Congresswoman Pou Marks First 100 Days in Office
Congresswoman Nellie Pou (D-NJ-09) recently marked her first 100 days in the U.S. House of Representatives by recapping 100 events and activities since she took office on January 3, 2025.
“In our first 100 days, we have hit the ground running. I came to Washington to help lower the high cost of living. I know Americans are squeezed and I want to ease the burden on our communities. Every day I will work to make your daily life easier. Here are just a few of the things we have been up to in New Jersey and Washington," said Congresswoman Pou.
1. Sworn in: Joined by family and well wishers visiting from New Jersey, was sworn in as a member of the 119th Congress on January 3, 2025.
2. Cast First Vote: In her first vote as a member of Congress, backed Hakeem Jeffries to be Speaker and opposed Mike Johnson, who narrowly won thanks to Republicans’ razor-thin majority.
3. Town Hall: Held her first town hall event, attended by over 13,000 men and women from across the 35 cities and towns in New Jersey’s Ninth District.
4. Veterans Roundtable: Hosted a roundtable and lunch with over 35 veterans and veteran leaders from across the district to discuss her work protecting veteran jobs and benefits from cuts.
5. Southern Border Visit: Joined a congressional delegation visiting the southern border where she toured Homeland Security facilities and the detention center, took a helicopter tour over the border, and spoke directly with officials with Customs and Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations thanking them for their work and vigilance, as well as migrant advocates.
6. Opposed Department of Education Cuts: Worked with NJ state delegation colleagues calling on the Trump administration not to close the U.S. Department of Education. “If the Department of Education is dismantled and federal funds are unlawfully withheld, millions of students and their families in New Jersey will suffer. Local school districts will face massive budget shortfalls leading to teacher layoffs, increased classroom sizes, and higher property taxes,” Pou and her colleagues warned Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
7. Tibetan Community Lunar New Year: Raised the Tibetan Flag and met with members of the district’s growing Tibetan community for Lunar New Year where she expressed support for Tibet’s autonomy and self-determination.
8. Attended Presidential Joint Address: Attended her first Presidential Joint Session Address as a Congressmember and used the occasion to speak out against the President for not doing more to lower Americans’ high cost of living and his continued divisive policies.
9. Appointed to the House Transportation Committee: Received an important appointment to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, one of just two New Jersey members on the panel, and is using her perch to relentlessly advocate for state transportation projects and funding. She was also named a Vice Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee.
10. Rejected Bad Tariffs: Strongly opposed Donald Trump’s decision to impose worldwide tariffs against dozens of countries as a mistake that will badly harm Americans, raise costs, and constitute the largest middle class tax hike possibly ever.
11. Remembering January 6: After Donald Trump pardoned hundreds of people convicted of crimes for the January 6, 2021 attack on Capitol, signed onto a congressional resolution of condemnation of any pardons for those who were found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police Officers.
12. Addressed Dominican Leaders: Spoke to a congregation of visiting Dominican American leaders from around the country at the annual Dominicans on the Hill conference in Washington and celebrated our district’s huge Dominican community.
13. Defending Social Security: Castigated attempts to cut up to half of all Social Security Administration staff and joined over 150 House colleagues calling on Donald Trump to leave the critical program alone.
14. Protected Paterson Federal Building from Sale: At a House subcommittee hearing, she assailed reported plans by the Trump administration to sell the Robert A. Roe Federal Building in Paterson, New Jersey, as well as hundreds of other federal buildings. In response, a witness said that his agency never recommended the Roe building to be sold.
15. Went to Secaucus Hindu Mindar Temple: Visited the Hindu Temple in Secaucus to mark Hari Jayanti, the Manifestation of Lord Shree Swaminarayan, to celebrate the teachings of Lord Shree Swaminarayan, and meet community members.
16. Restoring a Child Tax Credit: Along with over 120 House members, signed on as an original cosponsor of the American Family Act (H.R. 2763) to make permanent the expanded and improved monthly Child Tax Credit.
17. Marking Iftar: Offered greetings to all our community members marking the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan and celebrating our district’s vibrant diversity.
18. Protecting Birth Control: Became an original cosponsor of the Right to Contraception Act, a bill which would keep birth control legal in America.
19. Assessed Super Bowl Security for Upcoming World Cup: Joined Democratic and Republican colleagues for a one-day trip to New Orleans to assess security preparations in the run-up to Super Bowl LIX that was played in the Crescent City on February 9 to learn more for the World Cup final that will be played in 2026 in her district.
20. Hosted Black Pastors Breakfast: In part to mark Black History Month, Pou hosted 25 Black pastors and faith leaders from the district to thank them for their work and praised them as “the glue that holds our cities and towns together.”
