The Senator’s week ahead schedule: September 9 to September 15

Tuesday, September 10 at 10:30 a.m. – The Senator will chair a Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on the Federal Judgeship Act of 2013. The bill, introduced by Senator Coons and Judiciary Committee Chairman Leahy, would create 91 new federal judgeships to assist overburdened courts facing rapidly growing caseloads. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Ian Koski at 202-224-5042.

Tuesday, September 10 at 12:40 p.m. – The Senator will speak at the Annual Chamber Day hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. Senator Coons will address business leaders and executives from the Greater Philadelphia area on a range of recent legislative issues, including immigration and tax reform, as well as the Delaware River deepening project and other regional issues. Congressional Meeting Room North, Capitol Visitors Center, Washington, D.C.– Open to press. Contact Anselm Sauter at 215.790.3613.

Wednesday, September 11 at 9:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee meeting on the Economic Impacts of Climate Change. The discussion will feature Delaware Secretary of the Environment and Energy Collin O’Mara and other leaders, and will focus on the economic consequences of climate change. S-207 Mansfield Room, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Closed to press.

Wednesday, September 11 at 11:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend the Congressional Remembrance Day Ceremony honoring the 12^th observance of September 11, 2001. East Steps, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. Open to press.

Wednesday, September 11 at 2:00 p.m. – The Senator will preside over the Senate until 3:00 p.m. Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Thursday, September 12 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Judiciary Committee Business Meeting. The committee will consider two bills cosponsored by Senator Coons: S. 987, Free Flow of Information Act and S.357, National Blue Alert Act. S.987 would protect the free flow of information to the public by establishing conditions under which the federal government can compel information disclosure by the news media. S.357 would establish a national network system to disseminate information when a law enforcement officer is injured or killed in the line of duty. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Judiciary Committee’s Jessica Brady at 202-224-7703.

Thursday, September 12 at 4:00 p.m. – The Senator will preside over the Senate until 5:00 p.m. Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Saturday, September 14 at 1:00 p.m. – The Senator will attend the Delaware Volunteer Firefighter’s Association Parade. State Street, Dover, DE – Open to press. Contact DVFA at 302-734-9390.

Saturday, September 14 at 7:00 p.m. – The Senator will speak at the 10th Annual StartUpAfrica Entrepreneurs’ Conference and Awards Gala. Senator Coons will accept StartUpAfrica’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his work promoting U.S.-Africa trade and investment and will discuss efforts to encourage sustainable economic growth in Africa. Clarion Hotel, DuPont Hwy, New Castle, DE – Open to press. Contact Erastus Mong’are at 302-299-7045.

Sunday, September 15 at 9:30 a.m. – The Senator will address the congregation and adult education class at First and Central Presbyterian Church. The Senator will speak about the importance of service during the church’s “Minute for Mission” segment. First and Central Presbyterian Church, 1101 Market Street, Rodney Square, Wilmington, DE – Closed to press.

Note: Schedule is subject to change.

Senator Coons welcomes Ducks Unlimited leaders to Delaware

Senator Coons joined members of Delaware’s Ducks Unlimited (DU) Chapter to welcome visiting DU National CEO Dale Hall, Board President George Dunklin, and DU of Mexico Board President John Tomke to Delaware at a barbeque dinner Wednesday night in Dover. Hall, Dunklin, and Tomke were in town to congratulate Delaware DU members for their outstanding fundraising efforts, which bring in nearly $1 million each year for conservation in the state. The daylong visit included meetings with Delaware chapter members and a clay shoot.

“DU and its members in Delaware are among our nation’s best advocates for wetland conservation, farmland preservation, and preserving sporting traditions,” Senator Coons said. “Delaware’s thriving wildlife and pristine landscapes speak to the enormous success of DU’s efforts to conserve our vital natural resources. It was an honor to welcome DU’s national leaders to Delaware to show off the outstanding accomplishments of our state chapter and discuss opportunities for continued collaboration.”

Delaware’s DU chapter has more than 6,300 members and has earned a national reputation for its passionate, active membership and highly successful fundraising. Delaware is also situated along the Atlantic Flyway, a major migration and wintering route for North American waterfowl. Over the past seven years, DU’s staff and volunteers have helped to conserve over 15,000 acres in Delaware and 13 million acres across North America.

