[VIDEO] Senator Coons holds Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with Secretary Blinken

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Chair of the Senate State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS) Appropriations Subcommittee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today hosted a hearing to review the fiscal year 2024 budget request for the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other related agencies. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken testified in front of the committee about the need for robust funding for the State Department.

Senator Coons engaged Secretary Blinken about maintaining and supporting the State Department workforce, strategies for tackling the global food crisis, and development finance as a tool for advancing our foreign policy objectives, among other key issues.

In his opening statement, Senator Coons remarked that, “I am confident we can forge and maintain bipartisan support to address the most critical challenges facing us and to advance America’s interests, including supporting Ukraine’s determined fight against Russian aggression, countering the threats posed by China, and leveraging our trade tools in the private sector to drive our core economic interests. We have made real progress together to advance our national security priorities over the last two years. … We need to be proactive and use every tool at our disposal to get ahead of these challenges. Your task is daunting and my message to my colleagues is simple: We can’t do more with less. We must increase our investments in our diplomatic and development tools if we want to strengthen our national security. That’s why I’m encouraged by the FY 24 budget request for the State Department, USAID, and related agencies. It is an ambitious request, but the challenges of our time demand no less.”  

Watch Senator Coons’ full opening remarks here. 

The full hearing is available here. 

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Senator Coons calls on IRS and Treasury to use new IRS funding to protect taxpayer rights, increase tax enforcement on high-income individuals and large corporations

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Angus King (I-Maine) and 18 other senators on a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen that expressed strong support for Secretary Yellen’s directive for the IRS to not raise audit rates for small businesses or households making under $400,000 annually and that new enforcement funds provided in the Inflation Reduction Act focus on reducing tax avoidance by large corporations and the wealthiest Americans. 

“We … understand that the administration is still working on the operational plan regarding implementation of the new funding and Secretary Yellen’s directive. We ask that this plan, when finalized, continue to reflect and elaborate on your stated focus on protecting taxpayer rights and increasing enforcement for high-income individuals and large corporations,” wrote the Senators. 

In response to increased funding for the IRS in the Inflation Reduction Act, Secretary Yellen directed former IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig “that any additional resources — including any new personnel or auditors that are hired — shall not be used to increase the share of small business or households below the $400,000 threshold that are audited relative to historical levels. This means that, contrary to the misinformation from opponents of this legislation, small businesses or households earning $400,000 per year or less will not see an increase in the chances that they are audited. Instead, enforcement resources will focus on high-end noncompliance.” 

The Senators expressed support for this clarity and asked the IRS to elaborate on its focus on protecting taxpayer rights and increasing enforcement for high-income individuals and large corporations. They urged the IRS to use the new funding to support tax fairness and close the tax gap caused by tax avoidance from the wealthiest Americans and large corporations, protect the rights of lower-income taxpayers, and swiftly improve taxpayer customer service and information technology. 

In addition to Senators Coons, Warren, and King, Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) signed the letter.

The full text of the letter is available here.

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National Service Caucus celebrates AmeriCorps Week, announces expanded bipartisan leadership

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Senate Co-Chairs of the National Service Congressional Caucus, alongside Vice Chairs Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and House of Representatives Co-Chairs Garret Graves (R-La.) and Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), released a resolution in celebration of AmeriCorps Week to honor the invaluable contributions of AmeriCorps members and alumni. The caucus also celebrated its newly expanded bipartisan leadership team, as Senators Heinrich and Capito and Congressman Graves took on new roles. Every year, AmeriCorps enrolls more than 200,000 individuals who currently serve in 40,000 communities across America, totaling more than 1 million alumni since the program’s founding in 1994. The National Service Congressional Caucus celebrates the contributions of AmeriCorps members and alumni and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers across the country.

“The roots of our nation’s democracy aren’t in the halls of Congress, but rather in friends, neighbors, and complete strangers rolling up their sleeves and working together to improve communities across the country. There is no finer example of that than the 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in the United States working with our veterans, teaching our kids, and improving public health,” said Senator Coons. “As Co-Chair of the National Service Caucus, I’m delighted to celebrate AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps week, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to strengthen AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Seniors, and other national service programs.”

“AmeriCorps members do everything from empowering students in the classroom to supporting veterans transitioning to civilian life,” said Senator Cassidy, M.D. “They make their communities better. This resolution honors their work in services to those who need a helping hand.”

