40 million.    » read more »