Senator Coons cosponsors new bill to preserve assistance for jobseekers

WASHINGTON – With 3,600 Delawareans scheduled to lose their federal unemployment insurance on December 28th and another 4,800 to follow within the next six months, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) is cosponsoring a bill to preserve vital assistance for jobseekers. The Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Extension Act of 2013 would provide relief for states and struggling families by extending federal unemployment insurance (UI) benefits through 2014.

“Americans who have lost their jobs should not be left to slip into poverty as they search for employment,” Senator Coons said. “Unemployment insurance provides jobseekers and their families with a lifeline, so they can maintain their financial stability and get back to work faster. It is unfortunate that the budget agreement reached by Senator Murray and Representative Ryan did not include an extension of UI benefits, but now Congress must act to ensure millions of Americans and thousands of Delawareans do not face unnecessary hardship. Preserving UI benefits is the right thing to do for our economy, our businesses, and our middle class, and I am glad to join my colleagues in this important effort.” Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Budget Committee and the conference committee tasked with reconciling the budgets passed by the Senate and House of Representatives.

The unemployment insurance system is a partnership between the federal government and state governments that provides a temporary weekly benefit to qualified workers who have lost their jobs and are seeking employment. The amount of that benefit is based in part on a worker’s past earnings.

Failure to preserve UI will hurt 1.3 million American families, who will be cut off at the end of the year, and nearly 1.9 million more who will be denied access to the emergency program during the first six months of next year. If Congress does not renew the law, individuals who file for unemployment next year will qualify for state benefits only, which last a maximum of 26 weeks.

The bill was introduced by U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and is also supported by Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). Similar legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Although the economy has been expanding for over four years, unemployment remains unacceptably high. A new report by the National Employment Law Project shows long-term unemployment remains higher than during any other downturn since the Great Depression, with 4.1 million job-seekers, or 36.1 percent of all the unemployed, remaining out of work for six months or more.

The Economic Policy Institute estimates that the failure to renew UI could cost our economy 310,000 jobs in 2014.

Over the years, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has found that extending UI is among the most cost-effective programs for reducing unemployment and stimulating the economy.

Last month, the non-partisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported: “the premature turn towards budget austerity since 2010 has been a drag on economic growth and job creation. Extending Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) would help offset that drag as well as reduce hardship among jobless workers and their families. In contrast, letting EUC expire would increase hardship and cost the economy jobs.”

Senator Coons and 31 of his colleagues sent a letter to Senate leadership on December 6th calling for the continuation of federal unemployment insurance through next year.

Bipartisan congressional leaders push to increase effectiveness of AGOA, landmark legislation to boost U.S.-Africa trade

WASHINGTON – Today, a group of bipartisan leaders from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, sent a letter to the U.S. Comptroller General requesting a study to examine the effectiveness of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in an effort to better increase investment, trade and job growth between African countries and the United States.

The landmark AGOA legislation, passed in 2000, provides economic opportunities to countries that show a commitment to good governance and democratic principles.

As the law comes up for renewal, the group of bipartisan leaders from key committees with jurisdiction over AGOA, wrote to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro: “Issues of primary interest to policy makers include the effectiveness of AGOA in enhancing economic development in sub-Saharan Africa, the ability of African businesses to utilize the full range of opportunities available under AGOA, and the efficacy of AGOA in increasing two-way U.S.-sub-Saharan African trade.”

The letter to Comptroller Dodaro is signed by: Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman; Rep. David Camp (R-MI), House Ways and Means Committee Chairman; Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman; Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), Senate Finance Committee Chairman; Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member; Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI), House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member; Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), Senate Foreign Relations Ranking Member; Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member; Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Chairman; Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), Subcommittee on Trade Chairman; Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), Subcommittee on African Affairs Chairman; Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness Chairman, Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Ranking Member; Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), Subcommittee on Trade Ranking Member, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Subcommittee on African Affairs Ranking Member; Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness Ranking Member.

A signed copy of the letter to Comptroller Dodaro is available HERE.

