Senate designates May as ALS Awareness Month

WASHINGTON — A resolution to designate May as ALS Awareness Month was agreed to in the Senate on Tuesday. The resolution, authored by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Co-Chairs of the bipartisan Senate ALS Caucus, officially declares May 2020 as “ALS Awareness Month” to raise awareness of the need to expand research and treatment options for those with ALS.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that destroys the body’s ability to control muscle movement. There is no effective treatment for the disease, no known cause, and currently no cure. Senators Coons, Braun, and their colleagues have recently led the call to help ALS patients access promising treatments.

“ALS is a terrible disease still without a cure, but we’re determined to change that. The bipartisan ALS Caucus is committed to advocating for more research funding and new treatment options for those with ALS,” said Senator Coons. “I’m glad that this May we can mark ALS Awareness Month and help bring new light to the work needed to end this terrible disease.”

“I am proud to join with ALS Caucus co-chair Senator Chris Coons and my fellow senators to name May ALS Awareness Month for the thousands of families struggling with this terrible disease. Together with great advocates like the ALS Association and I Am ALS, we can make meaningful progress to bring treatments to those fighting this disease, and awareness is the first step,” said Senator Braun.

Coons and Braun launched the Senate ALS Caucus in January 2020 along with U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Martha McSally (R-Ariz.). The mission of the caucus is to:

• raise awareness about the difficulties faced by ALS patients and their families;
• advance policies that improve the quality of life for ALS patients;
• expand the network of support for those suffering from ALS; and
• advocate for investments in research that will enhance our understanding of the causes of ALS, identify effective treatments, and eventually discover a cure.

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Senate passes bipartisan Coons bill to prevent SBA’s flagship small business loan program from shutting down

WASHINGTON — Bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) to prevent the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) flagship loan program from shutting down passed the Senate yesterday by unanimous consent. Sen. Coons’ Small Business Lending Continuity Act of 2020, which was co-led by U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL) and fellow committee members Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and James Risch (R-Idaho), would fix an error in the CARES Act that inadvertently results in the SBA’s flagship 7(a) Loan Guarantee Program shutting down whenever the newly-created Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) runs out of funding. If left unfixed, SBA’s 7(a) Loan Guarantee Program’s Fiscal Year 2020 $30 billion authorization cap would be void until July 1, 2020, and the program runs the risk of shutting down if PPP reaches its authorization cap of $310 billion.

The CARES Act also authorized a $17 billion small business debt relief program that Senator Coons authored and secured for the 320,000 small businesses nationwide and over 800 businesses in Delaware with SBA-backed loans. This provision directs SBA to cover loan payments for six months to all small business borrowers of SBA-backed loans and for borrowers that take out SBA-backed loans within six months of the CARES Act passage. If the SBA 7(a) loan program shuts down—which the Small Business Lending Continuity Act would prevent—small businesses seeking these loans won’t be able to access them and wouldn’t be eligible for six months of SBA covering their loan payments.

“SBA-backed loans are an important resource for Main Street business across America, and they are especially vital with an economy in crisis,” said Senator Coons. “The Small Business Lending Continuity Act ensures that not only will the SBA keep its flagship 7(a) lending program running, but it will also continue to make the first six months of payments on behalf of all new 7(a) small business borrowers, as provided for by the CARES Act.”

“As small businesses work to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we should be making it easier—not more cumbersome—for them to access and rely on loan programs,” said Senator Duckworth. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill that offers a simple fix to prevent SBA’s 7(a) loan program from shutting down, while reinstating the flagship program’s full authorization level to make sure small business owners may continue to access critical working capital funds.”

“The 7(a) loan program is a lifeline to small businesses seeking flexible capital amid this unprecedented crisis,”Chairman Rubio said. “Having this program shut down due to a technical error is not an option. I am proud that we were able to work in a bipartisan manner to rectify this issue, and I urge my colleagues in the House to pass this bill without delay.”

 “The Small Business Administration lending programs have provided a lifeline to millions of small businesses across America impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Senator Risch. “It is critical that the 7(a) program continue dispersing relief to small business owners without interruption in the event the Paycheck Protection Program runs out of funding. The Small Business Lending Continuity Act will provide the necessary technical fix to the CARES Act so Main Street businesses can continue to access the 7(a) program without hesitation or delay.”

This bill was also co-sponsored by Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of Small Business & Entrepreneurship, as well as Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).

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[VIDEO] Sen. Coons to Cory Wilson: your partisan comments leave me ‘gravely concerned about your inclination to be a fair-minded jurist’

Sen. Coons questions Judge Cory Wilson, nominee to Fifth Circuit, on health care, voting rights

Sen. Coons: ‘Calling [the Affordable Care Act] illegitimate and freedom infringing strikes me as being about more than policy, it’s about legality, and your record leaves me concerned about your inclination to rule fairly on the facts and the law.’

