Dear Friend,

One of the top concerns I hear from Delawareans is the urgent need for more affordable and available housing up and down our state. From Wilmington to Dover to our rural communities, your voices have continued to inform my work in Congress. That’s why, this week, I was proud to introduce one of my last pieces of legislation in the House: the bipartisan Housing Supply and Innovation Frameworks Act. This bill would direct the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop frameworks for best practices on zoning and land-use policies. The frameworks would serve as a resource for jurisdictions, empowering them with guidance on how to reform local laws, ordinances, and regulations to spur more building and growth. I will continue my efforts to bring resources such as these to Delaware to help increase our housing supply and lower costs for families across the state. You can read more about the legislation here.

Celebrating 7 years of the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund

As the co-chair of the bipartisan Delaware River Watershed Caucus in Congress, I was proud to join Senator Carper to celebrate seven years of the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund (DWCF) this week. The DWCF, alongside the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has been a key player in our effort to protect our great water resources. Their work has helped restore and conserve fish and wildlife habitats, improve water quality for our natural habitats and drinking water, and expand recreational opportunities. The Watershed benefits our communities, our environment, and our economy; it generates $25 billion in annual economic activity and contributes $21 billion worth of ecosystem goods and services each year. Locally, we’ve seen a record number of investments in our state’s water infrastructure, including in the Red Clay Consolidated School District. For example, A.I. du Pont High School, which hosted the event, is utilizing DWCF funding to restore part of its natural habitat! While at the event, we also took the opportunity to honor Senator Carper for his work as chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Senator Carper will always be one of our greatest environmental champions.

ABOVE: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Senator Tom Carper, Martha Williams, Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other leaders at A.I. du Pont High School celebrating the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund

REMINDER: Office Closure and Constituent Casework Operations Update

As we navigate the transition to our Senate office, our team would like to provide you with an update on our operations, including our constituent casework, in order to serve you to the best of our ability.

While our physical offices in Wilmington and Georgetown are now closed, and our Washington, DC is operating at limited capacity, Delawareans experiencing issues with federal agencies during this transition period should contact the Office of U.S. Senator Chris Coons. For your information, below are answers to some questions you may have about this process:

New Cases

• I am looking to get assistance with one of the following issues: 1) refund from the IRS, 2) obtaining Social Security and/or Veterans Benefits, 3) problems with Medicare, 4) renewing U.S. Passport and/or Visa, 5) Immigration help. Who should I contact?
• While our office is no longer able to open new cases with federal agencies such as the IRS, Social Security, or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Office of U.S. Senator Chris Coons is available to assist you.

Existing Cases

• I currently have a case open with your office. What happens to it?

• • If you have an open case with my office, our casework team will continue to assist you and will reach out with any updates on your case before our physical office closure on December 4th. After the offices close, our team will be working remotely through the end of the year. You can still contact us by calling the Wilmington office at 302-830-2330 or the Washington, DC office at 202-225-4165.

• What happens if my case is not resolved before your office officially closes?
• Our casework team is working hard to resolve as many cases as possible before our office officially closes.
• Given that the response time for some cases with federal agencies can vary from weeks to months, if a case is not resolved before our office closes, constituents will have the option of either ending the case or transferring it to the Office of U.S. Senator Chris Coons.

Additional Assistance

• I am in need of resources related to obtaining employment, securing housing, getting food assistance, accessing mental health services or something else. Can I still call your office?
  • Yes. If you are experiencing issues in obtaining employment, securing housing, getting food assistance, accessing mental health services or something else, please call my Wilmington office at 302-830-2330 to speak with a member of my staff.

LAST REMINDER: Open Enrollment Deadline

November 1 marked the beginning of the open enrollment period! If you sign up before TOMORROW, December 15, 2024, your coverage will start on January 1, 2025. If you miss this deadline, don’t worry! If you sign up for coverage before January 15, 2025, your coverage will begin February 1, 2025. This year, the average person in Delaware saved $1,080 on their premiums thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which I was proud to champion in Congress. Go to Healthcare.gov or CuidadodeSalud.gov today to find a new plan or renew your current plan.

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.
• Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP): The State Department recently launched a new version of STEP. STEP is a free service for U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad to receive safety and security alerts and other local updates by email from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Enrolling in STEP also makes it easier to contact U.S. citizens during an emergency. You can sign up for these alerts at login.gov.
• 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. 
• 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.
• Free COVID Tests: Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, every household in the United States can get four free COVID tests that will be shipped to you through the United States Postal Service. You can order your tests today at covidtests.gov.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: As a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, starting in January, Medicare Part D beneficiaries will be able to spread prescription drug costs across the year. These payment plans will include zero-interest installments as well as a $2,000 annual out-of-pocket cap. Learn more at medicare.gov/prescription-payment-plan.

This week’s constituent corner recognizes five family farms that were inducted into Delaware’s Century Farm Program this week. This recognition is for families who have owned and farmed their land for at least 100 years! This year’s inductees are:

• Beauchamp Family Farm (recognized for two farms in Harrington and Greenwood)
• Culver Family Farm (Laurel)
• Ellis Farms (Millsboro)
• Fifer Orchards, Inc. (Wyoming)

According to the Delaware Department of Agriculture, with the announcement of these four new families and five farms, our state will have recognized 160 Century Farms throughout the last 37 years. As the first Delawarean in over 120 years to sit on the House Agriculture Committee, I congratulate the Beauchamp, Culver, Ellis, and Fifer families for all they have done to provide for Delaware families and our economy over the years, and for continuing to pass their farming legacy on through generations of their families! You can read more about these honorees here.

PHOTO: Delaware Department of Agriculture

Yours in service,

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester

Member of Congress

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