Statement from Senator Coons on President Obama’s plan for job creation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement after President Obama’s address to Congress on job creation:

“With our nation mired in a jobs crisis, I was pleased to hear President Obama lay out his strategy for helping the millions of Americans looking for work. I strongly support many of the ideas he proposed tonight, including significant investments in America’s aging infrastructure, additional support for small businesses, and a specific focus on helping our veterans find work. 

“I was proud to see my Senate colleagues cast votes in favor of final passage of the America Invents Act just hours before the President’s speech tonight. The sweeping changes to our nation’s patent system that it makes will help create jobs in Delaware and throughout the country, which is why I cosponsored the measure and worked aggressively for its passage. That this legislation passed with overwhelming bipartisan support is a hopeful sign that both parties will come together and work with President Obama to address our jobs crisis. 

“As I said last week while releasing my own legislative strategy for job creation, there is no shortage of good ideas, only a lack of political will to act. The President laid out a clear challenge tonight, insisting that Republicans put the American economy ahead of partisan ideology. I agree. Congressional Republicans must step up and support these aggressive measures to help businesses create jobs and restore American competitiveness.”

Senator Coons’ legislative strategy for job creation, which includes 38 bills or ideas for helping America’s businesses create jobs, can be found at http://www.coons.senate.gov/blueprint.

Senator Coons statement on the Judiciary Committee’s endorsement of Rich Andrews to be U.S. District Judge for Delaware

WASHINGTON – Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) issued the following statement today on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation of Rich Andrews to be U.S. District Judge for the State of Delaware:

“I applaud today’s action by the Senate Judiciary Committee on the nomination of Rich Andrews to serve as U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Delaware,” Senator Coons said. “During his 30 years of service for Delaware, Mr. Andrews has established himself as a talented, dedicated, and humble public servant who possesses a strong work ethic and the highest integrity and intellect. I am confident that his experience as a prosecutor has given him the knowledge, skills, and temperament to join the District of Delaware bench, and I urge my colleagues to move swiftly in confirming Mr. Andrews so that he will have the opportunity to serve our great state as a District judge.”

Rich Andrews served in the U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Delaware for 24 years, serving as Acting United States Attorney, as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney, and as Chief of the Criminal Division. He is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley Law School where he was an editor of the Law Review. Since 2007, Andrews has served as a State Prosecutor for the Delaware Department of Justice.

Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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Delaware Delegation announces awards to University of Delaware for advanced solar technologies

WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. Tom Carper, Chris Coons and Rep. John Carney (all D-Del.) announced more than $7 million in awards to the University of Delaware to help accelerate research and development to increase efficiency, lower costs and advance solar energy technologies. The Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative improves the way solar energy systems are conceived, designed, manufactured, and installed and encourages rapid, widespread adoption of solar energy systems across the United States.

The SunShot Initiative seeks to make solar energy systems more cost-competitive and efficient and without long-term subsidies, by reducing the cost of these systems about 75 percent by the end of the decade. It will also improve materials, manufacturing processes and supply chains for a wide range of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells and components of solar energy systems. Some of these investments also support efforts that will shorten the overall timeline from prototype to production and streamline building codes, zoning laws, permitting rules and business processes for installing solar energy systems. 

The University of Delaware led five of 69 winning projects for the SunShot Initiative in the categories of “Foundational Program to Advance Cell Efficiency” and “Transformational PV Science and Technology:”

Advance Cell Efficiency: $3,300,000  

Project will research high-efficiency, silicon-based PV cells using thin-silicon wafers produced via high-speed laser processing. Increasing the speed of production, or throughput, will reduce the cost of the PV cell.

Advance Cell Efficiency: $1,167,147  

Project will research ultra-thin, CIGS PV cells based on a superstrate design. An improved superstrate (i.e., the layer on the sun-facing side of the cell) will allow the maximum transition of the sun’s energy into the cell and increase its efficiency.

