Recognizing National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

In July, Senator Coons supported a resolution passed by the Senate to proclaim September as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. The President and the Senate began issuing this designation in 2001. With nearly 240,000 new cases of prostate cancer expected this year and more than 2.5 million American men living with the disease, there has never been a more important time to increase our understanding of this terrible illness. The Senate resolution declares that steps should be taken to: (1) raise awareness about prostate cancer screening and treatment; (2) increase research funding; and (3) improve access to, and the quality of, health care services for detecting and treating prostate cancer.

One in six men is diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in his life, and prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among American men. The chances of prostate cancer increase to one in three if a man has one close relative who has had the disease and to 97 percent with three close relatives.

In Delaware, prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among males, and from 2003 to 2007 there were 3,813 new cases reported.  Delaware’s prostate cancer incidence rate of 180.2 per 100,000 men is also significantly higher than the average U.S. rate. African American men are at an increased risk for the disease, with one in four men diagnosed each year, and African American men in Delaware are two times more likely to die from prostate cancer than white men.  

Fortunately, early detection and advancements in treatment have resulted in high survival rates.  Indeed, with early testing, nearly 100 percent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer were still alive five years later. The proportion of prostate cancer cases in Delaware that are detected in the local stage has increased dramatically over the past 30 years.

This month, Chris’ health policy staff met with a representative from the Delaware Prostate Cancer Coalition who underscored the importance of continued research funding and early detection methods. While prostate cancer has seen remarkable advances, adequate research and early testing remain important tools for combatting the disease. Chris has been a longtime supporter of funding for the National Institute of Health (NIH) and will continue fighting to ensure that the NIH and research centers like the National Cancer Institute have adequate funding to prevent, detect, and treat prostate cancer.

Senator Coons salutes National Employ Older Workers Week

The week of September 22-28, 2013 is National Employ Older Workers Week. As the number of Americans aged 55 and older continues to increase, it is important to recognize the growing role that older workers will play in Delaware’s economy and in the labor force across the country. In fact, older workers are the fastest-growing sector of the American workforce, and by 2014, Americans aged 55 and older will make up over 21 percent of the U.S. labor force. These hardworking men and women bring a tremendous amount of experience, dedication, and skill to their jobs and serve as role models for all workers.    

To recognize National Employ Older Workers Week, and to honor and support older workers in Delaware, Senator Coons intends to cosponsor the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (S. 1391). This bipartisan bill would help protect older workers by reversing a recent Supreme Court decision that raised the burden of proof for employees bringing discrimination claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. This critical piece of legislation is essential to ensuring that older workers have the same rights as other Americans under the law and to creating an equal playing field in the workplace for older Americans.

Senator Coons is also a proud cosponsor of the Older Americans Act Amendments of 2013. This bill would reauthorize the original Older Americans Act of 1965, which provides federal funding to support a wide range of social services and programs for older persons. The Older Americans Act includes the Senior Community Service Employment Program, our nation’s only federal program specifically dedicated to helping low-income, unemployed adults aged 55 or older gain the job skills and training they need to find full time employment. The program plays a critical role in providing training, supportive services, and job search assistance to Delawareans. Senator Coons is committed to supporting this program and all employers and organizations that employ and assist older workers in Delaware.

Senator Coons urges review of surveillance activities

Senator Coons was one of nine members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to write to the inspector general of the intelligence community on Monday to request a full-scale review of the use of surveillance activities. What’s more: they requested the results of this review be made public.

“We urge you to conduct comprehensive reviews of these authorities and provide a full accounting of how these authorities are being implemented across the Intelligence Community,” the senators wrote. “The IC Inspector General was created in 2010 for this very purpose.  Providing a publicly available summary of the findings and conclusions of these reviews will help promote greater oversight, transparency, and public accountability.”

This isn’t the first time Senator Coons has tried to increase the transparency of our nation’s surveillance activities. 

