Senator Coons’ statement on Republican efforts to overturn 2020 election results

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement ahead of today’s joint session of Congress to formally affirm the results of the 2020 presidential election. 

“On November 3, the American people elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to serve as the next President and Vice President of the United States. The election results have been certified by election officials and governors of both parties in every state. In dozens of courts, both state and federal, judges across the country have repeatedly rejected baseless lawsuits seeking to overturn them.

“Yet today, a faction of my colleagues is taking up President Trump’s call to advance debunked allegations of election fraud on the floor of the Senate in a desperate bid to disenfranchise millions of American voters and keep him in office. Although these efforts – including President Trump’s disturbing call demanding that the Georgia Secretary of State ‘find’ votes to turn the election in his favor – will not be successful, the damage the President and his supporters have inflicted will long outlive his presidency. These actions have eroded the American people’s faith in the integrity of our elections and the institutions that stand at the core of our democracy.

“We face critical challenges in the months ahead, from effectively and swiftly distributing vaccines, to recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and rebuilding a more inclusive economy. To have any hope of success, Republicans and Democrats must work together to deliver solutions. It’s on us to decide how we move forward, and whether we show ourselves and the world that as a functioning democracy we can meet the urgent needs of our people.

“Today, as Congress votes to affirm the 2020 election, I urge my Republican colleagues who intend to challenge the results to remember the oath they swore to uphold our Constitution. Let us choose country over party, patriotism over partisanship, and protect the future of our democracy.”  

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[PHOTO] Sen. Coons takes oath for third term

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement after being sworn in to his third term in the United States Senate today.

“It was an honor to be sworn in today to represent the people of Delaware for another term in the U.S. Senate. I am grateful for the chance to continue working with my colleagues, as well as the incoming Biden-Harris administration, to move Delaware forward and expand opportunities for people throughout our state.

“With the COVID pandemic raging across our country and our nation deeply divided, we face pressing challenges – from recovering from a public health crisis and building back our economy to addressing structural racism and combatting climate change. I will keep working to overcome these challenges by seeking common ground and working together with my colleagues to pass real solutions that will make a difference in the lives of Delawareans.”

Senator Coons returns to Washington to override NDAA veto

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Appropriations and Foreign Relations Committees, returned to Washington today for a vote to override President Donald Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021.

“I expect we will override President Trump’s veto of the military bill,” Sen. Coons said, “which means several good things for Delawareans and the country writ large including a pay increase for our troops and more investment in cybersecurity, both steps that we should be taking to reward the sacrifice of our military and keep our country safe.”

The override of a veto, the process by which each chamber of Congress votes for a second time on a bill rejected by the president, requires a two-thirds vote in each the Senate and House of Representatives. Congress has historically overridden fewer than 10% of all presidential vetoes.

The Senate is scheduled to convene and resume consideration of the veto message on the NDAA for FY21 at noon tomorrow. The final override will get a vote sometime in the next few days.

To check the Senate’s schedule and watch live floor proceedings, visit www.senate.gov/floor/.

Senator Coons surprises Delaware students with service academy nominations

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Air Force Caucus, surprised three Delaware students with principal nominations to U.S. service academies during video conference calls Dec. 22.

Sen. Coons named Nicholas C. Beronio, Megan E. Traver, and Liam Stanko as his top nominees for appointments to service academies should they meet all medical, physical, and academic requirements.

Nicholas Beronio of Middletown is the principal nominee to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. He is a graduate of Salesianum School and currently attends the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina.

Megan Traver of Middletown is the principal nominee to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. She is a senior at Appoquinimink High School. 

Liam Stanko of Newark is the principal nominee to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. He is a senior at Newark Charter School.

Alternate nominees to the three Department of Defense service academies listed above, the nominees for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, and individuals not selected to receive congressional nominations will be notified by Senator Coons’ office within the next few weeks.

For information about the congressional nomination process, visit bit.ly/2KAHO1r. Delawareans interested in learning more can go to coons.senate.gov/services/academy-nominations.              

