Senator Coons statement on Senator Carper retirement

WILMINGTON, Del. ­– U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement after U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) announced he would retire from the Senate when his term ends in 2025:

“Tom Carper isn’t just a colleague and a friend, he is a steady, significant leader who has shaped Delaware over decades. Across his more than 50 years of service to our state and nation, he never stopped focusing on economic development, and despite his substantial accomplishments in the Senate, he’s never stopped thinking as a governor — focused on working across the aisle, solving complex problems, and making a lasting difference. Famous for his tireless energy and determination, he set the standard for active engagement and responsive service. As Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, Senator Carper has protected our lands and waterways and played an instrumental role in the passage of both the landmark, bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.  

“Tom Carper has also mentored a generation of Delaware leaders. From my first race for County Council President, he has encouraged and supported my career in service, acting as a source of advice and encouragement when I needed it most, and as a role model for balancing family and service. 

“I look forward to serving together for the remainder of this Congress and to supporting my colleague as he decides on the next chapter in life’s adventure. Annie and I want to express our gratitude to Tom and Martha for their friendship and service, and we wish them and their family all the best in the years to come.”

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Senators Coons, Cardin introduce bill to support small businesses with training and mentoring

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) introduced the SCORE for Small Business Act today to reauthorize and improve the SCORE program and invest in the in-person mentoring, online training, and local workshops that SCORE provides to small businesses. This bill was previously introduced in December 2022 in the 117th Congress.

“Delaware’s small businesses are the backbone of the First State’s economy, and SCORE has long provided invaluable support, advice, and guidance to help businesses grow and create good-paying jobs,” said Senator Coons. “Through SCORE, volunteer mentors with real-world experience help Delaware entrepreneurs meet the challenges of running a business. This bill would reauthorize this crucial program with more funding and make improvements so it continues to support small businesses across the country.”

“The SCORE program has not received the place in statute that it deserves. This bill is essential to improving the way we serve our entrepreneurs in Maryland and across the country who rely on SCORE for a fair shot at growing their small business,” said Senate Small Business Committee Chair Ben Cardin. “The modernizations and improvements included in this bill ensure that the program remains a vital part of the Small Business Administration’s entrepreneurial counseling and training ecosystem. We will work hand in hand with my friend and fellow committee member, Senator Coons, to gather bipartisan support for the SCORE for Small Business Act of 2023.”

In addition to Senators Coons and Cardin, the bill was cosponsored by Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.).

“On behalf of SCORE’s 10,000 volunteer mentors, we greatly appreciate the Small Business Committee’s support in reauthorizing the SCORE program at an $18 million appropriation. This reauthorization provides enthusiastic recognition of the significant positive impact SCORE has had on American small businesses, and serves as a testament to SCORE’s strong culture of compliance and good stewardship of the federal dollar,” said Bridget Weston, CEO of SCORE.

The SBA currently provides funds to SCORE to provide in-person mentoring, online training, and nearly 9,000 local training workshops annually for small businesses. SCORE’s more than 230 chapters are located throughout the entire United States and Puerto Rico. SCORE partners with more than 10,000 volunteer counselors, who are working or retired business owners, executives, and corporate leaders, to provide training assistance to small businesses at no charge or low cost.

The SCORE for Small Business Act would reauthorize the SCORE program and officially change the name from the Service Corps of Retired Executives to the SCORE program. This bill would also expand SCORE’s online counseling services to further support entrepreneurs. The bill establishes accounting standards for SCORE, requires a documented compensation policy for SCORE employees, institutes whistleblower protections, and mandates that SCORE provides three annual policy reports to Congress for oversight.

This month, Senator Coons introduced the bipartisan Research Advancing to Market Production (RAMP) for Innovators Act to help small businesses access competitive federal funding and help commercialize and scale up production of their technologies. In February, Senator Coons hosted a roundtable discussion on how the First State is doing in supporting its Black-owned small businesses, and where and how Delaware can improve.

