We are a couple of weeks into the new year, and I wanted to take a moment to go over my priorities again, just in case you missed them.

One of the biggest issues I am working on right now is healthcare. I have been fighting for a short-term extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, with strong guardrails to stop fraud and abuse. I have been very clear that I do not support the ACA as it exists today, but the families who rely on these credits did nothing wrong. They should not be the ones paying the price while we figure things out. We need a bridge, and we need to do this the right way. Protect coverage now, and fix the system for the long term. Right now, the Senate is working on a framework, and I am staying fully involved in the issue. This remains a top priority for me.

I am also making the cost of everyday life a top focus this year, as it has in years past. I hear it everywhere I go. Energy bills are too high. Utility bills and delivery fees keep piling up. Life has gotten too expensive in New Jersey. I will continue to push back on any policies that drive costs higher, and I will keep fighting for real relief.

As the year moves forward, I remain committed to the rest of my priorities as well. That includes standing up for our veterans, supporting law enforcement and public safety, and improving South Jersey in any way, from protecting the FAA Technical Center to protecting our beaches.

And on a personal note, I believe in holding myself accountable, too. I have bumped my daily run from four and a half miles to five and a half, and I have raised my pull-up goal from 175 to 200 a day. It has been tough, but I stick to the goals I set. Health has always mattered to me, and no matter where you are, there is always room to push yourself to be better. Click here to see me work toward my goal.

Recently, I joined Liz MacDonald on Fox Business to discuss President Trump's decision to halt construction of the offshore wind projects along the East Coast due to national security concerns.

This really comes down to common sense. Our military has warned that these massive turbines can interfere with radar systems and other operations that help keep our country safe. When the people responsible for protecting our nation raise concerns like that, we should listen. These projects sit right off our coast, in busy shipping and fishing areas, and they rely heavily on foreign companies and foreign-made parts. That creates risks we do not need, especially when some of those components come from countries like China. Putting critical energy infrastructure offshore and tied to foreign supply chains just does not make sense. National security must come first.

For years, those warnings were ignored. Now, this administration is finally taking them seriously. I will keep working with the Department of the Interior to shut down the remaining leases. I will not stop until these projects are gone for good.

Click here or the image below to watch the full interview.

This week, I spoke at a Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee hearing focused on stopping drug boats before they ever reach America's shores.

Our country is in the middle of a serious drug crisis, and we cannot afford to let this poison continue pouring into our communities. The Coast Guard has a massive responsibility to enforce the law at sea, protect our maritime borders, keep legitimate commerce moving, and defend our fishing industry. Because of their hard work, we have seen record levels of drug interdictions this year. These drugs are deadly. They destroy families,  devastate communities, and cost our country billions of dollars in medical care and treatment. The best way to fight this crisis is simple: stop the drugs before they ever get here.

During the hearing, I questioned Rear Admiral Barata about how we can build on this success and intercept even more drugs at sea. Every shipment stopped offshore means fewer overdoses and fewer lives lost. Because of the record federal investment we secured for Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, we are now seeing record recruiting numbers, which means more well-trained men and women ready to serve and protect out coast. To every Coast Guard member reading this, thank you. Your work is saving lives and keeping America safe.

Click here or the image below to watch my full remarks.

Staying true to one of my commitments for the new year, I am proud to say we have officially opened the new, expanded VA clinic in Northfield. This clinic will serve veterans across South Jersey and the greater region, and it is something I have been fighting for, for a long time.

This effort goes all the way back to 2019, during my first term in Congress. When we learned the lease for the old clinic was set to expire, I knew we could not risk any interruption in care for our veterans. Instead of just replacing what we had, I pushed to turn this into an opportunity to do more. Too many veterans were being forced to travel to Pennsylvania or Delaware for basic care, which is not right.

Like most big projects, there were obstacles along the way. COVID, supply chain delays, and record-high inflation all slowed things down. But we stayed at it, and this month we finally got it done.

The new clinic is more than 22,000 square feet and offers double the number of exam rooms, a much larger lab, and new services like radiology and physical therapy. There is also room to expand even further in the future, so veterans can continue getting more of the care they need close to home. Our veterans kept their promise to this country. It is our responsibility to keep ours to them.

Believe it or not, billions of your hard-earned taxpayer dollars were stolen in a massive fraud scheme, under the watch of liberal leadership in Minnesota.

It all started with what became known as the "Feeding Our Future" scandal. During COVID, federal rules were loosened so children could still receive meals even when schools were closed. That flexibility was meant to help families but instead, it was abused. Prosecutors say dozens of people set up nonprofits and claimed they were feeding children who, in many cases, never existed. But it did not stop there. As investigators kept digging, they found fraud in other programs. Millions more were allegedly stolen from housing assistance programs meant to help people find and keep stable housing. An autism services program was also targeted, with claims submitted for care that was never provided.

Now, as the latest development, investigators uncovered daycare centers that existed only on paper. Some were empty storefronts, others were closed businesses, and some locations did not operate at all. Yet they were billing the state for childcare services that never happened.

When fraud happens, it is not the government that pays the prices. It is the taxpayers, and it is the people who actually need help and do not get it. That money should have gone to kids who were hungry, families who needed housing, and people who needed care. Instead, it was stolen.

That is exactly why I will keep fighting to make sure programs meant to help people are protected from fraud and abuse.

Recently, President Trump shared a plan focused on making sure families are not paying for the power needed to support new Artificial Intelligence (AI) development. I agree with that approach.

At a time when utility bills are already too high, the added energy demand from AI should not fall on the shoulders of everyday ratepayers. I will continue fighting at the federal level and pushing state leadership for real relief for ratepayers.

The best part of this job has always been getting out across the district and talking with the good people of South Jersey. Washington, D.C. may be where the work happens, but South Jersey is the heart of it all.

Every vote I cast, every bill I introduce, and every fight I take on is done with the people of South Jersey in mind. Here are a few photos from the past few weeks as I have been traveling across the district.