During Wednesday’s dinner, Chris spoke with DU leaders about important legislative priorities, including passing a five-year farm bill, preserving funding for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), increasing the price of the Duck Stamp, and reintroducing a sportsmen’s package of conservation, hunting and fishing bills.

Chris has been a strong advocate for each of these priorities in the Senate, supporting programs that protect wildlife and habitat, water quality, and open space. Earlier this year, he helped to introduce legislation to reauthorize NAWCA and cosponsored a bill to secure permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which protects land and waterways of state and national importance.

More information about Delaware Ducks Unlimited can be found here: http://www.ducks.org/delaware/

The organization’s national website is: www.ducks.org.

Senator Coons questions Kerry, Hagel, Dempsey on Syria

At a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, Senator Coons questioned Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey about President Obama’s request for an authorization of the use of military force in Syria. A transcript follows:

SENATOR COONS: Thank you, Chairman Menendez. I would like to thank Secretaries Kerry and Hagel and Chairman Dempsey for your service to your nation, for your testimony in front of us today. I think the authorization of the use of force, I think the commitment of America’s military strength is one of the most important issues that we will ever debate in this Congress, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have this conversation today. As secretary Kerry said, in his opening testimony, not just what we decide, but how we decide it, will send a very important message around the world, that this Congress can still function in a nonpartisan way, in the interest of the people of the United States.

As I’ve listened to Delawareans in recent days, I think they reflect a nation that is weary of war and that is wary of inadvertently repeating some of the challenges of our engagement in Iraq. I’ve heard specific and pointed concerns that we not rush into action, based on uneven or inaccurate intelligence, that we not be drawn into a civil war we don’t fully understand or where we can’t quite discern the good guys from the bad guys. And more than anything, that we not commit to an open-ended participation, a direct military invasion in an occupation of a country in a part of the world that is often confounding and is full of competing priorities.

Having reviewed the intelligence this morning in a classified briefing, having participated in a number of briefings from you and from folks leading in your agencies and departments, I am persuaded that this is not that circumstance. That the intelligence is solid. That we have, in this distance, a clear violation of a long-standing global red line against the use of chemical weapons. As you’ve stated, something embedded in America’s statutes and in our treaty commitments, something that is a truly global standard.

My view, as I’ve watched both the images on TV that were presented at the beginning of this hearing, and as I’ve spoken to family and friends and neighbors at home, is that we face a real risk here if we do not act. That this is an instance where one of the world’s worst dictators has steadily ratcheted up an ascending crescendo of death in his own nation. He began with thugs, police, and the military taking on peaceful demonstrations, graduated to snipers, killing innocent civilians. Has used helicopters and jet fighters against his own people, has deployed cluster bombs and scud missiles. I think over the last two years, there is no doubt that Bashar al Assad and his regime is willing to go to any lengths to stay in power.

So the challenge now for those of us who seek an appropriate path forward is to make sure that we craft an authorization for the use of military force that responds to American’s legitimate concerns but still allows the administration to act in a decisive and timely way to both deter and punish the Assad regime for what they’ve done.

So I have a few questions for you if I might. First to General Dempsey. And I know we’ve spoken to this before, but I think it is worth repeating. How do we strike the right balance between military action that is too insignificant to actually effectively deter or degrade Assad’s capabilities and one that is so decisive and overwhelming that it reaches beyond the scope of an authorization and becomes actually a regime change effort.

GENERAL DEMPSEY: Well, Senator, I won’t recommend an option or a set of targets that won’t effectively deter and degrade. That’s the task that I’ve been given. And now we’ll continue to refine that, not just based on intelligence, but based on the resolution that comes out of this committee.

SENATOR COONS: And could you, in your view, accomplish that mission with an authorization that is limited in scope, in terms of a time duration, and in scope as has been discussed with Secretary Kerry in terms of not introducing U.S. troops on the ground?

GENERAL DEMPSEY: Well, it won’t surprise you to know that as the military leader responsible for this, the more — the broader the resolution, the less limiting, the better off I will be in crafting a set of options. But I completely — I defer to the secretary of state to give me what I need to do then.

