Dear Friend,

It’s been a big week for Delaware! On Thursday, my office hosted its Constituent Resource Fair at the Wilmington University New Castle Campus. Delawareans were able to get assistance from more than 40 federal and state agencies, nonprofits, and community organizations. Thank you to everyone who came out to the fair!

Just some of the participating entities included Social Security, Medicare, the Delaware Department of Labor, the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families, Delaware State Housing Authority, the Blood Bank of Delmarva, and the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs brought a mobile unit to administer PACT Act eligibility screenings to veterans. New Castle County Paramedics also brought a mobile van to provide health resources to Delawareans. For me, our resource fairs are about one goal: bringing services to the people of Delaware. Please keep an eye out for a roundup on the fair coming soon!

I was also proud to announce a major milestone that my office hit recently: we’ve officially returned $2 million back to Delawareans through constituent casework! This includes backlogged benefits, tax refunds, and other retroactive payments from federal agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security, Medicare, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Watch my video announcing the news below:

Getting money back into the pockets of hard-working Delawareans has been and always will be a top priority for me and my team. That’s why I am proud that my office has been able to cut through the red tape for Delawareans who experienced delays in receiving their benefits. My office is here to serve you so if you’re experiencing an issue with a federal agency, please contact us so we can assist.

Also, our next mobile office hours will be at the Delmar Public Library on Tuesday, August 27, 2024. Members of the casework team will be available to assist Delawareans who need help with federal agencies including passport and visa processing, securing your Social Security benefits, getting your tax refund from the IRS and more. For more information and to RSVP, click here.

Marking the 89th Anniversary of Social Security

This week marked the 89th anniversary of Social Security being signed into law. It has become a bedrock of support for millions of people across our country. In Delaware alone, more than 241,000 people benefit from this essential program. As we celebrate its impact, I remain committed to protecting and enhancing Social Security to ensure that it can support generations to come.

Two Years of Lowering Health Care and Energy Costs

For two years, the historic Inflation Reduction Act that I was proud to champion in Congress has been lowering costs for families and seniors, creating good-paying jobs, and growing our economy. See how it's helping Delawareans below:

• More than 34,000 people in Delaware with Medicare take one of the 10 most expensive prescription drugs and will soon benefit from lower negotiated prices, announced by the Biden-Harris administration yesterday;
•  48,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Delaware are saving a total of $12.3 million on their prescription drugs compared to four years ago;
•  44,842 people signed up for a marketplace plan in Delaware will save an average of about $527 per month on their health care premiums this year;
• 6,200 people in Delaware who use insulin are saving an average of $420 annually thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act’s $35/month cap on insulin prices for seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries;
• Over $65 million provided to Delaware for home energy rebate programs, which will help low-income households save on home energy bills; and
• Over $3 million invested for new clean energy job creation.

Every day we are seeing the progress made from this landmark law, but its impact has only just begun. The Inflation Reduction Act will continue to lower health care, prescription drug, and energy costs all while creating good-paying jobs in the years ahead.

CALLING ALL STUDENTS: It’s Time to Take the Challenge!

Delaware’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge is under way! This is a great opportunity for students interested in STEM to use their skills to solve the issues of today and tomorrow. Applications will be accepted now through October 24th. To find out more info on how to sign up, please see my website. You can also check out when I visited last year’s winners at their school to see one of the innovative projects first-hand.

Below are some helpful resources for you:

• Lower Energy Costs: Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act that I helped pass last Congress, there are opportunities to lower your energy costs through tax credits and rebates. Check out energy.gov/save to learn more. 
• Calculate Your Potential Savings: The Biden-Harris Administration’s actions are helping to lower costs and put more money back into the pockets of Americans across the country. You can calculate your potential savings at Invest.gov/Savings.
• 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 National Suicide Prevention Helpline: If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call 988, the 24/7, free and confidential support National Suicide Prevention Hotline. 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. 
• Student Loan SAVE Program: The Biden Harris Administration announced the SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education) Plan. This program is income-driven and calculates your monthly payment amount based on your income and family size. The SAVE Plan provides the lowest monthly payments of any Income-Driven Repayment plan available to nearly all student borrowers. To apply for the SAVE Plan, go to studentaid.gov/idr.
• U.S. Department of State’s Exchange Programs: The State Department sponsors several programs across the world that can give Americans educational, cultural, and professional experiences. Find out more about at exchanges.state.gov/us.
• Protecting Your Data: Delaware’s Personal Data Privacy Act, legislation protecting the personal data of Delawareans, goes into effect on January 1, 2025. You can go to this website from the Delaware Department of Justice to find out how it will impact consumers, parents, and businesses in our state.

This week’s constituent corner honors Thomas Wilson Berry III, a Delaware hero, who passed away suddenly this week after stopping to help people involved in a car crash in Georgetown. He was a logistics technician for Sussex County’s Emergency Medical Services Division but also was a devoted member of Georgetown Fire Department Station 77 and Ellendale Fire Department Station 75. According to his family, Thomas was “known for being hardworking with a remarkable work ethic, fun-loving, humble, and committed to his passion for the fire service.” May we all aspire to be as selfless as Thomas in our everyday lives. I join his family, friends, and our entire state in mourning this most tragic loss.

Yours in service,

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester

Member of Congress

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