Secaucus Congressman Asked About Murphy's All-Electric Car Mandate

SECAUCUS, NJ — Last Friday, U.S. Congressman Bill Pascrell, who represents Secaucus, was in town to announce $950,000 in federal funding that he helped secure to build the new Secaucus Senior Center, renderings of which you can see here.

Pascrell (D-NJ9), joined by Mayor Mike Gonnelli and members of the town council, held a press conference on the first floor of the Secaucus Tot Center, where he took open questions from the media.

This Patch reporter asked Pascrell if he agreed with Gov. Phil Murphy's announcement last week that he will require all new cars sold in the state be all-electric in 12 years, by 2035. Murphy had just announced the mandate two days earlier, last Wednesday.

"Some might say that the ends do not justify the means," responded Pascrell. "But let me tell you something. Do you know what the temperature is outside? Do you know what it was yesterday?"

"We've got to take care of those thing. And we ignored them. We said we don't want government regulation. We don't care if the temperature goes up to 90 in December around here," continued Pascrell. "Well, it's already, what's that, 65? (Gonnelli, standing behind him, said yes.) We need to take care of those things. So I don't think Gov. Murphy is working too quickly. I think he's trying to do the best. That can be adjusted down the road (referring to the all-electric car mandate). Could be. Things change. It's a bold move. But maybe we need bold moves."

This reporter then followed up:

"When you say you think it could be adjusted down the road, do you think it's too strict of a mandate?"

"No, I didn't say that," responded Pascrell. "I didn't say that, really. I didn't. I did say that if we catch up to the science, the population, maybe that will be reduced or increased in years ... let's make it 2060. But the idea that we don't need regulation is stupid. Look at the industries that they've de-regulated over the past 30 years. You and I have no control over how much our TV bill is. We allowed that to happen. Now we're re-thinking it ... So there is a place for regulation and there is a place for planning."

Watch the brief exchange here:

Pascrell, 86 and the former mayor of Paterson, is a longtime Democrat. He was described by the Bergen County Record in the 2020 Congress race as "one of the Democratic Party’s most ferocious attack dogs in the Trump era." He has often secured funding to advance green energy and electric car charging stations throughout North Jersey.

Mayor Gonnelli and the entire Secaucus town council are Democrats.

In addition to Secaucus, Pascrell represents the following towns that are part of New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District: Carlstadt, Cliffside Park, Edgewater, Elmwood Park, Ridegewood, Hasbrouck Heights, Little Ferry, Lodi, Lyndhurst, Moonachie, North Arlington, Teterboro, Wallington, East Rutherford, Rutherford, Garfield, Wood-Ridge, part of Kearny, Clifton, Haledon, Hawthorne, Passaic, Paterson, Prospect Park, part of Wayne, South Hackensack and Saddle Brook, Pompton Lakes and Franklin Lakes.

NJ To Require All-Electric Cars, 100% Clean Energy By 2035 (Feb. 15)

First Look At How The New Secaucus Senior Center Will Look (Feb. 17)