{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"House\", state = \"CT\" and year = 2020 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/on-the-senate-floor-murphy-highlights-dire-need-for-2000-stimulus-checks-to-help-struggling-americans-calls-on-senate-republicans-to-pass-legislation", "On The Senate Floor, Murphy Highlights Dire Need For $2,000 Stimulus Checks To Help Struggling Americans, Calls On Senate Republicans To Pass LegislationRead More", "2020-12-29", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Tuesday took to the U.S. Senate floor to\r\nhighlight the dire need for bigger stimulus checks to help American families\r\nstruggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, and called on Senate Majority Leader\r\nMitch McConnell and his Republican colleagues to help pass legislation to\r\ndeliver $2,000 direct payment to working Americans. Millions\r\nof families all across this nation, through no fault of their own, have lost\r\ntheir jobs, have had their hours dramatically cut back. They had no savings,\r\nbecause work doesn't pay in this country anymore. They spent everything they\r\nearned, each month. And so when the economy collapsed, virtually overnight, in\r\nthe spring, they got desperatereally fast, Murphy said. Murphy continued: The only\r\nthing that stands between the American people and a $2,000 emergency survival\r\ncheck is 52 Senate Republicans. You got it? Understand? There's a bill pending\r\nright now before the Senate that gives $2,000 to ordinary Americans. Yes, it\r\ncosts a lot of money. And maybe, down the line, we'll have to ask the\r\nbillionaires to pay for it. But the bill is here right now. The legislative\r\nsession expires in five days. President Trump says he'll sign it. And all that\r\nmatters right now is what these 52 people decide. The House passed the bill\r\nwith lots of Democratic and Republican support. The President supports the\r\nidea. The only thing that can stop $2,000 payments to struggling Americans\r\nright now is 52 Senate Republicans. Some\r\nthings in Washington aren't that simplebut this is, Murphy concluded. A full\r\ntranscript of Murphy's remarks can be found below: America\r\nhas 600 billionaires. Now, a\r\nbillion dollars doesn't sound like a lot of money these days. President Trump\r\njust signed a bill begrudgingly that has $900 billion in it. But trust me, a\r\nbillion dollars is still a whole lot of money. It's actually so much money that\r\nit's really hard to find words to describe what it looks like. But let me try. If\r\nyou're, for instance, one of the half a million Americans who make the minimum\r\nwage in this nation, and you're lucky enough to work 40 hours a week, guess how\r\nmany years you would have to work in order to get a billion dollars? 500 years?\r\n1,000 years? 10,000 years? No, you're not even close. If you make minimum wage\r\nin America today, you would need to work for 75,000 years in order to make a\r\nbillion dollars. 75,000 years. Neanderthals were roaming the earth 75,000 years\r\nago. Those guys, if they made minimum wage, would have to work up until present\r\nday every single day, and that is, of course, if they didn't spend a dime of\r\nthe money they made, in order to accrue a billion dollars. A billion\r\ndollars is a bananas amount of money. And there are 600 people in America today\r\nwho make at least that amount of money, or have that amount of money to their\r\nname. That's crazy. With a billion dollars, you are leading a life that frankly\r\nnone of us can really imagine. You've got private planes, you've got yachts,\r\nyou've got household staffs in the dozens. You've got enough money to make sure\r\nthat your children and your grandchildren, and your great-grandchildren and\r\nyour great-great-grandchildren never have to work a day of their lives.\r\nGenerations of your offspring can just live lives of indolent luxury, without a\r\ncare if they so choose. You know\r\nwhere I was two days before Thanksgiving this year? I was at Hamden Middle\r\nSchool, in my state. To help hand out free food for the unemployed, the poor,\r\nand the disabled ahead of a long holiday weekend. Those long weekends can be\r\nreally hard. Especially the ones that fall at the end of the month, when the\r\nSNAP benefits have long run out. I got there as darkness fell, but right at the\r\nbeginning of the event. And I noticed that down the hill from the round-about\r\nat the school where they were handing out the food there was a usually empty\r\nparking lot. And that night, at that moment, at the beginning of the event,\r\nthat parking lot was lit up by hundreds of sets of headlights, hundreds of cars\r\njust sitting there idling in that parking lot. I asked\r\nthe organizer of the event what was going on in the parking lot. Was that some\r\nother event happening that evening? Why all the cars? He told\r\nme The cars started pulling into that lot hours ago. They got wind we were\r\nhanding out food and they got here early to make sure that they didn't get left\r\nout. We have enough food for 300 people, and there were 300 cars in that lot\r\nbefore I even got here.' That is\r\nwhat has happened during this pandemic. Millions of families all across this\r\nnation, through no fault of their own, have lost their jobs, have had their\r\nhours dramatically cut back. They had no savings, because work doesn't pay in\r\nthis country anymore. They spent everything they earned, each month. And so\r\nwhen the economy collapsed, virtually overnight, in the spring, they got\r\ndesperatereally fast. And I\r\nwant you to think about what it's really likeon an hour to hour basiswhen you\r\ndon't have enough money for food for your family. The decisions you have to\r\nmake every single day are practically animalistic. Do you make your kids go\r\nhungry during the day, when they need the most energy, or do you skimp on\r\ndinner and force your kids to go to bed with hunger pangs? There are hundreds\r\nof thousands of mothers and fathers who, right now, as I am speaking, are\r\nmaking that decision today. That's the reality of this pandemic. But\r\nhere's another reality. Those 600 billionaires in this country? As it turns\r\nout, as a group, they lost nothingnothingduring this pandemic. No, exactly\r\nthe opposite. They got richer. The wealthiest 600 Americans, collectively,\r\nadded $1 trillion dollars to their bank accounts. Let me say it again, the\r\nrichest 600 Americans gained $1 trillion over the course of 2020. And let's\r\nbe clear, that's not money that grew in their money tree orchards. Yeah, we're\r\nprinting some more money these days, but wealth isn't far away from a zero sum\r\ngame still. And so when we allow for 600 people in the country to control 50%\r\nof the nation's wealth, that's coming out of your pocket. 600\r\npeople, in a country of 328 million, isn't a lot of people. But you know what's\r\na smaller number than 600? 52. There are\r\n52 Republicans in this chamber. 52 people who are going to have a decision to\r\nmake about what do in a country where millions are literally starving, as we\r\nspeak, while 600 billionaires count the $1 trillion dollars in additional\r\nwealth that they have accumulated during the period of national calamity. The\r\nquestion before these 52 Senate Republicans is simple. It's simple: should we\r\ngive $2,000 to low and middle income Americans, right now, to help them survive\r\nthis crisis? That's the decision Senate Republicans have to make, right now.\r\nTime is running out. 600 billionaires got $1 trillion richer this year, and the\r\nquestion before Senate Republicans is this: are you willing to spend an amount\r\nequal to just half of that windfall to America's billionaires, to help 160\r\nmillion Americans? Because\r\nright now, the 52 Senate Republicans serving in this chamber are the only thing\r\nstanding in the way of $2,000 being sent to 160 million of our neediest\r\ncitizens. The House passed the bill authorizing the checks in a big bipartisan\r\nvote. It is hard to get two-thirds of the House of Representatives to agree on\r\nwhat time it is. But two-thirds of the House of Representatives voted for the\r\n$2,000 checks. President\r\nTrump supports the $2,000 checks. So he'll sign the bill if the Senate sends it\r\nto him. We can vote on the House bill today. Like, in a matter of hours if\r\nSenate Republicans agree. So why\r\nisn't this happening? Why didn't Senator McConnell announce the schedule for\r\nthe vote on a $2,000 checks bill? Why didn't he agree to Senator Schumer's\r\nrequest to bring it up for an immediate vote? Now a lot\r\nof Republicans are saying they object to the payments because it costs too\r\nmuch. And it's going to add too much to the deficit. Well frankly, spare me the\r\nfake righteous indignation about the deficit all of a sudden. Three years ago,\r\nthese same deficit hawk Republicans passed a tax cut bill that before the\r\npandemic hit, had already added over $200 billion to the annual deficit. And\r\nthat was a tax cut where 80% of the benefits went to the richest 1% of\r\nAmericans. Warren Buffet wrote in his note to investors last year that the\r\ndeficit-financed tax cuts earned his empire $29 billion overnight. That\r\nwindfall, Buffet noted, did not come from anything we accomplished at\r\nBerkshire.' So it's funnydeficits just didn't matter to the 52 when it was tax\r\ncuts to the 600 richest people in America. But even\r\nif this Congress wasn't ending in five days, and we had time to figure out how\r\nto pay for it, you know how we can't pay for it? Cutting foreign aid. President\r\nTrump has been talking a lot about foreign aid in the last week. Now, the money\r\nwe spend on foreign aid, all supported by Republicans and Democrats over the\r\nyears, all of it smart investments in our nation's security, that actually\r\nwasn't in the COVID relief package. It was in the annual budget, as it always\r\nis. It just so happens that this year, the COVID relief package and the annual\r\nbudget were passed together. But just\r\nfor argument's sake, let's say Trump got his way and every single dollar of\r\nforeign aid was cut out of the budget. Would that pay for the $2,000 checks?\r\nNot even close. President Trump apparently has an oversized impression of how\r\nmuch money we spend on foreign aid. Because our annual foreign aid spending\r\ndoesn't even equal 10% of the cost of a one-time $2,000 payment to low and\r\nmiddle income citizens. There's\r\nalso some speculationthat Senator McConnell isgoing to join\r\ntogether the$2,000 payments with other muchmore controversial\r\nmeasures,much more complicated measures,like the reform of our\r\ninternetliability laws.That is an invitation for thisentire\r\neffort to fall apart.The House has finished voting.They have passed\r\nthe $2,000payment bill and sent it to us.They are not interested\r\nintaking up anything else.If we start adding poison pillsto\r\nthe $2,000 payment bill, thatis just another way of tellingthe\r\nAmerican people that thisbody doesn't support $2,000payments. Listen,\r\nbeing a billionaire must be crazy. I make a lot of money as a Senator, but even\r\nI would have to work 7,500 years before my earnings equaled a billion dollars.\r\nYou know what was happening 7,500 years ago? The Stone Age. There\r\nisn't a good reason to oppose giving Americans who aren't billionaires a measly\r\n$2,000 check to help them put food on the table for their kids in this middle\r\nof this once-in-a-lifetime crisis. There isn't a good reason to choose to make\r\nmoms and dads all across this country decide which two meals they'll feed their\r\nkids each day, because three meals is not an option. $2,000 doesn't put dinner\r\non the table every night, but man, going to bed hungry when you're eleven, it\r\nsucks. And even dealing with it every other night, instead of every single\r\nnightno kid is going to turn that down. There are\r\n52 of you. And in the next 24 to 48 hours, you get to decide. Do you protect\r\nthe billionaires? Or do you choose to feed that eleven year old kid? The only\r\nthing that stands between the American people and a $2,000 emergency survival\r\ncheck is 52 Senate Republicans. You got it? Understand? There's a bill pending\r\nright now before the Senate that gives $2,000 to ordinary Americans. Yes, it\r\ncosts a lot of money. And maybe, down the line, we'll have to ask the\r\nbillionaires to pay for it. But the bill is here right now. The legislative\r\nsession expires in five days. President Trump says he'll sign it. And all that\r\nmatters right now is what these 52 people decide. The House passed the bill\r\nwith lots of Democratic and Republican support. The President supports the\r\nidea. The only thing that can stop $2,000 payments to struggling Americans\r\nright now is 52 Senate Republicans. Some\r\nthings in Washington aren't that simplebut this is. I yield the floor. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-courtney-votes-override-president-trump-s-veto-bipartisan-ndaa", "Rep. Courtney Votes to Override President Trumps Veto of the Bipartisan NDAA", "2020-12-28", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Joe Courtney", "C001069", "courtney.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC Today,Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces,and the U.S. House of Representatives voted to override President Donald Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act(NDAA)for FY 2021(H.R. 6395).The NDAAwas sent to the President's desk for signature with overwhelming bipartisan support from Congress following passageof the NDAA Conference Reportin the House by a margin of 335-78, and in the Senate by 84-13.As Chairman of theSeapowerSubcommittee, Courtney was a core conferee to the bipartisan panel charged with negotiating the final bill, and worked to ensure it included theSeapowerSubcommittee'sprovision to fully restore construction of the second Virginia-class submarine in 2021.  \n\t  \n\tI'm proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in voting tooverturnPresident Trump's reckless veto ofthebipartisan NDAA, and to ensure that Congress for the 60th year passes this measure, said ChairmanCourtney.This year's defense bill was sent tothe President'sdeskfor signature withoverwhelming supportfrom both the House and Senate. The 2021 NDAA is bipartisan,itsupports our servicemembers, their families, and veterans, andit strengthens our national defense and cybersecurity. It overturns the Trump Administration's anemic Navy budget that cut the Virginia-class two-per-year construction program that has been in place since 2011. This bill provides a pay raise to sailors and soldiers, and hazard pay for those serving in areas of imminent danger, it offersnew support to victims of Agent Orange, and more.The House came outin forceto override President Trump's feeble veto attempt, andtheSenateneeds tostandstrongandfollowsuit.  \n\t  \n\tThe House voted to override President Trump's veto of the bipartisan NDAA by a margin of XXX-XXX. The Senate is expected to vote on overriding the President's veto on Tuesday, December 29th.  \n\t\nKey provisions that Courtney championed in the 2021 NDAA  \n\t  Seapowerand Projection Forces Priorities  \n\t  \n\tAs Chairman of theSeapowerand Projection Forces Subcommittee, Courtney has advocated for Navy, Air Force and maritime priorities important to Connecticut and the nation.  \n\t  Virginia Class Submarine The report authorizes $6.8 billion for the Virginia class submarine program, an increase of $2.6 billion over the budget request thatCourtney secured to restore a second submarine in 2021. The Trump Administration requested just one submarine in 2021, breaking the steady two a year build rate that has been in place since 2011 and undermining efforts to address looming shortfalls in the submarine fleet.  \n\t  Columbia-Class Ballistic Missile Submarines The report authorizes $4 billion to initiate construction of the new Columbia-class submarine. Last month, the Navy announced the award of $10.3 billion in contracting options for the first two submarines in the program to Electric Boat. The report also includes Courtney's provision to authorize incremental funding for these submarines within the National Sea Based Deterrence Fund, which will ensure the cost-effective and efficient construction of this important program.  \n\t  Submarine Workforce and Development Training Authorizes $20 million to support training programs to help support expansion of the skilled submarine workforce as the industrial base ramps up construction of new submarines. Courtney has strongly supported workforce development efforts in the region to support hiring at Electric Boat and the supply chain through programs like the Eastern Connecticut Manufacturing Pipeline.  \n\t  Long Range Strike Bomber The report fully supports the requested $2.8 billion for continued development of the B-21 Raider. Pratt & Whitney is a partner in the next-generation long range strike bomber program.  \n\t  KC-46APegasus The report authorizes $2.7 billion for 15 KC-46A tanker aircraft, which are powered by Pratt & Whitney engines. The agreement also mandates that the Secretary of the Air Force develop a complete, permanent solution to the KC-46 remote visual system (RVS) operation limitations, submitting the solution Congress no later than February 1, 2021.  \n\t  C-130H Modernization The measure continues Congressman Courtney's efforts to accelerate the modernization of the C-130H cargo aircraft fleet, like those flown by the Connecticut Air National Guard. In addition to fully supporting the efforts to upgrade and modernize the avionics of the fleet, the bill authorizes $134 million for additional upgrades for engines, propellers and other systems on the aircraft beyond the President's request.  \n\t  P-8 Poseidon The report authorizes $1.4 billion for 8 P-8Poseidonaircraft, the Navy's newest maritime, patrol and reconnaissance aircraft. This will bring the Navy closer to the warfighting requirement of 138 aircraft and ensure the continued modernization of the Navy Reserves' legacy P-3 fleet.  \n\t  KMAX Unmanned Helicopter The report authorizes $7 million to continue development of unmanned logistics capabilities with the CQ-24A helicopter manufactured by Bloomfield-based Kaman Aerospace.  \n\t  Navy Shipbuilding-- Overall, the report authorizes more than $22 billion to procure 9 new battle force ships, two more than the budget request, in. The budget requested one of the lowest levels of new ships in nearly a decade and did not include the long range shipbuilding plan required by law to provide insight into future plans to grow the fleet.Courtney pressed Defense Secretary MarkEsperon his failure to abide by the law in a hearing earlier this year. The final agreement also includes language Courtney authored to restrict some funding for the Office of Secretary of Defense until the 30-year shipbuilding plan is delivered, and prohibits the retirement of any Navy vessel until the Secretary of Defense provides a Navy force structure assessment.  \n\t  Recapitalization of our Domestic Sealift Capabilities The report includes several Courtney-led investments in the recapitalization of our domestic sealift and maritime response capabilities. These includes authorizing the purchase of additional used vessels to replace aging sealift ships but rejecting a Defense Department request to eliminate the requirement to initiate a domestic new build ship. The bill also authorizes a new Tanker Security Program to address the alarming gap in at-sea logistics, authorizes the fourth National Security Multi-Mission Vessel and authorizes a $180millionincrease in funding for the Maritime Security Program to address the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on our domestic shipping fleet.  \n\t\nAdditional Courtney priorities  \n\t  Rare Earth Minerals the report includes an amendment Courtney authored that requires the Secretary of Defense to prioritize the acquisition of strategic and critical materials from U.S. and allied sources ensuring the continued protection of our national defense supply chains. These types of minerals and materials are used in everything from cell phones to the joint strike fighter and a secured supply chain of these materials is of utmost importance to national security.  \n\t  Academic Partnerships for Undersea Research The report authorizes $10 million to support partnerships with academic institutions that conduct research on undersea unmanned warfare and energy technology, such as the National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology, a collaborative program between the University of Connecticut and the University of Rhode Island. During debate on the bill in the House, Courtney and Rep. James Langevin (D-RI) passed an amendment to increase funding for this effort from $5 million to $10 million.  \n\t  Joint Strike Fighter The report provides $8.7 billion for the procurement of 93 F-35s and includes additional flexibility to procure additional aircraft within the authorized amount if production savings are found and if prime suppliers remain on-schedule.  \n\t  UH-60Blackhawks The report authorizes nearly $1 billion for60UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, an increase over the budget request, built by Sikorsky.  \n\t  CH-53KKing Stallion The report authorizes $800 million for procurement of 7 new Ch-53K Marine heavy-lift helicopters, built by Sikorsky.  \n\t  Combat Search and Rescue Helicopter The report supports the Administration's request for $909 million for procurement of 16 HH-60W Air Force search and rescue helicopters built by Sikorsky.  \n\t  VH-92A Presidential Helicopter The report supports the Administration's request for $589 million for procurement of 5 aircraft, which will be the next-generation presidential helicopter.  \n\t  Ukraine authorizes $250 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.  \n\t  DOD Impact Aid authorizes $50 million for the DOD supplemental impact aid program, which provides support to local school districts with high proportions of military children, including Groton public schools. This program is in addition to the primary Impact Aid program funded through the Department of Education, which does not fall within the jurisdiction of the House Armed Services Committee.  \n\t  Coast Guard Reauthorization the agreement includes the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act, bipartisan legislation to further strengthen our nation's Coast Guard by enhancing navigation and maritime safety, authorizing new family leave and child care policies, and increasing gender and racial diversity in the Coast Guard Academy in New London and across the ranks.  \n\t\nOther Notable Provisions  \n\t  Renaming Confederate Military Installations The agreement includes an amendment that Courtney cosponsored that establishes an independent commission to make binding recommendations to the Secretary of Defense for the modification or removal of all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America from all assets of the DoD.  \n\t  Limitations on Funds to Remove Active Duty Troops from Germany The agreement bars the Department from using any funds authorized by Congress to reduce the number of active duty troops stationed in Germany until DOD submits a report to Congress certifying that any reduction would not undermine the security of the U.S. or our allies in the region.  \n\t  BRAC The report does not authorize a base closing round.  \n\t  Military Pay Raise The report provides a 3.0% pay raise for the military, in line with a statutory requirement to keep pace with private sector wage growth.  \n\t  Agent Orange Exposure Benefits the report adds additional diseases to Section 1116(a)(2) of Title 38, USC including Parkinsonism, bladder cancer, and hypothyroidism to the list of diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents. The report would also mandate that the Department of Veterans Affairs provide benefits to veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and later diagnosed with these afflictions.  \n\t  Climate Change Resiliency The agreement requires a report updating Congress on the implementation of provisions from the FY2020 NDAA related to installation master planning, updates to installation building codes, sea-level rise modeling, and climate assessment tools. The final agreement would also require DoD to submit a report on its greenhouse gas emission for the last 10 years.  \n\t  Pacific Deterrence Initiative the report authorizes a new Pacific Deterrence Initiative to reassure allies and partners of U.S. commitment to the region and to enhance congressional oversight of military activities throughout the area of responsibility.  \n\t  Defense Community Infrastructure Program Authorizes $50 million for the program, allowing DOD to help states and local governments fund off-base infrastructure projects that support operations and the base community. Infrastructure improvements could include transportation projects, schools, first responder facilities, and utility projects.\n\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-overrides-ndaa-veto-himes-support", "House Overrides NDAA Veto with Himes Support", "2020-12-28", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jim Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Today, the United States House of Representatives overrode President Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA funds defense and related programs and is usually one of the largest pieces of legislation that Congress passes each year. This year, the bill includes $732 billion in discretionary spending for our national defense for FY 2021, including approximately $69 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO).\nConnecticut is a leader in the defense industry and advanced manufacturing, said Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04). This bill ensures our armed forces remain unrivaled in the world, and that many of the technologies that secure that dominance are developed right here, supporting Connecticut companies and Connecticut workers.\nThe NDAA contains significant funds for Connecticut-based companies, employing thousands of workers. This includes:\n $8.7 billion for the procurement of 93 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.\n\t$898 million for procurement of 60 UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters built by Sikorsky.\n\t$800 million for procurement of 7 new CH-53K Marine heavy-lift helicopters built by Sikorsky.\n\t$909 million for procurement of 16 HH-60W Air Force search and rescue helicopters built by Sikorsky.\n\t$589 million for procurement of 5 VH-92A aircraft, which will be the next-generation presidential helicopter.\n\t$6.8 billion for the Virginia class submarine program, an increase of $2.6 billion over the budget request, to restore a second submarine in 2021.\n\t$4 billion to initiate construction of the new Columbia-class submarine. The Navy recently announced the award of $10.3 billion in contracting options for the first two submarines in the program to Electric Boat.\n\t$2.8 billion for continued development of the B-21 Raider. Pratt & Whitney is a partner in the next-generation long range strike bomber program.\n\t$2.7 billion for 15 KC-46A tanker aircraft, which are powered by Pratt & Whitney engines.\n\tC-130H Modernization  $134 million for additional upgrades for engines, propellers and other systems on the aircraft.\n\t$7 million to continue development of the KMAX Unmanned Helicopter and unmanned logistics capabilities with the CQ-24A helicopter manufactured by Bloomfield-based Kaman Aerospace.\n\t$20millionto support training programs to help support expansion of the skilled submarine workforce.\n\t$10 million to support partnerships with academic institutions that conduct research on undersea unmanned warfare and energy technology, such as the National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology, a collaborative program between the University of Connecticut and the University of Rhode Island.\n In addition, the NDAA contains provisions that provide for a three percent pay raise for military personnel, invests in pandemic preparedness, increases diversity in the armed forces, and removes Confederate names from American military facilities.\nFor more information or with any questions, contact Patrick Malone at Patrick.malone@mail.house.gov.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=64B1A435-C23F-4C1F-AE1C-C129B3F22C51", "House Overrides NDAA Veto with Himes Support", "2020-12-28", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, the United States House of Representatives overrode President Trump\u2019s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA funds defense and related programs and is usually one of the largest pieces of legislation that Congress passes each year. This year, the bill includes $732 billion in discretionary spending for our national defense for FY 2021, including approximately $69 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO).\n\n\u201cConnecticut is a leader in the defense industry and advanced manufacturing,\u201d said Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04). \u201cThis bill ensures our armed forces remain unrivaled in the world, and that many of the technologies that secure that dominance are developed right here, supporting Connecticut companies and Connecticut workers.\u201d\n\nThe NDAA contains significant funds for Connecticut-based companies, employing thousands of workers. This includes:\n\n$8.7 billion for the procurement of 93 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.\n\n$898 million for procurement of 60 UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters built by Sikorsky.\n\n$800 million for procurement of 7 new CH-53K Marine heavy-lift helicopters built by Sikorsky.\n\n$909 million for procurement of 16 HH-60W Air Force search and rescue helicopters built by Sikorsky.\n\n$589 million for procurement of 5 VH-92A aircraft, which will be the next-generation presidential helicopter.\n\n$6.8 billion for the Virginia class submarine program, an increase of $2.6 billion over the budget request, to restore a second submarine in 2021.\n\n$4 billion to initiate construction of the new Columbia-class submarine. The Navy recently announced the award of $10.3 billion in contracting options for the first two submarines in the program to Electric Boat.\n\n$2.8 billion for continued development of the B-21 Raider. Pratt & Whitney is a partner in the next-generation long range strike bomber program.\n\n$2.7 billion for 15 KC-46A tanker aircraft, which are powered by Pratt & Whitney engines.\n\nC-130H Modernization \u2013 $134 million for additional upgrades for engines, propellers and other systems on the aircraft.\n\n$7 million to continue development of the KMAX Unmanned Helicopter and unmanned logistics capabilities with the CQ-24A helicopter manufactured by Bloomfield-based Kaman Aerospace.\n\n$20 million to support training programs to help support expansion of the skilled submarine workforce.\n\n$10 million to support partnerships with academic institutions that conduct research on undersea unmanned warfare and energy technology, such as the National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology, a collaborative program between the University of Connecticut and the University of Rhode Island.\n\nIn addition, the NDAA contains provisions that provide for a three percent pay raise for military personnel, invests in pandemic preparedness, increases diversity in the armed forces, and removes Confederate names from American military facilities.\n\nFor more information or with any questions, contact Patrick Malone at Patrick.malone@mail.house.gov.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=1044049A-B60B-4D68-8E8A-6CBD25F14F27", "Recursos de Coronavirus", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Incluye pagos de est\u00edmulo para familias de estatus mixto, tanto de forma prospectiva como retroactiva. Aunque esto no proporciona pagos en efectivo para todos los inmigrantes declarantes de impuestos, esto es una gran victoria.\n\nFinanciaci\u00f3n de muros a nivel FY 20 (1.375b) y ninguna autoridad de transferencia espec\u00edfica de la pared, por lo que se aplica un l\u00edmite del 10%.\n\nUn peque\u00f1o aument\u00f3 a la financiaci\u00f3n de CBP.\n\nLos niveles de gasto de detenci\u00f3n y de ICE han bajado desde el a\u00f1o 20. Camas de detenci\u00f3n financiadas a 34K camas. Pero esto es dos veces el nivel de las camas actuales en uso- 17K en uso actualmente, mientras que se est\u00e1n siendo financiadas 34K.\n\nNo hay financiaci\u00f3n para agentes fronterizos o agentes de seguridad de inmigraci\u00f3n.\n\nIncluye una extensi\u00f3n de un a\u00f1o del programa de ajuste Liberiano.\n\n5 millones para el programa ATD dirigido por FEMA.\n\nAumenta la financiaci\u00f3n de presentaciones de orientaci\u00f3n legal.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-highlights-connecticut-innovator-detect-as-murphys-innovator-of-the-month", "Murphy Highlights Connecticut Innovator Detect As Murphys Innovator Of The Month\"Read More", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "HARTFORDU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)announced on Wednesday that innovator\r\nDetect in Guilford has been named Innovator of the Month. Detect was founded in\r\nJuly 2018 by New Haven native Dr. Jonathan Rothberg as part of the\r\nConnecticut-based 4Catalyzer health technology incubator, which combines\r\ncutting edge learning and molecular biology to reduce the cost and complexity\r\nof life-saving medical devices. As public\r\nhealth experts show that widespread testing of asymptomatic and symptomatic\r\nindividuals is essential to defeating COVID-19, Detect developed the Detect\r\nCOVID-19 test. This innovation is designed to be a lab-accurate, fast, and easy\r\nmolecular diagnostic COVID-19 test that does not require expensive lab\r\nequipment to enable more extensive testing. At the\r\nbeginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Detect COVID-19 test aimed to bring the\r\npower of complex laboratory diagnostics to the places where people live, from\r\nthe point of care to in the home. They strive to solve complex health care\r\nissues and accomplish public health goals outside the laboratory walls. Throughout\r\nCOVID-19, innovators across America and right here in Connecticut stepped up\r\nthrough medical research and new strategies to help us combat this virus and\r\nkeep Americans safe. Detect has made huge strides to create fast and easy\r\nat-home COVID-19 testing in a short amount of time. I am proud to highlight\r\ntheir work, and grateful for their efforts to help us get ahead of\r\nCOVID-19,said\r\nMurphy. To\r\nprotect the public's health, widespread, frequent testing is more important\r\nthan ever,said\r\nJonathan M. Rothberg, Ph.D., Founder and Chairman of Detect.The\r\nDetect COVID-19 test combines the accuracy of a PCR test with the speed and\r\nsimplicity of an antigen test, without needing a lab or a prescription. Once\r\nauthorized, the Detect test will play a critical role in defeating this virus,\r\nreopening the economy, and providing peace of mind to the millions of people\r\nworried about their health and the well-being of their loved ones. We look\r\nforward to continuing to develop and launch the Detect COVID-19 test from our\r\nbase of operations in Connecticut and are honored to have been named Innovator\r\nof the Month by Senator Murphy. Detect\r\ncurrently has approximately 70 employees in Connecticut. They currently are in\r\nthe middle of their clinical trials and their test is not yet authorized for\r\nuse by the FDA. Murphy\r\nbelieves entrepreneurship and innovation are the building blocks for a strong\r\neconomy. In the U.S. Senate, he has introduced two bipartisan pieces of\r\nlegislation to incentivize angel investors to put more money into startup\r\ncompanies  theAngel Tax Credit Actand\r\ntheHelping Angels Lead Our Startups\r\n(HALOS) Act. Startup companies create an average of 2 million jobs\r\neach year. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/media/press-releases/hayes-applauds-appointment-miguel-cardona-secretary-education-biden-harris", "HAYES APPLAUDS APPOINTMENT OF MIGUEL CARDONA AS SECRETARY OF EDUCATION IN  BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) released the following statement extending her support and congratulations to Miguel Cardona, Connecticut's Education Commissioner, on his appointment to serve as Secretary of Education in the incoming administration:\nIt is with great support and enthusiasm I extend my warmest congratulations to Commissioner Cardona, said Congresswoman Hayes.\nI am excited this vital role will be filled by a fellow educator from my home state. I am more than confident Commissioner Cardona will bring a distinctive ability to effectively address the current education challenges America's students and teachers are facing.\nCommissioner Cardona has afull understanding of the need for full equity in education and his commitment to students and public education is a welcome shift, especially during these times.\nI look forward to continuing to work with Commissioner Cardona in our shared values to strengthen our nation's education system.\n###\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 yearsand was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut's 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-delegation-delauro-larson-courtney-himes-hayes-secure-historic-vicories", "HOUSE DELEGATION, DELAURO, LARSON, COURTNEY, HIMES, HAYES, SECURE HISTORIC VICORIES FOR CT IN OMNIBUS SPENDING PACKAGE", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Representatives Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), John B. Larson (CT-01), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Jim Himes (CT-04), and Jahana Hayes (CT-05) secured historic investments for Connecticut in the fiscal year 2021 omnibus spending package and coronavirus relief deal. This legislation, which originated in the House and is expected to be signed into law, provides critical coronavirus relief, invests in the programs at the center of the country's health and economic crises, creates jobs in Connecticut, and supports working families.\nThe coronavirus pandemic has devastated so many Connecticut families and shuttered countless businesses, said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. From investments in Connecticut's schools and child care industry to food assistance for hard-working families to investments in our workforce and critical protections for our environment and natural resources, this bill creates opportunities and allows our communities to build back better. The coronavirus relief included in this package is a start, but we are committed to fighting for more relief to support families and help our businesses recover. I am grateful for Connecticut's strong delegation and our ability to unite and deliver real results for our state.\nThis year's omnibus spending package included many major victories for Connecticut, including a tax benefit for volunteer First Responders, a boost for Connecticut's defense manufacturing, funding for Hartford's federal courthouse, and research into crumbling foundations. It also included vital funding for COVID relief (including enhanced unemployment benefits and money for testing and vaccines), our public schools, food assistance programs, and energy assistance. These funding increases will help Connecticut families and communities during these difficult times, said Congressman John B. Larson. In the new year, the Connecticut Congressional Delegation, spearheaded by the new Appropriations Chair, our own Rosa DeLauro, will continue to work hard for the citizens of Connecticut.\nI'm proud as always to work alongside my colleagues in the Connecticut delegation to bring back resources and funding to help Connecticut families and businesses, said Congressman Jim Himes. From environmental protection and economic development to investment in education and aid for working families, this bill reflects our Connecticut priorities and values. We will continue to work for our constituents in the new year with a new President and a new Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Connecticut's own Representative Rosa DeLauro, to bring even more support home.\nLast night's omnibus spending package makes key investments in eastern Connecticut, and we've got the House's hard work to thank for it, said Congressman Courtney. Full restoration of the second Virginia-class submarine, support for homeowners impacted by crumbling foundations, critical support for K-12 schoolsthese are all provisions that the House demanded, and that we fought to advance throughout the year step-by-step. The final bill includes the House Seapower Subcommittee's top-target of restoring the second sub, it contains the House's higher levels of support for pyrrhotite research and for programs like CDBG, it authorizes the House's months-long effort to provide new Title I funding for K-12 schools to help keep teachers and students safe, and more. The House has continued to get the job done all year long, and it resulted in a final spending bill that will help families, workers, schools, and many others across our state.\nFrom expanding child nutrition and SNAP benefits to combat food insecurity, to providing federal funding for Title I grants for Local Education Agencies, to increasing the maximum Pell Grant for students, this bill will provide desperately needed relief to Connecticut and invest in our communities, said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes. A realistic budget was critical heading into 2021 as we continue to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic and the challenges it has created. I am pleased to work with my colleagues in the Connecticut delegation to bring back critical funding to help the people of our state.\nAmong the many far-reaching investments, this spending bill:\n Provides Coronavirus Relief for Connecticut's families and businesses by restoring the enhanced federal unemployment insurance bump with an additional $300 per week and including $284 billion for a second round of PPP loans for businesses nationwide. The relief portion of this bill also provides $10 billion to support our nation's child care industry and $13 billion in emergency food assistance, including a temporary boost to the monthly food stamp benefit.\n\tHelps K-12 Schools and Higher Education Institutions Respond to COVID-19 with $54.3 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, and $22.7 billion for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. These programs assist schools like the University of Connecticut, Mitchell College, Connecticut College, Eastern Connecticut State University, and community colleges and K-12 institutions throughout Connecticut with school facilities repairs and improvements like heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems, and more amid COVID-19.\n\tProtects Connecticut's environment and natural resources, investing $18.9 million in the cleanup of Plum Island and repealing a mandate that this natural treasure be sold.\n\tInvests in the revitalization of the Long Island Sound by including $30.4 million, an increase of $9.4 million over FY20 for the Long Island Sound. The Sound is a cultural and economic center for Connecticut, and the House delegation has been fighting tirelessly to restore its natural beauty and preserve it for future generations.\n\tCreates high-paying jobs, with $1.1 billion for 9 CH-53Ks, 2 more than requested in the President's fiscal year 2021 budget, $9.6 billion for purchase of 96 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, and $6.8 billion for the Virginia class submarine program (including restoration of funding for a second submarine) and $4.1 billion for Ohio Replacement. Connecticut's House delegation fought hard to secure these significant wins.\n\tInvests in Connecticut's infrastructure with $2 billion for Amtrak, equal to the 2020 enacted level and $1.1 billion above the President's budget request, and $700 million for Northeast Corridor Grants, equal to the 2020 enacted level and $375 million above the President's budget request.\n\tSupports volunteer first responders by making the Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Act (VRIPA) permanent. VRIPA exempts from taxation the nominal recruitment and retention benefits volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel receive from their communities.\n\tSupports special needs students with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Special Education Grants. The bill provides $12.9 billion, an increase of $173 million over FY2020, to support students who need more specialized support and networks in schools across Connecticut and the country.\n\tKeeps our families safer after the horror of the shooting eight years ago at Sandy Hook Elementary that left 26 innocent people dead, forever changing our state. The Connecticut delegation stands as united as any in the country to fight against the gun lobby and call for commonsense gun-safety legislation to keep our children and communities safe. This bill contains $25 million of continued funding for the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health to research gun violence, a vital first step.\n\tProvides energy assistance to Connecticut families, as families throughout Connecticut struggle with unemployment and other economic challenges during the pandemic. Many are struggling to pay utility bills. The spending package funds the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) with $3.8 billion, an increase of $10 million from FY 2020, to help keep Connecticut families warm.\n\tRestores the Federal Courthouse in Hartford, Connecticut, with $135.5 million in federal investments. This funding was included after Senate Republicans only included funding for the Federal Courthouse in Chattanooga, Tennessee, despite Hartford ranking first on the Federal Judiciary Courthouse Project Priorities list for the second year in a row. Failure to include funding for Hartford would have been the first time Congress overrode the Judiciary's recommendation.\n\tFunds Crumbling Foundations Research with $2 million to support continued research by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) into the effects of pyrrhotite on concrete aggregate, the same dollar amount the House voted to approve in July.\n\tSupports the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program by including the House's funding level of $3.5 billion for Community Development Block Grants, $50 million above the 2020 enacted level.\n\tSupports our region's submarine industrial base by fully funding the House Seapower Subcommittee's effort to restore construction of a second Virginia-class submarine with $2.6 billionmatching both the final NDAA and the House-passed defense funding billand by initiating construction on the first Columbia-class submarine.\n We are proud of these critical investments and know that in partnership with the Biden-Harrison Administration, Connecticut is poised to build back stronger in 2021, said the Connecticut House Delegation. These wins for our state foster hope for strong advancements for our children and families and position Connecticut as a leader in recovering and rebuilding.\nThe text of the spending package, H.R. 133, is available here.\nA division-by-division summary of the appropriations provisions is here. A division-by-division summary of the coronavirus relief provisions is here. A division-by-division of the authorizing matters is here.\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=8DCC09AF-9F63-4BA3-89D6-8B38169E008C", "HAYES APPLAUDS APPOINTMENT OF MIGUEL CARDONA AS SECRETARY OF EDUCATION IN  BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", "hayes", "https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) released the following statement extending her support and congratulations to Miguel Cardona, Connecticut\u2019s Education Commissioner, on his appointment to serve as Secretary of Education in the incoming administration:\n\n\u201cIt is with great support and enthusiasm I extend my warmest congratulations to Commissioner Cardona,\u201d said Congresswoman Hayes.\n\n\u201cI am excited this vital role will be filled by a fellow educator from my home state. I am more than confident Commissioner Cardona will bring a distinctive ability to effectively address the current education challenges America\u2019s students and teachers are facing.\n\n\u201cCommissioner Cardona has a full understanding of the need for full equity in education and his commitment to students and public education is a welcome shift, especially during these times.\n\n\u201cI look forward to continuing to work with Commissioner Cardona in our shared values to strengthen our nation\u2019s education system.\u201d\n\n###\n\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\n\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut\u2019s 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=FB31C42A-A6DB-47E7-8F09-73E66B350038", "HOUSE DELEGATION, DELAURO, LARSON, COURTNEY, HIMES, HAYES, SECURE HISTORIC VICORIES FOR CT IN OMNIBUS SPENDING PACKAGE", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", "hayes", "https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Representatives Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), John B. Larson (CT-01), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Jim Himes (CT-04), and Jahana Hayes (CT-05) secured historic investments for Connecticut in the fiscal year 2021 omnibus spending package and coronavirus relief deal. This legislation, which originated in the House and is expected to be signed into law, provides critical coronavirus relief, invests in the programs at the center of the country\u2019s health and economic crises, creates jobs in Connecticut, and supports working families.\n\n\u201cThe coronavirus pandemic has devastated so many Connecticut families and shuttered countless businesses,\u201d said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. \u201cFrom investments in Connecticut\u2019s schools and child care industry to food assistance for hard-working families to investments in our workforce and critical protections for our environment and natural resources, this bill creates opportunities and allows our communities to build back better. The coronavirus relief included in this package is a start, but we are committed to fighting for more relief to support families and help our businesses recover. I am grateful for Connecticut\u2019s strong delegation and our ability to unite and deliver real results for our state.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis year\u2019s omnibus spending package included many major victories for Connecticut, including a tax benefit for volunteer First Responders, a boost for Connecticut\u2019s defense manufacturing, funding for Hartford\u2019s federal courthouse, and research into crumbling foundations. It also included vital funding for COVID relief (including enhanced unemployment benefits and money for testing and vaccines), our public schools, food assistance programs, and energy assistance. These funding increases will help Connecticut families and communities during these difficult times,\u201d said Congressman John B. Larson. \u201cIn the new year, the Connecticut Congressional Delegation, spearheaded by the new Appropriations Chair, our own Rosa DeLauro, will continue to work hard for the citizens of Connecticut.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud as always to work alongside my colleagues in the Connecticut delegation to bring back resources and funding to help Connecticut families and businesses,\u201d said Congressman Jim Himes. \u201cFrom environmental protection and economic development to investment in education and aid for working families, this bill reflects our Connecticut priorities and values. We will continue to work for our constituents in the new year with a new President and a new Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Connecticut\u2019s own Representative Rosa DeLauro, to bring even more support home.