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Judge Cory Wilson, a nominee to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, during his confirmation hearing. 

Even as our country battles the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump Administration is trying to strike down health care access in the courts, including for those with pre-existing conditions. Cory Wilson has been an outspoken advocate against the Affordable Care Act and state Medicaid expansion.

“Calling a law illegitimate and freedom-infringing strikes me as being about more than policy, it’s about legality and your record leaves me concerned about your inclination to rule fairly on the facts and the law. You mocked President Obama as ‘the anointed one,’ ‘President Make-believe,’ ‘King Barack.’ You described his administration as ‘paranoid,’ ‘shrill,’ ‘dishonest,’ ‘arrogant,’ ‘intellectually bankrupt.’ You called Secretary Clinton ‘crooked,’ ‘corrupt,’ ‘criminal,’ ‘clueless.’ What should it say to litigants that the judge before them on a really important federal circuit court seat has accused people of criminality and bad faith because he disagrees with them on matters of policy or politics?” asked Senator Coons. 

“A critical issue about our structure, our society, our republic is access to the ballot box. If we can’t protect the right to vote, we can’t protect one of the most fundamental freedoms. You’ve written multiple articles before your service as a judge in which you put voter suppression in quotes as if you didn’t believe it really exists,” said Senator Coons, on restrictive voter ID laws. “Do you acknowledge that voter ID laws can result in voter suppression, and can you name one example of voter suppression that has actually occurred since the Supreme Court decided the Shelby County case?”

Senator Coons concluded, “Broadly speaking, the point I’m simply trying to make is that policy disputes are one thing, but some of your comments are so sharply partisan and demonstrate such personal hostility about who are real Americans and who count that it leaves me gravely concerned about your inclination to be a fair-minded jurist. Despite your educational qualifications and your experience, it is those matters about your temperament and record that I am going to be looking at most closely as I consider your nomination to this historic and significant circuit court.”

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

Sen. Coons: Thank you, Senator. Thank you, Your Honor. I’ll just note that we are again considering a judicial nominee, someone who has in our previous encounter when you were here for a district court judgeship demonstrated sharp partisan views when in my view we should instead be holding hearings that are directly responsive to the global pandemic that has taken nearly 100,000 American lives and where I think there are pressing issues that this committee can and should instead be focusing on.  But I will turn to the business before us if I might. Judge Wilson, you are a state court judge who has served just one year. Is that correct?

Hon. Judge Wilson: Yes, Senator, a little over a year – about 15 months.

Sen. Coons: You’ve described passage of the Affordable Care Act, which still today provides protection for over 130 million Americans against preexisting condition discrimination, you described that act as ‘perverse,’ its passage ‘illegitimate’ and ‘reflecting colossal arrogance.’ I think I’m quoting, and you compared it to ‘ramming a freedom-infringing mess down our throats.’ Now you’ve previously testified that the Supreme Court has addressed the ACA in response to other senators’ questions and you recognize that you are bound by and would respect that court precedent, but we are talking today in an environment where the administration is actively litigating to strike down the ACA based on a different theory. When millions of Americans, tens of millions of Americans depend upon it for their health care during this pandemic, how could any of them expect you to decide these challenges fairly? I recognize you were in your role not as a judge but as a state legislator and advocate, but I think these very sharp words give us a real insight into your policy position. 

Hon. Judge Wilson: Well Senator, thank you for your question because as I noted when I was a policymaker I agree with your, the importance you place on health care and access to health care. I worked on that issue substantially while I was in the legislature. I think though that people can have confidence that I will decide cases fairly and impartially in accordance with binding precedent and the text of the law because the role of a judge is quite distinct and different from the role of a policymaker. When I wrote those comments that you referenced, I was writing as a commentator, as a private citizen. I was serving in the legislature where policy and politics were very much in debate about the Affordable Care Act.

Sen. Coons: If I might, Judge Wilson, forgive me. We have limited time here. Calling a law illegitimate and freedom-infringing strikes me as being about more than policy, it’s about legality, and your record leaves me concerned about your inclination to rule fairly on the facts and the law. You mocked President Obama as ‘the anointed one,’ ‘President Make-believe,’ ‘King Barack.’ You described his administration as ‘paranoid,’ ‘shrill,’ ‘dishonest,’ ‘arrogant,’ ‘intellectually bankrupt.’ You called Secretary Clinton ‘crooked,’ ‘corrupt,’ ‘criminal,’ ‘clueless.’ What should it say to litigants that the judge before them on a really important federal circuit court seat has accused people of criminality and bad faith because he disagrees with them on matters of policy or politics?

