On MLK Day, Senator Coons reflects on Dr. King’s vision

Senator Coons celebrated Martin Luther King Day with hundreds of Delawareans in Wilmington and Dover on Monday, recalling Dr. King’s pursuit of equality and justice for all. At gatherings across the state, Senator Coons joined local civil rights leaders to share reflections on the teachings and legacy of Dr. King and the work that remains to fulfill his vision.

At the 30^th Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Breakfast, hosted by the Organization of Minority Women, Chris had the honor of delivering the invocation and paid tribute to the memory of the event’s late founder, former State Representative Hazel Plant. 

Chris also visited with attendees of the Delaware State Bar Association’s Inaugural Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast, headlined by keynote speaker Lani Guinier, Esq., civil rights attorney and the first tenured African-American woman professor at Harvard Law School.

Senator Coons then traveled south to Dover to speak at the 31^st Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Breakfast hosted by the Zeta Rho Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Addressing attendees, Chris discussed his efforts to restore key voter protections in the historic Voting Rights Act – a centerpiece of Dr. King’s civil rights struggle – that were struck down by a recent Supreme Court ruling. 

“The reality is, discrimination is alive and well,” said Chris. “Attempts to block access to the ballot box continue today, and not just in the Deep South, but also around the country. That’s why I’ve introduced a modern voting rights bill to confront modern voting rights challenges. I am hopeful that Congress can come together to pass this bipartisan bill and restore the promise of free and fair elections that Dr. King fought for,” he said. Read more about the bill here.

Ending the day at the 29^th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Holiday Program hosted by Delaware State University, Senator Coons commended the event’s founder, Councilman Reuben Salters, on his work honoring Dr. King’s legacy. The program, featuring speakers and artists, is free and open to the public.

“What Councilman Salters has done with this event is to translate Dr. King’s message of strengthening justice, achieving equality and working toward the founding promise of the American Dream, into local, lasting impact,” said Chris.

Senator Coons marks birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

On Sunday, Senator Coons marked the birthday of the founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in 1469 in what is now Lahore, Pakistan.  Guru Nanak preached equality among all people, and espoused the principles of hard work and community service.  His birthday is considered one of the holiest days in the Sikh faith.

"As Sikhs all across our country celebrate the life Guru Nanak Dev Ji, I join them in honoring his vision of a society built on equality, compassion, and justice," Senator Coons said.  "I send my best wishes to Sikhs in America and all around the world on this holy day."

According to the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world, with more than 700,000 Sikhs living in the United States.   

Senator Coons participates in discussion on civil rights

Senator Coons, a dedicated advocate for civil rights, participated in a roundtable discussion Wednesday to discuss priorities and the path forward on a number of civil rights issues. The meeting was hosted by the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee and featured more than 20 leaders in the labor, LGBT, and civil rights communities, including NAACP President and Chief Executive Officer Ben Jealous and Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin.

The roundtable highlighted the calamitous effects of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Shelby County v. Holder to strike down the crucial Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act. The discussion also focused on employment discrimination, comprehensive immigration reform, Republican obstruction of confirmation for executive and judicial nominees, and marriage equality.

“We have a number of joyful days now happening across this country – wedding days – where couples are able to join in legal union without the barrier of DOMA to prevent them from enjoying the full blessings of marriage,” Senator Coons said. “But we have had a very tough Supreme Court term. The doors of justice are steadily closing for those who would go to courts and seek relief whether it’s through class action or defense against wage abuse or harassment in the workplace. We face election days this year and next year without a functioning Voting Rights Act. If we don’t come together and act, we will see states change laws in ways that will deny access to the ballot for people all across this country.”

The discussion followed the Supreme Court’s recent landmark decisions dismantling the Voting Rights Act, but extending federal benefits to married same-sex couples. It also overlapped with an ongoing clash over the confirmation of executive and judicial nominees — including those to the important D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals — the markup of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and the House’s consideration of comprehensive immigration reform.

Sherrilyn Ifill, the president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said that the Supreme Court’s voting rights decision “is not a minority problem” but rather is “a problem for democratic participation in our country.”

AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Shuler warned participants, “We could be looking at a Labor Day with a non-functioning NLRB and unenforceable labor law” due to Republican obstruction of confirmation for NLRB nominees and Secretary of Labor nominee Thomas Perez.

