Senator Coons statement on bipartisan congressional delegation to U.S.-Mexico border

YUMA, Ariz. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) issued the following statement today after returning from a bipartisan congressional delegation to the Southwest border:

“This week, I revisited the border as part of a bipartisan group to consider how Congress can address the challenges of migration and security. In discussions with law enforcement, community leaders, advocates, and asylum seekers and after seeing the border firsthand, I’m only more convinced of the urgent need for congressional action. We cannot continue with a system that empowers smugglers, puts migrants in danger, leads to multiyear asylum backlogs, and relegates millions to live forever in the shadows. As President Biden made clear in his visit to the border this week, only congressional legislation can create a lasting solution to our immigration challenges.”

U.S. Senators Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) led the delegation to the border, with Senator Coons joining Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) in travel to sites in El Paso, Texas and Yuma, Ariz.

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ICYMI: New municipal campus for Lewes, funds for NIIMBL among other NDAA victories Sen. Coons helped secure

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) singled out two specific provisions from the numerous wins for Delaware contained in the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for particular praise after President Biden signed the NDAA into law.

The NDAA authorized the conveyance of the former Cape Henlopen U.S. Army Reserve Center site to the City of Lewes, Del., to be used as a new municipal campus for the city. This will expedite the transfer of the facility to the city, allowing Lewes to eventually locate its City Hall, police station, and Board of Public Works at the site.

“Lewes has outgrown its current City Hall, and the eventual transfer of the U.S. Army Reserve Center will enable the city to better meet the needs of its growing community,” said Senator Coons. “The citizens of Lewes deserve a modern municipal campus that will serve them well, and today they are significantly closer to that goal.”

The NDAA also authorized the National Institute of Standards and Technology to build test beds and other specialized facilities at Manufacturing USA institutes such as the Newark-based National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL). Test beds are platforms for innovating new manufacturing processes and scaling up manufacturing capabilities, and will help create and keep new manufacturing jobs in the United States.

“For too long, the United States has left the manufacturing of technologies created by Americans to other countries, costing us jobs and leaving us vulnerable to supply chain disruptions and national security risks,” said Senator Coons. “The authorization to build test beds at Manufacturing USA institutes like NIIMBL will strengthen our advanced manufacturing capabilities and bring more high-skilled, good-paying jobs home.”

The text of the Lewes legislation can be found in section 8377 of the NDAA, while the text of the NIIMBL legislation can be found in section 5911 of the NDAA, available here.

A full list of Delaware’s victories in the FY2023 NDAA can be found here.

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Senators Coons, Portman celebrate signing of END Wildlife Trafficking Act into law

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) applauded the passing of their bipartisan legislation to combat international wildlife trafficking and to strengthen interagency efforts to tackle the issue in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which President Biden signed into law this week. Senators Coons and Portman are members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and co-chairs of the International Conservation Caucus. Representatives Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) and Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) led the House companion of the bill.

Wildlife poaching and trafficking remains a serious transnational crime that threatens the conservation of vulnerable wildlife, security, and economic opportunity. It has also been linked to other organized criminal activities, including trafficking in narcotics, weapons, and people. The Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt (END) Wildlife Trafficking Reauthorization and Improvements Act would reauthorize legislation that was signed into law in 2016 and expand the responsibilities of the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking.

“The Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking has done outstanding work, but the threats posed by wildlife poaching and trafficking are constantly evolving. Reauthorizing the END Wildlife Trafficking Act will empower the task force with improved tools to help combat this crime. I am proud to reauthorize this vital program as this bipartisan bill becomes law,” said Senator Coons.

“I am pleased that this critical legislation to help combat wildlife trafficking has now been signed into law as part of the FY 2023 NDAA,” said Portman. “Wildlife trafficking is not only a matter of conservation but also one of national security and international stability, as billions in profits from the illegal wildlife trade are used to finance other illicit and terrorist activity. I look forward to this legislation, which will reauthorize and strengthen the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking, enhancing the tools the U.S. government has to help combat wildlife trafficking around the globe.”

