Senator Coons spent his Fourth of July at home in Delaware participating in both the Smyrna-Clayton Independence Day parade and the Dover parade.
The Smyrna-Clayton parade, claimed to be Delaware’s oldest 4th of July parade, occurred Monday morning along Main Street in Clayton. Following the parade, festivities were held at Smyrna Municipal Park included music, a lawnmower race, and a carnival.
The Dover parade,organized by the American Legion Walter L. Fox Post 2 of Dover, took a route through downtown Dover. Dover’s festivities included face painting, rock wall climbing, and minirides on the Legislative Mall. The U.S. Air force conducted a flyover and the 287th Army Band of the Delaware National Guard held a concert as part of the opening ceremony. The Dover parade concluded with a firework display.
Monday, July 4 at 9:30 a.m. – The Senator will take part in the Smyrna-Clayton 4th of July Parade. Clayton Elementary School, 510 Main Street, Clayton, DE – Open to press.
Monday, July 4 at 3:00 p.m. – The Senator will participate in the Hockessin 4th of July Parade. Old Walkers Farm, Old Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, DE – Open to press.
Monday, July 4 at 6:00 p.m. – The Senator will walk in the Dover 4th of July Parade. Intersection of Hazel Road and State Street, Dover, DE – Open to press.
Tuesday, July 5 at 8:00 a.m. – The Senator will join in the Red, White and Blueberry Fanfare Breakfast send-off celebration for the Cathedral Choir School of Delaware. Thechoristers, ages 9 to 17 years, are setting out to perform at the Washington National Cathedral.Cathedral Church of Saint John, 10 Concord Avenue, Wilmington, DE – Open to press.
Saturday, July 9 at 10:30 a.m. — The Senator will speak at the American Legion’s 93rd Annual Department Convention. Sheraton Dover Hotel, 1570 North DuPont Highway, Dover, DE – Open to Press.
Saturday, July 9 at 12:30 p.m. — The Senator will attend the Nanticoke Riverfest. North Market Street & High Street, Seaford, DE– Open to press.
Senator Coons joined a colloquy on the Senate floor on Wednesday, talking with Senators Michael Bennet and Mark Udall (both D-Colo.) about the urgent need to address America’s dangerous and staggering debt. Chris urged his colleagues to join him in making the tough choices needed to take responsibility for our debt and chart a responsible, bipartisan path forward.
Senator Coons joined Senators Ron Wyden, Chuck Schumer, Mark Udall, and Richard Blumenthal at a press conference in the Capitol on Wednesday. Watch highlights from it below:
Senator Coons today unveiled a video featuring 12 of his colleagues urging lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth not to give up hope, because they’re working hard in the Senate to fulfill the promise of equality for all.
The video is part of the It Gets Better Project, which was founded last year after a series of tragic suicides by LGBT youth who were bullied because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The inspiring It Gets Better Project is determined to help LGBT youth see a positive future beyond what is often a difficult adolescence.
A 2009 study by GLSEN found that three-fifths of LGBT students report feeling unsafe at school because of harassment over their sexual orientation.
More than 20,000 LGBT adults have produced videos around the “it gets better” message — a collection that has formed the heart of a global movement of support. President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs, as well as the employees of a host of major companies including Apple, Facebook, and Google, have contributed heartfelt videos to the project.
In addition to Senator Coons, featured in the new video is Mark Udall (D-Col.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). All are co-sponsors of the Respect for Marriage Act, which was introduced in March to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and allow the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages performed in states where it is already legal.
The video was assembled from individual messages recorded by each Senator over the last four weeks. It is being released to coincide with the end of National LGBT Pride Month, and comes just days after the New York State Legislature made legalized marriage for same-sex couples there.
To learn more about the Senators’ It Gets Better video, click here
To learn more about the It Gets Better Project, click here
To learn more about Chris’ civil rights efforts, click here
Today in Pittsburgh, President Obama introduced the new Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP) initiative to spur American manufacturing, drawing praise from Senator Coons and others in Congress who have been pushing for measures to increase our competitiveness and strengthen our manufacturing base.
This initiative will encourage private industries, universities, and the federal government to work together to invest in emerging technologies that will create high-quality manufacturing jobs and enhance our global competitiveness.
