Women's History Month

March is Women's History Month! Throughout the month, let's celebrate the incredible, intelligent, and impactful women across generations who have used their voices to propel our nation forward.

From scientists and civil rights icons to artists and public servants, women can do it all - and this month is about celebrating their work and legacies. I hope you will also take time this month to celebrate the women in your lives who have helped shape you.

Latino Business and Community Expo

I joined La Plaza Delaware and the Delaware Alliance of Latino Entrepreneurs, or ¡DALE!, for the inaugural Latino Business and Community Expo at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes. La Plaza Delaware and ¡DALE! work to support and strengthen the Latino business community in Delaware. Over 100 local Latino businesses and 1000 participants were present for the event where entrepreneurship, community, and culture were on full display, and I was proud to celebrate them with the surrounding Sussex County communities.

Above: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester speaks with business owners at the La Plaza Delaware and ¡DALE! Latino Business and Community Expo

Federal Funding Coming to Delaware

Part of my job as Delaware's sole member of the House of Representatives (in partnership with Senator Carper and Senator Coons) is to help secure federal funding for our state. Here are a few of the important announcements we've made recently:

BUSINESS: $60.9 million from the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), a program that was reauthorized under the American Rescue Plan to support small business and entrepreneurship and expand access to capital;
HOUSING: Nearly $16 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to address some of the most pressing housing needs impacting people and communities across the state;
WATER INFRASTRUCTURE: $11.3 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for water infrastructure upgrades in Delaware

PRO Act Introduction

I joined a bipartisan group of House and Senate members to introduce the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act of 2023 (H.R. 20), a comprehensive proposal to protect workers’ right to organize. This would be the most significant upgrade for workers’ collective bargaining rights in more than 80 years.

Unions have helped build this country and have been at the forefront of labor laws that protect and benefit us such as health and safety standards, unemployment insurance, and wage and hour laws. As Delaware’s former Secretary of Labor, protecting and strengthening our workforce has always been a top priority of mine, and the PRO Act would help us do just that for the thousands of hard-working union members in Delaware and across the country.

This week, I had the pleasure of welcoming Major General Michael R. Berry, Retired General Frank Vavala, and members of the Delaware National Guard to Washington. The Delaware National Guard are instrumental in making sure that our state and nation are prepared to take on any challenge. That's why I proudly secured $17.5 million in Community Project Funding to replace the Delaware Air National Guard's fuel cell corrosion and control hangar so that the Guard can continue its critical work. This week, I salute Major General Berry and Retired General Vavala for their steadfast leadership of the Guard and all of the Guard members for their service.

Above: Major General Michael R. Berry, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Retired General Frank Vavala, and members of the Delaware National Guard

FINAL REMINDER: Get Your Tax Questions Answered this Monday!

Lastly, my office is again hosting a tax information filing session this Monday, March 6, 2023 at 12:00 pm EST. Special guests from the IRS and the Delaware Taxpayer Advocate will answer questions received in advance and present information on what you need to know about filing your 2022 taxes.

You can register for the event by clicking here or by watching live at Facebook.com/RepLBR. Please note that if you have questions about a specific issue with the IRS, you can reach out to my casework team in my Wilmington office by calling (302) 830-2330. Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,