Statement from Senator Coons on terrorist attack in Nairobi

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, issued the following statement on the attack at a shopping center in Nairobi, Kenya. According to news reports, as of 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, at least 68 people have died and another 175 have been injured in the attack, and at least 30 hostages continue to be held. Four Americans were hurt and the wife of a foreign service national working for the U.S. Agency for International Development was killed in the attack. Al Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group based in Somalia, has claimed responsibility.

“My deepest condolences go out to the families of those affected by this cowardly act of senseless violence against innocent civilians in Nairobi, including American citizens who were hurt in the attack. It is a heartbreaking reminder that the threat of terrorism knows no political border and respects no moral boundary. Kenya is an important ally and regional security partner, playing a vital role in breaking al Shabaab’s recent stranglehold on Somalia. Kenyans are a strong people, united by their sense of community, morality, and respect for human life. This attack may shake their spirit, but not their resolve. I pray that this siege comes to an end soon, and that those who waged this brutal attack are held accountable for their crimes.”

Senator Coons will chair a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs on October 8 in Washington to examine security and governance challenges in Somalia, including ongoing international operations to degrade the threat posed by al Shabaab, which controlled much of the country prior to last year’s Kenyan-led military intervention.

Kenya was also the site of one of the worst terrorist attacks ever against an American embassy — the August 1998 al Qaeda bombing of the U.S. embassy in Nairobi, which killed 212 and wounded 4,000. 

Senator Coons studied at the University of Nairobi for a semester in 1984 and was last there leading a Congressional delegation in May 2012.

Senator Coons honors National Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) called for renewed, bipartisan efforts to combat pulmonary fibrosis Thursday at a briefing marking National Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month. The briefing, titled “Fatal Fibrotic Diseases: The Challenges and the Path Forward to Finding Cures,” was sponsored by the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis and American Thoracic Society, and brought together patients, advocates, congressional staff, and health experts to examine efforts to better coordinate and expand research on the disease, which claims the lives of 40,000 Americans each year.

“For the thousands of Americans diagnosed each year with pulmonary fibrosis, there has never been a more urgent time to fight for a cure,” Senator Coons said. “While groundbreaking research and medical advances have improved the prognosis for so many diseases in recent years, funding for pulmonary fibrosis research remains scarce and the number of Americans diagnosed with this deadly disease has continued to rise. Pulmonary fibrosis deserves the nation’s dedicated attention and I’m committed to working with my colleagues to support vital research that brings us closer to a cure.”

Pulmonary fibrosis affects the lungs and limits a person’s ability to breathe. There is no known cause, it has no cure, and there are currently no FDA-approved treatments. Most patients with pulmonary fibrosis live only three to five years after diagnosis. In the United States alone, more than 200,000 people are living with pulmonary fibrosis, with 48,000 more diagnosed each year. 

“The pulmonary fibrosis community is engaged, motivated, and making progress, and Congress must follow their lead,” Senator Coons said. “Pulmonary fibrosis doesn’t discriminate along party lines and neither should our efforts. That’s why I am working to develop a new, bipartisan bill that looks at fibrosis more broadly, provides the resources that are needed for the National Institutes of Health, comes up with a research gameplan, and engages the whole community. It is my real hope that the conversations we’re having today will continue to advance and refine that agenda so that we can continue making inroads against this devastating disease.”

Sponsored by the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis, National Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month includes a congressional briefing, patient advocate meetings on Capitol Hill, and a patient education day co-hosted with the American Thoracic Society and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, among other dedicated events.

Senator Coons praises Air Force decision not to furlough civilian employees in 2014

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees, praised announcements by Air Force leaders this week that the department will not furlough civilian employees in the coming fiscal year. More than 1,400 civilian military personnel in Delaware — including more than 1,000 at Dover Air Force Base — were among 650,000 workers at installations around the world who were furloughed by the Air Force for six days this summer because of the sequester’s across-the-board federal spending cuts. The 2014 decision was revealed by Acting Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh in separate sessions of the annual Air Force Association conference in National Harbor, Maryland this week.

