The Senator’s Week Ahead Schedule: February 24 to March 2

Monday, February 24 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will co-host a grant-writing workshop with the Delaware congressional delegation. The U.S. Department of Commerce, United Way, and more than 20 grantor agencies will conduct workshops for local businesses and non-profits. Delaware State University, MLK Jr. Student Center, 1200 N. DuPont Hwy, Dover, DE. – Open to press. Contact Albert Shields at 302-561-5043.

Tuesday, February 25 at 9:25 a.m. – The Senator will participate in a panel discussion on energy innovation at the ARPA-E Innovation Summit. The summit brings together thought leaders in academia, business, and government to discuss cutting-edge energy issues and advance energy technology innovation. Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center, 201 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, MD. – Open to press. Apply for a press pass here: http://bit.ly/MJgHxs

Wednesday, February 26 at 9:00 a.m. –The Senator will attend a Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee meeting on rebuilding the middle class with key members of the business community. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Closed to press.

Wednesday, February 26 at 12:00 p.m. – The Senator will preside over the Senate until 2:00 p.m. Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Thursday, February 27 at 2:15 p.m. – The Senator will attend a Foreign Relations Committee hearing on prospects for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Great Lakes Region. The committee will hear testimony from witnesses including U.S. Special Envoy Russell D. Feingold, Former U.S. Ambassador to the DRC Roger Meece, Dr. Raymond Gilpin of the National Defense University, and Ben Affleck, Founder of the Eastern Congo Initiative. 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Foreign Relations Committee’s Adam Sharon at 202-224-4651.

Thursday, February 27 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Judiciary Committee business meeting. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Judiciary Committee’s Jessica Brady at 202-224-7703.

Thursday, February 27 at 3:00 p.m. – The Senator will speak at a Senate Law Enforcement Caucus and House Victims’ Rights Caucus joint briefing on children’s advocacy centers and the Victims of Child Abuse Act. The briefing will focus on the important role trained forensic Interviewers and multi-disciplinary teams play in supporting law enforcement and child victims. SVC 212-10, U.S. Capitol Visitor’s Center, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Jamie Serlin at 202-224-6683.

Friday, February 28 at 11:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend the investiture ceremony for Leo E. Strine, Jr. for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Delaware. New Castle County Courthouse, Courtroom No. 8B, 500 N. King Street, Wilmington, DE.

Saturday, March 1 at 6:30 p.m. – The Senator will stop by the 2013-2014 Wilmington Heart Ball hosted by the American Heart Association. The annual fundraiser celebrates AHA’s mission, work, donors, and the lives saved and improved by cardiovascular research and programs supported by the organization. Chase Center, Wilmington Riverfront, Wilmington, DE.

Saturday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m. – The Senator will stop by the Delaware Community Foundation’s Chips for Charity Event. Proceeds from the event support Next Gen North grants for programs that focus on Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) education. Blue Ball Barn, 1914 West Park Drive, Alapocas Run State Park, Wilmington, DE.

Sunday, March 2 at 12:00 p.m. – The Senator will speak at the AIPAC Policy Conference Leadership Lunch. Senator Coons will participate in a moderated conversation about his support for Israel and the impact that AIPAC has in strengthening the U.S.- Israel relationship. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Pl NW, Washington, D.C– Open to press. Apply for a press pass here: http://bit.ly/1gSIIxm

Note: Schedule is subject to change. 

ZOUP’s! On! Senator Coons welcomes new business to New Castle County

Senator Coons, joined by students from William Penn’s Communities in Schools program, members of the Small Business Administration, and Delaware State Chamber of Commerce congratulated new business owners Eric and Zia Ames at the grand opening of their new ZOUP! Franchise in Wilmington. Customers and friends filled the seats and lined the walls of the new soup and sandwich store to celebrate the new business, which was launched with the investment of the Small Business Adiministration and Applied Bank .

“Small business is the lifeblood of the community, not just here in Delaware, but across America,” said Chris. “Our small businesses do more than sell us goods and services — they support and strengthen our communities. I congratulate Eric and Zia on their passion, pride and boldness, to take that leap to start this venture.”

Eric and Zia spoke to the more than 30 students gathered at the event about the sacrifices, as well as the rewards that come with being an entrepreneur in the community.

Two out of three new jobs created in this country are created by small businesses, and here in Delaware, there are 70,000 small businesses that create jobs and give many families a chance to attain the American dream.

“It takes a community to build a business, and thanks to the support of the SBA, Applied Bank, and a strong business community, my family’s dream to own our own business has become a reality,” said owner Eric Ames. “As a first generation business owner, I am excited by what this opportunity means for my children, knowing that when they graduate from college, they can begin their career or pursue a passion as an entrepreneur because they saw their dad do it.”

