{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Democrat\", state = \"DE\" and year = 2019 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-statement-on-the-confirmation-of-sean-o-donnell", "Carper Statement on the Confirmation of Sean ODonnell", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after the Senate last night confirmed by voice vote Sean O'Donnell to be Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).\r\nCommunities in Delaware and throughout the country rely on the EPA to safeguard families from hazardous waste, toxic chemicals, greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air and water pollutants,said Senator Carper.Given EPA's critical mission, the agency itself must be protected from waste, fraud, andother abuses of power that could impair its important work. As we've seen over the last few years, misconduct and ethical violations have been far too frequent at this EPA. From the outstanding questions surrounding Scott Pruitt's litany of scandals to former Assistant Administrator Bill Wehrum's questionable ethics, it's critical we hold public servants accountable to their actions, even if they resign from office. That was an important commitment that I secured from Mr. O'Donnell during his confirmation hearing.\r\nWe need an EPA Inspector General who will see investigations through to their completion, root out corruption and protect the integrity of the agency and its mission. We need an EPA Inspector General who will be partner in oversight, and help Congress hold the agency accountable. After more than a year without a Senate-confirmed EPA Inspector General, I'm glad that Mr. O'Donnell is up to the task. And after meeting with the nominee, hearing his testimony and reviewing his answers to senators' questioning, I'm hopeful that Mr. O'Donnell is ready for the job.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/the-fight-is-far-from-over", "The fight is far from over", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend, \r\nFor decades, the Department of Defense used specialized foams containing polyflouroalkyl substances most commonly known as PFASto put out fires ignited by aviation fuels, including during regular firefighting drills and training exercises. \r\nWhile effective at extinguishing fires, over the years, we came to learn that the two PFAS chemicals in those foams, PFOA and PFOS, are harmful to human health. These chemicals are linked to adverse health impacts, including life-threatening cancers, liver damage and thyroid disease.\r\nLast week, I had the honor of welcoming two heroes who have been gravely impacted by PFAS on military bases, Jim and Richelle Holmes.\r\nToward the end of his 30 year career as both an Army and Air Force helicopter pilot, Jim and his family lived at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida while he flew combat operations in Iraq. Unbeknownst to Richelle and their daughter, Kaela, they were also facing a daily threat right there at home. After years of use in military drills, Patrick AFB has the third highest maximum PFAS detection of any military installation in the country, with levels of PFOS and PFOA at more than 4 million parts per trillion  more than 57,000 times as high as EPA's drinking water health advisory. Following four years of living on the base, their daughter Kaela was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer. Tragedy struck earlier this year when Kaela lost her life to this horrible disease.\r\nSadly, I fear that the Holmes family is not alone. Military communities throughout the country are still drinking water with high levels of PFOA and PFOS. We've seen the problem right in our own backyard, with the chemicals impacting drinking water quality in and around both Dover Air Force Base and the New Castle Air National Guard Base. There are almost 300 known U.S. military installations with water systems impacted by PFAS contamination.\r\nBut the threat of these chemicals are felt well beyond military installations. PFAS contamination stemming from non-military industrial production has also plagued communities like Blades, in Sussex County, which just last year had to install a carbon filtration system to make sure the water is safe to drink. According to recent data, up to 110 million Americans could be drinking PFAS-contaminated drinking water.\r\nEarlier this month, we had a chance to combat this problem head-on in our yearly national defense authorization bill. There was, and is, bipartisan agreement in Congress that we need to speed up the Trump Administration's long-promised plans to list these two chemicals as hazardous substances under the Superfund law, which would force polluters like the Department of Defense  to clean up contamination. The House voted unanimously for this policy, and my bill that would make that Superfund designation, the PFAS Action Act, has a bipartisan group of 53 cosponsors. There was also unanimously approved Senate language that would make the EPA set a federal drinking water standard to help keep dangerous levels of these chemicals out of drinking water systems.\r\nThe must-pass defense authorization bill presented a clear opportunity for Congress to give military communities along with cities and towns across America the help they so desperately need and deserve. But because of behind-the-scenes, beltway politics from both sides of the aisle, we missed that opportunity and failed to seize our chance to get these policies to the president's desk. This outcome betrayed the solemn responsibility we have as lawmakers to protect our military families and all residents of this country.\r\nOur men and women in uniform and the families who love them sacrifice enough already. They should be able to serve our country with the peace of mind that our military will do the right thing and protect families from harmful water contamination. We owe it to the Holmes family and to communities throughout the country to do the right thing. While this outcome was disappointing, the fight is far from over. In the new year, I look forward to re-engaging with my colleagues to get these important PFAS provisions across the finish line. Military families and the millions of other Americans impacted by this pollution deserve no less.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-coons-announces-support-for-nafta-update", "Senator Coons announces support for NAFTA update", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WILMINGTON, Del. U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) today announced his support for the final text of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA), an update to the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Both Canada and Mexico are major trading partners and allies. Any new trade deal must address some of the shortcomings of NAFTA by raising labor and environmental standards. I'm satisfied with the progress in updating the labor and environmental provisions, and I will work to advance the deal's passage in Congress,said Senator Coons. Delaware clearly benefits from this NAFTA update. Our organized labor members, poultry farmers, and financial services workers will all see economic benefits as a result. Under the agreement, the U.S. will gain expanded access to Canada's poultry market, and a barrier to trade in financial services, known as data localization, will be removed. The agreement also ensures robust enforcement mechanisms for environmental obligations, including the creation of a new interagency committee to coordinate U.S. monitoring and enforcement, new environmental attachs in Mexico, and a trigger for environmental reviews by an array of stakeholders. Two years ago, President Trump threatened to unilaterally withdraw from our trading relationship with our Canadian and Mexican allies, a move that would have jeopardized the security and economic prosperity of the United States,said Senator Coons. Only after persistent demands from organized labor and Democratic leaders did the Administration meaningfully change the President's proposed agreement to strengthen our economic ties. I have reviewed the changes, and the result is clear: Democrats made this deal stronger for the American worker. The agreement text also includes labor-related changes that guard against forced labor, allow the U.S. to monitor Mexico's labor obligations, and enable the U.S. to hold Mexico accountable for failing to meet its labor commitments. The agreement raises wage standards for autoworkers in Mexico, which benefits autoworkers in the U.S. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sens-carper-coons-co-sponsor-safe-gun-storage-act", "Sens. Carper, Coons co-sponsor Safe Gun Storage Act", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-DE), along with nineteen other senators, introduced new legislation directing the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish safety standards for firearm locks and firearm safes. U.S. Representatives Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives earlier this year. An estimated 4.6 million American minors live in a household with a firearm. According to a 2018 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health survey, more than half of all gun owners report storing their firearms in an unsafe manner. This bill is designed to stop these totally preventable gun injuries by improving the safety standards for how Americans store firearms in their homes. Today, I'm joining my colleagues to introduce a bill to better ensure that firearms are safely stored in the homes of gun owners and kept away from children who can harm themselves or others,said Senator Carper.Despite nearly 400 mass shootings in 2019 alone, Congress has failed to pass a single piece of common sense gun safety legislation, including universal background checks that are supported by 90 percent of Americans. We can and must do better for our children. We can use common sense to make our communities safer without infringing on the Second Amendments rights of law-abiding Americans. The Safe Gun Storage Act does just that. We need to do everything we can to stop gun-related deaths in the United States, from big, bold reforms to smaller, targeted efforts like this one,said Senator Coons.While we work to get weapons of war off of our streets and keep guns out of the hands of criminals, we can also work to ensure that firearms in Americans' homes are stored safely and away from children. The bill includes incentives for states to pass, and enforce compliance of, their own safe gun storage laws. The bill is named for Ethan Song, a teenager from Guilford, Connecticut who was tragically killed after accidentally shooting himself with a gun that had been stored at a friend's home. In addition to Carper and Coons, the Safe Gun Storage Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Bob Casey (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Tom Udall (D-NM), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Chris Murphy (D-CT). ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/blumenauer-carper-applaud-environmental-improvements-in-house-passed-usmca", "Blumenauer, Carper Applaud Environmental Improvements in House-Passed USMCA", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Today, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, and Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following joint statement regarding the environmental improvements they helped to secure in the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is intended to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Specifically, Blumenauer and Carper worked together to develop a new enforcement mechanism that gives environmental stakeholders a direct role in environmental enforcement matters to ensure greater accountability for the Administration in environmental enforcement actions under USMCA.\r\n\r\nThe new trade agreement passed the House of Representatives today by a vote of 385-41.\r\n\r\nWe are proud that thedeal that has passed the House today by an overwhelming margin includes important environmental improvements that we worked together to craft. These improvements include a new mechanism to more effectivelyenforce this new agreement's environmental goals.After all, an agreement that can't be enforced isn't worth much. The provision we developedgivesenvironmentalstakeholders  the people seeing potential violations firsthand  an expanded role in enforcement mattersand ensures that environmental violations cannot onlybe investigated, but also remedied in a substantive and timely manner. The inclusion ofthis new mechanism strengthens the overall agreement, holds the Administration accountable for pursuing enforcement of the deal's environmental obligations and will help to ensure those that break the rules can be held accountable.The Senate should consider USMCA in short order so that this and otherimportant environmental provisions can take effect.\r\n\r\nBackground: Under the existing NAFTA, non-governmental organizations and individuals in NAFTA countries can submit allegations of environmental violations to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC). Submissions undergo a fact-finding process that can produce a factual record if allegations are found to have merit. Critics have pointed out that, under the current system, the production of a factual record is disconnected from any real threat of a meaningful enforcement action. Under this newly created enforcement mechanism spearheaded by Carper and Blumenauer, when the CEC produces a factual record, the new Interagency Environment Committee  headed by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)  must review the factual record and make a determination within 30 days as to whether environmental enforcement actions under USMCA will be pursued. If the Committee decides not to pursue enforcement actions, it must notify Congress within 30 days of its decision and provide Congress with a written justification for that decision.\r\n\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-statement-on-end-of-the-year-spending-bills", "Carper Statement on End of the Year Spending Bills", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement after voting against the end-of-the-year appropriations bills.\r\n\r\nFirst and foremost, I want to thank my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee,particularlyChairman Shelby and Ranking Member Leahy, as well asLeader Schumertheir staffs, for all the hard work they have done to put this package together and make sure that our government does not shut down. That may seem like a low bar, but the task before them is never an easy one, and they should be applauded for their efforts. It's also important to note that my colleagues  on both sides of the aisle  have secured important measures in this year's appropriations package that I support, including resources to help secure our elections, funding for gun violence research at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and a provision that raises the age for tobacco purchases from 18 to 21.\r\n\r\nWith that being said, I believe that there are some real missed opportunities and misguided provisions in these spending bills. I am disappointed thatsmart clean energy priorities,on which I've worked for many years,were ultimately not included. These tax incentiveswouldhelp to create a nurturing environment for job creation and job preservation, while also protecting our environment. Byinvesting in technologies like thosethatharness offshore wind energy and convert wasted heat to clean electricity, we not only reduce emissions, but help to grow our economy, reduce energy costs for consumers and create thousands of good-paying American jobs in the process.\r\n\r\nEven more disheartening are the provisions in this package pertaining to the Affordable Care Act. It should surprise no one that one of my proudest accomplishments in the U.S. Senate was helping to write and pass the Affordable Care Act.The health care law has expanded quality, affordable health care coverage to more than 20 million Americans, provided critical protections for 133 million Americans living with pre-existing conditions andexpanded Medicaid to millions of families, just to name a few things.I was especially proud that we not only paid for the Affordable Care Act, but thatwealsomade this progress all while reducing the federal deficit. In fact, the Affordable Care Actwas projected to save$200 billion over the first 10 years and more than $1 trillion in the second decade.Foolishly, we haveslowly chipped awayatrevenue-generating provisions of theAffordable Care Act. And today, as part of this spending deal, we have eliminated the largest offsets that not only helped to pay for the Affordable Care Act, but were designed to keep health care costs down for consumers!By repealing these offsets, we risk increasing costs for patients across the country, while also adding $373 billion to our national debt over the next decade, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation. I am appalled that we would, with so little regard, strike one of the major provisions of the health care law, especially at a time when our budget deficit reached $984 billion this past year and is set to exceed $1 trillion in 2020.\r\n\r\nAs a recovering State Treasurer, I've learned that, when an economy is strong, you should use that time to pay down debts. That way, when an inevitable recession occurs, you have the flexibility to spend and stimulate the economy.Today, we are ten years into the longest running economic expansion in our country's history. Yet, in less than three years, President Trump has added nearly $3 trillion to our national debt.I have struggled with today's vote, but I truly believe that this path we are on is unsustainable and I cannot in good conscious support this package. Instead of whistling past the graveyard, we need a serious long-term plan to finally get our fiscal house in order before it's too late.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-statement-on-house-impeachment-vote", "Carper Statement on House Impeachment Vote", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald J. Trump:\r\nI first swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States at the age of 17 when I became a Navy ROTC midshipman at Ohio State. Since then, I have taken that same oath many times over  when I was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy during the Vietnam War, when I was elected and re-elected to Congress, and, most recently, when Vice President Pence administered the oath this past January to the newly elected and re-elected senators on the floor of the United States Senate.\r\nIt is an oath that I take seriously. It is a solemn promise to every Delawarean and every American that I will do everything I can to make sure the longest running experiment in democracy continues to serve as an example for the rest of the world and that the rights enshrined in our Constitution continue to be protected for each and every one of us.\r\nLast night, the House has voted to approve serious charges brought against President Trump. Now, those charges will be sent to the Senate for a trial. As part of an impeachment trial, my Senate colleagues and I will be asked to take an additional oath  one that asks us, as jurors in that impeachment trial, to swear to do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws.' I intendtouphold that oath. I intend to listen to all of the evidence presented, and I intend to render a fair verdict based upon all available facts and evidence. I hope that all my Senate colleagues will do the same.\r\nThe oath we all take is not to a political party. It is not to a President. It is to the Constitution of the United States. The Senate, and those who serve in this body, must meet this moment with the seriousness it deserves.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/in-2020-spending-bill-sen-coons-secures-funding-for-delaware-manufacturing-institute-small-businesses-and-other-priorities-to-spur-economic-and-workforce-development", "In 2020 spending bill, Sen. Coons secures funding for Delaware manufacturing institute, small businesses, and other priorities to spur economic and workforce development", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the first Delaware senator in more than 40 years to serve on the powerful Appropriations Committee, secured funding in the Fiscal Year 2020 federal spending bill for key economic and workforce development priorities, including support for small businesses and advanced manufacturing. The bill passed Congress today.  I'm pleased that this appropriations bill provides critical investments in our communities and the small businesses, innovators, and families that keep our state strong and vibrant,said Senator Coons.This bill supports programs that boost economic and workforce development, like the Manufacturing USA program and the Small Business Administration. I'm committed to ensuring that Delaware's businesses have the resources and facilities they need to create good jobs and grow the economy.  The federal spending bill includes provisions that will directly benefit manufacturing, Delaware's small businesses, and workers: The bill provides $16 million for the Manufacturing USA program, directly benefiting NIIMBL, one of the nation's 14Manufacturing USA Institutes based in Newark,Delaware.The bill also includes funding for a new grant program to seed potential institutes.  The bill rejects thepresident's attempts to defund the NIST Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, and instead increases its funding to $146 million so it can carry out its important mission and further support small manufacturers with new cybersecurity and digitalization challenges.  The bill rejects thepresident's proposal to eliminate the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund and instead increases the program's funding to $262 million to promote economic development in low-income communities. $2 million of this funding will be used to create the Economic Mobility Corps grant program, a new initiative that Senator Coons advanced to connect national service members to CDFIs.  The bill provides $998 million for the Small Business Administration, 40 percent above the Fiscal Year 2019 enacted level. Within this increase, $99 million is included for the 7(a)loan-guaranteesubsidy to ensure the program will continue to support small businesses and lenders.  The bill includes $2.82 billion for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Training formula grants to states to support the national system of education, skills training, and employment services for workers. The bill also provides $175 million for the Department of Labor's Registered Apprenticeship Program.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/in-2020-spending-bill-sen-coons-secures-funding-for-delawares-law-enforcement-first-responders-military-and-veterans", "In 2020 spending bill, Sen. Coons secures funding for Delaware\u2019s law enforcement, first responders, military and veterans", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the first Delaware senator in more than 40 years to serve on the powerful Appropriations Committee, fought to secure funding for the men and women who keep Delawareans safe in the federal spending bill for Fiscal Year 2020, which passed Congress today. The bill includes critical funding that will support law enforcement, first responders, military, and veterans. Specifically, the bill includes $21 million for a new Army Reserve Center in Newark and adds $28 million above the president's request for the Army's Chinook Block II helicopter program that employs Delawareans across the Delaware Valley.  The men and women of law enforcement and our first responders put their lives on the line every day to protect Delaware's communities. I'm committed to doing everything I can to ensure they have all the resources and support they need to do their jobs and come home safely at the end of their shifts,said Senator Coons.Service members, veterans, and their families are part of the basic fabric of Delaware and make unmatched contributions to our country. I am proud to have secured funding for university and military projects that produce quality jobs for veterans and their families as well as newer, safer facilities for service members.  The federal spending bill includes provisions that will directly benefit Delaware's law enforcement, first responders, military, and veterans, including: $28 million above the president's requestto upgradetheArmy'sChinook Block IIhelicopters. This programemploys Delawareans across the Delaware Valley.  $310 million for additional V-22 aircrafts for the Marine Corps. The V-22 program is another important source of jobs for Delawareans.  $27 million for the Victims of Child Abuse Act, an increase of $4.5 million abovetheFiscal Year 2019 level. This benefits Delaware's three Child Advocacy Centers, which protect children and help law enforcement bring justice to criminals.  $710 million for Assistance to Firefighter and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants, a $10 million increase from Fiscal Year 2019 and $21 million above the president's request. This will ensure Delaware firefighters have essential resources, training, and funds for staffing.Just last year, the Delaware State Fire School received over $358,000 from these grants.  $15 million for the Army National Guard's Unspecified Minor Construction fund, which supports projects such as an expanded physical fitness center at the Bethany Beach Training Site.  $5 million for research of materials in extreme dynamic environments. The University of Delaware is one of four core universities undertaking this research, and the program will help create well-paid materials and manufacturing jobs.  $7.2 million in new funds for the Delaware River in the Coast Guard Aids to Navigation grant, which will provide support for the care and maintenance of maritime navigation aids.  $21 million for an Army Reserve Center in Newark, Delaware, which will replace Delaware's aging facilities that do not meet current standards for protection of our service members.  $235 million for the COPS Hiring Program, which has placed officers in Delaware communities like Ocean View, Delmar, Laurel, Smyrna, Wilmington, New Castle, and Cheswold.  $27.5 million for the Bulletproof Vest Partnerships, an increase of $5 million above the Fiscal Year 2019 level. This program helped save the lives of two Delaware officers, who confronted an active shooter in 2013.  Language that reinforces Senator Coons' 2018 Families of Fallen Servicemembers First Act that provides survivors of fallen Coast Guardsmen with death gratuities in the event of a government shutdown.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/in-2020-spending-bill-sen-coons-secures-funding-for-national-security-and-international-development-priorities", "In 2020 spending bill, Sen. Coons secures funding for national security and international development priorities", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the first Delaware senator in more than 40 years to serve on the powerful Appropriations Committee, secured funding in the Fiscal Year 2020 federal spending bill to ensure the United States remains a global leader by investing in programs to promote national security, cultivate international development, and provide lifesaving global health assistance around the world. Senator Coons worked on a bipartisan basis to reject the president's proposal to slash funding for U.S. national security and development agencies by 30 percent for the third year in a row.  As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Appropriations subcommittee that funds foreign assistance, I am reminded every day of the importance of U.S. leadership in building peaceful societies, promoting economic development and opening markets for U.S. business abroad, and advocating for good governance and human rights,said Senator Coons.I am especially pleased to see the Global Fragility Act, a bipartisan bill that I introduced with Senator Lindsey Graham, included in this spending bill. The Global Fragility Act will save the United States trillions of dollars by enabling us to get ahead of the challenges and threats  including terrorism  that thrive in unstable environments.  Senator Coons also secured the necessary resources to stand up the new U.S. International Development Finance Corporation authorized by the BUILD Act, which he co-authored and Congress passed in 2018.  The federal spending bill includes provisions that will ensure the United States remains globally engaged and continues to safeguard national interests and values around the world, including: The Global Fragility Act, Senator Coons' bipartisan legislation to improve U.S. government efforts to prevent terrorism from taking root in developing countries around the world.  $301 million to stand up the new Development Finance Corporation and implement the BUILD Act, Senator Coons' bipartisan legislation to modernize U.S. development finance tools, double the U.S. lending capacity, and channel U.S. private sector investments to low-income countries around the world.  Record levels of funding for the Young African Leaders Initiative to cultivate the next generation of African leaders. This program supports a cohort of fellows at the University of Delaware every year.  Authorization for $50 million to facilitate and finance joint economic ventures between Palestinians, Israelis, and Americans.  Provisions to restore U.S. aid to the Palestinians and Northern Triangle countries of Central America.  Up to $35 million to facilitate debt relief for Somalia, a strategic security partner located beside key sea lanes that are vital to the global economy.  A provision to modernize U.S. election assistance tools to support young and aspiring democracies around the globe.  Funding to invest in development, health, and democracy programs in the Sahel countries of West Africa, where terrorism is on the rise.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/in-2020-spending-bill-sen-coons-secures-funding-to-fight-the-opioid-epidemic-invest-in-public-service-childrens-development-and-education", "In 2020 spending bill, Sen. Coons secures funding to fight the opioid epidemic, invest in public service, children\u2019s development, and education", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the first Delaware senator in more than 40 years to serve on the powerful Appropriations Committee, applauded the passage of the federal funding bill for Fiscal Year 2020, which passed Congress today, that includes funding to fight the opioid epidemic, improve college affordability and completion, and support public service in Delaware.  There is no state in the country that has not been impacted by the devastating opioid epidemic. One of the most tragic things about this crisis is that it is both preventable and treatable. Strengthening our nation's ability to combat this epidemic is a top priority for me. I'm proud that we were able to include $1.5 billion for opioid response grants to ensure that opioid addiction prevention programs and resources are available and properly funded,said Senator Coons.I'm also thrilled this appropriations bill includes investments to expand access to and improve the affordability of college, so that all Americans have the opportunity to pursue their higher education goals.  The federal funding bill includes provisions that will support health, education, and public service in Delaware and across the country, and provides: $1.5 billion for State Opioid Response Grants, which support prevention programs and bolster resources to help address the opioid crisis.  $5.826 billion forChild Care and Development Block Grants and $10.6 billion for Head Start to enhance access to high-quality childcare and school readiness programs for American children and families.  $41.5 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support discovery and research that enhances national capacity for improving biomedical and public health.  $386.6 million, a $25 million increase, for the Institutional Development Award program at the National Institutes of Health, grants from which help to expand research capacities across the state, including at the University of Delaware and Delaware State Universitythe largest one in DSU's history.  A $2 million increase for the National Diabetes Prevention Program, a partnership of public and private organizations that helps Americans prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by making it easier for those at risk to participate in evidence-based lifestyle change programs. More than 85,000 adults in Delaware have diabetes.  A $25 million increase to the Corporation for National and Community Service, which supports the efforts of more than 500 AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members in Delaware.  A $150 increase in the maximum Pell grant, to $6,345, ensuring that Delaware college students eligible for the grant have increased support for the coming school year.  $6 million in critical funding for pancreatic cancer research, to support discovery and innovation in treatments for a disease that was the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Delawareans in 2019.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/in-the-2020-spending-bill-sen-coons-secures-funding-for-amtrak-other-delaware-housing-and-transportation-priorities", "In the 2020 spending bill, Sen. Coons secures funding for Amtrak, other Delaware housing and transportation priorities", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the first Delaware senator in more than 40 years to serve on the powerful Appropriations Committee, successfully secured funding for key Delaware housing and transportation infrastructure priorities in the federal spending bill for Fiscal Year 2020, which passed Congress today. The bill includes funding for Amtrak, the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, homeless assistance grants, and more.  I've been working hard on the Appropriations Committee to ensure the final federal spending bill continues to include funding for critical Delaware priorities, like affordable housing and transportation infrastructure,said Senator Coons.I'm pleased that Republicans and Democrats were able to work together this year to fund programs that both sides of the aisle support and reject the President's dangerous budget cuts. I'm looking forward to continue working with my colleagues to deliver for Delawareans up and down the state.  The federal spending bill includes provisions that will directly benefit housing and transportation in Delaware: The bill increases funding for Amtrak to $2 billion, of which $700 million is for the Northeast Corridor that runs through Wilmington, Delaware. The bill also rejects the president's proposal to eliminate theFederal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair (SOGR) program, and instead includes $200 million to help address the maintenance backlog on the Northeast Corridor.  This bill rejects the president's dangerous budget proposal to cut $11.96 billion in important Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing programs at a time when Americans are experiencing skyrocketing rents, wage stagnation, and a shortage of affordable housing. The bill includes $1.35 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, $3.425 billion for the Community Development Block Grant program, and $175 million for the HUD Choice Neighborhood grants, which benefit the Wilmington Housing Authority and REACH Riverside.  The bill includes $2.77 billion for homeless assistance grants and rejects the president's proposal to eliminate funding for new vouchers under theDepartment of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH) program by including $40 million to support new rental vouchers for veterans experiencing homelessness. This funding directly benefits the New Castle County Housing Authority and Delaware State Housing Authority.  The bill provides $6.25 million in dedicated funding for the Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS) program, which supports safe and efficient navigation along waterways around the country, including the Delaware River. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-agriculture-and-environmental-priorities-included-in-2020-spending-bill", "Sen. Coons\u2019 agriculture and environmental priorities included in 2020 spending bill", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the first Delaware senator in more than 40 years to serve on the powerful Appropriations Committee, secured funding for agriculture and environmental priorities in the federal spending bill for Fiscal Year 2020, which passed Congress today.  Delaware's natural resources help drive our economy and make our state a great place to live and work,said Senator Coons.I'm pleased that we secured funding for conservation and recreation programs that will have a direct impact on our region. Delaware also plays a critical role in feeding America's families, and I'm proud that we provided strong funding to support Delaware farmers and our poultry industry. This funding will help create a cleaner environment and a stronger local economy, and I'm glad my colleagues came to a bipartisan agreement on this bill so we can support Delawareans and Americans across the country.  The federal spending bill includes funding for agriculture and environmental priorities that will directly benefit Delaware: The bill increases funding for the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative to $425 million, supporting research at Delaware universities on agriculture, natural resources, clean energy production, rural development, and nutrition.  The bill provides $62.8 million for Avian Health programs, which fund critical monitoring and research to prevent and control the spread of poultry diseases in the commercial poultry industry.  Full funding is provided for key Department of Agriculture programs that help Delaware farmers protect water quality, preserve land, and improve soil health.  The bill increases funding to $87 million for the National Sea Grant College Program. The University of Delaware's Lewes campus is a member of this program.  The bill provides an increase to $9.7 million for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program, which funds conservation projects focusing on clean water, habitat, recreation, and flow management in the Delaware River watershed, benefitting Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York.  The bill increases funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program to $85 million, helping Delaware and other bay states protect and restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. $3 million is also provided for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network, which provides recreational opportunities throughout the region.  The bill increases funding for the National Estuary Program to $29.8 million. This includes $662,500 for each of Delaware's two national estuaries, the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary and the Center for the Inland Bays.  The bill increases funding for the National Park Service's Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers program to $3.58 million. Senator Coons led the bill that added Delaware's White Clay Creek tothe program.  The bill increases funding for the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund to $46 millionand for the Land and Water Conservation Fund to $495 million. Both helpprotect open space, wetlands, and wildlife habitat in Delaware and throughout the country.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-statement-on-aca-court-decision", "Carper Statement on ACA Court Decision", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.)released the following statement regarding the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling on the Texas v. Azar lawsuit brought by the 18 Republican Attorneys General and Governors and the Trump Administration in an effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in its entirety. \r\n\r\nFrom the start, theTexas v. Azarlawsuit, brought by the Trump Administration and 18 Attorneys General and Governors in an effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act in its entirety, was another outrageous attack on Americans' health care. Tonight, in a long overdue decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, President Trump and Republicans have managed to keep this dangerous lawsuit alive. Make no mistake: if they are ultimately successful, this lawsuit would completely scrap the law that is providing critical health care coverage for millions of families across our country. It would meanmore than20 million Americans who rely on the Affordable Care Act for quality, affordable health insurance could be stripped of their coverage. It would mean protections for 400,000 Delawareans living with pre-existing conditions, and nearly 133 million Americans, could be taken away. It would mean young people under the age of 26 would be kicked off their parents' health insurance plans. It would mean no more funding for Medicaid expansion that has allowed millions of Americans to access health care for the first time. It would mean elimination of financial assistance that helps millions of families afford their coverage. And it would mean higher Medicare costs for seniors.\r\n\r\nRegrettably, today's decision creates more uncertainty for millions of Americans who are left wondering if their family will have their health care coverage ripped away. But we cannot lose sight of the fact that the Affordable Care Act is still the law of the land. Now, more than ever, we must make clear that we will not stand for attacks on the life-saving care on which millions depend. We cannot move backward and allow this Administration to rip health care away from millions of Americans. Instead of more delay that leaves millions in limbo, the Supreme Court must rule on this case as soon as possible.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sens-coons-murkowski-introduce-bill-to-help-surviving-spouses-of-veterans-who-died-from-als", "Sens. Coons, Murkowski introduce bill to help surviving spouses of veterans who died from ALS", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced theJustice for ALS Veterans Act, bipartisan legislation to ensure surviving spouses and families of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) receive the full benefits they are owed. Companion legislation was introduced in the House by U.S. Representatives Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (D-Calif.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.).  Our current policy denies benefits to spouses and families of veterans with ALS if they did not survive at least eight years with the disease. This is a cruel policy that fails to recognize the significant sacrifices these veterans and their families have made for this country,said Senator Coons.I'm proud to introduce bipartisan legislation with Senator Murkowski to solve this glaring problem. People living with ALS and their families face challenges that demand more from all of us.  ALS is a cruel and unforgiving disease. The average life expectancy for a person living with the disease is short  only two to five years from the time of diagnosis. But the impact this disease and the loss of a loved one can have on spouses and family will remain far beyond their passing,said Senator Murkowski.We have a responsibility to do all we can to care for our veteransandtheir families, regardless of how long the veteran lived with ALS prior to their passing. I am proud to stand in support of the ALS community by joining Senator Coons in leading this legislation.  According to the ALS Association, military veterans are twice as likely to develop ALS as those who haven't served in the military.The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides an additional monthly financial benefit to the surviving spouse andfamily of a deceased veteran who had a service-connected disability rated totally disabling for a continuous period of at least eight years immediately preceding death. The additional benefit is a part of a Dependency and Indemnity Compensation payment and is crucial funding that helps widows and widowers manage the financial difficulties of losing a spouse.  VA regulations recognize ALS as a presumptive service-connected disease and, due to its aggressive nature, it is automatically rated at 100 percent disabling once service-connected. However, because the average life expectancy for a person with ALS is two to five years, many spouses of deceased veteranswith ALS do not qualify for this additional benefit given the eight-year requirement.TheJustice for ALS Veterans Actwould extend increased Dependencyand Indemnity Compensation payments to surviving spouses of veterans who die from ALS, regardless of how long a veteran had ALS prior to death.  \"In the United States, one in six people living with ALS has served as a member of our military. These veterans have given so much and ALS impacts the entire family. We stand firmly behind this bill which would right a wrong by extending benefits to the surviving caregiver, no matter how long the person battles ALS,said Danielle Carnival, CEO, I AM ALS.  The ALS Association wholeheartedly supports this bill to increase compensation for surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Veterans are twice as likely to die of ALS as civilians. ALS is a devastating disease that impacts not only the person living with ALS but their entire family and causes great financial stress. Congress should pass this bill immediately,saidCalaneet Balas, President and CEO, The ALS Association.  \"We do not believe survivors should be deprived of a benefit simply because the service-connected disease their veterans acquired made it nearly impossible for them to meet an eight-year life expectancy requirement. PVA thanks Senators Coons and Murkowski for their leadership in introducing the Justice for ALS Veterans Act,saidHeather Ansley, Associate Executive Director of Government Relations, Paralyzed Veterans of America.  The aggressiveness of ALS leaves many veterans totally incapacitated and reliant on family caregivers. Even in the best scenarios, most generally do not live past the eight years currently required for their survivors to become eligible for additional compensation. DAV supports the Justice for ALS Veterans Act as it would provide survivors that additional compensation, regardless of how long the veteran was rated 100% for ALS prior to death, creating equity for families who have suffered with the veteran through the sudden and catastrophic effects of this disease,said Shane Liermann, Deputy National Legislative Director, DAV.  ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that destroys the body's ability to control muscle movement. There is no known cause and no cure.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/epw-business-meeting-statement", "EPW Business Meeting Statement", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held abusiness meetingto considerS. 3051, America's Conservation Enhancement Act; Robert J. Feitel, to be Inspector General of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and 19 General Services Administration resolutions. Below is the opening statement of Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-Del.), as prepared for delivery:\r\nWe have 19 General Services Administration resolutions on our agenda, as well as the nomination for Robert Feitel to be Inspector General of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Before I begin, I will say that I am encouraged our committee is moving expeditiously to advance this nomination.\r\nWe cannot be complacent when it comes to nuclear safety, and we need to ensure that our nation's nuclear industry is held to the highest standard. That means we need a strong and independent NRC Inspector General. I believe Mr. Feitel is well qualified and prepared to take on this important responsibility.