ICYMI: Senator Coons discusses congressional travel to Taiwan and administration efforts in the Indo-Pacific on Politico’s Playbook Deep Dive podcast

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined POLITICO’s Playbook Deep Dive podcast with Ryan Lizza today to discuss a broad range of developments in foreign policy, including his visit to East and Southeast Asia last week with a bipartisan congressional delegation. 

Senator Coons and the Biden administration are prioritizing security in the Indo-Pacific security and reaffirming America’s commitment to Taiwan. Last month, Congress passed a bipartisan $95 billion package providing foreign aid, which included $8.1 billion for the Indo-Pacific.

POLITICO: Chris Coons has thoughts on Gaza, the border, and Biden’s age

SENATOR COONS: I went to Taiwan, the Philippines, Singapore, and Indonesia. And I was already well aware of the central role that Taiwan plays in the global semiconductor industry. In the Philippines, I visited a semiconductor chip testing and packaging plant. And one of our initiatives in the Philippines is the development of something called the Luzon Economic Corridor, which will help further integrate the Philippine economy into the region, and helps strengthen their connections to semiconductor chip production, both in the United States and in Taiwan. 

…

Taiwan has a robust, vibrant democracy, and one of the things that I think is not news, but is worth repeating, is that part of why Taiwan is such a challenge to the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] is that it demonstrates that in a country of 23 million people, it is possible for them to have a robust, growing, stable, prosperous, free-enterprise system that is a democracy. So, the argument that the only way for the Chinese people to govern themselves and to be organized is in an authoritarian communist state faces stiff competition from the thriving example of Taiwan.

…

Over the last two years, President Biden has done a lot of hard work to pull together 50 countries around the world to both enforce sanctions against Russia and deliver support for Ukrainian refugees, financial support for the Ukrainian government, military support for the Ukrainian fighters who are bravely pushing back against Russian aggression. I would expect a similar response to an attempt at overtaking Taiwan through, say, an amphibious invasion.

Senate approves Senators Coons, Boozman resolution commemorating 80th anniversary of D-Day

WASHINGTON – Ahead of today’s 80th anniversary of D-Day, the Senate passed a resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.) commemorating the historic operation and honoring the U.S. Armed Forces and Allied troops responsible for carrying out the unprecedented maneuver that proved decisive in securing victory against Nazi Germany in World War II. Senators Coons and Boozman are Co-Chairs of the Senate French Caucus.

“The Normandy landings were more than a battle in World War II – they were a turning point in history when thousands of Allied soldiers gave their lives to help freedom and democracy triumph over fascism and darkness,” said Senator Coons. “Eighty years later, the Senate is proud to remember and honor the heroism and incredible bravery of those men who stormed the beaches of Normandy and began the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi oppression.”

“It is our duty to recognize the service and sacrifice of the Allied forces members who helped turn the tide of World War II and free Western Europe from Nazi occupation,” said Senator Boozman. “We will never forget the courage and heroism of those who took part in D-Day, including the thousands of individuals who gave their lives in support of this mission. I’m grateful the Senate approved the resolution commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion so we can pay tribute to the brave members of the Greatest Generation who changed the course of history.”

In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, 31,000 members of the U.S. Armed Forces and 153,000 of their counterparts in the Allied Expeditionary Force launched Operation Overlord by storming five landing areas on the beaches of Normandy, France. The first day of the operation, which became known as D-Day, saw approximately 10,000 Allied soldiers wounded or killed, including 6,000 Americans. Operation Overlord led to the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany and an end to World War II.

Click here to read the resolution. 

ICYMI: Carper, Coons, Blunt Rochester publish op-ed highlighting importance of Dover Air Force Base’s new blood processing facility

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) published an op-ed today in The News Journal praising the start of work on the new Armed Services Whole Blood Processing Laboratory-East (ASWBPL-East) facility that will soon come to Dover Air Force Base.

The delegation secured more than $30 million in congressional spending to fund construction of this facility in President Biden’s 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. The new facility will further advance Dover Air Force Base’s role as a key military installation that serves 11,000 airmen, their families, and other service members around the world.

DNJ: Dover Air Force Base will now provide our troops with essential blood, healthcare

Dover’s new facility will provide blood and blood products to more than just service members, too. Military family members, veterans, and civilians in places affected by natural or manmade disasters, both domestically and abroad, can all receive blood from the ASWBPL-East. Streamlining the blood distribution process helps not just our active service members but veterans and their families as well.

