Press Releases

Bombay, India--- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. gave the following speech tonight at a dinner hosted by the Indo-American Society.

I want to thank the Indo-American Society for inviting me to Mumbai to receive this award tonight. I have spent a lot of time over the last 10 years trying to improve relations between the United States and India, and I know this effort has been pushed by good people in both countries like yourselves.

Long Branch, NJ--- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, begins a weeklong trip to India where he will visit Bombay, New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Bhopal. The New Jersey congressmans primary goal for his trip is to develop economic opportunities between the two nations and emphasize to both business and political leaders the importance of viewing trade as a two-way street.

"FDAs decision to ban ephedra is a major victory for both consumers and the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act (DSHEA). For years, Ive been frustrated by the FDAs unwillingness to use the powers Congress granted it through DSHEA in 1994. Finally, FDA is using its authority to keep a potentially harmful product from being sold on the market. Im now hopeful this action is a sign the agency will continue to regulate these supplements and fulfill its responsibility to the millions of Americans who rely upon safe and quality dietary supplements.

"Seniors should not be deceived into believing their prescription drug needs were ever the focus of either Republicans or President Bush when they were drafting this final bill. The Republicans plan bribes HMOs with billions of dollars in the hopes theyll provide seniors assistance, allows pharmaceutical companies to continue to charge high prices and privatizes Medicare down the line.

Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today lauded both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for finally drafting a federal warning against the consumption of seafood for pregnant women, new mothers who are still breastfeeding and young children, but stated the warning must include more specifics in order to really protect at-risk populations.

Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today announced the U.S. House of Representatives approved a giant Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 omnibus spending bill that included $5.8 million for expansion of marine mammal research in Central Jersey. The New Jersey congressman said he secured federal funding for the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, the James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory at Sandy Hook, and the Striped Bass--Bluefish Population Dynamics Research Program at Rutgers University.

Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. House of Representatives today approved more than $83 million in aid and military assistance to Armenia and aid to Nagorno Karabakh as part of a large omnibus bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004, said U.S. Reps. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues.

Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today secured $100,000 for Union County Colleges (UCC) College for Teens program, a Plainfield program providing at-risk high school students with crucial academic, technology and leadership skills to succeed in college or the workplace. The New Jersey congressman requested the funds earlier this year.