Energy and Natural Resources hearings: Energy efficiency and rare earth minerals

On Thursday, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, of which Senator Coons is a member, held two hearings on closely related issues important to our long-term security and economic prosperity.  

The morning hearing focused on energy efficiency and examined two bills Chris has cosponsored.  The first one, the Reducing Federal Energy Dollars Act (S. 963), was sponsored by Senator Tom Carper and would help improve the energy efficiency of federal agencies and the government buildings and facilities that house their offices.  The second is the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S. 1000).  That bill would strengthen building codes, set new efficiency standards for appliances, encourage more efficient manufacturing, and require certain federal investments in energy efficiency..  Together, these bills will help increase our use of renewable energy. 

Delaware is already at the forefront of clean energy technology development.  By partnering government and the private sector, making strategic investments in education, infrastructure, and research, Delaware is becoming a regional center for high-tech and clean energy innovation. Chris has already sponsored efforts similar to this in Delaware, instituting energy audits to identify potential gains in efficiency at New Castle County buildings among other conservation measures. 

In a second hearing Thursday afternoon, Chris and other Committee members listened to expert testimony regarding rare earth minerals, their critical position in the economy, and the need to secure our access to these increasingly critical resources.  Today, despite controlling less than half of the estimated global reserves of rare earth minerals, China produces nearly all of them.  A monopoly by any one nation over the production of rare earth minerals has serious long-term strategic implications, particularly because certain rare earth minerals are used in the production of clean energy technology components, such as wind turbines.  This will have significant implications for Delaware high-tech manufacturers over the long term. 

Chris has spoken frequently about the importance of alternative energy research, development, and deployment, which he cites as critical not only for our long-term economic competitiveness but also to Delaware’s economy.  He believes that we need to reduce our dependence on foreign imports of fossil fuels and develop an array of clean, domestic energy technologies.  Increasing energy efficiency is a central component of this strategy because the savings represent a large domestic source of energy.  By pursuing a combined strategy of energy efficiency and a secure supply of key manufacturing resources, we can help foster and sustain the kind of innovation-based economic growth and job creation that will enable us to continue competing in the global marketplace and win the future. 

To learn more about Chris’s work on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, click here. 

Setting the record straight on the Protect IP Act

There have been a lot of stories in the news the past few weeks about two bills that Senator Coons have cosponsored – the PROTECT IP Act (S. 968) and a bill introduced by Senator Klobuchar (S. 978) – to provide felony penalties for those who illegally consume copyrighted material.  Unfortunately, few of them have focused on how these bills will help protect American jobs and strengthen enforcement of copyright and trademark.

Instead, a slew of misinformation about Senator Klobuchar’s bill has led many to believe – erroneously – that it would make posting certain content online, on sites such as YouTube, illegal.  Other reports claim that the PROTECT IP Act will legalize online censorship of political, artistic, or expressive speech.  These claims are false, and it’s time to set the record straight. 

Senator Klobuchar’s online streaming bill, S. 978, does not criminalize any conduct that is not already illegal.  This bill would provide that those who engage in piracy willfully and for profit will be held to the same standards — including potential felony charges — regardless of whether they engage in that piracy by selling bootlegs on the street corner or providing access to the streaming of copyrighted material over the internet.  It is a way of strengthening the intellectual property laws we already have, not expanding them to cover new material. 

Asked about the bill and the rumors swirling around it, Chris said:  “This is a simple bill and it is unfortunate that it has been the subject of so much misinformation.  It isn’t against the law to use YouTube and it is not our intent to make it so.  Anybody who is acting legally today will not be in violation of the law after the bill is passed.  All this bill does is provide that online pirates face the same level of deterrence in the law as is currently faced by other intellectual property pirates of all stripes.”

The PROTECT IP Act, which has no criminal provisions in it at all, targets websites that exist for the sole purpose of violating trademark and copyright law by authorizing courts to order U.S. businesses to stop promoting them or doing business with them.  Nobody has a First Amendment right to steal another person’s property, and that is the only “speech” that will be impacted by the bill. 

When asked to comment about the concerns that some have raised about the bill and censorship, Chris said:  “Whenever legislation deals with blocking access to websites, I understand there will be concerns about protecting Internet freedom and the civil liberties of those using online services.  I share these concerns, and that’s why I worked to make sure this bill cannot be used against a website – even if it contains some infringing material – unless the only purpose of the website is to infringe.”  