“National service is a critical and cost-effective approach to solving problems. Early in my career, I spent the better part of a year working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as an AmeriCorps member. That experience taught me that there is no venture more rewarding than working to improve the lives of those around us. As we celebrate AmeriCorps Week, I’m proud to be named as Vice Chair of the National Service Congressional Caucus and look forward to working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to provide a new generation of Americans with meaningful opportunities to serve their country and leave their mark,” said Senator Heinrich.

“Just a few days ago, I was proud to meet AmeriCorps volunteers at Grow Ohio Valley and at Wheeling Heritage. Whether helping grow and develop our Heritage Areas or reading to kids through the Energy Express program, AmeriCorps volunteers put in time and effort to make real, lasting impacts on lives in communities across West Virginia,” said Senator Capito. “I am proud to join my colleagues in leading this effort to celebrate the good work AmeriCorps does to serve others and improve the lives of so many.”

“West Virginians have a long history of lending a hand to their neighbors in times of need,” said Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), a member of the caucus. “Last year, more than 3,300 AmeriCorps volunteers served at more than 500 locations across West Virginia, including schools, food banks, homeless shelters, health clinics, youth centers, and veterans’ facilities. These projects continue to make incredible impacts on our state and country. As a longtime supporter of the AmeriCorps program, I’m proud to join this bipartisan resolution to celebrate the critical contributions of its members and thank them for their service to our communities.”

“Across our nation, AmeriCorps members have stepped up to serve their communities – bridging divides and symbolizing a helping hand in times of need,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “Every day, these dedicated young Americans provide tangible, community-focused resources that show us just how essential these programs are. I am proud to join my National Service Caucus colleagues in celebrating all of their hard work and excited to have Congressman Graves as my new Co-Chair in the House. This spirit of service is a crucial part of our national identity, and we must continue to fight for the resources necessary to support this invaluable work.”

“Our national service volunteers are a great investment: For every $1 invested, service organizations can leverage $17 in private funding to help improve our communities. In exchange, our volunteers gain critical experience that sets them on a path to success and a lifetime of service across our country,” Congressman Graves said. “Every day, volunteers help folks recover from disasters, receive an education, improve their neighborhoods, and break the poverty and government-dependence cycle. It’s a win-win for Louisiana and America, and I’m proud to join the National Service Congressional Caucus as a Co-Chair.”

“National service unites us and builds shared purpose in our communities. As our country celebrates the lasting impact of generations of AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers during AmeriCorps Week, I am especially grateful for the bipartisan leaders of the National Service Congressional Caucus who make their service possible,” said Michael D. Smith, CEO of AmeriCorps. “Thank you to Senators Coons, Cassidy, Capito, and Heinrich and Representatives Matsui and Graves for their efforts to make national service an indispensable part of the American experience and reducing barriers to serve.” 

“In communities across the country, AmeriCorps members of every background are vital boots on the ground, providing critically needed support to food banks, homeless shelters, health centers, schools, youth organizations, veterans facilities, and other nonprofit and faith-based organizations,” said AnnMaura Connolly, President of Voices for National Service. “As we celebrate AmeriCorps Week, we are deeply grateful to Senators Chris Coons, Bill Cassidy, Shelley Moore Capito, and Martin Heinrich and Representatives Doris Matsui and Garret Graves for their leadership of the National Service Congressional Caucus. We are especially thankful for their commitment to AmeriCorps, a commonsense solution we can all agree should be expanded and strengthened.”

“The National Service Caucus serves as a critical bipartisan voice helping to educate Congress on the importance of national service and its ability to bring communities together while addressing key needs. On behalf of state and territorial service commissions, we applaud Senators Chris Coons, Bill Cassidy, Martin Heinrich, and Shelley Moore Capito, and Representatives Garret Graves and Doris Matsui, for their efforts in growing the bipartisan support and reach of the caucus in the 118th Congress,” said Kaira Esgate, CEO of America’s Service Commissions. “This is an exciting announcement to cap AmeriCorps Week. We look forward to working with the caucus on ensuring AmeriCorps and our states and territories have adequate resources to support opportunities to serve in AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors, and volunteer in our communities on projects that develop new pathways to in-demand careers, support veterans and their families, recover from natural disasters and build resilience, and help students make educational gains.”