\r\nI also want to use this opportunity to focus on the bipartisan legislation we have before us today: America's Conservation Enhancement, or ACE' Act. This Congress, our committee has examined a number of wildlife conservation challenges, including invasive species and wildlife disease. At each hearing, our witnesses emphasized the need for federal action to address these conservation challenges. After weeks of negotiation, Chairman Barrasso and I introduced the bipartisan ACE Act late last week to enable some of those actions. In addition to creating innovative new programs, the ACE Act will reauthorize existing wildlife and habitat conservation programs that have a demonstrated history of success. Many of these programs leverage private dollars and local partnerships, and several create tremendous opportunity in my home state of Delaware.\r\nOne example is the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, which has, in the 30 years since its enactment, led to the conservation of more than 30 million acres of wetlands and wildlife habitat nationwide. That's 30 million acres, in 30 years. Most impressively, contributions from partners have tripled the government's investment in these projects  providing $3 dollars for every one federal dollar.\r\nAnother example is the Chesapeake Bay Program, through which Delaware receives approximately $2.5 million every year to help offset the cost of doing our part in restoring the health of the Bay. Although this funding is just a small part of the overall Chesapeake Bay restoration effort, in our state, that funding spurs big improvements in nonpoint source pollution control and habitat conservation.\r\nSimilarly, another provision reauthorizes the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The Foundation plays a key role in helping First State communities and agricultural industries improve water quality.\r\nThe Foundation also administers the Delaware River Restoration Fund and the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund, which advance restoration and conservation efforts in our region.\r\nBy reauthorizing these programs that work and others of national significance, the ACE Act will ensure outdoor recreation opportunities abound for future generations.\r\nBefore closing, I would be remiss not to mention that the programs reauthorized in this bill are, once again, leveraged by private funding. This private funding is often secured by the outdoor recreation community, and we owe these dedicated individuals a great deal of thanks for their hard work to better conserve our nation's wildlife.\r\nLet me end with this. As our Chairman and many of our colleagues know, I enjoy serving here the most when we can find common ground to get things done. This bipartisan bill is an excellent example of that. By showing that we can compromise on policy without compromising our principles, I hope our committee is serving as a good example for some of our colleagues on other committees in the Congress.\r\nOur country is facing some tough challenges right now. We owe it to our constituents to find common ground and accept the compromises that can begin addressing those challenges.\r\nThank you again, Mr. Chairman. Let's get to work.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-bill-enabling-ongoing-funding-for-newark-led-manufacturing-innovation-institute-to-become-law", "Sen. Coons' bill enabling ongoing funding for Newark-led manufacturing innovation institute to become law", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  The National Defense\r\nAuthorization Act (NDAA) conference report that passed the Senate today\r\nincludes U.S. Senator Chris Coons' (D-Del.) bipartisan bill to eliminate a\r\nfederal funding limit on the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing\r\nBiopharmaceuticals, or NIIMBL, which is headquartered in Newark, Delaware.\r\nCurrently slated to exhaust a stream of federal dollars after 2021, NIIMBL,\r\nunder this legislation, could continually earn valuable federal funding, which\r\nto date has leveraged $129 million from industry. The bill, which passed the\r\nHouse Dec. 11, now heads to the president's desk and is expected to become law\r\nthis week. Newark-based NIIMBL supports\r\nindustry-leading research with 130 members from industry, academic institutes,\r\nnonprofit organizations, and states. The manufacturing hub, which could extend\r\nits $70 million federal grant thanks to Sen. Coons' bill, connects local\r\nmanufacturers to national resources to spur local innovation. Many of the nation's top companies\r\nand universities in the biopharmaceutical field have organized through Delaware\r\nto develop vaccines, gene therapies, and cancer drugs that aim to result in\r\nlifesaving cures and medical treatments. These innovations have the potential\r\nnot only to save lives, but create new high-skill, high-paying jobs for\r\nDelawareans. \"It brings me great pride\r\nthat Delawareans are leading the world in the development, testing, and\r\nproduction of medicines of the future,\"Senator Coons said.\"With\r\nthis bill, and the vital federal funding opportunity it creates, Delaware's\r\ninnovators will continue to not only save lives, but also create jobs for\r\ngenerations of high-skilled Delawareans who will manufacture these lifesaving\r\ndrugs. Also, other states are empowered to follow Delaware's lead by forming\r\nnew institutes specializing in other vital areas of manufacturing.\" \"Passage of this Act\r\ncontinues our country's investment in U.S. advanced manufacturing\r\ncompetitiveness, supports our long-term leadership in innovation, and also\r\nhelps drive key activities in Delaware related to the bioeconomy,\"said\r\nDennis Assanis, president of the University of Delaware.\"This\r\nAct will promote our nation's economic growth and lead to a more skilled\r\nbiomanufacturing workforce.\" \"Our Delaware Manufacturing\r\nAssociation consistently hears from employers on their struggle to find skilled\r\nworkers. With advancing technologies, the need to meet the talent demands of\r\nbusinesses who choose to reside and grow in Delaware is more important than\r\never,\"said Michael Quaranta, president at the Delaware State\r\nChamber of Commerce.\"The passing of the GLAM Act will boost\r\nDelaware's manufacturing sector not only through creating well-paying jobs but\r\nalso by developing and maintaining a skilled workforce.\" Cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Cory\r\nGardner (R-Colo.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Maggie\r\nHassan (D-N.H.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Marco Rubio\r\n(R-Fla.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine), the Global Leadership\r\nin Advanced Manufacturing Act, or GLAM Act, was filed as an amendment to the\r\nNDAA. In addition to the support for NIIMBL, this legislation promotes the\r\ndevelopment of new Manufacturing USA institutes. The Manufacturing USA program is a\r\nnational network of 14 public-private partnership institutes with 1,300-member\r\ncompanies and institutions working to keep the U.S. on the cutting edge of\r\nadvanced manufacturing. The institutes have generated $2 billion in\r\nindustry-matched funding to transition innovative technologies from lab to\r\nmarket and to expand the production of goods made in America. The bill also embeds a liaison of\r\nthe Manufacturing Extension Partnership in each Manufacturing USA institute to\r\nassist with cybersecurity training, workforce development, and technology\r\ntransfer for small- and medium-sized manufacturers. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-provision-to-provide-equal-retirement-benefits-for-guardsmen-and-reservists-included-in-annual-defense-bill", "Sen. Coons\u2019 provision to provide equal retirement benefits for Guardsmen and Reservists included in annual defense bill", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) was proud to support the passage of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes early retirement benefits for members of the National Guard and Reserves who deploy on certain missions overseas under what's called 12304b authority.Since the authority was created, over 18,000 Guardsmen, including members of the Delaware National Guard, have deployed in support of critical missions around the world.Yet, these service members don't receive the same benefits as active duty service members who deploy alongside them.   Last Congress, Senator Coons introduced the bipartisanNational Guard and Reserves Benefits Parity Act,which aimed to ensure that members of the Guard and Reserve forces who deploy under 12304b authority receive the same benefits as their active duty counterparts.Two of the bill's provisions passed into law in last year's defense bill, but the third -- which would reduce the age at which members of the Guard and Reserves can receive retirement pay by three months for every 90 days they are deployed under 12304b authority -- was not included.Senator Coons is proud to see that this third provision is included in the fiscal year 2020 defense bill.  Members of the Guard and Reserves in Delaware and around the country should have access to the full range of benefits they deserve.This includes early retirement benefits for those who deploy under 12304b authority,Senator Coons said.The defense authorization bill is critical to our national security and our service members, and I'm glad to see that this year's bill helps to ensure that Guardsmen and Reservists are fairly compensated.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-coons-surprises-delaware-students-with-service-academy-nominations", "Senator Coons surprises Delaware students with service academy nominations", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "DOVER, Del.  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) surprised Delaware students with principal nominations to U.S. service academies during a ceremony held at the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover Air Force Base on Dec. 14. Senator Coons named four high school seniors, all from Kent or Sussex Counties, as principal nominees for appointment to service academies should they meet all medical, physical, and academic requirements. Amanda Carey, the principal nominee to theU.S. Naval Academyat Annapolis, Maryland, lives in Dover and serves as the executive officer of the JROTC atDover High School. She is the commander of the color guard and is a member of the drill team. Carey, who takes advanced placement (AP) and honors classes, is a member of the National Honor Society and volunteers with the Dover Fire Department. Andrew Garza, a principal nominee to theU.S. Air Force Academyin Colorado, is from Dover and is active with the JROTC atPolytech High School. He runs track, take AP classes, volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, and is a member of the National Honor Society. He is a self-proclaimed Air Force brat since his father works at the base mortuary. Garza, a member of the Civil Air Patrol with a private pilot license, wants to fly F-22 Raptors for the Air Force. Donald Mendoza, a principal nominee to theU.S. Air Force Academy, resides in Dover and attendsCaesar Rodney High School. Mendoza, who was born in the Philippines, serves as the executive officer with the JROTC and leads the drill team. He is an eagle scout in the Boy Scouts of America and has participated in Boys State. Mendoza, who is a member of the National Honor Society, wants to be a C-5 Galaxy pilot in the Air Force. Mackenzie Irelan, the principal nominee to theU.S. Military Academyat West Point, New York, is from Harbeson in Sussex County and attendsCape Henlopen High School. She takes AP classes and is an all-conference captain of the softball team. Irelan has completed mission trips to Kenya and the Dominican Republic with Foundation for Peace. She wants to major in political science and become an infantry officer in the Army. Irelan was not at the Dec. 14 ceremony because of a previous commitment to attend the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia. Right before kickoff, Senator Coons called Irelan to notify her of the nomination officially. During the phone call, one of Senator Coons' academy board members, Scott Kessel (U.S.M.A. Class of 1987), who himself was at the game, presented Irelan with a congratulatory letter from the senator. Alternate nominees to the three Department of Defense academies listed above, the nominees for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, and individuals not selected to receive congressional nominations will be notified within the next few weeks. To download high-resolution photos from this event, visithttps://bit.ly/2PVU5Mk. U.S. Senator Chris Coons joins (from left to right) Amanda Carey, Donald Mendoza, and Andrew Garza at the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover, Del., Dec. 14, 2019. These students, who all live and attend high school in Dover, received principal nominations from Senator Coons for appointment to U.S. service academies for the Class of 2024. Download this photo:https://bit.ly/2RYb82Z. U.S. Senator Chris Coons speaks with Andrew Garza (center) and family members after a ceremony at the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover, Del., Dec. 14, 2019. Garza, a senior at Polytech High School, received a principal nomination for appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. Download this photo:https://bit.ly/36EANBZ. Amanda Carey stands in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress at the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover, Del., Dec. 14, 2019. Carey, a senior at Dover High School, was named Senator Coons' principal nominee to the U.S. Naval Academy's Class of 2024. Download this photo:https://bit.ly/2ElbzfU.      Donald Mendoza stands by a C-47 Skytrain at the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover, Del., Dec. 14, 2019. Mendoza, a senior at Caesar Rodney High School, received a principal nomination from U.S. Senator Chris Coons for appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy's Class of 2024. Download this photo:https://bit.ly/35tFuhQ.     Mackenzie Irelan, of Harbeson, Del., holds a congratulatory letter from U.S. Senator Chris Coons while attending the Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 14, 2019. Irelan, a senior at Cape Henlopen High School, received the senator's principal nomination for an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy's Class of 2024. Download this photo:https://bit.ly/35t0jd3. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sens-carper-coons-rep-blunt-rochester-secure-major-wins-for-delaware-in-annual-defense-bill-including-21-million-for-a-new-army-reserve-center-in-newark", "Sens. Carper, Coons, Rep. Blunt Rochester secure major wins for Delaware in annual defense bill, including $21 million for a new Army Reserve Center in Newark", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons and U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) applauded the passage of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which each of them voted in support of.The bill includes a number of wins for Delaware and the country, such as funding for a training center for Army Reservists in Newark, support for service members who have been exposed to toxic chemicals, and twelve weeks of paid parental leave for all federal workers. The bill passed both chambers of Congress and is now headed to the President's desk for signature.  One of our most serious responsibilities is to ensure that our troops have the resources necessary to help keep our country and our citizens safe,said Senator Carper, a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserves.This year's defense bill makes criticalinvestments to support the men and women serving in our Armed Forces and their families, strengthen our military capabilities, bolster our nation's cyber defenses, and counterever-evolving threats to our national security. Thisbill also authorizes $21 million for a new Army Reserve Center in Newark  funding I'm proud to have worked alongside Senator Coonsand Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochesterto secure. However, our support for the men and women serving in the military must extend beyond just dollars and cents. I regret that the bipartisan amendment I worked on with Senator Udall which would prevent the Trump Administration from taking military action against Iran without the approval of Congress was left out of this final package.I also remain incredibly disappointed that, while this bill will enact several important bipartisan provisions dealing with PFAS chemicals,this Congress failed to protect the tens of thousands of servicemen and women living on or near military sites, including two in Delaware, whosedrinking water systems have PFAS contamination.I believe we have a sworn and solemn duty to protect the brave men and women who serve our country. Ourmen and women in uniform and the people who love them have sacrificed enough already, and we ought to do everything we can to ensure they have clean, safe drinking water.  I'm proud to support this year's defense policy bill, which provides important benefits to military families, supports the Delaware economy, and enhances our nation's security.In particular, the bill authorizes a new $21 million Army ReserveCenter in Newark to serve as a modern training facility for Delaware's Reservists and $28 million for upgrades to the Army's heavy lift Chinook helicopter to be carried out by hardworking Delawareans around the region,said Senator Coons.With so many challenges around the world, it is encouraging to see broad bipartisan support for America's global leadership. At the same time, I think the Congress must do more to restrain President Trump's most reckless policies, especially in the Middle East. The defense bill does not include provisions to end the 2002 authorization for the use of military force in Iraq, curtail U.S. arms sales to the Saudi-led war in Yemen, or prevent President Trump from starting an unconstitutional war with Iran. I've supported numerous bipartisan bills on these issues and will continue to push for the passage of these stand-alone bills. I also share my colleagues' disappointment at the missed opportunity to do much more to address PFAS contamination on and around our military bases.  This year's National Defense Authorization Act provides a well-deserved pay raise for our troops, implements a National Defense Strategy to confront our foremost adversaries, and provides support and assistance for the families of our armed forces,said Rep. Blunt Rochester.I am pleased a number of priorities that I have been fighting for throughout this Congress made it into the final package, including repealing the widow's tax,instituting paid parental leave for federal workers,encouraging the expansion of the Space Available flights program, and requiring a report to Congress on the impact of expanding the program. I am, however, very disappointed this package did not include a comprehensive set of protections from PFAS contamination. We are facing a public health crisis from PFAS in Delaware. We've seen the urgency and severity of this problem in Blades, New Castle, and at the Dover Air Force Base. The NDAA was an important opportunity to address this crisis and I'm disappointed Congress chose not to take advantage of it.  The annual defense bill passed today includes provisions that will benefit Delaware: Army Reserve Center The National Defense Authorization Act authorizes $21 million for the construction of a 300-member training center for Army Reservists in Newark, Delaware, which will replace Delaware's aging Reserve facilities that do not meet current standards for protection of our service members.The new training center will be located right off the I-95 corridor, providing a convenient location for drilling and recruitment.  Chinook Block II Program The bill includes an additional $28 million for advance procurement of the CH-47 Chinook Block II program.This heavy lift aircraft is critical to our Army and our national security, and the Block II program is a win for the hundreds of Delaware Boeing employees at Ridley Park.  The Widow's Tax The National Defense Authorization Act also includes legislation cosponsored by Senator Carper, Senator Coons, and Rep. Blunt Rochester to repeal the so-called widow's tax, which prevents surviving spouses of military members from receiving full benefits from the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.  Evaluation of Exposure to Burn Pits The defense authorization also includes legislation co-sponsored by Senator Coons, theBurn Pits Accountability Act, which requires the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to improve evaluation and documentation of service members' exposure to burn pits.Burn pits have been used in overseas combat operations to burn waste, resulting in military personnel being exposed to smoke and potentially harmful substances. Under provisions in this year's National Defense Authorization Act, service members will be evaluated for exposure to toxic airborne chemicals in routine health exams.Service members who served near a burn pit would also be automatically enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs' Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sens-coons-lankfords-lift-for-charities-act-included-in-tax-bill", "Sens. Coons, Lankford\u2019s LIFT for Charities Act included in tax bill", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Bipartisan legislation from U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) to protect churches, charities, and other nonprofit organizations is expected to become law as part of a bipartisan tax bill agreed to by House and Senate negotiators late yesterday. The Lessening Impediments from Taxes (LIFT) for Charities Act repeals a section of the tax code that requires some tax-exempt organizations to pay federal taxes on employee benefits, such as parking, meals, or transportation benefits.  I believe that we have a moral obligation to support our neighbors most in need, and nonprofits play an essential role in doing just that,said Senator Coons.Requiring these organizations to pay a federal tax on employee benefits, something they have never been required to do before, causes them to not only face an increased operating cost, but also an administrative burden. The passage of this bill will help to ensure that America's charitable nonprofits and houses of worship are able to continue providing critical services to communities without undue burden.  It is welcome news that the LIFT for Charities Act has been included the annual appropriations bill to be considered later this week,said Senator Lankford.Several of us have worked for months to correct a small provision in the 2017 tax reform bill that required some churches and nonprofit organizations to pay a tax on employee benefits, which could include items that have never been previously accounted for, such as a parking space. Most nonprofits were neither equipped to handle the additional administrative burdens or compliance costs, nor intended to be a source of revenue for the federal government.The fix included in this week's appropriations bill is a huge win for our nation's churches, charities, and other non-profits who are dedicated to serving our neighbors and meeting the needs of our communities.We should protect our non-profits, not tax them. The 2017 tax law created the provision requiring charities to pay the new tax on employee benefits.In November 2018, Lankford and Coons sent aletterto the Secretary of the Treasury, Steven Mnuchin, expressing their concerns about the challenges faced by tax-exempt organizations, such as charitable nonprofits, houses of worship, and foundations, regarding compliance with new tax liabilities. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sens-coons-wicker-bipartisan-bill-to-combat-illegal-unreported-and-unregulated-fishing-passes-senate", "Sens. Coons, Wicker bipartisan bill to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing passes Senate", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed by the Senate today includes the bipartisan Maritime Security and Fisheries Enforcement (Maritime SAFE) Act, introduced by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), that would promote a whole-of-government strategy to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. IUU fishing threatens the national security of the United States and food security around the world. Actors involved in IUU fishing have been known to conduct other illicit activities such as weapon, drug, and human trafficking.  IUU fishing is an issue that not only poses a serious threat to national security, but also contributes to instability in regions important to U.S. interests,said Senator Coons.As a coastal state with vibrant marine ecosystems, Delaware is susceptible to the far-reaching effects of IUU fishing. I'm pleased the Senate passed this important legislation that will give us the tools to combat a multi-billion-dollar criminal industry that undercuts the economic livelihoods of fishermen and threatens food security for communities around the world.  The Maritime SAFE Act would give federal agencies greater tools to protect maritime security, lawful fishing, and the global seafood supply chain,said Senator Wicker.We cannot let illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing jeopardize the livelihoods of America's honest fishermen or fund other criminal activities.  The bipartisan Maritime SAFE Act establishes an interagency working group to provide federal agencies with a coordinated framework to effectively combat IUU fishing and authorizes a range of agency activities, including building capacity for law enforcement and port security, reducing illegally-sourced product circulating within the seafood supply chain, promoting the use of technology to combat IUU fishing, and encouraging better information sharing among agencies and other organizations.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-statement-on-dupont-s-nutrition-unit-merger", "Carper Statement on DuPonts Nutrition Unit Merger", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WILMINGTON, Del. Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.)released the following statement regarding the announcement that DuPont de Nemours Inc. will merge its Nutrition unit with International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.:\r\n\r\nAs we learn more about how this DuPont deal will affect the company's presence and employees in Delaware, I am hopeful that the work our Governor and Congressional Delegation have done to encourage DuPont to keep its businesses in the First State will continue to resonate. There is potential here as DuPont develops its plan to invest the $7 billion cash payout into its company, and I remain cautiously optimistic that this will bring good things to the company and its presence in Delaware. The Delegation and the Governor will continue to stay in close contact with the company to ensure its growth in the First State.\r\n\r\n##", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-votes-against-ending-debate-on-the-national-defense-bill", "Carper Votes Against Ending Debate on the National Defense Bill", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  After working for weeks to find agreement to include provisions in the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would address widespread PFAS contamination, and after some Congressional leaders failed to come to agreement, today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), 23-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Naval Reserves and top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after voting against closing debate on the NDAA. At this very moment, as my colleagues and I cast our votes deciding whether to end debate on our nation's annual defense funding bill, we know that there are tens of thousands of servicemen and women living on or near military bases whose drinking water is contaminated with PFAS. We cast our votes knowing full well that there are almost 300 military sites across the country that have PFAS contamination in their water systems, including two in Delaware. And as the clerk counts our votes, and debate on the annual defense bill comes to a close, we know that hundreds of communities will continue to have no recourse to hold the Department of Defense accountable for the PFAS contamination it caused. Given what we know about the widespread contamination of these harmful chemicals in groundwater and drinking water systems, and the clear opportunity we still have to get something done, I cannot bring myself to vote yes' on ending the debate tonight. As a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserves, this decision is not one that I take lightly. I believe we have a sworn and solemn duty to protect the brave men and women who serve our country. I also believe that our men and women in uniform and the people who love them have sacrificed enough already, and we ought to do everything we can to ensure they have clean, safe drinking water. The must-pass' annual defense authorization bill was a clear opportunity for Congress to clean up widespread PFAS contamination. We had broad bipartisan agreement to designate PFOS and PFOA, two harmful PFAS chemicals, as hazardous substances, which would compel liable pollutersincluding the Department of Defenseto clean up the contamination they caused. We had broad bipartisan agreement to set a protective federal drinking water standard. But, despite that broad bipartisan agreement, we failed. Winston Churchill once said that, success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.' In this case, I am afraid that our failure could be fatal. Congress cannot wait any longer to act on PFAS contamination. \r\nAlthough I am disappointed in this outcome, I remain fully committed to getting these provisions across the finish line. Our work is not done and our fight is far from over.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-global-fragility-act-included-in-spending-deal-bill-prevents-terrorism-and-instability-in-fragile-countries", "Sen. Coons\u2019 Global Fragility Act included in spending deal; bill prevents terrorism and instability in fragile countries", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Chris Coons' (D-DE) bipartisan legislation, the Global Fragility Act, which will improve U.S. government efforts to prevent terrorism from taking root in developing countries around the world, is expected to become law after being included in the bipartisan appropriations package to fund the federal government for Fiscal Year 2020. The United States has spent $5.9 trillion fighting terrorism since 9/11. We need a new strategy to address the conditions that enable terrorism to thrive. The passage of this legislation is an important first step towards a strategy to get ahead of the curve and prevent this national security threat. The United States has spent nearly $5.9 trillion in the 18 years since 9/11 to combat extremism and terrorism around the world, and it's clear we need a new strategy to do that more effectively. This legislation is a genuinely bipartisan effort to prevent terrorism from taking hold in the first place, and, by doing that, save American lives and taxpayer dollars. This bipartisan legislation will promote the stabilization of fragile environments where terrorists thrive, build peace, and maximize the impact of U.S. foreign assistance.said Senator Coons.Thank you to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support of this legislation, especially Senator Graham, Senator Leahy, Senator Risch, and Senator Menendez, as well as Representative Engel and Representative McCaul. I am also grateful to the United States Institute of Peace for their leadership on this important issue as well as the coalition of organizations led by the Alliance for Peacebuilding and Mercy Corps for their support of this effort. I am looking forward to working with the Trump administration, the private sector, foreign governments, and a wide-range of NGOs to realize the goals of this bill. Fragile states can become threats to the security of the United States because their governments are seen as ineffective or illegitimate by their citizens, heightening the risk of terrorism and terrorist recruitment, violent conflict, criminal activity, and corruption. Violent conflict also drives global displacement, with nearly 70 million people forcibly displaced around the world. The Global Fragility Act responds to these challenges by requiring the Secretary of State, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Secretary of Defense to collaborate on a ten-year strategy to prevent and reduce instability in at least five priority countries or regions. The bill improves interagency coordination and enhances monitoring, evaluation, and oversight to ensure the effectiveness of U.S. investments. The legislation also authorizes the establishment of a Multi-donor Global Fragility Fund to leverage and coordinate public and private resources from partners around the world to combat this national security threat. In addition to Sen. Coons, Senate co-sponsors of the legislation are: Sen. Graham (R-SC), Sen. Merkley (D-OR), Sen. Rubio (R-FL), Sen. Baldwin (D-WI), Sen. Young (R-IN), Sen. Boozman (R-AR), Sen. Markey (D-MA), Sen. Cardin (D-MD), Sen. Gardner (R-CO), Sen. Casey (D-PA), Sen. Collins (R-ME), Sen. Durbin (D-IL), Sen. Isakson (R-GA), Sen. Kaine (D-VA), Sen. Peters (D-MI), Sen. Cantwell (D-MI), Sen. Blumenthal (D-CT), Sen. Shaheen (D-NH), Sen. Van Hollen (D-MD), Sen. Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Klobuchar (D-MN), Sen. Hassan (D-NH), Sen. Reed (D-RI), Sen. King (I-ME), Sen. Murphy (D-CT), and Sen. Hirono (D-HI). ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-secures-425-million-for-election-security-in-spending-bill-poised-to-become-law", "Sen. Coons secures $425 million for election security in spending bill poised to become law", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the top Democrat on the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee, led the successful effort to include $425 million in funding for election security grants to help states protect their election systems in the Fiscal Year 2020 federal funding bill poised to pass Congress and become law in the coming days. We know that foreign adversaries are actively planning to attack our elections once again in 2020, so we have to make investments now in updated voting systems that the American people can trust and rely on,said Senator Coons.As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I've been fighting for years to ensure that the federal government provides states with the funding they need to replace outdated election machinery and invest in cybersecurity. This is a responsible investment, and I'm pleased that, on a bipartisan basis, we were able to come to this agreement. Senator Coons also led the successful effort to include $380 million in funding for election security grants in the Fiscal Year 2018 federal funding bill. Recently, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence released a report that outlined Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election and target our nation's election infrastructure in all 50 states, conducting reconnaissance, probing and mapping systems, and looking for vulnerabilities to exploit.According to the report, the Russian government was able to gain access to election systems in two states, including successfully accessing and extracting up to 200,000 voter registration records in Illinois. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-statement-on-usmca-agreement", "Carper Statement on USMCA Agreement", "2019-12-15", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and the top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee,released the following statement regarding the agreement reached on the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is intended to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Senator CarperhaspressedU.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer on the importance of making sure USMCA's environmental rules can be fully enforced.\r\n\r\nEvery week, I travel around Delaware doing customer calls' with the local businesses that drive our state's economy. In those meetings, I always ask three questions: How are you doing? How do you think your local, state and federal leaders are doing? And what can we do to better help you run a successful operation in the First State? The feedback I hear time and time again is that businesses want certainty and predictability. They want to know the rules of the road and to know that those rules will be followed.\r\n\r\nAfter years of uncertainty thanks to the President's haphazard trade wars, it is good news for American farmers, manufacturers, producers and retailers that we were able to get to yes on USMCA. After all, our economy depends on making sure other countries can sell to us and that we can sell to other countries, especially close allies like Canada and Mexico. I would much prefer that the President be working towards more comprehensive agreements, like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a multilateral agreement designed to lower tariffs for the 12 participating nations, counter China's growing influence in the region and help American workers and businesses compete and win in our global economy. But instead, President Trump foolishly pulled out of that deal and has shortsightedly opted for a piecemeal approachthat leaves opportunities for American goods and services to reach overseas markets on the table.That being said, I am glad that an agreement could finally be reached, and I applaud Speaker Pelosi,Ways and Means Chairman Neal,Trade Subcommittee Chairman Blumenauer, Representatives Bonamici and Larsonand the other members of the House Democrats' NAFTA working groups,and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer for working together to strengthen the deal.\r\n\r\nStrong trade deals that include equally strong enforcement mechanisms can help to boost the competitiveness ofAmericanindustry and foster a nurturing environment for job growth in our country. I have repeatedly pressed the Administration to ensure that the environmental rules in the renegotiated NAFTAcan befully enforced. If a trade deal does not include mechanisms to actually enforce the rules it lays out and if we don't ensurerobust monitoring mechanisms andsufficient resources forenforcement of the deal's environmental obligations then it'snot worth the paper it is printed on. I'm very pleased to see that my recommendations-including additional and dedicated funding forenvironmentalmonitoring and enforcement, creation of a new interagency committee to better coordinate U.S. monitoring and enforcement efforts and newly established environmental attachs in Mexico City-wereincluded in the improvements negotiated by Democrats. I'm especially proud that this deal includes a new mechanism to trigger environmental reviews that gives stakeholders  the people on the ground and those seeing potential violations firsthand  an expanded role in enforcement matters and holds the Administration accountable for pursuing enforcement of the deal's environmental obligations. I was glad to work with Chairman Blumenauer to develop this provision, and I'm pleased it was included to ensure that environmental violations can be investigated, but also remedied in a substantive and timely manner. These new measures will help to ensure that theagreement's environmental goals can actually be met and those that break the rules can actually be held accountable.\r\n\r\nThe bipartisan agreement and broad support that this deal has garnered speaks volumes. I look forward to further analyzing the agreement and moving it expeditiously through the Finance Committee and the Senate.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-coons-bipartisan-group-of-colleagues-recognize-critical-role-of-census-importance-of-full-and-accurate-count", "Carper, Coons, Bipartisan Group of Colleagues Recognize Critical Role of Census, Importance of Full and Accurate Count", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) joined Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and 39 of their Senate colleagues in introducing a bipartisan resolutionto ensure the 2020 Census is fair and accurate. The resolution encourages individuals, families, and households across the United States to take part in the Census so that all communities can be counted.\r\n\r\nGetting an accurate census count is critical to our country's economy and our democracy, said Senator Carper. In the First State, for each person uncounted we lose more than $2,000 in annual federal funding. In order for our government and the businesses that drive our economy to work for Delawareans and Americans across the country, it's imperative that we have a full and accurate count of those we serve. I'm pleased to be joining over 40 of my Senate colleagues in recognizing the importance of the 2020 Census and will continue working with both Republicans and Democrats to ensure a fair and complete count because our communities and businesses depend on it.\r\nEnsuring that the 2020 Census is fair and accurate will make a real difference for Delaware, said Senator Coons. It's only with unbiased, accurate census data that we can ensure we're making smart, targeted decisions about how to make federal investments in our communities, from transportation infrastructure to locating schools, hospitals, emergency response operations, and more. This isn't about politics, this is about good government, and I'm proud to join my colleagues in fighting for a fair, accurate census in 2020.\r\n\r\nThe 2020 Census is a constitutionally mandated undertaking. The data collected is used to properly allocate seats for the U.S. House of Representatives and state legislatures. It also directs more than $800 billion annually in federal funding to state and local communities.\r\n\r\nThe resolution recognizes theimportanceand significance of the 2020 Census and encourages all people to participate. It concludes that it is the civic duty of every person to ensure that the 2020 Census is as accurate as possible.\r\n\r\nSenators Carper, Coons, Schatz and Murkowski were joined by Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D- Hawaii), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).\r\n\r\nThe resolution is supported by anumber of organizationsincluding the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, National the Association of Towns and Townships, the Census Project, NAACP, NALEO Educational Fund, Asian Americans Advancing Justice  AAJC, National Congress of American Indians, Service Employees International Union, National Education Association, Nielsen, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and Google.\r\n\r\nFor a PDF copy of the resolution, clickhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/only-two-days-left", "Only TWO DAYS left!", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 13, 2019 \r\n Dear Friend, \r\nDid you know that health care open enrollment in Delaware ends in just TWO DAYS? That's why this week, I spoke on theSenate floorto remind Delawareans it's time for you, your family and your friends to sign up for quality, affordable health insurance before it's too late. I alsoteamed upwith Westside Family Healthcare and the Rehoboth Art League to remind Delawareans: if you don't get health insurance through your employer, Medicaid, Medicare or the Children's Health Insurance Program, you can find a plan that works for you in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace onhealthcare.govorchoosehealthDE.comfrom now until December 15th.\r\n\r\nFive years ago, the Affordable Care Act began offering every American in the First State and across the country access to high-quality, affordable health care. Since then, millions of Americans have gained comprehensive health care coverage from the ACA marketplace. At Westside, I hearddirectlyfrom one of those people  Delawarean G.W. Thompson, an artist in Lewes who, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, has access to quality health insurance for his entire family. When he and his wife were expecting their first child, they were able to find a plan and rate that worked for them and when his family faced health woes and high hospital bills, Thompson was able to breathe a sigh of relief because of his coverage from the ACA  and he isn't alone. From stay at home parents, to entrepreneurs and artists like Thompson, thousands of Delawareans have relied on the ACA for quality coverage. I also heard fromSara Cruz, a Westside Health navigator, who talked about her experience enrolling Delawareans and discussed helpful tools for families looking to get covered. When Anita from Millsboro needed help navigating the ACA marketplace, Sara drove to a local public library close to Anita's home and went over her health insurance options, how to complete the application and even how she could use the insurance once she was covered. If you need help finding a plan that works for you and your family, people like Sara are standing by forfree, in-person assistance. When it comes to crafting effective policies for our country, I believe that we should find out what works and do more of that. It's clear the Affordable Care Act is working. This year, 43 new insurers are offering coverage in marketplaces of states around the country for 2020, and in Delaware, premiums are down an average of 19%. That's why now is the perfect time to get covered and find a health insurance plan that works for you. So help spread the word! You have until THIS SUNDAY to ensure you have health care in 2020 through the Affordable Care Act. Enrollment is easy, and eight out of 10 Delawareans can find a plan for less than $75 a month. Don't wait  visithealthcare.govorchoosehealthde.comright now!", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-meets-with-military-family-impacted-by-pfas-contamination", "Carper Meets with Military Family Impacted by PFAS Contamination", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.- U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, met today with Army and Air Force veteran Jim Holmes and his wife, Richelle, who recently lost their 17-year-old daughter, Kaela, to brain cancer after living for years at Patrick Air Force Base near Cocoa Beach, Florida  one of the nation's military installationsmost severely impactedby PFAS contamination. Mr. and Mrs. Holmes are on Capitol Hill today to share their daughter's story and to advocate for Congress to hold the Department of Defense accountable for cleaning up PFAS contamination that was caused by the Department of Defense. Read more about Kaela's storyHERE.\r\nI thank Mr. and Mrs. Holmes for sharing their story with members of Congress and me today. Losing a child is something that no parent should have to endure. Their bravery and advocacy will help my colleagues understand the magnitude and urgency of the very real problem before us,said Senator Carper, a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserves.Sadly, I fear that the Holmes family is not alone. We have military communities throughout the country that are still drinking water with high levels of PFOA and PFOS, two harmful PFAS chemicals. Recent studies show that there are almost 300 known U.S. military installations with water systems impacted by PFAS contamination  including two in Delaware. Our men and women in uniform and the families who love them sacrifice enough already. They should be able to serve our country with the peace of mind that our military will do the right thing and protect families from harmful water contamination.\r\nCarper continued,At this very moment, there is widespread, bipartisan agreement in Congress that we need to speed up Scott Pruitt and Andrew Wheeler's long-promised plans to list PFOS and PFOA as hazardous substances under the Superfund law, which would force liable pollutersincluding the Department of Defenseto clean up contamination of these two chemicals present in and around Patrick Air Force Base, Dover Air Force Base and so many others.