Dear Friend,

Welcome back to Let Me Be Blunt.

I have been hearing from thousands of Delawareans regarding President Trump’s various executive actions, several of which have already been halted by federal judges. Chief among them was his Office of Management and Budget’s unconstitutional freeze of all federal grants and loans. While it has been halted temporarily, if allowed to go into effect, it would threaten access to everything from lifesaving medical care, housing, food, and childcare assistance, to programs that heat homes, administer veterans care, improve access to clean drinking water and more.

Last week, Senator Chris Coons, Congresswoman Sarah McBride, and I hosted Governor Matt Meyer, Attorney General Kathy Jennings, and approximately 250 other officials and leaders to talk about what we were hearing from Delawareans and to give them information. These folks in state and local government, education, the non-profit sectors, and more were concerned about this directive.

Please continue to reach out to my office and let me know how this would affect you, your organization, or your business. I will continue doing everything in my power to stand up for you.

As a result of the confusion and chaos being caused by the president and his administration, I announced that going forward, I will oppose all cabinet level nominees being considered on the Senate floor. I've asked nominees in my one-on-one meetings if they would stand up to the President if they believe he is doing anything wrong or illegal. Yet, actions taken over the last few weeks have not given me confidence that any of President Trump’s nominees will do their part to uphold the rule of law. You can read more about my decision in Coastal Point.

I joined my Senate Democratic colleagues on Thursday as we held the floor for 30 hours – the longest amount of time we’re allowed – to protest the President’s nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Russell Vought. Vought, a co-author of Project 2025, will be harmful to families, workers, seniors, people with disabilities, and many others across our state and nation as OMB Director. I voted “no” on Vought.

You can see my full speech here.

This Week in Washington

Bipartisan Supply Chains Bills Passes Out of Committee

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, of which I am a member, passed the bipartisan Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act, legislation I am leading with Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). At a time when families and businesses are feeling the high costs of inflation and goods, we urgently need a national strategy to fix our broken supply chains and lower costs. This legislation would do just that while helping us create good-paying jobs, strengthen our economy, make our country more competitive, and enhance our national security. You can read more about the bill here.

Supporting our Environment and Economic Development by Addressing Brownfield Sites

This week, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) passed an important environmental bill I am co-leading with Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). The Brownfields Reauthorization Act, legislation to reauthorize the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Brownfields program, is a bipartisan effort.

We know that cleaning up brownfield sites can be costly and burden our local communities, and this bill will help us reduce environmental hazards, advance economic development, and support the health and safety of our people, especially those in our environmental justice communities. I am especially honored to carry on the work previously championed by former Senator Carper, who chaired this committee last Congress.

Addressing the National Association of Community Health Centers

I had the honor of addressing the National Association of Community Health Centers’ (NACHC) annual Policy and Issues Forum in Washington, and it could not have come at a more important time. Community health centers play a crucial role in keeping our communities healthy. As part of the 2,000 in attendance were representatives from Westside Family Healthcare, La Red Health Center, and Henrietta Johnson Medical Center.

Many community health centers are among those who have seen their Congressionally appropriated funding frozen, threatening the health and wellness of communities across our nation. If the freeze is indeed allowed to go into place permanently, many centers will find it difficult, if not impossible, to operate – some, including in Virginia, already have.

In the Senate, as a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, I will continue working on legislation I championed in the House. That includes bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the health center program to provide the long-term stability community health centers need to invest in their programs. I look forward to continuing to have NACHC as a partner in those efforts.

Photo: NACHC

Delawareans in DC

As we continue to get our Senate offices up and running, it has been great to welcome Delawareans to our temporary office space in Washington, DC!

That includes representatives of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). I am proud to work with CADCA and its more than 5,000 community coalitions as we endeavor to reduce substance use.

Above: Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester is pictured with representatives of CADCA

I also met with representatives from the Delaware Rural Water Association to discuss furthering our partnership to deliver clean drinking water to rural communities in our state.

Along with many other groups on Capitol Hill this week, I was additionally glad to welcome Secretary Shanté Hastings and Deputy Secretary Lanie Clymer from the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT). I look forward to working with DelDOT in the years ahead to continue making critical investments in our state’s roads, bridges, airports, and port, especially as a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

L-R: Deputy DelDOT Secretary Lanie Clymer, DelDOT Secretary Shanté Hastings, and Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester

This Week in Delaware

Celebrating Black History Month

It was great to be back in Delaware to mark the start of Black History Month and join New Castle County’s Black History Month celebration at the Walnut Street YMCA. It’s important that in this moment, we continue to uplift and celebrate our culture, our excellence, and our history. Because Black history is American history.

The Rebirth of Peoples Settlement

My family moved to Delaware in 1969 when my dad got a job at the Peoples Settlement Association in Wilmington, and I was proud to celebrate its rebirth this past weekend.

For 124 years, Peoples Settlement has been a pillar of Wilmington’s East Side, providing critical services for children, seniors, and families in the community. The mission of Peoples Settlement has always been right in its name – its mission is the “people.” Plans for their new building were unveiled. I provided the keynote and gave a message of perseverance and the importance of keeping our eyes on the prize.

I look forward to the ribbon cutting and all the good Peoples Settlement will do in the years to come.

Above: Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester pictured with local leaders including State Sen. Darius Brown, State Rep. Stephanie T. Bolden, former State Sen. Harris McDowell, former Wilmington Mayor and Peoples Settlement Executive Director Jim Sills, and current Peoples Settlement Executive Director Sandra Ballard

Know Your Rights

In case you missed it, Attorney General Kathy Jennings compiled critical “Know Your Rights” guidance for Delawareans. This important resource is for individuals as well as organizations should they come into contact with federal immigration officials. To learn more, click here.

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.
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 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 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.
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, went into effect on January 1st. 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 them today at covidtests.gov.
Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: As a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, 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 honors Coach Alexandr Kirsanov, skaters Angela Yang and Sean Kay, members of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club, as well as Sean and Angela’s mothers, Julia Kay and Zheheng Li, who died in the tragic plane crash at Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. recently.

They were returning from a training camp in Wichita, Kansas where they were practicing their love of the sport when tragedy struck. As we grapple with this unfathomable loss, my heart breaks for the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club and our communities. I extend my deepest condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of all those we lost.

Photo: US Figure Skating

Yours in service,

Lisa Blunt Rochester

United States Senator

Contact me