Hon. Judge Wilson: Well, Senator, again my record as a judge on the Mississippi Court of Appeals should provide some degree of comfort because in over 500 cases now, I have fulfilled decisions on cases by applying the law and by doing so impartially and fairly. The comments you referenced were made at a time when I was involved in campaigns, when these issues were being debated, and frankly I had personal perspective about the Affordable Care Act and the way it was passed and the process because at the time I wrote these, I was with a very small law firm. I didn’t have a salary, so I had to go out and work, and I had to earn a living. Before my family got paid, I also paid 100 percent of my family’s health insurance premiums. And so over that time frame my premiums went up, my coverage actually went down and so some of that personal perspective about what I was experiencing may provide context…

Sen. Coons: I can certainly understand and appreciate people who have strongly held policy views – I frankly think there is value in having people who are former legislators on the bench – but the sharpness and the shrillness of some of these attacks. You didn’t just attack President Obama and Secretary Clinton. You wrote that an ‘intellectually honest Democrat’ is a ‘rare sighting.’ Speaking as someone who is both a Democrat and tries to be intellectually honest, it’s hard not to take some concern from that that litigants before you will have difficulty believing that your record of one year as a state court judge gives enough confidence in your impartiality. Let me ask a last question if I might. A critical issue about our structure, our society, our republic is access to the ballot box. If we can’t protect the right to vote, we can’t protect one of the most fundamental freedoms. You’ve written multiple articles before your service as a judge in which you put voter suppression in quotes as if you didn’t believe it really exists.  Given your state’s significant and historic role in the struggle for access to the ballot box, I thought it was important to ask a question again that I asked at your last hearing and for which I don’t think I got a clear answer. Do you acknowledge that voter ID laws can result in voter suppression, and can you name one example of voter suppression that has actually occurred since the Supreme Court decided the Shelby County case?

Hon. Judge Wilson: Well, Senator, I guess I’m not familiar with the details of the Fourth Circuit case that we’ve been discussing before now regarding the North Carolina voter ID law, but again that case might be an example that, where the court found that that measure was invalid, but going back to my record as a policymaker, Senator, I agree with you that the ballot box…

Sen. Coons: Your Honor, did the court find it was invalid or did it find it was unconstitutional and it was crafted by state legislators with surgical precision for the purpose of voter suppression?

Hon. Judge Wilson: Well, Senator, I’m not familiar with the case enough to be familiar with the holding.

Sen. Coons: I would be happy to say that I will wait for your answer on the record, we have the opportunity to ask questions for the record if we could. I’m just going to ask one last time; do you acknowledge voter ID laws can have the result of suppressing the vote in ways that are unconstitutional and impermissible?

Hon. Judge Wilson: Well, Senator, I don’t want to prejudge an issue that may come before the court, I don’t feel like I can comment on that appropriately. I can say from my experience in elections administration and in my record in the House, I supported a number of provisions that would have actually expanded access to the ballot, would have, it did modernize our election code and make the whole voting process more transparent and more available for all voters. I think that a policymaker can be both in support of the integrity of the ballot and protecting the right of everyone to vote in a legal election and expanding and making the franchise more available to exercise.

Sen. Coons: Well, Your Honor, I certainly look forward to hearing from you in writing with more detail about how that is possible, what you have done to that extent and your views on how we protect access to the ballot in ways that expand the franchise and ensure that we have free and fair elections in this country. A number of other comments you’ve made, and I’ll include them in a question for the record, leave me concerned about your views about the vote and about the franchise. Broadly speaking, the point I’m simply trying to make is that policy disputes are one thing, but some of your comments are so sharply partisan and demonstrate such personal hostility about who are ‘real Americans’ and who count that it leaves me gravely concerned about your inclination to be a fair-minded jurist. Despite your educational qualifications and your experience, it is those matters about your temperament and record that I am going to be looking at most closely as I consider your nomination to this historic and significant circuit court. Thank you for your indulgence, Senator. Thank you, Your Honor. 

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Coons, colleagues mark World Press Freedom Day with bipartisan resolution

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations’ Subcommittee that oversees human rights, and other Senate colleagues in introducing a bipartisan resolution to commemorate World Press Freedom Day. The resolution underscores the sacrifices that journalists around the world have borne in pursuit of truth and accountability. The resolution also acknowledges increasing international threats to freedoms of the press and expression against the backdrop of COVID-19. 

The resolution was also cosponsored by Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.).

A copy of the resolution can be found HERE.

