Sen. Coons joins nearly 30 colleagues to oppose oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and 29 of his Senate colleagues wrote to Secretary Zinke in response to the Department of the Interior’s notice to begin an Environmental Impact Statement for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

In addition to Senator Coons, the letter was also signed by Senators Cantwell (D-Wash.), Schumer (D-N.Y.), Markey (D-Mass.), Carper (D-Del.), Udall (D-N.M.), Wyden (D-Ore.), Bennet (D-Colo.), Duckworth (D-Ill.), Feinstein (D-Calif.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Smith (D-Minn.), Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Merkley (D-Ore.), Van Hollen (D-Md.), Hassan  (D-N.H.), Durbin (D-Ill.), Baldwin (D-Wis.), Hirono (D-Hawaii), Nelson (D-Fla.), Shaheen (D-N.H.), Stabenow (D-Mich.), Heinrich (D-N.M.), Reed (D-R.I.), Harris (D-Calif.), Booker (D-N.J.), Menendez (D-N.J.), Sanders (I-Vt.) and Peters (D-Mich.).

In the letter, the Senators write, “We strenuously opposed enactment of section 20001 and believe that oil and gas development on the Coastal Plain is fundamentally incompatible with the purposes for which the Refuge was established.  Oil and gas development will do irreparable harm to the Refuge, the fish and wildlife populations the Refuge was established to protect, and the native people who depend on those fish and wildlife populations for subsistence.  It is clear that this provision would not have been enacted if it had not been included as part of the budget reconciliation bill, bypassing the normal legislative process.”

“There has been bipartisan commitment to protect the Coastal Plain of America’s most iconic national wildlife refuge for more than half a century, even predating the Eisenhower Administration’s establishment of the Arctic National Wildlife Range in 1960 to protect the area’s “unique wildlife, wilderness, and recreational values.”’ said the Senators. “Given the long history of the efforts to recognize the international importance of the Refuge and to protect its unique wildlife and wilderness values, we are concerned that the Department of the Interior will now seek to expedite the planning and environmental review process for an oil and gas program in the Refuge.”

“In administering the Refuge, the Secretary is still required to provide for the conservation of fish, wildlife, and plants, and their habitats; to ensure that the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of the Refuge are maintained for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans; and to permit only uses that are compatible with the major purposes for which the Refuge was established,” said the Senators. “Decades of drilling on Alaska’s North Slope have shown that the negative consequences of industrial development extend far beyond the project footprint.  These consequences will be compounded in a region that is affected by climate change more than almost any other area in the United States, with Arctic temperatures rising at twice the rate of the contiguous United States.”

The full letter can be found here.  

ICYMI: Sens. Coons, Flake featured in WIRED: “Senators demand answers from Amazon on Echo’s snooping habits”

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, below is an exclusive article from WIRED spotlighting the efforts by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) to press Amazon on consumer privacy practices. Earlier this week, Senators Coons and Flake sent a letter to Amazon Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos to request information on the technical design elements and privacy features of Echo devices and Alexa software.  

WIRED: Senators demand answers from Amazon on Echo’s snooping habits

By Issie Lapowsky

A PORTLAND WOMAN recently told a local news outlet that her Amazon Echo device had gone rogue, sending a recording of a private conversation to a random person in her contact list. On Thursday, two senators tasked with investigating consumer privacy sent a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos demanding answers.

In the letter, Republican senator Jeff Flake and Democratic senator Chris Coons, who serve respectively as chairman and ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, ask Bezos to explain how exactly the Amazon Echo device listens to and stores users’ voices. The senators also seek answers about what the company is doing to protect users from having that sensitive information misused. Amazon didn’t respond to WIRED’s request for comment. 

The letter, which was reviewed by WIRED, comes in the midst of what Flake calls a “post-Facebook” world, referring to the data privacy scandal in which Facebook says the data of as many as 87 million Americans may have been misappropriated by a political consulting firm called Cambridge Analytica. “Congress is feeling that we need to be ahead of the curve here,” Flake told WIRED. “Companies are establishing procedures and protocols, and we need to know what they are to make sure that privacy is protected.” 

The letter specifically cites the Portland story, in which an Echo mistook part of a background conversation for the word “Alexa.” That caused the device to wake up. Once it started listening, the Echo misheard later parts of the conversation as a series of voice commands instructing it to send a message to one of the woman’s contacts. The mishap in Portland wasn’t caused by a glitch, the lawmakers write, but is instead an example of the Echo working “precisely how it was designed.” The letter demands “prompt and meaningful action” to prevent it from happening again. 