[AUDIO] Coons discusses $900B relief package, NDAA, cybersecurity threats

WILMINGTON, Del. – Today, U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined Mary Cummings-Jordan of WHYY’s Radio Times to discuss the $900 billion COVID-19 relief package, which passed along with the $1.4 trillion annual appropriations bill that funds the federal government.

Additionally, Coons discussed the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed Congress on Dec. 11 and was subsequently vetoed by the president. Coons concluded the interview by talking about Russian hacking threats.

To listen to the full interview, visit whyy.org/episodes/regional-roundup-12-28-20/.        

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[AUDIO] Sen. Coons on Pres. Trump’s threat to block COVID-19 relief deal: ‘Yes, he could tank the bill’

WILMINGTON, Del. — Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee, joined NPR’s Morning Edition with Noel King to discuss President Trump’s complaints on the COVID-19 relief bill passed by Congress on Monday.

When asked if President Trump could block the COVID-19 relief bill, Senator Coons said, “Yes, he could tank the bill. One of the challenges of legislating in the era of Trump is that we never really know what he’s going to do right up until he does it. Because Congress has now gone home to their districts and states all over the country, it’s not easy to bring us back. I think we should call his bluff and by offering to pass by unanimous consent – which can be done without all the members of Congress present – an increase to the dollar amount he’s asking for. Democrats would support this. Let’s see if Republicans will.”

Senator Coons added, “this is not the last relief bill we’ll need, but it is the bill we need right now. It’s going to provide rental assistance, unemployment extension, hundreds of billions in small business support, support for those who are hungry through nutrition programs, support for schools and for vaccine distribution. It is a large relief package. We should test the president’s bluff and offer to add an increased individual stimulus payment or family stimulus payment and see what happens.”

Congress passed a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package on Monday. To see a breakdown of the package’s provisions, click here.

Full audio available here. A transcript is provided below.

Q: What do you think of the President calling for changes after Congress spent 7 months working toward this moment?

Sen. Coons: Noel, I’m just speechless. It is yet another example of how President Trump has engaged the role of president. He stayed out of these negotiation for weeks. He did not press for a bigger package in the final days before it was enacted, and once the bill has finally been passed by the House and Senate and the entire Congress has gone home, he announces he wants a bigger bill than Republicans were willing to accept in the Senate. I’ll remind you, a few days ago before this happened, we passed our annual defense authorization bill, which provides a pay increase for our troops and funds stronger cybersecurity. That bill President Trump has specifically threatened to veto because it doesn’t do something that’s not directly relevant to defense, but that he wants to do to social media companies, so we already had a veto threat on the table –

Q: Hang on. As Ayesha pointed out, the president very notably did not use the word “veto” in the video last night.

Sen. Coons: Correct.

Q: Do you have any real concern that he could tank this bill?

Sen. Coons: Yes, he could tank the bill. One of the challenges of legislating in the era of Trump has been that we never really know what he’s going to do right up until he does it. Because Congress has now gone home to their districts and states all over the country, it’s not easy to bring us back. I think we should call his bluff and by offering to pass by unanimous consent – which can be done without all the members of Congress present – an increase to the dollar amount he’s asking for. Democrats would support this. Let’s see if Republicans will.

Q: Well, yes, this is interesting. Some Democrats have responded to the president’s argument that direct payments should be $2000 to give people more money. Nancy Pelosi came out on Twitter and said and I quote “Let’s do it.” It sounds like you agree, and it sounds like you think many Democrats would agree.

Sen. Coons: Look. Democrats who control the House passed a much larger stimulus, a much larger COVID relief bill months and months ago. It was in the Senate that the Republican majority leader and the caucus that he leads refused to take up a bill that was higher than $500 billion, and it took weeks of disciplined engagement by a bipartisan group of eight senators to get us to this point. Last night, I texted two of my Republican colleagues – folks I’ve worked with to get bills into this package – to say seriously, do you seriously think your president, our president is going to veto this bill? And I got little dots, little dots, little dots. And after a few minutes, “I have no words,” from one of the other senators. 