“From drug deals to human trafficking, the internet is a new front to fight some of the worst crimes we know. By reauthorizing the END Wildlife Trafficking Act, we will be better positioned to stop these bad actors and combat wildlife trafficking not just in the U.S., but globally. I’m proud to cosponsor this bill and take a firm step towards ending this heinous crime for good,” said Representative Carter. 

“I am thrilled that our END Wildlife Trafficking Reauthorization Act has been signed into law as part of the annual defense funding bill,” said Representative Meng, Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. “The trafficking of wildlife is a cruel and dangerous practice that has the potential to cause catastrophic economic damage and can lead to the spread of disease. This interagency solution will help combat the issue on a global scale, and I am proud to help champion this effort.”

Since it was enacted in 2016, the END Wildlife Trafficking Act has aided in the arrest of members of wildlife trafficking networks and supported interagency efforts to tackle the issue globally through country-specific and regional initiatives. The END Wildlife Reauthorization and Improvements Act reauthorizes the duties of the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking and related reports on major wildlife trafficking countries and expands the role of technology in anti-trafficking efforts.

The text of this legislation can be found in section 5943 of the NDAA, available here.

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Chairman Coons: SFOPS division in FY 2023 omnibus advances revitalized American global leadership

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator and Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement after Congress passed the fiscal year 2023 omnibus spending bill: 

“The FY 2023 SFOPS Act increases current spending by 6.5% to make critical investments that will advance American security and prosperity in an increasingly complex world. While I am disappointed by the opposition we faced on crucial issues such as international climate finance, I am very proud of the resources my colleagues and I have secured this year.

“This bill will ensure that the United States can promote democratic values, strengthen our alliances and partnerships, and advance our global development objectives. It will make Americans more secure by reinforcing the rules-based international system we helped build against threats from coercive practices, disinformation, or military aggression.

“The SFOPS Act also funds $14.5 billion in much-needed military and humanitarian aid through the Department of State and USAID to the Ukrainian government as it continues its war effort. It will also help efforts to prosecute Russian war crimes, including providing support for victims and witnesses of such crimes. With bipartisan support, I am proud to have authorized our government to support the International Criminal Court’s efforts to prosecute those responsible for the unspeakable horrors that have been committed against the Ukrainian people.

“I am proud of the bipartisan work we have done to ensure the SFOPS Act’s passage, and I look forward to working with the Biden administration on its implementation.”

Highlights of the FY 2023 SFOPS bill include:

Reinvesting in multilateral engagement — The FY 2023 SFOPS Act protects U.S. and allies’ interests by ensuring our government has a seat at the table in standard-setting organizations, including providing new authority to enable the United States to rejoin UNESCO. It will also help American candidates be more competitive for leadership positions in international organizations and increase opportunities for Americans in entry-level jobs in the U.N. system. 

Building open and democratic societies and promoting international development — The FY 2023 SFOPS Act provides $300 million above current spending to promote democratic values and support accountable, transparent governance abroad, including efforts to support civil society and democracy activists under threat by repressive governments, and to build open societies that are more resilient and prosperous and contribute to global stability. It also fully funds the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Peace Corps, and other independent agencies on the front lines of advancing U.S. foreign policy goals.

Enhancing U.S. strategic engagement around the world — The FY 2023 SFOPS Act contributes to U.S. national security by supporting key allies, promoting regional cooperation, protecting vital trade and shipping routes, and providing economic and development assistance, including to counter the malign influence of competitors like Russia and China. This includes funding to enhance U.S. diplomatic engagement in the Arctic and increase our investments in the Indo-Pacific region, including increasing and expanding U.S. assistance cooperation with Taiwan and strengthening our presence in the Pacific Island countries. It also supports President Biden’s commitments at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit by expanding the Power Africa and Prosper Africa initiatives, addressing food insecurity, and providing the tools and technologies to better help our partners on the continent address the causes of instability such as climate change.  

Providing humanitarian assistance and investing in global health — The FY 2023 SFOPS Act provides smart and strategic investments that help stabilize countries in crisis by saving lives and addressing public health. It includes $8.4 billion in humanitarian assistance and $10.6 billion in global health assistance, including fully funding President Biden’s pledge of $2 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and providing increased funding for USAID’s global health security programs.