\u201d\n\n\u201cLast night\u2019s omnibus spending package makes key investments in eastern Connecticut, and we\u2019ve got the House\u2019s hard work to thank for it,\u201d said Congressman Courtney. \u201cFull restoration of the second Virginia-class submarine, support for homeowners impacted by crumbling foundations, critical support for K-12 schools\u2014these are all provisions that the House demanded, and that we fought to advance throughout the year step-by-step. The final bill includes the House Seapower Subcommittee\u2019s top-target of restoring the second sub, it contains the House\u2019s higher levels of support for pyrrhotite research and for programs like CDBG, it authorizes the House\u2019s months-long effort to provide new Title I funding for K-12 schools to help keep teachers and students safe, and more. The House has continued to get the job done all year long, and it resulted in a final spending bill that will help families, workers, schools, and many others across our state.\u201d\n\n\u201cFrom expanding child nutrition and SNAP benefits to combat food insecurity, to providing federal funding for Title I grants for Local Education Agencies, to increasing the maximum Pell Grant for students, this bill will provide desperately needed relief to Connecticut and invest in our communities,\u201d said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes. \u201cA realistic budget was critical heading into 2021 as we continue to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic and the challenges it has created. I am pleased to work with my colleagues in the Connecticut delegation to bring back critical funding to help the people of our state.\u201d\n\nAmong the many far-reaching investments, this spending bill:\n\nProvides Coronavirus Relief for Connecticut\u2019s families and businesses by restoring the enhanced federal unemployment insurance bump with an additional $300 per week and including $284 billion for a second round of PPP loans for businesses nationwide. The relief portion of this bill also provides $10 billion to support our nation\u2019s child care industry and $13 billion in emergency food assistance, including a temporary boost to the monthly food stamp benefit.\n\nHelps K-12 Schools and Higher Education Institutions Respond to COVID-19 with $54.3 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, and $22.7 billion for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. These programs assist schools like the University of Connecticut, Mitchell College, Connecticut College, Eastern Connecticut State University, and community colleges and K-12 institutions throughout Connecticut with school facilities repairs and improvements like heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems, and more amid COVID-19.\n\nProtects Connecticut\u2019s environment and natural resources, investing $18.9 million in the cleanup of Plum Island and repealing a mandate that this natural treasure be sold.\n\nInvests in the revitalization of the Long Island Sound by including $30.4 million, an increase of $9.4 million over FY20 for the Long Island Sound. The Sound is a cultural and economic center for Connecticut, and the House delegation has been fighting tirelessly to restore its natural beauty and preserve it for future generations.\n\nCreates high-paying jobs, with $1.1 billion for 9 CH-53Ks, 2 more than requested in the President\u2019s fiscal year 2021 budget, $9.6 billion for purchase of 96 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, and $6.8 billion for the Virginia class submarine program (including restoration of funding for a second submarine) and $4.1 billion for Ohio Replacement. Connecticut\u2019s House delegation fought hard to secure these significant wins.\n\nInvests in Connecticut\u2019s infrastructure with $2 billion for Amtrak, equal to the 2020 enacted level and $1.1 billion above the President\u2019s budget request, and $700 million for Northeast Corridor Grants, equal to the 2020 enacted level and $375 million above the President\u2019s budget request.\n\nSupports volunteer first responders by making the Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Act (VRIPA) permanent. VRIPA exempts from taxation the nominal recruitment and retention benefits volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel receive from their communities.\n\nSupports special needs students with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Special Education Grants. The bill provides $12.9 billion, an increase of $173 million over FY2020, to support students who need more specialized support and networks in schools across Connecticut and the country.\n\nKeeps our families safer after the horror of the shooting eight years ago at Sandy Hook Elementary that left 26 innocent people dead, forever changing our state. The Connecticut delegation stands as united as any in the country to fight against the gun lobby and call for commonsense gun-safety legislation to keep our children and communities safe. This bill contains $25 million of continued funding for the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health to research gun violence, a vital first step.\n\nProvides energy assistance to Connecticut families, as families throughout Connecticut struggle with unemployment and other economic challenges during the pandemic. Many are struggling to pay utility bills. The spending package funds the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) with $3.8 billion, an increase of $10 million from FY 2020, to help keep Connecticut families warm.\n\nRestores the Federal Courthouse in Hartford, Connecticut, with $135.5 million in federal investments. This funding was included after Senate Republicans only included funding for the Federal Courthouse in Chattanooga, Tennessee, despite Hartford ranking first on the Federal Judiciary Courthouse Project Priorities list for the second year in a row. Failure to include funding for Hartford would have been the first time Congress overrode the Judiciary\u2019s recommendation.\n\nFunds Crumbling Foundations Research with $2 million to support continued research by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) into the effects of pyrrhotite on concrete aggregate, the same dollar amount the House voted to approve in July.\n\nSupports the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program by including the House\u2019s funding level of $3.5 billion for Community Development Block Grants, $50 million above the 2020 enacted level.\n\nSupports our region\u2019s submarine industrial base by fully funding the House Seapower Subcommittee\u2019s effort to restore construction of a second Virginia-class submarine with $2.6 billion\u2014matching both the final NDAA and the House-passed defense funding bill\u2014and by initiating construction on the first Columbia-class submarine.\n\n\u201cWe are proud of these critical investments and know that in partnership with the Biden-Harrison Administration, Connecticut is poised to build back stronger in 2021,\u201d said the Connecticut House Delegation. \u201cThese wins for our state foster hope for strong advancements for our children and families and position Connecticut as a leader in recovering and rebuilding.\u201d\n\nThe text of the spending package, H.R. 133, is available here.\n\nA division-by-division summary of the appropriations provisions is here. A division-by-division summary of the coronavirus relief provisions is here. A division-by-division of the authorizing matters is here.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=7340BE1D-6324-4CB2-B832-3EFC11ECE869", "Intelligence Authorization with Himes Provisions Included in End of Year Package", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Washington, DC\u2014 Last night, the House of Representatives passed the annual Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) as part of the end-of-year package that included government funding for the coming year and coronavirus-relief spending. The IAA authorizes the United States\u2019 Intelligence Communities (IC) programs and budget. Several provisions included in the funding bill were adapted from initiatives and bills championed by Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04), who serves as the Chairman of the Strategic Technologies and Advanced Research (STAR) Subcommittee of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.\n\n\u201cAs a member of the Intelligence Committee, I spend much of my time thinking about our national security and how to stay one step ahead of our geopolitical rivals,\u201d said Himes. \u201cThe most recent Sunburst hack, which appears to originate from Russia, shows that we must always be vigilant because those who would harm us never rest. That\u2019s why I am pleased that many proposals that will enhance our cybersecurity made it into the IAA.\u201d\n\nThe bill includes:\n\nA requirement that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence submit a report to Congress on research and development for scientific and technological advancements of foreign adversaries that impact the national security of the United States. And provide insight on cooperation/collaboration with allies\n\nAuthority for the Intelligence Community (IC) to establish relationships with academic institutions to enhance the skill set of the future IC workforce, in particular as it relates to science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics.\n\nAdoption of several of the Cyberspace Solarium proposals, including how the IC interacts with the private sector and operators of critical infrastructure concerning foreign cybersecurity threats.\n\nContains language indicating that the IC should consolidate its artificial intelligence research and development activities and requires the DNI to identify such areas.\n\nIn October of this year, the STAR Subcommittee released a report, \u201cRightly Scaled, Carefully Open, Infinitely Agile: Reconfiguring to Win the Innovation Race in the Intelligence Community,\u201d which examined the need for the United States Government to prioritize a strategic approach to the innovation and technology sector and made recommendations to enhance the IC\u2019s approach to innovation.\n\n\u201cThe Intelligence Authorization is a chance for us to show both friend and foe that we\u2019re going to put the time and resources into cybersecurity and cyberdefense,\u201d Himes continued. \u201cThe investment we make now will mean the difference between continued American dominance well into the 21st Century and beyond, or a world where we lose a step to our adversaries with potentially disastrous consequences.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ct-delegation-announces-victory-for-plum-island", "CT Delegation Announces Victory For Plum IslandRead More", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONMembers\r\nof the Connecticut Delegation, including U.S.\r\nSenators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Richard\r\nBlumenthal (D-Conn.), and U.S.\r\nRepresentatives Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), John Larson (CT-1), and Joe Courtney (CT-2), today announced\r\nthat the omnibus budget package repeals a mandate thatPlum\r\nIslandbe sold and $18.9\r\nmillion will be allocated for cleanup. It's\r\ntaken years of work to get this done, but finally, we've stopped the\r\nshortsighted plan to sell Plum Island to the highest bidder. Plum Island is so\r\nimportant, both ecologically and historically, and I'm proud to stand with my\r\ncolleagues in the Connecticut and New York delegations who have worked\r\ntirelessly with me to get this repeal across the finish line, said Murphy. Today\r\nwe can finally and fully celebrate preserving Plum Island. This exquisite\r\nenvironmental treasure has been spared a headlong rush to sell to the highest\r\nbidder. We will continue to fight to preserve this special gem from future\r\ndevelopment. Plum Island is a unique environmental resource that is home to hundreds of species of wildlife and numerous\r\nimportant historical sites that must be preserved for future generations\r\nto enjoy. I thank Connecticut's environmental advocates, including Save the\r\nSound and The Nature Conservancy for their tireless work in this effort. I also\r\nthank my colleagues from the New York and Connecticut delegations for their\r\npartnership in securing this important provision, said\r\nBlumenthal. This\r\nis a tremendous victory for Plum Island and the people of Connecticut, and it\r\nis in large part thanks to the hard work and advocacy of the local groups\r\nfighting to protect this ecological treasure. Plum Island is home to a rare\r\nnatural ecosystem that should never be up for sale to the highest bidder.\r\nCongress has an obligation to protect this island and its natural resources.\r\nThat is why as a leader on the House Appropriations Committee, and now the\r\nChair-elect, I fought to include this language in the fiscal year 2021 spending\r\nbill to preserve Plum Island and prohibit the mandatory sale of this ecological\r\ntreasure. I urge my colleagues to join me in ensuring this rich environment is\r\nprotected well into the future, said DeLauro. The\r\nHouse has successfully and unanimously passed our legislation to preserve Plum\r\nIsland for five years in a row, and the final negotiated omnibus spending\r\npackage released today will get the job done once and for all. Plum Island is\r\nan ecological treasure, and for over a decade the Connecticut and New York\r\ndelegation members have been working across the aisle and across the Long\r\nIsland Sound to get this across the finish line. It's time to move forward and\r\npass this bipartisan deal that will protect Plum Island, and get more relief\r\nout the door to thousands in eastern Connecticut who need it, said\r\nCourtney Blocking\r\ndevelopers from buying up Plum Island is a big win for Connecticut and\r\nconservation efforts. This win wouldn't have happened without the hard work of\r\nlocal conservationists. I'm glad Plum Island will preserved for years to come,\r\nsaid Larson. The fight\r\nto preserve the island, located in Long Island Sound between Connecticut and\r\nNew York, began in 2008 when the federal government announced that that island\r\nwas slated for public sale as part of the planned relocation of the Plum Island\r\nAnimal Disease Center to Kansas. The island is home to numerous flora and fauna\r\nthat are essential to the region's ecosystem, including piping plovers, roseate\r\nterns, and grey and harbor seals. The\r\nprovision, included in the omnibus package, is a modified version of\r\nBlumenthal's Plum Island Conservation Act, cosponsored by Murphy, and the Plum\r\nIsland Preservation Act, cosponsored by DeLauro, Larson, and Courtney. With\r\npassage of this provision, the GSA would be allowed to transfer government land\r\nsuch as Plum Island to another federal agency, state or local government, or\r\nprivate steward  allowing for appropriate and due consideration of all\r\nstakeholders. The provision also requires that any future transfer must\r\nincorporate the whole island as one unit, instead of a piecemeal approach.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-secures-key-funding-priorities-for-connecticut-congress-passes-budget-900-billion-covid-relief-package", "Murphy Secures Key Funding Priorities For Connecticut; Congress Passes Budget, $900 Billion COVID Relief PackageRead More", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S.Senate\r\nAppropriations Committee, released the following statement after passage of\r\ntheCoronavirus Relief & Omnibus Agreement, which includes key funding\r\npriorities and legislation Murphy authored to help Connecticut. Specifically,\r\nthe legislation repeals the mandate to sell Plum Island and includes $18.9\r\nmillion to clean up the island, provides$700 million for Amtrak's\r\nNortheast Corridor and an additional $1 billion in COVID relief funding to\r\nAmtrak, provides $30.4 million in funding for the Long Island Sound Geographic\r\nProgram, and includes $135.5 million for construction of a new courthouse in\r\nHartford. The bill also includes the Mental\r\nHealth Parity Compliance Act of 2019,\r\nlegislation Murphy introduced with U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.)\r\nthat will provide federal and state health insurance regulators with additional\r\ntools to monitor and assure compliance with mental health parity laws. I'm on\r\nthe Appropriations Committee to make sure that Connecticut's priorities are\r\nincluded in the federal budget, and the bill we passed today is a clear win for\r\nour state, said\r\nMurphy. This funding package includes important money for testing and\r\nvaccine distribution that will help us combat COVID-19, and direct cash\r\npayments and small business assistance to help those in need. I'm also glad to\r\nsee funding in this bill that supports longstanding local priorities like\r\nAmtrak, the Long Island Sound, and the new Coast Guard Museum, in addition to\r\nlanguage repealing the mandate to sell Plum Island and providing first-time\r\nfunding for the Hartford courthouse project. Finally, as we've seen mental\r\nhealth issues spike throughout COVID-19, I'm also proud my bipartisan\r\nlegislation that cracks down on insurers who don't pay for mental health\r\ntreatment was included in this bill. Of course, there is a lot more work to do\r\nand I look forward to getting back to work with President-elect Biden. The\r\nCoronavirus Relief & Omnibus Agreement alsoincludes: \r\nAn\r\nadditional $5 million in funding for the Coast Guard museum in New London; \r\n$30.4\r\nmillion for the Long Island Sound Geographic program, a nearly 50% increase\r\nfrom last year's levels; \r\n$109\r\nmillion for magnet schools, an increase of $2 million from last year, as well\r\nas a language repealing the only remaining prohibition on using federal funds\r\nfor transportation to carry out school desegregation efforts. This means more\r\nflexibility for magnets as well as school districts more broadly to fund\r\nefforts to increase school diversity; \r\n$25\r\nmillion for gun violence research within the Centers for\r\nDiseaseControland Prevention (CDC) and the National\r\nInstitutesof Health (NIH); \r\n$85\r\nmillion for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS)\r\nInitiative grants to help strengthen background checks, a $6.7 million increase\r\nfrom last year; \r\n$4.5\r\nbillion direct to states for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, monitoring, and\r\ntracking, including a targeted investment of $300 million for high-risk and\r\nunderserved populations; \r\nLanguage\r\nto phase down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)extremely potent greenhouse\r\ngases that are used in air conditioners and refrigeratorsby 85 percent over\r\nthe next 15 years; \r\n$5\r\nmillion to conduct COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution on Capitol Hill,\r\nafter Murphy\r\nled a letter to Senate and House leadership calling for a comprehensive\r\ntesting plan for everyone who works in and around the Capitol; \r\n$13\r\nbillion to increase SNAP benefits by 15%, following a\r\nletter Murphy co-led with Senator Merkley that called for the same increase\r\nas well as language expanding SNAP to college students as Senator Murphy has\r\nchampioned;  \r\n$2\r\nmillion for the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and\r\nTechnology to partner with a university to study and develop a reliable and\r\ncost-effective standard for testing for the presence of excessive pyrrhotite in\r\nconcrete, which is the root of the crumbling foundations problem plaguing\r\nConnecticut; \r\n$10\r\nmillion for Highlands Conservation Act, one of the most significant federal\r\ninvestments of conservation funding inConnecticutthat allows state\r\nandmunicipal land trusts to conserve thousands ofacres\r\nofland; and \r\n$5\r\nbillion towards aerospace and defense manufacturing in Connecticut that will\r\nkeep jobs and increase demand for Connecticut manufacturers, expand funds for\r\nWorkforce Development Programs, and authorize advanced payments to small and\r\nmedium aerospace and defense businesses. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-connecticut-education-commissioner-miguel-cardona-announced-as-president-elect-bidens-choice-for-secretary-of-education", "Murphy Statement On Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona Announced As President-Elect Bidens Choice For Secretary Of EducationRead More", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement On Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona Announced As President-Elect Biden's Choice For Secretary Of Education \n        \n        December 22, 2020\n      \n        \n          HARTFORDU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health,\r\nEducation, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, on Tuesday issued the following\r\nstatement following the announcement that President-elect Joe Biden will\r\nnominate Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona to be the next U.S.\r\nSecretary of Education: Joe\r\nBiden hit a home run. My friend Miguel Cardona is everything you would want in\r\na Secretary of Education. He's a great teacher, a fighter for educational\r\nequity, and a consensus builder. These values will be essential to solving the\r\nmyriad of challenges facing him when he gets to Washington, including helping\r\nour schools operate safely as we navigate out of the pandemic, addressing the\r\ninequitiesthat have been exacerbated during the pandemic,and\r\nundoing Betsy DeVos's disastrous attacks on public education. But, if\r\nthere's anyone who can rise to the occasion, it's\r\nMiguel. I'm looking forward to welcoming him to Washington ahead of his\r\nconfirmation, said Murphy. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/media/press-releases/hayes-votes-send-covid-19-emergency-relief-back-connecticut-fund-government", "HAYES VOTES TO SEND COVID-19 EMERGENCY RELIEF BACK TO CONNECTICUT & FUND GOVERNMENT", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tonight, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) voted in support of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, H.R. 133, bipartisan legislation that would provide emergency relief to Americans continuing to suffer from the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and a second package to fund the government through Fiscal Year 2021. The Senate will vote to pass both packages tonight, and the President is expected to sign the bill into law.\nThe bipartisan legislation combines over $900 billion in emergency COVID-19 relief to protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people with $1.4 billion in funding for the government through the annual appropriations process.\nAs a member of Congress we have a constitutional duty to fund the government while also dealing with concurrent crisis as they occur. American families are suffering right now from the COVID-19 pandemic. They are struggling to keep their lights on, put food on the tables, and navigate their way through a year of untold economic suffering, emotional hardship, and worst of all, loss of loved ones. Bills are due and it is unconscionable that Americans have had to wait months for relief, and critical federal programs that they rely on to be funded.\nWhile I am frustrated that compromise has seemed elusive in recent months, and that this bill took so long to craft, I am grateful for the hope this bill brings to my constituents. This bipartisan package will help us continue to invest in testing and vaccine distribution, and will bring direct relief to American families, expand assistance to millions of workers who have lost their jobs, and help community members trying to keep their businesses open. This COVID-19 relief package will invest billions into public education and our child care system, ensuring that schools are able to open safely, and ensure child care centers can continue to operate. While more still needs to be done to help this country recover, this bill represents a major step forward for all Americans and an important step on the path to recovery.\nI am pleased that part of the 2021 Appropriations package invests in key priorities for my district  from aggressively tackling the opioid crisis, investing in community health centers, disease research and mental health services, and helping students with learning disabilities. This bill will help to fight our nation's gun violence epidemic, protect the environment and combat climate change, and tackle food insecurity. I look forward to the President signing this legislation into law, and remain committed to working with the next Administration to ensure every resource possible is available to save lives and protect the vulnerable.\nAmong the provisions to combat the COVID-19 crisis inConsolidated Appropriations Act, are:\n Accelerating vaccine distribution and crushing the coronavirus: The package provides billions in urgently need funds to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines to as many Americans as possible as soon as possible, to implement a strong national testing and tracing strategy with billions reserved specifically for combating the disparities facing communities of color, and to support our heroic health care workers and providers.\n\tDirect payment checks: Provides a new round of direct payments worth up to $600 per adult and child, also ensuring that mixed-status families receive payments.\n\tStrong support for small business: Includes critical funding and policy changes to help small businesses, including minority-owned businesses, and nonprofits recover from the pandemic. The agreement includes over $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans, expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofits and local newspapers, TV and radio broadcasters, key modifications to PPP to serve the smallest businesses and struggling non-profits and better assist independent restaurants, and includes $15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions. The agreement also includes $20 billion for targeted EIDL Grants which are critical to many smaller businesses on Main Street.\n\tEducation and child care: The agreement provides $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools, including support for HVAC repair and replacement to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms, and $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open.\n\tRental assistance: Provides $25 billion in critically needed rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes and an extension of the eviction moratorium.\n\tEnhanced Unemployment Insurance benefits: Averts the sudden expiration of Unemployment Insurance benefits for millions and adds a $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work.\n ###\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 yearsand was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut's 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=C8ACE052-BE70-40D2-AC21-845FB4423195", "HAYES VOTES TO SEND COVID-19 EMERGENCY RELIEF BACK TO CONNECTICUT & FUND GOVERNMENT", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", "hayes", "https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Tonight, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) voted in support of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, H.R. 133, bipartisan legislation that would provide emergency relief to Americans continuing to suffer from the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and a second package to fund the government through Fiscal Year 2021. The Senate will vote to pass both packages tonight, and the President is expected to sign the bill into law.\n\nThe bipartisan legislation combines over $900 billion in emergency COVID-19 relief to protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people with $1.4 billion in funding for the government through the annual appropriations process.\n\n\u201cAs a member of Congress we have a constitutional duty to fund the government while also dealing with concurrent crisis as they occur. American families are suffering right now from the COVID-19 pandemic. They are struggling to keep their lights on, put food on the tables, and navigate their way through a year of untold economic suffering, emotional hardship, and worst of all, loss of loved ones. Bills are due and it is unconscionable that Americans have had to wait months for relief, and critical federal programs that they rely on to be funded.\n\n\u201cWhile I am frustrated that compromise has seemed elusive in recent months, and that this bill took so long to craft, I am grateful for the hope this bill brings to my constituents. This bipartisan package will help us continue to invest in testing and vaccine distribution, and will bring direct relief to American families, expand assistance to millions of workers who have lost their jobs, and help community members trying to keep their businesses open. This COVID-19 relief package will invest billions into public education and our child care system, ensuring that schools are able to open safely, and ensure child care centers can continue to operate. While more still needs to be done to help this country recover, this bill represents a major step forward for all Americans and an important step on the path to recovery.\n\n\u201cI am pleased that part of the 2021 Appropriations package invests in key priorities for my district \u2013 from aggressively tackling the opioid crisis, investing in community health centers, disease research and mental health services, and helping students with learning disabilities. This bill will help to fight our nation\u2019s gun violence epidemic, protect the environment and combat climate change, and tackle food insecurity. I look forward to the President signing this legislation into law, and remain committed to working with the next Administration to ensure every resource possible is available to save lives and protect the vulnerable.\u201d\n\nAmong the provisions to combat the COVID-19 crisis in Consolidated Appropriations Act, are:\n\nAccelerating vaccine distribution and crushing the coronavirus: The package provides billions in urgently need funds to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines to as many Americans as possible as soon as possible, to implement a strong national testing and tracing strategy with billions reserved specifically for combating the disparities facing communities of color, and to support our heroic health care workers and providers.\n\nDirect payment checks: Provides a new round of direct payments worth up to $600 per adult and child, also ensuring that mixed-status families receive payments.\n\nStrong support for small business: Includes critical funding and policy changes to help small businesses, including minority-owned businesses, and nonprofits recover from the pandemic. The agreement includes over $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans, expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofits and local newspapers, TV and radio broadcasters, key modifications to PPP to serve the smallest businesses and struggling non-profits and better assist independent restaurants, and includes $15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions. The agreement also includes $20 billion for targeted EIDL Grants which are critical to many smaller businesses on Main Street.\n\nEducation and child care: The agreement provides $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools, including support for HVAC repair and replacement to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms, and $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open.\n\nRental assistance: Provides $25 billion in critically needed rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes and an extension of the eviction moratorium.\n\nEnhanced Unemployment Insurance benefits: Averts the sudden expiration of Unemployment Insurance benefits for millions and adds a $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work.\n\n###\n\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\n\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut\u2019s 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=52649D75-8717-4418-AC20-56FFD06805DF", "Omnibus and Coronavirus Relief Package Information", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Friends,\n\nAfter months of negotiations and compromise, Congress has passed a new round of Coronavirus relief. While this bill will provide much-needed aid to the American people, it is my sincere hope that we are able to provide more assistance in the new year with a new president.\n\nAt the beginning of the pandemic, my team and I worked to answer many of your frequently asked questions. I hope that this updated guide will help you and your neighbors understand the contents of Congress\u2019s latest relief package.\n\nPlease sign-up for my newsletter, the CDC\u2019s Subscription Service, and Governor Lamont\u2019s news updates to receive the latest information about COVID-19 and governmental action.\n\nSincerely,\n\nJim\n\nTable of Contents\n\nAssistance for Individuals and Families\n\nAssistance for Small Businesses and Non-Profits\n\nDirect Payment Details\n\nHousing Assistance Details\n\nQuick Resources\n\nOther Questions\n\nOmnibus and Coronavirus Relief Package Overview\n\nWhat assistance is available to individuals and families?\n\nDirect Payments\n\nClick here for answers regarding the Second Round of Economic Impact Payments\n\nProvides for immediate, direct cash payments to lower-and middle-income Americans of $600 for each adult and $600 for each dependent under age 17, beginning to phase out at an annual income of $75,000 for an individual and $150,000 for a household.\n\nEligibility requirements mirror those under the CARES Act (e.g., you must have a work-eligible social security number)\n\nCorrects CARES Act language to authorize $600 for each citizen in a \u201cmixed-status\u201d family. Mixed-status families, where a U.S. citizen files his or her taxes jointly with a non-citizen, were ineligible for Economic Impact Payments under the CARES Act. These families can also now claim the original CARES Act Economic Impact Payment on their 2020 return in 2021.\n\nUnemployment\n\nBoosts Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) by $300 for 11 weeks.\n\nFPUC is a federally funded weekly plus-up that is available to anyone receiving at least $1 of unemployment insurance\n\nReports indicate that claimants can expect benefits by mid-January.\n\nExtends Pandemic Unemployment Assistance extended for 11 weeks.\n\nPUA makes individuals who do not qualify for regular unemployment compensation, like self-employed workers, independent contractors, and gig workers, eligible for assistance.\n\nState labor agencies are waiting for official U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) guidance on details, however, USDOL has signaled these are expected to be continuous benefits for eligible claimants beginning on the day the CARES Act expired.\n\nExtends Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation for 11 weeks.\n\nPEUC allows states to provide 13 additional weeks of unemployment benefits to individuals who previously received unemployment benefits but exhausted those benefits.\n\nClaimants who are currently receiving Extended Benefits (EB) will stay on that program until it is exhausted before potentially becoming eligible for the additional weeks of PEUC.\n\nProvides an extra $100 (on top of $300) to \u201cmixed earners\u201d who earned income from both W-2 and non-W-2 jobs\n\nHousing Assistance\n\nExtends the CDC\u2019s eviction moratorium until January 31, 2021\n\nProvides $25 billion in rental relief funding\n\nThis money will be used to cover missed rent, utilities, and other costs accrued since the pandemic started\n\nFunds will be funneled through a new program at the Treasury Department and intermediated by state and local agencies\n\nTo access the funds, renters will apply and state agencies will send payments directly to landlords\n\nLandlords can also apply directly for assistance butwill be required to notify the tenant that they are doing so and obtain the tenant\u2019s consent\n\nTo qualify, households must meet these qualifications:\n\nHave a household income of no more than 80% of the area median income (AMI) as defined by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development\n\nhave one or more members who can demonstrate a risk of homelessness or housing instability; AND\n\nhave one or more members who qualify for unemployment benefits or experienced financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the pandemic\n\nFood Assistance\n\nIncreases SNAP\u2019s monthly benefits for 6-months\n\nSuspends work requirements for SNAP-eligible college students while work-study programs may not be operating during COVID emergency\n\nProvides supplemental $400 million for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which assists food banks\n\nProvides an additional $13 million for Commodity Supplemental Food Program\n\nProvides an additional $175 million for Meals on Wheels\n\nWhat relief is available to small businesses and non-profits?\n\nPaycheck Protection Program\n\nReopens the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) with another $284.5 billion in funding.\n\nNote: On January 8, the SBA and Treasury Department announced that the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) will re-open the week of January 11 for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers: \"To promote access to capital, initially only community financial institutions will be able to make First Draw PPP Loans on Monday, January 11 and Second Draw PPP Loans on Wednesday, January 13. The PPP will open to all participating lenders shortly thereafter.\"\n\nSecond Draw of PPP\n\nThe bill allows the hardest hit small businesses to obtain a second PPP loan. To qualify for another forgivable loan, an eligible business must have 300 or fewer employees and demonstrate at least a 25 percent reduction in gross revenues between comparable quarters in 2019 and 2020. Second draw loans are limited to $2 million.\n\nEnsuring Access in All Communities\n\nThe bill includes set asides to ensure that PPP money will reach small businesses in all communities. $60 billion will be set aside for first and second draw loans to small businesses with 10 or fewer employees, or loans less than $250,000 to small businesses in low-income areas. $30 billion will also be set aside for small financial institutions like community banks and credit unions, as well as community financial institutions like community development financial institutions.\n\nExpanded PPP Eligibility\n\nCertain 501(6)c non-profits, Destination Marketing Organizations, and housing cooperatives with 300 or fewer employees can receive funding, as can news organizations with 500 or fewer employees\n\nSupports Payroll Expenditures\n\nBorrowers receive full loan forgiveness if they spend at least 60 percent of their PPP second draw loan on payroll costs over any time period between 8 weeks and 24 weeks.\n\nPPP Expansion for Restaurants\n\nEligible employers can take out loans equal to 3.5 times payroll, instead of the normal 2.5 times\n\nForgiveness Changes\n\nForgivable expenses now include supplier costs on existing contracts and purchase orders, the costs for perishable goods at any time, costs relating to worker safety, and technology operations expenditures such as software expenses. The bill also streamlines the loan forgiveness process for loans of $150K or less.\n\nDeductibility for Expenses Paid with PPP Loan Proceeds\n\nThe bill clarifies that expenses paid with forgiven PPP loans are indeed tax-deductible. In addition, the bill clarifies again that forgiven loans do not count as income.\n\nWhat support is available for businesses beyond PPP?\n\nSupport for Live Venues, Theaters, Museums, and Zoos\n\nThe package creates a $15 billion Independent Live Venue Operators Fund to provide grants to eligible live venue operators, theatrical producers, live performing arts organization operators, museum operators, motion picture theatre operators, or talent representatives that have experienced significant revenue losses. It directs the SBA to make grants to eligible venues equal to the lesser of either 45 percent of their operating costs from calendar year 2019 or $10 million. Recipients could use these grants to support payroll costs, rent, utilities, and PPE costs. Venue operators who receive a grant through the Fund cannot receive additional PPP monies.\n\nTargeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance Program\n\nThe bill appropriates $20 billion for the EIDL Advance program only for businesses in low-income areas, which are areas with poverty rates greater than 20% and median family incomes are 80% of the average for the state. These grants provide an emergency advance of up to $10,000 to small businesses and private non-profits harmed by COVID-19. The advance does not need to be repaid, and may be used to keep employees on payroll, pay for sick leave, meet increased production costs due to supply chain disruptions, or pay business obligations, including debts, rent and mortgage payments.\n\nEmployee Retention Tax Credit Modifications\n\nThe relief package builds on the CARES Act's employee retention tax credit (ERTC). The modifications will:\n\nIncrease the credit rate from 50 percent to 70 percent of qualified wages;\n\nExpand eligibility for the credit by reducing the required year-over-year gross receipts decline from 50 percent to 20 percent and provides a safe harbor allowing employers to use prior quarter gross receipts to determine eligibility;\n\nIncrease the limit on per-employee creditable wages from $10,000 for the year to $10,000 for each quarter;\n\nIncrease the 100-employee delineation for determining the relevant qualified wage base to employers with 500 or fewer employees;\n\nAllow certain public instrumentalities to claim the credit;\n\nRemove the 30-day wage limitation, allowing employers to, for example, claim the credit for bonus pay to essential workers;\n\nAllows businesses with 500 or fewer employees to advance the credit at any point during the quarter based on wages paid in the same quarter in a previous year;\n\nProvide rules to allow new employers who were not in existence for all or part of 2019 to be able to claim the credit; and\n\nRetroactive to the passage of the CARES Act, the bill allows employers who receive Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to qualify for the ERTC with respect to wages that are not paid for with forgiven PPP proceeds.\n\nPlease visit sba.gov/ppp or treasury.gov/cares for more information on SBA\u2019s assistance to small businesses.\n\nDirect Payments Details\n\nThank you to the hard-working staff on the House Committee on Ways & Means, who helped assemble answers to the following questions. For the latest information on the distribution of direct payments, please click here.\n\nWhen and how will the additional economic impact payments (EIPs) be distributed?\n\nThe IRS has begun issuing payments to eligible individuals who either filed a federal income tax return for 2019, registered for the first round of payments through the IRS\u2019s non-filer portal, or receive Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), or Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. When available, electronic direct deposit will be used in place of mailing a paper check.\n\nIndividuals who do not receive an advance payment automatically will be able to claim a credit for their EIP amount on their 2020 federal income tax return.\n\nIf my income was lower in 2020 than in 2019, how does that affect my EIP?\n\nThe payment amount is determined by your 2020 income. Economic Impact Payments are technically an advance payment of a new temporary tax credit that eligible taxpayers can claim on their 2020 return. Accordingly, many individuals and families will receive payment automatically in early 2021 based on their 2019 tax return information. For individuals and families who experienced a drop in income between 2019 and 2020, this amount may be less than what you are entitled to based on your 2020 income. Therefore, taxpayers can claim a credit on their 2020 federal income tax return for the difference between (a) the amount they are entitled to under law and (b) the amount they received as an advanced payment.\n\nHow large are the EIPs?\n\nThe size of your EIP depends on your adjusted gross income and family size. The maximum payment amount is $600 for each taxpayer ($1,200 for joint filers), and $600 per qualifying child. The payment is reduced by $5 for every $100 of income above the following thresholds: $150,000 for joint filers, $112,500 for a head of household filer, and $75,000 for single filers.\n\nDoes the phaseout apply to EIP amounts related to qualifying children?\n\nYes. The phaseout ($5 for every $100 of income in excess of the relevant thresholds) applies to the entire EIP amount, which includes the portion related to qualifying dependents.\n\nIs there a limit on the number of qualifying children taken into account?\n\nNo.\n\nAre EIPs subject to federal income tax?\n\nNo. The EIPs are federal income tax refunds and therefore are not subject to federal income tax.\n\nAre non-filers eligible for payments?\n\nYes. Non-filers who are Social Security, SSI, RRB, and VA beneficiaries will be paid automatically by the IRS. Individuals who used the non-filer portal to receive their first EIP under the CARES Act will also be paid automatically. Individuals who believe they are eligible for an EIP but did not receive one in the first round mustfile a 2020 tax return to access their EIPs, even if they otherwise would not be required to file a tax return.\n\nHow will a person who has recently moved access the EIP?\n\nIf a person has provided direct deposit information on a 2019 income tax return that has been processed, the IRS will use that information to issue an electronic payment. Otherwise, generally, a person should look at the IRS's website for guidance on providing direct deposit information or a change of address to the IRS.\n\nWill the payment affect my eligibility for other federal income-targeted programs (i.e. health insurance subsidies)?\n\nNo.\n\nWhat are the identification requirements to receive an EIP?\n\nA taxpayer must provide a Social Security number (SSN) in order to receive an EIP and must provide SSNs for any qualifying children in order to receive payment for those children. For couples filing jointly, at least one spouse must provide a valid SSN to receive their portion of the payment or credit.\n\nBeyond the payment amount, how is this round of payments different from the first one?\n\nUnder the CARES Act, if one spouse did not provide a Social Security number (SSN), that family could not receive an EIP. The new legislation modified this requirement so that if only one spouse provides an SSN, that spouse will be entitled to receive their portion of the EIP as well as an amount for any qualifying children with SSNs. This change was also made retroactively to the CARES Act, so these families will be able to also claim a first round EIP on their 2020 tax return for eligible family members. In addition, advance payments made in the second round will not be subject to offset for past-due child support owed and are expressly exempt from garnishment.\n\nI still haven't received my first Economic Impact Payment. What can I do?\n\nEligible individuals who did not receive an Economic Impact Payment \u2013 either the first or the second payment \u2013 will be able to claim their payment when they file their 2020 taxes in 2021. Many people, including recent college graduates, may be eligible to do so. People will see the Economic Impact Payments (EIP) referred to as the Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC) on Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR since the EIPs are an advance payment of the RRC.\n\nHow do I find out if the IRS is sending me a payment?\n\nPeople can check the status of both their first and second payments by using the Get My Payment tool.\n\nI am an H&R Block customer and haven't received my stimulus payment. Should I be concerned?\n\nH&R Block is working to resolve the issue. If the IRS Get My Payment tool displays an account number a customer doesn\u2019t recognize, that person should contact H&R Block at 1-800-HRBLOCK and 1-866-353-1266 for Emerald Card.\n\nHousing Assistance Details\n\nThis information was compiled with the assistance of the House Financial Services Committee.\n\nIs there an extension of the eviction moratorium?\n\nYes. The COVID-19 Stimulus Package extends the CDC\u2019s eviction moratorium until January 31, 2021.\n\nWhat assistance will the relief package make available to renters?\n\nEligible renters may receive assistance with rent and utility payments, unpaid rent or utility bills that have accumulated since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, and other housing expenses that were incurred due, directly or indirectly, to the pandemic. Eligible renters can also receive access services, such as case management and tenant-landlord mediation, to help them remain stably housed. A household may receive up to 12 months of assistance but may receive an additional three months of assistance only if it is necessary to ensure the household remains stably housed and funds are available.\n\nHow can renters (and property owners) apply for, and receive assistance?\n\nRenters will apply for assistance with entities that state and local grantees select to administer the program. Once a renter qualifies for assistance, the administering entity would send the payment directly to the landlord. If a landlord declines to receive the assistance from the administering entity, a renter may instead receive a direct payment from the administering entity to make rental payments to their landlord themselves. Property owners could also assist renters to apply for rental assistance under the program or apply on behalf of the tenant, but will be required to notify the renter that assistance is being provided on their behalf and obtain their consent in the application.\n\nWho would be eligible to receive emergency rental assistance?\n\nEligible households are defined as renter households who:\n\nhave a household income not more than 80 percent of the area median income (AMI);\n\nhave one or more household members who can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and\n\nhave one or more household members who qualify for unemployment benefits or experienced financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the pandemic.\n\nAssistance would be prioritized for renter households with incomes that do not exceed 50 percent of AMI as well as renter households who are currently unemployed and have been unemployed for 90 days.\n\nIn determining household income, the administering entity must consider the household\u2019s income for 2020 or the household\u2019s monthly income at the time of application for assistance, which must be recertified every three months if the household is receiving ongoing rental assistance.