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U.S. Senator from Delaware

Chris Coons

Democrat · Delaware

Elected to the Senate in 2010 to fill Joe Biden's former seat. Serves on Appropriations, Foreign Relations, Judiciary, and Small Business committees. Known for bipartisan work and close relationship with President Biden.

Record

Center-left Democrat. Active on foreign policy and judicial nominations. Frequent bipartisan dealmaker, particularly on Africa policy and energy innovation.

Legislative Record

Recently sponsored bills (8 on record)

  • S.5186 — A bill to eliminate asset limits employed by certain federally funded means-tested public assistance programs, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
  • S.5170 — A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to remove carbon dioxide directly from ambient air or seawater, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 29, 2026)
  • S.5035 — National Coordination on Resilience for Security Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jul 20, 2026)
  • S.5010 — NO BOSS Act (Introduced, Jul 16, 2026)
  • S.4707 — Responsible Artificial Intelligence Defense Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jun 8, 2026)
  • S.4664 — Safer Choice Program Authorization Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jun 2, 2026)
  • S.4591 — NO FAKES Act of 2026 (Introduced, May 20, 2026)
  • S.J.Res.191 — A joint resolution to direct removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress. (Introduced, Apr 30, 2026)

Notable votes

  • Voted Nay on S.Res. 817 — S. Res. 817 (Resolution Agreed to, Jul 30, 2026)
  • Voted Nay on S.Res. 817 — Motion to Invoke Cloture: S. Res. 817 (Cloture Motion Agreed to, Jul 29, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on H.R. 6644 — Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 6644 with an Amendment (SA 5823) (Cloture Motion Agreed to, Jun 18, 2026)
  • Voted Nay on S. 2 — S. 2, As Amended (Bill Passed, Jun 5, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on S. 2 — Cortez Masto Amdt. No. 5463 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on S. 2 — Padilla Amdt. No. 5808 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on S. 2 — Gallego Amdt. No. 5813 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on S. 2 — Peters Amdt. No. 5763 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)

Recently cosponsored bills (12 on record)

  • S.5198 — A bill to amend the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to reauthorize the regional innovation program, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
  • S.5175 — A bill to amend the Arms Export Control Act to address third party transfers of certain defense articles for Ukraine, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
  • S.5201 — A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to protect more victims of domestic violence by preventing their abusers from possessing or receiving firearms, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
  • S.3800 — ePermit Act (Introduced, Jul 29, 2026)
  • S.4036 — AADAPT Act (Introduced, Jul 29, 2026)
  • S.4641 — Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jul 28, 2026)
  • S.4456 — AI OVERWATCH Act (Introduced, Jul 28, 2026)
  • S.1833 — Leadership in CET Act (Introduced, Jul 27, 2026)

Voting analysis

Chris Coons is vice chairman of the Senate ethics committee and ranking member of the defence appropriations subcommittee, with seats on five further appropriations panels. His rate of departure from the caucus is low, yet it sits above the Delaware average rather than below it — an unusual combination for a member this loyal.

3.3%
Votes against the Democrat majority
214
Roll calls where a party majority formed
36 of 45
Rank among Senate Democrats, most defections first

Departures that decided something

Two of his crossings landed on the winning side. He voted for a pair of Republican amendments to the same bill, both of which were adopted while his caucus opposed them. Most defections in this data are losing votes, symbolic by the time they are cast. These two were not.

The rest are more ordinary: three amendments to a surveillance reauthorisation that the chamber rejected, a bill he supported at passage against the caucus, and a joint resolution he opposed.

All 7 roll calls where Chris Coons voted against the Senate Democrat majority.
Roll callDateOutcomeTheir vote
H.R. 7148
H.R. 7148, as Amended
On Passage of the Bill H.R. 7148 · roll call 119		Jan 30, 2026Bill PassedYea (party: Nay)
S. 5
Ernst Amdt No. 8, As Amended
On the Amendment S.Amdt. 8 to S. 5 (No short title on file) · roll call 119		Jan 20, 2025Amendment Agreed toYea (party: Nay)
S. 5
Cornyn Amdt. No. 14
On the Amendment S.Amdt. 14 to S.Amdt. 8 to S. 5 (No short title on file) · roll call 119		Jan 15, 2025Amendment Agreed toYea (party: Nay)
H.R. 7888
Lee Amdt No. 1840
On the Amendment S.Amdt. 1840 to H.R. 7888 (No short title on file) · roll call 118		Apr 19, 2024Amendment RejectedYea (party: Nay)
H.R. 7888
Wyden Amdt No. 1820
On the Amendment S.Amdt. 1820 to H.R. 7888 (No short title on file) · roll call 118		Apr 19, 2024Amendment RejectedYea (party: Nay)
H.R. 7888
Paul Amdt No. 1829
On the Amendment S.Amdt. 1829 to H.R. 7888 (No short title on file) · roll call 118		Apr 19, 2024Amendment RejectedYea (party: Nay)
S.J.Res. 62
On the Joint Resolution S.J.Res. 62 · roll call 118		Mar 21, 2024Joint Resolution PassedNay (party: Yea)

Above the Delaware average

Delaware returns two Democrats, so the average shown below is really one other senator. Coons is the more willing of the pair to break, though the absolute number of times he does so stays small.

Among the 2 Democrats in the Delaware delegation, the average rate of voting against the party majority is 2.3%. Chris Coons is above that average at 3.3%.

What he legislates on

Armed forces and national security lead his classified filings, consistent with the defence appropriations post. The bills range wider than that: eliminating asset limits in federally funded means-tested assistance, directing the Energy Department to remove carbon dioxide from air or seawater, a resilience coordination measure, a bill on employer conduct, and one on artificial intelligence in defence.

Sponsored bills carry the Congressional Research Service's own subject classification. Chris Coons's cluster into: Armed Forces and National Security (2), Commerce (1), Environmental Protection (1), International Affairs (1), Taxation (1).

795
Bills sponsored
4185
Bills cosponsored

Of the 8 most recent of those, 8 currently sit at Introduced.

Tenure and attendance

He won the seat in a special election at the turn of the last decade and has held it continuously since. Few roll calls pass without him.

First elected in 2010, now serving across 9 terms. Chris Coons falls in the veteran cohort.

2.7%
Roll calls recorded as not voting
220
Roll calls eligible to vote on
6
Recorded as not voting

By the numbers

In the 119th Congress, Chris Coons has 795 bills sponsored, 4185 cosponsored, 8 recent floor votes recorded.

Committee assignments

  • Senate Committee on Appropriations
  • Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
  • Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
  • Senate Committee on the Judiciary
  • Senate Select Committee on Ethics (Vice Chairman)
  • Senate Committee on Appropriations: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
  • Senate Committee on Appropriations: Department of Defense (Ranking Member)
  • Senate Committee on Appropriations: Energy and Water Development
  • Senate Committee on Appropriations: Financial Services and General Government
  • Senate Committee on Appropriations: State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
  • Senate Committee on Appropriations: Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
  • Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: Africa and Global Health Policy

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