Advance Cell Efficiency: $1,200,000  

Project will advance processing technologies in CIGS PV. These advances will create improvements in manufacturing and increase solar cell efficiency. 

Advance Cell Efficiency: $960,000     

Project will research the effects of sodium in CIGS PV cells. 

Next Gen PV II: $1,278,110   

Project will develop new low-symmetry gratings for next-generation, thin crystalline silicon and CIGS (copper indium gallium diselenide) PV cells.

“America must stay competitive in order to move toward a clean energy future for the sake of our environment and health, as well as for the strength of our economy,” said Sen. Carper. “Advancements in solar energy and other renewable energy technologies reduce harmful pollutants, lead to healthier lives, lower our energy costs, and create American jobs that produce clean energy equipment stamped ‘Made in the U.S.A.’ to sell here and export around the world. I congratulate the University of Delaware on its awards and I am proud that Delaware researchers are leading the way in the development of cutting-edge energy technologies that will help clean our air and keep America competitive in a 21^st century global economy.” 

“I’m proud that, once again, the University of Delaware has shown why it is a national leader in solar energy technology development,” said Sen. Coons. “Solar power has the potential to play a starring role in our efforts to reduce our nation’s reliance on foreign oil and to redirect our country’s energy consumption to renewable sources. These grants will help Delaware continue its leadership role in energy research by helping local scientists develop cutting-edge solar technology. These projects will help our nation make further progress in this promising field.”

“We need to make things in America again, and emerging opportunities in green energy are critical to putting people back to work while protecting the environment,” said Rep. Carney.  “Delaware is positioned to be a national leader in these efforts because of strong partnerships among private businesses, government, and our higher education institutions.  The University of Delaware has been on the forefront of advancing fuel cell technology, and this investment will help UD continue its research on making solar energy efficient and affordable for U.S. businesses and residents.”

The awards, which total $148 million in 24 different states, will target improvements across the research, development, and demonstration pipeline, from next generation technologies 7 to ten years away from commercial readiness, to scientific and technological improvements which can be rapidly implemented within 5 years. The programs will create entirely new and more economical approaches to collecting solar energy and tackle fundamental challenges to ramp up use of these renewable energy technologies.

The six categories of SunShot Initiative projects are:

. Extreme Balance of System Hardware Cost Reductions – Nine projects to receive $42.4 million.

These projects will conduct research and development of new balance of system (BOS) hardware — including power inverters and mounting racks but excluding solar panels or cells — that is inexpensive, safe, and highly reliable. BOS accounts for more than 40 percent of the total installed cost of solar energy systems and represents a major opportunity to achieve significant cost reductions.

. Foundational Program to Advance Cell Efficiency – 18 projects to receive $35.8 million.

Combining both the technical and funding resources of U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation, this joint program will support research that aims to eliminate the significant gap between the efficiencies of prototype cells achieved in the laboratory and the efficiencies of cells produced on manufacturing lines. The projects under this award address cost and efficiency barriers, advance fundamental PV cell research, and develop materials and processes for more efficient, cost-effective photovoltaic cells. 

.Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems: Advanced Concepts – Eight projects to receive $25.9 million.

These projects will develop electronics and build smarter, more interactive systems and components so that solar energy can be integrated into the electric power distribution and transmission grid at higher levels. These technologies will help advance a smart grid that will handle two-way flows of power and communication, in contrast to the one-way power flow and limited communication that exists today.

. Transformational PV Science and Technology: Next Generation Photovoltaics II – 23 projects to receive $24.5 million.

These awards will fund applied research into technologies that greatly increase efficiency, lower costs, create secure and sustainable supply chains and perform more reliably than the current PV technologies. Investing in new classes of photovoltaic technology feeds the industry with the new innovations it will need to compete in the future and will help achieve the goals of the Sunshot Initiative. 

. Reducing Market Barriers and Non-Hardware Balance of System Costs – Seven projects to receive $13.6 million.