“The Air Force’s decision to furlough civilian employees this summer was regrettable not only for the workers and families forced to endure a pay cut, but for the furloughs’ impact on our national security,” Senator Coons said. “I’m glad that the Air Force has decided to find cost savings elsewhere in the coming fiscal year and won’t furlough civilians next summer. I’ve spoken with dozens of Delawareans in the National Guard and at Dover Air Force Base who were painfully disappointed that they were paying the price for Congress’ inability to come together to agree on a budget. Although the Senate passed a budget capable of replacing the sequester earlier this year, the House is still refusing to even consider it. I’m glad Delaware’s military personnel won’t personally pay the price for that inaction next year, but remain committed to replacing the reckless sequester with a responsible budget better for all Americans.”

Senator Coons and Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) participated in a town hall meeting with several hundred civilian employees at Dover Air Force Base in August. According to base leadership, 1,023 workers associated with the 436th and 512th Airlift Wings, Mortuary Affairs Operations, and the Medical Examiner were subjected by the Air Force to six-day furloughs this summer. More on that meeting can be found here: http://1.usa.gov/17JJd7W

Senator Coons files three amendments to strengthen energy efficiency bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a cosponsor of the bipartisan Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, also known as “Shaheen-Portman,” filed three amendments to the bill as debate on the legislation accelerated on Thursday. The amendments would seek to incorporate three bills introduced earlier this year by Senator Coons­ — the Weatherization Enhancement, and Local Energy Efficiency Investment and Accountability Act, Energy Savings through Public-Private Partnerships Act, and Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act — into the energy efficiency legislation.

“Promoting the use of energy-efficient technologies is a common-sense way to reduce our energy costs and increase our nation’s energy security,” Senator Coons said. “The Shaheen-Portman bill will encourage the federal government, communities, and industries across our nation to make energy efficiency upgrades that result in substantial cost savings. The amendments I have introduced will complement and enhance this goal by reauthorizing vital energy programs, encouraging valuable energy savings contracts, and helping renewable and energy efficiency projects access capital at a lower cost. I hope my colleagues in the Senate will join me in supporting this strong, bipartisan legislation.” 

Senator Coons has been a leading advocate for the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, which is designed to spur the use of energy-efficient technologies in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors of the economy. The bill will strengthen building energy codes for homes and commercial real estate, incentivize the use of more efficient motors and transformers, and introduce energy-saving guidelines for the federal government, among other provisions.

The Weatherization Enhancement, and Local Energy Efficiency Investment and Accountability Act, introduced by Senator Coons, Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) in June, would strengthen and reauthorize the heart of the federal government’s energy efficiency strategy — the Weatherization Assistance Program — as well as the vital work of the State Energy Program. For nearly four decades, these programs have assisted millions of low-income families with cost-saving energy efficiency upgrades and encouraged state and local initiatives that increase energy efficiency and develop alternative energy sources. The bill would reauthorize both programs for five more years.

The Energy Savings through Public-Private Partnerships Act, introduced in July, would encourage the use of Energy Savings Performance Contracts and Utility Energy Savings Contracts — valuable tools that allow the government to upgrade aging facilities and reduce energy costs at no cost to taxpayers. Energy savings contracts utilize private sector investment to install new energy efficient equipment in federal facilities. The bill would extend the federal government’s performance contracting goal over the next five years and promote increased adoption of energy and water conservation measures in federal facilities.  

The bipartisan Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act, introduced by Senator Coons and Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) in April, would move the United States toward an all-of-the-above energy strategy by allowing renewable energy sources, energy storage, and energy efficiency technologies to take advantage of the same tax-advantaged business structure currently utilized by fossil fuel projects.

Senator Coons is also a cosponsor of an amendment offered by Senator Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) that would authorize the nation’s first Quadrennial Energy Review, a government-wide review of the nation’s energy needs and capabilities. The review would provide a strategic roadmap to drive innovation in domestic energy sources, strengthening domestic competitiveness and decreasing U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

The Senate is expected to vote on the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act next week.

Senator Coons, Secretary O’Mara participate in roundtable discussion on the economic impacts of climate change

WASHINGTON– Delaware Secretary of the Environment and Energy Collin O’Mara joined U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) for a roundtable discussion in the Capitol on Wednesday to discuss the economic impacts of climate change and efforts to mitigate and adapt to its effects. The meeting, which featured leaders from a broad range of industries and communities, focused on the importance of investments to strengthen the resilience of our infrastructure, utilities, and major industries against the effects of climate change. Secretary O’Mara highlighted the findings of Delaware’s statewide Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and the investments the state is making to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase community resilience to extreme weather.

