[VIDEO] Sen. Coons and Sec. King on Morning Joe: ‘Continue to expand AmeriCorps so that it can meet unmet needs’

WILMINGTON, Del. — Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and former U.S. Secretary of Education John King joined MSNBC’s Morning Joe to discuss the role of national service programs in supporting students and combatting learning loss.

Students are facing up to 12 months of learning loss a year after the COVID-19 pandemic began. Decades of research demonstrate that high-intensity tutoring can help students make up lost ground academically very quickly. A recent Brookings study calls for an expansion of AmeriCorps to meet the needs of students in school districts most adversely impacted by COVID-19.

The American Rescue Plan, signed into law by President Biden on Thursday, includes $1 billion in funding for AmeriCorps. Senator Coons and Secretary King have led the call for an expansion of AmeriCorps, in part to deploy more tutors and mentors across the country.

“This period of COVID-19 has been an equity disaster in schools. Low-income students, students of color are less likely to have internet access, less likely to have devices. We have studies to suggest that there may be 3 million students who are disconnected from school. We have districts where a significant number of students haven’t logged in since last March. We have a study from McKinsey that suggests 6 to 12 months of lost learning for low-income students and students of color,” said Secretary King. “So what AmeriCorps will make possible with this $1 billion investment […] is to launch a national tutoring corps, to connect young people with mentors who can help them make up ground academically but also build powerful relationships that will help them feel reconnected to school.”

On the new AmeriCorps funding, Sen. Coons added, “One important piece of this is the billion dollars out of this whole American Rescue Plan is also to improve the accessibility of AmeriCorps so people of all backgrounds can serve. It increases the living stipend, it increases the education award, it invests more in outreach so that there is a more diverse cadre of young people joining AmeriCorps to be tutors in our schools. It also means there’s going to be an expanded number of AmeriCorps positions. Year after year, four or five times as many young people apply to serve our nation through AmeriCorps as there are slots available for them to do so, so there will be more opportunities to serve. Looking forward, given President Biden’s announcement of his intention to create a Climate Conservation Corps, it’s my hope that we will continue to expand AmeriCorps so that it can meet unmet needs in housing, in hunger, in conservation, and in education.”

Full audio and video available here. A transcript is provided below.

Q: Joining us now, Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware along with former U.S. Secretary of Education under President Obama, John King. Good to have you both. I’ll start with Secretary King on what is the safest plan to reopen schools and can we get everybody on the same page on this? 

Sec. King: Well, we are certainly making progress, getting all teachers and school staff vaccinated is an important first step so that they can feel safe at school. We’ve got to have good COVID testing in place in schools to make sure we identify cases where they occur. And the CDC has put out clear guidance now to help schools figure out how to do masking, physical distancing, and other procedures in the school building to keep things operating safely. I’m hopeful that President Biden’s goal will be accomplished relatively quickly this spring. 

Q: Senator Coons, we had Anthony Fauci on the show a few weeks ago when he said he agreed with the CDC guidelines. His quote was, “it is less likely for a child to get infected in the school than if they were in the community.” How important is it not only for Joe Biden to do everything he can to make it possible to get kids back in school within his first 100 days but also to apply pressure on school districts that may be dragging their feet across the country?

Sen. Coons: Joe, it is really important to get kids back in school. That’s why the dramatic investment in reopening K-12 schools safely that’s in the America Rescue Plan is such a big deal. There’s $170 billion in resources that will help schools purchase more PPE, implement those CDC recommendations about how to reopen safely, and a supply of vaccines to make sure that educators, paraprofessionals, support staff are all vaccinated. Everyone I work with who is a parent of school-aged kids is eager for their children to go back to school and so many kids have lost up to a year of learning as a result. As we all know, it is hard enough to work by Zoom, but to learn by Zoom as a young person, to miss all that socialization, all the different ways that young people engage in learning and growing in school, that’s a real loss. That’s why John King and I are working together to support an expansion of AmeriCorps that would provide more staffing and more resources to help safely reopen schools and to help address learning loss.

Q: Secretary King, it’s Willie Geist. Good to see you this morning. I’ll let you fill in some of the details on that proposed expansion of AmeriCorps, but I’m curious about your concerns over what we have seen the last year or so among young students. Even for people who have access to Wi-Fi and laptops, it’s been tough. You think about all the students who don’t have that access or who have been loss to the system or haven’t even checked in with their school for the last year, and you think about what that means for their entire lives – what’s happened over the last year. What are your concerns, both from an education standpoint and from a mental health standpoint and from a social standpoint, what is your opinion on kids missing all of this time in the classroom? 