\n\nQuick Resources\n\nCDC\n\nPhone Number: 800-232-4636\n\nWebsite: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/\n\nConnecticut Coronavirus News Portal\n\nWebsite: https://portal.ct.gov/coronavirus\n\nCoronavirus.gov\n\nWebsite: https://www.coronavirus.gov/\n\nU.S. Small Business Administration\n\nWebsite: https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources\n\nInternal Revenue Service\n\nWebsite: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus\n\nU.S. Department of Education\n\nWebsite: https://www.ed.gov/coronavirus\n\nConsumer Financial Protection Bureau\n\nWebsite: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/\n\nFEMA\n\nWebsite: https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus\n\nU.S. Department of Health and Human Services\n\nWebsite: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/coronavirus/index.html\n\nU.S. Food and Drug Administration\n\nWebsite: https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-issues/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19\n\nU.S. Department of Labor\n\nWebsite: https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus\n\nU.S. Department of State\n\nWebsite: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/covid-19-information.html\n\nCenters for Medicare and Medicaid\n\nWebsite: https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/EPRO/Current-Emergencies/Current-Emergencies-page\n\nU.S. Department of Homeland Security\n\nWebsite: https://www.dhs.gov/publication/notices-arrival-restrictions-coronavirus\n\nU.S. Department of Veterans Affairs\n\nWebsite: https://www.publichealth.va.gov/n-coronavirus/index.asp\n\nU.S. Department of Agriculture\n\nWebsite: https://www.usda.gov/coronavirus\n\nU.S. Customs and Immigration Services\n\nWebsite: https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/uscis-response-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19\n\nSocial Security Administration\n\nWebsite: https://www.ssa.gov/coronavirus/\n\nConnecticut Department of Public Health\n\nPhone Number: 860-509-8000\n\nWebsite: https://portal.ct.gov/dph\n\nBridgeport\n\nPhone Number: 203-332-3000\n\nWebsite: https://www.bridgeportct.gov/coronavirus\n\nStamford\n\nWebsite: https://www.stamfordct.gov/covid19\n\nNorwalk\n\nWebsite: https://www.norwalkct.org/1897/COVID-19-Novel-Coronavirus-2019\n\nDarien\n\nWebsite: http://www.darienct.gov/content/28025/28541/default.aspx\n\nEaston\n\nWebsite: https://www.eastonct.gov/\n\nFairfield\n\nWebsite: https://fairfieldct.org/covid19\n\nGreenwich\n\nWebsite: https://www.greenwichct.gov/1621/Coronavirus-COVID-19\n\nMonroe\n\nWebsite: http://www.monroect.org/COVID-19\n\nNew Canaan\n\nWebsite: https://www.newcanaan.info/alert_detail.php\n\nOxford\n\nWebsite: https://www.oxford-ct.gov/\n\nRidgefield\n\nWebsite: https://www.ridgefieldct.org/home/urgent-alerts/covid-19-updates\n\nShelton\n\nWebsite: http://cityofshelton.org/corona-virus/\n\nTrumbull\n\nWebsite: https://www.trumbull-ct.gov/725/Novel-Coronavirus\n\nWeston\n\nWebsite: https://www.westonct.gov/home\n\nWestport\n\nWebsite: https://www.westportct.gov/residents/emergency-information-alerts/covid-19\n\nWilton\n\nWebsite: https://www.wiltonct.org/node/1/new\n\nOther Questions", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=79FA885F-1CF2-42E2-8C55-EE8D1FF96EF2", "House Passes Coronavirus Relief Package with Himes Support", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Washington, DC\u2014 Today, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) voted for the coronavirus relief package that has been the subject of long negotiations between the House and Senate. Previously, the House had passed its own version of a coronavirus relief package, the HEROES Act, on May 15, 220 days ago.\n\nIf you need assistance with access to unemployment services, stimulus payments, business aid, or any other federal program, please contact Congressman Himes\u2019s offices at (202)225-5541 or (203)333-6600 or go online here.\n\n\u201cIt was absolutely necessary to get this compromise done before Congress left for the year,\u201d said Himes. \u201cFamilies\u2019 suffering and need have only gotten worse as this pandemic has dragged on. The final bill we came away with is not perfect, but it contains vital aid for individuals and small businesses without giving away the store to giant corporations.\u201d\n\nNotable provisions in the bill include:\n\nEconomic Impact (Direct) Payments (EIP):\n\nCongress included EIP provisions that will provide one time payments of $600 per eligible adult and $600 per eligible dependent under the age of 17\n\nEligibility for this provision is the same as in the CARES Act:\n\nAll single taxpayers with an adjusted gross income up to $75,000 filing single or $150,000 filing jointly receive the full benefit.\n\nThe benefit tapers off until it is completely eliminated for those making more than $99,000 filing single/$198,000 filing jointly at a rate of 5%.\n\nRequires a work-eligible social security number.\n\nUnlike the CARES Act, \u201cmixed-status families,\u201d where one spouse is a citizen and the other is not, ARE eligible for payments for each citizen in the family. This change is retroactive, so mixed-status families will be able to claim the original EIP when they file their 2020 tax return in 2021.\n\nUnemployment Insurance (UI):\n\nThe bill includes supplemented unemployment insurance for both \u201cgig\u201d and \u201cnon-gig\u201d extended for 11 weeks (through March 14th).\n\nFederal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation is extended for 11 weeks (through March 14th) at $300 per week. This means everyone who is receiving at least $1 in unemployment insurance per week \u2013 including those on PUA \u2013 will receive an additional $300.\n\nUnemployment insurance under the bill will include an extra $100 (on top of $300) for \u201cmixed earners\u201d -- workers who earned income from both W-2 and non-W2 jobs.\n\nPaycheck Protection Program (PPP)\n\nThe PPP lending program is continued with $284.5 billion dollars in funding to provide forgivable loans to small businesses.\n\nIt includes set asides for smaller borrowers/underserved communities, including small businesses with fewer than 10 employees.\n\n$15 billion is reserved for loans made by small community lenders (community banks/credit unions).\n\n$15 billion has been designated for Community Development Financial Institutions and Minority Depository Institutions. The set aside exists to ensure money reaches low-income and underserved communities.\n\nThe bill will allow businesses that were especially hard hit by the pandemic to apply for a second PPP loan. To qualify a firm must have 300 or fewer employees AND had revenue loss of at least 25% in any quarter of 2020.\n\nPPP is expanded to include 501(c)(6) non-profit organizations, includes simplified loan forgiveness for loans under $150,000, and changes the calculations for restaurants to allow them to take loans at 350% of payroll instead of 250%.\n\nThe administration of this provision should be very similar to the administration of the first round of PPP, and logistics and processes should become clearer over the coming days. Interested businesses should contact their financial institutions with questions about application or qualification for the program.\n\nRental Assistance:\n\nThe bill provides $25B in rental relief funding to eligible households in a program to be administered by states.\n\nEligible uses include rent, rental arrears, necessary utilities, and arrears of necessary utilities.\n\nRenters will apply for the assistance and state agencies will send the payment directly to landlord. Landlords can also apply directly for assistance but will be required to notify the tenant that assistance is being provided on their behalf and obtain the tenant\u2019s consent.\n\nEligible households are defined as renters who:\n\nHave a household income not more than 80 percent of the area median income (AMI); have one or more household members who can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and have one or more household members who qualify for unemployment benefits or experienced financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the pandemic.\n\nFood Aid:\n\nThe bill contains $13 billion in nutrition assistance including a 15% percent increase in Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) benefits for 6 months, $400 million for the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), $4.6 billion to extend Pandemic EBT program (P-EBT) to child care facilities and schools to provide free and reduced-price meals to children who qualify, and $175 million for Meals on Wheels.\n\nOther Provisions:\n\nThe bill contains $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools, including support for HVAC repair and replacement to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms.\n\nThe bill includes $10 billion for childcare assistance to help get parents back to work and keep childcare providers open.\n\nTransportation assistance including $14 billion for transit, $10 billion for state highways, and $2 billion for airports.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel as vaccination ramps up in Connecticut and across the country,\u201d said Himes. \u201cBut the pandemic is not over. With thousands of people still dying every day and millions of our neighbors out of work and businesses shuttering at a fast pace, intervention is necessary to keep people in their homes, keep food on the table, keep the lights and heat on, and put us in a better position for a fast recovery.\u201d\n\nAgain, if you need assistance with access to unemployment services, stimulus payment, business aid, or any other federal program, please contact Congressman Himes\u2019s offices at (202)225-5541 or (203)333-6600 or go online here.\n\nFor more information or with any questions, please email Patrick Malone at Patrick.malone@mail.house.gov.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-himes-bill-to-designate-weir-farm-southwest-connecticuts-first-national-historical-park-heads-to-the-presidents-desk", "Murphy, Blumenthal, Himes Bill To Designate Weir Farm Southwest Connecticuts First National Historical Park Heads To The Presidents DeskRead More", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and\r\nU.S. Representative Jim Himes (CT-4) on Monday applauded the news that\r\ntheir legislation to change the Weir Farm designation from Weir Farm National\r\nHistoric Site to Weir Farm National Historical Park is headed to President\r\nTrump's desk. The change will better reflect Weir Farm's size and importance, while\r\nimproving recognition of the site and preserving its cultural landscape. Weir\r\nFarm is only one of two congressionally-approved National Park Service sites in\r\nConnecticut. It is also one of just two sites in the National Park Service\r\ndedicated to visual arts. The legislation passed the U.S. House of\r\nRepresentatives on Thursday and passed the U.S. Senate on Sunday. This\r\nis great news. I wish more people in and around Connecticut knew about Weir\r\nFarm, and designating it as a NationalHistorical Park will help ensure\r\nthat the park can expand all that it has to offer. Since its restoration in\r\n2014, we've witnessed an uptick in visitors and more public programming\r\nunderscoring the importance of preserving art and culture. I'm proud to have\r\nworked with Senator Blumenthal and Congressman Himes to get this across the\r\nfinish line,said Murphy. This\r\nsignificant victory ensures the preservation of Connecticut's cultural\r\nlandscapeand artistic heritage. TheNational Historical Park\r\ndesignation recognizes Weir Farmas more than just home of J. Alden Weir.\r\nThe new designation recognizesthe multiple historical homes, art studios,\r\nand farm buildings that continue to be a destination that inspires generations\r\nof artists. I am proud that Weir Farm will finally receive the designation it\r\ndeserves through the passage of this legislation, and will continue to support\r\nefforts to preserve Connecticut's history. said Blumenthal.  Walking\r\nthrough Weir Farm in any season is a quintessentially Connecticut experience, said\r\nHimes. It's a beautiful, extensive site that gives visitors perspective\r\ninto an important period in American art, as well as a much-needed space to\r\nreconnect with our natural world. While we work on large government\r\nfunding bills and coronavirus relief efforts in Congress, we must never forget\r\nto sustain the arts, protect our natural spaces, and plan for a brighter\r\nfuture. Americans will soon once again travel the country and explore its\r\nNational Parks. Elevating Weir Farm to the status it deserves will help draw\r\nvisitors and share the unique beauty and history of Southwest Connecticut. \"The\r\nFriends of Weir Farm are proud to be part of the initiative, along with the\r\nWeir Farm Art Alliance, and Senators Murphy and Blumenthal, as well as\r\nRepresentative Himes, to propose the re-designation in the U.S. Senate and\r\nHouse of Representatives to Weir Farm National Historical Park. We believe that\r\nthe passage of this bill with itsnew name truly represents the wide range\r\nof cultural, historical and recreational resources that the park offers to the\r\npublic,\" Liz Castagna,\r\nthe Vice President of the Board of Friends of Weir Farms NHS. Weir\r\nFarm's redesignation as a\r\nNational Historical Park will properly reflect\r\nits acreage, number of historic themes and artists, natural and cultural\r\nresources, and the national impact of the Weir Farm site. Weir Farm National\r\nHistoric Site has grown to approximately 75 acres since the original\r\ndesignation in 1990. This expansion has allowed artists and historians to\r\nbetter understand Weir's enduring artistic legacy. The redesignation will\r\nreflect the increased visitation, collaboration with partners, and public\r\nprogramming since the park was restored and reopened in 2014. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-congress-reaching-covid-19-relief-deal", "Murphy Statement on Congress Reaching COVID-19 Relief DealRead More", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement on Congress Reaching COVID-19 Relief Deal \n        \n        December 21, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTON U.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)on Sunday released the following\r\nstatement after the Senate reached a deal on COVID-19 relief: For months,\r\nAmericans buckling under the weight of COVID-19 begged Congress for help. But up until a few days ago,\r\nMitch McConnell refused to even come to the negotiating table. It shouldn't\r\nhave taken until the last possible minute to fund the government and to provide\r\nsome measure of relief to those in need, said Murphy. While $900 billion in COVID-19 relief is not enough,\r\nthis package will help a lot of people in Connecticut and across the country.\r\nThis new funding will help small businesses keep their doors open. It will help\r\nour schools operate safely. It will help those who have lost their\r\njobs.And it will help make sure that we're able to distribute the vaccine\r\nas quickly as possible to people in our state. I will support it when it\r\nreaches the Senate. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=42A68ABB-229E-4BD3-8090-4D79319DAD4E", "House Passes Himes Bill to Designate Weir Farm as National Historical Park", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Washington, DC\u2014 Today, the United States House of Representatives passed a bill authored by Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) that would change the designation of Weir Farm in Wilton and Ridgefield from a National Historical Site to a National Historical Park.\n\nThe change will better represent Weir\u2019s complex cultural, natural and recreational offerings to the public. This prestigious status will also reflect the increased visitation, collaboration with partners, and public programming since the park\u2019s original designation.\n\n\u201cWalking through Weir Farm in any season is a quintessentially Connecticut experience,\u201d said Himes. \u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful, extensive site that gives visitors perspective into an important period in American art, as well as a much-needed space to reconnect with our natural world.\u201d\n\n\"The Friends of Weir Farm are proud to be part of the initiative, along with the Weir Farm Art Alliance, and Congressman Himes, to propose the redesignation in the House of Representatives to Weir Farm National Historical Park,\u201d said Liz Castagna, Vice President of Friends of Weir Farm. \u201cWe believe that the passage of the bill for this new name truly represents the wide range of cultural, historical and recreational resources that the park offers to the public.\"\n\nThe Weir Farm National Historical Site Establishment Act of 1990, which made the farm Connecticut\u2019s first national park, focused on preserving a limited part of the Weir property. Now, the vast holdings include more than 15 buildings spread out over nearly 75 acres including a vast collection of American art, orchards and landscapes, trails, gardens, miles of stone walls, and Weir Pond.\n\nSince its designation as a Historic Site, many of the park\u2019s landscapes and resources have been rehabilitated and restored to their original state, which inspired artists like Julian Alden Weir, Mahonri Mackintosh Young, and Charles Sperry Andrews.\n\n\u201cWhile we work on large government funding bills and coronavirus relief efforts in Congress, we must never forget to sustain the arts, protect our natural spaces, and plan for a brighter future,\u201d continued Himes. \u201cAmericans will soon once again travel the country and explore its National Parks. Elevating Weir Farm to the status it deserves will help draw visitors and share the unique beauty and history of Southwest Connecticut.\u201d\n\nPassage of a Senate version led by Connecticut Senators Blumenthal and Murphy is expected as early as tomorrow.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=5C85A1F2-EC99-4773-875E-D2006433648F", "Congressman Jim Himes announces $722,653 in Assistance to Firefighters Grants for Southwest Connecticut Fire Departments", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Today, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) announced that four fire departments in Southwest Connecticut will receive Assistance To Firefighters Grants (AFG) totaling $722,654 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The grants, awarded to the Bridgeport, Fairfield, Oxford, and Shelton Fire Departments, will ensure Southwest Connecticut fire departments have the training and resources they need to provide life-saving services.\n\n\u201cPublic investment in our fire departments will improve the safety of our community for years to come,\u201d said Congressman Jim Himes. \u201cThe brave men and women who staff our fire departments deserve the most up-to-date equipment and training to save lives and keep themselves safe. I\u2019m happy to see federal funding protecting the life and safety of Southwest Connecticut residents.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe department has seen record turnover and many of our newer Officers (Lieutenants and Captains) are new in their role,\u201d said Chief Thode, Fire Chief of the Bridgeport Fire Department. \u201cThis grant will allow us to train our officers in everything from Firefighter safety, leadership, management skills even report writing. The continued support and advocacy of Congressman Himes allows Bridgeport Firefighters access to some of the top levels of training that they would not normally have access to. Along with Sen Blumenthal and Murphy, the Connecticut Fire Service is truly fortunate to have such an active and effective Federal Delegation.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Fire Act Grant for these Automatic External Defibrillators and Cardiac Compression Devices ensures that wherever you are in Fairfield, you will never be more that 4 minutes away from the best pre hospital care possible,\u201d said Denis McCarthy, Fire Chief of the Fairfield Fire Department. \u201cOur Firefighters are trained and equipped to provide the absolute best chance of a positive outcome for those who suffer a trauma or medical emergency. We are grateful to Congressman Himes for his continued support of the Fire Act Grant program. In this case that support translates to saving lives.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe personal protective equipment provided by the AFG- S award will help to ensure that our 256 volunteer firefighters of the Shelton Fire Department will continue to be well protected as we adapt to all challenges placed upon America\u2019s first responders,\u201d said Francis T. Jones III, Fire Chief of the Shelton Fire Department. \u201cToday\u2019s, fire service requires an all hazard response team. As a team the Shelton Fire Department and Echo Hose Ambulance responds to fires, rescues, hazardous materials incidents, technical situations, natural disasters, and now pandemics. As we do each and every day our combined emergency services shall continue to meet these challenges to assist our community by the support of our elected local, state and federal leadership all working together to support America\u2019s fist responders of Fire, EMS and Police.\u201d\n\nAccording to FEMA, the Assistance To Firefighters Grant works to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations. Click here to learn more about AFG.\n\nFire Department\n\nAFG Grant Amount\n\nBridgeport\n\n$601,727\n\nFairfield\n\n$53,483\n\nOxford\n\n$6,714\n\nShelton\n\n$60,729\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-quigley-introduce-legislation-to-protect-presidential-records-enhance-presidential-transition-process-to-promote-accountability-and-national-security", "Murphy, Quigley Introduce Legislation To Protect Presidential Records, Enhance Presidential Transition Process To Promote Accountability And National SecurityRead More", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONFollowing reports that the outgoing Trump administration is destroying presidential records and ignoring the law when using non-official electronic devices to conduct official business,U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)on Thursday introducedthe Promoting Accountability and Security in Transition (PAST) Act, to clarify and enhance existing law with regards to presidential transition and presidential records.Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05)introduced the companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. It's been over a month since Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the election, and President Trump still has yet to concede. Even more troubling are reports that his administration is destroying presidential records and refusing to share national security information with the transition,said Murphy.The American people see that the process is broken and that it is time for reform. Our legislation clarifies and enhances existing laws related to presidential transitions and presidential records by putting in safeguards and transparency to ensure the paper trail that documents the actions taken by this and future administrations cannot be swept under the rug with impunity. It also establishes real consequences for the destruction of Presidential Records for the first time. This should be a no-brainer for Republicans and Democrats who care about our country's national security and the peaceful transfer of power to support. This bill ensures that all presidential records are documented, archived, and preserved for the historical record,said Quigley, co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Transparency Caucus.It is imperative that we push for commonsense legislation like this to hold elected officials accountable for what they do and say, including on social media platforms. This is about building more government accountability and transparency not only for the outgoing administration but for every administration. This bill goes a long way toward pluggingsome of the holes in the Presidential Records Act that have placed historically valuable Presidential records at risk. The American public should not have to wait until a President has left office to learn of problems with that President's record keeping practices. This bill addresses that issue by tasking the Archivist and the Office of Administration with yearly inspectionsthat will identify problems while there is still an opportunity to correct them. Just as significantly, the bill ensures that complete copies of electronic messages will be preserved by requiring the preservation of the metadata -- the who, what, and when -- that is associated with the messages. As someone who has litigated for years over the failure of multiple administrations to comply with their obligations under the Presidential Records Act, I fully and enthusiastically endorse this bill, which protects our nation's history and our ability to learn from the past,said Anne Weismann, Founder and Executive Director, Campaign for Accountability, and former Chief Counsel and Chief FOIA Counsel, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). At a time when the nation's presidential records are in a state of unprecedented uncertainty during the Trump-Biden transition, Senator Murphy's PAST Act of 2020 is a timelybill that will provide stronger Congressionaloversightof the White House's compliance with the Presidential Records Act. We applaud Senator Murphy's leadership in protecting the public's right to know by requiring both the White House and the Archivist to prioritize proper preservation of presidential records,said Lisa Rosenberg, executive director of Open The Government. The Promoting Accountability and Security in Transitions Act of 2020 is an important and timely bill that will put in place strong requirements to ensure that the records, including digital communications, of every President are accounted for and properly secured as the property of the American public. The second key provision in the legislation, amending the Presidential Transition Act, will ensure that the President-elect and members of office staff designated by the President-elect will receive access to, at a minimum, summaries of national security information (including documents, videos, audio, and briefings) created by the previous administration in as soon as possible after the date of the general elections held to determine the electors of President and Vice President,said Patrice McDermott, Director, Government Information Watch. Other endorsements can be foundhere. Specifically,Promoting Accountability and Security in Transition Actincludes three parts: 1.Presidential Records Act, which: Requires the President to receive written guidance from the Archivist before destroying any records and make this guidance publicly available; Requires the Archivist to inspect White House records management, training, and standard operating procedures on a biannual basis; Allows judicial review of access restrictions to Presidential Records and allows a Congressional Committee Ranking Members to request exemptions to access restrictions after a President's term in office; Requires the Archivist to provide regulations for documenting records created on non-official electronic messaging accounts (e.g. WhatsApp), preserving social media messaging (e.g. Twitter), and narrow exemptions for using applications with automatic deleting functionalities (e.g. Signal, Confide); and Requires the President to prohibit White House staff from using non-official electronic messaging accounts that cannot be easily copied or forwarded to official accounts and all messaging accounts with automatic deleting functionalities. 2.Presidential Compensation and Libraries, which: Establishes consequences for former Presidents that destroy Presidential records, including restricting post-presidency salary and staff, prohibiting public funding for Presidential Library construction, and preventing presidential records from being entrusted to a Presidential Library or Museum regardless of whether public funds were used for construction; and Requires former Presidents to cover the entire cost of digitizing records for display in a Presidential Library. 3.Presidential Transitions Act, which: Ensures president-elects receive comprehensive and timely briefings on vital national security information during a transition; Requires the General Services Administrator to independently ascertain the President-elect within six calendar days of an election and provide sources to any plausible winning candidates to support continuity of government; and During a transition, requires the Archivist to work with the Federal Transition Coordination to monitor records preservation compliance and report any compliance issues to Congress. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/media/press-releases/hayes-led-bill-support-surviving-families-passes-house-end-year-veterans", "HAYES LED BILL TO SUPPORT SURVIVING FAMILIES PASSES HOUSE IN END-OF-YEAR VETERANS\u2019 PACKAGE", "2020-12-16", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, the House passed H.R. 7105, which includes bipartisan legislation sponsored by Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) to support Connecticut veterans and their families.\nThe package includes provisions from Congresswoman Hayes' Surviving Families Benefits Expansion Act, H.R. 8559, which will lower the age at which a surviving spouse may receive Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at the point of remarriage. DIC is a tax-free monthly benefit paid to eligible survivors of military servicemembers who died in the line of duty, or survivors of servicemembers whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease. Under current law, a surviving spouse under 57 years old who remarries cannot receive these critical benefits.\nThe bipartisan package also includes the Deborah Sampson Act, which Congresswoman Hayes cosponsored. The legislation will eliminate barriers to care and services many female veterans encounter and will help ensure the VA can address the needs of women veterans. This groundbreaking legislation will undoubtedly help improve the lives of countless veterans and their families.\nVeterans in Connecticut and throughout the country have sacrificed so much for our nation. This historic legislation will ensure they receive the proper care and services from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and that their families receive the benefits they need, said Congresswoman Hayes. \nI applaud the bipartisan work that went into this package to strengthen our commitment to assist veterans and their families, and address overdue changes needed to support women veterans. I l will continue to dedicate my time in Congress to serving these heroes and their families, and look forward to President signing this legislation into law. \n###\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 yearsand was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut's 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=1A366E6F-1E0C-4B4E-9798-C56D407111A3", "HAYES LED BILL TO SUPPORT SURVIVING FAMILIES PASSES HOUSE IN END-OF-YEAR VETERANS\u2019 PACKAGE", "2020-12-16", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", "hayes", "https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, the House passed H.R. 7105, which includes bipartisan legislation sponsored by Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) to support Connecticut veterans and their families.\n\nThe package includes provisions from Congresswoman Hayes\u2019 Surviving Families Benefits Expansion Act, H.R. 8559, which will lower the age at which a surviving spouse may receive Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at the point of remarriage. DIC is a tax-free monthly benefit paid to eligible survivors of military servicemembers who died in the line of duty, or survivors of servicemembers whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease. Under current law, a surviving spouse under 57 years old who remarries cannot receive these critical benefits.\n\nThe bipartisan package also includes the Deborah Sampson Act, which Congresswoman Hayes cosponsored. The legislation will eliminate barriers to care and services many female veterans encounter and will help ensure the VA can address the needs of women veterans. This groundbreaking legislation will undoubtedly help improve the lives of countless veterans and their families.\n\n\u201cVeterans in Connecticut and throughout the country have sacrificed so much for our nation. This historic legislation will ensure they receive the proper care and services from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and that their families receive the benefits they need,\u201d said Congresswoman Hayes.\n\n\u201cI applaud the bipartisan work that went into this package to strengthen our commitment to assist veterans and their families, and address overdue changes needed to support women veterans. I l will continue to dedicate my time in Congress to serving these heroes and their families, and look forward to President signing this legislation into law.\u201d\n\n###\n\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\n\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut\u2019s 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-meets-with-xavier-becerra-president-elect-bidens-nominee-to-lead-the-department-of-health-and-human-services", "Murphy Meets With Xavier Becerra, President-Elect Bidens Nominee To Lead The Department Of Health And Human ServicesRead More", "2020-12-16", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Meets With Xavier Becerra, President-Elect Biden's Nominee To Lead The Department Of Health And Human Services \n        \n        December 16, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health,\r\nEducation, Labor and Pension Committee, on Wednesday met virtually with\r\nPresident-elect Joe Biden's nominee to be Secretary of Health and Human\r\nServices, Xavier Becerra. The two discussed the importance of a coordinated,\r\nscience-driven approach to tackling COVID-19. They also spoke about the need to\r\nprotect and expand the Affordable Care Act, improve access to mental health\r\nservices, and strengthen U.S. engagement as a leader on global health. I've\r\nknown Xavier Becerra a long time and I can't think of a better person to lead\r\nHHS during this critical moment, said\r\nMurphy. Xavier has been one of the leading defenders of the Affordable Care\r\nAct, and I know he is committed to helping make sure that everyone in this\r\ncountry has access to health care they can afford. He is a principled leader\r\nwho knows how to build consensus and bring people together. That is going to be\r\nabsolutely vital as we make our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic and navigate a\r\nnationwide vaccination program. Murphy\r\ncontinued: Xavier and I also talked about how we can address some of the\r\nlongstanding issues in our health system that COVID-19 has brought to the\r\nforefront  access to comprehensive health coverage options and the serious\r\nbarriers people face when seeking mental health treatment. I look forward to\r\nworking with him and the Biden administration to tackle these issues. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/media/press-releases/hayes-statement-8th-year-remembrance-sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting", "HAYES STATEMENT ON 8th YEAR OF REMEMBRANCE OF SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING", "2020-12-14", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) released the following statementacknowledging the 8thyear of remembrance of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting:\nEight years removed, the pain and scars of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have never left us. Today, we take time to pause and remember the 20 innocent children and 6 selfless educators whoselives were taken that day.\nAs a mother and educator, I cannot imagine losing my children, a student, or colleague in such a way. Those parents, siblings, and family members, who lost a loved one remind me to persevere and keep faith.Today we honor, remember, and reflect - tomorrow we get back to work ensuring our schools and communities remain safe.\nMy heart is with the Newtown community,today and every day. We are Connecticut strong.\n###\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut's 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=8F522BF1-A13E-4A07-ADE2-AE65C08A0AD1", "HAYES STATEMENT ON 8th YEAR OF REMEMBRANCE OF SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING", "2020-12-14", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", "hayes", "https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) released the following statement acknowledging the 8th year of remembrance of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting:\n\n\u201cEight years removed, the pain and scars of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have never left us. Today, we take time to pause and remember the 20 innocent children and 6 selfless educators whose lives were taken that day.\n\n\u201cAs a mother and educator, I cannot imagine losing my children, a student, or colleague in such a way. Those parents, siblings, and family members, who lost a loved one remind me to persevere and keep faith. Today we honor, remember, and reflect - tomorrow we get back to work ensuring our schools and communities remain safe.\n\n\u201cMy heart is with the Newtown community, today and every day. We are Connecticut strong.\u201d\n\n###\n\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\n\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut\u2019s 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=7C5D98BD-27C8-4286-8F2D-636C47E1CEA3", "Congressman Himes announces $500,000 grant to Oxford to prevent school shootings and improve campus security", "2020-12-14", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Today, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) announced that the Town of Oxford will receive a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Community Oriented Policing Services. The grant will create a Security Operations Center with three personnel monitoring the four campuses during schools hours. Additionally, the grant will also allow for a mass notification system that will allow schools to lockdown in seconds.\n\n\u201cAfter the heartbreaking mass shootings in Newtown, Parkland, Santa Fe and others, we must take additional security measures to keep our children safe,\u201d said Congressman Jim Himes. \u201cThese new security protocols will keep intruders from entering any of the four Oxford schools. Additional resources for monitoring school campuses will also prevent bullying or illegal activities from taking place on campus. I\u2019m glad federal dollars are going towards keep Oxford students safe.\u201d\n\n\"I thank the Oxford Board of Education, Board of Finance, Board of Selectman, and of course Congressman Himes for prompt action to address this security upgrade to protect our school children. We will all continue to be vigilant to ensure and enhance school safety,\" said Selectman George Temple.\n\nAccording to the Town of Oxford, these funds will be used for their school security project, which will include the implementation of a mass notification system as well as the development of a Security Operations Center. These enhancements, which complement additional ongoing security measures, will improve system-wide communication and monitoring capabilities within the Oxford school system. Students, parents, faculty, community leaders, and first responders will benefit from real-time information in emergency situations.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-the-8th-anniversary-of-sandy-hook", "Murphy Statement On The 8th Anniversary Of Sandy HookRead More", "2020-12-14", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement On The 8th Anniversary Of Sandy Hook \n        \n        December 14, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Monday released the following statement\r\non the eighth anniversary of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary\r\nSchool: It's\r\nhard to describe the grief I feel today. Eight years after the tragic day, I'm\r\nreminded how important it is to hold your loved ones closer and to be kinder to\r\nthe people around you,\r\nsaid Murphy. But where there's grief, there's hope. I carry the memory of\r\nthose children with me every day as I fight in Congress to change our country's\r\nbroken gun laws. I continue to be inspired by the advocates in Newtown and\r\nacross this country who won't stop fighting to make this world a gentler, safer\r\nplace for our children and our communities. Murphy\r\ncontinued: On this day, I encourage everyone to take time to do an act of\r\nkindness in their communities. The arc of our fight to change the status quo is\r\nlong, but the progress we have made over the years shows the growing strength\r\nof our movement. The advocates of change are so powerful in their cause that\r\nthey won't take no for an answer. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-applauds-senate-passage-of-fiscal-year-2021-defense-authorization-bill", "Murphy Applauds Senate Passage Of Fiscal Year 2021 Defense Authorization BillRead More", "2020-12-11", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Applauds Senate Passage Of Fiscal Year 2021 Defense Authorization Bill \n        \n        December 11, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction,\r\nVeterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, on Friday applauded the final passage\r\nof the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The\r\nlegislation authorizes the appropriation of funds for the Department of Defense\r\nand military construction that will help keep Connecticut families safe and\r\nsupport the state's defense manufacturing jobs. Murphy worked across the aisle\r\nto ensure bipartisan support on several key amendments that were included in\r\nfinal passage, including the Murphy-Schumer authored Law Enforcement Identification Act, which requires federal law enforcement officers\r\nand members of the armed forces to clearly identify themselves and their agency\r\nor service while they are engaged in responding to civil disturbance in the\r\nUnited States. As a\r\nmember of the Appropriations Committee, I'm proud to secure these wins for\r\nConnecticut manufacturers and our national security. The bill also includes my\r\nlegislation to require federal law enforcement officers to identify themselves\r\nand their agency when they are engaged in crowd control. The presence of\r\nunidentified officers this past summer during peaceful protests for racial\r\njustice should never be tolerated in this country, said Murphy. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/on-the-senate-floor-murphy-blasts-republicans-continued-efforts-to-overturn-2020-election-results-and-warns-of-the-dangerous-consequences-for-our-democracy", "On The Senate Floor, Murphy Blasts Republicans Continued Efforts To Overturn 2020 Election Results And Warns Of The Dangerous Consequences For Our DemocracyRead More", "2020-12-11", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Friday took to the U.S. Senate Floor to\r\nblast Republicans' continued efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election\r\nresults and warn of the dangerous consequences for our democracy. You\r\ncannot, at the same time, love America and hate democracy. But as we speak, a\r\nwhole lot of flag-waving Republicans are nakedly trying to invalidate millions\r\nof legal votes because that is the only way that they can make Donald Trump\r\npresident again. It is the only way they can make Donald Trump president again\r\nbecause he didn't win. Our democracy, the citizens of this country, chose Joe\r\nBiden to be President of the United States. He won the popular vote in a\r\nlandslide and he won the electoral college by a substantial margin, said Murphy. Murphy\r\ncontinued: [T]here are way too many high profile Republicans who march\r\naround the world giving speeches about the importance of protecting democracy\r\nwho are awfully silent when the attempted overthrow is happening in their own\r\ncountry. Nobody can stay silent right now. It is\r\ntrue this effort to overthrow the 2020 election is not going to bear fruit. And\r\nso it is tempting to just work on the other things and to ignore this lawsuit\r\nand these attempts because this time it won't be successful. But all of this\r\neffort, supported by so many mainstream Republicans, it's setting a precedent,\r\nand it's creating conditions that could easily overthrow the next election. And\r\nif the Republican Party just allows for this assault on the 2020 election to\r\ncontinue, no matter whether it ultimately is successful, then by 2022 or 2024,\r\nI'm telling you, it might be too late to save our democracy, Murphy concluded. This week,\r\nahead of the upcoming Electoral College meeting, Texas Attorney General Ken\r\nPaxton filed a lawsuit to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.\r\nAttorneys General in 17 other states and 106 Republican members of Congress\r\nsupport this dangerous lawsuit. A full\r\ntranscript of Murphy's remarks can be found below: Colleagues,\r\nwe're in the middle of a whole bunch of really important debates right now\r\nabout the National Defense Authorization Act, trying to avoid a shutdown by the\r\nend of the day, and, of course, trying to find a path forward to authorize\r\nfunding to continue to combat this pandemic. But it is worth noting today that\r\nan effort to overturn the 2020 election continues and, in many ways, is picking\r\nup steam. And we need to talk about the consequences for the nation. Democracies\r\nare really fragile things. Ours only continues because we make choices so that\r\nit can remain. Our government really isn't the piece of paper upon which the\r\nConstitution is written, our government, where voters, citizens, not kings, or\r\nmonarchs or oligarchs decide who governs, it's made possible by a series of\r\ndecisions that we make every single day to put the rule of law ahead of our own\r\npolitical power, or the position of our political party. That is\r\nthe history of America. Our decision, the democracy, comes first. Not the\r\nperpetuation of our own political power. Right now, the most serious attempt to\r\noverthrow our democracy in the history of this country is underway. Those who\r\nare pushing to make Donald Trump president for a second term, no matter the\r\noutcome of the election, are engaged in a treachery against their nation. You\r\ncannot, at the same time, love America and hate democracy. But as we speak, a\r\nwhole lot of flag-waving Republicans are nakedly trying to invalidate millions\r\nof legal votes because that is the only way that they can make Donald Trump\r\npresident again. It is the only way they can make Donald Trump president again\r\nbecause he didn't win. Our democracy, the citizens of this country, chose Joe\r\nBiden to be President of the United States. He won the popular vote in a\r\nlandslide and he won the electoral college by a substantial margin. But now,\r\nRepublicans have decided, not all Republicans, but far too many, have decided\r\nthat if democracy can't keep Trump in power, then democracy ceases to have any\r\nreal purpose. Because to Republicans who are supporting these continued efforts\r\nto invalidate the election, their loyalty is to Donald Trump. Not to the nation\r\nor our system of government, their number one goal is to keep Trump in power.\r\nAnd if that means throwing out the election, turning America into something\r\nother than a democracy in which the voters get to choose their leaders, then so\r\nbe it. Here's\r\nthe latest. This lawsuit is supported by 106 House Republicans. That's more\r\nthan halfof the\r\nRepublicans who serve in the House of Representatives. It is supported,\r\napparently, by many Senate Republicans as well. This lawsuit is an attempt to\r\noverthrow democracy. And you can laugh at it, you can scoff at it, you can\r\nsuggest that it has no chance to prevail if it reaches the nine supreme court\r\njustices, but let's be clear about what it argues. And let's be clear about the\r\nconsequences for so many elected officials at the highest level of American\r\ngovernment supporting this lawsuit. What it\r\nargues is that the votes in four states, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin and\r\nMichigan should be thrown out because Trump didn't win. And it asks for the\r\nstate legislatures controlled by Republicans to appoint electors instead. Now\r\nthere are a bunch of vague, unsourced claims about voter fraud in this lawsuit,\r\nbut there's not a shred of evidence for these claims. And all of the individual\r\nlawsuits trying to allege voter fraud, trying to create contests about how laws\r\nwere modified regarding voting in these states have all lost. Importantly,\r\nthe lawsuit doesn't ask for another canvas or another count. It just asks for\r\nthe votes in these states to be disregarded. And for Republican politicians in\r\nthese states to make the choice instead. Now already in Pennsylvania, the\r\nstate's legislature's Republican leadership has expressed support for\r\nappointing electors that would choose Donald Trump. Let me say that again. This\r\nlawsuit says that in Pennsylvania, the state legislature should choose the\r\nelectors, not the people. And in Pennsylvania, the leadership of the Republican\r\nParty in the legislature has expressed support for appointing electors that\r\nwill choose Donald Trump instead of Joe Biden despite the fact that Joe Biden\r\nwon the state of Pennsylvania by 80,000 votes. 80,000 votes. This isn't 500\r\nvotes like Florida in 2000. 80,000 votes. The\r\nrequest of this lawsuit is clear. Throw out the votes in these four states that\r\nJoe Biden won and just give the election to Donald Trump instead. Now some of\r\nmy Republican Senate colleagues, they send out pretty mealy mouthed statements\r\nsupporting the general right to count every legal vote and to contest illegal\r\nvotes. But that's not what this lawsuit is about. It just asked for the whole\r\nvote to be thrown out. It asks for every vote in these states to be\r\ndisregarded. Other\r\nRepublicans who haven't signed on to this suit suggest that it won't succeed in\r\nthe Supreme Court, it's a sideshow, so why really care? Well, we have to care.