SENATOR COONS: Well, if I might then to Secretary Kerry, because our goal here is to not pass or even consider an authorization that is so narrow that it prevents any effective message to be sent here. As you said, in a compelling way in your opening statement, our actions are not just meant to deter Assad but to send a strong message to Pyongyang, to Tehran, to non-state actors around the world who might use chemical weapons or might seek nuclear weapons. How do we craft an authorization, how do we take actions that are effective in deterring other countries that are watching our decisiveness and our action in this instance?

SECRETARY KERRY: I think the language that the administration submitted with respect to the military action necessary to degrade and deter and prevent the use of chemical weapons, specifically, is very targeted.

But as I’ve said several times now and will repeat again, I know the administration has zero intention of putting troops on the ground, and within the confines of this authorization, I’m confident would have zero problem in including some kind of prohibition there, if that makes you comfortable.

I would not urge an excessively pinpointed congressionally mandated set of targets. And I think in the course of the classified briefings, the intelligence community and the military community will make it very clear to you why that’s not advisable. And I think they have to have some — the general needs some latitude here to be able to make sure he can accomplish his task. But I think the broad confines and constraints of this particular operation are not hard for us to arrive at in agreement, and I’m confident we’ll do it very quickly.

SENATOR COONS: Thank you.

One of my other concerns, Mr. Secretary, is the flood of refugees and their impact on the region. In a visit in January to a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan, I was moved both by the humanitarian situation they’re facing and by the very real impact that this is having on our regional allies. On Jordan, on Turkey, the destabilizing impact on Lebanon, and of course, the real impact it’s potentially going to have on our close ally, Israel.

I was encouraged to hear there was successful missile defense system test earlier today. Secretary Hagel, what steps are we taking to ensure that our allies in this immediate area of Turkey and Jordan and Israel are able to defend themselves from a potential response by the Assad regime?

SECRETARY HAGEL: Well, Senator, first, Jordan, you know we have Patriot Missile defense batteries in Jordan. And we also are working very closely with the Israelis. You know they have a very sophisticated Iron Dome and aero-system missile defense system. We are in constant coordination with all the allies in the region. And as you may know, General Dempsey was just in Jordan for a commander’s meeting, which included all the senior military from the neighboring countries and our partners. So we are closely connected with and assisting our allies on this and other issues.

SENATOR COONS: Thank you.

Last question, Secretary Kerry, if I might. I am interested in our having a follow-on conversation about how this specific strike and this specific authorization that you’re seeking can also lead to a broader strategy, a strategy for support and engagement with the opposition that will lead to the diplomatic resolution of the Syrian civil war that you’ve spoken about repeatedly.

I don’t think these are mutually exclusive. I do think it’s possible for us to take action that reinforces a global red line against chemical weapons use but to still continue to strengthen and broaden our engagement with the opposition in a way that moves towards a post- Assad Syria that is sustainable and secure. And I look forward to your input with us on your next hearing on that topic.

SECRETARY KERRY: Absolutely, Senator, I look forward to it, too. What I’d like to do is get the whole committee maybe to come down to the department, and we can have this discussion in that confine, as a committee, also. And I think that might be helpful, in addition to what we do in the classified briefing tomorrow.

SENATOR COONS: Thank you. Mr. Chairman, if you want to do that, I’m happy to do that.

Senator Coons congratulates Delaware EPSCoR on launch of climate change project

Senator Coons congratulated Delaware’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Thursday on the launch of its third grant project, and commended the program’s accomplishments over its ten-year history in the state. The National Science Foundation awarded a five-year, $20-million Research Infrastructure Improvement grant to Delaware EPSCoR in June for research focused on sea level rise and renewable energy.

“For ten years, the EPSCoR program has brought Delaware’s best and brightest scientists and educators together to pioneer innovative technologies and train the next generation of experts in rapidly growing fields,” Senator Coons said. “Each successive grant project has expanded our universities’ capacity to produce cutting-edge research, and helped Delaware become a leading hub for science and technology education. This grant will allow Delaware EPSCoR to continue supporting its successful programs and address the critical effects of climate change on our coastal areas.”

Delaware’s project will focus on water quality and renewable-energy use in vulnerable coastal areas subject to pressures from land use and climate changes. The research employs natural, physical, and social science approaches to examine the effects of rising sea levels on the cycling of soil-bound contaminants. The project will also investigate coupled land use and climate change impacts on water and natural systems ranging from tidal wetlands to agricultural land, to densely populated and polluted urban areas. Novel sensors will be developed for environmental monitoring. The project will also address renewable energy, including offshore wind.