Text of the letter follows:

December 12, 2013

Mr. Gene L. Dodaro
Comptroller General of the United States
U.S. Government Accountability Office
441 G Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20548

Dear Mr. Dodaro:

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), enacted in 2000, seeks to encourage African countries to further open their economies and build free markets in hopes of achieving economic development, increasing new investments, trade and job creation throughout the continent. The original, as well as subsequent legislation, sought to promote these goals by reducing U.S. tariffs for most products exported from eligible sub-Saharan African countries, including apparel, and providing economic development assistance and aid.

Issues of primary interest to policy makers include the effectiveness of AGOA in enhancing economic development in sub-Saharan Africa, the ability of African businesses to utilize the full range of opportunities available under AGOA, and the efficacy of AGOA in increasing two-way U.S.-sub-Saharan African trade. As AGOA comes up for renewal in 2015, we request that GAO conduct a study reviewing the following issues:

1. How has AGOA contributed to economic growth and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa?

2. Have U.S. trade capacity-building programs improved sub-Saharan African countries’ economic competiveness and diversification? If so, to what extent?

3. How have AGOA and U.S. trade capacity-building programs improved regional integration within sub-Saharan Africa and integration of sub-Saharan countries into global supply chains?

4. Is a lack of infrastructure development, including in the energy sector, preventing sub-Saharan African countries from fully utilizing AGOA? If so, to what extent? Can measures under AGOA and other U.S. programs further improve infrastructure development?

5. What steps have AGOA-eligible countries taken to utilize and maximize the effectiveness of AGOA within their respective countries?

6. To what extent has the AGOA eligibility and certification process supported reform efforts and rule of law objectives in sub-Saharan African countries?

7. How have actions by Brazil, Russia, India and China (the BRICs) and the European Union (EU) in Africa, including the imposition of EU Economic Partnership Agreements and bilateral trade initiatives, such as the EU-South Africa Trade, Development, and Cooperation Agreement, affected the effectiveness of AGOA?

8. Section 116(a) of AGOA provides that “Congress declares that free trade agreements should be negotiated, where feasible, with interested countries in sub-Saharan Arica, in order to serve as the catalyst for increasing trade between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa and increasing private sector investment in sub-Saharan Africa.” Are there impediments to the participation of AGOA countries in bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations, including trade agreement negotiations with the United States and at the World Trade Organization? If so, please identify them.

9. To what extent has the AGOA Forum facilitated the achievement of AGOA’s objectives?

10. What factors have affected AGOA’s ability to increase two-way trade and investment flows between sub-Saharan Africa and the United States?

11. What changes or additions to AGOA would enhance its ability to stimulate economic growth and development and increase two-way trade and investment between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa?

Senator Coons hosts roundtable with manufacturing industry leaders

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), leader of the Senate’s Manufacturing Jobs for America campaign, led a roundtable discussion with manufacturing leaders in the Capitol Thursday focused on policies to help manufacturers grow and create jobs.

Chet Benham, the vice president and general manager of MEDAL, a subsidiary of Air Liquide Advanced Technologies in Newport, and David St. Clair, chairman of Sanosil International in New Castle, were among the participants who shared their perspectives on how best to capitalize on recent growth in America’s manufacturing sector. Participants detailed the challenges they face in growing and remaining profitable, including the shortage of skilled labor and difficulty accessing the capital they need to expand their businesses.

“Manufacturing jobs are high quality jobs that pay more in wages and benefits and contribute more to local economies than jobs in any other sector,” Senator Coons said. “With targeted policy action, we can help facilitate robust growth in the manufacturing sector that will create new jobs and accelerate our economic recovery. I am thankful to all the industry leaders who participated in today’s conversation for lending their insights to this effort.”

The roundtable discussion centered on Manufacturing Jobs for America’s four primary focus areas: opening markets abroad, investing in skills training, expanding access to capital, and creating the conditions necessary for growth.

David St. Clair, whose company, Sanosil International, manufactures widely used disinfectants, shared his enthusiasm for the Startup Innovation Credit Act. The bill, introduced by Senator Coons, would help startup manufacturers access the R&D tax credit. “I really appreciated being here today and having the opportunity to talk about how small startups could in fact use the R&D credit to pay for federal employment taxes,” St. Clair said. “It all comes down to capital, and this is a terrific idea because it would help us conserve capital at a time when most startups really need it.”

