WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, issued the following statement Tuesday as Zimbabweans prepare to go to the polls to choose their next president:
“As voters heading to the polls in Zimbabwe on Wednesday, I remain deeply concerned about reports of incomplete reforms and hasty preparations, including ongoing political activity by security forces and a lack of transparency of the voter registry and distribution of ballots. Against this backdrop, elections observers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) have a very important and challenging role to play in assessing the credibility and fairness of the electoral process. I urge election observers to perform their duties rigorously, and SADC and the AU to hold Zimbabwe accountable for meeting the standards of transparency, fairness, and respect for civil liberties — both during and after the election — set out in SADC’s own Principles and Guidelines for democratic elections. Regardless of the outcome of the election, the international community must not turn a blind eye to a flawed process, and must continue to press for meaningful democratic reforms and greater respect for the civil liberties of all Zimbabweans.”
Zimbabwe will hold its first national elections since the deeply flawed and violent 2008 election, which led to creation of a fractious coalition government and an agenda for reform. The months leading to the election have been marred by intimidation and harassment of human rights activists, biased political activity by security forces, and rushed, non-transparent technical preparation for the elections. Senator Coons chaired a hearing on Zimbabwe on June 18.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) voted to confirm Kent Hirozawa, Nancy Schiffer, Mark Gaston Pearce, Harry Johnson, and Philip Miscimarra as members of the National Labor Relations Board on Tuesday. All five nominees were confirmed. Senator Coons released the following statement:
“The National Labor Relations Board is a critical mediator for our labor force, resolving disputes and enforcing the laws that protect the rights of America’s workers and employers,” Senator Coons said. “If we want to support a thriving, productive workforce, we need a fully staffed NLRB to ensure workplace conditions and practices meet the standards workers expect and deserve. I am confident that the nominees confirmed today will capably lead the agency, and I am relieved that our nation will now be able to celebrate Labor Day with a functioning NLRB in place.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Bankruptcy and the Courts, and U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced legislation Tuesday to create 91 new federal judgeships in two federal circuits and 32 judicial districts across 21 states. The Federal Judgeship Act of 2013 is based on the recommendations of the nonpartisan Judicial Conference of the United States, which is led by Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts. The legislation and the issue of judgeships will also be the subject of a Judiciary Committee hearing in September.
“Congress has left the judicial staffing of our federal courts essentially unchanged for 23 years, despite rapidly growing caseloads,” Senator Coons said. “This bill would provide much-needed relief to our overburdened courts, ensuring that they are better prepared to administer justice quickly and efficiently. Increasing the number judgeships will help cases move more quickly, reduce uncertainty preventing businesses from creating jobs, and permit every American who has been wronged to get their day in court.”
“Federal judges are working harder than ever, but in order to maintain the integrity of the Federal courts and the expediency that justice demands, judges must have a manageable workload,” Senator Leahy said. “This good government bill will improve the effectiveness of our Federal courts and provide Federal judges with the resources to promptly render the justice that Americans so desperately need and deserve.”
Per the Judicial Conference’s recommendations, the Federal Judgeship Act of 2013:
Creates five permanent judgeships and one temporary judgeship for the courts of appeals;
Creates 65 permanent judgeships and 20 temporary judgeships for the district courts; and
Gives permanent status to eight temporary district court judgeships
In a letter to Chairman Leahy in April, Thomas Hogan, secretary of the Judicial Conference, wrote: “Nationwide, our Article III district courts have experienced a 38 percent growth in caseload since 1990 (the last time Congress passed a comprehensive judgeship bill) while seeing only a 4 percent increase in judgeships during this same period of time. This situation has created enormous difficulties for many of our courts across the nation.”