\r\nThe majority of Republican members of Congress believe that Donald Trump should\r\nbe named president again despite the fact that he lost, and lost by a lot. It\r\nwasn't close in the popular vote or the Electoral College. We should care\r\nbecause this attempt to overthrow democracy, it won't be successful this time,\r\nJoe Biden is going to be president, but it plainly shows us the direction that\r\nthe Republican Party is heading. And they control governments in a lot of\r\nreally important states and jurisdictions. The\r\nmajority of Republicans in the House of Representatives apparently believe that\r\nif a Democrat wins an election, it's illegitimate by definition. There is no\r\nevidence of fraud or stolen votes or vote rigging in the 2020 election. You can\r\nbe mad about the fact that states allow for mail-in voting, but Republican and\r\nDemocratic states allow for it. You can be angry that the majority of those\r\nvotes this year were cast in favor of Joe Biden in many of these states, but in\r\nprevious years, the majority of mail and votes have been favoring Republicans. But no\r\nmatter the lack of evidence about voter fraud, Republicans, including the\r\nPresident, have just come to the conclusion that Democrats must have cheated\r\nbecause Democrats are evil, and lots of people show up to Trump rallies and\r\nthere's just no way that all those people could have voted for Joe Biden\r\nbecause Fox News and Newsmax and RT, they tell us that Trump is just so\r\npopular. Now this\r\nmindset won't win out this time. Joe Biden's going to be president. But what\r\nabout next time? What if the next presidential election is closer? What if 2024\r\ncomes down to just one state? It's a lot easier to steal one state. What if\r\nthese radical anti-Democrats get control of more secretary of state offices or\r\nelection boards and there's a close race for governor in 2022, or the US\r\nSenate, and these same people who support the Texas lawsuit decide again, that\r\nthere's no way a Democrat could have won our state and so, by definition, it's\r\ngot to be fraudulent despite the lack of evidence. So let's just throw out the\r\nresult and choose aRepublican. I know\r\nthat this kind of sounds far-fetched, but this is exactly what this lawsuit is\r\nasking for. It is asking for the vote to be thrown out in four states, Donald\r\nTrump to be named president, regardless of the fact that he lost, with no\r\nevidence of any voter fraud or illegal behavior. And there's the majority of\r\nthe US House of Representatives Republican caucus who supports this. So it\r\nstands to reason that this one all of a sudden stopped being their position two\r\nyears ago, and four years ago. If this\r\nhappens and the voters' will is thrown out, not just in a presidential\r\nelection, but in a governor's race or a US Senate race or a congressional race,\r\nthen our country is no longer a democracy. If that happens, the American\r\nexperiment is done. It's over. And that's why this moment is so frightening, no\r\nmatter the fact that it's not going to be successful in an attempt to keep\r\nDonald Trump barricaded in the White House. That's why more Republicans than\r\njust a handful in this country need to be standing up to this lawsuit and this\r\nclaim that the votes should be thrown out. Because\r\nyou have a majority of Republicans in this country who believe that Joe Biden\r\nwon the election fraudulently when there's no evidence that that happened. And\r\nthat belief as it festers and it grows, this idea that if Democrats win, it has\r\nto be because of fraud, it does eventually lead to the voters' will being\r\noverturned. And that is the end of American democracy. Don't just assume that\r\nthis system is going to be around for another 240 years. This is a miracle that\r\nwe have held this together thus far. It is just a series of choices that we\r\nmake. The\r\nConstitution itself is not strong enough, is not durable enough, without all of\r\nus making a decision that even if we lose an election, even if that means that\r\ntemporarily our political power is lessened, that we accept the result. Because\r\nwhat matters most in this country is what the voters choose, not how it affects\r\nus. It's not enough to just punt here and say the president's got a right to\r\ngo to court, let's just see what happens.' Because when the overthrow of\r\nDemocracy is beginning and you're sitting on the sidelines, you're a\r\ncollaborator. And there\r\nare way too many high profile Republicans who march around the world giving\r\nspeeches about the importance of protecting democracy who are awfully silent\r\nwhen the attempted overthrow is happening in their own country. Nobody can stay\r\nsilent right now. There are\r\na lot of other important things happening in the Senate today. I'm engaged in\r\nthose as well. It is true this effort to overthrow the 2020 election is not\r\ngoing to bear fruit. And so it is tempting to just work on the other things and\r\nto ignore this lawsuit and these attempts because this time it won't be\r\nsuccessful. But all\r\nof this effort, supported by so many mainstream Republicans, it's setting a\r\nprecedent, and it's creating conditions that could easily overthrow the next\r\nelection. And if the Republican Party just allows for this assault on the 2020\r\nelection to continue, no matter whether it ultimately is successful, then by\r\n2022 or 2024, I'm telling you, it might be too late to save our democracy. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-leahy-menendez-van-hollen-wyden-statement-on-sentencing-of-walid-fitaihi-in-saudi-arabia", "Murphy, Leahy, Menendez, Van Hollen, Wyden Statement On Sentencing Of Walid Fitaihi In Saudi ArabiaRead More", "2020-12-10", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy, Leahy, Menendez, Van Hollen, Wyden Statement On Sentencing Of Walid Fitaihi In Saudi Arabia \n        \n        December 10, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), along with U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy\r\n(D-Vt.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chris\r\nVan Hollen (D-Md.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), on Thursday\r\nreleased the following statement on the sentencing of an American citizen, Walid Fitaihi, in Saudi\r\nArabia: We are\r\nappalled that Walid Fitaihi has been sentenced to six years in prison by a\r\nSaudi court on politically motivated charges. We have repeatedly called for the\r\nrelease of Dr. Fitaihi since his arrest in 2017, and supported Secretary\r\nPompeo's direct appeals to Saudi authorities to resolve his case.\r\nUnfortunately, the Saudi government has ignored these bipartisan appeals,\r\ndespite clear implications for the U.S.-Saudi relationship, the senators said. The\r\nsenators continued: Fitaihi is a dual American-Saudi citizen who was\r\nsentenced, in part, for the supposed crime of obtaining U.S. citizenship\r\nwithout permission from the Saudi government. He was also sentenced for\r\noffending foreign countries' with his peaceful speech on Twitter, where he\r\nposted messages in support of democratic protests across the Arab world in\r\n2011. The Saudi government should immediately release Dr. Fitaihi, lift the\r\ntravel ban on his family, and drop these baseless and politically motivated\r\ncharges. The persecution of American citizens, which also includes the ongoing\r\ndetention of Salah al Haidar and Bader al Ibrahim, is unacceptable. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=B39218F6-8ABA-4E70-B767-995DFE9282A1", "House Passes National Defense Authorization with Himes Support", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, the United States House of Representatives passed the conference report accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA funds defense and related programs and is usually one of the largest pieces of legislation that Congress passes each year. This year, the bill includes $732 billion in discretionary spending for our national defense for FY 2021, including approximately $69 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO).\n\n\u201cProviding funding for our troops and our national defense is one of our most important responsibilities in Congress,\u201d said Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04). \u201cThis bill ensures the security of Americans, provides the investments in innovation and industry to keep us ahead of our rivals, and supports Connecticut workers. Finally, we honor our ideals by making our armed forces more diverse, more responsible to our veterans and soldiers, and more able to face future threats.\u201d\n\nHimes sponsored an amendment that was included in the bill that would increase Congressional oversight of foreign nationals investing in the United States.\n\n\u201cNational security oversight is one of Congress\u2019s most essential functions,\u201d said Himes. \u201cDefending against financial incursions is essential because any vulnerability can be exploited. This bipartisan amendment tightens our oversight mechanisms and closes loopholes, showing that Congress is acting in comprehensive defense of national interests.\u201d\n\nThe NDAA also contains significant funds for Connecticut-based companies, employing thousands of workers. This includes:\n\n$8.7 billion for the procurement of 93 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.\n\n$898 million for procurement of 60 UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters built by Sikorsky.\n\n$800 million for procurement of 7 new CH-53K Marine heavy-lift helicopters built by Sikorsky.\n\n$909 million for procurement of 16 HH-60W Air Force search and rescue helicopters built by Sikorsky.\n\n$589 million for procurement of 5 VH-92A aircraft, which will be the next-generation presidential helicopter.\n\n$6.8 billion for the Virginia class submarine program, an increase of $2.6 billion over the budget request to restore a second submarine in 2021.\n\n$4 billion to initiate construction of the new Columbia-class submarine. The Navy recently announced the award of $10.3 billion in contracting options for the first two submarines in the program to Electric Boat.\n\n$2.8 billion for continued development of the B-21 Raider. Pratt & Whitney is a partner in the next-generation long range strike bomber program.\n\n$2.7 billion for 15 KC-46A tanker aircraft, which are powered by Pratt & Whitney engines.\n\nC-130H Modernization \u2013 $134 million for additional upgrades for engines, propellers and other systems on the aircraft.\n\n$7 million to continue development of the KMAX Unmanned Helicopter and unmanned logistics capabilities with the CQ-24A helicopter manufactured by Bloomfield-based Kaman Aerospace.\n\n$20 million to support training programs to help support expansion of the skilled submarine workforce.\n\n$10 million to support partnerships with academic institutions that conduct research on undersea unmanned warfare and energy technology, such as the National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology, a collaborative program between the University of Connecticut and the University of Rhode Island.\n\nIn addition, the NDAA contains provisions that provide for a three percent pay raise for military personnel, invests in pandemic preparedness, increases diversity in the armed forces, and removes Confederate names from American military facilities.\n\nPresident Trump has made threats to veto the bill, at first because of the inclusion of the provision to remove Confederate names, and later because it did not include an unrelated provision that would remove protections that currently exist for social media platforms from being held liable for user-generated content. Congressman Himes stands ready to support our troops and military and override the President\u2019s veto should he attempt to follow through on the threat.\n\nFor more information or with any questions, contact Patrick Malone at Patrick.malone@mail.house.gov.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-scott-applaud-passage-of-bipartisan-bill-to-address-challenges-posed-by-food-allergies", "Murphy, Blumenthal, Scott Applaud Passage Of Bipartisan Bill To Address Challenges Posed By Food AllergiesRead More", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONToday,U.S. Senators Chris\r\nMurphy (D-Conn.)andTim Scott (R-S.C.)applauded the\r\nSenate passage oftheFood\r\nAllergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act.The\r\nsenators led seven of their senator colleagues, includingRichard Blumenthal\r\n(D-Conn.), introducing this bill to addresses the growing\r\nchallenges posed by food allergies, which affect tens of millions of Americans.\r\nThe bill modernizes our nation's labeling laws by codifying sesame as a major\r\nfood allergen and calls for a comprehensive report on food allergies in the\r\nUnited States that will assist future governmental and private-sector efforts\r\nto monitor, study, and combat these allergies. Approximately 1.5 million\r\nAmericans are allergic to sesame. \"For\r\nyears, parents in Connecticut have told me about the challenges associated with\r\nsesame allergiesabout how dangerous it is for them or their children to go to\r\na grocery store or eat in the school cafeteria and not know if their food might\r\nhurt them. They helped me see it was inexcusable that federal law didn't\r\nrequire sesame labeling on food products, like it does for other allergens.\r\nThat is why I was proud to work across the aisle with Republican Senator Tim\r\nScott to draft legislation to finally require sesame labeling, and I'm excited\r\nto have it pass the Senate today. I look forward to this legislation passing in\r\nthe House and heading to the president's desk,\"said Murphy. This is a\r\nbig win for kids with life-threatening sesame allergies  and an immense relief\r\nfor their parents. Over the years, I've heard from a number of Connecticut\r\nresidents about the terrifying near-death experiences they or their children\r\nhad with sesame because it was hiding in the food they ate. I've fought for\r\nyears in their name to ensure that this major allergen is marked clearly on\r\nfood, just as peanuts and dairy are. I urge my House colleagues and the\r\npresident to act swiftly in making this bill law, before this deadly allergy\r\ntakes another person's life. said Blumenthal. \"With\r\napproximately 32 million Americans living with food allergies, it's important\r\nfor us to take targeted steps to address the growing challenges posed by food\r\nallergiesandto protect those who are vulnerable,\"said Scott.\r\nNationwide,caring for children with food allergies costs an average of\r\n$25 billion annually,andcan pose extreme hardships on low  and\r\nmiddle income families.I'm glad that this bipartisan legislationpassed\r\nthe Senateand hope that we can continue to make progress for Americans\r\naffected by this issue.\" \r\nThe FASTER Act would:\r\n \r\nCodify\r\nsesame as a major food allergen under the FD&C Act, effective for products\r\nintroduced into interstate commerce on or after January 1, 2023; and  \r\nDirect\r\nHHS, within two years of enactment, to submit a report to Congress on\r\nopportunities and challenges related to food allergy prevention, risk\r\nreduction, cures, data collection, and diagnostic and therapeutic development. The\r\nreport would also discuss a potential framework for modifying the federal list\r\nof major food allergens in the future. \r\nIn addition to Murphy, Blumenthal, and Scott the bill was also cosponsored by\r\nSens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Angus King (I-ME), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jeanne\r\nShaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).\r\nA one-pager on the legislation can be foundhere.\r\nThe full version of the bill text can be accessedhere. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-failed-passage-of-joint-resolutions-of-disapproval-on-trump-administrations-latest-proposed-arms-sale", "Murphy Statement On Failed Passage Of Joint Resolutions Of Disapproval On Trump Administrations Latest Proposed Arms SaleRead More", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement On Failed Passage Of Joint Resolutions Of Disapproval On Trump Administration's Latest Proposed Arms Sale \n        \n        December 09, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign\r\nRelations Committee, on Wednesday released the following statement after the\r\nUnited States Senate failed to pass the bipartisan joint resolutions of\r\ndisapproval on the Trump administration's latest proposed arms sale to the\r\nUnited Arab Emirates (UAE): Rushing through massive sales of Reaper drones and our most\r\nadvanced fighter jets to the Middle East just makes defense companies richer\r\nand international security poorer. There is no doubt that the UAE's recent\r\nnormalization agreement with Israel is a big deal, and there is a level of arms\r\ntransfer that could make sense for an important partner in the region. But the\r\nEmiratis' recent behavior in Yemen and Libya where U.S. weapons were misused\r\nand given to radical militias, on top of their active and growing defense\r\nrelationships with China and Russia, should give everyone pause, said Murphy. Murphy\r\ncontinued: While I am disappointed the Republican-controlled Senate\r\nfailed to block these sales, I am eager to work with the incoming\r\nadministration to take a closer look at each of these sales before any\r\ntransfers are completed. I also look forward to working with President-elect\r\nBiden's team on reforms to the arms sale process to include greater scrutiny of\r\nrecipient government's past use of U.S. arms and potential human rights\r\nconcerns. Last\r\nmonth, Murphy along with U.S.\r\nSenators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) announced\r\nthe introduction of four separate Joint Resolutions of Disapproval rejecting\r\nthe Trump administration's effort to provide the United Arab Emirates with\r\nprecedent-setting weapons systems. The bipartisan resolutions come after the\r\nTrump administration formally notified Congress of its intention to sell over\r\n$23 billion in Reaper drones, F-35 joint strike fighter jets, munitions, and\r\nair-to-air missiles to the UAE. Murphy joined Crooked\r\nMedia's Pod Save the World and Yahoo\r\nNews' Skullduggery to discuss the sale last week. Earlier this year,\r\nMurphy also welcomed\r\nthe Abraham Accords. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/on-the-floor-of-the-senate-murphy-speaks-in-support-of-resolutions-to-block-arms-sales-to-the-uae", "On The Floor Of The Senate, Murphy Speaks In Support Of Resolutions To Block Arms Sales To The UAERead More", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S. Senator\r\nChris Murphy\r\n(D-Conn.) on\r\nWednesday blasted the Trump administration's proposed arms sales to the United\r\nArab Emirates (UAE) on the U.S. Senate floor ahead of the vote on his joint\r\nresolutions of disapproval which seeks to block the sales. On the unprecedented nature of this\r\nproposed arms sale, Murphy said: [O]n\r\nthis sale, in particular, the consultative process was really important.\r\nBecause this sale is as big and as hairy and as complicated as you get. We are,\r\nfor the first time, selling F-35s and MQ-9 Reaper drones into the heart of the\r\nMiddle East. We've never done it before. On the arms sale spiral in the Middle\r\nEast, Murphy said: Today\r\nwe may be selling the F-35s and the MQ-9s to the UAE, but the Saudis are going\r\nto want it, the Qataris have already requested it,\r\nand it just fuels Iran's interest in continuing to build up its own military\r\nprogramming. On the UAE's failure to\r\ncomply with the arms embargo to Libya and violating our end-use violations,\r\nMurphy said: We are talking\r\nabout selling the UAE the most lethal, most advanced armed drone technology in\r\nthe world today. And as we speak, UAE is in violation of the arms embargo to\r\nLibya, fueling that civil war, specifically sending drones into that theater\r\nI'm not here to say that we shouldn't be in the security business with UAE.\r\nThere are a lot of important common projects, but the question is, with a\r\ncountry that is part of the problem more often than part of the solution in\r\nYemen, a country that is in existing violation of an arms embargo in Libya, a\r\ncountry that has just within the last several years transferred our weapons to\r\nAl Qaeda-aligned militiaswithout resolving those issues, is this the moment to\r\nbe selling for the first time ever F-35s, armed drones into the heart of the\r\nMiddle East? Murphy also discussed his\r\nconcerns about the UAE's active defense relationships with China and Russia: The UAE has pretty deep and\r\ncomplicated defense relationships with China, Russia, and Chinese and Russian\r\ncompanies. Query whether we can be absolutely certain that the technology\r\nonboard those fighter jets, those drones are going to stay in the right hands.\r\nThere arguably is no other country on the list for the F-35s that does as much\r\nbusiness with China and Russia as the UAE does. On the impact pausing this\r\nsale could have on the Abraham Accords, Murphy said: [T]here is no threat to the accords\r\nbetween UAE and Israel unwinding if we simply press pause on this sale until\r\nthose questions are answered. I do want to be in business with the UAE. I think\r\nthey're an important defense partner. But I think there's far too much at stake\r\nwith the sale of these weapons right now to rush it through. And I don't think\r\nthere's any downside risk if we were to say not now, until we get all of our\r\nT's crossed and all of our I's dotted. Last month, Murphy along with U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), and\r\nRand Paul (R-Ky.) announced\r\nthe introduction of four separate Joint Resolutions of Disapproval rejecting\r\nthe Trump administration's effort to provide the United Arab Emirates with\r\nprecedent-setting weapons systems. The bipartisan resolutions come after the\r\nTrump administration formally notified Congress of its intention to sell over\r\n$23 billion in Reaper drones, F-35 joint strike fighter jets, munitions, and\r\nair-to-air missiles to the UAE. Murphy joined Crooked\r\nMedia's Pod Save the World and Yahoo\r\nNews' Skullduggery to discuss the sale last week. Earlier this year,\r\nMurphy also welcomed\r\nthe Abraham Accords. A full transcript of\r\nMurphy's remarks can be found below: Mr. President I'm on the floor today\r\nto speak to resolutions upon which we will begin voting today regarding arms\r\nsales proposed by the administration to the United Arab Emirates. And I'm on\r\nthe floor today to ask my colleagues to support these\r\nresolutions of disapproval upon two grounds: One, the protection of\r\ncongressional prerogative, and two: a question of U.S. national security. First, let me cover the\r\nquestion of congressional prerogative. We have traditionally debated arms sales\r\nhere on occasion, and the reason why we don't have constant debates in this\r\nbody on arms sales, the reason why we don't have resolutions on every sale that\r\nis noticed by the administration is because we have built into our practice an\r\nability for the Senate to consult with the administration beforehand on a\r\nbipartisan basis. Over the years since the\r\npassage of the law allowing for Congress to have a role in the sale of arms to\r\nforeign nations, administration after administration, Republicans and Democrats\r\nhas observed a period of consultation with Congress in which the administration\r\ncomes to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, comes to the House Foreign\r\nRelations Committee, presents the reasons for the sale, and then addresses\r\nconcerns raised, often, in a bipartisan manner, by Republicans and Democrats.\r\nAgain, this has happened in both Democratic and Republican administrations with\r\nDemocratic and Republican congresses, and often that consultative process\r\nresults in issues that Congress has being resolved so that you never have to\r\nhave a vote on the Senate floor. Something different happened with this sale. The administration was so\r\ndesperate to rush through the sale before the end of their administration that\r\nthey blew through the consultation process. It just didn't happen. There was no\r\nability for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to weigh in on this\r\nparticular sale. It was rushed to notice, and our only option was to bring it\r\nbefore the full Senate. Now, under any\r\ncircumstances, I would argue that the Senate should stand up for our right to\r\nhave a role. The reason that we built in this consultative process was because\r\nthe Senate was actually unhappy with the amount of input it had decades ago,\r\nand was threatening to dramatically expand its oversight role on arms sales,\r\nand instead, a deal was worked out in which the administration said they would\r\ncome for this consultation. Now, it appears that those consultations are no\r\nlonger the practice. That reduces our role as\r\na foreign policy making body. And remember, we have abdicated all sorts of\r\nresponsibilities over the years when it comes to what should be a co-equal\r\nresponsibility to set the broad direction of U.S. foreign policy with the\r\nexecutive branch, this would be yet another chip away at Congress'\r\nparticipation in the setting of U.S. national security policy. I'm not sure\r\nwe'll ever get it back. But on this sale, in\r\nparticular, the consultative process was really important. Because this sale is\r\nas big, and as hairy, and\r\nas complicated as you get. We are, for the first time, selling F-35s and MQ-9\r\nReaper drones into the heart of the Middle East. We've never done it before.\r\nThere are only 14 countries that currently operate the F-35, and almost all of\r\nthem are NATO allies. Turkey was on the list for a\r\nperiod of time but because they ended up making a choice to go with the Russian\r\nmissile defense system, they were taken out of the program. So the partners\r\nthat remain are the ones that you would suspect: Britain, Italy, the\r\nNetherlands, Australia, Denmark, Canada. There are even fewer\r\ncountries that we have sold Reaper drones to: Australia, France, Italy, the\r\nNetherlands, Spain, UK, and India. This is the first time that we would sell\r\nthese incredibly lethal, incredibly complicated technologies into the heart of\r\nthe Middle East. A region that, arguably, is not in need of more weapons. What we risk doing here\r\nis fueling an arms race. Today we may be selling the F-35s and the MQ-9s to the\r\nUAE, but the Saudis are going to want it, the Qataris have already requested\r\nit, and it just fuels Iran's interest in continuing to build up its own\r\nmilitary programming. But more specifically to\r\nthis sale, we have to ask\r\nourselves whether the UAE is ready for this technology or whether their\r\nbehavior over the past several years makes them an unworthy partner for this\r\nset of highly complicated U.S. defense technology. I will stipulate, as I think\r\nevery member of this body will, that the UAE is often a very important ally of\r\nthe United States. There is an important cooperative relationship that exists\r\nbetween the United States and the UAE, we share counterterrorism information\r\ntogether, we were both involved in the fight against ISIS, we worked together\r\nto counter Iranian influence in the region, and of course, the UAE's\r\nrecognition of Israel is good for the United States as well. But for as many places as we\r\ncooperate with UAE, there are many points of division. And those points of\r\ndivision often involve the use of U.S. military technology against the\r\ninterests of the United States. The UAE has been, for years, involved in a\r\ncivil war in Yemen that is terrible for U.S. national security interests. Now,\r\nthey may not be as involved as they were a couple years ago, but they are still\r\na barrier to peace. They still refuse to make humanitarian contributions to\r\nhelp the situation on the ground. So far in 2020, $0 from the UAE put into the\r\nUN appeal to try to fight off starvation and cholera inside Yemen. At one point, they took U.S.\r\nequipment and they handed it to extremist militias inside Yemen. That's open\r\nsource reporting. The UAE copped to it when the\r\nreporters asked them whether they had done it. They gave our equipment to\r\nSalafist militias inside a theater of war. Other reports that they were\r\ndropping American made TOW missiles out of the sky into areas of that country\r\nthat were controlled by Al Qaeda-aligned elements. And they are, right now, as we speak, in\r\nviolation of the Libya arms embargo. The UN panel of experts\r\ncame to the conclusion that the majority of arms transfers into Libya, to the\r\nHaftar armed forces, were either from Jordan or the United Arab Emirates. The\r\npanel found that the UAE was in repeated non-compliance with the arms embargo.' And guess what's on the list of the\r\nweapons that the UAE was transferring into Libya in violation of a U.S.\r\nsupported arms embargo: armed drones. We are talking about selling the UAE the\r\nmost lethal, most advanced armed drone technology in the world today. And as we\r\nspeak, UAE is in violation of the arms embargo to Libya, fueling that Civil\r\nWar, specifically sending drones into that theater. And so, I'm not here to say that we\r\nshouldn't be in the security business with UAE. There are a lot of important\r\ncommon projects, but the question is, with a country that is part of the\r\nproblem more often than part of the solution in Yemen, a country that is in\r\nexisting violation of an arms embargo in Libya, a country that has just within\r\nthe last several years transferred our weapons to Al Qaeda-aligned\r\nmilitiaswithout resolving those issues, is this the moment to be selling for\r\nthe first time ever F-35s, armed drones into the heart of the Middle East. One last caution. The countries that\r\nI mentioned on this list are by and large, in business with the United States\r\nand not with China and Russia. The UAE has pretty deep and complicated defense\r\nrelationships with China, Russia, and Chinese and Russian companies. Query\r\nwhether we can be absolutely certain that the technology onboard those fighter\r\njets, those drones are going to stay in the right hands. There arguably is no other country on\r\nthe list for the F-35s that does as much business with China and Russia as the\r\nUAE does. In fact, as I mentioned, we pulled the F-35 program from Turkey,\r\nbecause they are involved with Russia on a very complicated and important\r\nground defense system. And we're just learning about the nature of the\r\npartnerships that the UAE has with the Chinese and the Russians. It stands to reason that this would\r\nbe one of the issues that a consultative process with Congress would resolve.\r\nAnd it also stands to reason that we could probably come to a conclusion during\r\nthat consultative process. If the UAE really wants these weapons, wants to be\r\nthe first country in the heart of the Middle East to get the F-35 or the Reaper\r\ndrones, then I assume they would want to be able to assure Congress and the\r\nadministration that there's no chance of technology transfer into the wrong\r\nhands. That's what the congressional consultative process would have gotten us,\r\nbut it didn't happen in this case. And so we are stuck with this vote, a means\r\nfor Congress to stand up for its right, to participate in this question of arms\r\nsales. And believe me, my Republican colleagues are going to want that right.\r\nWhen a Democratic administration comes into office, you're not going to want to\r\nsend a signal today, to the Biden administration, that they don't have to\r\nconsult with you as the majority party, potentially, in 2021. But if you vote\r\nagainst these resolutions, then you're essentially saying: the Biden\r\nadministration doesn't need to consult with Congress either. They probably\r\nwill, because they want to do the right thing. But anybody who votes against\r\nthese resolutions is essentially endorsing an end around of Congress by any\r\nadministration, Republican or Democratic. But it's also important to say that\r\non a policy grounds, it's not time to do these sales. There are too many\r\noutstanding questions about who the UAE transfers weapons to, what they're\r\ndoing in Libya, why they haven't been part of the solution in Yemen, and what\r\ntheir relationship is with some of our most important adversaries around the\r\nglobe. Until we satisfy the answers to those questions we should not move\r\nforward with this sale. And finally, there is no threat to\r\nthe accords, between UAE and Israel unwinding if we simply press pause on this\r\nsale until those questions are answered. I do want to be in business with the\r\nUAE. I think they're an important defense partner. But I think there's far too\r\nmuch at stake with the sale of these weapons right now to rush it through. And\r\nI don't think there's any downside risk if we were to say not now, until we get\r\nall of our T's crossed and all of our I's dotted. Let's stand up for Congress's\r\nprerogative on the sale of arms to foreign countries, let's slow down a process\r\nthat has been rushed, potentially to the great detriment of U.S. national\r\nsecurity. Let's support these resolutions of disapproval this afternoon. Thank you, Mr. President. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/media/press-releases/hayes-statement-waterbury-police-officer-shot-during-call", "HAYES STATEMENT ON WATERBURY POLICE OFFICER SHOT DURING CALL", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) released the following statement after a Waterbury police officer was shot while responding to a stolen vehicle investigation:\nI am heartbroken by the shooting of a Waterbury Police officer while responding to an emergency investigation. My thoughts are with him and his family during this incredibly difficult time.\nI have been in contact with Police Chief, Fernando Spagnolo, to offer any assistance my office can provide during such a difficult time. As the wife of a police officer, I fully understand the risk that comes with the job, however these cowardly acts put our entire community at risk and further highlight the need to protect our officers. I pray for a speedy recovery for the officer.\n###\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut's 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=2C6BC4A9-7E3C-4233-B3E0-9095D143D334", "HAYES STATEMENT ON WATERBURY POLICE OFFICER SHOT DURING CALL", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", "hayes", "https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) released the following statement after a Waterbury police officer was shot while responding to a stolen vehicle investigation:\n\n\u201cI am heartbroken by the shooting of a Waterbury Police officer while responding to an emergency investigation. My thoughts are with him and his family during this incredibly difficult time.\n\n\u201cI have been in contact with Police Chief, Fernando Spagnolo, to offer any assistance my office can provide during such a difficult time. As the wife of a police officer, I fully understand the risk that comes with the job, however these cowardly acts put our entire community at risk and further highlight the need to protect our officers. I pray for a speedy recovery for the officer.\u201d\n\n###\n\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\n\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut\u2019s 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=62F1C1CF-F775-4EEC-8A5A-5A01D4D3D178", "Congressman Himes announces $4,690,100 grant to Stamford Hospital to assist in the cost of COVID-19 response", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Today, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) announced that through Stamford Hospital, Stamford Health will receive a $4,690,100 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The grant will reimburse Stamford Hospital for their emergency response to COVID-19, including an alternative treatment site, drive through testing, designated staff, PPE and plexiglass for health care workers, as well as additional hospital beds, tents, and ventilators. Additionally, the grant will ensure the hospital can continue to effectively respond to the pandemic in the months ahead.\n\n\u201cEnsuring our health providers are well-funded is essential to combatting this pandemic and keeping our community safe,\u201d said Himes. \u201cWhen our community was hit hard in the first few months of this virus, organizations like Stamford Health were crucial in treating patients and saving lives. As we prepare for a surge in cases, it\u2019s more important than ever that hospitals can handle all patients who need treatment. Additionally, health care workers are our community's heroes, so it is essential they have the protection they need to keep themselves safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe $4.69 million FEMA grant is very meaningful to Stamford Health,\u201d said Kathleen Silard, President & CEO, Stamford Health. \u201cNow more than ever, our healthcare system needs to be financially strong to care for the communities we serve. Stamford Health is well prepared to handle the rise of COVID-19 cases. We\u2019ve also taken many steps to ensure the safety of our staff and patients as we continue to provide routine healthcare services. We are not out of the woods just yet, but I am hopeful for the future. We are deeply appreciative of the federal government, Congressman Himes and our US Senators who have provided critical assistance throughout this pandemic.\u201d\n\nAccording to Stamford Health, the award provides $4,690,100.70 in federal funding to Stamford Hospital for Emergency Protective Measures as a result of FEMA-DR-4500-CT (COVID-19 Pandemic Disaster Declaration). The total cost of Stamford Health\u2019s response is $6,253,467, and the hospital is being reimbursed $4,690,100.70, which is 75% of the cost.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=FC4ACAE9-CE51-490E-ACCB-64E665BA8836", "Himes, Lowey Applaud Inclusion of Byram River Project in WRDA", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, the United States House of Representatives passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA). The bill authorizes U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin navigation, flood control, storm damage, and other water-related infrastructure projects. Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) and House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (NY-17) supported the bill.\n\nIncluded in WRDA is the authorization of the Byram River Basin Flood Risk Management project. The Byram River runs for approximately 14 miles through Lowey and Himes\u2019 districts in Southeast New York and Southwest Connecticut. Because it is prone to damaging flooding, local and federal officials have called for years for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to look at ways to mitigate or prevent flooding. The plan approved as part of WRDA proposes removing and replacing two bridges in Port Chester, New York in order to reduce restrictions to river flow.\n\n\"Chairwoman Lowey and I are excited that this year\u2019s WRDA authorizes the Byram River Basin Flood Risk Management project, because flooding has been a serious concern for homeowners and businesses alike in Greenwich for decades,\u201d said Himes. \u201cAs we continue to see more frequent extreme weather events due to climate change, our coastal areas and rivers that are vulnerable to flooding need their infrastructure updated significantly. This plan will not only provide flood relief, but help efforts to restore the River's habitat to a more natural environment and improve resiliency for future storms.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongressman Himes and I are pleased that flood prevention infrastructure along the river will be updated through the WRDA,\u201d said Congresswoman Lowey. \u201cRecent history has shown us the devastating impact the Byram River can have on our communities when it floods, and the effects of climate change could only worsen that impact. Authorizing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin flood mitigation projects on the Byram River is an important step in protecting our homes, businesses and environment.\u201d\n\nFor more information or with any questions, contact Jane Richter at Jane.richter@mail.house.gov (Lowey) or Patrick Malone at Patrick.malone@mail.house.gov (Himes).\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-meets-with-antony-blinken-president-elect-bidens-nominee-for-secretary-of-state", "Murphy Meets With Antony Blinken, President-Elect Bidens Nominee For Secretary Of StateRead More", "2020-12-07", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Meets With Antony Blinken, President-Elect Biden's Nominee For Secretary Of State \n        \n        December 07, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign\r\nRelations Committee, on Monday met virtually with President-elect Joe Biden's\r\nnominee for Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. The two discussed the need to\r\nrebuild the U.S. Department of State, how the U.S. can revitalize diplomacy in\r\nthe post-Trump era, and restoring Congress's role in foreign policy. Murphy\r\nreleased the following statement after their discussion: I've\r\nsaid from the start that Tony Blinken is an A+ choice for Secretary of State\r\nbecause of his experience and his willingness to make sure progressive ideas\r\nare included in President-elect Biden's foreign policy agenda,said Murphy.Ive\r\nbeen talking to Tony throughout the campaign and since the election\r\naboutmy belief that U.S. foreign policy has become too sclerotic. We have\r\nbecome overly reliant on sanctions to punish our enemies and arm sales to\r\nreward our partners, and we need to build a more effective toolkit to make\r\nourselves more competitive on the world stage. The State Department is going to\r\nneed a dramatic budget increase in order to do that. We had a good discussion\r\ntoday about this, and the many pressing foreign policy issues we will face as\r\nTrump leaves office. Murphy\r\ncontinued:Repairing relationships abroad, rejoining international\r\nagreements and tackling major global issues like climate change and trade will\r\nbe a Herculean task, and I know Tony can meet these challenges head on. I look\r\nforward to continuing to work together to make sure our progressive ideas are\r\nheard and that Congress plays a positive role in rebuilding an effective and\r\nstrategic foreign policy toolkit to meet the challenges we face today. Murphy also\r\nraised the need to de-securitize relationships in the Middle Eastspecifically\r\nfocusing on the latest proposed arms sale to the United Arab Emirates; how the\r\nUnited States can take a harder line with United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia\r\nto end the war in Yemen; the need for a new Asia Pacific trade agreement to\r\neffectively counter China; and the need for a coordinated, global response to\r\ntackle COVID-19. Last month,\r\nMurphypraisedBlinken's nomination for Secretary of State.\r\nMurphy also joinedCrooked Media's Pod Save the WorldandYahoo New's Skullduggeryto discuss Blinken's\r\nnomination. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-menendez-durbin-colleagues-introduce-senate-resolution-in-support-of-thailands-pro-democracy-movement", "Murphy, Menendez, Durbin, Colleagues Introduce Senate Resolution In Support Of Thailands Pro-Democracy MovementRead More", "2020-12-07", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONThis\r\npast week, U.S. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a\r\nmember of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee joinedU.S.\r\nSenators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.),Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)and\r\nsix of their senate colleagues introducing a Senate Resolution to underscore\r\nthe United States' commitment to human rights, democracy and the rule of law in\r\nThailand. The senators' resolution follows recent demonstrations by\r\nThailand's pro-democracy movement, which have been met with violence and\r\nrepression by the country's monarchy and government. Joining\r\nMurphy, Menendez and Durbin in introducing the resolution\r\nwereSenatorsBen Cardin (D-Md.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Chris\r\nCoons (D-Del.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.),and\r\nTammyDuckworth (D-Ill.). Democracy at home and\r\nabroad leads to more stability and security for all. The Thai government is at\r\na critical point right now in which they must refrain from using violence\r\nagainst pro-democracy protestors. I'm glad to join my colleagues in sending a\r\nclear message to our ally Thailand to respect the will of the people they\r\ngovern and dissuade them from declaring a military coup like they did in 2014,\r\nsaid Murphy. At a time\r\nwhen democracy is under assault from so many quarters it is critical that the\r\nUnited States Senate stand with the democracy movement in Thailand, said\r\nMenendez. Thailand's reformers are not seeking a revolution. They\r\nare simply yearning for democratic changes to their country's political system,\r\nfor freedom of speech and assembly, and for Thailand to be a part of the\r\ncommunity of democratic nations. With this resolution, we are sending a clear\r\nmessage of solidarity and support for freedom of speech and freedom of assembly\r\nin Thailand, and urge all parties not to engage in needless violence or\r\nharassment. The United States need to make clear to the Thai people and the\r\ninternational community that our alliance and long-term partnership with\r\nThailand will continue to be based on shared interests and values, and mutual\r\nrespect for democracy, basic human rights and the rule of law. Thailand\r\nhas been an important American ally  one that stepped up to help its Burmese\r\nneighbors in their struggle for democracy. Today the world is watching as\r\nthe Thai people raise their voices to reassert the same democratic aspirations\r\nthat we Americans hold so dear,Durbin said. As the people\r\nof Thailand debate changes to their constitution, their political future should\r\nbe defined through peaceful dialogue, not violence, harassment, or\r\npersecution. In particular, the voices of the many brave Thai students\r\nand youthdeserveattention and respect. As a\r\nThai-American who fought to protect the right to peacefully protest here at\r\nhome, I know that both the long-standing, strong relationship between the U.S.\r\nand Thailand as well as every individual's inalienable democratic rights are\r\ncritically important to uphold and defend,said Duckworth.Thailand\r\nis a strong partner with the U.S.both in terms of our shared national security\r\npriorities and economic relationsand the Thai people have a proud history of\r\ndemocratic reform. I urge Thai leadership to listen to the people and respect\r\nthe democratic principles at the heart of the government they've worked so hard\r\nto form. A copy of\r\nthe Senators' resolution can be foundHERE. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-sham-elections-in-venezuela", "Murphy Statement On Sham Elections In VenezuelaRead More", "2020-12-07", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement On Sham Elections In Venezuela \n        \n        December 07, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S. Senator\r\nChris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations\r\nCommittee, on Monday released the following statement on the sham elections in\r\nVenezuela: To nobody's surprise, the\r\nMaduro regime won the sham elections on Sunday in Venezuela. Nothing about\r\nthese elections were free and fair, and without any credible electoral path on\r\nthe horizon, I worry that the situation will continue to deteriorate as the\r\nTrump administration's maximum pressure' campaign continues to deliver\r\nnothing,\r\nsaid Murphy. Freeing political prisoners and widening humanitarian access\r\nmust be top of mind for the international community as we push for meaningful\r\nprogress in Venezuela. We should also explore some sanctions relief in exchange\r\nfor a return to negotiations, rather than solely relying on feckless sanctions\r\nthat clearly aren't meeting U.S. national security objectives. The only way out\r\nof this crisis is a negotiated solution, and the United States needs to commit\r\nto diplomacy to achieve that goal. In January 2019, Murphy\r\nand Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor during the Obama\r\nadministration wrote a Washington Post op-ed making the case that\r\nDemocrats should stand for democracy in Venezuela. Later in 2019, Murphy also proposed an\r\noil-for-peace program for Venezuela as a means to address the food crisis\r\nthere and reverse the administration's disastrous miscalculations in a Univision\r\nop-ed. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-in-the-new-york-times-dealbook-its-time-we-require-a-background-check-on-every-gun-purchase-in-america", "Murphy In The New York Times' Dealbook: It's Time We Require A Background Check On Every Gun Purchase In AmericaRead More", "2020-12-04", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy In The New York Times' Dealbook: It's Time We Require A Background Check On Every Gun Purchase In America \n        \n        December 04, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S. Senator\r\nChris Murphy (D-Conn.)on Fridaypublished an op-edas part\r\nof the New York Times's Dealbook: How to Fix America in which hecalled for Congress to finally pass a universal\r\nbackground checks bill. In 2019, MurphyintroducedtheBackground Check Expansion Actin the Senate\r\nto expand the federal background checks to all gun sales.  \"This\r\nepidemic of gun violence is a choice. We know how to reduce this carnage, but\r\nwe live with a policy paralysis caused by a small industry with outsized\r\npolitical power. For the past 30 years, the gun lobby has successfully blocked\r\naction to reduce gun violence. But thankfully, their power is quickly fading, and\r\nCongress is closer than ever to passing lifesaving reforms, Murphy wrote. Murphy continued: There\r\nis no single law change that will prevent every gun death or mass shooting. But\r\nthe data points to one particular intervention with an eye-popping return on\r\ninvestment. Passing a national requirement that no gun be sold without the\r\npurchaser passing a background check will save thousands of lives. States that\r\nhave already implemented universal background checks, including my home state\r\nof Connecticut, have seensignificant drops in gun homicides. The good news is that a federal\r\nuniversal background law is wildly popular. More than 90 percent of all\r\nAmericans support this approach, including85 percent of gun ownersandan overwhelming majorityof N.R.A. members. That makes universal background checks\r\nmore popular than baseball or apple pie (insome polls, at least). By making this simple and\r\nurgently needed change in law, Congress can save thousands of lives,\r\nMurphy concluded. Click here to read the full piece. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/us-foreign-policy-has-become-too-dependent-on-sanctions-to-punish-our-enemies-and-arms-sales-to-reward-our", "US Foreign Policy Has Become Too Dependent On Sanctions To Punish Our Enemies And Arms Sales To Reward OurRead More", "2020-12-04", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S. Senator\r\nChris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations\r\nCommittee, joined Yahoo News's Skullduggery this week to discuss the\r\nadministration's proposed sale to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and\r\nprogressive foreign policy under the incoming Biden-Harris administration. On the proposed arms sale to the United\r\nArab Emirates, Murphy said: [W]e've\r\nnever sold this kind of technology into the region. That's the first thing to\r\nthink about here. Second is, ask yourself whether what the Middle East is\r\nmissing today is weaponized Reaper drones that can shoot Hellfire missiles with\r\nzero risk of human life loss to the operator of that drone. What we know is\r\nthat the UAE has a really troubled history with respect to how they use U.S.\r\nweapons. They've used our weapons to target and kill civilians inside Yemen.\r\nVery recently, they transferred weapons we had sold them, equipment we had sold\r\nthem, to extremist militias inside Yemen. They're in violation of the\r\ninternational arms embargo on Libya. And so there's a lot of bad behavior. Murphy continued: And the question is, why reward\r\nthe UAE with this massive unprecedented arms sale when we can't be sure how\r\nthey're going to use those weapons, or whether they're going to actually stay\r\nin the hands of the UAE?' So that, in and of itself, I think is a reason to\r\npress pause on the sale. But we also have to understand that it fuels a more\r\ngeneral arms race in the region. I mean, if we really care about Iran's\r\nballistic missile program, then why are we continuing to give Iran more reason\r\nto build more effective and more powerful ballistic missiles by selling record\r\nnumbers of arms to Iran's enemies in the region, the Saudis and the Emiratis.\r\nSo this just makes no sense from a security standpoint. We should be in the\r\nsecurity business with the UAE, but we don't have to sell them this number of\r\narms and this serious a level of arms. On holding the Saudi's accountable in\r\nthe incoming administration and prospects for peace in Yemen, Murphy said: I've said from the beginning that we\r\nshould be suspending our arms sales to the Saudis until we have some degree of\r\naccountability, at least a clear admission from the Saudis as to what happened\r\n[with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi]. On Yemen, I certainly think that our arms\r\nsale should be conditional on the Yemen war coming to a close or at least a\r\ntemporary peace deal being signed. But I actually think that it just takes\r\nactive U.S. participation at the secretary level, and we may be able to unlock\r\na peace agreement.Part of the problem over the last four years has been\r\nthat Tillerson and Pompeo have not been actively involved in trying to settle\r\nthat conflict. I think there's a peace deal there for the taking. And so if\r\nSecretary Blinken gets directly involved, which I think he will, I think we can\r\ncome up with a resolution there that makes the Saudis and the Emiratis happy,\r\nthat gives the Houthis some role in the government while ending outright\r\nhostilities. And so that's an issue where I just think we have to work harder\r\nat it. On resetting the U.S.