“It’s great to have a representation from Senator Coons that’s so actively engaged in building manufacturing and so in tune to the science and the technology behind the businesses in Delaware,” said Chet Benham of Air Liquide. Benham discussed his company’s need for high-skilled laborers to manufacture products like hollow fiber membranes, which contain holes small enough to separate gasses.

Manufacturing Jobs for America is a campaign by 26 senators to rally bipartisan support for legislation that would help manufacturers grow and create jobs. Together, the lawmakers have contributed 45 bills — many with bipartisan support.

Senator Coons introduces bill to save advocacy centers for victims of child abuse

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), co-chairs of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, and Senators Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) introduced bipartisan legislation Tuesday to reauthorize the Victims of Child Abuse Act (VOCAA), which provides funding for Children’s Advocacy Centers that serve child victims of violent crimes and help law enforcement hold perpetrators accountable. Though the success of these federal-state and public-private partnerships have earned them broad bipartisan support, Congressional authorization for Children’s Advocacy Centers lapsed in 2005, and most recently the President’s proposed budgets for 2013 and 2014 have zeroed out federal funding. The VOCAA Reauthorization Act of 2013 would restore funding for Children’s Advocacy Centers and strengthen oversight of this critical program.

“When a child is the victim of physical or sexual abuse, his or her life will never be the same,” Senator Coons said. “Seeking justice should be a part of the healing process – not a source of further trauma. Children’s Advocacy Centers provide a safe, supportive space for young victims and help law enforcement officers bring perpetrators to justice faster, more effectively, and at a lower cost. These facilities are a critical asset to law enforcement, to our criminal justice system, and to the children in our community who have been the victims of truly horrific crimes. I thank my colleagues for working with me to ensure they can continue to serve children in need.”

“There are 22 Child Advocacy Centers located in Missouri, which serve around 7,000 of our state’s most vulnerable children each year by coordinating the investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases,” Senator Blunt said. “This bill allows Child Advocacy Centers in Missouri and across the country to continue to provide a safe haven for child abuse victims and helps law enforcement hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.”

“The Victims of Child Abuse Act funding received by the Children’s Advocacy Center of Delaware is critically important in our efforts to ensure that our CACs and our multidisciplinary team partners are able to provide the very best response possible when presented with allegations of child abuse,” said Randall E. Williams, Executive Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Delaware, Inc. “Our child victims deserve to receive the very best services available, and VOCAA funding has allowed our CACs and multidisciplinary team partners to receive the training, technical assistance, and support necessary to employ nationally recognized “best practices” and ensure child victims are not further traumatized by the very systems designed to protect them.”

“Nothing is more important than protecting children,” said Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden. “Children’s Advocacy Centers are on the front lines in the fight against predators. This funding will make our children safer.”

Children’s Advocacy 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. In 2012 alone, more than 286,000 children were served at over 800 Children’s Advocacy Centers across the United States, with over 197,000 cases reporting sexual abuse. Their use in child abuse cases saved, on average, more than $1,000 per case in court, child protection, and investigative fees.

The VOCAA Reauthorization Act of 2013 would increase authorization levels for Children’s Advocacy Centers for the first time since the VOCAA was enacted in 1990. Acknowledging current fiscal constraints, this moderate increase, from $20 million to $22.5 million, is still below an amount that would keep pace with inflation and population growth. The reauthorization would also strengthen the programs through enhanced accountability provisions, non-profit requirements and limitations on conference expenditures.

Senator Coons has been an outspoken advocate for Delaware’s three Children’s Advocacy Centers. He visited the Wilmington Children’s Advocacy Center in October 2012 and the Dover Children’s Advocacy Center this past April. In April, he wrote a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder requesting the administration’s support for the Victims of Child Abuse Act in the fiscal year 2014 budget and, separately, led 30 of his Senate colleagues in a letter to the Appropriations Committee urging a restoration of funding for Children’s Advocacy Centers.