21. Dedicated Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Celebrated the dedication of the Fallen Soldiers Battlefield Cross Statue at the Passaic County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, praising “the enormity of our lost veterans’ sacrifice” and vowing: “I will continue to oppose any harsh cuts to VA staff or services.”
22. Disabilities Discussion: Spoke at an event sponsored by the Passaic County Parents With Disabilities and expressed unwavering commitment to fighting for special needs families.
23. National Security Supervision: With over 20 other House members, wrote a letter to top Trump administration officials expressing outrage over the use of Signal to conduct highly sensitive chats that endangered American national security.
24. District Office Open for Business: Opened a new district office at 100 Hamilton Plaza in Paterson, New Jersey with staff able to provide federal casework support for residents.
25. Educating Communities on Immigration Rights: Led several gatherings to educate community members on their legal rights in the face of invasive immigration crackdowns that have swept up legal immigrants.
26. Offered First Legislation: Became the lead sponsor of the Department of Homeland Security Basic Training Accreditation Improvement Act, a vital bill that would enhance all basic training programs for homeland security officers. The bipartisan bill has already been approved in committee.
27. Congressional Art Show: Welcomed over 50 students and their families from across the district to choose a winner to hang in the U.S. Capitol. Pou called all the entries “a testament to the creativity of our students, as well as the dedication of our art teachers.”
28. Ukrainian Church Services: Joined our district’s large Ukrainian community to mark three years since Russia invaded and made war on its neighbor. Congresswoman Pou expressed solidarity with the community and promised continued support for Ukraine to expel Russian invaders and win the war.
29. Puerto Rico Proponent: Joined a congressional resolution expressing continued support for the people of Puerto Rico, and urging the Federal Government to expedite the rebuilding of Puerto Rico's electrical grid on behalf of the district’s vibrant Puerto Rican community.
30. Offered Testimony for SALT: Testified in front of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee on the dire need to restore the state and local tax deduction and promised to vote against any larger tax reform package that does not include a removal of the SALT cap.
31. Became a Member of Congressional Hispanic Caucus: Stood with several fellow freshman members of the 119th Congress to become part of the storied CHC.
32. Community College Conference: Held a meeting in Washington with leaders from New Jersey’s county college system to thank them for their work and reiterate her strong opposition to federal education cuts.
33. Championing Consumer Protections: Criticized Trump government policies regarding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission – which work to lower costs and ensure big corporations play by the rules – as deeply harmful to Americans already squeezed by high costs and prices.
34. Women’s History Month Celebration: Marked Women’s History Month at Berkeley College with community leaders and activists and pushed for continued advances for America’s young women.
35. Helping Save 9/11 First Responder Benefits: Assailed attempts by Elon Musk’s and DOGE's policies to slash health care for 9/11 first responders, leading the Trump administration to reverse course and restore the funding.
36. Stood up for Organized Labor: Blasted a Trump executive order seeking to end collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of working Americans, calling the action “one of the most anti-worker actions ever put to paper by an American President.”
37. Hispanic Leadership Institute: Participated in the bipartisan Hispanic Leadership Institute to learn more about Congress and get things done.
38. Climate Action: Harshly criticized the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement and joined a congressional resolution condemning America’s withdrawal and abdication of leadership to fight climate change.
39. Said No to Anti-Choice Bill: Voted no to an extreme bill seeking to further restrict women’s health care options while continuing to support legislation that will make Roe v. Wade the permanent law of the land.
40. Made First Floor Speech: Offered her first remarks on the floor of the House of Representatives, hammering House Republicans’ vicious budget policy as “nothing more than a blueprint for cruelty” that “will destroy Medicaid and take health care away from millions of Americans.”
41. Supported Judicial Independence: Spoke out against attempts to impeach federal judges simply for issuing opinions against Trump administration policies.
42. Named to Homeland Security Panel: Was named by leadership to the House Homeland Security Committee, where she sits on the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee, and has promised to prioritize public safety and protecting America.
43. Urged Historic Medicare Expansion: Teamed with her colleagues on legislation that finally expands Medicare to cover benefits for dental, vision, and hearing.
44. Witnessed the Presidential Transition: Attended the inauguration of Donald Trump and voiced support of always respecting election results, regardless of their outcome.
45. Opposed Republican Budget: Voted against the House Republicans’ resolution funding the government, because it “will lead to evictions, seniors losing benefits, and veterans denied cancer care,” defund the police and medical research, and did nothing to protect Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.