“I was pleased to be able to introduce our own Delaware Secretary Collin O’Mara to a gathering of 15 senators today at our Steering and Outreach Committee,” Senator Coons said. “It was a meeting to consider the impact of climate change on our home states and on our country. Secretary O’Mara, under Governor Markell’s leadership, has lead a remarkable effort in Delaware to study, to understand, and to be prepared for the potential impacts on our businesses, our communities, our environment, and our future. We had a robust conversation, and I think it is just the beginning of a whole series of conversations here in the Congress about what we at the federal level can learn from important initiatives at the state level. It was great to have a Delawarean highlighted in today’s discussion.”

“Over the past few years, Delaware has taken great steps to make ourselves more resilient to storms and flooding and other types of extreme weather,” Secretary O’Mara said. “Today we were talking with some of the leading senators in the country about how we can take something successful in Delaware and replicate it, and also bring in additional federal assistance to make sure we can continue our efforts to ensure that every community—whether it be Southbridge in Wilmington or Oak Orchard down in Sussex County— is prepared for the challenges ahead.”

The Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee is dedicated to fostering dialogue between Senate Democrats and community leaders from across the nation. Each year, the Steering Committee hosts several meetings with advocates, policy experts, and elected officials to discuss key priorities and enlist their help in the development of the Democratic agenda in the Senate.

As the lowest mean elevation state in the country, Delaware is especially vulnerable to the growing effects of sea level rise. In April, Senator Coons went to the Senate floor to highlight the work of the Delaware Sea Level Rise Advisory Committee. Those remarks can be seen and read here: http://1.usa.gov/11hv3pT

Statement from Senator Coons on diplomatic proposal on Syrian chemical weapons

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on a proposal that Syria’s chemical weapons be placed under international control and destroyed:

“Credible pressure from the United States helped draw out Russia’s proposal to work with the international community to remove Assad’s chemical weapons stockpile from Syria. If genuine, the Russian proposal represents a welcome change from its policy of supporting and supplying arms to Syria. The world cannot afford for the Assad regime to continue using its arsenal of chemical weapons against the Syrian people, nor for them to be used against our allies in the region. It is my hope that this proposal signals Russia’s willingness to take constructive responsibility for ending the threat posed by Assad’s chemical weapons, and I will work with my colleagues this week to craft a path forward that allows for both diplomacy and continued pressure.”

Carper, Coons, Carney announce $400,000 to help address Delaware’s DNA-processing backlog

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and U.S. Representative John Carney announced more than $400,000 in Department of Justice funding for the state of Delaware to help the state’s medical examiner expedite a backlog in the processing of DNA evidence. The Department of Health and Social Services received $342,324 from the federal DNA Backlog Reduction Program, and the Criminal Justice Council received $58,186 from the Paul Coverdell Forensic Improvement Grant Program.

Delaware Health and Social Services Secretary Rita Landgraf; Delaware’s Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Richard Callery; and New Castle County Chief Prosecutor Joseph Grubb joined Senators Carper and Coons at the medical examiner’s office in Wilmington to make the announcement Thursday.

“I always say my role in the Senate is to work toward creating a nurturing environment – whether it be for job growth, job preservation, or for the government to run smoothly,” Senator Carper said. “These grant awards are a good example of taxpayer dollars being spent to give our law enforcement the resources they need to do a very important job. Reducing the DNA backlog and providing the Medical Examiner’s office with the proper resources is critical to their important work.”

“The timeliness and accuracy of DNA evidence processing in criminal cases has a direct impact on the delivery of justice in our courtrooms,” Senator Coons said. “Our labs must be able to keep pace with demand while maintaining the highest clinical standards. This federal funding will help the medical examiner’s office expedite unprocessed DNA evidence and prevent future backlogs, directly improving the delivery of justice here in Delaware. I’ve cosponsored two bills to help combat the backlog and strengthen our crime labs and fought last year to restore the program that made the bulk of this grant possible.”

“DNA technology is an important tool in today’s criminal justice system, and Delaware’s state and local law enforcement agencies deserve the resources and modern equipment to take full advantage of it,” Congressman Carney said.  “Reducing wait times for DNA analysis will increase the state’s ability to efficiently solve crimes, and result in safer communities.” 