Senator Cardin is Chair, and Senator Coons is a member, of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

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Senators Coons, Rounds introduce legislation to prevent American hostages and wrongful detainees from incurring tax penalties

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced the Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act today to prevent the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from levying fines and penalties on American hostages and wrongful detainees for late tax payments while they are held abroad. This bill was previously introduced in December 2022 in the 117th Congress.

“Coming home after being held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, only to find that your own government is penalizing you for being unable to pay your taxes while imprisoned, sounds beyond belief – but it’s a reality for many returning Americans. As soon as I heard of this issue, I became determined to address it through bipartisan, commonsense legislation,” said Senator Coons. “The Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act updates our tax code to ensure that wrongfully detained Americans, American hostages, and their families face one less obstacle as they return home. I will continue my efforts to bring every last wrongfully detained American and American hostage home, and I hope my colleagues will join me in fixing this shameful flaw in the tax code.”  

“The IRS continues to prove itself as a bureaucratic agency,” said Senator Rounds. “No U.S. citizen who is wrongfully or unlawfully detained overseas should be subject to penalties levied by the IRS on late federal income tax payments from when they were detained. I am pleased to work with Senator Coons on this bipartisan, commonsense legislation to protect Americans from unnecessary red tape when they return home.”

Americans who are held abroad as hostages or wrongful detainees are fined and charged interest by the IRS in the event of non-payment of taxes while in prison or captivity abroad, as though they had simply chosen not to pay taxes. Senator Coons was alerted to this issue by Jason Rezaian, a Washington Post reporter who was wrongfully detained by the Iranian government for more than a year. Rezaian came home to find that he owed a large sum to the IRS due to non-payment of taxes.

“When I returned home after being held hostage in Iran for 544 days, I faced many unexpected challenges,” said Jason Rezaian. “The one that proved the most difficult to navigate and ultimately the costliest was the massive bill from the IRS that included tens of thousands of dollars in penalties, late fees, and interest that piled up while I was wrongfully detained. The IRS told me, ‘we don’t have a code for removing these charges.’ Well, now they will, thanks to Senator Coons and Senator Rounds.”

“The Bring Our Families Home Campaign supports any action by Congress that prioritizes our Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, be it related to utilizing all tools necessary to facilitate their release or for the support of their families as they bravely fight for their loved one’s freedom,” said Neda Sharghi, Chair of Steering Committee for the Bring Our Families Home Campaign. “Our campaign commends Senator Coons and Senator Rounds for their Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act and sees this bill as yet another important step in elevating the cases of our American hostages and wrongful detainees.”

“On behalf of all U.S. nationals returning from captivity abroad and the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, I sincerely commend Senator Coons and Senator Rounds’ leadership and their staff for this bill prohibiting tax penalties for hostages and wrongful detainees, an essential step forward,” said Diane Foley, Founder and President of the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation.

Senator Coons has led legislation supporting hostages and their families, raising awareness about Americans unjustly held abroad, and increasing the urgency to bring home every wrongfully detained American. In March 2023, he introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to establish March 9 as the annual National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day and create an official Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag.

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VIDEO: At Washington Post Live event, Senator Coons touts new investment, jobs from Inflation Reduction Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus, participated in a fireside chat as part of The Washington Post Live’s Climate, Technology, and Sustainability event yesterday.

At the event, Senator Coons discussed how the historic legislation passed in the last Congress –including the Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – is unleashing clean energy production in America, boosting manufacturing, and growing American competitiveness while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Senator Coons also touted the importance of his bipartisan Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative to support the adoption of clean hydrogen in energy-intensive sectors like shipping, heavy industry, and long-haul trucks, as well as his efforts to pass a border carbon adjustment mechanism that would make American manufacturing more competitive while reducing global emissions.  

Full audio and video available here.

