Sen. Coons applauds President Biden’s American Jobs Plan

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement on President Biden’s American Jobs Plan, announced this afternoon.

“I applaud President Biden’s plan to create millions of good-paying jobs, rebuild American infrastructure – our bridges and railways, electric grids and water systems – and invest in a clean energy future. With this plan, we will help Americans get back to work, stimulate our economy, and finally address the impacts of climate change,” said Senator Coons. “I’m pleased that the American Jobs Plan includes economic and climate initiatives that I’ve worked on in the Senate, including the bipartisan SCALE Act, the establishment of a Civilian Climate Corps, funding for Amtrak, support for R&D to boost our future competitiveness, and much more. I look forward to working with the Biden administration and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass into law this historic package, so we can rebuild the American economy in a way that makes the U.S. more competitive and creates jobs for American workers.”

Sen. Coons is pleased the American Jobs Plan includes:

• The Storing CO2 and Lowering Emissions (SCALE) Act, legislation introduced by Sens. Coons and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), that will help develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure as a critical means of reducing emissions of CO2 – or carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas – while creating regional economic opportunities and jobs. 
• $80 billion for Amtrak over eight years. Last week, Sens. Coons and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) led a group of 12 other senators from states along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in a letter urging President Biden to support $55 billion in long-term funding for passenger rail infrastructure in order to repair the NEC rail network. The letter also called for robust support to expand Amtrak passenger rail service nationwide.
• The establishment of a new Civilian Climate Corps that will mobilize the next generation of conservation and resilience workers. The proposal is in line with legislation being announced in the coming days by Sens. Coons, Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Reps. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) and Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) to authorize the administration to utilize existing national service programs and coordinate with federal and non-federal entities to create a Civilian Climate Corps.
• $14 billion to the National Institutes for Standards and Technology (NIST) to advance technologies and capabilities critical to future competitiveness. Sen. Coons authored legislation enacted in 2020 that authorizes the expansion of NIST’s Manufacturing USA network, which includes the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals, or NIIMBL, headquartered in Newark, Delaware.
• Funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program that helps to upgrade homes and reduce energy costs for low-income families. Sen. Coons was the lead sponsor of the Weatherization Enhancement and Local Energy Efficient Investment and Accountability Act of 2019, which reauthorized and updated the program, that passed Congress in December as part of the Energy Act of 2020.
• $30 billion over four years to protect from future pandemics. Sen. Coons introduced the bipartisan National Guard Manufacturing Act of 2021, along with Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas), to invest in the ability of the U.S. government to mitigate future supply chain emergencies. 
• $30 billion for increased R&D, including innovation, at the Department of Energy. Through his role on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Coons has secured funding for programs that spur innovation at the Department of Energy each year.
• The creation of more registered apprenticeships, with a focus on expanding the diversity of workers who get them. Sen. Coons, along with Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), introduced the Apprenticeship Hubs Across American Act to expand the highly successful registered apprenticeship model to high-growth job sectors. The bill would establish a new initiative at the U.S. Department of Labor to expand highly successful Apprenticeship Hubs, which are organizations that help employers design, develop, and deliver Registered Apprenticeship Programs.
• $35 billion for climate science, innovation, and R&D, including funding demonstration projects for carbon capture and storage and advanced nuclear. This funding is in line with the Launching Energy Advancement and Development through Innovations for Natural Gas (LEADING) Act of 2019, legislation introduced by Sens. Coons, John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), as well as the Nuclear Energy Renewal Act, which Sen. Coons sponsored along with Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.). Both bills passed into law as part of the Energy Act of 2020.

• At least $20 billion for research infrastructure and R&D at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions, as well as $15 billion for up to 200 centers of excellence that would serve as research incubators at those institutions. Sen. Coons is a co-chair of the bipartisan, bicameral HBCU caucus.
• $30 billion over four years to improve and expand medical countermeasure manufacturing domestically. Sen. Coons has been a consistent advocate for funding to support innovation and capacity in the manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals like vaccines.  

• The creation of at least 10 regional innovation hubs. Sen. Coons, along with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), introduced the Innovation Centers Acceleration Act, which would expand R&D, targeted to reach a broader portion of the country. The legislation would complement a nationwide effort to compete with China economically by placing renewed emphasis on sectors key to economic resiliency and productivity, including biomedical technology, advanced manufacturing, and more.

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Sen. Coons, colleagues introduce bipartisan bill addressing shortage of doctors, nurses

WILMINGTON, Del. – Last week, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), along with Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine) introduced bipartisan legislation to provide a temporary stopgap to quickly address our nation’s shortage of doctors and nurses. TheHealthcare Workforce Resilience Act would recapture 25,000 unused immigrant visas for nurses and 15,000 unused immigrant visas for doctors that Congress has previously authorized and allocate those visas to doctors and nurses to help in the fight against COVID-19.  

“Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals have been on the frontlines against COVID-19 for more than a year, putting their health on the line to care for others,” said Senator Coons. “At a time when we face a shortage of health care professionals, this bipartisan bill will allow doctors and nurses stuck in the green card backlog to help provide immediate relief. This narrow, commonsense solution will not fix our broken immigration system, but will prevent it from blocking medical professionals who can help ease the demands on our health care system and give patients across the country the care they urgently need.”

