[VIDEO] Sen. Coons on Fox News Sunday: “If you’re watching, Mr. President, saying that you would sign the bill is the single boldest thing you could do to shut up critics who say there’s a risk that you might fire Robert Mueller.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace to discuss the Trump administration’s strategy for North Korea, the Iran Nuclear Deal, and his legislation to protect Special Counsel Mueller.  

“As the Majority Leader, he continues to say it would be disastrous for the President to interfere with the investigation, but I have confidence he won’t. I don’t know what the confidence is based on. The bill would be a responsible small measure to preempt some constitutional crisis.  Frankly, I will say to the President: If you’re watching, Mr. President, saying that you would sign the bill is the single boldest thing you could do to shut up critics who say there’s a risk that you might fire Robert Mueller,” said Senator Coons.

“This is a terrific opportunity for President Trump who made his reputation as a builder to build on the Iran Nuclear Deal and to deal with as you just said the areas that were not fully resolved through Iran Nuclear Deal, the ballistic missile program, their support for terrorism in the region, their terrible human rights record. The Iranian regime is a dangerous, threatening regime and if President Trump can successfully lead an effort with our European allies to rein in or end the ballistic missile program, to change the outcome of the current Iranian deal so that there isn’t a sunset clause, I think these would be positive things that I would support,” said Senator Coons. 

Full video and audio are available here.  

Excerpts from the interview below:

Sen. Coons on North Korea: We have been three times before, as you know, under previous administrations of both parties. Kim Jong un, his father, his grandfather, the regime that rules North Korea has done two steps forward and one step back strategy where they make progress on nuclear weapon’s program and then agree to come to the table and negotiate denuclearization which doesn’t come through. I will give President Trump credit for having helped create this opening through the sanction’s regime he helped put together in place and I was encouraged by what I heard from Ambassador Bolton, a determination to not lighten up on North Korea until there are verifiable and irreversible changes to nuclear weapon’s program, there’s going to be a lot of hard work ahead, a summit isn’t a strategy, but having an upcoming summit with an opening where the supreme leader of North Korea has already made a number of encouraging offers, I think is a terrific opportunity.  

Sen. Coons on Bolton’s remarks: My hunch is we are going to have to take several confidence-building steps on both sides, but for us to back off the sanctions against North Korea without a process in place for verifiable and irreversible change to the nuclear weapons program would be a mistake.  

More on North Korea: It’s not something that I would embrace but I think there’s a lot of players that need to be included and consulted, the South Korean government, the Japanese government, these are countries that are vital allies of ours in the region that have been directly threatened by Kim Jong un as well as the United States. But to be clear one of the things Kim Jong un has been saying recently, I’ve developed this nuclear weapon’s capability to defend my country, my regime from an aggressive United States. I do think we can and should repeat our commitment to not seek regime change as long as they are also making positive steps toward signing an end to the Korean conflict, restoring relations with South Korea and making progress and negotiations with the United States. 

Sen. Coons on Iran: Well, I think this is a terrific opportunity for President Trump who made his reputation as a builder to build on the Iran Nuclear Deal and to deal with as you just said the areas that were not fully resolved through Iran Nuclear Deal, the ballistic missile program, their support for terrorism in the region, their terrible human rights record. The Iranian regime is a dangerous threatening regime and if President Trump can successfully lead an effort with European allies to rein in or end the ballistic missile program, to change the outcome of the current Iranian deal so that there isn’t a sunset clause, I think these would be positive things that I would support.  

More on the Iran Deal: I think making it clear to Iran that it continues to be our position that we will not allow them to develop nuclear weapons is completely appropriate. Iran has threatened both our vital ally Israel and our European allies and the United States as has Kim Jong un of North Korea and drawing a clear line that we will not tolerate a nuclear capable Iran I think is completely appropriate, but it’s my hope that the President will pursue wiser path of continuing to go get the advantages we are currently getting out of the Iran Nuclear Deal. Don’t take my word for it. His own Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis, has said the same, the Republican Chairman of Foreign Relations has said this same even those who oppose the Iran Deal today see we get more benefits by staying in it than tearing it up.  

