Speaking at an event in the Capitol Wednesday to announce the formation of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, Senator Coons laid out why he thinks it’s important for the Senate to support those who protect our communities. Click on the video above to see what he had to say
Senator Coons voted for two of the three free trade agreements submitted by the White House for Senate approval, supporting the deals with South Korea and Panama, but rejecting the deal with Colombia.
“Free and fair trade with the Republic of Korea means jobs in Delaware as more businesses join the hundreds of Delaware companies already exporting their products to the growing Korean marketplace,” Senator Coons said. “Harim’s recent investment in Delaware’s poultry industry demonstrates the benefits to be gained by improving our trade relations with Korea, and today’s move to lower some of the barriers to trade there will take it a step further. Similarly, the agreement with Panama is a good opportunity for American businesses in another growing market. Panama has taken significant steps in the last few years to strengthen the rights of workers and its transparency on tax matters. Both of these agreements will help Delaware and that’s why I voted for them tonight.
Chris drew a line, though, on the agreement with Colombia, saying he had, “serious reservations about entering into a trade agreement with Colombia, the most dangerous country in the world in which to work as a trade unionist. Free trade with Colombia in the current environment does not mean fair trade for American workers, and I urge the Colombian government to address its pressing human rights issues by pursuing and prosecuting criminals who choose violence as a means of negotiating with trade unions.”
The Senator considered each of the three agreements on its own merits, looking at the size of market opportunity for Delaware companies, protections for labor rights, respect for the environment, and defense of U.S. intellectual property rights. He warned, though, that the fulfillment of the agreements must be monitored.
“None of these agreements will be worth the paper they’re written on if we don’t follow up with adequate enforcement,” Senator Coons said. “Free trade can never be fair trade without robust enforcement that includes strong protections for American intellectual property and a continued commitment to labor rights for all.”
Senator Coons hosted an event kicking off the first ever Senate Law Enforcement Caucus on Wednesday. The goal of the caucus is to educate and inform senators and staff about the programs and initiatives that are keeping our communities safe, while advocating for the policies and resources law enforcement agencies need to carry out their missions.
“There has always been deep bipartisan support for law enforcement in Congress. Our aim in forming the caucus is to focus it on a meaningful conversation that reinforces the federal commitment to assisting state and local law enforcement,” Senator Coons said during his introductory remarks.
The Caucus has received an outpouring of support from senators of both parties. Prior to its announcement on Wednesday, the caucus had 16 additional senators join.
The event was held in the Capitol and attended by members of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. In addition to remarks by the caucus co-chairs, Senators Coons and Blunt, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Justice Programs Mary Lou Leary, and National Fraternal Order of Police President Chuck Canterbury also gave remarks on their perspective on how federal, state, and local law enforcement can work more closely to protect the public.
The Senate Law Enforcement Caucus will primarily serve as a forum for officials, community groups, and other stakeholders to meet with legislators, staff, and one another to share experiences and develop strategies for fostering effective law enforcement. It will highlight ways in which the federal government can better assist agencies at the state and local levels, and will help circulate proven best practices in administering law enforcement programs during a time of severely limited budgets.
The caucus plans to hold regular briefings on pressing law enforcement issues for U.S. senators and staff, as well as to meet regularly with law enforcement officials to learn about best practices and the tools they need to keep our communities safe.
Today, our office introduced a new toll-free number that Delawareans can use to connect with Senator Coons on issues important to them and situations where they need his help. The new toll-free number is 877-668-3368.
“It’s important to me that Delawareans are able to connect with me and my office easily and conveniently,” Chris said. “Whether it’s to offer an opinion on the policy issues important to them or to get help with a specific personal issue involving a federal agency, I hope that having a toll-free number will invite more Delawareans to reach out.”
The toll-free number will route Delawareans to Chris’ Dover office, where they will speak directly with a member of his staff during normal business hours.