The following organizations have endorsed the VOCAA Reauthorization Act of 2013: National Association of Police Organizations, Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, Major County Sheriffs’ Association, National Criminal Justice Training Center, Major Cities Chiefs’ Association, National Children’s Alliance, National Children’s Advocacy Center, National Center for Victims of Crime, Sergeants Benevolent Association of the New York City Police Department, and the National Child Protection Training Center.

Senators introduce bill to save advocacy centers for victims of child abuse

“As a former prosecutor and Attorney General, I have seen firsthand the dramatic impact that Children’s Advocacy Centers have made in improving our nation’s response to these terrible crimes,” Senator Sessions said. “Since the Victims of Child Abuse Act was introduced more than two decades ago, we have seen substantial improvements in the investigation of these heinous acts and the vital care provided to child victims. Protecting our children is the highest moral duty we have. I am proud that the first Children’s Advocacy Center is in Huntsville—this amazing organization does such crucial work on behalf of our nation’s children. The Victims of Child Abuse Act plays a critical role in protecting our nation’s children and we must reauthorize it. I am grateful to Senators Coons, Hirono, and Blunt for joining in this effort.”

“While we want to give our keiki the best possible start in life, free from violence and abuse, we need to have protections for those who are victims of these terrible crimes. The Victims of Child Abuse Act helps fund Children’s Advocacy Centers where children are interviewed about abuse in a comfortable and safe setting. I recently visited one, the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawaii, and learned from staff, child welfare professionals and law enforcement how the Center supports our keiki. I am pleased to join this bipartisan effort with Senators Coons, Blunt and Sessions to restore this imperative funding for these Centers on behalf of hundreds of thousands of children throughout the nation,” said Senator Hirono.

“For nearly two decades, Children’s Advocacy Centers have existed in communities across the country – however, there remain many children who do not have access to these critical services in times of need” remarked Teresa Huizar, executive director of the National Children’s Alliance, the national association and accrediting body for Children’s Advocacy Centers. “The VOCAA Reauthorization Act of 2013 is the first step in the continued evolution and growth of the Children’s Advocacy Center model. With this ongoing support we can hope to one day not only meet the needs of every child victim of abuse, but work together on prevention efforts that will ultimately eradicate child abuse from our society.”

Statement from Senator Coons on budget conference committee agreement

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Budget Committee and the conference committee tasked with reconciling the budgets passed by the Senate and House of Representatives, issued the following statement on the agreement reached by conference committee chairs Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).

“Congress’ inability over the last few years to agree on something as fundamental as a budget has undermined its ability to effectively confront the challenges facing our nation. The agreement announced Tuesday is the product of months of negotiation and years of political obstruction, and it is a critical first step in what must be a sustained effort to restore economic certainty, create jobs, and reduce our dangerous annual deficits.

“This agreement accomplishes perhaps the most important thing it could have: temporarily curbing the destructive nature of the reckless sequester. In addition to increasing overall funding to a more responsible level while still reducing our deficit, the agreement restores our ability to prioritize investments and find savings.

“While I do not agree with everything in this agreement, compromise was the only way an agreement was even possible. It is regrettable, for example, that federal workers will see their pensions trimmed as a means of finding cost savings, and that the agreement did not include an extension of unemployment insurance, but any deal that could pass in both chambers would require both sides to accept choices with which it may not agree. Shared sacrifice was inevitable and necessary, and to pretend otherwise would be to continue an unproductive trend in our recent political history.

“It is my hope that this agreement will be the first step on a positive, productive, bipartisan path forward, and that Congress will use the momentum the deal creates to pursue a larger agreement on the broader fiscal challenges facing our nation. Congress must come together on policies that will create jobs and grow our economy, while responsibly reducing our deficits.”

Senator Coons introduces bill to fight discrimination against those with HIV/AIDS

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced legislation on Tuesday 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.

“It’s simply not fair that someone having been diagnosed with a chronic, treatable medical condition should automatically be subjected to a different set of criminal laws,” Senator Coons said. “A disturbing number of state and local criminal laws pertaining to individuals with HIV/AIDS are rooted not in science, but in outdated fear. They run counter to effective public health strategies, discourage HIV testing, and perpetuate unfair stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS – people who are our friends, family, and neighbors. Rather than recognizing that HIV/AIDS is a treatable medical condition, these laws perpetuate the idea that HIV is a deadly weapon and people with HIV/AIDS are dangerous criminals. Our laws need to catch up to our science, and this bill would take an important step in that direction.”

