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Prediction track record
How often we called Christopher A. Coons's passage votes correctly, from their stated positions on each bill's tagged topics. Excludes “unclear” calls and abstentions.
0%
Accuracy
0
Correct
1
Incorrect
38
Pending
Wrong119-sjres-184
A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress.
A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress.
A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress.
Based on 1 data point across public statements and recorded votes · AI analysis of public records
118-sjres-38·Consistent
A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Highway Administration relating to "Waiver of Buy America Requirements for Electric Vehicle Chargers".
75/100
What they said
Jun 17, 2026
The senators advocate for federal investment in domestic manufacturing capacity and reduced dependence on foreign supply chains, particularly from China, to strengthen economic security, create jobs, and lower consumer costs.
Voted Nay on A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Highway Administration relating to "Waiver of Buy America Requirements for Electric Vehicle Chargers".
The statement advocates for strengthening domestic manufacturing and reducing dependence on foreign supply chains, particularly from China. The bill nullifies a waiver that temporarily exempted EV chargers from Buy America requirements, effectively reinforcing domestic content standards. The senator's NO vote on this amendment aligns with the stated position favoring domestic manufacturing — voting against the waiver removal preserves the temporary exemption, which could be seen as protecting foreign suppliers. However, the amendment's specific mechanics and the senator's substantive intent are not entirely clear from the vote record alone, and the statement does not explicitly address EV chargers or this particular rule.
Pairs with ambiguous language and high uncertainty are withheld until more data is available. Procedural, cloture, and amendment votes are excluded — they don't cleanly signal substantive support or opposition.
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Crossing the aisle
No party-break passage votes recorded for Christopher A. Coons. Either they've voted with Democrats on every substantive passage vote in the corpus, or their tenure overlaps few high-threshold party-line votes so far.
Position: The statement expresses concern about gun violence following a shooting at Wilmington Hospital and calls for action to address gun violence, without specifying particular legislative proposals.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester and U.S. Representative Sarah McBride (all D-Del.) released the following statement on yesterday’s shooting at Wilmington Hospital:
“Today, our hearts break for Wilmington. A gunman turned what should be a place of healing and hope into a place of terror.
“Our doctors, nurses, and support staff are the best of Delaware. They hold us together in our darkest hours. Today, it is on us to be strong for them in their time of pain and grief. Our hearts are with the families of the victims and the Wilmington Hospital community.
“We’re grateful to the many police officers and first responders who rushed to the scene and captured the suspect. This is the second time in less than a year that Delawareans working to serve others have faced targeted gun violence. We have to address gun violence. We cannot become numb to this.”
Senators Coons, Blunt Rochester, colleagues introduce legislation to strengthen American industries and combat an overreliance on foreign supply chains
Position: The senators advocate for federal investment in domestic manufacturing capacity and reduced dependence on foreign supply chains, particularly from China, to strengthen economic security, create jobs, and lower consumer costs.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester (both D-Del.) introduced the Make More in America Act, which advances American manufacturing capacity. The bill is a response to an overreliance on foreign supply chains, especially in China, while strengthening our economy to create new high paying jobs for Americans.
“Delaware has always been a center for innovation in this country, but it’s not enough to just invent things in America – we need to make them in America, too,” said Senator Coons. “Our nation cannot be dependent on China for materials and products that are critical to our economy and national security. This bill will bring more jobs to the U.S. and make sure we aren’t at the mercy of President Xi’s whims.”
“Americans are struggling with rising prices across the board while reliable domestic manufacturing jobs are moving overseas,” said Senator Blunt Rochester. “I am proud to partner with my colleagues to introduce the Make More in America Act, which will reduce our dependence on global supply chains, create new jobs, and lower costs for communities in Delaware and across the nation.”
“Americans cannot keep paying the price every time a supply chain crisis hits – whether it's a pandemic, a war, or the whims of the Chinese Communist Party trying to undermine the American economy,” said Leader Schumer. "We have to break the cycle of supple chain shocks that are raising prices, invest in American industry, and protect our national security. As families are facing a Republican-led affordability crisis, we must work overtime to bring back good-paying jobs and strengthen our economy. There is no reason that the products and technologies that Americans rely on cannot be made here at home. The Make More in America is exactly the kind of bold investment we need to outcompete the CCP and drive American prosperity and security – and Democrats are ready to deliver it.”
