Senator Coons statement on the passing of John Giles

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement today on the passing of John Giles, former Town Manager and Chief of Police of Elsmere, Del.:

“John was a man truly dedicated to his town, answering the call to service in a staggering number of roles. He started his two-decade career with the Elsmere Police Department as an officer, rising to the rank of Chief before retiring in 1998. Four years later, he was appointed Town Manager, where he served the people of Elsmere until late this year. Through it all, he spent a half-century as a member of the Elsmere Fire Company – as a President, an Assistant Chief, and a Director.

“His service to the public was boundless, and his passing will be felt across all of Elsmere. I pass along my sincere condolences to his wife, Laura, and his entire family during this difficult time.”

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Senator Coons, colleagues introduce legislation to provide public with transparency of social media platforms

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, and Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Dr. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) today introduced the Platform Accountability and Transparency Act (PATA), their bipartisan bill to increase transparency around social media companies. The formal introduction follows the release of a discussion draft last December. 

“Social media platforms shape the information that billions of people across the globe consume every day.  But right now, there is a dangerous lack of transparency about how these platforms impact our children, families, society, or national security,” said Senator Coons. “Does TikTok promote or suppress posts in the Chinese Communist Party’s interest? Do platforms recommend harmful or addictive content to vulnerable users? The bipartisan Platform Accountability and Transparency Act would help answer questions like these by requiring social media companies to share data with the public and researchers so that we can look under the hood and finally see a clear picture about the effects these platforms have on all of our lives.”

“I have a number of concerns about Big Tech — from facilitating sex trafficking to burying content about the origins of COVID-19 — and I want to ensure that any response by Congress is effective in addressing those concerns,” said Senator Portman. “This bipartisan legislation will increase transparency around Big Tech practices and give policymakers the high-quality, well-vetted information we need to do our job most effectively.”

“For too long, social media companies have said: ‘just trust us,’ while putting their profits ahead of consumers’ safety, privacy, and wellbeing. It’s time to stop admiring the problem and instead start holding these platforms accountable for the dangerous lack of transparency behind their algorithms,” said Senator Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan legislation will do just that, ensuring independent researchers can access platform data and understand the type of information these companies are collecting on their users.”

“We are learning the extent Big Tech companies will go when no one can shine a light on what they are doing. Congress needs to have the information to hold these companies accountable. Our bill increases transparency into data collection by social media companies,” said Dr. Cassidy. 

Following the release of the discussion draft, The Washington Post editorial board endorsed PATA as a “step toward solving our social media woes” that would provide “safe harbor not only to participating academics but also compliant companies and [mandate] the creation of privacy and cybersecurity standards for the process.”

Background:

PATA is a multipronged bill that creates new mechanisms to increase transparency around social media companies’ internal data:

• Under PATA, independent researchers would be able to submit proposals to the National Science Foundation, an independent agency designed to promote the progress of science by approving research and development proposals from researchers across the sciences. If the requests are approved, social media companies would be required to provide the necessary data subject to privacy protections.
• Companies that fail to comply would be subject to enforcement from the Federal Trade Commission and face the potential loss of immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.  
• Additionally, the bill would require that platforms proactively make certain information available to researchers or the public on an ongoing basis, such as:
• A comprehensive ad library;
• Statistics about content moderation;
• Data about viral content; and
• Descriptions of a platform’s ranking and recommendation algorithms.
• The proposal would also protect researchers from legal liability that may arise from automatically collecting public-facing platform information if they comply with various privacy safeguards. 

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

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Senator Coons praises inclusion of Ukraine funding, ECA reform in omnibus

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement today after the release of the omnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2023. Senator Coons is a member of the Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations and Related Programs (SFOPS):

“Over the past year, our government has worked together in a bipartisan fashion to ensure we’re meeting the challenges Americans face. Members of both parties have come together to bring advanced manufacturing jobs back to the United States; we’ve made the largest investment in veterans’ health care in decades; we’ve made the postal service more responsive to Americans’ needs. This week, we’ll fund a government that delivers on those bipartisan priorities. 

“I’m disappointed that major priorities were left out in today’s omnibus spending bill, but I’m glad to see several crucial inclusions in today’s text. The robust supplemental spending for Ukraine includes billions of dollars for humanitarian and economic aid that I worked to secure as SFOPS Chair. It sends a strong message that America will continue to strongly support our allies and work to uphold democracy and the rule of law around the world. The inclusion of our bipartisan Electoral Count Act reform will help make sure that the rule of law and democracy will endure here at home. 

