“LET ME BE BLUNT” – Weekly Update Senator Blunt-Rochester
Date Posted: Wednesday, June 4th, 2025Dear Friend,
Welcome back to Let Me Be Blunt. Before I share all that took place this week in the Capitol, a reminder: our Third Annual Constituent Resource Fair is coming up! Join us from 10 am to 3 pm on Tuesday, September 23rd, to speak with representatives from federal, state, and nonprofit agencies and learn more about what services are available to you. My team and I hope to see you there!
CLICK HERE or SCAN the QR code below to register.
For the Safety of our Children and Families, Secretary Kennedy Must Resign
The American people rely on accurate information from authorities like the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to make decisions about their health. Yet, Secretary Kennedy has undermined their expertise at every turn, creating chaos and confusion in our public health system.
This is especially concerning as parents try to get their children vaccinated at the start of the school year. That’s why I hosted a hearing this week to shine a light on how parents can navigate vaccine uncertainty as their students go back to school. I was joined by several of my Democratic colleagues, doctors, parents, and a school nurse to discuss the importance of the CDC, ACIP, and access to vaccinations. One takeaway was clear: Secretary Kennedy’s vaccine skepticism has real, dangerous consequences. Politics aside, these reckless policies put American families at risk. CLICK HERE to watch our hearing.
Just recently, nine former CDC directors called Secretary Kennedy “a danger to America’s health,” and over a thousand HHS employees have called for his resignation. I don’t say this lightly, but I agree with them – Secretary Kennedy must resign.
Advancing AI in America
Delaware is emerging as a national leader in responsible technology innovation, and I was grateful to participate in a bipartisan hearing this week on the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies across our nation. Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, or independent, we should all be committed to fostering innovation while prioritizing safety and security.
I also introduced two new bipartisan AI-related bills this week. The first is the Recommending Artificial Intelligence Standards in Education (RAISE) Act, which would empower states to develop academic standards on AI and prepare the leaders of tomorrow for the future. The second bill is the Consumer Safety Technology Act, which would allow the Consumer Product Safety Commission to explore leveraging AI to meet its mission.
Delawareans in DC
I’m back in DC after spending most of August in Delaware – but that doesn’t mean I’m not still spending time with Delawareans! This week, I welcomed members of the Clean Slate Initiative to talk about the Clean Slate Act and the Fresh Start Act, both of which I’m championing in the Senate. I also met with Delaware representatives of the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars).
Celebrating the Culture and Community of the Nanticoke
On Saturday, I had the honor of attending the 47th Annual Nanticoke Indian Powwow in Milton along with Congresswoman Sarah McBride, Lieutenant Governor Kyle Evans Gay, State Senator Russ Huxtable, and State Representative Alonna Berry. The Nanticoke are a Native American tribe whose traditional homelands are primarily in Delaware, and at least half of their estimated 700 tribe members nationwide live here today.
We arrived just in time for the Presentation of Flags and Grand Entry Ceremonies, which were beautiful displays of the cultures of the many tribes that attended the powwow. This annual event brings together Native American communities from up and down the East Coast, and I was grateful to attend.
One Week On: The New Way Home Agenda
I launched The New Way Home Agenda last week because I know that housing touches every single aspect of Delawareans’ lives. In the time since then, we have heard from so many people who would be positively impacted by the policies in the agenda and from partners ready to work with us to get them done. I am fired up and ready to go.
CLICK HERE to read more about how we’re taking on the housing crisis with this bold new plan.
SHARE YOUR HOUSING STORY
In last week’s edition of Let Me Be Blunt, I asked you to share your housing stories with me, and I’m sharing one of those stories today.
Denise from New Castle is currently facing homelessness. But she is also undergoing a knee replacement and will need to get her other knee replaced soon after. She couldn’t have the operation while homeless, so she’s staying at a shelter – but that’s only a temporary solution.
Denise told me, “I have applied for housing but the average wait time per senior high rise is a minimum of 2-4 years. I have to get the other knee done as well. The [shelter] is okay, but [not] fully conducive to my healing. Healing per leg is about a year. My stay here is 60 days.”
Housing should be the last thing on Denise’s mind as she recovers from her knee replacement; instead, it’s the first. I’m fighting to push my housing agenda over the finish line for Delawareans – and all Americans – like Denise.
Do you have a story to share? I want to hear from you! Please click here to share your story.