Sec. King: You’re exactly right. This period of COVID-19 has been an equity disaster in schools. Low-income students, students of color are less likely to have internet access, less likely to have devices. We have studies to suggest that there may be 3 million students who are disconnected from school. We have districts where a significant number of students haven’t logged in since last March. We have a study from McKinsey that suggests 6 to 12 months of lost learning for low-income students and students of color. We have districts like mine – Montgomery County, Maryland – where the failure rate in freshman English went up six-fold. We have a new study out in Boston that showed for 11th and 12th graders, 40% of them are chronically absent, missing a ton of school. So we have a lot of work to do to address that. Then we have the socio-emotional and mental health impact of being disconnected from relationships with teachers and peers. So what AmeriCorps will make possible with this $1 billion investment […] is to launch a national tutoring corps, to connect young people with mentors who can help them make up ground academically but also build powerful relationships that will help them feel reconnected to school.

Q: So, Senator Coons, this is inside the COVID relief package, the billion dollars is there. So what happens from here? What do you want people to know who may want to get involved in AmeriCorps and step in to fill this void we’ve seen over the last year? 

Sen. Coons: Well, Willie, three things. One important piece of this is the billion dollars out of this whole American Rescue Plan is also to improve the accessibility of AmeriCorps so people of all backgrounds can serve. It increases the living stipend, it increases the education award, it invests more in outreach so that there is a more diverse cadre of young people joining AmeriCorps to be tutors in our schools. It also means there’s going to be an expanded number of AmeriCorps positions. Year after year, four or five times as many young people apply to serve our nation through AmeriCorps as there are slots available for them to do so, so there will be more opportunities to serve. Looking forward, given President Biden’s announcement of his intention to create a Climate Conservation Corps, it’s my hope that we will continue to expand AmeriCorps so that it can meet unmet needs in housing, in hunger, in conservation, and in education. This is something I have already talked to Dr. Miguel Cardona, the new secretary of education, about, and I have a lot of colleagues supporting this in the Senate. Senator Booker has been really leading on creating a specific tutoring corps. And Senator Reed just held a hearing in the Armed Services Committee about the importance of national service. He and Senator Duckworth, both veterans, have been real champions of national service. And this has been bipartisan. As you know, in the last Congress, Senator Wicker and I had 16 senators, eight from each party, join in supporting a bill to significantly expand AmeriCorps as an opportunity for young Americans. Anyone who is interested in a year of service to our country across a wide range of opportunities should be logging in to the AmeriCorps website and expressing their interest. Those programs should be expanding soon.

Q: Senator Chris Coons and former Education Secretary John King, thank you both for coming on the show this morning. A monumental task – we appreciate it – ahead for both of you.

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Bipartisan senators condemn Russia’s crackdown on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Friday issued a bipartisan call for Russia to halt is crackdown on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty:

“As members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, we call on Russian authorities to drop the groundless cases against Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Russian Service, Current Time Network, Tatar-Bashkir Service, and Ukrainian Service Crimea Realities project and to cease efforts to deprive Russian citizens of one of the last remaining sources of uncensored and objective news.

“Since coming to power more than 20 years ago, Vladimir Putin has consolidated control of the independent media, passed laws to punish those who criticize his regime, and jeopardized the safety of reporters and other members of the press. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 25 Russian journalists have been killed for their work since 2000.

“This repression has prompted the majority of independent news outlets to close, sell out to state-owned companies and Putin cronies, or to relocate overseas. In this harsh media environment, RFE/RL has performed an invaluable service to the Russian people, providing them uncensored local news that aims to meet the highest standards of objective journalism. 

“Long employed to weaken Russian civil society, the Kremlin is now using onerous ‘foreign agent’ laws as a pretext to silence RFE/RL in Russia, pursuing court cases and fines surpassing $1 million since January 14. This is a state-sponsored assault on media freedom. We reaffirm our strong support for RFE/RL’s programming in Russia and call on Putin’s government to end its attacks on the press.”

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Coons and Tillis urge Burmese authorities to stop attacks on citizens

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), co-chairs of the Senate Human Rights Caucus, released a joint statement urging the Burmese government to stop attacks on peaceful demonstrators and journalists. 