Ahead of his vote against the reauthorization of the FISA Amendments Act in December, Senator Coons spoke on the Senate floor in support of the legislative predecessors to both of these bills. His speech can be viewed and read here.

In July, Senator Coons cosponsored two bills to limit access to Americans’ private information under FISA and to add transparency and accountability measures to the courts that govern surveillance activities conducted under FISA.

“Delawareans deserve a full and informed debate about our nation’s intelligence-gathering procedures and their intrusion on our privacy rights,” Senator Coons said. “These procedures certainly have a role to play in keeping our nation safe, but Congress has failed to be an effective check of whether they respect our most cherished privacy protections. These two bills represent a second chance to put in place a better system for oversight and the prevention of abuse of the government’s surveillance authorities.” 

Monday’s letter is below:

University of Delaware awarded $3 million energy innovation research grant

Senator Coons is proud to announce that the University of Delaware (UD) has been awarded a $3 million research grant by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to help produce technologies than can convert natural gas into liquid fuels for transportation uses. The award was granted as part of a $34 million ARPA-E project called Reducing Emissions using Methanotrophic Organisms for Transportation Energy, or REMOTE, focused on gas to liquid transformations. As one of Delaware’s leading research organizations, UD aims to engineer a synthetic organism capable of converting waste gases from industry and electricity production into a liquid fuel capable of powering transportation, among other practical uses.

“Our nation’s vast supply of waste gases represents a significant untapped resource with the potential to further U.S. energy independence and reduce the strain on our environment,” Senator Coons said. “I am thrilled that the University of Delaware is leading the way on this groundbreaking research, and I thank ARPA-E for their continued support of innovative energy projects in Delaware.”

Over the past few years, funding from ARPA-E has helped to keep Delaware on the cutting edge of the advancing clean energy economy, and Chris has been leading the effort in the Senate to ensure that ARPA-E is able to continue to invest in America’s innovative new technologies.

Earlier this year, ARPA-E awarded UD researchers $790,000 to focus on high voltage flow batteries, and in 2010, the university received a $4.4 million grant to develop a new generation of high-energy magnets used to operate hybrid electric vehicles, wind turbines, and other high-performance electric machines. DuPont also received an $8.9 million ARPA-E grant to develop a commercially viable process for the production of an advanced bio-fuel from seaweed.

Created in 2007 as part of the America COMPETES Act, ARPA-E is a federal agency designed to support innovative research into energy technologies and bring those technologies to the marketplace for the betterment of society. The agency was modeled after the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a parallel institution focusing on military research that helped produce the Internet and GPS technology. By channeling research funds toward select projects, ARPA-E helps to cultivate groundbreaking energy technologies that would otherwise be overlooked by the private sector and bridge the gap between basic energy research and social innovation.

The Senator’s Week Ahead Schedule: September 23 to September 29

Monday, September 23 at 7:00 p.m. – The Senator will deliver remarks at the Kent County Farm Bureau annual banquet at the Felton Fire Hall. Felton Community Fire Company, 9 E. Main St. Felton, DE  – Open to press. Contact Kitty Holtz at 302-697-3183.

Tuesday, September 24 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will chair a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing to consider nominations for ambassadors to Morocco, Tanzania, Namibia, Lesotho, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Cameroon. Senator Coons chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs. 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Foreign Relations Committee’s Adam Sharon at 202-224-4651.

Tuesday, September 24 at 3:30 p.m. – The Senator will attend a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing to consider one nomination for Assistant Secretary of State and three nominations for United States Representative to the United Nations. Senator Coons will introduce Crystal Nix-Hines, who has been nominated to serve as the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Foreign Relations Committee’s Adam Sharon at 202-224-4651.

Tuesday, September 24 at 5:00 p.m. – The Senator will deliver remarks at a farewell reception honoring Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren, who is stepping down after more than four years. Senator Coons is co-hosting the reception with Senator John McCain of Arizona. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.

Wednesday, September 25 at 9:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee meeting with economists. Discussion items will include job creation, the economy, the budget, the debt ceiling, and sequestration. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Closed to press.

