Bonnie Watson Coleman represents New Jersey's 12th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, a position she has held since January 2015. Before her election to Congress, she served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 to 2015, including as Majority Leader. She currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee, including its subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Budget Committee.

Name

Bonnie Watson Coleman

Party

Democratic

State

New Jersey

District

NJ-12

Committees

Appropriations Committee, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee

Key Fact 1

Bonnie Watson Coleman was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014, representing New Jersey's 12th Congressional District.

Key Fact 2

She served in the New Jersey General Assembly for 17 years from 1998 to 2015, becoming the first African American woman to serve as Majority Leader in the state legislature.

Key Fact 3

She sits on the House Appropriations Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal government spending.

Key Fact 4

Her Appropriations subcommittee assignments include Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, as well as Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.

Key Fact 5

She also serves on the House Budget Committee, which is responsible for drafting Congress's annual budget resolution.

Key Fact 6

New Jersey's 12th District includes portions of central New Jersey, encompassing areas in Mercer, Somerset, Middlesex, and Union counties.

Key Fact 7

She is the first African American woman to represent New Jersey in Congress.

Data from Congress.gov