“As co-chairs of the Senate Human Rights Caucus, we urge the Burmese authorities to immediately cease attacks on peaceful demonstrators and journalists,” said Senators Coons and Tillis. “It is imperative for Burmese law enforcement and military personnel to respect the fundamental human rights of all Burmese citizens to peacefully gather and protest, and it is crucial for state security forces to exercise restraint and refrain from using excessive force against their own citizens. We also urge the prompt release of Associated Press journalist Thein Zaw and five other members of the independent press who were arbitrarily detained last month.”

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Sens. Coons, Hagerty introduce Senate resolution marking 10th anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, and Chris Coons (D-Del.), both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a resolution in observance of the 10^th anniversary of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Ten years ago today, the strongest earthquake recorded in more than 100 years struck Japan, resulting in a massive tsunami that caused widespread damage, including radiation leakage at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, and almost 16,000 deaths. A significant humanitarian relief effort followed to render aid and help.

The resolution mourns the loss of life, sends condolences to the families of the victims, expresses commitment to the survivors, and commends the Japanese government’s ongoing revitalization efforts.

“The United States stood with Japan in March 2011, extending our support to help the country recover and rebuild, and through this resolution, we stand with them now in remembering the devastation of that day,” said Senator Coons. “In particular, our hearts are with the people of Miyagi Prefecture, which shares a 24-year relationship as the sister state of Delaware. The Japanese people are an example to us all of resolve and resilience. I look forward to deepening our friendship and partnership, built on a foundation of shared values between our two nations.”

“The horrible earthquake on March 11, 2011, forever changed Japan, which is why I am pleased to introduce this resolution marking this solemn day with Senator Coons,” said Senator Hagerty. “As former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, I had the opportunity to visit communities that were indelibly marked by that tragic day, but I also got to see firsthand the progress, the resilience, and the incredible spirit of the Japanese people. Japan is the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, and Japan has no greater ally and friend than the United States.”

The full text of the resolution is available here.

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Sens. Coons, Cornyn and Reps. DeLauro, Cole, Blumenauer introduce bipartisan, bicameral bill to expand access to and strengthen civics education

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), alongside U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Tom Cole (R-Okla.), and Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), introduced the Civics Secures Democracy Act to restore the importance placed on civics education in American classrooms with targeted federal investments to support and expand access to civics and history education.

“Civic engagement is vital for the health of our democracy,” said Senator Coons. “With expanded civics education in K-12 and higher education, this bill will equip new generations of Americans with a deeper understanding of their responsibilities as citizens and how to exercise their cherished rights. I am proud to work with Senator Cornyn and Representatives DeLauro, Cole, and Blumenauer on this bipartisan, bicameral effort to expand access to civics education and invest in the future of our democracy.”

“The United States continues to be a model for the world because we are taught from a young age the merits of democracy, our Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the civic duties that are inherently part of being an American,” said Senator Cornyn. “This bill would help our schools inspire the next generation of public servants and teach all young Texans the value of freedom, and I’m glad to work with Sen. Coons on this bipartisan legislation.”

“Over the last several decades, civics education in American schools has seen a significant decline,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “The divide in this country continues to grow as we neglect civics education and fail to build a nation adequately informed of our democratic principles, norms, and institutions. Now, more than ever, it is important that we work together, across the aisle to invest in our young leaders—to secure our democracy for future generations. This legislation does just that. I am proud to work with my colleagues—Republicans, Congressman Tom Cole and Senator John Cornyn, as well as Democrats, Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Senator Chris Coons—on this critical initiative to bridge the divide in the United States and invest in the future of our democracy.”

“In order to preserve America’s unique form of governance, prioritizing access to civics and history education is key,” said Congressman Cole. “As a former history teacher, I believe that lack of knowledge of America’s history is one of the greatest threats to preserving our republic and ensuring a prosperous future for generations to come. Indeed, when Americans have a deeper understanding of our nation’s history and founding principles, they become more engaged citizens, who participate in our government the way our Founding Fathers intended.”

“The events of recent weeks have illustrated how fragile the democratic process is. We need to help train young people to appreciate how our democracy works,” said Congressman Blumenauer. “This effort has never been more important, and our legislation is an opportunity for the federal government to place money behind efforts to supercharge civics education.”

