NEWARK, Del. – Seven hundred fifty job seekers came out for the final job fair of the year hosted by U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper, and U.S. Representative John Carney in New Castle County. The fair brought more than 50 private and public entities to the Embassy Suites in Newark to meet candidates for over 600 open positions.
The New Castle County job fair was organized with the help of Brandywine Counseling and Career Services, and service and government employment agencies were also on hand to facilitate job-search skills workshops, career counseling, and resume reviews.
In 2013, the Delaware delegation hosted seven job fairs for more than 3,500 job seekers. Since 2011, the delegation has hosted 17 jobs fairs in Delaware, including four specifically for veterans.
WASHINGTON – In an effort to help millions of Americans who are struggling with their energy bills as winter approaches, a bipartisan group of 40 U.S. Senators, led by Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) and including U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), is calling on the Obama Administration to release federal heating aid funds.
The senators sent a bipartisan letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Thursday urging her to release Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds as quickly and at as high a level as possible.
“LIHEAP is the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, providing critical assistance during the cold winter and hot summer months,” the senators wrote. “This funding has been an indispensable lifeline during challenging economic times, helping to ensure that recipients do not have to choose between paying their energy bills and paying for other necessities like food or medicine. On average low-income families and seniors spend a higher proportion of their income on energy, and for many states, October marks the start of the heating season, creating an additional constraint on these household budgets.”
“As the relevant state agencies begin to provide assistance for this winter, it is critical that they have the resources to assist low-income households and seniors as soon as possible. Therefore, we request that you quickly release LIHEAP funds and at as high of a level as possible in order to allow states and low-income households to prepare for the upcoming season.”
Recently, the U.S. Energy Information Administration released their Winter Fuels Outlook report, which projects that household expenditures for natural gas, propane, and electric heating will be higher this winter. Home heating oil prices are expected to be modestly lower. The report also noted that the Northeast is expected to be 3 percent colder than the previous winter.
Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources.
As state agencies prepare their Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) programs for the winter, we respectfully request that the Department of Health and Human Services release LIHEAP funds as quickly and at as high of a level as possible under the current continuing resolution.
LIHEAP is the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, providing critical assistance during the cold winter and hot summer months. This funding has been an indispensable lifeline during challenging economic times, helping to ensure that recipients do not have to choose between paying their energy bills and paying for other necessities like food or medicine. On average low-income families and seniors spend a higher proportion of their income on energy, and for many states, October marks the start of the heating season, creating an additional constraint on these household budgets.
As the relevant state agencies begin to provide assistance for this winter, it is critical that they have the resources to assist low-income households and seniors as soon as possible. Therefore, we request that you quickly release LIHEAP funds and at as high of a level as possible in order to allow states and low-income households to prepare for the upcoming season.
We look forward to continuing to work with you on this critical program, and thank you for your attention to our concerns and those of our constituents.
WASHINGTON – Senator Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) introduced the bipartisan Skills Gap Strategy Act on Wednesday to help employers identify, train, and hire workers with the skills to fill existing job openings across the country. There are an estimated 600,000 unfilled middle-skilled and high-skilled manufacturing jobs in the U.S. due to a shortage of skilled workers. The bill is cosponsored by Senator Dean Heller (R-Nev.).
The legislation is one of 40 bills included in Manufacturing Jobs for America, a campaign by 22 senators to rally bipartisan support for legislation that would help manufacturers grow and create jobs.
“If we want to put Americans to work, we need to make sure they are equipped with the skills that today’s employers demand,” Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.)said. “Too many positions remain unfilled because companies cannot find workers with the skills to do the job. We’ve got to invest, in partnership with the private sector, in a skilled 21st century workforce, and this bipartisan billwould do just that. I commend Senators Donnelly and Heller for their work on the Skills Gap Strategy Act, and look forward to working with them to advance this bill in the Senate.” Senator Coons leads the Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative.
“In order for every Hoosier who wants a job to have a job and for Indiana’s economy to continue to grow, we must train Hoosiers for the jobs that are available,” Senator Donnelly said. “I’m proud to introduce this bill alongside Senator Heller that would examine how we can better use existing resources to prioritize training and education programs and prepare our workforce to hit the ground running on day one.”
