Since taking office in 2010, Senator Chris Coons has been committed to being Delaware’s champion in the Senate. From passing laws that help Delawareans to helping constituents cut through red tape to get the benefits they’ve earned, to delivering tens of millions of dollars for worthy projects across the state, Chris’ impact has been felt from Wilmington to Seaford.
Constituent Services
Senator Coons’ constituent services team has helped Delawareans secure hundreds of thousands in benefits and reimbursements, resolving issues ranging from Social Security back pay to incorrectly imposed IRS penalties. His office has assisted thousands of Delawareans with passports, service academy nominations, veterans’ benefits, and other federal services, putting people first and ensuring that government works for them.
Their work has put money back in constituents’ pockets and ensured access to essential services. Here are a few of the ways Senator Coons and his constituent services team have worked to get Delawareans what they’re owed by the government:
"Your prompt response, patient guidance and astute knowledge of the process were incredibly reassuring and helpful to our family... I thought it important that you know how much we appreciate that because of you, our government worked for us."
"Thank you and your staff for your intervention, on our behalf, in getting this journey completed. We really appreciate your help and support."
- Reinstating a retiree’s Social Security pay status and securing back pay for missed months: Dave was born disabled, but suddenly the Social Security payments he’d been receiving all his life stopped coming, leaving him to live off just over $350 monthly. Senator Coons was able to immediately remedy the situation and not only reinstate Dave’s pay status, but secure retroactive payments for the missed months.
- Securing widow benefits from the Social Security Administration: Carol ran into an issue where she hadn’t received roughly two years of survivors benefits from the Social Security Administration. After she contacted the office, Senator Coons was able to determine the cause of her delay and remedied the holdup. Within a few months, Carol received everything she was owed – more than $25,000 in backpay.
- Scheduling community care appointments at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center: George reached out to Senator Coons looking for assistance obtaining documents related to his military records, as he was looking to apply for VA benefits and was unable to locate his DD-214 and other useful documents related to his military service. Senator Coons was able to work with the National Personnel Record Center and received the requested documents within the week. George was able to apply for benefits at VA as well as a service-connected disability rating.
- Resolving an incorrectly imposed IRS penalty for a Delaware nonprofit: A Delaware non-profit was hit with a $6,500 penalty by the IRS because they were mistakenly misclassified. They reached out to the office for assistance, and Senator Coons and his team were able to quickly identify the error and contact the IRS to resolve it. In less than a month, the penalty was canceled, and the association was reinstated as a non-profit.
- Ensuring an appropriate burial for a veteran: When Senator Coons’ office received a concerned call from a Delawarean regarding his brother-in-law’s status at burial, he immediately got to work to assist the family. Senator Coons and his team tracked down the necessary National Personal Records Center paperwork for the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery so the constituent’s brother-in-law could receive the appropriate burial earned by his career of service.
If you ever find yourself facing challenges dealing with the federal government, contact my Constituent Services team here:
Appropriations
Senator Coons is Delaware’s sole appropriator and just the fourth in the state’s history. Since 2021, Senator Coons has secured over $353 million in funding to support affordable housing, mental health, rural development, education, and technology projects in Delaware. In fiscal years 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2026 his office helped fund 198 projects up and down the state, providing real benefits for communities in all three counties and ensuring that federal resources are directed where they are needed most.
Here are some projects that Senator Coons has helped fund:
- NIIMBL (Newark, DE): Senator Coons has secured $35.25 million over several years for the development of the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL). This center fosters biopharmaceutical manufacturing in Delaware – advancing innovation and promoting job creation.
- Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill (Smyrna, DE): Senator Coons secured $10 million to build a new Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill. This new hospital will replace the existing 64-year-old facility with a new 72,000 sq ft. space, opening in 2027 and ensure our state’s most vulnerable residents have a decent and safe location to obtain care.
- REACH Riverside (Wilmington, DE): Senator Coons has secured $21.625 million to support the construction of new affordable housing in the Riverside community of Wilmington. This funding also supports the construction of a new Kingswood Community center.
- Beebe Mobile Health Outreach (Sussex County, DE): Senator Coons secured $680,000 to fund a new mobile health clinic. Through this clinic, Beebe Healthcare will be able to provide primary and preventative care to residents in the most rural communities in Sussex County.
