Dear friend,

This week, our nation witnessed the deadliest act of gun violence this year in Lewistown, Maine. I’m praying for those who are responding to the crisis, those who were injured, and those who lost their lives to this inconceivable act of violence.

Last year, members of Congress from across the aisle worked together in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – the most comprehensive action taken to address gun violence in nearly 30 years. But we know that there is still so much more work to be done to make our homes and public spaces safe from gun violence – including passing an assault weapons ban.

This Week in Washington

After 22 days without a Speaker, the House is finally back to work. On Wednesday, the House Republican Conference elected Representative Mike Johnson of Louisiana to be Speaker of the House. For weeks with a government shutdown looming, Democrats offered our Republican colleagues a bipartisan path forward which they didn’t take.

Speaker Johnson has held extreme positions. He has supported a nationwide abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest, cuts to Medicare and Social Security, voted against marriage equality for same-sex and interracial couples, and was an architect of the plot to overturn the 2020 election – the most secure election of our lifetimes – that led to the attack on the Capitol on January 6th. In his speech on the House floor, Speaker Johnson committed to finding common ground. We’ll see what he does.

The bottom line – with only a slim majority for the Republicans – the way to get things done and deliver for the American people is by working in a bipartisan way.

Future of Work Caucus Briefing on Our Nation's Cyber Workforce

As the founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Future of Work Caucus in Congress, I joined my co-chair, Representative Andrew Garbarino of New York, in hosting a briefing titled “Addressing Our Nation’s Cyber Workforce Gap.” Right now, we’re facing a national and global cyber workforce shortage with more than 500,000 open cyber roles in the United States. Over 2,000 of these openings are right here in Delaware. From federal and state government infrastructure to hospital systems to banks and private companies, we are increasingly reliant on the digital ecosystem and becoming more vulnerable to cyberattacks. These jobs are critical to not only maintaining our national security but our personal data. Representative Garbarino and I brought together several stakeholders to discuss how we can work together to identify opportunities to address our nation’s cyber workforce gap and make the profession more diverse.

Recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month

On Thursday, I stood with my fellow members of the bipartisan Women’s Caucus to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month and highlight the importance of early detection and preventative screenings. Early detection saves lives, so consider this your reminder to get screened!

Fact: Our Economy is Strong

We heard this week that our economy grew by almost 5% this quarter – the strongest growth since 2021 made possible by record job growth, consumer spending, and historic investments in our infrastructure. That’s Bidenomics in action. Click the video below to learn more:

This Week in Delaware

Tech Hub Announcement

There’s more big news for our state this week – we’re a part of the Greater Philadelphia Region’s Tech Hub! Tech Hubs bring together neighboring states to help grow regional technology and innovation by strengthening a region’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize, and deploy critical technologies. Our region’s focus will be on precision medicine and will include Delaware-based organizations, institutions, corporations, health care systems, and manufacturing and workforce development partners. This means that we’re going to be at the forefront of developing new treatments and will create good-paying jobs. To read more about the announcement, click here.

Investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

This week, I was so proud to highlight investments from the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that are improving our state.

New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer announced the county’s “100 EV Plugs Plan,” which will make electric vehicle charging plugs available at parks and public libraries thanks to a federal grant created through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The chargers will cost $3 for one hour of charging that can take the average EV 60 miles! As a member of the Regional Leadership Council, I want to remind you that there are now tax credits, rebates, and discounts on purchasing electric vehicles, making your home more energy-efficient through rooftop solar panels and weatherization, and purchasing energy-saving appliances. You can learn more at energy.gov/save!

I also joined the Amtrak team, the White House Coordinator for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Mitch Landrieu, Senator Carper, and state and local officials to celebrate the upgrades made to the Wilmington Train Station which improved ADA accessibility. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is all about investing in our infrastructure – from our roads and bridges to our ports and rail. And thanks to President Biden’s leadership, we’re doing it all through a lens of equity. The upgrades include replacing the sole up escalator that was next to a set of stairs with escalators that now go in both directions (pictured below!) – which makes it easier for people with disabilities and for all of us to enjoy passenger rail. You can click here to read more about the work done at the station.