A Crisis Averted and New Blood in the Senate

     After sixteen days of the federal government being shutdown and skirting right up against the debt ceiling Congress finally passed a bill containing a continuing resolution for the budget and raised the debt ceiling on Wednesday. Senator Menendez, along with eighty other members of the Senate, voted to pass the bill which raised the debt ceiling and reopen the government (Herman). Menendez praised the deal; not only for reopening the government and avoiding default but also for laying the groundwork for future budget negotiations (Herman). Every democratic member of the New Jersey delegation to Congress voted to pass the bill, along with many of the republicans from New Jersey. Menendez had been a vocal supporter of passing a continuing resolution and raising the debt ceiling during the sixteen day shutdown, criticizing republicans for causing and prolonging the shutdown.
     Senator Menendez will soon have a new colleague in the Senate from New Jersey. This week a special election was held for New Jersey's other Senate seat, in response to Senator Chiesa retiring, in which Newark Mayor Cory Booker won. Menendez had campaigned for and with Booker during the election (Bergan Dispatch). With Booker's election New Jersey will become the first state to have both its Senate seats occupied by minority lawmakers at the same time. Menendez acknowledged this in a statement congratulating Booker on his election where he said, "As the first Hispanic American senator from New Jersey, I join New Jerseyans in celebrating the historic election of Cory Booker, the first African American senator from our state I’m proud that we have shown America that our state — and by extension our politics — is, indeed, a melting pot" (Giambusso).

Sources:
Herman, Malia. New Jersey Republicans back deal to end shutdown, avert debt crisis. Asbury Park Press. Posted October 17th, 2013. http://www.app.com/article/C0/20131016/NJNEWS1002/310160052/New-Jersey-Republicans-back-deal-end-shutdown-avert-debt-crisis?nclick_check=1
DNC Chair and Senator Menendez To Join Booker On Campaign Trail. The Bergen Dispatch. Posted October 13th, 2013. http://www.bergendispatch.com/articles/29505425/DNC-Chair-and-Sen-Menendez-To-Join-Booker-On-Campaign-Trail.aspx
Giambusso, David. Booker and Menendez form historic duo as first black and Latino senators from the same state. NJ.com. Posted October 20th, 2013. http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/10/booker_and_menendez_form_historic_duo_as_first_
black_and_latino_senators_from_the_same_state.html