- Hope Center (New Castle County, DE): Senator Coons secured $2.7 million for capital improvements to the Hope Center, helping families in New Castle County who are experiencing homelessness.
- Latin American Community Center (Wilmington, DE): Senator Coons secured $3.5 million in funding to renovate the Infant and Toddler Center at the historic Latin American Community Center.
- Harrington Industrial Park (Harrington, DE): Senator Coons secured $3.4 million to support the construction of a new industrial park in Harrington, boosting economic development and job creation in the area.
- Dover Air Force Base (Dover, DE): Senator Coons secured $30.5 million to construct a new facility at Dover Air Force Base that processes and provides blood to our troops in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, ensuring those that are deployed overseas have critical access to lifesaving medical treatments.
Top Legislative Victories
- Countering Wrongful Detention Act (2025): Supports Americans wrongfully detained abroad by creating tools to prevent wrongful detention, assisting families, and providing resources to ensure safe returns.
- U.S. Foundation for International Conservation Act (2024): Creates a new public-private partnership that invests in global conservation efforts, reduces extinctions, strengthens local economies, and combats wildlife trafficking that funds terrorism.
- Recruit and Retain Act (2024): Supports local law enforcement agencies by funding recruitment and retention programs, helping communities maintain safe and well-staffed police departments.
- NICS Denial Notification Act (2022): Protects communities by ensuring law enforcement is immediately notified when someone prohibited attempts to purchase a firearm, helping prevent gun violence.
- ACT for ALS Act (2022): Accelerates research and expands care programs for people with ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases, providing hope, medical support, and funding for treatments that improve quality of life.
- Weatherization Enhancement and Local Energy Efficiency Investment and Accountability Act (2020): Helps families save money and live in safer, more energy-efficient homes by funding critical improvements such as insulation, heating, and cooling upgrades.
- Global Fragility Act (2019): Reduces conflict and extremism in fragile countries by coordinating U.S. efforts to stabilize communities, strengthen local governance, and support vulnerable populations affected by violence.
- BUILD Act (Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act, 2018): Creates the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to fund development projects abroad that support sustainable economic growth, improve infrastructure, and create jobs in emerging markets.
- Electrify Africa Act (2016): Creates more access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa by mobilizing private sector investment, improving quality of life, enabling education, and supporting economic development.
- END Wildlife Trafficking Act (2016): Protects endangered species and local communities by funding anti-poaching programs, strengthening law enforcement, and coordinating global efforts to stop wildlife trafficking.
- Defend Trade Secrets Act (2016): Protects businesses and their employees by creating a clear civil process to stop trade secret theft, encouraging innovation while holding wrongdoers accountable.
- Innovators Job Creation Act (2015): Helps startups and small businesses grow and create jobs by making it easier for them to claim research and development tax credits, encouraging innovation and economic growth.
- Victims of Child Abuse Act Reauthorization Act (2013): Strengthens support for child abuse victims by funding programs that provide counseling, legal assistance, and advocacy, helping children and families heal and access justice.
Bills Passed Into Law
112th Congress
| Bill | Purpose |
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A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to toll, during active-duty service abroad in the Armed Forces, the periods of time to file a petition and appear for an interview to remove the conditional basis for permanent resident status, and for other purposes. |
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A bill to prevent the termination of the temporary office of bankruptcy judges in certain judicial districts. |
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NDAA provision imposing sanctions on those providing support to the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo. |
113th Congress
| Bill | Purpose |
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A bill to reauthorize subtitle A of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990. |
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NDAA provision that supports Delaware National Guard’s 166th Network Warfare Squadron and Department of Defense (DoD) Reserve Components by ensuring their ability to carry out cybersecurity missions. |
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NDAA provision to promote security, stability, and good governance in Somalia. |
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NDAA provision to develop a strategy for improving coordination between U.S. government agencies with a role in trade with Africa. |
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A bill to add nine miles of White Clay Creek and its tributaries to the Wild and Scenic Rivers designation. |
114th Congress
| Bill | Purpose |
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A bill to allow startups and other small companies access to the R&D tax credit. Passed in 2015 tax extenders package. |
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A bill to amend the federal criminal code to create a private civil cause of action for trade secret misappropriation. |
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NDAA amendment to reauthorize and strengthen the State Partnership Program. |
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A bill to leverage private sector resources through loan guarantees to provide access to electricity to Africa. |
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A bill to establish the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking and anti-poaching programs. |
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A bill to amend the federal criminal code to create a private civil cause of action for trade secret misappropriation. |
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NDAA amendment to reauthorize and strengthen the State Partnership Program. |
115th Congress
| Bill | Purpose |
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A bill to leverage private sector resources through loan guarantees to provide access to electricity to Africa. |
