Dear Friend,
Let Me Be Blunt is back! From a monumental housing celebration to seeing how federal investments are making big changes in the First State, we hit the ground running for the August State Work Period.
I’m spending this month traveling up and down the state to meet with our communities. This week we visited all three counties, checking in on federally funded projects, celebrating legislative wins, and catching up with Delawareans. These visits directly inform my work in D.C., and we have a lot of ground to cover. Keep reading to learn more about what I was up to this week and stay tuned for another busy schedule in the state next week.
Celebrating a New Way Home
As many of you know, I was heavily involved in the passage of the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which was the first comprehensive housing legislation to become law in 30 years. The final package included five of my bills, which will help increase housing supply, lower costs, and cut red tape – ultimately improving the quality of life for families and strengthening our economy.
This week we celebrated these bills becoming law with the countless Delaware stakeholders who helped develop them. Almost one year ago on the ground of Imani Village, a new mixed-income family rental complex, we launched my first policy agenda,“New Way Home Agenda,” to tackle the housing crisis, and this week we came together to see this vision becoming a reality!
I’m so proud to stand with the Delawareans who made these bills possible.
In the spirit of increasing housing supply, I visited Tharros Village in Lewes. Tharros Village is Delaware’s first self-governed, transitional village for individuals experiencing homelessness. This seasonal shelter provides residents with supportive services as they transition towards permanent housing. We still have work to do to ensure everyone can access affordable housing, but I’m grateful for the Delawareans who have developed innovative solutions that support our neighbors along the way.
Tharros Village is a first step in the road to housing.
Serving Our Seniors
Delaware’s seniors have charted the path for the First State and it’s on all of us to make sure we support and salute them. This week, we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Cape Henlopen Senior Center and the 48th year of service for Linda Bonville – who went from secretary to executive director – with the announcement of a $1.49 million Congressionally Directed Spending award. This investment will support the building of a brand-new facility on land that was donated to them years ago.
From its humble beginnings serving 30 members to over 1,000 in Sussex County today, this new site will expand its reach in a county with the fastest growing population over 65. Coming in at three times the size of the current building, this expansion will include a two-story activity area, food pantry, expanded physical fitness offerings, and digital literacy center. All in all, it will be a hub to meet the needs of all in the community. I’m so proud to support this expansion and look forward to the grand opening!
I can’t wait to see the continued success of Cape Henlopen Senior Center.
“The Rise That Catches the Sun”
As a state that is urban, suburban, rural, and coastal, I’m always in awe of the diversity of our landscapes and believe we must work to protect them. Sussex County Land Trust has been working since the turn of the century to conserve natural resources downstate. I joined them, alongside Congresswoman McBride, Governor Meyer, and a host of partners to celebrate the permanent preservation of Ard na Gréine, an 89-acre family farm in Lewes. This herculean effort was made possible by the donation of the land by the Wells and Miller families and took seven years, 2 executive directors, and funding from the federal, state, and local governments, as well as private entities.
Meaning “the rise that catches the sun” in Irish Gaelic, Ard na Gréine is an active corn and soybean farm and the last remaining undeveloped area in Lewes. One of the highlights, was the announcement of a master planning process and possible public uses. While preserving the land, Sussex County Land Trust intends to develop a recreational trail on the property and connect it to the Georgetown-Lewes Trail to increase accessibility. The sun was truly shining on Delaware!
I’m grateful this space will be preserved for generations to come.
Gathering Places
As a Member of Congress, it’s always special when we see federal funding poured into projects that bring our communities together. This week, I had the chance to visit two projects that will increase community services and collaboration for First State.
I attended the grand opening of the Community Education Building’s (CEB) new Youth Development Center, which is the newest addition to the CEB campus. This expansion will support learning, creativity, wellness, and community programs for all ages with the addition of new smart classrooms, performing arts spaces, fitness centers, and more. Another day of partnerships with a special note of thanks to the Longwood Foundation. The new center will ensure young people in the city of Wilmington have a positive environment to expand their horizons — and ultimately succeed from cradle to career!
I also visited the site of the soon-to-be Kingswood Community Center (Grand opening November 6th-7th). I toured what will be a state-of-the-art center that will house a new senior center, health center, and early learning academy. Once completed, this facility will offer opportunities for Delawareans of all ages and increase access to community services.
I can’t wait to see what these developments will do for our community.
Investing in Care
Rising healthcare costs have made many Delawareans question their ability to access and afford care. I’ve been working to strengthen Delaware’s healthcare system with federal legislation and funding to ensure we are healthy and stay healthy. The Eleanor Cain Center, formerly known as the Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill, is a direct product of these efforts and supported by federal, state, and local funding. Once completed, it will fill a critical gap in Delaware’s long-term care infrastructure. It was great to meet staff and current residents and get an update on the project. Joining our tour was the state’s first Surgeon General, Dr. Neil Hockstein.