Thirty-two states have criminal statutes based on perceived exposure to HIV, regardless of the actual risk of transmission, and 13 states have laws that criminalize certain acts — like spitting — by people with HIV/AIDS, even though it is not possible to transmit HIV by saliva. Aside from being charged under HIV-specific criminalization statutes, people living with HIV have been charged under aggravated assault, attempted murder, and bioterrorism statutes.

“The REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act is a common-sense, no-cost measure that will help local states to save taxpayer dollars by ensuring that criminal laws relating to HIV exposure are based on the best and most recent science and knowledge about HIV, including the recent advances of effective HIV treatments,” William McColl, Political Director of AIDS United and co-chair of the Federal Working Group of the Positive Justice Project, said.

“There is little doubt that current HIV-specific criminal laws do not reflect current knowledge about the actual routes, risks and consequences of HIV transmission,” Catherine Hanssens, Executive Director of the Center for HIV Law and Policy and co-chair of the Federal Working Group of the Positive Justice Project, said. I hope we can agree that something is terribly wrong when individuals serve less time for vehicular manslaughter and rape convictions than for consensual sex while HIV positive. Our national Positive Justice Project coalition supports this opportunity to review the many HIV criminal laws that are an outdated waste of money when resources for survivors of real crimes such as sexual assault are so limited.”

U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) introduced the legislation in the House of Representatives in May. H.R. 1843 has 34 cosponsors. More than 150 HIV/AIDS, LGBT, military, public health, racial justice, religious, and women’s organizations have endorsed the legislation, including the Center for HIV Law and Policy, AIDS United, Sero Project, National Minority AIDS Council, American Civil Liberties Union, OutServe – Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Human Rights Campaign, American Academy of HIV Medicine, Black AIDS Institute, American Psychological Association, Lambda Legal, and National Council of Jewish Women.

Senator Coons urges preservation of assistance for Delaware jobseekers

WILMINGTON, Del. – With 3,600 Delawareans scheduled to lose their federal unemployment insurance at the end of the month and another 4,800 to follow within the next six months, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) is urging Congress to take action to preserve this critical support for jobseekers. In a letter sent to Senate leadership Friday, Senator Coons, Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and 30 of their colleagues called for the continuation of federal unemployment insurance through next year.

With just 23 days before federal UI benefits are set to expire, the senators wrote: “We are writing to urge the continuation of federal support for unemployment insurance, a critical component of our ongoing recovery and a lifeline to millions of Americans as they search for work in this challenging economy. As it stands now, a few days after the holiday season ends, unemployment insurance will abruptly terminate, cutting off support for 1.3 million Americans.”

The unemployment insurance system is a partnership between the federal government and state governments that provides a temporary weekly benefit to qualified workers who have lost their jobs and are seeking work. The amount of that benefit is based in part on a worker’s past earnings.

The Economic Policy Institute estimates that the failure to renew UI could cost our economy 310,000 jobs in 2014.

Over the years, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has found that extending UI is among the most cost-effective programs for reducing unemployment and stimulating the economy.

Text of the letter follows:

December 6, 2013

Dear Majority Leader Reid, Republican Leader McConnell, Chairman Baucus, and Ranking Member Hatch:

We are writing to urge the continuation of federal support for unemployment insurance, a critical component of our ongoing recovery and a lifeline to millions of Americans as they search for work in this challenging economy. As it stands now, a few days after the holiday season ends, unemployment insurance will abruptly terminate, cutting off support for 1.3 million Americans.

Despite the tremendous uncertainty caused by the brinksmanship over funding the government and near-default, the economy has had 45 straight months of private sector job growth and created a total of 8.1 million jobs over that period. However, we are still far from regaining the ground lost during the Great Recession. The national unemployment rate has hovered around and over 7 percent and 10.9 million Americans are out of work and looking for a job. Unemployed workers continue to face a daunting labor market, where for every one job opening, there are approximately 3 unemployed workers. That’s why it’s imperative that we pass legislation that will get Americans back to work and that we don’t let unemployment insurance terminate at the end of the year.