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NDAA provision that directs the Secretary of Defense to “establish and maintain” a database that can fully and quickly identify cyber capabilities of every National Guard and Reserve unit. |
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NDAA provision that directs the Secretary of Defense to provide support to national security innovation and entrepreneurial education programs. Also expands exchanges and partnerships with the Department of Defense science and technology activities. |
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NDAA provision that authorizes funding for the Manufacturing Engineering Program within the National Defense Education Program. |
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A bill to require a strategy to protect natural resources and wildlife in the Okavango Delta. |
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A bill to authorize an EMS memorial in DC. |
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A bill to designate a rest area on the Mount Vernon Trail as the “Peter B. Webster III Memorial Rest Area.” |
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A bill to require signs to be placed along the trail, including Cape Henlopen. |
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A bill to amend title 28, United States Code, to authorize the appointment of additional bankruptcy judges, and for other purposes. |
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A bill to discharge the liability on loans that parents receive on behalf of a student who has become permanently and totally disabled. Passed in the 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act. |
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A bill to create the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. |
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A bill to reauthorize the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990. |
116th Congress
| Bill | Purpose |
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To award Congressional Gold Medals to Katherine Johnson and Dr. Christine Darden, to posthumously award Congressional Gold Medals to Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, and to award a Congressional Gold Medal to honor all of the women who contributed to the success of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration during the Space Race. |
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To combat international extremism by addressing global fragility and violence and stabilizing conflict-affected areas, and for other purposes. Passed in appropriations package for FY20. |
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A bill to expand NIST’s mandate to grow, support, and invest in the Manufacturing USA program. Passed in FY20 NDAA. |
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A bill to direct the Director of the National Science Foundation to support research on opioid addiction, and for other purposes. |
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A bill to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Passed in FY20 NDAA. |
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A bill to extend the Small Business Debt Relief Program, under which SBA, in response to COVID-19, was authorized to make six months of payments for certain SBA-backed loan products on behalf of the recipients of these loans. Passed in FY21 omnibus. |
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NDAA provision to require pilot programs in connection with Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and minority institutions, and for other purposes. Passed in FY21 NDAA. |
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A bill to reauthorize and update the Weatherization Assistance Program. Passed in the Energy Act of 2020 as part of the FY21 omnibus. |
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A bill to incentivize the research and development of carbon capture technology for natural gas. Passed in the Energy Act of 2020 as part of the FY21 omnibus. |
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A bill to encourage the use of Energy Savings Performance Contracts and Utility Energy Saving Contracts in federal buildings. Passed in the Energy Act of 2020 as part of the FY21 omnibus. |
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A bill to establish and expand programs that support the commercialization of clean energy technologies at the Department of Energy and authorizes the use of small business vouchers. Passed in the Energy Act of 2020 as part of the FY21 omnibus. |
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A bill to support nuclear energy research, development, and demonstration and international coordination to improve the long-term sustainability, safety, and economic viability of the current U.S. nuclear fleet. Passed in the Energy Act of 2020 as part of the FY21 omnibus. |
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A bill to provide for Federal coordination of activities supporting sustainable chemistry, and for other purposes. Passed in FY21 NDAA. |
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A bill to provide funding across five years to expand peace and reconciliation programs in Israel and Palestine. |
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A bill to modify administrative provisions related to the bankruptcy trustee system and extend the temporary office of bankruptcy judges. |
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A bill to modify trademark law, such as by providing new mechanisms for opposing and canceling trademark registrations at the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) and by making it easier to secure an injunction. Passed as part of the FY21 spending bill. |
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NDAA provision to strengthen implementation of policies that advance early childhood development internationally. |
117th Congress
| Bill | Purpose |
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A bill to reauthorize the Tropical Forest and Coral Reef Conservation Act of 1998. Passed in the FY23 NDAA. |
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A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to establish programs for carbon dioxide capture transport, utilization, and storage, and for other purposes. An amended Senate version was included in the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs act. |
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A bill to establish the Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation. |
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A bill to make appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes. |
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A bill to continue the whole-of-government approach to ending global wildlife poaching and trafficking by permanently reauthorizing the activities of the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking. |