These awards will provide funding to create tools and develop methods to reduce the cost of non-hardware components for installed solar energy systems. These projects will develop software design tools and databases that can be used by local jurisdictions and installers, and tools to streamline building codes, zoning laws, permitting rules, and business processes for installing solar systems.

.SunShot Incubator – Four projects to receive $5.8 million.

These projects will fund two different tiers of transformational projects. The first accelerates development of new technologies from concept to commercial viability. The second level of funding supports efforts that shorten the overall timeline from laboratory scale development to pilot line manufacture. The SunShot Incubator Program is an expansion of DOE’s successful PV Technology Incubator Program, launched in 2007, which to date has funded $60 million in projects that have been leveraged into $1.3 billion in private investment. 

Senator Coons praises Senate progress in passing sweeping patent reform legislation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) on Tuesday praised the Senate’s successful 93-5 cloture vote on the House version of the America Invents Act, a comprehensive bill designed to update and streamline the patent system in the United States in order to stimulate investment, promote job creation, and increase competitiveness. The bill is expected to attain final passage later this week.

“American ingenuity has far outpaced American bureaucracy,” Senator Coons said. “The America Invents Act was designed to help restore American competitiveness and leadership in the global economy by modernizing the rules and practices that have prevented too many American inventors from becoming American entrepreneurs. Just as it was when the Senate originally passed the America Invents Act back in March, the bill was passed today with an overwhelming bipartisan majority. This is a good step forward — hopefully one of many — that the Senate will take this fall as we focus on addressing America’s jobs crisis.”

Senator Coons, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was an original cosponsor of the Senate version of the America Invents Act (S. 23), and aggressively and successfully worked for its passage on March 8th.

As many as 1.2 million patent applications await disposition by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, with the average application taking almost three years and many applications taking much longer. The America Invents Act includes a suite of reforms that will make the patent system more efficient and successful in promoting American innovation.

• The Act transitions the U.S. to a first-inventor-to-file system to simplify the application system and bring it into better alignment with our international trading partners.
• The Act will strengthen patent quality by allowing third parties to submit prior art with explanations as to its relevance, adding unprecedented depth to the application review process.
• The Act will also strengthen patent quality by introducing a “first window” post-grant opposition proceeding for challengers, helping weed-out patents that should not have been issued.
• The Act will improve the process for challenging a patent before a panel of administrative patent judges while at the same time including procedural protections so that these challenges are not used for purposes of harassment.
• The Act prevents patents from being issued on claims for tax strategies.
• The Act provides more certainty in the calculation of damages for patent infringement.
• The Act will allow the Patent and Trademark Office to set its own fees and will end the practice of fee-diversion, thereby ensuring that PTO has the resources need to produce high-quality patents in an expeditious manner.

“The America Invents Act will create jobs in Delaware and throughout the United States by removing some of the administrative roadblocks currently preventing inventors from becoming successful entrepreneurs,” Senator Coons said in remarks on the floor in March (http://bit.ly/nDjBqO). “This bill will improve the speed, quality and reliability of the Patent and Trademark Office and it will ensure that America retains its place in the world as the leader of invention and innovative thinking.”

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Sussex County Airport receives Federal Aviation Administration grant to extend runway

WILMINGTON – Today, Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) announced a $723,900 grant award to Sussex County to extend the main runway at the Sussex County Airport in Georgetown, Del. This grant will provide engineering and design funding for a project to extend the runway 500 feet to 5,500 feet, improve approaches and lighting, and bring it up to Federal Aviation Administration standards.

The Sussex County Airport is a general aviation airport that serves Georgetown and Sussex County and is owned by Sussex County Council. The airport has two paved runways. Currently, the longest runway is 5,000 feet and accommodates private aircraft and planes up to the size of a Boeing 737. This runway extension will allow the airport to accommodate larger planes, ensure safe operation in varying conditions and attract more aeronautical-based businesses to Sussex County.