Senator Coons on …

The Inflation Reduction Act: “It’s not just some landmark accomplishment by President Biden. It’s already producing real and concrete impacts on the ground, creating more than 100,000 new clean energy jobs, attracting tens of billions of dollars of private-sector investment – the majority of which, by the way, are going to red states. So, we are seeing foreign auto manufacturers [and] foreign clean energy manufacturers bringing new plants and new projects to the United States. The intersection of the CHIPS and Science Act, the infrastructure bill, and the Inflation Reduction Act is driving a dramatic reshoring or onshoring of advanced manufacturing in the United States. President Biden has been president during the period of the sharpest and most rapid growth of employment in manufacturing.”

A border carbon adjustment mechanism: “One of the things I’m excited about working on is a carbon border adjustment mechanism that allows us to harmonize what the EU is doing on their CBAM. … Ideally, we would end up with a common approach to climate ambition by those economies that, like us, are committed to open societies, to free markets, and we could have a system that welcomes products from any source, ultimately, that is manufactured in a verifiably low-carbon way.”  

Hydrogen investments: “There is a competition underway right now for massive investments by the federal government in a constellation of hydrogen hubs around the country. The point of that competition is to get regions to identify where can they generate hydrogen, how can they distribute it, and who’s going to use it. And the critical question … is who’s going to use it. Part of the legislation that Senator [John] Cornyn [R-Texas] and I have been working to move forward is to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen as a fuel, for example, for long-haul trucks. … Decarbonizing heavy industry … like the production of steel, cement, glass, that are the hardest to decarbonize, are [also] most likely to be decarbonized through the use of hydrogen as an advanced fuel. … So,the incentives in these bills that Senator Cornyn and I hope to move would address many of these: ports, heavy industry, long-haul trucks.”

Permitting reform: “There is a proposal that my senior senator, Tom Carper [D], who’s the Chairman of Environment and Public Works, is putting out – they’re having a hearing this week. There’s a proposal from Senator [Joe] Manchin [D-W.Va.] that’s won some support, both from the administration and Senator [Chuck] Schumer [D-N.Y.]. There’s a proposal led by … Senator [Shelley Moore] Capito [R-W.Va.] and Senator [John] Barrasso [R-Wyo.]. I think the right result is a mix of these. We cannot gut NEPA [National Environmental Policy Act]. … Having a single agency responsible for marshaling the review process and getting to an answer, whether positive or negative – having distinct timelines that agencies are required to follow for their review process – issomething I think there may be some agreement around.”

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Coons, Murkowski, Whitehouse, Rounds reintroduce legislation to support spouses of veterans who died from ALS

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Co-Chair of the Senate ALS Caucus, and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate ALS Caucus, reintroduced the Justice for ALS Veterans Act alongside Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). This bipartisan measure would guarantee that surviving spouses of veterans receive all benefits due to them. This bill was previously introduced in January 2022 in the 117th Congress by Senators Coons and Murkowski.

“ALS is a particularly cruel and brutal disease that takes the lives of thousands of Americans each year, including many veterans who have sacrificed so much for this nation,” said Senator Coons. “Denying the families of veterans who succumb to this disease because of a bureaucratic test shortly after the death of a parent, spouse, or other loved one is simply adding insult to injury. Our military families deserve so much better, and that’s why I’m working with Senator Murkowski to ensure families impacted by ALS have access to the benefits they rightfully deserve.” 

“The average life expectancy for a person living with the cruel and unforgiving disease ALS is short, but the impact of the disease and toll of losing a loved one can remain with a family forever. I’ve made it a priority to support our veterans and their families, including those who have bravely battled ALS. I urge my colleagues in Congress to support this important measure for the sake of our veterans who pass from ALS, and the loved ones they leave behind,” said Senator Murkowski.

“It takes tremendous courage from patients, spouses, and families to cope with an ALS diagnosis – a relentless and debilitating disease that is twice as likely to affect veterans,” said Senator Whitehouse. “I’m pleased to join Senators Coons and Murkowski on the bipartisan Justice for ALS Veterans Act, which would cut down bureaucracy to ensure the families of veterans with ALS receive the full survivor benefits they are due.”