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Sens. Coons, Graham introduce legislation to shut down high-risk wildlife markets that could ignite another global disease outbreak

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) introduced legislation to end the sale of high-risk wildlife species in live animal markets for human consumption, a practice that has been tied to previous outbreaks of novel human diseases. The Global Wildlife Health and Pandemic Prevention Act requires the U.S. government to identify and shut down live wildlife markets around the world that pose risks to public health and to increase global capacity for zoonotic disease prevention, surveillance, and response.

In accordance with the ‘One Health’ approach – which emphasizes the interconnection of human, animal, and environmental health – the legislation directs the U.S. Department of State, USAID, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to identify which species and practices in live wildlife markets are most likely to ignite a zoonotic disease outbreak and to leverage international diplomacy to close such markets. The President is also given authority to sanction nations that continue to harbor high-risk wildlife markets. Lastly, the bill directs agencies to coordinate their approach to zoonotic disease preparedness, minimize the human-wildlife interface by protecting ecosystems, and reduce demand among food insecure communities that currently depend on wildlife.

“The close and unnatural contact between humans and wildlife poses a serious risk for outbreak of new diseases like the one we are dealing with today,” said Senator Coons. “Our priority right now is to recover from the current crisis, but we also need to take the right steps to ensure that we stop the next pandemic before it starts. I’m proud to work with Senator Graham to introduce this legislation that will give the United States the tools to better combat outbreaks of zoonotic diseases in the future.”

“For the past several weeks, our national conversation has focused appropriately on how we can best recover from Covid-19,” said Senator Graham. “There is another question though, equally urgent, that demands our attention: how can we prevent this from happening again? Governments in Asia and elsewhere should immediately shut down markets that sell high-risk wildlife for human consumption and fully enforce laws already on the books to end the global illegal trade in wildlife.”

“Like most emerging diseases, COVID-19 originated in wildlife, revealing the profound connections between nature and human health,” said Carter Roberts, President and CEO, World Wildlife Fund. “To prevent the next pandemic, we need to close markets that sell high-risk wildlife and reduce human consumption of these species. We also need to halt the degradation or destruction of our remaining wild places while ensuring food security for vulnerable communities. This legislation provides the U.S. government with important tools, direction, and resources to accomplish those goals. We thank Senators Coons and Graham for their leadership in this important moment.”

“The COVID-19 outbreak highlights, once again, the close connection between wildlife management and conservation, public health, and the global economy,” said Johan Bergenas, Senior Director, Vulcan. “The Global Wildlife Health and Pandemic Prevention Act takes a whole-of-government approach to reduce the risk that wildlife trafficking and consumption will result in future outbreaks and pandemics.”

“Saving nature is really about saving ourselves, which is why the Global Wildlife Health and Pandemic Prevention Act is critically important for our future,” said Dr. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International. “Pandemics can be stopped by attacking the root cause of Zoonotic diseases which is driven by ecosystem and biodiversity loss and large-scale wildlife trafficking. This legislation is a strong step towards addressing these issues and we will work with Senators Coons and Graham to protect our health.”    

“The Nature Conservancy is deeply concerned about the pandemic’s broad implications for public health, livelihoods and the environment,” said Jennifer Morris, Chief Executive Officer, The Nature Conservancy. “We applaud Senator Coons and Senator Graham for their swift bipartisan legislation to address wildlife disease transmission and enhance the well-being of people and nature. We are all intrinsically connected to the animals and plants in our shared environment. By recognizing this connection, the Global Wildlife Health and Pandemic Prevention Act will help create a safer world for both people and nature.”

A one-pager is available here and bill text is available here. 

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Sen. Coons’ statement on planned Judiciary Committee vote to feed Russia investigation conspiracy theories

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on the announcement that the committee will vote to subpoena more than 50 officials involved in the Department of Justice’s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

“The Senate Judiciary Committee should not be used to perpetuate conspiracy theories, undermine our intelligence community, or peddle President Trump’s campaign talking points. We know conclusively that Russia attacked our election. President Trump’s handpicked Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Robert Mueller, a Republican, to be Special Counsel, and that investigation produced dozens of indictments. At a time when 90,000 Americans have died, millions more are at risk, and our economy is in a recession, it’s disappointing to see my colleagues decide to focus their efforts on political smears.”

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Sens. Coons, Collins outline priorities to support first responders in next COVID-19 relief bill

WILMINGTON, Del. — U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Co-Chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus and member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) led ten of their colleagues on a bipartisan letter to Senate Leadership encouraging additional support for first responders in the next COVID-19 relief package.

In addition to Senators Coons and Collins, the letter was joined by Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).

