Press Releases
Senators Coons, Ayotte recognize National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) released the following statement in honor of National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week. They recently introduced the National Emergency Medical Services Commemorative Work Act to authorize the creation of a national memorial honoring the commitment and service of EMS professionals. Each year, across the nation, the 850,000 EMS first responders answer more than 30,000,000 calls to serve 22,000,000 patients in need of … Continue Reading
05.18.16
Senator Coons, colleagues call on President to fulfill commitment to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees in America
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) today joined a group of 27 senators calling on the President to fulfill the Administration's commitment to resettle at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the United States this fiscal year. He recently reiterated this commitment, but so far in the first seven months of FY 2016, only 1,736 Syrian refugees have been admitted to the United States. "We write to express our strong support for resettling Syrian refugees in the United States and to urge your … Continue Reading
05.16.16
Carper, Coons, Peters urge GAO to study how innovative payments providers are regulated
WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senators Tom Carper (DE), Chris Coons (DE), and Gary Peters (MI) today sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting additional information on innovative payment provider regulations and ongoing efforts at the state and federal levels related to mobile payments. "The financial services industry has seen significant developments in recent years as technological advancement and adoption have created opportunities for both established firms and … Continue Reading
05.13.16
Bipartisan ‘Manufacturing Universities’ legislation passes Senate Committee
WASHINGTON - Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee passed the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, which included important bipartisan legislation that will help U.S. universities strengthen their engineering programs to meet the demands of the modern manufacturing industry. Manufacturing Universities authorizes the Defense Department to support industry-relevant, manufacturing-focused, engineering training at U.S. universities. Institutions would be selected through a competi… Continue Reading
05.12.16
Senators Carper, Coons Hail Passage of Energy and Water Infrastructure Funding Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) today applauded Senate passage of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill. This annual spending bill for the country's energy and water programs contains a critical provision that will help maintain and strengthen investments to protect beaches and coastal areas, including Delaware's shorelines. "The First State's five-star beaches are not only natural treasures that drive our local economy, they're also a vital layer of prot… Continue Reading
05.12.16
Bipartisan provision from Senators Coons, Gardner, and Gillibrand to support startup businesses passes Committee
WASHINGTON - Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee passed bipartisan legislation to allow awardees of federal research and development grants to use a greater portion of their funding on business and technical services needed to support their startup business. The legislation, led by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), now heads to the full Senate for consideration. The bill authorizes Small Business Innovation Research (SBI… Continue Reading
05.11.16
President Obama signs Sen. Coons’ bill into law in Oval Office ceremony
WASHINGTON - Today, President Barack Obama hosted U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) at the White House for an Oval Office ceremony to sign into law the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA), legislation authored by Senator Coons and U.S. .Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) to help businesses in Delaware and across the country protect their valuable trade secrets. The legislation, which passed the House on April 27 and passed unanimously in the Senate on April 4, has received widespread bipartisan and bicam… Continue Reading
05.10.16
Delaware Delegation backs U.S. challenge to China’s unfair taxes on poultry from Delaware and other states
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) and U.S. Representative John Carney (D-Del.) applauded an announcement from U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman that the United States is mounting a challenge to China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) because of the Chinese Government's extremely high tariffs on American poultry products, which act as significant barriers to American poultry exports to China. The WTO has already stated that these tariffs from C… Continue Reading
05.03.16
Sen. Coons Week Ahead Schedule May 3-7
Thursday, May 5 at 7 a.m. - The Senator will deliver keynote remarks at Governor Markell's final prayer breakfast. This year's breakfast will be celebrating "Faith and Family." The event will also feature special musical performances by classical harpist, Emily Foraker and singer/songwriter John Flynn. Open to press. Modern Maturity Center, 1121 Forrest Ave., Dover. Contact Jonathan Dworkin at 302.233.6695. Thursday, May 5 at 10:45 a.m. - The Senator will deliver keynote remarks at Unites State… Continue Reading
05.02.16
Senators urge Education Department to fully enforce key funding accountability provision in “Every Student Succeeds Act”
Washington, DC - United States Chris Coons (D-Del.), along with eight other senators, today urged the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to use the authority that it was given by Congress to fully enforce the "supplement, not supplant" provision in the recently-passed Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This provision helps ensure the law meets it goal of protecting the civil rights and educational opportunity for all students. The letter was signed by Senators Warren, Murphy, Barbara Mikulski (D-… Continue Reading
