Longtime NJ congressman Bill Pascrell dies in office at 87

Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr., a North Jersey political institution who spent a lifetime in public service, has died after an illness that kept him in and out of the hospital this summer. He was 87.

His family made the announcement of the death on Wednesday morning.

"It is with deep sadness that we announce that Bill Pascrell Jr., our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away this morning," his family said on his X account.

"As our United States Representative, Bill fought to his last breath to return to the job he cherished and to the people he loved," his family said. "Bill lived his entire life in Paterson and had an unwavering love for the city he grew up in and served. He is now at peace after a lifetime devoted to our great nation America."

Pascrell's death creates the second vacancy in the state's congressional delegation this year. Bob Menendez resigned Tuesday from his seat in the U.S. Senate following his bribery conviction. Gov. Phil Murphy appointed George Helmy, a former chief of staff who took an executive position at RWJBarnabas Health, to fill the Senate seat until the winner of November's election takes office.

Pascrell, a lifelong resident of Paterson, represented the state's 9th Congressional District and was the ranking member of the powerful Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee.

He was first elected to Congress in 1996 and served as mayor of his hometown from 1990 to 1997. He also served in the state Assembly from 1988 to 1997.

He was a high school teacher in Paramus and a professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

In recent years, he made headlines for calling on the Justice Department to investigate Ticketmaster after a disastrous rollout of Taylor Swift concert tickets in 2022.

He was an advocate for firefighters, his Italian American heritage, and research into traumatic brain injuries suffered by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as well as by student athletes. He pushed for the Great Falls in Paterson to be named a National Historic Park and was a longtime supporter of off-shore wind energy as well as the Green New Deal.

Murphy said Pascrell "proved to all of us what it means to live up to our New Jersey values."

"At every stage of his Congressional career, he stood up for our neighbors by defending access to reproductive health care, keeping our communities safe from gun violence, supporting our law enforcement officers and first responders, protecting our natural wonders — like Paterson’s Great Falls — and so much more," Murphy said Wednesday.

U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr., a fellow congressman across the party aisle, called Pascrell "a great friend and colleague."

"Bill was a dedicated public servant, a tireless advocate for his constituents, and a passionate supporter of firefighters. We worked closely together on many issues. My deepest condolences go out to his family during this difficult time. Bill will be dearly missed," Kean, a Republican representing the 7th Congressional District, said.

Pascrell is survived by his wife, three children and grandchildren.