Statement of Senator Coons on Cuba’s release of Alan Gross

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Wednesday on the release of Alan Gross by the Cuban government. Mr. Gross has been imprisoned for five years after being arrested while participating in a project sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development, helping provide internet access to Cubans. Senator Coons visited Mr. Gross as part of a bipartisan Congressional Delegation to Cuba in February 2012 and has corresponded with him since. During the trip, the senators pressed Cuban President Raul Castro to release Mr. Gross.

“Alan Gross was not a spy and he was not a soldier, and he was unfairly detained for far too long,” Senator Coons said. “He was a humanitarian working to ensure Cubans could experience some of the freedoms we enjoy every day. Alan’s health deteriorated significantly during his time in prison, making his release all the more urgent and necessary.

“It was a privilege to meet with Alan in Cuba two years ago as part of a bipartisan Congressional Delegation,” Senator Coons continued. “He gave me a bracelet he’d made out of scraps of plastic with hopes that we wouldn’t forget him. We didn’t. I am grateful to President Obama, Secretary Kerry, and all those who never stopped working to win Alan’s release. “

Senator Coons again urges federal government to drop ban on blood donations from gay men

WASHINGTON – In a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell sent Monday, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and 79 of his colleagues in the Senate and House urged the federal government to replace the outdated and discriminatory lifetime ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men with a policy based on individual risk factors. Senator Coons signed a similar letter in September and another last August. 

Under current regulations, men who have sex with men (MSM) are banned from donating blood for life. AABB, the American Red Cross, America’s Blood Centers, and the American Medical Association all agree that the ban is no longer scientifically justified. Last month, the HHS Advisory Committee on Blood & Tissue Safety & Availability (ACBTSA) voted to replace the lifetime deferral policy with a one-year deferral policy, contingent on the implementation of a blood safety surveillance system, while dismissing a risk-based policy. The legislators raised concerns about this proposal, writing, “A one-year deferral policy, like a lifetime ban, is a categorical exclusion based solely on the sex of an individual’s sexual partner – not his actual risk of carrying a transfusion-transmittable infection.”

The legislators continued, “The ACBTSA’s proposed policy change would, in practice, leave that lifetime ban in place for the vast majority of MSM, even those who are healthy and low-risk. Both policies are discriminatory, and both approaches are unacceptable. Low-risk individuals who wish to donate blood and help to save lives should not be categorically excluded because of outdated stereotypes.”

The legislators also urged HHS to consider the work of implementing an infection monitoring system separately from the MSM deferral policy. The legislators wrote, “The ACBTSA’s recommendation to hinge any change in the MSM blood donation policy to the establishment of a blood safety surveillance system is an arbitrary condition that will inevitably result in further unnecessary delays. To be clear, a comprehensive surveillance system for our blood supply is a critically important initiative to protect the blood supply from Hepatitis, HIV, and emerging diseases, and is long overdue…Years of HHS inaction on this issue is problematic, but so is the fact that ACBTSA has now suddenly chosen to make such a system a precondition of revising the donation policies specific to MSM.”

The bicameral letter requests additional information from HHS regarding the timeline for reversing the lifetime deferral policy, actions being taken to work towards a risk-based deferral policy, and plans for implementing the long-overdue blood safety surveillance system.   

The letter can be downloaded here as a PDF. 

Last December, Senator Coons introduced legislation aimed at helping end the stigma, discrimination, and stereotypes that negatively impact Americans living with HIV/AIDS. The Repeal Existing Policies that Encourage and Allow Legal (“REPEAL”) HIV Discrimination Act would require an interagency review of federal and state laws that criminalize certain actions by people living with HIV. More on that is available here: http://1.usa.gov/1nlCY3h

Senator Coons’ national manufacturing strategy passes Congress, will become law

WASHINGTON – The omnibus spending bill passed by the Senate on Saturday night included a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) to create a national manufacturing strategy. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Coons fought hard for the bill’s inclusion in the omnibus. The bipartisan American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act, cosponsored by Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), would require the development of a national manufacturing strategy, boosting the traditional and high-tech manufacturers that employ nearly 12 million Americans. The bill was originally introduced in 2013 and would strengthen American manufacturing while not costing the federal government any money.