“One-sixth of our health care workforce is foreign-born. Over the course of this pandemic, immigrant nurses and doctors have played a vital role in our health care system and their contributions have undoubtedly saved countless lives,” said Senator Durbin. “It is unacceptable that thousands of doctors currently working in the U.S. on temporary visas are stuck in the green card backlog, putting their futures in jeopardy and limiting their ability to contribute to the fight against COVID-19. This bipartisan bill strengthens our health care workforce and I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for joining me in introducing this bill.”

“Foreign-born nurses and doctors helped form the frontline of our nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, taking great risks to care for millions of Americans who fell victim to the deadly virus. Over and over again, they have demonstrated their indispensable role in our country’s healthcare system, especially in underserved areas. Faced with acute healthcare workforce shortages, we should swiftly tap into our existing pool of foreign-born nurses and doctors who are ready to be deployed but are stuck in limbo due to backlogs. Our bipartisan bill would do exactly that,” said Senator Leahy.   

“The U.S. Department of Labor previously declared a shortage of nurses, reinforcing the need for support from trained professionals from other countries. This is especially true in rural parts of our country that are too often overlooked. This bipartisan legislation will help ensure nurses can get visas to come the United States to temporarily fill that shortage as we continue to combat the coronavirus pandemic, the growing opioid crisis, and other significant health challenges,” said Senator Young.

“COVID-19 has exacerbated the shortage of doctors and nurses our nation was already facing.  As we continue to respond to this persistent pandemic, it is vital that we take steps to alleviate the burden on our health care system and support medical professionals,” said Senator Collins. “By issuing unused employment-based visas to immigrant medical professionals, this bipartisan legislation would help strengthen our health care workforce and preserve access to care, particularly in rural and underserved communities in Maine and across our country.” 

Specifically, the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act:

• Recaptures unused visas from previous fiscal years for doctors, nurses, and their families
• Exempts these visas from country caps
• Requires employers to attest that immigrants from overseas who receive these visas will not displace an American worker
• Requires the Department of Homeland Security and State Department to expedite the processing of recaptured visas
• Limits the filing period for recaptured visas to 90 days following the termination of the President’s COVID-19 emergency declaration

The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act is supported by dozens of organizations including the Illinois Health and Hospital Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Neurology, American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment, American College of Rheumatology, American Geriatrics Society, American Hospital Association, American Organization for Nursing Leadership, American Society of Hematology, Physicians for American Healthcare Access, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Rural Health Association, American Medical Association, Society of Hospital Medicine, Federation of American Hospitals, American College of Physicians, Ascension Catholic Health Association of the U.S., Healthcare Leadership Council,  National Kidney Foundation, Society of Critical Care Medicine, American Immigration Lawyers Association, FWD.us, National Immigration Forum, the Bipartisan Policy Center, American Business Immigration Coalition, and The Jewish Federations of North America.

U.S. Representatives Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), Tom Cole (R-Okla.), Tom O’Halleran (D-Ariz.), and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) will introduce companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

Full text of the bill is available here. 

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Sens. Coons, Moran introduce bipartisan legislation to cut emissions, drive clean energy investment

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) reintroduced bipartisan legislation that, according to new research, would reduce U.S. power plant emissions by more than six percent by giving investors in a range of clean energy projects access to a decades-old corporate structure whose tax advantage is currently available only to investors in fossil fuel-based energy projects. U.S. Representatives Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and Ron Estes (R-Kan.) reintroduced a similar bill in the House of Representatives this week.

S. 1034, the Financing Our Energy Future Act is a straightforward, powerful modification of the federal tax code that would unleash $15 billion in annual capital spending in wind, solar, and electricity storage, according to new research published by the Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment. By enabling renewable energy-generation and fuel companies to form master limited partnerships (MLPs), clean energy projects will access the funding advantages of corporations and the tax advantages of partnerships. In 2020, the House of Representatives passed the Financing Our Energy Future Act as part of H.R. 2, a comprehensive infrastructure bill. Now, lawmakers are calling on both chambers to pass the Financing Our Energy Future Act into law.

“Clean energy technologies have made tremendous progress in the last several decades, and we need to level the playing field for renewables compared to fossil fuel projects in the federal tax code,” said Senator Coons. “The bipartisan and bicameral Financing Our Energy Future Act will increase investments in a broad range of clean energy sources, create jobs, and significantly reduce emissions in the U.S. power sector by ensuring that clean energy technologies can benefit from the incentives that traditional energy sources have relied on for decades. This bill has earned broad bipartisan and industry support and is a common-sense way to promote clean energy infrastructure as we rebuild from the pandemic.”

“The United States has the largest and most liquid capital markets in the world, particularly for innovative and developing companies, yet many emerging energy companies lack access to the same tax advantages others in the sector utilize to be competitive,” said Senator Moran. “Expanding sound economic tools like master limited partnerships (MLPs) increases innovation and economic growth, while providing companies a broader investment pool that drives potential to drastically reduce the time and cost associated with deploying new technologies. The Financing Our Energy Future Act would strengthen our energy independence and security by providing parity for companies across the energy sector spectrum to utilize the MLP structure for increased access to capital and project development.”

