The following are excerpts of remarks delivered on the House Floor by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the Dean of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation, while leading the House of Representatives in a moment of silence to honor the late Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ):

            “Mr. Speaker, my colleagues and I rise to convey our deepest sorrow on the passing of our longtime friend and 14-term New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. of the 9th District in New Jersey.

            We offer our prayers and heartfelt condolences to his wife Elsie and his three sons Bill III, David and Glenn.

            Bill’s life was marked by exemplary service, having served in the U.S. Army and as a high school history teacher and adjunct professor before becoming a state assemblyman, mayor, and congressman.

            He was dedicated to New Jersey families and an outspoken advocate for our law enforcement community, our firefighters, and our Nation’s veterans.

            His Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act created the groundbreaking Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, which provides funding for protective equipment, emergency vehicles, training and other crucial support to aid firefighters in their lifesaving mission. Since its creation in 2001, this incredible program has awarded over $10 billion to fire departments across the country—including more than $198 million to those in New Jersey.

            As co-chair and founder of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, Bill also helped lead the charge to advance brain health.

            His bipartisan Traumatic Brain Injury Reauthorization Act of 2018 provided critical funding to help patients with brain injuries and their families, enhance breakthrough research, and for the first time ever, create a national concussion surveillance system to improve prevention, care and recovery efforts for traumatic brain injuries.

            Bill was also devoted to preserving New Jersey’s beautiful natural resources and led efforts to designate Paterson Great Falls—the stunning 77-foot-tall waterfall on the Passaic River—as a national historic park.

            Bill served five terms in the New Jersey General Assembly and two terms as mayor of Paterson.

            He will be missed.”

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