The Make More in America Act would partner with the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) to bolster American industries. The bill would also:
President Trump promised a “golden age of American manufacturing,” but he has failed to uphold that promise. In the last year alone, tens of thousands of American jobs have been lost, with no clear plan to restore them. American industries rely on foreign manufacturers, which makes us vulnerable to higher costs and shortages. President Trump’s war in Iran resulted in the closing of the Strait of Hormuz that led to a spike in gas and grocery costs. Likewise, China continues to threaten to shut off the flow of rare earths and magnets that are essential to American manufacturing.
The Make More in America Act ensures we can make what we need at home, invests in quality jobs for Americans, and protects our national security from foreign supply chains. This bill is endorsed by AUVSI, Employ America, the Federation of American Scientists, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), and the SCSP Action Program.
You can find a copy of the bill text here.
You can find a broader summary of the bill here.
Ranking Member Coons statement on announced U.S.-Iran agreement reopening the Strait of Hormuz
Position: Senator Coons expresses cautious support for the announced U.S.-Iran ceasefire and negotiations but demands transparency on key terms, including the status of the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief, Iran's nuclear stockpile, compliance mechanisms, and how the agreement addresses Iranian missile production and regional proxy support.
WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, released the following statement in response to President Trump announcing the U.S. and Iran will soon sign a memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire, lift the U.S. blockade of Iran, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program and a durable end to Trump’s war in Iran:
“If true, President Trump’s announcement is a step in the right direction to end the reckless war he started. Unfortunately, the president has made many promises about this war and fulfilled few of them. The fact that we have not seen any text of an agreement, while he and Iranian leaders once again say different things about what has been agreed, highlights why we need to see this deal immediately.
“There are critical questions we should all be asking: Is the Strait of Hormuz actually open to all commercial traffic? Will Iran retain any control over it and what mechanism will govern travel through it? What sanctions relief, release of frozen assets, or other economic windfall does the Trump administration plan to offer Iran and when? What will be the status of Iran’s enriched nuclear material stockpile and how will its enrichment capabilities be curtailed or ended? How will we ensure Iran actually complies with any nuclear agreement between the U.S. and Iran if one is reached? What inspections regime will there be and will the IAEA be involved?
“The Trump administration long criticized the JCPOA under President Obama for not placing limits on Iranian missile production and Iranian support of proxies in the region. How does this deal treat those issues? Does it address them at all?
“This war has come at a high cost: we have spent tens of billions of dollars, felt the brunt of soaring inflation and higher gas and fertilizer prices, 14 American service members are dead, and hundreds more are wounded. While a ceasefire and negotiations are a positive development, so far this war of choice has only made American service members and civilians less safe and left many key questions unanswered or unaddressed.”
Senators Coons, Risch introduce bipartisan legislation to achieve durable peace in Sudan
Position: Senators introduce bipartisan legislation to address the Sudan conflict through expanded sanctions, diplomatic resources, and international coalition-building to achieve a negotiated ceasefire and end the humanitarian crisis.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced the Preventing External Aggression and Conflict Escalation (PEACE) in Sudan Act of 2026. The PEACE in Sudan Act will help address the ongoing conflict in Sudan by expanding discretionary sanctions, bolstering diplomatic resources, and building a stronger international coalition.
“The ongoing civil war in Sudan is the globe’s largest humanitarian crisis, and yet the world has spent too much time closing its eyes to three years of atrocities and death,” said Senator Coons. “This war will only end with a diplomatic solution, and every responsible nation must push all sides to the bargaining table to achieve a durable and lasting peace in Sudan. The United States stands with the people of Sudan and their decades-long fight for the peace and justice they deserve.”
