Chris Coons

Chris Coons

Senator (D-DE)

U.S. Congress

Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) is an honorary co-chair of ITIF.

Senator Chris Coons represents Delaware in the United States Senate, where he serves on the Senate Committees on Appropriations, Judiciary, Foreign Relations, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship. He is particularly interested in nurturing American innovation and making the United States more competitive in the global market.

In the decade before he was elected to Senate, Senator Coons served in the New Castle County government as New Castle County President and New Castle County Executive. Prior to his work for the county, he was an attorney for W.L. Gore & Associates. Senator Coons earned a B.A. in Chemistry and Political Science from Amherst College before earning a law degree from Yale Law School and a Master’s in Ethics from Yale Divinity School. He also studied at the University of Nairobi in Kenya.

Senator Coons lives in Wilmington, Delaware, with his wife Annie and their three children: Michael, Jack, and Maggie.

Recent Events and Presentations

December 11, 2019

Spreading Tech Hubs to More of America: A Proposal

The U.S. technology sector continues to grow rapidly, driving the nation’s innovation and overall economic growth.

December 6, 2017

National Competitiveness in the Global Economy: What’s the Plan, Uncle Sam?

In a deeply integrated global economy, with a growing number of goods and services readily tradeable across borders, nations face stiff competition to grow and attract high-value-added, traded-sector industries. Refusing to engage in this competition is not an option- so how can policymakers stem the dangerous decline in U.S. economic competitiveness.

February 16, 2017

Workforce Retraining: What America Can Learn From the World’s Leaders

Join ITIF for the first event in its @Work series to discuss insights from leading countries’ workforce retraining programs, plus leading efforts in the United States, such as the innovative efforts at LIFT, Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow, one of America’s new Institutes of Manufacturing Innovation. Panelists will discuss how lessons from these leading programs can translate into policies and actions bolstering America’s approach to workforce retraining.

November 30, 2016

How Policymakers Can Boost U.S. Competitiveness By Supporting Smart Manufacturing

Please join ITIF for an event discussing how smart manufacturing will shape the future of U.S. manufacturing competitiveness and what public policies are needed to keep the United States at the global forefront of this emerging manufacturing revolution.

July 27, 2016

DNC Policy Forum: How the Next Administration Can Foster Innovation, Boost Productivity, and Increase U.S. Competitiveness

Join ITIF for a panel discussion at the Democratic National Convention featuring business leaders and Members of Congress to explore ways the 45th president and 115th Congress can work together to shape policies to foster innovation, boost productivity, and make the United States more competitive in the global economy.

June 14, 2016

ITIF 10-Year Anniversary Conference: Restoring Investment in America’s Economy

On the occasion of ITIF’s 10-year anniversary, with the generous support of Bernard L. Schwartz, ITIF will hold a half-day conference exploring policy solutions to restore America’s investment-driven economy.

May 17, 2016

How Policymakers Can Help Build the U.S. Manufacturing Workforce of Tomorrow

Please join ITIF and the bipartisan Senate Competitiveness Caucus to discuss how public policies can support America’s universities as they work to train America’s future manufacturing workforce of tomorrow.

February 10, 2016

From 10th to 1st: Improving U.S. Innovation and Global Competitiveness

U.S. economic, trade, and innovation policies do not exist in a vacuum; they are inextricably linked to other countries' policies. Please join ITIF for a discussion hosted by Senators Chris Coons and Jerry Moran on how effective America is at bolstering innovation for our own benefit and for the good of the global economy.

April 19, 2012

The Innovation Consensus: Economic Growth in 2013 and Beyond

ITIF, Silicon Flatirons and the Technology Policy Institute host The Innovation Consensus: Economic Growth in 2013 and Beyond. Register now.

June 23, 2011

The Innovation Policy Saga 2006-2016

ITIF marks its 5th anniversary with a special policy forum on U.S. innovation and competitiveness.