The bill creates the following permanent judgeships:
1 additional district judgeship for the district of Delaware;
6 additional district judgeships for the eastern district of California;
2 additional district judgeships for the eastern district of Texas;
4 additional district judgeships for the western district of Texas;
6 additional district judgeships for the district of Arizona;
10 additional district judgeships for the central district of California;
5 additional district judgeships for the northern district of California;
2 additional district judgeships for the district of Colorado;
2 additional district judgeships for the western district of Washington;
1 additional district judgeship for the southern district of Indiana;
3 additional district judgeships for the southern district of Florida;
5 additional district judgeships for the middle district of Florida;
1 additional district judgeship for the western district of New York;
1 additional district judgeship for the northern district of Florida;
1 additional district judgeship for the western district of Wisconsin;
3 additional district judgeships for the southern district of California;
2 additional district judgeships for the eastern district of New York;
2 additional district judgeships for the district of New Jersey;
1 additional district judgeship for the district of Idaho;
2 additional district judgeships for the southern district of Texas;
1 additional district judgeship for the district of Minnesota;
1 additional district judgeship for the northern district of Georgia;
1 additional district judgeship for the district of Nevada;
1 additional district judgeship for the district of New Mexico; and
1 additional district judgeship for the southern district of New York.
The bill creates the following temporary judgeships:
1 additional district judgeship for the eastern district of California;
1 additional district judgeship for the western district of Texas;
4 additional district judgeships for the district of Arizona;
2 additional district judgeships for the central district of California;
1 additional district judgeship for the northern district of California;
1 additional district judgeship for the middle district of Florida;
1 additional district judgeship for the southern district of California;
1 additional district judgeship for the district of New Jersey;
1 additional district judgeship for the district of Minnesota;
1 additional district judgeship for the western district of Missouri;
1 additional district judgeship for the northern district of Georgia;
1 additional district judgeship for the district of Nevada;
1 additional district judgeship for the district of Oregon;
1 additional district judgeship for the southern district of New York;
1 additional district judgeship for the middle district of Tennessee; and
1 additional district judgeship for the eastern district of Virginia.
The bill gives permanent status to the following temporary judgeships:
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, issued the following statement Friday in response to additional repressive acts against freedom of expression and assembly in Uganda. An American documentary filmmaker, Taylor Kraus, was arrested Tuesday while filming the police response to an opposition rally. The mayor of Kampala — an opposition politician — was also prevented from taking part in demonstrations when police surrounded his house.
“Respect for freedom of expression and openness to political dissent are cornerstones of any democratic society. The Ugandan government’s continued suppression of speech and assembly is undermining the prospects for Uganda’s democratic future. While I recognize and value Uganda’s leadership in combatting terrorism and promoting stability in the region, the United States must not stand by as democratic values and principles are being increasingly disregarded. I urge the Obama Administration to speak out forcefully against the Ugandan government’s actions, including the arrest this week of an American journalist there. Reversing the anti-democratic trend in Uganda is not about imposing abstract political values, but about Uganda’s long-term stability, prosperity, and the future of its relationship with the United States.”
This week’s developments follow a disturbing pattern of repression. In May, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni ordered the closure of four independent media houses for running stories critical of his government. While they were allowed to reopen 10 days later, they were forced to apologize and agree to self-censor any content the government might find offensive. In June, Ugandan security forces violently dispersed a crowd gathered to hear Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago, firing tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) teamed up with Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) to introduce bipartisan legislation Wednesday to provide for detailed analysis of how Congressional budgets and major pieces of new legislation would impact future generations. The Intergenerational Financial Obligations Reform (INFORM) Act would also require the president to provide a detailed accounting of how the administration’s budget would affect young people.
The bill would ensure that Congress and the administration have the tools necessary to better evaluate the effect that changes in taxes, spending policies, and future economic advancements will have on the fiscal health of the country and on individual Americans 20, 50, or even 75 years down the road. It would also require the Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office to provide an annual analysis of the long-term impact high levels of debt will have on future generations. This approach, which is known as a ‘generational accounting and fiscal gap analysis,’ would examine the full scope of the government’s obligations, present and future, and then look at the effect those obligations will have on current and future generations.
“Our growing debt and increasingly dangerous deficits mean Washington must be smarter about how it considers the implications of the spending choices it makes,” Senator Coons said. “The current system just is not set up to take future generations’ interests into account, when in reality, the budget decisions Washington makes today have as much, if not more, of a fiscal impact on our kids as they do on us. This bill would provide Washington with the tools to consider those impacts and really give young people and future generations a seat at the table as these choices are being made.”
