Dear Friend, 

Seven months. 218 days. Over 5,000 hours. That’s how long I’ve had the honor of representing Delaware in the United States Senate. This week’s special edition of Let Me Be Blunt will recap some of the biggest moments from my last seven months on the job.

1. Making History

I was sworn in on January 3, 2025, becoming the first Black Delawarean and first woman to represent our state in the Senate. But I’m not here just to make history – I’m here to make an impact. I dedicated my Senate election to my father, Ted Blunt, and I’m dedicating my time in the Senate to Delawareans up and down the state.

ABOVE: It was the honor of my life to be sworn into the Senate by Vice President Kamala Harris alongside my family.

2. Representing Delaware on Key Committees

As a Senator, I am proud to serve on four of the Senate’s most powerful committees. These critical committee assignments ensure I can advocate for Delawareans in the rooms where decisions are being made.

You can read about each of my four committees here:

• The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (“Banking”)
• The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (“Commerce”)
• The Committee on Environment and Public Works (“EPW”)
• The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (“HELP”)

ABOVE: This photo is from a HELP Committee hearing examining the state of education across our nation.

3. Tackling the Housing Crisis

One of my top priorities as a Senator has been addressing the affordable housing crisis across our nation. And after only a few months in this job, I’m proud to already be making progress on this goal. In July, I joined colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance the ROAD to Housing Act, a landmark, bipartisan housing package that would spur the development of housing nationwide and bring down costs.

Three of my bills were included in this package. You can read more about them HERE.

ABOVE: I am proud to see federal investments being put to good use when it comes to housing. This photo is from when I visited the future site of Chapel Branch Apartments, the first affordable housing development funded with state and federal funds in Lewes since 2003.

4. Strengthening American Manufacturing and Supply Chains

The pandemic showed us just how important it is to strengthen our nation’s supply chains. I’m proud to have reintroduced the Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act with a bipartisan group of my colleagues. This bill would work to anticipate and prevent future supply chain disruptions before they happen. It passed through the Senate in July.

Last month, I also introduced the bipartisan Streamlining American Manufacturing Strategy Act to create a unified national strategy for U.S. manufacturing. I’m looking forward to shepherding this bill through the legislative process!

ABOVE: We need to make sure that supply chain disruptions don’t get in the way of the amazing and innovative work being done by companies in the First State, like here at Chestnut Run Innovation & Science Park.

5. Following the Science

I have been outspoken on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s unfitness to lead the Department since even before he was confirmed to the role. I won’t stop shining a light on the chaos Secretary Kennedy is creating in our health care system. I wrote an op-ed on the dangerous decision he made to fire the vaccine advisory committee at the CDC. I continue to ask crucial questions of HHS personnel when they appear before the HELP Committee. And just last month, I introduced the VACCINE Act, a new bill to protect the nonpartisan scientists, doctors, and researchers who oversee immunization schedules for all Americans.

ABOVE: Science must always lead the way when it comes to the medical decisions Americans need to make for themselves and their families. That was only reinforced by this visit to Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus, this past April.

6. Standing Up for Medicaid and Food Assistance

I fought hard to protect access to Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP. As Republicans in Congress pushed their “Big Ugly Bill,” I launched my “Share Your Story” portal to bring your stories to the Senate floor. I wanted to show my colleagues what these cuts would mean for real people. Thank you to everyone who trusted me to share your story. I still want to hear from you. Share your story HERE.

ABOVE: I stood alongside members of our community at the Food Bank of Delaware in July to shine a light on the impact food assistance cuts will have on our state.

7. Serving Delawareans

I’ve travelled up and down the First State, from Laurel to Claymont and everywhere in between.  My casework team has also been out and about – from the Delaware State Fair to our mobile office hours to our passport event.

Serving you is what it’s all about – that’s why I’m so proud that my office has already closed 663 constituent cases for Delawareans who needed help accessing federal services. We have also sent 62,072 letters in response to your policy questions and opinions. My team and I stand ready to serve you. Please reach out to my office if you are in need of assistance.

ABOVE: I “loved” spending time with these students in Wilmington this past March.

I am so proud to be serving Delaware in the United States Senate. We are in challenging times, but together, we will continue to make progress for our state and nation. Thank you so much for reading Let Me Be Blunt and stay tuned. We have an action-packed week ahead in Delaware, and I look forward to telling you all about it! 

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