Senator Coons, Secretary Duncan discuss virtues of pre-k

WILMINGTON — With U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in town to talk about the benefits of early childhood education, Senator Coons caught up with him, Governor Markell and other Delaware leaders at two events on Monday to show his support.

Senator Coons is a big supporter of early childhood education. One of the first bills he cosponsored as a new senator was called the Supporting State Systems of Early Learning Act. Just a few months later, Secretary Duncan and President Obama announced they were creating a Race to the Top program for early-learning programs — pre-kindergarten. Delaware was one of just nine states to win funds in that competition back in 2011.

“In child after child, we’ve seen proof that early education results in kids who are better prepared for the classroom and ultimately more successful in school and in life,” Senator Coons said. “Developing and implementing a long-term strategic plan shows real leadership and commitment to investing in our kids and ensuring they have every opportunity to succeed. When we invest in our kids, we invest in our own future.”

Chris caught up with Secretary Duncan at St. Michael’s School and Nursery in Wilmington, where they talked about the importance of early learning to kids’ development.

They then moved to Penn Cinema on the Wilmington Riverfront to join community and business leaders, early childhood advocates and professionals from across the state for the unveiling of Delaware’s strategic plan for early childhood education.

You can read more about Delaware’s long-term strategic plan here. You can read more about President Obama’s Preschool for All proposal here.

Senator Coons reiterates commitment to protecting federal funding for hunger programs

NEWARK, Del. – Senator Coons, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, told more than 250 anti-hunger advocates gathered for a conference Monday that he would continue to stand up for Delawareans who are struggling to make ends meet as Congress looks for ways to reduce the federal government’s dangerous deficits.

“Even in times of tight budgets and program cuts, we have a moral obligation to put a circle of protection around the most vulnerable of our neighbors,” Chris said. “In 2013, in the richest country in the world, in a state that grows some of the healthiest produce and poultry in the country, it is unacceptable that thousands of Delawareans go to sleep at night not sure where their next meal will come from. Out of America’s abundance, we can find the time and the effort and the energy to come together and to meet the needs of the hungry.”

Chris has supported a balanced approach to deficit reduction that does not rely exclusively on cuts to discretionary programs — including anti-poverty and anti-hunger programs — to find savings. Last month he voted on a budget that responsibly reduced our nation’s deficit while making investments in America’s long-term competitiveness and protecting the most vulnerable in our society.

In contrast, the budget passed by the House of Representatives cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by 34 percent over the next five years. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that, “SNAP cuts of the magnitude that the Ryan budget proposes would almost certainly lead to increases in hunger and poverty.” The non-profit Bread for the World described the proposed cuts as “devastating,” despite “unprecedented levels of need.”

Monday’s all-day conference, Ending Hunger! (Through Citizen Service), was organized by the Delaware Anti-Hunger Coalition and sponsored by the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services. Held at the Christiana Hilton in Newark, it focused on ways to increase access to and participation in children’s nutrition programs, innovative strategies for providing more nutritious foods and recruiting and applying volunteer talent.

The Delaware Anti-Hunger Coalition is comprised of representatives from the nonprofit, business, government, education, faith-based and agricultural sectors. The Coalition works to identify goals, objectives and measurements and make significant contributions towards alleviating, and in many cases eliminating, hunger in the state of Delaware.

The Senator’s Week Ahead Schedule: April 15 to April 21

Monday, April 15 at 8:45 a.m. — The Senator will speak at the Delaware Anti-Hunger Coalition Ending Hunger conference. The all-day conference, sponsored by the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, will focus on ways to increase access to and participation in children’s nutrition programs, innovative strategies for providing more nutritious foods and recruiting and applying volunteer talent. Other speakers include U.S. Senator Tom Carper, Lt. Governor Matt Denn, First Lady Carla Markell, Delaware Health and Social Services Cabinet Secretary Rita Landgraf, Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Dr. Janey Thornton, and Bank of America’s Delaware Market President, Chip Rossi. Christiana Hilton, 100 Continental Drive, Newark, DE – Open to press.

