This Week in Delaware

Boosting Latino Businesses in Sussex County

La Plaza Delaware and the Delaware Alliance of Latino Entrepreneurs hosted its 2nd Annual “Spring into Summer” Small Business Expo on Sunday in Lewes. Around 140 businesses were represented this year. After joining last year’s expo, I was excited to have another opportunity to connect with all the incredible Latino small businesses at the expo. I’ll continue to do my part to ensure Latino businesses in Sussex County and across the First State can grow and thrive.

Breaking Ground on Delaware’s Biomanufacturing Future

I was proud to stand with Senator Tom Carper, Senator Chris Coons, and other leaders to break ground on the SABRE Center (Securing American Biomanufacturing Research & Education) at the University of Delaware’s STAR Campus this week. This new facility will cover over 70,000 square feet and aid in critical research and development efforts, help attract and retain businesses to Delaware, and allow for workforce training, especially in manufacturing biopharmaceuticals. But we’re not just breaking ground – we are breaking down barriers to solving some of the greatest challenges that we face and bringing lifesaving and life-enhancing products to market. As the founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Future of Work Caucus in Congress, I am excited that the SABRE Center will help prepare our workforce for the jobs of today and tomorrow and grow our competitiveness all while being a central hub for innovation in our state.

Fighting for a Second Chance and a Clean Slate

Thanks to The Hope Commission for inviting me to be the keynote speaker at its Women’s Reentry Luncheon this week. We know that women who have made contact with the justice system face unique barriers to reentry once they have served their sentence. As Delaware's former Secretary of Labor, and as a person who has had family members directly impacted by the justice system, I understand all too well the toll these barriers take on individuals and society at large.

In Congress, I am proud to be leading the bipartisan effort to pass the Clean Slate Act on a national level. It would remove major barriers to finding employment, securing housing, and accessing education by automatically sealing the federal records of individuals convicted of low-level, nonviolent drug offenses after they successfully complete their sentence. Clean Slate is also a key pillar of my Jobs Agenda – which celebrated its one-year anniversary this month – which aims to strengthen Delaware’s economy, workforce, and communities.

I am also grateful to The Hope Commission for honoring me with an award for my work on Clean Slate as well as my work from when I served as CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League in the early 2000s which inspired the creation of The Hope Commission. I’m proud of all that The Hope Commission does every day to empower formerly incarcerated women in our communities – and for the lives they help change in our state.

Above: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester receives an award at The Hope Commission’s Women’s Reentry Luncheon.

Strengthening America’s Role as a Global Leader

I was proud to join the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s seventh Mid-Atlantic Regional Summit hosted by Senator Chris Coons in Wilmington yesterday. The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition is a network of more than 500 stakeholders from around the country that supports American development and diplomacy around the world. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Coons knows how critical our nation’s diplomacy and development efforts are to strengthening our national security and growing the First State, so I was honored to join him for the summit.

My remarks focused on the importance of investments in diplomacy, development, and democracy at home and abroad, and how we must leverage those investments to generate good-paying jobs that impact local economies such as Delaware’s and keep our nation positioned as a global leader. We can do that by making our supply chains more resilient and bolstering American manufacturing. It takes public-private partnerships to help us meet these goals, and I look forward to continuing to work with these stakeholders to foster a safer, stronger, and more prosperous world.

Above: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester and Liz Schrayer, President & CEO, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition.

UPCOMING: Senior Constituent Resource Fair in Lewes

A reminder that my office is hosting another resource fair! Our Senior Constituent Resource Fair will take place on Friday, May 3, 2024, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Lewes Senior Activity Center. This is a great opportunity for seniors in Sussex County to learn about what services and resources are available to them.

Over 20 federal and state agencies will be in attendance such as the Social Security Administration, Medicare, the Internal Revenue Service, and the VA as well as several community organizations.

Additionally, members of my casework team will be present to also help anyone having issues with federal agencies including passport and visa processing, securing your Social Security benefits, and getting your tax refund from the IRS.

RSVPs are encouraged but not required. To RSVP, please click here. Additional information on the fair can be found on my website.

Below are some helpful resources for you:

Delaware Taxpayer Assistance Center Reopens in Dover: The Internal Revenue Service recently announced the reopening of the Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) on S. Dupont Highway in Dover. All IRS TACs operate by appointment. To schedule an appointment at the Dover TAC, call 844-545-5640. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To view services provided at this office and to get directions, click here.
Look Before You Book: Are you thinking about booking a trip? Before you do, you should ensure that your passport is up-to-date! You can go to travel.state.gov to check your passport expiration date, apply for a new passport, and more.
Need a Passport Appointment?: The Department of State is encouraging travelers to go to passportappointment.travel.state.gov to schedule passport appointments within 14 days of their date of travel. You can utilize this resource until September!
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call 988, the 24/7, free and confidential support Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also go to 988lifeline.org.
Delaware 211: Delawareans in need of emergency housing, utility assistance, food assistance, and more, call 211, Delaware’s free, confidential resource hotline.

This week’s constituent corner celebrates Olivia Rubini, who represented Delaware on The Voice. It was great to watch this Hockessin native and graduate of Padua Academy (go Pandas!) sing her heart out this season. Although this week’s episode brought a different outcome than expected, I have no doubt that Olivia’s future is bright. Thank you for making our state proud, Olivia!

Photo: Olivia Rubini

Yours in service,

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester

Member of Congress