“Our men and women in uniform have made incredible sacrifices so that we can be free,” said Senator Rounds. “We have a responsibility to provide them with the benefits they have earned when their service is completed. Under current law, many veterans diagnosed with ALS do not survive the eight years that the VA requires in order for their loved ones to receive full benefits. This bill would extend increased VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) to the surviving spouse of a veteran who died from service-connected ALS, regardless of how long the veteran had the disease prior to death. I am pleased to work with Senator Coons on this bipartisan legislation to make certain military families receive their earned benefits.”

Currently, the surviving spouse and family of a deceased veteran who had a service-connected disability deemed fully debilitating for a continuous period of at least eight years prior to death receive an additional monthly financial benefit from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). However, the average life expectancy for an individual diagnosed with ALS is just two to five years after diagnosis, resulting in many families in which ALS-diagnosed veterans did not reach the eight-year threshold allowing family members access to this benefit. The Justice for ALS Veterans Act would ensure surviving spouses of veterans who die from ALS receive these payments, regardless of how long a veteran had ALS prior to death.

Veterans are at least twice as likely to develop ALS as the general public. That means those who enlisted in the military are at least twice as likely to experience ALS, a merciless illness that is currently 100% fatal.

“For our military veterans, the chances of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are significantly higher than it is for those who have not served in the armed forces. ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that is always fatal, usually within two to five years. Therefore, it is imperative that our nation supports veterans living with ALS, and their families, by passing the Justice for ALS Veterans Act. Surviving families should not be penalized from receiving increased compensation due to the fast progression of ALS,” said Calanet Balas, President and CEO, the ALS Association.

“Denying benefits to the surviving spouses of ALS veterans because they were unable to survive long enough to meet an arbitrary timeline is a disservice to the veteran community and their families. PVA thanks Senators Coons and Murkowski for the reintroduction of the Justice for ALS Veterans Act, which would ensure that ALS survivors are able to receive the additional compensation afforded to other survivors,” said Heather Ansley, Associate Executive Director of Government Relations, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA).

“The VA recognizes ALS as a presumptive service-connected disease and, due to its aggressive nature, automatically rates any diagnosed veteran at 100% once it’s determined to be service-connected. After diagnosis, individuals with ALS have an average lifespan of two to five years. Sadly, many veterans are unable to meet DIC’s eight-year requirement for the additional amounts payable to survivors. The Justice for ALS Veterans Act would allow survivors of veterans who pass away due to service-connected ALS to receive that additional monthly compensation, regardless of the length of time it was service-connected. DAV applauds Senator Coons for his efforts in providing justice for ALS veterans and their families,” said Jim Marszalek, National Service Director, Disabled American Veterans (DAV).

“ALS is a 100% service-connected disease; veterans are twice as likely to be diagnosed. In addition to the tragic, debilitating, and 100% fatal diagnosis, loved ones of veterans with ALS are being denied financial resources under current law because of the rapid progression,” said Brian Wallach, advocate and founder of the advocacy organization I AM ALS, who is living with the disease. “We greatly appreciate the bipartisan leadership and continued dedication of Senators Coons and Murkowski to the ALS and veteran communities, and wholeheartedly support the Justice for ALS Veterans Act. This important legislation will ensure all survivors of veterans who died from ALS will receive the benefits they are due for their service to our country.”

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Senators Coons, Wicker, Whitehouse, Collins introduce bipartisan bill to support next generation of coastal managers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine) reintroduced the Coastal Fellowships Act today to codify and improve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Management and Digital Coast Fellowships. The legislation supports two essential programs that boost critical workforce capacity for coastal zone management programs, which coastal and Great Lakes states and territories depend on to protect their communities from unique hazards.

