On the Issues

Veterans

Chris has the utmost respect and gratitude for America’s service members, a respect he learned growing up in a family of active duty service members, reservists and veterans. The military is part of the basic fabric of Delaware, with major operations at Dover Air Force Base and a large Guard and Reserve presence in New Castle. As New Castle County Executive, Chris joined with state’s leaders to help save the Air National Guard base in New Castle.  He has seen dozens of county employees deployed with the National Guard and Reserve units – some three times in the last six years.  Chris will take this experience and continue fighting for America's service members in the United States Senate.  

Chris welcomes the President's move to streamline the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) process, but, as U.S. Senator, he will fight to further expand the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) for military veterans.  He pledges to protect and strengthen veterans’ health benefits. He also believes Congress and the Administration must repeal the unfair practice of Don't Ask Don't Tell.

Chris believes we must help America's service members whose military careers have ended and are looking to transition to post-service work, through programs like the Post-9/11 Troops-to-Teachers Enhancement Act that would ease requirements so that anyone who has served at least 90 days of continuous active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, could be eligible to participate. While this legislation is focused on recruiting new teachers, we could retool this program to broaden it into numerous civilian job opportunities.