“Ensuring we use the full power of renewable energy sources is critical to our work to lower greenhouse gas emissions and help tackle climate change,” said Representative Thompson. “That’s why I am proud to join with colleagues in both chambers and both parties to introduce the Financing Our Energy Future Act. This bill expands the use of master limited partnerships so that renewable energy projects can take advantage of these tax structures and attract more private investment. This bill will expand renewable energy use and create jobs, strengthening our economy and improving the future of our planet.”

“To secure reliable and affordable energy for our nation, we must pursue policies that enable energy independence and prevent Washington from picking winners and losers,” said Representative Estes. “Allowing our clean energy sector to utilize master limited partnerships will encourage more private sector innovation and growth – benefiting our economy and environment.”

A master limited partnership is a business structure that is taxed as a partnership, but whose ownership interests are traded like corporate stock on a market. By statute, MLPs are currently only available to investors in energy portfolios for oil, natural gas, coal extraction, and pipeline projects.

These projects get access to larger and more liquid sources of capital than are available for traditionally financed energy projects, making them highly effective at attracting private investment. Investors in clean energy projects, however, have been explicitly prevented from forming MLPs, starving a fast-growing portion of America’s domestic energy sector of the capital it needs to build and grow.

Newly eligible energy resources covered in S. 1034 would include solar, wind, hydropower, marine and hydrokinetic energy, fuel cells, energy storage, combined heat and power, biomass, waste heat to power, renewable fuels, biorefineries, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), advanced nuclear, and renewable chemicals.

In the Senate, the Financing Our Energy Future Act is cosponsored by Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).

S. 1034, the Financing Our Energy Future Act, is endorsed by the Clean Air Task Force, Third Way, BPC Action, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), ClearPath Action, Ceres, Energy Infrastructure Council, American Sustainable Business Council, Growth Energy, Sunnova Energy Corporation, Midwest Cogeneration Association, International District Energy Association, Alternative Fuels & Chemicals Coalition, Carbon Capture Coalition, Heat is Power Association, Advanced Biofuels Business Council, Consumer Energy Alliance, Nuclear Innovation Alliance, and JSA Sustainable Wealth Management.

Full text of the bill is available here. A summary of the bill is available here. Endorsements of S. 1034 are available here.

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Sens. Coons, Hirono, Duckworth, colleagues introduce resolution to condemn anti-Asian hate, discrimination related to COVID-19 pandemic

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and 34 of their Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution to condemn all forms of anti-Asian sentiment, racism, and discrimination, and call on federal officials, in collaboration with state and local agencies and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community organizations, to address the rise in COVID-19-related hate crimes. The resolution was introduced in the wake of the Atlanta shooting—where eight people were killed, including six women of Asian descent, and following a new report that AAPIs were targeted in nearly 3,800 hate incidents across the country since last March.

“Over the past year, violence against Asian American communities has risen dramatically, culminating in last week’s horrific shooting in Atlanta that took the lives of six Asian women. We cannot stand by while these forces of bigotry and ignorance continue to plague our nation,” said Senator Coons. “I’m proud to join Senators Hirono and Duckworth in introducing this resolution to strongly condemn anti-Asian racism and intolerance, and I’m committed to working with my colleagues to hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable.”

“Our country’s AAPI community has experienced escalating verbal attacks and physical violence since the coronavirus pandemic began, including the devastating killings last week in Atlanta. We must reject all forms of xenophobia and address the harm to our AAPI communities. Passing this resolution would send a clear message that hate, bigotry, and anti-Asian sentiment have no place in our country,” Senator Hirono said.

“After a year of hateful, offensive rhetoric being used in an attempt to racialize the COVID-19 pandemic against Asian Americans, we’ve seen a spike in hate crimes, violent assaults and discrimination targeting the AAPI community,” said Senator Duckworth. “As the AAPI community continues to be attacked, I’m proud to introduce this important resolution with Senator Hirono to condemn all forms of anti-Asian sentiment, including those made worse by the COVID-19 outbreak.”

A similar resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) last month and now has 145 cosponsors.

In addition to Senators Hirono and Duckworth, the resolution is cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

The resolution:

• Condemns all forms of anti-Asian sentiment, including racism, xenophobia, discrimination, and scapegoating, related to COVID–19;
• Recognizes that the health and safety of all people of the United States, regardless of background, must be the utmost priority;
• Calls on federal law enforcement officials, working with state and local agencies to:

1. expeditiously investigate and document all credible reports of hate crimes, harassment, bullying, and threats against AAPI communities;
2. expand data collection and reporting to document the rise in incidences of hate crimes relating to COVID–19; and
3. hold the perpetrators of those crimes, incidents, or threats accountable and bring such perpetrators to justice;

• Calls on the Attorney General to work with state and local agencies and AAPI community-based organizations to prevent discrimination, and expand culturally appropriate education campaigns on public reporting of hate crimes;
• Calls on the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the COVID–19 Health Equity Task Force and AAPI community-based organizations, to issue guidance to mitigate racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID–19 pandemic; and
• Recommits the United States to serve as a model in building a more inclusive, diverse, and tolerant society.

The full text of the resolution is available here.

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[VIDEO] Sen. Coons inducted into the National Service Hall of Fame

WILMINGTON, Del. – In recognition of his strong support for AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) this week was inducted into the National Service Hall of Fame.

For video of the full event, please click here.

