Senator Coons visits New Castle’s WhiteOptics, shines light on advanced manufacturing in Delaware

NEW CASTLE, Del. – Senator Coons journeyed from the Senate floor to the factory floor Thursday to visit with local manufacturers at New Castle’s WhiteOptics, LLC.  The award-winning startup develops and manufactures state-of-the-art materials used to improve the lighting quality and energy efficiency of LED and fluorescent lighting products. Nicole Steele from the Alliance to Save Energy, where Chris is a Congressional Vice Chair, also joined the tour.

WhiteOptics’ innovative materials, developed and assembled at their Quigley Boulevard facility, are used by some of the nation’s leading LED manufacturers, including GE and Cree. During the visit, Chris had the opportunity to meet with employees and try his hand at some of the manufacturing work performed at the facility –from sheering metal to slitting and packaging film.

“In a few short years, WhiteOptics has developed a cutting edge, highly efficient lighting product here in Delaware that’s being sold across the United States and to markets around the world,” Chris said. “Meeting with the team behind this innovative startup is a reminder of just how inventive, creative, determined, and capable American manufacturers are.”

Eric Teather, WhiteOptics’ founder and CEO, joined Chris and Nicole at the facility, and discussed some of the challenges his startup faces as it seeks to grow and create new jobs in Delaware. As an innovative, early-stage company, intellectual property protection – including protection of the trade secrets the company­ uses to manufacture its products – is a chief concern for WhiteOptics.

The Week Ahead for Senator Chris Coons: May 26-31

Monday, May 26 at 11:30 a.m. – The Senator will speak at a Memorial Day ceremony hosted by the Clarence Vinson – John Chason Memorial Post 3238. He will offer his remarks in support of our veterans, and remembrance of those soldiers we have lost but not forgotten. Clarence Vinson – John Chason Memorial Post 3238, 166 Old Camden Road, Camden, DE – Open to press. Contact Commander Lucky DuFresne at 302-363-9004.

Monday, May 26 at 2:00 p.m. – The Senator will deliver remarks at the official dedication of the Kent Vietnam Veterans’ UH-1 “Huey” helicopter.  Former Huey pilot, John R. Sabanosh, Sr. will be the keynote speaker. Kent County Veterans Memorial Park, South Little Creek Road, Dover, DE – Open to press. Contact Dave Skocik at 302-736-8500.

Thursday, May 29 at 9:30 a.m. – The Senator will tour New Castle-based company WhiteOptics, LLC and will assist on the factory floor with some of the activities routinely performed at the Quigley Boulevard facility including sheering WhiteOptics Metal, slitting and packaging film on the slitter/rewinder, loading reflector parts onto the spindle coater and preparing specialty materials for the batch hopper. WhiteOptics, LLC, 243-G Quigley Blvd., New Castle, DE – Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-650-7858.

Thursday, May 29 at 11:00 a.m. – The Senator will deliver remarks at the Drive for Autism Delaware Golf Tournament luncheon. DuPont Country Club, 1001 Rockland Road, Wilmington, DE. Contact Carla Koss at 302-224-6020.  

Friday, May 30 at 10:30 a.m. – The Senator will deliver remarks at the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs annual Memorial Day services. Bridge War Memorial, Delaware Memorial Bridge, New Castle, DE –Open to press. Contact John Knotts at 302-272-8920.

Friday, May 30 at 1:00 p.m. – The Senator will don hardhat and tool belt and join volunteers to assist with Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County’s newest construction project, Cooper’s Run. Carter and Vandever Streets, Wilmington, DE – Open to press. Contact HFHNCC Director of Communications Leon Tucker at 302-652-0365 x108.

Friday, May 30 at 6:00 p.m. – The Senator will march in the Wilmington Memorial Day Parade. Delaware Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue, Wilmington, DE – Contact Cassie Cathell at cassiecathell@aol.com.

Saturday, May 31 at 9:00 a.m. – The Senator will deliver the keynote address at the American College of Trial Lawyers Regional Conference for the Third Circuit. He will share his insights on issues important to the legal community. Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE – Open to press. Contact David McBride at 302-571-6639.