\r\nIn the wake of Kaela's tragic passing, Jim and Richelle are fighting to protect other families and children. We owe it to them and to communities throughout the country to do the right thing  designate these two harmful chemicals as hazardous substances, which would compel liable polluters to clean up contamination, and set a protective federal drinking water standard. Our fight is not over. The time is now is the time to get these important PFAS provisions across the finish line,said Carper.\r\nBefore his retirement earlier this year, Mr. Holmes spent more than 30 years flying helicopters in both the Army and Air Force. Mr. Holmes served in both Operation Desert Storm and the Iraq War. The Holmes family lived at Patrick Air Force Base from the beginning of his combat tour in Iraq in 2008, and left the base in 2012.\r\nOctober 2019datafrom the Environmental Working Group (EWG) shows that Patrick Air Force Base has the third highest maximum PFAS detection of any military installation in the country, at over 4 million parts per trillion  more than 57,000 times as high as EPA's 70 parts per trillion drinking water health advisory for PFOA and PFOS. Nationwide, EWG data shows that there are nearly300 military installationswith known contamination, including two in Delaware at Dover Air Force Base and New Castle Air National Guard Base.\r\nIn July, the Senate passed anamendmentto NDAA that was introduced by Senator Carper, EPW Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) that included several measures that had beenapproved unanimouslyby the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Despite the widespread bipartisan support for that package, the NDAA conference report does not include one of its key provisions that would create a two-year deadline for setting a federal drinking water standard for these chemicals. The NDAA conference report also does not include provisions that treat PFAS as hazardous substances under the EPA Superfund law  even though Senator Carper's legislation, thePFAS Action Act of 2019, has 53 bipartisan Senate cosponsors, and the same legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) andunanimously approvedby the House as an amendment to the House NDAA.\r\nLate last week, Ranking Member Carper slammed congressional colleagues on both sides of the aisle for the dropping of crucial language in NDAA addressing PFAS contamination,sayingthat Congress had a key opportunity to give these hundreds of American communities the help they so desperately need and deserve. But because of behind-the-scenes, beltway politics we are about to miss that opportunity.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-reminds-delawareans-and-all-americans-to-sign-up-for-quality-affordable-health-care-ahead-of-dec-15-deadline", "Carper Reminds Delawareans and All Americans to Sign Up For Quality, Affordable Health Care Ahead of Dec. 15 Deadline", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. This week, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), a senior member of the Finance Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to remind Delawareans of the upcoming Affordable Care Act open enrollment deadline of this Sunday, December 15th.\r\n\r\nSome may be wondering if the ACA marketplace is the right choice for you or your loved ones,said Senator Carper.The marketplace provides quality, affordable health care coverage for Americans who don't receive affordable health insurance through their employer.\r\n\r\nSenator Carper continued,For instance, last Friday, I met G.W. Thompson, a self-employed artist from Lewes, Delaware, whose life was forever changed by the Affordable Care Act, when he was able to find affordable and comprehensive health insurance.Earlier this year, I met a widow in Delaware named Marie who lives with a pre-existing condition. As it turns out, there are tens of millions of people in this country who live with pre-existing conditions and for many years they did not have access to health care. That's not the case anymore. Thanks to the excellent staff at Westside Family Healthcare in Dover, Delaware, Mari e was able to enroll in an ACA plan that covers her pre-existing condition and keeps her healthy.\r\n\r\nIf you are one of the 133 million Americans living with a pre-existing condition, I urge you to visit HealthCare.gov today, and find a plan that works for you.If you are a young person who has just turned 26 and can no longer stay on your parents' health care plan, visit HealthCare.gov today, and find a plan that works for you. If you or your family have tried to enroll in Medicaid, but did not qualify, visit HealthCare.gov today, and find a plan that works for you.Senator Carper concluded,And don't forget, nearly 9 out of 10 customers are eligible for financial help, which could mean big savings for you and your family.\r\n\r\nSenator Carper also highlighted the recent addition of new insurers on the ACA marketplace and average premium decreases nationwide. Premiums for the most popular ACA plans across the country are down by an average of four percent. For plans starting January 1, 2020, average premiums are down by 19 percent in Delaware. This year, 43 new insurers are offering coverage in marketplaces around the country. That gain comes on top of the 23 new insurers that were added in 2019.\r\n\r\nFederal tax credits are available for those whose household income is between 138 percent and 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. For 2020, that's between $17,236 and $49,960 for an individual, or between $35,535 and $103,000 for a family of four. For coverage in 2019, about 85 percent of enrollees in Delaware were eligible for tax credits, which help reduce the cost of the monthly premium.\r\n\r\nDelawareans who need help enrolling in coverage will have access to free in-person assistance from federally funded and trained specialists atWestside Family Healthcare. State-licensed insurance agents and brokers are also available to help individuals re-enroll and to help employers update their coverage, at no extra charge. For more information, go towww.ChooseHealthDE.com. Consumers can enroll in marketplace coverage atwww.HealthCare.govor by calling 1 (800) 318-2596 (TTY: 1 855 889-4325).\r\n\r\nSenator Carper's full remarks are availablehere.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-statement-on-skipwith-confirmation", "Carper Statement on Skipwith Confirmation", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after the Senate voted 52-39 to confirm Aurelia Skipwith to serve as the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In order for the Senate to fulfill its constitutional role to provide advice and consent' on presidential nominees, those nominated individuals must cooperate during the confirmation process. To my deep disappointment and dismay, Aurelia Skipwith has failed to cooperate, and that is the main reason why I was unable to vote for her nomination today. Despite my repeated requests for information since August  requests made twice in writing and twice in person  Ms. Skipwith has refused to provide information pertaining to her activities as a Department of Interior official. This is information that is routinely provided by other nominees. Instead, she suggested that I file a Freedom of Information Act request for the basic information I'm seeking.\r\nMs. Skipwith's lack of candor has elevated questions that already existed about her qualifications and her commitment to environmental conservation. The nominee's evasiveness has left serious questions unanswered as to whether she can ethically lead the Fish and Wildlife Service. And, her failure to cooperate gives me little confidence that she will be more transparent once sworn into office.\r\nI worry that Ms. Skipwith's failure to be forthright as a nominee is a harbinger of her tenure at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as director. But, on behalf of the thousands of men and woman who work at the Service, I hope I am wrong.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/photos-flavors-of-first-state-featured-at-9th-annual-taste-of-delaware", "PHOTOS: Flavors of First State featured at 9th Annual Taste of Delaware", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 12, 2019CONTACT:Brendan Mackie at\r\n302.468.0545 WASHINGTON  More than 650 people joined U.S. Senator Chris Coons\r\n(D-Del.) and the Delaware State Chamber for the 9th Annual Taste of Delaware at\r\nthe Russell Senate Office Building on December 11. The annual event, which was\r\nfree and open to the public, featured food and drinks from the First State. The Taste of Delaware, which celebrates Delaware ratifying the\r\nConstitution in 1787, showcased some of the First State's best flavors from\r\ndestinations such as Brick Works (Millsboro), Capriotti's (Wilmington), Dogfish\r\nHead (Milton), Double Spiral Chocolate (Ardentown), Home Grown Caf (Newark), Kee's\r\nCookies & Cupcakes (Clayton), SoDel Concepts (Rehoboth Beach), The\r\nStarboard (Dewey Beach), and Sea Watch (Milford). To download this released image and other hi-resolution photos, visit https://bit.ly/2P9BTzP.   ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/nemours-supports-sen-coons-bipartisan-bill-prioritizing-childrens-health-care-research", "Nemours supports Sen. Coons\u2019 bipartisan bill prioritizing children\u2019s health care research", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Followingsharp reductionsin pediatric medical researchers at theNational Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced bipartisan legislation to increase pediatric-focused research at the NIH by addressing challenges in researcher recruitment and retention and by creating a pipeline of early-career pediatric researchers. I applaud Senator Coons and Senator Ernst for their bipartisan leadership in introducing a bill that includes critical provisions needed to support the development of the next generation of pediatric researchers,said Larry Moss, MD, president and CEO of Nemours Children's Health System.Supporting early career investigators is a key priority for the research community, and this bill is an important step forward.  I am proud to support investments in pediatric scientists and research that will helpreduce the suffering experienced byour nation's children,said Senator Coons.By bolstering the pediatric-scientist workforce, we are creating opportunities forscientificadvancementsthat will not only improve the health and livelihood of kids across the country but also reduce the burden of disease faced by Americans in later-life.  In addition to Coons and Ernst, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).  Background:In the past several years, pediatric research slots have seensharp reductionswithin the NIH. This includes reductions of Child Health Research Center Awards, which supports fewer than half of the young investigators that it did in 2010. The Pediatric Scientist Development Program has also seen cuts, having been reduced from supporting 17 training slots per institution down to 10 per institution. These reductions contrast with the consistent increases Congress has provided to the overall NIH budget. ThePediatriciansAccelerate Childhood Therapies (PACT) Actwould establish an NIH-wide grant to support early-career pediatric researchers. The bill also directs the NIH Pediatric Research Consortium to set priorities, improve coordination and collaboration, and identify gaps and opportunities to support the development of new treatments and cures for diseases and conditions that affect children in Iowa, and across the country.  This legislation is supported by the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Blank Children's Hospital, MercyOne Children's Hospital, ChildServe, the Children's Hospital Association, and the Coalition for Pediatric Medical Research.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-bipartisan-deal-backed-by-sen-carper-to-permanently-fund-dsu-and-other-hbcus-headed-to-the-presidents-desk-to-become-law", "Sen. Coons\u2019 bipartisan deal, backed by Sen. Carper, to permanently fund DSU and other HBCUs, headed to the President\u2019s desk to become law", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON Late yesterday, both chambers of Congress passed the bipartisan agreement brokered byU.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and several leading Republican and Democratic Senators, also supported by Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.),to make permanent $255 million in annual funding for historically black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutionslike Delaware State University. The legislation will alsosimplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, for 20 million American families, and streamline income-driven repayment for nearly 8 million borrowers.Funding for the institutions had lapsed on September 30. The bill is now headed to the President's desk for signature.  This is a historic day for Delaware State University and HBCUs across the country, which have played a critical role in helping to ensure that every Delawarean and every American is able to access higher education,Senator Coons said.HBCUs like Delaware State are among our nation's most important and cherished institutions, and I'm proud that we were able to reach a bipartisan agreement to permanently provide them with the federal funding they deserve.  Senator Coons added:This bill doesn't only support DSU and HBCUs  it will also simplify the federal student aid process so that millions of American students can access the federal student aid available to them.  I'm pleased that this bipartisan agreement is now one step closer to being signed into law. It will bring permanent federal funding to Delaware State University and other HBCUs across the country and enable these universities to focus on what they do best: educating our students in the classroom and preparing them for lasting careers in today's workforce,said Senator Carper.In Delaware, we know that the money provided through the Higher Education Act is a smart investment that will bolster our workforce and our economy. Last month, I visited Delaware State University and heard directly from students and faculty members about how important this federal funding is to the university's success. I want to thank my colleagues Senators Murray and Alexander, as well as Senators Jones, Coons, Scott and Burr, and members of their staffs, for working in good faith to reach a bipartisan agreement that provides our HBCUs and students with the funding they deserve. Senators Carper and Coons have been outspoken in their support of funding for Delaware State University and HBCUs.Last month, Carper and Coons joined 34 of their colleagues in letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to call for immediate passage of the FUTURE Act reauthorization bill. They eachspoke outon the Senate floor late last month urging Senators on both sides of the aisle to support this critical, permanent funding extension.In October, Carper hosted a roundtable at DSUto discuss critical funding for HBCUs and urged Congress to immediately extend funding. Background on the legislation: Permanently reauthorizes and provides $255 million in annual mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions  Is fully paid for by including the FAFSA Act which passed the Senate unanimously last year and which:  Allows Providing Tax Information only OnceStudents do not have to give their tax information to the federal government twice  Eliminates up to 22 QuestionsStudents give permission to the Department of Education to request tax return data already given to the Internal Revenue Service, which reduces the 108 questions on the FAFSA by up to 22 questions  Eliminates Verification NightmareFor most students, eliminates so-called verification which is a bureaucratic nightmare that 5.5 million students go through annually to make sure the information they gave to the Department of Education is exactly the same as they gave to the IRS  Eliminates $6 Billion in MistakesAccording to the Department of Education, helps taxpayers by eliminating up to $6 billion each year in mistakes (both overpayments and underpayments) in Pell grants and student loans  Enables 7 million applicants who are currently unable to access their IRS data for their FAFSA to verify that they do not file taxes without requesting separate documentation from the IRS  Streamlines student loan repayment by eliminating burdensome annual paperwork for 7.7 million federal student loan borrowers on income-driven plans  According to the Congressional Budget Office, the FAFSA Act saves taxpayers $2.8 billion over ten years which will be used to pay for the permanent funding for HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/video-sen-coons-ag-barr-is-acting-as-president-trumps-personal-attorney-instead-of-nations-top-law-enforcement-officer", "[VIDEO] Sen. Coons: AG Barr is \u201cacting as President Trump's personal attorney\u201d instead of nation\u2019s top law enforcement officer", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined MSNBC's Morning Joe this morning to discuss the Justice Department inspector general's report.  President Trump since he became president has been claiming that the investigation into his campaign's activities was a witch hunt and a hoax. That's an investigation that produced six convictions of some of his most senior folks, his campaign manager, his personal attorney, his national security advisor, and this inspector general report shows that it was without bias and well-founded,said Senator Coons.  President Trump's got one personal attorney who is currently serving jail time, another one who is mucking around in Ukraine again and has frankly become somewhat of a laughingstock, despite his respected tenure as mayor of New York, and so if Attorney General Barr wants to join that company, I think ultimately, he will go down in history as a discredited attorney general,said Senator Coons. Video and audio availablehere. Excerpts from the interview: Q: What did you make of Attorney General Barr's comments denouncing the DOJ Inspector General? Senator Coons:This was a striking action by the Attorney General to try and continue to pump up these fake conspiracy theories that Republicans in support of Trump's campaign to discredit the ongoing impeachment inquiry have been spreading. Later this morning, we are going to have a hearing on the Senate Judiciary Committee about Inspector General Horowitz's investigation  an investigation that concluded that the FBI was without bias and properly and well-founded as they launched the investigation into the then-Trump campaign and Russian interference into the 2016 election. That Attorney General Barr dismisses that out of hand, in sharp contrast to the FBI Director, Chris Wray, who stands by the conclusions of the inspector general, is to me just one more piece of evidence to me that the attorney general is not our nation's top law enforcement officer, but is instead acting as President Trump's personal attorney.  Q: What do you hope happens beyond Stephen Miller getting fired, how do you think that'd even happen? Senator Coons:Well in any previous administration, someone in the modern era who is revealed to have views so wildly different from what is acceptable in the United States, in our modern society, would have been thrown out years ago. It tells us everything we need to know about where President Trump is on immigration policy, on his views of people of different racial backgrounds,and where some of his most divisive actions have come from. Those of us in the Senate who've worked on a bipartisan basis to try to resolve some of our impasses over immigration, for example, can see a straight line between Stephen Miller's hateful views and opinions and the decision to separate parents from their children at the border or the decision to dramatically reduce the number of refugees accepted into the United States. These have long been bipartisan positions that we don't use cruelty towards immigrant children as a tool of our policy, that as a nation, many of whom came here as refugees ourselves, it is a nation whose families have a history of seeking asylum in this country where we don't block those seeking refuge. Stephen Miller is, I think, a cancer at the very heart of the values of this presidency. I hope that more senators will join us in saying, these expressed views released in recent emails show that not only is he disqualified from serving, but that President Trump should abandon his hateful rhetoric and move towards representing all Americans.  Q: Which Lindsey Graham is going to show up to the Senate Judiciary hearing today? Senator Coons:Of course, I hope that the Chairman Graham who shows up this morning will be the seasoned attorney, someone who understands and respects the role of the inspector general, someone who sounds more like FBI Director Wray, who has accepted the findings of his report. I am concerned that we are more likely to see the Kavanaugh confirmation hearing Lindsey Graham who is full of aggression and anger and at times even venom and who is a vigorous, forceful defender of everything President Trump is saying or has said. I'll remind you, President Trump since he became president has been claiming that the investigation into his campaign's activities was a witch hunt and a hoax. That's an investigation that produced six convictions of some of his most senior folks, his campaign manager, his personal attorney, his national security advisor, and this inspector general report shows that it was without bias and well-founded. That is the conclusion that I hope Chairman Graham accepts in this morning's hearing, but given the current environment here in the Senate, I suspect we are in for a rough ride this morning.  Q: What are your thoughts about how Attorney General Barr has evolved as Attorney General? What happens to Chris Wray? Senator Coons:I've known Chris Wray since law school and I voted against Attorney General Barr and I voted for FBI Director Wray in their confirmation hearing processes, and I suspect events in the days and weeks ahead may bear out the differences in their approaches. There are thousands of men and women every day who go to work at the FBI to protect our nation, to keep us safe, and to uphold our laws and Constitution. The attorney general of the United States should be the head of the Department of Justice, the person whose personal oath is to the Constitution, not to any one president. I'll remind you, President Trump's got one personal attorney who is currently serving jail time, another one who is mucking around in Ukraine again, and has frankly become somewhat of a laughingstock despite his respected tenure as mayor of New York, and so if Attorney General Barr wants to join that company, I think ultimately, he will go down in history as a discredited attorney general. I am impressed that FBI Director Wray is standing up to President Trump's conspiracy theories and mischaracterizations and is continuing to defend the men and women of the FBI and to accept the IG report.  Q: I suspect the use of FISA to surveil the Trump campaign is going to be a tense issue in the hearing this morning. Do you think Republicans are moving in the direction of reform of warrantless surveillance or is this going to be political theater today? Senator Coons:If this were a coherent leadership approach, they would take some of the issues and concerns raised in the report, and as FBI Director Wray has done, embrace them, and then talk about responding to them and making sure that we continue to hold federal law enforcement to the highest possible standards going forward. Instead, I am concerned we will be treated to more political theater. We have seen some of this tension on other matters and in other committees. You mentioned earlier in the show in this section that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo actually publicly challenged Russia's interference in our last election. At the same time that the Department of Justice IG's report is being reviewed by the Judiciary Committee this morning, the Foreign Relations Committee is taking up a number of bipartisan bills. This week and next week, we will be taking up sanctions against Russia and sanctions against Turkey. I think it is encouraging to see some bipartisanship here in the Senate. Today, however, at the Department of Justice inspector general's oversight hearing, I don't expect that, I think we will just see more political theater.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-calls-for-transparency-from-nominee-to-lead-white-house-regulatory-office", "Carper Calls for Transparency from Nominee to Lead White House Regulatory Office", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) senior Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC),urged Paul J. Ray, President Trump's nominee to be Administrator of Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), to cooperate with relevant Congressional records requests regarding his nomination. Senator Carper also raised concerns about the potential precedent being set by Mr. Ray's failure to adequately provide information from the Committee related to his tenure at OIRA. Throughout the Committee's vetting process, Mr. Ray has asserted some type of privilege or deferred to the OMB General Counsel more than any past OIRA nominee who has appeared before the Committee. In fact, he asserted privilege or deferred to counsel 19 times in his pre-hearing questionnaire responses.\r\nOIRA is the office within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) charged with reviewing of Executive Branch regulations, approving government information collections, establishing government statistical practices, and coordinating federal privacy policy, which includes review of additions to the census. Mr. Ray has presided over or been involved with dozens of controversial rulemaking decisions in the past year and a half in which he has worked at OIRA.\r\nThe Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is an oversight committee. We do oversight over the whole federal government. That's the responsibility of this committee. The only way we can do our jobs effectively is to make sure that folks like you, if you're confirmed, are forthcoming -- not asking for privilege and not declining to provide us with critical information we need to fully evaluate your record and qualifications, said Senator Carper. Eventually we're going to have an election, who knows who is going to win next time, who is going to be in the majority, or who is going to be in the administration. But this could come back to bite folks on both sides of the aisle. Now, I know our chairman cares a lot about oversight and wants to make sure that this committee gets the information it needs. One of my concerns is that when you have a nominee who is not being especially forthcoming and cites privilege nineteen times -- which I think is more than anybody ever -- will that nominee, if confirmed, be any more forthcoming once they are confirmed in that position? That is a matter of great concern for me and I think it should be for all of us.\r\nView the full exchange here.\r\nSenator Carper's remarks follow an unanswered letter he signed onto with his colleagues to Acting Director Vought to OMB urging their cooperation with Congressional records requests regarding the nomination of Mr. Ray to be Administrator of OIRA. In a letter addressed to Acting OMB Director Russell Vought, the Senators raised serious concerns about Mr. Ray's failure to adequately respond to multiple inquiries related to his tenure at OIRA and provide information that is critical to a full and fair evaluation of Mr. Ray's record and qualifications for the position.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-coons-blunt-rochester-to-host-grants-seminar-on-dec-19-in-dover", "Carper, Coons, Blunt Rochester to Host Grants Seminar on Dec. 19 in Dover", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, Delaware's Congressional Delegation of U.S. Senators Tom Carper, Chris Coons and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) will host a seminar for Delawareans interested in learning the nuts and bolts of applying for federal and local grant awards.\r\nThe free event will be held at Delaware Technical Community College's Terry Campus in the Education and Technology Building from 12  4:30 p.m. for businesses, organizations and individuals seeking to obtain funding through government grants. Participants will learn about the grant awards available to them and how to complete a successful application, as well as how to tell their organization's story, leverage funding and work with Congressional staff. Participants will learn from Sheila Bravo of the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement, Cynthia Pritchard of Philanthropy Delaware and Stuart Comstock-Gay of the Delaware Community Foundation.\r\nWhile the event is a free service to the public, registration is required. To register, email federalgrants_carper@carper.senate.gov by Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sens-coons-tillis-introduce-resolution-to-honor-human-rights-day", "Sens. Coons, Tillis introduce resolution to honor Human Rights Day", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), co-chairs of the Senate Human Rights Caucus, introduced a resolution in the U.S. Senate to recognize the 71stanniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the celebration of Human Rights Day.  On this day in 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first comprehensive agreement among countries regarding the specific rights and freedoms of all human beings. As co-chairs of the Senate Human Rights Caucus, we are proud to introduce a bipartisan resolution commemorating the 71st anniversary of this important Declaration and designating December 10 as Human Rights Day,said the Senators.The values espoused in the Declaration reflect America's own founding documents, and they are integral to U.S. efforts to defend and promote the rights and freedoms of all people around the world. We applaud the work of human rights defenders and commit to supporting them today and in the years to come.  The text of the resolution is availablehere. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wdel-story-on-sen-coons-trying-to-stop-drug-diversions-in-the-us", "WDEL story on Sen. Coons: \u2018trying to stop drug diversions in the US\u2019", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  In case you missed it, WDELfiledastorytoday about U.S. Senator Chris Coons' (D-Del.) bipartisan bill,the Suspicious Order Identification Act of 2019,that would prevent diversion of large drug shipments in real time before it has the ability to inflict damage in our communities.  The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is the onlyfederalentity that can track suspicious orders of opioids, but under the current system, by the time the DEA flags one, it's too late, and oftentimes, drugs have been diverted to the streets.This lack of real time tracking capability makes it far too easy fordealers to get their hands on opioids that they should not have access to.  When you order a pizza or buy something on Amazon, you can follow your shipment in real time, so there's no reason the DEAand industryshouldn't be able to track massive shipments of dangerous opioids,said Senator Coons.This is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that would help ensure that the DEA is able to track large shipments of opioids and keep our communities safe.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-defense-bill-pfas-measures-represent-a-missed-opportunity", "Carper: Defense Bill PFAS Measures Represent a Missed Opportunity", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, reiterated his strong rebuke of the failure to include bipartisan, broadly supported measures to address PFAS contamination in communities throughout America, including hundreds of communities in or near military bases in the Defense Authorization bill.\r\nA majority of members in both theHouseand theSenatesupport the designation of all 4,000 PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances under the Superfund law. But a much more modest measure  one that would provide a path to designate just two PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances, ensuring cleanup at federally contaminated sites and in communities across the country  was unable to be included in the Conference Report. It should be lost on no one that both former EPA AdministratorScott Pruittand EPA AdministratorAndrew Wheelerhave said they would make that designation for those same two PFAS chemicals,said Senator Carper, who is also a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and the only Vietnam veteran currently serving in the U.S. Senate.\r\nMoreover, removal of a bipartisan Senate measure that would have set a drinking water standard for harmful PFAS  a measure that passed the Senateunanimously will leave unprotected millions of Americans whose drinking water is currently contaminated,Carper continued,It is hard to understand how the joint House-Senate negotiation managed to yield less protective PFAS measures than were inbothchamber's bills. Despite having the support of hundreds of Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle and from all parts of the country, key PFAS provisions were either weakened or removed entirely from the final conference report. Instead of seizing the clear opportunity to get these important provisions across the finish line, Congress has managed to seize defeat from the jaws of victory.\r\nAccording to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), PFAS has beendetectedin the drinking water of 19 million Americans across 49 states. Nationwide, EWG data from September shows that there are nearly300 military installationswith known contamination, including two in Delaware at Dover Air Force Base and New Castle Air National Guard Base.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/open-enrollment-begins-today", "Open enrollment begins today!", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "November 1, 2019 \r\n Dear Friend, \r\nToday is the day! Health care open enrollment in Delaware and all 50 states begins today, which means you, your family and your friends can sign up for quality, affordable health insurance. This week, Ijoinedmy some of Democratic colleagues in the Senate to help get the word out and remind Americans across the country that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance marketplace is open for business. I also joined Senator Coons, Governor Carney and state officials toannouncethat Delaware's Health Insurance Marketplace is open  with premiums declining for the first time since it first opened in 2013!   Plans, prices and financial assistance vary from year to year and state by state. In Delaware, premiums will see a whopping 19% decrease in rates compared to 2019. Why? In large part because our state announced a reinsurance program designed to help insurers pay for some of their costliest patients. This new program will help keep premiums down for everyone else in the state's marketplace. I believe that every family in the First State and across our country deserves access to quality, affordable health care. Despite Republicans' endless efforts to sabotage health care for millions of Americans, the Affordable Care Act is still the law of the land. Today, the ACA is more popular than ever. After all, more than 20 million Americans have gained health care coverage through the law. Nearly 130 million Americans living with pre-existing conditions have critical protections they didn't have before. The law has expanded Medicaid coverage for 12.6 million more Americans and extended the life of the Medicare Trust Fund by 11 years. And this progress was made all while reducing the federal deficit by more than $1 trillion. If you don't get health insurance through your employer, Medicaid, Medicare or the Children's Health Insurance Program, you can find a health care plan that works for you in the ACA marketplace onhealthcare.govorchoosehealthDE.com. Enrollment is easy, and help is standing by to discuss your coverage options. Eight out of 10 Delawareans can get insured for less than $75 a month. If you or someone you know already has insurance, more affordable options may be available. Go online to healthcare.gov and see what cost saving alternatives you qualify for. Delawareans who need help enrolling in coverage will have access to free in-person assistance from federally funded and trained specialists at Westside Family Healthcare, and by certified applications counselors at Henrietta Johnson Medical Center in Wilmington and La Red Health Center in Georgetown. So don't wait! To ensure you have healthcare in 2020, register anytime from today to December 15 athealthcare.govorchoosehealthDE.comand get covered!", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-rep-johnson-honor-dr-christine-darden-hidden-figures-inspiration-in-the-capitol", "Sen. Coons, Rep. Johnson honor Dr. Christine Darden, \u2018Hidden Figures\u2019 inspiration, in the Capitol", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today in the U.S. Capitol, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas), and the Sloan Foundation honored Dr. Christine Darden, CongressionalGold Medal recipient and former NASA mathematician, data analyst and aeronautical engineer. Katherine Johnson and her family and the families of Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson were also recognized at the event. The event celebrated thepassageof bipartisan legislation, introduced by Senator Coons and Representative Johnson, along with U.S. SenatorsLisaMurkowski (R-Alaska)and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.)and U.S. RepresentativeFrank Lucas (R-Okla.), that will award Congressional Gold Medals to Katherine Johnson and Dr. Christine Darden and posthumously award Congressional Gold Medals to Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson. The bill willalso award a fifth Congressional Gold Medal to honor all women who contributed to NASA during the Space Race. I'm thrilled that we had the opportunity to honor Dr. Christine Darden,Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and all the women who contributed to NASA during the Space Race in the Capitol today,said Senator Coons.Their accomplishments have had a tremendous impact on the United States' role as the world leader in science and technological innovation and are an inspiration for women, especially women of color, in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  Since the book was published, the phrase hidden figures' has taken on a life of its own,said Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson,Chairwoman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.Society is discovering the legacies of hidden figures' across all fields of work. National recognition of Katherine Johnson, Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and the hundreds of other women mathematicians and engineers working at NASA, of their contributions to the space program, and their inspiring legacies is long overdue.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-coons-delaware-state-chamber-of-commerce-to-host-9th-annual-taste-of-delaware", "Senator Coons, Delaware State Chamber of Commerce to host 9th Annual Taste of Delaware", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\r\n U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce\r\nwill bring food and drinkfromthe First State to Capitol Hillon Wednesdayfor the 9th Annual Taste of Delaware. The annual event, held\r\nin the Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building,willtake place on Wednesday, December 11, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. This\r\nevent is a celebration of the talented and passionate restauranteurs, chefs,\r\nbakers, distillers, and brewers who make Delaware truly unique, said Senator\r\nCoons. As the honorary host for the 9th Annual Taste of Delaware, I'mexcitedtobe\r\nworking with the\r\nState Chamber again to showcase the state of Delaware on Capitol Hill. The\r\nTaste of Delaware commemorates the anniversary of Delaware ratifying the\r\nConstitution in 1787 and will showcase some of the state's best flavors from\r\nmore than 20 food and beverage vendors such as The Starboard, Dogfish Head\r\nCraft Brewery, Mispillion River Brewing, Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, SoDel\r\nConcepts, Home Grown Caf, Brick Works, Kee's Cookies & Cupcakes, and\r\nUDairy Creamery. The\r\nevent is free and open to the public. To RSVP, clickHERE. MEDIA\r\nAVAILABILITY WHO:U.S. Senator Chris Coons, Delaware State Chamber of\r\nCommerce WHAT:9th Annual Taste of Delaware WHEN:Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019 WHERE:\r\nKennedy Caucus Room Russell Senate Office Building CONTACT: Brendan Mackie (Coons) at 302.468.0545 orKelly Basile (DSCC) at 302.576.6564 ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-coons-statement-on-the-doj-inspector-general-report-on-the-russia-probe", "Senator Coons\u2019 statement on the DOJ Inspector General report on the Russia probe", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on the release of the Justice Department's Inspector General (IG) report on certain actions taken during the FBI investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. After an exhaustive investigation, the DOJ Inspector General's report makes clear that this was a legitimate investigation into Russian interference, not some conspiracy to get the President. Based on the unanimous conclusion of our intelligence community, we know that Russia engaged in an unprecedented attack on our elections  hacking into computers, strategically releasing stolen materials, and conducting a massive disinformation campaign to sow division in American society and to help the Trump campaign. It was the FBI's job to investigate. Far from a hoax' or a witch hunt,' the Special Counsel investigation produced 37 indictments, guilty pleas, and convictions, including from President Trump's campaign manager, his national security advisor, and his personal attorney. This was a legitimate, warranted investigation into serious wrongdoing. I am glad that the IG report found no evidence of political bias or improper motivation in opening the investigation into Russian interference. That said, we must hold our law enforcement to the highest standards. I appreciate the FBI's full cooperation with the investigation and Director Wray's prompt action to address the errors that the Inspector General identified, promote accountability, and implement the IG's recommendations. As the FBI moves forward in implementing these changes, we as a nation should not be distracted from the threat of foreign interference in our elections. We must confront these ongoing attacks on a bipartisan basis, and it is my hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me in doing just that.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sens-coons-harris-colleagues-call-for-stephen-miller-to-be-fired", "Sens. Coons, Harris, colleagues call for Stephen Miller to be fired", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and other Senate Democrats in a letter addressed to President Donald J. Trump, demanding the immediate removal of Stephen Miller from his position as a White House senior adviser.  The letter follows recent reports detailing over 900 e-mails, sent from Mr.Millerto far-right Breitbart News between 2015 and 2016, which confirm that Mr.Millerworked to advance whitesupremacist, anti-immigrant ideologies. In the letter, the senators connect the e-mails to specific immigration policies Mr.Millerhas implemented in his current position.  In addition to Coons and Harris, Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) signed the letter.  Mr.Miller's demonstrable white nationalist ideology has directly translated into your administration's policies, which have been widely criticized for systematically targeting communities of color,wrote the senators.The Muslim ban targeted individuals of color and caused chaos at U.S. airports around the country, wreaking havoc on the lives of countless individuals and families.The family separation policy tore children from their families, resulting in widely reported mistreatment and human rights abuses of immigrants in detention facilities nationwide.  The senators continued,When someone takes an oath to work in the White House and earn a taxpayer-funded salary, they work for the people, not a divisive, harmful, and hateful ideology. These e-mails clearly show what is driving Mr.Miller. It's not national security, it's white supremacysomething that has no place in our country, federal government, and especially not the White House. Mr.Miller's views go against everything we stand for as a country.They are unacceptable and unjust.Simply put, Mr.Milleris unfit to serve in any capacity at the White House, let alone as a senior policy adviser.We demand that you removeStephenMillerimmediately.  The letter has the support of Southern Poverty Law Center, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Bend The Arc, Immigration Hub, National Immigrant Justice Center, Center for American Progress, and Families Belong Together. The full text of the letter is availablehereand below: December 9, 2019  President Donald J. Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20500  Dear Mr. President:  We write to demand the immediate removal ofStephenMilleras your advisor.Recent reports confirm that he advanced white nationalist, anti-immigrant ideologies.Continuing to employ him as the senior architect of your immigration policies ensures that those policies discriminate against individuals of color to advance white nationalist ideals.He must be removed.  According to over 900 recently published e-mails datedMarch 4, 2015 to June 27, 2016, Mr.Miller, who was an aide to Senator Jeff Sessions at the time, actively pressured editors and writers at far-right website, Breitbart, to publish white nationalist articles.1He drew his source material from known far-right websites peddling conspiracy theories, including VDARE and Infowars.When Pope Francis called for the United States to welcome immigrants, Mr.Millerproposed a story on The Camp of the Saints, an overwhelmingly racist white genocide-themed novel detailing an immigrant invasion designed to wipe out the white race.The book dehumanizes immigrants by, among other things, painting them as physically grotesque.It is simply appalling that a senior advisor to the President advanced parallels between this book and contemporary events.  Alarmingly, this was not an isolated incident.Rather, it is just one of myriad highly disturbing communications.After a white nationalist killed nine African-Americans during Bible studyat the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, Mr.Millersought to protect Confederate iconography by targeting online shopping platforms that stopped selling Confederate flags.His e-mails regularly utilized verbiage commonly associated with the white nationalist movement, including the phrases great replacement and new America.  Mr.Miller's demonstrable white nationalist ideology has been directly translated into your administration's policies, which have been widely criticized for systematically targeting communities of color.The Muslim ban targeted individuals of color and caused chaos at U.S. airports around the country, wreaking havoc on the lives of countless individuals and families.The family separation policy tore children from their families, resulting in widely reported mistreatment and human rights abuses of immigrants in detention facilities nationwide.The rescission of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has thrown the lives of hundreds of thousands of DREAMers into chaos and instability.Mr.Millerhas also reportedly advanced your administration's efforts to slash refugee admissions, limit asylum access for vulnerable populations, prevent extensions of Temporary Protected Status to those granted safety from humanitarian crises abroad, and disqualify immigrants who use public resources from receiving certain immigration benefits.Each and every one of these policies has a disproportionate adverse impact on communities of color and our country.Each and every one of them aligns with the white nationalist ideals espoused by Mr.Millerin his e-mails.  