NEWS: Senator Blunt Rochester Delivers Maiden Speech on Senate Floor, Outlines Her Vision for Serving Delaware and the Nation

"I rise with Bright Hope-and tremendous humility-to deliver my maiden speech as Delaware's 58^th United States Senator. My presence here would not have been possible without my God, my family, and the people of the great state of Delaware-who have put their trust in me."

Click here to watch Senator Blunt Rochester's maiden speech on the Senate floor.

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) today delivered her maiden speech on the Senate floor. Blunt Rochester was elected in November 2024 as Delaware's 58^th United States Senator. She is the first woman and Black elected official to serve Delaware in the U.S. Senate, the fourth Black woman in American history to serve as Senator, and the only Black woman in American history to serve in both the House and the Senate. Maiden speeches represent a long-standing Senate tradition in which newly elected Senators deliver their first formal remarks from the floor after a period of reflection and learning from their colleagues.

Centered on the themes of purpose, peace, and planet, Blunt Rochester outlined her vision for how she plans to serve Delaware and the nation. That includes ensuring all Americans have access to good-paying jobs, a safe place to call home, care for their loved ones, and a clean and healthy planet. Blunt Rochester also contextualized her role in history, from the generations of her ancestors who sacrificed for their descendants, to her being trapped in the House gallery during the insurrection at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. Blunt Rochester expressed her view that there is still Bright Hope to be found in moments of darkness.

Blunt Rochester's full maiden speech can be viewed here. Her speech, as prepared, is also below:

Mr. President, as America confronts a period of darkness, Still I Rise-Full of Bright Hope. Why Bright Hope?

Bright Hope was the name of the church my grandmother attended for over 70 years in Philadelphia. But for me, it's more than a name. It's a call to action. A feeling. It's what drove me to run for the Senate. And what keeps me going in the darkest of times.

So, once again, I rise with Bright Hope, and tremendous humility, to deliver my maiden speech as Delaware's 58^th United States Senator. My presence here would not have been possible without my God, my family, and the people of the great state of Delaware-who have put their trust in me.

The word trust is important here. Because this is not a time when Americans are eager to place their trust in elected officials. Partisan tensions are so high right now that we can barely talk to each other-let alone work together. So, the question is this: "Are we to be one people bound together by common spirit, sharing in a common endeavor; or will we become a divided nation?"

Mr. President, as much as I'd like to take credit, those are not my words. They are the words of the late, great Barbara Jordan, the Congresswoman from Texas. The conscience of her Congress, who, in the midst of our nation's bicentennial in 1976, spoke about the "collective spirit of our nation." About the deeply troubling reality that people did not trust their government. And she offered a path forward, saying: "For all its uncertainty, we cannot flee the future… We must address and master the future together. It can be done if we restore the belief that we share a sense of national community."

Mr. President, we're now 50 years removed from the bicentennial. And our present is rhyming with the past. Wars built on false pretense. Painful economic downturns. Incomplete recoveries that leave too many behind. Presidents who "abused" their power. The problems persist.

So, how do we-before our tricentennial in 2076-build what Barbara Jordan called "our common spirit?" How do we restore the belief that a more perfect union is even possible? How do we rekindle Bright Hope for America?

These are big questions-but they're not confined to the Halls of Congress. Go into any coffee shop, sports game, or family home, and Americans are saying the same thing, asking the same questions. I saw it firsthand in a grocery store 10 years ago, when a dad with three kids in front of me in line put back a bunch of grapes because they were too expensive. It shook me to my core.

You see, a year before that, my husband, Charles-the love of my life-played a game of basketball before his business meetings, ruptured his Achilles tendon, blood clots traveled to his heart and lungs and at 52 he died. I was consumed with grief. But seeing that dad woke me from my own pain. I'd be okay. And I decided I had nothing to lose and everything to give. And, having never run for anything before, I decided to run for Congress.

I spread a huge piece of white paper on my living room wall and started to write. Asking:

Why me? Why now? What for?

And the answers appeared-three words that have driven me forward. Three words that have given me Bright Hope. Purpose, Peace, and Planet.

It was clear: If we can help Americans live their purpose, provide peace, and protect our planet, I believe we'll be able to rebuild the trust we've lost. It begins with purpose.

I'm a big believer that a good-paying job or starting a business can help us find purpose.

And that the dignity of work is essential to what it means to be an American. I've often said, if I had another middle name, it would be Lisa Blunt "Jobs" Rochester.

For me, I got my first job at the age of 14. I've flipped burgers. Worked in retail. Was a CEO. I even served as Delaware's Secretary of Labor.

A union leader from my state once told me: "You can't spell LABOR without L.B.R." I know jobs. I love jobs. And I can tell you we need a different approach to jobs in this country. Especially as we look to the future of work in the age of Artificial Intelligence.

With reports that AI is poised to push unemployment rates upwards of 20 percent within the next five years-We need big, bold solutions now!

Fortunately for us, America has a track record of taking on historic challenges and transforming them into opportunities for success. When the Soviet Union started the space race in the 1950s, we pushed American innovation to new heights. The groundbreaking research from that era still impacts us today-GPS systems, weather satellites, the COVID-19 vaccine, even the internet. We need to harness the innovative spirit that landed us on the moon and apply it to our economy.

