Sen. Coons secures Delaware wins in introduced government funding bills

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the first Delaware senator in more than 40 years to serve on the Appropriations Committee, announced key provisions secured in Senate-proposed government funding legislation for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. The Senate Appropriations Committee has now released all 12 funding bills. The bills will next be considered by the full Senate.

“In our annual appropriations bills, my colleagues and I work to deliver critical investments from the federal government that Delawareans need and deserve,” said Senator Coons. “The Senate’s proposed legislation includes important Delaware priorities, such as support for our environment and wildlife, funding for our law enforcement officers and firefighters, and programs to benefit students at institutions like Delaware State University and the University of Delaware. I’m continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure these common-sense investments pass the full Senate and the House of Representatives, so that communities up and down our state benefit from the impacts of Congress’ annual appropriations bills.”

The federal spending bills proposed in the Senate include provisions that will directly support Delaware jobs and key community priorities including:

• Transportation – The legislation increases funding for all modes of transportation. Specifically, it provides $2.7 billion for Amtrak, of which $968.6 million is for the Northeast Corridor which runs through Wilmington, and $1.09 billion for the multi-modal RAISE grant program. The legislation also provides $3.5 million for airport businesses disrupted by Temporary Flight Restrictions related to Presidential travel, which will directly benefit Delaware. The bill also creates a new competitive grant program to improve the resiliency of transportation infrastructure vulnerable to current and future weather events and natural disasters, including sea level rise and coastal erosion, which is important to Delaware as the state has the lowest mean elevation in the U.S. 

• Housing – The legislation provides significant investments in the creation and preservation of affordable housing as well as homelessness services. This includes $1.45 billion for the HOME Investment Partnership Program and $3.55 billion for the Community Development Block Grant. It also provides $27.7 billion for tenant-based Section 8 vouchers, which is $1.9 billion more than FY 2021 enacted levels, and $3.26 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants, which is $260 million more than FY 2021 enacted. 

• Manufacturing – The legislation provides $38 million for Manufacturing USA. Of this, $10 million is specifically directed towards the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL), one of the nation’s 14 Manufacturing USA Institutes, which is based in Newark, Delaware. The legislation also includes $175 million for the NIST Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program to support small manufacturers. 

• Agriculture – The legislation includes strong funding for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation programs that provide resources for Delaware farmers to incorporate sustainable agricultural practices and protect the surrounding environment. It also increases funding for important USDA programs, such as the National Institute of Food and the Agriculture and the Economic Research Service, that support agricultural research at the University of Delaware and Delaware State University. The bills also support USDA programs that help Delawareans in rural communities own homes. 
• Energy – The legislation increases funding for programs at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), such as the State Energy Program and the Weatherization Assistance Program, that encourage energy conservation and help low-income Delawareans make their homes more energy efficient. The bill also supports DOE’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research and Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy programs that provide resources for the University of Delaware to conduct cutting-edge energy research. 

• Conservation and Restoration – The legislation includes $11 million for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program, a $1 million increase from FY 2021. It also includes $50 million for North American Wetlands Conservation Fund, a $3.5 million increase from FY 2021. These programs directly support the conservation and restoration of critical ecosystems and wildlife habitats across Delaware and the surrounding region. 
• Water Quality and the Environment – The legislation includes $35 million for the National Estuary Program, a $3 million increase from FY 2021. It also ensures that each estuary system will be provided at least $750,000, a $50,000 increase from FY 2021. This funding will directly benefit Delaware’s two national estuaries; Delaware Center for the Inland Bays and Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. The legislation also increases funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Grants and U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Next Generation Water Observing System, which provide key resources to improve water quality in Delaware.
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) – The legislation includes funding for several USACE projects in Delaware to protect eroding shorelines, maintain waterways, and support the Port of Wilmington. 
• Oceans and Resilience – The legislation includes increased funding for several National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) programs, including the Oceans and Coastal Security Fund, Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System, Regional Ocean Partnerships, Coastal Zone Management Grants, Marine Debris Program, and the Sea Grant Program that provide resources to protect our oceans and bolster resilience in Delaware communities.
• Civilian Climate Corps – The legislation supports substantial new funding across the U.S. Department of the Interior to create a strong Civilian Climate Corps. It directs the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Forest Service to develop plans to support the Civilian Climate Corps and advance its mission to create good jobs in the conservation workforce, help disadvantaged youth, address the impacts of climate change, conserve and restore public lands, and improve access to recreation.
• National Service – The legislation includes $1.2 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which is $64 million above the FY 2021 funding level.  CNCS, the federal agency for volunteering and service, brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges through national service, including more than 1,300 members in Delaware.  Senator Coons serves as the co-chair of the Senate National Service Congressional Caucus.
• Workforce – The legislation provides $245 million, an increase of $60 million, for the Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeships to help fill the skill gap. 

• Financial – The legislation includes $13.582 billion for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which is $1.639 billion more than FY 2021. This increase will allow the IRS to process returns and fulfill other customer services more quickly and effectively. As important, additional resources will allow the IRS to make progress of reducing the tax gap, the difference between taxes owed and taxes actually collected. It also provides $1.035 billion for the Small Business Administration and $360 million for the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund. Within the CDFI Fund, $2 million is provided to continue the Economic Mobility Corps program that Senator Coons established. 