“The war in Sudan is a humanitarian catastrophe, a source of instability in Africa, and a threat to U.S. national security. We cannot allow Sudan to continue devolving into chaos, causing uncontrolled migration, human suffering, and serving as a haven for terrorists. This bill is a bipartisan effort to provide the Trump Administration with additional tools to raise the costs of this war for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and their proxies to bring this war to an end,” said Chairman Risch.
“The Sudanese people are enduring the world’s worst humanitarian and displacement crisis, while the RSF, SAF and their external backers continue to pursue a zero-sum war that has no military solution,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “The bipartisan PEACE in Sudan Act will give the United States additional tools to hold perpetrators, aiders and abettors accountable to punish those who are fueling this violence and bolster negotiations to end this war. I urge swift passage of this bill by the full Senate and call on the Administration to support and fund a robust humanitarian response to address the unbearable suffering of millions of Sudanese. The Sudanese people deserve peace and prosperity, and a stable Sudan would fundamentally benefit regional security, Red Sea commerce and U.S. national security.”
“Prolonged armed conflict in Sudan has led to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, caused the deaths of tens of thousands of Sudanese civilians, and created a deteriorating regional security environment that offers a breeding ground for malign actors,” said Senator Cornyn. “I am proud to cosponsor this legislation that would sanction those providing weapons to armed groups, direct the State Department to submit a strategy for securing a ceasefire in Sudan, and advance efforts to bring about peace and stability in the region to strengthen U.S. national security.”
In 2023, the SAF and the RSF engaged in a zero-sum war for control of Sudan supported by regional and global proxies. The RSF has since committed acts of genocide and mass atrocities against non-Arab communities. Likewise, the SAF have targeted civilians through starvation, chemical attacks, and other atrocities that have destabilized the nation.
The conflict in Sudan is the result of the worst humanitarian and displacement crisis in the world. More than 14 million have been forced to flee their homes, 19.5 million Sudanese are faced with acute food insecurity, and 5 million of those live in an emergency state of famine conditions.
Senator Coons recognizes the path to peace in Sudan is through negotiation. In 2024, Senator Coons introduced the Sudan Accountability Act in response to the civil war in Sudan. Through bipartisan legislation, Senator Coons is dedicated to standing with Sudan in their long fight towards peace.
Full text of the bill is available here.
Ranking Members Coons, Reed introduce bill to require human safeguards around use of artificial intelligence in defense
Position: Senators Coons and Reed introduce legislation requiring human safeguards and control mechanisms for AI-enabled autonomous systems in defense, while enabling rapid DOD adoption of frontier AI models to maintain U.S. military superiority and prevent China from gaining advantage in military AI.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), ranking member for Defense Appropriations, and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced legislation to establish a framework to guide the rapid adoption and use of artificial intelligence by the Department of Defense (DOD) while prioritizing safety and the rule of law. The legislation comes following attempts by DOD to blacklist and discriminate against certain AI companies for mandating safeguards on new and rapidly evolving technology and prohibiting their use for mass surveillance.
The Responsible Artificial Intelligence Defense (RAIDA) Act would require AI-enabled autonomous systems to be deployed in a way that ensures human operators are able to control, monitor, detect unintended behavior, and manually disengage or deactivate any deployed AI-enabled system, if necessary. It would prevent the use of AI for nuclear decision making and mass domestic surveillance of Americans. It would also instruct DOD to maximize AI adoption in defense, ensuring the United States leads in military AI quickly, safely, and lawfully.
“The Department of Defense can use frontier AI models for rapid innovation to ensure that the United States maintains its military supremacy and edge in artificial intelligence without running roughshod over safety concerns,” said Ranking Member Coons. “Threatening our cutting-edge companies with legal and economic punishment when they balk at demands to perform illegal acts is not just un-American – it will stifle innovation, dissuade industry from collaborating with government, and allow China and our adversaries to build insurmountable leads in the field of AI. I’m proud to introduce this legislation to put in place necessary safeguards to prevent deadly accidents or misfires by autonomous weapons using new and evolving technologies, while also directing the Pentagon to utilize this cutting-edge technology to promote US national security.”
