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Member, Bicameral Congressional AIDS Caucus
Member, Cloud Task Force, Congressional High Tech Caucus
Member, Congressional Bicameral High-Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail Caucus
Member, Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus
Member, Malaria Working Group
Former Member, Multilateral International Development, Multilateral Institutions, and International Economic, Energy, and Environmental Policy Subcommittee, United States Senate
Member, National Service Congressional Caucus
Former Member, Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts Subcommittee, United States Senate
Former Ranking Member, Privacy, Technology and the Law Subcommittee, United States Senate
Member, Senate Air Force Caucus
Co-Chair, Senate Chicken Caucus
Member, Senate Diabetes Caucus
Member, Senate France Caucus
Co-Chair, Senate Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Caucus
Member, Senate Global Internet Freedom Caucus
Member, Senate India Caucus
Founder and Co-Chair, Senate Law Enforcement Caucus
Member, Senate Manufacturing Caucus
Member, Senate National Guard Caucus
Member, Senate Oceans Caucus
Member, Senate Recycling Caucus
Member, Senate Renewables and Energy Efficiency Caucus
Member, Senate Small Brewers Caucus
Member, Senate Veterans Jobs Caucus
Former Member, State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development Subcommittee, United States Senate
Former Member, Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, United States Senate
Former Member, Subcommittee on East Asia, The Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, United States Senate
Member, Appropriations
Member, Foreign Relations
Member, Judiciary
Vice Chair, Select Committee on Ethics
Member, Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Member, Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy
Member, Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration
Member, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Member, Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism
Member, Subcommittee on East Asia, The Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy
Member, Subcommittee on Energy nd Water Development
Member, Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Intellectual Property
Member, Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
Member, Subcommittee on The Constitution
Member, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice
1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- Yes
2. Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
- Yes
Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes
Do you support increasing defense spending?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes
2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No
3. Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
- Yes
1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
- Yes
2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes
1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes
1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- No
2. Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
- Yes
1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- No
2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- No
1. Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
- Unknown Position
2. Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
- No
Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
- Yes
1. Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?
- Pro-choice
2. Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy?
- No
3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes
4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes
5. Should federal subsidies be prohibited from being used for abortion procedures?
- No
6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Agriculture
- No Answer
2. Arts
- No Answer
3. Defense
- No Answer
4. Intelligence operations
- No Answer
5. Military hardware
- No Answer
6. National missile defense
- No Answer
7. Salary and benefits for active duty personnel
- No Answer
8. Programs to improve troop retention rates
- No Answer
9. Research and development of new weapons
- No Answer
1. Education
- No Answer
2. Environment
- No Answer
3. Homeland security
- No Answer
4. International aid
- No Answer
5. Medical research
- No Answer
6. Scientific research
- No Answer
7. Space exploration
- No Answer
8. United Nations
- No Answer
9. Welfare
- No Answer
10. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer
11. Alcohol taxes
- No Answer
12. Capital gains taxes
- No Answer
13. Cigarette taxes
- No Answer
14. Corporate taxes
- No Answer
15. Gasoline taxes
- No Answer
16. Income taxes (low-income families)
- No Answer
17. Income taxes (middle-income families)
- No Answer
18. Income taxes (high-income families)
- No Answer
19. Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year?
- No Answer
1. Chris understands the importance and challenges of balancing a budget. As County Executive, he inherited a mess of corruption and out-of-control government spending. He cut $100 million in spending and balanced six budgets by demanding more accountability and cracking down on wasteful spending. Chris will continue this leadership in the United States Senate.
- Christopher Coons. Issue Positions: The Economy. "Chris also believes it is important to directly help those who have suffered most in this crisis by increasing aid to the unemployed and expanding training programs to help those transitioning through careers. He will continue to strengthen America's economy through strategic long-term investments in infrastructure, training and workforce development. Chris will use his position in the Senate to fight for trade agreements that contain good labor and environmental standards that will help to create new American jobs, not ship them overseas." (votesmart.org)
1. Do you support privatizing elements of Social Security?
- No
2. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- No Answer
3. Do you support increasing the federal minimum wage?
- Yes
4. Do you support the ability of workers to unionize?
- Yes
5. Do you support federal funding for job-training programs that retrain displaced workers?
- Yes
6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns?
- No Answer
2. Should Congress regulate indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- No Answer
3. Do you support removing all contribution limits on federal campaigns?
- No Answer
4. Should candidates for federal office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- No Answer
5. Do you support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations?
- No Answer
6. Do you support limiting the President's ability to define how legislation is applied through the use of signing statements?