“This incident makes it clear we don’t fully understand the privacy risks we’re taking,” Coons says. “Amazon owes it to the American people to be clearer about what’s happening with this technology.”

The letter asks Amazon to report the number of complaints the company has received from users about the Echo improperly interpreting a command. Among the nearly 30 questions contained in the letter are requests for details on when and how frequently the device sends voice data to Amazon’s servers, how long that recording is stored, and how that data is anonymized. The senators also ask Amazon to share information on how long the Echo records a conversation after it hears the word “Alexa,” and whether consumers have the ability to delete these recordings. 

The answers to some of these questions are a matter of public record. As WIRED has explained, the Echo microphone is always live, but it’s only listening for its so-called “wake word.” Once it hears the word, “Alexa,” it begins recording and sends those clips to Amazon servers. That voice recording will stay there unless users take the time to manually delete it in the Alexa app. But other questions warrant further exploration. Flake and Coons want Bezos to explain, for example, “any and all purposes for which Amazon uses, stores, and retains consumer information, including voice data, collected and transmitted by an Echo device.” That explanation may be buried in the company’s terms of service somewhere, but the fine print that dictates what tech companies do with people’s data is often viewed differently when magnified.

Portland is hardly the first time users have reported their AI assistants misbehaving. Recently, users reported that their Echoes were laughing at them, a menacing quirk that Amazon attributed to the device mishearing the term “Alexa, laugh.” Amazon calls these mistakes “false positives,” where the algorithmic brain of Alexa believes it’s hearing something it’s not. But while these flukes make good headlines, the odds of an Amazon Echo mishearing its way through the multi-step process of sending a voice recording are slim.

And yet, the senators’ questions for Amazon are still valid. They extend far beyond the particulars of any single mistake and cut to the heart of a key issue facing tech leaders. For decades now, companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon have collected unlimited amounts of data on their customers, given them minimal control over that data, and offered even less transparency into how they collect and store it. Now, after seeing how data can be manipulated for political purposes through the Facebook scandal, lawmakers are reevaluating the freedom they’ve given tech companies all these years.

“The age of innocence is gone,” says Flake. 

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Coons, Flake press Amazon on consumer privacy practices

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) earlier this week sent a letter to Amazon Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos to request information on the technical design elements and privacy features of Echo devices and Alexa software. The letter follows recent news reports indicating that Amazon products may share private consumer conversations and information that potentially puts Amazon users’ privacy at risk. As Chairman and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, Flake and Coons have a longstanding interest in the privacy and security of consumers’ personal data, including information collected by in-home, internet-connected devices and voice-activated technologies.

“In-home, internet-connected devices like the Echo are designed to make consumers’ lives easier – they can play our favorite music, adjust the temperature in our homes, and order dinner from our favorite restaurants, all with a simple verbal command. While these functions can be helpful, it’s important that the right standards are in place to protect consumers’ privacy,” said Senator Coons. “Recent reports have raised serious questions about how Amazon collects and stores voice data, and what steps are being taken to make sure this information is not shared without consumers’ consent. People have the right to know how their data is being used and protected, and we look forward to Mr. Bezos’ response to these important questions.” 

“We all know the tremendous benefits these technologies bring to our lives on a daily basis, but we would also like to be assured that our personal data is not compromised in the process,” said Senator Flake. “Since these technologies are so new, it’s unclear how these devices work and what steps are being taken to protect consumers’ privacy. I look forward to working with Amazon and other companies as we continue to explore ways in which these technologies can flourish.” 

To view a PDF of the letter, click here. 

Full text of the letter can be found below.

…

Mr. Jeff Bezos          

Chief Executive Officer

Amazon, Inc. 

410 Terry Avenue North

Seattle, WA 98109

June 11, 2018 

Dear Mr. Bezos: 

We write regarding Amazon’s privacy and data-security practices in light of recent news reports indicating that the company may share private consumer information that potentially puts Amazon users’ privacy at risk.   

Amazon manufactures an internet-connected device, the Echo, for personal consumer use in the home.  These devices and the personal assistant-style software that comes with them are designed to help around the house and make consumers’ lives better.  Each Echo device comes equipped with Amazon’s voice-activated software, Alexa, to perform certain tasks that often require the consumer to verbally communicate commands directly to the device and confirm accurate transmission of information.  For example, the Echo can cue up a consumer’s favorite song when he walks into a room, adjust the temperature in his home based on his preference, order dinner when he doesn’t have time to cook, and help him pay bills on time.  Using Alexa, all of this can be done with just a few words.   