“For too long, politicians have kicked the can down the road by relying on deficit spending to pay for growth in government, and today’s young people face a mounting burden of debt that will have to be repaid,” Senator Thune said. “Young Americans in their 20s and 30s, and the generations who will follow them, are already facing the near certainty of higher taxes and lower benefits as a result of the debt we’ve piled up. It is far past time that young adults have a voice in Washington and it starts with Congress being transparent about the long-term impacts of budgets and major legislation.”
Under current practice, Congress is typically provided with information about the budgetary impacts of spending and policy decisions only over the next 10 years. The INFORM Act would allow Congress and the administration to look at the effect that changes in the economy, or in spending or taxes, would have on Americans 20, 50, or even 75 years down the road. The concept of generational accounting was originally proposed in the 1990s and was used as a budget analysis tool during parts of the George H.W. Bush and Clinton administrations.
“As we look to make tough budget decisions, more information is critical to making prudent fiscal choices,” Senator Kaine said. “A better understanding of the long term impacts of changes in the economy, or new spending and tax policies, will help us evaluate these programs with the important perspective of how those decisions will affect future generations, not just our own.”
“Our nation’s youth should not be forced to pay the price of big-government run amuck,” Senator Portman said. “It’s time for Washington’s pattern of reckless spending to come to an end so that future generations are not unfairly weighed down by a mountain of debt. By requiring Congress to be up-front about the long-term financial effects of legislation, this bill will help curb wasteful spending and open up opportunities for our children and grandchildren.”
“The federal budget is dangerously skewed toward the present, at the expense of the future,” Nick Troiano, co-founder of The Can Kicks Back, said. “Our campaign has championed the INFORM Act because it will give lawmakers additional information to help ensure that policy changes promote long-term fiscal sustainability and generational equity.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, released the following statement marking the 95th birthday of former South African president Nelson Mandela:
“Especially in these last few months, the world has been reminded of Nelson Mandela’s historic contribution to South Africa and the world. Madiba’s service is an enduring reminder of what it means to place the good of a nation’s people above his own self-interest — a lesson from which we can all benefit. I am pleased to be able to celebrate President Mandela’s 95th birthday today, and to honor his lifetime of extraordinary service. He remains in my prayers as I hope for his continued recovery.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday about his bipartisan Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act, which would move the federal government toward an all-of-the-above energy strategy by allowing clean and renewable energy projects to take advantage of the same tax-advantaged business structure currently utilized by fossil fuel projects.
“Access to low-cost financing will define our nation’s energy future,” Senator Coons said. “It will determine how, when, and which energy sources emerge as the central players in the American energy marketplace in the long term. I believe it’s up to us to ensure that our vast supply of clean, renewable power, as well as energy efficiency, is a vital part of that equation.”
A master limited partnership (MLP) is a business structure that is taxed as a partnership, but whose ownership interests are traded like corporate stock on a market. By statute, MLPs have only been available to investors in energy portfolios for oil, natural gas, coal extraction, and pipeline projects. These projects get access to capital at a lower cost and are more liquid than traditional financing approaches to energy projects, making them highly effective at attracting private investment. Investors in renewable energy projects, however, have been explicitly prevented from forming MLPs, starving a growing portion of America’s domestic energy sector of the capital it needs to build and grow.
The MLP Parity Act would modernize the tax code to allow new and developing clean energy technologies to take advantage of the MLP structure.
“I think your work is especially timely right now,” Energy Committee Chairman Ron Wyden told Senator Coons after his testimony. “All senators have been asked by Senator Baucus and by Senator Hatch to make submissions with respect to tax reform, and so that, obviously, incorporates energy policy. One area that I feel very strongly about is to try to find ways to — if not to secure parity between the various energy sources — let’s at least narrow the gap, because there are some energy sources that in effect get subsidy levels up here, and are permanent, and there are some energy sources that have this level of subsidy and are kind of on a year-to-year roller-coaster. What you seem to be doing in the bipartisan work that you’re discussing with MLPs, is you’re saying ‘here’s an opportunity to again try to level the playing field and to bring more people into the debate,’ and I intend to study closely your legislation.”