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A bill to establish grant programs to address neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease), and contains other related provisions. |
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A bill to authorize the Embassy of France in Washington, DC, to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs to honor the extraordinary contributions of Jean Monnet to restoring peace between European nations and establishing the European Union. Passed in the FY23 omnibus. |
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A bill to provide for the reporting to State and local law enforcement authorities of cases in which the national instant criminal background check system indicates that a firearm has been sought to be acquired by a prohibited person,, so that authorities may pursue criminal charges under State law, and to ensure that the Department of Justice reports to Congress on prosecutions secured against prohibited persons who attempt to acquire a firearm. |
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A bill to require federal judicial officers, bankruptcy judges, and magistrate judges to file periodic transaction reports disclosing certain securities transactions. |
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NDAA provision to reauthorize the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990. |
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A bill to require the appropriate use multidisciplinary teams for the investigations sexual exploitation or child abuse, the production of child sexual abuse material, or child trafficking conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. |
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A bill to advance targeted and evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of global malnutrition and to improve the coordination of such programs. |
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A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to further protect officers and employees of the United States. |
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A bill to make appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, and for other purposes. |
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A bill to amend title 40, United States Code, to grant the Supreme Court of the United States security-related authorities equivalent to the legislative and executive branches. |
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A bill to amend the Act entitled “Act to provide for the establishment of the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in the State of Kansas,” to provide for inclusion of additional related sites in the National Park System. |
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A bill to reform the Electoral Count Act, and to amend the Presidential Transition Act of 1963 to provide clear guidelines for when and to whom resources are provided by the Administrator of General Services for use in connection with the preparations for the assumption of official duties as President or Vice President. |
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A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into a contact or other agreements with a third party review appointees in the Veterans Health Administration who had a license terminated for cause by State licensing board for care or service rendered at a non-Veterans Health Administration facility and to provide individuals treated by such an appointee with notice if its determined that an episode of care or services that they received was below the standard of care, and for other purposes. Passed in the FY23 omnibus. |
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NDAA provision authorizing NIST to provide financial support for the construction of “testbeds and specialized facilities.” Passed in FY23 NDAA. |
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NDAA provision authorizing the conversion of the former Cape Henlopen U. Army Reserve Center site to the City of Lewes. |
118th Congress
| Bill | Purpose |
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NDAA provision creating National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day on March 9 and an official flag for the day. |
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NDAA provision for construction of a new Armed Services Whole Blood Processing Laboratory-East facility at Dover Air Force Base. |
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A bill to expand the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program to support recruitment efforts by law enforcement agencies. |
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A bill to establish a U.S. Foundation for International Conservation Act (USFICA), which will work to provide long-term investment in well-managed protected conservation areas, such as national parks, in the Global South. |
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A bill to create new tools for the U.S. government to deter states from wrongfully detaining Americans abroad, and to support hostages, wrongful detainees, and their families upon their return home. Passed as part of the 2025 NDAA. |
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A bill to encourage the growth of research partnerships between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and federal agencies to advance development in sub-Saharan Africa. Passed as part of the 2025 NDAA. |
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A bill to give states more flexibility in administering existing reemployment benefits. |
Top Issues
Agriculture
Some of Senator Coons’ accomplishments for Delaware agriculture include:
- Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Senate Chicken Caucus, a bipartisan group of senators from major poultry-producing states. The caucus’s goal is to educate other senators and their staff about the poultry industry, work with stakeholders to advocate for the industry, and enact legislation that helps it thrive. As part of his work in the caucus, Senator Coons partners closely with the Delaware Department of Agriculture, the Delmarva Chicken Association, and chicken companies with operations in Delaware.
- Senator Coons wrote the Health Poultry Assistance and Indemnification (HPAI) Act to ensure that all poultry growers who lose income in pathogen control zones are fairly compensated after the outbreak is contained.
- Secured improvements to the Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancement Act that support local farmers and growers, including increasing funding for the Regional Conservation Partnerships Program and creating additional opportunities for Delmarva farmers to benefit from the program.