Senator Coons on Delaware Senate’s passage of marriage equality bill

Senator Chris Coons issued the following statement Tuesday after the Delaware Senate voted to extend the freedom to marry to same-sex couples. HB 75, the Civil Marriage Equality and Religious Freedom Act of 2013, ensures that same-sex married couples have the same protections and obligations as opposite-sex married couples.

“This is a truly historic day for our state,” Chris said. “Today’s vote was about dignity, respect, and basic human fairness for our neighbors. Every Delawarean deserves access to the full rights and responsibilities of marriage, no matter their sexual orientation. The passage of HB 75 ushers in a new era of equality in our state and marks an important moment in our state’s history. I am incredibly proud.

“Lisa Goodman, Mark Purpura, Erik Raser-Schramm, and everyone who worked and volunteered at Equality Delaware have my heart-filled congratulations,” Chris continued. “The lawmakers who stood up for the freedom to marry for the first time today — some breaking with their party; others breaking with their previous politics — have my sincere thanks. It is because of that bold leadership that when Governor Markell signs this legislation tonight, Delaware will become the 11th state to offer marriage equality to all of its citizens, and it will do so without infringing on the religious liberties of a single Delawarean.”

Chris is a strong supporter of civil rights and LGBT equality. He is a cosponsor of the Student Non-Discrimination Act, Employment Non-Discrimination Act, Uniting American Families Act, Domestic Partnership Benefits & Obligations Act, Tax Parity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act, the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act, and the legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

Chris has been an active supporter of Equality Delaware. In addition to rallying supporters using his email list, publishing op-eds, and recording video messages in support of the campaign, Senator Coons reached out directly to state lawmakers to urge their support.

Senator Coons praises Delaware marriage equality bill

Senator Coons, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and an original cosponsor of the federal legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, on Thursday congratulated lawmakers in Dover on the introduction of HB 75, the Civil Marriage Equality and Religious Freedom Act of 2013. The bill extends the freedom to marry to same-sex couples and ensures that same-sex married couples have the same protections and obligations as opposite-sex married couples.

“Every Delawarean deserves access to the full rights and responsibilities of marriage, no matter their sexual orientation,” Chris said. “This is a truly exciting day for our state. While the nation holds its breath as the Supreme Court considers overturning the federal ban on same-sex marriage, I’m proud that Delaware is moving forward. The freedom to marry the one you love is an idea whose time has come. It’s time for marriage equality in Delaware. Speaker Schwartzkopf, Rep. Smith, and Senator Blevins should be congratulated on their commitment to ensuring this bill will be considered by the General Assembly, and I look forward to continuing to work with them to ensure it becomes law.”

Yesterday, Chris and the president of Equality Delaware, Lisa Goodman, briefed Democratic senators in the Capitol on Wednesday on Delaware’s campaign to offer full marriage equality to its citizens. The briefing was part of a Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee meeting with national leaders from the LGBT community.

“We’ve reached this point in no small part because of the work of Equality Delaware and its supporters around the state,” Chris said. “They have my full support and will have my continued partnership as the bill makes its way through the Assembly.”

Chris is a strong supporter of civil rights and LGBT equality. He is a cosponsor of the legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, as well as the Student Non-Discrimination Act, Employment Non-Discrimination Act, Uniting American Families Act, Domestic Partnership Benefits & Obligations Act, Tax Parity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act.

Last week, he published an op-ed on HuffingtonPost.com making the case for Delaware’s marriage equality campaign. Read it here: http://huff.to/12ok3Mn

ICYMI: Sen. Coons’ op-ed on Delaware marriage equality

Senator Chris Coons, a longtime advocate for marriage equality, published an op-ed in the Huffington Post on Friday highlighting the progress being made at the federal and state level to legalize gay marriage.

Last week, the Supreme Court heard arguments in two potentially landmark cases on marriage equality in the United States -- one that challenges state laws that prohibit full marriage equality and another challenging the federal law that limits rights for married couples based on sexual orientation.

While we wait for these important court decisions, the Delaware General Assembly is moving forward on legislation that will make ours the tenth state (the eleventh, if you include the District of Columbia) to extend marriage equality to all of our citizens.