We must mobilize our nation's leading labor experts, supply chain strategists, and economic innovators- and pursue the future-instead of waiting for it to come to us.

From workforce development and apprenticeship opportunities, to emerging technologies: Our common goal must be for everyone to succeed, and find purpose, in our rapidly changing economy.

Access to economic opportunity is a good start. But many families derive their sense of purpose from where they live, the communities they belong to. The place they call home.

Growing up, my family lived with my grandparents, in apartments, and in public housing. But I will never forget the exhilaration I felt on the day we moved into our own home. A place that was truly ours. But for millions of Americans, that feeling is out of reach. Instead, homeownership feels impossible. And rent in America is too doggone high! Yet, for too long, the federal government has been missing in action.

Our nation's zoning frameworks date back to the 1920's-over 100 years ago! The times have changed, and we need to get back in the game. It's why, a week ago, I was proud to unveil my very first policy agenda as a Senator -"The New Way Home"- a blueprint that will touch every corner of the housing crisis.

Together, we can expand housing supply, build stronger communities, make housing more attainable, unlock innovative housing models, and invest in smart tax policy.

Together, we can chart a path to a new way home, and help Americans find purpose-even peace-in the stability that comes with a roof over your head.

Peace. That's something we all need right now, isn't it? I studied international relations in college. I've lived in and traveled to over 30 countries. My son was even born abroad. I fundamentally believe we all need peace at a global level. But today, I want to talk about the need for peace at a more personal level. The peace that comes with knowing our purpose-from having a steady job and a place to call home. And the peace we feel when we can take care of our families.

Not every family looks the same, but we all want the same things: quality healthcare, affordable childcare, and the comfort of knowing Social Security and Medicare will be there for us, too.

Last summer, I sat at a kitchen table with a mother of young children-one with disabilities. She takes care of her aging father, too. It's a role she inherited from her mother. Who had passed away from the stress of it all. I remember the look of frustration in her eyes: Drained physically, mentally, and emotionally from all the hoops she had to jump through. And financially from all her bills. She was barely holding on.

How are we supposed to rebuild trust in our government-rekindle Bright Hope in our democracy-when families are struggling to care for their aging loved ones and their children at the same time?

We've failed the sandwich generation, their children-and their parents as well. We have a patchwork of solutions in states, but we're not working together as a nation. We have an opportunity to provide peace of mind and create jobs by investing in childcare and healthcare. But that's only half the battle.

We must also focus on those caring for aging parents and individuals with disabilities by addressing the urgent shortages in the homecare and nursing workforces. It's also time to revolutionize Medicare to truly uplift Americans living in their twilight years. Because we all deserve the peace of mind of knowing we can retire with dignity.

Ultimately, the solution is clear: By simplifying access to care and making it more affordable, we can give families the tools they need to thrive while strengthening our economy.

We have the power to give our families peace of mind. But none of it would be possible without our planet. Who doesn't want clean drinking water and clean air? How is this controversial?

Yet, there are many communities across America where unsafe water, dirty air, and playgrounds built on brownfields are still a reality. In 2022, I was able to work with the Ellendale community in their decades-long fight for clean drinking water. It's still one of the proudest moments of my career thus far. But there are many "Ellendales" across our nation. Many communities that still need champions in this chamber. Especially as we confront the threats of climate change.

And let me tell you, as a Senator from the lowest lying state in the nation-from our farms to our beaches, and our environmental justice communities-in Delaware, we know climate change is REAL! Now is not the time to pull back from our oversight of agencies like the EPA and FEMA. Now is the time to lean in.

With rising insurance rates pricing people out of their homes-And record-breaking disaster seasons draining state and local budgets-The health and wealth of our nation depends on our collective action to preserve and protect our environment.

Purpose. Peace. Planet.

This is how we can earn the trust that's been lost. How we rekindle Bright Hope in our democracy. Because when people have a good job, a roof over their head, the ability to care for their family, and a healthy planet to call home, they'll know they have a government that works for them.

It's on all of us, the people that serve in this Chamber, to meet this moment.

And if we're successful, fifty years from now-as we celebrate our tricentennial-Americans will not need to read a speech from 2025 and say: "These are the challenges of our time, too."

They will instead be able to freely write the next chapter of the American story. Mr. President, I want to end as I began: With Bright Hope.

I've often said that Bright Hope shines brightest in the dark. Right now, a lot of people are asking me how I still have Bright Hope in the moment we're in. Well, let me tell you. I have Bright Hope because God mended my broken heart after the death of my husband-And blessed me with the opportunity to serve my state and country.

I have Bright Hope because I stand here as a descendant of the enslaved men and women who built this place! I have Bright Hope because I prayed in the House Gallery on January 6th. And I'm here today-alive-standing firm for democracy and love.

I have Bright Hope because, in the words of the renowned poet Langston Hughes: "I, too, sing America!"

Thank you, Mr. President, I yield back.

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Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the United States Senate where she serves on the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.