- As part of the $13 billion in funding for farmers who suffered losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Coons fought for and won a provision that extended assistance to contract poultry growers who were forced to depopulate their flocks in Delaware and around the country. These funds were crucial in helping family farmers survive the economic headwinds from the pandemic.
Economic Opportunity
Some of Senator Coons’ accomplishments that advance economic opportunity in Delaware include:
- Senator Coons delivered millions of dollars for affordable housing in Delaware for Gateway East Senior Residential Village in Georgetown, Be Ready Community Development Corporation in Wilmington, Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity, and many more. That includes a $50 million Choice Neighborhoods grant for affordable housing in Northeast Wilmington.
- Senator Coons secured $177 million to expand and upgrade the Port of Wilmington, helping the First State compete regionally, making the port more sustainable, and creating good-paying union jobs.
- Senator Coons improved engineering training programs that focus on manufacturing, getting key pillars of his Manufacturing Universities legislation passed into law in 2016.
Energy and Environment
Some of Senator Coons’ accomplishments in energy and environmental policy include:
- Secured a $750 million federal investment for our region: the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub. The hub will develop hydrogen energy production in and around Delaware. The project will ensure the Mid-Atlantic is a leader in clean, renewable energy and will create as many as 20,000 jobs in and around the First State.
- Updated the Weatherization Assistance Program, giving families and property owners funding to make their homes more resistant to changing weather. Families save an average of $372 a year, and grants go to 32,000 homes a year. The program has created thousands of jobs across the country installing higher quality roofing and more energy efficient water heaters and other appliances and improving insulation.
- Senator Coons led the creation of the Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation, which was signed into law in 2022. The foundation is creating new public-private investments between the Department of Energy, philanthropy, and businesses to accelerate the use of innovative clean energy technology.
- Senator Coons created the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund, which has provided $72.1 million for 239 restoration and public access projects across the Delaware River Basin since 2016. That funding has helped preserve our national treasures like the First State National Historical Park, the White and Red Clay Creeks, and the Trap Pond Cypress Swamp.
Health Care
Senator Coons’ accomplishments in health care include:
- Senator Coons expanded funding for the National Institutes of Health and the Defense Health Research and Development Program. He also established the Pancreatic Cancer Research Program at the Department of Defense.
- Senator Coons is Co-Chair of the Senate ALS Caucus and author of the bipartisan ACT for ALS Act, signed into law in 2021, which expands funding for treatments of ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.
- Senator Coons played a key role in the Inflation Reduction Act, which lowered insulin costs to $35 per month, capped Medicare out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 annually, and allowed Medicare to negotiate drug prices, saving billions for seniors.
- Senator Coons secured $1.5 million for Nemours Children’s Health’s youth mental health training program and $7 million for Westside Family Healthcare to improve facilities and training.
Judiciary
Some of Senator Coons’ accomplishments on the Judiciary Committee include:
- Senator Coons introduced the bipartisan Courthouse Ethics and Transparency Act, which requires online publication of federal judges’ financial disclosure reports, signed into law by President Biden in 2022.
- Senator Coons helped negotiate the First Step Act, a landmark criminal justice reform bill signed into law in 2018.
- Senator Coons leads efforts to reform federal supervision guidelines through the U.S. Sentencing Commission to focus supervision where it is most needed, saving taxpayer dollars and improving rehabilitation outcomes for those leaving prison.
National Security and Foreign Policy
Some of Senator Coons’ accomplishments in national security include:
- As the lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Senator Coons is the primary Democrat in the Senate overseeing our nation’s entire defense budget, working to preserve our alliances, deter China, and support our military.
- Working with Republicans and Democrats to counter Chinese influence, Senator Coons created the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to give nations an alternative to China for financing infrastructure projects, helping both their economies and the United States’ to grow.
- Senator Coons secured $39 million for the construction of a new aircraft maintenance hangar at Dover Air Force Base. He also delivered funding for the Delaware Air National Guard’s new fuel cell hangar.
- Senator Coons closed the benefits pay gap for National Guard and Reserve members during overseas deployments. Through the FY19 defense budget, he ensured that those servicemembers would receive a monthly allowance if deployed for the long-term or multiple deployments within a year.
Senator Coons traveled to over 100 countries on more than 70 separate trips with colleagues from across the aisle to engage directly with global leaders, building alliances, protecting our security, and bringing international investment to the United States.
Additional areas of interest for Senator Coons can be found here