PHOTO RELEASE: Blunt Rochester’s Day in Sussex and Kent Counties

April 17, 2025
Smyrna, Del.–Yesterday, U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) traveled across Delaware to shine a light on how actions being taken in Washington are impacting her constituents in the First State.
Blunt Rochester started the morning by visiting Laurel High School, along with Laurel School District Superintendent Dr. Shawn Larrimore and Laurel High School Principal Patrina Giles. Blunt Rochester toured the school and met with students from the graduating class of 2025. A member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Blunt Rochester hasspoken outagainst the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education and recentlysent a letterto Secretary Linda McMahon seeking answers on the impact it would have on students with disabilities and their families.
Blunt Rochester then met with the heads of two community-based organizations: Operation West Laurel and End Community Violence Now. Blunt Rochester, Amy Handy, executive director of Operation West Laurel, and Lauren Footman, Executive Director of End Community Violence Now, discussed the organizations’ community violence intervention efforts in the town of Laurel and how they can be supported on the federal level.
Blunt Rochester later went to The Ramble, a Downtown Development District part of the “Reimagine Laurel” campaign around Broad Creek. As the Trump administration threatens funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Sea Grant program, Blunt Rochester saw how the program is improving water quality and economic development in Laurel. Blunt Rochester is a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee which oversees NOAA.
After that, Blunt Rochester and Delaware Division of Small Business Director C.J. Bell visited Sumuri, a small business in Magnolia dealing with the supply chain disruptions, price increases, and unpredictability caused by President Trump’s tariffs. Sumuri has benefited from the Delaware Manufacturing Extension Partnership (DEMEP), one of ten Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers Blunt Rochestercalled for the restoration of funding to. Earlier this week, the Trump administrationtemporarily restoredthat funding. Additionally, Blunt Rochester has beenvocal in her oppositionto President Trump’s reckless trade wars and theimpacts tariffs have on our communities. Blunt Rochester recentlyjoined her Democratic colleagueson the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee in calling for a hearing to examine the chaos the tariffs have caused across the nation.
Blunt Rochester capped the day off in Smyrna with Delaware Futures, which presented her with the first-ever Hal Haskell Champion of the Future Award. She was honored with this award for her dedicated service and leadership in the U.S. Senate and throughout Delaware.
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Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the United States Senate where she serves on the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.