“Artificial intelligence will continue to shape the battlespace of the future, and our military must be equipped with every tactical and technical advantage it needs to win in this complex environment,” said Senator Reed. “Simultaneously, we must ensure the Department of Defense has a comprehensive AI strategy that establishes sensible safeguards and provides a framework for other nations to ensure global military AI standards are adhered to. To begin, we should formalize international norms for military and civilian uses of AI to regulate areas where full human control over the technology is essential. The Responsible Artificial Intelligence Defense Act is a practical first step toward ensuring the United States military is a principled leader in AI use.”
The Responsible Artificial Intelligence Defense Act would:
Senator Coons has been vocal about the importance of U.S. leadership in AI. Last year, he introduced legislation limiting the sale of frontier chips to China – the bipartisan SAFE Chips Act – and he has demanded answers from senior Trump administration officials about their plans to export advanced chips.
In 2024, Senator Reed and a bipartisan group of colleagues unveiled the first congressional framework to deal exclusively with the extreme risks posed by future developments in advanced AI models. The framework sought to establish federal oversight of frontier model hardware, development, and deployment to mitigate AI-enabled extreme risks from biological, chemical, cyber, and nuclear threats.
In addition to serving as ranking member for Defense Appropriations, Senator Coons is a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations, Judiciary, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Ethics Committees.
Senator Reed is also a leading member of the Appropriations Committee and the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee where he is working to strengthen the cybersecurity resilience of America’s financial sector and people’s personal bank accounts amidst the growing risks of AI-enabled cyberattacks.
The one-pager is available here.
Full text of the bill is available here.
Senator Coons statement on vote on reconciliation bill to fund Trump’s mass deportation agenda
Position: Senator Coons opposes the Republican reconciliation bill that funds ICE and CBP enforcement, arguing it prioritizes immigration enforcement over addressing costs affecting working families and fails to include safeguards against misuse of Trump administration funds.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement after the Senate voted to pass the Republican reconciliation bill that funds Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol. The Senate also voted, 54-45, to reject an amendment Senator Coons offered that would have prevented January 6th insurrectionists who attacked police officers from receiving payments from President Trump’s $1.8 billion “weaponization” slush fund:
“Instead of working to lower the cost of gas or groceries, housing or health care, Senate Republicans have just jammed through another bill to spend taxpayer money on out-of-control and unaccountable immigration enforcement while shielding them from popular, commonsense reforms that would have brought them in line with law enforcement agencies around the country. How is that going to help a mom who doesn’t know how she’s going to pay to fill up her car because of Trump’s war of choice with Iran? Or working parents whose health care premiums have shot up because of the last reconciliation bill? Or entrepreneurs seeing costs skyrocket because of Trump’s tariffs?
“Instead of helping working Americans, Republicans have decided to help a corrupt and unpopular president in his efforts to become even more corrupt and unpopular. This bill does not go far enough to prevent Trump’s $1.8 billion slush fund that he can use to pay off cop-beaters, campaign donors, and insurrectionists as he and his hand-picked set of commissioners see fit. My Republican colleagues’ belief that they can take the acting Attorney General at his word flies in the face of the actual text of the Department of Justice’s settlement and President Trump’s own words Wednesday. They have done nothing to stop Trump’s amnesty from IRS audits that is a license to commit tax fraud. My amendment tonight would have prevented any dollars from this so-called “weaponization fund” from going to the cop-beaters at the Capitol on January 6; instead of supporting it, many of my Republican colleagues who claim they oppose this fund voted it down. It’s clear they believe that there should be one set of rules for the American people and another for President Trump.
“Republicans have once again betrayed the working people they promised to help, worrying more about placating President Trump than American families.”
Republicans block Senator Coons’ amendment to stop Trump’s taxpayer-funded slush fund from paying January 6 rioters who assaulted police
Position: Senator Coons opposes using federal funds from a Trump administration settlement to make payments to individuals convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers during the January 6 Capitol riot, and introduced an amendment to prohibit such payments.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) this morning introduced an amendment to the Republican reconciliation bill that would prohibit payments from President Trump’s $1.8 billion ‘anti-weaponization fund’ to individuals convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers during the January 6 insurrection. Despite claims by several Republicans that they were dismayed at the idea of taxpayer dollars going to convicted insurrectionists and cop-beaters, Senate Republicans blocked his amendment by a vote of 54-45; the amendment needed 60 votes to pass.