Monday, April 15 at 11:15 a.m. — The Senator will visit St. Michael’s School and Nursery with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Governor Markell, Lt. Governor Matt Denn, and Senator Carper. Secretary Duncan is visiting St. Michael’s to look at its early learning program and highlight President Obama’s “Preschool for All” proposal to expand access to high-quality early education for all children. At 10:30 a.m., Secretary Duncan will tour the school with Governor Markell and Lt. Governor Denn. The four will give brief remarks and take reporters questions in the St. Michael’s library afterward. St. Michael’s School and Nursery, 700 North Walnut Street, Wilmington, DE – Open to press.

Tuesday, April 16 at 9:45 a.m.  — The Senator will chair a Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs hearing, “Examining Ongoing Conflict in Eastern Congo.” The following witnesses will testify: Mr. John Prendergast, co-founder, Enough Project; Mr. Mvemba Dizolele, strategy and advocacy fellow, Eastern Congo Initiative; Fr. Ferdinand Muhigirwa, director, Centre d’Etudes Pour l’Action Sociale, Kinshasa; and Mr. Federico Borello, director, Investments Humanity United. 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC – Open to press.

Tuesday, April 16 at 2:15 p.m. – The Senator will attend a Senate Foreign Relations Committee business meeting. The committee will vote on Senator Coons’ resolution on the Kenyan elections, S.Res.90. U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC

Wednesday, April 17 at 9:00 a.m. — The Senator will attend a Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee meeting with key immigration reform stakeholders. The discussion will focus primarily on the Senate’s work to overhaul our broken immigration system. Wilmington’s Ana Velasquez, director of prevention and advocacy at the Latin American Community Center, will come to the meeting to share her perspective with senators. U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC – Closed to press.

Wednesday, April 17 at 2:00 p.m. — The Senator will host a Senate Law Enforcement Caucus briefing on the Justice Reinvestment Initiative. Rescheduled from March, this briefing will provide an opportunity for members and staff to hear from panelists about the on-the-ground experience in Delaware and Kentucky with the Justice Reinvestment Initiative. Drew Fennell, Executive Director, Criminal Justice Council of Delaware and Col. Thomas MacLeish, Director, Delaware Statistical Analysis Center will join the senator at the briefing. 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC – Open to press.

Wednesday, April 17 at 2:30 p.m. – The Senator will attend a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on comprehensive immigration reform. The Committee will consider the bipartisan immigration reform legislation to be proposed by Senators Schumer, Rubio, Durbin, and McCain the day prior. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC  – Open to press.

Wednesday, April 17 at 3:00 p.m. – The Senator will preside over the Senate until 4:00 p.m.  Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Wednesday, April 17 at 6:00 p.m. – The Senator will speak at the National Development Council’s “Build America Council” event. Attendees of the event include the nation’s top housing and economic development professionals building low income communities and creating jobs. 325 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.

Thursday, April 18 at 9:30 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, “National Security & Foreign Policy Priorities in the FY 2014 International Affairs Budget.” The Honorable John F. Kerry, Secretary of State, will testify. 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC – Open to press.

Thursday, April 18 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on Department of Energy’s FY14 Budget. The Honorable Daniel B. Poneman, Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Department of Energy will testify. 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC – Open to press.

Thursday, April 18 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Senate Judiciary Committee business meeting. The committee will consider the nominations of Gregory Alan Phillips to be United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit and Karol Virginia Mason to be an Assistant Attorney General. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC – Open to press.

Thursday, April 18 at 4:00 p.m. – The Senator will preside over the Senate until 5:00 p.m.  Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Friday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. – The Senator will attend the Delaware HIV Consortium’s annual WOW Gala. The Consortium’s premier benefit, the Annual WOW Awards Celebration honors excellence in community leadership, volunteerism and philanthropy in the field of HIV/AIDS. Clarion Belle Hotel, 1612 N Dupont Hwy, New Castle, DE. Open to press.

Saturday, April 20 at 11:30 a.m. – The Senator will attend the Newark Center for Creative Learning School’s Greenfest event. In order to promote sustainability for children and families, the NCCL’s annual Greenfest event will offer activities to educate attendees on food, energy, green technology, wildlife, and waste management. NCCL School, 401 Phillips Avenue, Newark, DE – Open to press.

Saturday, April 20 at 5:30 p.m. – The Senator will attend the annual PNC Common Wealth Awards.  Created under the will of the late Ralph Hayes, an influential American business executive and philanthropist, Hayes conceived the awards to reward and encourage the best of human performance worldwide. This year’s honorees include actors Alan Alda and Martin Sheen, author David McCullough, and journalist Jane Pauley. Hotel DuPont, 11th & Market Streets, Wilmington, DE.