The lawmakers detailed the following priorities for first responders:

• Bolster Assistance to Firefighter Grant, Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER), and Department of Justice grant funding, including for the Community Oriented Policing Services program, so that state and local police, fire, and EMS departments can access resources to purchase and be reimbursed for PPE and other COVID-19 related expenses, recruit and retain employees and volunteers, and cover overtime, backfill costs, authorized hazard pay, and COVID-19-related paid sick leave during the crisis.
• Require that the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security waive the cost share and maintenance of expenditure requirements for Assistance to Firefighter Grants for reimbursement of COVID-19-related expenses through FY21. 
• Require that the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security grant waivers to SAFER grant recipients for employee retention to aid staffing shortages through FY21.  In addition, any legislation should retroactively require that the Secretary grant such waivers for FY19 and FY20 SAFER funds. 
• Waive the prohibition on hazard pay for federal firefighters under 5 U.S.C. § 5545 b(d)(1) for purposes of COVID-19 response, provide funding to federal agencies sufficient to cover hazard pay to frontline federal firefighters and law enforcement officers when appropriate, extend overtime pay to U.S. Probation Officers, and waive the federal firefighter and law enforcement officer overtime cap under 5 U.S.C. § 5547.
• Address the gap in paid sick leave coverage for first responders by requiring that the employing agency, not the employee, provide up to 80 hours of paid sick leave should these departments order the employee to self-quarantine in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines due to potential COVID-19 exposure.
• Create a presumption in the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program that a public safety officer’s infection of COVID-19 resulted from their employment to clearly establish eligibility for benefits due to the pandemic.
• Prevent the taxation of state and local incentives for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel beyond 2020 in order to help departments continue to recruit and retain volunteer personnel.

The lawmakers’ effort is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the National Volunteer Fire Council, and the Congressional Fire Services Institute.

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

Dear Leader McConnell and Leader Schumer: 

We appreciate your work to provide support for our nation’s police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.  However, additional assistance is needed during this crisis.  As Congress considers further legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we urge you to include additional support for our nation’s first responders who work in some of the highest risk occupations for COVID-19 exposure.^[i]  First responders are routinely in physical contact with potentially infected persons and are facing unprecedented volumes of dispatch calls in severely impacted areas.^[ii]

A short supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) for first responders to guard against disease exposure has left many police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel exposed to the dangers of this crisis.  This has resulted in too many first responders across our nation contracting COVID-19 and being forced to self-quarantine, which has led to staffing shortages.^[iii]  As of April 1, more than 1,400 New York City Police Department employees have contracted COVID-19, with 6,100 in total in quarantine, and 282 New York City Fire Department employees have contracted COVID-19, with 950 in total in quarantine.^[iv]  While New York City is the current epicenter of the U.S. outbreak, many other cities and states with developing outbreaks such as New Jersey, Florida, Detroit, Seattle, Washington D.C., and several additional states and cities across the nation^[v] have reported a significant number of first responders contracting COVID-19 or requiring self-quarantine.

As this outbreak continues, many more first responders will undoubtedly contract COVID-19 or be forced to self-quarantine.  To support our nation’s police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel serving on the front lines of this pandemic, we urge action on the below items. 

• Bolster Assistance to Firefighter Grant, Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER), and Department of Justice grant funding, including for the Community Oriented Policing Services program, so that state and local police, fire, and EMS departments can access resources to purchase and be reimbursed for PPE and other COVID-19 related expenses, recruit and retain employees and volunteers, and cover overtime, backfill costs, authorized hazard pay, and COVID-19-related paid sick leave during the crisis.
• Require that the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security waive the cost share and maintenance of expenditure requirements for Assistance to Firefighter Grants for reimbursement of COVID-19-related expenses through FY21. 
• Require that the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security grant waivers to SAFER grant recipients for employee retention to aid staffing shortages through FY21.  In addition, any legislation should retroactively require that the Secretary grant such waivers for FY19 and FY20 SAFER funds. 
• Waive the prohibition on hazard pay for federal firefighters under 5 U.S.C. § 5545 b(d)(1) for purposes of COVID-19 response, provide funding to federal agencies sufficient to cover hazard pay to frontline federal firefighters and law enforcement officers when appropriate, extend overtime pay to U.S. Probation Officers, and waive the federal firefighter and law enforcement officer overtime cap under 5 U.S.C. § 5547.
• Address the gap in paid sick leave coverage for first responders by requiring that the employing agency, not the employee, provide up to 80 hours of paid sick leave should these departments order the employee to self-quarantine in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines due to potential COVID-19 exposure.
• Create a presumption in the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program that a public safety officer’s infection of COVID-19 resulted from their employment to clearly establish eligibility for benefits due to the pandemic.
• Prevent the taxation of state and local incentives for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel beyond 2020 in order to help departments continue to recruit and retain volunteer personnel. 