Q: I was going to ask you, what do the little dots tell you? No one wanted to give you an answer?

Sen. Coons: They just didn’t know what to say … because this is not the last relief bill we’ll need, but it is the bill we need right now. It’s going to provide rental assistance, unemployment extension, hundreds of billions in small business support, support for those who are hungry through nutrition programs, support for schools and for vaccine distribution. It is a large relief package. We should test the president’s bluff and offer to add an increased individual stimulus payment or family stimulus payment and see what happens.

Q: You know earlier this week – you mention people having a hard time – I talked to a restauranteur in Los Angeles. You know she’s self-made, and she had to close three of her four restaurants and layoff 100 people. She’s worried right now that the last restaurant might not survive. Let’s listen to her:

[Clip, Brooke Williamson]: We’re losing money right now. We’re definitely not breaking even. We are losing money, and we have a little bit of money in the bank to do so for a few weeks, but beyond that, it’s pretty grim. 

Q: What’s in this bill that’s going to help this woman, Brooke Williamson, and other small business owners who say this aid might come too late and now it looks like it might be even later?

Sen. Coons: Well, Noel, I’m on the Small Business Committee and one of the most effective and popular pieces of the CARES Act from 9 months ago gave small businesses like hers loans that became grants if they spent it mostly on payroll. We have expanded that program. There’s nearly $300 billion for a next round of Paycheck Protection Program checks to go out, and they are specifically larger for those who operate hotels or restaurants that can show they had a 25% drop in revenue any quarter of this year over any quarter of last year. I’m sure she would qualify, and we are primed to get those checks out quickly.

Q: President-elect Joe Biden called this relief package a down payment. His words. And he said providing more relief is a top priority of his. Have you talked to Biden about the next round and what should be included in the next relief bill? 

Sen. Coons: We have talked about how broad it will need to be because we’re going to need to both continue response to the pandemic and to the economic wreckage that’s been caused by President Trump’s mishandling of this pandemic, and we’re going to need to help build back better the American economy by investing in infrastructure, investing in American manufacturing, investing in things that will create better long-term jobs to bring back our country, and to bring us together.

Q: And hopefully in the seconds we have left, it won’t take another 7 months…

Sen. Coons: It won’t because we’re going to have an engaged and effective president involved in the negotiations after January 20^th.

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In 2021 spending bill, Sen. Coons highlights programs to support Delaware manufacturing jobs and research

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Appropriations Committee, fought to secure funding for well-paying materials and manufacturing jobs in the Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations package, which passed Congress this week. Specifically, the bill includes support for research at HBCUs like Delaware State University and adds $160 million above the president’s request for upgrades to the Army’s Chinook Block II helicopter program that employs hundreds of Delawareans across the Delaware Valley.

“Delawareans have long been employed by some of the top manufacturing and materials producers in the country. This year’s spending package clearly recognizes the role our state plays in producing some of the highest quality defense-related research and aircraft in the world,” said Senator Coons. “I’m glad that the new defense bill bolsters more of the programs that have provided well-paying jobs to Delawareans in our state and across the region and continues to support our Delaware Air National Guard and our military.”

The federal spending bill includes provisions that will directly support Delaware jobs including:

• Strong funding for Department of Defense-related research at HBCUs like Delaware State University.

• Strong funding for research programs that the University of Delaware participates in, and which help create well-paid materials and manufacturing jobs.
• $160 million above the President’s request for the Army’s Chinook Block II helicopter upgrades and $29 million for advance procurement. This program employs hundreds of Delawareans across the Delaware Valley.
• Funding for six additional aircraft in the V-22 program, which is another important source of jobs for Delawareans.
• $259 million in upgrades to C-130H aircraft, used by Delaware’s Air National Guard.