It’s Congress’ duty to protect American innovation and commercial products in the global market.  The entertainment industry is an important part of our nation’s economy and creates thousands of American jobs by producing movies, television shows and music that are consumed around the world.  The livelihoods of those who work to create copyrighted works are under attack by those who seek to profit illegally by streaming them online to users around the world. 

Since coming to the Senate last year, Chris has been an outspoken advocate for protecting American jobs by safeguarding the patented products and copyrighted materials that sustain those jobs.  To learn more about his work as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, click here. 

Applauding Bloom Energy’s move to Delaware

Senator Coons applauds Bloom Energy’s move to Delaware.  Chris is particularly excited about prospects for the future of Delaware in advanced manufacturing and for the deployment of clean energy-generating technology.

Chris made the following statement in response to the announcement:

“As someone who worked for eight years at one of Delaware’s most innovative materials-based science companies, I know well that it is an ideal place for advanced science and clean-energy technology companies to invest, to hire talented people and to grow their businesses.  Bloom Energy is a terrific example of how we are turning ‘Made in America, Manufactured in Delaware’ into more than just words, but into reality. 

“I offer my hearty congratulations to Governor Markell, Secretary O’Mara, DEDO Director Levin, and everyone on their team who pulled together, worked tirelessly and made this possible.

“As a member of the Senate Energy Committee, I am particularly excited about the prospects for the future for Delaware, for advanced manufacturing and for the deployment of clean-energy generating technology. I am going to work together, with the leadership of Bloom Energy in the future, to make sure that we have a sustainable advantage in Delaware as we roll out on the East Coast one of the most promising, new, clean-energy technologies in America.“

Meeting with America’s Peace Corps Diplomats

Following his visit to Nigeria, Senator Coons headed for Benin, a small French-speaking country to the west. 

As we mark the fiftieth anniversary of the United States Peace Corps, it remains a program true to its mission and coming to terms with daunting challenges around the world.  The heart and soul of the Peace Corps are the thousands of volunteers stationed around the world.  Benin currently hosts more than 1,000 Peace Corps volunteers.  For most of the program’s fifty-year history, volunteers have worked in education, health care, youth outreach, and supporting non-governmental organizations, with the financial and public support of the Benin government and the appreciation of the Beninese people.

Senator Coons, along with Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia, met with several Peace Corps volunteers in Cotonou, the country’s economic capital and in a village nearby.  They shared stories of working in remote parts of the country, learning the local languages, and the challenge of delivering critical services.  In a small town outside of Cotonou, Peace Corps volunteers teach school and work with municipal leaders to build latrines for families in the area.  Further north, they work to improve production and business practices for shea nut growers, who produce the highly marketable shea butter for lotions, soaps and cosmetics.  In doing so, they empower local entrepreneurs to start new ventures and expand their production, leading to new opportunities for the local villagers to improve their own lives and those of their neighbors.  

Witnessing democracy in action in Nigeria

More than two centuries after independence, Americans are so accustomed to democratic elections that we almost take them for granted.  Citizens throughout West Africa see elections far differently.  Last week, I accompanied Senator Coons on his official visit to Nigeria, Benin, and Ghana, and we had the opportunity to witness democracy in transition. 

Chris, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, traveled with Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia, and the first leg of the trip was to the cities of Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria. 

In Abuja, Chris visited with newly re-elected Vice President Sambo and congratulated him on Nigeria’s recent presidential elections.  International observers, including a high-level delegation from the United States, declared the elections free and fair and validated the accuracy of the final results. 

In his meeting with the Nigerian Vice President, Chris addressed U.S.-Nigeria trade relations and expressed his hope for continued bilateral cooperation.  The Vice President and the two visiting senators also discussed Nigeria’s peacekeeping role in Africa, including the potential for Nigerian forces to help maintain peace between North and South Sudan following the South’s independence next month.  Vice President Sambo thanked his guests for American assistance to Nigeria and made note of a grant supplied by the United States to improve his country’s electricity supply. 

