FORT LEE, NJ — Today, July 19, 2022, joined by Fifth District business leaders and local elected officials at a local Korean American-owned small business, Sunmerry Bakery Café, Congressman Josh Gottheimer received the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for his record of working across the aisle to lower taxes, support small businesses, cut red tape, invest in infrastructure, and help bring jobs and economic growth to New Jersey’s Fifth District.
Last year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce honored Gottheimer with the Jefferson-Hamilton Award for Bipartisanship for the second year in a row. The award recognizes Members of Congress who have demonstrated bipartisan leadership and a willingness to work across the aisle in support of common goals. Gottheimer has also earned their Spirit of Enterprise award multiple times for supporting pro-growth, business-friendly efforts in Congress.
Gottheimer has earned a reputation for working with both parties to build bipartisan support for commonsense solutions. He serves as Co-Chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, a group of 29 Democrats and 29 Republicans who work together to find common ground on tough issues facing the country. He has been named as the most bipartisan Democratic Member of the House of Representatives for the third year in a row by the Lugar Center at Georgetown University.
“Through Congressman Gottheimer’s instrumental leadership, the bipartisan infrastructure bill was signed into law, providing residents of New Jersey’s Fifth District with much-needed improvements in not only their roads and bridges, but also in their water, infrastructure, and broadband,” said U.S. Chamber of Commerce Eastern Region Vice President Stephen P. McAllister. “Rep. Gottheimer understands the challenges and economic needs facing job creators, the workforce, and families in New Jersey. He is committed to supporting free enterprise and the American business community through pro-growth solutions. The U.S. Chamber is proud to endorse Rep. Gottheimer and support his re-election.”
“Thank you to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its members for your endorsement. It’s an honor to have earned the support of one of our nation’s most respected and important voices for small businesses, economic growth, and opportunity,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer. “I’m working hard every day to reward innovation, support our workers, promote entrepreneurship and support the small businesses that choose to invest here in North Jersey. Whether it’s fighting for the small businesses and workers that have been pillars of our communities for decades, or empowering entrepreneurs who whole the next big ideas to drive our economic future, I’m proud of my record working across the aisle for stronger pro-growth, pro-jobs policies. As long as I’m in Congress, I won’t stop advocating for bipartisan, commonsense solutions to lowering taxes, cutting red tape, investing to fix crumbling infrastructure, like we did with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, standing up for workers, and clawing more of the tax dollars we send to Washington back to New Jersey.”
Last year, working with members from both parties and the Problem Solvers Caucus, bipartisan partners in the Senate, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Gottheimer scored a victory for New Jersey jobs, businesses, and infrastructure by helping shape and pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill to create millions of jobs a year for the next decade, including for our hardworking men and women of labor.
The bipartisan legislation will improve North Jersey’s infrastructure, including ports, climate resiliency, roads, rails, and bridges, help build the Gateway Train Tunnel between New York and Jersey, address supply chain issues, and boost the local economy. It will invest more than $8 billion to help fix hundreds of roads and bridges in New Jersey, $4.1 billion to improve Jersey’s public transportation, $1 billion in critical water infrastructure, and millions in broadband and airport infrastructure — all without increasing the tax burden on North Jersey families.
In Congress, Josh has fought to restore the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT) to give New Jersey families a much-needed tax cut. This year, Gottheimer introduced the bipartisan Cut Red Tape Act to help eliminate red tape and outdated bureaucracy, help create jobs, support small businesses, and spur economic growth in New Jersey — all while protecting what matters most: our air and water, our food, our health and safety, and our families and children. This bipartisan legislation is part of Gottheimer’s Affordability Agenda for New Jersey, which includes tackling supply chain issues, combating rising costs, and cutting taxes for families.
Working closely with Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate, Gottheimer helped craft and pass the last COVID package during the last Administration, which included a second round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Employee Retention Credit (ERC) loans to help Jersey small businesses and families through the pandemic. In the counties he represents, Gottheimer helped claw back more than a billion dollars through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to support small businesses.
Additionally, since Gottheimer took office, the Fifth District is up more than 112 percent through 2020 in federal tax dollars he’s helped claw back from Washington — investments that help lower the property tax burden on our residents.
Gottheimer was joined today by U.S. Chamber of Commerce Stephen P. McAllister, Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, Edgewater Mayor Michael McPartland, Fort Lee Chamber of Commerce President Jeffrey Ware, NJ Assemblywoman Ellen Park, Fort Lee Council President Ila Kasofsky, Fort Lee Councilman Paul Yoon, Fort Lee Councilman Harvey Sohmer, Fort Lee Board of Education Member Kristen Richter, Bergen County Democratic Committee Member Bryan Drumgoole, Fort Lee Democratic Municipal Chair Marc Macri, and from the Fort Lee Business District Alliance President Romina Starace, Executive Director Natalie Chapé, Ashley Yook, and James Loo at local Fort Lee small business Sunmerry Bakery Café which specializes in Asian breads, pastries, and desserts.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business advocacy organization and represents the interests of more than three million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations. Leading the business community for 110 years, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is proud to support leaders for public office who will work to advance a pro-growth agenda that will expand economic opportunity for businesses of all sizes.