During a time of crisis, communities rely on local first responders as the first line of defense for protection and emergency response.  As you continue to develop further legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we urge you to include the above items so that our nation’s first responders can operate at full capacity as we fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sincerely, 

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[VIDEO] Sen. Coons on inspector general firings: ‘This is not business as usual, and this is something that both Republicans and Democrats are going to have to stand up to’

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined MSNBC’s Meet The Press Daily to condemn the Trump Administration’s recent firings of four inspectors general tasked with oversight of the executive branch.

“The whole point of having independent inspectors general is to provide transparency and oversight for every federal agency. I don’t think there’s ever been a string of firings this significant and this close together where one could argue that there was some mixture of either retribution for their role in the impeachment trial of President Trump or an effort to prevent transparency and oversight of ongoing federal government activity,” Sen. Coons said.

“The fact that President Trump is being allowed to wipe away this long-standing and critical protection should be gravely concerning to your viewers and to my colleagues here in the Senate,” Sen. Coons said.

“Majority Leader McConnell has shown over and over that he thinks his key role is not protecting the independence of the Senate and the separation of powers but advancing the goals of the Trump Administration. So I’m skeptical that we’ll be able to get a hearing let alone move this legislation but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try,” Sen. Coons said.

Full video available here. Full transcript available below.

Q: Steve Linick is the fourth inspector general to be removed from his position or her position since April. Joining me now is the Democratic Senator from Delaware, Senator Chris Coons. He is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee that will investigate Steve Linick’s firing. Welcome to Meet the Press Daily Senator Coons. So the president just said it’s his absolute authority, what say you?

Sen. Coons: Well Katy as you pointed out, this is the latest in a troubling series of firings of inspectors general. Inspector General Atkinson from the Intelligence Committee, Grimm and Fine, who were supposed to be overseeing HHS and Department of Defense and now Linick from the State Department. Let me remind our viewers the whole point of having independent inspectors general is to provide transparency and oversight for every federal agency. I don’t think there’s ever been a string of firings this significant and this close together where one could argue that there was some mixture of either retribution for their role in the impeachment trial of President Trump or an effort to prevent transparency and oversight of ongoing federal government activity. In either case, this is not business as usual, and this is something that both Republicans and Democrats are going to have to stand up to. I was encouraged to see that Senator Menendez, the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Chairman Engel from the House, are working closely together to demand answers but also that Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa has sent a letter to the president demanding more answers. But it’s frankly going to take more than that if we’re going to protect inspectors general as a key institution that keeps the federal government, its executive branch in particular, accountable to the people.

Q: Let me read you what Secretary Pompeo told The Washington Post. He said, ‘I went to the president and made clear to him that Inspector General Linick wasn’t performing a function in a way that we had tried to get him to, that was additive for the State Department, very consistent with what the statute says he’s supposed to be doing,’ he said. ‘The kinds of activities he’s supposed to undertake to make us better, to improve us.’ The paper says Secretary Pompeo didn’t go into any detail about what any of that meant. What is your reaction?

Sen. Coons: Well, my concern is that every department has some tension with their inspector general. That often is the mark of a good inspector general. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, when we do our annual oversight hearings for different agencies, we often invite the inspector general to come and give us input on how they think programs are being managed, where they think money is being spent wisely or unwisely, and that often causes bristling on the part of the administration leader who is responsible for the department. This is true with both Republican and Democratic administrations and the fact that President Trump is being allowed to wipe away this long-standing and critical protection should be gravely concerning to your viewers and to my colleagues here in the Senate. 

Q: Can we dig in a little bit on the Saudi Arabia aspect of this? According to NBC News reporting, Linick was looking into Pompeo green lighting the arms sale to Saudi Arabia over the will of Congress. What exactly was Congress worried about? 

Sen. Coons: As you know, there was a great degree of concern here in Congress, in particular in the Senate, over the murder, the dismembering of a U.S. Resident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in a Turkish consulate and the direct role that senior leaders within the Saudi Kingdom were reported at the time to have had in ordering that execution, that assassination of a journalist. There were other very difficult developments in the war in Yemen and the role that the Saudis played that in combination led to bipartisan opposition to another round of arms sales by the Trump Administration to the Saudi Kingdom without more transparency and without engagement and support from the Senate. This is a key part of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s role, is to be engaged in and providing either approval or disapproval for critical arms sales and the fact that an arms sale went around that approval would be a completely appropriate thing for the inspector general at the State Department to be looking into and reviewing. 

