Dear friend,

On Monday, I welcomed Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of the United States' President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis to Delaware to highlight how EXIM's services can support the growth and expansion of Delaware businesses, especially small and women and minority-owned businesses.

The visit consisted of a moderated discussion with World Trade Center Delaware on issues related to international trade finance and exporting, supply chain disruptions including my work to strengthen our supply chains, and network building between Delaware businesses and EXIM. Since 2014, EXIM has provided $35 million in financing to Delaware exporters, but many companies lack knowledge of the opportunities. As the nation’s official credit export agency, EXIM plays an important role in helping businesses expand, grow our economy, and keep our nation competitive.

I was proud to see so many Delaware businesses, representatives from the Small Business Administration, state agencies, and Chamber of Commerce represented.

For more information on how EXIM can serve your businesses, click here.

Fighting for Cleaner Air

Communities throughout our state deserve to know they're being protected from soot and smog pollution. That's why I led a letter this week in calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to use the science at our disposal and strengthen air quality standards. To read the letter, please click here.

Women's Health Protection Act

I joined over 200 of my Democratic colleagues in the House in co-sponsoring the Women's Health Protection Act as it was reintroduced this week in the 118th Congress. As we continue to see the negative impacts of the overturning of Roe in states across the country, the importance of this legislation cannot be overstated.

Reproductive freedom is a fundamental right, and I am committed to ensuring that we are doing all we can to protect that right in every state across the nation.

H.R. 1 Puts Polluters Over People

Republican leadership brought H.R. 1 to the floor of the House this week which sets the stage for more dangerous chemical disasters, guts bedrock environmental laws and public health protections, and threatens clean air and safe drinking water all in the name of fast-tracking polluter projects. H.R. 1 supports polluters, consisting almost entirely of handouts and new loopholes for the oil, gas, and mining industries, and it does not address or reference clean energy, despite it being the cheapest form of energy.

To put it simply: this bills aims to undo the historic progress we made to fight the climate crisis, make energy cleaner and more affordable, and keep our communities healthy. For these reasons, I voted no. This bill passed the House and is on its way to the Senate where it does not appear to have the votes to pass.

TAX FILING DEADLINE IS TUESDAY, APRIL 18

It's officially April which means one thing - the tax filing deadline is upon us! As a reminder, this year’s tax filing deadline falls on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, for most people. To speed up the process, the IRS recommends you file online and opt for direct deposit.

Last month, my office held another tax filing information session with the IRS and the Delaware Taxpayer Advocate Service to answer Delawareans' questions about filing their 2022 taxes. To watch that session, please click below.

GRANT RESOURCES FOR DELAWAREANS

As a member of the Regional Leadership Council, where I am helping lead the implementation and communication of the historic pieces of legislation passed last Congress, I want to make sure Delawareans are informed about grant opportunities for organizations, state and local governments, nonprofits, and others. Please see a few that are now available:

NEW:
- SAFER ROADS: U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All Program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
REMINDER:
- COMBATTING POLLUTION: U.S. Department of Energy's Industrial Demonstrations Program, funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act
- EV CHARGING: U.S. Department of Transportation's new Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
- CLIMATE: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, established by the Inflation Reduction Act
- MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTORS: U.S. Department of Commerce's CHIPS for America Program, established by the CHIPS and Science Act

Closing Out Women's History Month

The end of March marks the end of Women's History Month. I was proud to be able to meet with so many incredible women this month - including my fellow members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.and Delawareans up and down the state. They inspire me to keep doing the work - no matter how hard or long it takes. As we leave March, let's continue to celebrate the incredible, intelligent, and impactful women across generations who have used their voices to propel our nation forward. And let's recommit to protecting their fundamental rights.

To celebrate Women's History Month, I also joined my colleagues Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) and Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) to talk to CBS News Philadelphia about our road to public service and what it means to be a woman in leadership. If you'd like to watch the full interview, please click below.

Tonight, Delawarean, athlete, and pop culture icon Johnny Weir will perform in the last figure skating show of his career in the U.S at the Skating Club of Wilmington. After a successful decades-long figure skating journey that brought him two olympic medals, Weir is ready to hang up his skates and focus on teaching the next generation of figure skaters. Throughout his illustrious career, Johnny didn't only bring great pride to the First State, he challenged the rigid nature of the sport through his artistry and originality. Break a leg tonight, Johnny, and thank you for making Delaware proud!