(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12), and New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine were in Monroe today to discuss a new a property tax relief initiative that Menendez and Holt included in federal housing legislation signed into law by President Bush on July 30, 2008. The new property tax deduction will benefit homeowners who do not itemize on their Federal tax returns. Under the law, single-filing property taxpayers will be able to take an additional standard deduction of $500 and joint filers will be able to deduct $1,000 for state and local property taxes paid. According to the New Jersey Department of Taxation, nearly 600,000 New Jersey residents will benefit from the initiative. Two New Jersey homeowners who will receive the deduction - Herb and Susan Junker of Monroe – hosted the event in front of their Monroe house.

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) invites his constituents to come and voice their concerns and opinions on issues facing New Jersey and the nation at town hall forums and an open house that are scheduled throughout his district during the month of August.

(Washington, D.C.) – The following is a statement from Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) on the latest developments in the anthrax investigation. Earlier today, Holt received a private briefing from FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III. The attacks evidently originated from a postal box in Holt’s Central New Jersey congressional district, disrupting the lives and livelihoods of many of his constituents:

Washington, D.C. --- Inspired by the story of a Highland Park resident fighting Crohn's disease, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) last week introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives directing the Postmaster General to issue a commemorative postage stamp to promote public awareness of Crohn's disease.

(Washington, D.C.) – The following is a statement from Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) in response to today’s news reports of developments in the anthrax investigation. The attacks evidently originated from a postal box in Holt’s Central New Jersey congressional district, disrupting the lives and livelihoods of many of his constituents:

(Washington, D.C.) – The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Fiscal Year 2009 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill, legislation that includes language inserted by U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) to direct the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to develop a plan to care for the veterans and military retirees in Central New Jersey who would need health care services if Fort Monmouth’s Patterson Army Health Clinic were to close in 2011. The Patterson Army Health Clinic services 3,313 military retirees and provides primary care and medical support for 1,311 dependents. The report would need to be delivered by January 30, 2009. The bill now goes to the Senate for its approval.

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Rep Rush Holt (NJ-12) today introduced legislation to encourage states to conduct hand-counted audits for the 2008 elections. The bill is a version of emergency legislation that Holt offered earlier this year, but that House Republicans blocked from passage.