Zoup is located 4715 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE 19808

Senator Coons announces bill to boost manufacturing education at universities

Senator Coons joined leaders from the University of Delaware Thursday to announce new legislation designed to boost STEM education and help universities prepare students for careers in innovation and advanced manufacturing. The Manufacturing Universities Act of 2014 would award competitive grants to 25 designated ‘manufacturing universities,’ to better align educational offerings with the needs of modern manufacturers.

“The entire lifecycle of innovation, skills, and creativity in manufacturing has to include universities,” Senator Coons said. “Universities have a central role to play in continuing the cycle of innovation that is essential if American manufacturing is to continue its current recovery. Over the last three years, our economy has regained 600,000 manufacturing jobs, but hundreds of thousands more remain unfilled because there aren’t enough appropriately skilled and trained process engineers, mechanical engineers, and chemical engineers to keep that innovation going.”

Grants of $5 million per year, for a four-year period, will help universities revamp their engineering programs to emphasize manufacturing skills, incentivize partnerships with local manufacturers, increase internship and cooperative education opportunities for students, and help more recent graduates launch new manufacturing businesses.

“We want more students graduating with the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century manufacturing environment, and we want more of our universities orienting themselves toward this field where we can win, our communities can win, and our country can win.”

Following the announcement Senator Coons visited with biochemistry students and faculty at UD’s Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory (ISE Lab) to demonstrate a chemical reaction and discuss the importance of STEM education.

The Senator’s Week Ahead Schedule: February 17 to February 21

Tuesday, February 18 at 9:30 a.m. – The Senator will attend a meeting with key leaders of the Delaware Poultry Industry to discuss the new farm bill, access to agriculture financing, infrastructure and transportation. Georgetown, DE – Closed to press.

Tuesday, February 18 at 11:30 a.m. – The Senator will meet with Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit and local farmers and members of the Farm Service Agency. MAFC is one of the primary lenders to agriculture on the East Coast. Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit, 20816 DuPont Boulevard, Georgetown, DE – Closed to press.

Tuesday, February 18 at 1:00 p.m. – The Senator will hold a media availability to discuss the recently passed farm bill and his legislation to explore an insurance program to assist poultry growers during uncertain economic times. The provision commissions a pair of studies on the feasibility of insurance programs to protect America’s poultry growers from catastrophic loss, such as disease outbreaks, and from bankruptcies of poultry integrators. Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit, 20816 DuPont Boulevard, Georgetown, DE ­– Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-573-6054.

Tuesday, February 18 at 2:00 p.m. – The Senator will tour the Frankford Station of the Maryland-Delaware Railroad Company. The short-line railroad operates over 120 miles of track on the Delmarva Peninsula and ships grain products, fertilizer, plastic, lumber, paper products, wax, steel, and more. Intersection of Feather Lane and Pepper Road, Frankford, DE – Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-573-6054.

Wednesday, February 19 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will host the first in a series of roundtable discussions entitled, “Winning the Fight Against Urban Unemployment” with a focus on generating actionable ideas for solving the problem locally and legislatively. 1105 Market Street, Wilmington, DE – Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-573-6054.

Thursday, February 20 at 10:30 a.m. – The Senator will announce a new manufacturing bill to boost STEM education and skills training. The bill would award grants to universities designated as ‘manufacturing universities,’ to help better align educational offerings with the needs of modern manufacturers. The Senator will be joined by University of Delaware Provost Domenico Grasso, Dean of Engineering Dr. Tunde Ogunnaike, and Vice-Provost for Engineering Dr. Charles G. Riordan. Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory, 221 Academy St, Newark, DE – Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-573-6054. 

Thursday, February 20 at 12:00 p.m. – The Senator will deliver remarks at the grand opening and ribbon cutting of Zoup! in Wilmington, a new soup cafe opened with the investment of the SBA and Applied Bank. 4715 Kirkwood Hwy, Wilmington, DE – Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-573-6054. 

Note: Schedule is subject to change. 

Senator Coons honored with Outstanding National Service Advocacy Award

Voices for National Service recognized Senator Coons Tuesday for his exemplary leadership and advocacy of national service as a state and federal priority, awarding him their Outstanding National Service Advocacy Award.

At the organization’s 11^th Annual Friends of National Service Reception, Chris spoke to a packed room of service champions about the role of national service in helping the nation meet its toughest challenges. The reception, which also celebrated the 20^th anniversary of AmeriCorps, allowed Senator Coons to reflect on his personal involvement with the organization. 

“AmeriCorps has given Americans immense opportunities over the past 20 years to use our talents to build stronger communities,” Chris said. “It’s because of your work and dedication that the service movement has come so far – closer to a day when it will be commonplace for any American to ask his or her neighbor ‘Where do you serve?’”