Note: Schedule is subject to change.

Time for NFL to abandon ‘Redskins’ team name

Senator Coons was one of 50 senators to write to National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday urging the league to change the name of Washington’s team, the Redskins.

“Now is the time for the NFL to act,” the senators wrote. “The Washington, D.C. football team is on the wrong side of history. What message does it send to punish slurs against African Americans while endorsing slurs against Native Americans?”

Civil rights organizations and Tribes across the nation have called on the Washington football team to change its name. Other prominent national organizations in support of a name change include the NAACP, National Council of La Raza, American Association of People with Disabilities, the ACLU, National Organization for Women, and the Anti-Defamation League.

The senators urged the NFL to follow the example of the National Basketball Association in sending a clear message against racism in sports. The Senators pointed to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s swift decision to ban Los Angeles Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling from the league for his racist comments about African-Americans attending basketball games.

Read the letter below:

In addition to the 49 senators who signed this letter, Senator Bill Nelson of Florida sent a separate letter to Commissioner Goodell urging a name change.

The Week Ahead for Senator Chris Coons: May 19 to May 22

Monday, May 19 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a job fair in Sussex County hosted by the Delaware Congressional delegation. More than 70 employers will be on hand hiring for more than 800 jobs. This is the delegation’s third job fair this year and 17th since 2011. Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, 229 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE – Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-573-6054.

Tuesday, May 20 at 2:15 p.m. – The Senator will attend a Foreign Relations Committee business meeting. The committee will consider S. Res.426, a resolution introduced by Senator Coons supporting the goals and ideals of World Malaria Day, as well as several nominations. S-116 U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Foreign Relations Committee’s Adam Sharon at 202-224-4651.

Wednesday, May 21 at 8:30 a.m. – The Senator will co-host the Congressional Child Survival Prayer Breakfast. SR-325 Kennedy Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.

Wednesday, May 21 at 11:30 a.m. – The Senator will meet with the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce to share updates on his work in Congress and key issues of interest to the business community. U.S. Capitol Visitor’s Center, Washington, D.C. – Closed to press.

Wednesday, May 21 at 11:30 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Judiciary Committee hearing on FBI oversight. FBI Director James B. Comey, Jr. will testify. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Judiciary Committee’s Jessica Brady at 202-224-7703.

Wednesday, May 21 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, May 21 at 2:15 p.m. – The Senator will chair a joint hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs and Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs to examine the escalating international wildlife trafficking crisis, focusing on ecological, economic and national security issues. 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Ian Koski at 202-224-5042.

Wednesday, May 21 at 6:30 p.m. – The Senator will attend the Senate Leadership Dinner honoring the Spouses of the Senate. United States Botanical Garden, Washington, D.C.

Thursday, May 22 at 9:30 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, May 22 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Senate Appropriations Committee markup of Agriculture, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs bills. 106 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Appropriations Committee’s Vince Morris at 202-224-1010.

Thursday, May 22 at 6:00 p.m. – The Senator will speak at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation’s “A Possible Dream” Gala honoring USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah as a champion of child nutrition. Ronald Reagan Building and Int’l Trade Center, Rotunda Room, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C.

Note: Schedule is subject to change.

Senator Coons honored for his work on behalf of law enforcement

On Wednesday, during National Police Week, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) honored Senator Coons for his work on behalf of police officers across the country. That afternoon, the Senator recognized National Police Week in a speech on the Senate floor.

As the co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, Chris has continuously fought to ensure we uphold our obligations to the officers who serve our communities. In partnership with Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, Chris has been a leader in pushing to reauthorize the federal Bulletproof Vest Partnership. The Partnership, which brings together state, local, and federal authorities, equips officers with bulletproof vests that, since 1987, have saved the lives of more than 3,000 officers. On May 7, Chris spoke on the floor about the program’s importance and called on Republicans stop blocking the law’s passage. And on Wednesday, Chris participated in a hearing on the program where Delaware Capitol Police Sergeant Michael Manley and Corporal Steve Rinehart, whose lives were saved by protective vests purchased by the Partnership, were in attendance.

