FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | April 2, 2025
Contact: Sarah Fulton (302) 401-1114
Joint Statement About Legislative Hall Expansion Project
DOVER — Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola, House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown, Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend, House Majority Leader Kerri Evelyn Harris, Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman, House Majority Whip Ed Osienski, and Joint Finance Co-Chairs Trey Paradee and Kim Williams issued a joint statement:
“Legislative Hall is the People’s House. From its humble Depression-era beginnings, our State Capitol building has served as the home of the Delaware General Assembly for nearly a century.
As Democrats, we believe that our democracy thrives when the greatest number of people are able to participate in it. While we have been looking forward to expanding and modernizing our Capitol Complex to allow for increased public participation, critical public safety enhancements, and additional office space to relieve overcrowding of year-round, full-time staff, we have decided to call on the Building Committee to halt the building expansion project for the time being.
For the first time in several years, our state faces new funding challenges — challenges which have only been exacerbated by cuts from the federal government. Just this week, we learned that the Trump Administration has cut $38 million in public health funding for the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services.
In the coming months, lawmakers will be faced with tough decisions about how to balance our annual budget. We are committed to funding critical programs that benefit our students, our seniors, our veterans, and every day families. We hope to revisit the expansion project soon.”
Separate from the Legislative Hall building expansion project, an adjacent parking garage that has already been funded will be constructed on the Capitol Complex beginning later this year.
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