46. Calling Out RFK Health Care Policies: With colleagues, called on Robert Kennedy to undo his decision to revoke billions in federal funding for health programs across the United States.
47. Honored Pascrell: Worked closely with colleagues to advance legislation to rename facilities at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in honor of her predecessor, the late Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. The bill awaits approval by the full House.
48. Mourning Fallen Police: Mourned the March 8 shooting of North Jersey police officers and expressed unshakeable support for our police officers keeping streets safe.
49. Voting Rights Sponsor: Became an original cosponsor of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore and modernize the protections of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965 after it was gutted by a decision of the U.S. Supreme Court.
50. Spoke to Rutgers Students: Attended the annual Latino Action Network Conference on Rutgers’ main campus, calling students and their voices “the greatest shield to protecting our democracy.”
51. Surveying Daylight Savings: Sent a survey asking if our community supports eliminating Daylight Savings Time – with our Ninth District members breaking over 62-to-38 in favor of ending it.
52. Joining Journalists: Along with the entire Democratic NJ House congressional delegation, announced support for New Jersey journalists who staged a walk-out and called on Gannett to negotiate with the workers in good faith and to end all unfair, retaliatory labor practices that undermine workers’ collective bargaining rights.
53. Adult Day Care Anniversary: Celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Adult Day Care Center in Paterson and has remained a decades-long supporter of this great resource for our community elders in North Jersey.
54. Joined Member Caucuses: Became a member of both the centrist New Democrats Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus to interact with differing ideologies and forge relationships with colleagues.
55. Turkish Cultural Center Grand Opening: Cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the new Harmony Point Community Center at the Turkish Cultural Center of New Jersey and celebrated one of America’s largest Turkish American communities right in the district.
56. Condemning Gaza Liquidation. Joined dozens of her colleagues condemning President Trump’s comments declaring Palestinians be permanently relocated from Gaza.
57. Demanding More Housing: Used her office to seek better housing options for Americans with support for building more affordable housing and seeking to cap rent increases that are crushing regular and young Americans.
58. Cheered on Senator Booker’s Historic Speech: Sat behind New Jersey Senator Cory Booker in support of her colleague as he conducted the longest Senate speech in history (for only part of the 25-hour speech!).
59. Pushing the PRO Act: Became an original cosponsor of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act that would enshrine historic federal changes to allow workers to seek better wages and job security.
60. Supported Air Traffic Controllers: Met with leaders of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, including its President, and thanked them for working so hard to keep our congested skies safe.
61. Toasted St. Patrick’s Day: Celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at an Irish Flag raising in Kearny with constituents from our district’s large Irish American communities.
62. Expanding Medicare Access: Joined a bipartisan House bill to increase support for doctors in adjusting to Medicare payment changes and ensure access to health care for seniors.
63. Advocated for Clean Water: At a congressional hearing, advocated for protecting the Clean Water Act, bringing with her a section of a corroded pipe from in our district to show the importance of clean and working water infrastructure in our communities.
64. Coordinated With State Delegation: Huddled monthly with fellow Democratic members from New Jersey to plan the best ways to deliver results and money for our communities.
65. International Women’s Day Speech: Addressed community members at the American Labor Museum Botto House in Haledon on International Women’s Day.
66. Pushing for Lower Electricity Costs: Met with the CEO of PSE&G to look for ways to lower costs and devise new avenues to provide clean energy.
67. Memorialized President Carter: Paid her respects to President Jimmy Carter when he lied in state at the Capitol and cosponsored a congressional resolution honoring the life, achievements, legacy, and public service of former President Carter.
68. Blasted Veterans Affairs Cuts: Vocally spoke out against Trump administration plans to fire tens of thousands of workers at the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department, saying: “If you have served our nation in uniform, your livelihood should be protected and not arbitrarily targeted. VA’s existence is a fulfillment of our promise to veterans to take care of them for all they’ve done for our country.”
69. Dialysis Center Site Visit: During National Kidney Disease month, visited St. Joseph’s Hospital to discuss ongoing challenges patients face with nursing staffing and patient access to care.
70. Defending Against DOGE Policies: Blasted Elon Musk-led DOGE’s policies seeking to dismantle the federal government and sponsored legislation that would block Musk and his team from being able to access taxpayers’ private data.
71. Recognizing Soccer Legends: Visited with members of Inter Club Facchetti to thank members and bestow congressional certificates on soccer greats Alessandro Altobelli and Marco Materazzi.
72. Demanding Flight Safety: Following the deadliest commercial flight crash in America in 16 years, participated in a House Transportation hearing on aviation safety and called for expanding the workforce of air traffic controllers.