The Skills Gap Strategy Act would direct the Secretary of Labor to develop a strategy to help close the “skills gap” by increasing on-the-job training and apprenticeship opportunities. It would encourage the Department of Labor to develop plans in consultation with the Departments of Commerce and Education to increase employer participation in education and workforce training. Recognizing current budgetary constraints, the bill asks the Department of Labor to focus on solutions that utilize existing resources, programs, and personnel. Closing the skills gap must be an employer-driven effort, but the federal government can help.
Many middle-skilled and high-skilled jobs are being left unfilled because employers say they struggle to find workers with the skills needed. The Department of Labor estimates that there are 3.9 million job openings in the U.S., despite a national unemployment rate of 7.2% and millions of Americans looking for work.
Other senators contributing policy to the Manufacturing Jobs for America campaign include Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.).
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, today applauded the committee’s passage of legislation he cosponsored to protect the rights of crime victims and help reduce backlogs in the collection and processing of DNA casework by law enforcement, particularly in sexual assault cases.
“Due process for all is a fundamental guarantee at the heart of our nation’s judicial system,” Senator Coons said. “Since 2004, the Justice for All Act has enhanced due process rights by expanding access to timely DNA evidence in criminal proceedings and strengthening protections for crime victims. We must continue working to improve the delivery of justice in our courtrooms by reauthorizing programs that reign in backlogs of DNA evidence and help to keep our communities safe. I thank my colleagues for their support of this important bill, and look forward to its consideration by the full Senate.”
The final version of the bill that was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday:
Enhances victims’ rights under the federal criminal code by ensuring that all victims have access to current information concerning all rights (including availability of free rape exams) and to the Office of Victims’ Rights Ombudsman in the Department of Justice.
Requires the Director of the National Institute of Justice to establish best practices for evidence retention and to assist state, local, and tribal governments in adopting and implementing such practices.
Authorizes appropriations for the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program, the Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grant Program, the Kirk Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing Grant Program, and crime victims legal assistance grants. To acknowledge current fiscal realities, the legislation reduces authorizations by over 20 percent when compared to the 2004 Act.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is the sponsor of the Justice for All Reauthorization Act, which he first championed in 2004.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) told members of the budget conference committee on Wednesday that economic growth should be the committee’s top priority, and urged the committee to replace the sequester with more responsible spending decisions.
“Economic growth has to be our North Star,” Senator Coons told the conferees, reminding them that every 1 percent of increase in our nation’s GDP creates about 1 million new jobs. “The national unemployment rate, as several senators and congressmen have said, is far too high; we’ve got 32,000 unemployed in Delaware and more than 11 million nationwide, and we’ve got record rates of poverty and of income inequality that are serious challenges.”
“My hope is that as we work together in this conference committee, we will find ways to end the disagreements and differences that have recently shut the government and instead focus on the things that we all agree we want to do together, which are to grow the economy, create good jobs, and reduce our deficits,” Senator Coons said. “I will agree, though, that we can’t simply grow our way out of our problems – we do have to address the drivers of our debt and deficits. We have to continue to reduce our deficits, which we have cut in half over the last four years. If we don’t, interest expense is a very real threat for crowding out both public and private investment in education, in R&D, and in infrastructure.”
Senator Coons is one of 29 members of the conference committee appointed by leaders of the House and Senate to reconcile the two chambers’ respective budgets. If the conference committee is able to negotiate and approve a budget by December 13, the House and Senate appropriations committees will attempt to move forward on a spending bill for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2014.
Senator Coons is a member of both the Senate Budget Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The next meeting of the full conference committee will be on November 13, but members are expected to meet in smaller groups to make progress before then.
His full statement at Wednesday’s meeting is below:
Thank you Chairman Ryan. I would like to thank Chairman Ryan and Chairman Murray for convening this budget committee conference and I can agree with Senator Johnson that we both worked in manufacturing, and that we both think that getting back to focusing on economic growth and jobs is a top priority. My hope is that as we work together in this conference committee, we will find ways to end the disagreements and differences that have recently shut the government and instead focus on the things that we all agree we want to do together, which are to grow the economy, create good jobs, and reduce our deficits. Now, the challenges facing us are well-documented and widely known, but if we’re going to get back to working together on creating jobs and reducing our deficits we have to start by figuring out what we do really agree on so we can find common ground and move forward; that’s the way Delawareans ask me everyday to work here in Washington.