“AmeriCorps Week is a time to celebrate the thousands of AmeriCorps members across the country and all that they contribute to our country. These past several years have proven how important giving back to one’s community is, and AmeriCorps members were and remain at the forefront of helping their communities. This resolution is a testament to all that AmeriCorps does for our nation,” said Mary Ellen Sprenkel, President and CEO of the Corps Network.  “I want to thank Senators Coons and Cassidy and Representative Matsui for being tireless supporters of AmeriCorps and the Corps movement. I am also excited about the expanding leadership of the National Service Congressional Caucus. Senators Heinrich and Capito and Representative Graves bring years of experience to the caucus, and all have excellent service and Conservation Corps programs located in their states and congressional districts. I thank the entire National Service Congressional Caucus for their support and salute all current and former AmeriCorps members for their service to our country.” 

“As we close out AmeriCorps Week, it’s inspiring to see bipartisan service year champions raise their hands to lead both the Senate National Service Caucus and the House National Service Caucus,” said Kristen Bennett, CEO of Service Year Alliance. “We are grateful to Senators Cassidy, Coons, Capito, and Heinrich and Representatives Graves and Matsui for recognizing the transformative power of service years to transform lives, address community needs, and build a stronger civic fabric. We look forward to working in partnership with the House and Senate National Service Caucuses to advance our shared vision to make a service year an opportunity for all young Americans and continue to bring new bipartisan champions to the table to strengthen and expand national service.”

Last year, Congress provided $1.3 billion for national and community service, which includes $557 million for AmeriCorps state and national grants, an increase of $90 million over than fiscal year 2022. The increased support for AmeriCorps will help thousands of nonprofits, schools, and local governments meet the unique needs of local communities through community service.

AmeriCorps, by the numbers:

1. More than 200,000 members and volunteers in organizations dedicated to strengthening their communities.
2. 9,500 public, private, and charter schools supported by AmeriCorps tutors and mentors.
3. Nearly 245,000 veterans and military families connected to education opportunities, jobs, and the benefits they have earned.
4. 100,000 individuals assisted with job training and work placement programs annually.
5. 365,000 elderly Americans provided with independent living services annually.

AmeriCorps in Delaware:

1. $6.1 million in AmeriCorps investment, including more than $4 million in federal funding to support cost-effective community solutions, working hand-in-hand with local partners.
2. 223 service locations and 1,257 members of all ages and backgrounds united to meet local needs, strengthen communities, and expand opportunity in Delaware.
3. Approximately 5.1 million hours worked and more than $13.2 million in education awards earned by more than 3,500 Delaware residents since 1994.
4. More than $5.6 million in education award payments to higher education institutions and other organizations in Delaware.

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Senators Coons, Cornyn, Tillis, Whitehouse introduce legislation to ensure copyright protection and public access to safety standards

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) today introduced legislation to enhance public access to universal safety standards and codes. The Protecting and Enhancing Public Access to Codes (Pro Codes) Act of 2023 ensures safety standards do not lose copyright protection when they are incorporated into law by name, as long as they are accessible for free on a publicly available website.

“Universal standards become universal for a reason: because they work. People across Delaware are protected from electrical and fire hazards because of standards developed by experts in the field,” said Senator Coons. “At no cost to the taxpayer, nonprofit organizations use a transparent process to develop safety standards for the public that benefit our communities and promote reliability and collaboration among industries. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to support the nonprofits by ensuring that they receive the credit and benefits for their important work while maintaining public access to the vital information contained in standards.”

“For years, experts developed safety standards that protect Americans from fires and electrical hazards, and it is crucial that these organizations can maintain their copyright protections while making these guidelines available to the public for free,” said Senator Cornyn. “This legislation protects copyrights while allowing these groups to provide these often life-saving safety procedures at no cost to the taxpayer.”

“Standards development organizations (SDOs) draft important safety standards that protect the American people from things like fire and electrical hazards, and their standards should continue to be eligible for copyright protection,” said Senator Tillis. “I believe the Pro Codes Act strikes the right balance to ensure those developing safety standards are able to afford to do their crucial work, while providing the public with free digital access to these standards.”

Nonprofit SDOs use significant resources to bring stakeholders together and develop effective, impartial, and consensus-based standards on a wide array of safety issues at no cost to taxpayers. SDOs fund their work developing these standards by selling copyright-protected copies of their standards to firms that use them in their business, including development and construction. However, federal courts have endangered SDO’s copyright protections by ruling that SDOs lose the benefit of copyright protection for their safety standards when they are incorporated by reference into law by federal, state, and local governments. The Pro Codes Act supports SDOs and encourages them to continue providing an important public service at no cost while ensuring SDOs retain copyright ownership of their standards.