Unfortunately, recent events have demonstrated that it may take just a few words for Alexa to share with others personal information that the consumer would prefer—and would expect—to be kept private.  Last month, a couple in Portland, Oregon discovered that the Alexa software on their Echo device was activated without their knowledge.  The Echo turned on, and Alexa was able to capture their private conversation, select an individual from the list of contacts known to the device, and send the audio recording of their conversation to that individual.  The couple stated they did not know that the device had turned on, that the software had been voice-activated, or that their conversation was being recorded.

Reportedly, Amazon did not attribute this incident to a device malfunction or a glitch in the system.  An Echo device turns on and is activated when it hears the wake word, “Alexa.”  When the device is on and activated, it will record for a certain period of time, listening for commands to perform. Amazon reported that the device in this case turned on when it misinterpreted a word in the background conversation as “Alexa,” and it started recording when it misunderstood a series of subsequent words as voice commands.   While Amazon has stated that the company is evaluating options to make this series of events less likely to occur, we are concerned that the device in this instance performed precisely how it was designed.  Without prompt and meaningful action, we expect that additional instances like the one summarized above will happen again.

The increasing popularity of in-home, internet-connected devices and voice-activated technologies raises questions about the types of data they collect, store, and share, and the degree to which consumers control their personal information.  Companies, like Amazon, that offer services through these devices must address these concerns by prioritizing consumer privacy and protecting sensitive personal information. 

As Chairman and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, we have a longstanding interest in the privacy and security of consumers’ personal data, including information collected by in-home, internet-connected devices and voice-activated technologies.

We therefore request that Amazon provide answers to the following questions. 

1.      Please indicate the number of complaints you have received from consumers reporting that an Amazon Echo device has improperly interpreted a command. 

2.      Regarding the technical design elements of Echo devices and Alexa software:

a.       Is an Echo device designed to send a user’s voice data from the device to an Amazon-controlled server?

i.       When and how frequently does the device send voice data to Amazon? 

ii.      How long does Amazon store and retain voice data?

iii.       Please explain any and all technical design elements that Amazon has created to anonymize user data collected and transmitted to Amazon-controlled servers by Echo devices, including how each of those elements is designed to protect consumers’ privacy. 

b.      Before being activated by a wake word, is an Echo device designed to be always listening for a wake word?

c.       After being activated by a wake word, how long is the Echo device designed to listen for a command to perform?

d.      Is the Echo designed to record background conversations while it listens for a command?

i.       If so, for how long? 

e.       Is the Echo designed to record speech after it has identified a command?

i.       If so, for how long?

f.        Is the Echo designed to store pre-command or command recordings, either on the device or in a remote location like the cloud?

i.       If so, for how long? 

g.      Is the Echo designed to allow the consumer to delete stored recordings?

i.       If so, please describe what steps the consumer must take to do so.

h.      Is the Alexa software designed to use artificial intelligence or machine learning to better identify and understand a consumer’s commands? 

i.       If so, does Alexa rely on a comprehensive collection of stored recordings associated with that device to do so? 

i.        After Alexa has performed a command, is the device designed to power off or deactivate its listening feature? 

i.       If so, how long after the command has been performed does the device remain powered on and activated? 

j.        Is the Alexa software able to be modified by a third-party software developer?

i.       If so, in what ways can a third-party developer currently modify the Alexa software? 

ii.      Does Amazon plan to limit a third-party developer’s ability to modify the software?

iii.       Does Amazon plan to employ a third-party developer to modify or improve certain software design choices?

iv.       What are some of the software design choices that Amazon does not intend to modify?

3.      Please describe any and all purposes for which Amazon uses, stores, and retains consumer information, including voice data, collected and transmitted by an Echo device.

4.      Please describe any and all policies Amazon follows to ensure that consumer information, including voice data, collected and transmitted by an Echo device is protected from misuse or abuse.

5.      What steps is Amazon taking to minimize the risk that consumer information, including voice data, is not misinterpreted or misused by Echo devices?

6.      What steps is Amazon taking to ensure consumer information, including voice data, is not shared without consumers’ consent?

