Dear friend,

On Thursday, the Supreme Court released its decision to bar affirmative action in college admissions. It’s a profoundly damaging decision and will have incredibly harmful effects on millions of people across the country.

We also saw several other disastrous decisions the Court made this week, including striking down debt relief for millions of student loan borrowers and undermining protections for same-sex couples. I'll continue to work in Congress to pass legislation that creates educational opportunity,

Delivering for Delaware

$35/Month Cap on Insulin Begins July 1st for Medicare Part B Beneficiaries!

A reminder that starting today, July 1, insulin provided through a traditional pump will be capped at $35 per month under Medicare Part B! This wouldn’t have been possible without Congress passing the Inflation Reduction Act last Congress – a transformative bill that I voted for and am proudly helping implement as a member of the Regional Leadership Council.

Additionally, Medicare Part D beneficiaries are already benefiting from this provision, having the cost of insulin capped at $35 per month at the start of this year. I will continue to work to lower the cost of insulin and other prescription drugs for all Delawareans.

Connecting Delawareans to Internet Access

As a member of the Regional Leadership Council, I was proud to announce $107 million in federal funding for Delaware through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This is critical to help Delaware connect every household to affordable, stable, high-speed internet. And what’s so important about this funding is that it will be administered with equity in mind to ensure that under-resourced areas are prioritized. You can read more about the funding here.

Increasing Access to Delaware’s Nature Trails

This week I also announced $44 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program with Senator Carper and Senator Coons. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the grants will support significant trail improvement projects by the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and New Castle County. This announcement means we’ll be able to increase access to scenic trails in New Castle and Sussex Counties with a focus on strengthening our environmental sustainability, job creation, and quality of life across Delaware. For more information on the RAISE funding, click here.

Investing in a Clean Energy Future 🤝 Reducing Our Carbon Footprint

I also joined Senator Carper and Senator Coons in announcing $8.7 million from the U.S. DOT’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the Delaware Transit Corporation (DART) to support its initiative to convert its fleet of buses to zero-emission buses. This is great for protecting our environment, investing in public health, and creating good-paying jobs in Delaware – three areas I’m always focused on through my work in Congress.

Above: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester points to a DART electric bus.

SOLAR ENERGY OPPORTUNITY THROUGH EPA

This week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the $7 billion Solar for All grant competition! This will fund projects that increase access to residential solar energy for households in under-resourced communities, ensuring equitable access to residential rooftop and community solar power that can help cut home energy costs.

You can learn more about the competition and how to apply by clicking here.

This week’s Constituent Corner is an incredibly important one – Barbara Wright, a Smyrna Middle School home economics teacher who is retiring after fifty years of service to our state! Her impact on the estimated 17,000 students she taught throughout her career is immeasurable. Thank you, Barbara, for your commitment to your students and to your school, and congratulations on your well-deserved retirement.

Above: Barbara Wright on her last day of school.

Photo: Smyrna School District

Before I let you go, I wanted to wish you a happy and safe 4th of July! Two hundred and forty-seven years ago, with the adoption of our nation’s guiding document, the Declaration of Independence, we embarked on the greatest experiment of all time. An ongoing journey of trial and error through which we bring forth the vision of our nation’s founders – that of a more perfect union where all men and women are created equal and endowed with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

America is an unfinished story full of potential, and we the people are its authors. Let’s remember our collective responsibility to tell our story with pride, and forge the promise of a brighter tomorrow together.

Happy Independence Day, Delaware!