Chris convenes discussion on college accessibility

WILMINGTON — A central tenet of Senator Coons’ work is that in order for the United States to remain competitive in the modern global economy, we must step up our game when it comes to higher education. That means getting more of kids to go to college, and then making sure they graduate.

For months Chris has been working on legislation designed to improve college preparation, accessibility and completion, and as part of that effort, on Friday convened a discussion with more than 20 local leaders on parental involvement, mentoring, and overcoming financial barriers.

“Educating America’s next generation of workers — whether it’s the next engineer, scientist, doctor or educator — must be team effort,” Chris said.  “To remain competitive in the global economy, we need to support students at every level of their educational pursuits. That means educators, business leaders and families must come together to share resources, time and energy.”

Chris felt that it was important that the participants in Friday’s discussion brought to the table a diversity of ideas, so leaders from primary, secondary and higher education groups, non-profit organizations, technology experts, and the banking community were all invited.

Stay tuned for more soon on Chris’ work to make college more accessible for Delaware’s young people.

The Senator’s week ahead schedule: January 30 to February 5

Monday, January 30 at 8:00 a.m. — The Senator will speak at a meeting of the Delaware Business Roundtable. Attendees include company presidents, CEOs and others who lead Delaware-based businesses. The goal of the roundtable is to explore issues of broad interest to the Delaware business community, to foster economic development, to improve the business climate and to benefit its citizenry. Hotel Du Pont, Christiana Room, 42 West 11th Street, Wilmington, Del. – Closed to press.  

Monday, January 30 at 1:15 p.m. — The Senator will co-host and deliver closing remarks at an American Chemical Society briefing on advanced biofuels.  The briefing is entitled “Cellulosic Biofuels’ Economic and Technological Challenges: Speed Bumps or Detours?” The briefing is open to the general public, but has reached RSVP capacity. 253 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Live-streamed at: http://www.coons.senate.gov/live

Monday, January 30 at 2:00 p.m. — The Senator will preside over the Senate.  Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Wednesday, February 1 at 9:00 a.m. — The Senator will attend a Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee meeting on job creation.  The meeting will feature leaders of American businesses that have been successful in expanding their workforce despite the tough economic climate. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.

Wednesday, February 1 at 12:00 p.m. — The Senator will visit with the Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay. The meeting corresponds with the Girl Scouts’ 100th Anniversary. Approximately 25 Girl Scouts from Delaware will be in attendance. Capitol Visitors Center, Room SVC 203-02, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press.

Thursday, February 2 at 7:30 a.m. — The Senator will attend the 60th Annual National Prayer Breakfast. Washington Hilton, Washington, D.C.

Thursday, February 2 at 10:00 a.m. — The Senator will attend a Senate Judiciary Committee business meeting. A bill to reauthorize and enhance the Violence Against Women Act will be considered and voted on by the full committee. Senator Coons is a cosponsor and ardent support of the legislation.  226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press.

Friday, February 2 at 9:30 a.m. — The Senator will preside over the Senate if in session. Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Note: Schedule is subject to change

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Senator Coons thanks Delawarean for conservation efforts

Senator Coons was proud to learn that Bill D’Alonzo of Greenville, DE was honored for his decades of dedication to environmental conservation with the 2012 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year award.

D’Alonzo was selected in recognition of his more than twenty years of work with Ducks Unlimited, as a volunteer and member of the board of directors. The award comes with a $50,000 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant, which D’Alonzo has requested benefit the Chesapeake-Delaware Bay conservation area.

“I’m proud of Bill for serving as a role model when it comes to conservation and contributions to the outdoors.  Protecting our natural resources is a responsibility we all must take seriously,” said Chris. “Ducks Unlimited is fortunate to have such a dedicated advocate representing them both locally and nationally.”

 D’Alonzo is president and CEO of Friess Associates.  He has served on DU’s development committee, finance committee and investment sub-committee.  He also serves on the board of directors for DU’s Wetlands America Trust and DU’s national board of directors. He picked up his award at the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in Las Vegas this month.

DU is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, DU has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent.

SOTU Analysis: Establishing fairness in workers’ wages

As part of his blueprint for a stronger American economy in the State of the Union, President Obama highlighted the importance of a highly skilled workforce where employees are compensated with equal pay for equal work, regardless of their sex.

“You see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent and ingenuity of every person in this country,” President Obama said. “That means women should earn equal pay for equal work.  It means we should support everyone who’s willing to work; and every risk-taker and entrepreneur who aspires to become the next Steve Jobs.”  

