Dear friend,

I want to start by addressing the ongoing war in the Middle East. Thank you to all of you who have called, emailed, and written into my office to express your views.

This week, President Biden traveled to Israel to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to the people of Israel, and to announce an agreement to provide humanitarian assistance to those suffering in Gaza. The President, in both his trip to the Middle East, and during his address to the nation on Thursday night, provided moral clarity while outlining the commitment of the United States to Israel. He also made it critically clear that the vast majority of Palestinians are not Hamas, and that countless Palestinians have suffered because of the brutality of Hamas. As an International Relations major in college, one of the main reasons I wanted to become a public servant was to work towards securing peace both at home and abroad. And as I wrote in a previous newsletter, our ultimate goal is to bring peace in the region. I will continue to support humanitarian aid in the region, and we must do everything in our power to protect civilian life.

As a result, the President has sent a request to Congress to pass a supplemental appropriations bill that would fund key national security priorities - including aid to Israel and Ukraine, humanitarian aid, and funding for the southern border.

Meanwhile, another week has gone by and the House is still without a Speaker. Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio was defeated three times on the House floor before being defeated in the Republican conference. As has been stated numerous times in public and private talks, my Republican colleagues need to join House Democrats on a bipartisan path forward to responsibly govern the House and get back to doing what we were elected to do – deliver for everyday Americans.

This Week in Washington

The House Health Subcommittee, of which I am a member, held a hearing entitled "What’s The Prognosis?: Examining Medicare Proposals To Improve Patient Access To Care & Minimize Red Tape For Doctors.” The purpose of this hearing was to talk about ways in which we can improve how we pay doctors, nurses, and other health care providers. I highlighted how my bipartisan legislation, H.R.2583 Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2023, would increase patient participation in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs - two lifesaving services - by authorizing physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs), and clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) to order cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services. This legislation was championed by my late friend and colleague, John Lewis, and I am proud to take up the mantle and spearhead this bill in his honor.

This Week in Delaware

Surplus Books Program

One of the ways my office can assist Delaware organizations and institutions is through the Surplus Books Program. The Library of Congress has a surplus of books, and this program allows members of Congress to secure those books for places in their districts. Recently, my staff delivered books in both English and Spanish to the Primeros Pasos Early Childhood Learning Center in Georgetown.

Eligible entities include:

Full-time, tax-supported, or nonprofit educational institutions such as schools, colleges, universities, museums, or public libraries.
Local, state, or federal government agencies
Nonprofit institution or organization that has tax-exempt status under the provisions of section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (see 41 CFR 101-44.207 (a)(17)) and that operates a library and/or research center open to the public.

If you’d like to learn more about the program to receive surplus books, please contact my office.

ICYMI: Medicare Open Enrollment Begins!

On October 15, the Medicare Open Enrollment period began, and seniors now have the opportunity to sign up. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, we’re making historic changes to Medicare that are lowering the costs of insulin, which is now capped at $35/month, lowering the cost of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries, and making recommended vaccines FREE for Medicare beneficiaries.

You have until December 7 to find coverage that works for you. If you’d like to keep your current Medicare plan, you do not need to re-enroll.

Explore Medicare Plans