During AmeriCorps’ first years, Chris worked with a small group of individuals with the national “I Have a Dream Foundation” to build the organization’s AmeriCorps program. Chris currently serves as a member of the National Service Congressional Caucus, where he joins with Democrats and Republicans to fight for expanded national service opportunities. This year’s award was Chris’ second from Voices for National Service – in 2012, he received the Outstanding New Member Award for elevating national service as a legislative priority.

Voices for National Service is a coalition of national, state, and individual service programs that aims to give Americans of all ages the opportunity to volunteer and serve. Founded in 2003, Voices for National Service works with well-known service organizations to engage bipartisan efforts to meet policy needs through volunteerism and service.  

Senator Coons gets high marks from League of Conservation Voters

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) has once again recognized Senator Coons’ strong environmental voting record, awarding him a 92 percent rating for 2013 in their latest National Environmental Scorecard. The scorecard provides objective, factual information about the most important environmental legislation considered by Congress and the corresponding voting records of all members. Senator Coons’ lifetime rating is now 95 percent.

The 2013 LCV scorecard includes 13 Senate votes that demonstrate Chris’ commitment to addressing important environmental issues affecting Delaware and the nation. Chris scored above the Senate average by 35 percent and Delaware was noted as one of 26 states with an average score above 90, thanks to high scores from all three members of the Delaware congressional delegation.

At home in Delaware and in the Senate, Chris has been a strong voice for environmental conservation, clean and renewable energy development, and measures to curb and combat the effects of climate change. Over the last year, Chris voted for disaster relief for victims of Superstorm Sandy and investments to make our communities more resilient against future storms, as well as to preserve investments in advanced next generation biofuels by the Department of Defense, the nation’s single largest energy user. He also opposed efforts to block EPA regulation of greenhouse gases for the purpose of combating climate change.

Chris advocated heavily for the inclusion of strong conservation provisions in the farm bill approved by Congress last week. He has led a letter to the Appropriations Committee for the past three years urging robust funding for farm bill conservation programs.

For over 40 years, the National Environmental Scorecard issued by LCV has been the nationally accepted yardstick used to rate members of Congress on environmental, public health, and energy issues. The Scorecard represents the consensus of experts from 20 respected environmental and conservation organizations who selected the key votes to be scored.

Read Senator Coons’ scorecard here: http://scorecard.lcv.org/moc/chris-coons

Download the full report here: http://scorecard.lcv.org/sites/scorecard.lcv.org/files/LCV_SCORE_FINAL_2.3.14.pdf

The Senator’s Week Ahead Schedule: February 11 to February 16

Tuesday, February 11 at 10:15 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Budget Committee hearing on the Budget and Economic Outlook for Fiscal Years 2014-2024. Congressional Budget Office Director Dr. Douglas Elmendorf will testify. 608 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Senate Budget Committee’s Eli Zupnick at 202-224-5398.

Tuesday, February 11 at 6:30 p.m. – The Senator will speak at the 11th Annual Friends of National Service Awards reception hosted by Voices for National Service and accept the Outstanding National Service Advocacy Award. East Hall, Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Jessica Borchert at 202-331-0233 or Jessica@blueenginemedia.com.

Tuesday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m. – The Senator will speak at the TechVoice Champion Awards Dinner and accept the 2014 TechVoice Champion Award, which recognizes members of Congress for their support of pro-innovation and pro-growth policies. TechVoice is a partnership of the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) and the Technology Councils of North America (TECNA). The Liaison Capitol Hill, 415 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Lana Sansur at 301-765-9816 or lsansur@comptia-agent.org.

Tuesday, February 11 at 7:30 p.m. – The Senator will attend Congressional Dialogues on Great American Presidents, featuring David McCullough, author of John Adams. Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, 10 First Street SE, Washington, D.C. – Open to press.

Wednesday, February 12 at 9:00 a.m. –The Senator will attend a Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee meeting on green jobs. The Senator’s guest will be Eric Teather, president of New Castle-based White Optics, which manufactures light-efficiency enabling materials for light fixture manufacturers and designers. Discussion items include energy, the environment, manufacturing, and job creation. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Closed to press.

Wednesday, February 12 at 2:00 p.m. – The Senator will preside over the Senate until 4:00 p.m. Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Thursday, February 13 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Judiciary Committee business meeting. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Judiciary Committee’s Jessica Brady at 202-224-7703.

Thursday, February 13 at 11:30 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Foreign Relations Committee hearing entitled Syria Spillover: The Growing Threat of Terrorism and Sectarianism in the Middle East. The committee will hear testimony from witnesses including Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns and Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Derek Chollet. 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Foreign Relations Committee’s Adam Sharon at 202-224-4651.

Note: Schedule is subject to change.

Investing in American workers

The smartest investment Congress can make is in American workers — whether they currently have a job or not.