“I’d like to thank Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) for their work crafting this bill as a capstone to their careers, and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to swiftly pass it.” 

The FY 23 Omnibus includes some $45 billion in emergency aid for Ukraine, including $14.5 billion for additional security, economic, and humanitarian assistance through SFOPS. As SFOPS Subcommittee Chair, Senator Coons has repeatedly called for increased and continued funding for Ukraine as it fights Russia’s invasion. In October, he led a bipartisan congressional delegation to Kyiv and met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to show American solidarity with the Ukrainian people. 

The FY 23 Omnibus also includes the Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022. This bill would reform and clarify the Electoral Count Act and close the loopholes that former President Trump tried to exploit in the wake of the 2020 election. Chiefly, it ensures that Congress can identify a single, conclusive slate of electors from each state. It also raises the number of Members of Congress and Senators who must object to a slate of electors in order to deter frivolous claims. Senator Coons, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was part of a bipartisan working group of 14 senators who helped negotiate this legislation. Additionally, the legislation includes the Presidential Transition Improvement Act, legislation offered by Senators Coons, Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), which would promote the orderly transfer of power by providing clear guidelines for when eligible candidates for President and Vice President may receive federal resources to help with their transition into office.

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Carper, Coons, Blunt Rochester celebrate increased federal funding for Jewish Family Services Delaware’s mental health programs

WILMINGTON, Del.—U.S. Senators Tom Carper, Chris Coons, and U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) today joined leaders of Jewish Family Services Delaware (JFS) and counselors-in-training at the Jewish Community Center to celebrate $3.5 million in federal funding to help those counseling fellows achieve their licensing and improve mental health services in the First State.

Senators Carper, Coons, and Congresswoman Blunt Rochester were able to nearly double the funds initially requested by JFS to bolster Delaware’s mental health resources. JFS at first sought $1.6 million from the federal government but eventually increased their request to $3.5 million in order to help a greater number of Delawareans. Through his work on Senate Appropriations Committee, and with the support of Senator Carper and Representative Blunt Rochester, Senator Coons was able to secure the funding for Jewish Family Services of Delaware’s Mental Health Fellowship Program. The money will create 16 fellowships for new paid, licensed professionals who aid anyone in Delaware in need of such services, regardless of race, religion, orientation, or identity. The goal is to eventually bring on 20 counselors in total.

“In the course of their 123-year history, Jewish Family Services of Delaware have been providing crucial mental health services to any Delawarean in need for years,” said Delaware’s congressional delegation. “We’re excited this funding will help JFS continue to provide support and counseling so important during these difficult times and in the face of increasing need.”

“We’ve got a big mental health problem across the nation, and part of it is that we don’t have enough licensed providers. This is targeting that problem, and looking to be a part of the solution,” said JFS Delaware Board President Peter Hurd. “We’re going to have to tackle a number of other hurdles, so thank you for setting us on a great path to start addressing some of the biggest.”

“This is a big deal,” said Wendell Covell, Clinical Director of the JFS Delaware Fellowship Program. “JFS Delaware has a group called Helping the Helpers, and that really means something to me because when you help the helpers, we can help the whole community. Our social workers, our therapists, when the crisis hits, they’re the first people to show up. So, thank you for helping these fellows, so they can go on to help others. These fellows will go on to provide 14,000 individual, group, and family mental health sessions, and serve over 2,000 Delawareans.”

“I work in the community with families, I work with individuals, and what is needed right now is compassion, is understanding, is people to provide services with expertise and without judgment,” said Laura Dickol, a Social Work Fellow. “That’s the goal I see all of these fellows working toward, and it’s not just a two-year process. This is a lifelong learning opportunity, and we’re in the grind right now. Luckily, we’re in it together.”

Monday’s event celebrated the launch of the Mental Health Fellowship Program, which got underway in part thanks to these funds. It also provided an opportunity to showcase some of the fellows currently receiving their training. For photos of the event, click here.

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Senator Coons statement on the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement today as the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit closes:

“The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit strengthens U.S. engagement with nations across Africa. I am thrilled that the Biden administration resumed this important summit and recommitted to deepening relationships between the United States and African countries across a range of critical sectors.

