NJ Congresswoman Passes Her 1st Bill After Replacing Mikie Sherrill

Last week, U.S. Rep. Analilia Mejia won her first full term to office in the midterm election. This week, the Democratic lawmaker has notched another major milestone in her congressional career: her first bill passed in the House of Representatives.

On Wednesday, the House passed the Disaster Loan Outreach Consistency Act, which was introduced by Mejia (NJ-11) in September.

The proposed law now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

According to Mejia, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) currently distributes different information to small businesses about disaster loan programs depending on their region. As rules and resources change, the SBA is responsible for updating all its disaster-specific materials. Without these crucial updates, business owners could miss critical information about the assistance available to help them recover when they need it most.

If it crosses the finish line, the bill would require the SBA to establish standardized procedures across its field operations centers to ensure disaster assistance materials consistently reflect current loan terms, eligibility requirements, and available resources. The legislation would also establish review and verification processes to prevent outdated or incomplete information from reaching disaster survivors.

With more than one million small businesses in New Jersey – and communities facing threats that include severe storms and flooding – reliable access to disaster assistance is more important than ever, Mejia said.

In New Jersey’s 11^th district – where Mejia recently replaced Gov. Mikie Sherrill as congresswoman – residents know the value of timely information when it comes to natural disasters, she said.

“When Hurricane Ida tore through North Jersey in 2021, communities like Montclair, Millburn and Morristown experienced devastating flooding, exacerbated by climate change,” Mejia told her peers on the House floor.

“Businesses were left with damaged property, lost revenue and mounting bills,” she continued. “For many, reopening wasn’t just a matter of cleaning up – it was a fight for survival.”

“When every dollar and every day counts, business owners should never have to navigate outdated or incomplete information from their own government,” she added.

The bill has picked up bipartisan support from Kimberlyn King-Hinds, a Republican who serves as the non-voting delegate representing the Northern Mariana Islands's at-large congressional district.

“We in the Marianas are no strangers to disasters, having been hit by two Super Typhoons just this year,” King-Hinds said.

“The SBA’s two disaster loan field operations centers are essential for mobilizing the SBA’s response to natural disasters and for distributing information about the disaster loan program, and this bill would ensure survivors get the timely and accurate information they need,” King-Hinds said.

Other recent legislative efforts involving Mejia have included a push to raise the federal minimum wage to $25 per hour. READ MORE: More NJ Lawmakers Back $25 Federal Minimum Wage Bill

New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District includes the following municipalities:

Essex County – Belleville, Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Maplewood, Millburn, Montclair (part), North Caldwell, Nutley, Roseland, South Orange, West Caldwell

Morris County – Boonton, Boonton Township, Butler, Chatham, Chatham Township, Denville, Dover, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover, Harding, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Lincoln Park, Madison, Mendham Twp (part), Montville, Morris Plains, Morris Township, Morristown Town, Mountain Lakes, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Pequannock, Randolph, Riverdale, Rockaway, Rockaway Township, Victory Gardens

Passaic County – Little Falls, Totowa, Wayne (part), Woodland Park

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