So I would just like to just briefly outline what I think are the priorities that actually unite us. We can safely agree that we do all want to grow the economy, to grow good jobs, and grow federal revenue. After the collapse of 2008-2009 we have had 40 straight quarters of consecutive job growth, but our recovery is still fragile. The national unemployment rate, as several senators and congressmen have said, is far too high; we’ve got 32,000 unemployed in Delaware and more than 11 million nationwide, and we’ve got record rates of poverty and of income inequality that are serious challenges. In all of this, economic growth has to be our North Star. As many of us know, if we grow our economy just one percentage point more, we would not just reduce our deficit more than 500 billion over a decade, but we would grow 1 million new jobs.
So what are the things we could agree on to grow the economy? First, replacing the harmful effects of the sequester. The CBO estimates that the sequester will cost 750,000 jobs this year and even more damage next year. Second, invest in a skilled workforce, work in partnership with the private sector to deal with significant workforce skills deficits – there were 600,000 unfilled manufacturing jobs this past year – we need to work together to train our workers. Third, research and development, as several members have said, is absolutely critical to our long-term competitiveness. R&D generates new products, new ideas, and in some cases whole new industries, fueling our ability to compete successfully with other countries. Finally, we have a crumbling infrastructure – as we all know there are far too many highways, ports, tunnels, and bridges that are critical to economic growth, but are well below international standards. We have to invest in order to grow. But frankly, most importantly, we can all agree that coming to some agreement in a reasonable timeframe is probably the most important thing this committee can do to help grow our economy. And doing it on a timeline that then allows the Appropriations Committee to then deliver a result without shutting down the government or putting it at any risk is about the best thing we can do.
I will agree, though, that we can’t simply grow our way out of our problems. We do have to address the drivers of our debt and deficits. We have to continue to reduce our deficits, which we have cut in half over the last four years. If we don’t, interest expense is a very real threat for crowding out both public and private investment in education, in R&D, and in infrastructure. Over the last three years we have made real strides in reducing our deficit; we have saved more than 2.5 trillion dollars. Yet that has been really unbalanced, about 70 percent of it has been from spending cuts, while only about 30 percent from revenue. We need to do more, but I believe we have to do it in a balanced way. We have heard from several senators about the need to modernize the tax code and about the need to move towards real tax reform. And while this committee can’t get all of that done, we can move in that direction in a substantial way. Making a modest cut of only 5 percent of the trillion dollars a year we spend through the tax code would make a huge dent in our deficits.
Last, we do have to continue to make some cuts in our direct spending, although I will note that is the area that has taken the hardest hit and I will insist on doing so in a way that places a circle of protection around the most vulnerable in our country, and that honors our promises to our seniors, to our veterans, and to those about to retire, to protect them from harmful cuts.
Chairman Ryan, Chairman Murray, I am glad we have come together. I think we need to focus, not on areas of disagreement, but on priorities we all share: focusing on growth, replacing sequester, reducing the deficit, and ensuring our long term prosperity. Thank you.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) led a group of 22 U.S. senators Tuesday in the launch of a campaign designed to train Washington’s focus on manufacturing jobs. The Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative aims to build bipartisan support for legislation that will modernize America’s manufacturing sector, help American manufacturers grow and create jobs, and assist American workers in getting the skills to succeed in the next generation of manufacturing jobs. Together, the lawmakers have contributed 40 bills — many with bipartisan support — to the effort around four organizing principles:
Strengthening America’s 21st century workforce
Opening markets abroad
Creating the conditions necessary for growth
Expanding access to capital
“Washington needs to refocus on manufacturing jobs, which pay better and contribute more to our economy than new jobs in other sectors,” Senator Coons said. “This campaign is designed to help manufacturing-jobs legislation that can make a real difference in our communities earn the bipartisan support needed to become law. There are too many Americans still looking for work for Congress to continue to waste time lurching from crisis to crisis. Manufacturing can power our economic recovery, but Congress needs to do its part to see that potential realized.”
“I applaud Senator Coons and his colleagues for their commitment to promoting manufacturing growth in America in an increasingly globalized, competitive and interconnected world economy,” Bloom Energy Founder & CEOK.R. Sridhar said. “This renewed attention signals to American businesses that the United States is dedicated to competing for – and winning – cutting-edge manufacturing jobs of the 21st century.” Bloom Energy, a fuel cell technology company, recently celebrated the opening of its Newark, Delaware facility, which is slated to hire more than 100 new workers in the coming months.
The senators will work over the next few months to build support from Republicans and Democrats for these bills, and committee and subcommittee chairs have pledged to convene hearings on these issues.
Over time, added emphasis will be placed on bills that garner strong bipartisan support, and additional bills may be added to the effort.