“Americans must work together across all sectors to ensure that our country remains the leader in innovation,” Chris said. “The federal government has a long history of partnering with industry and academia to invest in the research and development of innovative technologies. I applaud the President’s leadership and look forward to seeing the AMP in action.”
The President’s plan, which leverages existing programs and proposals, will invest more than $500 million to jumpstart this effort. Investments will be made in several areas, including national security industries, next-generation robotics, increasing the energy efficiency of manufacturing processes, and developing technologies that will dramatically reduce the time required to design, build, and test manufactured goods.
Delaware is emerging as a regional center for advanced manufacturing, and initiatives like AMP have the potential to benefit innovative businesses throughout the state and, in turn, lead to job creation for Delawareans.
Chris strongly supports the AMP’s goal for developing infrastructure and establishing shared facilities that will allow small and mid-sized manufactures to innovate and compete. Since being sworn-in, Chris has been a strong advocate for emerging and innovative companies, which were the focus of his first piece of legislation, the Job Creation Through Innovation Act.
Among the manufacturers included in AMP are Honeywell and Procter and Gamble, and it will be led in part by Andrew Liveris, the Chairman, President, and CEO of Dow Chemical, which operates an electronic chip production plant in Newark, Delaware, that employs over 600 people.
Monday, June 27 at 4:00 p.m. – The Senator will preside over the Senate. Washington, DC – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate gallery.
Monday, June 27 at 5:00 p.m. – The Senator will attend the Kalmar Nyckel and Biotechnology Industry Organization welcome reception. The Kalmar Nyckel, a ship that normally resides in Wilmington, will be setting sail on the Potomac River for the first time in over five years. The Delaware Economic Development Office, DEDO, is hosting a reception on the Kalmar Nyckel during the 2011 Bio International Convention. Capitol Yacht Club, 100 Water Street SW, Washington, DC – Open to press.
Tuesday, June 28 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Libya and the War Powers Act.419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC – Open to press.
Wednesday, June 29 at 10:30 a.m. – The Senator will host a press conference on LGBT equality.S. 115, Washington, DC – Open to the press.
Thursday, June 30 at 1:30 p.m. — The Senator will meet with 19 school nurses from Delaware.123Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC –Closed to press.
Thursday, June 30 at 12:00 p.m. — The Senator will attend the Senate Bible Study. United States Capitol, Washington, DC –Closed to press.
Friday, July 1 at 8:00 a.m. – The Senator will tour Verizon Communications. Verizon Delaware HQ, 901 Tatnall Street, Wilmington, DE – Closed to press.
Chris talked this morning with MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and Mika Brezinski, as well as the Washington Post’s Eugene Robinson, former RNC Chair Michael Steele, and commentator Donnie Deutsch about our path forward in Afghanistan and about a budget mechanism Chris is proposing to help require responsible deficit reduction.
Senator Coons joined Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) in introducing an important piece of legislation for Delaware’s ecosystem this week — the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act of 2011 — alongside Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez (both D-N.J.), Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand (both D-N.Y.), and Robert Casey (D-Penn.).
This bill will protect and enhance the Delaware River watershed by establishing the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“The Delaware River Basin is a precious asset that provides critical resources to Delawareans as well as habitat for a diverse array of wildlife,” Chris said. “The Basin is an incredible economic engine for the region, supporting jobs in the tourism, fishing, and maritime industries, which bolster revenue in the broader regional economy. This legislation will ensure that we take a comprehensive, long-term approach to managing the Basin. It is our responsibility to preserve the Delaware River Basin’s vibrant ecosystem for future generations.”
The legislation would strengthen not only the environmental health of the watershed, but also the economic impact the Delaware River watershed has on the area. It is estimated that the Delaware River watershed contributes over $10 billion in annual economic activity to the tri-state region of Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The Delaware River is directly responsible for over 200,000 jobs and $4.3 billion in annual wages and indirectly responsible for an additional 230,000 jobs and $3.4 billion in annual wages. Overall, there are 2,900,000 jobs contained within the watershed and $149 billion in annual wages.
Additionally, the Delaware River is home to the largest freshwater port in the U.S., the Delaware River Port Complex, which generates over $19 billion in annual economic activity.
To learn more about the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act, click here. To learn more about Chris’ ideas for environmental protection, click here.
Ahead of the President’s announcement tonight about the nation’s path forward in Afghanistan, Senator Coons spoke with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell about what he was hoping to hear: a change in strategy.