-Saudi\r\nrelationship, Murphy said: Don't\r\nsell them arms until we have some amount of accountability. If [Mohamed bin\r\nSalman] is going to be the leader of the nation, we should tell him that our\r\ncontinued participation and security relationship with Saudi Arabia is\r\ndependent on the way in which he uses those weapons. And let's watch what he\r\ndoes in places like Syria and Yemen moving forward. On his hopes for progressive foreign\r\npolicy with the new administration, Murphy said: I know Tony well and he's been good\r\nto keep in close contact with me over the course of the campaign. Obviously, I\r\nworked very closely with him when he was Deputy Secretary of State. What I love\r\nabout Tony is that he's open to new ideas. He's an experienced diplomat. He's\r\nbeen around for a long time. Murphy continued: I'm of the school that American\r\nforeign policy has become a bit scleroticthat we've become way too dependent\r\non these arms sales to reward our friends and sanctions to punish our\r\nadversaries. I think we've got to really develop a whole new toolkit that\r\nlargely exists outside of the Department of Defense; new tools that State and\r\nUSAID have in the propaganda space, the energy space, the anti-corruption\r\nspace. And so I'm hopeful that Blinken is going to come to Congress and say\r\nlisten, dramatically, plus up my non-military tools, my smart power tools, so\r\nthat I can actually go toe to toe with Russia and China' who, by and large, are\r\nexerting influence outside of the deployment of brigades and missile systems.\r\nSo that's what I like about Tony and that's what I'm looking forward to: sort\r\nof being able to rethink the American foreign policy toolkit outside of what we\r\ngive secretaries of states and Departments of Defense and presidents today. Click Here to Listen to the Skullduggery\r\nEpisode ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/media/press-releases/hayes-statement-rep-rosa-delauro-being-elected-appropriations-committee", "HAYES STATEMENT ON REP. ROSA DELAURO BEING ELECTED APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRWOMAN", "2020-12-03", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) released the following statement after the House Democratic Caucus elected Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) to serve as the House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman in the 117th Congress:\nCongratulations to our very own Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, who was elected chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee for the 117thCongress.\nI know Congresswoman DeLauro will work on the committee to prioritize federal spending bills that provide adequate funding for health, education, childcare, infrastructure and other investments that stabilize families, improve communities and reflect our values.\nShe will be a tremendous chairwoman and I look forward to continuing to work together to bring much needed funding back to our state. Congratulations, Chairwoman, Connecticut is behind you.\n###\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 yearsand was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut's 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=605DAF66-C24B-44CD-88C7-77020E760EEB", "HAYES STATEMENT ON REP. ROSA DELAURO BEING ELECTED APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRWOMAN", "2020-12-03", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", "hayes", "https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) released the following statement after the House Democratic Caucus elected Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) to serve as the House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman in the 117th Congress:\n\n\u201cCongratulations to our very own Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, who was elected chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee for the 117th Congress.\n\n\u201cI know Congresswoman DeLauro will work on the committee to prioritize federal spending bills that provide adequate funding for health, education, childcare, infrastructure and other investments that stabilize families, improve communities and reflect our values.\n\n\u201cShe will be a tremendous chairwoman and I look forward to continuing to work together to bring much needed funding back to our state. Congratulations, Chairwoman, Connecticut is behind you.\u201d\n\n###\n\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\n\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut\u2019s 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-klobuchar-colleagues-encourage-national-institute-of-mental-health-to-prioritize-study-of-mental-health-of-children-and-young-adults-during-pandemic", "Murphy, Blumenthal, Klobuchar, Colleagues Encourage National Institute Of Mental Health To Prioritize Study Of Mental Health Of Children And Young Adults During PandemicRead More", "2020-12-03", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONThis\r\nweek, U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Richard Blumenthal\r\n(D-Conn.) and 12 of their Senate colleagues joined U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar\r\n(D-Minn.) urging the\r\nNational Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to prioritize efforts to study and\r\nunderstand the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of children and\r\nyoung adults. Recent reports have highlighted a substantial increase in anxiety and\r\ndepression among children and young adults since the beginning of the pandemicwith\r\none study finding that nearly one-third of high school students\r\nsurveyed reported feeling unhappy or depressed in recent months. Earlier this\r\nmonth, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data showing that the proportion of children's emergency room\r\nvisits related to mental health had increased significantly during the\r\npandemic. In the letter to NIMH, the Senators called on Director Joshua Gordon to provide information on current\r\nsteps the agency is taking to study this issue as well as encourage\r\nprioritization of these efforts to better understand both the short-term and\r\nlong-term consequences of the pandemic on mental health in children and young\r\nadults. The letter also asks if the agency has any specific initiatives\r\nunderway to study whether there is a connection between the increased reliance\r\non and use of social media platforms and mental health among teenagers and\r\nyoung adults. No one is immune to the\r\nstress that has accompanied the pandemic, and many aspects of this public\r\nhealth crisis have been demonstrated to adversely affect the mental health of\r\nchildren and young adults. Over 13 million people have had coronavirus in our\r\ncountry, and studies have shown that children are more likely to report mental\r\nhealth issues if they personally know someone infected with the coronavirus. A\r\nrecord rate of 22 percent of children had an unemployed parent in the early\r\nmonths of the pandemic, and research shows that children are more likely to\r\nreport mental health problems when a parent or guardian loses a job, the senators wrote. In addition to Murphy, Blumenthal, and Klobuchar,\r\nthe letter is signed by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Maggie Hassan\r\n(D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.),\r\nSherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tim Kaine\r\n(D-Va.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Debbie\r\nStabenow (D-Mich.). The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)\r\nsupports this letter. Full text of the letter can be found HERE and below. Dear Director\r\nGordon: We write to request\r\ninformation about the efforts the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is\r\ntaking to study the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the mental health of\r\nchildren and young adults and to encourage NIMH to prioritize these efforts to\r\nimprove the ability of policymakers to respond to this pressing matter. Recent reports have\r\nhighlighted the increased prevalence of anxiety and depression among children\r\nand young adults as the current public health crisis persists. While this\r\npandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of many Americans, the impact\r\nhas been especially severe on teenagers, who rely on friendships and\r\nconnections while handling the pressure of high school. One recent study found\r\nthat nearly one-third of surveyed high school students reported feeling unhappy\r\nor depressed in recent months, and more than a quarter of those students felt\r\ndisconnected from teachers, classmates, or their school community. Earlier this month, the\r\nCDC released data showing that the proportion of children's emergency room\r\nvisits related to mental health had increased significantly during the pandemic\r\n increasing 31 percent for children between ages 12 and 17 from March to October\r\ncompared to the same period in 2019. There was also a 24 percent increase in\r\nemergency room visits for children between ages 5 and 11. These troubling\r\nfindings only further highlight concerns about the psychological effects that\r\nthis pandemic is having on young people, and in particular on adolescents who\r\nare members of historically disadvantaged populations. No one is immune to the\r\nstress that has accompanied the pandemic, and many aspects of this public\r\nhealth crisis have been demonstrated to adversely affect the mental health of\r\nchildren and young adults. Over 13 million people have had coronavirus in our\r\ncountry, and studies have shown that children are more likely to report mental\r\nhealth issues if they personally know someone infected with the coronavirus. A\r\nrecord rate of 22 percent of children had an unemployed parent in the early\r\nmonths of the pandemic, and research shows that children are more likely to\r\nreport mental health problems when a parent or guardian loses a job. As the lead federal agency\r\nfor research on mental disorders, we respectfully request that you respond to\r\nthe following questions: 1.\r\nWhat initiatives at NIMH are underway to research the mental\r\nhealth impact of this pandemic on children and young adults, including both the\r\nshort-term and long-term consequences? a.\r\nWhat steps is NIMH taking to ensure your studies cover a range of\r\ncommunities and populations to account for the different backgrounds and\r\ncircumstances of children experiencing symptoms of mental health\r\ndisorders? b.\r\nWhat systems are in place to ensure that these findings are shared\r\nwith relevant agencies, Congress, and the public to help inform the decisions\r\nof policymakers? 2.\r\nAs social media and online platforms emerge as critical\r\ncommunication tools during this pandemic, do you have any specific initiatives\r\nunderway to study the connection between the increased dependence on social\r\nmedia and mental health for children and teenagers? If so, please\r\nexplain. 3.\r\nCould additional resources be used to facilitate or improve or\r\naccelerate the body of research on the intersection of the pandemic and\r\nchildren's mental health? If so, please describe. We look forward to hearing\r\nabout your research initiatives to protect and improve the health of the\r\nAmerican people, including the mental health needs of the youngest members of\r\nour society. Sincerely, ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-congratulates-delauro-on-selection-to-serve-as-the-next-house-appropriations-chairwoman", "Murphy Congratulates DeLauro On Selection To Serve As The Next House Appropriations ChairwomanRead More", "2020-12-03", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Congratulates DeLauro On Selection To Serve As The Next House Appropriations Chairwoman \n        \n        December 03, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S. Senator\r\nChris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate\r\nAppropriationsCommittee, on Thursday congratulated U.S. Representative\r\nRosa DeLauro (CT-3) on being selected Chairwoman of the U.S. House of\r\nRepresentatives Appropriations Committee for the117th U.S. Congress. \"Congresswoman DeLauro is a\r\ntireless fighter for Connecticut and the conscience of the House. I'm thrilled that she will be\r\ntaking over as chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, and I look forward\r\nto working with her to continue to fund critical priorities on behalf of the\r\npeople of Connecticut,\" said Murphy. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-schumer-applaud-ndaa-inclusion-of-their-legislation-requiring-federal-law-enforcement-officers-to-clearly-identify-themselves-and-their-agencies", "Murphy, Schumer Applaud NDAA Inclusion Of Their Legislation Requiring Federal Law Enforcement Officers To Clearly Identify Themselves And Their AgenciesRead More", "2020-12-03", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy, Schumer Applaud NDAA Inclusion Of Their Legislation Requiring Federal Law Enforcement Officers To Clearly Identify Themselves And Their Agencies \n        \n        December 03, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck\r\nSchumer on Thursday applauded inclusion of the\r\nLaw Enforcement Identification Act, their\r\nlegislation that requires unidentified law enforcement officers and members of\r\nthe Armed Forces to clearly identify themselves and their agency or service\r\nwhile they are engaged in crowd control or arresting individuals involved in\r\ncivil disobedience in the United States in the\r\nfinal\r\nFY2021 NDAA. Donald Trump tried to militarize our streets this year by\r\nordering unidentified federal law enforcement officers to intimidate peaceful\r\nprotestors. Regardless of political party, we all should have been appalled at\r\nthis massive abuse of power, and I'm glad that Republicans and Democrats agreed\r\nit should never happen again by including the Law Enforcement Identification\r\nAct, which I introduced earlier this year with Leader Schumer, in this year's\r\nNDAA. Protestors are not the enemy, nor are our streets the battlefield, said Murphy. This year, millions of Americans watched in horror as the Trump\r\nadministration turned our streets into war zones. President Trump and Attorney\r\nGeneral Bill Barr deployed an army of unidentifiable federal officers in riot\r\ngear to crackdown on peaceful demonstrators exercising their constitutional\r\nrights across the country and treated American citizens like they were an\r\nenemy. The legislation Sen. Murphy and I worked to include in the NDAA puts an\r\nend to this abuse of power and ensures that federal law enforcement is\r\ntransparent, identifiable, and accountable, said Schumer.  Last\r\nJune as demonstrations against George Floyd's death grew, Attorney\r\nGeneral Barr ordered hundreds of heavily armed federal law enforcement officers\r\nto Washington DC and cities across the country. In many circumstances,\r\nthese federal law enforcement officers wore no identify\r\ninsignia and refused to identify their affiliation\r\nwith law enforcement agencies. In addition to\r\nthe legislation, Murphy and Schumer also wrote President Trump demanding that he require all federal\r\nofficers engaged in riot control to identify themselves and what agency they\r\nare with. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-discusses-future-of-the-iran-nuclear-deal-administrations-proposed-uae-arms-sale-and-progressive-foreign-policy-priorities-for-next-congress-on-pod-save-the-world", "Murphy Discusses Future Of The Iran Nuclear Deal, Administrations Proposed UAE Arms Sale, And Progressive Foreign Policy Priorities For Next Congress On Pod Save The WorldRead More", "2020-12-02", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S. Senator\r\nChris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations\r\nCommittee, joinedPodSave\r\nthe Worldthis weekto discuss the assassination of a Iranian nuclear scientist and the\r\nfuture of the Iran nuclear deal in the post-Trump era,the Trump\r\nadministration's rushed arms sale to the United Arab Emirates (UAE),\r\nandhis progressive foreign policy goals for the new Congress and incoming\r\nBiden-Harris administration. On the assassination of foreign\r\nleaders andlong-term stability in the Middle East, Murphy said:There's a good reason why we don't\r\nassassinate foreign leaders. Because when we engage in that kind of behavior,\r\nit ultimately lends an authority to that kind of action that can ultimately\r\nboomerang on the United States. There's a reason why we pressed the Israelis to\r\nforego these kind of actions during the eight years of the Obama\r\nadministration. And if this is really about trying to\r\ntie the hands of the Biden administration with respect to re-entering the\r\nnuclear agreement, it's absolutely disastrous because there is no path to a\r\nsafer Middle East without our ability to restart at least some elements of that\r\nagreement. And so we don't have all the full details, we have not been briefed\r\ninside Congress about this, but if the United States had something to do with\r\nthis, it is going to accrue to the detriment of America's security  both in\r\nthe short run and in the long run. On the future of the Iran nuclear deal\r\nin the post-Trump era, Murphy said:I don't think the dividing lines on this issue have\r\nfundamentally changed over the last four years. I don't think that there are\r\nDemocrats that supported the JCPOA that now would draw a new line. I also don't\r\nthink there are a lot of converts to our side. I don't think there are likely\r\nmany Republicans that have changed their mind. They want all of these issues to\r\nbe litigated. The problem for Republicans is that\r\nthey have now had four years to test their theory of the case, right? Donald\r\nTrump came in, obliterated the JCPOA, and articulated the Republican case,\r\nwhich is that we should ramp up sanctions, sort of blow past the levels that\r\nwere in place prior to the JCPOA as a means of getting the Iranians to come to\r\nthe table on everything. And Mike Pompeo wrote down what everything was. He had\r\nthese 12 demands of the Iranians. He had four years to effectuate this policy.\r\nAnd he didn't just fail, Pompeo failed miserably. Not only did he not get the\r\nIranians to the table on any of his 12 demands, the Iraniansgot closer to\r\na nuclear weapon. They're now two months away rather than 12 months away, they\r\nstarted shooting American troops inside Iraq  something they weren't doing\r\nwhen Donald Trump took over. Murphy added:And so while Republicans are going to\r\nobject to getting back into the deal, they really don't have a leg to stand on\r\nbecause we've tried their way and it didn't work. So I think the support exists\r\ncertainly within Democratic party for Biden to re-enter the agreement. But\r\nremember, there are two sides here. And the Iranians are also going to ask for\r\nmore. The Iranians are going to say well, we want reparations for all the\r\ndamage done to our economy once you've walked away.' And we shouldn't be\r\nwilling to agree to that, but we should also just understand that it's not just\r\nthe United States that's going to be driving a hard bargain if we're back at\r\nthe table with the Iraniansthey're going to be driving a hard bargain as\r\nwell.  On the Trump\r\nadministration'srushed arms sale tothe UAE and dangerous arms race\r\nit is fueling across the Middle East, Murphy said:First, we all have to assume that\r\nthere was some invisible ink on the Abraham Accords and that when you reveal it\r\nyou find Reaper drones. And so I do think there will be a question as to\r\nwhether the UAE feels like it has to make good on its commitments if the United\r\nStates doesn't ultimately deliver all of the weapons in the sale. And by the\r\nway, this is a dizzying array of lethal arms that we have never, ever been\r\nwilling to send into the Middle East. Why on earth does the Middle East\r\nneed Reaper drones, nevermind F-35s, especially when the recipient of these\r\ndrones has been regularly participating in the killing of civilians, either by\r\naccident or on purpose inside of Yemen? So I think the briefing that we got\r\nlast night, I hope was equally disturbing for Republicans and Democrats. It was\r\ncrystal clear that the administration is rushing this sale through and has not\r\ndotted I's and crossed T's, that the Emiratis have all sorts of commitments\r\nthey would need to make that they have not yet made in order to receive these\r\nweapons. Murphy continued: And so without getting into the\r\ndetails of how this sale is structured, it is likely that even if Congress\r\ncouldn't overturn this sale before the end of the year, there would be an awful\r\nlot still to do under a Biden administration and that the Biden administration\r\nmay have some ability to hold back some of these weapons or place new\r\nconditions on them. It's just impossible to get this large of a sale actually\r\ndone and completed before January 20.And my hope is that whether or not\r\nthis gets sort of officially noticed before Biden takes office, he'll take a\r\nfresh look at whether there's wisdom in giving this level of arms to a country\r\nthat has a history of violating arms embargoes, transferring weapons to Salafist\r\nmilitias inside the Middle East, and occasionally killing civilians with\r\nweapons we've already given them. OnPresident-elect Joe Biden's\r\nforeign policy and national securitynominees, Murphy said:I love everyone individually who has\r\nbeen appointed to this team. I don't know all of them well, but those that I do\r\nare smart, they're principled, and many of them are very open to these new\r\nideas. Specifically, I've talked to Tony Blinken at length about my belief that\r\nwe have become, as I said in that thread, sclerotic in the tools that we\r\ndeploy. Murphy also discussed his progressive\r\nforeign policy goals in the new Congress and new administration:I mean, today, we essentially sell\r\nweapons to our friends and we sanction our adversaries. And we are sort of left\r\nwith a really narrow set of options when we're trying to protect our interests\r\naround the globe. So I've made the case that we should be doubling, at the very\r\nleast, the size of our smart power tools, right? Things like hard dollars to\r\nuse to make countries energy independent of Russia, real resources to combat\r\npropaganda around the world, not just a couple extra dollars thrown to Twitter\r\nthreadsand I think this team is open to it. Would I like to see somebody on the\r\nnational security team that has not served in office before? Sure. I think it\r\nserves every president to have some folks at the upper echelon of their\r\nnational security team,who come in as real outsiders. But the folks that\r\nhave been named so far, I think, are open to some of these new ideas. But I\r\nwill add that a lot of this is dependent upon Congress. The president plays the\r\ncards that he has in his hand, and it's the budget that gives the president\r\ncards. So long as Congress keeps approving budgets where we spend 20 times as much\r\nmoney on defense and intelligence as we do on the State Department and USAID,\r\nthere's not much the president can do with that limited toolkit. Click here\r\nto listen to the interview in full. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-murkowski-applaud-final-passage-of-save-our-seas-20", "Murphy, Murkowski Applaud Final Passage Of Save Our Seas 2.0Read More", "2020-12-02", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy, Murkowski Applaud Final Passage Of Save Our Seas 2.0 \n        \n        December 02, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S. Senator Chris Murphy\r\n(D-Conn.) and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)\r\napplauded passage of Save Our Seas 2.0, legislation\r\nto combat marine debris. Murphy and Murkowski are both cosponsors of the bill,\r\nwhich was introduced and led by U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), U.S.\r\nSenator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) and U.S. Senator Bob Menendez\r\n(D-New Jersey). The legislation includes a Murphy-Murkowski drafted provision\r\nthat allows for the establishment of a new Genius Prize to fund the development\r\nof materials to replace single use plastic and innovations that remove and\r\nprevent plastic waste. The amount of plastic flowing into our oceans poses a\r\nhuge problem. That's why I was proud to work with Senators Sullivan, Whitehouse\r\nand Menendez on the bipartisan Save our Seas 2.0 Act, which will reduce\r\nthe amount of plastic in our oceans at home and abroad, said Senator\r\nMurphy. I am also grateful the final bill includes language I drafted with\r\nSenator Murkowski to allow for the establishment of a genius prize to clean up\r\nmarine debris and replace single-use plastics. There's more work to do, but\r\nthis bill is an important step in the right direction. Alaskans depend on healthy oceans and coastlines to\r\nsupport the marine resources that so many of our communities depend on. Whether\r\nit's for our fisheries, tourism, or subsistence activitiesmaintaining a\r\nhealthy marine environment is essential to our everyday lives. I applaud\r\nSenator Sullivan for his leadership on legislation to eliminate plastic waste\r\npolluting our oceans and am pleased by the Senate passage of Save Our Seas 2.0,\r\nlegislation that I cosponsored, said Senator Murkowski. The bill\r\nincludes a provision of mine with Senator Murphy to fund a new Genius Prize,\r\nwhich would reward innovation and creative strategies to combat the growing\r\nissue of marine debris. By creating incentives for the development of projects\r\nto clean up our oceans and shorelines, as well as to replace or improve\r\nsingle-use plastics, we are taking important steps to ensure healthier ocean\r\nenvironments for generations to come.\" \r\nLast year, Murphy voted to pass the related Save Our Seas 2.0: Enhanced Global Engagement to Combat\r\nMarine Debris Act out of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee\r\nand Murphy and Murkowski released the following statement after the legislation passed the Senate earlier this year. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-highlights-connecticut-innovator-azitra-inc-as-murphys-innovator-of-the-month", "Murphy Highlights Connecticut Innovator Azitra Inc. As Murphys Innovator Of The Month\"Read More", "2020-11-30", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Highlights Connecticut Innovator Azitra Inc. As Murphy's Innovator Of The Month\" \n        \n        November 30, 2020\n      \n        \n          HARTFORDU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced on Monday that innovator Azitra\r\nInc. in Branford has been named Innovator of the Month. Azitra was founded by\r\ntwo graduate students at Yale University to combine synthetic biology tools\r\nwith microbes naturally found on the skin. They are a clinical-stage medical\r\ndermatology company leveraging the power of the microbiome to address serious\r\nskin diseases and conditions.Azitra is developing both therapeutic and\r\nconsumer products and currently has programs in development to treat cancer\r\ntherapy associated skin rashes, targeted orphan indications, atopic dermatitis\r\nand overall skin appearance. Azitra\r\ncurrently has 14 employees in Connecticut and will be adding more research\r\nstaff in 2021. They are planning to initiate two clinical trials in 2021 and\r\nhave developed innovative strategies for conducting them in the midst of the\r\nCOVID pandemic. Azitra expects continued growth during the next year as they\r\nmove their lead therapeutic product into clinical trials for cancer-therapy\r\nassociated rashes and continue to advance consumer programs focused on\r\nimproving skin appearance. Azitra\r\nis a great model of innovation born right in Connecticut. Since 2014, they've\r\nhelped diversify the ways in which we treat skin diseases and conditions. Their\r\ninitiatives will impact the future of therapeutic research and I am proud to\r\nhighlight this important and growing company.said Murphy. \"We\r\nare thankful for the support we have received from Connecticut, especially\r\nduring our recent move to Branford,\" said Jeanne Bertonis, Chief Operating Officer of Azitra.\r\n\"Azitra expects continued growth during the next year as we move our lead\r\ntherapeutic product into clinical trials for cancer-therapy associated skin\r\nrashes and continue to advance our consumer programs focused on improving skin\r\nappearance. Being located in Connecticut has given us great\r\nopportunitiesand we are honored to have been named Innovator of the Month\r\nby Senator Murphy.\" Earlier\r\nthis year, Azitra formed a collaboration with Bayer AG to develop cutting-edge\r\nskin products using engineered and wild-type bacteria for biotherapeutic,\r\nover-the-counter and cosmetic applications. In addition, the company closed on\r\na $17 million Series B financing in October. The company says that being in\r\nConnecticut has served them well and that they are excited to be recognized by\r\nMurphy for their innovation. \r\nMurphy believes entrepreneurship and innovation are the building blocks for a\r\nstrong economy. In the U.S. Senate, he has introduced two bipartisan pieces of\r\nlegislation to incentivize angel investors to put more money into startup\r\ncompanies  the Angel Tax Credit Act and the Helping Angels Lead Our Startups (HALOS) Act.\r\nStartup companies create an average of 2 million jobs each year. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-op-ed-in-hartford-courant-congress-needs-to-pass-a-covid-relief-bill-to-help-save-connecticuts-small-businesses", "Murphy Op-Ed In Hartford Courant: Congress Needs To Pass A COVID Relief Bill To Help Save Connecticuts Small BusinessesRead More", "2020-11-28", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Op-Ed In Hartford Courant: Congress Needs To Pass A COVID Relief Bill To Help Save Connecticut's Small Businesses \n        \n        November 28, 2020\n      \n        \n          HARTFORDU.S. Senator\r\nChris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Saturday published an op-ed\r\nin the Hartford Courant encouraging\r\npeople in Connecticut to supportsmall businesses on Small Business\r\nSaturday, and renewed his call for Congress to pass a COVID-19 relief bill\r\naimed at helping small businesses stay afloat ahead of a harsh winter season.\r\nThe op-ed was inspired by a listening\r\nsession Murphy held with small business owners in Connecticut as\r\nwell as a small business walking tour in Middletown last week. Right now, small\r\nbusinesses across our state are hanging on for dear life, doing everything they\r\ncan to keep their doors open and their employees on payroll. These businesses\r\nare cornerstones of our communities, and they keep our state's economy running.\r\nThis is no exaggeration  over half of Connecticut workers are employed by\r\nsmall businesses,Murphy wrote. If I could have had it\r\nmy way, Senate Republicans would have let us vote on the HEROES Act, which the\r\nHouse of Representatives passed over 180 days ago, Murphy continued.\r\nThis comprehensive bill would increase the amount of forgivable loans\r\navailable to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program, send\r\nanother $1,200 check to Americans, extend unemployment benefits, and provide\r\nstates with the resources they need to contain this virus and prepare a massive\r\nvaccination campaign. And while we have our\r\nwork cut out for us in Washington, we can all do our part to support local\r\nstores here in Connecticut. Today is Small Business Saturday, a day where we\r\ncelebrate, and spend money in, our small business retailers. So I encourage you\r\nto safely support a small business in your community, Murphy added. Murphy concluded:The small\r\nbusinesses that power our economy need help right now. And that help can come\r\nfrom the government, in the form of a new stimulus bill, but it can also come\r\nfrom consumers, who decide to spend their dollars this holiday season at locally\r\nowned businesses. When it comes to supporting our local economy, we all have a\r\nrole to play. Click here\r\nto read the op-ed in full. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-booker-democratic-senators-urge-robust-funding-for-state-and-local-governments-to-distribute-covid-19-vaccines", "Murphy, Blumenthal, Booker, Democratic Senators Urge Robust Funding For State And Local Governments To Distribute COVID-19 VaccinesRead More", "2020-11-24", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONThis week, U.S. Senators\r\nChris Murphy (D-Conn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and 14 of their\r\nSenate colleagues joined a\r\nletter led by U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) urging congressional leaders to provide robust funding to\r\nensure the swift distribution of COVID-19 vaccines as a part of any upcoming\r\nlegislation to address the pandemic. With the recent news of at least one\r\nCOVID-19 vaccine possibly being available to be distributed within the next\r\nmonth, many state and local governments lack the proper funding that is needed\r\nto distribute the vaccine. According to arecent lettersent by the Association of State and\r\nTerritorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the Association of Immunization\r\nManagers (AIM) to congressional leaders, a minimum of $8.4 billion is needed to\r\ndistribute COVID-19 vaccines nationwide. Some experts even estimated that $10\r\nbillion is required in order to fundcommunity vaccination clinicsalone. For months, as states, territories,\r\nIndian Tribes, and other localities have been responding to COVID-19 and\r\nworking tirelessly to keep their residents safe, they have also been preparing\r\nto undertake one of the largest vaccination efforts in our nation's history,the\r\nsenators wrote. To accomplish this, jurisdictions must recruit and train\r\nthousands of health care workers, modernize data systems and registries, stand\r\nup vaccination sites, develop communications and educational materials, and\r\nbuild and support the infrastructure needed to distribute multiple types and\r\ndoses of COVID-19 vaccines, among other activities. To ensure that jurisdictions\r\nthroughout the country are well-positioned to immediately, efficiently, and\r\nequitably distribute COVID-19 vaccines as they become available, we\r\nrespectfully request that any upcoming legislation to address the pandemic\r\ninclude robust funding for COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts,the\r\nsenators concluded. This letter was also signed by\r\nSenatorsMichael Bennet (D-Col.), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen\r\n(D-N.H.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Elizabeth Warren\r\n(D-Mass.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Duckworth\r\n(D-Ill.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tammy Baldwin\r\n(D-Wis.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Tom Carper (D-Del.). Full text of the letter is available here\r\nand below. Dear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer,\r\nSpeaker Pelosi, and Leader McCarthy: As Congress continues to work on\r\nlegislation to address the COVID-19 pandemic, we request that you include\r\nrobust funding for COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts. With at least one\r\nCOVID-19 vaccine candidate likely to be available before or around the new\r\nyear, this funding is urgently needed to ensure that Americans have swift\r\naccess to these vaccines. For months, as states, territories,\r\nIndian Tribes, and other localities have been responding to COVID-19 and\r\nworking tirelessly to keep their residents safe, they have also been preparing\r\nto undertake one of the largest vaccination efforts in our nation's history. To\r\naccomplish this, jurisdictions must recruit and train thousands of health care\r\nworkers, modernize data systems and registries, stand up vaccination sites,\r\ndevelop communications and educational materials, and build and support the\r\ninfrastructure needed to distribute multiple types and doses of COVID-19\r\nvaccines, among other activities. In addition to facilitating vaccine\r\ndistribution, these activities are also important for building vaccine\r\nconfidence, particularly as recent data indicates that more than 40 percent of\r\nAmericans would not be willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The Department of Health and Human\r\nServices intends to cover many of the costs associated with COVID-19 vaccines,\r\nincluding the vaccines themselves and ancillary supplies, during the public\r\nhealth emergency, and so far, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\r\n(CDC) has distributed $200 million to jurisdictions for COVID-19 vaccination\r\nefforts and plans to distribute an additional $140 million, according to press\r\nreports. Jurisdictions need significant additional funding to successfully\r\nconduct the activities described above and in the interim COVID-19 vaccination\r\nplans that they submitted to the CDC last month. In September, CDC Director\r\nRobert Redfield acknowledged that the agency does not currently have the\r\nresources needed for vaccine distribution and that, These jurisdictions are\r\nnot going to be able to put these plans in place without resources. Dedicated\r\nfunding for COVID-19 vaccine distribution is especially critical now as\r\njurisdictions are facing historic budget shortfalls amid the pandemic and\r\nfunding for health departments had been inadequate even before the COVID-19\r\npandemic began. Public health experts have estimated\r\nthat a bare minimum of $8.4 billion is needed for COVID19 vaccine distribution\r\nefforts. This includes $3 billion for workforce training and recruitment; $1.2\r\nbillion for cold chain management; $1 billion for improvements to vaccination\r\ninfrastructure; $700 million for vaccine coverage, effectiveness, evaluation,\r\nand safety reporting; and $500 million for communications efforts, including\r\nbuilding vaccine confidence, combatting misinformation, and conducting outreach\r\nto priority populations. Other experts have estimated that $10 billion is\r\nneeded to fund community vaccination clinics alone. To ensure that jurisdictions\r\nthroughout the country are well-positioned to immediately, efficiently, and\r\nequitably distribute COVID-19 vaccines as they become available, we\r\nrespectfully request that any upcoming legislation to address the pandemic\r\ninclude robust funding for COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts. Thank you for\r\nyour serious consideration of this request, and we look forward to continuing\r\nto work with you on this important issue. Sincerely, ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-op-ed-in-nbc-any-further-delays-in-the-transfer-of-power-will-result-in-americans-continuing-to-pay-the-price-for-trumps-gross-mishandling-of-covid-19-after-he-leaves-office", "Murphy Op-Ed In NBC: Any Further Delays In The Transfer Of Power Will Result In Americans Continuing To Pay The Price For Trump's Gross Mishandling Of COVID-19 After He Leaves OfficeRead More", "2020-11-24", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Op-Ed In NBC: Any Further Delays In The Transfer Of Power Will Result In Americans Continuing To Pay The Price For Trump's Gross Mishandling Of COVID-19 After He Leaves Office \n        \n        November 24, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONAs the Trump administration\r\nformally begins the presidential transition, three weeks after the presidential\r\nelection, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.),a member of the U.S. Senate Health Education, Labor and\r\nPensions (HELP) Committee, this week published anop-ed with NBC Newsexplaining\r\nhow the Trump administration's blockade of essential documents related to the\r\nCOVID-19 pandemic and vaccine distribution hampers the incoming Biden\r\nadministration's readiness to get control of the pandemic and successfully\r\ndistribute a vaccine. President\r\nDonald Trump's refusal to concedeand begin the\r\norderly transition of government is not a laughing matter. With thepandemic raging\r\nout of controland record numbers of people being diagnosed with Covid-19 each\r\nday,a bumpy\r\nhandofffrom one administration to the next will likely get people\r\nkilled, Murphy began. He\r\ncontinued: [W]e're far from out of the wood yet  because it's\r\nentirely possible that Trump's plan is as unworkable as every other plan his\r\nteam has devised for pandemic response. For instance, nine months into this\r\npandemic, health care providers still don't have enough personal protective equipment,because\r\nthe president has been unable to put togethera plan to\r\nproduce and distribute enough PPE. What if his plan for vaccine distribution is\r\njust as miserable as his plan for PPE production?\" We've\r\nseen firsthand how Trump failed to manage the flow of critical supplies to\r\nstates in the early days of the pandemic. But duct tape, garbage bags and\r\ndonation drives won't be able to fix a vaccination plan that undermined by\r\nTrump obstructionism. Come Jan. 20, the Biden administration is going to take\r\nover  whether Trump acknowledges that fact or not. But by refusing to\r\nimmediately share details of the vaccine distribution plan with the incoming\r\nadministration, lives may have already been lost, Murphy concluded. Click here\r\nto read the op-ed in full. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-hayes-led-letter-federal-emergency-management-agency-questioning", "CONGRESSWOMAN HAYES LED LETTER TO THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY QUESTIONING GUIDANCE ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF COVID-19 RELATED EXPENSES", "2020-11-23", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today,Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) led a letter signed by 66 of her colleagues, toEmergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Peter T. Gaynor requesting further information and action regarding the definition of reimbursable COVID-19 expenses under the Stafford Act.\nDuring such a dire time, it is critical we offer aid to state and local governments as they seek to implement measures to combat and prevent the spread of COVID-19. This letter seeks to gain additional information on how FEMA can provide proper guidance around eligibility for assistance, said Congresswoman Hayes.\nLocal disaster and public health officials in Connecticut and throughout the country need help to address the varied of issues presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially at a time when their resources are thinly stretched. I have requested that FEMA issue new clarifying guidance broadening what is considered an emergency protective measure, revert to the previous definition of a public facility, and work with Congress, HHS and the CDC to centralize the reimbursement process. These important changes will provide state and local governments with the support they need to serve their communities.\nText of the letter can be found below:\nDear Administrator Gaynor,\nWe write to you with concerns regarding the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) guidance on the process by which COVID-19 related expenses are deemed eligible for reimbursement under the Stafford Act and 44 CFR, the implementing regulation for the Stafford Act.\nSince the beginning of the pandemic, we have had many conversations with FEMA and our local municipalities. In all these discussions, there has been a common sentiment regarding FEMA reimbursement for COVID related expenses. When COVID struck our nation, municipalities and local executives took immediate action and quickly began to work to combat the virus and prevent the spread. Municipalities installed necessary safety infrastructure and purchased emergency supplies, such as masks, plexiglass partitions, gloves and disinfectants. Cities and towns scheduled additional maintenance shifts for increased sanitizing and disinfecting at municipal buildings for essential workers. These costs & purchases were necessary in the fight against and prevention of contracting COVID and were consistent with the guidance issued in March 2020 by FEMA.\nUnfortunately, after an administrative change at FEMA and subsequent guidance on September 1, 2020, many of these expenses were deemed ineligible for reimbursement, effective September 15, 2020. This change has left communities in our districts with mounting financial shortfalls, because they were following previous guidance disseminated by FEMA.\nIn speaking with local disaster and public health officials, there is also concern regarding the definition of an emergency protective measure and the newly restricted definition of a public facility. These new and restrictive definitions have unilaterally disqualified many purchases from eligibility and have severely hampered the ability of local leaders to make the necessary investments to best fight this pandemic. These officials note past precedent in interpreting regulation 44 CFR of the Stafford Act for prior major disaster declarations has never been this restrictive.\nDuring conversations with local governments, they also noted that the lack of centralization during the reimbursement process has led to confusion and frustration. In addition to FEMA, agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can assist municipalities with the cost associated with COVID preparation and response. While this additional avenue for assistance is appreciated, the decentralized nature of this situation is not the most efficient solution.\nWith these issues in mind, we request that FEMA look to make the following improvements:\n Issue new clarifying guidance broadening what is considered an emergency protective measure, allowing for all pandemic prevention costs incurred before September 15, 2020 to be reimbursable, as well as reverting back to the previous definition of a public facility; and\n\tWork with Congress, HHS and CDC to centralize the reimbursement process.\n We appreciate your attention to this important and urgent matter and look forward to your prompt response.\n###\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut's 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=AC99CC0A-F038-4A35-B52B-CA6E7C537E57", "CONGRESSWOMAN HAYES LED LETTER TO THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY QUESTIONING GUIDANCE ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF COVID-19 RELATED EXPENSES", "2020-11-23", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", "hayes", "https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) led a letter signed by 66 of her colleagues, to Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Peter T. Gaynor requesting further information and action regarding the definition of reimbursable COVID-19 expenses under the Stafford Act.\n\n\u201cDuring such a dire time, it is critical we offer aid to state and local governments as they seek to implement measures to combat and prevent the spread of COVID-19. This letter seeks to gain additional information on how FEMA can provide proper guidance around eligibility for assistance,\u201d said Congresswoman Hayes.\n\n\u201cLocal disaster and public health officials in Connecticut and throughout the country need help to address the varied of issues presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially at a time when their resources are thinly stretched. I have requested that FEMA issue new clarifying guidance broadening what is considered an emergency protective measure, revert to the previous definition of a public facility, and work with Congress, HHS and the CDC to centralize the reimbursement process. These important changes will provide state and local governments with the support they need to serve their communities.\u201d\n\nText of the letter can be found below:\n\nDear Administrator Gaynor,\n\nWe write to you with concerns regarding the Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s (FEMA) guidance on the process by which COVID-19 related expenses are deemed eligible for reimbursement under the Stafford Act and 44 CFR, the implementing regulation for the Stafford Act.\n\nSince the beginning of the pandemic, we have had many conversations with FEMA and our local municipalities. In all these discussions, there has been a common sentiment regarding FEMA reimbursement for COVID related expenses. When COVID struck our nation, municipalities and local executives took immediate action and quickly began to work to combat the virus and prevent the spread. Municipalities installed necessary safety infrastructure and purchased emergency supplies, such as masks, plexiglass partitions, gloves and disinfectants. Cities and towns scheduled additional maintenance shifts for increased sanitizing and disinfecting at municipal buildings for essential workers. These costs & purchases were necessary in the fight against and prevention of contracting COVID and were consistent with the guidance issued in March 2020 by FEMA.\n\nUnfortunately, after an administrative change at FEMA and subsequent guidance on September 1, 2020, many of these expenses were deemed ineligible for reimbursement, effective September 15, 2020. This change has left communities in our districts with mounting financial shortfalls, because they were following previous guidance disseminated by FEMA.\n\nIn speaking with local disaster and public health officials, there is also concern regarding the definition of an \u201cemergency protective measure\u201d and the newly restricted definition of a \u201cpublic facility.\u201d These new and restrictive definitions have unilaterally disqualified many purchases from eligibility and have severely hampered the ability of local leaders to make the necessary investments to best fight this pandemic. These officials note past precedent in interpreting regulation 44 CFR of the Stafford Act for prior major disaster declarations has never been this restrictive.\n\nDuring conversations with local governments, they also noted that the lack of centralization during the reimbursement process has led to confusion and frustration. In addition to FEMA, agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can assist municipalities with the cost associated with COVID preparation and response. While this additional avenue for assistance is appreciated, the decentralized nature of this situation is not the most efficient solution.\n\nWith these issues in mind, we request that FEMA look to make the following improvements:\n\nIssue new clarifying guidance broadening what is considered an \u201cemergency protective measure,\u201d allowing for all pandemic prevention costs incurred before September 15, 2020 to be reimbursable, as well as reverting back to the previous definition of a \u201cpublic facility\u201d; and\n\nWork with Congress, HHS and CDC to centralize the reimbursement process.\n\nWe appreciate your attention to this important and urgent matter and look forward to your prompt response.