Expanding the diplomatic engagement and development toolkit — The FY 2023 SFOPS Act supports a more agile diplomatic and development workforce, strengthens training, makes new investments in cybersecurity and emerging technologies, advances efforts to increase local partner ownership to improve the sustainability of U.S. assistance, and enhances our efforts to leverage the private sector and other forms of assistance.  

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Delaware’s congressional delegation applauds wins for Delaware in newly signed defense bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) applauded President Biden signing the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this morning. The $857 billion bill supports a 4.6% pay raise for both military servicemembers and the Department of Defense (DOD) civilian workforce. The bill also includes provisions for Delaware, including the transfer of the vacant Army Reserve Center to the City of Lewes for use as a new town hall and police station. 

“By enacting the National Defense Authorization Act for the 62nd consecutive year, Congress and President Biden are making sure the men and women of our armed forces in Delaware and across the nation have the necessary resources to keep our country safe,” said Delaware’s congressional delegation. “This bipartisan bill will benefit our state by investing in our cutting-edge manufacturing facilities, modernizing local government resources, supporting community safety, and authorizing much-needed investments in projects and programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Delaware. It will also make the investments we need to continue strengthening the strongest military in the world, keeping the American people and our partners and allies safe and secure and ensuring we are able to defend our values across the globe.”

The fiscal year 2023 NDAA includes provisions to modernize our armed forces capabilities, reinforce our alliances, invest in cutting-edge technologies, strengthen our cybersecurity, build supply chain resilience, and benefit Delawareans by:

Investing in the Health and Readiness of Delaware’s Servicemembers and Veterans 

• Requires a review and report on the rates of suicides in the armed forces and a plan on how to apply reforms related to suicide prevention among members of the armed forces.
• Requires an assessment of potential improvements to reduce the effects of environmental exposures, such as burn pits and environmental hazards, to servicemembers and create a plan to implement the improvements. 
• Makes improvements relating to behavioral health care in the military health system.
• Requires the establishment of the brain health program, the Warfighter Brain Health Initiative, to improve cognitive performance and brain health of servicemembers.
• Extends the funding period for the ongoing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s study on the human health impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, in drinking water.

Supporting Military and Civilian Personnel Workforce

• Includes funding to support a 4.6% pay raise for military servicemembers and the DOD civilian workforce.
• Includes a pilot program to reimburse military families for certain child care costs.
• Supports servicemembers’ access to quality housing through the basic allowance for housing in high-cost areas, addressing housing shortages, and more.

Improving Competitiveness at Home and Bolstering Defense

• Authorizes the National Institute of Standards and Technology to support the construction of test beds and specialized facilities at Manufacturing USA institutes.
• Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide support for bioindustrial manufacturing facilities to conduct research and development to support national security and secure fragile supply chains.
• Creates a program to increase the capacity of HBCUs or other Minority-Serving Institutions to achieve very high research activity status.
• Includes $1 billion for the National Defense Stockpile to acquire strategic and critical materials required to meet the defense, industrial, and essential civilian needs of the United States.

Authorizing Much-Needed Investments in Projects and Programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Delaware and Across the Country

• Includes major provisions from the Shoreline Health Oversight, Restoration, Resilience, and Enhancement (SHORRE) Act, which Senator Carper and Congresswoman Blunt Rochester introduced earlier this year, including greater support to Delaware’s beaches following major storms and making shoreline protection more affordable for the Bay Beaches.
• Authorizing the Corps to work with the University of Delaware to conduct academic research in water resource ecology, water quality, aquatic ecosystem restoration, coastal restoration research, and water resource-related emergency management.
• Authorizing individual environmental infrastructure programs supporting drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure for Kent County, Sussex County, and New Castle County at $35 million each.

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Coons, Carper, Blunt Rochester announce nearly $100 Million to improve communities in Delaware

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) today announced that they secured $97 million in funding for Delaware projects in the omnibus appropriations bill that passed the House and Senate this week. This funding will go to community priorities such as water infrastructure improvements, mental health support, childcare services, affordable housing, education and research, workforce development, and more up and down the First State.

In 2021, Congress’ constitutional power to approve congressionally directed spending items – commonly known as earmarks – was restored with enhanced transparency and accountability measures. 