“We are very grateful to the bi-partisan co-sponsors of the Civics Secures Democracy Act for recognizing that American history and civics are critical for K-12 schools right now and for the future,” said iCivics Executive Director and CivXNow Coalition Advisory Council Chair Louise Dube. “The CivXNow coalition is deeply committed to a solution that meets the considerable need to build up these subjects alongside STEM and literacy, and we believe the Civics Secures Democracy Act is just that. We thank Senators Coons and Cornyn and Representatives DeLauro, Cole, and Blumenauer for their leadership on this issue.”

Research shows that students who receive quality civics education are more likely to vote, discuss politics at home, complete college, and develop skills that lead to employment. These students are also four times more likely to give back to their communities through volunteering and working on community issues and are more confident in their ability to speak publicly and communicate with their elected representatives.

The Civics Secures Democracy Act would create a variety of grants to states, non-profits, institutions of higher education, and civics education researchers to support and expand access to civics and history education. Additionally, the legislation would strengthen the Truman Scholarship and Madison Fellowship foundations. It would also create a new fellowship named for revolution-era leader Prince Hall to strengthen and diversify the American history and civics teaching workforce. Finally, the bill would reauthorize and modernize an existing Higher Education Act grant program with an eye toward strengthening civics and history education in higher education and institutions’ partnerships with local school districts.

This groundbreaking legislation specifically prohibits use of the funds for the development of any national curriculum in American history or civics education.

A list of organization endorsements of this legislation is available here.

The full text of this legislation is available here. 

A one-pager on the bill is available here.

A section-by-section on the bill is available here.

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Coons-backed American Rescue Plan to deliver billions in federal funding for Delawareans

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee, applauded the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, an historic economic recovery bill that will deliver federal funds to families, businesses, and nonprofits in Delaware. The package now moves to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

The American Rescue Plan includes $1.9 trillion in federal funding, which provides a direct allocation of federal assistance of about $1.36 billion to Delaware and its municipalities. It features $1,400 direct checks to most Delawarean adults and children, vaccine distribution, funding for schools, an extension of expanded unemployment benefits through the summer, and grants for restaurants and other hard-hit small businesses.

“The American Rescue Plan is what Delaware and our country need at this moment,” Coons said. “Parents and kids are struggling as schools remain disrupted. Service sector workers are enduring prolonged joblessness. Restaurant owners are wondering whether the business will survive. The American Rescue Plan puts the full force of the federal government behind ending this pandemic and helping Delawareans recover.”

The American Rescue Plan will significantly increase the incomes of low- and middle-income Delawareans as they battle to get through the pandemic and recession. The extra round of Economic Impact Payments will mean $1,400 for individuals making up to $75,000 per year and $2,800 for couples making up to $150,000 per year. Eligible families will get an extra $1,400 payment per child and adult dependent, amounting to $5,600 for an average family of four. This relief is particularly critical as more than one in three households – including half of Black and Latino households – are currently struggling to pay for daily expenses.

Researchers say the American Rescue Plan will cut child poverty in half. The plan makes the Child Tax Credit fully refundable and increases the credit amount from $2,000 to $3,000 per child age 6 to 17 (and $3,600 per child below the age of 6). The plan further strengthens the Earned Income Tax Credit for childless workers, many of whom are in lower-paid but essential jobs on the frontlines of the pandemic response. With direct checks and the Child Tax Credit combined, a family of four with one child under 6 and one between 6 and 17 will receive $8,200 this year.

“Sadly, poverty is a true reality for thousands of Delaware youth,” said John Wellons, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware. “The changes to the Child Tax Credit will deliver critical funds to struggling households, enabling parents to support immediate and longer-term needs for their children.”  

To reach the other side of this pandemic, efforts to get vaccines into the arms of more Americans will be bolstered by $20 billion for vaccine distribution. Another $50 billion goes to testing and contact tracing, which aims to contain the virus as quickly as possible.

“We are grateful to President Biden and our Congressional Delegation for the additional federal funding to support the work that Delaware is doing to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine and to continue our robust contact tracing program,” said Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Molly Magarik. “Working together, we can protect more Delawareans and move closer to a more normal life for everyone.”

Specific to national service, Senator Coons fought for $1 billion to bolster AmeriCorps and its engagement on COVID-19 – from tutoring students to combat learning loss to expanding capacity at food banks and handling logistics at vaccination centers.

“With this AmeriCorps funding, we can empower thousands of Americans who want to serve their communities while meeting a host of urgent needs,” Coons said. “This investment is a down payment on our recovery that will enable us to emerge stronger than ever.”

