About

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Congresswoman Nellie Pou was sworn into the United States House of Representatives on January 3, 2025, making history as the first Latina from New Jersey to serve in Congress. Representing the Ninth District, she brings decades of legislative experience and a commitment to championing underserved communities.

In the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Pou is one of just two New Jersey members on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. On the committee she serves as the Vice Ranking Member on the Subcommittee for Aviation, and also serves on the Subcommittees on Highways and Transit as well as Water Resources and Environment. Pou is also a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, and sits on its Subcommittee for Counterterrorism and Intelligence.

With a career in public service, Congresswoman Pou previously served as a New Jersey State Senator for the 35th Legislative District. First elected to the Senate in 2011, she was re-elected in 2013, 2017, 2021, and 2023. During her tenure, she held key leadership roles, including Senate Majority Caucus Chair, Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, Vice-Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, and member of the Senate Budget Committee.

Before her time in the Senate, Congresswoman Pou served in the New Jersey General Assembly beginning in 1997, where she broke barriers as the first woman and first Latina to represent the 35th District. In the Assembly, she chaired the Assembly Appropriations Committee and held other leadership positions, including Deputy Speaker.

As Chairwoman of the New Jersey Legislative Latino Caucus, she advocated for equitable representation across government and the judiciary while championing legislation and funding programs that promote fairness and opportunity for all.

Congresswoman Pou also made history as the first New Jersey legislator to serve as President of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators. In this role, she collaborated with colleagues nationwide to advance policies that uplift Hispanic communities.

A lifelong advocate for education, health care, economic development, consumer protection, social justice, and criminal justice reform, Congresswoman Pou’s contributions have earned widespread recognition. In May 2024, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from William Paterson University, and in 2020, she was named at the top of the list as one of New Jersey’s 100 Policymakers by InsiderNJ.

Beyond her legislative achievements, Congresswoman Pou dedicated over 40 years to the City of Paterson, serving in key leadership roles such as Director of Human Resources and Business Administrator.

Congresswoman Pou has also served on critical commissions and boards, including the New Jersey Complete Count Commission for the 2020 Census, the New Jersey Criminal Sentencing and Disposition Commission, and the NJ Disparity in State Procurement Study Commission. Her national affiliations include Women in Government, the National Conference of State Legislators, and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.