For a video tribute from service leaders in Delaware and across the country, please click here.

“I am honored to be inducted into the National Service Hall of Fame,” said Senator Coons. “National service uplifts, inspires, and empowers, and that’s been especially true in the past year as AmeriCorps members across the country step up to meet urgent needs exacerbated by COVID-19. I will continue working to strengthen national service so more Americans have the opportunity to give back, gain skills, and build a more inclusive and just society.”

“For more than two decades, Senator Coons has championed national service,” said AnnMaura Connolly, President, Voices for National Service. “He is a relentless advocate and a fierce believer in the role the federal government can play in putting citizens at the center of solving community problems. He was instrumental in securing $1 billion for AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors in the American Rescue Plan. And as the lead author of the CORPS Act he has led the charge to grow AmeriCorps to 250,000 members annually and advocated for an increased federal investment to make that goal a reality – at a time when our country needs national service the most. We are immensely grateful to him for his leadership, and it is our honor to induct him into the Voices for National Service Hall of Fame.”

Senator Coons secured $1 billion as part of the American Rescue Plan to deploy additional AmeriCorps members to support communities’ response to COVID-19, increase members’ living allowances, and strengthen diversity. This funding was inspired by the CORPS Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senator Coons and Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) to respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

Senator Coons has long championed national service. Prior to coming to Congress, he helped launch and lead an AmeriCorps program with the I Have A Dream Foundation. Later, as County Executive, he served for a decade on the Delaware State Service Commission and helped create a program to recruit volunteer firefighters in his hometown.

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Sen. Coons joins bipartisan effort to reduce greenhouse emissions with carbon capture legislation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and nine other senators in introducing legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Tax Credit Amendments Act would make tax credits that encourage carbon capture projects more available and easier to use.

“It’s clear that accelerated deployment of carbon capture, utilization, and storage is crucial for reaching mid-century climate goals and would create thousands of jobs and help maintain American competitiveness in the process,” said Senator Coons. “I’m proud to join Senators Smith and Capito in introducing the Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Tax Credit Amendments Act that would make important reforms to the 45Q and 48A tax credits, enhancing the ability of these federal incentives to spur development of new CCUS projects. Together with the bipartisan SCALE Act I authored, this bill will further drive the adoption of CCUS in the United States.”

“The science is clear—climate change is real, it’s caused by humans, and we need urgent action to address it. Our bill works toward that goal by working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Senator Smith. “Carbon capture and storage is a crucial technology for reducing emissions from biofuels, steel, and other industries important to Minnesota. Climate scientists tell us that if we are to avoid the worst of the climate crises, we will absolutely need direct air capture to pull excess carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, and this bill provides increased support for that emerging type of carbon capture. You can see from the Senate coalition supporting this legislation that what’s good for our environment and good for our economy is bipartisan, as it should be.”

“The United States has an opportunity to be a leader when it comes to carbon capture technologies, and this legislation will help us achieve that goal,” Senator Capito said. “Not only will it help us protect our coal and natural gas industries, which are so critical to states like West Virginia, but this legislation promotes domestic energy production and reducing our power and manufacturing sector emissions. I’m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation that will make a big difference in putting American innovation to work growing our economy and combatting climate change in a responsible way, regardless of the current economic circumstances.”

The bipartisan bill is supported by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). This legislation would make improvements to ensure that carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) credits are utilized to their full potential to create manufacturing, construction, and engineering jobs and prevent carbon dioxide emissions.

The CCUS Tax Credit Amendments Act would:

1) Extend “commence construction” by five years. The credits would be available to projects that begin by the end of 2030.

2) Allow for direct payment of the carbon capture credits. This is urgently needed for the majority of project developers who otherwise lack sufficient taxable income to fully utilize the credits. 

3) Increase support for direct air capture (DAC) of CO2 from the atmosphere. This is key to the decarbonization of the heavy industry and manufacturing sectors and also allows us to pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere after it has been released.

4) Allow the 45Q credit to offset tax obligations due to the Base Erosion Avoidance Tax (BEAT).This bill will grant the same tax treatment to carbon capture, direct air capture and carbon utilization projects as is currently offered to wind and solar projects.

5) Revise 48A credit to make it work for CCUS retrofits. This bill includes modifications to the 48A tax credit aligned with the recent Carbon Capture Modernization Act.

You can access a summary of the bill here and full text of the bill here.

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Sens. Coons, Murphy push for $55B in capital investments for Northeast Corridor passenger rail

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) led a group of 12 other senators from states along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in a letter urging President Biden to support $55 billion in long-term funding for passenger rail infrastructure in order to repair the NEC rail network. The letter also calls for robust support to expand Amtrak passenger rail service nationwide. The NEC network alone runs 457 miles from Washington, D.C. to Boston, Massachusetts, serving hundreds of thousands of train riders daily via railways, tunnels, and bridges, some of which are over 100 years old. The senators are calling for an ambitious $55 billion over 10 years in dedicated federal funding to expand commuting zones, create better access to jobs, and provide more sustainable transportation to Americans.

Joining Coons and Murphy in this letter are Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.). 