Although we’ve come a long way since the depths of the Great Recession, there’s still more we can and must do to help our small businesses grow and create jobs. Americans continue to face a tough job market and too many of our neighbors have been out of work for a long time.

At a minimum, we must do more to help unemployed Americans stay afloat as they look for work. That’s why this week, like I did several times last month, I voted to extend emergency unemployment insurance benefits for the 1.7 million Americans and 4,300 Delawareans who have been jobless for more than 26 weeks – and whose benefits expired at the end of December. They’re folks who were laid off through no fault of their own because of the Great Recession. They’ve worked for much of their lives and paid into the system, and they deserve our support as they work to get back on their feet.

We need to stand with our job-seeking neighbors, and yesterday I spoke on the Senate floor on their behalf. Click here to take a look and to share your own opinion on helping out-of-work Delawareans.

As I argued on the floor, unemployment insurance is a critical lifeline to Americans looking for work – keeping families from falling into poverty and providing needed support to our economy at the same time.

Renewing emergency unemployment insurance, though, should only be the start of our work. If we want to grow our economy and our middle class, Washington needs to renew its focus on helping our manufacturers grow and create jobs.

We need to make sure that at every level, we’re training Americans for the needs of the modern economy. Investing in American workers is how we’ll be able to rebuild our middle class and ensure that our nation can compete over the long-term. By modernizing our education system and building partnerships between our schools and our businesses, we can ensure that our workers have the skills employers need today and tomorrow.

The best way to help our job-seeking neighbors is to grow our economy and create jobs. Click here to learn more about how I propose to do that and let me know what you think.

I’m doing everything I can to help businesses create jobs in Delaware, but I can’t do it without you. We’re at our best when we remember that we’re all in this together – when we help lift each other up when one of us has fallen. Thank you for joining me in this critical fight.

The Senator’s Week Ahead Schedule: February 3 to February 9

Tuesday, February 4 at 10:15 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Judiciary Committee hearing on Preventing Data Breaches and Combating Cybercrime. Witnesses include Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Edith Ramirez and representatives from Target Corporation and The Neiman Marcus Group. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Judiciary Committee’s Jessica Brady at 202-224-7703. 

Tuesday, February 4 at 10:30 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Iran. The committee will hear testimony from witnesses including Wendy Sherman, State Department Under Secretary for Political Affairs and David S. Cohen, Treasury Department Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financing. 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Foreign Relations Committee’s Adam Sharon at 202-224-4651. 

Tuesday, February 4 at 12:00 p.m. – The Senator will attend a Foreign Relations Committee business meeting. The committee will consider two resolutions and several diplomatic nominations. S-116, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Foreign Relations Committee’s Adam Sharon at 202-224-4651.

Wednesday, February 5 at 8:00 a.m – The Senator will attend the Senate Democratic Issues Conference. President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton will address senators at the annual policy conference. Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol Street, Washington, D.C. – Closed to press.

Wednesday, February 5 at 6:00 p.m – The Senator will attend the Washington Press Club Foundation Dinner. Mandarin Oriental, 1330 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, D.C. 

Thursday, February 6 at 7:30 a.m – The Senator will attend the 62nd National Prayer Breakfast. Pastor Anthony Wallace of Crossroad Christian Church in Dover will attend as the Senator’s guest. Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, D.C.

Thursday, February 6 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Judiciary Committee business meeting. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Judiciary Committee’s Jessica Brady at 202-224-7703.

Note: Schedule is subject to change. 

At Black History Month panel, Senator Coons calls for modernized voter protections

Senator Coons called for modernized voter protections at Saturday’s Freedom Forum, a panel discussion at Wilmington’s Hanover Street Presbyterian Church marking the beginning of Black History Month. The event brought local leaders from the education, faith, government, and judicial arenas together with members of the community for a discussion on freedom and ongoing economic, political, educational, judicial, and faith challenges in the community. 

Chris used the opportunity to discuss his recent work in Washington to restore and modernize protections in the Voting Rights Act. The legislation — supported by a range of civil rights groups — is a bicameral, bipartisan response to the Supreme Court’s Shelby County decision last June, which struck down a core provision in the Voting Rights Act. 

“Of all the laws that passed during the Civil Rights Movement, the Voting Rights Act was pivotal because access to the ballot box also means access to the means to address many other issues,” said Chris. “The Supreme Court’s ruling challenged Congress to reenact a modern Voting Rights Act to deal with modern voting rights challenges, and that’s exactly what we’re working to do.” 

In addition to Senator Coons, the panel, moderated by Wilmington City Council President Theo Gregory, included Dr. Yasser Payne (Associate Professor of Black American Studies, University of Delaware), Judge William Chapman (State of Delaware Family Court), Maria Cabrera (Wilmington City Council), Rasheedah Ahmed (retired teacher), and the Rev. Canon Lloyd Casson (Pastor, Calvary Episcopal Church).