American women have made strides in not only entering into, but also advancing themselves in, a once male dominated skilled workforce. Yet, at a time when women outpace men in earning higher degrees of education, it’s alarming that women in the United States still earn an average of 78 cents to every dollar men earn.

Senator Coons, a supporter of gender equality, firmly believes that the promise of equal opportunity for those who wish to strive to their fullest economic potential is a cornerstone of this nation. That’s why he cosponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act, which reforms procedures for enforcing the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and requires that any employer trying to justify paying a man more than woman for the same job must show that the disparity is not sex-based but is job-related and necessary for the business.  This legislation would also ensure that women can receive the same remedies for pay discrimination that are available under other laws for discrimination based on race and national origin, and it would enhance the collection of information on women’s and men’s wages in order to more fully explore the reasons for the wage gap and help employers in addressing pay disparities.

Click here to learn more about Chris’ work to advance civil rights issues. 

SOTU Analysis: New markets for American products

In today’s global economy, it is critical for American businesses to be able to sell their goods and services to customers overseas. President Obama focused on trade as an important element of our economic recovery in his State of the Union address this week, saying “I will go anywhere in the world to open new markets for American products.”

Senator Coons has been fighting to ensure Delaware businesses have access to the more than 95 percent of the world’s consumers who live outside the United States. Earlier this year, he supported a free trade deal with the Republic of Korea, noting that Korean company Harim’s investments in Delaware’s poultry industry clearly demonstrate the value of strong trade relations with Korea.

However, President Obama also laid out solutions for addressing trade relationships that don’t go quite so smoothly. In his address and an accompanying policy memo, he announced the creation of a new Trade Enforcement Unit to investigate unfair trade practices around the world. Chris is currently working with the U.S. Trade Representative to try and resolve an issue like this, where India has put unfair restrictions on American poultry.

President Obama also announced enhanced trade inspections, procedures which would be made easier by bipartisan legislation Chris authored with Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), which would allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection legal access to tools like UPC codes and product samples that help them track counterfeit products coming in to the U.S.  Chris also co-sponsored legislation to provide more resources to support trade enforcement that has been signed into the law of the land.

When it comes to trade, the most important tool we can provide to American businesses is a level playing field, and the new efforts announced last night will help ensure no foreign company has an advantage over products that are “Made in the USA, Manufactured in Delaware.”

Click here to read more about Chris’ work on job creation.

SOTU Analysis: Investing in research and development

After working for eight years at a materials-based science company, Senator Coons was especially interested in plans for investing in scientific research and development laid out by President Obama in his State of the Union address this week.

President Obama didn’t disappoint, saying “Innovation also demands basic research.  Today, the discoveries taking place in our federally-financed labs and universities could lead to new treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched.” Delaware has long been a leader in basic research and innovation in this country. Basic research in Delaware is currently investigating disease pathways, developing stronger magnets, supporting the purchase of a specialized nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer and building a massive neutrino telescope at the South Pole. Could any of these investments result in tomorrow’s game-changing technologies? We have no real way of knowing, which is why Chris believes we must continue to invest in a diversity of projects.

Chris supports these investments not only because they can improve our quality of life, but because they strengthen our economy by creating jobs across Delaware. In his first piece of legislation, the Job Creation Through Innovation Act, he called for increasing and making permanent the tax credit companies get for research and development, an idea strongly supported by a News Journal editorial. The permanence of the tax credit is especially important, since many projects have multi-year planning horizons and companies need the certainty for long-term planning in order to invest and create jobs in Delaware.

The formula for America’s economic success has long been the unstoppable combination of an innovative citizenry and investment in cutting-edge research. President Obama called on Congress directly to protect that vital investment, even in tough economic times. He urged “don’t gut these investments in our budget.  Don’t let other countries win the race for the future.  Support the same kind of research and innovation that led to the computer chip and the Internet; to new American jobs and new American industries.”

Click here to read more about Chris’ work supporting Delaware businesses.

SOTU Analysis: Investing in community colleges

As part of his blueprint for a stronger American economy laid out in the State of the Union last night, President Obama highlighted the critical role of community colleges in educating the workforce of the future. He urged Congress to “give more community colleges the resources they need to become community career centers – places that teach people skills that local businesses are looking for right now, from data management to high-tech manufacturing.”

Along with his address to Congress, President Obama also released a strategy memo last night that expanded on some of the ideas he featured. In this document, he sets a firm goal of building partnerships between community colleges and businesses to train and place two million skilled workers.

As the economy changes and manufacturing becomes ever more dependent on technology, a new brand of skilled workers will be required to keep America’s factories humming and ensure that quality products are still “Made in America, Manufactured in Delaware.”