“The state-of-good-repair backlog in the NEC has climbed to over $40 billion, and Amtrak and other infrastructure owners lack the long-term funding to address it. Unlike our highway and airway systems, our rail system lacks a dedicated funding stream, and instead relies on Congress to appropriate sufficient funds each and every year,” said the senators. “Working with Amtrak, states, and stakeholders, the Federal Railroad Administration developed a comprehensive long-term corridor-wide vision to bring the NEC into a state of good repair and provide expanded passenger service, but lacks the resources to execute this plan. As a result, Amtrak and other rail carriers on the NEC are trying to deploy a long-term infrastructure plan with a one-year budget outlook that is subject to ever-shifting political priorities.”

The senators concluded, “We encourage your Administration to support the long-term funding needed to restore and revitalize the NEC in your infrastructure proposal, and ensure that stakeholders in the corridor are empowered to identify, prioritize, and sequence projects in the state of good repair backlog. Investing in rail infrastructure will open up corridors of booming economic growth, help meet our climate goals, and increase our international competitiveness. Expanding passenger rail service across the country should be a top priority for any clean infrastructure agenda.”

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear President Biden:

As we begin the hard work of building back better from the COVID-19 pandemic, we agree that investing in our nation’s infrastructure should be a top priority of the federal government. Passenger rail, including the service operated by Amtrak, is a prime candidate for infrastructure investment. We ask that your infrastructure plan include at least $55 billion in federal funding over the next ten years for necessary capital investments in the Northeast Corridor (NEC), as well as robust support for the national network of passenger rail service through Amtrak. An ambitious investment in passenger rail infrastructure across the country will expand commuting zones, forge closer ties between cities, expand job opportunities, make housing more affordable, and provide clean, convenient transportation to Americans.

A national rail network is a critical part of a modern nation’s transportation infrastructure, connecting large cities to each other and to the smaller communities in between. It unlocks economic opportunity, shortens commutes, and provides access to jobs, city centers, and international airports. It also helps meet climate goals: according to the U.S. Department of Energy, Amtrak is 47 percent more energy efficient than traveling by car and 33 percent more energy efficient than domestic air travel.[1] For these reasons, rail travel is becoming more popular every year in the U.S. This trend is evident in the growing ridership of Amtrak, the corporation owned by the U.S. government that provides passenger rail service in 500 communities across 46 states. Up until the COVID-19 crisis, Amtrak was serving more riders than ever before – more than 32.5 million in 2019. These millions of riders are travelling on railways, tunnels, and bridges that are over 100 years old in some places. We must renovate our rail infrastructure to maintain safe and effective service for a growing ridership.

Our counterparts overseas have already committed fully to modern rail transportation systems. Rail infrastructure in Japan and in much of Europe is already well-developed, and residents are proud of their reliable, high-speed trains. As part of its plan to become the world’s leading economy, China is spending over $100 billion annually on new high-speed rail lines to unlock economic growth. Despite recent increases, Congress provides just over $1 billion annually for federal rail programs, leaving our rail infrastructure far behind that of our peers. We must invest in passenger rail to also remain competitive in the global economy.

Just as Amtrak allowed you to commute to the U.S. Senate from Delaware, hundreds of thousands of people a day take a train on the NEC, one of the busiest and most complex rail lines in the world that is primarily owned by Amtrak.[2] The state-of-good-repair backlog in the NEC has climbed to over $40 billion, and Amtrak and other infrastructure owners lack the long-term funding to address it. Unlike our highway and airway systems, our rail system lacks a dedicated funding stream, and instead relies on Congress to appropriate sufficient funds each and every year. Working with Amtrak, states, and stakeholders, the Federal Railroad Administration developed a comprehensive long-term corridor-wide vision to bring the NEC into a state of good repair and provide expanded passenger service, but lacks the resources to execute this plan. As a result, Amtrak and other rail carriers on the NEC are trying to deploy a long-term infrastructure plan with a one-year budget outlook that is subject to ever-shifting political priorities.

That is why we are encouraged by the NEC Commission’s work to develop “CONNECT NEC 2035,” a consensus-based plan for NEC stakeholders to identify and sequence the capital investments. Early estimates suggest implementing the plan will cost approximately $55 billion over the next 10 years. We encourage your Administration to support the long-term funding needed to restore and revitalize the NEC in your infrastructure proposal, and ensure that stakeholders in the corridor are empowered to identify, prioritize, and sequence projects in the state of good repair backlog.

Investing in rail infrastructure will open up corridors of booming economic growth, help meet our climate goals, and increase our international competitiveness. Expanding passenger rail service across the country should be a top priority for any clean infrastructure agenda.

Sincerely,

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[1] https://www.amtrak.com/travel-green

[2] https://nec.amtrak.com/

Sens. Coons, Wicker reintroduce bipartisan bill targeting debt-based driver’s license suspensions

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) reintroduced the bipartisan Driving for Opportunity Act to create incentives to stop debt-based driver’s license suspensions. It has been estimated that nationwide at least 11 million people have their driver’s licenses suspended because they cannot pay fines or fees, not for any public safety reasons. This makes it harder for Americans to go to work to pay off their debts and places an unnecessary burden on police to enforce suspensions, expending resources that should go to public safety, increasing hostilities in the communities they serve, and putting officers and citizens at increased risk of infection during a pandemic. The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.).