Sen. Carper has been leading the effort to secure the approvals for this project that has the potential to bring more business and jobs to the local economy.

“Receiving the funding from the Federal Aviation Administration is the first step in securing the future for the Sussex County Airport,” said Sen. Carper. “The airport will be able to accommodate larger planes and therefore bring in more business and job opportunities to Sussex County. That is just the kind of project we should be focusing our attention on right now as we strive to put Delawareans back to work. I always say that the role of government is to provide a nurturing environment for job creation, and infrastructure development like this is a great example of government working to do just that.”

“Businesses are drawn to regions with well maintained, highly integrated transportation infrastructure,” said Sen. Coons. “Delaware is known for its ports, railroads, and highway system to quickly transport commodities and now, thanks to the Federal Aviation Administration funding, Sussex County Airport will be better equipped to accommodate large aircraft able to draw new business and jobs to the area. This funding gets to the heart of one of my key priorities for accelerating our nation’s economic recovery: investing in America’s infrastructure, which will not only strengthen our long-term global competitiveness, but also creates good jobs for Americans.”

“The additional runway length will provide our current large aircraft operators additional range and payload options, as well as an added margin of safety,” said Airport Manager Jim Hickin.

“The County appreciates this support as we move forward with this phase of the project which supports our goal to enable businesses at our airport to expand,” said Sussex County Administrator David Baker.

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Senator Coons releases strategy for supporting job creation, calls on Congress to focus on economic recovery

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) today called on Congress to focus intently on job creation when it returns to Washington next week, and released his own “Blueprint for American Jobs” to update Delawareans on his legislative strategy for supporting job creation. The strategy is based in part on feedback received at three roundtable discussions the Senator hosted in August, as well as on hundreds of meetings and conversations with business leaders and out-of-work Delawareans this year.

“As today’s disappointing jobs report re-confirms, Congress needs to pursue a new jobs agenda,” Senator Coons said, “one that will not only lead to the growth of skilled and sustainable American jobs for decades ahead but that will also put Americans back to work now. Instability in the job market is an urgent threat that we need to address immediately.”

The Senator’s strategy, which can be read online at http://www.coons.senate.gov/blueprint, cites 38 specific bills that Congress could pass and ideas that Congress should explore to help propel America’s economic recovery. They are spread across six key actions:

• Invest in critical infrastructure projects
• Reform our tax code and stabilizing our nation’s debt
• Offer greater support for America’s small businesses
• Develop and protecting the next generation of American technology and ingenuity
• Strengthen America’s global trade posture
• Invest in an educated workforce

Senator Coons expressed frustration at seeing Democratic efforts in Congress to help create jobs repeatedly stymied by partisan politics.

“Every time a bill that would help create jobs came up — even ones that in previous years enjoyed widespread bipartisan support — it would be blocked,” Senator Coons writes in the plan. “Too many opportunities to help middle-class Americans were sacrificed at the altar of partisan politics. Those politics, which nearly shutdown our government in March and nearly caused our nation to default in July, must be put aside. We have a jobs crisis in America, and it is long past time Congress gets engaged in solving it.”

Delawareans are invited to weigh in on the plan and suggest their own ideas for job creation on Senator Coons’ website at http://www.coons.senate.gov/contact/.

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Delaware’s Congressional delegation, state leaders announce new funding and plans for C&D Canal Recreation Trail

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper and U.S. Rep. John Carney today joined Governor Jack Markell, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Secretary Collin O’Mara, Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) Secretary Shailen Bhatt and other federal, state and local leaders to announce plans and funding for construction of the first phase of an approximately 14-mile-long shared-use recreational trail along the north side of the C&D Canal, and that ground will be broken on the project next spring.

The first phase of the C&D Canal Recreation Trail, from Delaware City to just beyond Summit Marina, will create approximately nine miles of safe new recreational opportunities where people can hike, bicycle, jog, skate, bird-watch and ride horses. Other activities currently taking place at the canal include fishing, hunting and dog training.