Note: Schedule is subject to change.

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ICYMI: Senator Coons writes op-ed on creating jobs in US by increasing trade with Africa

Senator Chris Coons, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs,  published an op-ed in the News Journal on Thursday highlighting the opportunity to improve Delaware’s economy by expanding trade with Africa.

When American businesses sell their products in Africa, they grow and create jobs in their offices, headquarters and factories here at home. Nearly 10 million American jobs are supported by exports – including well over 11,000 in Delaware – and every billion dollars of U.S. exports could create as many as 5,000 new jobs. So it is in our economic interest to dramatically scale up our economic engagement with Africa. If we don’t, our international competitors will – and in some cases, they already have. At a meeting about U.S. export opportunities, an African head of state told me that while they “would prefer to work with the United States, the Chinese are already here.”

We cannot allow our competitors in the global economy to lock American companies out of fast-growing African markets, which have as many as 900 million potential consumers. Large and small businesses in Delaware, from DuPont-Pioneer to Baltimore Air Coil, based in Milford, are already selling their goods and services to African customers, but we have to do more to provide the tools and resources they need to succeed.

Click here to read the op-ed on the News Journal’s website.

Click here to learn more about Chris’ work on Africa.

Senator Coons praises Delaware marriage equality bill

Senator Coons, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and an original cosponsor of the federal legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, on Thursday congratulated lawmakers in Dover on the introduction of HB 75, the Civil Marriage Equality and Religious Freedom Act of 2013. The bill extends the freedom to marry to same-sex couples and ensures that same-sex married couples have the same protections and obligations as opposite-sex married couples.

“Every Delawarean deserves access to the full rights and responsibilities of marriage, no matter their sexual orientation,” Chris said. “This is a truly exciting day for our state. While the nation holds its breath as the Supreme Court considers overturning the federal ban on same-sex marriage, I’m proud that Delaware is moving forward. The freedom to marry the one you love is an idea whose time has come. It’s time for marriage equality in Delaware. Speaker Schwartzkopf, Rep. Smith, and Senator Blevins should be congratulated on their commitment to ensuring this bill will be considered by the General Assembly, and I look forward to continuing to work with them to ensure it becomes law.”

Yesterday, Chris and the president of Equality Delaware, Lisa Goodman, briefed Democratic senators in the Capitol on Wednesday on Delaware’s campaign to offer full marriage equality to its citizens. The briefing was part of a Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee meeting with national leaders from the LGBT community.

“We’ve reached this point in no small part because of the work of Equality Delaware and its supporters around the state,” Chris said. “They have my full support and will have my continued partnership as the bill makes its way through the Assembly.”

Chris is a strong supporter of civil rights and LGBT equality. He is a cosponsor of the legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, as well as the Student Non-Discrimination Act, Employment Non-Discrimination Act, Uniting American Families Act, Domestic Partnership Benefits & Obligations Act, Tax Parity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act.

Last week, he published an op-ed on HuffingtonPost.com making the case for Delaware’s marriage equality campaign. Read it here: http://huff.to/12ok3Mn

Video: Senator Coons urges swift confirmation of Sri Srinivasan

Senator Coons, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Wednesday afternoon spoke on the Senate floor urging his colleagues to put partisanship aside and confirm Sri Srinivasan to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Earlier in the day, Sri Srinivasan testified at a Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing that Senator Coons chaired.

President’s choice for Energy Secretary supports expansion of MLPs

President Obama’s nominee for Secretary of Energy, Ernie Moniz, told senators in his confirmation hearing today that he supported Senator Coons’ plan to expand the list of energy technology projects eligible for the “master limited partnership” status. 

The transcript follows:

SENATOR CANTWELL:

Do you see an opportunity, looking back at some of the resources that we have been talking about, as a way to better streamline — when you look at the marketplace and how things are being financed for — for clean energy solutions, do you see a better — a better way for us to make continued progress on clean energy solutions in — in the development of new technology? 

DR. MONIZ:

Well, I’m certainly aware, and very interested in a number of discussions about different approaches, such as, you know extension of master limited partnerships, REITS to clean energy, and as those prove to be — and I know in — in the — here, members are also interested in those approaches. Those, or others that can help move a lot of, kind of private capital into the game would be very, very, very interesting and I would love to work on those with the members.

