Constituents, Advocates to Protest Rep. Gottheimer’s Obstruction of Biden Administration’s $3.5 Billion Budget Resolution

Groups Called on U.S. Rep Gottheimer to Support Jobs, Climate and Citizenship Measures in Build  Back Better Budget Resolution

NJ Activists Protest Outside Rep. Gottheimer’s Glen Rock Office, Demand He Support Passage of Biden’s Build Back Better Plan

Washington, DC — Today, Indivisible NJ 5th District, BlueWaveNJ, JOLTRidgewood, and New Jersey Citizen Action joined a Build Back Better protest led by Make the Road NJ in front of Congressman Gottheimer’s Glen Rock Office. The groups demanded Rep. Gottheimer support the passage of Biden’s Build Back Better plan and remove himself as one of nine moderate Democrat members of Congress threatening to block the bill (event livestream here):

“I am disappointed but not that surprised by his [Rep. Josh Gottheimer] latest actions. Democrats won the House in 2020. Democrats won the Senate in 2020. Democrats won the White House in 2020. We have this small window to actually pass legislation that can help working families,” said Madeline Trimble of Indivisible NJ 5th District. “The impediment is not the Senate. The impediment is Josh Gottheimer and this group of nine Democrats that he is leading.”

“As an essential worker who kept so many safe during the worst months of the pandemic, I’m still afraid of being deported. Rep. Gottheimer’s blocking of the Build Back Better resolution means I still have to live in fear,” Aida M. of Make the Road New Jersey

“We’re depending on the child tax credit. The expansion of the child tax credit is estimated to cut the poverty in half. Children like my son are depending on that support, and Representative Gottheimer is blocking it,” said Lauren Herman of Make the Road NJ and an NJ-05 constituent. “He is standing in the way of safe and healthy futures for all of our children, and we’re here to say we don’t want any of it. We will take to the streets, take to the voting booths, and make sure that we push for progress.”

“This is unacceptable. Josh is supposed to be our representative — not just the representative of Big Money interests…” said Susan Steinberg of Indivisible NJ 5th District. “Poll after poll says this is what people want. Why is he and his little band of merry people trying to stand in the way of progress? It’s unacceptable. I told him I don’t like the way he votes, I still don’t like the way he votes, and I will remember that definitely in June of 2022.”

“In 2016, I was out here to get Josh Gottheimer re-elected. I was for progress, and my organization sent a lot of people to do the same. The stakes were high, but the stakes have only gotten higher,” said Mark Lurinsky of BlueWaveNJ.  “We cannot afford to go back… Please get the message Congressman. We’re looking at you. This [failure of Build Back Better package] cannot happen. Build back better.”