Our office’s additional non-toll-free numbers:
Washington Office: 202-224-5042
Wilmington Office: 302-573-6345
Dover Office: 302-736-5601
U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) will host an event on Wednesday, October 12 in the Capitol Visitors Center to kick off the first ever Senate Law Enforcement Caucus. The bipartisan caucus will work to educate and inform senators and staff about the programs and initiatives that are keeping our communities safe, while advocating for the policies and resources law enforcement agencies need to carry out their mission.
Senator Coons and Senator Blunt will serve as co-chairs of the caucus.
The senators will be joined by Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, U.S. DOJ’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mary Lou Leary, and National Fraternal Order of Police President Chuck Canterbury, who will share their perspective on how federal, state, and local law enforcement can work more closely to protect the public.
The event is Tuesday at 3 pm in Room SVC-201 of the Capitol Visitors Center.
Senator Coons has recorded eight more videos replying to constituents’ letters as part of his Correspondence from the Commute series!
Started back in February, this is the fifth installment of our video series that includes recorded video replies to constituent questions or comments selected from among those received each month. (Click to watch the first installment from February.) These videos were recorded on an Amtrak train from Wilmington to Washington late last month.
Monday, October 10 at 11:45 a.m. – The Senator will speak at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Delaware. The Institute is an organization for adults 50 and over that provides opportunities for intellectual development, cultural stimulation, personal growth, and social interaction in an academic cooperative run by its members who volunteer their time and talents. Senator Coons will discuss his personal experiences as a Senator and his work on some of the issues facing Delawareans with the more than 200 participants who are expected to attend. 2800 Pennsylvania Avenue, Wilmington, DE – Open to press.
Wednesday, October 12 at 3:00 p.m. – The Senator will co-host the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus kickoff event. U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) will join Senator Coons in hosting an event to announce the formation of the first ever Senate Law Enforcement Caucus. The bipartisan caucus will work to educate and inform senators and staff about the programs and initiatives that are keeping our communities safe, while advocating for the policies and resources law enforcement agencies need to carry out their mission. U.S. Capitol Visitors Center, SVC-201, Washington, DC – Open to press.
Wednesday, October 12 at 4:30 p.m. – The Senator will meet the astronauts of STS-135, the final flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis and the conclusion of NASA’s shuttle program. Washington, DC – Closed to press.
Thursday, October 13 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend the Senate Judiciary Committee’s executive business meeting. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC — Open to press.
Thursday, October 13 at 3:30 p.m. – The Senator will attend the Delaware Delegation meeting on poultry. This meeting will include a discussion of how members of the Delaware and Maryland delegations can work to keep the Delmarva poultry industry successful. U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC—Closed to press.
Friday, October 14 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend an event announcing a partnership between JPMorgan Chase and the University of Delaware. The goal of the partnership is to increase the number of talented young people educated at the University of Delaware employed in Delaware’s financial sector upon completion of their studies. Purnell Hall, 42 Amstel Avenue, Newark, DE – Open to press.
Friday, October 14 at 12:00 p.m. – The Senator will attend the opening of the Job Center at Dover Library. Hosted by the Delaware Department of State, Senator Coons will join elected officials from around the state in celebrating the official opening of the Job Center at Dover Library. Additional Job Centers are located in the Dover, Seaford, Georgetown, and Wilmington Libraries. All are funded by the federal Broadband Technology Opportunities Grant, with matching funds provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 45 South State Street, Dover, DE — Open to press.
Note: Schedule is subject to change.
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On Thursday, October 6th, the Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution introduced by Senator Coons to designate October 9-15, 2011 as National Wildlife Refuge Week. The resolution was cosponsored by Senators Sessions, Cardin, Alexander, Murray, Lieberman, Reed, Wyden, Bingaman, Whitehouse, Tom Udall, Scott Brown, Collins, Cochran, and Merkley.
Since 1903, when President Theodore Roosevelt established the first National Wildlife Refuge on Florida’s Pelican Island, the nation has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to preserving a legacy of conservation for hunters, fishermen, birders, and other recreationists. The National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has grown to more than 150,000,000 acres, 553 national wildlife refuges, and 38 wetland management districts in every state and territory of the United States.
