Facing the fiscal cliff

It’s hard to watch the news lately without hearing about the “fiscal cliff” awaiting Americans early next year — more than $500 billion in automatic spending cuts, tax increases and other fiscal changes set to kick in starting in January.

These questions, coupled with the paralyzing federal budget deficit and national debt, will have a significant impact on Delawareans.

Although I’ve worked on deficit reduction consistently during my two years in the Senate, my staff and I have invested additional time and energy these last few months preparing for the immediate economic choices required by the events of the fiscal cliff. Just as we do with our legislative briefing emails, I wanted you to have access to some of the same background and analysis that I do.

We’ve put together a white paper on the fiscal cliff — a primer on the economic issues Congress and the President are now working to confront — to give you a better idea of what to expect.

Click here for your copy of the white paper and to share your opinion on the fiscal cliff.              

As it stands now, our budget deficit and national debt are simply unsustainable. A $1.3 trillion deficit and $16.3 trillion debt are unacceptable. This level of debt hurts our nation’s competitiveness, causes interest rates to rise over the long term and crowds out critical investments in our country’s future.

Congress should get a big, bipartisan deal done now to reduce our deficit and avert the very significant impact of the fiscal cliff, rather than waiting until next year.

It seems like an easy choice to simply kick the can down the road again, but the reality is that our country will need to make an array of tough decisions about our competing economic priorities over the next few months – priorities like keeping taxes low, investing in critical services, reducing our unsustainable annual deficits and stabilizing our debt.

I hope you’ll download my new white paper and share your opinion on the fiscal cliff.

There is no doubt that we can keep our nation moving forward, but we’ll have to work together to do it. Balance is the only responsible solution.

Best –
Chris Coons
U.S. Senator

The Senator’s Week Ahead Schedule: Nov. 26 – Dec. 2

Monday, November 26 at 11:00 a.m. – The Senator will speak at a major grant announcement for Delaware State University’s neuroscience program. Senator Coons will join Senator Carper and Congressman Carney in announcing a National Institutes of Health grant to create infrastructure to support theresearch and career development of neuroscientists at Delaware State University and the University of Delaware. Open to press.

Monday, November 26 at 2:00 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.

Tuesday, November 27 at 10:00 a.m. — The Senator will preside over the Senate until 11:00 a.m.  Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Wednesday, November 28 at 2:00 p.m. — The Senator will chair a Senate Foreign Relations Committee nominations hearing. The nominees being considered are the Honorable Robert F. Godec, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Kenya; and Ms. Deborah Ann McCarthy, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Lithuania. 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press.

Thursday, November 29 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Senate Judiciary Committee business meeting. During the business meeting, the Committee will consider substitute amendments for H.R. 2471, which would give government agencies more cyber surveillance power than they possess under current law. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. 

Thursday, November 29 at 4:00 p.m. — The Senator will preside over the Senate until 5:00 p.m.  Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Friday, November 30 at 9:30 a.m. — The Senator will preside over the Senate until 12:00 p.m. if the Senate is in session. Senate Chamber,U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Note: Schedule is subject to change

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New York Times makes case for election reform

Just days after Senator Coons introduced the FAST Voting Act to help speed up an array of reforms to our nation’s elections, the New York Times’ editorial board weighed in to make the case for election reform and endorse the FAST Voting Act.

While President Obama was delivering his victory speech in the early hours of Wednesday, Nov. 7, people were still standing in line in Florida to vote. Thousands had waited hours to vote in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, some in the cold, some giving up wages to do so. In a spontaneous aside — “by the way, we have to fix that” — the president acknowledged the unnecessary hardship of casting a vote in the United States and established a goal that he now has an obligation to address.

The long lines can be shortened with commitments from Washington, as well as state and local governments, but they are just the most glaring symptom of a deeply broken democratic process. In too many states, it’s also needlessly difficult to register to vote. States controlled by Republicans continue to erect partisan impediments to participation. And the process for choosing a candidate remains bound to unlimited and often secret campaign donations that are bound to lead to corruption.

The editorial outlined three steps for improving our nation’s elections, including making it easier to vote:

Congress also can provide financial incentives to the states to do the job right. A bill introduced recently by Senator Christopher Coons, a Democrat of Delaware, would give grants to states that make registration easy, including allowing same-day registration; allow early voting; require no excuses for voting absentee; properly train poll workers; and provide sufficient polling places.

