Dear Friend,

Welcome back to a Presidents Day edition of Let Me Be Blunt.

This week on Capitol Hill, Senate Republicans voted to confirm two of President Trump’s cabinet nominees, Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

I voted NO on these nominees who I believe are unqualified and present dangers at home and abroad. I will continue to oppose all Trump cabinet nominees so long as his reckless attack on critical services to seniors, children, businesses and communities continues and the Administration acts in ways that are unlawful and unconstitutional.

You can see my full speech opposing the Kennedy nomination here.

This Week in Washington

Questioning Fed Chair Powell 

This week, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, received our bi-annual briefing from Chair of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, about the state of the economy.

I informed Chair Powell of the concerns and consternation Delawareans expressed to my office through letters, emails and calls over the past few weeks. They have centered on the new administration’s focus on mass firings and funding freezes and not bringing down costs. In addition, I raised the alarm over access to people's financial and personal data from the ‘DOGE’ raids on agencies like the Department of Treasury and Department of Labor.

My questions centered around inflation and how the Fed plans to address the high prices and economic uncertainty that remains. While the economy is doing well by many traditional measures, on the ground, people aren't feeling that way. We discussed my bipartisan legislation with Senators Cantwell and Blackburn to address supply chain vulnerabilities and lower costs and also my work on increasing housing supply and making housing more affordable.

To watch our exchange, click here.

Demanding Answers from the Trump Administration on CFPB Attacks

I joined nearly 200 of my Congressional colleagues in sending a letter to Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Russ Vought and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent calling on them to remove Elon Musk’s operatives from the CFPB, restore all internal and external systems and operations, and allow the CFPB to continue to do its job of protecting American consumers.

The full text of the letter can be found here.

Congress created the CFPB in response to the 2008 financial crisis through the bipartisan Dodd Frank Act. Since its founding, the agency has returned over $21 billion to millions of Americans scammed out of their money. Last weekend, at least three of Musk’s employees entered CFPB headquarters and obtained access to sensitive CFPB information. Mr. Vought then ordered the agency to stop all work entirely.

In the letter, we condemn the illegal orders issued to halt the essential work of the agency. The CFPB is a critical agency that protects you from financial scams. I’m going to keep fighting to make sure their work continues.

Pressing Education Secretary Nominee Linda McMahon

This week, President Trump’s nominee for Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, came before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on which I sit. The administration has been clear about their intention to eliminate the Department of Education.

While I have worked and will continue to advocate for improving outcomes for our children and supporting our educators, I believe moving functions into larger agencies like HHS or DOJ will diminish and deprioritize students and have an adverse effect. This is completely unacceptable. We must continue to invest in education and provide protections for our students — from those with disabilities in grade-school to college students receiving federal aid to complete their education.

I pressed McMahon on her views. I asked her if she believes that all students deserve to receive a high-quality education, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or race, and if schools receiving federal dollars had the right to turn students away based on their religion, ethnicity, race, or disability status.

Watch what she had to say here.

Delawareans in DC

While in Washington, I am always happy to meet with Delawareans to hear about the issues affecting them. This week, that included representatives from the Delaware State Education Association (DSEA) who were also at the McMahon confirmation hearing in committee.

Every student across this nation deserves to receive a quality education, regardless of their household income or zip code. Critical to that mission are the educators who are going above and beyond for our children every day in their classrooms. I am grateful to the DSEA for all they do and look forward to continuing to have them as a partner, especially as I begin my work as the ranking member of the Senate’s Education and the American Family Subcommittee.

I also met with the Delaware Wing – Civil Air Patrol this week. They shared the status of Delaware’s Wing and activities they engage in from disaster relief and aerospace education to leadership development. These young people represent the future of our growing aviation opportunities in Delaware and the nation. It was great to host these outstanding future leaders and aviators in the Capitol, and I look forward to always supporting them as their Senator.

ABOVE: Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester meets with representatives of the Delaware Wing – Civil Air Patrol

This Week in Delaware

Supporting our Youth

I was pleased to attend the MLK Voice 4 Youth finals in Wilmington. This competition was founded in 2016 and showcases students from grades 7-12 who are judged on their oration skills as well as their compelling and researched content. For this spoken word event, students each chose a public figure and demonstrate how that figure’s work aligns with the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and societal change. Congratulations to first place winner Niranjana Sendil from the Charter School of Wilmington, second place winner Xavier Lawrence from the Early College School at Delaware State University, and third place winner Nethra Naresh from MOT Charter School. Not only was the event inspiring — it was also uplifting!

ABOVE: Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester pictured with the finalists and event hosts at the MLK Voice 4 Youth finals 

The Eagles are Super Bowl Champions!

I would be remiss if I did not take the opportunity in this edition of Let Me Be Blunt to salute the SUPER BOWL CHAMPION Philadelphia Eagles! It has been such a pleasure to watch this team play throughout the playoffs and the entire regular season, and I am happy that so many Delawareans got to celebrate this win together.

You can see me celebrating with my family and friends here. Go Birds!

Below are some helpful resources for you:

• Lower Energy Costs: Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act that I helped pass last Congress, there are opportunities to lower your energy costs through tax credits and rebates. Check out energy.gov/save to learn more. 
• Look Before You Book: Are you thinking about booking a trip? Before you do, you should ensure that your passport is up to date! You can go to state.gov to check your passport expiration date, apply for a new passport, and more.
• Need a Passport Appointment?: The Department of State is encouraging travelers to go to travel.state.gov to schedule passport appointments within 14 days of their date of travel.
• Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP): The State Department recently launched a new version of STEP. STEP is a free service for U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad to receive safety and security alerts and other local updates by email from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Enrolling in STEP also makes it easier to contact U.S. citizens during an emergency. You can sign up for these alerts at login.gov.
• 988 National Suicide Prevention Helpline: If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call 988, the 24/7, free and confidential support National Suicide Prevention Hotline. You can also go to 988lifeline.org.
• Delaware 211: Delawareans in need of emergency housing, utility assistance, food assistance, and more, call 211, Delaware’s free, confidential resource hotline. 
• Department of State’s Exchange Programs: The State Department sponsors several programs across the world that can give Americans educational, cultural, and professional experiences. Find out more about at exchanges.state.gov/us.
• Protecting Your Data: Delaware’s Personal Data Privacy Act, legislation protecting the personal data of Delawareans, went into effect on January 1st. You can go to this website from the Delaware Department of Justice to find out how it will impact consumers, parents, and businesses in our state.
• Free COVID Tests: Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, every household in the United States can get four free COVID tests that will be shipped to you through the United States Postal Service. You can order them today at covidtests.gov.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: As a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare Part D beneficiaries will be able to spread prescription drug costs across the year. These payment plans will include zero-interest installments as well as a $2,000 annual out-of-pocket cap. Learn more at medicare.gov/prescription-payment-plan. 

This week, our Constituent Corner honors our federal workers, especially those who live and work in Delaware. In Washington, I met with leaders from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) District 3, which represents 15,368 federal workers in Delaware and Pennsylvania.

I am proud of these civil servants. Despite the chaos, confusion, and angst they've experienced over the past several weeks, they continue to persevere. As Delaware’s former Secretary of Labor and current member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, I will continue to stand with those who are working hard on our behalf. They are our friends, neighbors, and family - dedicated public servants.

Above: Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester pictured with leaders from the American Federation of Government Employees District 3

Yours in service, Lisa Blunt Rochester United States Senator

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