In a separate meeting, both senators praised Independent National Election Commission (INEC) Chairman Attahiru Jega for his leadership during the successful voter registration and elections process.  Professor Jega is widely credited with ensuring that the elections were conducted safely and openly, with a fair accounting of the votes cast.  Also while in Abuja, Chris sat down with the Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Ustaz Musa Mohammed, and Catholic Archbishop Dr. John Onaiyekan for a discussion of the role of religion in Nigerian politics.

In my next post, I’ll share stories from Chris’ visit with our incredible Peace Corps volunteers in Benin and about the impact they are having on that country.

Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2011

This week marks the tenth annual Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW), in which members of Congress, policy experts, advocates, and concerned citizens come together to discuss central issues facing the world’s oceans.  Senator Coons is excited to serve on the Honorary Congressional Committee in support of the 2011 CHOW.  

This year’s conference is titled American Prosperity and Global Security: Ocean Solutions for the 21^st Century.  Sponsored by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, events include guest lecturers, round table discussions, and academic presentations, which take place on and around Capitol Hill from Tuesday through Thursday. 

As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Chris recognizes an important and challenging responsibility in conserving and protecting our natural resources, including ocean resources.  The oceans present important economic opportunities, which Chris believes can help us create jobs and provide economic benefits for local communities.  We must conserve and protect the health of our oceans in order to ensure they remain productive for future generations.  

The focus of this year’s CHOW will help expand the current discussion on oceans to include securing ports and sea lanes for defense and commerce; development of renewable marine energy resources; ensuring productivity and sustainability of fisheries; providing opportunities for coastal and marine recreation; and remembering our maritime history.  With nearly 400 miles of coast and shoreline, much of Delaware’s economy and culture is tied to the ocean.  The fishing and seafood industry in Delaware supports nearly 1,500 jobs and over $70 million in sales every year.  The Port of Wilmington handles over 4 million tons of imported and exported cargo each year, bringing jobs and economic development to the state.  Finally, Delaware’s beaches are an important economic resource that draw over seven million tourists from across the country every year.

However, Delaware is also uniquely impacted by changes in the ocean itself and the policies that affect it.  With thousands of jobs and millions of dollars tied to fishing, shipping, and tourism, Delaware residents rely heavily on secure and sustained sea trade and travel.  Delaware’s maritime-related industries are vulnerable to environmental changes, such as sea level rise due to climate change, declines in fish and mussel populations, and powerful storms that damage beaches and coastal communities. National policies affecting international trade impact our local ports and the goods and businesses they bring to the First State.  Similarly, our nation’s energy policy impacts Delaware’s development of renewable energy resources including offshore wind.  The CHOW 2011 conference presents an important opportunity to discuss these issues in a global and forward-looking context.

Chris is excited to facilitate discussions with attendees from a range of industries and organizations in order to further bipartisan dialogue on ocean conservation and resource protection.  Follow this link to learn more about CHOW 2011. 

To read more about Chris’ work on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, click here.

Congratulating Delaware’s service academy appointees

Today, I joined Senator Carper and Congressman Carney at a reception in the Capitol to congratulate the 15 young men and women from Delaware who will be entering U.S. service academies this fall as a result of Congressional nominations.  I was honored to join my colleagues in saluting them at this tenth annual Delaware Service Academy Reception, where I was surrounded by some of our state’s most accomplished students.  Each one of them took their first steps today toward becoming future leaders in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Merchant Marine.

The reception honored those from the First State who received a Congressional nomination and accepted an appointment.  Also joining us today were former Congressman Mike Castle and the state director for former Senator Ted Kaufman, John DiEleuterio.  While in office, both participated in nominating these outstanding students for their appointments.

This is an exciting time for these students and their families.  At their academies, the students will receive a first-class education, which will prepare them well to be leaders and to meet the challenges our nation will face in the coming years.  In particular, the military academies have a long history of graduating accomplished officers with the skills to lead our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines to secure our nation against new types of threats, including terrorism, the disruption of global trade networks, and conflicts over natural resources. 

The students who were nominated this year are incredibly talented citizens and give us great reason to be optimistic about the future of Delaware and of our nation.  I am confident they will continue to make all of us proud. 

