Ted Kaufman

November 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Ted Kaufman (D-DE), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after the Obama Administration’s announcement of a Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force earlier today:

“I applaud the President’s creation today of an interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. As I’ve said since my first week in office, we need to hold accountable the people and institutions whose criminal behavior contributed to the worst financial crisis in my lifetime. That is the only way for investors and the public again to have confidence in the financial markets.”    » read more »

November 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. — At a press conference today, Senator Ted Kaufman (D-DE) and fellow Democratic Senators Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Kay Hagan (D-NC) and Paul Kirk (D-MA) joined a small business owner to discuss how health insurance reform will provide stable, affordable coverage for the middle class.

Under the current system, the cost of health care rises three times faster than wages and continues to eat away the paychecks of hard-working Americans. Reform will lower costs and ensure that middle class families will have the health care coverage that they need.    » read more »

Senator says failure to address market structure issues could mean systemic risk

November 5, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a speech on the Senate floor today, Senator Ted Kaufman continued his push for more regulatory oversight of the U.S. equity markets by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As Kaufman noted, “just over one year since the collapse of Lehman Brothers ... Wall Street is essentially unchanged.” Not only are the same practices that led to the financial debacle 14 months ago still present, but the market is increasingly dominated by “new practices which are leading to new problems and new systemic risks.”

The danger, Kaufman warns, is that with no immediate crisis at hand, it is all too easy to slip back into complacency.    » read more »

November 4, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Sens. Tom Carper and Ted Kaufman (both D-Del.) today voted to extend federal unemployment insurance for up to 14 additional weeks for the state’s jobless, noting additional benefits are needed in Delaware where unemployment stands at more than eight percent. Late today, the Senate passed the Workers, Home Owners, Business Assistance Act (H.R. 3548) by a vote of 98 to 0.    » read more »

November 4, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Sens. Tom Carper and Ted Kaufman (both D-Del.) today voted to extend federal unemployment insurance for up to 14 additional weeks for the state’s jobless, noting additional benefits are needed in Delaware where unemployment stands at more than eight percent.

Late today, the Senate passed the Workers, Home Owners, Business Assistance Act (H.R. 3548) by a vote of 98 to 0.    » read more »

Senate Floor, remarks as prepared for delivery

October 30, 2009 -- Mr. President, my home state of Delaware has been the recipient of some good news this week and so I thought this would be a good time to come to the floor and discuss how Delaware is leading the way in responding to the challenge of climate change and creating green jobs.

This is a critical time in our history. At stake are the jobs and economic future of our children and grandchildren. Unfortunately, as we emerge from this economic crisis, many of the jobs we have lost will not return. To make a full recovery, we need to create the next generation of jobs. I believe that the jobs leading the way will be the clean and green energy industries of tomorrow.    » read more »

October 26, 2009 -- NEWARK, DE – Senators Tom Carper and Ted Kaufman (both D-Del.) and Governor Jack Markell, among others, announced today that the State of Delaware has reached the $1 billion mark for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, a.k.a. ‘stimulus’) funds committed to the State of Delaware. Gov. Markell also announced that nearly 1,000 jobs had been created over the last 8 months thanks to the Recovery Act funding.

“What an exciting announcement,” Sen. Carper said. “When I voted for the bill I hoped it would improve lives, create jobs, and help rebuild our economy. Stimulus funding has done all of those things and made a big difference in Delaware and I am excited about all of the opportunities.”    » read more »

October 19, 2009 -- Dover, DE – On the 15th Anniversary of landmark legislation that he helped pass as a staffer, U.S. Senator Ted Kaufman (D-DE) marked the celebration by recounting how far advocacy has come and highlighted the newest investment: $2 million to expand the efforts that have saved countless lives in Delaware.    » read more »

In response to Kaufman’s letter, SEC Chairman says agency will undertake broader review

September 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the bankruptcy that sent shock waves down Wall Street and throughout the country, Senator Ted Kaufman (D-DE) will deliver a speech highlighting the failure to enact comprehensive financial regulatory reform in the 365 days since the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

He will also detail the critical need for the nation's financial regulatory agencies to adopt a forward-looking approach to regulation - one that recognizes manipulation and wrongdoing before it metastasizes and leads to systemic failures or seriously undermines market credibility, fairness and investor confidence.    » read more »

June 23, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – The Delaware congressional delegation, Sens. Tom Carper and Ted Kaufman (both D-Del.) and Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.), issued the following statement in response to Vice President Joe Biden’s announcement today of an Executive Order creating the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers and naming Ed Montgomery as the executive director of recovery for auto communities and workers.

The goal of this new inter-agency council is to help communities and workers hit hardest by auto plant closings.    » read more »

Senate Unanimously Passes Kaufman Resolution Supporting a Free Press and Free Speech in Iran

June 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the Senate passed a resolution introduced by Senator Ted Kaufman (D-DE) and co-sponsored by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) that reinforces the universal values of freedom of speech and freedom of the press, and supports the Iranian people as they take steps to peacefully express their voices, opinions, and aspirations in the aftermath of the June 12th election.

The resolution also condemns censorship and intimidation of the press in Iran, and pledges support to the Iranian people seeking access to news and other forms of information.    » read more »

Sens. Carper, Kaufman Emphasize Importance Of Green Jobs To Health Of Economy and Environment In Delaware And Nationwide; Senators attend "Green Jobs Summit" with Delaware small business leaders

June 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Earlier today, Sens. Tom Carper and Ted Kaufman (both D-Del.) attended the Senate Democratic Green Jobs Summit, an all-day forum where senators and leaders from each state discussed how to transform the American economy and build a “green” workforce.    » read more »

"STEM" Education Coordination Act seeks to foster "a workforce that can out-discover, out-think, out-innovate, and out-produce our worldwide competition"

June 8, 2009 --WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a speech today on the Senate floor, Senator Ted Kaufman (D-DE) introduced the STEM Education Coordination Act of 2009. As the only serving U.S. Senator to have worked as an engineer, Sen. Kaufman has advocated for a renewed emphasis on science and innovation to meet the increasing challenges of a competitive global economy on numerous occasions.

Co-sponsored with Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), this legislation seeks to ensure existing STEM education resources are employed efficiently and effectively through greater coordination at the federal level.

Full remarks:    » read more »

June 4, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Ted Kaufman (D-DE), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement following President Obama's speech in Cairo earlier today:

"I applaud President Obama's historic speech earlier today in Cairo, which signaled that America is ready to begin a new era of mutual respect, understanding, and dialogue with the Muslim world. In his speech, President Obama reaffirmed America's commitment to resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict, and reminded regional leaders of their responsibilities to cultivate an atmosphere of greater tolerance, security, and peace.    » read more »

May 26, 2009 -- Senator Ted Kaufman (D-DE), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on the President’s nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created by the announced departure of Justice David Souter.

"In nominating Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, President Obama has made the most of his first opportunity to apply his mandate for change to the nation's highest court. The President has selected a nominee with impeccable legal credentials and a record of excellence and integrity. Equally important, Judge Sotomayor has just the sort of experience, both on and off the bench, not only to make an excellent justice, but also to make a significant impact on a court that today reflects too narrow a slice of America.    » read more »