\n\n###\n\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\n\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut\u2019s 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:39:51Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-menendez-senate-colleagues-make-bipartisan-call-for-saudi-government-to-release-wrongfully-detained-women-political-prisoners", "Murphy, Menendez, Senate Colleagues Make Bipartisan Call For Saudi Government To Release Wrongfully Detained Women Political PrisonersRead More", "2020-11-23", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONFollowing\r\nthe conclusion of the G20 Summit, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.),\r\nthe top Democrat of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near\r\nEast, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism and 8 of his senate\r\ncolleagues joined a bipartisan letter led by Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.),\r\nRanking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, demanding the\r\nimmediate release of women political prisoners who remain unjustly detained in\r\nSaudi Arabia. In the letter to Her Royal Highness Princess Reema bint Bandar\r\nbin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,\r\nthe Senators emphasized the heightened risk of contracting COVID-19 in\r\ndetention and echoed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's\r\ncall for governments to release prisoners detained solely for expressing\r\ndissenting views. We call\r\nfor releasing these individuals on the merits of their cases, but today, we\r\nalso urge you to act quickly on health and humanitarian grounds, the\r\nsenators wrote. The rapid spread of COVID-19 is a threat to all people and\r\nnations, but prison populations are at a heightened risk due to the inability\r\nto practice social distancing, poor sanitation, and lack of adequate medical\r\ncare. We encourage the leaders of the Kingdom to seize this opportunity during\r\nthis global crisis by immediately releasing these individuals. In calling\r\nfor all prisoners of conscience to be released, the Senators specifically\r\nhighlighted the cases of Loujain al-Hathloul, Nouf Abdulaziz, Maya'a\r\nal-Zahrani, Samar Badawi, and Nassima al-Sada, who remain arbitrarily detained\r\nfor acts of peaceful expression and activism in advancing women's and human\r\nrights in Saudi Arabia. These\r\nwomen have been wrongly detained simply for exercising their fundamental\r\nrights, and justice demands they be released, the senators added. Joining\r\nMurphy and Menendez in sending the letter were Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.),\r\nChris Coons (D-Conn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tim Kaine\r\n(D-Va.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Ed Markey\r\n(D-Mass.). Full text\r\nof the resolution here.\r\nFull text of the letter can be found here\r\nand below. Your Royal\r\nHighness: We write\r\nto request that you urge political leadership in Riyadh to release women\r\npolitical prisoners being unjustly detained in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.\r\nThese extraordinary women peacefully worked to advance the cause of women's and\r\nhuman rights in the Kingdom. We call\r\nfor releasing these individuals on the merits of their cases, but today, we\r\nalso urge you to act quickly on health and humanitarian grounds. The rapid\r\nspread of COVID-19 is a threat to all people and nations, but prison\r\npopulations are at a heightened risk due to the inability to practice social\r\ndistancing, poor sanitation, and lack of adequate medical care. In\r\nMarch 2020, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet,\r\ncalled upon governments to release political prisoners and others detained\r\nsimply for expressing critical or dissenting views in order to slow the spread\r\nof the virus and protect the health of both detainees and the broader\r\npopulation. We encourage the leaders of the Kingdom to seize this opportunity\r\nduring this global crisis by immediately releasing these individuals. While we\r\nare greatly concerned about all individuals detained for acts of peaceful\r\nexpression, we draw your attention to five women political prisoners in\r\nparticular, who remain in detention: In May\r\n2018, Loujain al-Hathloul, a prominent women's rights activist who\r\ncampaigned against the driving ban and the male guardianship system, was\r\ndetained and held without charges or trial for ten months. She was\r\nlater charged with promoting women's rights in Saudi Arabia. Last year, the\r\nU.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found that her imprisonment and\r\ndeprivation of liberty are arbitrary. She should never have been detained for\r\nexercising her right to freedom of speech, and we urge the Kingdom to release\r\nher. In a\r\ncontinued crackdown on women's rights activists, writer and activist Nouf\r\nAbdulaziz and fellow activist Maya'a al-Zahrani, were arrested and\r\ndetained in June 2018. Abdulaziz had written about women's rights and publicly\r\nexpressed solidarity with other female activists arrested in May of 2018, and\r\nal-Zahrani had supported her. Both women have been held incommunicado in\r\ndetention. Two more women human rights defenders, Samar Badawi and Nassima\r\nal-Sada, were subsequently detained in July 2018 for their peaceful\r\nactivism. These women should not have been arbitrarily imprisoned for\r\npeacefully expressing their views and supporting human rights, and we call for\r\ntheir immediate release. These\r\nwomen have been wrongly detained simply for exercising their fundamental\r\nrights, and justice demands they be released. Moreover, in the global fight\r\nagainst the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting the health and safety of all people\r\nis critical. Countries around the world have released prisoners, understanding\r\nthat these pressing times require urgent humanitarian relief. We urge the\r\nleaders of the Kingdom to do the same and release Loujain al-Hathloul, Nouf\r\nAbdulaziz, Maya'a al-Zahrani, Samar Badawi, Nassima al-Sada, and all other\r\nprisoners of conscience unjustly detained. Thank you\r\nfor your urgent attention to this matter. Sincerely, ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-the-nomination-of-antony-blinken-for-secretary-of-state", "Murphy Statement On The Nomination Of Antony Blinken For Secretary Of StateRead More", "2020-11-23", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement On The Nomination Of Antony Blinken For Secretary Of State \n        \n        November 23, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign\r\nRelations Committee, on Monday welcomed President-elect Joe Biden's nomination\r\nof Tony Blinken for U.S. Secretary of State: \"Tony\r\nBlinken is an A+ choice to be our nation's top diplomat. In the post-Trump era,\r\nthe job of repairing relationships with allies, rejoining international\r\nagreements, and tackling the pressing global challengesfrom pandemic disease\r\nto climate changewill be a Herculean task. Tony is uniquely ready to meet this\r\nchallenge. I have confidence he will be a partner with the progressive\r\ncommunity to make sure our ideas are included in the Biden administration's\r\nforeign policy agenda. This nomination is good news for U.S. foreign policy and\r\nour national security interests, and I look forward to continuing working with\r\nTony as we move the Biden agenda forward in Congress,\"said Murphy. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-young-coons-caution-against-designating-houthis-in-yemen-as-terrorist-organization", "Murphy, Young, Coons Caution Against Designating Houthis In Yemen As Terrorist OrganizationRead More", "2020-11-23", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy, Young, Coons Caution Against Designating Houthis In Yemen As Terrorist Organization \n        \n        November 23, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) this week issued a\r\nstatement cautioning the Trump Administration against designating the Houthis\r\nin Yemen as a Foreign Terrorist Organization: We\r\nare concerned about the adverse consequences of designating the entire Houthi\r\nmovement in Yemen as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. We have reason to\r\nbelieve that this designation would further destabilize the country, which is\r\nalready the home of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, make it harder to\r\nnegotiate a peace agreement, and stop the important work of the many NGOs\r\nproviding lifesaving assistance in the country. This designation would almost\r\ncertainly prevent the critical delivery of food, medical supplies, and other\r\nitems necessary to combat both COVID-19 and famine. Yemen remains the world's\r\nworst humanitarian disaster, one that on occasion has been exacerbated by\r\nill-advised policies in recent years. Creating new, additional obstacles to the\r\ndelivery of food and medical aid  during a global pandemic  is not in the\r\nbest interest of the United States, our regional allies and partners, or the\r\npeople of Yemen. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/media/press-releases/hayes-supports-legislation-expand-apprenticeships-invest-workforce-training", "HAYES SUPPORTS LEGISLATION TO EXPAND APPRENTICESHIPS, INVEST IN WORKFORCE TRAINING", "2020-11-20", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) voted in support of the National Apprenticeship Act Reauthorization of 2020, a bill investing more than $3.5 billion to create 1 million new Registered Apprenticeship, youth apprenticeship, and pre-apprenticeship positions over the next five years. Congresswoman Hayes is an original cosponsor of the bill and worked closely with fellow members of the House Committee on Education and Labor to develop it.\nAs Connecticut workers and businesses continue to suffer from the economic effects of COVID-19, Congress has taken this step to expand employment opportunities with jobs that will provide CT workers with living wages and long-term prospects through the National Apprenticeship Act.  said Congresswoman Hayes. \nRegistered Apprenticeships have a proven track record of preparing workers for high-wage, high skill employment while simultaneously meeting the expanding needs of small businesses. Bolstering access to Registered Apprenticeships, particularly for COVID-19 impacted workers and traditionally underrepresented communities, will ensure there are qualified applicants for the job openings of tomorrow without assuming the debt associated with a four-year degree. \nBy streamlining quality standards, strengthening coordination between employers and education institutions, and aligning employee skills with employers needs, this reauthorization of the National Apprenticeship Act will open the door to one million opportunities for Americans to gain in-demand skills and obtain well-paying jobs.\nThe bill governs the Registered Apprenticeships (RAs) system in the United States, the most successful federally authorized workforce development program. According to the Department of Labor, 94 percent of people who complete RAs are employed upon completion, earning an average starting wage of above $70,000 annually.\nThe reauthorization would save American taxpayers an estimated $10.6 billion in the form of increased tax revenues from higher worker pay and productivity and decreased spending on public-assistance programs and unemployment insurance.\n###\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 yearsand was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut's 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=BF50ED6F-FB87-4182-B8E6-7F2D559B9FE9", "HAYES SUPPORTS LEGISLATION TO EXPAND APPRENTICESHIPS, INVEST IN WORKFORCE TRAINING", "2020-11-20", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", "hayes", "https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) voted in support of the National Apprenticeship Act Reauthorization of 2020, a bill investing more than $3.5 billion to create 1 million new Registered Apprenticeship, youth apprenticeship, and pre-apprenticeship positions over the next five years. Congresswoman Hayes is an original cosponsor of the bill and worked closely with fellow members of the House Committee on Education and Labor to develop it.\n\n\u201cAs Connecticut workers and businesses continue to suffer from the economic effects of COVID-19, Congress has taken this step to expand employment opportunities with jobs that will provide CT workers with living wages and long-term prospects through the National Apprenticeship Act. \u201d said Congresswoman Hayes. \u201c\n\n\u201cRegistered Apprenticeships have a proven track record of preparing workers for high-wage, high skill employment while simultaneously meeting the expanding needs of small businesses. Bolstering access to Registered Apprenticeships, particularly for COVID-19 impacted workers and traditionally underrepresented communities, will ensure there are qualified applicants for the job openings of tomorrow without assuming the debt associated with a four-year degree.\n\n\u201cBy streamlining quality standards, strengthening coordination between employers and education institutions, and aligning employee skills with employers needs, this reauthorization of the National Apprenticeship Act will open the door to one million opportunities for Americans to gain in-demand skills and obtain well-paying jobs.\u201d\n\nThe bill governs the Registered Apprenticeships (RAs) system in the United States, the most successful federally authorized workforce development program. According to the Department of Labor, 94 percent of people who complete RAs are employed upon completion, earning an average starting wage of above $70,000 annually.\n\nThe reauthorization would save American taxpayers an estimated $10.6 billion in the form of increased tax revenues from higher worker pay and productivity and decreased spending on public-assistance programs and unemployment insurance.\n\n###\n\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\n\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut\u2019s 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:39:51Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-announces-legislation-to-end-corporal-punishment-in-schools", "Murphy Announces Legislation To End Corporal Punishment In SchoolsRead More", "2020-11-19", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education,\r\nLabor and Pensions Committee, on Thursday announced that he is introducing\r\nSenate legislation that would eliminate the use of corporal punishment in\r\nschools across America. The Protecting\r\nOur Students in Schools Act provides a broader definition of corporal\r\npunishment and prohibits the practice of corporal punishment in any school that\r\nreceives federal funding. The legislation would also establish\r\nmuch-needed enforcement protections and a federal grant program to assist\r\nstates and school districts in improving the climate and culture of schools\r\nacross the country. Earlier this year, U.S. Representatives A. Donald\r\nMcEachin (VA-04) andSuzanne Bonamici (OR-01)introduced\r\ncompanion legislation in the U.S. House of\r\nRepresentatives. Corporal\r\npunishment in the classroom is never acceptable and shouldn't be tolerated, said\r\nMurphy. Kids go to\r\nschool to learn in a safe, nurturing environment, and we should never condone\r\nstudents being hit as a means of discipline. It teaches children that violence\r\nis an acceptable response, and creates a culture of fear inside schools that is\r\nnot conducive to learning. And unfortunately, physical punishment, like many\r\nother forms of school discipline, is disproportionately used on\r\nstudentsof color and those with disabilities, making these reforms all\r\nthe more desperately needed. No evidence exists demonstrating that corporal punishment in\r\nschools is an effective response to student behavior, and yet nearly 20 states\r\npermit the sanctioned use of physical violence against students in the\r\nclassroom,said Congressman McEachin.The federal\r\ngovernment must eradicate thisdisgracefulpractice in our schools\r\nthat disproportionately impacts students of color and students with\r\ndisabilities.I am pleased to lead this critical legislation alongside my\r\ncolleagues, Representative SuzanneBonamici andSenator\r\nChrisMurphy,to ensure that all students in federally-funded schools\r\ncan flourish in a safe, healthyand high-quality learning environment. Schools\r\nmust be safe spaces for allstudentsto learn and reach their full\r\npotential,said Congresswoman Bonamici.It\r\nisunconscionablethat corporal punishment is still allowed in many\r\nstates, subjectingstudentsto physical harm that can cause\r\nlong-lasting damage to their physical, mental, and academic well-being. It is\r\nespecially troubling that corporal punishment has long been disproportionately\r\nused against Blackstudentsandstudentswith disabilities.\r\nI'm leading theProtectingOurStudents in SchoolsAct with\r\nRep. McEachin and Sen. Murphy to finallyendcorporal punishment\r\ninourschools, andsupport practicessuch as positive\r\nbehavioral intervention supports (PBIS),that promotesafe and\r\npositive learning environments. Protecting Our Students in Schools Act seeks to: \r\nProhibit the practice of corporal punishment in any school that\r\nreceives federal funding; \r\nEstablish a series of important and much-needed enforcement protections,\r\nincluding a private right of action, the involvement of the attorney general\r\nand the Office for Civil Rights, and a series of rigorous reporting\r\nrequirements for states and school districts; and  \r\nInvest in states and school districts by establishing a grant\r\nprogram to assist in efforts to improve school climate and culture by\r\nimplementing positive, proactive measures, including positive behavioral\r\ninterventions and supports, trauma-informed care, restorative justice\r\ninterventions, implicit bias training, and culturally responsive teaching to\r\nreduce exclusionary and averse discipline practices. For\r\nfull text of the legislation click here. This\r\nlegislation is supported by the Education Trust, American Federation of\r\nTeachers, Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund,National Association Of\r\nSecondary School Principals,the Intercultural Development Research\r\nAssociation,Campaign for Youth Justice,the National PTA,Institute\r\non Violence, Abuse and Trauma, U.S. Alliance to End the Hitting of Children,\r\nAmerican Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, National Initiative to\r\nEnd Corporal Punishment, Nollie Jenkins Family Center, Inc., the\r\nNationalAssociation of PediatricNurse Practitioners, National\r\nPartnership to End Interpersonal Violence,the Council for Exceptional\r\nChildren, the Southern Education Foundation, the Academy of Violence and Abuse. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-menendez-paul-unveil-joint-resolutions-of-disapproval-for-proposed-arms-package-to-uae", "Murphy, Menendez, Paul Unveil Joint Resolutions Of Disapproval For Proposed Arms Package To UaeRead More", "2020-11-19", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Bob\r\nMenendez (D-N.J.), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) this week announced the\r\nintroduction of four separate Joint Resolutions of Disapproval rejecting the\r\nTrump administration's effort to provide the United Arab Emirates with a\r\nprecedent-setting aircraft and myriad other weapons systems. The bipartisan\r\nresolutions come after the Trump administration formally notified Congress of\r\nits intention to sell over $23 billion in Reaper drones and other munitions,\r\nF-35 joint strike fighter jets, and air-to-air missiles to the UAE. In an effort to rush this sale of incredibly sophisticated\r\nweaponry, the Trump administration circumvented the informal congressional\r\nreview process that grants the Congressional committees of jurisdiction time to\r\nensure proposed arms sales of this magnitude are consistent with U.S. values,\r\nnational security objectives, and the safety of our allies. The State\r\nDepartment and Department of Defense also refused to respond to Congressional\r\ninquiries as to how the Administration would deal with specific national\r\nsecurity risks inherent in the proposed sale, which is comprised of the world's most\r\nadvanced stealth fighter jet, over 14,000 more deadly bombs and munitions, and\r\nthe second-largest ever sale of U.S. drones to a single country.  I\r\nsupport the normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab\r\nEmirates (UAE), but nothing in that agreement requires us to flood the region\r\nwith more weapons and facilitate a dangerous arms race, said Murphy.\r\nThe Emiratis are an important security partner, but their recent behavior\r\nindicates that these weapons may be used in violation of U.S. and international\r\nlaw. The UAE has violated past arms sales agreements, resulting in U.S. arms\r\nending up in the arms of dangerous militia groups, and they have failed to\r\ncomply with international law in Libya and Yemen. A sale this large and this\r\nconsequential should not happen in the waning days of a lame duck presidency,\r\nand Congress must take steps to stop this dangerous transfer of weapons.\" We\r\nare introducing these bipartisan resolutions out of a shared understanding that\r\nCongress must strongly assert its statutory authority over our nation's foreign\r\narms sales. As I tried to warn the Trump administration, circumventing deliberative\r\nprocesses for considering a massive infusion of weapons to a country in a\r\nvolatile region with multiple ongoing conflicts is downright irresponsible, said\r\nMenendez. There are a number of outstanding concerns as to how these sales\r\nwould impact the national security interests of both the United States and of\r\nIsrael. As a result, Congress is once again stepping in to serve as a check to\r\navoid putting profit over U.S. national security and that of our allies, and to\r\nhopefully prevent a new arms race in the Middle East. Full\r\ntext of the Joint Resolutions of Disapprovals can be found here, here, here and here. The Arms Export Control Act of 1976 provides special procedures\r\nthrough which lawmakers can introduce a joint resolution of disapproval against\r\na proposed arm sale. In the Senate, a resolution can bedischarged from\r\nthe Committee of jurisdiction, forcing a vote on the Senate floor. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-murray-beyer-scott-mceachin-unveil-bill-to-protect-students-from-dangerous-seclusion-and-restraint-practices", "Murphy, Murray, Beyer, Scott, McEachin Unveil Bill To Protect Students From Dangerous Seclusion And Restraint PracticesRead More", "2020-11-19", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) joined U.S.\r\nRepresentatives Don Beyer (VA-08), Robert C. Bobby Scott (VA-03),\r\nand Donald McEachin (VA-04) on Thursday in announcing the Keeping All\r\nStudents Safe Act to protect students from dangerous seclusion and\r\nrestraint discipline practices in school. Every\r\nchild should be safe and protected while in school. Sadly, that is not always\r\nthe case. The most current data from the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC)\r\nreveals that 101,990 students were subjected to seclusion or restraint during\r\nthe 2017-18 school year. Of the students restrained or secluded, 78 percent were\r\nstudents with disabilities who were disproportionately students who identified\r\nas Black/African American and boys. The Keeping\r\nAll Students Safe Act would make it illegal for any school receiving\r\nfederal taxpayer money to seclude children and would ban dangerous restraint\r\npractices that restrict children's breathing, such as prone or supine\r\nrestraint. The bill would also prohibit schools from physically\r\nrestraining children, except when necessary to protect students and\r\nstaff. The bill would better equip school personnel with the training\r\nthey need to address school-expected behavior with evidence-based proactive\r\nstrategies, require states to monitor the law's implementation, and increase\r\ntransparency and oversight to prevent future abuse of students. Far too\r\nmany students, particularly those with disabilities and kids of color, are\r\nsubject to inhumane seclusion and restraint practices that have harmful effects\r\non their learning and experience in the classroom - often with traumatic and\r\nsometimes fatal consequences.My colleagues and I are introducing\r\nlegislation to fix this problem. No taxpayer-funded school in America should\r\nlock kids up alone in rooms or restrain them with abusive methods, said\r\nSenator Chris Murphy.TheKeeping All Students Safe Act would\r\nestablish strong federal standards to keep students safe, while providing\r\nschool staff with alternatives to address disruptive behavior with evidence-based,\r\ntrauma-informed,proactive strategies and the resources to put those\r\nalternatives into practice. The\r\npractice of subjecting students to abusive discipline techniques happens far\r\ntoo often, and disproportionately affects Black children and students with\r\ndisabilities. Many states have previously recognized the harm of seclusion and\r\ninappropriate restraint in the classroom and banned these practices. Our bill\r\nwould enact nationwide protections that students across the country deserve, said\r\nCongressman Don Beyer. The Keeping All Students Safe Act will\r\nprotect students from harmful discipline by creating minimum safety standards\r\nfor schools and by providing training and support to school personnel. Every\r\nstudent deserves to feel safe at their school, and our bill would help\r\ntranslate this important principle into law. Despite\r\nevidence that seclusion and restraint practices make schools less safe,\r\nthousands of students are still subjected to these disproven methods of\r\ndiscipline. What's more, students of color and students with disabilities are\r\ndisproportionately impacted by these harmful practices. It's time we recognize\r\nthat a quality education cannot be achieved without a safe learning\r\nenvironment, said Congressman Robert C. Bobby Scott. The Keeping\r\nAll Students Safe Act would establish nationwide requirements and provide\r\nstates and teachers the support they need to improve their schools' culture by\r\nusing only evidence-based interventions. Every\r\nstudent deserves to be safe at school. But shockingly, schools are still\r\nallowed to punish students by locking them in rooms or forcibly restraining\r\nthem in dangerous waysand students with disabilities and students of color\r\nface the most harm. This is completely unacceptable, said Senator Patty\r\nMurray. The Keeping All Students Safe Act will ban these harmful\r\ntactics of seclusion and dangerous restraint and limit physical restraint,\r\nmaking our schools safer and more supportive environments for all childrenno\r\nmatter their race or disability. I'm proud to join my colleagues in introducing\r\nthis important legislation and I'll continue working to address the many\r\neducational inequities that keep so many students from receiving a high-quality\r\neducation. For far\r\ntoo long, our nation's students, particularly students of color and students\r\nwith disabilities, have been subjected to inappropriate and abusive seclusion\r\nand restraint in the classroom,said Congressman Donald McEachin.\r\nNot only are these dangerous policies ineffective at addressing student\r\nbehavior, but they can also cause significant emotional and physical trauma. We\r\nmust protect our students from these abusive techniques, and the Keeping All\r\nStudents Safe Act will put in place the standards and restrictions\r\nnecessary to ensure our children's health and safety. Every child deserves to\r\ngrow and prosper in a high-quality and healthy learning environment. To read\r\nthe Keeping All Students Safe Act bill text,clickhere. To read\r\nthe Keeping All Students Safe Act fact sheet, click here. To read\r\nthe Keeping All Students Safe Act section-by-section, click here. The Keeping\r\nAll Students Safe Act is endorsed by: This\r\nlegislation is supported by the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates\r\n(COPAA), The Arc, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), Autistic Self\r\nAdvocacy Network (ASAN), National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD),\r\nNational Center for Special Education in Charter Schools, Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD),\r\nNational Autism Association, SPAN Parent\r\nAdvocacy Network, Family Alliance to Stop Abuse and Neglect, National Parent\r\nTeacher Association (National PTA), National Center for Parent Leadership,\r\nAdvocacy, and Community Empowerment (National PLACE), Autism Society of\r\nAmerica, Center for Public Representation, RespectAbility, Council of State\r\nAdministrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR), CommunicationFIRST,\r\nNational Association of School Psychologists (NASP), Disability Rights\r\nEducation & Defense Fund, Higher Education Consortium for Special Education\r\n(HECSE), National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), Learning\r\nDisabilities Association of America (LDA), National Association of State Directors\r\nof Special Education (NASDSE), Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint,\r\nCouncil for Exceptional Children (CEC), and Bazelon Center. The Arc of Arizona,\r\nThe Arc of Maryland, The Arc of New Jersey, The Arc of Wisconsin, Parents Place\r\nof Maryland, Family Voices NJ, Parents Reaching Out (NM),Access Livingand Parent Education\r\nAdvocacy Leadership Center (PEAL Center; PA). ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-army-reversing-decision-on-other-than-honorable-discharges-for-veterans-with-mental-health-conditions-and-ptsd", "Murphy Statement On Army Reversing Decision On Other-Than-Honorable Discharges For Veterans With Mental Health Conditions And PTSDRead More", "2020-11-19", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement On Army Reversing Decision On Other-Than-Honorable Discharges For Veterans With Mental Health Conditions And PTSD \n        \n        November 19, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris\r\nMurphy (D-Conn.) on\r\nThursday applauded the news that the U.S. Army will reconsider thousands of\r\nother-than-honorable (OTH) discharges to service members with post-traumatic\r\nstress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health conditions following a lawsuit\r\nbrought on by the Veterans Legal Services Clinic at Yale Law School: The\r\nmen and women who put their lives on the line for our country deserve our full\r\nsupport and careincluding those who were given a bad-paper' discharge from\r\nthe military because of PTSD or other trauma. I'm thankful for the hardworking\r\nadvocates at the Veterans Legal Services Clinic for relentlessly fighting on\r\nbehalf of Connecticut's veterans, and for making sure that the VA complies with\r\nthe Honor Our Commitment Actmy legislation which requires the VA to provide\r\nappropriate mental health care to our combat veterans. Yesterday's decision by\r\nthe Army will have a lasting impact on our veterans across the country for\r\ngenerations, said\r\nMurphy. TheHonor Our CommitmentActintroduced by Murphy requires the U.S.\r\nDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA), for the first time, to provide mental and\r\nbehavioral health care to hundreds of thousands of at-risk combat veterans and\r\nsexual assault victims who received OTH discharges. Before it became law in\r\n2018, over 500,000 veterans were presumptively ineligible for any services from\r\nthe VA. Last year, following reports that the VA was continuing to deny\r\nveterans with OTH discharges the services required under the Honor Our\r\nCommitment Act, Murphy led a group of senators,\r\nin sendinga letterto VA Secretary\r\nRobert Wilkie demanding the VA comply with the law. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-van-hollen-senate-democrats-press-pompeo-on-conflict-in-ethiopia", "Murphy, Van Hollen, Senate Democrats Press Pompeo On Conflict In EthiopiaRead More", "2020-11-19", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and 14 of his senate colleagues joined a\r\nletter led by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) expressing their alarm at\r\nthe ongoing conflict in Ethiopia and urging U.S. Secretary Mike Pompeo to\r\ndirectly engage with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. We write\r\nto express our alarm at the deteriorating political and humanitarian situation\r\nin Ethiopia. The conflict in Tigray poses serious risks to Ethiopia and the\r\nbroader region. We urge you to engage directly with Prime Minister Abiy and\r\ncontinue pressing all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire, the\r\nde-escalation of tensions, protection of civilians, humanitarian access, and\r\nrespect for international humanitarian law, the senators began. They\r\ncontinued: The\r\nconflict has already resulted in hundreds dead and thousands displaced. there\r\nis a risk this situation will spiral totally out of control, leading to heavy\r\ncasualties and destruction, as well as mass displacement within Ethiopia itself\r\nand across borders. The ongoing\r\nviolence is precipitating a humanitarian crisis. More than 27,000 refugees have\r\ncrossed over into Sudan, with as many as 200,000 expected. The conflict\r\nposes a direct threat to hundreds of American citizens, journalists, and aid\r\nworkers in the Tigray region and surrounding areas. We urge you to engage directly with\r\nPrime Minister Abiy and continue pressing all parties to agree to an immediate\r\nceasefire, the de-escalation of tensions, protection of civilians, humanitarian\r\naccess, and respect for international humanitarian law. Once a ceasefire is\r\nachieved, all parties must commit to addressing outstanding grievances through\r\na peaceful dialogue and work to stabilize Ethiopia's imperiled democratic\r\ntransition. the senators concluded. Joining\r\nMurphy and Van Hollen in sending the letter by Senators Cory Booker\r\n(D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.),\r\nTim Kaine (D-Va.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Mark Warner\r\n(D-Va.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bob\r\nCasey (D-Pa.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Sherrod\r\nBrown (D-Ohio). The\r\nfull text of the letter is available here\r\nand below. Dear\r\nSecretary Pompeo: We write\r\nto express our alarm at the deteriorating political and humanitarian situation\r\nin Ethiopia. The conflict in Tigray poses serious risks to Ethiopia and the\r\nbroader region. We urge you to engage directly with Prime Minister Abiy and\r\ncontinue pressing all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire, the\r\nde-escalation of tensions, protection of civilians, humanitarian access, and\r\nrespect for international humanitarian law. Tensions\r\nbetween the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the federal government,\r\nwhich had been escalating for months, erupted into military confrontation on\r\nNovember 4th, after the government alleged that TPLF fighters attacked an\r\nEthiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) position in Tigray. The conflict has\r\nalready resulted in hundreds dead and thousands displaced. Airports and roads\r\nhave been closed and phone and internet service to the Tigray region has been\r\ncut, leaving families disconnected from their loved ones and seriously\r\nhampering humanitarian response efforts. There is a shortage of fuel and some\r\nshopping and banking services have halted, creating a cash shortage. On\r\nNovember 13th, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights warned that there\r\nis a risk this situation will spiral totally out of control, leading to heavy\r\ncasualties and destruction, as well as mass displacement within Ethiopia itself\r\nand across borders. Reports indicate that bombs have struck non-military\r\ntargets, including a hydroelectric dama charge the government denies. Amnesty\r\nInternational has confirmed that scores, and likely hundreds, of people were\r\nstabbed or hacked to death in Mai-Kadra (May Cadera) town in the South West\r\nZone of Ethiopia's Tigray Region on the night of 9 November, a massacre some\r\nwitnesses attributed to the TPLF, which has denied involvement. A report from\r\nReuters indicates that Ethiopian police visited an office of the United\r\nNations' World Food Programme (WFP) with a list of purported TPLF operatives\r\nembedded with various local and international organizations, raising concerns\r\nthat ethnic Tigrayans may be targeted by police. On\r\nNovember 14th, the conflict escalated further as media reported TPLF forces\r\nlaunched at least three rockets into Eritrea, striking the airport in capital\r\nof Asmara. The next day, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Tibor\r\nNagy condemned the attack, describing it as an effort to internationalize the\r\nconflict. The\r\nongoing violence is precipitating a humanitarian crisis. More than 27,000\r\nrefugees have crossed over into Sudan, with as many as 200,000 expected. The\r\nUnited Nations is now working with the Government of Sudan to ensure that they\r\nare granted refugee status and to establish a new refugee camp to accommodate\r\nthem. The Sudan Red Crescent Society has deployed medical staff and essential\r\nmedicines, and is conducting screenings for COVID-19. The U.N. is also working\r\nto establish a humanitarian corridor in Ethiopia, but reports suggest that\r\nhumanitarian access to Tigray is currently constrained, with implications for\r\nover 2 million people in need of aid there, including over 90,000 Eritrean\r\nrefugees. The conflict poses a direct threat to hundreds of American citizens,\r\njournalists, and aid workers in the Tigray region and surrounding\r\nareas.  We\r\nappreciate your statements calling for de-escalation and the State Department's\r\nresponsiveness to inquiries from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. We\r\nunderstand that the Department is engaged with the Government of Ethiopia, the\r\nTPLF, neighboring countries, the African Union, and the United Nations. We urge\r\nyou to engage directly with Prime Minister Abiy and continue pressing all\r\nparties to agree to an immediate ceasefire, the de-escalation of tensions,\r\nprotection of civilians, humanitarian access, and respect for international\r\nhumanitarian law. Once a ceasefire is achieved, all parties must commit to\r\naddressing outstanding grievances through a peaceful dialogue and work to\r\nstabilize Ethiopia's imperiled democratic transition. Sincerely, ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=7C1142F7-A348-405B-94C6-7E2001C809D9", "Congressman Himes announces $666,273 grant to Saint Joseph Parenting Center to promote healthy homes", "2020-11-18", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Today, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) announced that Saint Joseph Parenting Center in Stamford will receive a $666,273 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The grant will work to foster healthy homes through fatherhood courses and parenting resources.\n\n\u201cGiving parents the tools and training they need to create a stable home is a crucial first step to ensuring children grow up emotionally and physically healthy,\u201d said Congressman Jim Himes. \u201cDuring this pandemic, children are spending more time at home, making it important that parents foster a safe environment for their children\u2019s intellectual and social education. I\u2019m thrilled that Saint Joseph Parenting Center is receiving federal resources to promote healthy marriages and healthy families.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are extremely grateful to receive the Fatherhood FIRE grant as it will bolster our existing 24/7 Dads Program. As a new awardee, this funding will enable us to promote and sustain healthy marriages, strengthen positive father-child engagement, and improve employment and economic stability\u201d said SJPC Executive Director Rhonda R. Neal. \u201cServicing primarily Lower Fairfield County, Saint Joseph Parenting Center\u2019s mission is to strengthen families that are at risk of child abuse and neglect by providing parent education and resource support. \u201cUnfortunately, we have seen an increase in child abuse and neglect during the COVID-19 pandemic as parents struggle with job loss, the stress of working from home and having to care for children who cannot go to school during the day, and other issues. This grant will enable SJPC to empower more dads with the parenting education and economic support that they need during this challenging time \u2013 and beyond \u2013 in a safe and accessible way using our new virtual online platform.\u201d\n\nAccording to the Department of Health and Human Services, The Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood programs work to strengthen families, promote responsible parenting, and improve family economic stability. The program\u2019s goal is to foster economically secure households and communities for the well-being and long-term success of children and families through building stronger relationships, marriages, father-child engagement, and families. Click here to learn more.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://larson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/larson-statement-support-north-end-families-and-fair-housing", "Larson Statement in Support of North End Families and Fair Housing", "2020-11-18", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "John Larson", "L000557", "larson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement in support of families in the North End who have filed a fair housing lawsuit filed with Open Communities Alliance against the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):\nI stand in support of the families of the North End who have had to live in deplorable living conditions and then struggled to find safe, affordable housing after HUD failed to provide them with fair housing. No one should have to go through what these families have endured. I will continue to work with Mayor Bronin, residents, and community leaders to address these failures by HUD. This should never happen again in our community or in any other community across the country.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-supporting-north-end-hartford-residents-fair-housing-lawsuit-against-hud", "Murphy Statement Supporting North End Hartford Residents Fair Housing Lawsuit Against HUDRead More", "2020-11-18", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement Supporting North End Hartford Residents' Fair Housing Lawsuit Against HUD \n        \n        November 18, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S. Senator Chris\r\nMurphy (D-Conn.) on Wednesday issued the following statement after it was\r\nannounced that Open Community Alliance has filed a fair housing lawsuit against\r\nthe U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on behalf of ten\r\nresidents of Barbour Gardens Apartments, Infill I, and Clay Arsenal Renaissance\r\nApartments: I applaud the people of the North End of Hartford who\r\nhave raised their voices time and time again for safe and fair housing options.\r\nHaving toured these facilities and called on the Department of Housing and\r\nUrban Development to end this cycle of poverty and neglect, it's clear to me that\r\nthe needs of the residents have not been met. I'll continue to work with our\r\nCongressional delegation as well as state and local officials to make sure we\r\nfinally address these longstanding issues, said Murphy. Earlier this year, Murphy along\r\nwith U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), U.S. Representative John Larson\r\n(CT-1) and Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin wrote\r\na letter to HUD calling on the department to improve current policies\r\nregarding the oversight of Section 8 Housing as well as the promotion of fair\r\nhousing opportunities. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-the-administration-has-totally-dropped-the-ball-on-protecting-health-care-workers-and-the-pandemic-is-going-to-be-increasingly-deadly-because-of-it", "Murphy: The Administration Has Totally Dropped The Ball On Protecting Health Care Workers & The Pandemic Is Going To Be Increasingly Deadly Because Of ItRead More", "2020-11-18", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONAs\r\nCOVID-19 cases across the country continue to climb, U.S. Senator Chris\r\nMurphy (D-Conn.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.),\r\nand U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) held a press call on Wednesday to\r\nannounce the Protect Our Heroes Act, new legislation to increase\r\nproduction of critical personal protective equipment (PPE) and address the N-95\r\nrespirator shortage facing frontline health care workers. The\r\nProtect Heroes Act would operationalize the Defense Production Act,\r\nauthorize $5 billion to bring additional PPE into our national stockpile,\r\nauthorize $1 billion for the Small Business Administration to provide grants to\r\nsmall businesses so they can retool themselves to produce more of this\r\nequipment, and require the federal government to provide more transparency on\r\nthe national supply chain. On the\r\ncurrent crisis that health care workers and hospitals are in dealing with\r\nCOVID-19, Murphy said:\r\nOur emergency rooms and inpatient wings of hospitals are at a breaking point.\r\nToday, there are 75,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19. It took around 90\r\ndays to go from zero cases in this country to a million cases, it took 10 days\r\nto go from 9 million to 10 million. And without any plan in place from the\r\nWhite House about how to adequately protect our first responders, this pandemic\r\nis going to be increasingly deadly for the people that are on the frontlines in\r\nour hospitals, in our health centers, at our testing sites. On the\r\nTrump administration's failure to respond to health care workers' PPE needs and\r\nhow the Protect Our Heroes Act would address this issue, Murphy said: It is still the wild, wild west in\r\nwhich every hospital in every state has to go out and create their own supply\r\nchain. That's not how it should work in the middle of a national pandemic. And\r\nso this legislation is critical because it approaches this crisis from a number\r\nof different perspectives. Since the\r\nstart of the pandemic, Murphy has been outspoken in calling on the\r\nadministration to federalize the national supply chain. In April, Murphy,\r\nBaldwin and Schumer announced the\r\nMedical Supply Transparency and Delivery Act\r\n(S. 3627/ H.R.6711), which would require the president to\r\nutilize all available authorities under the Defense ProductionActto\r\nmobilize a federal response to the pandemic through an equitable and\r\ntransparent process.46 Senate Democrats support their legislation as well\r\nas AFL-CIO, SEIU, the National Nurses United, AFSCME, Get Us PPE, and US PIRG.\r\nThe legislation also was included in the House-passed COVID-19 relief package, the\r\nHEROES Act but Majority Leader McConnell refuses to bring this legislation\r\nbefore the Senate for a vote. A\r\nfull transcript of Murphy's opening remarks can be found below: Thank you\r\nvery much, leader Schumer. Thank you for leading the introduction of this\r\nincredibly important piece of legislationlegislation that dovetails with a\r\nbill introduced by the vast majority of members of our caucus over the summer\r\nled by Senator Baldwin and myself. This legislation is absolutely critical\r\nbecause, as leader Schumer mentioned, we are enduring a nightmare right now,\r\nacross the American health care system. Our\r\nemergency rooms and inpatient wings of hospitals are at a breaking point. Today,\r\nthere are 75,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19. It took around 90 days to\r\ngo from zero cases in this country to a million cases. It took 10 days to go\r\nfrom 9 million to 10 million. And without any plan in place from the White\r\nHouse about how to adequately protect our first responders, this pandemic is\r\ngoing to be increasingly deadly for the people that are on the frontlines in\r\nour hospitals, in our health centers, at our testing sites. A recent\r\nsurvey of nursing homes showed that 20% of all nursing homes still report a\r\nshortage of PPE. A survey recently done by one of the big national nursing\r\norganizations found that 80% of health care workers are still reusing single\r\nuse PPE. And I could list for you an endless series of stories about hospitals\r\nthat today are requiring nurses to reuse N-95 masks until they are physically\r\ndamaged or so dirty that they simply cannot be used any longer. The Trump\r\nadministration has totally dropped the ball on PPE production. They didn't\r\nstart ordering mass quantities of PPE until late March. And today, we have zero\r\nvisibility as to how this administration is purchasing PPE or managing the\r\nprivate sector supply chain. My hospitals in Connecticut have no idea as to how\r\nHHS and the White House are directing PPE supplies. And it is\r\nstill the wild, wild west in which every hospital in every state has to go out\r\nand create their own supply chain. That's not how it should work in the middle\r\nof a national pandemic. And so this legislation is critical because it approaches\r\nthis crisis from a number of different perspectives. First, as\r\nleader Schumer mentioned, it authorizes certain actions by the administration\r\nthat they desperately need to takethe operation of the Defense Production Act.\r\nAnd then it authorizes $5 billion to bring PPE into our national stockpile. And\r\nthen smartly authorizes a billion dollars for the SBA to provide grants to\r\nsmall businesses so they can start to retool themselves to produce more of this\r\nequipment. I have so\r\nmany small businesses, small manufacturers in Connecticut that want to start\r\nproducing PPE, but right now, they need help to do so because they aren't flush\r\nwith capital because of the general downturn in business. We have so many\r\nsmall-medium sized manufacturers in this country who want to be part of the\r\nsolution, who want to start producing large numbers of PPE, they just need a\r\nlittle bit of help from the federal government. And then\r\nlastly, the bill requires the federal government to provide that transparency\r\nthat is lacking today, to release regular reports on what the need is and how\r\nthe plan is going to meet that need. Leader\r\nSchumer will remember a phone call that the Democratic caucus had with the Task Force back\r\nin the days when the Task Force was actually meeting and communicating to\r\nthe public and policy leaders. Five or six different members of the Senate\r\nasked the Vice President and his Task Force what their plan was to meet the shortage of\r\nPPE and testing equipment in this country. And over and over again, they\r\ncouldn't identify a specific targeted plan to fill the shortages in the time\r\nthat we needed in order to confront what was in the first wave of this virus. These\r\ntransparency provisions in this legislation will make sure that everybody has\r\nvisibility on what the scope of the problem is and what the proposed solution\r\nis so that we can have accountability. That's really important for Congress,\r\nbut that's really important for the public as well. So I'm glad to be one of\r\nthe original introducers of this legislation and look forward to partnering\r\nwith my colleagues to push it forward.\" ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=097EAEF9-7615-4528-B437-CD499F4E91FC", "Rep. Himes Announces $125,000 grant to Members Credit Union to increase Fairfield County residents\u2019 access to the financial resources", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Today, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) announced that Members Credit Union will receive a $125,000 grant from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund. Members Credit Union has received national recognition, including the Juntos Avanzamos (Together We Advance) designation in 2017, for it\u2019s outreach to the Hispanic community. The grant will increase Fairfield County residents\u2019 access to the Members Credit Union by placing an ATM in Stamford.