The University of Delaware, Delaware State University, Wesley College, and Delaware Technical Community College will collaboratively address these themes using innovative research approaches and educational programs. The project includes public outreach activities and partnerships with private industry and government.

EPSCoR is designed to fulfill the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) mandate to promote scientific progress nationwide. Twenty-eight states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam are currently eligible to participate. Through the program, NSF establishes regional partnerships with governments, higher education, and industry that strengthen states’ research and development capacities and boost academic competitiveness. Delaware was designated an EPSCoR state in January 2003, and program grants awarded in 2005 and 2008 have supported two previous projects focused on enhancing environmental science, complex environmental systems, and ecosystem health research.

Delaware was one of only five states awarded an NSF grant for science and engineering academic research.

Senator Coons urges holistic approach to addressing domestic violence

Senator Coons led a conversation with advocates from the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence (DCADV) on Tuesday that highlighted the public health impacts of domestic violence and the importance of prevention strategies to reduce gender health disparities. The discussion was part of DCADV’s first THRIVE Delaware Conference exploring the health care response to domestic violence.

“Intimate partner violence is more than just a criminal justice or moral issue, it’s a health issue,” Senator Coons said. “Women are five times more likely to be abused by a partner and experience higher levels of disease and disability throughout their lifetimes as a result. We’ve made great inroads against abuse in large part because of the Violence Against Women Act, and this year’s reauthorization will ensure local agencies have the resources they need to support victims, prosecute abusers, and prevent violence. We must continue working together to educate the public, empower victims, punish offenders, and break the cycle of abuse in our communities.”

THRIVE Delaware is a multi-sector collaborative partnership that promotes healthy relationships, individuals, and violence-free environments. The initiative brings together health care providers, policymakers, survivors, advocates, and prevention practitioners across an array of disciplines to address domestic violence as a public health issue.

The Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence (DCADV) launched the THRIVE initiative with the support of two federal grants awarded earlier this year: a $375,000 Project Connect grant from the U.S. Office of Women’s Health and Futures Without Violence and a $1.7 million Delta Focus grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Violence Prevention.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, Chris worked aggressively to support the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, and earned DCADV’s 2012 Vision of Peace Award for his leadership and sustained commitment to ending domestic violence. He wrote a letter to the CDC in October expressing his strong support for the THRIVE initiative and urging approval of the DCADV’s grant application. Funding from the grant, awarded in March, helped the organization finance Tuesday’s conference.

The Senator’s week ahead schedule: August 19 to August 25

Tuesday, August 20 at 11:00 a.m. – The Senator will facilitate a discussion at the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s THRIVE Delaware Conference. The conference will address domestic violence as a public health issue and explore the health care response to domestic violence, as well as prevention strategies to reduce gender health disparities. THRIVE Delaware is a multi-sector collaborative partnership that promotes healthy relationships, individuals, and violence-free environments. Hilton Garden Inn, 1706 N. Dupont Hwy, Dover, Delaware – Open to press. Contact 302-658-2958 or thrive@dcadv.org.

Wednesday, August 21 at 10:00 a.m. — The Senator will deliver remarks at the Delaware Electric Co-Op’s Solar Energy Farm dedication ceremony. The DEC’s new 20-acre solar energy farm features 16,000 Delaware-manufactured solar panels capable of producing enough sustainable energy to power 500 homes. Georgetown, DE – Open to press. Contact Jeremy Tucker at 302-349-3162.

Wednesday, August 21 at 11:45 p.m. – The Senator will tour Beracah Homes and visit with the company’s management team. Beracah Homes is a Delaware-based custom homebuilder that specializes in ranchers, two-story and Cape Cod style homes.  The Senator will tour Beracah’s 120,000 sq. foot production facility, speak with reporters about ways to help create manufacturing jobs, and meet with company employees. 9590 Nanticoke Business Park Dr., Greenwood, DE – Open to press. Contact: Ian Koski at 202-224-4216.

Saturday, August 24 at 8:30 a.m. – The Senator will attend the 5K Run for Water to benefit charity: water, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing countries. Brandywine Park, Wilmington, DE – Open to press. 