“Driver’s licenses enable millions of Americans to travel to and from work, their children’s schools, doctor’s appointments, and places of worship,” Senator Coons said. “At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has made it even harder for Americans to pay their bills and care for their families, taking away someone’s driver’s license can make it nearly impossible to hold down a job and therefore pay back their debts. The Driving for Opportunity Act would end this practice that traps our most vulnerable populations in a cycle of debt while lifting an unnecessary and counterproductive responsibility from our police departments at a time when they are already carrying too heavy a burden.”

“Suspending driver’s licenses for unpaid fines and fees is counterproductive,” Senator Wicker said. “Americans need access to vehicles to work and to care for their families. My home state of Mississippi rightly banned this practice in 2018. This legislation would encourage other states to follow our lead.”

“Taking away someone’s driver’s license due to unpaid debts – especially during the pandemic – is unnecessary and hurts that person’s chance of actually repaying the debt that they owe. This commonsense and bipartisan bill is supported by law enforcement because it lets people drive safely to work, without fear of arrest, so they can pay off what they owe and support their family’s needs,” Senator Durbin said.

“If the government wants people to pay fines, then the government shouldn’t prevent them from getting to work. Our bill resets the incentives to stop the circular problem of states suspending licenses for anyone who owes fines or fees. This is especially important in rural states where travel by car is even more necessary,” Senator Grassley said.

“For many Americans, being able to drive is essential for getting to work, bringing their kids to child care, or getting to the grocery store. That’s why suspending someone’s driver’s license for unrelated unpaid fees is deeply misguided. It is a penalty that criminalizes poverty and strips individuals of their means to access their livelihoods, creating a vicious downwards cycle. This legislation will help us eliminate these harmful laws,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“For most Arkansans, driving a vehicle is the only realistic way to get around and conduct daily business like getting to work, school and the grocery store,” said Senator Boozman. “Penalizing drivers who are unable to pay unrelated fees by dramatically hampering their ability to travel prevents them from participating in these basic activities in addition to making it more difficult to afford these fines. I’m pleased to join my colleagues in supporting this bill to end this counterproductive policy.”

“This bill would protect vulnerable Americans from losing their driver’s license—an every day necessity—simply because they owe unpaid fines or fees. Without a license, people can’t get to work—and pay what’s owed—not to mention get kids to school, or get needed health care, and much more. Suspending driver’s licenses for offenses that have nothing to do with public safety, like missed child support payments or unpaid court fines, is counterproductive and traps the poorest Americans in a cycle of debt,” said Senator Blumenthal. “This issue disproportionately affects communities of color and can significantly strain relationships with law enforcement. I’m glad to join a bipartisan group of colleagues to right this wrong.”

“Suspending a person’s driver’s license for unpaid fines and fees, and for no public safety reason, is the wrong way to go. Instead, it makes it even more difficult for folks to keep a job and pay down debts. This bipartisan effort will help end this penalty,” said Senator Ernst.

“Suspending driver’s licenses over unpaid fines and fees is nonsensical and completely counterintuitive, actually making it harder for people to pay off their debts. If they can’t drive to work, they can’t pay their bills. They also can’t drive their kids to school or child care, essential to allowing working parents to do their jobs,” Senator Wyden said.“Congress must act to end this unfair practice of trapping vulnerable people in a cycle of debt.” 

The Driving for Opportunity Act is supported by a broad coalition of groups spanning the political spectrum, including civil rights and civil liberties advocates, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and defense lawyers. These groups include the Fines and Fees Justice Center, ACLU, Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, FreedomWorks, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National District Attorneys Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, Major County Sheriffs of America, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials, Prison Fellowship, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Civil Rights Corps, Due Process Institute, Fair & Just Prosecution, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Vision Zero Network, SPLC Action, The Libre Initiative, Law Enforcement Action Partnership, and Digital Library.

“License suspensions for debt are trapping millions of Americans in a vicious cycle of poverty and punishment,” said Priya Sarathy Jones, National Policy and Campaigns Director at the Fines and Fees Justice Center. “Elected officials from across the political spectrum are increasingly realizing that ending debt-based license suspensions is a win-win situation both for their most vulnerable residents and for their state’s overall economy.”  

“No one should be denied the privilege of driving a car because of an unpaid fine or fee. Denying a person a driver’s license because they owe money creates a modern version of the debtors prison – you cannot leave your house until you pay your debts, but you cannot pay your debt if you cannot go to work. This is wrong,” said Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform.

“Suspending drivers’ licenses for non-public safety reasons such as unpaid fines and fees creates unnecessary hardships for those with limited means and is counter-intuitive to its intended goal. A driver’s license could be the difference between maintaining a job or falling deeper into financial trouble, thereby making it more difficult to pay the court obligations in the first place. This bill will help states move towards a better system where drivers’ licenses are suspended only when they have a substantial nexus to public safety, rather than as a misguided stick,” said Mark Holden, Board Member of Americans for Prosperity. 

“NDAA is proud to join our partners in the law enforcement and criminal justice reform community to rally behind the Driving for Opportunity Act. This vital legislation works to end the suspension of driver’s licenses for fines and fees, while reinvesting funding to assist communities in implementing this new policy. The bill strikes the right balance by allowing suspensions for public safety reasons while ending the practice of criminalizing poverty,” said Nelson Bunn, Executive Director of the National District Attorneys Association.