Chairman Wyden was one of several senators from both parties to speak positively about the legislation during the hearing.
Senator Coons reintroduced the bill in April with Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Senator Stabenow is the chair of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure, and Senator Murkowski is the Ranking Member on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
“There is little debate about America’s potential to lead the world in clean energy development and deployment,” Senator Coons said at Thursday’s hearing. “We have unparalleled ingenuity. We have some of the most advanced clean energy technologies in the world. However, our innovations, and the very real potential energy they represent, are struggling in part—in deployment—because of the absence of a reliable source of financing. I think they need a catalyst — the catalyst of a clear, stronger regulatory and statutory structure that allows access efficiently to long-term financing.”
The bill is supported by a wide array of businesses, energy trade associations, environmental advocates, and think tanks. A complete list can be found at http://www.coons.senate.gov/mlp.
Senator Coons’ full testimony is below:
– As Delivered on July 18, 2013 –
It’s great to be back with you here at the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. For those keeping score at home, this is my second time speaking before the committee in the last month, which is an accurate reflection of what I view as its central importance, and reflects how much I enjoyed my time here and the spirit of cooperation and collaboration that this committee has demonstrated.
So I’m grateful for the chance today to offer brief testimony on what I believe is one of the most fundamental challenges facing the development and deployment of clean energy technology: access to reliable, long-term financing.
This committee has considered this issue before. In 2011, we held an oversight hearing on the concept of a Clean Energy Investment Fund and in 2012, another hearing on the role of the federal government in spurring American innovation. I was encouraged by the ideas brought forward during those hearings, and I’m looking forward to the renewed discussions that will take place at this hearing later this morning.
There is little debate about America’s potential to lead the world in clean energy development and deployment. We have unparalleled ingenuity. We have some of the most advanced clean energy technologies in the world. However, our innovations, and the very real potential energy they represent, are struggling in part—in deployment—because of the absence of a reliable source of financing. I think they need a catalyst — the catalyst of a clear, stronger regulatory and statutory structure that allows access efficiently to long-term financing.
Today’s energy market, broadly, is defined by narrow profit margins and established technologies supported by low-cost, long-term financing. If clean and renewable sources of energy are to grow and compete in the American energy marketplace, and thus also around the world, we have to make sure they are given a level playing field on which to operate.
The Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act of 2013, S.795, which I reintroduced in April with Senator Murkowski, Senator Stabenow, and Senator Moran, would do just that. It is a strikingly simple, bipartisan bill that modernizes a section of our tax code to make it consistent with the “all-of-the-above” energy strategy that so many of us have endorsed as the blueprint for energy independence and our energy future.
The Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act would allow clean energy projects to utilize MLPs, a beneficial tax structure that taxes a project like a partnership — a pass through — but that trades its interests like a corporate stock, a C-corp. This prevents double taxation, allows access to the liquidity of equity markets, and leaves more cash available for distribution back to investors. For the last 30 years, MLPs have given the natural gas, oil, and coal industries access to private capital at a lower cost, something other capital-intensive projects badly need. It is a well-developed, well-established financing vehicle. There are roughly a hundred MLPs at a market cap of about $450 billion at the moment.
The extension of access to this financing vehicle to energy efficiency technologies, energy storage, solar power, and a very wide range of other alternative and renewable energy sources has the real potential to bring a significant wave of private capital off the sidelines and into the renewable energy marketplace. It would not only level the playing field, but would also increase access to low-cost capital for all energy sources in our marketplace.
I am so thankful to Senator Murkowski, to Senator Stabenow, and to Senator Moran for their tireless partnership in this effort — for working with me and my staff on this bill— and to Chairman Wyden for his ongoing support of our efforts and for the opportunity to appear before you this morning. Bipartisan companion legislation led by Congressmen Ted Poe, Mike Thompson, Peter Welch, Cory Gardener, and Chris Gibson, which is three Republicans and two Democrats, was reintroduced in the House earlier this year as well.