• Violence Intervention and Prevention – The legislation includes $100 million for a new community-based violence intervention grant program.  This program would assist community efforts to address gang and gun violence by funding partnerships between community members, social service providers, law enforcement, local government agencies, and other community stakeholders. 
• Victims of Child Abuse – The legislation includes $45 million for the Victims of Child Abuse Act (VOCAA), which is $15 million above the FY 2021 funding level.  VOCAA provides funding to Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) across the country and ensures that Delaware’s three CACs, one in each county, can continue to help victims of child abuse.
• Support for Law Enforcement – The legislation includes $283 million in funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program, which is a competitive grant that provides funding directly to state and local law enforcement agencies to hire or re-hire additional officers in support of community policing and crime prevention efforts.
• Support for Firefighters – The legislation includes $370 million for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants and another $370 million for Assistance to Firefighters Grants.  These programs directly help local fire departments increase the number of trained firefighters available in our communities.
• Science and Research – The legislation includes increased funding for the USGS’s Water Resources Research Institutes, the NOAA Sea Grant Program, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Space Grant Program, the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, and other programs that directly help the University of Delaware and Delaware State University conduct cutting-edge research and provide critical resources for students. 
• Medical Research – The legislation includes $47.9 billion for the National Institutes of Health, which is $4.9 billion above the FY 2021 funding level.  This includes $2.4 billion to establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), which is President Biden’s proposal to find treatments and cures for complex diseases.  Senator Coons, co-chair of the Senate Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Caucus, was also successful at securing $40 million specifically for the Peer-reviewed ALS Research program at the Department of Defense.
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) – The legislation includes $1.1 billion to strengthen our nation’s historically black colleges and universities such as Delaware State University, which is $295 million above the FY 2021 funding level.  Senator Coons serves as the co-chair of the Senate HBCU Caucus.
• Partnerships with Institutions of Higher Education – The legislation includes $35 million to support partnerships with universities across the United States, including HBCUs and counterpart institutions in developing countries, as well as $735 million for international exchange programs. These funds directly support programs that benefit students at Delaware State University, the University of Delaware, and other higher education institutions across the state.
• Defense and Veterans – The bills will support a 2.7 percent pay raise for all service members starting in January, including those stationed at Dover Air Force Base, and dedicates $4.3 billion for readiness and operational shortfalls across the services.  Funds provided through these bills also provide the VA with resources needed to provide health care for 9.2 million veterans, including deferred care from the COVID-19 pandemic, disability compensation benefits to nearly 6 million veterans and their survivors, and pension benefits for over 357,000 veterans and their survivors.  This funding will directly benefit the 65,000 veterans residing in Delaware.
• Combatting National and Global Security Threats – In his role as Chair of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Coons released the FY 2022 Senate SFOPS appropriations bill, which invests $60.56 billion to confront complex national and global security threats and in partnerships to combat climate change, advance global health security, and fight world hunger.

###

Chairman Coons releases fiscal year 2022 State Department and foreign operations funding bill

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Chair of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) Appropriations Subcommittee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the fiscal year 2022 Senate SFOPS appropriations bill. The bill includes $60.56 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other international agencies, which is $5.1 billion above fiscal year 2021 enacted, excluding emergency funding and $1.7 billion below the fiscal year 2022 budget request.

Chairman Coons issued the following statement:

“The world today is more dangerous and the future is less certain than any time in recent history.  Climate change, natural and man-made disasters of increasing frequency and intensity, strategic competition, global pandemics, violent extremism, rising authoritarianism, and mass migration are among the many daunting challenges.

“The fiscal year 2022 Senate State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill provides critical resources to confront these complex national and global security threats.  We invest in partnerships to combat global warming, advance global health security, and fight world hunger.  The funds in the bill support a foreign policy underpinned by vigorous diplomatic engagement, strong alliances and partnerships, a commitment to democratic principles, and humanitarian and development assistance that reflect America’s core values.  They are the soft power tools that are increasingly indispensable to carrying out an effective foreign policy that protects the American people, defends U.S. interests, and projects U.S. global leadership.

“The Committee recognizes and appreciates the dedicated personnel at the Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the U.S. Institute of Peace, and the many other independent agencies who are among the best and most effective representatives of America abroad.  The bill provides the funds they need to work with key allies and partners to carry out sustainable development programs and a principled foreign policy to advance U.S. national security interests.”

The package includes funding for:

