Senator Coons secures nearly $70 million in new investment for Delaware as spending bills pass

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) today celebrated the Senate passage of five appropriations bills in which he obtained more than $68 million in investment for worthy projects in communities up and down Delaware. Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

This evening, the Senate passed a package of appropriations bills that fund several areas of the federal government, including Defense; Financial Services and General Government; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development; State and Foreign Operations; and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. These bills reverse President Trump's harmful spending cuts in medical research and restore critical education programs while putting up additional guardrails on the president's attempts to divert federal funds for pet projects. The package also contains key provisions to lower the cost of prescription drugs, invest in affordable housing, and give service members at Dover Air Force Base and around the world a raise. Additionally, the spending package separates out funds for the Department of Homeland Security, ensuring Democrats can continue to push the White House and Republicans in Congress for needed reforms to ICE that will improve transparency and accountability, without holding funding for the rest of the government hostage.

On top of those provisions, the bill also includes significant funds for Delaware through congressionally directed spending programs, frequently called earmarks. These earmarks were delivered through an open, bipartisan, bicameral appropriations process and include more than $68 million in funding for 46 projects in Delaware.

"No matter what, Delaware always comes first for me, and I'm proud to have worked with communities up and down the First State to deliver tens of millions of dollars that will make an important impact in the lives of my constituents," said Senator Coons. "As Delaware's sole appropriator, I understand how these funds will help our state's economy and add jobs, fund more affordable housing, bring down hospital wait times, and help those seeking mental health care. These projects come directly from Delawareans for Delawareans, because you know best what our state needs, and I know I work for you."

Key Delaware investments in the appropriations bills include:

• Almost $26 million for affordable housing construction and renovation up and down our state
• More than $5 million for construction at Beebe and Christiana Hospitals to expand services and improve emergency department wait times
• $8 million for a new education center to support the downtown Wilmington community and the Wilmington Police Athletic League's education resource center
• $3 million to make long-overdue, critical upgrades to the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building in Wilmington
• $2 million for upgrades to the Port of Wilmington to grow our state's economy

A complete list of funded projects can be found HERE.