White House stands against human trafficking

During the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual meeting on Tuesday, President Obama outlined new steps the administration is taking to end human trafficking at home and abroad, including an executive order strengthening prohibitions against human trafficking in government contracting. Human trafficking, which the President referred to as “modern slavery,” is destroying the lives of more than 20 million victims globally.

The executive order signed by President Obama on Tuesday strengthens protections against human trafficking in all federal contracts and subcontracts, including activities like misleading recruitment practices, charging employment recruitment fees or confiscating employees' identification documents. It also provides training and guidance to help those who might encounter human trafficking victims such as immigration judges, transportation personnel, and federal prosecutors be better equipped to detect trafficking wherever it exists, and to help ensure that victims are always treated as victims and not criminals.

The Senate Judiciary Committee, which Senator Chris Coons is a member, held a hearing in September 2011 to discuss reauthorizing the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which was introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing in July to discuss a long-term strategy to end human trafficking. In his role as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, Chris also led the Senate in taking a stand against African warlord and the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), Joseph Kony, who has been terrorizing central Africa, destroying villages, and forcing children into trafficking. The Senate adopted a resolution in August introduced by Chris to condemn the crimes against humanity committed by Joseph Kony and the LRA, supporting ongoing international efforts to remove Kony from the battlefield, and calling for the U.S. to continue to enhance its mobility, intelligence and logistical support of regional forces protecting civilians and pursuing the LRA.

Senators Coons announces bipartisan caucus on combating malaria and neglected tropical diseases

Senator Coons and Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) announced on Friday the expansion of the Senate Malaria Working Group, which they co-chair, to become a Congressional caucus that will focus on efforts to stem the global tide of 17 neglected tropical diseases including malaria.

Chris formally announced the Senate Caucus on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases at a reception hosted by the United States Agency for International Development on Wednesday evening.

“Malaria and other neglected tropical diseases continue to wreak havoc on the lives and economies of numerous countries around the world,” Chris said. “Malaria and the seven most common neglected tropical diseases cause nearly two million deaths globally each year. I am proud to join Senator Wicker in underscoring our commitment for this issue and continuing to support U.S. efforts to prevent the spread of all tropical diseases.”

Malaria, an infectious blood disease spread by mosquitoes, is most prevalent in the developing world, with 90 percent of deaths occurring in Africa.  The majority of those killed are pregnant women and children under five years old.  The 17 neglected tropical diseases impact more than one billion people, including 500 million children in the world’s poorest countries.
 

What We’re Reading: Burmese democracy heroine honored

CNN reported that Aung San Suu Kyi, an activist for freedom and democracy in Burma, was honored with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor the United States Congress can bestow.

Suu Kyi was kept for the better part of two decades under house arrest for advocating for democracy in Myanmar, also known as Burma. The country's former military rulers ordered her detention, and in recent years her case has received an international spotlight. She paid a hefty personal price for standing up for freedom in Myanmar, which suffered under 50 years of autocratic, repressive rule.

"From the depths of my heart, I thank you, the people of America and you, their representatives," she said to the gathered members of Congress, "for keeping us in your hearts and minds during the dark years when freedom and justice seemed beyond our reach."

Click here to read the full story on CNN.com.

Video: Rev. Gerdts from Wilmington leads the Senate in its opening prayer

Rev. Dr. Douglas Gerdts, pastor of First & Central Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, served as the guest chaplain and lead the Senate in its opening prayer on September 20, 2012. U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) selected Rev. Dr. Gerdts to be a guest chaplain from Delaware.

What We’re Reading: Russia halts local USAID programs

The New York Times reported that Russia has ordered the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to cut off funding for a wide range pro-democracy, public health and other civil society programs that have been operating in Russia for two decades.

The move stands to cut off aid that currently totals about $50 million a year, a relatively small sum but a potentially devastating blow for groups that came to rely on foreign money as domestic controls over politics tightened.

American officials, who were informed of the decision earlier this month, quickly pledged to maneuver around the Kremlin. The Obama administration last October proposed the creation of a new $50 million fund— essentially an endowment for a private foundation established under Russian law — for Russian civil society groups, and one senior administration official said work on that project would speed up.

Click here to read the full story on the New York Times’ website.

What We’re Reading: Washington Post editorial board favors STEM visas

The Washington Post editorial board on Wednesday advocated for increased visas for foreign-born, American-educated graduates with advanced degrees in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.  While these individuals are being actively recruited by other countries, the U.S. reaps none of the rewards that these people can bring to a national economy through innovation and job creation.

Congressional leaders have gone back and forth on the issue for months, seeking compromise. So far, no agreement is in the cards. Republicans, under the influence of anti-immigrant restrictionists, are loath to increase the number of immigrants. Some Democrats are reluctant to ditch the green-card lottery, also known as the diversity visa program, which benefits mainly African and Eastern European immigrants. Others worry that a separate deal on STEM graduates now may make it more difficult to nail down a comprehensive immigration reform package later.

…

What’s clear is that, without a deal, this country is the loser. Globally, demand for STEM graduates is soaring and competition is stiff. Canada, Britain and Australia have all structured their immigration rules to favor their job markets. China is offering cash and other incentives to lure Chinese scientists home after they have trained overseas. Meanwhile, the U.S. system remains tilted in favor of foreign relatives of citizens and permanent residents.

Senator Coons continues to advocate for needed reform to our immigration laws, including visas for those who earn advanced degrees in the STEM fields. Earlier this week, Senator Coons and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) introduced legislation that creates a pilot program where 55,000 new green cards per year will be available for foreign-born students who graduate from U.S. universities with advanced degrees in STEM fields. It also reduces the red tape to obtain a student visa and allows high-tech workers currently in the United States on temporary visas to renew their visas without first returning to their country of origin. 

