Menendez, Robert

Robert Menendez is a Democrat representing New Jersey's 8th Congressional District, which includes most of Hudson County, parts of Newark, and Elizabeth. He was first sworn in on January 3, 2023, and is currently serving his second term. Before his election to Congress, Menendez worked as a lawyer and served as a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from 2021 to 2023, where he was the first Latino from New Jersey and the first millennial to hold the role.

Menendez serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, one of the most powerful committees in Congress with broad jurisdiction over healthcare, the environment, energy policy, telecommunications, privacy, and consumer protection. He is a member of the Communications and Technology, Energy, and Environment subcommittees. His legislative priorities focus on uplifting working families, championing organized labor, infrastructure investment, climate change, and reproductive choice.

In his second term, Menendez earned a competitive seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee and was appointed as vice chair for the northeast of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, helping lead Democratic efforts to retake control of the House in 2026. He serves as vice chair of policy for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and as finance co-chair for BOLD PAC, the caucus's fundraising arm. Among his sponsored bills are the Communications Equity and Diversity Council Act, the AI for Secure Networks Act, and the Safe Intersections for Buses and Pedestrians Act.