Q: So the legislation that Senator Menendez is putting forward to give Congress a chance to stop the firing of IGs I know some Republicans have expressed shock over this firing. I know Senator Grassley wants more information on it. This sort of legislation that gives Congress an emergency break for this sort of thing, does it have any chance of even being brought up by the Senate Majority Leader? And if so, could it pass? 

Sen. Coons: Well, Katy, that’s going to be a test of the will of Senator Grassley and a few others who have expressed grave concern. We’re going to need more than handwringing and expressions of concern from our Republican partners here if this legislation is going to move anywhere. To your point, Majority Leader McConnell has shown over and over that he thinks his key role is not protecting the independence of the Senate and the separation of powers but advancing the goals of the Trump Administration. So I’m skeptical that we’ll be able to get a hearing let alone move this legislation but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. 

Q:  Do you believe that this is sending a message to other inspector generals in other agencies, this now being the fourth inspector general to be ousted by this president? 

Sen. Coons: It does. And frankly, the president’s comment that when I was told he was hired by Obama, that was enough we should just get rid of him, I’m paraphrasing obviously, is meant to send a signal that President Trump continues to indulge himself in this theory that there is some deep state loyalty to his predecessor that has caused some of the challenges he and his administration have had. Instead, he should embrace this as part of the long-standing structure of how accountability and transparency has long been a part of the executive branch. I’ll remind you that the two justices nominated to the Supreme Court by President Trump are justices whose theory of executive power, their view of the president’s ability to fire at will anyone in the executive branch, regardless of the long-standing traditions or requirements of their being independent, whether in the FBI, the Department of Justice or inspectors general, makes me gravely concerned that the Trump Administration and its advocates both in the administration and on the Supreme Court may be steadily moving in the direction of concentrating more and more power in the hands of the president. 

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[VIDEO] Sen. Coons: If we don’t protect independent watchdogs, we’re going to have to ‘say goodbye to real transparency and accountability of the presidency’

WILMINGTON, Del. — Sunday evening, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined MSNBC’s Kasie DC to discuss President Trump’s firing of State Department Inspector General Steve Linick and his legislation to expand national service in response to COVID-19.

“It is an appropriate moment for all of us in Congress, Democrats and Republicans, to be asking what is it that is causing President Trump to fire so many inspectors general, and will we stand up on a bipartisan basis to protect them? If not, we’re going to have to say goodbye to real transparency and accountability of the presidency,” said Senator Coons. “One of my concerns is that there will be some hand wringing, some expressions of disapproval, but there won’t be any substantive action. We in the minority, the Senate Democrats, can call for information, can demand hearings, but we don’t have subpoena power and, frankly, so far this administration has demonstrated a disregard for congressional oversight.”

To discuss his effort to expand national service in the COVID-19 response, Senator Coons was joined by Mr. James Winfield, Member Development Specialist with Civic Works in Baltimore which has 200 AmeriCorps members delivering meals to those in need. Mr. Winfield noted, “we’ve been able to pivot our operations because we already had the infrastructure in place and focus on addressing one of the most glaring needs in the community.” The Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act would expand existing national service networks like AmeriCorps, which supports Civic Works, to deliver a community-based response to the COVID-19 recovery.

Audio and video available here. A transcript is provided below.

On the firing of Inspector General Steve Linick:

Q: NBC News has learned that the president fired Steve Linick after it was recommended by the Secretary of State. And now two Congressional officials tell NBC that Linick was looking into whether Mike Pompeo made a staffer walk his dog, pick up dry-cleaning, make dinner reservations for him and his wife, and do other errands. Linick’s firing has spurred bipartisan outrage. Chuck Grassley, the Co-Chair of the Whistleblower Protection Caucus called inspectors general, ‘crucial in correcting government failures,’ adding that Congress needs a more thorough explanation for why Linick was fired. For more, I’m joined by Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware. He is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, which is going to investigate Linick’s firing. Senator Coons, it’s always great to have you on the program. Thanks for being here tonight.

Sen. Coons: Great to be on with you, Kasie. Senator Menendez said it all there. This is an important development and one that is deserving of a prompt investigation led by Senator Menendez in the Senate and by Chairman Eliot Engel in the House. This is the fourth inspector general abruptly fired by the Trump Administration: Atkinson, Fine, Grimm, and now Linick are four inspectors general. Every one of them had something to do either with the impeachment investigation or with providing thorough oversight for the remarkable amount of money that is now being spent by a variety of federal agencies, so inspectors general, and there’s one for every federal agency, play a critical role in transparency and accountability. It is an appropriate moment for all of us in Congress, Democrats and Republicans, to be asking what is it that is causing President Trump to fire so many inspectors general, and will we stand up on a bipartisan basis to protect them? If not, we’re going to have to say goodbye to real transparency and accountability of the presidency.