• Climate Change Programs – The bill includes $1.9 billion for U.S. contributions to the Green Climate Fund ($1.45 billion) and the Clean Technology Fund ($450 million).  Recent scientific studies have concluded that global temperatures may rise as much as 2.7 degrees if the global community does not take urgent collective action.  The funding in the bill supports multilateral mechanisms whose mandate is to help countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to extreme heat, drought, floods, food shortages, human displacement, and other impacts of climate change, and provide financing to help countries scale clean technologies.
• Global Health & Pandemic Preparedness – The bill includes $10.35 billion for global health programs, which is $1.2 billion above fiscal year 2021 enacted.  The funding supports $1 billion for global health security focused on pandemic prevention, response, and the discovery of new zoonotic viruses, an increase of $810 million above fiscal year 2021 enacted.  These funds will position the United States and other countries to detect and prevent the spread of future deadly viruses.  The bill also provides increases for programs to combat other diseases, including malaria, TB, and polio, and for family planning, reproductive health, and maternal and child health programs.
• U.S. International Development Finance Corporation – The bill includes $500 million for DFC’s program budget and $198 million for administrative expenses, which is $129 million above fiscal year 2021 enacted.  This funding will support the DFC’s climate financing and provide an alternative to Chinese debt financing for development projects.
• UN Peacekeeping – The United States currently owes $900 million in overdue UN peacekeeping assessments.  The bill provides the full amount for the fiscal year 2022 assessment so the United States will no longer accrue arrears, and funding to pay a portion of past assessments.
• Humanitarian Response – The bill includes $8.5 billion for humanitarian assistance across three accounts to address natural and man-made disasters, which is $700 million above fiscal year 2021 enacted.  The number of forcibly displaced persons around the world is at a record high and rising due to climate change, conflict, and poverty.  These funds provide food, shelter, healthcare, and other assistance to save lives and ease the suffering of the world’s most vulnerable people. The bill includes over $1.1 billion to address global hunger and malnutrition.
• Consular Operations – The bill includes a provision that will provide an additional $360 million in estimated fee revenue in fiscal year 2022 for consular operations and similar amounts in future fiscal years.  The COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on consular operations, including the current passport processing backlog of nearly 2 million passports and processing wait times of fourteen weeks.  This provision will provide the Department of State with the resources needed to hire additional staff to address current passport backlog, modernize IT infrastructure, and undertake other critical investments that were deferred during the pandemic.
• Democracy, Human Rights & Freedom of the Press – The bill continues to hold governments accountable for human rights violations, and includes many of the human rights conditionality from past years and new conditions on assistance for Ethiopia.  The 2021 World Press Freedom Index indicates journalism is severely restricted in 73 countries and constrained in an additional 59 others, which highlights the need to support organizations that provide uncensored news coverage in these countries.  The bill includes $305 million for the National Endowment for Democracy and $2.6 billion for democracy programs, as well as a greater focus on digital security and countering disinformation.  The bill includes $885 million for the U.S. Agency for Global Media ($82.4 million above fiscal year 2021), which informs, engages, and connects with audiences around the world through fact-based and independent reporting, and an additional $55 million to support independence of the media, freedom of expression, and journalists and civil society activists who are harassed and threatened.
• Central America – The bill includes $653 million for programs in Central America to address the root causes of irregular migration.  This is $148 million above fiscal year 2021.  Fifty percent of funding for the central governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras is conditioned on progress on human rights and reducing corruption. The bill includes $50 million for the establishment of a program modeled on “AmeriCorps” in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.
• Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation – The bill includes $125 million to combat wildlife poaching and trafficking, $405 million for biodiversity conservation, and $232.3 million for sustainable landscape initiatives. The bill includes $75 million for programs to reduce ocean plastic pollution and other marine debris, including through a U.S.-led multilateral fund. The bill supports the creation of a public-private partnership grant-making entity to improve the long-term management of protected areas in developing countries.
• Israel – The bill includes $3.3 billion in military assistance for Israel, equal to the MOU and fiscal year 2021.
• Egypt – The bill includes $1.3 billion in military assistance and $125 million in economic assistance.  Of the funds provided to Egypt, $300 million is conditioned on improvements in human rights and $75 million cannot be waived unless additional conditions related to arbitrary detention and the release of political prisoners are met.
• West Bank and Gaza – The bill includes $225 million in development assistance, including for water, sanitation, and other municipal infrastructure projects in the West Bank and Gaza, and $40 million for the Palestinian security assistance program.  This funding continues the resumption of U.S. assistance for the Palestinian people announced earlier this year by the Biden Administration.  The bill includes authority for U.S. contributions to the UN Relief and Works Agency, and $50 million to support the second-year implementation of the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act, which focuses on strengthening engagement between Palestinians and Israelis through support to civil society projects that build economic cooperation and people-to-people engagement.
• Afghanistan – The bill prohibits direct assistance to the Taliban, but it includes authority to support remote learning for Afghan students in and outside of Afghanistan. 
• International Family Planning – The bill provides $650 million for bilateral family planning and reproductive health programs and $55 million for the UN Population Fund, for a total of $705 million for international family planning.  The bill also includes a provision that codifies a reversal of the Mexico City Policy.
• Countering Chinese and Russian Influence – The bill includes $300 million for programs to counter Chinese influence, which is equal to fiscal year 2021, and $295 million to counter Russian influence, which is $5 million above fiscal year 2021.  These programs range from additional security assistance for Ukraine and the Baltic countries, to economic support for countries that are vulnerable to China’s debt trap development tactics.
• Anti-Corruption – The bill includes multiple provisions that condition U.S. assistance on progress in combatting corruption, and sanctions against officials who engage in significant acts of corruption.
• Ethiopia – The bill restricts military assistance and funding from international financial institutions for Ethiopia until credible steps have been taken to end the conflict in northern Ethiopia, protect human rights and adhere to international humanitarian law, and cooperate with independent investigations into atrocities and human rights violations.

###

Sen. Coons on passing of Former Secretary of State Colin Powell

DOVER, Del. — Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on the passing of Colin Powell, the 65^th Secretary of State and a retired four-star general in the U.S. Army.

“I had the honor to know Secretary Powell over many years, and I deeply grieve his passing.  America needs more leaders like him at this moment, people willing to put nation over party and to call us together.  I always admired his strategic insight, his principled service, and his humor and warmth. From the first time I met him at the America’s Promise Summit in 1997, to a wonderful dinner conversation earlier this year, I learned many lessons from his advice and example. Colin was truly a class act, who loved our nation deeply and who worked diligently in service to our country in key diplomatic, national security and public service roles over several decades.  His loss will be felt by all who served with and learned from him. My prayers are with Alma and their family.”