“American manufacturing has the potential to provide good jobs and drive strong growth far into the future,” said Senator Coons. “It’s time we catch up to our competitors around the globe and build a coherent, focused manufacturing strategy that can strengthen the middle class and make America the destination for 21^st century manufacturing. Our bipartisan bill will ensure the federal government does everything it can to build a foundation for manufacturing job growth in Delaware and across the country. Its passage is great news for our workers and our businesses, and I look forward to continue working hard, on a bipartisan basis, for good manufacturing job creation.”

The manufacturing industry contributes $2.1 trillion to the U.S. economy each year, and on its own, would rank as the world’s tenth largest economy. Current federal programs and incentives support conditions for growth in the industry, yet there is no overarching national strategy. The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act sets goals for a U.S. manufacturing strategy and requires the Administration to analyze every four years factors that have an impact on manufacturing competitiveness.

The omnibus spending bill also included bipartisan manufacturing legislation fought for by Senator Coons and sponsored by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) to expand a national network of manufacturing innovation institutes. The hubs, modeled on the eight that the Administration has announced thus far, will bring together businesses, universities, and local public officials to conduct research, job training, and manufacturing all under the same roof, creating jobs and driving innovation.

In passing omnibus, Congress passed pair of important manufacturing bills

WASHINGTON – The omnibus spending bill passed by the Senate on Saturday night included two bipartisan manufacturing bills that would create a national manufacturing strategy and expand a national network of manufacturing innovation institutes. U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Appropriations Committee and the leader of the Senate’s Manufacturing Jobs for America campaign, was a strong supporter and co-sponsor of both bills.

“American manufacturing has the ability to provide good jobs and drive strong growth far into the future,” said Senator Coons. “It’s time we catch up to our competitors around the globe and create the kind of national strategy and network of manufacturing innovation hubs that the most advanced economies have long boasted. The bipartisan manufacturing bills passed this weekend would take important steps to build a strong foundation for the 21^st century manufacturing economy America’s workers and businesses deserve. As these bills’ passage shows, creating good manufacturing jobs continues to be something on which both Democrats and Republicans can strongly agree. I look forward to continuing to work hard with my colleagues in both parties to strengthen American manufacturing and our middle class.”

The bipartisan American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act was also sponsored by Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.). The bill’s language was included in the omnibus package and will require the development of a national manufacturing strategy, boosting the traditional and high-tech manufacturers that employ nearly 12 million Americans. The bill was originally introduced in 2013 and would strengthen American manufacturing while not costing the federal government any money. When the President signs the omnibus into law, it will mark the eighth Manufacturing Jobs for America provision to become law.

The omnibus spending bill also included bipartisan manufacturing language fought for by Senator Coons and based on legislation sponsored by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) to expand a national network of manufacturing innovation institutes. The hubs, modeled on the eight that the Administration has announced thus far, will bring together businesses, universities, and local public officials to conduct research, job training, and manufacturing all under the same roof, creating jobs and driving innovation.

The manufacturing industry contributes $2.1 trillion to the U.S. economy each year, and on its own would rank as the world’s tenth largest economy. Current federal programs and incentives support conditions for growth in the industry, yet there is no overarching national strategy. The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act sets goals for a U.S. manufacturing strategy and requires the Administration to analyze every four years factors that have an impact on manufacturing competitiveness.

Senator Coons is the leader of the Senate’s Manufacturing Jobs for America campaign, which has brought together 26 of his Democratic Senate colleagues to introduce 34 bills to strengthen American manufacturing. More than half of the bills have bipartisan support and eight initiatives will have been enacted into law once the President signs the omnibus. The campaign focuses on four broad areas:

• Create a stronger 21^st century workforce;
• Provide critical access to capital for growing manufacturers;
• Open up markets abroad; and
• Create, for the first time, a national manufacturing strategy.

With the passage of the omnibus spending bill, the goal of creating a national manufacturing strategy will become a reality.

Senate passes appropriations bill featuring a number of Delaware priorities

WASHINGTON – The $1.1 trillion omnibus appropriations bill passed by the Senate late Saturday night included support for a number of Delaware priorities for which U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, strongly advocated. The bill now heads to the White House for President Obama’s signature.

“This appropriations bill is good for Delaware and good for the country,” Senator Coons said. “This bill invests in the growth of our economy and the strength of our communities. Not only does it directly and immediately save 500 jobs that were in jeopardy in Cigna’s Delaware office, but it supports an array of important Delaware priorities, from manufacturing and job training to public safety, agriculture, infrastructure, and public health.”

“This bill was still a true compromise,” Senator Coons said. “It contained a number of provisions that I did not support and would not have supported had they not been included in such a large and critical bill. While I do not believe they are not in our country’s best interest, neither is another government shutdown or another year with the budget on auto-pilot.”

“Chairwoman Milkulski has my respect and gratitude for ensuring this year’s appropriations process was run fairly, responsibly, and in a bipartisan way that resisted the overwhelming majority of inappropriate policy riders,” Senator Coons said. “With the change in control of the Senate, I am concerned that next year’s appropriations process will be undermined by hurtful policy riders, irresponsible cuts to important programs, and needless partisanship. I remain committed to working with my colleagues to ensure taxpayers’ money is spent wisely, and that Congress prioritizes investments that reflect America’s values and support our nation’s economic growth.”

Throughout the appropriations process, including during subcommittee negotiations, Senator Coons fought for a number of Delaware priorities. Many are highlighted below: 

• C&D Canal
  Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District needed an increase of funding to conduct deferred maintenance on the SR 1 Bridge and address the buckling of the Branch Canal Bridge. Senator Coons’ request for a funding increase to $22.4 million was fulfilled.
• Child Advocacy Centers
  These centers employ a multi-disciplinary team of trained professionals to conduct forensic interviews of children who have been victims of abuse. These interviews are designed to be admissible in court, preventing children from being re-traumatized by having to tell their stories multiple times. Senator Coons has fought relentlessly to preserve federal funding for this program, successfully fighting the Administration’s proposed 42 percent reduction and winning the full $19 million needed to sustain the program.
• Climate Change and Coastal Management
  Coastal management grants are designed to address risks of weather events, hazards and changing ocean conditions to regions and local communities, in order to protect livelihoods, economies and habitats. The bill funds the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coastal Management Grants to the full $71.1 million level requested by Senator Coons.
• Community Development Block Grants
  The Community Development Block Grant helps fund a wide range of activities, including home ownership assistance, housing rehabilitation, public improvements, public services, and economic development projects. Administered by the State Housing Authority, Delaware received more than $6.5 million in grants to help fund crucial housing and community development projects throughout the state. With Senator Coons’ support, the bill includes an increase over the Administration’s request, to $3 billion.
• Community Health Centers
  The bill includes a significant increase in funding for community health centers in Delaware and across the country, up this year to $5.1 billion.
• Domestic Violence
  For more than 25 years, the Violence Against Women Act and the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act have made substantial progress toward ending the incidence of domestic and sexual violence. Senator Coons fought for the maximum funding possible for this bill in order to stop more of this violence and intergenerational cycle of abuse, winning a slight increase in funding to $430 million.
• Food Inspection
  The bill includes $1.016 billion for the Food Safety & Inspection Service, which is $5 million more than FY14 and will fully fund meat and poultry inspectors.
• Job Training
  The bill increases funding for grants under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to $2.6 billion.
• Manufacturing
• Senator Coons’ bipartisan bill with Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) to require the President to submit to Congress an updated National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing every four years was included in this bill.
• The Manufacturing Extension partnership is the only public-private partnership dedicated to providing technical support and services to small and medium-sized manufacturers. MEP centers form a nationwide network of proven resources that enables manufacturers to compete globally, supports greater supply chain integration, and provides access to information, training, and technologies that improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability. This bill increased funding for the MEP slightly to $130 million.
• The Administration’s growing network of manufacturing ‘hubs’ will expand further because of the inclusion of the bipartisan Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act, of which Senator Coons is a cosponsor and passionate supporter. The bill would establish specialized manufacturing innovation ‘hubs’ around the country, creating thousands of high-paying, high-tech manufacturing jobs while enhancing the United States’ role as the world’s leader in advanced manufacturing. The University of Delaware is currently a finalist to host one of these hubs.
• Senator Coons advocated successfully for additional funding for the NSF’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) – a federal-state partnership that awards competitive funding to states to increase energy-related research investments. Delaware currently has an active EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program grant that funds a partnership between the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, Delaware Technical & Community College, and Wesley College. The bill boosted funding for EPSCoR by $1.7 million to $159.7 million, allowing the program to further assist higher education entities in Delaware and other EPSCoR-eligible states.
• The bill includes language proposed by Senator Coons recognizing the importance of U.S. bio-manufacturing and directing the NSF to increase support for it in its advanced manufacturing portfolio by dedicating at least $15 million to new bio-manufacturing initiatives. The NSF’s $150 million FY15 budget request for advanced manufacturing included only $2 million dedicated to life sciences overall. Senator Coons fought successfully for increased investment to advance U.S. global competitiveness in this field and to support groundbreaking bio-manufacturing research at the University of Delaware.
• Port of Wilmington
  The deepening of the Delaware River is critical to the long-term viability of the Port of Wilmington. After successfully urging the Administration to request the full final $35 million needed for the next stage of the project, Senator Coons’ request of the Committee to fully fund the project was fulfilled.
• Recidivism
  Senator Coons successfully advocated for a $250,000 increase in funding to for the Second Chance Act, which invests in cost-saving strategies that improve public safety and reduce recidivism. The Second Chance program supports effective reentry initiatives like substance abuse treatment for offenders and court diversion programs, which allow offenders charged with minor crimes to keep their records clean after successfully completing community transition programs. In Delaware, these grants enhance the state’s successful Individual Assessment, Discharge and Planning Team, or I-ADAPT program, by increasing the number of assessments and treatment groups available to sex offenders, and helping more offenders participate and track their progress through the program. The bill funds the Second Chance Program at $68 million.
• Sea Grant College Program
  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program supports aquatic animal health monitoring and research. The University of Delaware has been a Sea Grant college since 1976. Senator Coons opposed the administration’s decreased request — an elimination of education and fellowship activities within the program — and funding was kept at its FY14 levels, $62.8 million.
• Veterans Care
• The Delaware Veterans Home is the only facility in the state for the long-term care of veterans, relying heavily on grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs for renovations and building improvements. With Senator Coons’ support, funding for this nationwide grants program was increased from the Administration’s request to $90 million.
• The bill also includes a rare ‘advance appropriation’ for veterans medical services, guaranteeing funding of at least $58.7 billion in FY16, regardless of whether Congress passes a traditional appropriations measure next year.

Senate passes bipartisan fix to the Affordable Care Act to save jobs in Delaware

WASHINGTON – The Senate voted Saturday night to approve the omnibus spending package, which included bipartisan legislation written by Congressman John Carney (D-Del.) and Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) to improve the Affordable Care Act, help protect jobs in Delaware, and ensure access to quality health insurance coverage for expatriates working in the U.S. and abroad.  The legislation – also led by Rep. David Nunes (R-Calif.) in the House and Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Penn.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in the Senate – clarifies how the Affordable Care Act applies to expatriate health insurance plans, ensuring that U.S. based expatriate insurance carriers can compete on a level playing field with their foreign competitors and that American jobs stay here in America. In February 2014, Cigna implemented a hiring freeze at its Delaware facility and has warned of potential layoffs should this legislation not be signed into law. Cigna employs 500 people in Delaware who write the plans affected by this legislation. The Delaware delegation has been working for the past three and a half years to ensure these jobs are protected. 

“For more than three years, Congressman Carney and Senator Coons have been my steadfast and tireless partners as we worked together to improve the Affordable Care Act and its treatment of expatriate health insurance plans,” Sen. Carper said. “Earlier this week, Congressman Carney led us to a tremendous victory in the House of Representatives and, today, we pushed this important fix across the finish line in the Senate. This bill ensures that American insurance carriers can compete on a level playing field with their foreign competitors and will likely save hundreds of American jobs in Delaware and even more across the country. I was proud to author a number of key provisions in the health care reform law; however I’ve long said it is not written in stone, and it’s not perfect, so we should work together to make improvements where they are needed. That’s exactly what we’ve done with this common-sense fix for expatriate insurance plans. I’m hopeful that the bipartisan, bicameral cooperation displayed in successfully passing this legislation serves as a blueprint for members of Congress to work together on other common sense legislation moving forward‎.”

“The Affordable Care Act has already done a tremendous amount of good for a lot of Delawareans, but it isn’t perfect and it needs to be repaired,” Senator Coons said. “As we discover mistakes that need to be fixed and opportunities to make it work better for even more Americans, it is Congress’ responsibility to act. An error written into the law pertaining to specialized insurance plans for Americans who work abroad threatened the viability of American-issued expatriate health plans in the global market and jeopardized the jobs of the more than 500 Delawareans who service those plans. Our legislation levels the playing field for these American companies and their foreign competitors, ensuring Cigna will keep these jobs in Delaware. It has taken more than three years of relentless work by Congressman Carney, Senator Carper, Governor Markell, and me, who have met hundreds of times and worked to develop legislation to narrowly and responsibly fix the problem. It was because of the bipartisan, bicameral support that we methodically built for this bill that the leadership of both parties in both chambers agreed to include this measure in the omnibus spending bill that the Senate passed tonight. This is an important victory for our state and I am proud to have been able to help.” 

Cigna employees in Delaware sell, write, manage and service expatriate health insurance plans, which offer robust coverage to people working outside their home country, giving them access to a global network of health care providers. Individuals on the plan could be foreign employees working here in America, Americans working abroad, or, for instance, a German working in France. Expatriates can be NGO and foreign aid workers, pilots, cruise ship workers, and contractors sent to support our troops on deployment around the globe. 

Inadvertently, the Affordable Care Act was written in a way that subjects U.S. expatriate health insurance plans to all the provisions of the health care reform law, which placed a unique burden on these types of plans, given that their foreign competitors are not subjected to the same requirements. Several U.S. health insurance companies — Cigna, MetLife, Aetna, and United Health – compete with foreign insurers to offer expatriate health insurance plans to globally mobile workforce. Since foreign insurers are not required to comply with the Affordable Care Act, they often had an unfair advantage over Cigna and other U.S. health insurers.  This bill helps to remove this unfair advantage for foreign insurers and to ensure that U.S. and foreign expatriate health insurers can compete on a level playing field.  

Congress passes Coons-Pitts bill to widen protected area of White Clay Creek

WASHINGTON – The Senate on Friday passed legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.-16) to add approximately nine miles of White Clay Creek and its tributaries to the existing Wild and Scenic Rivers designation for the waterway. The measure was passed by the House of Representatives last week and now heads to President Obama for his signature. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.), as well as Rep. John Carney (D-Del.-AL), are cosponsors of the White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic River Expansion Act, which comes at no cost to taxpayers.

“White Clay Creek is a gem that shines brightly in Delaware’s diverse ecosystem, and we have worked tirelessly to protect its beauty for future generations,” Senator Coons said. “When I was a child growing up in New Castle, I used to spend considerable time in the White Clay Creek watershed, and I know what a great outdoor experience is for children and families. I thank my colleagues in the House and Senate for coming together in a bipartisan way to pass this piece of legislation to conserve our shared waterways and wildlife.”

“I’ve worked for many years to protect the White Clay Creek and its tributaries and I’m glad to see this bill on its way to becoming law,” Rep. Pitts said. “I’d also like to thank Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) for working in the Senate to push the bill forward. The creek runs through both our states and is an important part of our shared natural heritage.”

At no cost to federal taxpayers, this bill will expand the original designation to include approximately 9 miles of two small stream sections that were omitted from the original Wild and Scenic Rivers designation, including a 1.6-mile stretch of Lamborn Run in Delaware that was originally omitted due to its consideration as an option for a dam to supply drinking water for northern Delaware. It has since been removed from consideration and New Castle County is supportive of the addition of the section to the designation. The bill also includes a 7.4-mile stretch of stream in Pennsylvania’s New Garden Township that was originally omitted due to its consideration for a dam. That consideration has since been withdrawn and the Township is now supportive of the designation.

“This important piece of legislation will help safeguard one of Delaware’s great outdoor treasures,” Senator Carper said. “Through preserving nine miles of additional segments and tributaries, this bill helps ensure that Delawareans will continue to enjoy White Clay Creek’s natural, cultural and recreational benefits for generations to come.”

“Protecting the White Clay Creek watershed will not only help protect a vital source of drinking water for thousands of Pennsylvanians, but will also preserve historical and wildlife resources,” Senator Casey said.  “This bill will further ensure hikers, fishermen and families recreating in the watershed have a pristine environment to enjoy for years to come.”

“The White Clay Creek Watershed is more than just a source of drinking water: it contributes to ecosystem and community vitality, improving our quality of life,” Representative Carney said. “Long ago, New Castle County affirmed the value of this natural resource and resolved to cooperatively manage it with our friends in Pennsylvania. Extending the federal Wild and Scenic River designation will strengthen these collaborative efforts to help preserve the watershed for generations to come.”   

“The White Clay Expansion Bill would add approximately nine miles of river segments to the already existing 190 miles protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers designation, with no associated federal cost,” Shane Morgan, the management plan coordinator for the White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic Program said. “It is a win-win for both the environment, as it provides more comprehensive protection for the watershed; and its residents, who treasure this scenic valley for it’s recreational and natural resources, and rely on it for clean drinking water.”

“This legislation completes the task of ensuring watershed-wide protection to the White Clay Creek and its tributaries,” Kevin Donnelly, the district coordinator for the New Castle County Conservation District, said. “The passage of this important legislation will provide real benefits to the nearly 100,000 people who live within the White Clay Creek Watershed by protecting the local drinking water supply for tens of thousands of people and countless businesses who live and work in the City of Newark and New Castle County; safeguarding important habitat for fish and wildlife species while preserving treasured historic sites and scenic vistas throughout the 69,000 acre watershed; and boosting the local economy by attracting visitors to the watershed and providing jobs for the employees of companies whose businesses depend on the health and vitality of a free flowing and high quality White Clay Creek.” 

In 2000, Congress designated a large majority of White Clay Creek and its tributaries as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Then-Senator Joe Biden (D-Del.) was the lead sponsor for the Senate bill and Representative Mike Castle (R-Del.-AL) was the lead sponsor for the House version. This marked the first time a whole watershed, rather than individual river segments, had been designated into the system. A 2009 proposal to expand the designation was led by former Senator Ted Kaufman (D-Del.) in the Senate and Representative Pitts in the House. It passed the Senate in 2011 in 2013, but failed to clear the House of Representatives until last week. 

The 69,000-acre White Clay Creek watershed is home to 33 species of mammals, 21 species of fish, 27 species of reptiles and amphibians, and over 90 species of birds. White Clay Creek is also stocked with brown and rainbow trout and is an important resource for fishermen. Protected land in the watershed provides recreational opportunities for hikers, bikers, birders, hunters, and others. White Clay Creek and the Cockeysville aquifer that lies beneath portions of the watershed are important sources of drinking water for over 128,000 citizens in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

The bill is supported by the White Clay Creek Watershed Management Committee, which is comprised of 40 local, state, and federal agency representatives, as well as organizations and businesses. Among its members is the National Park Service, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, New Castle County Department of Land Use, London Britain Township, United Water Delaware, White Clay Outfitters, the Brandywine Conservancy, the Delaware Ornithological Society, Stroud Water Research Center, Chester County Planning Division, and SE Regional Office Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources.

Senator Coons to join Ethics, Small Business committees in new Congress

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) will join the Select Committee on Ethics and the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee when the 114th Congress begins next month. He will retain his current seats on the Appropriations, Judiciary, and Foreign Relations Committees.

Senator Coons, who earned a master’s degree in ethics from Yale Divinity School, will be one of only six members of the Select Committee on Ethics, whose composition is equally divided between Republicans and Democrats. The Committee is authorized to receive and investigate allegations of improper conduct, violations of law, and violations of Senate rules; recommend disciplinary action; recommend additional Senate rules or regulations to ensure proper standards of conduct; and report violations of law to the proper federal and state authorities.

“I am humbled by this demonstration that my colleagues have confidence in my ability to contribute to the hard work of ensuring that senators and their staff conduct themselves ethically and appropriately,” Senator Coons said Friday. “It is an honor and a responsibility to help protect and defend the integrity of the Senate as an institution.”

The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee works on an array of issues facing America’s small businesses, including access to capital, innovation and research, taxes, trade, health care, and support for entrepreneurs.

“Joining this committee is an exciting opportunity to continue to advocate for Delaware’s small businesses and the vibrancy of American entrepreneurship,” Senator Coons said. “While I am disappointed that I will no longer serve on the Senate Budget Committee, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn the intricacies of the federal budget process. I remain committed to the principles of fiscal responsibility and the smart, strategic investment of federal resources, and will continue to work with my colleagues to reduce our nation’s dangerous annual deficits and debt.”

Committee approves AUMF with Senator Coons’ legislation insisting war be paid for

WASHINGTON – The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved an authorization of the use of military force (AUMF) against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on Thursday that included language authored by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) to ensure that the war is paid for. The amendment says that, “any funds made available for activities authorized by this joint resolution should be fully offset through reduced spending, increased revenue, or both.”

“Paying for our war against ISIL is not just fiscally but also I think, morally responsible,” Senator Coons said at Thursday’s markup. “It is not right to expect the men and women of our armed forces and their families, our veterans, to bear the full cost of war and have no discussion about how we will either raise the revenue or reduce the spending that will achieve an offset of those costs… I am grateful to the Chairman for including in the manager’s amendment a provision that calls on the Administration not just to present a military strategy but a fiscal strategy, so that those of our constituents who question what is our path forward, can have a full and informed insight into the strategy, the costs, the scope, and the duration of this. As we try to work together to achieve a broadly supported, bipartisan AUMF in this debate and in the debates to come, it is my hope we will also keep right in front of us how we will pay for that war.”

Every war from the War of 1812 to the first Gulf War was paid for through revenue increases or reduced spending.

The language included in the authorization was taken from an amendment Sen. Coons filed on December 10. The original amendment is available as a PDF here: http://www.coons.senate.gov/download/pay-for-amendment-to-aumf 

A video of Thursday’s hearing is available here: http://1.usa.gov/12zdHLL

Senator Coons applauds new investments in manufacturing innovation and American workers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), leader of the Senate’s Manufacturing Jobs for America campaign, today praised the Administration’s new investments in manufacturing innovation and workforce training. This morning, President Obama announced competitions to build two new manufacturing innovation institutes, or hubs, that will be run through the Departments of Defense and Energy and focus on “flexible hybrid electronics” and innovations in smart, energy efficient manufacturing, respectively. The President also announced a new competition that will spur the creation and reform of apprenticeship programs across the country.

“America’s economic success and competitiveness will depend on our ability to innovate and train our workers for the jobs of today and tomorrow,” Senator Coons said. “Manufacturing is the most innovative industry in our economy and more than ever, Americans need opportunities for on-the-job training. By building two manufacturing innovation hubs and spurring new partnerships and reforms to apprenticeship programs across the country, President Obama is making a valuable investment in our nation’s future. These are critical steps for the country, and I’m eager to continue working hard with the President and my Senate colleagues in the new year to strengthen American manufacturing and invest in our workforce.”

The two new manufacturing innovation institutes will bring the total number of new hubs announced by the Administration to eight. Earlier this year, the President announced hubs in Detroit and Chicago. The new institutes will combine $70 million or more in federal investment with complete matches in private sector funds, bringing the total amount of new investment to $290 million. In the Senate, Senator Coons is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act of 2013, which would support the creation of more institutes as part of a national network for manufacturing innovation.

The new American Apprenticeships Grants competition will use $100 million or more of H-1B funds to award approximately 25 grants to partnerships between employers, labor organizations, training providers, community colleges, local and state governments, the workforce system, non-profits, and faith-based organizations. These partnerships will:

• Launch apprenticeship models in new, high-growth fields;
• Align apprenticeships to pathways for further learning and career advancement; and
• Scale apprenticeship models that work.

Apprenticeships are a proven training strategy for workers to learn the skills that employers need and are a path to the middle class – 87 percent of apprentices are employed after completing their programs and the average starting wage for apprenticeship graduates is over $50,000. In the Senate, Senator Coons recently introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) called the Manufacturing Skills Act, which would spur reforms to job training programs in states and municipalities across the country.

Senator Coons is the leader of the Senate’s Manufacturing Jobs for America campaign, which has brought together 26 of his Democratic Senate colleagues to introduce 34 bills to strengthen American manufacturing. More than half of the bills have bipartisan support and seven initiatives have already been enacted into law. The campaign focuses on four broad areas:

• Create a stronger 21st century workforce;
• Provide critical access to capital for growing manufacturers;
• Open up markets abroad; and
• Create, for the first time, a national manufacturing strategy.