- No Answer
1. Do you support programs that provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related training and job-placement assistance when released?
- No Answer
2. Do you support programs that provide prison inmates with substance abuse treatment?
- No Answer
3. Do you support reduced prison sentences for non-violent offenders?
- No Answer
4. Do you support mandatory prison sentences for selling illegal drugs?
- No Answer
5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students?
- Yes
2. Do you support federal funding for universal pre-K programs?
- Yes
3. Do you support federal funding for charter schools?
- Yes
4. Do you support federal funding for K-12 school vouchers?
- No
5. Do you support the federal government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes
6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support international emissions targets aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- No Answer
2. Do you support allowing energy producers to trade carbon credits under a "cap and trade" system?
- No Answer
3. Do you support strengthening fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles?
- No Answer
4. Do you support domestic oil exploration in federally-protected areas?
- No Answer
5. Do you support federal funding for the development of alternative energy?
- No Answer
6. Do you support the development of nuclear reactors?
- No Answer
7. Chris believes we should be doing more to be good environmental stewards. We should work to reduce our emissions and supports a cap and trade program that will unleash the creativity of American ingenuity to help solve the increasing effects of greenhouse gases on the environment. Chris believes our dependence on foreign oil is a national security concern. Chris has long supported innovation and research in alternative energy sources, and although transitioning from oil to alternative energies will not be quick or easy, now is the time to forge ahead with serious commitments to wind, solar, biofuels, and other options.
- Christopher Coons. Issue Position: Environment. "As Delawareans continue to see their fuel and energy prices increase, they must consider becoming good environmental stewards. That is why Chris Coons, in his role as County Executive, took steps to address the county's own energy consumption and emissions in order to bring costs down for taxpayers and protect the environment. As Senator, Chris will continue what he started here in Delaware to encourage all governments and businesses to inventory their greenhouse gas emissions, develop an action plan for reducing these emissions and become more energy efficient. Chris is also calling for a nationwide cap and trade program that will help establish a price on carbon and unleash the creativity of American ingenuity to help solve the increasing effects of Greenhouse gases on the environment." (votesmart.org)
Christopher Coons. 2010. Project Vote Smart: Congressional Political Courage Test. Environment and Energy Issues: Other or expanded principles:" Chris believes we should be doing more to be good environmental stewards. We should work to reduce our emissions and supports a cap and trade program that will unleash the creativity of American ingenuity to help solve the increasing effects of greenhouse gases on the environment. Chris believes our dependence on foreign oil is a national security concern. Chris has long supported innovation and research in alternative energy sources, and although transitioning from oil to alternative energies will not be quick or easy, now is the time to forge ahead with serious commitments to wind, solar, biofuels, and other options."
1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- Yes
2. Do you believe that the Second Amendment guarantees the right of individual citizens to own guns?
- Yes
3. Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns?
- No Answer
4. Do you support a ban on assault rifles?
- No Answer
1. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- No Answer
2. Should the federal government expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts?
- No Answer
3. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- No Answer
4. Do you support relaxing regulations on the importation of prescription drugs?
- No Answer
5. While not perfect, Chris supports the Affordable Care Act that will guarantee quality, affordable health care to all, and he looks forward to working with members of the Senate and House to implement, defend and sustain it.
- Christopher Coons. 2010. Project Vote Smart: Congressional Political Courage Test. Health Issues: Other or expanded principles: "While not perfect, Chris supports the Affordable Care Act that will guarantee quality, affordable health care to all, and he looks forward to working with members of the Senate and House to implement, defend and sustain it."
Christopher Coons. Issue Position: Health Care. "Chris Coons believes that good health is the foundation of economic prosperity. Crippling health care costs have robbed American families and have hurt our nation's competitiveness. While not believing it to be perfect, Chris supports President Obama's landmark health care legislation and is committed to working across the aisle to make it better. The new law will provide health insurance to the more than 29,000 Delawareans who lack insurance, and it will lower health insurance costs for average Americans, give small businesses the ability to pay to cover their employees, and reduce the federal deficit in the process." (votesmart.org)
1. Do you support decreasing the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country?
- No Answer
2. Do you support establishing English as the official national language?
- No Answer
3. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No Answer
4. Chris strongly believes in the need for comprehensive federal immigration reform.
- Christopher Coons. 2010. Project Vote Smart: Congressional Political Courage Test. Immigration Issues: Other or expanded principles: "Chris strongly believes in the need for comprehensive federal immigration reform."