That’s why Senator Coons has been so invested in strengthening community colleges, including working with Delaware Tech, which is taking the lead on providing new training that will translate into high-wage, high-skill jobs.

As he meets with businesses across the state, Chris often hears how important it is for local companies to have access to highly trained workers, which is why he’s eager to get to work on innovative new partnerships between businesses and community colleges.  As President Obama said last night, “to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education has to start earlier.”

SOTU Analysis: Creating clean energy jobs

In last night’s State of the Union address, President Obama discussed how developing clean, affordable, alternative energy right here in America would create jobs and help reduce our dependence on foreign oil. He said “nowhere is the promise of innovation greater than in American-made energy.”

In a strategy memo that accompanied the speech, President Obama laid out his plan in a bit more detail.  This included reiterating his goal of ensuring that “by 2035, 80 percent of the nation’s electricity will come from clean sources.” He also made clear that he would help spur clean energy innovation by utilizing the purchasing power of the federal government and by building 10 gigawatts of renewable power on public lands.    

Clean sources of energy can be anything from wind, solar and hydropower to nuclear and clean coal. Senator Coons has zeroed in on advanced biofuels as a clean source of energy that can benefit Delaware families and businesses, and is taking action to advance this promising opportunity.

Another key element of the President’s address was his focus on tax credits as a crucial incentive to help spur new energy development and create jobs. Chris has been hard at work on this idea since he first joined the Senate. In fact, one of the tax credits President Obama cited in his address is actually from the first piece of legislation Chris authored, the Job Creation Through Innovation Act.

Another point of agreement is on energy efficiency. Chris has made this a priority, because as President Obama said last night, “the easiest way to save money is to waste less energy.” The President urged Congress to send him legislation to help manufacturers eliminate energy waste and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings. This would serve as a follow up to a program the Administration launched in December, where the government would worked with private sector partners, including two from Delaware, to renovate federal and private sector buildings.  Chris is a strong supporter of these programs, which can help create new jobs for Delawareans.

Click here to read more about Chris’ work on clean energy innovation.

SOTU Analysis: Creating jobs by strengthening manufacturing

In his address to the nation last night, President Obama laid out his plan for a retooled American economy that works for everyone. He made clear that a competitive, innovative manufacturing sector will be a critical building block of that economy, saying “this blueprint begins with American manufacturing.”

This is a vision certainly shared by Senator Coons.

In the last two years, American manufacturing has grown at its fastest rate in decades, adding 334,000 new jobs since January 2010. We added 23,000 manufacturing jobs in December alone.

“We have a huge opportunity, at this moment, to bring manufacturing back — but we have to seize it,” President Obama said.

The question is what to do to harness that momentum in hopes of facilitating a manufacturing renaissance in this country.

In his address and accompanying strategy, President Obama proposed a series of initiatives designed to harness the momentum the manufacturing sector is already experiencing. Chief among them are incentives for American companies to bring their manufacturing jobs back to the United States.

“If you’re an American manufacturer, you should get a bigger tax cut,” President Obama said. “If you’re a high-tech manufacturer, we should double the tax deduction you get for making products here.  And if you want to relocate in a community that was hit hard when a factory left town, you should get help financing a new plant, equipment, or training for new workers.”

President Obama also called for the Research and Development Tax Credit to be expanded and made permanent – something Senator Coons strongly supports and has introduced legislation to do.

Senator Coons has met with manufacturers across Delaware and turned their ideas into legislative action, building bipartisan support for new tax credits to support local manufacturers and ensure quality  products are “Made in America, Manufactured in Delaware.”

Click here to read more about Chris’ ideas for promoting job creation.

Miss the State of the Union address?

Did you miss President Obama’s State of the Union address last night? You can watch it below, in its “enhanced” format from the White House.

And click here to download President Obama’s “Blueprint for an America Built to Last.”

Senator Coons was largely impressed with the President’s strategy. Here’s what he said in a statement afterward:

“President Obama tonight laid out a positive vision for where our country is headed, powered by an economy built to work for all Americans. I share President Obama’s belief that if you work hard and play by the rules in this country, you deserve a real shot at economic fairness. I look forward to working with him this year to restore the economic fairness we seem to have lost. President Obama’s blueprint touches all the right areas if you’re trying to build an economy that works for everyone. For the first time in 15 years, America’s manufacturing sector is growing again. We need to invest in that momentum, grow domestic and clean energy production, and enhance the skills of American workers. Importantly, we have to do it in a bipartisan way that is economically fair to all Americans.”

Throughout the day today here on the blog we’ll post more specific thoughts on individual parts of the President’s blueprint, including manufacturing, clean energy, equal pay for equal work, community colleges and more.