05.02.16
Senator Coons, bipartisan coalition of Senators urge Dept. of Education to clarify legal protections for LGBT students across country
WASHINGTON, D.C. -Today, U.S. Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined a broad coalition of 41 Senate Democrats in pressing the Department of Education to release comprehensive guidance on the protections afforded to transgender and gender non-conforming students in our middle schools, high schools, and colleges. Students across the country are protected from sex discrimination by a law called Title IX, which says that any educational institution receiving federal funding-a public high school or college, a… Continue Reading
05.02.16
Senator Coons oped: Investments in research and development are investments in American jobs
WASHINGTON - In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), member of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, authored an oped in The Hill on why Congress must take steps to encourage American companies to invest in research and development. Investments in research and development are investments in American jobs By U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) American businesses of all sizes depend on research and development (R&D) to create new and better produ… Continue Reading
04.29.16
Coons, Tester, Perdue resolution to strengthen U.S.-Israel economic partnership passes Senate
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Chris Coons' (D-DE) bipartisan resolution to strengthen the U.S.-Israel economic partnership passed the U.S. Senate this week unanimously. The resolution, S. Res. 383, was introduced by Senator Coons and Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and David Perdue (D-GA) on March 1 and approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March 10, 2016. "I am pleased to see the Senate pass a resolution commemorating the strength of the economic ties between the United States and Israe… Continue Reading
04.28.16
Bipartisan bill from Coons, Fischer would help America’s scientists and engineers start new businesses
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) today introduced the American Innovators and Entrepreneurs Act to expand and improve the National Science Foundation's (NSF) highly successful Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program that trains scientists and engineers with the skills needed to start new businesses and create new jobs. I-Corps connects scientists and engineers with the technological, entrepreneurial, and business communities necessary to move discoveries from… Continue Reading
04.28.16
[VIDEO] Senator Coons: Iran’s own behavior is the real cause of its international isolation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor yesterday to push back on three claims made by Dr. Valiollah Seif, the governor of Iran's central bank, during a recent speech at the Council on Foreign Relations. In his remarks, Sen. Coons explains how a coordinated sanctions regime did force Iran to engage in negotiations regarding its nuclear program, why claims that Iran's nuclear program has always been entirely pea… Continue Reading
04.28.16
Senators Coons, Flake applaud committee passage of bill to combat wildlife trafficking crisis
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statements after the committee unanimously passed the END Wildlife Trafficking Act to combat the rapidly growing crisis of wildlife trafficking. "Demand for wildlife products has spiked in recent years, causing illegal wildlife trafficking to grow at an alarming rate," said Senator Coons. "Wildlife trafficking is not just an environmental challen… Continue Reading
04.27.16
Senators Coons, Hatch applaud House passage of Defend Trade Secrets Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today applauded the passage of the Defend Trade Secrets Act in the House of Representatives. The Senate bill, introduced by Senators Coons and Hatch, passed unanimously on April 4. The President has expressed support for the legislation and is expected to sign the bill into law soon. "Today's passage of the Defend Trade Secrets Act in the House means that this bill can soo… Continue Reading
04.26.16
Coons, Wicker Highlight World Malaria Day
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) have introduced a resolution commemorating World Malaria Day, which was observed on April 25. Wicker and Coons are co-chairs of the Senate Malaria and Neglected Tropical Disease Caucus. The measure recognizes the significance of reducing malaria prevalence and deaths in an effort to improve overall child and maternal health across the globe, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. "Malaria is a preventable, treatable illness… Continue Reading
04.25.16
Senators Coons, Graham lead bipartisan letter to urge Administration to quickly renew, strengthen security MOU with Israel
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are urging the Administration to quickly conclude a strengthened Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide Israel with the resources it needs to defend itself. The current MOU expires 2018. "During a time of increased instability in the Middle East, it is important the United States and Israeli governments reaffirm their historic and unshakeable security partnership,… Continue Reading
04.21.16
Senator Coons helps secure funding for Amtrak, Delaware law enforcement, and more in annual appropriations bills
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the first Delaware Senator in more than four decades to serve on the critical Appropriations Committee, joined his colleagues on the Committee to approve the annual Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) and Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) appropriations bills. These bills passed out of the Appropriations Committee and are now ready for consideration by the full Senate. "Making sure Delaware's needs and priorities are ad… Continue Reading