The campaign’s focus on manufacturing reflects the sector’s reputation for providing high-quality jobs that lead to gains throughout the economy. Workers in manufacturing jobs earn 22 percent more in annual pay and benefits than the average worker in other industries, according to the National Association of Manufacturers. Every new manufacturing job created adds another 1.6 jobs to the local service economy, and for every dollar in manufacturing sales, another $1.34 is added to the economy. Investments in manufacturing have a stronger impact than investments in any other economic sector.
“The Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative that supports pro-growth, pro-jobs policies in energy, tax, regulatory and workforce policy and other areas has the potential to provide a critical path towards bipartisan agreement on issues facing manufacturers and their employees,” National Association of Manufacturers President Jay Timmons said. “The manufacturing sector is still struggling to recover from the 2.3 million jobs lost during the difficult recession of 2008 and 2009. While 500,000 jobs have since been created, we still have a long road to travel. A growth agenda, that includes some of the bills that are part of the Manufacturing Jobs for America effort, is key to creating an environment that encourages job creation.”
“The AFL-CIO applauds the Senate Democrats for pulling together this broad legislative package to support domestic manufacturing,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said. “This is an example of the results-oriented approach Congress should be taking to invest in growth and create jobs, rather than engaging in divisive ideological campaigns. We strongly support many of the themes that run through these bills, including action on currency manipulation and evasion of import duties, measures to increase the reshoring of production, more resources for skills and training, improved access to capital, help for start-ups, and domestic content requirements for government purchases. We look forward to working with the Senate to enact much of this legislation. The manufacturing sector in the United States has finally begun to heal, but we must create the conditions for a long-term recovery. A comprehensive approach like this one can move us a long way in that direction.”
In addition to Senator Coons, senators contributing policy to the Manufacturing Jobs for America campaign include Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.).
In addition to Bloom Energy, the National Association of Manufacturers, and AFL-CIO, Manufacturing Jobs for America has earned the support of the Alliance for American Manufacturing; American Automotive Policy Council; American Small Manufacturers Coalition; Association for Manufacturing Technology; BlueGreen Alliance; Dow; DuPont; Ford Motor Company; General Electric; the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation; National Association of Development Organizations; National Skills Coalition; One Voice – National Tooling & Machining Association, and Precision Metalforming Association; Progressive Policy Institute; STEM Education Coalition; Third Way; the United Autoworkers; and the United Steelworkers.
WASHINGTON – A group of 22 U.S. senators has come together to launch a campaign to get Washington to refocus on manufacturing jobs. The Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative aims to build bipartisan support for legislation that will modernize America’s manufacturing sector, help American manufacturers grow and create jobs, and assist American workers in getting the skills to succeed in the next generation of manufacturing jobs. Together, the lawmakers have contributed 40 bills — many with bipartisan support — to the effort around four organizing principles:
Strengthening America’s 21st century workforce
Opening markets abroad
Creating the conditions necessary for growth
Expanding access to capital
“Washington needs to refocus on manufacturing jobs, which pay better and contribute more to our economy than new jobs in other sectors,” U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) said. “This campaign is designed to help manufacturing-jobs legislation that can make a real difference in our communities earn the bipartisan support needed to become law. There are too many Americans still looking for work for Congress to continue to waste time lurching from crisis to crisis. Manufacturing can power our economic recovery, but Congress needs to do its part to see that potential realized.”
“In order to have a strong economy and strong middle class in our country, we must continue to make things and grow things,” U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said. “It’s absolutely critical that Congress focus on a bipartisan manufacturing strategy that will help our businesses develop advanced technologies and create new high-tech manufacturing jobs. The Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative will promote American innovation, job training opportunities, and the right tax policies to help our businesses and workers be successful in the global economy.” Senator Stabenow is chair of the Senate Manufacturing Caucus.
“We must continue to revitalize our manufacturing base to create good-paying, high-quality jobs, and our bipartisan bills in this package do just that,” U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said. “My legislation cracks down on China’s currency manipulation and creates a level-playing field for American workers and manufacturers. If our workers have the proper tools and resources, they can out-innovate the rest of the world. The time to revitalize American manufacturing is now, and I am proud to work with this committed group to make it happen.”
The senators will work over the next few months to build support from Republicans and Democrats for these bills, and committee and subcommittee chairs have pledged to convene hearings on these issues.
Over time, added emphasis will be placed on bills that garner strong bipartisan support, and additional bills may be added to the effort.
