Dear friend,

I am thrilled to announce that my office is hosting a Constituent Resource Fair on Thursday, August 3, 2023, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Wilmington University New Castle Campus in the Audrey K. Doberstein Admissions Center. Over 40 federal and state agencies as well as community organizations will be in attendance to share their services. Delawareans from across the First State are invited to attend this fair at no charge. RSVPs are encouraged but not required.

For more information about the Fair and for a full list of agencies, please visit my website by clicking here. Hope to see you there!

With the increase of more severe weather events impacting our state, I wanted to share some helpful resources to keep in mind. You can also check our Ready.gov/severeweather for additional tips and information.

This Week in Washington

June’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released this week brings new and encouraging evidence that inflation is falling while our economy remains strong. Inflation is at the lowest the been in over two years, 13.2 million jobs have been created, wages are rising, and unemployment is at a fifty-year low. That’s Bideneomics in action. It’s about growing our economy from the bottom up and middle out by cutting costs for families and focusing on Main Street, not just Wall Street.

National Defense Authorization Act

Yesterday, for the first time in my tenure in Congress, I was disappointed to have to vote agains the National Defense Authorization Act. Authorizing defense spending had been one of the last vestiges of truly bipartisan support, and up until recently, it promised to be again.

The House Armed Services Committee marked up and passed through their committee an overwhelmingly bipartisan bill. It was a measure I would have been proud to vote for, should it have come to the floor unchanged. Unfortunately, that’s not how the process played out. Rather than advancing a bill that would have garnered the support of the vast majority of Congress and passed easily, Speaker McCarthy gave into the radical demands of the most fringe elements of his caucus. In fact, one of my Republican colleagues openly bemoaned that our once bipartisan process had, this year, become, “historically partisan.”

Some of these extreme measures include restricting the freedom of servicemembers to seek abortion care, targeting initiatives to make our military stronger through diversity training, and measures targeting the LGBTQ members of our military.

“Thankfully, this is not the end of the legislative process, and I’m confident that, working with the Senate, we can still salvage a bipartisan and responsible legislative product that will help deliver pay increases for our men & women in uniform and bolster military installations across the country, such as Dover Air Force Base, and includes provisions I’ve championed to help improve mental and maternal health care to our troops. We owe it to our servicemembers to come together to deliver results.

This Week in Delaware

Safe and Resilient Transportation for All

On Monday, I joined the Delaware Department of Transportation at the 2023 Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials (NASTO) Conference in Wilmington. I was honored to give the keynote address to kick off the conference which attracted around 400 state transportation officials from 14 states and Canada. The theme of this year’s conference was an important one – “Safe and Resilient Transportation for All.”

Infrastructure touches every part of our lives and every corner of our communities – that’s why passing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law last Congress was so critical. Not since the construction of the Interstate Highway System have we seen such a significant investment in our nation's infrastructure. It’s not just about the size and scope of the investment - it’s about how we’re making the investment. And it’s our collective duty to do so with a focus on safety, sustainability, resiliency, and equity so that we can truly have safe and resilient transportation for all. I will continue to advocate for equitable transportation policies through my work in Congress and as a member of the Regional Leadership Council.

Above: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester gives the keynote speech at the NASTO Conference.

Investing in the Delaware Air National Guard

I was proud to join Major General Michael Berry, Adjutant General of the Delaware National Guard, Senator Tom Carper, Senator Chris Coons, and Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long for the groundbreaking ceremony for the Guard’s new state-of-the-art Fuel Cell and Corrosion Hangar! The Hangar plays a critical role in sustaining the tactical airlift mission of the 166th Airlift Wing. The current facility was built in 1962 and is too small to help the Guard carry out its important work. It also has a host of additional issues ranging from an inadequate fire protection system, poor lighting, and health and safety deficiencies. I proudly advocated for this project through the House’s Community Project Funding process and worked with Senators Carper and Coons to bring $17.5 million in federal funding home for the Guard. Now, the Hangar is fully funded and is expected to be completed in January 2025. This investment in the Guard is an investment in its safety and preparedness and will make our state safer, stronger, and even more resilient. You can read more here.

Above: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester participates in the groundbreaking ceremony.

Above: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester stands in front of the current Fuel Cell and Corrosion Hangar at the Delaware Air National Guard in New Castle, DE.

Mobile Office Hours in Harrington

Thank you to everyone who attended Mobile Office Hours at the Harrington Library this week! My casework team was so glad to be able to assist Delawareans with issues concerning federal agencies such as the IRS and Social Security Administration. Remember, if you are experiencing an issue with a federal agency, you can always contact my office for assistance.

Above: Caseworkers speak with constituents during Mobile Office Hours at the Harrington Public Library.

PACT ACT ANNOUNCEMENT

The PACT Act, which I proudly voted for last Congress, is perhaps the largest health care and benefits expansion in VA history. It’s estimated that more than 3.5 million veterans who were exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances would become eligible for health care benefits, helping us deliver on our sacred obligation to support our veterans.

While there’s no deadline to apply for PACT Act benefits, if you file your PACT Act claim—or quickly submit your intent to file—by August 9, 2023, you may be eligible to receive benefits backdated' to August 10, 2023.

'For more information or to file a claim, go to VA.gov/PACT.

This week's constituent corner highlights Jackson Hayes - a young man I was so happy to meet at the Choir School of Delaware last year, as we were working to secure federal funds to expand the school. This year, Jordan is performing as “Young Simba” on the North American tour of Disney’s “The Lion King”! Jackson has been performing in Washington at the Kennedy Center. Jackson, keep making us proud!