Ahead of the vote, Senator Coons spoke on the Senate floor about the need to stop taxpayer dollars from being used to reward President Trump’s political allies, including those who attacked police officers at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
“My amendment is simple. It's one sentence. The Department of Justice may not use taxpayer funds to make settlement payments to any individual convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers at or around the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021,” Senator Coons said on the Senate floor this morning. “It's not complicated – if the administration won't rule out potentially multimillion-dollar payments to those who assaulted police on these grounds, we must.”
The Trump administration created the $1.8 billion slush fund as part of a settlement after President Trump, his sons, and the Trump Organization sued the Internal Revenue Service over the disclosure of his federal tax returns. Although a federal court has temporarily blocked payouts from the fund, President Trump and members of his administration have refused to clearly state that the fund is dead. The settlement between President Trump and his own Department of Justice – headed by his former personal lawyer – creating the slush fund makes clear that the settlement can only be amended in writing, which acting Attorney General Todd Blanche ruled out when questioned in the House of Representatives earlier this week.
When Senator Coons questioned acting Attorney General Todd Blanche before a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee last month, he refused to rule out payments from the slush fund to January 6 rioters, including individuals who assaulted police officers, as well as members of President Trump’s family or campaign donors.
Over 140 police officers were injured during the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the result of the 2020 election. 15 officers were hospitalized, and four ultimately lost their lives. More than 1,500 people were convicted of crimes stemming from their participation in the insurrection; all were pardoned as one of President Trump’s first acts back in office last year. Many of them have expressed a desire to collect payouts from the newly created fund. Meanwhile, a new report shows that 97 of the rioters pardoned by President Trump – more than one out of every twenty – have been arrested, charged, or convicted of other crimes since their release, including child molestation, grand larceny, and deadly conduct.
A video and transcript of Senator Coons’ remarks are below.
Senator Coons: Mr. President, President Trump has previously announced the creation of a $1.8 billion taxpayer-funded ‘victims of weaponization’ slush fund. And on May 19, I questioned acting Attorney General Todd Blanche about this announced anti-weaponization fund – specifically, would anyone convicted of assaulting police officers in or around our Capitol on January 6 be eligible for a payout from this fund.
The acting Attorney General would make no such commitments, and so the Senate must. My amendment is simple. It's one sentence. The Department of Justice may not use taxpayer funds to make settlement payments to any individual convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers at or around the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
It's not complicated – if the administration won't rule out potentially multimillion-dollar payments to those who assaulted police on these grounds, we must. I urge my colleagues to take up and pass this amendment alongside me and ensure that taxpayer funds won't be so badly misused in this way.
Senators Coons, Husted introduce bipartisan legislation to authorize and strengthen EPA’s Safer Choice Program
Position: Senators Coons and Husted support formal congressional authorization and strengthening of the EPA's Safer Choice Program, which certifies cleaning and other products meeting rigorous standards for human health and environmental safety.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Jon Husted (R-Ohio) today introduced the Safer Choice Program Authorization Act (SCPAA) to formally authorize and strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency’s voluntary Safer Choice Program. The Safer Choice Program helps consumers, businesses, schools, and institutions identify cleaning and other products that meet rigorous standards for human health, environmental safety, and performance.
The SCPAA codifies EPA’s long-standing Safer Choice and Design for the Environment Programs, which have helped drive innovation in safer chemistry for decades while providing consumers and institutional purchasers with a trusted federal label for safer products. The Safer Choice and Design for the Environment programs have operated successfully for more than 30 years under administrations of both parties but have never been formally authorized by Congress. The SCPAA would provide statutory certainty for these widely used programs and the stakeholders that depend on them.
“Delaware is a state of innovators. To continue that legacy, we need to give businesses and entrepreneurs every opportunity to deliver the best results for consumers and the environment,” said Senator Coons, co-chair of the Senate Chemistry Caucus. “This legislation provides long-term certainty for manufacturers so they can invest in safer chemistry, and so Americans can continue to lead in innovation.”