We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

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Sen. Coons applauds bipartisan wins for Delaware in Senate Farm Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) applauded passage of the 2018 Farm Bill by the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry by a bipartisan vote of 20-1. The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

“Defending Delaware’s working families, farmers, and our environment are top priorities for me,” said Sen. Coons. “I am pleased that the leadership of the Senate Agriculture Committee worked together to craft a bipartisan package that will sustain the farm safety net, support agriculture research and education at Delaware universities, invest in our rural communities, and preserve nutrition programs like SNAP, which helps feed more than 150,000 Delawareans a month. The Farm Bill has a long history of bipartisan support, and I am glad we are continuing that tradition.”

The bill includes a provision championed by Senator Coons that will add international collaboration to the purposes of agricultural research supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This will allow researchers in the United States to collaborate more easily with their international counterparts to study emerging animal and plant diseases, improve crop varieties and animal breeds, and develop safe, efficient, and nutritious food systems.

Other highlights for Delaware include:

• Strong support for rural infrastructure, including increased funding for rural water and wastewater grants, the Circuit Rider Program, and emergency water assistance grants. These critical programs help ensure that rural communities in Delaware have clean, safe, and affordable drinking water and sewer service.
• Continued support for agricultural conservation programs such as the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). These programs offer crucial tools that help farmers in Delaware and around the U.S. protect water quality, conserve soil, enhance wildlife habitat, and protect land.
• Improvements to the Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancements Act (S. 2039) championed by Senator Coons and Senators from the Chesapeake Bay area. These changes double funding for the RCPP program and create more opportunities for farmers on Delmarva and throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed to benefit from the program, continuing a strong foundation for restoring the health of the watershed.
• Support for agricultural research, education, and extension programs at land-grant universities like the University of Delaware and Delaware State University. This includes a provision supported by Senator Coons as part of the Carryover Equity Act of 2018 (S. 2384), which would benefit Delaware State University by fixing a provision that prohibits 1890 Land-Grant Institutions from carrying over more than 20 percent of their equity from one fiscal year to the next. This measure allows Delaware State University and 18 other 1890 institutions the same financial flexibility afforded to other land-grant universities throughout the nation.
• Doubles funding for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). NAHLN is a partnership of federal, state and university-associated laboratories that helps track, diagnose, and stop large-scale animal disease outbreaks like avian influenza (AI). The University of Delaware’s Lasher Laboratory in Georgetown is a member of NAHLN, with world-renowned AI experts. Increased funding for NAHLN will help poultry farmers on Delmarva better protect their flocks from outbreaks.

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Sen. Coons secures funding for manufacturing, science priorities

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the first Delaware Senator in more than four decades to serve on the critical Appropriations Committee, secured funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, the Manufacturing USA Institutes, and scientific research in the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which passed the Senate Appropriations Committee today with bipartisan support.

Support for Commerce 

Senator Coons advocated strongly for $15 million to fund NIST’s Manufacturing USA Institutes. Last year, the consortium led by the University of Delaware received an award from the Manufacturing USA Institute known as NIIMBL to lead the country’s first manufacturing innovation institute focused on biopharmaceutical manufacturing. NIST committed to invest $70 million in this manufacturing institute over five years, and the appropriations funding maintains that commitment. The federal investment will be matched by private and other public funds, resulting in a nearly $200 million investment in the new institute.

Senator Coons also fought for $140 million for the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), the only public-private partnership dedicated to providing technical support and services to small and medium-sized manufacturers. Delaware’s MEP operates through Delaware Technical Community College in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Delaware Office of Economic Development, and the Delaware state and local Chambers of Commerce. Senator Coons leads the Manufacturing Jobs for America (MJA) campaign in the Senate to rally bipartisan support for legislation that would help manufacturers grow and create jobs.  Further, Senator Coons also pushed hard to appropriate funds for the Economic Development Administration (EDA) at $254 million, as well as EDA’s Regional Innovation Strategies Program, which was funded at $25 million.

Senator Coons believes that the $3.8 billion included in the Senate bill for the upcoming Census is money well spent.  Data collected by the decennial census is essential to drawing congressional districts and also contributes to help distribute more than $450 billion annually in federal funds to states and localities.   Moreover, hosts of programs that focus on the protection of civil liberties and economic development depend on accurate census data.  Senator Coons will continue to fight for robust census funding this year and next.   

Support for Science 

This appropriations bill supports numerous programs that Delaware’s science communities rely on to enhance local economic development and conduct their ongoing research. Senator Coons fought for strong funding for both the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), including programs like NASA Space Grant that benefit science and engineering students throughout Delaware.  Senator Coons also fought for strong funding for the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) at both NSF and NASA.  These programs ensure that research funding is relevant and available to all areas of the country.  Delaware is one of the 27 states and territories that qualify for NSF and NASA EPSCoR funding.