Funding wins like the new ASWBPL-East facility happen because Delaware has a united congressional delegation that recognizes Dover’s importance to our state. From Senator Carper’s military experience as the Senate’s only Vietnam veteran to Senator Coons’ invaluable seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee to Congresswoman Blunt Rochester’s work on health and the economy on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, we’ve worked through the congressionally directed spending process to secure targeted victories and get funding to places where it can make an impact.

…

The new ASWBPL-East in Dover represents not only the U.S. military’s recognition of Dover’s superior logistics capabilities, but an investment in Delaware’s future. Right now, when the military needs to move troops or materiel, or when it requires a respectful return for our departed heroes, it turns to Dover. The base is Delaware’s window to the world, and its new lifesaving mission amplifies a critical role on the military stage.

Read the rest of the op-ed here.

Senators Coons, Tillis introduce bill to protect credit scores of American hostages and wrongful detainees

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced the Fair Credit for American Hostages Act yesterday to protect the credit scores of Americans who have been held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad. 

“The last thing Americans who have been wrongfully detained abroad need when they come home is a decimated credit score that makes it even harder for them to rebuild their lives,” said Senator Coons. “Unfortunately, that’s proven to be a reality for too many of these Americans, whose obvious inability to make timely payments while held in jail overseas harms their financial standing. The Fair Credit for American Hostages Act is one more way we can support wrongfully detained Americans, American hostages, and their families, and alleviate challenges they encounter when coming home.”

“It’s crazy to think an American held hostage in a foreign nation could return to a ruined credit score and financial turmoil because of their inability to make timely payments,” said Senator Tillis. “This commonsense legislation ensures that Americans wrongfully detained abroad can move forward without worrying about how a poor credit score impacts their financial future.”

Americans who are held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad often cannot pay their bills while in detention. Upon their release and return to the United States, many find that their credit scores have suffered due to missed payments. This bipartisan legislation would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act by preventing credit rating agencies from considering payments missed due to a wrongful detention or hostage situation. 

This legislation is based on the Debt Bondage Repair Act, which was enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2022 and addressed similar credit issues for victims of human trafficking.

Senator Coons has worked on a number of bills supporting American hostages and wrongful detainees. Last month, the Senate unanimously cleared Senators Coons and Mike Rounds’ (R-S.D.) Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, which would stop the IRS from imposing fines and penalties on American hostages and wrongful detainees for late tax payments while they are held abroad. This year, President Biden signed into law Senator Coons’ bipartisan legislation to establish March 9 as the annual National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day. 

The full text of the bill is available here.

Senator Coons statement on guilty verdict in former President Trump’s New York trial

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after a New York jury found former President Donald Trump guilty of falsifying business records in order to keep an alleged affair hidden from voters during the 2016 election:

“This verdict reaffirms the basic principle that no one is above the law, not even a former president. A jury unanimously determined that former President Trump’s hush money payments were deliberately disguised – at his direction – to keep voters in the dark during the 2016 election. I commend the jurors for their service and urge all Americans, no matter their party affiliation, to accept and respect the outcome of this trial.”

Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

President Biden signs Senators Coons and Fischer’s Recruit and Retain Act into law

WASHINGTON – This weekend, President Biden signed the bipartisan Recruit and Retain Act, introduced by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), into law. This bipartisan legislation will address staffing shortages nationwide by enhancing law enforcement departments’ access to hiring tools. Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus.

Congressmen Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) and Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) introduced the identical companion legislation in the House. The Recruit and Retain Act passed the Senate in July.

“The law enforcement leaders I speak with in Delaware all express the same concern: They are struggling with recruiting, hiring, and retaining quality police officers,” said Senator Coons. “This weekend, President Biden signed my bipartisan bill with Senator Fischer into law that will actually do something to address those challenges. The Recruit and Retain Act will strengthen community policing by establishing a new recruitment pipeline program and by reducing onboarding costs for new officers. I’m proud this bipartisan bill will now get to work to support our police departments across Delaware and across the country.”

“Staffing shortages are burdening law enforcement officers and threatening public safety,” said Senator Fischer. “My Recruit and Retain Act will give departments resources to rebuild. I’m grateful to the Nebraska officers and sheriffs who worked with me to craft this legislation, and I’m grateful the President signed it.”

“Recruiting and retaining highly trained law enforcement professionals is of the utmost importance,” said Congressman Ivey. “Our ability to attract and develop the best, brightest, and most compassionate and dedicated men and women of differing backgrounds is vital to the health and well-being of our nation. Keeping our residents safe and promoting better relations with our citizenry can only lead to safer streets and better policing. President Biden signed this bill into law for all who care about our country and a path forward for good law enforcement standards. We must incentivize hiring and keeping the people who will do the job of safeguarding us from border to Broadway and everywhere in between.”