Saturday, August 24 at 6:00 p.m. – The Senator will deliver remarks at India Fest 2013. IndiaFest 2013, sponsored by the Indo-American Association of Delaware, celebrates India’s rich and diverse culture and cuisine. The family extravaganza will feature carnival rides; a zip line; Indian food specialties; jewelry, crafts, and ethnic clothes; cultural pageants; and foot stomping Bollywood dances and Bhangra workouts. Father Tucker Memorial Park W 9^th St. and N. Scott St., Wilmington, DE – Open to press. Contact Vishal at 302-545-5329; Perry 302-540-9105; or Manju 302-234-0214 or iaadnews@gmail.com.

Sunday, August 25 at 9:00 a.m. – The Senator will deliver remarks at the August Quarterly Worship Service, the penultimate event of Wilmington’s weeklong 200^th Annual August Quarterly Festival. The August Quarterly festival is the nation’s oldest African American festival celebrating religious freedom, freedom of speech and the right of assembly. Chase Center – 800 S. Madison Street, Wilmington, DE– Open to press. Contact William Jones at 302-897-5459.

Note: Schedule is subject to change.

The critical nutrient shortage in Delaware’s hospitals

Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) drugs play an integral role in the growth and immune system health of newborns and children who cannot digest nutrients on their own. Unfortunately, TPN drugs have been in critical shortage for several months. Since 2010, there have been 300 drug, vitamin, and trace element shortages in the United States, the highest number ever recorded by the University of Utah Drug Information Service.

Prompted by an article entitled, “Children Are Dying”, in the Washingtonian magazine, several Delawareans first brought this issue to Senator Coons’ attention in May. The Senator’s staff subsequently met with representatives of Nemours, a non-profit health organization that operates A.I. duPont Children’s Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. Nemours representatives confirmed that TPN drug shortages are a life-threatening problem for many newborns and are directly affecting the quality of care in neonatal intensive care units in Delaware and across the country.

The shortage began after American Regent, the leading provider of TPN drugs, temporarily halted operations in late 2012 when U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigators found particulate matter in the company’s injectable products. Though the company was set to reopen after 30 days, it is still not fully operational. The FDA is working to import drugs from trusted foreign manufacturers, but has faced challenges due to the strenuous approval process and strict FDA requirements.

Thankfully, in late May, the FDA had a breakthrough with the importation of trace elements and phosphate injections from a Norwegian plant. The agency has also begun importing critical nutrients like calcium chloride and intra-lipids. Although zinc shortages remain an issue, the FDA is continuing to look for new importers and to assist suspended manufacturers in resuming production. While there is no clear indication of when and to what level domestic production will resume, the FDA has made resolving the TPN shortage a top priority. Additionally, various legislative and executive efforts, such as President Obama’s 2011 Executive Order requiring drug manufacturers to notify the FDA when a shortage appeared imminent, have proven successful in enabling the FDA to recognize shortages early and proactively identify alternate drug suppliers and manufacturers.

This is good news for hospitals, like A.I. duPont Children’s Hospital, that treat vulnerable patients like newborns and chronically ill children who rely on TPN drugs for survival. The FDA is continuing to work with domestic drug manufacturers to get operations back online as quickly as possible and ensure that the necessary drugs, vitamins, and trace-elements get to our nation’s hospitals. Our staff will continue to monitor the TPN drug shortage situation and keep Delawareans informed of its progress.

Senator Coons celebrates Delaware 87ers at “87ers Day” pep rally

Senator Coons joined Wilmington Mayor Dennis P. Williams, Delaware 87ers President Aaron Moszer, and Philadelphia 76ers CEO Scott O’Neil to celebrate “87ers Day” on August 7 (8/7) and address approximately 100 fans gathered in Wilmington’s Rodney Square for a pep rally honoring the Sevens’ inaugural basketball season. The event featured members of the Sevens street team and Wilmington Blue Rocks’ mascot Rocky Bluewinkle, as well as other entertainment. The team, part of the NBA’s Developmental League, will begin playing at the University of Delaware’s Bob Carpenter Center this November.

Addressing fans, Senator Coons evoked University of Delaware women’s basketball great and current WNBA all-star Elena Delle Donne as a spark that “changed our expectations about basketball, the Bob, and what Newark, Delaware can do for fans in Delaware and the region.”

