Senator Coons joins leadership of Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee

Senator Coons will join the leadership of the Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee for the next Congress, leading efforts to help Democratic senators better engage with business leaders across the country.

The Steering and Outreach Committee is what's known as a "leadership committee" and exists effectively to strengthen the engagement between individual Democratic senators and community leaders."Engaging directly with community leaders gives senators the opportunity to thoughtfully exchange ideas, hear concerns, and collaborate on our nation's policy priorities," Senator Coons said. "Building bridges is what the Steering and Outreach Committee is all about, and I'm honored to be asked to play a role in shaping the direction of the committee in the next Congress. Businesses play an important role in our economy, and at this critical time in our economic recovery, we need to continue to work with business leaders to help them create jobs and strengthen our communities. I look forward to making the most of this opportunity and helping our caucus continue to engage constructively and productively with the business community."

This week, the Steering Committee hosted 14 leaders from the labor movement for a frank discussion with senators about job creation and the fiscal cliff. In September there were separate meetings with LGBT leaders on the state of the equality movement and housing leaders on mortgage refinancing, affordable housing, and financial literacy. There have been quite a few meetings with business leaders about job creation.

Senator Coons leads bipartisan, bicameral letter to President Obama on MLPs, REITs

The sponsors of the Senate and House versions of the Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act will hold a press conference on Wednesday morning to discuss a letter they and more than two-dozen of their colleagues are sending to President Obama this week calling for Master Limited Partnerships and Real Estate Investment Trusts to be a priority in the federal government’s “all of the above” energy strategy. 

Their letter is below:

December 12, 2012
The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

Over the past four years, the renewable energy sector has seen major reductions in technology costs, including a 75 percent decline in the price of solar panels and about a 25 percent decline in the price of wind turbines. But even as technology costs have dropped, the cost of capital required to deploy those technologies has remained stubbornly high – inflating overall project costs and presenting a major barrier to wider deployment.

Minor changes to the federal tax code could provide the renewable energy industry access to large pools of low-cost private capital. Already, oil, gas, and coal infrastructure projects raise cheap capital by selling shares of Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs), as do energy transmission projects using Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). Wind, solar, and other renewable energy projects cannot use these investment tools and, therefore, suffer from high costs of capital.

Opening MLPs and REITs to renewable energy would level the playing field by giving renewables the same access to low-cost capital enjoyed by oil, gas, coal and transmission infrastructure projects. Small tweaks to the tax code could attract billions of dollars in private sector investment to renewable energy deployment, reduce the cost of renewable electricity by up to one third, and dramatically broaden the base of eligible investors. In fact, bipartisan legislation has already been introduced in both the House and the Senate (H.R. 6437 and S. 3275 respectively) to allow renewable energy projects to raise low-cost capital through the MLP structure. In the case of REITs, a straight forward ruling by the Treasury Department would allow access to this investment vehicle for renewable energy projects.

We strongly support moving America towards energy independence using an “all of the above” energy strategy. Renewable energy can play a critical role in accomplishing that goal. We ask that your administration move to unlock capital markets for broad-scale investment in renewable energy and help move our country towards cleaner, more efficient energy. We stand ready to work with you to accomplish this goal.

Sincerely,

Senator Coons (D-DE)
Senator Moran (R-KS)
Representative Poe (R-TX-2)
Representative Thompson (D-CA-1)
Representative Welch (D-VT)
Representative Carney (D-DE)
Representative McCollum (D-MN-4)
Representative Moran (D-VA-8)
Representative Garamendi (D-CA-10)
Representative Schakowsky (D-IL-9)
Representative Clay (D-MO-1)
Senator Begich (D-AK)
Senator Harkin (D-IA)
Representative Kissell (D-NC-8)
Senator Murkowski (R-AK)
Senator Bennet (D-CO)
Senator Tester (D-MT)
Representative Lujan (D-NM-3)
Senator Brown (R-MA)
Representative Grijalva (D-AZ-07)
Representative Capps (D-CA-23)
Representative Connolly (D-VA-11)
Senator Franken (D-MN)
Representative Matsui (D-CA-5)
Senator Shaheen (D-NH)
Representative Watt (D-NC-12)
Representative Carson (D-IN-7)
Representative McIntyre (D-NC-7)
Representative Carnahan (D-MO-3)

Washington Post joins Senator Coons' call for a better plan on al Qaeda takeover of northern Mali

In an editioral appearing in Monday's editions, The Washington Post joined Senator Coons' call for a better plan on al Qaeda's takeover of northern Mali. Senator Coons chaired a hearing on the situation there last week, noting that the space now controlled by al Qaeda is roughly the size of Texas and is the largest terrorist-controlled area in the world.

