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Dear Friend,
Welcome back to Let Me Be Blunt. I’m always recharged and inspired here at home in Delaware, and I have plenty of updates below, but first, I have a big announcement!
My office and I are proud to be hosting our Third Annual Constituent Resource Fair on Tuesday, September 23rd, at DelTech’s Dover campus. Please save the date and look out for registration information in the coming weeks.
Kent County
Advocating for Dover Air Force Base
I am proud to represent Dover Air Force Base in the Senate. In addition to being home to 11,000 airmen and women, joint service members, civilians, and families, it is the Department of Defense’s largest aerial port. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and a lead sponsor of the Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act, I’m also proud of the critical role DAFB plays in our national supply chain.
It was great to meet with the new commander of the 436th Airlift Wing, Col. Jamil Musa, and receive a mission brief. As part of the briefing, we toured the base’s Child Development Center and the Military & Family Readiness Center to hear how they support our military families. I look forward to continuing my partnership with the Base’s leadership team to ensure they have the resources they need as they serve our state, country, and world.
ABOVE: Col. Musa said it best: together we have a “First State of Mind.”
Meeting with Chesapeake Utilities
Energy costs are rising in Delaware and across the nation. In an effort to address these issues, this week, I sat down with Chesapeake Utilities to hear how they’re working to lower costs for our region and learn more about their sustainability efforts in the face of extreme weather and a changing climate.
While there, we discussed safety issues for the company and my constituents. They shared an important reminder: Always call before you dig. Whether you’re digging a well or just planting a bush, it’s important to call 811 to make sure you don’t hit any utility systems. Learn more here.
ABOVE: Apart from an important conversation inside, I was glad to see Chesapeake Utilities’ safety demonstration truck outside.
Preserving our Natural Heritage
Did you know that Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge encompasses over 16,000 acres, including one of the largest remaining expanses of tidal salt marsh in the mid-Atlantic region? And that the freshwater ponds that are popular today were originally constructed by an all-Black unit of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s?
I learned these First State Facts when I visited Bombay Hook this week and took a tour that started at the Senator Thomas R. Carper Visitor Center. The Center offers some important history, acknowledging the area as the homeland of the Lenape Tribal Nations. From the murals and interactive elements for kids, to the multipurpose room that organizations can use, and the gift shop, it is a place for all generations.
As the co-chair of the Congressional Delaware River Watershed Caucus in the House and now as a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I am proud that Bombay Hook recently received $900,000 in federal grants for watershed conservation efforts. This wildlife refuge and similar facilities across the nation are critical to preserving and conserving the natural beauty of our nation.
ABOVE: Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge truly is a Delaware treasure.
Sussex County
Visiting the Coast Guard
As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, I was glad to visit U.S. Coast Guard Station Indian River. I met with station command to receive an in-depth briefing and took a boat ride with members of the unit to see their work firsthand.
When many hear of the Coast Guard, they think of “search and rescue” and protecting our shorelines. While these are crucial, so too are their other mission-critical functions – from drug interdiction and homeland security to national security. In our briefing, we discussed modernizing assets and infrastructure, recruitment and retention efforts, and the quality of life for Coast Guardsmen and their families. I am grateful for their dedication and thank them – and their families – for their service to our nation and the world.
ABOVE: As I go back to Washington to lead this subcommittee, I will take everything I learned at Coast Guard Station Indian River with me.
A Strong Community in Milton
Supporting a local small business over lunch, I met with Mayor John Collier and Town Manager Kristy Rogers (whom I congratulated on her recent election as the regional vice president of the International City County Management Association). We discussed new small businesses like Lago Asian Cuisine & Sushi, federal funding opportunities, and their efforts to build a strong, resilient town in the face of sea-level rise. One of the most pressing issues we discussed is our joint efforts to increase housing supply and affordability.
Thanks to Lago owner Preston Russell for having us for lunch, and thanks to Mayor Collier and Town Manager Rogers for welcoming me back to Milton as your Senator!