The campaign’s focus on manufacturing reflects the sector’s reputation for providing high-quality jobs that lead to gains throughout the economy. Workers in manufacturing jobs earn 22 percent more in annual pay and benefits than the average worker in other industries, according to the National Association of Manufacturers. Every new manufacturing job created adds another 1.6 jobs to the local service economy, and for every dollar in manufacturing sales, another $1.34 is added to the economy. Investments in manufacturing have a stronger impact than investments in any other economic sector.
“The Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative that supports pro-growth, pro-jobs policies in energy, tax, regulatory and workforce policy and other areas has the potential to provide a critical path towards bipartisan agreement on issues facing manufacturers and their employees,” National Association of Manufacturers President Jay Timmons said. “The manufacturing sector is still struggling to recover from the 2.3 million jobs lost during the difficult recession of 2008 and 2009. While 500,000 jobs have since been created, we still have a long road to travel. A growth agenda, that includes some of the bills that are part of the Manufacturing Jobs for America effort, is key to creating an environment that encourages job creation.”
“The AFL-CIO applauds the Senate Democrats for pulling together this broad legislative package to support domestic manufacturing,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said. “This is an example of the results-oriented approach Congress should be taking to invest in growth and create jobs, rather than engaging in divisive ideological campaigns. We strongly support many of the themes that run through these bills, including action on currency manipulation and evasion of import duties, measures to increase the reshoring of production, more resources for skills and training, improved access to capital, help for start-ups, and domestic content requirements for government purchases. We look forward to working with the Senate to enact much of this legislation. The manufacturing sector in the United States has finally begun to heal, but we must create the conditions for a long-term recovery. A comprehensive approach like this one can move us a long way in that direction.”
In addition to Senators Coons, Stabenow, and Brown, senators contributing policy to the Manufacturing Jobs for America campaign include Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.).
In addition to the National Association of Manufacturers and AFL-CIO, Manufacturing Jobs for America has earned the support of the Alliance for American Manufacturing; American Automotive Policy Council; American Small Manufacturers Coalition; Association for Manufacturing Technology; Bloom Energy; BlueGreen Alliance; Dow; DuPont; Ford Motor Company; General Electric; the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation; National Association of Development Organizations; National Skills Coalition; One Voice – National Tooling & Machining Association, and Precision Metalforming Association; Progressive Policy Institute; STEM Education Coalition; Third Way; the United Autoworkers; and the United Steelworkers.
NEWARK, Del. – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and U.S. Representative John Carney announced today that more than 50 employers from the region have signed up and will be seeking potential employees at the New Castle County job fair Monday, November 4, but there is still room for five to seven more businesses who are looking for talented new employees. Combined, the employers are hiring for over 600 open positions from a variety of skill sets.
The New Castle County job fair is being organized with the help of Brandywine Counseling and Career Services and will be held at the Embassy Suites, 654 South College Avenue, Newark from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Employers who are seeking candidates include:
Private companies: Advanced Student, Aflac, Alternate Routes to Teacher Certification, American Registry of Pathology, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, Beasley Broadcasting Group, Christiana Care Health Care System, Citibank, Delaware Technical Community College, Delaware Transition to Teaching Partnership, Delaware Transit Corp, Digital Office Solutions, Dover Downs, Dr. Energy Saver, Foxfire Printing and Packaging, G4S Secure Solutions, Homeinstead Senior Care, IT Works, J&J Staffing Resources, Kelly Services, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Markatos Services, New York Life, Northwestern Mutual, Prince Telecom, Prominent Insurance, Royal Farms, Saint Francis Life, University of Delaware, Waddell & Reed, Wilmington University, Work America, WSFS Bank, and Xceptional Magazine.
Government entities: Delaware Air National Guard, Delaware Army National Guard, Delaware Department of Transportation, Delaware State Police, New Castle County Government, New Castle County Police, Pennsylvania State Police, and State of Delaware.
In addition to many companies hiring, organizations such as Affordable Care Act Navigators; Brandywine Counseling; Delaware Apprentice Program; Delaware Department of Labor, Division of Employment; Delaware Department of Labor, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation; Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve; Goodwill of Delaware & Delaware County; Job Center at Delaware Libraries; Right Management; and Wilmington Job Corps will be on hand to facilitate job-search skills workshops, career counseling, and resume reviews.