Then later in the day, Senator Coons joined with Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) to introduce the bipartisan Fairness for Fallen Officers Act of 2014, which would close an unintended loophole in the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program and ensure families of fallen officers receive the benefits they deserve. Currently, families of officers who die of climate-related injuries, such as over-exertion, could potentially endure years of administrative and appeals processes in order to access death and education benefits. The Fairness for Fallen Officers Act of 2014, would address this shortcoming by adding fatal climate-related injuries to the list of injuries eligible for benefits under the PSOB program.

During the award ceremony, FLEOA’s National President, Jon Adler, presented Chris with a commemorative plaque. They were also joined by FLEOA Executive Vice President, Nate Catura, and FLEOA Representative, Chris Granberg.

Witness testimony at hearing on kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls

Here are links to the written testimony submitted by the witnesses at Thursday’s Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs hearing on the Nigerian schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram. The links below open indidual PDF files.

The Honorable Robert P. Jackson
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Of State For African Affairs, Department of State

The Honorable Earl Gast
Assistant Administrator For African Affairs, U.S. Agency for International Development

Ms. Alice Friend
Principal Director For African Affairs, Department of Defense

Ms. Lantana Abdullah
Project Manager, Search for Common Ground, Jos, Nigeria

Video: Senator Coons discusses next steps to recover kidnapped schoolgirls on MSNBC

Senator Coons, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, appeared on MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown on Tuesday to discuss the steps the Nigerian government should take to recover 276 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in April, including accepting and fully utilizing U.S. assistance. Senator Coons will chair a hearing of the African Affairs Subcomittee on Thursday to examine the situation and determine additional actions the U.S. can take to assist in the recovery of kidnap victims and combat the threat of Boko Haram. “We need to provide every possible assistance to Nigeria so that we waste not one more day before these girls are safely returned to their families,” Chris said. 

The Week Ahead for Senator Chris Coons: May 12 to May 18

Tuesday, May 13 at 9:45 a.m. – The Senator will appear on MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown to preview Thursday’s African Affairs Subcommittee hearing on the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls in Nigeria.

Tuesday, May 13 at 11:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Judiciary Committee hearing on judicial nominations. The Committee will consider two nominees for Circuit Judge and five nominees for District Judge. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Judiciary Committee’s Jessica Brady at 202-224-7703.

Tuesday, May 13 at 3:15 p.m. – The Senator will attend a hearing of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism entitled “Economic Espionage and Trade Secret Theft: Are Our Laws Adequate for Today’s Threats?” The Committee will examine legislation introduced by Senator Coons and Senator Orin Hatch (R-Utah) to create the first federal private right-of-action for the theft of trade secrets. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Judiciary Committee’s Jessica Brady at 202-224-7703.

Wednesday, May 14 at 9:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee meeting on conservation and sportsmen’s issues with members of the outdoor recreation community. Delaware Wild Lands Executive Director Kate Hackett will join Senator Coons for the discussion. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Closed to press.

Wednesday, May 14 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program: Supporting Law Enforcement Officers When it Matters Most.” Texas police officer Ann Carrizales, whose life was saved by a bulletproof vest purchased through the program, and International Association of Chiefs of Police Chief Yousry A. Zakhary will testify about the need to reauthorize the program. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Judiciary Committee’s Jessica Brady at 202-224-7703.

Wednesday, May 14 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.

Wednesday, May 14 at 3:00 p.m. – The Senator will attend a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee on FY 2015 resource needs of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. SEC Chairman Mary Jo White and U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Acting Chairman Mark P. Wetjen will testify. 138 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Appropriations Committee’s Vince Morris at 202-224-1010.

Wednesday, May 14 at 3:30 p.m. – The Senator will speak on the Senate Floor about the tax extenders bill and a provision he authored to allow startup companies and small businesses to access the successful R&D Tax Credit. Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery. Note: Exact time subject to change. 