“Senators, representatives and local leaders can identify the needs of their communities better than bureaucrats in Washington, and these transparent, locally supported funds will create good-paying jobs, keep Delawareans healthy, and bring much-needed affordable housing to the First State,” said Senator Coons. “As Delaware’s sole member of the Appropriations Committee, I’m proud to work with my colleagues to ensure that nearly $100 million has been set aside in this year’s omnibus specifically to make a difference for Delaware.”

“I am proud to work with Senator Coons and Congresswoman Blunt Rochester to secure nearly $100 million for projects in Delaware,” said Senator Carper.  “These investments will help foster innovation at our universities, grow our economy, provide affordable housing and infrastructure investments, deliver health care to the far reaches of our state, improve public safety, and invest in our children.” 

“The most fundamental mission of our Congressional Delegation is to improve the lives of Delawareans up and down our state,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “Through this bill, working alongside Senators Carper and Coons, I’m proud that we’ve managed to deliver nearly $100 million that will go directly to improving the health, economic vitality, and quality of life for hundreds of thousands in the First State. I look forward to working with our state, local, and nonprofit partners to ensure these funds are put to their best use.”

A complete list of projects funded in Delaware can be found here. A few of the projects secured in the bill include:

• More than $11 million for water and sewer infrastructure projects in Dover, Wilmington and Seaford.
• $350,000 to Dover Air Force Base to replace the Armed Services Whole Blood Processing Laboratory – East to support the expedited transfer of blood and blood products to U.S. troops serving abroad from Dover Air Force Base.
• $10 million to the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services for a new Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill.
• $15 million to the University of Delaware to fund the construction and purchase equipment for a biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility. This facility will help the nation be better prepared for pandemic response and support our global competitiveness by ensuring a workforce training and manufacturing infrastructure exists through the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL).
• $6.8 million to Reach Riverside to redevelop blighted properties in the Riverside neighborhood of Wilmington.
• $3.5 million to the Latin American Community Center to support construction of its new Infant and Toddler Center and community playground as well as maintenance on the existing LACC building
• $1.5 million to the Choir School of Delaware for a new Community Learning Center in Wilmington
• $7 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete maintenance dredging in the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal to restore navigability to the canal.
• $2.3 million to Milford Housing Corporation to rehabilitate Maxwell Estates, serving the elderly and disabled communities in Harrington, Delaware.
• $866,00 to Delaware Department of Agriculture and Delaware State University to create an incubator farm on campus to enable the university to expand its programs and reach under-resourced audiences interested in farming.
• $1.1 million to Beebe Medical Foundation to support a comprehensive substance abuse and mental health outreach initiative in Sussex County.
• $600,000 to Sussex County Habitat for Humanity to acquire building lots for affordable homeownership opportunities throughout Sussex County, Delaware.
• $938,000 to the Town of Laurel to install accessible playground equipment in Tidewater Park.
• $757,000 to Brandywine Counseling and Community Services to provide funding to address historical inequities and disparities in access to medical and behavioral health care in all of Delaware.

Senator Coons statement on passage of omnibus spending bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, released the following statement after the Senate voted 68-29 to pass the omnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2023:

“President Biden and Congress have made historic progress for Americans this past year. We’ve made substantial investments in the fight against climate change, taken big steps to bring good-paying advanced manufacturing jobs back to America, and stood up for veterans’ health care, keeping our sacred promise to those who served our country. Now, with the passage of the bipartisan spending bill, we’re providing needed funding for those priorities.

“This bill also secures funding for projects across Delaware, with over $90 million in federal support that our Delaware congressional delegation specifically secured to support health care providers, expand affordable housing, protect our state’s waterways and lands, and boost Delaware’s workforce and businesses. Investment in the First State and the people who call it home will always be my most important priority, and this omnibus will improve the lives of Delawareans from Wilmington to Seaford and every point in between.

“This omnibus demonstrates our support for democracy and the rule of law across the world by providing $45 billion in assistance for Ukraine as it fights back against Russia’s brutal invasion, including $14.5 billion I secured as Chair of the SFOPS Subcommittee. It also protects the rule of law at home by including legislation that reforms the Electoral Count Act and safeguards our elections. I am pleased to have worked with a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues to include this bill as part of the larger omnibus. 

