Making Speaches and Making it Rain

     Senator Menendez has had a busy week, and his time has almost entirely been focused on New Jersey. Senator Menendez, along with Senator Chiesa, the other senator from New Jersey, hosted an information session for high school students interested in attending a military academy after their graduation (Amaral). Menendez also attended a celebration for the fourth Annual Hispanic Culture Heritage Month at a Union City high school. Menendez was one of the speakers at this event and talked about his work in immigration reform, the role of Hispanics in American culture. He also criticized House Speaker John Boehner on his handling of immigration reform in the House (Alarcon).
     But Senator Menendez has brought much more than his time to New Jersey this week, announcing more than twenty million dollars in federal funding being brought to New Jersey in three separate programs. Menendez announced on Monday that $2.15 million from the Federal Drug Free Communities Fund would be awarded to youth substance abuse organizations in New Jersey. The funds would be used to provide counseling, alternative recreational activities, and Youth Leadership Teams (Frankel). On Wednesday Menendez announced that $14.6 million from the Department of Labor’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant Program would be awarded to four New Jersey colleges. During the announcement Menendez stated that "These programs are aimed at anticipating industry's workforce demands of the future, and educating people who are able to meet those demands today" (Gerace). And on Thursday, with Senator Chiesa, Menendez announced that $6.2 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program had been secured to continue Hurricane Sandy relief, with the funds going to reimburse for costs already accrued and to provide additional assistance (Heinemann).
     Though most of what Senator Menendez has done this week has focused on New Jersey he did make a significant comment on Syria earlier in the week. On Sunday Menendez responded to U.N Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon's claim that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has committed war crimes by stating that President Assad should be prosecuted by the international courts for war crimes (Hudson).
Sources:
Amaral, Brian. Sens. Menendez, Chiesa host information event for N.J. military academy hopefuls. nj.com. http://www.nj.com/middlesex/index.ssf/2013/09/sens_menendez_chiesa_host_information_event_for_nj_military_academy_hopefuls.html
Alacron, Felix. Hispanic Culture Heritage celebration hears Sen. Menendez call for immigration reform. nj.com. http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index.ssf/2013/09/hispanic_culture_heritage_cele.html
Frankel, Jeff. Menendez announces $2. 15 million for abuse prevention, including Bloomfield program. NorthJersey.com. http://www.northjersey.com/news/223969441_Menendez_announces__2_15_million_for_abuse_prevention__including_Bloomfield_program.html
Gerace, Joseph. Federal Grant Bringing $14.6M to NJ Colleges. NewarkPatch.com. http://newarknj.patch.com/groups/schools/p/federal-grant-bringing-146m-to-nj-colleges
Heinemann, Rob. More than $6.2M in Sandy Relief Announced Thrusday. ParamusPatch.com. http://paramus.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/more-than-62m-in-sandy-relief-announced-Thursday
Hudson, Audrey. Menendez: Prosecute Assad for War Crimes. Newsmax. http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/menendez-assad-war-crimes/2013/09/15/id/525749