Click here to read the Times’ full editorial.

ICYMI: News Journal column applauds FAST Voting Act

The News Journal’s longtime columnist Harry Themal wrote a column Friday praising Senator Coons’ legislation to make voting faster and more accessible to all voters. The column argues that legislation like the Louis L. Redding Fair, Accurate, Secure and Timely Voting Act of 2012 (FAST Voting Act) sponsored by Senator Coons would improve voting access and overall voting efficiency.

Coons’ idea deserves serious consideration because by any measure, the election this month was a disaster in all too many states.

Coons cites an 18-year-old first-time voter still in line in Miami-Dade County, Fla., after nearly five hours, by which time President Obama already had been declared the winner. At least a dozen other states also must not have had enough polling places, voting machines and personnel to handle large turnouts forced to wait for up to seven or eight hours.

…

The bill would zero in on reducing waiting times at the “persistently poorest polling places” by assuring polling locations match population distribution. FAST hopes to improve access to the ballot by providing for flexible registration, including on the same day as the election; assistance to voters who do not speak English or who have disabilities; formal training of election officers; and effective access for members of the armed forces.

Delaware should consider a grant to make provisions for voting in the event of a natural or other disaster. As Coons points out, Superstorm Sandy only had to make a slight turn and Delaware would have been dramatically impacted.

Click here to read the entire column on The News Journal’s website.

Video: Senator Coons’ interview with MSNBC on the conflict in Gaza & the FAST Voting Act

U.S. Senator Chris Coons was on MSNBC’s “Jansing and Co.” on November 20 talking about the unrest in Gaza and the FAST Voting Act, which he introduced the week prior to help states improve their elections.

Delaware Delegation welcomes the announcement of USS Delaware

The Delaware Congressional delegation welcomed the announcement of the naming of the Naval submarine, the USS Delaware, on Monday.

In May, Delaware’s Congressional Delegation sent a letter to Naval Secretary Ray Mabus to encourage him to name a submarine after the state of Delaware following a letter to the editor that appeared in the News Journal encouraging the delegation to take up the cause of getting this vessel named after the State of Delaware.

“This is an important day for Delaware as we welcome the USS Delaware to our proud family,” said Senator Carper, a 23-year veteran of the Navy. “It is a great source of joy to me that the vessel that will bear the name of Delaware will be one of the most state-of-the-art submarines in the world. If we want to continue to protect our military might and protect our shipping lanes so that we can conduct commerce around the world, we are going to need fast attack submarines like the USS Delaware. ” 

“Delaware’s rich naval tradition has played a significant role in our nation’s history and it is an honor to see it recognized with the naming of the USS Delaware,” said Senator Coons. “This submarine will not only serve as a state-of-the-art component of our national security, but as a symbol honoring all Delawareans who have served our country. Secretary Mabus has my thanks and the brave men who will one day serve on the Delaware have my deepest respect and gratitude.” 

“Today is a great day for Delaware, particularly for our veterans and those currently serving in the armed forces,” said Congressman Carney.  “Many Delawareans have proudly served in the United States Navy, and naming this state-of-the-art submarine the USS Delaware is a tribute to their dedication and sacrifice.  I’m very proud that this vessel, which will play an important role in maintaining the nation’s defense and strengthening the economy, will bear the name of our state.”

Senator Coons helps found Congressional Caucus to End Human Trafficking

Between his work leading the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs and on the Senate Judiciary Committee, human trafficking is an issue that crosses Senator Coons’ radar too often.

More human beings are being used as slaves right now than ever before, but what few people realize is just how pervasive an issue it is here in the United States.

The numbers of Americans who become victims of trafficking is staggering. Among the thousands of cases opened by the U.S. Department of Justice between 2008 and 2010, 83 percent of trafficking cases here in the United States were U.S. citizens. Additionally, according to the U.S. Department of State between 14,500 and 17,500 human beings are trafficked into the United States annually.