###

Sen. Coons pushes to keep major investments in affordable housing in Build Back Better package

DOVER, Del. – With many communities across the U.S. confronting an unprecedented housing affordability crisis, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) in a major push to ensure that comprehensive housing investments remain in the final Build Back Better legislation.

“The Build Back Better plan is a rare opportunity to deliver critical investments that we have failed to make for far too long,” the senators wrote in a letter to President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “Housing challenges are different in every community, and we need different tools to address the growing problems they face. But with comprehensive investments, we can create, preserve, and improve millions of homes so that we bring down the cost of housing and improve its condition. And an investment in safe, affordable housing is central to the success of proposed investments in education, health, and our local economies. At the same time, investments in sustainable, energy-efficient housing can lower families’ bills, make our homes and communities more resilient to climate-driven disasters, and reduce our impact on the planet—all while creating good paying jobs.”

Senator Coons has secured major housing wins within the House Financial Services Committee’s Build Back Better bill currently under consideration, including $500 million to carry out activities under his Choice in Affordable Housing Act that will help recruit and retain landlords in the Housing Choice Voucher program who have units in high-opportunity neighborhoods. The House bill also includes $7.5 billion for a new Community Restoration and Revitalization Fund that would award grants directly to community-led projects that stabilize neighborhoods and increase access to economic opportunity for residents by creating civic infrastructure and creating or preserving affordable, accessible housing. This is based on the Community Revitalization Fund proposal Senator Coons has been championing. 

The letter was also signed by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.), Angus King (I-Maine), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.).

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Mr. President, Speaker Pelosi, and Majority Leader Schumer:

We write to express the urgent need to invest in housing within legislation to enact President Biden’s Build Back Better plan.

Housing is the most expensive part of most families’ budget. Nearly a quarter of renters – 10.5 million families – spend more than half their income on housing each month, and too many families who want to own their own home are locked out of the market. Nearly 19 million people live in a food desert, and 35 million homes have at least one health or safety hazard, including more than 4 million homes with young children that have lead paint hazards. Others require renovation to help an elderly family member or a person with a disability to remain in their home. And still more families do not have adequate housing at all. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic began, more than 580,000 people, including children and seniors, had no safe place to stay on any given night, and more than 3.7 million evictions were filed during the course of a year.

The Build Back Better plan is a rare opportunity to deliver critical investments that we have failed to make for far too long. Housing challenges are different in every community, and we need different tools to address the growing problems they face. But with comprehensive investments, we can create, preserve, and improve millions of homes so that we bring down the cost of housing and improve its condition. And an investment in safe, affordable housing is central to the success of proposed investments in education, health, and our local economies. At the same time, investments in sustainable, energy-efficient housing can lower families’ bills, make our homes and communities more resilient to climate-driven disasters, and reduce our impact on the planet – all while creating good paying jobs.  

Last month, the House Financial Services Committee advanced legislation to provide investments to expand affordable rental housing, help families access homeownership, remove lead paint and other health hazards from homes, repair public and assisted rural housing, address climate change, and invest in neighborhoods. Build Back Better legislation must include these kinds of comprehensive investments in rental housing, affordable homeownership, and community needs in urban, rural, and Tribal areas. 

To invest in American families, we must invest in the homes and the communities where those families live. As we work to create a Build Back Better package, we must make investments in housing opportunity a central pillar of the plan because, as Evicted author Matthew Desmond wrote last week, “the success of all other opportunity-expanding initiatives depends on it.”

The COVID-19 crisis revealed the depth of our country’s affordable housing crisis at the same time that it revealed how important our homes are to our health, our well-being, and our lives. We must take this opportunity to build back better by addressing housing needs in communities across the nation.

Sincerely, 

###

Bipartisan group reaffirms US commitment to fighting rising food insecurity ahead of World Food Day

DOVER, Del. – In a resolution, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and John Boozman (R-Ark.) celebrate World Food Day and recommit to fighting hunger in the face of rising food insecurity around the world. Last week, the senators passed a resolution designating October 16, 2021 and 2022 as World Food Day. U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) has introduced a companion resolution in the House of Representatives.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated food insecurity, and an estimated 928 million people across the world are currently experiencing hunger. The World Food Day resolution recognizes the important role the United States plays in combatting hunger worldwide and promotes further action to help people suffering from hunger and malnutrition.

“As we work to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important we reaffirm our country’s commitment to fighting food insecurity,” said Senator Coons. “In addition to providing life-saving food assistance, we must also work to build a more resilient and sustainable global food system that protects vulnerable people at home and abroad.”

“Now more than ever, it is imperative that we continue to invest in resilient and sustainable food systems,” said Senator Stabenow. “It is unacceptable that anyone should experience hunger. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the urgency to address the hunger crisis that has touched so many families across the world.” 

“The pandemic highlighted the global hunger crisis and reinvigorated our responsibility to provide greater food security in our local communities and in towns, cities, and villages around the world,” said Senator Moran. “The call to feed the world has been answered by many Kansans, who are taught at a young age that it is our duty to help those in need. As the co-chair of the Senate Hunger Caucus, I believe that combatting hunger is not only the morally right thing to do; it is also the smart thing to do both for Kansas producers and for global security.”