“As the lowest-lying state in the country, Delaware’s prosperity and economy relies on the health of our waterways and coastal management. Delaware is fortunate to have talented NOAA fellows who work on critical coastal issues like flood mitigation, sea level rise, and habitat restoration,” said Senator Coons. “I’m proud to support these essential NOAA fellowship programs and make them permanent to ensure coastal states like Delaware receive expert help on coastal management and conservation projects and can build a pipeline of talented public servants.”

“The NOAA Coastal Management and Digital Coast Fellowships have provided opportunities that address the needs of coastal communities and help establish a better future for our economy and environment,” said Senator Wicker. “This legislation will ensure NOAA can continue training new fellows to assist Mississippi and other coastal states across the country. I am glad to join my colleague, Senator Coons, in advancing this worthy initiative.”

“From rising seas to more powerful storms, coastal communities in the Ocean State are facing increasingly difficult challenges caused by climate change,” said Senator Whitehouse. “We need to provide coastal states like Rhode Island with the resources to scale up coastal conservation efforts, and these NOAA fellowship programs are a smart investment.”

“Maine has thousands of miles of coastline that support the livelihoods of so many Mainers and are an integral part of our state’s character,” said Senator Collins. “NOAA’s fellowship programs help to keep communities strong by supporting postgraduate students’ work with states to increase coastal resilience, protect the environment, and promote a strong ocean economy. Codifying these fellowships would help preserve these precious natural resources for current and future generations.”

The Coastal Fellowships Act will:

• Codify the NOAA Coastal Management and Digital Coast Fellowships;
• Authorize sufficient appropriations to fully support NOAA’s administration of the program;
• Improve benefits for fellows, including an increased stipend, addition of a locality adjustment to account for cost-of-living differences between states, and sufficient funding for professional development, work-related travel, and relocation expenses; and
• Give fellows direct hire authority to facilitate the transition from the fellowship into the federal workforce for fellows interested in joining a federal agency.

The Coastal Fellowships Act is supported by the Coastal States Organization, The Nature Conservancy, and the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association.

“Coastal States Organization strongly supports the bipartisan Coastal Fellowships Act as valuable legislation to develop the next generation of coastal managers through practical experiences that provide meaningful improvements to coastal communities. With a generational shift in the coastal workforce, it’s more important than ever to develop new coastal leaders who will manage a future coast that looks very different from the coastlines of the past. Energy development, recreational opportunities, equitable public access, fishing, and aquaculture are just a few of the many coastal uses that need to be addressed in an era of rising sea levels and intensifying storms. The Coastal Fellowships Act will train leaders to face these challenges,” said Derek Brockbank, Executive Director, Coastal States Organization.

“Thank you to Senator Coons and Senator Wicker for their leadership with the bipartisan Coastal Fellowships Act. As we’re seeing across the nation, Delaware is facing increased pressure from climate change and rising seas,” said Lori Brennan, Executive Director, The Nature Conservancy Delaware and Pennsylvania Chapter. “The NOAA fellowship program provides on-the-ground professional development opportunities for the next generation of coastal leaders as we work to build resilience in human and natural communities.”

“The NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship enables the state to undertake projects that address pressing coastal issues and it provides hands-on opportunities to recent postgraduates who are interested in public service. Delaware has hosted nine Coastal Management Fellows since 1998, several of whom chose to continue in-state service once their fellowships ended,” said Shawn M. Garvin, Secretary, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

The text of the bill is available here.

Senator Coons is Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus.

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Carper, Coons, Blunt Rochester announce nearly $2.4 million in AmeriCorps funding for Delaware

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) today celebrated nearly $2.4 million in State and National funding including grants and education awards from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism.

These grants will support 230 AmeriCorps members in Wilmington across three programs: RAI Reading Intervention Program, Reading Assist High-Dosage Tutoring Program, and the Summer Learning Collaborative, Inc.

“AmeriCorps members provide vital support to our communities through their service and volunteerism,” said Senator Carper. “From building homes to tutoring students, Delaware is a better place because of AmeriCorps members who serve here. I am glad that this funding will help students continue to succeed inside and outside of the classroom in Delaware.”