Senator Coons is the Chair of the Judiciary Committee’s Intellectual Property Subcommittee.

“Safety standards protect lives and property, and our country’s exceptional system for developing them is independent, consensus-based and doesn’t cost the taxpayer a dime. That’s why the legislation introduced by Senators Coons, Cornyn, Tillis, and Whitehouse is so critical, and we’re enormously grateful for their leadership on this issue. We need Congress’ support to ensure organizations like ours can continue developing standards that save lives, make communities more resilient, and foster economic growth for generations to come, as we have for more than 125 years,” said Jim Pauley, President and CEO of the National Fire Protection Association.

“The Pro Codes Act is a clear win for standards development organizations, lawmakers, scholars, and the public. It would ensure that codes and standards continue to be protected against infringers while guaranteeing that the public has access to them when they are incorporated by reference into law. We thank Senators Coons, Cornyn, Tillis, and Whitehouse for introducing this important legislation,” said Keith Kupferschmid, CEO of Copyright Alliance.

“The rigorous, consensus-based standards developed by ASHRAE and other SDOs are essential to public health, sustainability, safety, and security,” said 2022-23 American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) President Farooq Mehboob, Fellow ASHRAE. “ASHRAE proudly supports this legislation and will continue our work to provide vital standards for adoption or incorporation by reference – another step towards realizing our vision of a healthy and sustainable built environment for all.”

“Standards development organizations work tirelessly to enhance community resilience and sustainability as well as to protect the health and safety of communities around the world through the development of life safety codes and standards,” said Gabriel Maser, Senior Vice President of Government Relations for Code Council. “Our standards development system costs taxpayers nothing and has worked efficiently for over 125 years. The advancement of the Pro Codes Act is essential towards protecting this transparent and balanced system, the value of which is well recognized in the U.S. and abroad.”

“Since IAPMO’s founding nearly a century ago, promoting public health and safety has been at the center of our work. We applaud Senators Coons, Cornyn, Tillis, and Whitehouse for introducing the Pro Codes Act, which will help ensure that the public-private partnerships critical to keeping our homes and offices safe will continue in the future. The drinking water we rely on in our buildings is protected by rigorous codes and standards, which IAPMO helps create. With a growing list of challenges threatening the resiliency of our water systems, it is essential that the intellectual property of these codes and standards remain protected so that our communities can continue to benefit from the safety, innovation, and efficient embedded within,” said Dain M. Hansen, Executive Vice President for Government Relations, The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) Group.

A one-pager on the Pro Codes Act is available here.

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Senator Coons urges Biden administration to increase focus on South Sudan ahead of renewal of U.N. mission

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) to urge the Biden administration to deepen its engagement in South Sudan as the United Nations expects to renew the mandate of its mission in the nation later this week. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, the group stressed the need for accountability for South Sudan’s leaders amid continued deadly conflict, humanitarian crises, political corruption, and failures to institute basic tenets of democratic governance in the nation since it became an independent state in 2011. The Senators cited the passage of Senate Resolution 380, calling for a review of U.S. policy toward South Sudan, and the upcoming renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) as imperatives for action from the Biden administration to drive progress in the country.

“We urge the administration to deepen its engagement on South Sudan with an eye toward accountability for spoilers to the peace process, corruption and human rights violations, and a path to sustainable peace, including free and fair elections – the country’s first as an independent state,” the Senators wrote. “We also urge the administration to consider whether additional sanctions and other accountability measures on senior officials in the South Sudanese government, military, and National Security Service, or individuals and actors in the region who enable corruption and the perpetuation of conflict in South Sudan, could contribute to the pursuit of these goals.”

“South Sudanese leaders have failed to make meaningful progress toward holding free and fair elections, a condition of both the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in Republic of South Sudan and the 2018 Revitalized Agreement,” the Senators continued. “The United States, alongside our partners in the international community, must be clear about real expectations and benchmarks for drafting a permanent constitution and the credible conduct of elections, which will include a vital role for UNMISS. Alongside this however, we must be prepared to take action against those, even at the highest levels, who continue to impede South Sudan’s transition.”

“To date, the international community has failed to meaningfully contribute to changing the course of events in South Sudan. We encourage you to seize the opportunity presented by the renewal of the UNMISS mandate to make needed changes to support the people of South Sudan on their path toward peace and democracy, while holding accountable those who have denied it to them,” the Senators concluded.