Background:

• The Recruit and Retain Act would improve the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants by making them more responsive to onboarding costs and hiring challenges. The bill’s reforms would help law enforcement agencies across the country hire new officers more easily, as many continue to face staffing shortages and struggle to attract new applicants. This includes the creation of a new program to encourage partnerships between schools and police departments to foster a stronger local pipeline for law enforcement careers.
• The Recruit and Retain Act has received national endorsements from the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Fraternal Order of Police, Major Cities Chiefs Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, National Association of Police Organizations, National Sheriffs Association, R Street Institute, and the Peace Officers Research Association of California.

The bill contains five key initiatives:

Supporting Officer Onboarding

1. Expands the COPS grants to reduce the financial costs of hiring new law enforcement officers (e.g., background checks, psychological evaluations, etc.).

Reducing Administrative Burdens

2. Allows up to 2% of grant funding to cover the administrative burden of implementing COPS grants. Many law enforcement agencies have noted that this would offset the paperwork burden associated with COPS grants.

Authorizing a New Pipeline Recruitment Program

3. Authorizes the Pipeline Partnership Program within COPS to encourage collaboration between agencies and local elementary schools, secondary schools, and institutions of higher education for students interested in future careers in law enforcement. Qualifying partnership activities would include dedicated programming for students, work-based learning opportunities, project-based learning, mentoring, community liaisons, career or jobs fairs, worksite visits, job shadowing, and skills-based internships.

Providing Better Grant Guidance for Understaffed Agencies

4. Creates new guidance for COPS hiring grants to clarify the lack of consistent application procedures for understaffed agencies. This ensures that more police departments are better able to access COPS grants.

Shining a Light on Recruitment and Retention Challenges

5. Directs a comprehensive study to illuminate recruitment and retention challenges law enforcement agencies face nationwide and document how these trends are impacting public safety.

The full text of the law can be found here.

President Biden’s statement on the Recruit and Retain Act can be found here.

ICYMI: Senator Coons publishes op-ed about U.S.-Kenya relations following President Ruto’s historic state visit

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, published an op-ed in The Hill recognizing the importance of the strategic relationship between the United States and Kenya following Kenyan President William Ruto’s state visit last week – marking the first such trip by an African leader in more than 15 years. 

Senator Coons talked about ways to increase economic engagement with Kenya, including his bipartisan AGOA Renewal and Improvement Act of 2024 – a key trade and investment program that facilitates stronger commercial ties between the United States and eligible sub-Saharan African countries.

President Ruto has been a necessary partner in working to alleviate the effects of climate change by investing in conservation and focusing on collaborative strategies to protect the environment on a global scale. Last week, President Ruto joined members of Congress for an International Conservation Caucus Foundation event hosted by Senator Coons, where he spoke about our shared interest in people-centered conservation.

The Hill: A close relationship with Kenya is essential to our country’s success

Key excerpt: The tests Kenya faces are echoed across the continent and the globe. Their approach is rooted in a belief in democracy, in expanding opportunity, and collaborating with partners, including the United States. It’s a testament to President Biden’s leadership that he recognizes that a close relationship with Kenya is essential to our country’s success, and that a state visit from a Kenyan president sends a signal of our seriousness.  

Senators Coons, Braun introduce resolution to designate May as ALS Awareness Month

WASHINGTON – U.S Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Co-Chairs of the Senate ALS Caucus, introduced a resolution to designate May 2024 as ALS Awareness Month. ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and often known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a debilitating disease that affects 1 in 300 people – approximately 30,000 Americans. There is as of yet no cure for this fatal disease.

Senator Coons has long been a proud advocate for ALS patients and their families, pushing to expand access to treatment. He introduced bipartisan legislation, the ACT for ALS Act, which funds essential research into rare, neurodegenerative illnesses such as ALS. The bill was signed into law by President Biden in 2021. Last year, Senator Coons introduced the bipartisan ALS Better Care Act, which would increase access to multidisciplinary care for ALS through Medicare.

“After seeing firsthand how ALS affects individuals and families across Delaware, I’m proud to be an advocate for sustaining research and expanding treatment and therapy options,” said Senator Coons. “Designating May as ALS Awareness Month will get more people involved in the broader fight against this terrible disease while we tirelessly work towards a cure.”

“Designating May as ALS Awareness Month is important to raise awareness about this terrible disease that could affect anyone. ALS patients don’t have time to wait for better treatments and cures, and there’s more Congress can do to help them. I was proud to start the ALS Caucus with Senator Coons and to have made progress on helping ALS patients,” said Senator Braun.

In addition to Senators Coons and Braun, this legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).