The funding will help the medical examiner’s office purchase new equipment and hire additional trained personnel to process DNA evidence. In addition to facing increasing caseloads, modern DNA-processing technology is evolving quickly, stretching the capacity — and budgets — of crime labs.

About the DNA Backlog Reduction Program:

The objective of the DNA Backlog Reduction Program is to assist eligible states and units of local government to reduce forensic DNA sample turnaround time, increase the throughput of public DNA laboratories, and reduce DNA backlogs. These improvements are critical to preventing future DNA backlogs and to helping the criminal justice system use the full potential of DNA technology. Funds may be used:

1. To increase the capacity of existing crime laboratories that conduct DNA analysis in order to analyze DNA samples more efficiently and cost effectively. 
2. To handle, screen, and analyze backlogged forensic DNA casework samples. 
3. To build the capacity of laboratories to process more database samples or to reduce the number of backlogged database samples.

About the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program

Coverdell funds are to be used to improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science and medical examiner services and/or to eliminate backlogs in the analysis of forensic evidence, including controlled substances, firearms examination, forensic pathology, latent prints, questioned documents, toxicology, and trace evidence.

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Statement from Senator Coons on committee vote on authorization of force in Syria

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after voting in committee on Wednesday in favor of an authorization for the use of military force in Syria.

“What I have heard from Delawareans in the last week is that ours is a nation weary of war, and wary of repeating the mistakes of the past. The commitment of America’s military strength is one of the most important issues that we will ever debate in Congress, and it is one I take very seriously. Although I was not a member of the Senate when Congress authorized broad engagement in the war on terror, concern over the massive intelligence failures in the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq has influenced my consideration of whether to authorize military action in Syria. We cannot and should not ignore the lessons of the last decade by engaging in a military intervention that is open-ended or lacks a clearly defined strategy.

“Over the past two and a half years, Syrian President Bashar al Assad has steadily ratcheted up an ascending crescendo of violence against his own people. When I traveled to the region in January, I visited with civilians who’d been forced to flee their homes — and their country — in order to escape these senseless attacks. It began with thugs, police, and the Syrian military taking on peaceful demonstrations, and graduated to using snipers to kill innocent civilians. He has used helicopters and jet fighters against his own people. He has deployed cluster bombs and scud missiles. There is no doubt that Assad and his regime are willing to go to any length to stay in power, including the continued use of chemical weapons. 

“Having been briefed a number of times by senior Administration officials representing the State Department, Pentagon, White House, and intelligence community, and having personally reviewed classified and unclassified intelligence, and I am convinced that the Assad regime is responsible for the August 21st chemical weapons attack that killed nearly 1,500 Syrians. The evidence is solid and the intelligence is clear that the Assad regime perpetrated this heinous war crime. It was not the first time Assad has used chemical weapons, nor, without our action, do I think it will it be the last.

“The use of these weapons is unconscionable and a clear violation of a long-standing global ‘red line.’ It stands in sharp contrast with America’s laws and international treaty commitments. The challenge we faced on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was to craft an authorization for the use of military force that responds to Americans’ legitimate concerns over being drawn into a war in Syria, while allowing the administration to act to deter and punish the Assad regime, degrading its chemical weapons arsenal with hopes of eventually reaching a negotiated resolution to the conflict. The authorization for the use of military force considered by the Committee today achieved these objectives. 

“I am pleased President Obama sought authorization from Congress and that the Foreign Relations Committee thoroughly, cautiously, and deliberately debated the issue, making the final authorization resolution narrower than the initial draft. An amendment I introduced with Senator Shaheen of New Hampshire added explicit requirements that the administration present a strategy to Congress regarding efforts to secure biological and chemical weapons, and to coordinate with our regional partners, including Israel, Jordan and Turkey. This amendment also required a more explicit strategy for addressing the humanitarian needs of the 2 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries, and the 4.5 million internally displaced Syrians.

“Additional amendments that I introduced with Senator McCain of Arizona put the authorization in a broader policy context, clarifying that, unlike the interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, our long-term goal remains a negotiated resolution to the Syrian conflict. From the beginning of this process, I have consistently said that any military action would have to be part of a broader strategy for a negotiated resolution. These amendments reinforced that point and strengthened the strategy moving forward, without expanding the use of military force.