Chris was on hand at the Bob in April for the announcement from Sixers CEO Adam Aron that the organization had selected Newark to host its minor league team. Aron said the organization had looked at dozens of communities in seven states, and credited Chris with suggesting Newark and aggressively advocating on its behalf.

The team name “87ers” was selected in recognition of Delaware’s place in United States history, as it was the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on December 7, 1787. The 87ers name also is immediately evocative of the parent “76ers,” a name similarly derived from Philadelphia’s place in U.S. history with the Declaration of Independence being signed there in 1776. The 87ers team nickname, the “Sevens,” is a nod to the way the parent club’s official name is often shortened to the “Sixers.”

“There’s no fan base in the country more ready for a pro team than the one here in Delaware,” Chris said.

Bill to renew Bulletproof Vest Partnership clears Senate Judiciary Committee

Senator Coons, a member of the Judiciary Committee and co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, applauded the Judiciary Committee’s overwhelming and bipartisan passage Thursday of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act, S. 933. The bill, which Senator Coons and Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy re-introduced on May 13, reauthorizes the competitive grant program from the Bureau of Justice Assistance that provides funding to state and local law enforcement agencies to assist in their purchasing of bullet-resistant and stab-resistant body armor. The bill will now move to consideration by the full Senate.

“A bullet-resistant vest is not an accessory; it is a critical part of every officer’s uniform,” Senator Coons said. “The federal Bulletproof Vest Partnership makes vests more affordable, ensuring that when officers go out to protect our communities, they can do so safely. We need to save this program so that this program can keep saving lives.”

On February 11, bulletproof vests purchased through the federal Bulletproof Vest Partnership saved the lives of two Capitol Police officers, Sergeant Michael Manley and Corporal Steve Rinehart, when a gunman opened fire at the New Castle County Courthouse in Wilmington. Both officers were struck, but survived because of their vests.

Thousands of vests have been purchased by Delaware law enforcement through the Partnership over its 14-year history, including 3,852 in the last five years. Nationwide, the program has subsidized more than a million vests, saving the lives of more than 3,000 police officers, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Agencies can be reimbursed for up to 50 percent of the cost of body armor that complies with National Institute of Justice standards.

As co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, Chris regularly hosts briefings to educate and inform Senate Members and staff about policies, programs, and initiatives that enhance public safety and strengthen our criminal justice system. Faced with shrinking budgets, many police departments, including smaller departments in Delaware, are unable to afford body armor for all officers.

“Police officers work to make us safer every day,” Chris said. “Congress should be working to make police officers safer, too. I thank my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee for their support of this bill and will continue working to ensure its final passage.” 

The Senator’s Week Ahead schedule: August 5 to August 11

Tuesday, August 6 at 9:30 a.m. – The Senator will tour Summit Aviation and discuss the company’s growing aerospace center in Delaware, its successful practice of hiring veterans, and efforts to expand the center’s customer base. 4200 Summit Bridge Road, Middletown, DE – Open to press.

Tuesday, August 6 at 11:00 a.m. — The Senator will visit Amazon.com Inc.’s Middletown warehouse and distribution center to talk to new hires and thank Amazon for bringing new jobs to Delaware. Middletown, DE – Closed to press.

Wednesday, August 7 at 12:00 p.m. – The Senator will speak at the Delaware 87ers’ “87ers Day” pep rally. The Senator will join Wilmington Mayor Dennis P. Williams, Delaware 87ers President Aaron Moszer, and Philadelphia 76ers CEO Scott O’Neil to address fans at a pep rally celebrating the Sevens’ inaugural basketball season. Members of the Sevens street team, including dancers and dunkers, will attend, along with the Wilmington Blue Rocks’ mascot Rocky Bluewinkle. Fans can receive free Delaware 87ers T-shirts and posters from members of the Sevens street team. Face painters, clowns and a DJ will also be at the pep rally. Rodney Square, Wilmington, DE – Open to press. Contact: Nicole Pender of the Delaware 87ers at nicolepender@sevens.com

Wednesday, August 7 at 2:15 p.m. – The Senator will deliver brief remarks at TEDx Wilmington. The full day program will feature 24 live presenters and screenings of TEDTalks videos examining a range of innovative ideas and topics. Queen Theater, 500 N Market Street, Wilmington, DE – Open to press.

Note: Schedule is subject to change.