73. Thanking Fire Heroes: Joined with members of the Cliffside Fire Department and Bergen community to thank outgoing chief and welcome his replacement, promising to use her office to always support firefighters.
74. Bergen Synagogue Speech: Met the leadership at Temple Emanuel to mark President’s Day and meet community leaders in Franklin Lakes.
75. Dental Defender: Welcomed to Washington leaders from the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons to talk about ways for the federal government to support our dental professionals.
76. Discussing Passaic Flood Prevention: Sat down with Clifton’s mayor and other town officials to discuss ways her office can help Passaic County communities with river flood prevention and mitigation.
77. Crescent Ceremony: Attended the annual Ramadan Lighting of the Crescent in Haledon and met with Muslim community members.
78. United Support of Garden State Goals: Welcomed Governor Phil Murphy to Washington and, together with the state congressional delegation, discussed our work to support NJ Transit, restore the state and local tax deduction (SALT) and fight any federal hiring freezes.
79. Promoting Women’s Cancer Detection: Spoke at the opening ceremonies for the new free medical office for women’s cancer prevention and early detection in our district.
80. Filed Amicus Briefs to Stop Possibly Unconstitutional Actions: Signed onto amicus briefs in support of lawsuits to stop the administration from closing USAID, gutting the Federal Trade Commission and National Labor Relations Board, and ending birthright citizenship in violation of the 14th Amendment.
81. Halting the Flow of Fentanyl: Supported the HALT Fentanyl Act with over 300 Democrats and Republicans to help stop the flow of fentanyl into the United States.
82. Fighting Cuts at the FAA: Spoke loudly against Elon Musk’s and DOGE's policies seeking to cut staff at the Federal Aviation Administration, calling firings there “an outrage” that “threatens to make American air travel dangerous again.”
83. Seeking World Cup Security Support: Demanded $625 million in supplemental funding support for safety and security measures for the World Cup, whose summer 2026 final game will be played at Met Life Stadium in our North Jersey district.
84. Preserving Your Post Office: Protested reported plans by the Trump administration to dismantle the United States Post Office, labeling the scheme “unconstitutional” while saying that privatization of the Post Office “would harm mail service, eliminate jobs, and hurt countless Americans.”
85. Trucking Safety: Participated in a House Transportation Committee hearing on how to improve trucker safety and protect drivers on New Jersey highways.
86. Preventing Terrorism: Questioned witnesses in a Homeland Security Committee hearing on how to prevent people from being recruited by terrorists online.
87. Standing Up for Consumers: Voted against repealing regulations that stop banks from charging outrageous overdraft fees.
88. Public School Reading: Read to elementary school students in Haledon and extolled the power of books to Passaic County students while thanking teachers for all their hard work.
89. Celebrated State Senate Successor: Visited Trenton for the swearing-in of her successor in the state senate, Benjie Wimberly, while promising to work together on behalf of district communities.
90. Combating Gun Violence: Served as original cosponsor of Ghost Gun legislation enhancing the federal response to unregistered, untraceable weapons -- making them highly desirable to terrorists and other bad actors. Pou supports several bills to prevent gun violence.
91. Conferencing With Veterans: Invited several groups of veterans from the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars to her office to discuss ways to support veterans in our communities.
92. Lauded Local Chamber of Commerce: Spoke to Bergen County chamber of commerce in support of their efforts to protect and grow our community’s small businesses.
93. State Business Leaders Discussion: Sat down with leaders from the New Jersey Business and Industry Association to discuss ways to win federal support for state small businesses.
94. Advocating for Amtrak: In response to repeated train delays, joined New Jersey congressional members in demanding answers on repair and replacement work Amtrak and New Jersey Transit have done.
95. Equal Pay for Women: Became an original cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act to better ensure equal wages for women.
96. Supporting the Arts: Met with Art Pride NJ members and leaders to thank them for their work and talk about the priceless value of the arts and cultural programs to our communities.
97. Promoting New Jersey Environmental Leadership: Welcomed New Jersey’s Environmental Protection Commission Shawn LaTourette as a witness at a subcommittee hearing to tout our state’s work in clean water.
98. Making Drinking Water Safer: Joined the Get the Lead Out Caucus and pushed for funding to replace lead service lines, which carry drinking water throughout the district.
99. Breakfast with the American Legion: Visited with veterans and local residents at American Legion Post 139’s famous pancake breakfast in Lyndhurst.
100. Tours for Constituents: Dozens of tours secured for constituents visiting Washington, DC. Visitors can see the U.S. Capitol, as well as request tours of the White House and other sites, from the Pou DC office. Constituents seeking tours can fill out the request form on our website.