WASHINGTON – Ahead of the first public meeting of the Senate and House 2013 Farm Bill conference committee members on Wednesday, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and 38 of his Senate colleagues urged conferees to fight against harmful cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In a letter sent to conference committee members today, the senators also urged the committee to reject all eligibility changes that would deprive millions of struggling children, seniors, and families of access to nutritious food and 280,000 low-income children of free school meals.
The 2013 Farm Bill conference committee members are working on a compromise between the two different pieces of legislation passed by the Senate and House earlier this year. In June, the Senate passed a Farm Bill which included $4.5 billion in cuts to the SNAP program, while the House passed legislation last month with even steeper cuts, slashing $40 billion over 10 years.
In a letter to Farm Bill Conference Committee Members, the 39 Senators wrote: “While we support efforts to improve the integrity of the SNAP program, we encourage conferees to reject all SNAP eligibility changes designed to erect new barriers to participation, preventing millions of seniors, children and families from accessing food assistance.The eligibility changes also will mean an additional 280,000 children would lose free school meals because children in SNAP households are automatically eligible for school meals. Changes would also increase administrative costs by requiring states to re-determine eligibility for SNAP, even if a household was deemed eligible for other state and/or federal assistance programs… SNAP is a safety net program in the truest sense of the world; there is no other more fundamental human need than food. Please consider the needs of these struggling families, children, and senior citizens as you negotiate the final Farm Bill and the future of the SNAP program.”
The letter was signed by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tom Udall (D-NM), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Al Franken (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mark Begich (D-AK), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA), Mark Udall (D-CO), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Carl Levin (D-MI), Angus King (I-ME), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Jon Tester (D-MT), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Tim Johnson (D-SD).
Full text of the senators’ letter is below:
Dear Farm Bill Conferees,
We are writing to express our support for preventing harmful cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the Farm Bill. SNAP is our nation’s first line of defense against hunger. SNAP provides essential nutrition benefits to working families, children, senior citizens, and disabled individuals in every state and town in our country. Every dollar in new SNAP benefits generates up to $1.79 in economic activity, of which approximately 16 cents goes back to the farmers.
While we support efforts to improve the integrity of the SNAP program, we encourage conferees to reject all SNAP eligibility changes designed to erect new barriers to participation, preventing millions of seniors, children and families from accessing food assistance.The eligibility changes also will mean an additional 280,000 children would lose free school meals because children in SNAP households are automatically eligible for school meals. Changes would also increase administrative costs by requiring states to re-determine eligibility for SNAP, even if a household was deemed eligible for other state and/or federal assistance programs.
SNAP plays a critical role at a stressful time in the life of families. It allows struggling families to put groceries on their tables when they face financial troubles. Benefits average less than $1.50 per individual, per meal, and within this limited budget they struggle to provide healthy, nutritious meals for themselves and their family. In fact half of SNAP participants entering the program are enrolled for 10 months or less.
Researchers estimate that half of all American children will receive SNAP at some point during childhood, and half of all adults will do so at some point between the ages of 20 and 65 years. Furthermore, SNAP recipients are diverse with regards to race-ethnicity, many have earned income, and the vast majority of SNAP households do not receive cash welfare benefits.
SNAP is a safety net program in the truest sense of the world; there is no other more fundamental human need than food. Please consider the needs of these struggling families, children, and senior citizens as you negotiate the final Farm Bill and the future of the SNAP program.
WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons and managers from Bloom Energy toured Delcastle Technical High School’s welding and culinary shops Thursday and learned first-hand how vocational schools are training young Delawareans for the manufacturing jobs of the future.
Senator Coons and representatives of Bloom Energy’s engineering and management departments learned about the training techniques employed at Delcastle High School and how those specific skills translate to real world manufacturing job opportunities.
“If we want to continue to grow manufacturing in our country, we have to be educating our young people to take the jobs not just of the future, but of today,” said Senator Coons. “I have visited manufacturers up and down the state that say their single biggest constraint to growth is the need for skilled workers.”
“The goal of my visit today was to show students that there can be careers in manufacturing in their future if they work hard and get trained,” said Senator Coons. “We have one of the best vo-tech school systems in the whole country here in Delaware, and every day it demonstrates the value of investing in skills training in our communities.”
“This is exciting for our students because they are hearing over and over again that these skills will transfer out to the working world,” said Delcastle Principal Clifton Hayes. “To see companies come here and hear them say ‘we need your skills, we want you to work at our company’, it’s a great opportunity for our students to have that experience.”