1. Do you support increasing military assistance for Afghanistan?
- No Answer
2. Do you support increasing economic development assistance for Afghanistan?
- No Answer
3. Should the United States continue to strike suspected terrorist targets in Pakistan?
- Yes
4. Do you support granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States?
- Yes
5. Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
- No Answer
6. Do you support increasing sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates?
- Yes
7. Do you support the withdrawal of United States troops from Iraq?
- Yes
8. Do you support the United States' involvement in free trade agreements?
- No Answer
9. Chris supports international free and fair trade agreements that include labor and other environmental protections and enforcement.
- Christopher Coons. Issue Position: National Security. "Chris Coons approaches military and foreign policy matters as a Truman Democrat. Our nation is best served by a robust, engaged foreign policy, based in diplomacy and strategic partnerships with other nations. We need a well-trained, sophisticated national security and intelligence capability, and policies and practices that recognize the link between our security and development, fair trade, and human rights. A Senior Fellow with the Truman National Security Project, Chris supports the President in his efforts to responsibly end the war in Iraq. Chris will keep his focus on the long-term security and safety of the American people. He will work to strengthen international partnerships and will offer his unwavering support to our men and women in uniform." (votesmart.org)
Christine O'Donnell- Chris Coons Debate. CNN (transcript). 13 October 2010. "COONS: Wolf, I'm concerned about the security of our troops in the field and about honoring the service and the sacrifice of our veterans. The war in Afghanistan is the war of the two that we've been engaged in, Iraq and Afghanistan, that I think was justified by a direct attack on the United States by the Taliban, who were offering harbor to al Qaeda, who were the authors of the 9/11 attack.
And I think in our 10th year now, on the ground in Afghanistan, we have to look hard at whether we're continuing to contribute to America's security by having 100,000 troops on the ground. I would support a negotiated resolution to the war that allowed us leave security and intelligence assets in place and that allowed us the opportunity to reengage, should the Taliban take control again, or allow al Qaeda to reemerge as a real threat to the region or to the United States.
[?]
We have asked a lot of our men and women in the field. They have delivered brilliantly. But, frankly, the mission has exceeded the scope that I think we could initially reasonably expect of them." (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
1. Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
- No
2. Do you support allowing openly-gay men and women to serve in the United States military?
- Yes
3. Do you support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research?
- Yes
4. Should the federal government end affirmative action programs?
- No Answer
5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- No Answer
1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice
1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No
1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes
1. Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants?
- Yes
Do you support building the Keystone XL pipeline?
- No
Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes
1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- Yes
1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
- No
1. Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- No
Do you support same-sex marriage?
- Yes
1. Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict?
- Yes
Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?
- No
Latest Action: Senate - 06/24/2019 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Tracker:Latest Action: Senate - 06/24/2019 Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Tracker:Latest Action: Senate - 06/24/2019 Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Tracker:By Chris Coons Jan. 6 was a dark day for American democracy. For only the second time in our republic's history, our United States Capitol was ransacked, except this time it wasn't by British troops. It was by a riotous mob of thugs, incited by our president, trying to stop the certification of the results of the presidential election. As I sheltered with my Senate colleagues, my initial thoughts were of the safety of my staff, how to reach my family and how my colleagues were faring. Once we were able to get a television set up and see the dreadful images of the sacking of the Capitol, I was struck by what the rest of the world was seeing as well. In the days since, I've read and received messages of solidarity and concern, as well as condemnation of the rioters, from officials in the governments of our closest allies, including Britain, France, Australia, Canada, Japan and many others. While I felt grateful for our strong alliances, I've also read messages from our adversaries who regularly undermine democratic norms at home and abroad. To Iran's president, the attack showed how "fragile Western democracy is." A senior Russian official declared that "the celebration of democracy is over." The president of Zimbabwe tweeted that the events "showed that the U.S. has no moral right to punish another nation under the guise of upholding democracy." And Chinese propaganda outlets predictably seized on the news of the riot, with one hawkish, state-owned news website calling the events "an iconic humiliation." This attack from within our own borders weakened our democracy, put that weakness on display and caused many around the world to question whether the future of our democratic system is at risk. It was a grave reckoning, but it should not come as a surprise. For the past four years, President Trump has pushed the boundaries of our democracy, testing and eroding the guardrails and institutions that have safeguarded our