The Senator’s week ahead schedule: January 2 to January 8

Tuesday, January 3 at 11:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a briefing at ILC-Dover’s North Site at the Kent County Aeropark.  This will be Senator Coons’ first visit to the North Site, which opened in April of 2010 and is currently is celebrating the production of its 100th Persistent Threat Detection System and the recent completion of the design, fabrication and pressure-testing of the Resilient Tunnel Plug. ILC-Dover is the world’s largest producer of modern aerostat and airship envelopes and has been involved in the developing and manufacturing of the softgoods structures for airships, blimps, and other lighter-than-air vehicles since the early 1970’s. Senator Carper will also attend the briefing. ILC-Dover’s North Site, 60 Starlifter Avenue, Dover, DE 19901 – Open to Press.

Tuesday, January 3 at 2:00 p.m. – The Senator will tour the Fordham Brewing Company in Dover.  In 2007, Fordham Brewing Company moved from Maryland to Dover, Delaware to open a larger state-of-the-art brewery. Senator Carper will also tour the brewery. Fordham Brewing Company, 1284 McD Drive, Dover, DE 19901 – Open to Press.

Thursday, January 5 at 2:00 p.m. – The Senator will speak at the U.S. Cyber Foundations Fall Competition Award Winners Banquet. Gavy Aggarwal, a Charter School of Wilmington student, will be honored for ranking first among more than 2,000 participants from across the nation. Cyber Foundations is a nationwide online competition focusing on the most important foundational fields of cyber security: networking, operating systems, and system administration.  Cyber Foundations is a feeder program into other U.S. Cyber Challenge events, including the collegiate level camps, which were hosted in Delaware in 2010 and 2011.  Cab Calloway School of the Arts, 100 N. DuPont Road, Wilmington, DE 19807 – Open to Press.

Friday, January 6 at 8:00 a.m. – The Senator will visit the coIN Loft to meet with the growing community of start-up and seasoned entrepreneurs who have co-working space in the LOMA area of Wilmington. Senator Coons and the coIN Loft members will talk about ways to encourage startups and to grow entrepreneurship, as well as how places like the coIN Loft create synergy between businesses and young entrepreneurs in Delaware. Wilmington, DE – Closed to press.

Sunday, January 8 at 2:00 p.m. – The Senator will attend a change-of-command and retirement ceremony at the Delaware Air National Guard.  Brigadier General J. Wayne Merritt will retire after more than 42 years of service, relinquishing command to Brigadier General Carol A. Timmons. Delaware Air National Guard Main Hangar, 2600 Spruance Drive,New Castle, DE – Open to press.

Note: Schedule is subject to change.

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Advancing women’s participation to ensure peace and stability

Helping to create an environment where women not only have a seat at the table, but also play an equal role in maintaining peace and stability in their countries is critical to our national and global security. That’s the idea behind the first-ever U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, which President Obama issued this week.

Senator Coons, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs and an ardent supporter of gender equality, praised the Obama Administration for launching the plan and advancing women’s participation in preventing conflict and keeping the peace. The Plan, which was signed by President Obama as an Executive Order, represents a fundamental change in how the U.S. will approach its diplomatic, military, and development-based support to women in areas of conflict, by ensuring that their perspectives and considerations of gender are woven into the fabric of how the United States approaches peace processes, conflict prevention, the protection of civilians, and humanitarian assistance.

The Plan contains commitments from the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, Treasury, and Homeland Security, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Office of the United States Trade Representative targeted at meeting explicit national objectives.

Click here to learn more about the White House’s U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security.

Click here to learn more about Chris’ work on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Click here to learn more about Chris’ work on social justice. 

Video: Chris talks with Olbermann about GOP obstruction of middle-class tax cut

Senator Coons appeared on Current TV’s Countdown with Keith Olbermann on Monday night to discuss the House Republicans’ sudden refusal to accept the deal negotiated by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on a continuation of the middle-class tax cut.

Video: Senator Coons talks detainees with Chris Hayes

Still in Washington for votes on Saturday morning, Senator Coons appeared on MSNBC’s Up with Chris Hayes to discuss the controversial detainee provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act approved by the Senate earlier in the week.

Earlier in the week, Senator Coons entered an in-depth statement into the Congressional Record detailing his objections to the detainee provisions. Click here to read it. 

The Senator’s week ahead schedule: December 19 to December 25

Monday, December 19 at 9:00 a.m. – The Senator will meet with Delaware’s Principal of the Year, Jim Comegys of Middletown High School.  Each year, the National Association of Secondary School Principals recognizes one principal from each of the 50 states (as well as the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education) for the positive impact they are making in their school and community. Middletown High School, 120 Silver Lake Road, Middletown, DE 19709 – Open to press.  

Monday, December 19 at 11:30 a.m. – The Senator will tour the Middletown Police Department and brief Chief Henry Tobin and senior police staff members on the recent formation of the bipartisan Law Enforcement Caucus.  Middletown, DE – Closed to press.

Tuesday, December 20 at 9:00 a.m. – The Senator will meet with the Delaware Manufacturing Extension Partnership (DEMEP).  DEMEP was established in 1994 with a mandate to provide and transfer Lean Best Practices and Quality Systems Training to Delaware’s manufacturing community.  Since then, DEMEP programs and practices have increased the quality levels and profitability of the many companies it has served in Delaware. Dover, DE – Closed to press.