“Ohioans want to be able to trust that the products they are using in their homes are not only effective, but safe for their families. The EPA’s Safer Choice Program helps Americans identify products that are both effective and made with ingredients that are safer for people and the environment. Our bipartisan bill would support and authorize this important program while expanding consumer choice in their everyday products. I’m proud to co-lead this effort to protect Americans’ health and keep our environment clean,” said Senator Husted.
The legislation has earned support from a wide variety of industry leaders, manufacturers, sustainability organizations, and cleaning product stakeholders.
“Safer Choice delivers real-world value at scale, reflected in the nearly 400 businesses that count on the program as a trusted, nationally recognized federal benchmark,” said Steve Caldeira, president and CEO of the Household & Commercial Products Association.“As a long-standing and strong advocate for Safer Choice, HCPA is proud to support legislation that would provide stability, direction, and dedicated resources to this highly regarded manufacturer partnership program.”
“ACI commends Senators Coons and Husted for their leadership in introducing the Safer Choice Program Authorization Act,” said Jennifer Abril, president and CEO of American Cleaning Institute. “The Safer Choice program is a leading example of how a government-led, voluntary program can leverage private-sector expertise to support safer product innovations and deliver meaningful benefits to consumers and the marketplace. ACI and the Cleaning Products Industry strongly support authorizing and strengthening this successful program within EPA.”
“The EPA Safer Choice Program has spent decades being the stamp of approval for cleaning products that are both high-performing and safer for people and the environment,” said John Nothdurft, vice president of government and public affairs, ISSA. “This bill gives manufacturers the certainty to invest, gives purchasers a trusted federal benchmark, and gives the American public confidence that the products used in cleaning their schools, hospitals, and workplaces meet a rigorous, science-based standard. ISSA strongly supports this legislation and urges Congress to act.”
“IFF supports efforts to codify EPA’s Safer Choice Program, which provides a rigorous, science-based framework for advancing safer ingredients in the household and personal care sector. By reinforcing consistency, label integrity, and stakeholder engagement, this legislation helps drive innovation while meeting evolving consumer and regulatory expectations. It is an important step forward for sustainable chemistry,” said Leticia Gonçalves Lourenco, president of health and biosciences, at International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF).
“EPA’s Safer Choice program works because the market has validated it. Companies across the value chain have built real business decisions around it, which has served to increase their market share,” said David Levine, co-founder and president at American Sustainable Business Network. “This federal program delivers results for businesses and consumers. Over 100 signers, including major business and trade associations like the American Sustainable Business Network and the Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA), ISSA – The Association for Clean & Facility Solutions, Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility, alongside individual companies of every size, send a clear signal to Congress: this program has earned its place in statute and needs to be authorized.”
“The Safer Choice Program is a model government program – broadly supported and highly effective, producing benefits for business, health, and environment. The Safer Choice Authorization Act codifies this voluntary program, ensuring its long-term viability and expansion over time to provide even greater economic and societal benefits. Change Chemistry and its member companies strongly support this bill,” said Joel Tickner, strategic advisor at Change Chemistry.
“We thank Senators Coons and Husted for the introduction of the Safer Choice Authorization Act, which will establish the Safer Choice Program which provides the development of innovative products that are science-based, and are transparent way to identify products that are safer for the people and the planet, supporting informed purchasing decisions and promoting safer chemical innovation for our consumers, businesses, and the environment,” said Rina Singh, PhD, executive vice president at Alternative Fuels & Chemicals Coalition (AFCC).
“BASF’s ambition is to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We are therefore a longstanding supporter of Safer Choice, proudly offering a continually growing portfolio of household, industrial, and institutional cleaning products on its Safer Chemical Ingredients List,” said Catherine Trinkle, vice president and deputy general counsel; regulatory, environmental & government affairs, BASF Corporation.“We applaud Senators Coons and Husted for introducing this legislation and encourage Congress to move forward with formal authorization of the Safer Choice and Design for the Environment (DfE) programs as soon as possible.”