“I know this bill is far from perfect. It leaves out crucial legislation like the Afghan Adjustment Act, which I will keep fighting for in the weeks and months to come. However, the omnibus will lock in the gains we’ve made over the course of the past year. I’m proud to have supported it, and I urge my colleagues in the House to swiftly pass this legislation and send it to President Biden for his signature.”

Other important provisions in the FY 2023 omnibus that will directly support Delaware jobs and key community priorities include:

• $51 million for Manufacturing USA, a 209% year-on-year increase, which includes $10 million for the Newark-based National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL).
• $500 million for a new Regional Technology Hubs program that will provide grants for technology development, job creation, and innovation capacity across the country. The program is based on Senator Coons’ Innovation Centers Acceleration Act.
• $200 million for a new Recompete Pilot Program that will target clusters of Economic Development Agency grants to highly distressed communities, based on Senator Coons’RECOMPETE Act.
• $41 million for the Victims of Child Abuse Act, which is the only dedicated source of funding for Children’s Advocacy Centers nationwide.
• $4.4 billion for state and local law enforcement agencies, including:
  • $231 for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants, non-obligated grants for agencies, an increase of 15% year-on-year.
  • $324 million for the COPS Hiring Program to help agencies train and hire officers, a 32% year-on-year increase.
  • $770 million for Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants, which provide critical resources for law enforcement and crime prevention programs in Delaware. The funding is nearly a $100 million year-on-year increase. 
• $5 million in new funding to implement Senator Coons’ Fostering Leadership and Inclusion by Growing HBCU Training (FLIGHT) Act, which provides new resources for Reserve Officers’ Training Corps students at HBCUs, with a special emphasis on flight training.
• $18 million for the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and Center for Clean Hydrogen at the University of Delaware, which will create clean manufacturing jobs in Delaware and enable new research to lower the cost of clean hydrogen production. 
• Funding to support a new intelligent wireless technologies center between the University of Delaware and Delaware State University, building off the joint electrical and computer engineering program between the two universities.
• $460 million for the Department of Energy’s Carbon Management Technologies Programs, which will aid in implementing Senator Coons’ SCALE Act that promotes carbon transport and storage. 
• $3 million for the Truman Foundation, a 20% year-on-year increase.
• $17 million for the Small Business Administration’s SCORE program, which provides mentoring and training for entrepreneurs in Delaware and across the country. In 2021, SCORE aided more than 3,000 new businesses nationwide.
• $715,000 for the Delaware River Basin Commission, part of full funding for all Delaware Army Corps of Engineering projects.
• $40 million for the National Estuary Program, which will benefit both the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary and the Center for Inland Bays.
• $1.3 billion for AmeriCorps, a 14% year-on-year increase. This is roughly three times as large as any increase the program has received since 2009. The funds will help avert program cuts and increase living allowances for AmeriCorps members around the country. Senator Coons is a Co-Chair of the National Service Congressional Caucus. 
• $75 million in funds for an expanded access ALS grant program at the National Institutes of Health, up from $25 million last year. The money will fund Senator Coons’ ACT for ALS Act, which was enacted last year and will provide those living with ALS more opportunities to obtain treatment options for this deadly disease.
• $21 million for the American History and Civics National Activities grant program for civics education, a year-on-year increase of 321%. The funds will be distributed in line with priorities laid out in Senator Coons’ Civics Secures Democracy Act.
• $50 million in new funding for research infrastructure grants for HBCUs, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Minority Serving Institutions such as Delaware State University. This funding comes in addition to a 15% year-on-year increase for existing funding streams that will be at $1 billion for the coming fiscal year. Senator Coons is co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional HBCU Caucus.
• $16 million to fund construction projects at the Delaware Army National Guard Readiness Center.
• $2.4 billion for Amtrak, including a 44% year-on-year increase in Northeast Corridor Grants, ensuring that one of the major transportation links between Wilmington and other mid-Atlantic cities can thrive. 
• The sole appropriator in Delaware’s congressional delegation, Senator Coons worked with Senator Tom Carper and Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (both D-Del.) to help secure funding for 50 congressionally directed spending projects in the First State, totaling $90,960,000. A full list of these projects will be forthcoming in a separate press release.