“ALS is a devastating diagnosis that takes tremendous courage from patients, families, and friends to cope with,” said Senator Whitehouse, who passed the ALS Disability Insurance Act to ensure that ALS patients can get disability benefits right away after a diagnosis.  “During ALS Awareness Month, we lift up the stories of those affected by ALS and recommit to supporting the researchers working on the path to a cure.”

“ALS is a devastating diagnosis—one that is, currently, fatal and has no cure. But through the advocacy of organizations like I AM ALS, led by Illinoisans Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya, and robust medical research funding, we hope to develop new treatment options for those with the disease,” said Senator Durbin.  “In introducing this resolution to mark May as ALS Awareness Month, we can continue our vital work to bring attention to ALS, build better support systems for those fighting ALS, and funnel resources to the scientists and medical professionals looking for a cure.”

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

Senator Coons, colleagues introduce resolution celebrating 60-Year anniversary of U.S.-Kenya Relations

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced a resolution recognizing the strategic relationship between the United States and Kenya and celebrating the 60-year anniversary of U.S.-Kenya relations. The resolution comes as President Joe Biden welcomes Kenyan President William Ruto to the White House for a historic State Visit this week.

The United States and Kenya established diplomatic relations in 1964 and have since developed a strong and enduring partnership. Kenya has become one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest economies and a regional hub for transportation, innovation, and finance. During this week’s State Visit, President Biden announced his intent to designate Kenya as a major non-NATO ally of the United States, the only one in sub-Saharan Africa. The resolution reaffirms the U.S.-Kenya strategic partnership and highlights the need for continued engagement on two-way trade and investment, defense cooperation, and public health. The resolution also calls for continued cooperation in promoting, strengthening, and defending democratic values and respect for human rights. 

“Kenya and the United States share a strong, lasting bond that has only grown with President Ruto’s state visit this week and President Biden’s announcement that Kenya will be designated our first major non-NATO ally in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Senator Coons. “This resolution recognizes our the strength of our relationship and makes clear we view Kenya as a key partner who we will continue to work closely with on the most pressing global issues for decades to come.”

“I’m proud to introduce this resolution honoring our two countries’ long friendship rooted in our shared commitment to fostering peace, security, and prosperity in the region,” said Senator Booker, Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy. “The people of Kenya are leading the way in the areas of renewable energy, innovation, and private investment, unlocking the abundance of their country and East Africa. I will continue working with the Government of Kenya on promoting the inclusion of civil society and the protection of human rights. President Ruto’s visit is historic and comes at an important moment for our two nations.”

“Righting our relationships with African partners is imperative for our national security as we look towards the future,” said Senator Tim Scott, Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy. “I am glad to introduce this resolution, which recognizes the importance of the U.S.-Kenya partnership and expresses a desire to improve and strengthen our relationship with the Kenyan people.”

Senator Coons welcomed President Ruto on Wednesday to Congress with an International Conservation Caucus Foundation lunch. Senator Coons traveled to Kenya three times last year and recently returned from a trip to Cabo Verde, Zambia, Angola, Malawi, and Botswana.

A companion resolution is being filed in the House of Representatives, led by Representatives Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (Fla.-20), John James (Mich.-10), and Gregory Meeks (N.Y.-5).  

The full text of the resolution can be found here. 

ICYMI: Senator Coons talks U.S. and sub-Saharan African countries partnership amid Kenyan President’s visit

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) discussed Kenyan President William Ruto’s visit to the United States this week and the need for Congress to advance a reauthorization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in an interview with Devex yesterday.

A major area of interest for President Ruto is the trade relationship between the United States and Kenya, and his visit is expected to lend support to the effort to reauthorize AGOA. Senators Coons and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) introduced the AGOA reauthorization bill last month to renew and strengthen a key trade program with sub-Saharan African countries. The new legislation would extend the program by 16 years, pushing back the program’s expiration from 2025 to 2041.

Senator Coons has traveled to Kenya three times in the past year and recently returned from a trip to Cabo Verde, Zambia, Angola, Malawi, and Botswana.

Senator Coons is Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS) and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 

Devex: US Sen. Chris Coons on Kenyan president’s visit, Africa policy and trade

“What President Ruto asked when I last met with him in Kenya was that we move forward quickly on reauthorization” of AGOA, “the cornerstone of our trade investment relationship with Africa,” Coons told Devex. Coons has been to Kenya three times in the past year and regularly travels to the continent, including a recent trip to five AGOA partner countries.

“It’s an important bill. It’s probably the only market access, trade-related bill we’re going to get done in this Congress,” Coons said.

…

“I think it’s important that we continue to show strong bipartisan engagement and attention to Africa. It is the continent of this century. It is absolutely critical to global development, to security, to the clean energy transition,” Coons told Devex.