Senator Coons marks Equal Pay Day

Senator Coons issued the following statement on Tuesday to recognize Equal Pay Day — the day that marks how far into the calendar year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. Equal Pay Day was created in 1996 by the National Committee on Pay Equity as a public awareness event to illustrate the gap between men’s and women’s wages.

“This year marks the 50^th anniversary of the enactment of the Equal Pay Act of 1963. While much progress has been made for women in the workforce, it’s astonishing and saddening that a significant pay gap between the sexes remains. Women in Delaware are still only paid 80 cents for every dollar paid to men, amounting to a yearly gap of $9,911 between men and women who work full time in the state.  

“We must continue to fight to for basic fairness in our workforce and across our society. This is why I’m a proud cosponsor of Senator Barbara Mikulski’s Paycheck Fairness Act, which would strengthen the Equal Pay Act by taking meaningful steps to create incentives for employers to follow the law, help women to negotiate for equal pay, and strengthen federal outreach and enforcement effort.

“Equal pay for equal work goes beyond fairness, it’s beneficial to our economy, our families, and our children. Today, I re-pledge myself to fighting to end pay discrimination for Delawareans and all Americans. ”

Click here to learn more about Chris’ work on civil rights.

The Senator’s Week Ahead Schedule: April 8 to April 14

Monday, April 8 at 12:00 p.m. — The Senator will speak at the Jewish Federation of Delaware’s annual Yom HaShoah program.  April 8th was designated by the United States Congress to remember those who perished during the Holocaust. This year’s Yom HaShoah theme is “Never Again: Heeding The Warning Signs.” Carvel State Office Building, Auditorium, 9th and French Streets, Wilmington, DE – Open to press.

Monday, April 8 at 7:45 p.m.  — The Senator will attend a ONE Campaign forum at the University of Delaware. The Senator will participate in an event hosted by the University of Delaware’s ONE Campaign chapter that will focus its discussion around ending poverty and preventable diseases in Africa. Trabant Theater, University of Delaware, 17 W. Main Street, Newark, DE – Open to Press.

Tuesday, April 9 at 11:00 a.m. – The Senator will preside over the Senate until 12:00 p.m.  Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Wednesday, April 10 at 9:00 a.m. — The Senator will attend a Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee meeting with leaders in the equality movement. Leaders from more than a dozen groups, including the Human Rights Campaign, Freedom To Marry, and ACLU will discuss with Democratic senators the state of the equality movement and their goals for this Congress. Lisa Goodman of Equality Delaware will attend and brief senators on the campaign for marriage equality in Delaware. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. — Closed to press, but arrangements can be made to cover Ms. Goodman’s participation. 

Wednesday, April 10 at 2:30 p.m. — The Senator will chair a Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing.  The Committee will receive testimony from Srikanth Srinivasan, judiciary nominee to be the United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press.

Thursday, April 11 at 12:45 p.m. – The Senator will attend a joint bipartisan caucus lunch hosted by Senators Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell.  U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Closed to press.

Thursday, April 11 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.

Thursday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m. – The Senator will deliver keynote remarks at the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative launch. The goal of the initiative is to empower every African who has a great idea for a business or an application and to turn that idea into a reality which in turn can help their community, their country, or even the continent at large. The Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative is built on the dual beliefs that technology can accelerate growth for Africa, and Africa can also accelerate technology for the world. 901 K Street NW, Washington, D.C. – Closed to press.

Note: Schedule is subject to change.

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ICYMI: Sen. Coons’ op-ed on Delaware marriage equality

Senator Chris Coons, a longtime advocate for marriage equality, published an op-ed in the Huffington Post on Friday highlighting the progress being made at the federal and state level to legalize gay marriage.

Last week, the Supreme Court heard arguments in two potentially landmark cases on marriage equality in the United States — one that challenges state laws that prohibit full marriage equality and another challenging the federal law that limits rights for married couples based on sexual orientation.

While we wait for these important court decisions, the Delaware General Assembly is moving forward on legislation that will make ours the tenth state (the eleventh, if you include the District of Columbia) to extend marriage equality to all of our citizens.

This is going to be a big year for equality in this country. As a nation, we’re poised to make historic progress, and in Delaware, we have the opportunity to make sure that everyone has the same right to marry the person they love.

Click here to read the op-ed on Huffington Post’s website.