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Senators Coons, Blunt bill to protect victims of child abuse passes House

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Co-Chairs of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, released the following statements after the House passed their Victims of Child Abuse Act (VOCAA) Reauthorization Act late last night as part of the Respect for Child Survivors Act. The law, first enacted in 1990, provides the only dedicated source of funding for Children’s Advocacy Centers, which bring together teams of law enforcement, medical personnel, and service providers to ensure the best outcome for child victims and help hold perpetrators responsible for their crimes.

“I’m glad to see the House pass the Victims of Child Abuse Act and send the bill to the President’s desk for signature. This legislation will help protect children who have been abused, bring their abusers to justice, and supply resources so that Children’s Advocacy Centers can provide a safe and supportive place for survivors of child abuse,” said Senator Coons. “It also supports members of law enforcement so they can conduct investigations faster, more efficiently, and at lower cost. I’ve been proud to work alongside Senator Blunt as Co-Chairs on the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus to reauthorize this critical program.”

“Children’s Advocacy Centers play a critical role in the investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases,” said Senator Blunt. “Reauthorizing the Victims of Child Abuse Act has been one of my top priorities this Congress, and I’m incredibly grateful for the partnership Senator Coons and I have shared on this issue over several years. I look forward to seeing this bill signed into law to help keep kids safe and bring perpetrators to justice.”

Senators Coons and Blunt have previously succeeded in reauthorizing VOCAA twice, first in 2014 and again in 2018. VOCAA programs would have expired next year if Congress did not reauthorize them.

VOCAA’s key component is to fund Children’s Advocacy Centers, which provide a skilled team of trained professionals to conduct forensic interviews of children who have been victims of abuse. Such interviews are intended to be used as evidence in court while also preventing children from being retraumatized and required to repeat their accounts multiple times. Children’s Advocacy Centers allow for faster criminal charging decisions in sexual abuse cases, increased felony prosecutions of child sexual abuse, and lower average case costs.

“National Children’s Alliance is grateful to Congress for passing the Respect for Child Survivors Act, and more importantly to our Senate and House champions for leading the charge for Children’s Advocacy Centers on Capitol Hill,” said Teresa Huizar, Chief Executive Officer of National Children’s Alliance. “This bill adds to the already strong partnership our nation’s largest network of care centers has with the FBI to ensure federal cases of child sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking receive an effective multidisciplinary team response. Just as important, it also reauthorizes and updates the Victims of Child Abuse Act program, the lifeblood of the critical services our centers provide to kids and families as they recover. Our sincerest thanks to Senators Chris Coons, Roy Blunt, John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.); and to Representatives Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) for their tireless support for improving our nation’s response to child abuse.”

“The National District Attorneys Association is thrilled that Congress passed the Respect for Child Survivors Act, which takes important steps to improve the federal, state, and local treatment of child victims and witnesses by requiring the FBI to partner with trauma-informed multidisciplinary teams while also reauthorizing the Victims of Child Abuse Act programs. The VOCAA grants provide vital funding to child victim service providers and helps establish multidisciplinary teams with prosecutors, advocates, victim service providers, and law enforcement partners to effectively respond and ensure the safety of our most-vulnerable survivors. Prosecutors are thankful to Senators Chris Coons, Roy Blunt, John Cornyn, Lindsey Graham, and Amy Klobuchar as well as Representatives Jim Costa, Ann Wagner, and Tony Gonzales for their bipartisan commitment to prioritizing the safety of children across the country,” said Nelson Bunn, Executive Director, National District Attorneys Association.

In addition to Senators Coons and Blunt, cosponsors of the Senate bill introduced in March include Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.). 

The bill has garnered widespread support from law enforcement groups, including the Fraternal Order of Police, National District Attorneys Association, National Association of Police Organizations, Major County Sheriffs of America, Major Cities Chiefs Association, and the Sergeants Benevolent Association.

