RELEASE: Gottheimer Takes Oath of Office at Ceremonial Swearing-In at Tenafly Borough Hall

Below: Gottheimer - joined by family, friends, and local leaders - takes the oath office to represent the Fifth Congressional District of New Jersey at a ceremonial swearing-in in Tenafly.

TENAFLY, NJ- Today, February 3, 2023, Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) took the oath of office at a ceremonial swearing-in held at Tenafly Borough Hall. Gottheimer was ceremonially sworn into his fourth term in Congress by U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey Julien Neals.

Gottheimer was joined at the ceremony today by his father Donald Gottheimer, as well as many local elected officials, friends, and community leaders, including Bergen County Executive James Tedesco, Bergen County Commissioner Mary Amoroso, Bergen County Commissioner Tracy Zur, Bergen County Commissioner Ramon Hache, Bergen County Commissioner Dr. Joan Voss, and Tenafly Mayor Mark Zinna.

After being sworn in, Gottheimer spoke about his commitment to standing up for our Jersey Values, working with both Democrats and Republicans to get things done, and serving as the Co-Chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.

"As we kick off this 118th Congress, it's clear that we have some real challenges, but also real opportunities. I think we can all agree we need more common sense governing, from the reasonable middle, not more extremism and obstructionism. This new Congress, my approach will remain the same: Pro-growth. Pro-job. Pro-business. Pro-public safety. And, yes, as I've said, pro-common sense," said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). "All of this is really about continuing to stand up for our Jersey Values. And that means standing up for issues like choice, for women's access to health care and privacy, for making health care more affordable for everyone, for ensuring our veterans and seniors can access the benefits and services they've earned, for helping our towns claw back resources to combat lead and ensure our water is clean, and to lower taxes and make life more affordable."

Gottheimer continued, "We need to always put our country first. It's time to put the vitriol and hate behind us. Because, let's never forget that unity beats division, that bipartisanship beats extremism, and that progress beats obstruction. Now, I stand with all of you in saying that we live in the greatest state in the nation and the greatest country in the world, and that our best days - no matter what we face - will always be ahead of us."

Videos of the ceremony can be found hereandhere.

Below: Gottheimer at his ceremonial swearing-in at Tenafly Borough Hall

Gottheimer's remarks as prepared for delivery:

Of course, representing North Jersey is a team sport, and I'm proud to work with all of you to make this happen. I say that from the bottom of my heart.

It's a huge honor to me to have Judge Neal swear me in today. It is an enormous honor to have such an esteemed leader swear me in. I am grateful to have my dad here with me to take part in the ceremony. There's no chance that I would be standing here today without my dad and my mother, of blessed memory. My dad has always been there for me, as a counselor, a friend, and a mentor - encouraging me to work hard, to help others, and, more than anything, to be a good father.

Thank you to Bergen County Executive Tedesco, all our County Commissioners, and all the local officials here today. I am beyond grateful for your leadership and friendship over the years, and for your unending fight for the Jersey Values we treasure.

We were supposed to have a proper swearing-in back in Washington earlier last month, and, as you saw on TV, well, that didn't really happen. The good news is that we aren't still sitting there a month later trying to elect a Speaker. That was fun, no?

Thank you also to all of those who made the trip down to Washington for our reception on the first day of Congress - it meant so much to me to see all of you that day.

The good news is that we can all be here today. I wanted everyone in the community to be able to be a part of this. And it's very special because this is a product of all of us working together, and I can't thank you all enough for your support and for joining me this afternoon.

Because of redistricting, as of this new Congress, I am very excited to now be the Member of Congress for towns across Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex County. I'm excited to be able to represent so many new families and communities, like here in Tenafly - and it's a huge honor to have Mayor Zinna here today. I'm looking forward to partnering together even more.

Now, as we kick off this 118th Congress, it's clear that we have some real challenges, but also real opportunities. I think we can all agree we need more common sense governing, from the reasonable middle, not more extremism and obstructionism.

This new Congress, my approach will remain the same: Pro-growth. Pro-job. Pro-business. Pro-public safety. And, yes, as I've said, pro-common sense.

We certainly have a full plate of challenges for us in coming months, which will test that dichotomy. I'll be working around-the-clock as Co-Chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, to do my best to ensure that commonsense prevails.

In fact, we are already at work to find a bipartisan solution to the debt ceiling. We simply cannot risk defaulting on our obligations and putting the full faith and credit of the United States and people's savings here at risk. Some reasonable things will be on the table. Others like gutting Social Security and Medicare will not be. But, the bottom line is that we need both sides to find a way to work together. And this gets done by talking and working with each other.

Our accomplishments last Congress are a great example of that commonsense, bipartisan approach.

That's how, over the last two years, we were able to shape and pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, which will fix our roads and bridges, and build the Gateway Train Tunnel, and get signed into law a bipartisan gun safety bill, a bipartisan bill to care for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits, a bipartisan chips manufacturing bill to stand up to China, and pass my bipartisan Invest to Protect police funding bill.

We've also clawed more dollars back to lower property taxes for the Fifth District. We've now clawed 357 percent more of our federal tax dollars back from Washington to North Jersey since I've been in office. That equaled $750 of savings per Fifth District household in 2021 alone. And, we've worked every day along the way, here at home, to help our veterans, seniors, and families, with everything from getting them the medals they deserve to Social Security and passport issues - and even potholes.

But despite our major wins, we've got some big fights ahead here at home.

I'll keep fighting back against New York and the MTA's ridiculous $23-a-day Congestion Tax proposal, which is set to kick in this year. We are working with our Counties, towns, mayors, councils, and first responders to claw back the resources they need to keep themselves and our communities safe - including fighting the surge in auto theft and robberies. And we are fighting collusion, to restore SALT, and lower taxes to make life more affordable for families and do everything we can to attract new businesses of all sizes to help create jobs and economic growth here in Jersey. We have so much going for us - from great schools, lakes and beaches to great pizza and Springsteen. There is no reason we can't get folks to stay in Jersey - but it will require concrete action.

For me, all of this is really about continuing to stand up for our Jersey Values. And that means standing up for issues like choice, for women's access to health care and privacy, for making health care more affordable for everyone, for ensuring our veterans and seniors can access the benefits and services they've earned, for helping our towns claw back resources to combat lead and ensure our water is clean, and to lower taxes and make life more affordable.

I was also proud to be appointed this week to the House Intelligence Committee, so I can continue my fight against terror, extremism, antisemitism, and all hate abroad and at home. We must remember that China is our enemy, as we were reminded of today, not one another. We need to always put our country first.

It's time to put the vitriol and hate behind us.

Because, let's never forget that unity beats division, that bipartisanship beats extremism, and that progress beats obstruction.

Now, I stand with all of you in saying that we live in the greatest state in the nation and the greatest country in the world, and that our best days - no matter what we face - will always be ahead of us. And remember, there's nothing we can't accomplish when we stand together and work together, and recognize that our diversity is our greatest strength.

Thank you, God bless you, and - today, tomorrow, and in the days to come - may God continue to bless and watch over the United States of America.

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