Words matter.They can divide or bring people together and sow hope or hate. On August 3, 2019, a shooter opened fire at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, killing 22 individuals in one of the deadliest hate crimes against Latinos in U.S. history.The shooter left behind a manifesto specifically citing anti-Hispanic and anti-immigrant sentiments as the reasons he opened fire that day. This was just one of an alarmingly high number of recent hate crimes throughout our country.  When someone takes an oath to work in the White House and earns a taxpayer-funded salary, they work for the people, not to advance a divisive, harmful, and hateful ideology. These e-mails clearly show what is driving Mr.Miller. It's not national security, it's white supremacysomething that has no place in our country, federal government, and especially not the White House. Mr.Miller's views go against everything we stand for as a country.They are unacceptable and unjust.Simply put, Mr.Milleris unfit to serve in any capacity at the White House, let alone as a senior policy adviser.We demand that you removeStephenMillerimmediately.  Sincerely,  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-says-congress-should-be-ashamed-by-its-failure-to-lead-on-pfas-provisions-in-ndaa", "Carper says Congress Should Be Ashamed by Its Failure to Lead on PFAS Provisions in NDAA", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, slammed congressional colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their jettisoning of bipartisan, widely agreed-upon provisions in the nation's defense authorization bill that would have taken key steps to address PFAS contamination in communities throughout America, including hundreds of communities in or near military bases.\r\nDespite a voice vote in the House and 53 senators on record as supporting the designation of all 4,000 PFAS as hazardous substances under the Superfund law, it is appalling that Senate Republicans opposedand some senior House Democrats did not insist ona principled, compromise measure to begin cleanup at military sites and in communities throughout the country for just two of the most harmful legacy PFAS chemicals, said Senator Carper.\r\nCarper continued, Similarly, the insistence by some senior House Democrats to remove a bipartisan Senate provision adopted on a 100-0 basis to require a drinking water standard for these harmful chemicals flies in the face of our obligation to protect every American's right to have access to clean, drinkable water.\r\nCongress had a key opportunity to give these hundreds of American communities the help they so desperately need and deserve. But because of behind-the-scenes, beltway politics we are about to miss that opportunity. This outcome betrays the solemn responsibility we have as lawmakers to protect our military families and all residents of this country, and Congress should be ashamed by its failure to lead, said Carper.\r\nAccording to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), PFAS has been detected in the drinking water of 19 million Americans across 49 states. Nationwide, EWG data from September shows that there are nearly 300 military installations with known contamination, including two in Delaware at Dover Air Force Base and New Castle Air National Guard Base.\r\nIn July, the Senate passed an amendment to NDAA that was introduced by Senator Carper, EPW Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) that included several measures that had been approved unanimously by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Despite the widespread bipartisan support for that package, the NDAA conference report does not include one of its key provisions that would create a two-year deadline for setting a federal drinking water standard for these chemicals.\r\nThe NDAA conference report also does not include provisions that treat PFAS as hazardous substances under the EPA Superfund law  even though Senator Carper's legislation, the PFAS Action Act of 2019, has 53 bipartisan Senate cosponsors, and the same legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and unanimously approved by the House as an amendment to the House NDAA.\r\nThe PFAS-related measures that are included in the NDAA conference report include:\r\n\r\n \r\nThe PFAS Release Disclosure Act (S. 1507), legislation Senators Capito and Carper led with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) to require public reporting of environmental releases of about 200 different PFAS chemicals under the Toxics Release Inventory starting on January 1, 2020, while requiring EPA to use formal rulemaking processes and scientific evidence in decisions regarding whether to require similar reporting for additional PFAS in the future.\r\nIssuance of a section 8(a) data call to PFAS manufacturers under the Toxic Substances Control Act to obtain information about which PFAS chemicals were historically manufactured and sold.\r\nFinalization of EPA's 2015 proposed Significant New Use Rule on long-chain PFAS under the Toxic Substances Control Act by June, 2020.\r\nRequirement for EPA to issue guidance on how to dispose of and destroy PFAS and materials containing PFAS.\r\nFunding for research, require new monitoring and sampling, and require better interagency coordination on PFAS chemicals.\r\n \r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/delawareans-encouraged-to-enroll-in-aca-health-insurance-marketplace-by-dec-15-deadline", "Delawareans Encouraged to Enroll in ACA Health Insurance Marketplace by Dec. 15 Deadline", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. With the Dec. 15thdeadline quickly approaching, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) teamed up with Westside Family Healthcare today to remind Delawareans and all Americans in need of health insurance to find a plan that fits their needs and budget through the Affordable Care Act's health insurance marketplace.\r\n\r\nHosted by the Rehoboth Art League, the event highlighted artists who, along with other entrepreneurs, often need to find their own health insurance. Carper highlighted that, in Delaware, the average premiums have decreased by 19 percent for insurance beginning in 2020, making the marketplace a more affordable choice for folks who need health insurance.\r\n\r\nThis is great news for Delawareans who get their health insurance on the ACA marketplace,said Senator Carper.The ACA is still the law of the land and, in Delaware, it's working to provide more affordable health insurance and increase access to health care. I encourage everyone in need of health insurance: don't delay a day more! Go to healthcare.gov right now before time runs out.\r\n\r\nFederal tax credits are available for those whose household income is between 138 percent and 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. For 2020, that's between $17,236 and $49,960 for an individual, or between $35,535 and $103,000 for a family of four. For coverage in 2019, about 85 percent of enrollees in Delaware were eligible for tax credits, which help reduce the cost of the monthly premium.\r\n\r\nDelawareans who need help enrolling in coverage will have access to free in-person assistance from federally funded and trained specialists at Westside Family Healthcare.\r\n\r\nAs a community health center, Westside Family Healthcare continues to play a critical role in ensuring our most vulnerable populations have access to affordable health coverage,said Lolita Lopez, president & CEO of Westside Family Healthcare.Our enrollment specialists are here to help Delawareans enroll before the December 15th deadline. I encourage Delawareans to schedule an appointment by calling (302) 472-8655 or visiting one of our walk-in sessions which can be found at www.westsidehealthcare.org/choosehealth.\r\n\r\nState-licensed insurance agents and brokers are also available to help individuals re-enroll and to help employers update their coverage, at no extra charge. For more information, go towww.ChooseHealthDE.com. Consumers can enroll in marketplace coverage atwww.HealthCare.govor by calling 1 (800) 318-2596 (TTY: 1 855 889-4325).\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/photo-release-carper-accepts-award-with-delaware-leaders-and-students-at-jobs-for-america-s-graduates", "Carper Accepts Award with Delaware Leaders and Students at Jobs for Americas Graduates", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) joined Delaware leaders at the Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) 2019 Luncheon & National Leadership Awards ceremony. Senator Carper and state leaders, includingstate Senator and President of Jobs for Delaware Graduates (JDG) Nicole Poore, accepted the First State of JAG Award on behalf of the many Delaware leaders and students who have contributed to the program's success.\r\n\r\nEvery year, this event renews my confidence in our country when I get the chance to see and hear from the remarkable range of leaders and committed supporters who work so hard on behalf of America's young people,said Senator Carper.You have made an investment of your time and your talent in one of America's great success stories - and one that Delaware is especially proud to claim, since Delaware is not only the state that founded America but also the state that started Jobs for America's Graduates.One of the things I focused on when I was governor of Delaware was trying to create a nurturing environment for job creation and preservation. More jobs were created in the eight years when I was governor than any eight-year period in the history of the state of Delaware. I did not create one of those jobs. Governors, Senators, Mayors, and Presidents always talk about the jobs they created. We do not create jobs. We help create that nurturing environment for job creation  that's the key. A big part of that nurturing environment is workforce.Yesterday, nearly 160 million Americans went to work. At the same time 5 million jobs had nobody to fill them. We cannot afford to leave our children behind and we cannot afford to leave jobs going unfilled. The future leaders I have met through the JDG program in Delaware schools are gaining the necessary skills to fill the jobs of tomorrow and I cannot think of a more worthy cause to support. The magic behind JDG are the job specialists here today. You're making a difference in the lives of so many. The most rewarding part of my job is that every day, I get to help people. We try to make sure that everybody has a chance to be successful, that everybody has a chance to get an education or to join the military. We want to make sure our children have the skills they need to be prepared to work. And that's what JDG is all about. To the leaders here today who continue to support this program and who have given their life's work and time to this program, thank you.\r\n\r\nIt was a proud moment for Jobs for Delaware Graduates (JDG) to receive the JAG First State Award,said state Senator and President of JDG Nicole Poore.Since 1978, JDG has worked side by side with over 83,000students to overcome barriers to graduate fromhigh school, pursuing post-secondary education and secure employment. Through partnerships with 23 high schools and 10 middle schools, it has been with the support of Senator Carper, our current board members, and the JDG staff that keeps our students motivated to select a career pathway that best suits their dreams. JDG is recognized, nationally, as the cornerstone of the JAG network. Founded in Delaware as a pilot, under the leadership of then Governor Pete du Pont, JAG has since grown into a national program serving over 1.4 million young people in 39 states. JAG more than doubles the rate at which young people get jobs.' To that end, we look forward to another 40 years of helping Delaware's youth achieve academic, career, personal, and social success.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-bipartisan-colleagues-demand-ed-dept-ig-investigation-into-loan-forgiveness-process-following-alarming-npr-report", "Sen. Coons, bipartisan colleagues demand Ed Dept. IG investigation into loan forgiveness process following alarming NPR report", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Education urging the department's acting inspector general, Sandra Bruce, to investigate the federal student loan discharge process forAmericans with total and permanent disabilities (TPD). Themembers' letter comes after an alarming report fromNational Public Radio (NPR), aired earlier this week, that found that hundreds of thousands of Americanswith qualifying disabilitieshave not received the student loan relief they are entitled to by law. In addition to Senator Coons, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) along with U.S. Representatives Ron Kind (D-Wis.), Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and Don Young (R-Alaska).Since 2016, Senator Coons has been the leading voice in the Senate on this issue. In 2017, hisStop Taxing Death and Disability Act, a bill to remove the federal tax penalty for federal student loans that are discharged due to death or total and permanent disability, was passed into law. Senator Coons has led several letters, sent onFebruary 15, 2018andOctober 9, 2019respectively, to the Department of Education urging the department tomake the student loan discharge process automatic upon a borrower being matched in the database. We are alarmed by the findings in thisNPRinvestigation, the reported extremely low rate of loan discharges for eligible borrowers, and the contrast between theNPRreport and the information previously provided by ED,Senator Coons and his colleagueswrote.We are also concerned by ED's lack of transparency with Congress and failure to provide timely, verifiable information. Most importantly, it appears that ED's process for TPD loan discharges is failing to provide student loan relief to hundreds of thousands of Americans, including veterans, who are entitled to this relief under the law. The letter is copied below and availablehere. December 5, 2019  The Honorable Sandra D. Bruce Acting Inspector General Office of Inspector General U.S. Department of Education 550 12th Street, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20202  Dear Acting Inspector General Bruce:  We write with serious concern about the Department of Education's (ED) process to discharge federal student loans for totally and permanently disabled Americans, including veterans.  Under theHigher Education Act of 1965, individuals who are totally and permanently disabled (TPD) are eligible to have their outstanding federal student loans forgiven. Under theTax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, federal student loans that are discharged due to death or TPD are exempt from federal income tax. ED currently utilizes data provided through matching agreements with the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to identify disabled federal student loan borrowers who may be eligible for TPD loan discharge. In August 2019, the Trump Administration announced that borrowers identified through VA data would automatically have their loans discharged. Yet borrowers matched with SSA data, including veterans with non-service-connected disabilities, still must submit a discharge application. As we have said before, despite the existing legal benefit for loan discharge and the removal of the federal tax penalty two years ago, many borrowers, in applying for relief, face significant challenges that are both administratively burdensome and unnecessary. We wrote to ED on a bipartisan basis several times urging the Administration to automatically discharge these federal student loans, including in letters sent on February 15, 2018, and October 9, 2019. Our letter in October cited data provided to our staff by ED that as of March 2019, only 40% of eligible borrowers identified in the SSA match have had their loans discharged. However, according to aNational Public Radio(NPR)report that aired on December 4, 2019, that is not the case[1]. The investigation found that between March 2016 and September 2019, 555,000 borrowers were identified through the SSA data match as eligible for TPD discharge and were sent a letter in the mail. Ultimately, only 156,000, or 28%, of those borrowers had their loans discharged or are on track for that to happen. These numbers do not include borrowers matched through VA data, information we still have not seen. We are alarmed by the findings in thisNPRinvestigation, the reported extremely low rate of loan discharges for eligible borrowers, and the contrast between theNPRreport and the information previously provided by ED. We are also concerned by ED's lack of transparency with Congress and failure to provide timely, verifiable information. Most importantly, it appears that ED's process for TPD loan discharges is failing to provide student loan relief to hundreds of thousands of Americans, including veterans, who are entitled to this relief under the law. We urge ED's Office of Inspector General to investigate the TPD loan discharge process immediately and answer the following questions:  How many individuals in total have been identified through ED's data match with the SSA and the VA since March 2016? Please list the numbers for SSA and VA separately.How many of these matched borrowers have received a loan discharge?Of those borrowers who were matched but ultimately did not receive a loan discharge, what are the reasons the discharge did not occur? How many borrowers are associated with each reason, including income monitoring?Why has the Administration rejected bipartisan calls to pursue automatic discharge for Americans with non-service-related disabilities?How can ED improve its data system for the TPD process and ensure this information is communicated with Congress in a transparent and timely manner?What steps does ED need to take to make this process automatic, meaning once a borrower is flagged as eligible, the discharge is not contingent upon administrative work by the borrower at the point of discharge or any point thereafter?  Enclosed are the cited letters from February 15, 2018, and October 9, 2019. We appreciate your attention to this important matter and request a commitment to investigate these questions by December 31, 2019.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/carper-and-whitehouse-epa-is-redefining-ambient-air-to-fit-industry-s-definition", "Carper and Whitehouse: EPA Is Redefining Ambient Air to Fit Industrys Definition", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), top Democrat on the EPW Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee, slammed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s final guidance that redefines ambient air under the Clean Air Act and EPA's regulations, a policy change that will exempt more outdoor air from pollution protections  and was specifically sought out by a secretive industry group formerly represented by EPA officials. This seemingly small and esoteric policy change will have serious implications for public health and the environment. By narrowing the definition of ambient air' under the Clean Air Act, EPA risks exposing more people across the country to harmful pollution,the senators said.What we're really seeing here is that EPA is redefining air' to suit the specific needs of industry. What was part of former Air Administrator Wehrum's wish list is now his legacy.\r\nIn July, following a months-long investigation, Senators Carper and Whitehouse unveiled their report, Redefining Air: Industry's Pipeline to Power at EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. The report detailed efforts by former EPA Assistant Administrator Bill Wehrum and his senior counsel, David Harlow, to achieve policy outcomes to the benefit of several industry organizations represented by Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, the law firm at which Wehrum and Harlow worked prior to their tenures at EPA.\r\nThis newly issued EPA policy appears to have been first recommended to the EPA in March 2018 by one of those Hunton-represented organizations, the NAAQs Implementation Coalition, which is comprised of at least nine industry groups. The Coalition asked EPA to redefine and narrow the meaning of ambient air, which would reduce the amount of outdoor air protected by the Clean Air Act in the first instance  precisely what EPA is doing here.\r\nAt the time this policy change was proposed, Mr. Wehrum was recused from meeting with his former clientsat least four of whom were members of the NAAQS Implementation Coalition, including Coalition member the Utility Air Regulatory Group (UARG). One of those meetings, held shortly after Mr. Wehrum assumed control of the EPA air office, was at Hunton's offices with only Hunton lawyers and UARG members present. That meeting included a question-and-answer component, and it is still unknown what topics were discussed in private between Mr. Wehrum, his former work colleagues, and his polluting former clients.\r\nSenators Carper and Whitehouse reiterated their call for the EPA Inspector General to investigate Mr. Wehrum's potential ethical lapses before his departure from the agency.\r\nIt seems that the EPA Inspector General has been reluctant to investigate even the most flagrant and well-documented violations of public trust. Those responsible for ethical violations should be held accountable to their actions, even when they leave the agency. Failure to hold those people responsible sends the wrong message to other public servants that one can avoid investigation simply by resigning when an investigation is opened or completed,the senators continued.Although he is no longer at EPA, Mr. Wehrum's policy agenda has endured at the agency. The EPA Inspector General should investigate Mr. Wehrum's apparent efforts to achieve the policy objectives of his former clients.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/epa-ig-pruitt-led-glider-trucks-rollback-ignored-rulemaking-process-lacked-transparency", "EPA IG: Pruitt-led Glider Trucks Rollback Ignored Rulemaking Process, Lacked Transparency", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) and Tom Udall (D  N.M.), top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, made a joint statement after the EPA Inspector General released the findings of its probe into EPA's November 2017 proposal to repeal air emission standards for heavy-polluting glider trucks. This new report, requested by Senators Carper and Udall, revealed the troubling extent to which the Trump EPA went to break the law and abuse the regulatory process in order to benefit individual political benefactors from the glider truck industry.\r\nThe report relates to a November 2017 proposal by then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, which would have repealed all federal emission standards for so-called glider vehicles. New glider trucks are often referred to as zombie trucks because, while they look new on the outside, on the inside they have old, dirty diesel engines that emit exponentially more pollution than modern trucks do.\r\nAs part of its investigation, the IG also obtained access to Scott Pruitt's emails, including some but potentially not all emails deleted from his account. According to the Inspector General, Scott Pruitt personally directed that this proposal be done as quickly as possible without conducting the analyses required by [Executive Orders] 12866 and 13045, which require cost-benefit analyses and analyses of the impacts on children's health. Emails from another EPA political appointee show that the agency did not conduct those economic or health analyses in part because they would most likely not be as supportive' of the proposal as OMB and others, presumably Pruitt, might like. As the IG wrote, the Trump EPA lacked transparency and deprived the public of required information.\r\nAs the EPA Inspector General made clear, Scott Pruitt secretly orchestrated a legally and scientifically flawed process to undo protections against dirty glider trucks, a move that would undermine decades of clean air progress largely for the benefit of one politically connected company, Senators Carper and Udall said in response to the report. According to the report, Mr. Pruitt insisted that his staff plow ahead with this rollback without a cost-benefit analysis or children's health impact assessment, as required by law. It is apparent that Mr. Pruitt was committed to seeing this through at the behest of this single company, regardless of what rules were broken along the way.\r\nThe senators continued, The report unveiled another disturbing finding: EPA's efforts were aided by the White House's Office of Management and Budget, which impeded the IG's investigation, covered up EPA's wrongdoing and violated the law. Administrator Wheeler should do the right thing and immediately withdraw this dangerous, life-threatening proposal. All Americans should applaud the work of EPA's independent Inspector General in thoroughly investigating this abuse.\r\nThe IG also found that that the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB)'s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) advised EPA to unlawfully change the status of the proposed rule in order to avoid establishing the economic justification required by Executive Orders 12866 and 13045. Specifically, the IG found that despite the health benefits of the existing rules being $6$14 billion dollars a yearmaking their repeal clearly economically significantpolitical appointees in EPA's Office of Policy changed the text the day before the rule was signed to say it was not economically significant.\r\nThe IG also found that OMB further violated the law when it impeded the IG investigation into OIRA's role in the review and promulgation of the proposed Glider Rule. When the EPA IG requested that OMB provide specific responses and documentation related to OIRA's role in the rulemaking, OMB refused, stating that the information was particularly sensitive. By failing to cooperate with the IG investigation, OMB violated the Inspector General Act of 1978.\r\nFrom a public health perspective, this proposal was one of the most reckless and dangerous efforts of Scott Pruitt's short EPA career. According to internal agency research not released until after EPA published this proposal, a new 2017 glider truck can emit up to 450 times the particulate matter (PM) pollution, and up to 43 times the nitrous oxide (NOx) pollution, of model year 2014 and 2015 trucks. That is so much pollution that, in another EPA analysis, the agency concluded that if left unregulated glider trucks could be responsible for fully one-third of all heavy-duty truck emissions, even while constituting only 5% of the heavy-duty trucks on the road. EPA concluded that those emissions could literally result in the deaths of thousands of people each year, not to mention increasing instances of lung cancer, chronic lung disease, heart disease, and severe asthma attacks.\r\nIn March 2018, Senators Carper and Udall requested documents and information from EPA that sparked the EPA IG's own investigation. Months later, in December 2018, the EPA OIG agreed to Senators Carper and Udall's request to broaden its investigation into matters related to the glider truck proposal.\r\nEarlier this year, Congress was warned by the EPA IG that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) was not cooperating with the probe. The EPA IG was able to complete the probe despite the months of obstruction by OMB.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/permanent-funding-for-dsu-sen-coons-bipartisan-bill-backed-by-sen-carper-to-permanently-fund-dsu-and-other-hbcus-passes-the-senate", "Permanent funding for DSU: Sen. Coons\u2019 bipartisan bill, backed by Sen. Carper, to permanently fund DSU and other HBCUs, passes the Senate", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, the Senate passed a bipartisan agreement brokered byU.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and several leading Republican and Democratic Senators, also supported by Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.),to make permanent $255 million in annual funding for historically black colleges and universities and minority serving institutionslike Delaware State University. The legislation will alsosimplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, for 20 million American families, and streamline income-driven repayment for nearly 8 million borrowers.Funding for the institutions had lapsed on September 30.  This is a historic day for Delaware State University and HBCUs across the country, which have played a critical role in helping to ensure that every Delawarean and every American is able to access higher education,Senator Coons said.HBCUs like Delaware State are among our nation's most important and cherished institutions, and I'm proud that we were able to reach a bipartisan agreement to permanently provide them with the federal funding they deserve.  Senator Coons added:This bill doesn't only support DSU and HBCUs  it will also simplify the federal student aid process so that millions of American students can access the federal student aid available to them.  I'm pleased that this bipartisan agreement is now one step closer to being signed into law. It will bring permanent federal funding to Delaware State University and other HBCUs across the country and enable these universities to focus on what they do best: educating our students in the classroom and preparing them for lasting careers in today's workforce,said Senator Carper.In Delaware, we know that the money provided through the Higher Education Act is a smart investment that will bolster our workforce and our economy. Last month, I visited Delaware State University and heard directly from students and faculty members about how important this federal funding is to the university's success. I want to thank my colleagues Senators Murray and Alexander, as well as Senators Jones, Coons, Scott and Burr, and members of their staffs, for working in good faith to reach a bipartisan agreement that provides our HBCUs and students with the funding they deserve. Senators Carper and Coons have been outspoken in their support of funding for Delaware State University and HBCUs.Last month, Carper and Coons joined 34 of their colleagues in letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to call for immediate passage of the FUTURE Act reauthorization bill. They eachspoke outon the Senate floor late last month urging Senators on both sides of the aisle to support this critical, permanent funding extension.In October, Carper hosted a roundtable at DSUto discuss critical funding for HBCUs and urged Congress to immediately extend funding. Permanently reauthorizes and provides $255 million in annual mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions  Is fully paid for by including the FAFSA Act which passed the Senate unanimously last year and which:  Allows Providing Tax Information only OnceStudents do not have to give their tax information to the federal government twice  Eliminates up to 22 QuestionsStudents give permission to the Department of Education to request tax return data already given to the Internal Revenue Service, which reduces the 108 questions on the FAFSA by up to 22 questions  Eliminates Verification NightmareFor most students, eliminates so-called verification which is a bureaucratic nightmare that 5.5 million students go through annually to make sure the information they gave to the Department of Education is exactly the same as they gave to the IRS  Eliminates $6 Billion in MistakesAccording to the Department of Education, helps taxpayers by eliminating up to $6 billion each year in mistakes (both overpayments and underpayments) in Pell grants and student loans  Enables 7 million applicants who are currently unable to access their IRS data for their FAFSA to verify that they do not file taxes without requesting separate documentation from the IRS  Streamlines student loan repayment by eliminating burdensome annual paperwork for 7.7 million federal student loan borrowers on income-driven plans  According to the Congressional Budget Office, the FAFSA Act saves taxpayers $2.8 billion over ten years which will be used to pay for the permanent funding for HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-when-youre-guilty-the-last-thing-you-want-is-a-long-trialbecause-inevitably-your-defense-falls-apart", "Sen. Coons: \u201cWhen you're guilty, the last thing you want is a long trial\u2026because inevitably your defense falls apart\u201d", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined CNN's Alisyn Camerota to discuss the impeachment inquiry and possible Senate trial. I think a full-blown defense that says this is a hoax and that there is absolutely nothing to it will be difficult for them to sustain. When you're guilty, the last thing you want is a long trial with lots of witnesses because inevitably your defense falls apart.said Senator Coons. I think it is ridiculous that [Republican Senators] are suggesting calling the former Vice President, who is the leading opponent of President Trump for the 2020 presidential election, in order to grill him about his alleged role in Ukraine,continued Senator Coons. I suspect Republicans would quickly come to regret giving him the opportunity to speak up about President Trump's role in interfering with Ukraine in such an unprecedented way. Video and audio availablehere. Excerpts from the interview: Have you heard any rumblings about what Speaker Pelosi is going to say at 9 a.m.? Senator Coons:I don't know what Speaker Pelosi is going to say this morning, but I must say I have been impressed over the last few months as she has handled this very difficult, challenging issue of impeachment and how to continue passing meaningful bills that actually speak to the real issues facing Americans month in and month out. After President Trump was revealed by a whistleblower to have demonstrably interfered in our upcoming elections by asking a vulnerable ally, Ukraine, to do him a favor, I believe Speaker Pelosi did the right thing in opening an impeachment inquiry and I think following the conclusion of the House Intelligence Committee hearings over the last couple of weeks  it has now been referred to House Judiciary  I strongly suspect Speaker Pelosi will announce a timeline for an impeachment vote by the end of the year, but I think we will all have to stay tuned for the 9 a.m. announcement. What are your GOP colleagues planning for the Senate impeachment trial? Will there be live witnesses? Senator Coons:Well, I think there is a vigorous debate going on within the Republican caucus between those who think they should simply allow the House managers to come over and make their case and a representative for the President to briefly make his case and then simply vote to dismiss it, which would take all of a week, perhaps. Or those who agree with the President that he should engage in a full on, vigorous defense on the floor of the Senate that could take weeks and would involve calling a series of live witnesses. I think it is ridiculous that they are suggesting calling the former Vice President, who is the leading opponent of President Trump for the 2020 presidential election, in order to grill him about his alleged role in Ukraine. There has been no evidence offeredby any person who testified in the House or by any credible news source that there be a reason to call the former Vice President, and I suspect Republicans would quickly come to regret giving him the opportunity to speak up about President Trump's role in interfering with Ukraine in such an unprecedented way. What happens if they do call Joe Biden? Senator Coons:Well bluntly, because the Republicans have the majority in the Senate and they ultimately could set the rules for this impeachment trial by a bare majority, there is very little Democrats in the Senate could do to stop them. We will be relying on a small number of Republicans who are pushing back against this idea and who recognize that impeachment is a serious, significant, constitutional moment. There are, I believe, a few Republicans who recognize that what President Trump did here was demonstrably impeachable, but who are very concerned about the political consequences for them and their party. Those of us who were watching just heard Charlie Dent, former House Republican member, former Chairman of the House Ethics Committee, who is a well-regarded, long-serving, centrist Republican say that it is obvious that President Trump did something seriously wrong here, and so I think a full-blown defensethat says this is a hoax and that there is absolutely nothing to it will be difficult for them to sustain. When you're guilty, the last thing you want is a long trial with lots of witnesses because inevitably your defense falls apart. How are Democrats preparing for Republicans' strategy? Senator Coons: Well first, we continue to legislate. Later this morning, a bipartisan group of six senators is coming to the floor, I believe we are going to be passing a significant bill for higher education, for funding Historically Black Colleges and fixing the federal aid for student assistance, the FAFSA form. This is something that will be significant for thousands of Americans and I am joining with a bipartisan group in calling for an inspector general inquiry into how the Department of Education is failing in their mission to provide student loan relief for hundreds of thousands of Americans, who are totally and permanently disabled, something I've worked with Senator Portman on now for several years. So frankly, we are continuing to do work to get bills passed and we are having conversations about how we'll respond, but there hasn't been a serious beginning of negotiations between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate about what the rules will be. I'll remind you that during the Clinton impeachment, ultimately, the rules for proceeding were adopted unanimously after a meeting in the old Senate chamber of the entire Senate. It is my hope that after this morning's announcement by Speaker Pelosi, if it's clear that the trial is likely to be moving forward, that we will see prompt negotiations between Majority Leader McConnell and Minority LeaderSchumer, but we should be setting fair and serious ground rules for us to conduct this important, constitutional role for the Senate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/tillis-coons-cassidy-and-hirono-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-seize-counterfeit-products-and-protect-american-consumers-and-businesses", "Tillis, Coons, Cassidy & Hirono Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Seize Counterfeit Products and Protect American Consumers and Businesses", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.CToday, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) introduced bipartisan legislation to authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection to seize imported merchandise that infringes a design patentand harms U.S. consumers and businesses. According to a recentstudy, the estimated value of international and domestic trade in counterfeit and pirated goodswas over $1 trillion in 2013 and the estimated value is projected to reach nearly $2 trillion in 2022. TheCounterfeit GoodsSeizure Act of 2019would help reduce the flow of counterfeit goods entering the United States and protect U.S. consumers and businessesfrom dangerous, harmful, and illegal products. The inflow of counterfeit goodsinto the United States is an issue that affects American consumers and business alike and results inthe American economy losingbillions of dollarsevery year,said Senator Tillis.I am proud to introduce thisbipartisan legislation to give U.S. Customs and Border Protection the authority to seize merchandise that infringes on design patents so we can take steps to stem the flow of counterfeit goods and protect American interests.  Counterfeit goods brought into the United States from overseas cheat Americans who don't get the products they expect with their money,said Senator Coons.They also pose serious safety risks, line the pockets of organized crime, damage the reputations of legitimate American businesses, and rob them of hard-earned revenue. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan bill that will empower U.S. Customs and Border Protection to seize products for design patent infringement and safeguard American businesses and consumers.  Counterfeit products undermine American businesses and put families in danger,said Dr. Cassidy.Criminal organizations sell counterfeit goods to fund illegal activity. This Legislation better enables American law enforcement to combat criminal groups and protect Americans.  Counterfeit products from China and other countries flood our country at an alarming rate. These products steal sales from American companies and damage the brands those companies have worked so hard to build. Even more concerning, counterfeit products put the health and well-being of American consumers at risk,Senator Hirono said.While Customs and Border Protection has the authority to seize products that infringe copyrights and trademarks at the border, it lacks this same authority for products that infringe a design patent. Counterfeiters exploit this loophole by importing counterfeit products separately from labels containing an infringing trademark, only attaching the label once the counterfeit product has cleared customs. The Counterfeit Goods Seizure Act of 2019 closes this loophole by giving CBP the authority to seize counterfeit products that infringe design patents at the border. This simple change will go a long way toward protecting American consumers and businesses from harm. The Intellectual Property Owners Association and American Intellectual Property Law Association wrote a letter of supporthere. The International Trademark Association also wrote a letter of supporthere. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/epw-hearing-statement", "EPW Hearing Statement: Legislative Hearing on a bill to create a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a legislative hearing on a bill to create a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force. Below is the opening statement of Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-Del.), as prepared for delivery:\r\nThank you, Mr. Chairman. Although chronic wasting disease is an unfamiliar topic to many of us in the First State, our neighbors in Maryland and Pennsylvania are dealing with it firsthand. Therefore, in the spirit of the Golden Rule, Delaware has an interest in, and an obligation to, prevent the spread of this deadly disease.\r\nDeer are an important part of the ecosystem and link in the food chain. They're also an attraction for wildlife watching and hunting  two recreational activities enjoyed by our state's residents and visitors alike. In fact, I'm told that seven out of every 10 hunters in Delaware hunt deer.\r\nSpending associated with hunting and wildlife watching provides a major boost to our state's economy. The money spent on equipment, lodging, and transportation supports jobs and local businesses, as well as many of our state's conservation efforts. Additionally, the sale of all hunting licenses, tags, and stamps, when combined with funds generated from taxes on hunting equipment, comprises approximately 60 percent of Delaware's annual budget for wildlife programs.\r\nFurthermore, hunting is Delaware's primary tool for deer management, as it is in many of our states. If chronic wasting disease spreads into Delaware, it could deter these hunters. In addition to the impact that would have on our wildlife management revenues, it would force our state to divert resources to alternative deer management tools. So, while we may not have any context for managing the impact of chronic wasting disease in the First State, we can certainly understand the major threat that it poses to states' environments, recreational opportunities, and economies. With the disease now detected in 26 states nationwide, it's more important than ever that we work together to stop its spread and support the states, tribes and federal agencies grappling with its impacts.\r\nThe legislation we are considering today encourages federal agencies and states to better coordinate their monitoring, research and management efforts. With several federal agencies implicated in addressing the disease, creating a federal chronic wasting disease task force could be one step in the right direction.\r\nIn addition, as I think we'll hear from our witnesses today, we know that a task force is only part of the solution to the problem. The magnitude and severity of this disease demands a proportionate federal response, which should include meaningful funding.\r\nOver the past two Congresses, we have held multiple hearings on the conservation challenges our states are facing, including management of wildlife diseases, human-wildlife conflicts, and species conservation. Time and again, the message from states has been made clear: the best way the federal government can help states address conservation and management challenges is to ensure they have adequate resources to do their job.\r\nAs many of you have often heard me say, things worth having are worth paying for. I believe our nation's precious wildlife resources are worth having, and I think most Americans agree. That means we should work together to address both state and federal funding needs, while thinking creatively about how to pay for these investments.\r\nAddressing chronic wasting disease is a high priority. Our Committee also has pending before us numerous bipartisan wildlife conservation bills that help protect species that I hope we will seriously consider, too.\r\nEach of our witnesses today bring expertise on many of these matters. I look forward to hearing from them and to the conversation that will follow about how to comprehensively address chronic wasting disease and meet other conservation needs.\r\nThank you, Mr. Chairman, for bringing us together today and to our witnesses for joining us.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-featured-in-breaking-npr-report-student-loan-borrowers-with-disabilities-arent-getting-help-they-were-promised", "Sen. Coons featured in breaking NPR report: \u2018Student Loan Borrowers With Disabilities Aren't Getting Help They Were Promised\u2019", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  A National Public Radio (NPR)investigationhas found that hundreds of thousands of totally and permanently disabled (TPD) Americans have not received the student loan relief they are entitled to by law. U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.),theleading voice on this issue in the Senate, was featured in thereportthat was published this morning. Senator Coons expressed his concern that the Department of Education is failing to provide financial relief to hundreds of thousands of eligible TPD borrowers and hasn't provided adequate transparency to Congress in the process. \"I just don't understand why the Department of Education continues to fail to make good on this opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of Americans who've already suffered enough,Senator Coons told NPR.The Department of Education simply needs to match up social security numbers and full names and send a notice of discharge, rather than make folks jump through another hoop and another layer of bureaucratic red tape. Under theHigher Education Act of 1965, individuals who are TPD are eligible to have their outstanding federal student loans forgiven. Under theTax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, federal student loans that are discharged due to death or TPD are tax exempt. The Department of Education utilizes data provided through matching agreements with the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs to identify disabled federal student loan borrowers who may be eligible for TPD loan discharge.If identified in the match, borrowers are notified through a letter in the mail and must complete and submit a discharge application. Despite the existing legal benefit for loan discharge and the removal of a federal tax penalty two years ago, many borrowers, in applying for relief, face significant challenges that are both administratively burdensome and unnecessary. According to NPR'sinvestigation, only 28% of eligible borrowers identified between March 2016 and September 2019 have either had their loans erased or are on track for that to happen. Senator Coons' efforts in the Senate:In April 2016, Senator CoonsintroducedtheStop Taxing Death and Disability Actto exempt from tax federal and private student loans that are discharged due to the death of a child or TPD.Also, in 2016, Senator Coons called on the Education Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct a data match to identify permanently disabled veterans with outstanding student debt, just as the Education Department agreed to do with the Social Security Administration. Since theStop Taxing Death and Disability Actwas passed into law in December 2017 as part of theTax Cuts and Jobs Act, Senator Coons has led several letters, sent onFebruary 15, 2018andOctober 9, 2019respectively, to the Department of Education urging the department tomake the student loan discharge process automatic upon a borrower being matched in the database. On multiple occasions, Senator Coons and his staff have requested data from the Education Department that includes number of borrowers matched and number ofloans discharged. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-reaches-bipartisan-deal-backed-by-sen-carper-to-permanently-fund-dsu-and-other-hbcus-simplify-student-aid-process", "Sen. Coons reaches bipartisan deal, backed by Sen. Carper, to permanently fund DSU and other HBCUs, simplify student aid process", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) reached an agreement with Senate Education Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), supported by Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.)to make permanent $255 million in annual funding for historically black colleges and universities and minority serving institutionslike Delaware State University,simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, for 20 million American families, and streamline income-driven repayment for nearly 8 million borrowers.Funding for the institutions had lapsed on September 30.  HBCUs like Delaware State University have played a critical role in helping to ensure that every Delawarean and every American is able to access higher education,Senator Coons said.I'm thrilled that we've reached a bipartisan agreement to ensure that Delaware State and HBCUs across the country will be permanently funded and supported.He continued, I'm also proud that our agreement provides students a simpler path to accessing federal student aid and streamlines repayment processes for millions of student borrowers.  I want to thank my colleagues Senators Murray and Alexander, as well as Senators Jones, Coons, Scott and Burr, and members of their staffs, for working in good faith to reach a bipartisan agreement that provides our HBCUs and students with thefundingthey deserve,said Senator Carper.In Delaware, we know that the money provided through the Higher Education Actis a smart investment that will bolster our workforce and our economy. Last month, I visited Delaware State University and heard directly from students and faculty members about how important this federal funding is totheuniversity's success.I'm pleased that today's bipartisan agreement will bringpermanent federal fundingto Delaware State University and other HBCUs across the country and enable these universitiesto focus on what they do best: educating our students in the classroom and preparing them for lasting careers in today's workforce. Senators Carper and Coons have been outspoken in their support of funding for Delaware State University and HBCUs.Last month, Carper and Coons joined 34 of their colleagues in letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to call for immediate passage of the FUTURE Act reauthorization bill.They eachspoke outon the Senate floor late last month urging Senators on both sides of the aisle to support this critical, permanent funding extension.InOctober, Carper hosted a roundtable at DSU to discuss critical funding for HBCUs and urged Congress to immediately extend funding. Permanently reauthorizes and provides $255 million in annual mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions  Is fully paid for by including the FAFSA Act which passed the Senate unanimously last year and which:  Allows Providing Tax Information only OnceStudents do not have to give their tax information to the federal government twice  Eliminates up to 22 QuestionsStudents give permission to the Department of Education to request tax return data already given to the Internal Revenue Service, which reduces the 108 questions on the FAFSA by up to 22 questions  Eliminates Verification NightmareFor most students, eliminates so-called verification which is a bureaucratic nightmare that 5.5 million students go through annually to make sure the information they gave to the Department of Education is exactly the same as they gave to the IRS  Eliminates $6 Billion in MistakesAccording to the Department of Education, helps taxpayers by eliminating up to $6 billion each year in mistakes (both overpayments and underpayments) in Pell grants and student loans  Enables 7 million applicants who are currently unable to access their IRS data for their FAFSA to verify that they do not file taxes without requesting separate documentation from the IRS  Streamlines student loan repayment by eliminating burdensome annual paperwork for 7.7 million federal student loan borrowers on income-driven plans  According to the Congressional Budget Office, the FAFSA Act saves taxpayers $2.8 billion over ten years which will be used to pay for the permanent funding for HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/12/epw-subcommittee-hearing-statement", "EPW Subcommittee Hearing Statement: The Nomination of Robert J. Feitel to be Inspector General of the NRC", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Robert J. Feitel, of Maryland, to be Inspector General of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Below is the opening statement of Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the EPW Committee, who presided as ranking member at today's subcommittee hearing:\r\nThank you, Mr. Feitel, for appearing before our committee and for your willingness to serve as Inspector General of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).\r\nSince coming to the Senate almost 19 years ago, I have worked with both Democrat and Republican colleagues on this committee to strengthen the \"culture of safety\" within the U.S. nuclear energy industry. That includes making sure that the NRC is an independent and transparent regulator, one that prioritizes safety above all other issues. In part due to our collective oversight efforts, and in part due to the NRC's dedicated staff, the U.S. nuclear industry remains one of the safest in the world, and the NRC is the world's gold standard for nuclear regulatory agencies.\r\nToday, there are 96 nuclear reactors that are in operation in America. They are operating more efficiently than ever before, and they are producing more than 50 percent of our nation's carbon-free electricity.\r\nAs our nation  and other nations - look to nuclear energy to help address the climate crisis, we cannot be complacent when it comes to nuclear safety. Now, perhaps more than ever, the NRC and the nuclear industry must continue to be held to the highest standard. That means having a strong, independent NRC Inspector General.\r\nIf Mr. Feitel is confirmed, he will serve as one of the first lines of defense against fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement and misconduct across the NRC. If Mr. Feitel is confirmed, he will track and determine whether the NRC has the tools necessary to keep our country's nuclear power the safest in the world. And, if Mr. Feitel is confirmed, my colleagues in Congress and I will depend on him to keep us informed about the serious issues that may arise related to NRC programs and operations. Put simply, if confirmed as the NRC Inspector General, Mr. Feitel will serve as a watchdog for the safety of the American people.\r\nIn order to fill this critical role, I believe Mr. Feitel must bring integrity, independence and transparency to the job every day. I look forward to hearing Mr. Feitel's testimony to get a better sense of his understanding of the important job to which he's been nominated.\r\nThank you again, Mr. Feitel, for being here today. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-coons-statement-on-house-intelligence-committee-impeachment-report", "Senator Coons\u2019 statement on House Intelligence Committee impeachment report", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on the release of the House Intelligence Committee report on the impeachment inquiry. During two weeks of testimony before the House Intelligence Committee, career diplomats, decorated veterans, and President Trump's own appointees all presented a consistent, straightforward set of facts: The President clearly, intentionally abused his power to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political opponent  and he used foreign aid money as a bribe to do it. The hearings made clear that this wasn't just a phone call.' It was an organized, coordinated campaign by the President and his inner circle to pressure Ukraine into helping him win reelection, all while undermining U.S. national security in the process. The question now is how Congress will respond. This isn't business as usual, and it is profoundly dangerous for any of us to pretend otherwise. It is my hope that my colleagues from both sides of the aisle in the Senate will take a moment and think about what role they want to play at this moment in our country's history. I hope the Senate will put fidelity to the country and the Constitution over loyalty to the President, consider the facts, and treat this inquiry with the seriousness it deserves.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sens-carper-coons-stand-up-for-constitutionally-protected-reproductive-rights-file-amicus-brief-in-critical-supreme-court-case", "Sens. Carper, Coons Stand Up for Constitutionally Protected Reproductive Rights; File Amicus Brief in Critical Supreme Court Case", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.), along with 34 other Senators and 161 members of the U.S. House of Representatives,filed an amicus briefin the case ofJune Medical Services LLC v. Gee, which is currently pending before the Supreme Court of the United States and represents a direct challengeto the Supreme Court's landmark ruling inRoe v. Wade. June Medical Services LLC v. Geeaddresses the impact of Louisiana's Act 620, an extremeanti-abortionlaw that forces abortion providers to obtain admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of their clinic. The law provides no medical benefit and would harm patients by stifling access to abortion care. If the law goes into effect, only one clinic and one abortion provider would remain in Louisiana  a state with over 360,000 women of reproductive age.  Act 620, disguised as an effort to promote women's health, provides no medical benefit and instead will only create significant obstacles for women seeking abortions,the lawmakers wrote in the brief.  Lawmakers emphasized in the brief that, just three years ago inWhole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, the Court struck down a materially identical Texas law because it imposed significant burdens on abortion access without providing health or safety benefits. Since then, the facts, the law, and the Constitution have remained the same. Lawmakers urged the court to uphold its precedent inRoe, Planned Parenthood v. Casey,andWhole Woman's Healthand strike down Act 620.  There is no compelling reason here to upend this settled precedent, and no change of circumstances betweenWhole Woman's Healthand this action that justifies a different outcome  Laws like Act 620, enacted in defiance of this Court's constitutional pronouncements, undermine our nation's confidence in the legislative process and the rule of law,wrote the lawmakers in the brief. Read the amicus briefhere.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/carper-statement-on-the-passing-of-former-epa-administrator-william-ruckelshaus", "Carper Statement on the Passing of Former EPA Administrator William Ruckelshaus", "2019-11-27", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement on the passing of former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator William Ruckelshaus, who served as administrator in 1970 in the Nixon Administration. Mr. Ruckelshaus later served as the Deputy Attorney General of the United States, and famously defied President Nixon's order to fire the independent special Watergate prosecutor. In 1983, when the EPA was in crisis, Mr. Ruckelshaus was again appointed to serve as EPA Administrator for the Reagan Administration. As families gather across America for Thanksgiving, we give thanks for many different things. One of the people we can be most thankful for as a nation is the first leader of the Environmental Protection Agency, Bill Ruckelshaus, a man of extraordinary courage and vision who was willing to speak truth to power and put country over party. His enduring legacy is living proof that we need more Democrats and Republicans who share his commitment to the health of our people and the health of our planet. If we had more leaders like him today, we would have a stronger democracy and a safer planet for it. Our battles for cleaner air, cleaner water and a safer planet are far from over, but if we can summon the courage and leadership today that Bill Ruckelshaus provided so long ago, we will get through our challenges much as he helped us get through equally daunting challenges forty years ago.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/happy-thanksgiving", "A time to reflect and give thanks", "2019-11-27", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend, \r\nThis week, we can hopefully take a small break from our busy lives to give thanks. While it's easy to get caught up in the food, football and shopping, we cannot lose sight of the holiday's true meaning.\r\nTo me, Thanksgiving means giving back to the community that I call home. Each year, I start my morning running the Thanksgiving Day Multiple Sclerosis race in Wilmington then head down to the Emmanuel Dining Room to make sure my neighbors are able to partake in not only a delicious Thanksgiving meal, but also invaluable fellowship. This Thanksgiving, let's take time to reflect on our own lives, be thankful for what we're lucky enough to have, and ensure our families, friends, and neighbors have plenty to be thankful for as well. Send a letter or package to our troops overseas who are serving away from home during the holidays. Serve at a local food kitchen, giving a warm, comforting meal to those who need it most. Together, we can do our part to strengthen our community and truly connect with those around us. What are your Thanksgiving traditions? Share with me onFacebook! Wishing you and yours ahappy Thanksgivingand a warm holiday season.\r\nGod bless,", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/carper-statement-on-termination-of-navy-secretary-richard-spencer", "Carper Statement on Termination of Navy Secretary Richard Spencer", "2019-11-24", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), a 23-year veteran of the Navy and the Naval Reserves and the only Vietnam veteran still serving in the U.S. Senate, released the following statement regarding the abrupt firing of Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer.\r\nIt has been a privilege to meet and come to know Secretary Spencer and to work with him during his all too brief tenure as Secretary of the Navy. I know I speak for many of my colleagues  both Democrats and Republicans  in thanking him for his exemplary service and to also thank his wife and family for sharing such an extraordinary leader with our country. He has proven to be a stand up leader who always sought to do what's right, even when it's not easy. His commitment to order and his oath, even in the face of such strong external pressures, is an example of which sailors stationed around the globe can be proud. His strength of character is in much too short supply these days and will surely be missed. I wish him and his family fair winds and a following sea.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-after-this-weeks-testimony-the-presidents-defense-stands-in-tatters", "Sen. Coons: After this week\u2019s testimony, \u201cthe President\u2019s defense stands in tatters\u201d", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WILMINGTON, Del.  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined CNN's Erin Burnett to discuss the impeachment inquiry. [It is] very clear that this was not just one phone call from President Trump to President Zelensky. This was an organized, coordinated campaign to serve the domestic political benefits of President Trump against his strongest domestic political opponent, former Vice President Biden. Something that was, as Dr. Fiona Hill put it, a domestic errand that put our national security at risk,said Senator Coons. [T]hat's what I hope my Republican colleagues will be reflecting on over this Thanksgiving break is how, in our nation's history, back in 1974, it was Republican senators, like Howard Baker of Tennessee, who put country over party and having heard the kind of evidence against President Nixon, that I think has now been presented against President Trump, went to him and said, You really should rethink whether you can survive a trial in the Senate.' Video and audio availablehere. Excerpts from the interview: Have you talked to any of your Republican Senate colleagues today? What have they told you? Senator Coons:I have a number of friends in the Republican caucus in the Senate and when I try to bring up the subject of the testimony of this week, the striking developments in the House, all of them have either changed the subject or simply said they'd really rather not talk about it. It is a very difficult, sensitive subject, and one where, frankly, it has been quite difficult to get anyone to concede that the president's defense stands in tatters after this week's testimony in the House. Chairman Schiff compared Trump to Nixon in his closing remarks saying, The difference between then and now is not the difference between Nixon and Trump, it's the difference between that Congress and this oneWhere are the people who are willing to go beyond their party to look to their duty? Do you think those people exist? Senator Coons:Well, that's what I hope my Republican colleagues will be reflecting on over this Thanksgiving break is how, in our nation's history, back in 1974, it was Republican senators, like Howard Baker of Tennessee, who put country over party and having heard the kind of evidence against President Nixon, that I think has now been presented against President Trump, went to him and said, You really should rethink whether you can survive a trial in the Senate. I don't see any movement like that among my Republican colleagues now. It is entirely possible they are having private conversations given the really devastating testimony this week in the House. But there's nothing I've heard that suggests that sort of a change in heart or spirit in the other caucus this week. Should the House try to get those who have not yet spoken to testify, or do you think it's time for them to drop the articles of impeachment, vote, send it to you all for you all to possibly have those interviews? Senator Coons:I think they should make every effort possible to demand testimony from a number of the most senior figures in the Trump administration who have been directly implicated. Ambassador Gordon Sondland's testimony yesterday was striking, was very clear that this was not just one phone call from President Trump to President Zelensky. This was an organized, coordinated campaign to serve the domestic political benefits of President Trump against his strongest domestic political opponent, former Vice President Biden. Something that was, as Dr. Fiona Hill put it, a domestic errand that put our national security at risk. I do think that they should make every effort to secure that testimony. But if they don't succeed, they need to proceed. Even if this takes us into the New Year? Senator Coons:No, I think that time has virtually run out. They should make one more serious effort, but it's clear the president and his senior advisors, so far, have blocked all testimony by those who were in the room, other than Gordon Sondland, and, frankly, they should give them one more chance, and move on. Would Senate Democrats be able to stop Republicans from calling witnesses that Chairman Schiff blocked, like Hunter Biden? Senator Coons:It's entirely possible that rules for the conduct of the trial in the Senate will be passed by a bare majority. I hope not. Ultimately, during the Clinton impeachment, Republicans and Democrats were able to come to an agreement about witnesses and where and how they testified and so forth. I do think it would be a complete farce to bring Hunter Biden in front of the Senate. The theory under which that's been advanced has been dismissed and disproven by every journalistic outlet that's investigated it that's serious. And that's just another conspiracy theory of the sort that Dr. Fiona Hill, today, was dismissing in her testimony. So, I hope they won't come to that, but it is entirely possible.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/bipartisan-progress-for-our-veterans", "Bipartisan progress for our veterans", "2019-11-21", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend, \r\nAfter serving our country in uniform, our veterans deserve the opportunity to obtain a world-class education or high quality job-training that will lead to a fulfilling civilian career and a productive life. That's why, for years, I've worked to protect our military and veteran students and safeguard their hard-earned GI Bill benefits. It's not just the right thing to do. I know first-hand how transformative these benefits can be. When I returned from Southeast Asia after three tours of duty, I used my Vietnam-Era GI Bill benefits to enroll at the University of Delaware and pursue a master's degree. Two years later, I emerged with my MBA and a job at the Delaware Economic Development Office (DEDO). The combination of my military service and education  paid for by the GI Bill  changed my life. I am deeply grateful to the people of this country for investing in me, and my desire to make sure that all our servicemembers receive a quality education that allows them to pursue their dreams is personal to me.\r\nUnfortunately, for too long,bad-actors in thefor-profiteducation sectorhave exploited a loophole in the system  known as the 90/10 loophole  and taken advantage of our veteransandtheir generous education benefits.The 90-10 Rule, a bipartisan federal law that was originally signed into law by President George H.W. Bush, established a market test to prevent for-profit schools from receiving 100 percent of their revenues from taxpayers. Republicans and Democrats agreed that a for-profit school should be able to get at least 1 dollar from non-federal sources, like employers, for every 9 dollars it received from taxpayers. However, the 90/10 loophole exists because for-profit schools can count GI Bill benefits as non-federal dollars. This has led to aggressive, and sometimes deceptive, recruitment and marketing to our military and veterans. Even worse, some of the schools that are the largest recipients of those taxpayer funds and GI Bill benefits have gone bankrupt and closed their doors  leaving our veterans and taxpayers in the lurch. To be clear, notall for-profit schools are bad actors.In fact, many are doing a good job. However, I believe thatone veteran misled or mistreated by a for-profit school is one veteran too many. That's why I have been working for years, alongside our nation's Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) to protect our military and veteran students and safeguard their hard-earned GI Bill benefits. Back in 2012, I introduced a bill to close this loophole and stop bad actors in the for-profit college industry from taking advantage of veterans and their hard-earned GI Bill benefits. For years, I have pushed for its passage because this issue is personal to me. Last week, I was proud to lead a bipartisan group of my Senate colleagues  Senator James Lankford and Senator Bill Cassidy, both Republicans, and Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat  in introducing the Protect Veterans' Education and Taxpayer Spending (Protect VETS) Act of 2019. Our bill is thefirst-ever bipartisan billintroduced in the Senate that would protect military and veteran students by closing the90/10loophole. Specifically, my bill will: Close the90/10loophole  Safeguard military and veteran students' hard-earned GI Bill benefits  Hold predatory institutions accountable  Save taxpayer dollars Introducing the first-ever bipartisan bill in the Senate to close this loophole last week was a huge step forward. And then, this week, we learned that Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, which is the committee that oversees higher education issues, is supportive of our efforts! My friend and fellow former governor, Senator Alexander has called our efforts a responsible and reasonable step to ensure that all of our military and veteran students are attending quality institutions worth their time and money. Too often, Americans are left believing that Congress doesn't get anything done  let alone anything bipartisan. But as I reflect on my years fighting to protect our military and veteran students, I'm reminded of the remarkable progress that can be made when we work together to care for those who have borne the battle. Our work is not yet finished when it comes to closing this loophole, but we've come a long way in the past two weeks. Now, it's time to see this through and ensure that every veteran gets the most out of their hard-earned GI Bill benefits.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/carper-disadvantaged-communities-poised-to-suffer-most-from-climate-crisis", "Carper: Disadvantaged Communities Poised to Suffer Most from Climate Crisis", "2019-11-21", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee and co-founder of thefirst-everSenate Environmental Justice Caucus, spoke today at ahearingof the Senate Democrats' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis entitled, Perspectives From The Front Lines: How Climate Change Uniquely Impacts Environmental Justice Communities.\r\nToday's hearing was led by Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), top Democrat on the EPW Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife. Senators Duckworth and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with Senator Carper,co-foundedthe Environmental Justice Caucus on Earth Day, 2019. The caucus has now grown to 15 members.\r\nBelow are Senator Carper's remarks, as prepared for delivery:\r\nThank you, Senator Duckworth, for convening this meeting to discuss the impacts of climate change on environmental justice communities. First, I want to thank you for your leadership on this important issue. Second, before I begin, I'd like to extend a warm welcome to our witnesses here today, including Dr. Martinez and Ms. Robertstwo Fightin' Blue Hens who attended the University of Delaware.\r\nHistory tells us that environmental progress has not always been distributed equally. Like so many environmental issues, climate change disproportionately affects impoverished and disadvantaged communities, communities of color and indigenous communities. More often than not, low-income, minority and indigenous communities are located downstream and downwind from dangerous pollution, or near industrial facilities or factories.\r\nNot far from where I live in Wilmington, Delaware, there are neighborhoods alongside I-95 and 495 that suffer from poor air quality. Delaware is a downwind state. In these communities, interstate air pollution is compounded by dirty emissions from cars, trucks and vans stuck in traffic on the nearby interstate highways. And while the people living in these communities suffer from greater air pollution, they are also less likely to have access to quality, affordable health care to address illnesses that come from breathing dirty air. That's just not fair and, even worse, experts tell us that climate change will only make this problem worse.\r\nAccording to the National Climate Assessment, climate change is expected to increase smog and soot pollution significantly, resulting in more asthma along with greater incidence of lung disease and deaths, and increasing health care costs by up to $26 billion each year. We know that the burden of this pollution  and the costs, in dollars and in lives  will fall disproportionately on lower-income, minority and indigenous communities.\r\nThat could be said of most of the climate change effects we're expected to see in the near futurefrom the more severe storms and rising seas along our coasts, to the catastrophic flooding in rural America. For example, in the Southbridge area of Wilmington  a low-lying, predominately African-American, working class neighborhood  an average rainfall or snowmelt can cause significant tidal flooding in areas close to the Christina River. Worsening storms and sea level rise will only make this problem worse.\r\nAlthough we know that low-income, minority and indigenous communities are poised to suffer the most from the climate crisis and its impacts, too often, the concerns of these communities take a back seat. That's just not right.\r\nI'm reminded of the Golden Rule, which basically tells us to treat other people the way we would want to be treated. As it turns out, almost every major religion in the world includes a similar admonition. We should be guided by the Golden Rule and work together to bring these issues of environmental justice to the forefront.\r\nIn that spirit, earlier this year, I joined Senators Duckworth and Booker to form the Senate's first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus. We now have 15 members. One of our goals is to elevate environmental justice issues using just about every platform available to us here in the Senate. Our caucus members plan to examine the inequities facing our country's environmental justice communities in the days to come and to work together to find ways to ensure that these communities no longer go ignored or feel forgotten.\r\nIn our country today, a clear majority of Americans is calling on Congress to address the grave threat that the climate crisis poses to our country and our planet. As we listen to that clarion call for climate action, we have to ensure that the voices of our environmental justice communities are heard, as well. Simply put, we need to ensure that our policy solutions to address climate change protect and benefit the communities that bear the brunt of climate change.\r\nAs the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I look forward to working with my committee colleagues, our Environmental Justice Caucus members and everyone here today to do just that. Or, as we say in Delaware, Carpe Diem!' Seize the day! Thank you.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-very-hopeful-that-financing-our-energy-future-act-will-pass-this-year-after-being-included-in-house-package", "Sen. Coons \u201cvery hopeful\u201d that Financing Our Energy Future Act will pass this year after being included in House package", "2019-11-21", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined Bloomberg Television to discuss theFinancing Our Energy Future Act, a bipartisan bill that levels the playing field for clean and renewable energy projects. The bill was included this week in a major clean and renewable energy incentive package put forward by the House Ways and Means Committee. Senator Coons also discussed government funding and trade. There is a big tax finance advantage that oil and gas and pipelines get, it's called master limited partnerships. It has been in place 40 years. This bipartisan bill opens that up to all forms of energy, renewable and non-renewable,said Senator Coons of theFinancing Our Energy Future Act.[I]t is included in what I think is the most promising package for renewables and for energy financing generally for this Congress. Video and audio availablehere. Excerpts from the interview: Tell us about your bipartisan bill that would tweak the IRS code as it relates to energy policy. Senator Coons: That's right. It's theFinancing Our Energy Future Actand it takes my Republican colleagues at their word that as we look at energy of all kinds, we should have an all-of-the-above energy strategy that doesn't pick winners and losers. There is a big tax finance advantage that oil and gas and pipelines get, it's called master limited partnerships. It has been in place 40 years. This bipartisan bill opens that up to all forms of energy, renewable and non-renewable, and in a package that just came out of the Ways and Means Committee, it is included in what I think is the most promising package for renewables and for energy financing generally for this Congress. Are you confident that this gets done by the end of the year? Senator Coons: I am very hopeful. This is a bill that in the Senate has a half dozen Republican sponsors as well as Democratic sponsors, including the Chair of the Energy Committee. It's had a hearing, it's had a markup, it's been scored. I think this is exactly the sort of commonsense, manageable package of legislation that could really be a part of the end of year bill. Can you give us an update on government funding and the USMCA? Senator Coons: I am hopeful as an appropriator that we don't have a shutdown and that we don't throw up our hands and simply continue with exactly the funding levels we had from last year. That's what's called a CR, or a continuing resolution. The subcommittee I'm the ranking Democrat on, Financial Services, we had a great markup, we have a good package. I am really hopeful we won't have a shutdown and before the end of the year we will actually pass the rest of the appropriations bills here and in the House. On USMCA, the new free trade agreement for North America, I am hoping that it will move through the House. There were some important revisions to it that were being sought by House Democrats that I would support. We are running out of time, so it is my hope that they will resolve those negotiations. Poultry is a big deal in Delaware, these farmers are being hit by these tariffs. Senator Coons: The tariffs that are a key part of Trump's strategy in the trade war with China are impacting American companies and American consumers. The tariffs are not all being paid by the Chinese, they are largely also being paid by American consumers and American companies. I am hopeful that we are going to have an abundant Thanksgiving. The turkey growers, the chicken growers in Delaware are looking forward to a hungry America that they can really help feed next Thursday.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-coons-graham-murphy-rubio-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-support-peaceful-resolution-to-libyan-conflict", "Senators Coons, Graham, Murphy, Rubio introduce bipartisan legislation to support peaceful resolution to Libyan conflict", "2019-11-21", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today,U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced legislation to clarify and strengthen U.S. policy in support of a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Libya. TheLibya Stabilization Actwould place sanctions on individuals fueling violence in the country, require a report on foreign government involvement, and require a strategy to counter Russian influence. The bill would also marshal U.S. resources, including humanitarian assistance, to support the Libyan people and an eventual unified Libyan government. The conflict in Libya is a humanitarian crisis that continues to fuel instability and present opportunities for extremist groups in the region,said Senator Coons. The United States should play a constructive role in ending the war and stemming the regional and international repercussions of the violence. My hope is that the bipartisanLibya Stabilization Actwill strengthen the Administration's efforts to bring about a diplomatic solution in Libya and signal to parties on the ground that the United States is committed to supporting peace and stability for the Libyan people. I am pleased to be a part of this bipartisan effort to focus on a peaceful solution to the conflict in Libya,said Senator Graham. Our goal is to prevent the Libyan conflict from spreading and allowing the entire region to become breeding ground for terrorists. I appreciate Senator Coons' hard work and am glad to join him in this effort to end the conflict and promote stability for the Libyan people. Absent sustained engagement by the United States, the security vacuum in Libya will continue to give space to operate for terrorists and extremists and deepen the country's humanitarian crisis,said Senator Murphy. TheLibya Stabilization Actwill telegraph to the world that the United States is committed to achieving peace in the country, and that we're ready to hold Khalifa Haftar or any bad actors who seek to fuel violence accountable. It is in America's, and our allies' interest, to have a stable and secure Libya. That is why we should be actively engaged in working to foster a resolution to the ongoing conflict,Senator Rubio said. This bill is an important step in holding accountable those actors, both domestic and foreign, who are destabilizing Libya and supporting a diplomatic solution to the conflict as well as the Libyan people. For text of the legislation, please clickhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/carper-merkley-alexander-rounds-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-create-monarch-and-pollinator-highways", "Carper, Merkley, Alexander, Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Create Monarch and Pollinator Highways", "2019-11-20", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, joined U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today to introduce new legislation to help states create pollinator-friendly habitats along roads and highways. This legislation would help address the steep decline of pollinator populations, which poses a serious threat to Delaware farmers and the American food supply.\r\nSpecifically, theMonarch and Pollinator Highway (MPH) Act of 2019would establish a federal grant program available to state departments of transportation and Indian tribes to carry out pollinator-friendly practices on roadsides and highway rights-of-way.\r\nMonarch butterflies and other pollinators serve an indispensable role in our natural ecosystems, and their population decline poses a profound threat to both American food supply and to the economic success of farmers in Delaware and throughout the country,said Senator Carper.Through the use of competitive grants and assistance to communities, this bipartisan bill will take meaningful, innovative steps towards building up pollinator habitats along our nation's roads and highways  helping our natural environment and our nation's agricultural industry at the same time. I want to thank Senators Merkley, Alexander and Rounds for their leadership on this urgent issue.\r\nAs monarch and honeybee populations decline precipitously, we don't just risk losing these beautiful creatureswe also face an existential threat to American agriculture and our food supply,said Senator Merkley.Every state already contains thousands of miles of green space around roads and highways. If we transformed just a fraction of this land back to natural pollinator habitat, we could make a real difference to pollinator populations. This is a bipartisan, common-sense idea that the Senate should adopt without delay.\r\nPollinators, especially bees, are vital to creating and maintaining the habitats and ecosystems that we rely on to produce our food. This bill will help states promote highway beautification and preservation of these pollinator habitats along roadways,said Senator Alexander. The Tennessee Department of Transportation's Pollinator Habitat Program is one of the nation's best state efforts in building and maintaining pollinator habitats along all of its state-maintained roadways. If this legislation were to become law, the Tennessee Department of Transportation could apply for federal funding to continue expanding their Pollinator Habitat Program.\r\nBees play a vital role in making sure food gets on our table, acting as pollinators for approximately one-third of all agricultural products in the U.S. Our legislation seeks to use innovation and targeted conservation practices to protect and improve bees' natural habitat so they can continue to provide this essential service and make certain future generations of crops and plants are produced,said Senator Rounds.\r\nWith so much of our natural landscape lost the millions of acres of roadsides across the US have become increasingly important as pollinator habitat,said Scott Black, Executive Director of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.The Xerces Society is excited to support theMonarch and Pollinator Highway (MPH) Act of 2019which will provide much needed funding for states to maximize habitat management and restoration for these vital animals.\r\nPollinators are in great peril, with populations that have dropped precipitously in recent decades. Protecting pollinator habitat along roadways is one helpful step in combating this rapid decline of bees and butterflies,said Jason Davidson, Food and Agriculture Campaigner at Friends of the Earth.\r\nMPH Actgrants could be used for:\r\n \r\nThe planting and seeding of native, locally-appropriate grasses, wildflowers, and milkweed;\r\nMowing strategies that promote early successional vegetation and limit disturbance during periods of highest use by target pollinator species;\r\nImplementation of an integrated vegetation management approach to address weed and pest issues;\r\nRemoving nonnative grasses from planting and seeding mixes except for use as nurse or cover crops; or\r\nAny other pollinator-friendly practices the Secretary of Transportation determines will be eligible.\r\n \r\nThe bill also requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to help states develop best practices around pollinator-friendly roads and highways. The bill would require DOT to develop and make available to state departments of transportation a prioritization ranking of pollinator-friendly practices on roadsides and highway rights-of-way, and to provide technical assistance to states that request it.\r\nTheMPH Actcomes as the population of monarch butterflies, honeybees, and other pollinators face dangerous declines. Western U.S. monarch populations hit a record low in 2018, with one researcherdescribing the drop as potentially catastrophic.The honeybee population has also seen dramatic declines in recent years, with a 40% year-over-year decline between 2018 and 2019, and one expert describingrepeated year-over-year losses as unsustainably high.The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates thatapproximately 35% of the world's food cropsdepend on pollinators for survival.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/epw-business-meeting-statement", "EPW Business Meeting Opening Statement", "2019-11-20", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) held abusiness meetingto consider the nomination of Sean O'Donnell to be Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Below is the opening statement of Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-Del.), as prepared for delivery:\r\nWe have one item on the agenda today, and that is to vote on the nomination of Sean O'Donnell to be Inspector General of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.\r\nThe EPA has been without a confirmed Inspector General for over a year now. I believe that all of us here today agree that this is a job that's far too important to be vacant for this long, so I'm glad we have gathered here together now to vote on Mr. O'Donnell's nomination.\r\nAs I said at his confirmation hearing, Mr. O'Donnell has a big job ahead of him. That bears repeating, because the EPA's mission is, and I quote, to protect human health and the environment.' In order for the EPA to fulfill that critical mission, the agency itself must be protected from misconduct or unethical behavior that could impair it. That oversight responsibility falls in no small part to the EPA Inspector General.\r\nI have met with Mr. O'Donnell. I have listened to his testimony before this committee. I have reviewed his answers to the Committee's questions. And, ultimately, I have concluded that Mr. O'Donnell is qualified to serve as the EPA's Inspector General. I was encouraged by Mr. O'Donnell's clear commitment to continue investigations into alleged violations of government ethics rules by political leaders, even if those leaders have resigned their positions. Unfortunately, that did not occur with all of the investigations into former Administrator Pruitt's deeply unethical behavior.\r\nAnd, Mr. O'Donnell also promised to protect the integrity of internal oversight functions within the EPA, especially when EPA's dedicated career staff are put into the untenable position of having to oversee or call out the improper activities of senior political appointees. In recent weeks, we have seen why it is so important for the EPA Inspector General to be clear about the information it needs, and that EPA officials are cooperative and responsive in return.\r\nWhile I am hopeful that the current dispute between EPA's chief of staff and the acting Inspector General will be resolved to everyone's satisfaction before Mr. O'Donnell is confirmed, the dispute illustrates the importance of the role that Mr. O'Donnell is seeking to perform.\r\nWith that, Mr. Chairman, I look to forward to a brief business meeting this morning. I would like to thank you, along with our colleagues and the members of their staffs, for all of their work to make this meeting both swift and productive. Thank you.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senate-adopts-bipartisan-coons-scott-resolution-designating-november-national-college-application-month", "Senate adopts bipartisan Coons, Scott resolution designating November National College Application Month", "2019-11-20", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Last night, the Senate adopted a resolution introduced byU.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) designating November 2019 as National College Application Month. As seniors in Delaware and across the country start to think about graduation and the adventures that come nextwhether it's heading to college, kickstarting a career, or participating in a national service programI want to encourage them to dream big,said Senator Coons. For those interested in attending college, now is the time to apply. I encourage all students to talk to teachers and guidance counselors about opportunities for scholarships, grants, or financial aidand to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. While college can be expensive, there are resources that can help students should that be the path they choose. This National College Application Month, I encourage all students to spend time considering their goals for the future, and I applaud those who are taking steps to apply to institutes of higher education,said Senator Scott. Education is a sure path to opportunity, and I wish every student who has dreams of continuing their education the very best of luck during this busy season of life. The resolution urges public officials, educators, parents, students, and communities to observe National College Application Month with activities and programs designed to encourage students to consider, research, and apply to college and for financial aid. It also commends those who support students throughout the college application process and who work to eliminate barriers to higher education. To view the resolution, please clickhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/video-sens-carper-coons-call-on-republicans-to-pass-funding-for-hbcus-including-delaware-state-university", "[VIDEO] Sens. Carper, Coons call on Republicans to pass funding for HBCUs, including Delaware State University", "2019-11-20", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) spoke on the Senate floor topush for the passage ofthe FUTURE Act, which provides funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including Delaware StateUniversity. Video and audio of the senators' remarks are availablehere. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/america-s-transportation-infrastructure-act-bipartisan-historic-and-substantial", "America's Transportation Infrastructure Act: Bipartisan, historic and substantial", "2019-11-19", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "No matter where you live in America, people agree that our roads and bridges are long overdue for an upgrade.\r\nOur country's infrastructure needs are significant. Nearly 200,000 miles of major highways are in need of repairs, repaving or rebuilds. More than 47,000 bridges are in poor condition. Whether you live in a blue state or a red state, most Americans would agree that addressing these needs should be one of our nation's top priorities.\r\nIt's time for Congress to pass significant, bipartisan surface transportation infrastructure legislation. As chairman and ranking member of the Senate committee that's responsible for our roads and bridges, we are committed to getting it done.\r\nIn July, we introduced America's Transportation Infrastructure Act. Our legislation would give states the funds, flexibility and freedom to build safer and long-lasting bridges and highways. Modern highway systems power our economy, connect communities and improve quality of life.\r\nWhen enacted, America's Transportation Infrastructure Act will be the most substantial highway bill in history. It makes a $287 billion investment in our roads. The overwhelming majority of those funds will automatically go to state, tribal and local governments, allowing local leaders to determine which projects are top priorities.\r\nOur bill also incorporates key elements of the president's One Federal Decision policy  without forgoing important environmental protections. It cuts red tape so that highway projects are completed faster, cheaper and smarter.\r\nOur legislation improves road safety by increasing funding to the successful Highway Safety Improvement Program.\r\nTo update aging bridges, the bill establishes a competitive grant program to address the backlog of bridges in poor condition. It also supports state-led initiatives to reduce the number of pedestrian deaths and wildlife collisions.\r\nA large part of improving road safety is making sure America has durable highways and bridges that last. From rockslides in Wyoming to hurricanes and Nor'easters on the Delaware coast, we need roads that can withstand natural disasters and the worsening impacts of our changing climate. America's Transportation Infrastructure Act invests $5.5 billion in a new program dedicated to enhancing infrastructure resiliency.\r\n\r\nOur bill includes the first climate change title of its kind, providing flexible resources to help states reduce emissions. States could receive these funds to help mitigate traffic congestion in urban areas or to develop plans to reduce transportation-related emissions.\r\nOur legislation is historic and substantial  and we believe it must be paid for. We agree that drivers of every kind of vehicle should contribute to maintain our roads and bridges.\r\nThe Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works approved America's Transportation Infrastructure Act by a vote of 21 to zero. Senators from both parties agree that our roads and bridges can't wait any longer.\r\nA comprehensive surface transportation bill must also address our rail, transit and highway safety policies. This fall, we are working with Senate leaders and the committees responsible for those titles so that we can pass the comprehensive transportation legislation out of the Senate.\r\nOur highways and transportation infrastructure are critical to our country's success. They are vital arteries of commerce, connecting rural areas to major cities. It's time to make a significant investment in them.\r\nEvery American benefits from better roads and bridges. Passing America's Transportation Infrastructure Act will deliver those benefits.\r\nJohn Barrasso, M.D., is a Republican senator from Wyoming and Tom Carper is a Democratic senator from Delaware. Respectively, they are chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/carper-portman-bipartisan-report-reveals-lack-of-federal-response-to-china-s-talent-recruitment-plans", "Carper, Portman Bipartisan Report Reveals Lack of Federal Response to Chinas Talent Recruitment Plans", "2019-11-19", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio), the Ranking Member and Chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), unveiled a new bipartisan report titled Threats to the U.S. Research Enterprise: China's Talent Recruitment Plans. The report documents how American taxpayers have been unwittingly funding the rise of China's economy and military over the last two decades while federal agencies have done little to stop it. The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations will hold a hearing on the report tomorrow, November 19, 2019, at 10:00 am. A livestream of the hearing will be available here.\r\nStarting in the late 1990s through its talent recruitment plans, China began recruiting U.S.-based scientists and researchers and incentivizing them to transfer U.S. taxpayer-funded intellectual property to China for China's own economic and military gain. China pledged to spend 15 percent of its GDP, more than $2 trillion, on improving human resources from 2008 to 2020. The Subcommittee investigated China's most prominent talent recruitment plan: The Thousand Talents Plan (TTP). Launched in 2008, TTP incentivizes individuals engaged in research and development to transmit the knowledge and research they gain in the United States to China in exchange for salaries, research funding, lab space, and other incentives.\r\nOver the course of an eight-month investigation, the Subcommittee examined seven federal agencies' efforts to combat the theft of American taxpayer-funded research and technology through Chinese talent recruitment programs. While China has a strategic plan to acquire knowledge and intellectual property from researchers, scientists, and the U.S. private sector, the U.S. government does not have a comprehensive strategy to combat this threat. The seven federal agencies reviewed by PSI include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Department of Energy, State Department, Department of Commerce, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.\r\nMy bipartisan report with Senator Portman shows the sophisticated ways in which the Chinese government continues to exploit our federal grantprogramsto recruitU.S.researchers and scientists and, ultimately, transfer research that is funded by American taxpayers back to China. Not only does this squander taxpayer dollars, but itcontributes to China's economic and military rise,said Senator Carper.As a former governor, I know that it's our job as elected officials to create a nurturing environment for jobcreationand job preservation. And I strongly believe that, in order to preserve our economic competitiveness and protect our national security, we must continue to support international partnerships  particularly those in the fields of science and technology research  that help to foster that nurturing environment. But today's report makes clear that there are seriousconsequences that come from giving a foreign government so much control over the vital research we rely on todriveourcountry'seconomic competitiveness and bolster our national defense.I am interested in hearing from experts about smart ways we can strengthen our nation's response to the threats posed byChina's talent recruitment effortsand better secure our vital federal research programs. I also look forwardto continueworking with Senator Portman on bipartisan legislation to mitigate the economic and military gains our competitors and adversaries might obtain due to ourinaction.\r\nThis report reveals that American taxpayers have been unwittingly funding the rise of China's economy and military over the last two decades by detailing not only the lengths and expense China has gone to in order to steal American intellectual property, but also the shocking fact that our own federal agencies have done little to stop their actions despite being aware of China's talent plans, said Senator Portman. These talent plans are a win-win for China. China wins twice. First, the American taxpayer funds China's research and development. Second, China uses that research to improve its economic and military status. This is unacceptable and I look forward to working with Senator Carper on bipartisan legislation to end this abuse of American research, intellectual property, and taxpayer money.\r\nThe report's key findings include:\r\n \r\nChina seeks to become a science and technology (S&T) world leader by 2050. The Chinese government elevated the importance of S&T as a key national strategic goal in 2006. China seeks to become an innovative country by 2020 and an S&T world leader by 2050. To accomplish its goals, China systematically targets critical technologies and advanced S&T capabilities as a way to enhance national strength and achieve Chairman Xi Jinping's goal of national rejuvenation.\r\nChina aggressively recruits overseas researchers and scientists. China has a coordinated global campaign to recruit overseas S&T experts as part of its S&T strategy. These experts provide access to know-how, expertise, and foreign technologyall necessary for China's economic development and military modernization. Chinese recruitment efforts also have begun to reverse China's brain drain, as more Chinese students than before are returning to China after studying abroad.\r\nThe Thousand Talents Plan (TTP) is China's most prominent talent recruitment plan. Launched in 2008 and controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, the TTP recruits thousands of high-quality overseas talents. As of 2017, China reportedly has recruited 7,000 researchers and scientists. The TTP targets U.S.-based researchers and scientists, regardless of ethnicity or citizenship, who focus on or have access to cutting-edge research and technology. The TTP is just one of over 200 Chinese talent recruitment plans over which the Chinese Communist Party is able to exert exceptional levels of control. In response to U.S. government scrutiny, China has attempted to delete online references to its talent recruitment plans and reportedly instructed Chinese institutions on how to avoid additional U.S. scrutiny.\r\nTTP employment contracts violate U.S. research values. TTP members sign legally binding contracts with Chinese institutions that contain provisions that violate U.S. research values, including non-disclosure provisions related to their research and employment with Chinese institutions. The contracts require TTP members to undermine fundamental U.S. scientific norms of transparency, reciprocity, merit-based competition, and integrity. Fundamentally, these contracts incentivize TTP members to put China's interests ahead of U.S. institutions.\r\nFederal agencies are not prepared to prevent China from transferring taxpayer-funded research and stealing intellectual property. The U.S. government was slow to address the threat of China's talent recruitment plans, leading to U.S. government grant dollars and private-sector technologies being repurposed to support China's economic and military goals. Though some federal agencies have begun to take action, the federal government lacks an effective interagency strategy and continues to have shortfalls in its processes to mitigate the threat that Chinese talent recruitment plans pose.\r\nThe FBI recognized that it and other federal agencies were slow to recognize the threat of the Chinese talent [recruitment] plans until recently. Despite the Chinese government publicly announcing in 2008 its intent to recruit overseas researchers with access to advanced research and technology, FBI's headquarters in Washington D.C. did not take control of the response to the threat until mid-2018. The FBI took nearly two years to coordinate the dissemination of information identifying potential talent recruitment plan participants to federal grant-making agencies. The FBI has yet to develop an effective, nationwide strategy to warn universities, government laboratories, and the broader public of the risks of foreign talent recruitment plans.\r\nFederal grant-making agencies lack standards and coordination. U.S. grant-making agencies, such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), each require grant applicants to use different forms and processes to apply for federally funded research grants. This increases administrative burdens on researchers applying for grants from multiple federal agencies. It also complicates effective grant oversight of the more than $150 billion in U.S. funding awarded annually for research and development.\r\n \r\n\r\nThe report makes the following recommendations:\r\n \r\nFederal agencies must develop a comprehensive strategy to combat both illegal and extralegal transfers of U.S. intellectual capital. China uses illegal and extralegal mechanisms to acquire U.S. intellectual property, research, and sensitive technologies. Federal agencies should work with the U.S. research community to balance the need for international collaboration while securing U.S.-government funded research.\r\nFederal agencies should declassify and disseminate more information on foreign talent recruitment plans. Additional information from the U.S. intelligence community, federal law enforcement, and federal grant-making agencies will help define the scope and scale of the problem so that U.S. research institutions can effectively mitigate risks associated with foreign talent recruitment plans.\r\nWhile taking steps to better protect research and intellectual property, Congress and the Executive Branch should reaffirm the critical importance of foreign students and researchers in the United States and the importance of international research collaboration. Congress should provide stable and sustained funding for scientific research sponsored by federal agencies and support programs aimed at keeping scientists and their work in the United States.\r\nFederal law enforcement agencies and members of the intelligence community must better tailor engagement with the U.S. research community to ensure that threat information is accessible and actionable. The FBI should develop a cohesive strategy to ensure outreach by its headquarters and 56 field offices is effective, consistent, and timely.\r\nThe U.S. research community should establish a Know Your Collaborator culture. U.S. research institutions should establish best practices in monitoring scientific and research collaboration with foreign nationals and determining whether such collaboration adheres to U.S. scientific research values, especially in the area of research integrity. U.S. research institutions also should investigate and adjudicate allegations of failures to disclose conflicts of interest, commitment, or other outside support.\r\nThe administration should consider updating NSDD-189 and implement additional, limited restrictions on U.S. government-funded fundamental research. NSDD-189 was issued in 1985 and established the national policy that products of fundamental research are to remain unrestricted to the maximum extent possible. Federal agencies must not only combat illegal transfers of controlled or classified research, but assess whether openly sharing some types of fundamental research is in the nation's interest.\r\nFederal law enforcement and other relevant agencies should identify U.S.-based entities that serve as recruitment networks, platforms, or foreign government proxies that facilitate or broker in state-sponsored talent recruitment. Additional investigations and publications are needed to fully understand the impact of foreign talent recruitment efforts in the United States. Federal law enforcement and other relevant agencies should examine the extent of foreign talent recruitment activity in the private sector for foreign talent recruitment-related programs, including venture capital contests and entrepreneurial programs.\r\nGrant-making agencies should not award U.S. funding to participants of foreign talent recruitment programs absent full disclosure of the terms and conditions of membership in any talent recruitment program.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/bipartisan-bill-by-senators-coons-moran-to-level-the-playing-field-for-clean-energy-included-in-house-tax-package", "Bipartisan bill by Senators Coons, Moran to level the playing field for clean energy included in House tax package", "2019-11-19", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, bipartisan, bicameral legislation sponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Representatives Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and Ron Estes (R-Kan.), theFinancing Our Energy Future Act, was included in a newly introduced package of clean and renewable tax incentives. Thompson, who is the House Ways and Means Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee Chairman, today released theGrowing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now Act, which addresses climate change by using the tax code to extend renewable energy use. TheFinancing Our Energy Future Act, now a section in the Thompson package, would give clean energy projects access to a tax advantage currently available only to oil, gas, and coal projects. I am grateful to Chairman Thompson for including our bold, market-driven proposal in this effort to spur needed investments in clean and renewable energy,said Senator Coons. By providing innovators access to a unique financing tool that traditional energy sources have enjoyed for decades, our bill will unleash investments in a whole range of new energy technologies to curb global emissions and create jobs. TheFinancing Our Energy Future Actenjoys broad bipartisan support and can pass both chambers this year. It's time we give these vital clean energy technologies an immediate boost. The United States has the largest and most efficient capital markets in the world, and our sensible, bipartisan legislation makes certain that renewable energy companies have access to those markets,said Senator Moran. In order to grow our economy and further our energy independence, sound economic tools, like MLPs, should be expanded to allow additional domestic energy sources to compete on a level playing field. I am pleased that our colleagues in the House of Representatives agree and have worked to include this measure in a broad package of clean and renewable energy incentives. A master limited partnership (MLP) is a business structure that is taxed as a partnership, but whose ownership interests are traded like corporate stock on a market. By statute, MLPs are currently only available to investors in energy portfolios for oil, natural gas, coal extraction, and pipeline projects. These projects get access to larger and more liquid sources of capital than are available for traditionally financed energy projects, making them highly effective at attracting private investment. Investors in clean energy projects, however, have been explicitly prevented from forming MLPs, starving a fast-growing portion of America's domestic energy sector of the capital it needs to build and grow. Newly eligible energy resources would include solar, wind, hydropower, marine and hydrokinetic energy, fuel cells, energy storage, combined heat and power, biomass, waste heat to power, renewable fuels, biorefineries, energy efficient buildings, and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS). In the Senate, theFinancing Our Energy Future Actis cosponsored by Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Mike Crapo (R-Ind.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), and John Kennedy (R-La.). TheFinancing Our Energy Future Actis endorsed by American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), Advanced Biofuels Business Council, the Algae Biomass Organization, the Alliance for Industrial Efficiency, the Alliance to Save Energy, Amazon, Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), BPC Action, Carbon180, Carbon Capture Coalition, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), Ceres, Clean Air Task Force, Covanta Energy, Energy Storage Association, Growth Energy, International District Energy Association, Master Limited Partnership Association, the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), National Hydropower Association, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), National Wildlife Federation, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and Third Way. Quotes from endorsers can be foundhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/coons-hawley-demand-facebook-explain-their-privacy-practices-concerning-user-location-data", "Coons, Hawley demand Facebook explain their privacy practices concerning user location data", "2019-11-19", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter calling on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to explain Facebook's privacy practices concerning user location information. In the letter, the Senators express concern that Facebook has misled its users about the company's collection of location data and how much control users actually have over their privacy settings.  Location data is among the most sensitive personal information that a user can share with a company. Today, modern smartphones can reveal location data beyond a mere street address,the Senators wrote.We appreciate Facebook's attempt to proactively inform users about their privacy options. However, we are concerned that Facebook may not in fact be offering users the level of control that the company suggests these settings provide.  The Senators continue,If a user has decided to limit Facebook's access to his or her location, Facebook should respect these privacy choices. The letter is copied below and is availablehere. November 19, 2019  Dear Mr. Zuckerberg,  We write regarding Facebook's privacy practices concerning user location information. Recently, Facebook published a blog post in response to new updates to Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating system that are designed to provide users with greater control and information about when their location data is collected by apps on their mobile devices.  Location data is among the most sensitive personal information that a user can share with a company. Today, modern smartphones can reveal location data beyond a mere street address. The technology is sophisticated enough to identify on which floor of a building the device is located. New updates to iOS and Android have been designed to give users greater insight and control over how and when they share their location with apps on their phones. In light of these developments, Facebook published a blog post, titled Understanding Updates to Your Device's Location Settings, in which Facebook describes the different privacy settings that a user can choose to determine when a user shares location information with Facebook. We appreciate Facebook's attempt to proactively inform users about their privacy options. However, we are concerned that Facebook may not in fact be offering users the level of control that the company suggests these settings provide.  Specifically, in the blog post, Facebook explains that the location settings on a device running the newest versions of iOS and Android allow a user to decide whether to share the user's precise location information with Facebook either (1) all the time, (2) only while using the app, (3) not at all, or (4) if using iOS, only once. Facebook asserts that this means [y]ou're in control of who sees your location on Facebook. You can control whether your device shares precise location information with Facebook via Location Services. However, in the next sentence, the post goes on to say that [Facebook] may still understand your location using things like check-ins, events and information about your internet connection. We are concerned that this language and practice undermines users' actual control of their location data and the blog post's assurances to that effect.  If a user has decided to limit Facebook's access to his or her location, Facebook should respect these privacy choices. The language in the blog post, however, indicates that Facebook may continue to collect location data despite user preferences, even if the user is not engaging with the app, and Facebook is simply deducing the user's location from information about his or her internet connection. Given that most mobile devices are connected to the internet nearly all the time, whether through a cellular network or a Wi-Fi connection, this practice would allow Facebook to collect user location data almost constantly, irrespective of the user's privacy preferences. Users who have selected a restrictive Location Services option could reasonably be under the misimpression that their selection limits all of Facebook's efforts to extract location information.  In light of these concerns, we kindly request that you respond to the following questions:  1. Does Facebook collect any information about a user's location if the user has turned off or limited Location Services for Facebook? If so, please explain why Facebook collects such information and the process used to collect that data.  2. Does Facebook collect any information about a user's location based only on information about a user's internet connection?  3. How frequently does Facebook collect location data based on information about a user's internet connection when a user has turned off or limited Location Services?  4. What is the difference between the precise location information collected when a user has Location Services enabled and the location information collected by Facebook using other data, such as the user's internet connection, when a user has turned off or limited Location Services? How detailed is the location data that Facebook collects when a user has turned off or limited Location Services?  5. Does Facebook target advertisements or otherwise monetize the location information it collects when a user has turned off or limited Location Services?  6. If Facebook does target advertisements based on the location information that it collects when a user has turned off or limited Location Services, is it possible for a user to configure his or her privacy settings such that Facebook never monetizes any location information about that user?  7. Does Facebook share the location information that it collects when a user has turned off or limited Location Services with third parties?  We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and respectfully request a response by December 12, 2019.  Sincerely, ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/gao-report-climate-change-poses-real-threat-to-our-nation-s-superfund-sites", "GAO Report: Climate Change Poses Real Threat To Our Nations Superfund Sites", "2019-11-18", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, announced a Government Accountability Office (GAO)reportthat concludes our nation's Superfund sites are woefully underprepared to withstand the worsening impacts of climate change, putting human health and the environment at risk. On December 4, 2017, Democratic Members of the EPW Committeesent a letterasking GAO to review and assess the risks posed by climate change on Superfund sites. Today, Democratic Members of the EPW Committee, along with Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, released the GAO report, EPA Should Take Additional Actions to Manage Risks from Climate Change, in which GAO found that approximately 60 percent of Superfund sites across the country are facing risks with flooding, storm surge, wildfires, and sea level rise. In the report, GAO cited some examples of Superfund sites that were damaged by Hurricane Harvey or threatened by wildfiresand concluded that many Superfund sites will be at increased risk in the coming decades. The report also found that the Environmental Protection Agency has omitted climate change from its agency strategy and planning documents, meaning these risks are not being addressed in a consistent way at all Superfund sites across the country. The report's findings make clear that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must do more now and better plan to mitigate against the worsening impacts of climate change, including sea level rise, storm surge, flooding and more frequent extreme weather events such as hurricanes and wildfires. These stark findings also come after the GAO's biennialHigh Risk Listreport released earlier this year concluded that neither global or U.S. efforts to mitigate the causes of climate change,approach the scales needed to avoid substantial damage to the U.S. economy, environment and human health over the coming decades. In reaction to GAO's findings, Senator Carper led several members of Congress in sending the report to EPA Administrator Wheeler and,in a letter, underscoring GAO's stark findings and demanding a full response about EPA's failure to adequately plan for and address these risks.\r\nSenator Carper is joined on today's letter by Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the EPW Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management and Regulatory Oversight and Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeffrey Merkley (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) also joined today's letter.\r\nThe Superfund program is not providing necessary resources and direction to regional officials that would help them assess and respond to site-specific risks due to climate change. The lack of resources for regional offices is a direct result of EPA headquarters' failure to embrace addressing climate change as a strategic objective,the members wrote. To address these shortcomings, GAO made several recommendations to EPA related to improving Superfund site information. These recommendations state that the EPA should provide direction to regional offices on how to integrate information on the potential impacts of climate change effects into risk assessments and response decisions. GAO also recommends that EPA align the agency's current goals and objectives with the need to address the effects of climate change,the members continued.We believe that EPA's refusal to implement GAO's recommendations could result in real harm to human health and the environment as the effects of climate change become more frequent and intense.\r\nThe full text of the letter can be foundhereand below.\r\n\r\nNovember 18, 2019\r\n\r\nThe Honorable Andrew Wheeler\r\nAdministrator\r\nU.S. Environmental Protection Agency\r\n1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW\r\nWashington, DC 20460\r\n\r\nDear Administrator Wheeler:\r\n\r\nWe write today to request information regarding a recent report issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) entitled EPA Should Take Additional Actions to Manage Risks from Climate Change.[1]GAO found that approximately 60 percent of all nonfederal Superfund sites are located in areas that may be impacted by the effects of climate change such as flooding, hurricanes or wildfires. The risks that these potential impacts pose to human health and the environment are sobering, and GAO has found that EPA leadership has not provided needed direction, dedicated sufficient resources, or fostered the necessary technical expertise with the EPA regions to address the significant challenges it faces in managing these risks. We are concerned by EPA's response to GAO's findings and recommendations, and we write to ask about EPA's actions and planning process to address the impacts of climate change effects in Superfund site management.\r\n\r\nThe scientific community is in agreement that climate change is leading to rising global temperatures, rising sea levels, and more intense and frequent extreme weather events. According to the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA), the Earth's climate is now changing faster than at any point in the history of modern civilization [, and t]he impacts of global climate change are already being felt in the United Sates and are projected to intensify in the future.[2] Just some of these impacts include substantial losses to infrastructure and property, significant impediments to economic growth, impairments to agricultural and aquaculture production, threatened access to safe and dependable water supplies, increased risk of heat-related illnesses, and heightened exposure to waterborne and foodborne diseases.[3]\r\n\r\nAccording to GAO's study, of the 1,571 nonfederal Superfund sites overseen by EPA, 945 sites located across 47 states, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands may be impacted by sea level rise, increased flooding, intensified storm surge, greater frequency and intensity of wildfires, or a combination thereof.[4]The following map shows the locations of Superfund sites across the country and indicates which sites are potentially impacted by the climate change effects that GAO identified.\r\nEPA's Nonfederal National Priorities List Sites in Areas That May Be Impacted by Flooding, Storm Surge, Wildfire, or Sea Level Rise.[5]\r\n\r\nSuperfund Sites at Risk of Flooding\r\n\r\nThe GAO report found that flooding caused by climate change is already impacting Superfund sites. For example, at the San Jacinto River Waste Pits site, located approximately 20 miles east of Houston, sea level rise, increased risk of storm surge and increased flood risk are all impacting the ongoing effort to clean up hazardous by-products of pulp bleaching from papers mills that operated in the mid-1960s. GAO reports that portions of this site are already under water, that the location has a 1 percent or higher annual chance of flooding (FEMA's highest flood hazard category), and that the site may be impacted by storm surge from Category 1 hurricanes or greater. In fact, in September 2017, record-breaking rainfall from Hurricane Harvey led to flooding at the site, which damaged the containment structure that had been erected at the site, resulting in the release of contaminated material.\r\nMore broadly:\r\n\r\n \r\nThe GAO report found that nearly half of all Superfund sites are under higher risk of flooding, including 713 sites with a 1 percent or higher annual chance of flooding (FEMA's highest flood hazard category).\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nGAO identified 187 sites (about 12 percent) that are located in areas that may be inundated by a storm surge caused by Category 4 or 5 hurricanes, with 102 sites that are located in areas that may be inundated by a storm surge caused by Category 1 hurricanes.\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nGAO identified 84 Superfund sites that are located in areas that may already be inundated by high tides. If sea levels rise by just 1 foot, as the Fourth National Climate Assessment forecasts will likely occur in coming decades, 97 Superfund sites would be inundated by sea water. If sea level was to rise 3 feet above current conditions, as many as 110 sites would inundated, and if sea level rose 8 feet, 158 sites would be inundated.[6]\r\n \r\n\r\nSuperfund Sites at Risk of Wildfires\r\n\r\nGAO also found that wildfires are already impacting Superfund sites. For example, the Iron Mountain Mine site, near Redding, California, is located in an area with high wildfire hazard potential. In July 2018, the mine was overrun by the Carr Fire, which eventually burned 239,651 acres in Northern California. The fire nearly destroyed the water treatment system that had been installed on the Iron Mountain Mine site to capture acid mine drainage containing copper, cadmium, and zinc metals from the mine, which are toxic to aquatic life. As the Carr Fire raged in the Iron Mountain area, firefighters used specialized equipment to successfully extinguish fires before they reached the ore deposits in the mine. Had those deposits been ignited by the wildfire, an explosion could have occurred, which would have created substantial immediate environmental and health hazards in the area.\r\n\r\nIn all, GAO identified 234 Superfund sites  15 percent of all sites  that are located in areas that have high or very high wildfire potential, based on U.S. Forest Service modeling.\r\n\r\nEPA's Efforts to Manage the Risks of Climate Change are Inadequate\r\n\r\nGAO's evaluation of EPA's risk management of the potential impacts of climate change at Superfund sites delivered mixed results. GAO judged some risk management activities to be in line with best practices and some activities to be partially effective, while still other activities were judged to be entirely inadequate to the challenges that climate change presents. In sum, GAO's findings support the conclusion that EPA's most serious shortcomings in managing risks from climate change at Superfund sites are largely the result of decisions made by leadership at EPA headquarters under the Trump Administration.\r\n\r\nWhile GAO found that the EPA regional officials who conduct the day to day work of assessing, planning for, and supervising remedial activities are taking productive steps to identify climate change impacted risks to human health and the environment at specific Superfund sites, GAO's report indicates that this valuable work by EPA regional officials is, in part, the product of prudent organizational planning that was conducted by EPA during the previous administration.[7]\r\n\r\nThe report also found that across the Superfund program, climate change information is inconsistently incorporated into site level risk assessments and remedy selection and design, because officials either do not have the climate data they need to take effective action, are unsure how to use the relevant data, or have not received adequate direction from EPA headquarters.\r\n\r\nFinally, GAO also found that EPA has not taken action to clearly align its process for managing risks to human health and the environment form the potential impacts of climate change effects at Superfund sites with agency-wide goals and objectives. For example, GAO's report cites that unlike in the past Administration, EPA's current strategic plan [2018-2022], does not include goals and objectives related to climate change or discuss strategies for addressing the impacts of climate change effects. Moreover, neither the fiscal years 2018-2019 nor fiscal years 2020-2021 national program manager guidance for EPA's Office of Land and Emergency Management mentions climate change among its goals and priorities.\r\n\r\nThe Superfund program is not providing necessary resources and direction to regional officials that would help them assess and respond to site-specific risks due to climate change. The lack of resources for regional offices is a direct result of EPA headquarters' failure to embrace addressing climate change as a strategic objective. In fact, when speaking with GAO, one EPA official stated that senior agency officials were not aware of the potential risks to the Superfund program mission posed by the impacts of climate change effects when drafting the 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan.[8]\r\n\r\nTo address these shortcomings, GAO made several recommendations to EPA related to improving Superfund site information. These recommendations state that the EPA should provide direction to regional offices on how to integrate information on the potential impacts of climate change effects into risk assessments and response decisions. GAO also recommends that EPA align the agency's current goals and objectives with the need to address the effects of climate change.\r\n\r\nIn an October 1, 2019 response to GAO's study, EPA Assistant Administrator Peter Wright agreed only to implement only one of GAO's recommendations. In disagreeing with all of GAO's other recommendations, Mr. Wright stated that EPA believes existing processes, resources, and commitments adequately ensure that the Agency's risk management process aligns with current goals and objectives.\r\n\r\nWe believe that EPA's refusal to implement GAO's recommendations could result in real harm to human health and the environment as the effects of climate change become more frequent and intense. To better understand EPA's decision to reject GAO's recommendations on managing risks from climate change at Superfund sites and EPA's strategic planning process, please provide your responses to the following questions no later than December 13, 2019:\r\n\r\n \r\nDuring the drafting of EPA's 2018-2022 strategic plan, which was released in February 2018, why did EPA not incorporate the potential risks of the impacts of climate change effects into its strategic goals and objectives? If EPA believes these risks are otherwise addressed, please provide an explanation for that belief, including copies of any documents that demonstrate the manner in which the increased intensity and frequency of events such as flooding, wildfires and hurricanes in the coming decades are included in EPA's strategic goals and objectives.\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nIn rejecting GAO's recommendation to clarify how EPA's actions to manage risks to human health and the environment from the potential impacts of climate change effects at Superfund sites align with the agency's current goals and objectives, is EPA affirming that its current goals and objectives do not consider the potential impacts of climate change effects on human health and the environment? If so, how does EPA justify ignoring the increased risks from the potential impacts of climate change effects to human health and the environment? If EPA believes these risks are otherwise addressed, please provide an explanation for that belief, including copies of any documents that demonstrate the process by which the increased intensity and frequency of events such as flooding, wildfires and hurricanes in the coming decades are included.\r\n \r\n\r\nThank you for your consideration of this consequential matter.\r\n\r\n###\r\n    \r\n\r\n[1]GAO,Superfund: EPA Should Take Additional Actions to Manage Risks from Climate Change,GAO-20-73 (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 2019)\r\n\r\n\r\n[2]USGCRP, 2018:Impacts, Risks, andAdaptationin the United States: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II[Reidmiller, D.R., C.W. Avery, D.R. Easterling, K.E. Kunkel, K.L.M. Lewis, T.K. Maycock, and B.C. Stewart (eds.)]. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC, USA, 1515 pp. doi: 10.7930/NCA4.2018.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n[4]In this letter, when discussing Superfund sites, we are specifically referring to nonfederal sites on the National Priorities List of the Superfund program.\r\n\r\n\r\n[5]GAO at p. 19;Figure 3.GAO has created an interactive guide that maps all 1,571 nonfederal National Priorities List Superfund sites and identifies how climate change related hazards impacts each site. This resource is linked to the online version of the report (https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-20-73) underMultimedia.\r\n\r\n\r\n[6]See GAO at p. 30; According to the NCA, global average sea levels are very likely to continue to rise by at least several inches in the next 15 years and by 1.0 to 4.3 feet by 2100. Further, the NCA states that a rise of as much as 8 feet by 2100 cannot be ruled out.\r\n\r\n\r\n[7]See Id. at pp. 36-37, 43. Specifically, this work benefited from a 2012 EPA study of adaptation of Superfund remediation to climate change, a 2014 EPA agency-wide climate change adaptation plan, and a 2016 EPA recommended template for Superfund sites Five-Year Reviews that includes a section for officials to document their consideration of whether any newly available information related to climate change may call into question a remedy's protectiveness.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/carper-visits-dover-high-school-for-america-recycles-day", "Carper Visits Dover High School for America Recycles Day", "2019-11-15", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "DOVER, Del.  Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), co-founder of the Senate Recycling Caucus and top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, visited Dover High School to learn more about the school's recycling program on America Recycles Day 2019. Yesterday, a resolution led by Senators Carper and Recycling Caucus co-chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) recognizing America Recycles Day was approved unanimously by the Senate.\r\nEvery Wednesday, a group of up to two dozen students at Dover High School, who are part of the Teen Vision community service group, spend more than half an hour of their free time between classes recycling a wide variety of items used at the school.\r\nThese students are making every day America Recycles Day. Recycling is a great thing everyone can do on a daily basis to protect the environment and preserve our Earth's limited resources, said Senator Carper. In Delaware, more recycling can go a long way toward keeping our beaches clean and safe from litter that harms wildlife and could jeopardize our state's multi-million dollar tourism industry. As the American recycling industry faces new and evolving challenges, Senator Boozman and all the members of the bipartisan Senate Recycling Caucus are dedicated to promoting and advancing solutions that will encourage more recycling.\r\nSenator Carper continued, The Senators in D.C. could learn a thing or two from the Senators of Dover High! With more young leaders like this, the future of our planet is getting brighter and brighter. I applaud these students for their dedication towards conserving resources and keeping Delaware beautiful.\r\nAccording to the EPA, only 21 percent of recyclable waste is recycled. The American recycling industry is valued at approximately $200 billion, and it's estimated that diverting 75 percent of U.S. waste from landfills and incineration to recycling by 2030 would create 2.3 million jobs. A recent study from the World Economic Forum predicts that unless our waste management and recycling methods change significantly, we are on track to have plastic pollution outweigh fish in our world's oceans by 2050.\r\nYesterday, Senator Carper and Senate Recycling Caucus co-chair Senator John Boozman (R-Ark.) spoke on the Senate floor about recycling's impact on economic growth and environmental quality, noting that the practice creates jobs and prevents the need for the extraction of new materials. And earlier this week, Senator Carper recorded an audio message encouraging Delawareans to recycle.\r\nThe Senate Recycling Caucus is a bipartisan group of 26 senators engaged with environmental and industry stakeholders to find ways the federal government can more effectively encourage responsible recycling practices throughout the country. In 2019 alone, the caucus has held four briefings to hear about the state of recycling in America today and discuss ways in which the federal government can encourage more recycling.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/making-every-day-america-recycles-day", "Making every day America Recycles Day", "2019-11-15", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "For more than two decades, communities across the country have come together on November 15th to observe America Recycles Day and celebrate their commitment to recycling.