“Thank you to Senator Chris Coons for being a tireless champion for AmeriCorps and national service,” said Kanani Hines Munford, executive director of the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service. “This significant investment will expand the reach of AmeriCorps programs in Delaware, strengthen relationships with and provide resources to local nonprofits and community-based organizations which are addressing the critical needs of our communities. These funds will provide service opportunities that respond to the ongoing pandemic, COVID’s impact, as well as the areas of education, healthy futures, veteran and military families, and safer communities allowing AmeriCorps to be a cornerstone in our recovery.”

The American Rescue Plan includes a new $25 billion grant program for restaurants that Coons coauthored to help some of the hardest-hit businesses survive. It also contains $10 billion for the State Small Business Credit Initiative, or SSBCI, which gives longer-term support to Delaware entrepreneurs, helping their businesses emerge from the pandemic and continue growing. 

The SSBCI is a reboot of a state-led small business lending program, which Delaware used to successfully lend to 110 businesses after the 2008-2009 financial crisis. Coons was an original cosponsor of the bills to advance these two new business support initiatives: the RESTAURANTS Act and the Small Business Access to Capital Act.

“We appreciate Senator Coons for championing and advocating for restaurants,” said Carrie Leishman, president of the Delaware Restaurant Association. “The passage of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and the other programs in this bill will support restaurants across Delaware, helping put our small businesses on the road to recovery. We also appreciate the Senate’s action in increasing the size of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund to $28.6 billion, which underscores the fact that restaurants are in vital transition. This relief will help support our restaurants as they begin the long road to recovery.”

Coons advocated for hospital support in the American Rescue Plan, pushing to update the imputed rural floor policy, which restores equitable reimbursement rates for Delaware hospitals. The longstanding policy, which the Trump administration rescinded three years ago, will once again ensure that hospitals in small states, including Delaware, receive the same protections as those in 47 other states.

“Under the Trump reversal, hospitals in three small states have grappled with COVID-19 while receiving millions less from Medicare than similarly situated hospitals in larger states,” Coons said. “The pandemic has made ever more urgent the need to treat hospitals and health systems in all states equitably.”

“On behalf of our shared constituency of patients and employees, I want to thank Senators Coons and Carper and Rep. Blunt Rochester for once again leveling the playing field for the hospitals of Delaware by ensuring we can participate in this important national program,” said Penny Short, president of TidalHealth Nanticoke Hospital. “When Congress first established the rural floor, they intended it to apply to all fifty states; now, thanks to the persistence and perseverance of our delegation, they have finally corrected CMS’s erroneous interpretation of the statute and have guaranteed that TidalHealth Nanticoke and our colleague hospitals will have access to these critical resources in perpetuity. This is a tremendous victory for our state.”

For more about the American Rescue Plan, visit bit.ly/3kQZinX.

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Congress passes $1B to strengthen and expand national service in American Rescue Plan

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and U.S. Representatives David Price (D-N.C.) and Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), all co-chairs of the National Service Caucus, celebrated the passage of $1 billion in funding for AmeriCorps as part of the American Rescue Plan. 

The new funding, which Coons, Price, and Matsui secured in the relief package, will deploy additional members to support communities’ response to COVID-19 and increase members’ living allowances. It also includes provisions to strengthen programs’ diversity and ensure the delivery of culturally competent and, where appropriate, multilingual services.

“Over the last year, people of all ages and backgrounds have answered the call to serve their communities – whether by tutoring students, delivering meals, or coordinating logistics at vaccine and testing centers,” said Senator Coons. “AmeriCorps members have made a real difference in our pandemic response and recovery. That’s why Congress is doubling down on the power of national service programs to help build us out of this crisis. This $1 billion in new funding is a down payment as we work to expand national service in the longer term, better support members during and after their service, and allow more Americans to take part in this important work giving back to their communities and country.”

“The American Rescue Plan delivers for the people. As Co-Chair of the Congressional National Service Caucus, I worked to include $1 billion in funding to expand national service programs that will help respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Representative Price. “National service volunteers are already on the ground supporting our communities and filling the gaps exacerbated by the pandemic, but more help is urgently needed. This new funding will augment these critical community-based programs, increase benefits to those who serve, and deploy additional members to communities hardest hit across the country.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a network of strength and support from every corner of our nation and opened up opportunities in our communities to give back and serve,” said Representative Matsui. “Over the past year, AmeriCorps members have once again proved their ability to bridge divides, drive meaningful change, and implement a national plan to serve American families. As we move forward in our recovery, I am proud that we have secured $1 Billion in new funding through the American Rescue Plan to help extend this helping hand to more Americans and empower a new generation of AmeriCorps members to serve their country.”