“I continue to believe it is possible for the United States to take action that responds to and deters future chemical weapons attacks, and is part of a strategy that will lead to a more stable and secure Syria.”

Statement from Senator Coons on committee vote on authorization of force in Syria

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after voting in committee on Wednesday in favor of an authorization for the use of military force in Syria.

“What I have heard from Delawareans in the last week is that ours is a nation weary of war, and wary of repeating the mistakes of the past. The commitment of America’s military strength is one of the most important issues that we will ever debate in Congress, and it is one I take very seriously. Although I was not a member of the Senate when Congress authorized broad engagement in the war on terror, concern over the massive intelligence failures in the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq has influenced my consideration of whether to authorize military action in Syria. We cannot and should not ignore the lessons of the last decade by engaging in a military intervention that is open-ended or lacks a clearly defined strategy.

“Over the past two and a half years, Syrian President Bashar al Assad has steadily ratcheted up an ascending crescendo of violence against his own people. When I traveled to the region in January, I visited with civilians who’d been forced to flee their homes — and their country — in order to escape these senseless attacks. It began with thugs, police, and the Syrian military taking on peaceful demonstrations, and graduated to using snipers to kill innocent civilians. He has used helicopters and jet fighters against his own people. He has deployed cluster bombs and scud missiles. There is no doubt that Assad and his regime are willing to go to any length to stay in power, including the continued use of chemical weapons. 

“Having been briefed a number of times by senior Administration officials representing the State Department, Pentagon, White House, and intelligence community, and having personally reviewed classified and unclassified intelligence, I am convinced that the Assad regime is responsible for the August 21st chemical weapons attack that killed nearly 1,500 Syrians. The evidence is solid and the intelligence is clear that the Assad regime perpetrated this heinous war crime. It was not the first time Assad has used chemical weapons, nor, without our action, do I think it will it be the last.

“The use of these weapons is unconscionable and a clear violation of a long-standing global ‘red line.’ It stands in sharp contrast with America’s laws and international treaty commitments. The challenge we faced on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was to craft an authorization for the use of military force that responds to Americans’ legitimate concerns over being drawn into a war in Syria, while allowing the administration to act to deter and punish the Assad regime, degrading its chemical weapons arsenal with hopes of eventually reaching a negotiated resolution to the conflict. The authorization of the use of military force considered by the Committee today achieved these objectives. 

“I am pleased President Obama sought authorization from Congress and that the Foreign Relations Committee thoroughly, cautiously, and deliberately debated the issue, making the final authorization resolution narrower than the initial draft. An amendment I introduced with Senator Shaheen of New Hampshire added explicit requirements that the administration present a strategy to Congress regarding efforts to secure biological and chemical weapons, and to coordinate with our regional partners, including Israel, Jordan and Turkey. This amendment also required a more explicit strategy for addressing the humanitarian needs of the 2 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries, and the 4.5 million internally displaced Syrians.

“Additional amendments that I introduced with Senator McCain of Arizona put the authorization in a broader policy context, clarifying that, unlike the interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, our long-term goal remains a negotiated resolution to the Syrian conflict. From the beginning of this process, I have consistently said that any military action would have to be part of a broader strategy for a negotiated resolution. These amendments reinforced that point and strengthened the strategy moving forward, without expanding the use of military force.

“I continue to believe it is possible for the United States to take action that responds to and deters future chemical weapons attacks, and is part of a strategy that will lead to a more stable and secure Syria.”

Senator Coons celebrates Labor Day

WILMINGTON, Del.  – U.S. Senator Chris Coons issued the following statement to celebrate Labor Day: 

“America is the world’s preeminent economic force because of the exceptional skill, dedication, and strength of American workers. Labor Day is an opportunity to honor those who power our economy and our communities, and to reflect on the advancements made in protecting the rights of American workers and establishing fair labor standards. We cannot forget, however, that there are still far too many Delawareans who are trying to get back into the workforce. Accelerating our nation’s economic recovery and helping our out-of-work neighbors find jobs is my top priority, and should be Congress’ top priority, as well. Washington must return its focus to helping America’s small businesses create jobs.”