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In 2021 spending bill, Sen. Coons secures funding to invest in national service, HBCUs, and public health

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the first Delaware senator in more than 40 years to serve on the powerful Appropriations Committee, applauded the passage of the $1.4 trillion federal funding bill for Fiscal Year 2021 that invests in education and public health, bolsters national service programs that have been supporting community needs amid the COVID-19 response, and supports research on diseases like ALS and pancreatic cancer. The package passed Congress this week.

“As we continue to respond to the toll COVID-19 has taken on our country – including our health and education systems – community-based programs remain essential. This year’s appropriations package recognizes this by supporting our HBCUs, community health centers, and other local groups while setting a course for a community-led recovery through national service programs like AmeriCorps,” said Senator Coons. “I’m also thrilled the bill includes key long-range research investments in ALS treatments – a priority for the Senate ALS Caucus – and in pancreatic cancer, a matter of personal importance to my family and to so many families across the country.”

The federal funding bill includes provisions that will support health, education, and public service in Delaware and across the country, and provides:

·         A $57.2 million increase in Community Health Center funding, which will support centers – including Westside Family Healthcare, La Red Health Center, and Henrietta Johnson Medical Center – that provide Americans with critical health care, including testing and treatment of COVID-19

·         A $13 million increase to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including Delaware State University

·         $23.6 million to support Special Olympics education programs

·         A $40 million programmatic increase for AmeriCorps, which supports the efforts of more than 500 AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members in Delaware

·         $40 million in funding for ALS research programs at the Department of Defense, which will support impactful research that is instrumental to the development of new therapeutics for ALS

·         $15 million in critical funding for pancreatic cancer research, a 250% increase, to support discovery and innovation in treatments for a disease that was the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Delawareans in 2020.

In addition to the health and education provisions within the 2021 funding bill, Congress passed a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package on Monday. To see a breakdown of those provisions and other elements of the COVID-19 relief package, click here.

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In 2021 spending bill, Sen. Coons secures investments in protecting oceans, combatting wildlife trafficking, and supporting the environment and agriculture

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the first Delaware senator in more than 40 years to serve on the powerful Appropriations Committee, secured funding for agriculture and environmental priorities in the federal spending bill for Fiscal Year 2021, which passed Congress late Monday. 

“Delaware’s natural resources help drive our economy and make our state a great place to live, work, and visit,” said Senator Coons. “I’m pleased that we secured funding for conservation programs that will have a direct impact on our region – protecting our land, water, and wildlife, and supporting our agricultural community. As co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus, I’m also glad this bill invests in proven programs like ARPA-E to support research in Delaware and the development of advanced energy technologies that will reduce carbon pollution. This funding will help create a cleaner environment and a stronger local economy in our state, and I’m glad my colleagues came to a bipartisan agreement on this bill so we can support Delawareans and Americans across the country.”

The federal spending bill includes funding for agriculture and environmental priorities that will directly benefit Delaware as well as international and ocean conservation efforts:

• Provides $75 million to address ocean plastic pollution and directs the U.S. government to establish a new global fund to address ocean plastic pollution, as called for in the UNITE for our Oceans Act which Senator Coons recently introduced with Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska). This is a significant increase from prior funding of $5 million to address marine debris. 
• Provides strong funding for the Department of State, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and related agencies to combat wildlife trafficking.
• Provides a full-time position to support the Interagency Working Group on Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported (IUU) Fishing, established in Senator Coons and Roger Wicker’s (R-Miss.) Maritime SAFE Act.
• Includes $46.5 million for the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund to protect wetland habitats for migratory birds and other wildlife species.
• Provides $87.5 million for to help restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, as well as $1.75 million for efforts to remove invasive species in the region.
• Provides $10 million for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program to improve water quality and management, support restoration and conservation of critical habitats, and improve opportunities for recreation. 
• Supports the United States Geological Survey’s efforts to monitor, map, and study the Delaware River Basin.
• Funds U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects in Delaware that protect coastal communities and support the maintenance and navigability of the Port of Wilmington and the C&D and Lewes and Rehoboth canals. 
• Helps farmers in Delaware and across the country practice sustainable agriculture and protect the environment by providing strong funding for programs within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service.
• Includes $63 million for Avian Health programs, which fund critical monitoring and research to prevent and control the spread of poultry diseases in the commercial poultry industry.
• Supports research and public outreach by Delaware universities on agriculture, nutrition, and renewable energy by providing $435 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. 
• Provides $11 million for the Water Resources Research Act, which supports critical water research at the University of Delaware.
• Provides $75 million for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Sea Grant program, which supports important marine research at the University of Delaware.
• Supports energy research at Delaware universities by providing $25 million for the Department of Energy’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and increased funding of $427 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).
• Includes $5 million to support sustainable chemistry research and development at the Department of Energy and encourages the incorporation of sustainable chemistry in to manufacturing processes. Senators Coons and Susan Collins’ (R-Maine) Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act is expected to become law shortly and promote the use of materials that are safer for our health and the environment in everyday products.
• Provides $310 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program to help low-income Delawareans reduce their energy costs and $62.5 million to assist states with energy efficiency activities and the development of renewable energy.