ACCORDING TO the Obama administration, northern Mali “has become a safe haven for extremist and terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and affiliates” — the same forces linked to the deadly Sept. 11 assault on the U.S. mission in Libya. Northern Mali, says Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Africa, has become “the largest territory controlled by Islamic extremists in the world.” A Taliban-style rule of stonings and amputations has been imposed, and a dire emergency is unfolding: 400,000 civilians have fled their homes, and, the United Nations says, 600,000 children under the age of 5 are threatened by severe malnutrition.

Not to worry. U.N. officials say that the terrorists will be subdued by a military intervention — but not before the fall of 2013.

...

The Obama administration, for its part, is insisting that military action must be preceded by a multi-step political process, including democratic elections for a new Malian government and negotiations with groups in northern Mali that are not part of al-Qaeda. One, Ansar Dine, has imposed fundamentalist rule on Timbuktu and destroyed many of its priceless religious and cultural monuments, but the theory is that it can be detached from the transnational terrorists.

Negotiations, which began this month, are certainly worth a try. But it’s also worth bearing in mind what is happening while this process drags on. As a Malian minister told the Security Council, “there are floggings, amputation of limbs, summary executions, children forced to become soldiers, rapes, stoning, looting and the destruction of cultural and historical sites.” Perhaps the diplomats in Turtle Bay can conclude it’s prudent to allow such atrocities to continue for another 10 or 12 months. But morality as well as common sense suggests that intervention must come sooner.

Click here to read the Post's full editorial.

The Senator’s Week Ahead Schedule: Dec. 10 – Dec. 16

Wednesday, December 12 at 9:00 a.m. — The Senator will participate in a Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee meeting with labor and progressive community leaders.  The meeting will focus on the economy, job creation, the fiscal cliff and shared legislation priorities for the 113^th Congress.  Mansfield Room, S-207, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.

Thursday, December 13 at 4:00 p.m. — The Senator will preside over the Senate until 5:00 p.m.  Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Thursday, December 13 at 5:00 p.m. — The Senator will attend the National Guard’s 376^th Birthday Celebration. The National Guard, the oldest component of the Armed Forces of the United States and one of the nation's longest-enduring institutions, will celebrate its 376th birthday on December 13, 2012. Today, tens of thousands of Guardmembers are serving in harm's way in Iraq and Afghanistan, as the National Guard continues its historic dual mission, providing to the states units trained and equipped to protect life and property, while also providing to the nation units trained, equipped and ready to defend the United States and its interests globablly. G-50 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press.

Saturday, December 15 at 10:00 a.m. —The Senator will speak at the Delaware State University Commencement Ceremony. This will be Delaware State University’s first December Commencement to highlight the hard work of 250 new graduates. Reverend Ellis B. Louden, pastor of Mount Zion AME Church in Dover, will serve as commencement speaker.  Delaware State University, 1200 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE – Open to press.

Saturday, December 15 at 3:00 p.m. —The Senator will attend the Boys Scout Banquet and Eagle Scout Ceremony. Ten Eagle Scouts from Troop 29, of Wilmington, Delaware, will be attending the event and have an opportunity to chat with Senator Coons about service and leadership. Red Clay Presbyterian Assembly Hall, 500 McKennans Church Road, Wilmington, DE

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CRPD would not impact homeschooling

There are some false and damaging rumors about the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities causing real concern in Delaware and elsewhere. Our office has heard from Delawareans concerned that ratification of this treaty would impact their right to homeschool their children with disabilities, if they choose to do so.

Senator Coons took those concerns seriously, and he checked with Department of Justice directly. What he heard – what he confirmed, with absolute certainty – should put the minds of these parents at ease.

Ratification of this treaty will not do anything to change existing American law, rules or enforcement on homeschooling. The right of families who wish to homeschool their children to do so will be protected, no matter what.  

Nor does the treaty erode one iota of American sovereignty.

It does not hand over any authority to any international body. It does not burden us with any new obligations or expenses. It does not require us to do anything but comply with our own, already existing law – a law that has been in place for 22 years. Any rights that Americans have now, they will continue to have if this treaty is ratified. Period. 

Senator Coons calls for extension of unemployment insurance benefits

Senator Coons and 41 of his colleagues wrote to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to call for an extension of unemployment insurance for millions of out-of-work Americans. You can read the letter below:

The Senator’s Week Ahead Schedule: Dec. 3 – Dec. 9

Monday, December 3 at 11:00 a.m. – The Senator will speak at “A Call to Action: Collaboratively Ending Homelessness in Delaware,” hosted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. This discussion will allow participants to engage in dialogue about strategies, tools and action steps Delaware’s nonprofit executives can take to maximize available resources to end homelessness in the First State. Community Services Building, 100 West 10th Street, Wilmington, DE - Closed to press.

