Chris Coons

Chris Coons is a Democratic member of the United States Senate, representing the State of Delaware, since 2011.

Energy
Coons supports alternative sources of energy, specifically creating wind farms off the coast of Delaware. Coons supports cap and trade programs and hopes putting a price on carbon will foster innovation in the field of alternate energy sources.

ChrisCoons.com

Coons is against offshore drilling and is advocating instead for the installation of wind farms off the coast of Delaware. He encourages a firm commitment by the US to alternative forms of energy as a way to improve national security and to prevent another oil spill like the one in the Gulf. Video included in link.

Source: "Offshore Oil Drilling". ChrisCoons.com. July 14, 2010.

Environment
Coons pledges to continue his environment work that he started as County Executive. This includes encouraging "all governments and businesses to inventory their greenhouse gas emissions, develop an action plan for reducing these emissions and becom[ing] more energy efficient" ChrisCoons.com

Coons supports a cap-and-trade system as a means by which to reduce our carbon emissions. He also encourages Americans to innovate and research to develop the energy of the future.

Source: "On the Issues: Environment". ChrisCoons.com. Date unknown.

Healthcare
Coons "supports President Obama’s efforts to pass landmark health care legislation and is committed to working across the aisle to make it better. The new law will provide health insurance to more than 29,000 Delawareans who lacked insurance, and it will lower health insurance costs to average Americans, allow small businesses the ability to pay to cover their employees, and reduce the deficit while doing so." ChrisCoons.com

Coons was one of few Delawarean candidates to support Obama’s health care reform plan, and now constituents are wondering whether he will also support the appointment of Don Berwick, “a tireless advocate of health care rationing, to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services”. National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Chris Bond initially asked the question, and believes that if Coons again sides with Obama, he could be sacrificing his election in the fall.

Source: "Will Chris Coons Stand By As President Obama Bypasses Congress To Appoint Health Rationing Czar?" http://www.nrsc.org/will-chris-coons-stand-by-as-president-obama-bypasses-congress-to-appoint-health-rationing-czar. July 7, 2010.

Science policy tracking by Molly Patterson, SEA Deepwater Horizon Intern

Money in politics
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