The bill is also endorsed by child advocacy groups, including the National Children’s Alliance, National Children’s Advocacy Center, Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, Midwest Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, Western Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, and Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center.

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Senators Coons, colleagues bill to improve FBI child victim protocols passes House

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) released the following statements after the Respect for Child Survivors Act, a bill developed in response to the FBI’s mishandling of the Larry Nassar investigation, passed the House. The bill, now headed to the President’s desk, would improve the treatment of FBI child victim witnesses by requiring trauma-informed experts to be a part of any interview of a victim who reports child abuse or trafficking to the FBI.

“We have a duty to ensure that survivors and witnesses to sexual assault are heard and respected, especially when they come forward to law enforcement to report abuse,” said Senator Coons. “Unfortunately, mishandled or repeated interviews can too often retraumatize survivors. The bipartisan, bicameral Respect for Child Survivors Act will reduce poorly conducted interviews during investigations of child abuse and sexual exploitation by requiring the FBI to use multidisciplinary teams of trained professionals. I’m proud to see this head to the President’s desk for signature, and I hope it will protect survivors and encourage more to come forward.”

“The FBI has a sworn obligation to protect victims who report child abuse, and that extends to agents’ interviews with vulnerable child witnesses,” said Senator Cornyn. “This legislation requires the FBI to include trauma-informed experts in interviews with victims to ensure they are not retraumatized during the interview process, and I urge President Biden to swiftly sign it into law.”

“I applaud Senator Cornyn’s leadership on this issue to correct an egregious wrong committed by certain FBI agents regarding their treatment of victims of sexual abuse,” said Senator Graham. “Requiring the FBI to use appropriate, tried-and-true methods to interview child victims will help ensure the FBI’s failure in the Nassar case doesn’t happen again. Our legislation makes it clear that we expect better.”

“As we work to support survivors of child sexual abuse and trafficking, we need to provide law enforcement with the training and skills they need to investigate these crimes and help victims,” said Senator Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan legislation will ensure law enforcement officers can partner with child advocacy centers to use the most effective techniques when conducting these critical investigations.”

Background:

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examining the Inspector General’s Report on the FBI’s Handling of the Larry Nassar investigation last year, retired gymnast and survivor McKayla Maroney shared striking testimony of how she was treated by the FBI personnel who interviewed her. This legislation was formulated with input from child welfare groups to address the mistreatment of child witnesses like those described during that hearing.

Under this legislation, victims would be interviewed by those with the expertise to appropriately address and treat their trauma. This bill would require the FBI to use multidisciplinary teams when investigating child sexual abuse cases, child sexual abuse material cases, and child trafficking cases, including in situations where the interviewed victim is no longer a child. These multidisciplinary teams would be composed of appropriate investigative personnel, mental health professionals, medical personnel, family advocacy case workers, child advocacy center personnel, and prosecutors. Members of these teams have expertise in their field, can provide trauma-informed care, and are required to stay current on industry training.

The use of multidisciplinary teams would prevent the retraumatizing of victims, and the information-sharing and case review provisions would ensure accountability so cases are not dropped or forgotten in the future. Investigations would be reviewed by a multidisciplinary team at regularly scheduled times to share information about case progress, address any investigative or prosecutorial barriers, and ensure victims receive support and needed treatment. This bill would also provide a dedicated source of funding for Children’s Advocacy Centers, which coordinate the investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases.

This legislation is supported by the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network, the National District Attorneys Association, Army of Survivors, and the National Children’s Alliance.

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Senator Coons statement on President Zelenskyy address to Congress

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement today after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed a joint session of Congress:

“President Zelenskyy’s impassioned speech reminded us that Ukraine is on the front line in the fight for freedom and democracy across the world. His resolve in the face of tremendous adversity and unspeakable tragedies resonated as deeply with me just now as it did when I met with him in Kyiv this fall. His courage mirrors that of his people as they fight back against Russia’s brutal invasion.

“The United States continues to demonstrate bipartisan solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Assistance like the $45 billion in emergency aid that we’ll pass tonight will ensure that Ukraine has what it needs to defend its people. President Zelenskyy is right: As we enter the depths of the cold Ukrainian winter, we must maintain our focus and our bipartisan support.”

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

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