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Dear Friend,
Welcome back to Let Me Be Blunt. For months, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) — our nation’s public health protection agency — has had no appointed leadership. That’s why I took the opportunity to ask Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. about who is running the CDC during a Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing this week. I was appalled by his reply.
Secretary Kennedy told the committee that Matthew Buzzelli is the acting director of the CDC. It was the first time anyone had been named publicly as the head of the agency since the nomination of Dr. Susan Monarez to be the permanent director of the CDC in March. And despite Secretary Kennedy’s assertion that Buzzelli is a “public health expert,” he is, in fact, a lawyer with zero applicable background and is not legally eligible to fill this role. The American people deserve to know who is leading our public health response. If we were to face another pandemic tomorrow, the American people deserve a public health leader who is qualified and competent.
So, this week, I sent Secretary Kennedy a letter demanding answers on the leadership at the CDC. Read coverage of our letter here and watch my social media video on this topic here.
This Week in Washington
Speaking Up for Delaware
This week, I attended a hearing in the Environment and Public Works Committee where I questioned Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin on what President Trump’s devastating budget cuts would mean for my constituents. I specifically asked Administrator Zeldin about a grant the EPA cut that funded clean air monitoring in New Castle County. He assured me we’d meet in person soon to discuss why our grant was cancelled and what we can do to protect access to clean air for communities across Delaware. I’ll be following up with the agency and will keep you posted.
ABOVE: Participating in a hearing on the EPA’s proposed budget
I also attended a HELP Committee hearing this week on the state of higher education. As the ranking member of the Education and the American Family Subcommittee, I was grateful for the chance to advocate for important programs like TRIO, which help ensure students — low-income, first-generation, students with disabilities, and veterans — have the opportunity to pursue higher education. These programs are on the chopping block. The witness confirmed TRIO programs have great outcomes with over 6 million students graduating from college. Delaware Technical Community College is one of the institutions that facilitates these programs in Delaware. This year alone, all high school students participating in the programs with Del Tech will graduate and 95% will attend college.
Recognizing that not all students want or need to attend college, I took the opportunity to express support for a bipartisan bill I co-led in the House and hope to see become the law of land. The JOBS Act would allow for short-term Pell Grants for those who want to gain new skills or improve their current skills.
Convening Conversations
I had a busy week of meetings in Washington, from a conversation with the US Army Corps of Engineers on their Delaware projects, to meeting with Australian Ambassador Dr. Kevin Rudd, to singing “The Wheels on the Bus” with our Zero To Three advocates. I always appreciate welcoming folks into our office.
ABOVE: Spending time with Zero to Three advocates in my office
ABOVE: Meeting with Australian Ambassador Dr. Kevin Rudd
This Week in Delaware
The Annual Delegation Youth Conference
On Monday, I was proud to join Senator Chris Coons and Congresswoman Sarah McBride for our annual Delegation Youth Conference held at Delaware State University. We began the day with a community service project and participated in a town hall with high school students from across Delaware. I was so inspired by the young people who came to this year’s event — meeting with students always brings me hope for the future of our country.
ABOVE: I was proud to participate in the community service project supporting the Food Bank of Delaware and the families they serve.
ABOVE: I am always grateful to hear from our young people on the issues that matter to them.
Celebrating the 71st Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education
71 years ago, students and families from Hockessin Colored School #107C helped open the door for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision. Last Saturday, I was fortunate enough to celebrate the anniversary of that historic ruling with former students of 107C and members of our community.
The school is now a Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Equity. It stands as a reminder not only of where we’ve been but also of our power to choose where we’re going.
ABOVE: I was joined by many of the people who have made the Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Equity possible, including Mr. Sonny Knott, a former student of the segregated Hockessin Colored School #107C (center, white shirt).
ABOVE: I was honored to speak about the power of community and the legacy of strength and hope in Delaware.
This week, I’m highlighting the story Merrily from Newark submitted through my “Share Your Story” portal.
Merrily and her husband, a World War II veteran, are both retired business owners. Now, at 82 and 99 years old, respectively, they rely on the federal programs they have paid into their entire lives. Merrily told me: “Our only income now is our Social Security, and we live in fear every day that this and our Medicare will be taken from us. We also have grandchildren, who are disabled and rely on Medicaid and fear for their welfare too. My husband relies on the VA for his medicine and hearing aids and that is in danger of being cut as well.”
When Republicans in Congress use hard-earned benefits as bargaining chips, they impact the lives of real people — like Merrily and her husband. I know what these programs mean to Delawareans, and I’ll keep fighting to protect them.
Do you have a story to share? I want to hear from you! Please click here to share your story.
Below are some helpful resources for you:
- Cybersecurity Training: If you’re a small business owner with a cooperative agreement or grant with the SBA, you can access brand-new cybersecurity training designed by Delaware’s award-winning Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Visit northstarcert.americassbdc.org.
- Lower Energy Costs: You can lower your energy costs thanks to tax credits and rebates made available by the Inflation Reduction Act. Learn more at energy.gov/save.
- Look Before You Book: Before you book your next international trip, make sure your passport is up to date! Visit travel.state.gov to check your passport expiration date, apply for a new passport, and more.
- Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP): Before you go overseas, consider downloading STEP, a free service that will send you safety and security alerts from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Travel with peace of mind and enroll today at mytravel.state.gov/s/step.
- 988 National Suicide Prevention Helpline: If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call 988 or visit 988lifeline.org, the 24/7, free and confidential support National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
- Delaware 211: Delawareans in need of emergency housing, utility assistance, food assistance, and more should 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 at exchanges.state.gov/us.
- Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: Medicare Part D beneficiaries can spread out the costs of prescription drugs over the course of a year thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. Payment plans have zero-interest installments and a $2,000 annual out-of-pocket cap. Learn more at medicare.gov/prescription-payment-plan.
This week’s Constituent Corner highlights a Lewes-based research team who were the first to witness the immediate aftermath of an underwater volcanic eruption. Their discovery will lead to amazing insights into how our oceans and planet are affected by underwater eruptions.
Andrew Wozniak, a member of the team, attributes the timing of their discovery to luck; but, as he told our office, “We are able to capitalize on our luck because we were prepared, and because of past and current investments by the federal government in this type of fundamental earth system scientific research.”
I am proud that Delaware is the home of these brilliant researchers. I will continue working hard to protect the funding that makes this research possible.
ABOVE: Andrew Wozniak, an associate professor at the University of Delaware, and Alyssa Wentzel, a University of Delaware student, stand in front of the Alvin, the submarine that took them almost two miles undersea, where they made their discovery. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Wozniak)
Yours in service,
Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester
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