Thursday, May 15 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will chair a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs on Boko Haram’s kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls in Nigeria. The hearing will examine U.S. offers of assistance to the Nigerian government and any impediments that may be slowing the deployment of that assistance. The hearing will also take a broader look at the root causes of Boko Haram’s years-long terror campaign in the region. The proceedings will be broadcast live on C-SPAN 3. 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Ian Koski at 202-224-5042.

Note: Schedule is subject to change. 

Kind to Kids Foundation honors Senator and Mrs. Coons

WILMINGTON, Del. – The Kind to Kids Foundation honored Senator Coons and his wife Annie Friday with the Leadership in Service Award, presented at the organization’s annual Spring Celebration Breakfast in Wilmington. Kind to Kids is one of Delaware’s leading children’s non-profits, focused on providing Delaware children in foster care, poverty, and at-risk teens with critical support services and cultural opportunities. 

At Friday’s breakfast, Chris thanked program volunteers, participants, and supporters and recalled how co-founders Chris and Catherine Jones first became inspired to launch Kind to Kids.

“Catherine and Chris were at a sporting event when they looked up and saw empty seats and had the mindfulness to think: who isn’t here?” Chris said. “There are empty seats at empty tables all over the place in this community and in this world. There are children who are not at the table of opportunity.”

He continued, “For Catherine and Chris, they looked at a moment and they did something that I think Bobby Kennedy captured best when he said many decades ago, ‘There are those who look at the world as it is and say why, and then there are those who look at the world as it should be and say why not?’ Think about how that simple question – why not fill these empty seats? – has steadily moved outwards as ripples of justice that are touching now thousands of kids.”

Like Make-A-Wish, Kind to Kids gives deserving children the opportunity to expand their world and discover new possibilities. Since its founding in 2008, Kind to Kids has partnered with area venues to provide opportunities for over 5,000 children to attend concerts, sporting events, theater performances, and cultural events valued at over $80,000 in ticket costs. Kind to Kids has sponsored trips to Blue Rocks baseball games, Delaware Symphony events, Sesame Place, Longwood Gardens, Philadelphia 76ers games, Delaware Children’s Theatre performances and more. 

Other award recipients at Friday’s breakfast included Tracy Crowley, Vicky Martelli, and Cindy Wilkinson, who were presented with the Community Service Award, and Tollae Henry, a former foster teen, who was presented with this year’s Rising Star Award.

The Coons family volunteers regularly with Kind to Kids programs across the state. Annie Coons was the chair of this year’s Kind to Kids 5k and the Foster Care Holiday Drive, which collected thousands of books for foster youth.

Senator Coons to chair hearing on kidnapped schoolgirls

Senator Coons, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, announced Friday that he would lead a hearing next week to review the United States’ policy regarding the Nigerian government’s response to the abduction of nearly 300 schoolgirls on April 15. The hearing, which will be held one month to the day of the abductions, will examine U.S. offers of assistance and any impediments that may be slowing the deployment of that assistance. The hearing will also take a broader look at the root causes of Boko Haram’s years-long terror campaign in the region.

“It’s been almost a month since Boko Haram kidnapped nearly 300 innocent girls, and reports they are being sold into slavery are truly heartbreaking,” Senator Coons said. “It took far too long for President Jonathan to accept the United States’ offers of assistance to find these girls. I was relieved when President Jonathan finally said he would welcome our help, but rhetoric alone won’t bring these girls home. This hearing will seek to ensure that everything is actually being done to find and free these girls, and that the U.S. assistance being offered is being utilized to its full potential. This wasn’t Boko Haram’s first or last act of terror, so we’ll also look at what has been and what needs to be done to end this threat.”

The Subcommittee previously looked at the threat of Boko Haram to Nigeria’s stability and security in March 2012. More on that hearing is available here: http://1.usa.gov/1l7aSX2 and http://1.usa.gov/1gfZ40m