More on foreign policy: If it works I will be the first to cheer on the President because frankly although we are political opponents we have different values and we come at politics and services at different ways, I want the United States to succeed, so if President Trump’s strategy succeeds with North Korea, succeeds with Iran, that’s in our country’s best interest. 

Sen. Coons on his Special Counsel legislation: Well, I think it’s necessary because President Trump himself keeps tweeting or saying things that suggest he hasn’t fully given up the idea of possibly firing Robert Mueller.  He called in to “Fox & Friends” just last Thursday, issued a whole series of tweets saying that it is a witch hunt, attack on him and democracy, it shouldn’t be allowed to go on.  So as long as he’s making these threatening statements and as long as it’s not clear why the Republican leadership in both the House and Senate who say Robert Mueller should be left alone, should be unmolested and able to complete his investigation, they say they have confidence that President Trump won’t fire Robert Mueller, I have no confidence.  And obviously my colleagues both Republican and Democrat on the Judiciary Committee looked at this bill, which is an ounce of prevention, as my mom used to say, well worth a pound of cure, they looked at it and said this is a modest but reasonable step to make it just a little bit harder for the President to abruptly and without cause fire Robert Mueller.  This would be in the best interest of the country and of the President frankly.  

Sen. Coons on McConnell: Well, folks said this bill would never get a hearing, it got a hearing; it would never get a mark-up, it got a mark-up; they said it would never get through the Judiciary Committee, it got through by a bipartisan 14-7 vote.  As long as President Trump continues to say and do things that I’m sure his attorneys prefer he didn’t, to threaten to take action against the Department of Justice or Robert Mueller, I think the pressure to bring this to the floor will build.  If it were put on the floor this coming week, I think we would get 60 votes for it, so frankly it’s my hope that the majority leader would change his mind.  

More on McConnell: As the Majority Leader, he continues to say it would be disastrous for the President to interfere with the investigation, but I have confidence he won’t. I don’t know what the confidence is based on. The bill would be a responsible small measure to preempt some constitutional crisis.  Frankly, I will say to the President: If you’re watching, Mr. President, saying that you would sign the bill is the single boldest thing you could do to shut up critics who say there’s a risk that you might fire Robert Mueller.  

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Senator Coons introduces bipartisan legislation to maintain critical support for local law enforcement

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del), co-founder of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, along with Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced the COPS Reauthorization Act to maintain critical support for local law enforcement. The bipartisan legislation would reauthorize the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program through fiscal year 2023. The COPS program awards grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies throughout the United States so they can hire new officers and provide needed training and technical assistance to community leaders and local law enforcement at all levels.

“The COPS program helps keep our communities safe by creating partnerships among all levels of law enforcement and strengthening our local police departments. In the past two years alone, this program has supported the hiring of twenty-one new officers in Delaware communities like Cheswold, Delmar, Laurel, Ocean View, Smyrna, and Wilmington. This is the type of program that makes a real difference in our communities, and I am proud to support it,” Senator Coons said.

The legislation is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, Sergeants Benevolent Association, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Major County Sheriffs Association, Major Cities Chiefs Association and National Sheriffs Association.

Bipartisan group of Senators urge President Trump to sustain U.S. force presence in Syria

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) are urging President Trump to sustain a U.S. force presence in Syria and work with Congress to formulate a comprehensive strategy to prevent the reemergence of ISIS, reduce the presence of Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia in the Levant, and facilitate a diplomatic resolution to the Syrian conflict. In the letter, the Senators warned that removing U.S. forces from Syria would result in a strategic reversal for the United States and our allies and would lead to greater humanitarian strife. Senator Coons and Senator Graham traveled to the Middle East in February to assess security threats emanating from Syria and their impact on U.S. interests, allies, and partners.

“We fear that hastily removing U.S. forces from Syria would result in a strategic reversal for the United States and our allies and also lead to even greater humanitarian strife,” the Senators wrote.  “While U.S.-led forces regained most of the territory previously held by ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the threat posed by extremists in the region persists.  Our presence remains critical to prevent the return of ISIS and ensure stability in eastern Syria.”