“President Biden’s remarks yesterday showed how important the relationships between the United States and African nations are in the 21st century. Nations across Africa are true partners in trade, environmental protection, and security. The president’s call for the African Union to be admitted to the G-20 is a clear statement of that partnership.

“Today’s announcement of a new shared commitment to food security in Africa has the potential to alleviate a very real food crisis on the continent and make substantial progress by the next African Union Summit in 2023. It will ensure that African nations are more easily able to produce and utilize their own food through immediate and long-term investments so that the continent is less vulnerable to global shocks like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  

“This week, I’m also glad to have brought together African leaders to highlight the progress our partnerships are yielding on global conservation, strengthening the rule of law, and security cooperation.

“On Monday, the International Conservation Caucus Foundation and I hosted a reception to learn more about conservation efforts throughout the continent. President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon and President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana discussed their respective countries’ leadership on the issue, and the importance of preserving wildlife and conserving wild spaces while prioritizing human development.

“The U.S. Foundation for International Conservation Act, which I introduced with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), manages that balancing act by leveraging capital from the private and philanthropic sectors to fund as much as $2 billion for protected areas and the communities surrounding them over the next decade. When such conservation efforts are supported by local stewards, they have the opportunity to provide long-term benefits for not just Africa, but the whole world.

“On Tuesday, I hosted President Patrice Talon of Benin, Prime Minister Patrick Achi of Cote d’Ivoire, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique, and President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo at an event in the U.S. Capitol to discuss security and economic challenges and the United States’ role in promoting peace, stability, and prosperity throughout Africa.

“One topic of discussion was the Global Fragility Act, which I coauthored with Senator Graham. Under this legislation, signed into law in 2019, the United States works with local partners to reduce violence and build resiliency in selected countries around the world. Three years after its enactment, there are still a few challenges before full implementation. However, I was glad for the opportunity this week to discuss a successful path forward with U.S. government officials and African leaders from Coastal West Africa and Mozambique.

“Overall, I am more optimistic than ever about the future of American relations with the continent and its people. I look forward to working with our African partners to build on the progress made at the summit. Together, we will strive to address global health, invest in African businesses and entrepreneurship, promote the rule of law and human rights, and tackle climate change.”

Senator Coons is Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations and a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, where he is a current member and former Chair of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy. He is also Co-Chair of the Senate Climate Solutions and International Conservation caucuses.

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ICYMI: Senator Coons, Prince Harry, and Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Desalegn call for local approach to conservation in new op-ed: “the future of conservation is being shaped—right now—in Africa, by Africans.”

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.); Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and the President of African Parks; and Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, published an op-ed today in the Huffington Post that calls for conservation investments in Africa that are managed locally, prioritize human development, and bridge the public and private sectors. The three met earlier this year to discuss innovative forms of long-term financing for Africa’s protected areas, which are critical to the health of our planet because of the biodiversity and carbon they hold. Later in the year, Senator Coons and Prince Harry traveled to Africa to meet with the communities partnering with African Parks around the Akagera and Bazaruto Archipelago National Parks, and Prime Minister Desalegn helped lead the Africa Protected Areas Congress in Rwanda.

The op-ed comes amidst two major events in global conservation – this week’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, and the COP15 Biodiversity Conference in Montreal. On Monday, Senator Coons and the International Conservation Caucus Foundation hosted a reception with African heads of state at the U.S. Capitol to learn more about conservation efforts throughout the continent.

Additionally, last month, Senator Coons introduced a new bipartisan bill with his fellow co-chairs of the International Conservation Caucus and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), calling for the creation of a new U.S. Foundation for International Conservation. The Foundation would fund public-private partnerships to support local communities around the world in effectively managing protected and conserved areas. Senator Coons is Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, and a co-chair of both the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus and the International Conservation Caucus.

The Huffington Post: The Future of Conservation Is Taking Shape in Africa

While the three of us were born in different countries with different backgrounds, we’ve come together to urge the public and private sectors to find common ground to better care for our planet and its people – starting by learning from and supporting Africa’s communities.

With the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit occurring this week and as the Montreal biodiversity conference continues, it’s time for the international community to respond to this year’s Kigali Call to Action by supporting a new approach to conservation: one that is led locally, prioritizes human development, and bridges the public and private sectors.

The three of us met this past spring to discuss this shared vision and the need for innovative ways to finance conservation – in particular, the long-term management of the world’s most critical protected areas.

