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Department of External Affairs
  • Federal Relations

Office of Federal Relations

About the Office

Located just steps from the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, DC, the Rutgers Office of Federal Relations works closely with the New Jersey congressional delegation and the national associations of higher education—especially the Association of American Universities and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities—to represent the university's federal policy and funding interests to national policymakers.

United States US Capitol Building as seen from Independence Avenue in Washington, DC

Advocating for Rutgers

​​​The Office of Federal Relations works closely with administrators, faculty, staff, and students across Rutgers to build relationships with key federal policymakers and advance campus priorities. The Office of Federal Relations serves as a key conduit of information between federal lawmakers and Rutgers, working year-round to elevate the university’s profile in Washington, DC.

$485 million
Value of federal financial aid to Rutgers students

Academic Year 2022-2023

15,922
Rutgers Pell Grant recipients awarded $85.6 million

Academic Year 2022-2023

$514 million
Federal research expenditures at Rutgers

Fiscal Year 2023

Federal Investments

Advocating for robust federal investment in the university, primarily in: 

  • Student aid, including
    • Pell Grants
    • Federal Work-Study
    • Graduate student support
  • University-based research supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and many other federal agencies
     
Faculty teaching students in a classroom

Policy Advocacy

Providing input on federal policy and regulatory matters of interest to the university on a wide range of subjects, such as:

  • The Higher Education Act
  • Campus safety
  • Research and innovation
  • Immigration
  • Agriculture and environmental research
  • Taxation
  • Transportation and infrastructure
     
Associate Director of Federal Relations, Ian Grubman and Vice President for Federal Relations, Francine Pfieffer in Washington, DC

Access

Working with federal lawmakers to increase access to higher education by: 

  • Advocating for increased investments in federal student aid
  • Safeguarding protections for international and undocumented students and faculty
  • Enhancing opportunities for underserved populations, including first-generation, veteran, and formerly incarcerated students
     
First generation graduate

Engagement

Advancing university priorities and regularly engaging federal lawmakers and agency officials by:

  • Conducting issue-specific advocacy meetings on Capitol Hill
  • Connecting policymakers with Rutgers experts to advise on legislation
  • Facilitating visits to campus by Members of Congress and other federal officials 
  • Hosting congressional briefings and supporting expert witnesses
The Capitol building in Washington

Accordion Content

  • The Honorable Bob Menendez (D)
    528 Hart Senate Office Building
    Washington, DC 20510
    Phone: 202-224-4744
    Fax: 202-228-2197
    Jersey City: 973-645-3030
    Barrington: 856-757-5353
    https://www.menendez.senate.gov

    The Honorable Cory Booker (D)
    717 Hart Senate Office Building
    Washington, DC 20510
    Phone: 202-224-3224
    Fax: 202-224-8378
    Newark: 973-639-8700
    Camden: 856-338-8922
    https://www.booker.senate.gov

    The Honorable Donald Norcross (D-01)
    2427 Rayburn House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: 202-225-6501
    Fax: 202-225-6583
    Cherry Hill: 856-427-7000
    Camden: 856-427-7000
    https://norcross.house.gov

    The Honorable Jeff Van Drew (R-02)
    2447 Rayburn House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: 202-225-6572
    Fax: 202-225-3318
    Mays Landing: 609-625-5008
    https://vandrew.house.gov

    The Honorable Andy Kim (D-03)
    2444 Rayburn House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: 202-225-4765
    Fax: 202-225-0778
    Willingboro: 856-703-2700
    https://kim.house.gov

    The Honorable Chris Smith (R-04)
    2373 Rayburn House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: 202-225-3765
    Fax: 202-225-7768
    Freehold: 732-780-3035
    Hamilton: 609-585-7878
    https://chrissmith.house.gov

    The Honorable Josh Gottheimer (D-05)
    203 Cannon House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: 202-225-4465
    Fax: 202-225-9048
    Glen Rock: 201-389-1100
    Newton: 973-940-1117
    https://gottheimer.house.gov

    The Honorable Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-06)
    2107 Rayburn House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: 202-225-4671
    Fax: 202-225-9665
    Long Branch: 732-571-1140
    New Brunswick: 732-249-8892
    https://pallone.house.gov

    The Honorable Tom Kean, Jr. (R-07)
    251 Cannon House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: 202-225-5361
    Fax: 202-225-9460
    Bridgewater: 908-547-3307
    https://kean.house.gov

    The Honorable Rob Menendez, Jr. (D-08)
    1007 Longworth House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: 202-225-7919
    Fax: 202-226-0792
    Jersey City: 201-309-0301
    https://menendez.house.gov

    The Honorable Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-09)
    2409 Rayburn House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: 202-225-5751
    Fax: 202-225-5782
    Paterson: 973-523-5152
    https://pascrell.house.gov

    The Honorable Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-10)
    106 Cannon House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: 202-225-3436
    Fax: 202-225-4160
    Newark: 973-645-3213
    Jersey City: 201-369-0392
    https://payne.house.gov

    The Honorable Mikie Sherrill (D-11)
    1427 Longworth House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: 202-225-5034
    Fax: 202-225-3186
    Parsippany: 973-526-5668
    https://sherrill.house.gov

    The Honorable Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12)
    168 Cannon House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: 202-225-5801
    Fax: 202-225-6025
    Ewing: 609-883-0026
    https://watsoncoleman.house.gov
     

Office of Federal Relations Staff

 Peter McDonough, Senior Vice President External Affairs

Peter J. McDonough Jr.

Senior Vice President, External Affairs

Francine Newsome Pfeiffer, Vice President for Federal Relations

Francine Newsome Pfeiffer

Vice President for Federal Relations

Ian Grubman

Ian Grubman

Associate Director of Federal Relations

Samantha Booth

Federal Relations Assistant

Sonya Abrams

Senior Program Coordinator, Rutgers Scarlet Service in Washington, DC