“No one should have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from. This important work has never been more urgent, as the global pandemic forced millions more people around the world into poverty and food insecurity,” said Senator Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a former Chairman of the Agriculture Committee. “As the climate crisis worsens, investments in food security and food system resilience are not just a moral imperative, but economic and strategic ones as well. World Food Day gives us a chance to not only acknowledge these concerns, but work toward meaningful ways to address them.”

“World Food Day serves as a call to action, a reminder of our responsibility to help those in need, and an opportunity to recognize the many who have stepped up to champion the fight to end hunger and malnutrition around the globe and in our individual communities,” said Senator Boozman. “If we truly want to end world hunger, the U.S. must pledge to continue our leadership efforts on the global stage. We introduced this resolution to not only highlight World Food Day, but to reaffirm U.S. commitment to the goals behind the designation of this day. I am pleased the Senate quickly united alongside our effort.”

“Hunger and malnutrition rates have been on the rise for years, and the pandemic has significantly exacerbated this problem here in the U.S. and around the world. Food security is a human right, and we must fight to increase access to healthy food, reduce food waste, and acknowledge the scale of the problem. That’s why I’ve introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate October 16th as World Food Day,” said Representative Pingree. “The United States has a critical role in the global fight against hunger and I hope this resolution will inspire my colleagues in Congress to support programs and policies that strengthen food security around the globe.” 

Each year, the United States joins more than 130 countries and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in celebrating World Food Day to promote global awareness and action for all who suffer from malnutrition. This year also commemorates the 76th anniversary of the FAO, established in Hot Springs, Virginia on October 16, 1945.

“FAO North America appreciates the United States’ longstanding and consistent leadership in addressing global hunger and building resilience in global agri-food systems,” said Jocelyn Brown Hall, Director of FAO North America. “World Food Day and these resolutions highlight the challenges and solutions associated with the establishment of more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable agri-food systems. These collective efforts are a step towards ensuring a food-secure world where no one is left behind.” 

To learn more about what actions you can take to promote better resilient food systems and healthy diets for all, please visit http://www.fao.org/world-food-day.

The full text of the resolution can be found here. 

###

Congress recognizes National Chemistry Week

DOVER, Del. – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) sponsored a resolution designating the week beginning October 17, 2021 as National Chemistry Week and recognizing the important role chemistry plays in addressing critical challenges around the world. The resolution—which passed the Senate last week—also notes the importance of encouraging and supporting underrepresented young people to pursue careers in the STEM field. U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) and John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) have introduced a companion resolution in the House of Representatives.

“As a proud chemistry graduate, I am happy to join my colleagues to mark National Chemistry Week and recognize the important role chemistry plays in moving our society forward,” said Senator Coons.“Getting young folks excited about careers in science is critical to keeping the United States competitive on an international stage and to producing scientific innovations that can transform our world.” 

“Chemistry is at the heart of many of our nation’s greatest scientific and technological innovations,” said Senator Toomey. “National Chemistry Week encourages young people to pursue education and careers in the STEM fields to pave the way for a new generation of innovators and life-changing ideas. With over 6,000 American Chemical Society members and 36 student chapters at colleges and universities across the Commonwealth, Pennsylvania is making significant contributions to the science and engineering fields.”

“National Chemistry Week offers an opportunity for everyone to come together to celebrate the immense value chemistry adds to our society, whether by keeping our families safe and healthy or creating good-paying jobs in Michigan and across the country,” said Senator Peters. “As Co-Chair of the Congressional Chemistry Caucus, I was proud to join my colleagues to pass this resolution that recognizes the critical role chemistry plays in keeping our nation competitive and at the forefront of innovation.”

“Chemistry and other STEM fields will be so critical for the next generation of West Virginians,” said Senator Capito. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in designating this year’s National Chemistry Week, and will continue working to increase opportunities for students who pursue careers in this world-changing field.”

“From agriculture to manufacturing, chemistry is fundamental to our way of life in Northwestern and Central Illinois,” said Representative Bustos. “As scientific advancements in chemistry continue to propel us forward, I’m proud to recognize National Chemistry Week and the critical role that chemistry plays in the lives of our family farmers and our local economy.”

“I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with my colleagues to designate this week as National Chemistry Week. Americans enjoy the benefits of chemistry every day with advances in materials, energy, health care, and more. Chemistry has made America the world leader in research and innovation and it provides thousands of people with good-paying jobs,” said Representative Moolenaar. “National Chemistry Week highlights the applications of chemistry in our lives, and encourages talented young Americans to pursue opportunities in the scientific fields.”

“The American Chemical Society (ACS) is honored to celebrate the 32nd National Chemistry Week and its official designation by Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA), Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) and Representative John Moolenaar (R-MI-4),” said H.N. Cheng, ACS President. “This ceremonial resolution helps to amplify the work of our members and partners including the Society for Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), the National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) to increase access, ensure equity and promote the benefits of chemistry in everyday life. Chemistry provides the tools necessary for solving global health challenges and strengthening our economy now and for future generations, and we are grateful to our bipartisan and bicameral Congressional champions for this effort.”

Learn more about National Chemistry Week here.

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

###

Sen. Coons, colleagues ask Blinken for immediate appointment of official to address directed energy attacks on US personnel abroad

WILMINGTON, Del. — Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the immediate appointment of a senior-level official to lead efforts on anomalous health incidents following the resignation of Pamela Spratlen. In the letter, the senators asked that this position report directly to Secretary Blinken in recognition of the severity of these attacks. They also pushed for the full implementation of the HAVANA Act to ensure victims can immediately access the care and benefits they need.