The full letter is available here and is copied below.

April 27, 2018

The Honorable Donald Trump

President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500 

Dear Mr. President: 

Since the murderous Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad first attacked peaceful protesters in March 2011, more than 500,000 people have died and more than 11 million have been forced from their homes.  These actions generated a humanitarian disaster and created a power vacuum filled by terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS.  Through the actions of the U.S.-led international coalition, consisting of more than 75 partners, and the critical efforts of allies on the ground, including the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), we have nearly eradicated ISIS from the battlefield.  Yet we fear that hastily removing U.S. forces from Syria would result in a strategic reversal for the United States and our allies and also lead to even greater humanitarian strife. 

While U.S.-led forces regained most of the territory previously held by ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the threat posed by extremists in the region persists.  Our presence remains critical to prevent the return of ISIS and ensure stability in eastern Syria.  The SDF and local police forces do not have the capability to permanently hold and rebuild reclaimed territory on their own.

While the SDF has proven to be an effective fighting force, the Turkish military campaign against the Syrian Kurds has drawn SDF away from the anti-ISIS campaign.  The continued presence of U.S. forces is vital to prevent Turkey from continuing its efforts against the Syrian Kurds and further disrupting international efforts to defeat ISIS.  Furthermore, the void created by our absence would produce the conditions that would allow ISIS, or a similar terrorist group, to return to eastern Syria.  Additionally, it would leave a strategic vacuum to be filled by Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia.  This development would allow Moscow to expand its influence in the Middle East and would also permit Iran and Hezbollah free reign to menace our ally, Israel, enhance their sway in Iraq, and threaten longstanding U.S. partners such as Jordan.

It is for these reasons that we are very concerned with recent rhetoric concerning the swift withdrawal of United States forces from Syria. Simply, ending the U.S. presence in Syria while ISIS is on the verge of defeat would threaten U.S. interests and regional security.  We respectfully ask you to sustain the U.S. force presence in Syria and work with Congress to formulate a comprehensive strategy to prevent the reemergence of ISIS, reduce the presence of Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia in the Levant, and facilitate a diplomatic resolution to the Syrian conflict.

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ICYMI: Sen. Coons, Sec. Scuse pen editorial on setting smart trade policies for Delaware farmers, America

WILMINGTON, DE  – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), and Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse recently wrote a co-editorial for the Delmarva Farmer, “Setting smart trade policies for Delaware farmers, America.” The article was published online earlier today.

Setting smart trade policies for Delaware farmers, America

by U.S. Senator Chris Coons and Michael T. Scuse, Delaware Secretary of Agriculture

After President Trump announced plans to levy tariffs, which basically serve as a large tax, on a quarter of all Chinese products, China responded that it would, in turn, impose penalties on American food and agricultural products that are exported to China, including several that are produced in Delaware. While we agree with President Trump that we need to stop China’s unfair trade practices, and we are encouraged that he wants to take action, we are concerned that applying these specific tariffs will hurt Delaware farmers and all American consumers who rely on their products.

Thankfully, we’ve so far been able to avoid further threats of escalation, but we have to be very careful in the weeks and months ahead to ensure that we don’t find ourselves in an all-out trade war that would ultimately benefit no one. Instead, we should direct our efforts toward clear policy solutions that benefit everyone involved, especially American workers, manufacturers, and growers.

Specifically, a trade war with our largest agricultural customer, China, has the potential to cause a great deal of damage to the agricultural sector here in the United States. For example, American soybean producers rely on China for more than half of their total foreign sales. In 2016 alone, China purchased $14 billion in American soybeans, so proposed Chinese tariffs would be a real problem for our farmers, who, even if they sell the soybeans here in the U.S., rely on a strong export market to maintain prices. In fact, last year, Delaware was one of nine states to break a record high yield for the soybean harvest, so these tariffs couldn’t come at a worse time.