Chris got a head start on Refuge Week with a tour of Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Smyrna, Delaware on Friday, where he was joined by local conservationists, sportsmen, volunteers, and refuge staff.
Established in 1937 as a link in the chain of refuges extending from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, Bombay Hook‘s 16,000 acre protected area contains 13,000 acres of tidal salt marsh, a particularly crucial wildlife habitat in Delaware. Bombay Hook is an important stop for migratory waterfowl, and was named one of America’s 100 Important Bird Areas by the American Bird Conservancy. In addition to 278 species of birds, the refuge is home to over 90 other animal species, 21 of which are fish.
Also on Delaware’s coast is Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, which was established in 1963 and consists of 10,000 acres of tidal salt marsh, woodlands, grasslands, and scrublands that have proven to be an important habitat for the Delmarva fox squirrel, nesting bald eagles, migrating peregrine falcons, and scores of other migratory birds. The refuge is considered to have one of the best existing wetland habitat areas along the Atlantic Coast.
Nationwide, refuges host over 45 million visitors, generate approximately 27,000 jobs, and contribute nearly $1.7 million to local economies. Bombay Hook and Prime Hook in Delaware each attract roughly 100,000 visitors every year. These visitors help support local businesses and the regional economies in Kent and Sussex Counties.
The protected network of diverse habitats for wildlife created by the Refuge System has enabled hunting and fishing at hundreds of refuges. Roughly 9.6 million visitors frequent refuges for the purposes of hunting and fishing every year. In Delaware, hunting is allowed on Bombay Hook, while hunting and fishing are allowed on Prime Hook.
As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Chris remains actively engaged with conservation issues as a staunch advocate for protected lands and waters in Delaware and throughout the nation.
Click here to learn more about Chris’ work on issues pertaining to natural resources and the environment.
Senator Coons teamed up with the Hope Street Group on Wednesday for a live online chat with educators from across Delaware to explore the next steps in education reform.
“While not a member of the Senate committee that specifically deals with amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, I’ve done my level best since being sworn in to be actively engaged in cosponsoring, introducing, and supporting pieces of legislation that help strengthen our teachers’ ability to properly educate our children,” Chris said during the chat. “It’s imperative that our teachers have a seat at the table, are respected, and are full participants in the development of the curricular standards and testing modalities that will be used to prepare our children to succeed in a global workforce.”
Wednesday was World Teachers’ Day, which is celebrated in more than 100 countries and commemorates the 1966 signing of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers.
In the weeks leading up to the webinar, which was live-streamed from the Senator’s Washington office, Delaware educators were encouraged to submit and vote for questions about education reform they wanted Chris to answer. Teachers could submit additional questions in real-time online during the 45-minute-long conversation. Much of the discussion was centered on reforming the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly known as No Child Left Behind.
“My hope is that we can work to fix the challenges No Child Left Behind has left behind for teachers to deal with every day,” Chris told participants.
A longtime advocate of aggressive education reform and college completion, Chris is a member of a group of moderate, reform-minded Democratic senators who have put forth an innovative vision for education that sets a high bar for all students, and attracts and supports the most talented teachers and leaders in our schools.
As America honors National Hispanic Heritage Month, we wanted to take a moment to remind Delawareans of the important contribution Hispanic and Latino Americans have made to our nation’s rich history and culture.
The nation began observing Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson. It was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover the 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15.
September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, also falls within this 30-day period.
In 2002, the U.S. Hispanic population officially became the largest minority in the United States. According to the last census, more than 8 percent of Delaware’s residents consider themselves of Hispanic and Latino origin.
Here in our home state, Delawareans are joining together to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. One such celebration was held last week at the Lewis Dual Language Elementary School where students, teachers, and parents gathered for a day filled with activities to help educate children on Hispanic traditions. During the day, the students and their families participated in a parade, ate traditional dishes, and took part in educational lessons.
Click here to learn more about National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Click here to learn more about Delaware’s Latin American Community Center.