The letter was also signed by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Mitt Romney (R-Utah).

“We believe this threat deserves the highest level of attention from the State Department, and remain concerned that the State Department is not treating this crisis with the requisite senior-level attention that it requires. Further, while there has been progress, we continue to hear concerns that the Department is not sufficiently communicating with or responding to diplomats who have been injured from these attacks. We are also concerned that the Department is insufficiently engaged in interagency efforts to find the cause of these attacks, identify those responsible, and develop a plan to hold them accountable,” the senators wrote.

“We urge you to immediately announce a successor to Ambassador Spratlen to lead the Department’s Health Incident Response Task Force. Critically, this post must be a senior-level official that reports directly to you,” the senators continued. “We ask that you take this step now to demonstrate that the State Department does take this matter seriously, and is coordinating an appropriate agency-level response.”

“We urge you to make swift implementation of the HAVANA Act a top priority. Many victims have waited for this legislation to pass in order to receive access to much needed financial and medical support. The President’s signature and the bipartisan support behind the law sends the unambiguous message that all affected individuals must have access to benefits and financial support,” they concluded in the letter.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Blinken:

We write regarding the ongoing anomalous health incidents (AHIs) affecting State Department and other U.S. personnel and their family members around the world. We are extremely alarmed that reports of these incidents continue to grow. It is clear that this threat continues to target U.S. diplomats and related personnel, and reflects a significant, unmitigated threat to our national security. We believe this threat deserves the highest level of attention from the State Department, and remain concerned that the State Department is not treating this crisis with the requisite senior-level attention that it requires. Further, while there has been progress, we continue to hear concerns that the Department is not sufficiently communicating with or responding to diplomats who have been injured from these attacks. We are also concerned that the Department is insufficiently engaged in interagency efforts to find the cause of these attacks, identify those responsible, and develop a plan to hold them accountable.

We urge you to immediately announce a successor to Ambassador Spratlen to lead the Department’s Health Incident Response Task Force. Critically, this post must be a senior-level official that reports directly to you. It is incumbent that this individual has the experience to engage effectively with affected individuals and with the interagency.  As you know, pending bipartisan legislation in the Senate would require the Secretary to designate an agency coordinator for AHIs who reports directly to you. We ask that you take this step now to demonstrate that the State Department does take this matter seriously, and is coordinating an appropriate agency-level response.

We also welcome President Biden’s recent action to sign the HAVANA Act into law. This law reflects Congress’ concern that affected individuals are facing too many hurdles to receiving treatment and benefits. We urge you to make swift implementation of the HAVANA Act a top priority. Many victims have waited for this legislation to pass in order to receive access to much needed financial and medical support. The President’s signature and the bipartisan support behind the law sends the unambiguous message that all affected individuals must have access to benefits and financial support. We ask for your expeditious implementation of these provisions to ensure victims of these attacks are receiving equitable access to care and treatment. We owe it to our diplomats to exhaust every effort to try and guarantee a full recovery.

We wish to support the State Department and U.S. personnel through every means possible, and to support the Department in effectively addressing this national security threat. We look forward to receiving your response, and to your heightened engagement on this issue.

###

Sen. Coons joins Sens. Menendez and Cornyn to cosponsor bipartisan resolution commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and a bipartisan group of 46 colleagues to continue the annual celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month by cosponsoring a Senate resolution that recognizes September 15th through October 15th, 2021 as a month to celebrate and honor the invaluable contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States. The commemoration of Hispanic Heritage Month started in 1968 as ‘Hispanic Heritage Week’ under President Lyndon B. Johnson, and President Ronald Reagan subsequently expanded the celebration in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15th and ending on October 15th.

“During Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the Hispanic community in Delaware and across the country, which has played a vital role in shaping our history, culture, and identity,” said Senator Coons. “This month, we recognize their immense contributions to our communities each and every day,”

“Hispanics have always been an important part of the fabric of American society, full of only love for this country and responsible for countless contributions,” said Senator Menendez. “As the Hispanic American community continues to grow, we will only become an even more integral part of this country and will help expand economic opportunities for all. I commend my colleagues from both sides of the aisle for supporting this resolution and I hope they will work with me and others to implement policies that will provide Hispanic Americans with greater opportunity.”

“Any Texan will tell you that Hispanic culture is as much a part of our state’s foundation as the ground our cities are built on,” said Senator Cornyn. “This bipartisan resolution will honor the more than 11 million Hispanic Americans that call Texas home, and I’m proud to help usher it through Congress.”

“For over a year, Hispanic Americans have served on the frontlines of this pandemic, educating our children, serving as medical workers, and making sure that our communities have everything they need to survive,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “The resilience and determination of the Hispanic community has played an integral role in our nation’s path to recovery, and this year more than ever it is vital that we recognize their countless contributions to the United States. In my home state of Nevada, more than one in four Nevadans is Latino, and I’m proud to continue honoring their invaluable place in our state and nation.”

“As the first Latino to represent California in the U.S. Senate, it is a privilege to formally recognize Hispanic Heritage Month and the significant contributions of Latinos and Hispanic Americans,” said Senator Padilla. “The success of Latino families, immigrants, and working-class individuals in the face of adversity has enriched the diversity and success of this country. And I remain committed to taking action to build a better future for Latino communities in California and across the country.”