But it’s not just soybean farmers. The entire agricultural economy would suffer from back-and-forth hostile trade actions between the United States and China. Family farmers who produce corn, grain, and livestock would be negatively impacted, and if the situation escalates, potential Chinese tariffs on aluminum and steel would also hurt the agricultural community by raising prices of farming equipment like trucks, machinery, and irrigation systems.

The same goes for the dairy industry, already dealing with all-time low prices for dry whey, milk, hard cheese, butter, and dry milk products, and the poultry industry, which is on the cusp of finally gaining access to Chinese markets.  Those industries have enough issues to deal with without contending with a hostile China.

The bottom line is simple: at a time when family farmers’ profits are razor thin, we simply cannot afford to risk an escalating trade war with China. 

Our trade relationship with China, though, isn’t the only one we need to manage carefully.  After China, Canada, and Mexico are our second and third largest agricultural trading partners, respectively, and both are extremely important to the American poultry, fruit, and vegetable industries.

The mid-Atlantic region has particularly close trade relationships with Canada and Mexico – the Port of Wilmington is the largest gateway for fresh fruit and juice concentrates, and the fruits and vegetables that Delaware family farms produce, including sweet corn and watermelon, ship as far north as Canada – and our region deserves access to open markets in those countries through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). So, as the President and Administration officials look at ways to improve NAFTA, we need to be sure that we don’t make changes that will harm farmers here in the mid-Atlantic. 

Delaware is part of a vibrant regional agricultural community that has a significant impact on our economy. Last week’s annual Delmarva Poultry Industry dinner brought over 1,000 people together to honor both partners in the community and outstanding growers, and served as a reminder of the dedication our farmers have to feeding the world starting at home.

We owe it to our family farmers in Delaware and farmers throughout the country to set smart, responsible trade policies that foster economic growth with our agricultural trade partners. Trade wars, on the other hand, are bad for the global market, and worse for the local farmer. We can do better.

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Judiciary Committee passes bipartisan bill to protect Special Counsel, co-authored by Sen. Coons

WASHINGTON – Today, with strong bipartisan support, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act, a bipartisan bill co-authored by U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), supported by a vote of 14-7. The bill can now be considered by the full Senate. The legislation now includes an amendment drafted by Judiciary Committee Chairman, Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa.), that each of the bill’s co-authors supported.

“I’m inspired by the Judiciary Committee’s bipartisan vote of 14-7 to adopt and refer to the whole Senate my bill with Senators Tillis, Graham, and Booker to protect the Special Counsel,” said Senator Coons. “We worked well with Chairman Grassley and Ranking Member Feinstein to refine and improve the bill and make today’s vote possible.” 

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[VIDEO] Sen. Coons presses AG Sessions on Michael Cohen, gun violence in Wilmington

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today questioned U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on recent reports that he will not recuse himself from the federal investigation into the President’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, as well as efforts to curb gun violence in Wilmington.

“As you know, Attorney General, my home community of Wilmington has faced some significant levels of gun violence, something that the department has worked on in the past, and I’ve tried to find ways that the federal government can help local law enforcement to confront this challenge. I’m working with Senator Toomey, we’ve had crafted a bill called the NICS Denial Act, which recognizes someone a convicted felon, adjudicated and determined mentally ill, convicted of domestic violence, goes into a gun shop and fills out the background check form and says yes, I can buy a gun and they are denied. That’s information that would be helpful for local law enforcement to know,” said Senator Coons. 

Full video and audio are available here.

Senator Coons’ Q&A is below:

Sen. Coons: Thank you, Chairman Moran, and welcome to your new position here at CJS. I look forward to working with you and Ranking Member Shaheen. Mr. Attorney General, welcome. I enjoyed working with Senator Graham and think that the CLOUD Act was an important step forward. I have three questions to ask, if I might. I think I’m the last man standing to work through them. I’ll do my best. First, as you know, Attorney General, my home community of Wilmington has faced some significant levels of gun violence, something that the department has worked on in the past, and I’ve tried to find ways that the federal government can help local law enforcement to confront this challenge. I’m working with Senator Toomey, we’ve had crafted a bill called the NICS Denial Act, which recognizes someone a convicted felon, adjudicated and determined mentally ill, convicted of domestic violence, goes into a gun shop and fills out the background check form and says yes, I can buy a gun and they are denied. That’s information that would be helpful for local law enforcement to know. Would you agree that’s helpful for state and local law enforcement? 