\n\n\u201cEnsuring Connecticut residents have access to their financial institutions will make it easier for constituents to access resources and the financial tools needed during this time.\u201d said Himes. \u201cThe pandemic has disproportionately hurt Hispanic Americans across the country, so it is especially important that Members Credit Union will use this grant for essential outreach. I look forward to working with Members Credit Union and other community organizations to combat the economic consequences of COVID-19.\u201d\n\n\u201cSince becoming a Juntos Avanzamos credit union, our outreach in Stamford has exceeded our expectations,\u201d said Kathy Chartier, President of the Members Credit Union. \u201cWe offer financial counseling and no cost/low cost financial savings and loan services to Hispanic immigrants, both documented and undocumented. We have learned that while we are meeting their counseling and borrowing needs it is difficult for them to use our transaction services. Many are paid in cash and it is difficult for them to come to our only location in Cos Cob to make their deposits. We received this grant for the purpose of placing a deposit taking ATM in an area of Stamford that is convenient for our immigrant and low income members, to make cash deposits into their Members Credit Union account and take full advantage of our services. We are grateful for this opportunity to better serve our Stamford members who depend on us to improve the quality of their financial lives.\u201d\n\nAccording to Members Credit Union, the organization was started in Greenwich in 1935 and became a community credit union in 2002. Click here to learn more about Members Credit Union.\n\nAccording to the Department of Treasury, the CDFI Program Technical Assistance Grant will enable CDFIs to increase lending and investment activity in low-income and economically distressed communities across the nation. For the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 funding round of the CDFI Program, 127 organizations received awards totaling $15.8 million. Click here to learn more about the CDFI Program Technical Assistance Grant.\n\n##", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=CEF90F15-BDAD-4122-88DD-A458FA266E3D", "Rep. Himes Announces $344,000 grant to Partnership to End Human Trafficking to combat human trafficking", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "James A. Himes", "H001047", "himes.house.gov", "himes", "https://himes.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "Today, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) announced that the Partnership to End Human Trafficking (PEHT) will receive a $344,005 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office For Victims of Crimes. The grant will allow PEHT to partner with community organizations to improve the identification of trafficked individuals and to expand comprehensive services to human-trafficking victims.\n\n\u201cFar too often, workers are lured to the U.S. by the promise of well-paying jobs and a better future, only to be coerced into unbearable conditions, including domestic servitude or prostitution rings,\u201d said Congressman Jim Himes. \u201cIt\u2019s horrific that this happens anywhere in the country, let alone in our own backyard. I\u2019m glad that PEHT is receiving the federal resources needed to address the atrocity of human trafficking in Fairfield County.\u201d\n\n\u201cPEHT is so excited to have received this grant award from the Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crimes to build capacity and to provide comprehensive services for victims of human trafficking in the Fairfield County Region of Connecticut\u201d said Jamie Manirakiza, PEHT\u2019s Executive Director. \u201cWe are currently opening a home for survivors of sex trafficking in the region, and this grant comes at an opportune time to increase our efforts in identification and response for victims of human trafficking in the community. Through this OVC award, we will work to collaborate with existing community partners to make a greater impact in Fairfield County, as we seek to come alongside survivors of this horrific crime. Furthermore, we believe that our two-year trauma-informed and survivor informed transitional home for adult women survivors of trafficking, will fill in a gap in services in Fairfield County for this vulnerable population.\u201d\n\nPEHT will partner with Love146, another anti-human trafficking non-profit, The Salvation Army Bloom Initiative to develop capacity to strengthen anti-human trafficking services through the provision of culturally appropriate, trauma-informed, comprehensive, and survivor-informed services in collaboration with local partners, develop a training plan with partners to increase victim identification in the Fairfield county region through outreach activities and targeted trainings, develop a strong referral network of anti-human trafficking service providers (including law enforcement and new and existing non-profit partners) that will meet the essential needs of each individual survivor; and constantly improve our service delivery through data collection and evaluation. Click here to learn more about PEHT.\n\n##", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-press-facebook-to-take-immediate-action-to-combat-anti-muslim-bigotry-on-its-platform", "Murphy, Blumenthal Press Facebook To Take Immediate Action To Combat Anti-Muslim Bigotry On Its PlatformRead More", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and 12 colleagues in a letter to\r\nFacebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg calling on the company to fully address the\r\nproblem of anti-Muslim bigotry on its platform, which has enabled offline\r\nviolence against Muslims in the United States and elsewhere around the world. Of particular concern is how\r\nFacebook has addressed the targeting of mosques and Muslim community events by\r\narmed protesters through the platform. In June 2019, Facebook responded to\r\nconcerns about these practices by creating a call to arms policy that\r\nprohibits event pages that call for individuals to bring weapons to a location.\r\nHowever, the Senators note that Facebook has not taken adequate steps to\r\nenforce this policy, which should have barred an event page in Kenosha,\r\nWisconsin earlier this year, as well as a 2019 event page used to plan an armed\r\nprotest at the largest Muslim community convention in the country. Facebook is a\r\ngroundbreaking company that has revolutionized the way we communicate.\r\nUnfortunately, the connectivity that can bring people together in many positive\r\nways also has been used to dehumanize and stoke violence against Muslims, Black\r\npeople, Latinos, immigrants, the Jewish community, Sikhs, Christians, women,\r\nand other communities here and across the world,the senators wrote. We recognize that Facebook\r\nhas announced efforts to address its role in the distribution of anti-Muslim\r\ncontent in some of these areas,the\r\nsenators wrote. Nevertheless, it is not clear that the company is\r\nmeaningfully better positioned to prevent further human rights abuses and\r\nviolence against Muslim minorities today. As members of Congress who\r\nare deeply disturbed by the proliferation of this hate speech on your platform,\r\nwe urge you to do more. An independent civil rights\r\naudit of Facebook from July 2020 highlighted disturbing examples of anti-Muslim\r\nabuse on the platform ranging [f]rom the organization of events designed to\r\nintimidate members of the Muslim community at gathering places, to the\r\nprevalence of content demonizing Islam and Muslims, and the use of Facebook\r\nLive during the Christchurch massacre These concerns have also prompted\r\ncurrent Facebook employees to write a letter demanding action on anti-Muslim\r\nbigotry and calling for broader structural changes. In their letter, the Senators\r\nurge Facebook to take a number of actions to address these issues including\r\ncollecting and publishing the data needed to understand the scope of the\r\nproblem, publishing readily available information to help the public evaluate\r\nits response, and implementing a plan to ensure robust enforcement of its call\r\nto arms policy. Murphy, Blumenthal and Coons\r\nwere joined on the letter by Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Dick Durbin\r\n(D-Ill.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),\r\nBen Cardin (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Amy\r\nKlobuchar (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.),\r\nChris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Groups supporting the letter\r\nincludeMuslim Advocates, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human\r\nRights, Center for American Progress, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights\r\nCampaign, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, Free\r\nPress, Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, Interfaith Alliance, Japanese\r\nAmerican Citizens League, MediaJustice, National Hispanic Media Coalition,\r\nShoulder to Shoulder, Sikh Coalition, and UltraViolet. Full\r\ntext of the letter ishereand\r\nbelow. Dear Mr. Zuckerberg: We write to express our deep\r\nconcern regarding anti-Muslim bigotry on Facebook. An independent civil\r\nrights audit of the company from July 2020 highlighted disturbing examples of\r\nanti-Muslim abuse on the platform ranging [f]rom the organization of events\r\ndesigned to intimidate members of the Muslim community at gathering places, to\r\nthe prevalence of content demonizing Islam and Muslims, and the use of Facebook\r\nLive during the Christchurch massacre . . . . These concerns have\r\nalso prompted current Facebook employees to write a letter demanding action on\r\nanti-Muslim bigotry and calling for broader structural changes. As members of\r\nCongress who are committed to protecting the Muslim community, we urge you to\r\ntake immediate action to combat this bigotry on Facebook's platforms. Facebook is a groundbreaking\r\ncompany that has revolutionized the way we communicate. Unfortunately, the\r\nconnectivity that can bring people together in many positive ways also has been\r\nused to dehumanize and stoke violence against Muslims, Black people, Latinos,\r\nimmigrants, the Jewish community, Sikhs, Christians, women, and other\r\ncommunities here and across the world. The enabling of hate speech and\r\nviolence against any group is not acceptable. We appreciate that Facebook\r\nhas taken certain steps to combat these problems. For instance, you\r\nrecently reversed a prior decision that had allowed content denying the\r\nHolocaust, and you have altered your policies to ban blackface and certain\r\nanti-Jewish stereotypes. But much more must be done to protect these\r\nvulnerable communities. With regard to the Muslim community in\r\nparticular, the civil rights audit noted advocates' alarm that Muslims feel\r\nunder siege on Facebook and explained how attacks on Muslims present unique\r\nconsiderations that require separate analysis and response compared to other\r\nkinds of attacks. Yet, the auditors noted, Facebook has not yet\r\npublicly studied or acknowledged the particular ways anti-Muslim bigotry\r\nmanifests on its platform. Of particular concern is how\r\nFacebook has addressed the targeting of mosques and Muslim community events by\r\narmed protesters through the platform. In June 2019, Facebook responded\r\nto concerns about these practices by creating a call to arms policy that\r\nprohibits event pages that call for individuals to bring weapons to\r\nlocations. Yet, in August 2019, when advocates reported to Facebook\r\nthat a militia group was using an event page to plan an armed protest at the\r\nlargest Muslim community convention in the country for the second year in a\r\nrow, it took Facebook more than a full day to remove the content, a delay that\r\nFacebook acknowledged was too long and an enforcement misstep. Other recent events have\r\ndemonstrated how Facebook has not taken adequate steps to enforce this call to\r\narms policy. In August 2020, a group called the Kenosha Guard posted an\r\nevent page titled Armed Citizens to Protect Our Lives and Property, calling\r\nfor armed individuals to gather in Kenosha, Wisconsin, following the shooting\r\nof Jacob Blake. Notwithstanding multiple reports by users that this page\r\nviolated Facebook policies, Facebook did not take the page down. An armed\r\n17-year-old traveled from out of state to join this gathering, fatally shot two\r\nprotestors that night, and is charged with their murder. You stated that\r\nthe failure to take down the event page and the Kenosha Guard's group page was\r\nlargely an operational mistake because contract content moderators without\r\nspecialized training failed to detect that the pages violated a new militia\r\npolicy Facebook had established in August 2020. Your statement was\r\nmisleading as to the event page, however, because it did not mention that the\r\nevent page also violated the call to arms policy that had been in place for\r\nover a year. Importantly, we understand that the contractors who review\r\nuser-reported content are not instructed to enforce a core component of the\r\ncall to arms policy. It is not apparent that Facebook ensures meaningful\r\nenforcement of this policy, and that is not acceptable. As the Change the\r\nTerms Coalition has explained, that isn't an operational mistake  that's a\r\ndesign defect. We have similar concerns about\r\nFacebook's efforts to ensure that the platform is not used to enable systematic\r\nviolence and discrimination against Muslims around the world. A United\r\nNations report concluded that the company played a determining role in\r\nviolence against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, and Facebook has similarly\r\nacknowledged that the platform was used to foment division and incite offline\r\nviolence against the Rohingya. Unfortunately, this is not an\r\nisolated incident. According to a New York Times report published a month\r\nafter anti-Muslim violence erupted in Sri Lanka in March 2018, Facebook's\r\nnewsfeed played a central role in nearly every step from rumor to\r\nkilling, despite numerous attempts by Sri Lankan activists and\r\ngovernment officials to warn Facebook about potential outbreaks of\r\nviolence. In an especially horrific episode of anti-Muslim activity on\r\nFacebook, in March 2019, a white nationalist gunman broadcasted his 17-minute\r\nslaughter of 51 Muslims at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, for the\r\nentire world to see using Facebook Live. Reports indicate that the\r\nplatform has also been used to support the internment of the Uyghurs in China\r\nand other human rights violations against this population, that Facebook and\r\nWhatsApp have been used to incite violence against Muslims in India, and that\r\nFacebook has been used to promote hate and violence in other areas around the\r\nworld. The civil rights audit and\r\nother reports have documented the shortcomings of Facebook that have led to\r\nthese results over the years. The United Nations explained in 2018 that\r\nFacebook launched its Myanmar-specific services without content moderators who\r\nspoke the necessary languages, without adequate technology, and without\r\nsufficient transparency and coordination with local organizations. It\r\nalso documented how speech in clear violation of Facebook's policies remained\r\non the platform notwithstanding multiple reports, and how even after the speech\r\nwas taken down, re-posts continued to circulate months later. Furthermore,\r\nthe civil rights audit found that Facebook is not sufficiently attuned to how\r\nits algorithms fuel extreme and polarizing content, and thereby may driv[e]\r\npeople toward self-reinforcing echo chambers of extremism, as seen in Myanmar\r\nand Sri Lanka. Advocacy groups similarly detailed the extent and\r\npersistence of anti-Muslim hate content on Facebook India in multiple reports\r\nlast year, concerns that have been amplified by recent allegations that some\r\nhigh-ranking employees at Facebook India have enabled hate speech against\r\nMuslims and others by applying the platform's content moderation policies in a\r\nselective manner. We recognize that Facebook has\r\nannounced efforts to address its role in the distribution of anti-Muslim\r\ncontent in some of these areas. These include, for instance, adding\r\ncountry-specific staff and content moderators proficient in certain local\r\nlanguages, investing in proactive detection technologies, strengthening local\r\nfact-checking partnerships, and limiting the ability to reshare certain kinds\r\nof messages. Nevertheless, it is not clear\r\nthat the company is meaningfully better positioned to prevent further human\r\nrights abuses and violence against Muslim minorities today. In part, this\r\nis because Facebook still does not collect the information needed to evaluate\r\nthe effectiveness of its responses. For instance, Facebook reported that\r\nit took action on 22 million pieces of hate speech content in the second\r\nquarter of 2020, up from over 9 million in the first quarter. It is\r\nnot apparent, however, whether this is a sign of an improving or worsening\r\nproblem, because this data lacks crucial context: Facebook does not\r\ncalculate or report on the overall prevalence of hate speech on the\r\nplatform. It is thus unclear how significant this increase is as a\r\nproportion of total hate speech or whether takedowns are increasing only\r\nbecause hate content on the platform is increasing. Facebook recognizes\r\nthat the statistic it reports only tells part of the story, and Facebook does\r\nestimate prevalence in other contexts. Its failure to do so as to hate\r\nspeech is concerning. In addition, the civil rights\r\naudit pointed out that for content that Facebook does remove, the company does\r\nnot collect data about which protected groups were the target of the removed\r\npost. This prevents Facebook and the public from understanding the volume\r\nof hate against a particular group, whether attacks against certain groups are\r\nconsistently not removed, and whether there are gaps in Facebook's policies that\r\nresult in perpetuating or increasing hate speech and attacks against particular\r\ngroups. It is difficult to understand how Facebook can effectively combat\r\nhate speech without this information. There is also basic information\r\nthat Facebook has or could readily make available, but which it has\r\ninexplicably declined to make public. For instance, while pointing to its\r\nincreases in country-specific staff and language-specific content moderators in\r\ncertain areas, Facebook has declined repeated requests from advocates to\r\nprovide detailed information about its country-specific staff or\r\nlanguage-specific content moderators across the world. Such information\r\nis necessary to evaluate Facebook's suggestion that its additions are adequate\r\nand to determine whether there are gaps in coverage in other regions that\r\nshould be addressed proactively before the next violent event. Facebook\r\nsimilarly does not provide information about how the hate speech it has taken\r\ndown is disaggregated by language or country of origin, information that would\r\nhelp identify volatile areas in need of further attention from content\r\nmoderators or others at Facebook. That is so even though Facebook has\r\nconceded that [t]hese breakdowns are feasible for these count-based metrics\r\nand that it recognize[s] the value in having different subpopulations of the\r\nvarious metrics. The United Nations 2018 Myanmar report expressed\r\nregret[] that Facebook did not provide country-specific data about hate\r\nspeech and deemed it essential that such information be\r\ndisclosed. Though these concerns have been\r\nraised for years, Facebook thus far has not taken the steps required to\r\neffectively address hate and violence targeting Muslims. In 2018,\r\nFacebook acknowledged that it can and should do better after its platform\r\nfueled violence in Myanmar and outlined steps it would take. In\r\n2020, Facebook apologize[d] for the human rights impacts that resulted from\r\nmisuse of its platform in Sri Lanka and outlined more steps.\r\nDespite these experiences, recent reporting suggests that today, Facebook is\r\ncontributing to the spread of hate speech and violence against ethnic and\r\nreligious groups in Ethiopia, where Facebook dominates the\r\ninternet. Meanwhile, it announced a call to arms policy to assuage\r\nconcerns but has failed to adequately enforce it. As members of Congress\r\nwho are deeply disturbed by the proliferation of this hate speech on your\r\nplatform, we urge you to do more. We believe Facebook must frankly and\r\nopenly detail the scope of the problem and take concerted and sustained actions\r\nto address this problem fully. We respectfully request that you respond\r\nto the questions below by December 16, 2020. As to each question, insofar\r\nas Facebook will commit to taking action, please provide details of its plan\r\nand expected timing. 1. Will Facebook commit to developing and implementing a plan to ensure robust\r\nenforcement of its call to arms policy, including through proactive review of\r\nevent pages, content moderator review of user reports, and prioritization of\r\nhighly reported events? If not, why not? 2. Will Facebook commit to collecting and publishing data about the overall amount\r\nand prevalence of hate content on the platform and whether hate content is\r\nincreasing on its platform? If so, please specify whether Facebook will\r\nbreak down this data by country and language. If not, why not? 3. Will Facebook commit to collecting and publishing data about which groups were\r\nthe subject of the hate speech it removes and enforcement rates across\r\ngroups? If so, please specify the groups for which Facebook will provide\r\nthis information. If not, why not? 4. Will Facebook commit to collecting and publishing country-specific or\r\nlanguage-specific data on hate speech that is on or removed from the\r\nplatform? If not, why not? 5. Will Facebook publish detailed information about the number of country-specific\r\nstaff and language-specific content moderators it employs? If not, why\r\nnot? 6. Will Facebook commit to studying regularly its civil rights and human rights\r\nimpacts and making future human rights impact assessments or rights audits\r\npublic in their entirety? If not, why not? 7. Will Facebook commit to establishing and publishing criteria that must be met\r\nfor Facebook to expand or maintain usage of its services in markets at risk of\r\nhate content fueling religious and/or ethnic violence to ensure Facebook does\r\nnot enable human rights violations? If so, please specify the outside\r\ninput that Facebook will solicit in developing these criteria. If not,\r\nwhy not? 8. Will Facebook conduct an analysis of how it can better design its systems and\r\nalgorithms to not just identify and take down hate speech, but limit the reach\r\nof this content and its ability to cause offline violence? If not, why\r\nnot? 9. Will Facebook commit to creating a working group led by a senior employee with\r\nexpertise in anti-Muslim bigotry specifically tasked with monitoring,\r\nreviewing, and coordinating efforts to proactively remove anti-Muslim content\r\non the platform? If not, why not? Thank you for your\r\nconsideration of our views. We appreciate your prompt attention to this\r\nmatter. Sincerely, ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-troop-withdrawal-from-iraq-and-afghanistan", "Murphy Statement On Troop Withdrawal From Iraq And AfghanistanRead More", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement On Troop Withdrawal From Iraq And Afghanistan \n        \n        November 17, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), the top Democrat of the U.S. Senate Foreign\r\nRelations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and\r\nCounterterrorism, on Tuesday released a statement on the Pentagon's\r\nconfirmation that they will draw down troops in Iraq and Afghanistan before\r\nPresident-elect Biden is inaugurated: I\r\nsupport a swift and orderly drawdown of U.S. forces from Iraq and Afghanistan.\r\nBut it's important that we do this in the right way and in close coordination\r\nwith alliesnot on President Trump's political timeline. said Murphy. The Afghan government\r\nis currently engaged in sensitive negotiations with the Taliban over the future\r\nstatus of the country's political and social order, and we should use our\r\nleverage to help them get the best deal possible. From Iran to Yemen to\r\nAfghanistan, President Trump is apparently intent on implementing a series of\r\nlame duck policy changes designed to constrain the options available to\r\nPresident-elect Biden. These decisions should not be made until Biden takes\r\noffice so as to allow the people's choice to be Commander in Chief to determine\r\na path forward. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-every-day-president-trump-delays-this-transition-leaves-our-country-vulnerable", "Murphy: Every Day President Trump Delays this Transition Leaves our Country VulnerableRead More", "2020-11-16", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "HARTFORDU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Friday joined U.S. Senator Richard\r\nBlumenthal (D-Conn.) to call on President Trump to accept the free and\r\nfair election results and concede the presidential race to President-elect Joe\r\nBiden. Murphy and Blumenthal talked about how the president's refusal to\r\nconcede and begin the process of a peaceful transfer of power impacts the\r\nability of the incoming Biden administration to address pressing challenges on\r\nnational security and the COVID-19 pandemic. The senators also responded to the\r\nsteam explosion at the West Haven VA, which killed two people Friday morning. On\r\nthe explosion that killed two at the West Haven VA Friday morning, Murphy said: Our\r\nhearts go out to those that have been affected. We know now, confirmed by the\r\nVA, that there have been two deaths and our hearts are very heavy today for\r\nthose lives that have been lost. We're going to be doing everything we can to\r\nwork with the VA to make sure those families are taken care of, to make sure that others that have\r\nbeen injured or affected are cared for, and to make sure that the VA community, which has experienced a loss today, has\r\neverything that they need as well. On\r\nPresident Trump's failure to concede, Murphy said: President-elect Biden won the election. There's\r\nno question about it. And we need to get going with this transition. President\r\nTrump may never concede. He may be interested in creating a grudge culture that\r\npowers his political movement for years. But the Constitution is the Constitution,\r\nand it says that there will be an orderly transition from one administration to\r\nthe next. Murphy\r\nalso highlighted the urgent need to begin the transition so that\r\nPresident-elect Biden will be able to address the raging COVID-19 pandemic:\r\nThis virus is expanding. This virus is on the march at a pace that we have not\r\nyet seen in 2020. And that commands us to make sure that President-elect Biden\r\nis ready, on day one, to chart a new strategy on COVID response. Every day that\r\nPresident-Elect Biden isn't allowed to have his people at HHS, at CDC, at NIH is another day that we\r\nlose in terms of making sure that President-elect Biden is ready to go on day\r\none to beat this virus. A\r\nfull transcript of Murphy's opening remarks can be found below: Good\r\nmorning, everybody. Thanks for being here on a cold, rainy day. Senator\r\nBlumenthal and I want to offer a few remarks, both on the tragedy this morning\r\nin West Haven  but also on the ongoing transition. First,\r\nlet me say that we've been in touch with the VA this morning. I think both\r\nSenator Blumenthal and I have offered our assistance in any way that we can.\r\nOur hearts go out to those that have been affected. We know now, confirmed by\r\nthe VA, that there have been two deaths, and our hearts are very heavy today\r\nfor those lives that have been lost. We're\r\ngoing to be doing everything we can to work with the VA to make sure those\r\nfamilies are taken care of. To make sure that others that have been injured or\r\naffected are cared for, and to make sure that the VA community, which has\r\nexperienced a loss today, has everything that they need as well. We\r\nare here today as well to talk about the ongoing transition. President Biden\r\nwon the election President-elect Biden won the election. There's no\r\nquestion about it. And we need to get going with this transition. President\r\nTrump may never concede. He may be interested in creating a grudge culture that\r\npowers his political movement for years. But the constitution is the\r\nconstitution, and it says that there will be an orderly transition from one\r\nadministration to the next. The\r\nUnited States is unique. We don't have kings or monarchs. We have regular\r\ntransitions from one leader to the next. And so it's important that those\r\ntransitions are as seamless as possible, because it is normally during\r\ntransitions of power that countries can face vulnerabilities. That adversaries\r\ncan attempt to take actions detrimental to the nation undergoing that\r\ntransition. Every\r\nday that President Trump doesn't allow for this transition to happen is a day\r\nthat America is vulnerable from a national security perspective. But this\r\npandemic is raging largely out of control and unchecked in many parts of this\r\ncountry. It took us 96 days to go from zero cases to a million cases. It took\r\nus 14 days to go from 8 million cases to 9 million cases. It took us 10 days to\r\ngo from 9 million cases to 10 million cases in this country. This\r\nvirus is expanding. This virus is on the march at a pace that we have not yet\r\nseen in 2020. And that commands us to make sure that President-elect Biden is\r\nready, on day one, to chart a new strategy on COVID response. Every day that\r\nPresident-elect Biden isn't allowed to have his people at HHS, at CDC, at NIH\r\nis another day that we lose in terms of making sure that President-elect Biden\r\nis ready to go on day one to beat this virus. President\r\nTrump has given up on fighting coronavirus. He's in full denial, even as this\r\ncrisis expands on a daily basis, even as the infection rages inside the White\r\nHouse, even as news breaks today that 130 Secret Service officers have COVID.\r\nAnd so given President Trump's complete disinterest in fighting the pandemic in\r\nNovember and December, the final two months of his term, it's that much more\r\nimportant that he begin to hand over the keys to President-elect Biden. But\r\nit's also important from a broader national security perspective. You know, I\r\nwatch China and Russia very carefully. They are certainly contemplating taking\r\naggressive actions in Ukraine, or Hong Kong, or Taiwan, knowing that President\r\nTrump is distracted right now, knowing that there are brand new hands on deck\r\nat the Department of Defense, and knowing that President-elect Biden might have\r\ntrouble standing up a national security apparatus if he doesn't get the keys to\r\nthe White House until after his swearing-in. So\r\nfrom a national security perspective, it's really important that Vice President\r\nBiden start getting these briefings, start being able to have his people inside\r\nthe Department of Defense and inside the National Security Council so that he's\r\nready to protect America on day one, as well. So we are gonnabe\r\nincreasing our pressure on the GSA and on our Republican colleagues to let this\r\ntransition begin. There's\r\nnothing stopping Congress from passing legislation that could overcome a veto\r\nrequiring GSA to begin the transition. If my Republican colleagues who are\r\nbeginning to talk about the importance of this transition beginning are\r\nserious, then they should put their votes where their words are. We don't have\r\nto stand by and let President Trump assault democracy like this. There's\r\nno path to stay in power for Donald Trump. He didn't win. He lost by a big\r\nmargin. There was no widespread voter fraud. When the electoral college meets,\r\nthey are going to choose Joe Biden as the next president of the United States\r\nand Donald Trump will leave the White House on swearing-in day one way or\r\nanother. But every day that this transition stalls is another day that COVID\r\nwins  and it's another day that our adversaries have opportunity to take\r\nadvantage of this very, very messy transition. So with that, let me turn it\r\nover to Senator Blumenthal. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-the-aca-is-still-at-risk-so-long-as-republicans-continue-to-pursue-this-case-in-court", "Murphy: The ACA Is Still At Risk, So Long As Republicans Continue To Pursue This Case In CourtRead More", "2020-11-11", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONOn\r\nthe day the U.S. Supreme Court held oral arguments in the California v.\r\nTexas lawsuit to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA), U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health\r\nEducation, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined U.S. Senate Democratic\r\nLeader Chuck Schumer, and HELP Committee colleagues U.S. Senator Bob Casey\r\n(D-Pa.) and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) to discuss the impact\r\noverturning the ACA will have on the over\r\n130 million Americans with pre-existing health conditions. On the\r\nspike inCOVID-19 cases across the country, Murphy said: Senate Republicans have let the\r\ncountry down as well. We need a robust comprehensive package of support that\r\ngets money to schools, that gets money to\r\ncounties, to cities, to states, to health\r\ncare providers, to make sure that they have\r\neverything they need in order to plan for more than one day at a time. And to\r\nthis day, Senate Republicans still do not take this pandemic seriously. They still cower behind President Trump, afraid to admit that\r\nthis is a worsening pandemic because they risk the ire of the President of the\r\nUnited States.  Murphy reiterated that the Affordable Care Act is under threat\r\nfrom today's court proceedings: The ACA is still at risk, so long as Republican Attorneys General and the Trump administration\r\nare pursuing this case in court. And they will not give up. Republicans are not\r\ngoing to give up just because they lose a case or two in the court system. This\r\nis their holy grail, the dismantling of the ACA. We are in for a long, hard\r\nfight. Murphy\r\nalso criticized Senate Republicans for slowing down the presidential transition\r\namid a pandemic: We will\r\nhave the right people leading coronavirus\r\nresponse for the first time in a long time when Joe Biden assumes the White\r\nHouse, but as this transition does not get\r\nunderway as Republicans continue to support the president's bogus claims of\r\nvoter fraud, it risks the Biden\r\nadministration not having the resources and the transition period that it needs in order to get an effective anti-coronavirus effort up\r\nand running on day one. A full transcript of Murphy's remarks can be found below: First,\r\nI was at hospital in suburban New\r\nYork, Stamford, Connecticut. And as I was on the way out, having met with their\r\nleadership, the head of the purchasing department followed me to the door, she\r\nwanted to have a private word with me. She said, I didn't want to say this in\r\nfront of everybody else. I didn't want to get anybody in trouble, but I have no idea how many\r\ntest kits I'm getting from day to day. I have no ability to plan beyond 48 hours, to get events set up\r\nin the community to make sure that we're on the frontlines of this epidemic. I\r\ncan't do my job.' And she can't do her job because this administration has\r\ncompletely failed us. Has botched the response to this pandemic.  And\r\nSenate Republicans have let the country down as well. We need a robust\r\ncomprehensive package of support that gets money to schools, that gets money to\r\ncounties, to cities, to states, to health care providers, to make sure that they have everything they need in order to plan\r\nfor more than one day at a time. And to this day, Senate Republicans still do\r\nnot take this pandemic seriously. They still cower behind President Trump, afraid to admit that this\r\nis a worsening pandemic because they risk the ire of the President of the\r\nUnited States.  The\r\nsecond point, I know Justice Roberts said some things at the hearing today that gave\r\npeople some hope that he may rule to keep the ACA in place, but he doesn't have\r\nto be on the prevailing side. There are five justices on that court, three\r\nappointed by the president, two that have ruled against the ACA in the past, to form a majority to\r\nstrike down the entirety of the ACA. The\r\nACA is still at risk so long as Republican Attorneys General and the Trump\r\nadministration are pursuing this case in court. And they will not give up.\r\nRepublicans are not going to give up just because they lose a case or two in\r\nthe court system. This is their holy grail, the dismantling of the ACA. We are\r\nin for a long, hard fight. And then finally, Senator Schumer referenced the support\r\nfrom Senate Republicans regarding these bogus lawsuits. Every\r\nday that this transition doesn't start, it's harder for us to actually correct course in [January]. We will\r\nhave the right people at HHS, we will have the right people at the CDC. We will\r\nhave the right people leading coronavirus response for the first time in a long time when Joe\r\nBiden assumes the White House, but as this transition does not get underway as Republicans\r\ncontinue to support the president's bogus claims of voter fraud, it risks the Biden\r\nadministration not having the resources and the transition period that it needs\r\nin order to get an effective anti-coronavirus effort up and running on day one. And so I would concur\r\nin Senator Schumer's remarks that it is time for this transition to begin. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-the-president-and-congressional-republicans-refusal-to-accept-the-free-and-fair-election-results-is-an-assault-on-our-democracy", "Murphy: The President And Congressional Republicans Refusal To Accept The Free And Fair Election Results Is An Assault On Our DemocracyRead More", "2020-11-11", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Tuesday took to the U.S. Senate floor to\r\nslam President Trump and Senate Republicans for their refusal to accept the\r\nfree and fair election results. On the\r\npresident's refusal to concede, Murphy said: He's not conceding because he believes that there's a\r\nchance he can remain as president without having won the election so long as\r\ncongressional Republicans are willing to stick with him step by step by step. And so\r\nfar, there is no evidence that congressional Republicans are ever going to step\r\naway from President Trump's delusional assault on democracy. Senator McConnell\r\nsaid this week that the president is within his rights to fight the election.'\r\nThat is, of course, true. The president can keep filing frivolous legal\r\nchallenges if he wants, we're not going to stop him from doing that. But just\r\nbecause he has the right to mount these legal challenges, that doesn't mean\r\nthat Republicans here have to support him in those efforts if they contravene\r\nthe interests of democracy and the interests of a smooth transition of power. On\r\nSecretary Pompeo's comments that there would be a successful transition to a\r\nsecond Trump administration, Murphy said: This isn't just for show. They are going to keep\r\npushing the bounds of democracy until somebody stops them. On the\r\nlong-term consequences of the Republican party's erosion of faith in our\r\nelections, Murphy said:\r\nIn the middle of a pandemic that's killed going on 250,000 Americans, losing\r\nfaith in public institutions is deadly. The president is delusional. There was\r\nno voter fraud. He lost. The American people by a large margin chose Joe Biden\r\nas President of the United States. And this delusion is not a quaint sideshow.\r\nIt's an assault on our democracy that will have consequences for the future\r\nviability of democracy, but also for the viability of public institutions to\r\nmeet crises, like the one that we stand in the middle of today. Murphy\r\nconcluded: The\r\npresident's behavior and the behavior of Republicans in Congress who support\r\nhim is dangerously unpatriotic. A\r\nfull transcript of Murphy's remarks can be found below: Thank you\r\nMadam President. A\r\nrepublican candidate in California by the name of Errol Webber lost his race\r\nfor congress by 72 points, and yet he is not conceding that he has lost. He\r\nsays I'm going to the Los Angeles County registrar's office to audit the vote\r\ncounting procedures. I will not concede, every legal vote needs to be counted.' Just up\r\nthe road in Maryland, a Republican candidate by the name of Kim Klacik lost by\r\n40 points and she is refusing to concede. She retweeted a post from President\r\nTrump in which he claimed that the election was stolen and she wrote, I beat\r\nmy opponent on day-of and in-person early voting along with absentee. However,\r\n97,000 mail in ballots were found in his favor?' My\r\ncolleagues, there is an epidemic of delusion that is spreading out from the\r\nWhite House and infecting the entire Republican party in the wake of this\r\nelection. And it presents a real threat to this country. President Trump didn't\r\nwin the election. Every single one of my colleagues knows this. And he didn't\r\njust losehe lost by a pretty substantial margin. He lost by 4.3% of the\r\npopular vote, likely around 70 electoral votes when all the counting is done. And,\r\nwhile the results haven't been certified yet, this isn't the election in 2000.\r\nThere aren't any hanging chads, we're not arguing about 500 votes here or\r\nthere. In Michigan, the margin today is 148,000. In Nevada, the margin is\r\n36,000. In Pennsylvania, it's 47,000. In Wisconsin, it's 20,000. In Georgia,\r\nit's 12,000. In Arizona, it's 14,000. Thousands and thousands of votes are\r\nthese margins. Now\r\nHillary Clinton, in 2016, lost by less than the president did in Pennsylvania\r\nand Michigan, and by about the same amount in Wisconsin, and she conceded the\r\nday after the election. And this is important. And I think that we need to talk\r\nabout it here because it has real consequences for democracy and for national\r\nsecurity. Why hasn't the president conceded? Now, it's\r\nnot because there was voter fraud or because the election was stolen from him.\r\nWe're a week out and the president is still desperately searching for evidence\r\nof fraud. He won't find it because it doesn't exist. It doesn't exist in\r\nPennsylvania or Michigan or Wisconsin or Georgia. The\r\npresident has empowered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to now go out and\r\nlaunch investigations of voter fraud, despite a long standing precedent for the\r\nDOJ to stay out of elections if their actions could be determinative. But the\r\npresident is so desperate to now fill in his mythology, his narrative, with\r\nfacts that he doesn't have, that he's sending the DOJ on this massive national\r\nfishing expedition. He hasn't conceded, not because there is fraudthere hasn't\r\nbeen. He's not conceding because he believes that there's a chance he can\r\nremain as president without having won the election so long as congressional\r\nRepublicans are willing to stick with him step by step by step. And so\r\nfar, there is no evidence that congressional Republicans are ever going to step\r\naway from President Trump's delusional assault on democracy. Senator McConnell\r\nsaid this week that the president is within his rights to fight the election.'\r\nThat is, of course, true. The president can keep filing frivolous legal\r\nchallenges if he wants. We're not going to stop him from doing that. But just\r\nbecause he has the right to mount these legal challenges, that doesn't mean\r\nthat Republicans here have to support him in those efforts if they contravene\r\nthe interests of democracy and the interests of a smooth transition of power. Today,\r\nRepublicans support the president's refusal to concede, they support his\r\nlawsuits, they call on election officials, most recently in Georgia, who\r\nrefused to bend their knee to Trump to resign, and they endorse the president's\r\ndecision to refuse to begin the transition. This may\r\nsort of seem like a sideshow now to the inevitability of a transfer of power,\r\nbut what's next? What if President Trump asks Republicans here to contest the\r\nselection of electors? What if he gets the message from Republicans in Congress\r\nthat if you're willing to support all the steps he has taken since Tuesday,\r\nthat you will continue to support his efforts to try to remain in office\r\ndespite losing both the popular vote and the electoral college? That's\r\nwithin his rights to ask you to support a contest of electors. But will you do\r\nit? And what so far have we seen to suggest that there is an end to your\r\ndecision to put your allegiance to this president above an allegiance to the\r\ncountry. The\r\nSecretary of State was asked today if he thought there would be a smooth\r\ntransition of power from President Trump to the winner of the election, Vice\r\nPresident and President-Elect Biden. And Secretary Pompeo said there will be a\r\nsmooth transition to a second Trump administration. Listen,\r\nthese guys aren't playing. This isn't just for show. They are going to keep\r\npushing the bounds of democracy until somebody stops them. It's logical to ask\r\nif Republicans have been willing to support every conspiracy that the president\r\nhas engaged in over the last week, then why wouldn't they support the next set\r\nof attacks on democracy that this president engages in? How far are Republicans\r\nwilling to go in their attacks against the decision of voters? Now for\r\nthe president, there's really no downside to what he is doing right now. Either\r\nhe steals the election, or he grows his political power. Because we learned in\r\nthe last 24 hours, that the president is raising money today online from his\r\nsupportersnot for a fund that is designed to strictly finance a recount\r\neffortbut for a new political action committee that he has established that\r\nwill fund his political efforts over the next four years. The button you click\r\nmay give you the idea that you are supporting the president's recount, but in\r\nfact, you are helping him to amass resources that will allow him to be a major\r\npolitical presence for the next four years. And so either the president is\r\nsuccessful in continuing this assault on the transition of power, or he's able\r\nto amass resources that help him into the future. There's\r\nno downside for the president. There's a big downside for the rest of us.\r\nThere's a big downside for this country. In the short run, the country's\r\nnational security is threatened by a messy transition. This has been covered, I\r\nthink well today, but traditionally, the President-Elect would be able to start\r\ngetting briefings on national security threats, would start to get access to\r\nclassified information, would begin to be able to do background checks on\r\nindividuals that he would like to be part of his national security cabinet.\r\nTraditionally, those are amongst the first confirmations that move through this\r\nbodyare the president's national security team. All of that being delayed by a\r\npresident who refuses to begin a transition and a Republican Senate that\r\nrefuses to put pressure on the president to change his mind. But also,\r\nin some ways more insidious, is the attack on the rule of law and the idea of\r\npeaceful transition of power itself. The narrative that President Trump is\r\nspreading and that congressional Republicans are facilitating right now that\r\nthe election was stolen or rigged, it isn't being written on a whiteboard\r\nthat's going to be neatly and tidily erased as soon as 2021 shows up. No, the\r\nwork that is being done right now by the Republican party to undermine faith in\r\nour elections, it will have a very long, very long tail. And when\r\nthe American people, or a large percentage of them, lose faith in elections,\r\nwhen they are told by leaders they trust that elections that are actually held\r\nlegitimately are illegitimate, then those individuals, of course, will\r\nnaturally lose faith in public institutions themselves. If all the people who\r\ngot elected were illegitimately chosen, then so must be the actions they take\r\nonce they are in office. Now, maybe\r\nthat's consistent with the general Republican project over the last several\r\ndecades. I've watched as Republicans have engaged in a withering assault on the\r\npublic sector, the whole idea from Republicans has been that government is\r\nillegitimate by its very nature and can't do anything to help you or solve your\r\nproblems. But that idea, if it is in fact, the goal of my Republican\r\ncolleagues, to delegitimize public institutions by delegitimizing\r\nelectionsit's really dangerous for two reasons. One, don't\r\nassume that democracy can survive this. If the 45% of the country that supports\r\nDonald Trump doesn't really believe that elections are legitimate, I'm not sure\r\nthat democracy hangs around for another hundred years. But second, we are\r\nliving in a moment where it's really important for people to have faith in\r\npublic institutions. There is no way for us to turn the corner on this pandemic\r\nunless people believe what leaders are telling them about how to conduct\r\nthemselves or about how we're going to administer a vaccine, or about why the\r\nbusiness around the corner from you is limiting the number of people who can\r\nenter it. In the\r\nmiddle of a pandemic that's killed going on 250,000 Americans, losing faith in\r\npublic institutions is deadly. The president is delusional. There was no voter\r\nfraud. He lost. The American people by a large margin chose Joe Biden as\r\nPresident of the United States. And this delusion is not a quaint sideshow.\r\nIt's an assault on our democracy that will have consequences for the future viability\r\nof democracy, but also for the viability of public institutions to meet crises,\r\nlike the one that we stand in the middle of today. The\r\npresident's behavior and the behavior of Republicans in Congress who support\r\nhim is dangerously unpatriotic. When we arrive in a Senate, we swear an oath to\r\nour country, not to our party. And right now, our president and congressional\r\nRepublicans are not living up to that oath. I yield\r\nthe floor. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-ahead-of-oral-arguments-in-supreme-court-case-to-dismantle-the-aca", "Murphy Statement Ahead Of Oral Arguments In Supreme Court Case To Dismantle The ACARead More", "2020-11-10", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement Ahead Of Oral Arguments In Supreme Court Case To Dismantle The ACA \n        \n        November 10, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health\r\nEducation, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, on Tuesday released a statement\r\nas the Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the Affordable Care Act lawsuit\r\nCalifornia v. Texas: Health care was on the ballot this year, and the American people\r\nmade their voices heard loud and clear. It's outrageous that even after defeat,\r\nTrump is still brazenly moving forward with this continued assault on health\r\ncoverage for millions of families, said Murphy. I hope the Supreme Court understands the gravity\r\nof the decision they have to make. Dismantling the Affordable Care Act (ACA)\r\nwill end protections for 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions\r\nduring a global health pandemic,\r\nincluding a million of my constituents in Connecticut. If Republicans get their\r\nway and the ACA is overturned by the court, it will be a humanitarian\r\ncatastrophe. Murphy has been an outspoken\r\ncritical of the Republican lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act. Last\r\nmonth, Murphylauncheda\r\ncampaign to invite people across Connecticut to share their health care stories\r\nand describe how they would be impacted if the ACA is overturned. The\r\nAffordable Care Act made itillegalfor\r\ninsurance companies to deny coverage for the 133 million Americans with\r\npre-existing conditions.