Senator Coons chairs Foreign Relations nominations hearing

Today, Senator Coons chaired a confirmation hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to hear from the President’s nominees to serve as ambassador to Rwanda, Djibouti, Malawi, Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, as well as USAID Assistant Administrator for Global Health. 

This hearing was timely, coming just a day after Chris returned from an official visit along with Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson to the West African states of Nigeria, Benin and Ghana. There he met with American personnel, local leaders, and human rights workers to observe their work firsthand and discuss a range of regional issues.  The visit focused on issues related to our engagement with Africa and the implementation of critical food security, global health, and economic development programs, as well as U.S. policies aimed at improving democratic governance and the growth of markets for American products. Chris was selected earlier this year to chair the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, and Senator Isakson serves as the Subcommittee’s ranking Republican.  

The nominees who appeared before the Committee today were Donald W. Koran to be ambassador to Rwanda, Geeta Pasi to be ambassador to Djibouti, Jeanine Jackson to be ambassador to Malawi, Lewis A. Lukens to be ambassador to Senegal and concurrently Guinea-Bissau, and Dr. Pablos-Mendez to be the Assistant Administrator for Global Health at USAID.

At the hearing, the nominees answered questions on a range of issues from LGBT rights to the drug trade’s effect on government corruption. The senators were keen to press the nominees on how to increase efficiency in their missions in light of our rising debt and efforts to reduce federal spending.

To watch a full video of the proceedings, go to click here.

The Senator’s week ahead schedule: June 6 to June 12

Monday, June 6 at 2:00 p.m. – The Senator will preside over the Senate. Washington, DC – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate gallery.

Tuesday, June 7 at 10:00 a.m. — The Senator will chair the Senate Foreign Relations Committee nomination hearing. The nominees at Tuesday’s hearing include Geeta Pasi, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Djibouti; Donald Koran, of California, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Rwanda; Lewis Lukens, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republics of Senegal and to serve concurrently as Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau; Ariel Pablos-Mendez, of New York, to be Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development; The Honorable Jeanine E. Jackson,  to be Ambassador to the Republic of Malawi. 419 Senate Dirksen Office Building, Washington, DC – Open to press.

Tuesday, June 7 at 4:30 p.m. — The Senator will speak at the 10^th Annual Delaware Service Academy Reception. The reception will honor the young men and women from Delaware who have received a Congressional nomination and who have accepted their appointment to a United States Service Academy. 210 Senate Visitors Center, Washington, DC – Open to press.

Wednesday, June 8 at 9:30 a.m. — The Senator will attend the Senate Foreign Relations Committee nomination hearing of the Honorable Ryan C. Crocker to be Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC – Open to press.

Thursday, June 9 at 9:30 a.m. — The Senator will attend the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee hearing on federal and private sector energy efficiency programs and alternative fuel vehicles. 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC – Open to press. 

Thursday, June 9 at 10:30 a.m. — The Senator will attend the Senate Judiciary Committee business meeting. 226 Senate Dirksen Office Building, Washington, DC – Open to press.

Friday, June 10 at 9:30 a.m. – The Senator will preside over the Senate, if in session. Washington, DC – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate gallery.

Saturday, June 11 at 7:45 a.m. – The Senator will attend the kickoff for Habitat for Humanity’s Bike to Build.  Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park, Wilmington, DE – Open to press.

Saturday, June 11 at 11:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend the State of Delaware’s Separation Day Parade. Historic New Castle, DE – Open to press.

Sunday, June 12 at 5:00 p.m. – The Senator will volunteer at the St. Anthony’s Italian Festival.  St. Anthony’s Church, 9^th and DuPont Street, Wilmington, DE – Open to press.

Celebrating Delaware Adolescent Program graduates

WILMINGTON — Senator Coons was the keynote speaker at the Delaware Adolescent Program, Inc. (DAPI) graduation ceremony on May 27th. He addressed the eight graduates, all of them new mothers who have earned high school diplomas.

Chris offered words of encouragement for each of the graduates, and pointed out that they are on a journey not only for themselves but for their babies as well. Chris encouraged them to accept support from others, “Let other people in to help you. Let them take that walk with you.”

Statistics show that DAPI students are more likely to graduate, more likely to have better parenting skills, and more likely to have stronger life and financial skills. In recent years, DAPI has graduated 100 percent of its seniors.