National service programs like AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Senior are already on the front lines of the pandemic response – supporting students with distance learning, helping schools to reopen safely, providing counseling and mental support to families, delivering food and medicine to vulnerable populations, helping struggling Americans access government nutrition and rental assistance, and staffing 311 and COVID-19 vaccine hotlines. The new allocation grows members’ role in our recovery by nearly doubling the overall funding available to AmeriCorps this year and providing flexibility to allocate those funds to response and recovery priorities over the next several years.

This funding was inspired by the CORPS Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senator Coons and Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and the Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act, a bipartisan bill introduced in the House by Representatives Price and Matsui to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. Last year, the CORPS Act gained the support of 18 bipartisan senators and more than 160 organizations. The CORPS Act will be reintroduced in the coming weeks.

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Sens. Coons, Cornyn reintroduce bipartisan, bicameral gun safety legislation

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) reintroduced gun safety legislation that will help states enforce existing laws against individuals who attempt to purchase firearms by lying on their background checks. The NICS Denial Notification Act would require federal authorities to alert state and local law enforcement within 24 hours when an ineligible individual tries to purchase a firearm and fails a background check, which can be a warning sign of future criminal behavior. The legislation is also co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tom Carper (D-Del.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), and Joe Manchin (D-W.V.). Companion legislation was introduced today in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.).

“We have seen too many tragic instances where an individual who should not have been able to obtain a gun used a firearm to commit horrible acts of violence,” said Senator Coons. “Gun violence continues to plague our communities in Delaware and across the country, and the NICS Denial Notification Act is one commonsense step in the effort to prevent these terrible crimes. Ensuring that federal and state law enforcement work together to stop those who are prohibited from buying a gun from getting one will help make our neighborhoods safer. This is exactly the sort of bipartisan step Congress should be able to support.”

“After the tragic shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, I worked across the aisle to pass the FIX NICS Act, a critical piece of legislation to help close the gaps in the criminal background check system, but there is still work to be done,” said Senator Cornyn. “This legislation would ensure that when a prohibited person attempts to purchase a firearm, state and local law enforcement are alerted to further protect our communities.”

“Our nation has experienced far too many tragedies as a result of multi-systematic failures of communication,” said Senator Rubio. “The NICS Denial Notification Act would help ensure that federal and state authorities are successfully communicating with one another when it comes to dangerous individuals’ prohibited attempts to acquire firearms. This would be a strong step forward in preventing future tragedies. I urge my colleagues to immediately support this bipartisan legislation so that the President can swiftly sign it into law.” 

“In 37 states including Maine, state law enforcement is not alerted when prohibited individuals try to buy guns,” said Senator Collins.  “By requiring the federal government to notify states promptly when someone fails a background check, this commonsense, bipartisan bill would help stop dangerous people from obtaining guns illegally while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.”

“Those caught lying on firearm background checks are more likely to be looking to harm others and have no business obtaining a dangerous weapon,” said Senator Carper. “We must be doing far more to make sure guns are not getting into the wrong hands and being used in the senseless shootings that have become far too common in this country. By codifying new coordination between the federal and state governments, this bipartisan legislation takes a common sense step towards preventing these senseless tragedies. I want to thank Senators Coons and Cornyn for their continued leadership on this front, and I hope the Senate can come together to advance this much-needed measure.”

“When a convicted felon lies about his criminal record while attempting to purchase a gun, he is committing a new felony. This happens regularly in America, and the new crime largely goes unprosecuted,” said Senator Toomey. “The NICS Denial Notification Act makes progress on gun safety while respecting the rights of law-abiding gun owners, and will help make our communities safer by better enforcing existing gun laws and responding to warning signs of criminal behavior.”

“We must take action to ensure Americans prohibited from purchasing firearms cannot skirt the law while still protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners like the vast majority of West Virginians. This legislation will help federal and state law enforcement work together to share information on background check denials to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. I’m proud to work with my bipartisan colleagues on this commonsense legislation that will keep communities safe and urge our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join us in protecting Americans from preventable gun violence while maintaining our Second Amendment rights,” said Senator Manchin.