“Suspending licenses limits people’s ability to access work, groceries, education and health care services but it does not increase safety, and AASHTO and state DOTs believe our focus should always be on safety. We very much appreciate the leadership of Senators Coons and Wicker to improve access to opportunities,” said Jim Tymon, Executive Director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

“Across the country, millions of people have their driver’s licenses suspended for reasons that are unrelated to highway or public safety, usually unpaid fines and fees,” said Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police. “Forcing officers to arrest a person for driving with a suspended license due to unpaid fees is a waste of valuable law enforcement time and resources. This bill will help those in difficult circumstances and free law enforcement to focus on protecting our communities.”

“By encouraging states to eliminate drivers’ license suspensions for unpaid fines and fees, the Driving for Opportunity Act will help ensure law enforcement’s resources are focused on preventing dangerous behavior behind the wheel that is a threat to public safety. The MCCA thanks Sen. Coons and Sen. Wicker for their continued leadership on this issue,”said Chief Art Acevedo, Chief of the Houston Police Department and President of the Major Cities Chiefs Association.

 “This legislation is a critical step toward ending debt-based driver’s license suspensions, one of many abusive fines and fees collection practices. Government reliance on fines and fees for revenue creates perverse incentives for courts and law enforcement to extract wealth from low-income black and brown communities that already experience racial profiling and excessive policing. We must end the predatory imposition and enforcement of fines and fees,” said Emily Dindial, Advocacy and Policy Counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union.

A coalition letter in support of the bill is available here.

The one pager on the bill is available here.

The bill text is available here.

Research increasingly shows that suspending driver’s licenses for unpaid fines and fees negatively impacts families, communities, and law enforcement:

• It leads to increased unemployment and underemployment. According to a report by the Motor Vehicles Affordability and Fairness Task Force in New Jersey, 42% of those who lost their licenses due to certain non-driving-related offenses lost their jobs as a result, and 45% of those who lost their jobs were unable to find new employment. 88% of those who were able to find another job reported a decrease in income. A Harvard Law School report called the suspension of driver’s licenses “one of the most pervasive poverty traps for poor people assessed a fine that they cannot afford to pay.”

• It puts people at risk without benefit to public safety. According to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, 75% of suspended drivers continue to drive, facing further fines, fees, and incarceration if they get pulled over. Police officers will then be required to make traffic stops as debt collectors, and unnecessary traffic stops can be unsafe, particularly during a pandemic. 
• It does not help collections. A report by the San Francisco City Treasurer found that ending debt-based license suspensions in the city had “no negative impact on collections.” A report by Texas Appleseed noted that although Dallas suspends licenses for unpaid fines and fees and Fort Worth does not, Fort Worth had slightly higher collections than Dallas did.   

• It takes up law enforcement officers’ valuable time. In 2015, Washington State calculated that state troopers spent 70,848 hours dealing with suspensions for non-driving offenses. Arresting one person for driving with a suspended license can take nine hours of an officer’s time when considering all the paperwork required.
• It disproportionately harms rural communities and minorities. Only 11% of rural residents have access to public transportation services. Studies show that Black and Latino people are more likely to be the subject of traffic enforcement and have their license suspended, despite comparable traffic violation rates. 

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Senate passes bill to extend PPP, a victory for Delaware small businesses

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Carper, senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and Chris Coons, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee (both D-Del.), voted today for the passage of the bipartisan PPP Extension Act of 2021, a measure that will support Delaware small businesses by extending the end-date of the Paycheck Protection Program from March 31, 2021 to June 30, 2021.

“This is a great day for Delaware’s recovery and for the small businesses that make up the backbone of our state’s economy,” said Senator Carper. “Extending the Paycheck Protection Program will make sure this vital lifeline continues to provide sorely needed assistance during the worst pandemic in a century, and it will be doing so with more than $7 billion of new funding and expanded eligibility from the American Rescue Plan. With scores of applicants in Delaware and throughout the country still in line for loans, I will remain committed to helping our small businesses in the First State make it through this pandemic on sound financial footing.”

“For the past year, small business owners across Delaware and the country have been fighting to preserve jobs in their communities. Since Congress renewed the program in December, the Paycheck Protection Program has given Main Street a critical lifeline, providing more than 6,600 loans totaling more than $540 million to small businesses in Delaware, but many still need help to get through the next phase of recovery,” said Senator Coons. “I’m pleased that the Senate came together to ensure that the PPP program remains active and small businesses can keep their doors open and their employees on payroll.”

Under this law, borrowers have until May 31 to submit PPP applications to participating lenders, and the Small Business Administration (SBA) can continue processing loan applications submitted on or before this date until June 30. The American Rescue Plan added $7.25 billion to the PPP, and expanded the program’s eligibility to help small nonprofits and local digital news outlets. The bill also created a $29-billion fund dedicated towards helping restaurants, and added $15 billion to athe Small Business Administration’s Targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance program to provide relief for particularly hard-hit small businesses in low-income communities. Small business owners and nonprofit leaders should refer to this page on the SBA’s website to learn more about these and other relief options.