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Sen. Coons statement on Inspector General report

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and co-author of the bipartisan Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act, released the following statement on the Inspector General’s report on the 2016 election. 

“Over the next few days, I will be digging into the details of this lengthy Inspector General report, but as the coverage and spin of this report begins, it’s important to be clear about what this is and what this isn’t.

“This is an important accounting of actions taken by Department of Justice employees related to the investigation of Secretary Clinton’s use of a private email server, including some that appear to have been violations of longstanding DOJ policies. Equally important is the fact that the Inspector General found absolutely no evidence that the decision to conclude that investigation without prosecution was the result of bias at the FBI or DOJ.

“This is not proof of a ‘Deep State’ or evidence of a conspiracy against the President. Most importantly, this does nothing to undermine the important investigation that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is conducting into Russian interference with our election.

“I expect President Trump to continue to claim that this report somehow taints Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation, but that simply does not match the facts. The actions focused on in this report took place months before Special Counsel Mueller was even appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, whom President Trump appointed.”

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Sen. Coons secures funding for law enforcement bulletproof vests, programs to support victims of child abuse in annual appropriations bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the first Delaware Senator in more than four decades to serve on the critical Appropriations Committee, secured funding for critical law enforcement priorities, including support for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership, Children’s Advocacy Centers, Missing and Exploited Children programs, and the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program in the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which passed the Senate Appropriations Committee today with bipartisan support.

“Serving on the Appropriations Committee is an honor, but it’s also a unique opportunity that allows me to fight for funding and programs that are important to Delaware,” said Senator Coons.  “As Chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, I’m particularly proud that I was able to secure funding for important programs like the COPS program and the Bulletproof Vest Partnership that keep our men and women of law enforcement safe, and I’m very glad that we also secured funds for Children’s Advocacy Centers and Missing and Exploited Children programs that help children and families who have endured the unthinkable.”

Senator Coons fought for the $25 million appropriation to the Victims of Child Abuse Act (VOCAA) which helps funds Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) in the United States. Delaware has three CACs, one in each county. Delaware’s CACs served over 1,600 children and conducted more than 1,500 forensic interviews last year. VOCAA is supported by the National Association of Police Organizations, Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, Major County Sheriffs’ Association, the National Criminal Justice Training Center, Major Cities Chiefs’ Association, the National Children’s Alliance, the National Children’s Advocacy Center, the National Center for Victims of Crime, the Sergeants Benevolent Association of the New York City Police Department, and the National Child Protection Training Center.

Senator Coons also fought for $76 million to fund Missing and Exploited Children programs across the country and in Delaware.  A portion of this funding will be dedicated to investing in the technology needed to pace the evolving threat against children and will be used to assist law enforcement in protecting child victims of trafficking and sexual abuse.

This appropriations bill also supports numerous programs that Delaware’s law enforcement has come to rely on.  Senator Coons, co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, fought for $25 million in funding for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership. Since 1999, the BVP program has provided over $350 million in federal funds for over 1.3 million vests.

Additionally, the Senate committee supported more than $235 million dollars in funding for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).  Community policing begins with a commitment to building trust and mutual respect between police and communities. It is critical to public safety, ensuring that all stakeholders work together to address crime in our communities.  Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to help advance community policing.

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Sen. Coons secures funding for Delaware River Basin Restoration Program, UD Lewes Sea Grant College Program, other environmental priorities

Appropriations bill includes $4 million for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program, $71 million for NOAA’s Sea Grant College Program, including University of Delaware’s Lewes’ program

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the first Delaware Senator in more than four decades to serve on the critical Appropriations Committee, secured funding for environmental programs critical to Delaware in the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies and Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bills, which both passed the Senate Appropriations Committee today with bipartisan support.

“Delaware’s natural resources, including beautiful coastline, help drive our economy and make Delaware a great place to live and work, but protecting our regional environment and our coastline requires resources,” said Senator Coons.  “That’s why I’m so proud that we were able to include critical funding for programs that keep our oceans and our local ecosystems clean and safe through this annual appropriations bill.”

Support for Coastal Protection and Navigation

Senator Coons fought to protect Delaware’s greatest natural resource, our coastal and ocean resources, through strong funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This includes $80 million for Coastal Management Grants, $30 million for the new Title IX Oceans Fund, $10 million for the Marine Debris Program, and $27.5 million for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS). Senator Coons also fought for $71 million for NOAA’s Sea Grant College Program, of which University of Delaware’s Lewes campus is a member. Finally, Senator Coons fought for strong funding for NOAA’s ocean and coastal observation programs, which improve the safety and efficiency of maritime commerce and coastal resource management through the integration of real-time observations.