Sessions: Yes, it would be. 

Sen. Coons: There were 120,000 NICS denials in 2016. State of Pennsylvania, state of Virginia. They run it — the state police run it so they know when there’s a NICS denial and they have prosecuted hundreds of people. My home state, about 30 others, it’s run independently of state law enforcement. All this bill would do is to require notification to state law enforcement when there is a denial of a NICS application. Do you think that would be a constructive step forward in terms of empowering state and local law enforcement to take timely action where a person prohibited is trying to get access to a weapon? 

Sessions: I would be pleased to review that. I’m aware that you were offering something of that nature, but I haven’t studied it. I think it’s got potential and would be pleased to do so. We also are directing our United States attorneys to prosecute more aggressively people who lie to get a gun, and some of those are caught — well, most of them are NICS denials of basically people who have lied. 

Sen. Coons: We call it the lie and try offenses. 

Sessions: Yes, we call it the lie and try. 

Sen. Coons: The other thing I wanted to ask about is the high intensity drug trafficking program under ONDCP. I worked hard to make sure New Castle Delaware County, our northern most county, was included in the Camden/Philadelphia area and I understand that you’re looking to focus on enforcement activities but not gating addiction. The program and other ONDCP programs have balanced with community enforcement efforts to fight addiction. Why reinvent the wheel when ONDCP has been always providing that activity? 

Sessions: This has been an area of discussion for years. We’ve been asked to make the government more effective. The HIDTA investigative teams that are funded through the grant program have been a part of the ONDCP, the Office of Drug Control Policy. It was set up as a policy entity, and a little bit like the National Security Council that says we’re spending all this money. Let’s make sure that the departments are doing it in a right a coordinated way so we think that ONDCP needs to focus back on that and that the actual management in the field of task forces that prosecute and investigate drug use is better coordinated with the DEA, but the HIDTA officials, the people of the local communities that serve on the HIDTA boards would be retained. The grant money would simply be managed by the DEA, and I think it would create a closer working relationship. 

Sen. Coons: I look forward to looking into that further. We may disagree on how to enact it. Let me close with a few questions about the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Southern Investigation District and the investigation of Michael Cohen. If I understand your exchange with Senator Leahy. I want to make sure you understand. If you discover any connection between this investigation of Mr. Cohen and the allegations of Russian interference or anything related to the 2016 election. Would you recuse yourself? 

Sessions: Yes. 

Sen. Coons: Thank you. Have you discussed that investigation into Mr. Cohen with anyone outside of DOJ including the president? 

Sessions: I don’t think in any significant — well, I’ll just say this. The communications I might have to anyone in the White House I believe are the kind of communications that should not be revealed. I believe I have the right and responsibility to maintain confidence in those so I’m just not able to go down that road. 

Sen. Coons: So in exerting executive privilege, they are asserting executive privilege there I’ll move forward. Last question. Has the president or anyone in the administration discussed with you the possibility of President Trump pardoning Michael Cohen? 

Sessions: I am not able to reveal the contents of any communications I might have with the president of the United States or his top staff. 

Sen. Coons: Given the previous conversation you had with Senator Van Hollen, it’s my hope that if President Trump proceeded to pardon Michael Cohen in violation of long-standing policy and did not consult with a pardon attorney, did not consult with DOJ, that you would express strong objection to that and would consider resigning if that step were taken. Hopefully, it will not come to that. Thank you for the chance to question you today and thank you for your service, Mr. Attorney General. 