“Developing a shared-use recreational trail along the C&D Canal will not only create a wonderful place for Delawareans to exercise and have fun, but will be a boon to local businesses,” Senator Coons said. “Quite a few Delawareans, including former Congressman Mike Castle, have worked hard over the last seven years to create this greenway, and I’m pleased that today we’re able to announce such a significant step forward in turning this idea into a reality. The C&D Canal is an amazing resource and I look forward to the day when my family and I can join others in safely exploring the beauty of the C&D Canal thanks to the new recreation trail.”

“This recreational trail along the C&D Canal is a project that has been years in the making and is the vision of my good friend Mike Castle. To see it receive the funding it needs to make it a reality is exciting,” Senator Carper said. “The trail will provide a no-cost, safe recreational opportunity in a scenic area that anyone can enjoy. In the long run, supporting projects like the C&D Canal Trail that promote healthy living will decrease our health care costs and save lives. That’s just the type of win-win situation I envision now and years down the road.”

“I’m excited that this recreation trail along the C&D Canal is now moving beyond the planning stages and into construction, which will create much needed jobs here in Delaware,” Congressman Carney said. “This trail will allow more Delawareans to appreciate the beauty of this part of our state, while hiking, biking, or participating in other activities that make up a healthy and active lifestyle. I applaud the effort made by so many community members to make this project a reality, and look forward to its completion.”

“As somebody who bicycles most of the length of the state each year, I know the incredible beauty Delaware has to offer, particularly when it’s not just rolling past your car window. This trail offers a new way to see some of our natural beauty up-close. It gives local businesses a chance to connect with some of the new visitors the trail will bring and connects our state’s recreation opportunities more closely together,” Governor Markell said. “Our delegation, representatives in the federal government, and public officials throughout the state worked with each other to make this trail a reality, and I thank them for it.”

“I’m delighted that Senator Coons, Senator Carper, Congressman Carney, and our state leaders are continuing to work on this wonderful project,” former Congressman Castle said. “It has such great potential. The C&D Canal Recreation Trail means a lot to me and it was always disappointing that we weren’t able to find the necessary federal funding sooner. This has been a true team effort and I’m excited that today we’re taking this step forward together.”

In the three years after a concept plan for the trail was developed in 2006, Delaware’s Congressional delegation secured a total of $2.2 million in Public Lands Highways Discretionary awards from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to go toward planning and building the trail. Earlier this year, DNREC committed $1 million in state funding from the 2011 Bond Bill, and earlier this month, the project was awarded an additional $1 million from the FHWA. Combined, this $4.2 million in funding will enable construction of approximately nine miles of the north side of the trail, from Delaware City to just beyond Summit Marina, including parking and rest facilities, and connecting to existing recreation opportunities at Lums Pond State Park. Additional phases of the trail will be completed in the future.

“This is fantastic and exciting news for Delaware on so many levels,” DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara said. “This new trail will create jobs, connect communities, get people outside and help improve the quality of life in Delaware. Trail related activities are the number one outdoor recreation activity in Delaware. We are so pleased to have this multi-use recreational trail become part of Delaware’s trail network. I thank Delaware’s congressional delegation, the Governor and our state legislators for making this possible.”

“This project is just one more step towards Delaware’s goal of becoming a model for multi-transportation initiatives across the country,” DelDOT Secretary Bhatt said. “I look forward to working with our fellow agencies to help bring the C&D Canal Trail project to life, providing bicycle trails and recreational opportunities for so many in our state.”

DelDOT will be responsible for construction of the trail along the canal, which is owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. With the plans complete and funds secured, DelDOT intends to offer bids for construction this fall, with groundbreaking of the project anticipated for spring 2012.

