Dear Friend,
Welcome back to Let Me Be Blunt. It was great to be back home in Delaware. It’s weeks like these that remind me who and what we’re fighting for.
Delaware is truly a microcosm of America. We may be a small state, but Delaware is urban, suburban, rural, and coastal. I got to see so many of these beautiful places as I traveled up and down the state this week — from continuing to honor our veterans in New Castle County, to breaking ground on a new housing development in Milford and surveying the horseshoe crabs on the beach at Cape Henlopen State Park, to celebrating the rich history of our beaches in Lewes and cheering on young athletes in Frederica. While we may only have three counties, there’s no shortage of things to see and do within them!
Keep reading to see what I was up to, and maybe you’ll find something new to discover right here at home.
Honoring Their Service
This week, as we recognized Memorial Day, I also had the privilege of honoring Delaware’s veterans and thanking them for their service to our country.
First, I attended the annual Memorial Day Commemoration at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Alongside former Senator Tom Carper and Delaware Secretary of Veterans Affairs Karen Berry, we honored those we lost and our state’s Gold Star Families. These families are a testament to their loved one’s sacrifice. It was also encouraging to see the young people in attendance, honoring our fallen heroes.
May our veterans’ service and legacy always be remembered.
After that, I served as the keynote speaker at a graduation ceremony for the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative in Odessa. This is the only technical school of its kind devoted to disabled veterans in the country, and it’s located right here in Delaware. I was proud to cheer on the graduates as they exchanged their blue lab coats for white ones. Congratulations to Eva, Freddie, Justin, Kevin, Mitchell, Victor, and Zachary! And thank you to the master watchmaker, Sam Cannan, for championing this program!
I look forward to seeing our new graduates’ success!
Housing Dreams Become Reality
As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, housing has been one of my key priorities throughout my time in Congress. I have led efforts to unlock affordable housing as a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and secured federal funding to support related projects within our state.
This week, some of this work came full circle with the groundbreaking of Lafayette Place in Milford. Developed by Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware, this community will provide up to 95 homes for low-to-moderate income families. The land was purchased 30 years ago, but with the help of the delegation, funding was made available to move from plans and paper to shovels in the ground. I can’t wait to come back for the ribbon cutting.
Thank you to Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware for supporting families across our state!
Delaware’s Own “Living Fossils”
Horseshoe crabs are vital to Delaware’s coasts — they support our shorebird population, like the red knot, and sustain the health of local coastlines. Their eggs help feed wildlife like the Red Knot, and their blood helps ensure medicines and medical devices are free of bacteria and toxins. These creatures are called “living fossils” because they have existed for hundred of millions of years.
I joined the 2026 Horseshoe Crab Spawning Survey at Cape Henlopen State Park and got to see these amazing animals up close. This annual survey, which takes place every year, helps scientists keep tabs on the state’s horseshoe crab population and monitor their trends.
The horseshoe crabs are a phenomenal feat of nature right here at home!
Shop Local
Delaware’s farming communities are critical to our economy and power our state’s agricultural industry. So, I was happy to visit the Historic Lewes Farmers Market this weekend. For over 21 years, the market has been expanding access to local food and strengthening our economy — welcoming over 52,000 visitors annually. This market also accepts SNAP benefits and even provides a match $20 to customers with SNAP. I bought eggs from the market’s youngest participant and peppers from the market’s longest-serving participant!
Be sure to check out the Historic Lewes Farmers Market!
A Line in the Sand
Delaware’s beaches are a great place for families and friends to come together, but they haven’t always been open for all of us to enjoy. Like the rest of the country, our beaches weren’t immune to racial segregation. In Lewes, “Beach 2” was historically reserved for Black beachgoers and became defined by the impact of a man named Johnnie Walker. He was an entrepreneur, owning a construction company that provided many families with their first homes. He also opened a restaurant and dance hall at the beach. In 2021, it was renamed as Johnnie Walker Beach in his honor.
This week, I had the honor of joining the City of Lewes for the unveiling of an interpretitve sign to recognize Mr. Walker’s legacy. As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country, it’s important that we reflect on our nation’s history — good and bad — and honor the changemakers who helped shape who we are today.
I was honored to celebrate the rich history of Johnnie Walker Beach.
Changing the Game
The Delaware Super Cup is an annual youth and amateur sports tournament in Frederica. In just five years, it has grown into one of the region’s largest soccer tournaments, featuring over 200 teams and drawing visitors from across the globe.
I attended the Super Cup this weekend — which is expected to contribute $2 million to the state economy! It was a pleasure to cheer on our young athletes and celebrate all that sports and our state has to offer. Thank you to José Quiñonez for the tour.
The Delaware Super Cup is changing the game for our state’s sports and economy.
This week’s Constituent Corner honors the life and service of former Wilmington Mayor, Michael S. Purzycki. Mike was a dedicated public servant and visionary leader who led with his love for the city. He will always be remembered for leading the transformation of Wilmington’s Riverfront and making it a hub of economic activity and community life. I was honored to work closely with Mike on the creation of the Hope Commission, among other issues, and was privileged to call him a dear friend.
This week, we joined together to celebrate Mike’s life and impact on our state. My prayers remain with his family and all those mourning this loss. He will be missed.
Capitol Conversations
My Washington office will host our next Capitol Conversations on Tuesday, June 16th, at 8 am. am. If you find yourself in the D.C. area, drop by to connect with me and my team. CLICK HERE to RSVP.
Veterans Resource Fair
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.
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.