Read the full letter here.

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Senator Coons, colleagues raise concerns about proposed changes to federal prison inmate trust accounts

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) yesterday sent a comment letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director Colette Peters regarding the Department of Justice (DOJ) and BOP’s proposed rule on the Inmate Financial Responsibility Program. The Senators applauded DOJ and BOP for taking action to address troubling reports about inmate accounts held by certain high-profile individuals, but raised serious concerns that the proposed rule would further marginalize the vast majority of incarcerated individuals who are indigent and would create additional barriers to successful reentry. 

Beginning in June 2021, The Washington Post published a series of articles reporting how notorious criminals, including Larry Nassar, R. Kelly, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, held thousands of dollars in their inmate trust accounts while paying little to nothing to their victims. The reports made clear that BOP was failing in its duty to effectively manage the Inmate Trust/Deposit Fund Program for these individuals’ accounts and that the program was in serious need of reform.

In response to the Post’s reporting, the Senate Judiciary Committee called for BOP to provide information on its management and oversight of the Inmate Trust/Deposit Fund Program. Shortly after the committee’s August 2021 letters, BOP updated its guidance on the Inmate Trust/Deposit Fund Program and instituted mandatory training for employees overseeing it.

“These were reasoned and measured steps to bringing greater accountability to inmate financial accounts, and addressing the specific issue of individuals with unusually large account balances failing to meet financial obligations,” wrote the Senators. “Unfortunately, the proposed rule lacks similar reason and measure. Further, many of the proposed changes have a substantial likelihood of impeding successful reentry.”

The Senators concluded their letter by writing, “We recommend that the Justice Department review its proposed rule and revise it to appropriately balance the interests of incarcerated people’s rehabilitation and basic needs with the interest of addressing outstanding financial obligations.” 

On January 10, BOP issued a proposed rule updating regulations regarding the Inmate Trust/Deposit Fund Program. BOP’s proposed rule has several provisions that appear to be overly burdensome for incarcerated individuals and their families. Specifically, the proposal would:

1. Eliminate the $75 minimum reserve in inmate accounts for telephone calls to family and make every dollar in inmate accounts subject to assessments;
2. Require a minimum of 25% of all inmate pay from prison work be assessed for debts;
3. Require 75% of all deposits from community sources, including family members, be assessed for debts; and,
4. Make refusal to participate in the Inmate Trust/Deposit Fund Program a disqualifier for earning and applying earned timed credits under the First Step Act.

Read the full letter here.

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Senator Coons statement on Silicon Valley Bank

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) issued the following statement on Silicon Valley Bank:

“I commend the Biden administration’s swift actions to address challenges posed by the closure of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank and to shore up our banking system as a whole. After being briefed by officials from the U.S. Treasury Department, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., and Federal Reserve over the weekend, I am significantly reassured about the path forward. Their solution ensures depositors have ready access to their funds and taxpayers will not have to shoulder the financial burden. The administration’s actions should give all Delawareans confidence that their federally insured deposits are safe and that our banking system is resilient. I will continue working with my colleagues to explore what additional steps, if any, we may need to take to further strengthen our financial system.”

Chair Coons statement on proposed fiscal year 2024 SFOPS budget

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Chair of the Senate State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS) Appropriations Subcommittee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement on President Biden’s fiscal year 2024 budget request:

“President Biden’s budget request demonstrates the administration’s commitment to promoting our interests, protecting our national security, and upholding our values by proposing meaningful increases for the State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, and related foreign affairs agencies. We have a lot of work ahead of us to enhance America’s global economic competitiveness, bolster our partners against aggression and economic coercion, strengthen global health security, and leverage private-sector financing to address the most pressing development needs. By strengthening the Development Finance Corporation and similar development tools, we can combine public and private funds to better compete globally with China’s Belt and Road Initiative and advance our global role in economic development.

“We cannot afford to fall short on these investments, and we will need a well-trained and well-equipped diplomatic and development workforce to carry out this vital work. I am grateful for the priorities in President Biden’s budget, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass a fiscal year 2024 Appropriations bill that builds on our bipartisan work to enhance American prosperity and security.”

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Senators Coons, Rubio, Shaheen, and Graham, Reps. Stevens and Hill introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation to establish National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day and flag

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and U.S. Representatives Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) and French Hill (R-Ark.), introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation this week that would establish March 9 as an annual National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day. The commemoration of a national day will call increased attention to Americans unjustly held abroad and increase the urgency to bring home every wrongfully detained American. The legislation will also establish an official Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag, pictured below. 