Wednesday, September 25 at 1:00 p.m. – The Senator will attend a classified briefing on domestic surveillance issues and National Security Agency activities. Representatives from the Department of Justice, National Security Agency, and Federal Bureau of Investigation will brief members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Closed to press.

Wednesday, September 25 at 3:00 p.m. – The Senator will preside over the Senate until 4:00 p.m. Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Thursday, September 26 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Judiciary Committee business meeting. The committee will consider two nominations and S.42, the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act of 2013, a bill to extend whistleblower protection for employees who provide information to the Department of Justice related to criminal antitrust violations. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact Judiciary Committee’s Jessica Brady at 202-224-7703.

Thursday, September 26 at 3:30 p.m. – The Senator will attend the Closing Plenary Session of the Clinton Global Initiative’s 9th Annual Meeting. The session will close the four-day CGI Annual Meeting, hosted by President Bill Clinton, which will bring CGI members together under the theme of “Mobilizing for Impact.” This year’s theme focuses on leveraging individuals, partner organizations, and key resources to drive effective action on global challenges. Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, Metropolitan Ballroom, 811 7^th Avenue, New York, NY – Open to press with CGI Annual Meeting press credentials.

Saturday, September 28 at 9:30 a.m. – The Senator will attend AIDS Walk Delaware at Riverfront Wilmington, which benefits AIDS Delaware and Delaware HIV Consortium to help fight HIV/AIDS. AIDS Delaware’s mission is to support those with HIV/AIDS in Delaware and to prevent the spread of HIV through comprehensive services, education, and advocacy. Dravo Plaza, Wilmington Riverfront, Wilmington, DE  – Open to press. Contact Daniel Smith at 302-652-6776 or dsmith@aidsdelaware.org.

Saturday, September 28 at 11:00 a.m. – The Senator will deliver remarks at the 153rd Military Police Company Delaware Army National Guard homecoming ceremony. The 130-member unit has spent the past six and a half months on the western side of Kandahar working with the local Afghan Uniform Police. Governor Bacon Parade Field, Delaware City, DE – Open to press. Contact Staff Sgt. Wendy McDougall at 302-326-7194. 

Sunday, September 29 at 8:00 a.m. – The Senator will deliver remarks at a fellowship breakfast honoring Dr. Rev. Christopher Bullock for his work with Canaan Baptist Church and in the community. Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington, DE – Open to press. Contact Rutha Williams or Pat Risher at 302-654-8818 or canaanbc@canaanbc.org.

Note: Schedule is subject to change. 

Senator Coons flips ‘Pancakes for Parkinson’s’

Senator Coons joined more than 1,000 attendees Saturday on the grounds of Sanford School for Team Fox Delaware’s annual Pancakes for Parkinson’s event. Debi Brooks, co-founder and executive vice chairman of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, outfitted Senator Coons with a signature orange apron and a spatula so he could get down to the business at hand: flipping pancakes to benefit Parkinson’s research.

“Parkinson’s disease robs too many Americans of their quality of life and has taken too many of our loved ones too soon,” Senator Coons said. “That’s why the outstanding work Team Fox has done is so important both on a local and national level. I am proud of the uniquely creative and fun ways Team Fox continues to raise money and awareness for Parkinson’s research in Delaware.”

Chris joined the “Charred Griddle Team,” staffed by family and friends of Gary Chard as well as the Ropp and Flynn families. Gary was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the spring of 2008. He is one of more than five million people worldwide suffering with Parkinson’s disease. Chris also lent a hand to DuPont team “Flipping for a Future Without Parkinson’s.”

Chris was a natural in front of the griddle, cracking jokes and tossing several flapjacks into the waiting chafing dishes a few feet away.

Since 2009, Delaware Team Fox has raised nearly $300,000 to benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, which works to accelerate the delivery of life-changing treatments, and ultimately a cure, to people with Parkinson’s disease.