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For too long, conservation funding was based around telling others how to do things from afar, instead of learning from, and empowering, the communities on the ground. We see a better path forward in scaling conservation efforts that listen to and benefit people.

The future of conservation is being shaped – right now – in Africa, by Africans, and what they’re creating is an effective, local model of conservation that can be adopted around the world.

The full op-ed is available HERE.

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Senator Coons, colleagues call for renewed efforts and new office to engage AmeriCorps alumni

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Co-Chair of the National Service Congressional Caucus, and Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), led a bipartisan group of their colleagues in a letter to AmeriCorps today encouraging the creation of an alumni engagement office within the agency. The office would help the agency and its partners find new ways to support current participants, encourage alumni to sustain their commitment to service after leaving the program, and engage alumni to strengthen the recruitment of new members. Along with Senators Coons and Wicker, the letter is signed by Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Dr. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas). 

The Senators write: “As AmeriCorps goes through a period of unprecedented growth and adapts to meet ongoing needs, the agency should devote special attention to supporting and engaging alumni as they conclude their service. This would help AmeriCorps continue to recruit high-quality volunteers, reinforce the terms of service as an integral step in one’s career development, and strengthen AmeriCorps’ contribution to our nation’s unique culture of service. It would also provide opportunities to hear directly from participants about ways the corps experience can be improved and how it has impacted their life trajectories.”

“AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors pour their talent, energy, and passion into helping people and communities in need all across the country,” said AnnMaura Connolly, President, Voices for National Service. “Intentionally supporting alumni will help AmeriCorps recruit more diverse people, reinforce pathways to education and work, and sustain their commitment to service over the long term through continued connection. We embrace the call for an Office of Alumni Engagement within AmeriCorps and commend Senators Coons, Wicker, Baldwin, Cassidy, Cornyn, and Reed for putting the idea forward.”

“Alumni of AmeriCorps are the most engaged and passionate civic leaders America has to offer. They’re our country’s future educators, community leaders, public servants, and first responders,” said Kristen Bennett, CEO of Service Year Alliance. “As the proud home of AmeriCorps Alums, Service Year Alliance is committed to doing all we can to foster and support this community, including better understanding who serves and where they go after their service in order to tell the full story of national service’s impact. We applaud this bipartisan effort to establish an Office of Alumni Engagement at AmeriCorps, which will allow for greater coordination between the agency and partners to provide the diverse support and engagement these leaders need following their service. We look forward to working with Senator Coons and his colleagues to make our shared vision for AmeriCorps alums a reality.” 

“Americans of all ages and backgrounds from rural, urban, and tribal communities dedicate their time and energy to national service, which often becomes a lifetime commitment. Those alumni go on to be leaders in their communities and are some of the best ambassadors for the value of national service to our country,” said Kaira Esgate, CEO, America’s Service Commissions. “State and Territorial Service Commissions have long helped to support those members while serving, and applaud Senator Coons and Senator Wicker along with Senators Reed, Cassidy, Baldwin, and Cornyn for their leadership in identifying important ways we can better support alumni and learn from their experiences. This will fill in an important gap in a continuum of service to our nation and in addressing ongoing critical needs in our communities. America’s Service Commissions looks forward to continuing to work with Congress and the AmeriCorps agency to expand high-quality opportunities to serve our country.”

“An Office of Alumni Engagement is imperative to the future success of AmeriCorps,” said Robert Godfried, Policy Entrepreneur, Next100. “National service alumni are an untapped resource that can provide mentorship, support, and professional networks for current AmeriCorps members. In addition, increased alumni engagement can improve the program by contributing much-needed feedback to grantee organizations, state commissions, and the AmeriCorps federal agency.”

Senator Coons has long been a vocal leader in support of national service. In addition to his work as Co-Chair of the National Service Congressional Caucus, Senator Coons led the effort to secure $1 billion in supplemental funding for AmeriCorps as part of the American Rescue Plan last year. He also introduced a bipartisan resolution honoring the invaluable contributions of AmeriCorps members and alumni, which passed the Senate unanimously during AmeriCorps Week earlier this year.

The full letter is available here.

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Carper, Coons, Blunt Rochester Announce Federal Grant to Boost Environmental Job Training in Delaware

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Tom Carper, Chris Coons, and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) today announced a $500,000 grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to boost environmental workforce training in Delaware.

The grant will help recruit, train, and place workers from primarily underserved and disadvantaged communities for revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites. Funding for the grant came from the historic $1.5 billion investment in EPA’s Brownfields Program made under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Carper, Coons, and Blunt Rochester helped author and pass into law. 

“The Brownfields Program has been a vital tool in redeveloping industrial sites throughout the country, including our riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware,” said Senator Tom Carper, Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. ”This revitalization breathes new life into previously degraded areas and has clear benefits for our health and economy. As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we were able to secure the single-largest investment in the history of the Brownfields Program. I’m so pleased to see these funds come back to Delaware so that we can invest in the future workforce needed to clean up contaminated sites.”

“Hundreds of young men and women in Delaware have already been trained by West End Neighborhood House with the help of previous EPA’s Brownfield Jobs Training grants, and this additional support will help prepare at least another 100 Delawareans for good-paying jobs in competitive fields,” said Senator Coons. “As a member of the Brownfields working group helping to negotiate the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I know how important grants like these are for restoring environmental justice and creating a brighter future for Wilmington.”

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to bring historic levels of funding to Delaware to upgrade our transportation, broadband, and drinking water infrastructure. It does so in a way that spurs economic growth, creates good-paying jobs, and makes Delaware a healthier and safer place to live,” said Representative Blunt Rochester. “Today’s announcement of grant funding for the EPA’s Brownfields Jobs Training Program, which was made possible through funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will bring support to West End Neighborhood House to recruit and train workers as they embark on community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites. I was proud to champion this law in Congress, and I want to commend the Biden Administration and the EPA for prioritizing this program that will help us build a stronger environment, improve public health, and create jobs in underserved areas.”

“West End provides programs, services, support and advocacy when and where they are needed to ensure our families become self-sufficient, and our communities thrive,” said Mia Harvey, West End Neighborhood House’s Director of Education and Employment Programming. “Our rewards are measured by the successes of those we serve. Therefore, the EPA Brownfield Job Training funds have allowed us to offer free training to members of our community to increase their earning potential, experience upward mobility, and achieve self-sufficiency and less need for outside help.”

GRANT RECIPIENT:

• $500,000 — West End Neighborhood House, Inc. (WENH)
  • WENH plans to train 128 students and place at least 100 in environmental jobs. WENH is targeting students within the City of Wilmington, specifically underemployed or unemployed individuals, veterans, and residents with justice-system involvement.

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Sens. Coons and Rubio, Reps. Stevens and Hill introduce legislation to establish National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day and Flag

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Representatives Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) and French Hill (R-Ark.) today introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation 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 introduction of the U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day Act comes only days after the release of Brittney Griner from Russian custody. It also comes as U.S. officials continue to negotiate for the release of Paul Whelan and other Americans wrongfully detained around the world. According to the James W. Foley Legacy Center, there has been a 175% increase in incidents of U.S. nationals wrongfully detained or held hostage this decade compared to previous decades. According to the Foley Center, as of 2022, Americans are wrongfully detained in least 19 countries, including Iran, China, Venezuela, Syria, and Russia.

“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 has 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.”

“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 RepresentativeHill.

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

Full text of the U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day Act of 2022 is available here. 

Senators Carper and Coons statement on Senate confirmation of Tamika Montgomery-Reeves to Third Circuit

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) released the following statement today after Tamika Montgomery-Reeves was confirmed by the Senate as U.S. Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals by a vote of 53-35:

“We are glad that a strong bipartisan majority of Senators voted to confirm Justice Tamika Montgomery-Reeves to the federal bench. Her outstanding legal acumen, compassion, and trailblazing efforts make her a truly outstanding judge for the Third Circuit. All Americans are fortunate to have someone of Justice Montgomery-Reeves’ integrity, intellect, and work ethic on one of the highest courts in the land. Her confirmation also ensures that the Third Circuit comes closer to truly representing the diversity of our people.”

Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Justice Montgomery-Reeves has served Delaware state courts for seven years. She is the first Black person to serve on the Delaware Court of Chancery and the Delaware Supreme Court, where she has served as an Associate Justice since January 2020. She served as Vice Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery from November 2015 to November 2019. Before her public service, she was a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Wilmington, Delaware.

Justice Montgomery-Reeves graduated from the McDonnell-Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi in 2003. She received her law degree in 2006 from the University of Georgia School of Law. Justice Montgomery-Reeves served as a law clerk for Chancellor William B. Chandler of the Delaware Court of Chancery.

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