Bill summary is available here.
Senator Coons investigates Commerce Secretary Lutnick’s statements on Nvidia H200 chip exports in new letter
Position: Senator Coons opposes the export of advanced Nvidia H200 semiconductors to China, citing national security risks from potential military and AI applications under Chinese government control. He is pressing the Commerce Secretary for clarification on licensing and shipment details.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, pressing him for clearer answers on whether Nvidia H200 semiconductors have been licensed for export or shipped to the People’s Republic of China following a hearing where Secretary Lutnick claimed none of these chips had been exported to China.
The letter follows Secretary Lutnick’s testimony last month before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. At the hearing, Senator Coons asked Secretary Lutnick whether any Nvidia H200 semiconductors had been exported to China. Lutnick said they had not, noting that while the Department of Commerce had licensed the export of the chips, the Chinese government had not allowed the sale. However, on March 17, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang commented that Nvidia had received necessary approvals from both the United States and Chinese governments and was restarting manufacturing to serve the Chinese market.
“These chips are among the most powerful processors on the market today and are typically used to develop highly capable artificial intelligence systems. In light of the control that the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army exert over the private sector in China, I believe that allowing any companies in China to purchase these products presents a serious risk to our national security and economic leadership,” wrote Senator Coons.
Senator Coons requested that Secretary Lutnick respond within one week and provide the number of H200 processors licensed for export to China, how many more the Department of Commerce plans to license, and how many H200 processors have been shipped to China as of April 30.
Full text of the letter available below:
I write to follow up on your testimony before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies on April 22, 2026. At that hearing, I asked you whether any Nvidia H200 semiconductors have been exported to the People’s Republic of China (PRC); you responded in the negative, noting that while your department has licensed the export of these semiconductors to China, the PRC government has not allowed the sale.
However, on March 17, 2026, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told a group of reporters that Nvidia had received necessary approvals from both the United States and PRC governments and was in the process of restarting manufacturing to serve the Chinese market. Your statements before the committee appear to contradict Huang’s comments.
I remain deeply concerned about the export of Nvidia H200 semiconductors to the PRC. These chips are among the most powerful processors on the market today and are typically used to develop highly capable artificial intelligence systems. In light of the control that the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army exert over the private sector in China, I believe that allowing any companies in China to purchase these products presents a serious risk to our national security and economic leadership.
Please reply within one week to clarify the facts. In your reply, please share the number of H200 processors that have been licensed for export to China, how many more you plan to license, and how many H200 processors have been shipped to China as of today, if any.
Senators Coons, Sheehy Introduce Bill to Expose Chinese Forced Labor and Environmental Abuses in Africa
Position: The senators support legislation requiring the State Department to publicly identify Chinese mining entities in Africa that use forced labor, child labor, or cause environmental harm, to reduce U.S. reliance on opaque and abusive supply chains for critical minerals.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) introduced the China-Africa Mining Transparency Act of 2026 to unmask China’s use of forced labor, child labor, and environmental abuse to mine critical minerals in Africa. The bill underscores the cost of reliance on rogue states like China to supply the minerals necessary for national security and economic prosperity.
People’s Republic of China (PRC) firms are some of the largest investors in the mining industry in Africa. The Chinese government finances or outright owns many of these firms. Since 2006, China has invested more than $39 billion in mining operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Guinea, Zambia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. China is involved in the traditional large-scale mining sector and the artisanal and small-scale mining sector – a more rudimentary, labor intensive and generally unregulated or illegal form of mining which poses a significant risk of employing child labor.
Reports have documented China operating their mines in violation of labor standards and in a manner that causes environmental harm in Africa. This legislation pulls back the curtain on Chinese mining by directing the Secretary of State, in consultation with other agencies and their foreign counterparts, to develop a publicly available annual list of each PRC entity that is mining critical minerals in Africa using forced labor, child labor, or in a manner that causes environmental harm.