Monday, December 3 at 2:00 p.m. — The Senator will preside over the Senate until 4:00 p.m.  Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Tuesday, December 4 at 10:00 a.m. — The Senator will preside over the Senate until 11:00 a.m.  Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Tuesday, December 4 at 11:30 a.m. — The Senator will attend a U.S.-Morocco Business Development Conference hosted by the U.S. Department of State. The conference will focus on Morocco’s economy and America’s trade relationship with Morocco. U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street NW, Washington D.C. – Closed to press.

Wednesday, December 5 at 9:00 a.m. – The Senator will chair a Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs hearing on Mali. The hearing, entitled “AssessingDevelopments in Mali: Restoring Democracy and Reclaiming the North,” will include testimony from the following witnesses: The Honorable Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, U.S. Department of State;  The Honorable Earl Gast, Assistant Administrator for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development; Ms. Amanda Dory, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Africa, Department of Defense; Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, Senior Associate and Regional Director for Central and West Africa, National Democratic Institute; Ms. Corinne Dufka, Senior Researcher, Africa Division, Human Rights Watch; and Mr. Nii Akuetteh, Independent Policy Researcher. 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. Open to press.

Thursday, December 6 at 4:00 p.m. — The Senator will attend and honorary-host the Taste of Delaware celebration of Delaware Day in Washington. On December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first state in the nation to ratify the U.S. Constitution. Senator Carper and Congressman Carney will be among the many proud Delawareans who attend this event, which is hosted by the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and brings Delaware restaurants and beverage-makers. Kennedy Caucus Room, 325 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press.

Friday, December 7 at 10:45 a.m. —The Senator will speak at a USDA grant announcement for rural housing development. During the event, Senator Coons will discuss the USDA Rural Development funds that have been allocated for the recruitment, loan packaging, and related activities for prospective self-help housing applicants throughout Kent and Sussex Counties. Milford Housing Development Corp., 977 East Masten Circle, Milford, DE – Open to press.

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Video: Senator Coons talks Susan Rice and DRC on MSNBC

Senator Coons talked with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell on Thursday about the possible nomination of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice as Secretary of State, and about the developing crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Senator Coons is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs.

You can watch the interview below:

Key bulletproof vest program at risk

An important federal program that helps local police officers buy bulletproof vests to wear on the job protecting our communities is at risk of ending, but Senator Coons teamed up with Dover police Sgt. David Spicer on Tuesday to urge senators to reauthorize the program.

Senator Coons, who is an original cosponsor of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act, called on his Senate colleagues who are blocking the program’s reauthorization to drop their holds and allow the important program to continue.

Sgt. Spicer, who could come to the Capitol on Tuesday only because of the Kevlar soft body armor that saved his life, shared his extraordinary story:

In addition to serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chris is co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus.

Click here to learn more about the Bulletproof Vest Partnership and Tuesday's event.

The Senator’s Week Ahead Schedule: Nov. 26 – Dec. 2

Monday, November 26 at 11:00 a.m. – The Senator will speak at a major grant announcement for Delaware State University’s neuroscience program. Senator Coons will join Senator Carper and Congressman Carney in announcing a National Institutes of Health grant to create infrastructure to support theresearch and career development of neuroscientists at Delaware State University and the University of Delaware. Open to press.

Monday, November 26 at 2:00 p.m. — The Senator will preside over the Senate until 4:00 p.m.  Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Tuesday, November 27 at 10:00 a.m. — The Senator will preside over the Senate until 11:00 a.m.  Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Wednesday, November 28 at 2:00 p.m. — The Senator will chair a Senate Foreign Relations Committee nominations hearing. The nominees being considered are the Honorable Robert F. Godec, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Kenya; and Ms. Deborah Ann McCarthy, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Lithuania. 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press.

Thursday, November 29 at 10:00 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Senate Judiciary Committee business meeting. During the business meeting, the Committee will consider substitute amendments for H.R. 2471, which would give government agencies more cyber surveillance power than they possess under current law. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. 

Thursday, November 29 at 4:00 p.m. — The Senator will preside over the Senate until 5:00 p.m.  Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Friday, November 30 at 9:30 a.m. — The Senator will preside over the Senate until 12:00 p.m. if the Senate is in session. Senate Chamber,U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Note: Schedule is subject to change

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