Dem Rep. Pou Touts New Funding That She Vehemently Voted Against
In Washington, voting records are public. Press releases, however, are optional in what they choose to include.
Freshman Democratic Rep. Nellie Pou of New Jersey is learning that distinction the hard way.
Pou, who represents a competitive district that President Donald Trump narrowly carried by one point in 2024, issued a celebratory press release touting $14.4 million in community project funding for her district. She described herself as “proud to secure” the federal dollars, pointing to what she called “effective representation” in delivering investments ranging from youth recreation centers to infrastructure improvements like a new parking garage in Passaic.
What her statement did not mention: she voted against the very spending package that allocated the funds.
The bipartisan bill passed the House 217–214 on Feb. 3, largely along party lines. Pou opposed it, citing objections to its immigration enforcement provisions. In a statement explaining her vote, she declared, “Not one more cent to [DHS Secretary] Kristi Noem’s ICE and DHS until they adopt reforms, protect our communities, and end the recklessness.”
Three days later, the tone shifted from resistance to celebration.
The disconnect did not go unnoticed. According to appropriations documents, several of the projects Pou highlighted were not requested by her office. A $3.2 million earmark for a homeless shelter and social services hub in Paterson — the largest single project mentioned — was requested by Democratic Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim, not Pou.
Additionally, five projects totaling nearly $1.5 million were funded through the Labor-Health and Human Services appropriations bill. A senior Republican aide noted that House rules do not allow earmarks in that specific bill, meaning those requests would have originated in the Senate. Among them was a $675,000 award for technical upgrades at a small Catholic university — also requested by Booker and Kim.
In total, nearly $4.7 million of the $14.4 million Pou claimed credit for appears tied to requests made by others.
Her office did not respond to multiple inquiries seeking clarification.
The broader pattern extends beyond New Jersey. Several Democrats who opposed the spending package later promoted earmark funding flowing to their districts. Reps. Josh Riley and Laura Gillen of New York, along with centrist Rep. Tom Suozzi, all voted against the deal despite it containing millions in local project funding benefiting their constituencies.
Republicans were quick to pounce. The National Republican Congressional Committee labeled the lawmakers “out of touch freeloaders” attempting to “vote no but take the dough,” framing the issue as political opportunism.
Democrats counter that they supported individual appropriations bills earlier in the process but opposed the final package due to immigration enforcement provisions included in the White House-brokered deal.
It’s worth noting that this maneuver is not unprecedented. Republicans, too, have touted district funding from bills they voted against — including South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, who has promoted projects funded through the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act despite opposing it.
Still, the optics remain potent. In swing districts, where voters scrutinize both ideology and effectiveness, the line between principled opposition and political convenience can be razor-thin.