That’s why Senator Coons teamed up with Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) to launch the bipartisan Senate Caucus to End Human Trafficking on Wednesday. The Caucus will provide a forum for senators to come together to combat human trafficking by promoting awareness, removing demand, supporting prosecution efforts, and providing appropriate service systems for survivors. The caucus was announced at a press conference on Capitol Hill with two survivors of childhood commercial sexual exploitation and actress Jada Pinkett Smith, the founder of Don’t Sell Bodies.

“Slavery is an abomination and must be eradicated from this earth,” Senator Coons said. “The United States has been a global leader in the fight against slavery and human trafficking, and the fight continues today in Congress. The Bipartisan Caucus to End Human Tracking will help educate members of the Senate and provide a forum to build support for legislation to strengthen existing laws against sexual exploitation and trafficking. I’m proud to be a part of it.”

A key function of the caucus will be to educate staff members on substantive issues and raise awareness by hosting hearing-like events with experts from service groups, government agencies of jurisdiction, and child welfare entities. The caucus will initially focus on incidents of domestic commercial sexual exploitation of children and expand to include trafficking of both children and adults, domestically and abroad.

“I stand before you today free from slavery,” said trafficking survivor Withelma “T” Ortiz at Wednesday’s press conference. “We are here not to celebrate my success, but to fight for those who are currently being beaten, tortured and held captive. It’s important that we work across various sectors of the federal government to put an end to human trafficking.”

Human trafficking is defined by the U.S. State Department as the recruitment, transportation, harboring, or receiving of a person through threat, coercion, abduction, or deception and subjecting that person to involuntary servitude, such as forced sexual exploitation or debt bondage. According to reports from the U.S. State Department, human trafficking occurs in every state in the nation. Additionally, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited children, 100 to 200 thousand of the sex workers across the United States are trafficked children.

Senator Coons has been an outspoken advocate to combat human trafficking. He is a cosponsor of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, which provides tools to combat trafficking in persons both worldwide and domestically. The legislation was first passed in 2000 and was reauthorized in 2003 and 2008, but expired in 2011. The bill was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in October would exted its provisions until 2015 and currently waits a vote by the full Senate.

Senator Coons celebrates Diwali with Senate resolution

Senator Chris Coons joined two of his colleagues this week in introducing a bipartisan resolution to honor and celebrate the Indian festival of Diwali.

“In an uncertain time for our country and our world, the festival of Diwali is a welcome reminder of the power each of us has to bring light to our community,” Chris said. “As we reflect on the last year and look forward to another, Diwali is an opportunity for all of us — not only our Indian and South Asian neighbors — to come together to celebrate the power of good over evil, and warm in the triumph of light over the darkness. When a gunman opened fire on innocent Americans at a Sikh gurdwara in Wisconsin in August, so many around our nation, including here in Delaware, came together to show that their bond of faith and community is stronger than a single hideous act. Diwali reminds us that our light can always overcome the darkness, and I’m pleased to be able to join my Senate colleagues in proclaiming so in this resolution.”

U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-Va.) and John Cornyn (R-TX), both co-chairs of the U.S. Senate’s bipartisan Indian Caucus, were the lead sponsors of the resolution.

The resolution is available here.

Senate unanimously passes resolution standing by Israel

Senator Coons expressed his strong support for legislation passed unanimously by the Senate Thursday night reiterating that the United States stands with Israel as it faces an onslaught of rocket fire from Gaza.The resolution also recognizes Israel’s right to self-defense in the face of terror.

“With rockets raining down on innocent Israelis, the Senate tonight stood united in condemning these acts of terror and insisting that Israel has the right to defend its citizens from acts of terrorism,” Chris said. “The United States remains unwavering in its ironclad commitment to Israel’s security, and reaffirms that Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorist organizations must end the barrage of rocket and missile attacks.”

Approximately 900 missiles have entered Israel from Gaza since the beginning of the year.

Chris was an early co-sponsor of the bipartisan legislation, which was introduced by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.). It follows President Obama’s recent phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, where he reiterated the United States’ strong support for Israel’s right to self-defense.  

Chris is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Read the full text of the FAST Voting Act

Senator Coons introduced the Fair, Accurate, Secure, and Timely Voting Act of 2012 in the Senate on Thursday to try to speed up much-needed reforms to our nation’s elections. You can read the full text of the legislation below.