“The creation of a National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day and Flag will help ensure Americans never forget the tragic stories of Robert Levinson, James Foley, and other U.S. citizens held hostage or detained illegally in foreign countries. Brittney Griner’s release and unjust imprisonment only underscored the need for Congress to continue working to safeguard the lives of wrongfully detained Americans,” said Senator Coons. “I promise to keep unjustly held Americans at the forefront of our foreign policy and work until every last American is brought home safe and sound.”

“The death of Florida constituent Robert Levinson, who was the longest-held hostage in American history, was a devastating reminder of the tragic practice of hostage-taking,” said Senator Rubio. “Unfortunately, far too many American families have lived through the nightmare of seeing their loved ones unjustly detained abroad. Establishing the National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day will provide another opportunity to honor individuals like Paul Whelan, Marc Fogel, Kai Li, Emad Shargi, Morad Tahbaz, Theary Seng, and the many American citizens who are suffering in foreign prisons without due cause. We must show our fellow Americans that they have not been forgotten and at the same time must stop incentivizing our adversaries to take more Americans hostage.”

“The plight of Americans unjustly detained abroad is excruciating for both them and their loved ones. In addition to exploring every measure to bring them home, establishing a day and having a specific flag to recognize these individuals is an important, symbolic way the United States can remind the public that these hostages and their families are not forgotten. I’m proud to join this bipartisan, bicameral action to raise the profiles of these individuals and their families who are fighting for their freedom. On this solemn anniversary of his capture and detention, I’m heartened that this effort is rightly named in honor of Robert Levinson. We owe it to Robert, those we’ve lost, and those still detained, to get this done,” said Senator Shaheen.

“My constituent Paul Whelan was wrongfully detained in Russia just days before I was sworn into office,” said Representative Stevens. “For nearly four years, he has been held on false charges, working day in and day out in a prison camp, missing holidays with his family and precious time with his aging parents who miss him dearly. The Whelan family, like so many families of hostages detained abroad, have shown unbelievable strength, courage, and grace in what can only be described as a nightmare situation. Our bipartisan, bicameral designation today is a small step in ensuring that the names of Americans wrongfully held abroad are not forgotten. We will never stop fighting until Paul Whelan, and all other Americans hostages, are brought safely home.”

“Providing a voice in Congress for those wrongfully detained is the reason I co-founded the Congressional Task Force on American Hostages and Americans Wrongfully Detained Abroad. I am committed to doing everything I can to bring Americans home – this legislation will highlight the horrible situation their families face every day,” said Representative Hill.

March 9 is the day on which Robert Levinson disappeared in Iran in 2007. He was declared dead in absentia in 2020.

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Senator Coons joins landmark legislation to protect workers’ right to organize

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined House and Senate Democrats in introducing the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. The PRO Act is comprehensive legislation that will strengthen protections for workers’ right to organize a union and bargain for higher wages, better benefits, and safer working conditions. As wage inequality continues to leave workers and middle-class families behind, this legislation empowers millions of Americans to stand together and ensure hardworking people are getting their fair share of economic growth. Senator Coons is a member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.

“For generations, the labor movement has enabled Delawareans to receive better wages, a more secure retirement, and safer workplaces,” said Senator Coons. “I’m proud to cosponsor the PRO Act and join my Democratic colleagues to protect the rights of Delaware’s workers to form unions and negotiate fair working conditions and to restore the soul of our nation’s middle class.” 

The PRO Act protects the basic right to join a union:

• Holds employers accountable for violating workers’ rights by authorizing meaningful penalties, facilitating initial collective bargaining agreements, and closing loopholes that allow employers to misclassify their employees as supervisors and independent contractors.
• Empowers workers to exercise their right to organize by strengthening support for workers who suffer retaliation for exercising their rights, protecting workers’ right to support secondary boycotts, ensuring workers can collect “fair share” fees, and authorizing a private right of action for violation of workers’ rights.
• Secures free, fair, and safe union elections by preventing employers from interfering in union elections, prohibiting captive audience meetings, and requiring employers to be transparent with their workers.

The House bill was introduced by the Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.). The Senate companion was introduced by the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

The bill text of the PRO Act is available here. A fact sheet on the PRO Act is available here.

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