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Carper, Coons, Rosen and colleagues urge appropriators to provide robust funding to address affordable housing crisis

WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) joined Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and 39 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee urging them to provide at least $185 million in funding for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NeighborWorks America) in order to address the nation’s affordable housing crisis, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the letter, the senators state that additional funding for NeighborWorks America will help create housing opportunities for more Americans to live in affordable homes.

“As you consider the Fiscal Year 2022 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Act, we write to ask that you provide at least $185 million for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, commonly known as NeighborWorks America. With the nation’s affordable housing crisis continuing to worsen, coupled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, now is the time to increase our investment in ensuring that Americans have access to reasonably-priced, quality housing options,” wrote the senators.

“Given the program’s demonstrated record of success in increasing access to affordable housing and continued bipartisan support in Congress, we request that you provide at least $185 million in funding. With additional funding, NeighborWorks will be able to increase grants to network community-development organizations, leverage additional investments from private sources, and create opportunities for more Americans to live in affordable homes,” continued the senators.

Support from groups in Delaware: 

“NeighborWorks America provides invaluable operating and capital funding to nonprofit housing and community development organizations in Delaware such as NCALL, Interfaith Community Housing, and HDC Mid-Atlantic,” Karen B. Speakman, Executive Director, National Council on Agricultural Life and Labor (NCALL), said. “This year, fiscal year 2021, NCALL received $400,000, which is a mixture of organizational support and capital which we use to provide homeownership and foreclosure prevention services to hundreds of Delawareans as well as to support our housing development and Restoring Central Dover work. NeighborWorks America also provides NCALL with excellent training and peer to peer learning opportunities.” 

Background: 

NeighborWorks America is a Congressionally-chartered, national nonprofit, that helps create opportunities for Americans to live in affordable and safe homes by providing community development organizations in all fifty states with financial resources and counseling services. In 2020, NeighborWorks created and maintained 43,800 jobs, repaired 76,200 homes, and empowered 23,400 new homeowners. That same year, NeighborWorks provided 149,200 families with vital housing and counseling services that helped prospective homebuyers and renters make informed housing decisions. Additionally, NeighborWorks leverages $59 in private capital for every $1 appropriated to the program.

The letter was also signed by Senators Booker (D-N.J.), Smith (D-Minn.), Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Feinstein (D-Calif.), Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Menendez (D-N.J.), Manchin (D-W.Va.), Markey (D-Mass.), Sanders (D-Vt.), Cantwell (D-Wash.), Hirono (D-Hawaii), Stabenow (D-Mich.), Tester (D-Mont.), Padilla (D-Calif.), Reed (D-R.I.), Hassan (D-N.H.), Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Warren (D-Mass.), Van Hollen (D-Md.), Peters (D-Mich.), Casey (D-Pa.), Durbin (D-Ill.), Shaheen (D-N.H.), Baldwin (D-Wis.), Merkley (D-Ore.), Duckworth (D-Ill.), Brown (D-Ohio), King (I-Maine), Warner (D-Va.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Warnock (D-Ga.), Sinema (D-Ariz.), Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Wyden (D-Ore.), Murphy (D-Conn.), Cardin (D-Md.), Lujan (D-N.M.), Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Hickenlooper (D-Colo.).

The full text of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Chairman Schatz and Ranking Member Collins:

As you consider the Fiscal Year 2022 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Act, we write to ask that you provide at least $185 million for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, commonly known as NeighborWorks America. With the nation’s affordable housing crisis continuing to worsen, coupled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, now is the time to increase our investment in ensuring that Americans have access to reasonably-priced, quality housing options.

As a Congressionally-chartered, national nonprofit, NeighborWorks helps create opportunities for Americans to live in affordable and safe homes by providing community development organizations in all fifty states with financial resources and counseling services. In 2020, NeighborWorks created and maintained 43,800 jobs, repaired 76,200 homes, and empowered 23,400 new homeowners. That same year, NeighborWorks provided 149,200 families with vital housing and counseling services that helped prospective homebuyers and renters make informed housing decisions. Providing consumers access to this kind of accurate, comprehensive information throughout the home-buying process can help protect our nation from another mortgage crisis. This has all come at a relatively low cost – NeighborWorks has demonstrated the ability to attract private sector investments to its affordable housing projects, leveraging $59 in private capital for every $1 appropriated to the program.

Additionally, as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the nation’s affordable housing crisis extend from urban centers to our rural communities, NeighborWorks’ Rural Initiative is specifically dedicated to delivering a range of services to rural communities in America that face unique challenges when it comes to creating affordable homeownership and rental opportunities. With approximately 20 percent of our nation’s population living in rural communities, NeighborWorks’ financial services, technical assistance, leadership development, and training for community-based development are critical to empowering rural homeownership and rental opportunities.

Last year, Congress passed with broad bipartisan support a Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations package, increasing Neighborworks funding by more than $7 million above the Fiscal Year 2020 enacted level. Given the program’s demonstrated record of success in increasing access to affordable housing and continued bipartisan support in Congress, we request that you provide at least $185 million in funding. With additional funding, NeighborWorks will be able to increase grants to network community-development organizations, leverage additional investments from private sources, and create opportunities for more Americans to live in affordable homes.

As the COVID-19 pandemic ravages communities and the affordable housing crisis continues to affect an increasing number of Americans nationwide, we ask that you work with us to invest in our communities and our constituents by requesting robust funding for Neighborworks.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

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