\r\nThis year, I spent the morning talking about recycling with a group of students at Dover High School  the home of the Senators! These students are taking the lead on recycling through Teen Vision, a community service group at Dover High that does great work like food bank drives and raising funds for breast cancer research. Every Wednesday, as many as two dozen students spend half an hour recycling bottles, cans, paper and other items at the school.\r\nI can tell you this, if Senators in D.C. have the same passion for recycling as the Senators at Dover High, we'll be in great shape. Fortunately, a number of U.S. Senators do!\r\nI've been a strong advocate for recycling for 50 years, which is what eventually inspired me to start the Senate Recycling Caucus. As co-chair and co-founder of the Senate Recycling Caucus, I'm partnering with my Republican colleague, Senator John Boozman of Arkansas, to lead the caucus in exploring ways in which the federal government can encourage more recycling. This year, our bipartisan caucus has held four briefings with environmental, business and local community leaders to learn more about the state of recycling in America today.\r\nEarlier this week, Senator Boozman and I introduced and successfully passed a resolution in the U.S. Senate to commemorate today, November 15th, as America Recycles Day.\r\nI believe we have a moral obligation to be devoted stewards of the environment and to leave our planet in better shape than we found it. Lately, I have been thinking about a quote from Martin Luther King: Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. This call to service reminds me of recycling because almost anyone can help protect our environment by reducing the waste they produce, and by recycling. Over the years, I have recycled almost everything you can imaginefrom a green Ford Explorer to paint cans to electronics. Just last weekend, I recycled a dehumidifier, a bundle of outdoor tree lights and a ton of other stuff, too.\r\nFor a small state like Delaware  which is 100 miles long and 50 miles wide  recycling is particularly important because we just don't have a lot of space for landfills. Unfortunately, today, the recycling industry is facing unprecedented challenges, especially when it comes to plastics. According to the EPA, the United States recycles less than 22 percent of our discarded materials. If we continue down this path, the World Economic Forum predicts that we are on track to have plastic pollution outweigh fish in our world's oceans by 2050.\r\nWe need solutions that are win-wins for our economy and for our environment. I believe recycling is one of these win-win solutions. On top of cleaning up our waterways, reducing emissions and cutting the need to extract new resources, recycling and remanufacturing industries are beneficial for our economy - accounting for more than 750,000 jobs and approximately $6.7 billion in tax revenue. It's also estimated that diverting 75% of U.S. waste from landfills and incineration to recycling by 2030 would create 2.3 million jobs! As I love to say, it's possible to do good and do well at the same time.\r\nRecycling is something that just about every American can do each day to make a difference. So, please join me in celebrating America Recycles Day  and then, let's make every day America Recycles Day! The Dover High Senators and young people all over the world will have a brighter future for it.\r\nTom Carper", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/carper-boozman-resolution-recognizing-america-recycles-day-passes-senate", "Carper-Boozman Resolution Recognizing America Recycles Day Passes Senate", "2019-11-14", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. To reaffirm our nation's commitment to recycling and to underscore the importance of recycling to our economy and the environment, the Senate unanimously approved aresolutionintroduced by U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.) that recognizes November 15, 2019 as America Recycles Day.\r\nThe Senate Recycling Caucus, led by Senators Carper and Boozman, is abipartisan group of 26 senatorsengaged with environmental and industry stakeholders to find ways the federal government can more effectively encourage responsible recycling practices throughout the country. In 2019 alone, the caucus has held four briefings to hear about the state of recycling in America today and discuss ways in which the federal government can encourage more recycling.\r\nIn honor of America Recycles Day, Senators Carper and Boozman are encouraging their colleagues and all Americans to remember the importance of recycling. On Thursday, theyspoke on the Senate floorto highlight the need to expand recycling practices.\r\nReally, every day should be America Recycles Day! Recycling is a small step that just about every American can take each day to improve our quality of living and protect the environment we share,said Senator Carper, co-founder of the Senate Recycling Caucus and top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee.I've been a strong advocate for recycling for 50 years, because I believe that all of us can do our part to preserve limited resources and reduce landfill input while, at the same time, protecting our environment and creating jobs.\r\nWith plastic pollution projected to outweigh fish in our world's oceans by 2050, and with the mounting challenges that have come with China's new Green Fence' policy, it's more important than ever that we encourage more Americans to reduce, reuse and recycle,Senator Carper continued.I look forward to the work ahead of us in the Recycling Caucus to discuss and consider ways in which the federal government can effectively encourage innovation in recycling, and I'm grateful to have Senator Boozman's partnership in this important effort.\r\nRecycling strengthens our economy and creates hundreds of thousands of well-paying jobs in addition to being a common sense way to be responsible stewards of our environment,Senator Boozman said.Arkansas is home to many companies that are contributing to a robust and growing commercial recycling industry. I encourage all Americans to use America Recycles Day as an opportunity to reflect on the critical importance of recycling, and to consider what we can do to support our environment through our own individual efforts.\r\nYou may find the full text of the resolution introduced by Senators Carper and BoozmanHEREand below.\r\nRecognizing November 15, 2019, as ``America Recycles Day'' and expressing the sense of the Senate that recycling promotes a healthy economy and responsible environmental stewardship.\r\nWhereas recycling is among the top actions that people in the United States can do to improve the environment and the economy of the United States;\r\nWhereas, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, in the United States, only 21.4 percent of recyclable waste is recycled;\r\nWhereas, in the United States, recycling is an industry valued at approximately $200,000,000,000;\r\nWhereas diverting 75 percent of waste in the United States from landfilling and incineration to recycling by 2030 would result in the creation of approximately 2,300,000 recycling jobs, nearly 2 times the number of recycling jobs that existed in the United States in 2008;\r\nWhereas the 2016 Recycling Economic Information Report by the Environmental Protection Agency found, using 2007 as a base year, that recycling and reuse activities\r\n(1) accounted for approximately 757,000 jobs, 0.52 percent of all jobs in the United States;\r\n(2) produced approximately $36,600,000,000 in wages, 0.62 percent of total wages paid in the United States; and\r\n(3) produced approximately $6,700,000,000 in tax revenue, 0.90 percent of total tax revenue in the United States;\r\nWhereas recycling conserves natural resources and fresh water;\r\nWhereas recycling prevents waste and discarded materials from ending up in oceans and waterways and harming water and wildlife;\r\nWhereas, in 2015, approximately 67,800,000 tons of municipal solid waste were recycled, in contrast with 137,700,000 tons of municipal solid waste that were landfilled; and\r\nWhereas, with respect to the 67,800,000 tons of municipal solid waste that were recycled, paper and paperboard accounted for 67 percent, metals accounted for 12 percent, and glass, plastic, and wood accounted for between 4 and 5 percent: Now, therefore, be it\r\nResolved, That the Senate\r\n(1) recognizes November 15, 2019, as America Recycles Day;\r\n(2) acknowledges that recycling benefits and strengthens the economy, environment, and communities of the United States; and\r\n(3) encourages the people of the United States to be cognizant of their environmental footprint and to incorporate additional recycling practices into their daily lives.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/carper-lankford-cassidy-tester-introduce-first-ever-bipartisan-senate-bill-to-protect-student-veterans-by-closing-the-90-10-loophole", "Carper, Lankford, Cassidy, Tester Introduce First Ever Bipartisan Senate Bill to Protect Student Veterans by Closing the 90/10 Loophole", "2019-11-14", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Protect VETS Act safeguards military and veteran students' hard-earned GI Bill benefits, holds predatory institutions accountable and saves taxpayer dollars\r\nBipartisanlegislation supported bykeyveteransand military service organizations\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C.  On the week of Veterans Day, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), led a group of bipartisan senators  Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.), Bill Cassidy, M.D.(R-La.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs  in introducing theProtect Veterans' Education and Training Spending (Protect VETS) Act of 2019. TheProtect VETS Actis the first bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate that would protect military and veteran students by closing the 90/10 loophole andrequirefor-profit schoolstosecure at least 10 percent of their revenues from sources other than taxpayers.\r\nMore than two decades ago, Republican President George H.W. Bush signed a bipartisan bill into law that limited how much federal funding for-profit schools may receive from taxpayers. Now called the 90/10 rule, this limit requires for-profit schools to obtain at least 10 percent of their revenues from non-federal sources. However, a loophole in the law excludes Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DOD) education funds, like the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance (TA), from being counted as federal funds. Some for-profit schools have exploited this 90/10 loophole by using aggressive recruitment practices and deceptive marketingto enroll servicemembers, veterans and other GI Bill beneficiaries. TheProtect VETS Actwould close the 90/10 loophole by counting VA and DOD funds as federal dollars.\r\nSpecifically, theProtect VETS Actwould:\r\n \r\nClose the 90/10 loopholeby counting VA and DOD educational funds on the 90 percent side of the 90/10 formula rather than the 10 percent side.\r\n \r\n \r\nRequireproprietary schools toprovideupdated 90/10 datain their annual report to Congress.\r\nMove to a system of tiered penaltiesfor schools that violate the 90/10 Rule. Beginning the 2022-2023 school year, the penalties for violating the 90/10 Rule escalate over a three-year time period: (Year 1) no new VA and DODstudentenrollments (this provision is modeled on existing VA regulations that protect the GI Bill); (Year 2)a totalenrollment cap; and (Year 3) loss ofaccess tofederal funding for at least two years with the possibility of regaining eligibility after two years.\r\nProvide an appeal process that grants high-quality proprietary institutions relief from penalties.This limited appeal process gives schools additional time to comply with the 90/10 Rule if they are serving military and veteran students and taxpayers well.\r\nAdd a caution flag to the GI Bill Comparison Tool when an institution violates 90/10. This would better allow prospective or current military and veteran students to readily identify potential bad actors.\r\nApply the new 90/10 Rule for a limited time to for-profit schools after they convertto non-profit status.\r\n \r\nMy own life was changed because of the GI Bill. After returning from three tours of duty in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, I was able to use my Vietnam-Era GI Bill benefits at the University of Delaware to pursue a master's degree. Like many veterans before me, including my dad, my career wouldn't have been possible without the GI Bill. I am deeply grateful to the people of this country for investing in me, and my desire to make sure that all our servicemembers receive a quality education that allows them to pursue their dreams is personal to me,said Senator Carper.Unfortunately, for too long,bad-actors in thefor-profitsectorhave exploited a loophole in the system  known as the 90/10 loophole  and taken advantage of our veteransandtheir generous education benefits.To be clear, notall for-profit schools are bad actors.In fact, many are doing a good job. However, I believe thatone veteran misled or mistreated by a for-profit school is one veteran too many.In response, I believe it's long past time for Congress to heed the advice of our nation's Veterans Service Organizations and close the 90/10 loophole.Our commitment to care for our veterans is a sacred obligation and ensuring their hard-earned GI Bill benefits are safeguarded is part of that sacred obligation. The common sense and bipartisan reforms in the Protect VETS Act will finally close the 90/10 loophole and help better protect military andveteranstudents, while also saving taxpayer dollars.\r\nOur veterans have served our nation selflessly, and we made a promise to assist them as they transition to civilian life after service, said Senator Lankford. This bill puts reasonable protections in place that are fair to veterans, taxpayers, and schools. This bill is a bipartisan solution to put the best interest of our veterans first while also recognizing that the majority of for-profit post-secondary institutions, but unfortunately not all offer quality programs that accommodate the needs and unique skill sets of our veterans and servicemembers. Most importantly, the bill continues to fulfill a promise we made to those who have served and protected our nation and our freedoms. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure this commonsense and bipartisan bill is enacted into law.\r\nThe Protect VETS Act holds institutions accountable,said Dr. Cassidy.Veterans deserve to know that their GI benefits lead to a quality education.\r\nFor-profit schools are exploiting the 90/10 loophole, allowing bad actors to take advantage of the system and our veterans,said Senator Tester.This bipartisan bill willclose this loophole, save taxpayer dollars, and ensure our country's men and women in uniform get the education they earned without unnecessary financial headaches.\r\nSince 2009, more than 1.7 million service members, veterans and their families have used the Post-9/11 GI Bill to finance their higher education. Unfortunately, some of the largest recipients of Post-9/11 GI Bill funds have closed down after years of delivering poor outcomes to students and taxpayers. Two now-shuttered for-profit colleges, ITT Technical Institutes and Corinthian Colleges, received over $1 billion in Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits before suddenly closing their doors, leaving nearly 7,000 student veterans and every American taxpayer in the lurch. In 2016, following the closure of ITT Technical Institutes, Senator Carper released areporthighlighting how school closures harm veterans using the GI Bill to pay for their education.\r\nMany for-profit institutions provide quality education and training programs for veterans and servicemembers, and allow access to an education for non-traditional students. However, over the years there have been some bad actors in the sector resulting in too many veterans and service members that have exhausted their hard-earned benefits at now-defunct schools. In response, a broad coalition of Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) and other advocacy groups are rallying behind this bipartisan, common-sense effort to protect military and veteran students, as well as taxpayers, from bad actors in the for-profit educational sector while also providing a fair process for good schools to continue serving military and student veterans.\r\nThe VFW supports the Protect VETS Act, and applauds Senator Carper and his steadfast efforts to eliminate financial loopholes in higher education that could be used to prey upon student veterans. Senator Carper, a VFW Life Member, has worked tirelessly to bring about protections for veterans, military members, and their families during their pursuit of higher education,said Pat Murray, Deputy Director for Veterans of Foreign Wars' (VFW) National Legislative Service.The VFW would like to thank Senator Carper, along with his colleagues Senators Cassidy, and Lankford for their bold bipartisan actions to protect the interests of student veterans.\r\nThe American Legion takes no issue with online learning or alternatives to traditional college education. But we do take issue with companies that separate veterans from their hard-earned benefits while failing to provide quality education and training. We are proud to see Republican and Democratic Senators put politics aside to stand up for our veterans and close the loophole that allows unscrupulous institutions to target the GI Bill, and call on the rest of the Senate to join Senator Carper in sponsoring the Protect VETS Act, said James W. Bill Oxford, National Commander of The American Legion.\r\nFor too long, bad actor schools have used a loophole in the 90-10 rule to evade and undermine a cap on federal financial aid by aggressively targeting student veterans, service members, families, and survivors for their earned educational benefits,said Jared Lyon, National President and CEO of Student Veterans of America.This bipartisan, common sense proposal marks a watershed moment in a years-long effort to close this abusive loophole. SVA supports this legislation and will continue to work with all sides to finally close this loophole and put the needs of students before profits.\r\nWe are thrilled to finally have a real chance to close the 90-10 loophole and remove the target from the backs of veterans and servicemembers,said Carrie Wofford, President at Veterans Education Success.Closing the 90-10 loophole has been a priority for the nation's leading military and veteran service organizations for a decade. This bipartisan compromise bill makes that priority a real possibility. We're very grateful for the leadership by Senators Carper (D-DE), Cassidy (R-LA), Lankford (R-OK) and Tester (D-MT) in introducing this common-sense bipartisan solution.\r\nTAPS is grateful to Senators Carper, Lankford and Cassidy for introducing the first bipartisan 90/10 legislation that not only addresses the 90/10 loophole but focuses on the conversion process of schools from for-profit to non-profit status,said Ashlynne Haycock, Deputy Director of Policy and Legislation for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).Closing the loophole has long been a priority for TAPS, and we look forward to seeing this much needed legislation passed into law to best protect veterans, survivors, and all military connected students.\r\nIt is important to protect the interests of military-connected students with commonsense policy, and MOAA is committed to defending the GI Bill from any attempt to diminish the promise it offers to our servicemembers and their families using the program to advance their education; closing the 90-10 loophole is an important and necessary step in keeping the promise,said Lt. Gen. Dana Atkins, President and CEO of the Military Officers Association of America.Thanks Senators Carper, Lankford and Cassidy for addressing this issue in a bipartisan fashion.\r\nFor far too long, predatory for-profit institutions of higher learning' have lined the pockets of their top administrators and investors in cahoots with the 90/10 loophole ignored by most Senators and Representatives  until now,said John Rowan, National President of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA).With the enactment of this legislation, the open cash spigot will finally be turned off.\r\nThe Post-9/11 GI Bill is one of the most popular veteran benefits available. An incredible 93% of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America's (IAVA) veteran members surveyed reported that they have either used their GI Bill benefits, intend to use them or will transfer them to a dependent. However, the GI Bill is still being exploited by underperforming and bad acting schools who take advantage of veterans' benefits and often leave veterans stuck with unnecessary debt and a subpar education,said Jeremy Butler, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).\"Closing the 90/10 loophole has been a critical part of IAVA's work to defend the GI Bill from bad actors and we are proud to support this important legislation.\"\r\nFor too long, military-connected students have been heavily pursued by bad-actor institutions for access to earned educational benefits through the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) due to a loophole in the classification of funds, said the National Military Family Association. The National Military Family Association (NMFA) is encouraged to see a bipartisan approach to closure of the 90/10 loophole through the Protect VETS Act. The Act provides a thoughtful transition period for institution compliance while ensuring military-connected students receive a quality education they deserve.\r\nIn May 2019, the following 37 organizations signed a letter of support for closing the 90/10 loophole:Air Force Sergeants Association, Army Aviation Association of America, The American Legion, AMVETS, Armed Forces Retirees Association, Association of the United States Army, Association of the United States Navy, Blue Star Families, Chief Warrant and Warrant Officers Association, Fleet Reserve Association, High Ground Veterans Advocacy, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Ivy League Veterans Council, Jewish War Veterans of the USA, Military Child Education Coalition, Military Officers Association of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Non Commissioned Officers Assn. of the United States of America, National Military Family Association, San Diego University Veterans Law Clinic, Service to School, Student Veterans of America, Service Women's Action Network, Swords to Plowshares, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Travis Manion Foundation, The Military Chaplains Assn. of the USA, The Mission Continues, The Retired Enlisted Association, United States Army Warrant Officers Association, U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association & Enlisted Association, Veterans Education Success, Veterans for Common Sense, Veterans Student Loan Relief Fund, Vets First, Vietnam Veterans of America.\r\nThe bill text can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/senators-carper-coons-join-senators-in-introducing-bipartisan-bill-to-support-and-expand-regional-greenhouse-gas-reduction-programs", "Senators Carper, Coons Join Senators in Introducing Bipartisan Bill to Support and Expand Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs", "2019-11-14", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Tom Carper, top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) today joined Senator Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and a number of senators in introducingbipartisan legislationto support and expand regional climate change mitigation programs like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The RGGI is a collaborative effort across the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont that uses market-based tools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector.\r\nTheRegional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act of 2019would establish an office at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support the establishment of new regional greenhouse gas reduction programs and expand existing programs.\r\nIn Delaware, we have seen firsthand the tremendous economic and public health benefits that come with participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative,said Senator Carper.This bill will help states expand upon the Northeast Region's success, providing all states with the financial resources and technical assistance needed to carry out regional greenhouse gas reduction programs. This legislation will result in cleaner air, a safer climate and more American jobs. I'm proud to partner with Senator Hassan on this important measure.\r\nDelaware is America's lowest lying state, which puts us on the front lines of the fight against climate change,said Senator Coons.Delaware and several other states in our region have shown real leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and we've proven that this effort isn't just good for our environment  it can help our economy, too. I'm proud to be part of this bipartisan effort to ensure that the federal government is working with state governments already leading the way by using market-based tools to reduce emissions and protect our environment.\r\nThe EPA Office of Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs established by this legislation would provide analysis and technical assistance to help establish new regional greenhouse gas reduction programs, expand existing programs such as RGGI and the Western Climate Initiative, and support states that are already members of such programs. The bill would also provide grants for state and local governments to take preliminary steps toward developing or participating in a regional greenhouse gas reduction program.\r\nThis bipartisan legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Angus King (I-Maine), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) all of whom represent states currently participating in RGGI, as well as Bob Casey (D-Pa.), whose state has taken steps recently to join the initiative.\r\nClickHEREfor a PDF of the bill. To read the one-pager on the bipartisan Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act, clickHERE.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/coons-isakson-kaine-portman-introduce-bill-to-help-unemployed-americans-find-good-jobs-call-for-swift-senate-passage", "Coons, Isakson, Kaine, Portman introduce bill to help unemployed Americans find good jobs, call for swift Senate passage", "2019-11-14", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.Today,U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) introduced legislation to help more unemployed Americans reenter the workforce. The Building on Reemployment Improvements to Deliver Good Employment (BRIDGE) for Workers Act would give states more flexibility in administering existing unemployment benefits to help more Americans find good-paying jobs.  These reemployment benefitswhich include job search assistance, employability assessment, job matching, financial literacy services, and assistance with resume writing and interviewinghave proved highly successful. When workers are laid off, early access to these services reduces the duration of their unemployment, strengthening both the economic security of working families and the solvency of state unemployment trust funds.  U.S. Representatives Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.), Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.), Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.), and Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) introduced companion legislation in the House, which passed with bipartisan support on April 9, 2019.Senate passage of the bill will send it to the President's desk.  Today's job market can be highly disruptive,said Senator Coons.A new technology or a shuttered factory can quickly put a hardworking American out of a job. Unemployment Insurance is an earned benefit that provides much-needed support, but during these uncertain times, many can benefit from additional help finding a new well-paying job. Meeting face-to-face with an expert, who can identify good job opportunities and coach people through the hiring process, can make all the difference, and the BRIDGE for Workers Act gives states the flexibility to offer that service to more workers. I call on my Senate colleagues to quickly pass this commonsense, bipartisan bill.  The BRIDGE for Workers Act is commonsense legislation that would help more job-seeking Americans find valuable employment more quickly and provide states with more flexibility to aid these workers more effectively,said Senator Isakson.Through employment services, counseling and access to relevant data, this measure would help improve opportunities for Americans looking to finding a job.  If we can do more to help hardworking Americans gain employment again, we have to do it. In a changing economy, this bipartisan legislation would give more Americans who are out of work access to career counseling and improve assistance with job searches, resume writing, and interviews. This commonsense bill is good for workers and good for our economy,said Senator Kaine.  Reemployment services like job counseling and interview coaching are effective toolsthat will helpstrengthen our nation's workforce,said Senator Portman.The Congressional Budget Office has concluded that this targeted expansion ofthese reemploymentserviceswill help reduce the deficitbecause oftheir proven effectiveness in helpingmore Americansreenter the job market. I am happy tohelplead this legislation alongside this results-minded groupof legislators.  Having a job provides Americans with a well-earned paycheck, the ability to provide for their family, and a sense of dignity,said Congresswoman Murphy.I was proud to steer this bipartisan bill successfully through the House, and I thank Senator Coons for leading the companion effort in the Senate to give more unemployed Americans the skills and resources they need to return to the workforce.  The Unemployment Insurance program plays a critical role in helping workers get back on their feet when they fall on hard times, but it should do more than simply process checks,said Congresswoman Walorski.Treating unemployed workers like people, not numbers on a spreadsheet, is the key to helping them find good jobs more quickly. I'm grateful to my colleagues in the Senate for their work to help get this bill to the president's desk so states can focus on the individual needs of workers and families can thrive.  The U.S. Department of Labor awards annual grants to states and territories so they can provide reemployment services to unemployment claimants and help them find work. Under current law, however, states can only use their federal grants to assist workers who are expected to exhaust their unemployment benefits before they find work. This unnecessary restriction prevents many unemployed workers from getting valuable assistance. The BRIDGE for Workers Act would remove this restriction and allow states to use their grants to provide support to any individual receiving unemployment benefits, as long as the state believes these services would help them return to work more quickly. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that new investments in reemployment services scheduled over the next decade would reduce the budget deficit by $600 million between 2022 and 2027.   The legislation is endorsed by the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), the non-partisan national organization representing all 50 state workforce agencies, D.C., and U.S. territories. The text of the bill can be foundhere. A one-pager can be foundhere. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/facial-recognition-tech-sens-coons-lee-bill-requires-court-orders-for-law-enforcement-use-of-facial-recognition-technology", "FACIAL RECOGNITION TECH: Sens. Coons, Lee bill requires court orders for law enforcement use of facial recognition technology", "2019-11-14", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced bipartisan legislation to require federal law enforcement to obtain a court order before using facial recognition technology to conduct targeted ongoing public surveillance. The use of facial recognition technology is a valuable tool for law enforcement to protect and ensure public safety; however, if used improperly, this technology can quickly become invasive and could violate the privacy of individual Americans. TheFacial Recognition Technology Warrant Actwill help to implement important safeguards to protect the American public from inappropriate government surveillance.  Right now, there is a lack of uniformity when it comes to how, when, and where the federal government deploys facial recognition technology,said Senator Coons.I'm proud to introduce legislation with Senator Lee that would set clear rules around federal use of the technology by requiring the government to obtain a probable cause warrant if and when it wants to specifically target and track an American. This bipartisan bill strikes the right balance by making sure law enforcement has the tools necessary to keep us safe while also protecting fundamental Fourth Amendment privacy rights.  Facial recognition technology can be a powerful tool for law enforcement officials,said Senator Lee.But it's very power also makes it ripe for abuse. That is why American citizens deserve protection from facial recognition abuse. This bill accomplishes that by requiring federal law enforcement agencies to obtain a warrant before conducting ongoing surveillance of a target.  We support the bipartisan leadership of Senators Coons and Lee to introduce meaningful reform of law enforcement's use of facial recognition technology,said Fred Humphries, corporate vice president of U.S. Government Affairs at Microsoft.The bill provides clarity for law enforcement to be transparent about its use of facial recognition technology, both for human review when facial recognition is in use and testing for accuracy. The bill also ensures that law enforcement will seek a warrant before it can use this technology for ongoing surveillance, except in certain emergency circumstances. We're grateful for the Senators' leadership and are encouraged to see introduction of a new legal framework. Microsoft is committed to working with all stakeholders as the legislation advances in Congress.  TheFacial Recognition Technology Warrant Actwould: Require federal law enforcement to obtain a warrant based upon a showing of a probable cause of criminal activity in order to utilize facial recognition technology for the purpose of ongoing public surveillance of an individual.  Limit the warrant's allowance of ongoing surveillance to a maximum of 30 days and require the use of the facial recognition technology to be conducted in such a way as to minimize the acquisition, retention, and dissemination of information regarding individuals outside the warrant's purview.  Permit law enforcement to use facial recognition technology for ongoing surveillance without a court order in exigent circumstances.  Require the judge issuing or denying the warrant application to report the outcome of the warrant application to the Administrative Office of the United States Courts which must catalogue the data and submit a summarized report to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives. A one-pager on the bill is availablehere.The bill text is availablehere. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/audio-ahead-of-america-recycles-day-carper-urges-delawareans-to-recycle", "AUDIO: Ahead of America Recycles Day, Carper Urges Delawareans to Recycle", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Ahead of America Recycles Day on Friday, November 15, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), co-founder of the Senate Recycling Caucus and top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, is encouraging Delawareans to recycle by spreading the word about the positive impact recycling has on economic growth and environmental quality.\r\nHello, this is U.S. Senator Tom Carper. And I'm reminding you that this Friday, November 15th is America Recycles Day, Senator Carper said. Recycling is good for our economy and our environment  and it's something we can do every single day! It's an easy way that we can help keep our communities cleaner and healthier, too.\r\nAccording to the EPA, only 21 percent of recyclable waste is recycled. The American recycling industry is valued at approximately $200 billion, and it's estimated that diverting 75 percent of U.S. waste from landfills and incineration to recycling by 2030 would create 2.3 million jobs. A recent study from the World Economic Forum predicts that unless our waste management and recycling methods change significantly, we are on track to have plastic pollution outweigh fish in our world's oceans by 2050.\r\nWe only have one planet. And with your help, America can lead the way in reducing, reusing and recycling, Senator Carper continued. So, let's all get out there and recycle today and every single day!\r\nSenator Carper along with Senator John Boozman (R-Ark.) are co-chairs of the Senate Recycling Caucus, a group of 26 senators engaging with environmental and industry stakeholders to find ways the federal government can more effectively encourage responsible recycling practices throughout the country.\r\n\r\nTo download and broadcast:\r\nAudio MP3: https://s3.amazonaws.com/sdmc-media.senate.gov/CARPER/111219_CARPER_3_RADIO.MP3\r\nAudio WAV: https://s3.amazonaws.com/sdmc-media.senate.gov/CARPER/111219_CARPER_3_RADIO.WAV\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/carper-statement-on-vote-against-wolf-as-dhs-undersecretary", "Carper Statement on Vote Against Wolf as DHS Undersecretary", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), senior Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), released the following statement after opposing the nomination of Chad Wolf to serve as Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Wolf has served in this role in an acting capacity since he was nominated for the job in February 2019, but has never been confirmed by the Senate. With the departure of Acting DHS Secretary Kevin McAleenan, 11 of the 18 top positions at DHS are vacant or filled by acting officials. The Trump Administration seeks to bypass the Constitutional role of the Senateto provide advice and consent regarding cabinet officialsby confirming Mr. Wolf in his current position, then appointing him toserve as Acting Secretary of the entire Department.\r\nSenator Carper has been outspoken about the need for the highest positions at DHS, the third-largest federal agency, to be filled expeditiously, and the need for the President to nominate, and the Senate to vote on, a permanent Secretary of Homeland Security.\r\nEarlier this year, in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I cast a vote in favor of Chad Wolf to serve as Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy and Plans at the Department of Homeland Security. I stand by that vote. I believed then, as I do now, that Mr. Wolf has the experience needed to fulfill that role at DHS.\r\nHowever, while the vote the Senate took today may have appeared in name to relate Mr. Wolf's nomination for that very same position at DHS, in reality, it was far different. Just two weeks ago, the President announcedvia Twitterhis intent to appoint Mr. Wolf to the position of Acting Secretary. Upon Mr. Wolf's swearing-in, he will serve as the fifth individual to run the Department in less than three years. Of those, only two have been confirmed to that position by vote of the Senate.\r\nMy vote against Mr. Wolf today is not about the nominee himself. Now that he has been confirmed, it is my hope that Mr. Wolf rises to the occasion and provides this Department with the leadership it so sorely needsand I stand ready to work with him as he faces that challenge. Rather, my vote today is a vote against the President's consistent failure to adhere to the process clearly outlined in the Constitution and attempts to ignore the Senate's authority to consider and approve nominees, especially those at the cabinet level, and especially at DHS.\r\nIn Article II of the Constitution, right there at the beginning, our founders set up a system in which the President would nominate individuals to the top posts in our government and senators, as representatives of the American people, would provide advice and consent' on those nominees. In that way, the President gets to choose his or her team, and the Senate, on behalf of their constituents, makes sure that those team members are sufficiently qualified. It is a fundamental part of the intricate system of checks and balances that our founders designed so that no one branch of our government would be all-powerful.\r\nOver the last three years, we have seen President Trump nominate extremely unqualified individuals to posts across the federal government. But, at DHS, an agency with a budget of over $50 billion, whose 240,000 men and women are charged with such critical functions as protecting our country from ever-evolving domestic and foreign threats, responding to national disasters, and securing our elections against foreign interference, the President has simply refused to put forth nominees at all. The Department has been without permanent, Senate-confirmed leadership for over seven months now. Today, 11 of the top 18 positions at the Department are filled by individuals serving in acting roles, or are vacant entirely.\r\nThis is no way to run any agency, let alone one with as critical a mission as DHS. This constant turnover and continual lack of permanent leadership may be the way President Trump likes to do business, but it does not breed success. It compromises our national security. It renders even the most qualified, capable individuals ineffectual, and it leaves an agency of enormous size and consequence continually rudderless.\r\nAt a time when this Department should be laser-focused on protecting the election set to take place in less than a year, countering the rise of domestic terrorism at home and abroad and responding to ever more frequent and powerful natural disasters, you need Senate-confirmed leadership and you need continuity in leadership. I remain incredibly disappointed with the kind of turmoil that we're continuing to see at DHS, and I fear that today's approval of Chad Wolf to serve in that role will act as implicit permission from Congress to ignore our role in the confirmation of qualified nominees, and embolden the President to continue choosing Acting Secretaries as his whims dictate, rather than on the basis of their qualifications for the role.\r\nI would urge the President: if you want Chad Wolf to run DHS, then formally nominate him to fill that position. Let him interview for that job. Let him come before the Senate and share his views. Let us vote on a nominee. And let the men and women of the Department have a permanent leader who has the authority to combat the very real threats we face. I would welcome that. But don't simply try to bypass Congress and a confirmation process that has been upheld since the beginning of our republic.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/epw-hearing-statement", "EPW Hearing Statement: Preserving and Expanding Clean, Reliable Nuclear Power: U.S. Commercial Nuclear Reactor Performance Trends and Safety Initiatives", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held the hearing, Preserving and Expanding Clean, Reliable Nuclear Power: U.S. Commercial Nuclear Reactor Performance Trends and Safety Initiatives. Below is the opening statement of Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-Del.), as prepared for delivery:\r\nJust last Friday, I had the opportunity to deliver the keynote address at a Change of Command Ceremony in Norfolk, Virginia aboard the USS Delaware, a nuclear-powered, fast-attack Virginia-class submarine that will be commissioned at the Port of Wilmington in Delaware.\r\nOur country has been building nuclear-powered vessels for a long time now. In fact, the U.S. Navy began to explore the potential of harnessing nuclear power aboard its vessels shortly after the end of the Second World War. Our first-ever nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, was commissioned in 1954 and sent to sea in 1955. By the 1960s, the U.S. Navy had dozens of nuclear-powered submarines either under way or under construction. In those early days, our country invested in nuclear-powered submarines, ships, and aircraft carriers in an ultimately successful effort to stem the tide of communism around the globe.\r\nToday, we face different kind of threat, one that is a matter of survival for our planet. And just as nuclear power has been enormously important to our national defense, we need a strong, viable and safe fleet of nuclear power plants to combat a different kind of threat  the growing threat of climate change  and the extreme weather and rising seas that come with it.\r\nToday, there are 96 operating nuclear reactors throughout America that are running more efficiently than ever before and producing clean, carbon-free electricity. In fact, 50 percent of all of the world's carbon-free electricity comes from nuclear power. And, compared to other industrial sectors, the U.S. nuclear industry remains one of the safest in the world. That's in large part because the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or NRC, continues to be the world's gold standard for nuclear regulatory agencies.\r\nUnfortunately, though, the nuclear industry continues to feel the pinch of the markets as it struggles to compete with other less expensive ways of generating electricity in America. Since 2013, nine reactors have been retired here and, by 2025, an additional ten nuclear power plants are expected to be retired. Most of these facilities are closing due to economic reasonsnot because of overly burdensome regulations.\r\nDespite that, these closures and other economic concerns have led some in the nuclear industry to suggest that we target safety regulations in ways which may well undermine the ability of the NRC to continue to be the gold standard of nuclear power regulators in the world.\r\nTo be clear, I am open to improving efficiencies within the NRC and the plants they oversee. For example, just last Congress, I worked with our chairman and all of our EPW colleagues to pass legislation that restructured the NRC payment structure, increasing transparency and leveling the playing field for those paying NRC dues. However, as someone who supports the nuclear industry, I implore my colleagues, along with the NRC and the entire nuclear industry, to keep safety a top priority. Streamlining safety regulations for the sake of streamlining could actually hurt not help  the nuclear industry that we need if we're to turn back the threat that climate change poses to our planet and its inhabitants.\r\nWe don't have to go very far in history to see how cutting corners in nuclear safety can have devastating results. Less than a decade ago, a massive earthquake and tsunami led to the nuclear meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. This was one of the worst nuclear disasters the world has ever seenin a country known for nuclear safety, no less. The people of Japan are still recovering from this accident today. Around the world, public confidence in the nuclear industry has not fully recovered, either.\r\nThe cruel irony is that some of the biggest lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident were things we already knew, such as:\r\n\r\n \r\nThe importance of having an independent and transparent nuclear regulator;\r\nThe importance of having a culture of safety at all our nuclear reactors; and,\r\nThe importance of having defense in depth  layered, protective measures to help mitigate known and unknown threats.\r\n \r\nIt's been said that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. Fast forward to today, I am concerned that some of the lessons learned from the Fukushima accident are already being forgotten.