Dear friend,

September is Suicide Prevention Month, a time for us to come together to raise awareness and save lives. I will continue my efforts in Congress to bring more funding and resources to critical mental health programs in Delaware’s communities. Below are valuable mental health resources that you can reach out to for assistance:

This past week we marked Overdose Awareness Day where we honored the lives lost, reflected on our progress made to combat addiction and invest in mental health care, and recommitted to the work still ahead to help save lives.

Delaware is one of the states hardest hit by drug overdoses, with fentanyl responsible for most of these deaths. At the center of each overdose is a person who has lost their life, and it's incumbent on Congress to focus on strategies to address this crisis. That’s why, as a member of the House Health Subcommittee, I introduced the bipartisan STOP Fentanyl Overdoses Act earlier this year, a public health package that will give communities the tools to comprehensively address this epidemic through education, prevention, and treatment. I’m also advocating for legislation to ensure access to the overdose reversal drug naloxone for communities nationwide I introduced this Congress called the Naloxone Affordability Act to increase access to naloxone.

This Week in Delaware

A New Multi-Use Trail to Connect Wilmington and Newport

You may remember that in a previous newsletter, I announced $44 million in federal 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. $23 million will go towards the Newport River Trail, a new, 2-mile, ADA-accessible multi-use trail that will connect Wilmington to Newport and close the "Wilmington Loop.” 

This trail will be utilized for both recreation and transportation – helping us improve public health, strengthen our workforce and economy, and set Delawareans up for success. I hope to see you out on the trail when it’s finished!

Internship Applications Now Being Accepted!

Internship applications for my Washington, DC and Delaware offices for the spring of 2024 are now being accepted! Complete applications are due by Thursday, November 9 by COB. This is an excellent opportunity for young people to learn public service first-hand and gain experience working in a congressional office. 

For more information on how to apply, please visit my website here. And please share with your networks!

📢  UPCOMING GRANT WEBINAR 📢

Earlier this year I was appointed to serve on Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries' Regional Leadership Council- a group of 12 members of Congress selected to help lead the implementation and communication of the transformative legislation we passed in the 117th Congress. That includes the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the Honoring Our Pact Act, and more. I'm proud to be able to be leading Region 9 which covers Delaware, Maryland, Washington, DC, New Jersey, and Virginia.

As part of this initiative, my office is hosting a series of webinars for Delawareans to learn more about these resources and grant funding opportunities. For more information, please go to my website.

Our next webinar will be this Thursday, September 7, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and will focus on funding available through the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) from the CHIPS and Science Act. You can register below!

Department of Commerce Implementation Webinar

Date: Thursday, September 7, 2023

Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am

To register for this webinar, click the button below:

This week’s Constituent Corner is for all the workers and members of organized labor who keep our country and economy moving. 

Having served as Delaware’s Secretary of Labor and now, as the founder and co-chair of the Future of Work Caucus, my work has always focused on ensuring that our workers, and our unions, are supported. As President Biden says, the middle class built America, and unions built the middle class.

Graphic: U.S. Department of Labor

As we approach Labor Day this year, let’s celebrate America’s workers and organized labor – especially here in Delaware – for all they contribute to our communities and to our economy. And let’s reaffirm our commitment to fighting alongside them for safer working conditions, higher wages, and better benefits.

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester and members of Delaware Laborers Local 199.

As always, If you ever need assistance with federal agencies, please contact my office. My team can help with a wide range of issues including (but not limited to):

• United States Postal Service
• Social Security Administration
• Veterans Affairs benefits and services
• Passport and visa processing
• Citizenship and naturalization

Yours in service,

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester

Member of Congress

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