From the office of Rep. Andy Kim, D-3rd District, March 4, 2020
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Andy Kim, D-3rd District, received a commitment from Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett to find ways to increase information for local businesses and workers so they can take advantage of economic opportunities at and around Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
Video of the congressman’s question and answer with Barrett can be found here.
“I’ve talked with so many small business owners and workers across Burlington and Ocean counties who want to unlock the economic potential of our joint base to bring new investment and good paying jobs to our communities,” Kim said. “If our local businesses and workers know about the opportunities in our own back yard, they can work to take advantage of them. I look forward to working with Secretary Barrett and her team to get this information and tighten the bonds between the Joint Base and the surrounding community.”
Earlier this year, Kim introduced the Guard and Reserve Hazard Duty Pay Equity Act, which would create pay equity on hazard-duty incentive pay for all eligible Guard and Reserve service members. Representing tens of thousands of service members at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Kim has been a fierce advocate for members of the Reserves, Guard and their families.
Last year, Kim worked to pass the bipartisan Patriotic Employer Protection Act, which would strengthen programs intended to protect small business owners whose employees are military Reservists deployed on active duty. The congressman also served as a conferee to the bicameral conference committee on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, where he fought for a 3.1 percent increase in military pay for all military service members and increased access to job training and licensing for military spouses.
Kim is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves the vice chair of the Subcommittee on Readiness and as a member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities.
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO thanks Congressman Kim for his efforts on behalf of New Jersey’s working families.