Van Drew, Jeff RSS Articles

ICYMI: Congressman Van Drew Announces Unprecedented $99 Million Army Corps Investment for South Jersey Beach Replenishment

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew announced that South Jersey will receive $99 million in federal funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to replenish and protect key beaches in the region. This is the biggest investment in New Jersey beach projects in a year without a severe coastal storm.

"I have been working closely with the Army Corps to make sure South Jersey is a priority, and today we are seeing that pay off in a massive way," said Congressman Van Drew. "This announcement delivers $99 million for beach replenishment across Ocean City, Strathmere, Sea Isle City, Avalon, and Stone Harbor. This is a huge investment for our shoreline, one of the largest we have ever seen, and it is going to make a real difference. Our beaches are so important to South Jersey, and this level of investment means stronger protection, more stability, and peace of mind for our shore communities. I want to thank Secretary Adam Telle for coming down to the shore and seeing these needs firsthand and helping make sure this got done.

"For months, I have been saying we needed to use disaster funding to get some of these projects done, and that is exactly what we did to unlock funding for places like Avalon and Stone Harbor. On top of this, we are also seeing additional investments in dredging across South Jersey, with more than $5 million going toward projects on the Salem River, Maurice River, Cold Spring Inlet, and the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway, along with continued work to deepen the Salem and Maurice Rivers. We also secured the necessary support to complete the redesign of the Wildwoods project, which will allow us to use sand from Hereford Inlet to replenish North Wildwood.

"In the meantime, I am continuing to push for additional resources, including the $70 million in earmarks I have requested through the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations process for beach projects in Long Beach Island and Absecon Island, which includes Atlantic City, Ventnor, Margate, and Longport. That includes funding to design erosion mitigation structures through my hotspot erosion law, so these communities are better protected moving forward. I have also requested funding to begin the process of extending the seawall in North Brigantine as part of our ongoing work to protect that area. In the long term, I am working on solutions like the Coastal Trust Fund Act to create a more reliable, permanent stream of funding for these kinds of projects. But today, this is a historic investment in South Jersey, and I am proud to have gotten it done."

Reps. Van Drew, Courtney Reintroduce the Agent Orange Service Medal Act

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew (R-NJ), along with Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT), reintroduced the Agent Orange Service Medal Act to honor veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during their service and continue to suffer from its long-term health effects.

"Too many of our Vietnam veterans came home carrying invisible wounds from Agent Orange and are still dealing with the consequences decades later," said Congressman Van Drew. "We now know that exposure to this toxic chemical, which was used to clear dense vegetation during the war, is linked to serious illnesses, including cancers and chronic conditions that have impacted thousands of veterans and their families. These men and women answered the call to serve, and they deserve to know their country sees them, respects them, and remembers what they went through. This bill establishes a dedicated service medal to formally recognize those who were exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. We owe them much more, but this is one step toward honoring their sacrifice and giving them the respect they have long deserved."

"The Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 extended care and benefits to thousands of veterans exposed to Agent Orange during their service. There's more work to be done, and while we build on the PACT Act to ensure every veteran receives the care and benefits they've earned, we should also continue honoring veterans' service and sacrifice," Congressman Courtney said. "The Agent Orange Service Medal Act would provide veterans and their families with a tangible token of our nation's enduring gratitude. I'm glad to join Congressman Van Drew to reintroduce this bill. In a Congress that is frequently defined by division, leaders should bring more bipartisan veterans bills to the floor for a vote."

Click here to read the text of the bill.

Congressman Van Drew: Pay Our Coast Guard Now

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew issued the following statement as the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security continues, leaving Coast Guard service members without pay for 42 days.

"Our Coast Guard men and women are good people," said Congressman Van Drew. "They have committed their lives to serving this country and protecting all of us. What is happening right now is painful, wrong, and downright shameful. It is unbelievable that in the United States of America, we have Coast Guard members going to food banks, holding fundraisers, and struggling to make ends meet. That is not who we are as a country, and it should make every single person in Washington embarrassed.

"South Jersey is home to Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, the only recruit training center in our nation. I meet these men and women all the time. They are hardworking, decent, committed people, and they do not deserve to be treated this way. Despite all this, they continue to show up every single day and carry out their mission without pay. They deserve a government that shows up for them as well. I have spoken directly with President Trump and asked him to consider every possible option, including executive action, to get our Coast Guard paid during this shutdown, just like he has for TSA. For God's sake, stop playing politics with the people who protect this country. Pay our service members now."

Congressman Van Drew Calls on Governor Sherrill to Act on Soaring Utility Bills Immediately

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC -Today, Congressman Van Drew renewed his call for immediate action from Governor Sherrill as utility bills across South Jersey continue to skyrocket, with many families now paying delivery fees that are double or even triple their actual energy usage.

"People in South Jersey are opening their bills and seeing something that just does not make sense," said Congressman Van Drew. "In many cases, the delivery fees are higher than the cost of electricity itself. That is not normal, and it is not acceptable. For years, the state made bad decisions. They shut down reliable energy sources like nuclear, gas, and coal plants, including Beesley's Point coal plant, which was supposed to be converted to natural gas but was instead shut down. They took dependable power off the grid and never replaced it. Instead, they poured billions into offshore wind projects that were never going to deliver affordable, reliable energy. Now we are forced to import energy from other states at a much higher cost, and that failure is being dumped directly onto the backs of our residents through these outrageous delivery fees.