Access to low-cost financing will define our nation’s energy future. It will determine how, when, and which energy sources emerge as the central players in the American energy marketplace in the long term. I believe it’s up to us to ensure that our vast supply of clean, renewable power, as well as energy efficiency, is a vital part of that equation. Thank you.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and Representative John Carney today announced a total of $836,145 in Department of Labor funding to implement a re-employment and eligibility assessment (REA) program in Delaware that helps unemployment insurance beneficiaries find work faster and reduces improper payments.
“I always say the best thing you can do for someone is help them find a job,” said Senator Carper. “This grant award will help those who are unemployed obtain the tools and education they need to get a job. Delaware has a reputation for having a highly skilled, dedicated workforce and this grant award will help it stay that way.”
“Long-term unemployment remains one of the most difficult challenges facing our economic recovery,” Senator Coons said. “The longer a worker is unemployed, the more difficult it becomes to find a job, and the further unemployment benefits are strained. REA programs across the country have helped unemployment beneficiaries get back to work faster, avoiding the slump of long-term unemployment and reducing the likelihood that they will exhaust their benefits. This is a smart investment that will strengthen Delaware’s workforce and support the longevity of our vital social safety net.“
“This funding will give Delawareans facing unemployment new tools to connect with employers and get back to work,” said Congressman Carney. “It will give the long-term unemployed specific guidance and assistance in finding jobs that fit with their skills and experience. It will also benefit employers by helping them find workers with the training they need for their businesses to be successful.”
The grant will be used to establish an REA program in Delaware that offers participants personalized re-employment plans tailored to their individual career interests and local labor markets. Assessments are performed in person, and participants also receive referrals to re-employment services and job training provided by the American Job Center. The program saves money by reducing the length of time claimants spend collecting unemployment benefits while searching for work. It also includes a complete review of participants’ unemployment insurance eligibility to reduce incidences of improper payments.
The grant is a part of $64.3 million awarded by the Department of Labor to 38 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia to implement or continue REAs for individuals who receive unemployment benefits. Delaware, Connecticut, and the Virgin Islands received first-time grants to implement the program.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, voted to confirm Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Tom Perez as Secretary of Labor on Thursday. Mr. Perez was confirmed, 54-46. Senator Coons released the following statement:
“Equal access to economic opportunity is part of the bedrock of this country, and as our nation’s recovery continues moving forward, it’s more important than ever that our leaders remain focused on building an economy that gives every American a real — and equal — chance for success. Tom Perez has done outstanding work on civil rights issues at the Department of Justice, and I know he will work hard for every member of our nation’s workforce and for each of the 12 million Americans still looking for work. I was proud to vote to confirm him as secretary of the Department of Labor today, and pleased that so many of my colleagues did as well. It is unfortunate that it took the threat of rules changes to break through the gridlock and get this vote scheduled, but I am relieved that we will not reach Labor Day without a Secretary of Labor on the job. I congratulate Secretary Perez and his family, and look forward to working with him to ensure that every American will have an equal chance to succeed in the workplace and in our economy.”
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, issued the following statement Monday expressing serious concerns about the prospects for a free and fair electoral contest in Zimbabwe on July 31.
“With only two weeks remaining until scheduled elections in Zimbabwe, I am increasingly concerned about the trajectory of the nation’s democratic prospects. Ongoing harassment and intimidation of those seeking to ensure a fair electoral process, continued political activity by security forces, and uneven patterns of voter registration that appear to favor Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party undermine our hopes for a free, fair, democratic, and peaceful election. While we have not witnessed widespread violence so far, the absence of pre-election violence is not the same as a free and fair election. African and international partners should hold the government of Zimbabwe accountable to the letter and spirit of the Zimbabwe’s constitutional guarantees of freedom of assembly and expression, and the political neutrality of security forces.”
The July 2013 elections will bring to an end the Government of National Unity between Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai, put in place under mediation led by the Southern Africa Development Commission following violent elections in 2008. The agreement establishing the coalition government set out electoral and institutional reforms necessary to ensure a fair election and advance democratic reform in Zimbabwe. Many of those reforms remain incomplete.
Senator Coons chaired a hearing on the state of Zimbabwe’s democracy in June with expert testimony from administration and civil society experts.