Federal support for unemployment insurance has been a major boon to millions of Americans that have been laid off through no fault of their own. Since July 2008 unemployment insurance has provided over $255 billion in direct support. Over that period of time, we have made significant reforms, like those that avert layoffs and help people find work faster. Our constituents and the economy still need the support; the Economic Policy Institute estimates that the expiration of unemployment insurance will cost the economy 310,000 jobs and slow growth by 0.2 percent over the course of next year.

Continuation of unemployment insurance has traditionally passed on a bipartisan basis because of the tremendous support it provides to the unemployed, their families, and the economy. We urge you to ensure that unemployment insurance is continued before its expiration at the end of the year.

Sincerely,

Jack Reed (D-RI)

Tom Harkin (D-IA)

Tim Kaine (D-VA)

Ed Markey (D-MA)

Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)

Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

Carl Levin (D-MI)

Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

Chris Coons (D-DE)

Mazie Hirono (D-HI)

Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

Bob Casey (D-PA)

Al Franken (D-MN)

Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

Ron Wyden (D-OR)

Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)

Brian Schatz (D-HI)

Patty Murray (D-WA)

Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)

Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

Dick Durbin (D-IL)

Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)

Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

Patrick Leahy (D-VT)

Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)

Christopher Murphy (D-CT)

Tom Udall (D-NM)

Bill Nelson (D-FL)

Cory Booker (D-NJ)

Statement from Senator Coons on passing of former South African president Nelson Mandela

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, released the following statement on the passing of former South African president Nelson Mandela:

“The world has lost a true hero. It is hard to overstate Nelson Mandela’s transformative impact on his country and the world. The lesson of his personal determination in the face of decades of imprisonment and oppression, followed by his unwavering grace and forgiveness towards his former captors is one of the great reconciliation stories in human history.

“In my work with the South African Council of Churches in the 1980’s, I saw firsthand the terrible cruelty and fundamental injustice of an apartheid system that attempted to determine the destiny of South Africans based on the color of their skin. Nelson Mandela refused to accept the destiny that was handed to him, and instead led a movement to remake South Africa into a flourishing, multiracial democracy. His integrity and personal commitment to the progress of that democracy was exemplified in his willingness to relinquish power after just one term as president of a post-liberation South Africa, which set an important standard for democratic leaders in Africa and around the world.

“Long after his presidency, he continued to inspire people seeking freedom and justice around the world. He helped forge renewed bonds between the United States and South Africa, which remains part of his enduring legacy. Today, the American people join with the South Africans in grieving the loss of this extraordinary man, and in remembering the legacy of freedom, justice and equality he leaves behind.”

Senator Coons applauds U.N. Security Council action on Central African Republic

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, welcomed the unanimous decision by the U.N. Security Council on Thursday to strengthen efforts to establish peace and civilian protection in the Central African Republic (CAR).

“For nearly a year, the people of the Central African Republic have been caught in a brutal cycle of violence between armed groups. Efforts by countries in the region to stop the violence are commendable, but have lacked essential capacity and resources. The international community has been slow to awaken to the severity of the governance and humanitarian crisis there, and I welcome the unanimous decision by the U.N. Security Council to bolster the international response to this grave and growing conflict.

“The Security Council resolution imposes an arms embargo on the CAR, creates a commission to investigate violations of human rights, and authorizes France to provide military support to the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic (MISCA). These are critically important steps to establishing sustainable peace and security, and I welcome the commitment demonstrated by our African Union and French partners.”

The Central African Republic has experienced expanding violence and lawlessness since a March 2013 coup. The violence, which is increasingly intercommunal and interreligious, has forced at least 460,000 to flee their homes, many hiding in the bush or taking refuge in dangerous conditions around churches and schools. More than a quarter of CAR’s population of 4.6 million is seriously food insecure, and a lack of security has impeded delivery of humanitarian relief.

In addition to providing authorization for MISCA and French activities, the U.N. Security Council resolution calls on the Secretary General to prepare contingency plans for possible transition to a U.N. Peacekeeping Operation. The United States recently committed to provide $40 million to support MISCA.

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