This is going to be a big year for equality in this country. As a nation, we're poised to make historic progress, and in Delaware, we have the opportunity to make sure that everyone has the same right to marry the person they love.

Click here to read the op-ed on Huffington Post’s website.

Video: Senator Coons touts Equality Delaware at HRC Gala

Senator Coons wasn't able to make it to the Human Rights Campaign's Philadelphia Gala on Saturday night, so he recorded a video urging attendees' support for Equality Delaware. “Equality Delaware already has my full support," he said, "but it needs yours, too. We have a real chance to pass marriage equality in Delaware this year, and show the next generation of LGBTQ youth that they are not broken; that they are not wrong; that they ARE equal.”

Senator Coons applauds step toward equality for same-sex partners of federal workers

A bill co-sponsored by Senator Coons to ensure same-sex partners of federal workers receive the same benefits as straight couples passed the Senate Homeland Security Committee by voice vote Wednesday.

The legislation, the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act, allows federal employees in same-sex domestic partnerships to receive the same benefits as heterosexual married couples, including health insurance, long-term disability, retirement and other benefits.

Chris is a strong advocate for civil rights and co-sponsored this legislation because he believes it is a matter of fundamental fairness. In addition, this bill helps the federal government compete with private sector companies for top talent. Nearly 10,000 private companies of all sizes provide benefits to domestic partners – including 60 percent of all Fortune 500 companies. Some 34,000 federal workers lived in committed same-sex partnerships in 2007.

This legislation was sponsored by Senators Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee.

Last week, Chris applauded President Obama’s statement of support for same-sex marriage, calling it “an important moment on the journey to equality.”

Senator Coons calls for equality for LGBT couples facing deportation

One day after President Obama announced in a historic interview that he supports same-sex marriage, Senator Chris Coons joined 16 of his Senate colleagues in urging the Administration to protect married LGBT couples facing deportation.

Chris and his colleagues called on the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to provide relief to same-sex couples in which one spouse is not a U.S. citizen. Chris believes that while the Defense of Marriage Act is being challenged in court, the denial of green card applications in these cases is unfairly forcing couples to choose between breaking the law or being separated from their families. He strongly opposes the Defense of Marriage Act and believes Congress should repeal this discriminatory law.

Led by Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the letter reads in part “We write to you to reiterate our request that the Administration provide relief for lesbian and gay families in which one spouse is not a U.S. citizen during this time of legal uncertainty…With marriage equality rights being extended to more and more citizens of this country, and with the Department of Justice’s repudiation of DOMA, we are concerned with the toll the continued denial of I-130 applications for same-sex immigrant spouses is exacting on families in this country.”

Along with Senator Coons and Senator Kerry, the letter was signed by Senators Patrick Leahy, Ron Wyden, Bernard Sanders, Jeff Merkley, Daniel Akaka, Al Franken, Charles Schumer, Frank Lautenberg, Barbara Mikulski, Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Blumenthal, Sheldon Whitehouse, Barbara Boxer, Patty Murray and Kirsten Gillibrand.

Senator Coons on President Obama’s support for marriage equality

This afternoon, President Obama made a historic statement. In an interview with ABC News, he said “I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.”

Senator Coons believes this is an important moment on the journey to equality. Chris is a member of the Senate Judiciary, a cosponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act and a strong advocate for civil rights. Today, he noted that this is “the first time a sitting president has endorsed the idea that every American, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, should be able to marry the person they love. Period.”

Chris recognized that for some Americans, the question of marriage equality is difficult to answer, saying “I respect that everyone comes to a position in their own way and in their own time.”

He complimented the President on his leadership on LGBT equality, which did not begin today. Previously President Obama ordered the federal government to extend key benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees, banned discrimination based on gender identity in federal workplaces, signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, clarified the Family and Medical Leave Act to ensure family leave for LGBT employees, endorsed the Respect for Marriage Act and declared the government would no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act and repealed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell so gay and lesbian members of the military can serve their country openly and proudly.

As Chris said this afternoon, “President Obama is doing the right thing. By coming out for marriage equality today, he is sending a clear message: LGBT rights are human rights, and the right to marry the person you love is intrinsic to what it means to be an American. President Obama may be taking a huge political risk, but some risks are worth taking. That’s what leaders do.”