More information about Team Fox Delaware can be found here: http://teamfoxdelaware.wordpress.com. 

The organization’s national website is www.michaeljfox.org

Senator Coons talks faith, community at DSU 3rd Annual Prayer Breakfast

Senator Coons delivered welcoming remarks Friday at Delaware State University’s 3rd Annual Presidents Prayer Breakfast, hosted by President Dr. Harry L. Williams. The theme of the breakfast, “One Body, One Community, One DSU Family,” brought together University, faith, and business leaders to raise money for DSU’s student scholarship fund. 

Chris addressed this year’s theme by evoking a verse from Corinthians 1:12: “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.”

“It is ours to know and to learn and to be patient about what piece we are called to be,” said Chris. “Are we called to prophesy? Are we called to witness? Are we called to work? Are we called to be the hands to lift up and hold up others? This is a body that knows how to be a body united in faith, a community united in faith and a family to one another.”   

Chris also referenced last year’s theme of faith as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. One year later, the results of the DSU community’s faith are evident on campus. This was a year full of accomplishments for the school, as it was ranked 9th among Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the U.S. by the U.S. News and World Report, developed a new Living and Learning Commons for students, and was awarded its latest Fulbright scholarship, to Professor Constant D. Beugre.

“I could stay here all morning and read off the list of things that have been accomplished here in the last three years,” said Chris. “The federal grants, the new students taught, the new centers created and the latest campus addition in New Castle County. These are good, great, and remarkable things.”

Senator Coons joined keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Christopher A. Bullock and Rev. Dr. Silvester Beaman in addressing attendees at the event.

More information about Delaware State University can be found here: www.desu.edu.  

Senator Coons marks National Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month with patients, advocates

Senator Coons called for renewed, bipartisan efforts to combat pulmonary fibrosis Thursday at a briefing marking National Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month. The briefing, titled “Fatal Fibrotic Diseases: The Challenges and the Path Forward to Finding Cures,” was sponsored by the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis and American Thoracic Society, and brought together patients, advocates, congressional staff, and health experts to examine efforts to better coordinate and expand research on the disease, which claims the lives of 40,000 Americans each year.

“For the thousands of Americans diagnosed each year with pulmonary fibrosis, there has never been a more urgent time to fight for a cure,” Chris said. “While groundbreaking research and medical advances have improved the prognosis for so many diseases in recent years, funding for pulmonary fibrosis research remains scarce and the number of Americans diagnosed with this deadly disease has continued to rise. Pulmonary fibrosis deserves the nation’s dedicated attention and I’m committed to working with my colleagues to support vital research that brings us closer to a cure.”

Pulmonary fibrosis affects the lungs and limits a person’s ability to breathe. There is no known cause, it has no cure, and there are currently no FDA-approved treatments. Most patients with pulmonary fibrosis live only three to five years after diagnosis. In the United States alone, more than 200,000 people are living with pulmonary fibrosis, with 48,000 more diagnosed each year.

Since his election to the Senate, Chris has carried on the pulmonary fibrosis advocacy work begun by former Delaware Congressman Mike Castle, who spent years working tirelessly in the House to shine a brighter light on the disease. 

“The pulmonary fibrosis community is engaged, motivated, and making progress, and Congress must follow their lead,” Chris said. “Pulmonary fibrosis doesn’t discriminate along party lines and neither should our efforts. That’s why I am working to develop a new, bipartisan bill that looks at fibrosis more broadly, provides the resources that are needed for the National Institutes of Health, comes up with a research gameplan, and engages the whole community. It is my real hope that the conversations we’re having today will continue to advance and refine that agenda so that we can continue making inroads against this devastating disease.”

Sponsored by the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis, National Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month includes a congressional briefing, patient advocate meetings on Capitol Hill, and a patient education day co-hosted with the American Thoracic Society and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, among other dedicated events.