Earlier this year, I introduced a suite of maternal health bills to ensure moms have access to quality care throughout pregnancy and postpartum, including my bipartisanOptimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act. This bill would increase Medicaid coverage for pelvic floor therapy for postpartum moms. This week, I toured Bayhealth’s Kent County Campus to visit its pelvic floor therapy program. In addition to seeing birthing suites, babies in the NICU, and discussing their partnership with Nemours as well as ways to dispell misinformation on social media. The team also discussed innovative ways they are preventing maternal deaths, which has been a priority of my work in the House and now in the Senate. The overall goal is to improve postpartum and maternal health education in central and souther Delaware. Thank you to the team at Bayhealth for your lifesaving and inspirational work.
Delaware’s healthcare industry is making great strides.
In the Lab
As a member of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, I’m following efforts to strengthen environmental conservation and improve our health status, so I was thrilled to stop by Delaware’s new state-of-the-art Environmental Laboratory. The lab opened earlier this summer and was supported by funds from the American Rescue Plan.
During my visit, I met with DNREC scientists to learn how the facility is helping Delaware monitor environmental contaminants and protect public health. Throughout my time in Congress, I’ve led on legislation like the Public Health Air Quality Act, which would increase federal efforts to address the connection between environmental and public health, and bills regarding improved water quality. While there we spent time learning about the process for testing PFAS (forever chemicals) and how the lab supports our residents. I’m proud to see Delawareans working on these same issues to protect our state at the local level.
We’re working to protect our environment and our public health.
A Conversation on Costs
The current state of affordability is placing a strain on many of us, and I’ve heard from Delawareans looking for relief. I sat down with credit union members and local leaders to discuss the issues. From housing affordability to economic opportunity to expanding financial stability, we talked through potential policy solutions and how we can collaborate to make Delaware and the nation more affordable. A major topic of discussion was around scams and fraud and working together on new legislation to protect consumers. I’m glad to have partners like this and know that the ideas from this conversation will become policy solutions that make life better for all of us.
I’m grateful we could come to the table to solve problems for Delawareans.
A High Note
Growing up as a dancer and writer, I developed a deep appreciation for the arts, which has continued throughout my life and driven me to further investments that support the arts community. Earlier this week, I visited the historic Smyrna Opera House, which was originally built in 1870.
The site has been restored through partnerships with the National Endowment for the Arts and funding secured by our congressional delegation. Since its restoration, it’s served as a non-profit cultural center and a hub for events like the Delaware Poetry Out Loud and the annual Futures in the Arts Celebration. Sites like the opera house are critical to our cultural legacy. On our tour, we discussed the next phase of enhancements. I am so excited to see the new renovations – coming soon to a theater near Smyrna.
It was a pleasure to learn more about the Smyrna Opera House’s legacy.
Catching Up
The August State Work Period also provides extended time to meet with Delawareans to learn about the issues facing our community and how we can work toward solutions together. These conversations lead to some of our most direct and effective policy proposals.
I sat down with members of the Delaware Federation of National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) to discuss the needs of the federal workers who have dedicated their lives to public service. Our federal workers have faced challenging times, but I’m grateful to have a direct pipeline to their needs and policy priorities through NARFE.
Thank you to our federal workers for dedicating your lives to service.
This week’s Constituent Corner honors Haley and Hope Shiber. Haley is a disability and speech-disorder advocate and the founder of Haley’s Ray of Sunshine, a small business focused on literacy, arts, advocacy, and community inclusion. Haley was born with cerebral palsy and later diagnosed with a rare genetic neuromuscular disorder. Due to her diagnosis, Haley requires around-the-clock assistance to live as independently as possible, but she previously struggled to find reliable care. To bridge the gap, Haley’s sister, Hope, became a specialized home health nurse to support her. Now the two sisters advocate together for the needs of home health care recipients and the caregivers who provide these critical services.
I had the pleasure of meeting Haley, Hope, Hilary, Debbie, and Howard this week to learn about their experiences with Medicaid and Medicare and hear their perspective on how we can increase access to care and support caregivers.
Haley thank you for welcoming me in and sharing your story and incredible artwork!
Capitol Conversations with LBR
My Washington office will host our next Capitol Conversations on Wednesday, September 23rd at 2 pm. If you find yourself in the D.C. area, drop by to connect with me and my team. CLICK HERE to RSVP.
Service Academy
Are you a young person interested in serving our country? Every year, I have the honor of nominating exceptional students to one of our U.S. Service Academies. The 2026 application process is now open through October 15. CLICK HERE to learn more.
Please head to 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.