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Ahead of World IP Day, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL officials discuss the importance of trademarks at Sports Industry Briefing

WASHINGTON – Ahead of World IP Day, experts from the four major U.S. professional sports leagues and college sports team licensing discussed the value of trademarks and the hazards of counterfeit sports industry goods. U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), co-chair of the Congressional Trademark Caucus, delivered remarks during the event.

“Trademarks bring tremendous value to the economy, serving the important role of signifying authenticity which incentivizes businesses to create quality goods and services. This is clear in the sports industry, where league names are household names, associated with the joy and excitement of our country’s great sports teams.  That’s also why we must promote greater awareness of the harms caused by counterfeit goods—they undermine a trademark’s promise of quality, hurting businesses and customers alike.  I’m pleased that, today, we were able to have experts from the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and IMG College Licensing speak on this important topic and how it affects their industry, and I would also like to thank the International Trademark Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for helping to organize this event,” said Senator Coons.

“The International Trademark Association (INTA) is grateful for the opportunity to work with the leadership of the Congressional Trademark Caucus to elevate the importance of trademark, brand, and consumer protection issues across all industries, including the sports industry, which are severely impacted by pervasive counterfeiting,” said Etienne Sanz de Acedo, INTA’s Chief Executive Officer. 

“Intellectual property protections help drive innovation in the sports industry to the benefit of fans, athletes, and businesses alike. Intellectual property is behind the best business strategies, the latest sports science technology, and the most cutting-edge fan entertainment experiences. This World IP Day, GIPC is proud to celebrate IP-driven innovation in sport – and in America’s 81 diverse IP-intensive industry sectors – alongside the Congressional Trademark Caucus and America’s leading sports professionals. The sports industry is a vital piece of the global economy and we look forward to seeing it grow even stronger,” said David Hirschmann, president and CEO, Global Innovation Policy Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

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Sen. Coons ranked one of the most bipartisan Senators

WILMINGTON, DE  –U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) was scored the 15th most bipartisan member of the Senate in the newly released Senate Bipartisan Index from Former Senator Richard Lugar’s Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University.

“Delawareans didn’t send me to Washington to fight partisan battles, they sent me to get things done by working with both Democrats and Republicans,” said Sen. Coons. “When I come to Washington each day, my focus is on finding solutions to help improve the lives of Delawareans and Americans all over the country. That’s it, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”

View the entire Senate Bipartisan Index here.

The Lugar Center, under the leadership of former United States Senator Richard G. Lugar, is a platform for an informed debate on global issues. The Center has become a prominent voice on issues that framed much of Senator Lugar’s career – nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, global food security, foreign assistance effectiveness and global development, energy security, and enhancing bipartisan governance. The Center brings together expert sources and sponsors research to improve the quality of debate and bridge ideological divides around these important issues.

The Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Washington, D.C. Its affiliations with a number of prominent universities provide it with access to cutting edge research and analysis. The Center maintains a staff of senior policy experts who lead and coordinate collaborative engagement in the policy communities that form the basis of the Center’s work. The Center advocates for evidence-based approaches and policy options to build a more stable and prosperous world.

Senate French Caucus co-chairs, Sens. Boozman and Coons, welcome President Macron to the United States

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), co-chairs of the Senate French Caucus, released the following statement welcoming Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, to the United States. 

“As the co-chairs of the Senate French Caucus, we welcome President Emmanuel Macron to the United States.  For more than 200 years, the United States and France have maintained close, enduring relations, and the Senate French Caucus plays an important role in promoting strong ties between our two nations.

“Both France and the United States are symbols of freedom of speech, freedom of thought, and the broader concepts of liberty and democracy.  We believe President Macron’s visit is a unique opportunity to build upon and reaffirm our commitment to these values and also strengthen the rules-based international order our countries forged in the ashes of the Second World War. 

“France is America’s oldest ally—from the days of Franklin, Jefferson, L’Enfant, and Lafayette—and we remain committed to working with the people of France and President Macron to ensure our collective security and prosperity now and in the future.

“We look forward to welcoming President Macron to the Capitol to address a joint meeting of Congress Wednesday morning.”

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Senator Coons’ statement on today’s vote in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee