Senator Coons releases nine new Correspondence from the Commute videos

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released a new installment of his “Correspondence from the Commute” video series on Friday, responding to Delawareans who’ve written to him on a variety of issues, including conflicts in Iraq and Syria, workforce training, and the Highway Trust Fund. Senator Coons recorded nine new personalized video messages in early July on an Amtrak train from Wilmington to Washington. This is the eleventh installment of the video series since its launch in February 2011.

“Listening and responding to the concerns of Delawareans is my most important job as a U.S. Senator,” Senator Coons said. “Each week, my office receives thousands of calls and letters from Delawareans sharing their thoughts about the issues that matter to them. The ideas and opinions of Delawareans play an important role in every decision I make here in the Senate, and I’m deeply grateful for their engagement. I hope Delawareans will continue to contact me so we can keep up this thoughtful and productive exchange.”

Videos released today include replies to:

• Allyce from Wilmington on the International Violence Against Women Act http://bit.ly/1rFlQIP

• Ken from New Castle on U.S. involvement in Iraq and Syria conflicts http://bit.ly/1rRqj8U

• George from Millsboro on wait times at VA medical centers http://bit.ly/1Ag13hi

• Edward from Wilmington on workforce training http://bit.ly/1Ag17xI

• Kevin from Rehoboth Beach on Buy American preferences http://bit.ly/1nBN9R2

• Michael from Delaware City on fixing the Affordable Care Act http://bit.ly/1kf7uN0

• Charles from Wilmington on campaign finance reform  http://bit.ly/1jZlFFI

• Susan from Hockessin on the EPA’s Clean Power Plan http://bit.ly/1mMQWGJ

• John from Wilmington on fixing the Highway Trust Fund http://bit.ly/WH9yTx

You can watch the full playlist here:  http://bit.ly/1s3mwmH

Delawareans are encouraged to express their opinions and submit questions for Senator Coons online at http://www.coons.senate.gov/contact/ or via mail to 127A Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510.

Senator Coons introduces bipartisan bill to boost wetlands conservation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) has introduced bipartisan legislation to update the price of the Federal Duck Stamp for the first time since 1991. Proceeds from the duck stamp are used to finance wetlands conservation efforts, but inflation over the last two decades has diminished the program’s purchasing power. The Federal Duck Stamp Act of 2014 will update the duck stamp so it can continue supporting habitat conservation and outdoor recreation across the country.

“As part of the Atlantic flyway, Delaware’s wetlands support the migration of thousands of waterfowl every year,” Senator Coons said. “Proceeds from the Federal Duck Stamp have played a vital role in conserving our wildlife habitat, but the cost of the stamp has not kept pace with rising land prices. The Federal Duck Stamp Act of 2014 will restore the duck stamp’s value by updating its price for the first time in more than two decades. This bill is good news for Delaware’s passionate community of sportsmen and all who enjoy our state’s vibrant natural resources.”

The Federal Duck Stamp Act of 2014 would increase the price of the duck stamp to $25 from the current level of $15, a move long-supported by the sportsmen’s community. The legislation also requires any additional revenue from the price increase to be used for conservation easements, ensuring that habitat will be protected without a substantial increase in federal land ownership.

“As a Senior Vice President and Chairman of the Conservation Programs Committee for Ducks Unlimited, I have seen the great work accomplished by the Federal Duck Stamp from conservation easements in the prairies protecting important breeding habitat, to enhancing national wildlife refuges here in Delaware, and elsewhere for wildlife and people,” said Bill D’Alonzo of Greenville, Delaware, a member of the Ducks Unlimited national board of directors. “This is a model for good government where the user pays and the user and public benefits. Thanks to Senator Coons for his leadership in this worthwhile effort.”

Established in 1934, the duck stamp program has raised more than $800 million and preserved more than six million acres of wetlands for waterfowl conservation. Ninety-eight cents out of every dollar generated by the sale of Federal Duck Stamps goes directly to purchase or lease wetland habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Delaware’s two national wildlife refuges — Bombay Hook in Kent County and Prime Hook in Sussex County — draw a combined 200,000 visitors annually that contribute to their local economies.

The bipartisan legislation is cosponsored by Senators David Vitter (R-La.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Jon Tester (D-Mont.).  A House version of this legislation has been introduced by Rep. John Fleming (R-La.).

Senator Coons praises White House report on improving workforce training

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), who leads the Manufacturing Jobs for America campaign in the Senate, praised a new White House report released on Tuesday detailing strategies for improving federal workforce training programs. The report, compiled by Vice President Biden, outlines new actions the Administration will take to strengthen program coordination and accountability, expand investment in apprenticeships and effective on-the-job training, and enable federal agencies to pilot promising new training models.

“Effective job-training programs give Americans the skills they need to get the good-paying jobs they want,” Senator Coons said. “The passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ­– signed into law by the President today – marks an important step forward to modernize our workforce training programs, but it should not be the end of our efforts. The strategies outlined in this new report will focus investment on the most effective training models available and promote innovation to better serve workers. This effort will help more employers fill open positions and more Americans realize their full potential.”

Click here to learn more and read the report: http://www.whitehouse.gov/ready-to-work

Led by Senator Coons, more than 25 senators have contributed more than 30 bills to the Senate’s Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative. Roughly one-third of these bills are focused on skills training, and provisions from five of the bills were enacted as part of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. More here: http://1.usa.gov/1pB80m5

President Obama signs bill that includes five Manufacturing Jobs for America provisions

WASHINGTON – President Obama signed bipartisan legislation Tuesday that includes five innovative skills-training provisions from the Senate’s Manufacturing Jobs for America campaign. U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), who leads Manufacturing Jobs for America, joined the President and Vice President at the White House for the bill signing. The bipartisan, bicameral Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) will reauthorize, streamline, and improve the nation’s workforce training programs for the first time since 1998. The legislation passed the House and Senate with nearly unanimous approval.

“To keep America competitive, we have to make sure our workers have access to effective and relevant job-training,” Senator Coons said. “The most in-demand skills vary by region and industry, and training programs need to reflect those diverse and evolving needs. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act will better align workforce training programs with local demand and ensure workers have the skills manufacturers are looking for. The bipartisan action taken in both chambers to pass this important bill is proof that Congress can still come together to get things done for the middle class. I hope we can deliver more innovative manufacturing bills to the President’s desk in the coming months.”

WIOA modernizes and strengthens workforce training programs by creating smaller, more strategic state and local workforce development boards and allowing them to tailor programs to meet local needs. The bill also eliminates 15 ineffective or underutilized programs to ensure resources are focused on the most effective initiatives. 

“To maintain our place in the world, we need to keep the world’s most skilled workforce right here in America,” Vice President Biden said. “In order to thrive, their education and training has to be just as dynamic and adaptable as our economy.”

“This is not a win for Democrats or Republicans,” President Obama said. “It’s a win for American workers. It’s a win for the middle class. And it’s a win for those fighting to get into the middle class.”

“The bill I’m about to sign will give communities more certainty to invest in job-training programs for the long-run,” the President said. 

Led by Senator Coons, more than 25 senators have contributed more than 30 bills to the Senate’s Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative. Roughly one-third of these bills are focused on skills training. Provisions from five of the bills were included in WIOA. They are detailed below:

Adult Education and Economic Growth Act (S. 1400)

Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)

WIOA includes key portions of S.1400, which seeks to increase investment in adult education, expand access to technology and digital literacy skills for adult learners, require better coordination and integration of adult education with state workforce development systems and postsecondary education, and strengthen English and civics education for new Americans.

America Works Act (S. 453)

Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)

WIOA includes provisions from S. 453, which seeks to prioritize federal funding for job training programs that offer portable, national and industry-recognized credentials. This reform would promote job-training programs that match the skills of workers with the needs of local employers, thereby training individuals for the jobs that are available in their communities right now.

On-the-Job Training Act (S. 1227)

Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)

WIOA includes aspects of S. 1227, to significantly expand opportunities for on-the-job-training. WIOA requires state workforce investment boards to disseminate information identifying on-the-job-training opportunities and boosts incentives for employers to participate in on-the-job-training programs.

SECTORS Act (S. 1226) 

Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)

WIOA includes provisions from S.1226 to require state and local Workforce Investment Boards to establish sector-based partnerships between employers, educators, and local workforce administrators to train workers for the most in-demand 21st century jobs.

Community College to Career Fund (S. 1269)

Al Franken (D-Minn.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)

WIOA includes aspects of S.1269 to create partnerships between businesses and schools that facilitate effective job training.

Seven Manufacturing Jobs for America proposals have become law since the initiative’s launch in October 2013. In addition to the five provisions included in WIOA, two provisions – to clarify conflicting guidance for small businesses under federal contracts and make the valuable R&D tax credit more accessible to small businesses – have been enacted. An additional five bills have passed the Senate Finance and Commerce committees and are awaiting consideration by the full Senate.

Statement of Senator Coons on President Obama’s ban on LGBT discrimination by federal contractors

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a cosponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, issued the following statement Monday on President Obama’s issuance of an executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating against employees over their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“Protecting Americans from discrimination is one of our shared values and ought to be part of our laws. Millions of Americans still go to work every day without protection from being summarily fired because of who they are or whom they love. In 29 states, it is still legal to fire someone just because he or she is gay, lesbian, or bisexual. In 32 states, you can be fired for being transgender. President Obama’s executive order is an important step in the right direction, ensuring additional civil rights for employees of government contractors. An executive order is not, however, a substitute for the House of Representatives taking up and passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would make it illegal in the United States to fire an employee simply because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. It’s been eight months since the Senate passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and it is long-since time for the House to act.”

The Senate passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act with bipartisan support, 64-34, in November. More: http://1.usa.gov/1p8NivR

In March, Senator Coons joined more than 175 senators and members of Congress on a letter urging President Obama to issue this executive order. More: http://1.usa.gov/UFSsEw

Senator Coons participates in roundtable on voting rights protections

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) participated in a roundtable discussion with civil rights leaders in the Capitol on Wednesday focused on improving access to the ballot box and restoring critical Voting Rights Act protections struck down by the Supreme Court last year. Jane Hovington, President of the NAACP of Lower Sussex County, joined the senators to discuss the ongoing need for voter protections and voter empowerment in Delaware. 

“I think it’s important for all of us to be reminded how, in some ways embittering it is that on the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, there are jurisdictions all over the country  – not just at the state level, but at the county and municipal level – taking intentional legislative action to deny people the right to vote,” Senator Coons said. “Whether it’s because of racial discrimination or linguistic discrimination, whether it’s to win elections or simply to marginalize folks who don’t have the means to fight back, these recent restrictions are a striking reminder that this is a battle that’s far from over.” 

Senator Coons introduced legislation in January with Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil Rights Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to modernize the Voting Rights Act and restore critical protections stripped by the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder. The legislation — supported by a range of civil rights groups — would make states and jurisdictions that have committed voting rights violations in the last 15 years eligible for federal preclearance in order to protect citizens from discriminatory voting measures. States and jurisdictions that have had a clean record over the last 15 years would not be subject to preclearance. Read more here: http://1.usa.gov/19xy6TZ

At Wednesday’s meeting, Senator Coons and Lower Sussex County NAACP President Jane Hovington joined Democratic senators and civil rights leaders in calling for a bipartisan effort to move the bill forward.

“I’m proud to be an original cosponsor of the Voting Rights Amendment Act but I am deeply frustrated by the lack of engagement from my Republican colleagues in the Senate on this issue,” Senator Coons said. “The Republican Party played a historic role in the civil rights movement and yet they have completely walked away from efforts to address discriminatory voting measures that still exist today.”

Senator Coons has also introduced legislation to make voting faster and more accessible to all voters, following widespread difficulties reported in more than a dozen states during the 2012 election. The Fair, Accurate, Secure and Timely (FAST) Voting Act would create a competitive grant program to encourage states to aggressively pursue election reform. Read more about the bill here: http://1.usa.gov/1nKd2yh

Senator Coons votes to restore protections for women’s health

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) voted Wednesday to advance legislation he cosponsored to restore the contraceptive coverage requirement guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act. The bill was introduced in response to the Supreme Court’s decision last month in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, which declared that a closely held corporation may choose to deny its female employees insurance coverage for contraception that its owners find religiously objectionable.

The Protect Women’s Health from Corporate Interference Act would restore the original legal requirement guaranteeing women access to contraceptive coverage through their employment-based insurance plans. The bill would also protect coverage of other critical health services – such as vaccines, blood transfusions, and HIV treatment – from employer interference. The legislation was blocked Wednesday by a Republican filibuster.

“A woman’s decisions about birth control should be made in a doctor’s office, not a boardroom,” Senator Coons said. “Contraceptive care is a basic preventative health service that should be accessible to any woman who needs it, regardless of her employer. That a corporation should be able to deny its female employees basic health care on religious grounds is, frankly, absurd, and sets a dangerous precedent that could impact a wide array of health services.” 

“The Supreme Court’s ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby fundamentally discriminates against women – particularly those who lack the financial means to pay for contraceptive care out of pocket,” the Senator continued. “This bill would have restored the critical protections for women’s health stripped away by the Supreme Court, and prevented corporations from interfering with their employees’ personal health choices. I’m deeply disappointed that my Republican colleagues have chosen the religious views of a small minority of business owners over the rights of millions of women to affordable, comprehensive health care. Religious freedom should not be a tool for discrimination in our society.”

The Protect Women’s Health from Corporate Interference Act was introduced by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.) last week. The bill prevents employers from interfering in their employees’ decisions about contraception and other health services by:

• Banning for-profit employers from refusing to cover any health service – including contraceptive care – guaranteed to their employees and dependents under federal law.
• Barring future statutory challenges to employees’ access to health care, including under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

The bill leaves intact the existing exemption for houses of worship and the accommodation for religious non-profits. The full text of the legislation is available here: http://1.usa.gov/1mOCymP

Senator Coons helps introduce bill to close corporate tax loophole and bring jobs home

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), leader of the Senate’s Manufacturing Jobs for America campaign, joined Senators John Walsh (D-Mont.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) this week to introduce the Bring Jobs Home Act, legislation to close a tax loophole for corporations that ship jobs overseas and extend tax credits to companies that return jobs to America. The bill would support domestic manufacturing by defraying the costs associated with onshoring production and moving jobs back to the United States.

“If there’s anything Democrats and Republicans should be able to agree on, it’s that Congress should not be rewarding American companies for shipping jobs overseas,” Senator Coons said. “Unfortunately, our current tax code allows businesses to deduct the cost of moving expenses when they export jobs abroad. There are better ways to invest American tax dollars, and we should be using them to support our growing manufacturing sector and help companies create good jobs here at home. Passing the Bring Jobs Home Act and closing this loophole is just common-sense, and it’s one of many important ways Congress can and should be fighting for high-quality manufacturing jobs in America.”

The Bring Jobs Home Act would end a tax deduction for companies that outsource jobs and business activity. Companies that bring jobs and business activity home will be eligible for a tax credit equal to 20 percent of the cost associated with the relocation. 

In addition to Senators Coons, Walsh, Stabenow, and Pryor, the bill’s cosponsors include: Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Al Franken (D-MN), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), John Rockefeller (D-WV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Udall (D-CO), Tom Udall (D-NM), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

Senator Coons applauds Delaware participants in National Gay Blood Drive

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a passionate supporter of LGBT equality, praised the dozens of Delawareans who participated in the National Gay Blood Drive in Wilmington and Dover on Friday. Because the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has banned gay and bisexual men from donating blood since 1983, the National Gay Blood Drive was organized to give them a chance to bring qualifying heterosexual individuals to make a blood donation instead. Last year, the American Medical Association voted in support of ending the ban.

“The ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men is a relic of an era when testing for HIV wasn’t reliable or practical,” Senator Coons said. “It was built on a fear that, decades later, simply reinforces an unfair and unjust stigma against gay and bisexual men. Our laws need to catch up to our science. Rather than broadly discriminating against men based on whom they love, the FDA should instead be requiring screenings on an individual basis. Today’s blood drive made an important point that I hope is heard not only by the FDA, but by folks more broadly. Discriminatory laws and rules based on outdated fears should have no place in this country. I will continue to urge the FDA to lift this needless, discriminatory ban.”

Wilmington and Dover were among more than 60 cities participating in Friday’s second-annual National Gay Blood Drive. 

In 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 was one of 18 senators to write to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who oversees the Food & Drug Administration, last August urging that the ban be dropped. That letter is available here: http://1.usa.gov/1qrLw7N

Senator Coons cosponsors bill to restore protections for women’s health lost in Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) has cosponsored legislation to restore the contraceptive coverage requirement guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act. The Protect Women’s Health from Corporate Interference Act protects contraceptive coverage, as well as coverage of other health services, from employers attempting to impose their personal beliefs on employees by denying health benefits. The bill was introduced by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.) on Wednesday in response to the Supreme Court’s decision late last month in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby. That decision declared that a closely held corporation may deny its female employees insurance coverage for contraception that its owners find religiously objectionable.

“A woman’s choice in birth control should be between her and her doctor, and the religious beliefs of the woman’s boss should have no role in it,” Senator Coons said. “The Supreme Court’s decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby fundamentally discriminates against women, particularly those who lack the financial means to pay for contraceptive care out of pocket. A woman’s boss should not be allowed to decide which forms of birth control and other health services she can access. This bill would restore the basic protections for women’s health taken away by the Supreme Court and ensure that decisions about a woman’s health care options will be made in a doctor’s office, not in a boardroom.” Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The Protect Women’s Health from Corporate Interference Act will restore the original legal requirement guaranteeing women access to contraceptive coverage through their employment-based insurance plans. The bill will also protect coverage of other critical health services – such as vaccines, blood transfusions, and HIV treatment – from employer interference. 

“With this bill, Congress can begin to fix the damage done by the Supreme Court’s decision to allow for-profit corporations to deny their employees birth control coverage. The Supreme Court last week opened the door to a wide range of discrimination and denial of services. This bill would help close the door for denying contraception before more corporations can walk through it,” Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Cecile Richards said. “As the nation’s leading advocate for women’s reproductive health care, Planned Parenthood Action Fund is committed to making sure women can get the no-copay birth control benefit that we and others fought so hard to pass and protect. No woman should lose access to birth control because her boss doesn’t approve of it.” 

“Last week, we heard a collective gasp across the country as Americans everywhere tried to make sense of five male Justices on the Supreme Court deciding that our bosses could have control over our birth control in the Hobby Lobby decision,” NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue said. “Today, we hear those gasps turn to cheers as we see champions in Congress move to right this wrong. Ninety-nine percent of American women use some form of birth control in our lifetimes, and all medical experts agree that these remedies should be included in comprehensive healthcare. Anything less than this amounts to discrimination against women in the workplace. If there’s one thing we can agree upon more than the idea that politicians aren’t equipped to decide for us how and when and with whom we have families, it’s that our bosses are even less so. This bill is the first step in making sure those personal healthcare decision stay where they belong — in the hands of the women whose lives are affected.”

“This critical legislation will protect women’s health care services guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act and safeguard their rights,” National Women’s Law Center Co-President Marcia D. Greenberger said. “Women have worked for and earned the right to have their health needs covered—just as men do.  This legislation makes it unmistakably clear that businesses, in the name of religion, can neither discriminate against their female employees nor impose their religious beliefs on them.  Bosses should stick to what they know best—the board room and the bottom line—and stay out of the bedroom and exam room.”

The Protect Women’s Health from Corporate Interference Act prevents employers from interfering in their employees’ decisions about contraception and other health services by:

• Banning employers from refusing to cover any health coverage – including contraceptive coverage – guaranteed to their employees and dependents under federal law.
• Stating that all federal laws do not permit employers to refuse to comply with the ACA requirement, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
• Including the exemption from the contraceptive coverage requirement for houses of worship and the accommodation for religious non-profits.

The full text of the legislation is available here: http://1.usa.gov/1mOCymP