ABOVE: I look forward to continuing to work with Mayor Collier and Town Manager Rogers on behalf of Milton.
Fighting for our Future Generations
This week, I visited organizations that submitted requests to our office for Congressionally Directed Spending – projects that show a real need, have broad community support, and will have a demonstrated impact. One of those is Children’s Beach House in Lewes, whose mission is to build “futures of hope and transformation” for Delaware’s children. Founded in 1936, they offer year-round child and youth development programming for children ages 3 to 18 from across Delaware.
They are seeking funding for several capital improvement projects, including the replacement of windows and exterior metal doors that are corroding after 25 years of wind and salt spray. The improvements to the facility would help them ensure their building is safe and welcoming for the children they serve. It would be federal funding put to good use in our community.
ABOVE: We need to ensure Children's Beach House has the resources it needs to continue serving Delaware families into the future.
New Castle County
Insights from the New CEO of Incyte
I sat down with Bill Meury, the new CEO of Incyte, a biopharmaceutical company based in Wilmington. With over 1,000 employees in Delaware, Incyte is showing the nation that cutting-edge medical research happens right here in our state. I spoke with Bill about the future of the company – from oncology (cancer diseases) to autoimmunity (conditions like vitiligo) – and how we can work together to lower prescription drug prices for Americans.
ABOVE: I am excited to see all Incyte will do to help Delawareans stay healthy in the years to come.
Focus on Seniors
90 years ago this week, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act of 1935, which created Social Security. As we continue to fight for programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, we must always keep in mind the people beyond the programs.
I want to thank the leadership, staff, and most importantly, the residents of the Kutz Senior Living Campus for an informative visit and discussions about various specialized programs and resources. From the tour of the memory care unit to Lodge Lane Assisted Living, we had many meaningful conversations regarding the cost of care and workforce shortages. I was particularly focused on this as part of my legislation for our nursing workforce.
Helping Delaware’s seniors is one of the most important things I can do in the Senate and that includes protecting critical programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Thanks to Kutz Senior Living Campus for having me!
ABOVE: I will continue to do all I can to ensure our seniors and the people who take care of them have the resources they need.
I’ve heard from so many Delawareans this week, and every one of them had a story to share. This week, I’m highlighting Jeanne from Smyrna.
Jeanne’s husband was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) in 2023, at 64 years old. FTD is a form of dementia, but Jeanne told me that it has taken so much more than her husband’s memory: “It robs your loved one of his personality, problem solving skills, and ability to care for himself. There is no cure. We were thrown into a world where he needed full time care, and I had to leave my job to take care of him.”
Jeanne and her husband are both well educated, and they both had good jobs – they never expected to rely on Medicaid. But now, Jeanne lives in fear. She told me, “I’m a woman in my fifties who is trying to resume my career while I watch my retirement savings dwindle. And I’m terrified that my husband will lose his Medicaid coverage, the only thing that makes it possible for him to receive the care he needs in a dignified and safe environment.”
Medicaid is a critical safety net that so many Delawareans – and Americans – rely on. I’ll keep fighting to protect and restore funding for Medicaid for families like Jeanne’s.
Do you have a story to share? I want to hear from you! Please click here to share your story.
Please note that your stories may be used on the Senate floor, on social media, or with the press.
Below are some helpful resources for you:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Youth Workforce Connect Call: The Delaware Department of Labor’s Office of Wage & Hour Enforcement is facilitating a monthly Delaware Youth Workforce Connect Call to provide resources to support First State teens in the workplace. Visit industrialaffairs.delaware.gov/event-details/youth-connect-call to register for this informational opportunity.
This week’s Constituent Corner honors Bill Welser, former commander of the 436th Airlift Wing at Dover Air Force Base, who will spend August biking 300 miles to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. He says he’s taking on this challenge to honor his brother, who recently lost his lung to cancer. Keep up the great work, Bill. We're cheering you on!
ABOVE: Bill Welser has already ridden over 100 miles in August to raise money for cancer awareness. (DAILY STATE NEWS/MIKE FINNEY)
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