Q: I was going to say, I mean, do you think that your Republican colleagues are serious about doing this? I mean, they have banded together, written a letter. This is not the first time that Senator Grassley has complained about the Trump Administration doing this. But, you know, I think a lot of people have watched a lot of complaints about the Trump Administration from Senate Republicans and then felt like there wasn’t a lot of follow through.

Sen. Coons: That’s right, Kasie. One of my concerns is that there will be some hand wringing, some expressions of disapproval, but there won’t be any substantive action. We in the minority, the Senate Democrats, can call for information, can demand hearings, but we don’t have subpoena power and, frankly, so far this administration has demonstrated a disregard for congressional oversight. They’ve disregarded even congressional subpoenas when delivered. So if we’re going to protect the role of the inspector general, the central role of accountability and transparency, we’re going to have to work harder, and frankly, Republican senators are going to have to step up and show that they understand the significance for separation of powers of Congress conducting real and meaningful oversight.

On National Service

Q: And, senator, I want to ask you exactly that, about this effort that you’re leading to expand government outreach programs like AmeriCorps during this pandemic. And you also brought with you tonight someone who is a great example of how important that work is. I want to add to our conversation here James Winfield. He’s a Member Development Specialist with Civic Works in Baltimore which has 200 AmeriCorps members delivering meals to those in need. Mr. Winfield, thanks so much for being on the program. And you know as we continue our coverage of this pandemic, the work that people like you are doing has been so critical for so many people who were already struggling in their own lives. Talk to us a little bit about what you’re seeing every day as you try to continue this work under much more difficult conditions than anyone ever expected.

Mr. Winfield: Well, yeah, this pandemic has exacerbated all of the other things that have been going on in the community that we’ve been trying to address through our programs. One of the key carriers that we’ve been focusing on is food insecurity. As you all know, as we know, the elderly population is the most at risk during this pandemic, and they’re also the most at risk in terms of not being able to travel about and get out and access the resources that are available. So we’ve been able to pivot our operations because we already had the infrastructure in place and focus on addressing one of the most glaring needs in the community.

Q: So, Senator Coons, I know you have legislation, this has been something we’ve spoken about this, your efforts around this on this show before. And obviously there are so many young people who are either graduating from high school or graduating from college. They don’t know what they’re going to do in this kind of economy. How would your efforts, if you could be successful in them, help give them potentially a path to service as we all try to recover in this pandemic era?

Sen. Coons: Well, the bill that a group of us have been championing in Congress, a bipartisan group in the House and a large group in the Senate, would essentially give James Winfield and Civic Works more resources, more AmeriCorps members to do more service to help combat hunger and food insecurity, to help support senior citizens, to help with things like testing and tracing and other public health responses, and to address education shortfalls that are happening because we’ve got a lost semester, perhaps an entire lost year for America’s public schools. So we would double the number of AmeriCorps members from 75,000 to 150,000 in the first year and then double it again the next year. Year in and year out, there have been five to ten times as many people applying to serve in AmeriCorps programs like Civic Works that James Winfield is associated with, as we’ve had slots. This is a great opportunity to let young people earn a college opportunity, be a part of a broad and diverse coalition of people responding to needs in their communities, and to create opportunity for a younger generation to participate in national service in response to this pandemic. 

Q: Alright. We’re going to have to leave it there. Senator Coons and James Winfield, thank you so much for your time tonight. Mr. Winfield, thank you so much for the efforts, your efforts, on behalf of those citizens of Baltimore. I know we all really appreciate it. 

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ICYMI: Sens. Coons, Graham op-ed with WWF CEO Carter Roberts: ‘How to stop the next pandemic’

WILMINGTON, Del. – In case you missed it, U.S. Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Carter Roberts, president and CEO of the World Wildlife Fund, published an op-ed in Politico about why the United States needs to take serious measures to address high-risk live wildlife markets and the broader illegal trade in wildlife to prevent the next pandemic.

Politico: How to Stop the Next Pandemic

By Chris Coons, Lindsey Graham, & Carter Roberts

For the past several weeks, our national conversation has focused appropriately on how we can best recover from Covid-19. There is another question though, equally urgent, that demands our attention: how can we prevent this from happening again?

The World Health Organization has determined that Covid-19 is a zoonotic disease, meaning it jumped from animals to humans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 75 percent of new or emerging infectious diseases in people are zoonotic. If we’re going to stop their continued spread and prevent the next pandemic, Congress and the administration must initiate new policies, both domestically and in concert with other nations, right now.

The full column is available here. 

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