The C&D Canal has been in operation since 1829 and today it is one of the busiest working waterways in the world, with more than 25,000 vessels passing through it each year. The canal is a critical commercial waterway serving the Ports of Baltimore, Wilmington, and Philadelphia.

Senator Coons hosts roundtable discussion on jobs with ‘main street’ small business leaders

WILMINGTON, Del. — U.S. Senator Chris Coons hosted a 75-minute roundtable discussion with 12 small business leaders on Wednesday afternoon to listen to their concerns about the economic recovery and discuss ideas for helping their “main street” businesses grow and create jobs.

“One, two, or ten at a time, Delaware’s small businesses are responsible for the majority of our state’s jobs,” Senator Coons said. “We can’t afford to limit our focus to the next big factory or corporate headquarters. We have to support and nurture the businesses that line our main streets and comprise the fabric of our communities.”

Among the topics discussed at Wednesday’s roundtable were the cost and availability of quality health care, expanding infrastructure and public transportation, and expanding access to Delaware’s high-quality talent pool.

“The folks around the table today feel every bump on our nation’s road to economic recovery,” Senator Coons said. “The recession hit businesses like theirs hard, and we need to make sure that we’re listening to them as we rebuild our economy.” 

The roundtable was the third of three Senator Coons has hosted this month to engage Delawareans in a candid conversation about strategies for helping businesses create much-needed jobs. The first two were held last week and focused on jobs for America’s veterans, and growth in Delaware’s high-tech and R&D sector.

Participants in Wednesday’s roundtable included:

• Tim Brubaker, Waste Management, Inc.
• Bob Chadwick, New Castle County Chamber of Commerce
• Thomas Hanna, Harvey Hanna & Associates, Inc.
• Bill Lower, Harvey Hanna & Associates, Inc.
• Patrick Oakes, Apex Piping Systems, Inc.
• Bobby Pancake, Buffalo Wild Wings
• Richard Piendak, Richard’s Paving of Newport, Inc.
• Chad Reynolds, Daystar Sills
• John Stevens, Apex Piping Systems, Inc.
• John Wik, Newport Rowing Club
• Greg Wolfgang, Evergreen Apartment Group
• Silvia Zsoldos, Success Programs, Inc. 

Next month, Senator Tom Carper and Representative John Carney will join Senator Coons in hosting a third job fair for Delawareans. It will be held on September 26th in Georgetown.

Carper, Coons, Carney announce $28,300,000 to expand electric infrastructure in rural areas

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and Representative John Carney (all D-Del.) today announced a total of $28,300,000 in U.S. Department of Agriculture funding for Delaware Electric Cooperative, Inc. to build 587 miles of new power distribution lines, improve 55 miles of existing distribution lines, and make other electric power infrastructure improvements. This funding will benefit more than 9,000 residents in Kent and Sussex County.

“This is welcome news for the First State, particularly for our agricultural community,” Senator Carper said. “Investments in smart-grid technologies provide homes and businesses with reliable, economical and sustainable energy services. This critical federal funding will support key technology enhancements for Delaware Electric Cooperative, Inc., creating much-needed jobs, better service and additional economic growth for farms and families in Kent and Sussex counties. I thank the Administration for its support and will continue to work with the Administration and my colleagues in Congress on other initiatives to help our rural and agricultural communities in the First State and across the country.”

“Delaware’s agricultural communities need access to dependable and cost efficient power sources,” Senator Coons said. “Upgrading and expanding the electric infrastructure in Kent and Sussex counties will not only provide areas with additional power, but they will help create high-quality jobs in Delaware. I wholeheartedly welcome this funding, which will brighten Delaware’s rural communities and our state’s economy.

“With the events of this past weekend, we’ve seen the importance of a dependable electric infrastructure for emergency situations, as well as for the daily needs of Delaware businesses and residents,” Representative Carney said.  “I applaud the Delaware Electric Co-op’s efforts to maintain and expand their reliable, efficient infrastructure, while creating needed jobs for Delaware workers.”