Click here to read the entire editorial on the Washington Posts’ website.

Senator Coons calls for executive order on cybersecurity

Frustrated by the Senate's inability to pass the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 and determined to confront the growing threat of cyber attacks on our nation's critical infrastructure, Senator Coons teamed up with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to send a letter to President Obama Tuesday urging him to issue an executive order to take the first steps on implementing a voluntary system to increase information-sharing in the private sector.

"We remain committed to the passage of this important legislation, and are continuing our efforts to resolve differences regarding the appropriate role of government in the protection of critical infrastructure,” the senators wrote. “We write today to stress, however, that the failure of Congress to act should not prevent the executive branch from taking available steps to counter the enormous and growing cyber threat."

Working with the Cybersecurity Act’s authors, Senators Coons and Blumenthal were part of a bipartisan effort to build consensus around a voluntary system for owners of key power, transportation, and communication facilities to coordinate with the federal government on the strengthening of their cyber defenses. In their letter today, the senators urge President Obama to instruct Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano “to convene an inter-agency group that will develop, in close collaboration with the private sector, voluntary standards for digital safeguards for our nation’s critical infrastructure.”

“We recognize that an order directing the promulgation of voluntary standards cannot and should not be the final word in cybersecurity,” the senators wrote. “An executive order, for example, would not be able to provide the types of incentives for participating companies that Congress can establish.  A well-crafted set of voluntary standards could, however, be an important step towards improving the cybersecurity of our nation’s critical infrastructure.”

Read the full letter below:

The Senator’s Week Ahead Schedule: Sept. 17 – Sept. 23

Monday, September 17 at 9:15 a.m. — The Senator will participate in a roundtable discussion on student financial aid in New Castle. As part of a national initiative to increase financial aid awareness, the United States Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid and Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker are hosting a roundtable discussion on helping Delaware students access financial aid for college. The purpose of the roundtable is to share ideas on how to effectively increase awareness about federal student aid and the many services and resource that are provided to help local communities across the state. This session will also highlight Title IV programs and recent updates to the new FAFSA application. 399 Wilmington Avenue, New Castle, DE — Open to press.

Monday, September 17 at 10:30 a.m. — The Senator will speak at a job fair hosted by the Brandywine Counseling & Community Services. The job fair will feature nearly 65 employers from the area who are looking to connect with job seeking Delawareans.  815 Justison Street, Wilmington, DE – Open to press.

Monday, September 17 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, September 18 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, September 18 at 6:00 p.m. — The Senator will participate in a roundtable discussion hosted by Thomson Reuters on the opportunities and challenges ofdoing business in Africa. The roundtable will be moderated by Sir Harold Evans, editor-at-large of Reuters News. Thomson Reuters, 3 Times Square, New York, NY — Open to press.

Wednesday, September 19 at 2:15 p.m. — The Senator will attend a Senate Foreign Relations Committee business meeting. Several pieces of legislation will be discussed during the business meeting including the Increasing American Jobs Through Greater Exports to Africa Act of 2012. U.S. Capitol, S-116, Washington, D.C. – Open to press. Contact: Foreign Relations Committee’s Jodi Seth at 202-224-4159.

Wednesday, September 19 at 3:00 p.m. — The Senator will speak at the 2012 Opportunity Nation Education Summit in Washington. Opportunity Nation is a national bipartisan coalition of 250 organizations working to restore economic mobility in America by addressing every rung of the ladder – from closing the growing skills gap and reinvigorating our K-12 education system to ensure families have safer communities. The George Washington University, Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st Street NW, Washington, DC – Open to press.

Thursday, September 20 at 10:00 a.m. — The Senator will attend a Senate Judiciary Committee business meeting. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC — Open to press. Contact: Judiciary Committee’s Jessica Brady at 202-224-7703.

Thursday, September 20 at 12:00 p.m. — The Senator will speak at a reception for the African Diplomatic Corps hosted by General Electric in coordination with the Congressional Black Caucus. The keynote address will be given by President Joyce Banda of Malawi. U.S. Capitol, SVC-212, Washington, DC

Note: The Senator’s in-state schedule for Friday and the weekend will be released when it becomes more certain that the Senate will not be in session on Friday.

Note: Schedule is subject to change

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Video: Senator Coons talks about the need to reauthorize VAWA on the bill's 18th anniversary

On the 18th anniversary of the enactment of the Violence Against Women Act, Senator Chris Coons took to the Senate floor on Thursday urging House Republicans to put politics aside and reauthorize this critical legislation.

Senator Coons calls on Congress to act to prevent credit rating downgrade

U.S. Senator Chris Coons, a member of the Senate Budget Committee and of the bipartisan group of senators seeking balanced deficit reduction, issued the following statement after Moody’s Investors Service warned that if Congress fails to take the actions necessary to avert the so-called “fiscal cliff” and stabilize our nation’s debt, the United States’ credit rating will likely be lowered.

“The warning from Moody’s today is just the latest in a long line of reminders that it is long since time that Washington gets serious about the dangerous deficits and staggering debt that loom over our economic recovery. I hear regularly from business leaders, local government officials and community leaders in Delaware who are wondering why Congress doesn’t appear more concerned about the so-called ‘fiscal cliff’ that threatens to undo the progress we’ve made in rebuilding our economy. It is frustrating that so many in Washington seem willing to wait until after the election to address this crisis. We need to act now. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to heed the warning from Moody’s today and join me in working seriously on solutions for steering clear of the ‘fiscal cliff’ and confronting our deficits in a balanced and responsible fashion.”