republic for more than 230 years. He has failed to condemn white supremacists; he has challenged our judiciary and described journalists as "enemies of the people." And he began undermining confidence in the 2020 election months before voting day. His actions overseas have been equally alarming. Mr. Trump heaped praise on North Korea's dictator, Kim Jong-un, while insulting leaders of some of our closest allies; he defended the Saudi government after the brutal murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi; and he recently ignored a huge Russian hack of our government and the private sector. With this record, we shouldn't be surprised that Mr. Trump would rally his supporters to assault the Capitol in an act of insurrection against the very Constitution that he pledged an oath to protect. But we should be concerned. Our allies may now question our reliability as a democratic partner, and we should expect our authoritarian adversaries to exploit this dark day in American democracy for their own geopolitical gain. After all, it is the strength of our democracy -- our respect for the rule of law, our faith in the dignity of each individual and our recognition that we must always strive to be a more perfect union -- that undergirds our influence internationally. When our president undermines the credibility of our elections, how can we insist upon free and fair elections in Belarus or Ivory Coast? When our president's rhetoric demonizes journalists and allows his supporters to assault them, how can we stand up for freedom of the press in the Philippines or Turkey? Can our allies depend on the power of our military deterrence and will our adversaries be deterred when we do not secure our own institutions? If we don't confront and address these dangerous shortcomings, we invite accusations of hypocrisy. It feeds into the playbooks of authoritarian leaders around the world who argue that their systems are superior to democratic ones and that the United States practices respect for human rights only when it is convenient. It's clear to me that the damage President Trump and his enablers have inflicted will outlive his presidency. But it's also clear that for our democracy to survive and for the United States to maintain its position as a defender of our values and freedoms around the world, we need to show our allies and adversaries that our democracy has weathered this test. Congress began this task as soon as the Capitol was cleared Wednesday night, by returning to our work and voting to certify the results of the election. But for us to send the strongest message to the rest of the world that the rule of law still reigns in the United States, we have to hold Wednesday's rioters and instigators accountable -- chief among them the president. First, Donald Trump does not deserve to be president. He should resign today. My Republican colleagues who have served as allies and enablers of the president should persuade him to do so. If he won't, Vice President Mike Pence should take responsibility, invoke the 25th Amendment and remove him -- which only the vice president and the cabinet have the power to do. If they fail to do either, Congress must promptly move ahead with its own remedies, including impeachment or censure. Second, Mr. Trump's supporters in Congress -- especially those who fanned the flames of Wednesday's violence with false claims of voter fraud -- need to start telling the truth. They need to declare that Mr. Biden won in a free and fair election, and they need to join us on Jan. 20 in reasserting our democracy with the peaceful transfer of power. To those Republican lawmakers who have been calling for healing and unity: There can be reconciliation only with repentance. We have a challenging nine days ahead of us. Our president is unhinged and has demonstrably abandoned his post. We need to find the right balance of protecting our country and making it clear that in the United States, a leader cannot seek to subvert our democracy without repercussions. Once Mr. Biden is sworn in, Congress must move swiftly to begin the work of healing our nation, including by confirming his capable and seasoned nominees and passing a bipartisan relief package to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Jan. 6 genuinely tested us. How we respond will determine whether we choose continued division or to heal, repair and strengthen our democracy. The world is watching. Chris Coons is a Democratic senator from Delaware.
By Chris Coons Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a towering figure in America's long march toward greater justice. The impact of her lifelong fight for gender equality will be felt for generations, and I continue to pray for her loved ones and mourn her loss. Justice Ginsburg's passing has come at a particularly difficult moment for our nation. More than 200,000 Americans have lost their lives to COVID-19, and more than seven million have been infected. Small businesses across the country are fighting to keep their doors open, and individuals from coast to coast are struggling to pay rent and keep food on the table for their families. Americans in every state are in desperate need of relief, and in Congress it's a critical part of our job to help our constituents navigate this crisis. We've had months to negotiate a relief bill, but the Senate has failed to act. Instead of debating how to provide assistance to those who are suffering the consequences of this pandemic, the Senate appears set to focus on filling Justice Ginsburg's seat in what may be a deeply damaging and partisan fight. Just before she died, Justice Ginsburg made clear that her most fervent wish was that her successor be chosen after the next presidential inauguration, when President Trump will be sworn in for a second term or former Vice President Biden will be sworn in as our next president. This wish wasn't personal or partisan -- it was principled -- and every American, Republican and Democrat, should consider why Justice Ginsburg made this her dying wish: to protect the legitimacy of the Supreme Court and the rule of law in this country for all of us.
