Let Me Be Blunt: Real Consequences

Dear Friend, Two weeks ago, President Trump ordered American forces to go to war in Iran. He did so without a clear plan or approval from Congress, putting countless troops in harm’s way. At least 13 American servicemembers have already lost their lives, with over 100 more wounded. This unnecessary war is having real consequences for Delawareans. My office has heard from constituents whose loved ones are trapped in the Middle East because of the military operations. Inexplicably, the administration failed to develop a plan to bring Americans home before launching the first strikes. My team and I are working hard to help bring our fellow Americans home. If someone you know has been stranded overseas, please reach out to our office . We’re ready to help. Additionally, it’s unacceptable that a branch of our military is being forced to work without pay during this conflict. Given that the U.S. Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), it’s affected by the current shutdown of the department. It’s long past time for Republicans to come to the table, negotiate on necessary reforms, and pay our Coasties. ABOVE: As the ranking member of the subcommittee that oversees the Coast Guard, I took to the Senate floor to make the case directly to my colleagues across the aisle. CLICK HERE to watch my full remarks. Major Housing News! On Thursday, the Senate passed the 21 st Century ROAD to Housing Act by a vote of 89-10. This is the first comprehensive housing package passed in Congress in decades. I was thrilled that it included two of my bills: the Accelerating Home Building Act and the Community Investment and Prosperity Act ! CLICK HERE for more on those two bills and the full package. New Bill Alert: Building an Affordable Housing Future If we’re going to reduce the cost of housing, we need to build more homes – and build them faster. That’s why I introduced the Rental Housing Investment Act to lower construction costs and get more shovels in the ground on new developments, from townhomes to apartment complexes. CLICK HERE to learn more about this legislation. Confronting the AI Challenges of Tomorrow From my time as Delaware’s Secretary of Labor to serving on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, preparing our workforce to meet the challenges of tomorrow has been a lifelong passion of mine. I was grateful for the chance to discuss the future of work and other important issues at the Center for Security and Emerging Technology’s Spring Symposium. The theme of this event was “Future Ready: Building Tomorrow’s Tech Workforce.” New developments in AI are happening quickly and could disrupt our workforce if we don’t act now. I’ve introduced legislation to upskill workers with an eye on emerging technology. ABOVE: At the Center for Security and Emerging Technology’s Spring Symposium in conversation with Ashley Gold from Axios Celebrating the Senate Youth Program For more than 60 years, the U.S. Senate Youth Program has been providing incredible opportunities for young people considering careers in public service. Every year, all the program delegates come to Washington, DC for a week of amazing programming, including a reception at the Capitol to celebrate their achievements. This year’s representatives from Delaware are Rafael Farrera-Juarez, a senior at Sussex Central High School, and Sadie Polk, a senior at Newark Charter School. It was a pleasure to speak with these outstanding Delawareans and hear about their goals for the future! ABOVE: With Sadie Polk (left) and Rafael Farrera-Juarez (right) at this year’s U.S. Senate Youth Program reception Delawareans in DC ➡️ Thank you to Delawareans from the Afterschool Alliance for coming to my office to share how federal funding helps provide a safe space for kids to learn and grow outside of the school day, and for all they do to support working families in our communities. ABOVE: With Delawareans from the Afterschool Alliance ➡️ I had a great meeting with folks from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) . We discussed ways that Congress can help increase housing supply and affordability for families in Delaware and across the nation. This week’s Constituent Corner honors the students from across Sussex County who participated in the 2026 Sussex County Science Fair. The event, which recently took place at Del Tech’s Owens Campus in Georgetown, was an amazing showcase of talent and included a variety of fascinating projects. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a success, and congratulations to all the participants! CLICK HERE for a full list of awardees. ABOVE: Students at the 2026 Sussex County Science Fair (Photo: COAST TV) Join our Team: Seeking Applicants for our Legislative Team My Washington, DC office is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Legislative Assistant to lead a diverse portfolio including telecommunications, technology, consumer protection, manufacturing, and research and development issues. We’ll be reviewing applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. CLICK HERE for more information and application instructions. Answer the Call to Serve: Consider our Service Academies On Thursday, April 2 nd , Senator Chris Coons, Congresswoman Sarah McBride, and I will host our delegation’s 2026 Service Academy Night at Del Tech in Dover. We’re inviting students, parents, and educators to meet representatives from the service academies and ROTC programs to learn more about the application process. CLICK HERE to sign up for this year’s event. Seeking Applications: Stars of Valor Fellowship My Dover office is seeking a Stars of Valor Fellow! This is a two-year, paid, full-time opportunity open to veterans, Gold Star families, and Active-Duty military spouses seeking experience working in government. CLICK HERE for more information and to apply by the Saturday, May 9 th deadline. Please visit my website’s Resources for Delawareans page for information about lowering your energy costs, scheduling passport appointments, finding emergency housing, accessing food assistance, paying for prescription drugs, connecting with mental health resources, and more. CLICK HERE FOR MY RESOURCES PAGE.