Senator Coons praises committee passage of National Blue Alert Act

Senator Coons, a member of the Judiciary Committee and co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, applauded the Judiciary Committee’s overwhelming and bipartisan passage Thursday of the National Blue Alert Act, S. 357. The bill, cosponsored by Senator Coons, would establish a national communications network to disseminate information when a law enforcement officer is injured or killed in the line of duty. Similar to the nationwide Amber Alert system for missing children, the Blue Alert would rapidly notify law enforcement agencies, the media, and the public to help aid in the apprehension of these most violent criminals.

The bill’s passage comes as Delaware law enforcement mark the two-year anniversary of New Castle County Police Lieutenant Joe Szczerba’s death in the line of duty. Lieutenant Szczerba was killed in September 2011 while apprehending a violent suspect and earned the Congressional Badge of Bravery for his heroic effort to detain his attacker until additional officers arrived on the scene.

“This week, we passed the second anniversary of the tragic line of duty death of Lieutenant Joe Szczerba from the New Castle County Police, which I had the honor of commanding in my role as county executive,” Senator Coons said. “Lieutenant Szcerba’s sacrifice is a potent reminder of the danger our law enforcement officers face every day as they work to keep our communities safe. The Blue Alert law is vitally important for the safety of our first responders and I commend the many co-sponsors of this bill for their leadership in this effort.”

As with the Amber Alert system, the purpose of the National Blue Alert Act is to create a voluntary partnership between the federal, state, and local governments, the media, and others. The bill would establish a national “Blue Alert” communications network within the Department of Justice to supplement the efforts of states that have already established Blue Alert systems, and serve as a central resource to aid more states in creating them. Delaware is one of 18 states with current or planned Blue Alert systems.

The type of coordination, consistent standards, and collaboration that will result from passage of the National Blue Alert Act is particularly critical in situations involving an individual wanted in connection with the death or injury of a law enforcement officer who crosses state lines.

The National Blue Alert Act is supported by law enforcement organizations including the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the National Troopers Coalition, and the Sergeants Benevolent Association of the New York City Police Department.        

Senator Coons applauds extension of fair labor standards to home care workers

Senator Coons applauded the release Tuesday of the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL)’s final rule extending the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) minimum wage and overtime protections to home care workers. The rule will go into effect on January 1, 2015. Fifteen states already extend these protections to home care workers, and an additional six states and the District of Columbia mandate state minimum wage protections. Delaware is among the twenty-nine states that currently do not include these workers in their minimum wage or overtime provisions, however, most Delaware home health agencies already pay their workers a living wage.

The new rule will apply to all home care employees and other domestic employees working for agencies. Additionally, most home care workers employed by a family or individual will be covered by minimum wage and overtime, with a few exceptions. Notably, those who perform “companionship services” will continue to be exempt from the FLSA. However, the rule clarifies and significantly narrows the exemption.

Established in 1974, the companionship exemptions were meant to apply to casual babysitters and companions for the elderly and disabled. Over the last several decades, the home care industry has grown dramatically. Currently, there are 1.79 million home care workers in the U.S., including about 3,000 in Delaware. Today’s home care workforce is primarily comprised of professional caregivers such as home health aides, personal care aides, and certified nursing assistants, who provide specialized services far exceeding companionship. Under the new rule, home care workers who perform medically-related services for which training is typically a prerequisite would no longer fall into the ‘companion’ exemption. This new DoL rule recognizes and properly compensates the hard work of those on the front lines providing care for Delawareans.

The regulation will result in higher wages; better work conditions, such as reduction in excessive overtime; and lower rates of poverty for nearly two million home care workers.  Approximately 92 percent of these workers are women, nearly 30 percent are African American, and 12 percent are Hispanic. Right now, the home care industry faces extremely high rates of turnover because of poor wages and work conditions. Higher wages and better work conditions will also help to facilitate a stable long-term care workforce by making home care a more attractive vocation.

The DoL has created a web portal with interactive web tools, fact sheets and other materials to help families, other employers, and workers understand the new requirements. These, along with information about upcoming webinars on the rule, are available at www.dol.gov/whd/homecare.