Tuesday, December 20 at 1:00 p.m. – The Senator will join Governor Markell, DNREC Secretary O’Mara, Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Summers, and EPA Regional Administrator Garvin for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for clean water investments at the Delmar Wastewater Treatment Facility.  The ceremony will highlight the partnership among the Town of Delmar, states of Delaware and Maryland, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in a critical project that protects public health and provides long-term water quality benefits for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.  30055 Connelly Mill Road, Delmar, MD 21875 – Open to press.

Tuesday, December 20 at 2:30 p.m. – The Senator will tour Delmarva Teen Challenge, an affiliate ministry of Teen Challenge International.  Delmarva Teen Challenge is a 12-month residential treatment program for men from 18-65 years of age who have decided to make positive changes in their lives. 611 3^rd and North Street, Seaford, DE 19973 – Open to press.

Wednesday, December 21 at 8:00 a.m. – The Senator will visit the coIN Loft to meet with the growing community of start-up and seasoned entrepreneurs who have co-working space in the LOMA area of Wilmington. Senator Coons and the coIN Loft members will talk about ways to encourage startups and grow entrepreneurship.  They will also explore how places like the coIN Loft create synergies among businesses and young entrepreneurs in Delaware.  Wilmington, DE – Closed to press.

Thursday, December 22 at 12:30 p.m. – The Senator will tour Mom’s House in Wilmington, one of seven non-profit centers nationwide that provides supportive services to single parents facing an unplanned pregnancy.  Mom’s house provides pre-school children with care and early education, and offers their single parents a network of supportive services that enable them to complete their education, find jobs and get off of welfare. Wilmington, DE – Closed to press.

Thursday, December 22 at 2:00 p.m. – The Senator will join Santa at the Arbors at New Castle to hand out gifts to needy seniors.  It is part of a program called Be a Santa to a Senior, a campaign that has delivered 1.5 million gifts to needy seniors throughout North America during the past seven years.  Locally, the program is being run through the company, Home Instead Senior Care.  32 Buena Vista Drive, New Castle, DE 19720 – Open to press. 

Note: Schedule is subject to change.

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National Guard gets its seat at the table

After months of deliberation, the Senate passed the final version of a piece of legislation that would give the Chief of the National Guard Bureau a seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Senator Coons has been an outspoken advocate for this measure that is important to many Delawareans who admire the value our state’s National Guard adds to U.S. national security.

Most recently, Chris penned an op-ed in The Delaware State News.

Though the courage of members of the National Guard is no less respected than the other branches, and the sacrifice of their families is every bit as great, passing the legislation was not about rewarding extraordinary service. Rather, it was about recognizing what we need to do for our future in order to keep our country safe. It was about bringing to bear every resource we have for the defense of this nation.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff are the top military advisers to the president and to the Secretary of Defense. They are responsible for making sure our military is prepared for every threat to our national security, but as those threats tilt toward the asymmetric, so must our military planning.

Click here to read the entire op-ed.

Video: Senator Coons on the nomination of Michael Scuse

Senator Coons introduced Delawarean Michael Scuse at a hearing for his nomination to be the Undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and his nomination to serve on the Board of Directors of the Commodity Credit Corporation at the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry earlier today.

Video: Senator Coons calls on a continuation of middle class tax cuts

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U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) speaks on the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to vote in favor on maintaining tax cuts for America’s middle class.

Video: Senators Coons and Kirk debate a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution

U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) spoke on the Senate floor on Wednesday to debate amending the Constitution to require the federal government to balance its budget.

President Obama launches Office of Manufacturing Policy

Once the backbone of our economy and pathway to the middle class, America’s manufacturing industry has particularly struggled in the current economic climate. With factories closing around the nation and thousands of workers laid off, Senator Coons and a coalition of leaders have voiced their support for efforts to rehabilitate the manufacturing industry and get Americans back to work.

That’s why Chris was pleased Monday about President Obama’s announcement that he was creating a new Office of Manufacturing Policy that would be part of the National Economic Council at the White House. The office, which will be co-chaired by Secretary John Bryson and National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling, will work across federal agencies to coordinate the execution of manufacturing programs and the development of manufacturing policy.

“At this make-or-break time for the middle class and our economy, we need a strong manufacturing sector that will put Americans back to work making products stamped with three proud words: Made in America,” President Obama said.  “I am grateful that Secretary Bryson and Gene Sperling will head up this office to continue our efforts to revitalize this great American industry and fight for American workers and jobs.”

Since being sworn-in to the Senate, Chris has fought to strengthen our manufacturing industry and create jobs for American and Delawarean manufacturing workers. Specifically, Chris devoted his Senate maiden speech to manufacturing and the first bill he introduced contained measures that would jumpstart domestic manufacturing and create conditions to help businesses grow and create high-quality, high-paying middle-class jobs.

Click here to learn more about Chris’ fist bill, the “Job Creation Through Innovation Act.”

Click here to watch Senator Coons deliver his maiden speech.

Click here to learn more about Chris’ work to create jobs for Delawareans.