Support for the Environment

Senator Coons fought to secure strong federal funding for important programs at the Department of the Interior that help conserve and protect our nation’s rivers, wetlands, and other valuable natural resources. This includes $4 million for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program, $43 million for the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund (NAWCA), and $425 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Senator Coons also fought for strong funding for several Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs that provide states with the tools they need to protect and restore clean water, land, and air on the local level; including the Chesapeake Bay Program; the National Estuary Program; and grants to protect water from nonpoint source water pollution, ensure clean and safe beaches, and support clean water and drinking water infrastructure. As in past years, Delawareans will directly benefit from the many local programs these grants help support. 

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Sen. Coons cosponsors legislation to halt separation of immigrant families

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and 37 of their colleagues in cosponsoring legislation to keep immigrant families together by preventing the Department of Homeland Security from taking children from their parents at the border. 

The Keep Families Together Act was developed in consultation with child welfare experts to ensure the federal government is acting in the best interest of children. The bill is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Kids In Need of Defense (KIND), Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Children’s Law Center, Young Center for Immigrant Rights and the Women’s Refugee Commission.  

“Separating children from their parents at the border is not required by law, it is a choice that the Trump administration has made and continues to make every day,” said Senator Coons. “The administration needs to end this inhumane, ridiculous policy, and they need to end it now. This policy is not what we stand for as a country and represents a complete disregard for the human rights of these families – we are better than this.”

In addition to Senators Coons and Feinstein, the bill is cosponsored by 37 senators, including Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).

On May 7, 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that all adults who arrive at the border would be prosecuted for illegal entry, even if they attempt to seek asylum. This policy, which has never before been pursued, has resulted in parents being separated from their children.

Prosecuting individuals who are seeking asylum may also violate the United States’ obligations under international law, including the U.N. convention on refugees and its Protocol. 

At a May 24, 2018, Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Customs and Border Protection informed Senator Feinstein that 658 children were taken from 638 parents during a 14-day period in May, an average of 47 children being taken from their parents each day.

To ensure the bill protects the welfare of children, it allows children to be separated from their parents only in the event they are being trafficked or abused by their parents. To provide an additional layer of protection, the bill provides for an immediate review by a superior upon the recommendation to separate, and only after consultation with a child welfare expert.

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REMINDER: Ahead of SCOTUS ruling, Sen. Coons, Rep. Lofgren led congressional amici brief opposing Trump travel ban

“[T]he best way to protect the security of the nation, to uphold foundational American values, and to safeguard our democracy is to respect the Constitution’s fundamental protections and the laws passed by Congress.”

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) led the amici curiae brief signed by Members of Congress in support of Hawaii’s lawsuit challenging the President’s proclamation banning travel to the United States from several Muslim-majority countries.

Read the full brief here.

“President Trump’s travel ban has caused confusion and chaos across the country and around the world. Moreover, it does exactly the opposite of what it intends – it undermines, rather than enhances, our national security interests. The order threatens critical international relationships and alienates those whose cooperation is needed in the fight against violent extremism,” said Senator Coons and Representative Lofgren. “While the presidential proclamation was drafted to appear neutral with respect to religion, it is clear the intent is to target Muslims – as President Trump and his advisors have repeatedly stated they intended to do. This is a brazen violation of the Constitution’s Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses and principles of equal protection, as well as the Immigration and Nationality Act’s categorical prohibition of nationality-based discrimination.  The role of an independent judiciary in enforcing these protections is core to our democracy. The best way to protect the security of the nation, to uphold foundational American values, and to safeguard our democracy is to respect the Constitution’s fundamental protections and the laws passed by Congress. By those measures, the travel ban fails.”

As the brief states, the Members of Congress are “committed to ensuring that our immigration laws and policies both help protect the nation from foreign and domestic attacks and comport with fundamental constitutional principles, including the First Amendment.” 

The brief goes on, explaining that the proclamation “upends Congress’s carefully considered and calibrated scheme for addressing potential terrorists’ abuse of our immigration laws…substituting Congress’s tailored restrictions with a dragnet ban that denies entry to more than 150 million individuals—virtually all from Muslim-majority countries—based on their nationality alone.  This sweeping ban…guts Congress’s regulatory scheme and replaces it with the President’s own preferred policy.”

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