Federal officials are notified when individuals who are legally prohibited from purchasing a firearm (such as convicted felons, fugitives, and domestic abusers) try to buy a gun but fail a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) background check. These attempted purchases often violate federal and state laws. Unfortunately, the federal government rarely prosecutes any of these individuals.

In the 13 states that run their own background checks, state authorities are already aware when prohibited persons fail a background check, and local law enforcement can then investigate these cases. However, in the 37 states and the District of Columbia that rely on the FBI to run some or all of their background checks, local authorities generally are not aware when a person in their area fails a background check. Individuals who are willing to “lie and try” to buy a gun may be dangerous and more likely to obtain guns through other means. As a result, these states and D.C. lack crucial law enforcement intelligence that could be used to keep their communities safe.

The NICS Denial Notification Act would:

• Require federal authorities to alert state law enforcement of background checks denials, so that state authorities can decide whether to investigate, prosecute, and/or keep an eye on these denied individuals for signs of future criminal activity.
• Require DOJ to publish an annual report with statistics about its prosecution of background check denial cases, so Congress and voters can hold federal officials accountable.

The bill text is available here. 

The NICS Denial Notification Act is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the National District Attorneys Association, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords, and Brady: United Against Gun Violence.

“Amid the recent surge in gun sales, twice as many prohibited purchasers lied about their records in illegal attempts to buy guns. When people with dangerous histories try to get armed, law enforcement should know that A.S.A.P., so they can stop warning signs from becoming tragedies.  We applaud Senators Coons and Toomey reaching across the aisle and introducing legislation to provide law enforcement with the information they need to stay ahead of criminals,” said John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun Safety.

“The MCCA is proud to endorse the NICS Denial Notification Act. The Association’s latest Violent Crime Survey indicated a nationwide rise in both homicides and aggravated assaults in 2020,” said Art Acevedo, Chief of the Houston Police Department and President of the Major Cities Chiefs Association. “This legislation will help address this scourge by promoting information sharing so local authorities can take appropriate action when an individual prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm attempts to acquire one. The MCCA encourages Congress to swiftly take up and pass this bipartisan, common-sense bill.”

“People who unlawfully try to purchase a firearm commit a Federal crime, but, in many instances, these individuals may not be known to State and local law enforcement agencies,” said Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police. “This legislation would require the U.S. Department of Justice to notify State law enforcement, potentially enabling State and local agencies to develop cases against these individuals, many of whom may be dangerous felons or domestic abusers.”

“The NICS system has many flaws, one being the lack of notification to local law enforcement when a denial occurs.  In many cases, the denial is due to an individual’s criminal record, which may be familiar to local law enforcement. That local law enforcement would benefit from knowing the individual is attempting to purchase a firearm. This bill would ensure that gap is closed and law enforcement can coordinate to stop prohibited persons from accessing weapons. We appreciate Senator Coons and Senator Toomey for leading on this important law enforcement issue,” said Larry Cosme, President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.

“The purchase of a firearm is often a sign that a domestic abuser’s violence is escalating,” says Ruth M. Glenn, President and CEO of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “For the safety of the survivor, it is critical that local law enforcement be aware when an adjudicated abuser tries to purchase a firearm. Armed abusers pose a danger to survivors and their communities.”

“NDAA is excited to again support the NICS Denial Notification Act. This bipartisan legislation strengthens the relationship between Federal authorities and their State and local policing and prosecutor partners by mandating data sharing when an individual attempts to illegally purchase a firearm. This change in law provides our members and policing agencies with the tools necessary to keep the communities we serve safe,” said Nelson Bunn, Executive Director, National District Attorneys Association (NDAA).

“The Brady Background Check system is the foundation of our nation’s gun violence prevention laws, helping to keep firearms out of the hands of those who should not have them. This bill will create an additional layer of protection, ensuring that states and the federal government understand when prohibited purchasers attempt to acquire firearms, helping both to make informed decisions on how to continue preventing individuals who should not have a gun from acquiring one. Brady is grateful to Sen. Coons and Rep. Quigley for leading on this important issue and for introducing this bill,” said Kris Brown, President of Brady: United Against Gun Violence.