On Monday, the USDA Rural Development’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announced $900 million in national funding to rural electric cooperative utilities for smart grid technologies and improvements to generation and transmission facilities. These loans, which help with electric utilities upgrade, expand, maintain and replace rural America’s electric infrastructure, will benefit more than 19,000 rural consumers in 14 states. 

“Rural electric cooperatives provide direct jobs and support economic growth in our rural communities,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “By financing electrical system improvements USDA and the Obama Administration helps ensure sustainable growth and business job creation. Investments in smart grid technologies will give rural electric utilities and their consumers one more tool to better manage use of electricity, increase reliability and lower costs.”

The total national amount awarded by the USDA through its RUS program will help build nearly 1,500 miles of line and improve more than 1,700 miles of existing line in rural areas across the country. More than $19 million will finance smart grid technologies. USDA Rural Development also funds energy conservation and renewable energy projects.

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Senator Coons looks to cutting-edge research companies for ideas for job growth

WILMINGTON, Del. — U.S. Senator Chris Coons hosted a 90-minute roundtable discussion with a dozen small business leaders in Newark on Thursday morning to consider ideas for helping Delaware’s high-tech, research-driven companies grow and create jobs in Delaware.

“We have a responsibility to help innovators and entrepreneurs transform their ideas into new products, and to help those products find markets in the U.S. and abroad,” Senator Coons said. “That’s how we’re going to create the next generation of manufacturing jobs here in Delaware and across the country. I’m committed to doing whatever I can to nurture the growth of Delaware’s innovative small businesses.”

Among the topics discussed were targeted tax credits, improved access to capital, “wet” lab space for biotechnology research, patent reform, trade enforcement, and stronger investments in math and science education.

“Delaware is one of the world’s best places to locate a technology-driven or alternative-energy business,” Senator Coons said. “Just last month an independent report found Delawareans to be among the smartest, most innovative, most productive workers in the world. We need to support the businesses that are going to put those folks to work.”

In April, Senator Coons introduced his first bill, the Job Creation Through Innovation Act, to jumpstart domestic manufacturing and help innovative small business grow by:

• Expanding, simplifying and making permanent the Research & Development Tax Credit
• Creating a new Small Business Innovation Tax Credit
• Creating a new Domestic Manufacturing Tax Credit
• Extending the 1603 Treasury Grants Program
• Investing in the Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit

Thursday’s roundtable was the second of three Senator Coons will host this month to engage Delawareans in a candid conversation about strategies for helping businesses create much-needed jobs. The first was held on Monday and focused on jobs for America’s veterans.

Participants in Thursday’s roundtable, which was held at the Delaware Technology Park in Newark, included:

• Chet Benham, Vice President & General Manager, Air Liquide
• Mike Bowman, representing FSI and the Delaware Technology Park
• Patti Cannon, Delaware Economic Development Office
• Andrew Cottone, Vice President for Chemistry and Co-founder, Adesis
• Franr M. DiNuzzo, President and CEO, SDIX
• Doug Hicks, Vice President of Business Development, iBio
• Ben Hsu, Chief Financial Officer, QPS
• Kelvin Lee, Director, Delaware Biotechnology Institute
• Brian Pryor, President, LiteCure
• Ron Simonetti, Founder and Owner, Waste Carpet Depot and Modular Carpet Recycling
• Patrick Walker III Ph.D., Attorney, McCarter and English
• Richard Wool, CEO of Crey Bioresins and Professor of Chemical Engineering Center for Composite Materials ACRES Program at UD

Next month, Senator Tom Carper and Representative John Carney will join Senator Coons in organizing a third job fair for Delawareans. That job fair will be on September 26th in Georgetown.

A summary of the Job Creation Through Innovation Act can be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/hENf6L

The full text of the Job Creation Through Innovation Act can be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/foWnsv

A blog post with answers to key questions about the Job Creation Through Innovation Act can be found here: http://bit.ly/i97IU4

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