“As Co-Chair of the National Service Caucus, I’m thrilled to see such a strong investment from AmeriCorps to benefit communities up and down Delaware,” said Senator Coons. “Every $1 we invest in deploying AmeriCorps members is an investment into our future, and AmeriCorps has long been on the front lines of our nation’s most pressing challenges. This almost $2.4 million in funding will help over 1,000 Delaware kids with literacy interventions, including improving reading outcomes and inspiring the next generation of book lovers. I look forward to seeing the work these AmeriCorps members can do to address the critical needs of the First State.”

“For over two decades, AmeriCorps has developed extraordinary volunteers through its commitment to national service – and continues to see the value in investing in them in Delaware and across the country,” said Congresswoman Blunt Rochester. “I’m thrilled to join Senators Carper and Coons in announcing nearly $2.4 million in funding for Delaware AmeriCorps members that will be instrumental in strengthening educational and literacy programs that support Delawareans across our state.”

These AmeriCorps State and National grants and new AmeriCorps members will help prepare students for college, revitalize cities, connect veterans to jobs, fight the opioid epidemic, rebuild communities following disasters, preserve public lands, strengthen education, foster economic opportunity, and more. They will join the more than 1.1 million AmeriCorps members who have served since the program’s inception in 1994, earning nearly $4 billion in education awards. 

This announcement includes $1.47 million in competitive funding from AmeriCorps, and an additional $463,858 in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards. The Delaware Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service, the state service commission, will also receive $921,037 in formula funding. After a full-service term, members can receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of approximately $6,500 toward tuition at eligible schools and at certain GI Bill-approved educational programs for veterans, or student loan repayment.

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Senator Coons statement on executive order authorizing sanctions on Sudanese belligerents

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement after President Biden issued an executive order authorizing sanctions on the belligerents in the conflict in Sudan:

“I commend President Biden for this decisive step to hold accountable those in both the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces who threaten peace in Sudan and who commit human rights violations. Through modernized sanctions, we can target the individuals responsible and their network of companies, family members, and facilitators while limiting the impact on ordinary citizens. 

“The Sudanese people bravely ousted longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019 and they want and deserve a democratic, accountable government. I urge General Burhan of the Sudan Armed Forces and General Hemedti of the Rapid Support Forces to honor ceasefires, negotiate a lasting truce, and plan for a transition to a civilian-led government that reflects the will of the Sudanese people.”

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

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Senator Coons, colleagues introduce bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act to protect children from online risks

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) introduced the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act alongside Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) to protect children on social media platforms.                     

“Social media platforms provide tremendous value to society by connecting the world and boosting economic growth, but without proper safeguards, our children are too often exposed to objectionable, harmful, or outright dangerous content,” said Senator Coons. “We need more transparency and information about the impact these platforms have on our children, but we can start with the commonsense steps contained in this bill to ensure that platforms do their part to protect minors who use their services.”

The Kids Online Safety Act provides young people and parents with the tools, safeguards, and transparency they need to help protect against dangerous online content. The legislation requires independent audits by experts and academic researchers to ensure that social media platforms are taking meaningful steps to address risks to kids.

Senator Coons has been a longstanding advocate for transparency from social media platforms. Last year, he introduced the bipartisan Platform Accountability and Transparency Act (PATA), which would allow qualified researchers access to platform data to better understand the impact social media companies have on society.

In addition to Senators Coons, Blumenthal, and Blackburn, the bill was cosponsored by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Katie Britt (R-Ala.).

The Kids Online Safety Act is supported by hundreds of advocacy and technology groups, including Common Sense Media, the American Psychological Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Compass, Eating Disorders Coalition, Fairplay, Mental Health America, and Digital Progress Institute. 

The Kids Online Safety Act: 

• Requires that social media platforms provide minors with options to protect their information, disable addictive product features, and opt out of algorithmic recommendations. Platforms would be required to enable the strongest settings by default.