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Sens. Coons, Cassidy celebrate AmeriCorps Week as members deliver community-driven pandemic response across the country

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) and U.S. Representatives David Price (D-N.C.) and Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) celebrate AmeriCorps Week with the introduction of an annual resolution honoring the invaluable contributions of AmeriCorps members and alumni. Every year, AmeriCorps enrolls more than 270,000 individuals to serve in communities across America, totaling more than one million alumni since the program’s founding in 1994.

“This week, we celebrate the work of tens of thousands of AmeriCorps members on the frontlines across the country – combatting learning loss, addressing food insecurity, and supporting COVID-19 vaccination and testing efforts throughout this pandemic,” said Senator Coons. “I have long believed in the power of national service to bridge our divides and meet our nation’s toughest challenges. As we move forward with the American Rescue Plan this week, I am excited to get to work helping communities recover from the COVID-19 crisis, and I know AmeriCorps will play a key part in this effort.”

“AmeriCorps members devote a significant chunk of their time to meet the needs of their communities and help improve lives,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We honor their commitment to serve the most vulnerable around the country and here in Louisiana.”

“As we respond and recover to the COVID-19 pandemic, AmeriCorps members have risen to the occasion to tackle a wide range of challenges from bolstering education services, providing nutrition assistance, and supporting public health needs,” said Representative Price. “As Co-Chair of the Congressional National Service Caucus, I join in recognizing AmeriCorps Week and celebrating the invaluable work AmeriCorps members do in our communities. We are stronger because of their service.”

“In times of need, AmeriCorps members symbolize a helping hand to communities and a trusted network of support for the American people,” said Representative Matsui. “Over this past year, AmeriCorps volunteers have been a vital bridge of partnership between the federal and local levels to provide invaluable service to regions across the nation. As we recover from this crisis, we are working hard to expand National Service and empower Americans to give back to their communities.” 

This resolution is being introduced following Senate passage of a new COVID-19 relief package which is expected to provide $1 billion to national service programs once passed by the House and signed into law. The inclusion of this funding will help to stabilize existing national service programs, increase benefits to those who serve, and deploy additional members to support communities’ response to COVID-19. Inspired by the CORPS Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senator Coons and Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Representatives Price and Matsui, the funding will expand national service programs for crisis response.

“The diverse Americans who serve with commitment and dedication every day are making an extraordinary difference to communities hit hardest by the pandemic, as they have done for decades in communities across the nation,” said AnnMaura Connolly, President of Voices for National Service. “The national service community is tremendously grateful to Congress for investing in AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors and recognizing the vital role national service is playing in supporting communities and filling critical gaps created or exacerbated by COVID-19.”

The resolution text is available here.

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Carper, Coons join colleagues to reintroduce Background Check Expansion Act to reduce gun violence

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) joined Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and 41 senators on Tuesday in reintroducing the Background Check Expansion Act to expand federal background checks to all gun sales. Under current federal law, unlicensed or private sellers are not required to conduct a background check prior to transferring a firearm. Roughly 93 percent of Americans support universal background checks. Research indicates that approximately one in five U.S. gun owners obtained a firearm without a background check in recent years.

“Failing to address the gun violence epidemic in our country is not an option. We have a moral obligation to act now to save lives and keep our communities safe,” said Senator Carper. “By putting in place smart, broadly supported laws like the Background Check Expansion Act, which will strengthen background checks on all gun sales and ensure we can keep firearms out of the hands of criminals, we can help reduce gun violence without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens. These popular, common sense reforms are not only the right thing to do, they are the responsible thing to do.”

“Gun violence takes more than 100 American lives each day, and the gun violence epidemic has devastated communities and families in Delaware and across the country,” said Senator Coons. “Universal background checks keep guns out of the wrong hands by closing loopholes in our current system. Instituting universal background checks is a popular and commonsense step to make our communities safer. The majority of Americans want this passed, so let’s get to work and build the consensus we need behind reasonable and effective gun reform.”

The Background Checks Expansion Act will require background checks for the sale or transfer of all firearms. This requirement extends to all unlicensed sellers, whether they do business online, at gun shows, or out of their home. Exceptions to the Background Check Expansion Act include transfers between law enforcement officers, temporarily loaning firearms for hunting and sporting events, providing firearms as gifts to immediate family members, transferring a firearm as part of an inheritance, or temporarily transferring a firearm for immediate self-defense. 

In addition to Senators Carper, Coons and Murphy, U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.),Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.) co-sponsored the bill. 

Full text of the bill can be found here.

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