“With a rich culture and long-held traditions that have become part of the fabric of our nation, the Hispanic community has played a vital role in American society and continues to produce leaders in every facet – from serving in our military, to teaching in the classroom, to running small businesses, to leading in the arts, science, and medicine, and taking care of our entire country as essential workers. This year and every year, we need to honor the resilience and the creativity of our community. This resolution is an important part of that celebration,” said Senator Luján.

Congressman Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.) led 36 of his colleagues in introducing a companion resolution in the House of Representatives.

“Latino history is American history, inseparable from the birth of our nation to the present, and into its bright future,” said Congressman Cardenas. “Our community’s involvement and influence on America’s cultural, economic and political tapestry is something that deserves both recognition and celebration. It is with great pride that we lead a resolution that honors the inspiring contributions of our diverse communities to this country.”

The Senate resolution recognizes the immense contributions of Latinos and Latinas to the economy, culture, and identity of the United States. This point has never been more salient than during the COVID-19 pandemic, as Latinos and Latinas across the country kept our country afloat by working essential, front-line jobs and will play an even more critical role as the nation recovers from the ongoing impacts of this unprecedented health crisis.

Hispanic Americans are the largest racial or ethnic minority group in the U.S., representing more than 62 million people (18.7% of the U.S. population), plus another 3.2 million in Puerto Rico. Fifteen States – Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington – have nearly one million or more Latino and Latina residents.

Senators also joining Senators Menendez and Cornyn in cosponsoring the Senate resolution were Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.).

In addition to Congressman Cárdenas, the companion House resolution was cosponsored by Representatives Albio Sires (D-N.J.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-Ga.), Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), J. Luis Correa (D-Calif.), James Langevin (D-R.I.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.), Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Marie Newman (D-Ill.), Michael F.Q. San Nicolas (D-Guam), Nanette Díaz-Barragán (D-Calif.), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Thomas Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Tom O’Halleran (D-Ariz.), and Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas).

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

###

Senate passes resolution celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week

WASHINGTON – Last night, the Senate passed a resolution sponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and John Kennedy (R-La.) to designate the week of October 10-16 as National Wildlife Refuge Week. The resolution celebrates the diverse ecosystems and wildlife found in our National Wildlife Refuges and the many recreational activities that they support including hunting, fishing, and wildlife observation. The National Wildlife Refuge System serves a critical role in wildlife conservation and helps to generate billions of dollars for local economies across the country each year.

“The National Wildlife Refuge System is vital to the protection of American wildlife and recreation, and I am proud to highlight its importance by advancing this resolution with my friend and colleague, Senator Kennedy,” said Senator Coons. “In Delaware, Bombay Hook and Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuges are essential habitats for our wildlife and provide recreational opportunities for Delawareans across the state. I look forward to continuing to support and protect our rich and diverse public lands.”

“As a sportsman, I’m thankful for the role national refuges play in conserving Louisiana’s vibrant wildlife,” said Senator Kennedy. “Louisianians are natural stewards of the environment because we know how important our wetlands are for protecting our fish, waterfowl and other species. National Wildlife Refuge Week gives everyone a chance to highlight America’s natural beauty and how we can preserve it together.” 

With more than 568 refuges and 38 wetland management districts located in every State and territory of the United States, the National Wildlife Refuge System contributes more than $3 billion to local economies and supports more than 41,000 jobs. 

The text of the resolution is available here.

###

[VIDEO] ICYMI: Sens. Coons, Markey champion Civilian Climate Corps on MSNBC

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) joined MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell yesterday to highlight their push to establish the Civilian Climate Corps (CCC) as a component of the Build Back Better agenda.

“The [Civilian Climate Corps] is just a part of the broader agenda for how we’re going to make a lasting difference on the impact of climate here in the United States,” said Senator Coons. “By partnering with the 25-year-old AmeriCorps program, that has 75,000 young people already serving in every state and territory and has deep experience in running effective national service programs – and adding to its bold mission to make our country more climate ready, more climate resilient – we’re going to be able to put tens of thousands of new AmeriCorps members out all over the country. Whether they’re combating wildfires or strengthening our wetlands and coastlines, we’re going to be creating good jobs, creating a great pathway to earning a college opportunity, higher pay, and a more inclusive and diverse 21st century CCC.”

“President Biden strongly supports [the Civilian Climate Corps],” said Senator Markey. “Senator Schumer has just worked so closely with Senator Coons and I to ensure that it is included and at its core, it just goes to the question of climate justice because this program will ultimately employ hundreds of thousands of people, 50% of which will come from communities and 50% of the funding will go into communities of color, in order to remediate those historic environmental injustices which have affected Black, brown, immigrant communities disproportionately, and we have the strong support from the White House and from the leadership that it will be included.”

Both senators have worked to advance legislation that puts Americans to work and helps communities address the climate crisis by establishing the Civilian Climate Corps. They outlined their joint vision for the goals, standards, and structure of the program this summer.

Full audio and video available here. A transcript is provided below.

Q: Joining me now, Massachusetts Democratic Senator Ed Markey and Delaware Democratic Senator Chris Coons who serves on the Judiciary Committee. Senator Coons, first to you, this is an amazing report. Your committee has been working on it for months. Should I ask what alarmed you most about it?