\r\nAt a time when we should be investing in next generation nuclear technologies, the last thing we should do is undermine safety. Yet some in the nuclear industry and the NRC seem willing to take risks that not only ignore lessons learned, but also fly in the face of common sense.\r\nFor example, the NRC recently decided to change course on post-Fukushima protections  making some seismic and flooding protection requirements voluntary, rather than mandatory. The NRC is also considering weakening its reactor oversight process, with some in industry calling for self-inspections. Simply put, these actions do not make sense. If history is any indication, these changes could well end up being penny wise and pound foolish.\r\nHaving said that, I am hopeful that today we will discuss how we can get the NRC back on track, and ensure the commission has all the tools necessary to keep our country's nuclear power the safest in the world. I also hope we will have time today to discuss some of the investments and advances going forward in nuclear power that need to be made in order to ensure that nuclear energy remains an effective tool in our arsenal to power our country while combating the threat of climate crisis we face here at home and around the world.\r\nOur thanks to our witnesses for joining us here today. We look forward to your testimony and to the opportunity to have a timely and important conversation with respect to nuclear power in this country. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/coons-gardner-initiative-supporting-research-on-opioid-addiction-clears-key-senate-hurdle", "Coons, Gardner initiative supporting research on opioid addiction clears key Senate hurdle", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, companion legislation to the bipartisan Expanding Findings for Federal Opioid Research and Treatment (EFFORT) Act, introduced by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), was approved unanimously by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The legislation would support research on opioid addiction by directing the National Science Foundation, in consultation with the National Institutes of Health, to fund merit-reviewed and competitively awarded research on the science of opioid addiction, allowing for further understanding of how to more effectively treat the multiple aspects of opioid addiction. The bill passed the House of Representatives in July and now moves to the full Senate for consideration. Opioid-related deaths have reached epidemic levels in Delaware and across the country,said Senator Coons. We must use every tool at our disposal to address this crisis, which is why I have been proud to combat the importation of fentanyl, work to ensure better reporting of opioid shipments domestically, and support last year's bipartisan bill to strengthen the federal response. It is also why I am excited to see this bill advance and to support increased investments in critical research that will deepen our understanding of the many facets of opioid addiction. The opioid epidemic is devastating communities across the nation and has ruined too many lives in Colorado,said Senator Gardner. There's no one solution to ending this crisis, but promoting research to better understand the epidemic and encouraging the development of new tools and treatments for opioid addiction and abuse are meaningful steps. I'm proud to see the Committee approve my bipartisan legislation with Senator Coons, which will support research efforts at the National Science Foundation so we can base policy on evidence and work to stop the cycle of opioid addiction. Previous research by the NSF on opioid addiction has increased understanding of the neuroscience of addiction, substance abuse intervention, the secondary effects on families, and more. The EFFORT Act authorizes grants at $10 million for each of the coming five years, nearly twice the NSF's current level of support for such research. Last year, Senators Coons and Gardner supported the bipartisan SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act that will provide critical tools to help combat the opioid epidemic. Senators Coons and Gardner also introduced the Suspicious Order Identification Act, which guards against prescription drug diversion.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/carper-alexander-in-usa-today-the-mercury-rule-has-protected-americans-from-dangerous-pollution", "Carper, Alexander in USA Today: The Mercury Rule Has Protected Americans from Dangerous Pollution", "2019-11-12", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As former governors, we know that cleaner air means better health, a better economyand better jobs for the residents of our states.\r\nToday, thanks to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, children and families are breathing cleaner air and our waters and streams are less polluted. The mercury rule, which limits mercury emissions from coal- and oil-fired power plants, has resulted in90%less mercuryin the air than a decade ago. But now, the Environmental Protection Agencyis moving forward with a proposal that asserts it is no longer appropriate and necessary to protect the public from our country's largest sources of mercury and air toxic emissions.\r\nStates once warnedagainst eating fish\r\nThis move could lead to the undoing of the mercury rule, which is why we're urging EPA not to go through with it.\r\nBefore the rulewas proposed, half the man-made mercury in Americacame from coal-fired power plants, and as much as70%of the mercury pollutionin our waterways came from those nearby coal plants. At that time, the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee was one of themost polluted national parksin America, and Delawarewarned the public against eating fishdue to high levels of mercury.\r\nIn fact, by the time the mercury rule wasfinalizedin 2012,every state including Tennessee and Delaware  had some type of fish consumption advisory for mercury. Add up all the advisories and, nationally, there were more fish consumption advisories for mercury than all other pollutants combined.\r\nNow, the11 million peoplewho visit the Smokies every year can seemore than 90 milesfrom Clingman's Dome, the park's highest peak, on the clearest days. Even on the haziest days, visibility has improved tomore than 30 miles.\r\nThe millions of people who enjoy Delaware's five-star beaches and the rivers, streams and ponds throughout the state can also enjoy seafood without fearing high levels of mercury in their meal. In fact, across the country, there have been fewer warnings that say, \"Don't eat the fish because of mercury contamination.\"\r\nMercury rule has protected Americans\r\nClean air also means our states are open for business. Eight years ago, every one of Tennessee'smajor metropolitan areaswas struggling to meet clean air standards, which made it difficult for new companies to get permits to build in the state or for existing industries to expand.\r\nAt the end of America's tailpipe, downwind states like Delaware are still struggling to protect communities from pollution. Harmful emissions from upwind states account for nearly94%of air pollutionin the First State, so Delaware truly does rely on commonsense safeguards like the mercury rule to meet its own clean air standards.\r\nToday, every utility in the country hasfully compliedwith the mercury rule. Changing the rule after billions of dollars have already been spent means that utilities will have less certainty about federal regulations, and it will be more difficult to maintain steady electricity prices for American families in the future.\r\nThe gains we have made over the past decade to protect children and families from dangerous mercury pollution should not be lost. The mercury rule has been a success, and changing it just doesn't make sense.\r\nSen.Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.,is chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del.,is the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Follow them on Twitter:@SenAlexanderand@SenatorCarper\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/bill-recognizing-hidden-figures-for-contributions-to-the-us-during-the-space-race-signed-into-law", "Bill recognizing \u2018Hidden Figures\u2019 for contributions to the U.S. during the Space Race signed into law", "2019-11-12", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  The White House announced that President Trump signedthe Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) in the Senate and U.S. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) in the House. I am proud President Trump signed into law this bipartisan bill to honor Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Dr. Christine Darden and all women who contributed to NASA during the Space Race with Congressional Gold Medals,saidSenator Coons.Women played an integral role at NASA during the Space Race, but for many years their accomplishments remained hidden. With the signing of this bill, we are recognizing these extraordinary women and bringing their accomplishments into the light so they can serve as an inspiration for generations of women scientists to come, particularly those of color.  I am thrilled to hear that the Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act has been signed into law by the President,saidCongresswoman Johnson, Chairwoman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.This bill was long overdue, and I would like to thank my colleagues in both the House and the Senate for supporting this legislation. Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, Christine Darden, and all the women of NASA and NACA will now receive the recognition they deserve for their great accomplishments in the successes of the United States space program.  In the Senate, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) joined Senator Coons in introducing the legislation as original cosponsors. Congressman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) was an original cosponsor in the House.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/icymi-sen-coons-on-gun-violence-in-the-news-journal-we-must-take-action-to-keep-our-communities-safe", "ICYMI: Sen. Coons on gun violence in the News Journal: \u201cWe must take action to keep our communities safe\u201d", "2019-11-12", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, published anop-edin the News Journal calling for federal action to prevent gun violence. The op-ed is available onlinehere.The News Journal:This bipartisan gun bill would help protect Delaware families from gun violenceBy Chris Coons Gun violence in the United States is a deadly epidemic that we cannot ignore.  As an occasional hunter, I know the right to keep and bear firearms, protected by the Second Amendment, is a fundamental freedom. However, in the face of countless tragedies, including two 16-year-olds who were shot in Wilmington in recent weeksand recent deadly mass shootings in El Paso, Odessa, and Dayton, we need to offer more than thoughts and prayers.  We must take action to keep our communities safe.  It's clear that we need to enact laws to make it more difficult for deadly weapons to find their way into the wrong hands, and Delawareans on both sides of the issue agree. The Senator's full column is availablehere. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/carper-jones-toomey-express-serious-concerns-over-findings-of-potential-improper-influence-during-trump-administration-s-decision-making-process-for-steel-and-aluminum-tariff-exclusions", "Carper, Jones, Toomey Express Serious Concerns Over Findings of Potential Improper Influence During Trump Administrations Decision-Making Process For Steel and Aluminum Tariff Exclusions", "2019-11-08", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bipartisan lawmakers request briefing and written response on actions Commerce Department plans to take\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) sent a letter toDepartment of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Assistant Secretary for Export Administration RichardAshooh to express serious concern regarding the Department's Office of Inspector General's (OIG) findings that a lack of transparency has contributed to the appearance of improper influence in decision-making for Section 232 tariff exclusion. The Commerce Department exclusion process for the Trump Administration's tariffs on steel and aluminumcontinues to burden American businesses. The tariffs on steel and aluminum were the result of a section 232 investigation that examined whether these imports were a threat to U.S. national security. Additionally, the Senators requested a briefing and written response outlining specific actions the Department plans to take to implement the OIG's recommendations.\r\nWe write to express our serious concern regarding the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General's (OIG) findings that a lack of transparency has contributed to the appearance of improper influence in decision-making for Section 232 tariff exclusion requests,the senators wrote.We have long been concerned about the lack of transparency and consistency in the Department of Commerce's Section 232 tariff exclusion process. As we wrote in our November 26, 2018 letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting a review of the Department's process, Members of Congress and U.S. businesses have repeatedly raised concerns about the pace, transparency, and fairness of the section 232 steel and aluminum exclusion process.' The OIG's findings released on October 28, 2019 confirms that these concerns are well-founded.\r\nThe lawmakers continued,Given the serious implications of the OIG's findings for the credibility of the Department of Commerce's tariff exclusion review process and the significant impact of exclusion decisions on the economy of our states, we respectfully request a briefing and written response by November 22, 2019.\r\nFull text of the letter can be found here and below.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNovember 8, 2019\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Honorable Wilbur Ross Richard Ashooh\r\nSecretary Assistant Secretary for Export Administration\r\nU.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security\r\n1401 Constitution Avenue, NW  U.S. Department of Commerce\r\nWashington, DC 20230 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW\r\n Washington, DC 20230\r\n\r\n\r\nDear Secretary Ross and Assistant Secretary Ashooh:\r\nWe write to express our serious concern regarding the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General's (OIG) findings that a lack of transparency has contributed to the appearance of improper influence in decision-making for Section 232 tariff exclusion requests.\r\nAccording to the management alert published on October 28, 2019, in the course of an audit of the Section 232 tariff exclusion process, the OIG uncovered issues that it believes requires the immediate attention of Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) leadership to ensure a transparent and objective review process. Alarmingly, the OIG found that following off-the-record conversations with certain interested parties, Department officials took action to benefit those parties at the expense of others that did not enjoy such access. Specifically, the OIG found evidence of:\r\n \r\nAn unofficial appeals process that led BIS officials to reconsider approved and posted exclusion requests at the request of an objector;\r\nCommunications between BIS staff and objectors that prompted a change to internal review criteria, likely resulting in a greater number of exclusion requests rejected during the pre-clearance stage; and,\r\nUndocumented, off-the-record discussions between Department of Commerce officials and interested parties to tariff exclusions that took place prior to the official implementation of the exclusion request review process.\r\n \r\nAll of these actions took place behind closed doors without giving other impacted parties  those without the resources and political connections to weigh in unofficially  the opportunity to respond.\r\nWe have long been concerned about the lack of transparency and consistency in the Department of Commerce's Section 232 tariff exclusion process. As we wrote in our November 26, 2018 letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting a review of the Department's process, Members of Congress and U.S. businesses have repeatedly raised concerns about the pace, transparency, and fairness of the section 232 steel and aluminum exclusion process. The OIG's findings released on October 28, 2019 confirms that these concerns are well-founded.\r\nThe federal government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers through our trade policy. There should be clear rules of the road so that businesses in our states and across the country can be confident that their applications for tariff relief will be reviewed fairly and on the merits of their case. It is unacceptable that the current Section 232 tariff exclusion process is set up for only a select few to succeed. Our hard-working manufacturers and small businesses are disadvantaged by these types of unofficial processes identified by the OIG, and they deserve better.\r\nIn its management alert, the OIG recommends three specific actions that BIS should take to make the Section 232 exclusion request review process more transparent:\r\n \r\nEither regard all decisions as final once posted online, or amend the rules to allow appeals;\r\nCreate a formal process to modify internal review criteria; and,\r\nDocument all discussions with interested parties and ensure that all relevant correspondence becomes part of the official record.\r\n \r\nGiven the serious implications of the OIG's findings for the credibility of the Department of Commerce's tariff exclusion review process and the significant impact of exclusion decisions on the economy of our states, we respectfully request a briefing and written response by November 22, 2019 that includes the following items:\r\n \r\nWhether BIS plans to implement the actions recommended by the OIG's management alert, and if so, the specific steps BIS plans to take and the timeline for implementation;\r\nAny other actions BIS plans to take to ensure greater transparency, consistency, and fairness in the tariff exclusion review and adjudication process; and,\r\nAny actions BIS plans to take to address exclusion requests that may have been unfairly rejected due to the issues raised in the OIG's management alert.\r\n \r\nThank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward to your prompt response.\r\nSincerely,\r\n\r\n\r\n_________________ _________________ _________________\r\nThomas R. Carper Doug Jones Pat Toomey\r\nUnited States Senator United States Senator United States Senator", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/carper-s-connection", "A testament to duty, dedication and sacrifices", "2019-11-08", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend, \r\nYesterday, at Norfolk Naval Base, I had the honor of participating in the Change of Command Ceremony for the USS Delaware. The Change of Command ceremony is a complete transfer of responsibility, authority and accountability from one Naval officer to another. Over the years, I've been lucky enough to attend many of these ceremonies, especially at Dover Air Force Base. But yesterday's ceremony was a particularly special one. It was my first with the USS Delaware  the first Navy ship to be named after the First State since 1923 and the seventh vessel to bear its name overall. Yesterday, Captain Brian P. Hogan relinquished his authority to Commander Matthew Horton. Over the last several years, I've been honored to work with Capt. Brian Hogan to make sure the USS Delaware crew feels a connection to the First State  from welcoming crew members at NASCAR events to giving them a warm welcome on the University of Delaware's football field during a game. Capt. Hogan has shared my vision of ensuring the crew is proud to serve aboard a vessel named after the First State, the USS Delaware. For his years of service, Capt. Hogan has received the Meritorious Service Medal, four Navy Commendation Medals, and four Navy Achievement Medals. He has been a tremendous leader who has led by his example, and I want to thank him and his family for all that they have done to get the USS Delaware to this point. Delaware's long and proud naval history dates back to the Revolutionary War, when the Delaware Bay, just off the coast of Lewes, served as the staging ground for the Continental Navy's first marine mission in 1776.Last year, Delaware's role in the U.S. Navy came full circle with the christening of the USS Delaware  one of the world's most impressive vessels that can operate around the globe. That's why it was my honor to thank Capt. Hogan for his dedicated service while welcoming Commander Horton to our proud military family. Ours is a military family that already features a world-class airlift facility with world-class airmen at Dover Air Force Base; outstanding citizen-soldiers and airmen in the Delaware Army and Air National Guard; an important Coast Guard contingent at Indian River Inlet; and, of course, the more than 73,000 veterans who currently live in Delaware.\r\nAs a retired naval flight officer, I know what a great honor it is to have one of these incredible vessels named after Delaware. Seven years ago, Delawarean Steven Llanso brought this idea to the forefront when he wrote a letter to the editor of The News Journal, urging the paper to push for one of five newly announced submarines to be named after Delaware. I knew this was a worthy cause, and one that I, too, felt passionately about. Just one month later, our Congressional Delegation  Senator Chris Coons, then-Congressman John Carney and I  joined together to send a letter to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus that called on the Navy to name a submarine after the First State and followed that up with phone calls to Secretary Mabus further encouraging him to keep the First State in mind. Just six months later, we had our answer: a state-of-the-art submarine  one of the most modern and technologically advanced in the world  would be named the USS Delaware. A ship bearing our great state's name would, once again, set sail to serve and protect U.S. interests at home and around the globe. The USS Delaware is a testament to the duty, dedication and sacrifices of these brave men and women, and all those who  for more than 200 years  have served their country in Delaware or in defense of the people of Delaware. I look forward to the USS Delaware's commission in April 2020 when it will be placed in active service and patrol the seas in defense of our nation and Americans everywhere.\r\nOur Constitution  first ratified by Delaware  is the most enduring and replicated constitution in the history of the world. But as revered as our Constitution is by all of us, it would just be words on a piece of paper without the courage and commitment of one generation of Americans after another who have been willing to step forward to serve their country in uniform, to risk their lives, and, in many cases, lay down their lives so that we might know the liberties that we enjoy today. Ahead of Veteran's Day, we honor a new era of leadership for the USS Delaware and a new generation of American sailors prepared to take this state-of-the-art submarine around the world over the next half-century in a continued effort to protect our democracy and preserve our planet.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/per-delivers-address-at-uss-delaware-change-of-command-ceremony", "Carper Delivers Address at USS Delaware Change of Command Ceremony", "2019-11-08", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NORFOLK, Va.  Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, delivered a keynote address at the Change of Command Ceremony for the USS Delaware. This morning at the Norfolk Naval Base, Captain Brian P. Hogan relinquished command to Commander Matthew Horton as Commanding Officers of the USS Delaware (SSN 791), a Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine.\r\nThe USS Delaware is the first Navy ship to be named for the First State since 1923 and the seventh vessel to bear its name overall. In April 2020, the USS Delaware will journey to the Port of Wilmington where a commissioning ceremony will be held.\r\nOver the last several years, I've been honored to work with Commanding Officer Brian Hogan to make sure the USS Delaware crew feels a connection to the First State  from welcoming crew members at NASCAR events to giving them a warm welcome on the University of Delaware's football field during a game, said Senator Carper. Hogan has shared my vision of ensuring the crew is proud to serve aboard a vessel named after the First State, the USS Delaware. He has been a tremendous leader who has led by his example, and I want to thank him and his family for all that they have done to get the USS Delaware to this point. You'll always be welcome in the Delaware! I look forward to welcoming Commander Horton to the First State family as we plan for the USS Delaware's commissioning in Wilmington early next year.\r\nCommander Hogan is a 1998 graduate from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering. He also holds a Masters in Engineering Management from Old Dominion University and a Masters in Arts in National Security from the Naval War College. His sea tours include service as Chemistry and Radiological Controls Assistant, Damage Control Assistant, Assistant Engineer, and Operations Officer on the USS City of Corpus Christi SSN 705), Engineer Officer on USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (SSN 708), and Executive Officer on USS Wyoming (GOLD) (SSBN 742) and USS Nevada (BLUE) (SSBN 733).Ashore, he has served as the Flag Aide for the Commander Submarines, U.S. Pacific Fleet, on the staff of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Undersea Warfare (N97), and as the Executive Officer of the Tactical Readiness Evaluation Team for Commander Submarines, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. CDR Hogan's personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (four awards), and the Navy Achievement Medal (four awards).\r\nCommander Matthew Horton, a native of West Monroe, Louisiana, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering.Additionally, he holds a Master's of Science in Engineering Management from the Catholic University of America. Commander Horton's operational assignments include service in fast attack and ballistic missile submarines. He completed a Western Pacific deployment as a Division Officer in USS Los Angeles (SSN 688), Southern Pacific and Northern Atlantic deployments as Engineer Officer in USS Newport News (SSN 750), and four strategic deterrent patrols as Executive Officer in USS Wyoming (SSBN 742) (GOLD). His shore assignments include assignments as an intelligence analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency, Junior Board Member on the Fleet Forces Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board, and as U.S. Strategic Command Task Force ONE FOUR FOUR Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Operations.\r\nThe USS Delaware is a nuclear-powered, fast-attack Virginia Class submarine. The Virginia-class is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines (SSNs) in service with the Navy. The Navy considers it to be the next generation of attack submarine, with several innovations that significantly enhance its warfighting capabilities with an emphasis on littoral operations, and the latest in stealth, intelligence gathering and weapons systems technology.\r\nIn 2012, Carper, along with Senator Chris Coons and then-Congressman John Carneyjoined togetherto send a letterto Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus that called on the Navy to name a submarine after the First State. Carper followed that up with phone calls to Secretary Mabus further encouraging him to keep the First State in mind. Months later, the Navy agreed that a state-of-the-art submarineone of the most modern and technologically advanced in the worldwould be named theUSS Delaware.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/bipartisan-senate-climate-solutions-caucus-co-chairs-meet-with-bill-gates", "Bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus co-chairs meet with Bill Gates", "2019-11-07", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WILMINGTON, Del. U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) today met with Bill Gates to discuss climate change and ways to address the challenge, including investing in technology and the role that agriculture and reforestation can play in reducing emissions. Photos of the meeting are availablehere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/carper-in-cnbc-op-ed-when-we-let-the-aca-work-it-actually-does", "Carper in CNBC Op-ed: When we let the ACA work, it actually does", "2019-11-06", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, authored an op-ed inCNBCmarking the start of open enrollment season, which runs November 1stthrough December 15th, 2019.\r\n\r\nWhen it comes to crafting effective policies for our country, I believe that we should find out what works and do more of that. As health care open enrollment begins, there is growing evidence that the Affordable Care Act is working, and it is imperative that we build on its success  not tear it down,wrote Senator Carper.\r\n\r\nSenator Carper noted that, despite Republicans' repeated efforts to dismantle the ACA, the health care law is working and providing millions of American families access to quality, affordable health insurance, As we kick off the 2020 open enrollment period, 43 new insurers will be offering coverage in marketplaces of states around the country in the coming year. That gain comes on top of the 23 new insurers that were added in 2019.\r\n\r\nAnd as competition increases in the ACA marketplaces, premiums have begun to stabilize. Some are even decreasing. Next year, premiums for the most popular ACA plans across America are set to drop by 4 percent. Even more encouraging, multiple states will see average premiums come down by double digits in their exchanges next year.\r\n\r\nOn Monday, Senator Carper joined Governor Carney, Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro and Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker, to announce that Delaware's Health Insurance Marketplace will have a 19 percent drop in rates for 2020. Maryland, Colorado and Montana will see similar price reductions, due in large part, to the implementation of a reinsurance program designed to help insurers pay for some of their costliest patients.\r\n\r\nMore excerpts from the op-ed are below, and the full piece can be viewedhere.\r\n\r\nAs it turns out, the ACA is more popular now than ever. More than 20 million Americans have gained health care coverage through the law. Nearly 130 million Americans living with pre-existing conditions have critical protections they didn't have before. The law has expanded Medicaid coverage for 12.6 million more Americans and extended the life of the Medicare Trust Fund by 11 years. And this progress was made all while reducing the federal deficit by more than $1 trillion.\r\n\r\nSenator Carper concluded,Imagine where our nation's health care system could be today if we had spent the last decade implementing the ACA as intended and making common sense improvements to it rather than deliberately sabotaging it! Let's finally put patients before politics and make the common sense improvements to continue to lower health care costs for the American people.\r\n\r\nYou can read the full op-edhere.\r\n\r\nYou can find quality, affordable health insurancehereuntil December 15th.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/for-future-generations", "For future generations", "2019-11-06", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friends,\r\n\r\nThis week, the State Department announced it was beginning the formal process to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, the landmark international agreement to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and limit total global warming this century to less than two degrees Celsius.\r\nClimate change is the greatest threat to our planet and it is confronting humanity with a crisis that can be solved only through concerted international efforts. However, this president is not concerned with building coalitionssadly, he is concerned with breaking whatever it is that President Obama and Vice President Biden built. By breaking America's commitment to the Paris Agreement, President Trump is reducing America's standing in the world. I believe that the president's decision is shameful. It is cowardly when we need to be brave and act boldly. Once again, President Trump is abandoning our global allies for the sake of misplaced political gain. Now America stands alone  nearly 200 countries have joined this global commitment to fighting climate change, even rogue states like North Korea and civil war-torn countries like Syria. It should be lost on no one that the same president who believes climate change is a hoax created by the Chinese has actually set the stage for countries like China to fill the gaping hole left behind by the United States.\r\nThe president also stands alone in his denial of the profound threats posed by climate change. According to a recent report released by the Pentagon, the changing climate is increasing risks to mission-critical military bases, both coastal and inland. The 2018 National Climate Assessment prepared by scientists and experts across 13 federal agencies of the Trump Administration reported that climate change  if left unchecked  is on track to reduce our nation's economic output by as much as 10 percent by 2100.\r\nIn Delaware, the lowest-lying state in the country, the urgency couldn't be clearer. Our state is sinking while the seas around us are rising. Homes, roads and businesses in our coastal communities are facing increasing threats from flooding and extreme weather. The First State can't afford to wait on climate action.\r\nFortunately, around the country, local leaders and businesses are stepping up and doing what they can to fill the leadership void left by the president. More than 400 mayors, along with 17 states and thousands of businesses, have pledged their support for the Paris Agreement. That makes up almost 60 percent of the nation's economy! These states, cities, companies and universities recognize that with the challenge of climate change comes the tremendous opportunity to create millions of clean energy jobs and improve public health.\r\nLong after the rest of us are gone, future generations will remember this president's failure to lead on the greatest environmental challenge of our time  but we cannot be deterred. I will continue working in Congress on efforts to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, address the climate crisis, and ensure we leave behind a healthier planet for future generations to call home.\r\nTom Carper", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/11/republicans-and-medicare-for-all-democrats-should-stop-sabotaging-obamacare-delaware-senator-says", "Republicans and Medicare for All Democrats should stop sabotaging Obamacare, Delaware senator says", "2019-11-06", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Thomas Carper", "C000174", "www.carper.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "When it comes to crafting effective policies for our country, I believe that we should find out what works and do more of that. As health care open enrollment begins, there is growing evidence that the Affordable Care Act is working, and it is imperative that we build on its success  not tear it down.\r\nSince day one, Republicans have done their dead level best to undercut the ACA at almost every turn.\r\nOn March 23, 2010, the ACA was signed into law  marking a historic moment for our country. We were finally on our way to providing millions of American families access to quality, affordable health insurance.\r\nOn that same day in 2010, 14 Republican Attorneys General challenged in court the ACA's requirement that Americans buy insurance  a concept first put forth by Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee and implemented in Massachusetts by then-Governor Mitt Romney in 2006. This cynical move would mark the beginning of their years-long effort to undercut the law.\r\nFour years later, the ACA health insurance marketplaces were up and running, covering millions of Americans, many of whom, for years, could not afford insurance and, as a result, could not access much-needed health care services. Health insurers had to gain footholds in these new marketplaces. Just like turning an aircraft carrier, we knew that ensuring competition and stability would take time.\r\nBoth Democrats and Republicans, though, knew that there could be steps taken at the federal level to create predictability for insurers, help stabilize the marketplace, increase competition and bring down premiums. Instead, Republicans did the opposite and deliberately cut payments intended to stabilize premiums.\r\nThen, in 2016, just as independent market analysts such as Standard & Poor's began to project improvements to the marketplace, Republicans eliminated subsidies that help lower deductibles and co-payments for consumers  a move that would send premiums up by double digits yet again.\r\nRepublicans were like Lucy with the football, and patients across the country were left hurting like Charlie Brown.\r\nToday, these efforts continue. Now, the Trump Administration and 18 Republican Attorneys General have gone so far to embrace a lawsuit to scrap the ACA in its entirety.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nStill, though, despite Republicans' best efforts to sabotage the law, we have seen that when we let the ACA work, it actually does. But you don't have to take my word for it.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAs we kick off the 2020 open enrollment period, 43 new insurers will be offering coverage in marketplaces of states around the country in the coming year. That gain comes on top of the 23 new insurers that were added in 2019.\r\nAnd as competition increases in the ACA marketplaces, premiums have begun to stabilize. Some are even decreasing. Next year, premiums for the most popular ACA plans across America are set to drop by 4 percent. Even more encouraging, multiple states will see average premiums come down by double digits in their exchanges next year.\r\nDelaware is one of them. After rising by double digits for several years, the average increase in premiums in Delaware's marketplace slowed to 3 percent in 2019. Beginning this January, though, average premiums will drop by a whopping 19 percent in the First State.\r\nWhy? In large part because, earlier this year, Delaware announced it would be introducing a reinsurance program designed to help insurers pay for some of their costliest patients. That, in turn, will help keep premiums down for everyone else in the state's marketplace.\r\nDelaware is not alone. Other states like Maryland, Colorado and Montana have implemented similar reinsurance programs this year and will also be seeing significant premium reductions for 2020.\r\nAs a former state treasurer and governor, I can recognize an encouraging trend when I see one. Well, one is beginning to emerge and, just as we're starting to see premiums decrease and health plan choices increase in a number of state exchanges, I'm at a complete loss as to why so many of my colleagues remain hell-bent on scrapping the ACA  whether through theTexas v. United Stateslawsuit or a complete overhaul like Medicare-for-All.\r\nAs it turns out, the ACA is more popular now than ever. More than 20 million Americans have gained health care coverage through the law. Nearly 130 million Americans living with pre-existing conditions have critical protections they didn't have before. The law has expanded Medicaid coverage for 12.6 million more Americans and extended the life of the Medicare Trust Fund by 11 years. And this progress was made all while reducing the federal deficit by more than $1 trillion.\r\nIs the ACA perfect? Certainly not. No law is. And Congress has, for a decade now, been unable to make needed fixes. Am I saying our work to bring down health care costs is done? No. In fact, just the opposite.\r\nJust as Rome wasn't built in a day, the transformational reform of our health care system wasn't perfectly implemented in a few short years. The ACA was a historic step forward. States, like Delaware, are building on the foundation it laid, and consumers are seeing the benefits as a result.\r\nImagine where our nation's health care system could be today if we had spent the last decade implementing the ACA as intended and making common sense improvements to it rather than deliberately sabotaging it! Let's finally put patients before politics and make the common sense improvements to continue to lower health care costs for the American people.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/bipartisan-senate-climate-solutions-caucus-adds-new-members-hosts-first-meeting-with-ceos", "Bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus adds new members, hosts first meeting with CEOs", "2019-11-06", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON,\r\nD.C. U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and\r\nMike Braun (R-Ind.) today announced that six additional members will join the\r\nnewly-formed bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus: Senators Lisa\r\nMurkowski (R-Alaska), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Angus King\r\n(I-Maine), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). The caucus is\r\nbringing together an equal number of Republicans and Democrats to craft and\r\nadvance bipartisan solutions to address climate change. If we are to\r\nmake meaningful, sustainable progress toward combatting climate change, both\r\nRepublicans and Democrats have to be at the table, said Senator Coons.\r\nI'm proud to join my colleagues in launching this important effort to take the\r\npolitics out of this discussion and work toward real solutions. We look forward\r\nto continuing to hear from business leaders, workers, farmers, and a range of\r\nexperts about their priorities and ideas for how we can best address climate\r\nchange and strengthen American competitiveness. As a life-long\r\nconservationist, I am proud to launch the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus\r\nwith Senators Coons, Shaheen, King, Bennet, Murkowski, Romney, and Graham, said\r\nSenator Braun. For too long, Washington has been paralyzed by partisan\r\ngamesmanship, unable to have productive conversations about our changing\r\nclimate. Through this caucus we can have real conversations about protecting\r\nour environment, securing America's energy future and protecting American\r\nmanufacturing jobs. I thank Senator Braun and Senator Coons for forming the Senate's Climate\r\nSolutions Caucus and am pleased to be part of it. I welcome the bipartisan,\r\nconsensus-based approach this group has committed to and believe it will\r\nsupport and expand on the important work we are undertaking on the Energy and\r\nNatural Resources Committee, Senator Murkowski said. Through\r\nconstructive dialogue and by working together, we can advance timely, pragmatic\r\npolicies that will help lower our greenhouse gas emissions and address the\r\nthreatening reality of climate change. We're already seeing more extreme storms, rising temperatures and\r\npolluted air that are having a dangerous impact on our well-being,said\r\nSenator Shaheen. Congress has been dragging its feet on climate\r\nchange for too long  wherever there's common ground, we need to seize it. It's\r\ntime to cross party lines and take this threat seriously. I hope that through\r\nthis Caucus, we can put our heads together and have meaningful, constructive\r\nconversations that lead to common-sense steps forward to address the direct\r\nthreats posed by climate change. Addressing climate change is going to require significant private sector\r\ninvestments and a major global breakthrough in innovation and technology. To\r\nthat end, Congress should explore ways to incentivize the research,\r\ndevelopment, and deployment of clean technologies, said Senator Romney. This caucus\r\nwill serve as a starting point for a productive bipartisan dialogue so we can\r\nbegin to come up with solutions for addressing climate change. The threats of climate change don't end at party lines, and our work to\r\nmitigate these effects can't either, said Senator King. The impacts\r\nof this crisis are already being felt in Maine; the Gulf of Maine, which plays\r\na vital role in both our economy and our culture, is warming faster than 99% of\r\nthe world's oceans. This is the most serious global challenge of our time, and\r\nwe have areas of bipartisan agreement where we can start working together to\r\nmake much-needed progress. I'm ready to join with any of my colleagues  from\r\nany political party and any corner of the country  to take meaningful steps\r\nthat will protect the planet for our children and grandchildren. I believe climate change is real. I also believe that we as Americans\r\nhave the ability to come up with climate change solutions that can benefit our\r\neconomy and our way of life, said Senator Graham. The United States has long been a leader in\r\ninnovation. Addressing climate change is\r\nan opportunity to put our knowledge and can-do spirit to work to protect the\r\nenvironment for our benefit today and for future generations. To effectively address the climate crisis we need enduring solutions \r\nones that won't whipsaw back and forth with changing political winds, said\r\nSenator Bennet. We need to build the same broad consensus in\r\nWashington to address the climate crisis that exists across the country. This\r\nbipartisan caucus is a step closer to achieving that goal, and I'm honored to\r\njoin Senators Coons and Braun and my colleagues in this effort. The caucus held\r\nits first meeting Tuesday with CEOs who came to Capitol Hill as part of the CEO\r\nClimate Dialogue, a\r\ncollection of 20 companies with $1.3 trillion in combined annual revenue and\r\nfour leading environmental nonprofit organizations that have come together to\r\nadvocate for federal climate policy. The group discussed their support for the\r\nbipartisan development of legislation that will significantly reduce greenhouse\r\ngas emissions using market-based approaches that are durable, equitable, and\r\nsupportive of the American economy.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 681, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Democrat", "p1": "DE", "p2": "2019"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=DE&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 681, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=DE&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=DE&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 681, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=DE&year=2019&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=DE&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "DE", "label": "DE", "count": 681, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=DE&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "2019", "label": "2019", "count": 681, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=DE", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2019-11-06,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecoons~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fpress-releases~2Fbipartisan-senate-climate-solutions-caucus-adds-new-members-hosts-first-meeting-with-ceos", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=DE&year=2019&_next=2019-11-06%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecoons~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fpress-releases~2Fbipartisan-senate-climate-solutions-caucus-adds-new-members-hosts-first-meeting-with-ceos&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 86.68912714347243, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}