By Christopher Coons Over the past month, millions of Americans have spoken out and marched in protest over the brutal killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. In every state across our nation, Americans have joined together to not only demand an end to police brutality against Black and brown Americans, but to finally address systemic racism. Today is Juneteenth, our nation's annual day to mark and celebrate the end of slavery, but this year, we're more conscious than ever that slavery's legacy remains imprinted in our culture and our laws. This year, we're reminded that racial discrimination and injustice still exist and still impact the lives of people of color in real and discernible ways. We believe that our country is ready to finally address systemic racism, so policing is far from the only issue that we need to take on. We need to take bold action in Washington and Dover to improve police accountability and transparency, but we also have to open our eyes to the ways that structural racism and discrimination touch many issues we face. Look no further than the economic and public health crises our country is still in the midst of. While no one has been spared the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is increasingly clear that the pandemic's significant health and economic impacts are disproportionately affecting communities of color. Let's be clear: the virus doesn't discriminate against people of color. Instead, the pandemic has simply shone a light on just how much discriminatory public policies have done to put communities of color at greater risk and weaken critical safety net programs for all Americans. From a health perspective, we've seen clearly that Americans of color are being infected by COVID-19 at a significantly higher rate than white Americans. At the same time, we've also seen that testing is less accessible for these communities, despite the fact that many essential workers, from grocery store clerks to frontline health care workers, are people of color. The facts are similarly grave from an economic standpoint. While unemployment is high for Americans of every racial background, the unemployment rates for Black Americans and Latinos are even higher. Minority-owned small businesses have also received less aid from government programs, including the popular Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Over the years, our health system has made it difficult for communities of color to access the health care they deserve. Decade after decade, we've seen efforts to chip away at workers' rights and, nearly every year, more cuts are proposed to education, community development, and job training programs. Housing policies have made it particularly difficult for families of color to achieve home ownership and establish and grow their wealth. All of that has combined to stack the odds against generations of underserved communities -- often communities of color. Combine all of those policies over decades and it's no wonder Black and brown communities are suffering worse than white communities during this pandemic. That's why we need to act -- at the federal, state, and local levels -- to ensure that the massive investments we're making in our economy and our communities are also addressing inequality. With every law that we pass, we need to be clear-eyed about how communities of color in particular are specifically impacted. From a public health standpoint, we need a nationwide focus on ensuring that communities of color and at-risk employees from a wide range of industries have access to free testing so that they can do their jobs safely and protect their families. Our state has made impressive progress in rapidly expanding testing so that we can reopen safely, and it's critical that these efforts continue to reach the communities hardest hit by this pandemic. The COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force Act in Congress provides an important template for ensuring that our pandemic response efforts address inequality head on. From an economic perspective, we also need to ensure that we're not only passing major economic relief packages, but that we're also doing the hard work of delivering those resources to the families, communities, and businesses who need them most. We can do that by extending enhanced unemployment and appropriating more funding for nutrition programs so those who are out of work through no fault of their own can still buy groceries and pay their bills. Congress also must provide robust relief to state and local governments in order to stave off mass layoffs of public sector workers, who are relatively more likely to be Black men and women. Finally, we now know that the initial Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) benefited far too many big corporations and too few small businesses, including many in underserved communities. In response, we need to direct additional relief to minority-owned businesses by enabling the smallest, most vulnerable businesses to access a second forgivable PPP loan. We should also provide additional funding to Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), including those in Wilmington, Claymont, Dover and Seaford that are uniquely positioned to target minority- and women-owned businesses. If these institutions are further empowered as part of the crisis response, they can prevent countless business closures across our state. As our country begins a long overdue, nationwide conversation about the ways communities of color are treated by law enforcement, we must also look at the larger systems of structural racism that impact education, job prospects, housing, health care, and every other part of life for Americans of color. If one thing is clear from this past month, it's that every piece of public policy must be viewed in a different, new light. It's not enough for our laws and our budgets to be race-neutral; we have to find ways to be anti-racist in Dover, Washington, and across the country. This Juneteenth, we pledge to do just that.
Wed 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM EST
The Kennedy Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building Washington D.C.
Thur 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM EDT
100 Discovery Blvd., Newark, DE 19713