The appropriations package also included the first major overhaul of U.S. energy policy in over a decade, which included a number of key provisions to support clean energy jobs, combat climate change, and deliver cost savings to Delawareans.

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In 2021 spending bill, Sen. Coons secures funding for Delaware manufacturing institute, Amtrak, housing, and small businesses

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured funding in the Fiscal Year 2021 federal spending bills for key economic, workforce development, housing, and transportation infrastructure priorities. The bill includes an historic increase in IRS funding, as well as funding for Amtrak, the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, small businesses, advanced manufacturing, and more. The bill passed Congress Monday evening.

“I’ve been working hard on the Appropriations Committee and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship to ensure the final federal spending bill continues to make critical investments in Delaware’s communities,” said Senator Coons. “In this bill, we have made significant progress in reversing the decades-long trend of underfunding the IRS, which unfortunately has limited the quality of service taxpayers receive. This bill also supports programs that boost economic and workforce development, like the Manufacturing USA program and the Small Business Administration, and provides funding for key housing and transportation priorities, like Amtrak and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. After such a challenging year for businesses and families up and down our state, I’m pleased that Republicans and Democrats worked together to deliver the funding and resources that Delawareans deserve.”

The federal spending bill includes provisions that will directly benefit taxpayers, manufacturers, rail passengers, renters, small businesses, and workers:

• The bill provides $11.9 billion for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which is $409 million more than the Fiscal Year 2020 enacted level and the highest level of funding provided for the agency in a decade. This increase will allow the IRS to process returns and fulfill other customer services more quickly and effectively. As important, additional resources will allow the IRS to make progress of reducing the tax gap, the difference between taxes owed and taxes actually collected, which is estimated at almost $500 billion annually.
• The bill provides $2 billion in funding for Amtrak, of which $700 million is for the Northeast Corridor that runs through Wilmington, Delaware.
• The bill includes $1.35 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program and $3.45 billion for the Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) Program.
• The bill provides $16.5 million for the Manufacturing USA program, which is $500,000 above Fiscal Year 2020. Of the $16.5 million, $10 million is specifically directed towards the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL), one of the nation’s 14 Manufacturing USA Institutes, which is based in Newark, Delaware. 
• The bill includes $150 million for the NIST Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program, so it can continue to carry out its important mission and further support small manufacturers with new cybersecurity and digitalization challenges.
• The bill provides $270 million for the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund to promote economic and community development in low-income communities, an increase of $8 million more than the Fiscal Year 2020 enacted level. Of this, $2 million is to continue funding the Economic Mobility Corps, an initiative championed by Senator Coons to place AmeriCorps national service members at certified CDFIs.
• The bill provides $922 million for the Small Business Administration. Within this funding, $15 million is included to fully support the 7(a) loan guarantee subsidy to ensure the program will continue to support small businesses and lenders. The bill also provides $272 million for Entrepreneurial Development grants.
• The bill includes $185 million for the Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeship Program, which is $10 million more than what was included in the Fiscal Year 2020 enacted level. 

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