The China-Africa Mining Transparency Act directs the Secretary of State – in consultation with other heads of federal departments and agencies, and the foreign country counterparts of such individuals, as applicable – to develop a publicly available annual list of each PRC entity that the Secretary reasonably assesses is carrying out mining of critical minerals, gold, or iron in the DRC, Nigeria, Guinea, Zambia, South Africa, or Zimbabwe using forced labor or forced child labor, or in a manner that causes environmental harm to a protected area in the country concerned. The Secretary is also directed to identify each mine, mining zone, or concession at which such mining is carried out.
“Chinese companies should not be profiting off forced labor and environmental destruction in other countries. This bipartisan bill will make it harder for them to do just that, protecting children and the environment across the globe and our future here at home,” said Senator Coons.
“As we restore American energy dominance and onshore critical mineral production, it is imperative that we expose the reality behind China’s grip on critical minerals: forced labor, child exploitation, and environmental destruction. The United States cannot afford to rely on opaque and abusive supply chains for the resources that power our national security, and this bipartisan bill will bring long-overdue transparency and accountability,” said Senator Sheehy.
“When it comes to protecting workers and the environment while responsibly producing the minerals we all need, the American mining industry does it best. Documenting the practices of overseas operations that are owned or controlled by Chinese Communist Party entities highlights the urgent need to secure our supply chains by emphasizing domestic mineral production,” said Mark Compton, Executive Director, American Exploration & Mining Association.
“The International Conservation Caucus Foundation wishes to thank Senators Sheehy and Coons for their efforts to reinforce American leadership in the global mining sector, particularly in Africa, where critical mineral development intersects directly with national security, economic stability, and environmental stewardship. The United States has a strategic interest and a moral responsibility to promote lawful, environmentally responsible mining practices that uphold labor standards and protect vulnerable ecosystems. Countering the influence of the CCP and its exploitative practices in mineral supply chains is essential to securing the materials that power our modern economy and ensure that resource development does not fuel instability, corruption, or environmental degradation,” said a representative of the International Conservation Caucus Foundation.
Read the full text of the bill here.
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Top PAC donors · 2026 cycle
Political action committees that gave the most to this rep's principal campaign committee this cycle. PAC giving is direct organizational support — industry, ideological, or leadership.
1.COONS LEADERSHIP FUND3 contributions$27,700
2.THE PEOPLE'S VOICES PAC2 contributions$10,000
3.HAWAII PAC2 contributions$10,000
4.WINE AND SPIRITS WHOLESALERS OF AMERICA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEBusiness1 contributionTrade association PAC for wine and spirits wholesalers — backs candidates and policies supporting alcohol distribution, retail licensing, and industry regulatory interests.AI$5,000
5.OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE1 contribution$5,000
7.NCTA - THE INTERNET & TELEVISION ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NCTA PAC)1 contribution$5,000
8.NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEBusiness1 contributionTrade association PAC for beer wholesalers — backs candidates supporting alcohol distribution regulations, tax policy, and industry supply-chain interests.AI$5,000
9.NATIONAL APARTMENT ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEReal Estate1 contributionTrade association PAC for apartment owners and operators — backs candidates supporting property-rights protections, favorable tax treatment of rental housing, and reduced regulatory burdens on multifamily housing.AI$5,000
10.MOTOR CITY PAC1 contribution$5,000
Source: OpenFEC (api.open.fec.gov) Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “committee.” Aggregated by contributing committee. Self-transfers from joint-fundraising / victory committees are excluded.
Top individual contributors · 2026 cycle
Itemized individual contributions over $200 to this rep's campaign committee, aggregated by donor employer. PAC giving is shown above; this section is people, not organizations.
1.YOUNG CONAWAY STARGATT & TAYLOR LLP$88,000
2.APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT$50,000
3.LOCKHEED MARTIN$32,500
4.CAPITAL GROUP$23,750
5.LEIDOS$20,750
6.BLACKSTONE$20,000
7.CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES$17,500
8.GIBSON DUNN & CRUTCHER$16,400
9.K&L GATES LLP$16,000
10.BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK LLP$15,000
Source: OpenFEC Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “individual,” aggregated by the donor's self-reported employer. This is a geographic / industry correlation, not a corporate endorsement.