• Gives parents new controls to help support their children and identify harmful behaviors, and provides parents and children with a dedicated channel to report harms to kids to the platform. 

• Creates a responsibility for social media platforms to prevent and mitigate harms to minors, such as promotion of suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual exploitation, and unlawful products for minors (e.g., gambling and alcohol).
• Requires social media platforms to perform an annual independent audit that assesses the risks to minors, their compliance with this legislation, and whether the platform is taking meaningful steps to prevent those harms.  

• Provides academic and public interest organizations with access to critical data sets from social media platforms to foster research regarding harms to the safety and well-being of minors. 

The one-page summary of the bill is available here. The section-by-section summary is available here. The text of the bill is available here.

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VIDEO: Senator Coons chairs State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on strengthening international conservation assistance

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS), held a hearing today on “Advancing Security and Prosperity Through International Conservation” to discuss the importance of strengthening U.S. foreign assistance for conservation. U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Assistant Administrator and Chief Climate Officer Gillian Caldwell, African Wildlife Foundation President and CEO Kaddu Sebunya, and Bezos Earth Fund President and CEO Dr. Andrew Steer testified. 

At the hearing, Senator Coons discussed the importance of the government’s role in supporting international conservation while emphasizing the need to improve collaboration with the private sector, as proposed in his bipartisan bill, the U.S. Foundation for International Conservation Act. The bill, which he introduced with SFOPS Ranking Member Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), would establish a foundation to support local communities around the world through public-private partnerships focused on effectively managing critical and conserved areas, providing long-term benefits for the planet, economic and human development, and security. 

Senator Coons is also a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Full audio and video available here.

Senator Chris Coons: I think this is a critical topic: critical for the United States’ place in the world, critical for the relationship between the private sector and philanthropy and government. Those who have worked on, read about, or visited conservation programs, know what progress on conservation means for indigenous communities, for efforts to curb wildlife trafficking and illicit financing, to improve security, and for the benefit of livelihoods across the globe, including here in the United States. That is why there is robust, bipartisan, and bicameral support for that. Like many members on this committee, I’ve had the opportunity to visit protected and conserved spaces around the world, from Kenya and Mozambique and Rwanda, to Namibia, Colombia, and Ecuador. I have done them in [partnership] with my colleagues, in [partnership] with nonprofit organizations, and I’ve seen remarkable and impressive examples of what conservation that is human-centered, that is done in close coordination with indigenous communities, and that is well-planned and well-accounted for, can accomplish. We are losing the Earth’s most vital spaces, the most remarkable parts of Creation, at an alarming rate because of logging, rapid human population expansion, the demand for agricultural space, for charcoal, [from] wildfires, because of a changing climate. This is in part because the vast majority of gazetted parks, of notionally protected spaces, are underfunded – leaving lands at risk of degradation and wildlife at risk from poaching. Poaching – which as I’ve demonstrated in hearings now many years ago to lay the groundwork for the END Wildlife Trafficking Act – funds armed groups and global criminal networks that threaten national security, both here and in many countries around the world. USAID and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have long been critical partners in addressing conservation challenges, for which Senator Graham and I have worked to increase and sustain funding through this subcommittee over many years. We also recognize governments cannot possibly address this problem alone. I’m encouraged [that] over recent years, we’ve seen significant and growing commitments from philanthropic and private-sector actors to support transnational conservation.

I’m looking forward to hearing first about how USAID has applied lessons learned from its long history working on conservation, and how we can strengthen such efforts, including in partnership with the private sector. Senator Graham and I, along with a bipartisan and bicameral group of my colleagues, have proposed legislation to leverage these philanthropic commitments: the U.S. Foundation for International Conservation Act. This legislation would fund new public-private partnerships for the long-term management of protected and conserved areas, catalyzing substantial additional private investment with a sustained, ongoing annual amount of additional public financing. We’ll discuss that legislation today, and other steps we can be taking to advance our global conservation goals, in more detail.

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