Sen. Coons: Well, Andrea, this just lays out in great detail, how close we were to a genuine constitutional crisis that President Trump personally pressed and pressured and threatened the acting attorney general to endorse his false and flawed stolen election theory nine times, and it was only because of this determined effort by a small group at the senior leadership level within the Department of Justice to insist they would resign en masse if he proceeded. That’s the only thing that held Trump back from doing so. We need to work with the Department of Justice to restore the guardrails that protect the Department of Justice from political interference by any future president, and we’ll continue to with the ongoing investigation in the House to make sure that final recommendations that come out are meaningful and actionable.

Q: Now with so much going on, Senator Markey, I also want to ask you about what Senator Schumer says about an agreement on the debt ceiling for the short-term extension until December. What does that really resolve? The same issue will be looming over everyone in December, but at the same time, you’ve got to do a continuing resolution to keep the government open so why not confront it now?

Sen. Markey: Well, we have more time to work it out on a rational basis. Obviously, the Republicans were acting irresponsibly—they were putting the full faith and credit of the United States at risk. Here Mitch McConnell blinked. It gives us time, through December, to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill because it’s time to pass the reconciliation bill that has all of the funding in for childcare, for free community college, to deal with the climate crisis. We can get those bills passed between now and the first week of December, and then come back and resolve that issue but time is better to have the crisis later than now because we are still talking, obviously, for whatever his reasons were, Mitch McConnell blinked. And in the meantime, we can get the good things done for our country without this political cloud that the Republicans were seeking to place over that agenda.

Q: And why not tie this to reconciliation?

Sen. Markey: Because they are completely unrelated. The reconciliation bills are about future spending. They’re about a future vision for our country. What the debt ceiling is about paying for the debts that we have already incurred. And by the way, largely under Republican presence, largely under a House and Senate controlled by the Republicans from John Boehner to Mitch McConnell to Kevin McCarthy, you name it. The litany of Republican participation in the construction of this debt is just totally populated with Republican leadership. We want to pay off those debts largely incurred printed by Republicans, and then separate out the reconciliation bill, which is really the Biden vision for the future.

Q: And, Senator Coons, I want to ask both of you about this Civilian Climate Corps plan, which is a part of the overall plan, to employ young Americans in good paying jobs combatting climate change. How would this work, Senator, to both of you?

Sen. Coons: It’s been great partnering with Senator Markey on this. He’s been a real leader on combating climate, and this is just a part of the broader agenda for how we’re going to make a lasting difference on the impact of climate here in the United States. By partnering with the 25-year-old AmeriCorps program, that has 75,000 young people already serving in every state and territory and has deep experience in running effective national service programs, and adding to it a bold mission to make our country more climate ready, more climate resilient. We’re going to be able to put tens of thousands of new AmeriCorps members out all over the country. Whether they’re combating wildfires or strengthening our wetlands and coastlines, we’re going to be creating good jobs, creating a great pathway to earning a college opportunity, higher pay, and a more inclusive and diverse 21st century CCC.

Q: And, Senator Markey, do you have assurances that this will be included in the final bill? 

Sen. Markey: There’s broad bipartisan support for this kind of an approach. President Biden strongly supports it. Senator Schumer has just worked so closely with Senator Coons and I to ensure that it is included and at its core, it just goes to the question of climate justice because this program will ultimately employ hundreds of thousands of people, 50% of which will come from communities and 50% of the funding will go into communities of color, in order to remediate those historic environmental injustices which have affected Black, brown, immigrant communities disproportionately, and we have the strong support from the White House and from the leadership that it will be included.

Q: And finally, Sen. Markey, you have been a voice in the wilderness for at least a decade trying to get regulation on Facebook and other Big Tech. And as a result of the whistleblower testimony, now, do you think there is bipartisan momentum for that to happen?

Sen. Markey: Yep, first Frances Haugan – what a hero. She has just issued a blistering, scalding indictment of Facebook activity right from its inception, so now it’s time for us to pass legislation to have a children’s Bill of Rights, up to age 16 so that the parents can control the information which children are putting online and can just stop it if they want to, so that we can pass legislation to stop this pernicious marketing towards children, just taking advantage of their vulnerability because of their young age, and that we can do the kind of research we need to do to complement what we just found out to see what the mental health impacts are of these online social media websites on the children of our country. I think it’s a crisis, it’s time for us to have to deal with it and I think what Frances Haugan did is going to give us the momentum to get it done this year.

Q: And Senator Coons, as someone who knows Joe Biden so well, how’s he doing and do you think he’ll get these big deals through? Is Manchin going to compromise? Will Sinema compromise?

Sen. Coons: He is focused and optimistic about our chance of getting the Build Back Better agenda resolved and reconciled and moved through the Senate and the House. If we get to the end of this year and President Biden signed into law a 1.2 trillion-dollar infrastructure package that’ll create hundreds of thousands of high-skill, high-wage jobs, and, I hope, more than $2 trillion, Build Back Better agenda that over the next decade will invest in a big tax reform of reducing costs for working families, helping make easier challenges like health care costs, childcare, daycare, elder care and confronts climate? We will have a very strong agenda to run on in the midterms at the end of next year, and President Biden should be optimistic, and I think Senator Markey joins me. We are all optimistic that having cleared this hurdle of McConnell’s obstruction on the debt ceiling. We’ve got a clear path towards hammering out a compromise and getting these bills to President Biden’s desk.

Q: Voices of optimism on Capitol Hill, who knows? Senator Coons and Markey, thank you both so much.

###