"The Governor and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities have the authority to fix this, and they need to act now. I am once again calling on them to repeal these excessive delivery fees. The root of this problem lies at the state level. My hands are virtually tied here, but I am trying desperately at the federal level to help where I can. I have recently introduced a package of bills aimed at stopping unnecessary charges and protecting families from being forced to pay for costly energy programs. But the reality is that this is not a priority for every state because many states do not have this problem. At the end of the day, this problem was created by the past Governor, and it has to be fixed by this Governor."

Package of Bills:

H.R. 1148, the Stop Misappropriating Ratepayer Tariffs for Excessive Resources (SMARTER) Act- requires states to consider prohibiting utilities from passing the cost of expensive smart grid projects onto ratepayers through Societal Benefit delivery charges.

H.R. 5896, the Guarding Ratepayers from Imposed EV Charging Directives (GRID) Act- repeals federal standards tied to electric vehicle charging programs that are currently funded through Societal Benefits delivery charges.

H.R. 7991, the Stop Taxing Our Power (RGGI) Act- would prohibit states from imposing charges for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Energy Efficiency Programs that ultimately raise costs on consumers.

Congressman Van Drew Renews Call for Immediate Pay for Workers and No Pay for Congress During Shutdown

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC -Today, Congressman Van Drew released the following statement regarding the ongoing partial shutdown.

"This has gone on long enough," said Congressman Van Drew. "The people paying the price right now are the ones showing up every day to do their jobs: TSA agents, Coast Guard members, and others who keep this country running. They are doing everything we ask of them, day in and day out, and they are not being paid for it. It is not right. And that is exactly why Members of Congress should not be paid during a shutdown. If these workers are going without, then we should be going without too. We should be feeling that same pain until this gets fixed. That is why I am sponsoring a bill to ensure that while the government shuts down, Members of Congress do not receive their pay. The Constitution sets clear rules on congressional pay, so this has to be done the right way, but there is a path to make sure Members do not take home a paycheck while the job is not done. Maybe then they will think twice before using people's livelihoods as leverage in a political fight."

Congressman Van Drew Shares Progress Moving Forward to Fix Garden State Parkway Exit 20

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew announced progress toward fixing the long-standing traffic design issue at Exit 20 on the Garden State Parkway.

"This has been a priority for me since my time in the State Legislature, and I have been working with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to finally get this moving," said Congressman Van Drew. "Right now, Exit 20 is designed so you can only enter the Parkway heading south and only exit when traveling north. That simply does not make sense for the people who live and work here. The Turnpike Authority has now completed the preliminary design for improvements. The next step is for the project to move through the Authority's budget prioritization process to be considered for funding. I will keep pushing to make sure this project moves forward so this interchange finally works the way it should for South Jersey."

Congressman Van Drew: Cape May Remains the Heart of Coast Guard Recruit Training

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC -Today, Congressman Van Drew highlighted the continued strength of U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May following the Coast Guard's announcement that it plans to establish an additional training center in Alabama to help meet growing national training needs.

"This is good news for Cape May, good news for the Coast Guard, and good news for our country," said Congressman Van Drew. "Cape May is the main training center for the entire nation, and that is not changing. With the $495 million in federal investments we have secured, the Training Center Cape May is thriving and stronger than it has ever been. This includes the single largest federal investment in the history of South Jersey, and the Coast Guard has given us a written commitment ensuring these funds come solely to our Training Center. The Coast Guard even plans to increase Cape May's capacity to train about 5,000 more recruits each year. We are seeing a renewed interest in serving our country. As more young Americans step forward to defend our nation, we need to keep expanding our capacity so we can keep our Coast Guard strong and ready. That is what this second training center is about: building on Cape May's success and preparing for the future."

Congressman Van Drew Statement on Operation Epic Fury

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew released the following statement regarding President Trump's decision to authorize Operation Epic Fury and the coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting senior leaders of the Iranian regime.

"For decades, the Iranian regime has funded terrorism, threatened our allies, and chanted 'Death to America' while destabilizing the Middle East," said Congressman Van Drew. "What we are witnessing now is a decisive response to years of aggression. The leadership of the world's largest state sponsor of terror has been dealt a powerful blow. We killed one of the most evil men in the world, along with 40 of his cohorts. When America leads with strength, our enemies think twice, and the world is safer for it. Our men and women in uniform performed with extraordinary courage to get the job done. Every American should be grateful for their service tonight. God bless our troops. God bless our allies. And God bless the United States of America."

Congressman Van Drew Asks Residents Still Without Power to Report Outages Through Online Form

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Northfield, NJ - In the aftermath of the recent winter storm, Congressman Van Drew's office is working directly with electric utility providers to report power outages across South Jersey and to help restore services as quickly as possible.

To make sure every affected location is being reported, residents who are still experiencing outages are asked to fill out a short online form with their contact information and location. The information collected will be shared directly with the electric company to ensure remaining outages are addressed as soon as possible.

Residents who are still without power can fill out the form here: Power Outage Survey

Congressman Van Drew Calls for Immediate Action to Guarantee Pay for Federal Workers and to Require Members of Congress Suspend Their Pay During Government Shutdowns

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew called for immediate action to pass legislation ensuring federal workers and service members are paid during any government shutdown, while calling for members of Congress to forgo their own pay.

"Using members of the Coast Guard at Training Center Cape May, TSA agents, FEMA personnel, and law enforcement officers as leverage in funding disputes is completely unacceptable," said Congressman Van Drew. "These are the people who keep our country safe every day. They should not lose a paycheck because of disagreements over spending. Members of Congress should be the ones who are not receiving pay during a shutdown. We need to pass legislation now so federal workers are never again caught in the middle of funding fights."