U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today convened officials from New Jersey’s Ninth Congressional district in Bergen, Passaic, and Hudson counties for a call to discuss the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and to coordinate vaccination efforts. The mayors asked Pascrell several questions regarding local needs including, vaccination infrastructure, how to secure more doses for their cities and towns, and need for additional financial support.

"I want to thank all the mayors for meeting with me this morning to discuss the ongoing health and economic crisis. As the pandemic widens, maintaining constant dialogue between our federal, state, and local officials is vital to ending this virus once and for all,” said Rep. Pascrell. “Item number one on our agenda today was vaccines. Our mayors want to know why vaccine doses are in such short supply, and I’m with them. Unfortunately the previous presidential administration ignored the virus, maintained no coherent vaccination plan, and worsened the crisis from beginning to end. The good news is President Joe Biden has been hard at work to crush this virus. Now that Democrats control both chambers of Congress and the White House, I told the mayors today: I am confident help is on the way. Very soon we’re going to pass a new covid relief package. It will include aid for our cities and towns, extend unemployment insurance, provide direct economic, food, and housing relief to people, and support struggling school systems. As our municipalities continue the vaccination process, I will continue fighting for every federal dollar available to support them.”

Rep. Pascrell has been active in calling for a stronger government response to combat COVID-19 and was harshly critical of the Trump White House’s ill-preparation, lack of transparency, and censuring of medical and scientific experts. Pascrell has maintained consistent contact with the mayors of New Jersey’s Ninth Congressional District and works tirelessly to secure federal grants for North Jersey’s virus response efforts. He also helped pass the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act to provide more immediate aid to every state and local government across the United States and needed relief for vital workers like first responders, teachers, and healthcare workers.