\r\nHealth experts warnthat, without the ACA, health insurers could classify COVID-19 as\r\na pre-existing condition and deny COVID-19 survivors health insuranceadding millions more peopleto the previously existing 133 million Americans with\r\npre-existing conditions. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-2020-election", "Murphy Statement On 2020 ElectionRead More", "2020-11-07", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement On 2020 Election \n        \n        November 07, 2020\n      \n        \n          HARTFORDU.S. Senator Chris\r\nMurphy (D-Conn.) issued the following statement on the 2020 election: Joe Biden is a man for this\r\ntime, and I am thrilled the American people have spoken, and by decisive margin\r\nchosen him as our next President. This is good news for democracy, our country,\r\nand Connecticut, said Murphy. No\r\ndoubt, Donald Trump will not go away quietly, and now President-Elect Biden\r\nbegins the unenviable balancing act of beginning a transition while\r\nsimultaneously having to bat down frivolous legal and political challenges from\r\nPresident Trump. But the people have spoken, and now the peaceful handover of\r\npower must begin. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-joe-biden-is-going-to-be-the-next-president-of-the-united-states", "Murphy: Joe Biden Is Going To Be The Next President Of The United StatesRead More", "2020-11-06", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "HARTFORDAs\r\nthe results of the presidential election continued to trickle in, U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Connecticut\r\nSecretary of State Denise Merrill on Friday demanded that every vote be\r\ncounted in order to determine the next President of the United States. Murphy,\r\nBlumenthal, and Merrill also urged the state to allow its voters to vote\r\nby absentee in future elections without an excuse, citing the record number of absentee ballots this election across\r\nConnecticut. On\r\nConnecticut's smooth Election Day, Murphy said: We can be really proud of\r\nwhat we did here in Connecticut. This was as difficult an election as we've\r\never faced. We had a record number of people voting in the middle of pandemic\r\nwith one of the most heated presidential campaigns this country's ever seen,\r\nand Secretary Merrill and election officials all across the state pulled it off\r\nwith aplomb. Murphy\r\ncontinued: After this election, we need to make a major investment in\r\nelection infrastructure to make sure that Secretaries of State and election\r\nofficials don't have to scramble for the resources to make sure that every vote\r\nis counted. On Donald\r\nTrump's false claims of election fraud on Thursday, Murphy said: Last\r\nnight, Donald Trump said that these votes in Pennsylvania and Georgia were\r\nfound, that they were discovered. Totally untrue. Everyone knows that's untrue.\r\nThese were mail-in votes, that in some cases, elected officials were prohibited\r\nfrom counting until Election Day or the day after. Murphy\r\ncontinued: '[I]t is not coincidental that last night, President Trump\r\ncouldn't offer one iota of concrete evidence of mail-in voter fraud. And, of\r\ncourse, he only seems to care about the security of mail-in voting in the\r\nstates where he's losing. He didn't talk last night about all the mail-in votes\r\nincluding his cast in Florida. He didn't attack the mail-in voting system in\r\nIowa or Idaho. He seems very selective about where he cares about the security\r\nof elections today. Murphy\r\nalso discussed how Joe Biden's election is good for Connecticut and this\r\ncountry: [H]is election will be very good for Connecticut. Joe Biden's\r\ngoing to focus on infrastructure and we badly need infrastructure money here in\r\nConnecticut. Joe Biden is going to support rather than try to destroy the Affordable\r\nCare Act and we have a quarter million people in this state who get their\r\ninsurance through the Affordable Care Act, and he's going to put people\r\nin charge of government agencies that actually want government to work. From\r\nthe folks that work in that Housing and Urban Development Office, to the people\r\nwho run Social Security, to the people who are in charge of Medicare and\r\nMedicaid, we're going to have people in these positions that actually want to\r\nhelp us serve the people of Connecticut. That's a big change from the last four\r\nyears. A full\r\ntranscript of Murphy's remarks can be found below: Thank\r\nyou, Dick. Thank you Secretary of State Merrill. We can be really proud of what\r\nwe did here in Connecticut. This was as difficult an election as we've ever\r\nfaced. We had a record number of people voting in the middle of pandemic with\r\none of the most heated presidential campaigns this country's ever seen, and\r\nSecretary Merrill and election officials all across the state pulled it off\r\nwith aplomb. Certainly\r\nthe federal funding helped. There would have been no way to build from scratch,\r\na system by which you could take in 600,000 absentee ballots without that\r\nfederal funding. And so Denise is right, we need to do more. After\r\nthis election, we need to make a major investment in election infrastructure to\r\nmake sure that Secretaries of State and election officials don't have to\r\nscramble for the resources to make sure that every vote is counted. And let\r\nme thank again, the election workers in Connecticut who did such a fantastic\r\njob. I voted in person just down the street from here and I'm in awe of the\r\nthousands of folks who stepped up and put themselves in, you know, a small bit\r\nof health risk by being on the front lines of this election on Tuesday. Dick\r\ncovered the state of affairs well, so I won't belabor the points he made. Joe\r\nBiden is going to be the next President of the United States and I think we\r\nwill know that for certain within the next several hours. He then will be faced\r\nwith a very difficult task. Joe Biden is going to have to start a transition,\r\nwhile also fending off frivolous lawsuits from Donald Trump. He can do it but,\r\nit's going to make this transition much more difficult. Donald\r\nTrump was one of the most litigious individuals in the United States of America\r\nbefore he ever set foot in the political ring. His reputation preceded him and\r\nwill continue. President Trump's going to litigate this election, I expect,\r\ndown to the last day. He's not going to win. He's not going to win because he's\r\nmaking up a set of facts out of thin air. Last\r\nnight, Donald Trump said that these votes in Pennsylvania and Georgia were\r\nfound, that they were discovered. Totally untrue. Everyone knows that's untrue.\r\nThese were mail-in votes, that in some cases, elected officials were prohibited\r\nfrom counting until Election Day or the day after. These votes weren't\r\ndiscovered. They weren't found. These were legally cast votes. It just so\r\nhappens that in some states, these votes end up making it look as if the result\r\nis changing. But of course, the result isn't changing because there is no\r\nresult until you've counted all the votes. In\r\nArizona, Joe Biden has a lead that has been shrinking as they have been\r\ncounting more votes. In Pennsylvania, Donald Trump had a lead that shrank and\r\ndisappeared as they counted more votes. There is no results until all the votes\r\nhave been counted. Second,\r\nDonald Trump made it sound as if there is some grand coordinated conspiracy of\r\nelection officials in this country to rig this vote in [Vice] President\r\n[Biden's] favor. That is simply not true. And it is\r\nnot coincidental that last night, President Trump couldn't offer one iota of\r\nconcrete evidence of mail-in voter fraud. And, of course, he only seems to care\r\nabout the security of mail-in voting in the states where he's losing. He didn't\r\ntalk last night about all the mail-in votes including his cast in Florida. He\r\ndidn't attack the mail-in voting system in Iowa or Idaho. He seems very\r\nselective about where he cares about the security of elections today. So we are\r\ngoing to have a result by the end of the day. It will clearly be Joe Biden's\r\ndecision as to when he declares victory, but he is going to declare victory.\r\nAnd we will begin this process of transition. And his\r\nelection will be very good for Connecticut. Joe Biden's going to focus on\r\ninfrastructure and we badly need infrastructure money here in Connecticut. Joe\r\nBiden is going to support rather than try to destroy the Affordable Care Act\r\nand we have a quarter million people in this state who receive their insurance\r\nthrough the Affordable Care Act, and he's going to put people in charge\r\nof government agencies that actually want government to work. From the folks\r\nthat work in that Housing and Urban Development Office, to the people who run\r\nSocial Security, to the people who are in charge of Medicare and Medicaid,\r\nwe're going to have people in these positions that actually want to help us\r\nserve the people of Connecticut. That's a big change from the last four years. So I feel\r\nreally good about what happened in Connecticut. I want to thank Secretary\r\nMerrill for all the great work she did. I am prepared to attempt to double down\r\nin the federal support for Connecticut's election infrastructure, and I'm\r\nlooking forward to waking up tomorrow and getting to work with Vice President\r\nand now President-Elect Joe Biden to help rebuild this country to help restore\r\ndecency to our political dialogue, and to bring homes some dollars for\r\nConnecticut. I'd be happy to answer any questions. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-applaud-us-navy-announcement-that-electric-boat-will-begin-official-construction-of-columbia-class-submarines", "Murphy, Blumenthal Applaud U.S. Navy Announcement That Electric Boat Will Begin Official Construction Of Columbia-Class SubmarinesRead More", "2020-11-05", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy, Blumenthal Applaud U.S. Navy Announcement That Electric Boat Will Begin Official Construction Of Columbia-Class Submarines \n        \n        November 05, 2020\n      \n        \n          HARTFORDU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations\r\nSubcommittee on Military Construction, and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal\r\n(D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, on\r\nThursday applauded the U.S. Navy's announcement exercising the contract option\r\nof $9.47 billion for the first two Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines\r\nto be assembled at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton: This landmark Columbia-class agreement opens a\r\nhistoric new era in submarine construction at Electric Boat, said Murphy\r\nand Blumenthal. The first two boats in this new class, it means major\r\nopportunities for the hardworking men and women in Groton and throughout the\r\nentire supply chain of manufacturers. Columbia-class submarines will help\r\nprovide a powerful deterrent through the 2080s, proudly built right here in\r\nConnecticut. It will both strengthen our national security and create many\r\nhigh-skilled jobs. This contract reflects significant support and investment on\r\nthe part of EB, its workers and Connecticut federal and state officials.\r\nWe look forward to maintaining Connecticut's role as a leading source of high\r\ntech military weapons that keep America secure. Earlier\r\nthis year, Murphy and Blumenthal celebrated the preliminary awarding of this contract to\r\nElectric Boat. The senators will be attending the press conference at Electric\r\nBoat on Friday at 2 pm. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-we-dont-live-in-a-democracy-if-we-dont-have-a-commitment-to-count-all-the-votes", "Murphy: We Don't Live In A Democracy If We Don't Have A Commitment To Count All The VotesRead More", "2020-11-04", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "HARTFORDU.S. Senator Chris Murphy\r\n(D-Conn.) and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Wednesday\r\nheld a media availability to discuss the 2020 election. In his remarks, Murphy\r\nthanked the poll workers across Connecticut who showed up to ensure Election\r\nDay went safely and smoothly, and reiterated the importance of counting every\r\nsingle vote before determining the next President of the United States. Thanking the poll workers\r\nacross Connecticut, Murphy said: We had an event-free Election Day\r\nyesterday in Connecticut. That's unfortunately rare in this state[A] real\r\ncredit to Denise Merrill and her team and clerks and registrars all across the\r\nstate who had to conduct an election with record turnout amidst very difficult\r\ncircumstances and seem to have pulled it off incredibly well. Murphy then went on to discuss the\r\nimportance of counting every single vote: [W]e\r\ndon't live in a democracy if we don't have a commitment to count all the\r\nvotesWhat separates a democracy from an autocracy is that we count all the\r\nvotes, we let the people decide who's going to lead this country. Murphy continued: Republicans\r\nand Democrats should both be objecting to anything the president tries to do to\r\nstop the counting of votes. And let's be clear: it was Republicans who made the\r\ndecision in most of these states to wait until today to count the votes. It was\r\nRepublican state legislatures in the Midwest that pushed off the counting of\r\nmail-in votes until today. It was Republican county officials in Pennsylvania\r\nthat decided to not start counting mail-in votes yesterday and only start that\r\ncount today. So many Republicans in these states are responsible for the count\r\nbeing delayed a day or two. Last\r\nmonth, Murphy along with\r\nU.S. Senators Amy\r\nKlobuchar (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and\r\nTammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer\r\n(D-N.Y.)released a\r\nreport summarizing for the American people what to expect on Election Day\r\nand reinforcing the Democrats' call to encourage everyone to vote. The report\r\nfollows the months-long effort by President Trump to undermine the election and\r\nhis repeated refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power. A full transcript of Murphy's remarks\r\ncan be found below: Thanks, everyone for\r\nbeing here today. Let me add by just expressing my gratitude to all the poll\r\nworkers here in Connecticut. We had an event-free Election Day yesterday in\r\nConnecticut. That's unfortunately rare in this state. It seems that every two\r\nyears we normally have one meltdown that's happening somewhere around the\r\nstate. That didn't happen yesterdaya real credit to Denise Merrill and her\r\nteam and clerks and registrars all across the state who had to conduct an\r\nelection with record turnout amidst very difficult circumstances and seem to\r\nhave pulled it off incredibly well. I voted just up the\r\nstreet here, at my polling place in Hartford. You know, these poll workers,\r\nthey were putting their safety in jeopardy by being out there all day\r\nyesterday. Polling places were safe, the lines were long, but a lot of\r\ngratitude goes to the people who made a safe and efficient Election Day happen\r\nhere in Connecticut. My congratulations to the\r\nwinners here in Connecticut. You know, pretty impressive to have Democrats now\r\nlooking at a supermajority in the State Senate, and expanding their majority in\r\nthe State House by at least seven seats. You know, when your majorities get\r\nbig, it's hard to make them even bigger. And we had a lot of fantastic\r\ncandidates, many of them ran for the first time in 2018, come back and run\r\nagain in 2020, and prove victorious. And I think that speaks to the\r\nsustainability of the movement in Connecticut. There is a lot of new people who\r\nhave gotten involved in politics since 2016 in Connecticut. Many of them won\r\nlast night and are going to be forces for good and forces for change in the\r\nstate for a long time. Turning to the federal\r\nseat: we don't live in a democracy if we don't have a commitment to count all\r\nthe votes. What separates a democracy from an autocracy is that we count all\r\nthe votes, we let the people decide who's going to lead this country. When all\r\nthe votes are counted, it looks as if Joe Biden is going to be the winner.\r\nDick, I think, did a good summary of where things stand today. But once the\r\nvotes are counted, I don't think there's any way that Vice President Biden\r\nwon't have a majority of both the popular vote and the Electoral College vote.\r\nAnd he may, by the end of the day tomorrow, have won in some surprising places\r\nlike Georgia, where the count is still open. But our commitment today\r\nhas to be to counting all of these votes. And Republicans and Democrats need to\r\ncome down hard on the president if he tries to cut off this count. Dick's\r\nright; the courtroom doors are open to anybody, but that doesn't mean we need\r\nto endorse the president trying to bring specious legal claims that seek to do\r\nonly one thing and one thing only, which is to stop the counting of\r\nvotes. And Republicans and\r\nDemocrats should both be objecting to anything the president tries to do to\r\nstop the counting of votes. And let's be clear: it was Republicans who made the\r\ndecision in most of these states to wait until today to count the votes. It was\r\nRepublican state legislatures in the Midwest that pushed off the counting of\r\nmail-in votes until today. It was Republican county officials in Pennsylvania\r\nthat decided to not start counting mail-in votes yesterday and only start that\r\ncount today. So many Republicans in these states are responsible for the count\r\nbeing delayed a day or two. And so it's interesting\r\nthat Republicans have undergone this campaign to push the count off for 24 or 48\r\nhours and then have a Republican president trying to shut that count down. I\r\ndon't think that's going to happen. I think these votes are all going to be\r\ncounted, and I believe that at the end of the day, Joe Biden is going to be\r\nelected president. And that's good news for Connecticut. We're not here to declare\r\na winner, but we know if Joe Biden's president, that's good news for our state.\r\nJoe Biden knows Connecticut, he cares about our state, he's going to work with\r\nour governor to finally turn the corner on COVID. He's going to push for\r\ninfrastructure investments that will help us rebuild our transportation and\r\nenergy grid here in the state. He's going to lead on issues like gun\r\nviolence. Obviously, we don't have\r\nall of the results in the United States Senate. It may come down to a couple of\r\nspecial elections in Georgia in January. But no matter what happens in the\r\nSenate, the election of Joe Biden, as it looks like will happen, is great news\r\nfor Connecticut. He's going to invest in Connecticut, he's going to help us\r\nconfront the pandemic in Connecticut, and he's going work closely with the\r\ndelegation on our priorities as well. So we'll be monitoring\r\nthe count throughout the day and throughout tomorrow. We'll be talking to our\r\ncolleagues on both sides of the aisle to make sure that we build bipartisan\r\nsupport for counting every vote. And I think when all is said and done, perhaps\r\nlater today, perhaps tomorrow, we will be able to declare definitively who's\r\nwon this election, and it looks as if that will be the Vice President Joe\r\nBiden. I'm happy to take questions. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-trump-administrations-proposed-arms-sale-to-united-arab-emirates", "Murphy Statement On Trump Administrations Proposed Arms Sale To United Arab EmiratesRead More", "2020-10-31", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement On Trump Administration's Proposed Arms Sale To United Arab Emirates \n        \n        October 31, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.),\r\nthe top Democrat of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near\r\nEast, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism, on Saturday released the\r\nfollowing statement on the Trump administration'sproposed saleof\r\nF-35s to the United Arab Emirates: The\r\nnormalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)\r\nrelations was a historic step that can help the economic and security interests\r\nof both countries. But nothing in that agreement requires us to flood the\r\nMiddle East with some of the world's most advanced weaponry, facilitating a\r\ndangerous Middle East arms race that will make the region less stable and the\r\nUnited States and our allies less safe, said Murphy.I have serious reservations about transferring our most\r\ncomplex stealth technologywhich the Chinese have for years sought to stealto\r\nthe UAE, which has increasingly close cooperation with both the Chinese and\r\nRussian militaries. We know the Emiratis have violated past end-use agreements\r\nand allowed the weapons we've sold them to end up in the wrong hands, including\r\nviolent terrorist-affiliated militias. The UAE is an important U.S. partner, but their refusal to comply with\r\ninternational law, from their violation of the Libya arms embargo to their\r\nparticipation in human rights violations in Yemen, makes them a deeply\r\nimperfect partner. The Trump administration has a lot of serious questions to\r\nanswer about why this sale furthers U.S. interests, and until they do Congress\r\nshould not approve the administration's proposed sale of F-35s to the\r\nEmiratis. Earlier\r\nthis month, Murphywelcomedthe\r\npresident's announcement of normalized relations between Israel and the United\r\nArab Emirates and a pause on Israel's planned annexation of large parts of the\r\nWest Bank. Earlier this year, Murphy alsointroducedtwo\r\namendments in the National Defense Authorization Act to prohibit the use of\r\nfunds to support the Saudi-led coalition's military campaign in Yemen unless\r\nthe U.S. Secretary of Defense certifies that all members of the coalition are\r\nin compliance with end-use agreements and that the U.S. Department of Defense\r\n(DoD) has submitted to Congress the results of any investigations into\r\nunauthorized third party transfers and taken corrective action. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-highlights-branford-branch-of-abcam-as-murphys-innovator-of-the-month", "Murphy Highlights Branford Branch Of Abcam As Murphys Innovator Of The MonthRead More", "2020-10-30", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced on Friday that Abcam Inc. in\r\nBranford has been named Innovator of the Month. Abcam is a global life\r\nsciences company that identifies, develops and distributes high-quality\r\nbiological reagents and proteomic and cellular tools to the health care and\r\nlife science sectors for drug discovery, in vitro diagnostic, and\r\ntherapeutic applications. Abcam's Branford location, which is home to over 50\r\nscientists, was founded as AxioMx in Connecticut in 2012. During the\r\nCOVID-19 pandemic, Abcam has been contributing to the research and development\r\nefforts to understand and defeat COVID-19 by providing new and enhanced tools\r\nrapidly to researchers around the globe. Just recently, Abcam announced their\r\nparticipation in a leading United Kingdom consortium that is developing an\r\nantibody cocktail to potentially treat COVID-19 which is currently screening\r\nfor promising antibody candidates as part of the program. \"We\r\nneed the brightest minds and most innovative companies working to solve\r\nCOVID-19, and I'm proud to say that Abcam's Connecticut workforce is part of\r\nthe solution,\" said\r\nMurphy. \"Through their constant commitment to revolutionizing the way\r\nresearch is done, Abcam Inc. has continued to help us in the fight against\r\nCOVID-19, and I am happy to highlight their efforts in Connecticut, the United\r\nStates, and across the globe. As it\r\nrelates to the current pandemic, Abcam has been applying its proprietary\r\ntechnologies to activities such as recombinant antigen\r\nexpression, antibody discovery and development, bioinformatics, assay cascade,\r\nscreening and clinical assay development in projects and collaborations around\r\nthe world. In Branford, we are a lean research group based in the larger\r\norganization, which allows us to take immediate advantage of both local and\r\nglobal resources and guidance. Being located in CT, with support from the state\r\nthrough several funding mechanisms, has been really helpful. We are pleased to\r\nbe recognized with this Innovation award from Senator Murphy. said Dr. Michael Weiner, Vice President of Molecular Sciences at\r\nAbcam. Abcam\r\nhopes to continue to use Connecticut's funding mechanisms to remain at the\r\nforefront of biotech research. Being located in Branford has given the team\r\naccess to a lot of regional resources, including Yale University and its\r\nscientific core facilities, the University of Connecticut, Jackson Labs, and a\r\nplethora of local collaborative biotech talent. They hope to capitalize on this\r\nas they search for new discoveries regarding COVID-19. Murphy\r\nbelieves entrepreneurship and innovation are the building blocks for a strong\r\neconomy. In the U.S. Senate, he has introduced two bipartisan pieces of\r\nlegislation to incentivize angel investors to put more money into startup\r\ncompanies  the Angel Tax Credit Act and the Helping Angels Lead Our Startups (HALOS) Act. Startup companies create an average of 2 million jobs\r\neach year. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-announce-ct-businesses-receiving-presidential-award-for-exports", "Murphy, Blumenthal Announce CT Businesses Receiving Presidential Award For ExportsRead More", "2020-10-29", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy, Blumenthal Announce CT Businesses Receiving Presidential Award For Exports \n        \n        October 29, 2020\n      \n        \n          HARTFORDU.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today,\r\nannounced that Prospect Machine Products and Connecticut Center for Advanced\r\nTechnology, Inc. have received, respectively, the President's E Award for\r\nExports and the President's E Award for Service to Exporters. Awarded\r\nannually through the U.S. Department of Commerce, the President's E Award recognizes\r\npersons, firms, or organizations which contribute significantly in the effort\r\nto increase United States exports. This award is a testament\r\nto the strength of Connecticut manufacturers. Prospect Machine Products and\r\nConnecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. are bringing Connecticut\r\nproducts and expertise to markets around the world, said Murphy. I commend these companies on their\r\nimpressive track record and will continue to advocate for expanding support of\r\nU.S. global exports and Connecticut manufacturing. This landmark recognition\r\nis hugely impressive and important. You have my congratulations and gratitude\r\nfor dramatically advancing exports and economic growth in our state. You're\r\nputting Connecticut on the map, and putting people to work, through major job\r\ncreation. said Blumenthal. Exporting is an important part\r\nof our sale, said Richard Laurenzi, Chairman / CEO of Prospect Machine\r\nProducts. Buyers and consumers in foreign markets want quality products made\r\nin the United States, and we are honored to receive the E Award. We are a small\r\nmanufacturer, a family business founded in 1950, so this greatly appreciated\r\nhonor represents a milestone in our company's history. Theexporting of\r\nConnecticut goods and services is thelife-blood of oureconomy said\r\nRon Angelo,Presidentand CEO of theConnecticut Center for\r\nAdvanced Technology (CCAT). It is a great honor for CCAT to berecognized\r\nfor its services to Connecticutexporters throughout our world-class\r\nsupply chain.Connecticut companies manufacturethemost\r\ntechnically advanced products in theworld and areleading providers\r\nof research and development and technology services. CCAT is proud to assist\r\nthesecompanies inenhancing their technical capabilities to\r\ncompeteon theglobal stage.Established in 2004, CCAT is a\r\nleading provider of applied technology services and workforcetraining\r\nthroughout Connecticut's technologyecosystem. ThePresident's\r\nEAwardestablished during WWII - is thehighest\r\nrecognition any U.S.entity can receivefor making a significant\r\ncontribution to theexpansion of U.S.exports. For\r\nmoreinformation about theEAwards and thebenefits\r\nofexporting, visitwww.export.gov. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-delauro-applaud-production-contract-for-six-new-ch-53k-helicopters", "Murphy, Blumenthal, DeLauro Applaud Production Contract For Six New CH-53K HelicoptersRead More", "2020-10-29", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy, Blumenthal, DeLauro Applaud Production Contract For Six New CH-53K Helicopters \n        \n        October 29, 2020\n      \n        \n          HARTFORDU.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) announced that Lockheed\r\nMartin has signed a contract with the U.S. Navy for six new CH-53K King\r\nStallion helicopters. The aircraft is manufactured at the Sikorsky production\r\nplant in Stratford, Connecticut. I'm glad to see the federal\r\ngovernment recognize the hard work of the men and women at Sikorsky by awarding\r\nthis contract to produce more CH-53Ks. This award ensures that the United\r\nStates government is providing valuable, more cost-efficient equipment to our\r\nMarines and allies abroad, and it's a big win for Connecticut and U.S. national\r\nsecurity, said Murphy. This award is a victory for Connecticut, Sikorsky,\r\nand our workforce, said Blumenthal. It is also a testament to the\r\ntremendous skills and efficiency of the Stratford workers assembling this\r\naircraft who have made it more affordable. Adding six more CH-53K King Stallion\r\nhelicopters to the Marine fleet will strengthen our country's tactical\r\ncapabilities, while securing Sikorsky's presence in Connecticut for years to\r\ncome. As the leader in the fight that secured a guarantee\r\nfrom Lockheed Martin that headquarters will remain in Stratford until at least\r\n2032, I am thrilled to see this commitment bear fruit, said DeLauro.\r\nThe procurement of six new CH-53K helicopters signals a new era of technology\r\nfor our Marines and will help create jobs here at home. Supporting high-skill\r\njob creation in Connecticut requires collaborative efforts that include both\r\ngovernment and private industry, and I am proud to support these critical\r\nefforts. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/media/press-releases/hayes-introduces-legislation-save-nearly-4-million-education-jobs-spur-economic", "HAYES INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO SAVE NEARLY 4 MILLION EDUCATION JOBS, SPUR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE WAKE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC", "2020-10-27", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) introduced the Save Education Jobs Act of 2020, legislation to save nearly 4 million education jobs, spur economic growth in the midst of an economic crisis, and help mitigate the impacts of students' learning loss as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Congresswoman Hayes was joined by the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Chairman Gregorio Kilili Sablan (Mariana Islands-at Large) and the Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. Bobby Scott (VA-03).\nAs a member of Congress with extensive classroom experience, I have seen firsthand how state and local budget cuts can decimate education funding. These cuts result in slashing essential programming, halting critical school construction and devastating cuts to the educator workforce. These job losses have long lasting impacts on the quality and efficacy of learning in our communities, and only further entrench growing disparities in our highest need districts, said Congresswoman Hayes.\nWe have lauded our teachers as heroes during these unprecedented times, as they have switched to virtual and hybrid learning to keep students safe during a global pandemic, and have recently returned to their classrooms, oftentimes with little assurance for their personal safety. It is time we make investments to protect educators from the massive job losses we are almost certain to experience as a result of this crisis. Teachers are essential to our society and protecting them should be non-negotiable.\nSince February of this year, more K-12 jobs have been lost than nearly all of the local education jobs lost during the entire Great Recession. On top of that, states are facing a $555 billion budget shortfall over the next three years. Without sufficient funding from the federal government to support states and school districts during the recovery, experts estimate 1.4 million to 1.9 million education jobs will be lost over the next one to two years alone. Connecticut is expected to lose at least 9.6% of its education workforce  resulting in nearly four thousand critical job losses to the state's public education system. Many of these jobs include education support staff  the integral professionals that help to make schools supportive, welcoming, and safe environments for all students. These professionals help to provide mental health services for students, deliver nutritious meals and health care, transport students to school safely, clean and sanitize schools, teach the arts and music, and contribute to social and emotional learning. These jobs must be protected to ensure that schools remain the same robust and holistic centers of learning on the other side of this pandemic and recession.\nThe Save Education Jobs Act of 2020 would establish an Education Jobs Fund to stabilize the education workforce, delivering up to $261 billion to states and school districts over 10 years. 90 percent of the funding from this bill would go towards saving the jobs of teachers, school leaders, school psychologists, social workers, nurses, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, librarians, and more from inevitable budget cuts because of the COVID-19 crisis. Local school districts can also use funding to hire more teachers to meet the increased need during the unprecedented transition to hybrid or distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.\nThe remaining ten percent of the funding could be used to support teacher professional development, support educators, and provide mental health services  preventing further erosion of the workforce. The bill includes a provision to safeguard and promote equity  by ensuring continued funding for high poverty school districts. Not only does the Save Education Jobs Act of 2020 help to save jobs in the short term, it will help reduce the long-term economic impact of learning loss. Researchers estimate that by 2040, learning loss as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic for the current K-12 cohort will result in an earnings loss of $110 billion per year and will reduce overall gross domestic product by $173 billion to $271 billion per year. By helping save education jobs, this legislation will help schools reopen safely, prevent permanent learning loss, and prevent disparities in school districts from being further entrenched.\nSince the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congresswoman Hayes has been fighting for increased resources for K-12 schools to ensure that students and teachers are safe. Congresswoman Hayes passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which included $13.5 billion in funding to support online learning, purchase computers and internet access, support educational and related services for children with disabilities, provide mental health services and sanitize school buildings. The CARES Act brought back $1.382 million for schools in Connecticut.\nIn June, Congresswoman Hayes led 111 of her colleagues in sending a letter to Congressional leadership strongly urging the inclusion of at least $305 billion in K-12 education stabilization funding as they negotiate upcoming coronavirus response legislation. In that letter, Congresswoman Hayes noted that states are experiencing, and will continue to experience, increased health care and unemployment related costs that will further put pressure on state education funding. Without federal support, the fallout from state budgets will have drastic consequences for education, particularly students' access to teachers.\nCongresswoman Hayes also helped to pass the HEROES Act, which provides $915 billion in emergency funding for state and local governments, which are facing budget shortfalls that could lead to mass teacher layoffs and deep cuts to public education. The Heroes Act will save hundreds of thousands of jobs and help avert devastating cuts to funding for public education. The bill also invests more than $100 billion in direct emergency funding for students and schools to help continue delivering instruction, maintain school employment, and support teachers with professional development.\nThe Save Education Jobs Act is endorsed by: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Federation of Teachers, American Federation of School Administrators, American Library Association, American Occupational Therapy Association, American Physical Therapy Association, American Psychological Association, American School Counselor Association, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Association of University Centers on Disability, BellXcel and Sperling Center for Research and Innovation, Committee for Children, Council for Exceptional Children, Council of Administrators of Special Education, Council for Learning Disabilities, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Education Trust, EDGE Consulting Partners, Educators for Excellence, GLSEN, Higher Education Consortium for Special Education, International Society for Technology in Education, KaBOOM!, National Alliance of Specialized Instructional Support Personnel, National Association of Pupil Services Administrators, National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE), National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Directors of Special Education, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools, National Council for Languages and International Studies, National Education Association, National Science Teaching Association, National Superintendents Roundtable, Next100, PDK International, [Re]Build America's School Infrastructure Coalition (BASIC), San Diego Unified School District School Social Work Association of America, Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America), State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education, State Educational Technology Directors Association, Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children, and Teach Plus.\nTo read the bill text for the Save Education Jobs Act of 2020, click here.\nTo read a fact sheet for the Save Education Jobs Act of 2020, click here.\nTo read the section-by-section for the Save Education Jobs Act of 2020, click here.\n###\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 yearsand was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut's 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=7C941238-2030-45BC-8E26-4F4DADC946A3", "HAYES INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO SAVE NEARLY 4 MILLION EDUCATION JOBS, SPUR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE WAKE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC", "2020-10-27", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", "hayes", "https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) introduced the Save Education Jobs Act of 2020, legislation to save nearly 4 million education jobs, spur economic growth in the midst of an economic crisis, and help mitigate the impacts of students\u2019 learning loss as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Congresswoman Hayes was joined by the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Chairman Gregorio Kilili Sablan (Mariana Islands-at Large) and the Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. \u201cBobby\u201d Scott (VA-03).\n\n\u201cAs a member of Congress with extensive classroom experience, I have seen firsthand how state and local budget cuts can decimate education funding. These cuts result in slashing essential programming, halting critical school construction and devastating cuts to the educator workforce. These job losses have long lasting impacts on the quality and efficacy of learning in our communities, and only further entrench growing disparities in our highest need districts,\u201d said Congresswoman Hayes.\n\n\u201cWe have lauded our teachers as heroes during these unprecedented times, as they have switched to virtual and hybrid learning to keep students safe during a global pandemic, and have recently returned to their classrooms, oftentimes with little assurance for their personal safety. It is time we make investments to protect educators from the massive job losses we are almost certain to experience as a result of this crisis. Teachers are essential to our society and protecting them should be non-negotiable.\u201d\n\nSince February of this year, more K-12 jobs have been lost than nearly all of the local education jobs lost during the entire Great Recession. On top of that, states are facing a $555 billion budget shortfall over the next three years. Without sufficient funding from the federal government to support states and school districts during the recovery, experts estimate 1.4 million to 1.9 million education jobs will be lost over the next one to two years alone. Connecticut is expected to lose at least 9.6% of its education workforce \u2013 resulting in nearly four thousand critical job losses to the state\u2019s public education system. Many of these jobs include education support staff \u2013 the integral professionals that help to make schools supportive, welcoming, and safe environments for all students. These professionals help to provide mental health services for students, deliver nutritious meals and health care, transport students to school safely, clean and sanitize schools, teach the arts and music, and contribute to social and emotional learning. These jobs must be protected to ensure that schools remain the same robust and holistic centers of learning on the other side of this pandemic and recession.\n\nThe Save Education Jobs Act of 2020 would establish an Education Jobs Fund to stabilize the education workforce, delivering up to $261 billion to states and school districts over 10 years. 90 percent of the funding from this bill would go towards saving the jobs of teachers, school leaders, school psychologists, social workers, nurses, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, librarians, and more from inevitable budget cuts because of the COVID-19 crisis. Local school districts can also use funding to hire more teachers to meet the increased need during the unprecedented transition to hybrid or distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\nThe remaining ten percent of the funding could be used to support teacher professional development, support educators, and provide mental health services \u2013 preventing further erosion of the workforce. The bill includes a provision to safeguard and promote equity \u2013 by ensuring continued funding for high poverty school districts. Not only does the Save Education Jobs Act of 2020 help to save jobs in the short term, it will help reduce the long-term economic impact of learning loss. Researchers estimate that by 2040, learning loss as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic for the current K-12 cohort will result in an earnings loss of $110 billion per year and will reduce overall gross domestic product by $173 billion to $271 billion per year. By helping save education jobs, this legislation will help schools reopen safely, prevent permanent learning loss, and prevent disparities in school districts from being further entrenched.\n\nSince the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congresswoman Hayes has been fighting for increased resources for K-12 schools to ensure that students and teachers are safe. Congresswoman Hayes passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which included $13.5 billion in funding to support online learning, purchase computers and internet access, support educational and related services for children with disabilities, provide mental health services and sanitize school buildings. The CARES Act brought back $1.382 million for schools in Connecticut.\n\nIn June, Congresswoman Hayes led 111 of her colleagues in sending a letter to Congressional leadership strongly urging the inclusion of at least $305 billion in K-12 education stabilization funding as they negotiate upcoming coronavirus response legislation. In that letter, Congresswoman Hayes noted that \u201cstates are experiencing, and will continue to experience, increased health care and unemployment related costs that will further put pressure on state education funding. Without federal support, the fallout from state budgets will have drastic consequences for education, particularly students\u2019 access to teachers.\u201d\n\nCongresswoman Hayes also helped to pass the HEROES Act, which provides $915 billion in emergency funding for state and local governments, which are facing budget shortfalls that could lead to mass teacher layoffs and deep cuts to public education. The Heroes Act will save hundreds of thousands of jobs and help avert devastating cuts to funding for public education. The bill also invests more than $100 billion in direct emergency funding for students and schools to help continue delivering instruction, maintain school employment, and support teachers with professional development.\n\nThe Save Education Jobs Act is endorsed by: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Federation of Teachers, American Federation of School Administrators, American Library Association, American Occupational Therapy Association, American Physical Therapy Association, American Psychological Association, American School Counselor Association, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Association of University Centers on Disability, BellXcel and Sperling Center for Research and Innovation, Committee for Children, Council for Exceptional Children, Council of Administrators of Special Education, Council for Learning Disabilities, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Education Trust, EDGE Consulting Partners, Educators for Excellence, GLSEN, Higher Education Consortium for Special Education, International Society for Technology in Education, KaBOOM!, National Alliance of Specialized Instructional Support Personnel, National Association of Pupil Services Administrators, National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE), National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Directors of Special Education, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools, National Council for Languages and International Studies, National Education Association, National Science Teaching Association, National Superintendents Roundtable, Next100, PDK International, [Re]Build America\u2019s School Infrastructure Coalition (BASIC), San Diego Unified School District School Social Work Association of America, Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America), State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education, State Educational Technology Directors Association, Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children, and Teach Plus.\n\nTo read the bill text for the Save Education Jobs Act of 2020, click here.\n\nTo read a fact sheet for the Save Education Jobs Act of 2020, click here.\n\nTo read the section-by-section for the Save Education Jobs Act of 2020, click here.\n\n###\n\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\n\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut\u2019s 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:34:36Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/-murphy-statement-on-usagms-repeal-of-firewall-regulation", "Murphy Statement On USAGMS Repeal Of Firewall RegulationRead More", "2020-10-27", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement On USAGM'S Repeal Of Firewall Regulation \n        \n        October 27, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S. Senator\r\nChris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations\r\nCommittee, on Tuesday issued a statement on USAGM CEO Michael Pack's rescission\r\nof the firewall regulation in the International Broadcasting Act: Whether Michael Pack wants\r\nit there or not, Congress cemented the firewall at USAGM in legal statute to\r\nprotect broadcasters from the very outside political interference we're seeing\r\nright before our eyes. America is a democracy, and the firewall that was\r\ncodified as part of the International Broadcasting Act is what distinguishes\r\nUSAGM-funded networks from state-sponsored propaganda we see in places like\r\nRussia and China. We cannot allow the president's political appointees to\r\ninfluence journalistic content and we must ensure the law remains on the side\r\nof the journalistsnot Trump's political hacks, said Murphy. Earlier this\r\nmonth, Murphy announced\r\nlegislation to protect journalists from political targeting. This\r\nlegislation comes afterreportsthat President\r\nTrump's political appointees at the United States Global Agency for Media\r\n(USAGM) launched a politically-motivated investigation into Voice of America's\r\nWhite House Reporter Steve Herman. The\r\nlegislation: \r\nAmends\r\nthe United States International Broadcasting Act to explicitly protect USAGM\r\njournalists from interference from U.S. government officials, including any\r\ninvestigation into journalists' private political views; \r\nRequires\r\nthe CEO of the USAGM to protect its journalists from interference by government\r\nagencies or officials, and to ensure that USAGM employees are judged on the\r\nbasis of their adherence to professional standards of broadcast journalism and\r\nnot on political views expressed in their private capacity; and \r\nAuthorizes\r\nthe State Department Inspector General to investigate any potential\r\ninfringements to journalistic independence by United States Agency for Global\r\nMedia senior officials or other Federal officials, including informal and\r\nformal attempts to influence the content of broadcasts or to exert pressure on\r\njournalists. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-op-ed-in-cnn-the-american-people-need-to-know-the-facts-about-russias-interference-in-us-election", "Murphy Op-Ed In CNN: The American People Need To Know The Facts About Russias Interference In Us ElectionRead More", "2020-10-27", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Op-Ed In CNN: The American People Need To Know The Facts About Russia's Interference In Us Election \n        \n        October 27, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONFollowing\r\nthe Trump administration's repeated attempts to distract from Russian\r\ninterference in the upcoming election, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.),\r\na member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, this week published an\r\nop-ed with CNN telling the American people the facts about Russia's\r\nelection interference. As a member of the Senate Foreign\r\nRelations Committee, I havereviewed\r\na lot of both unclassifiedand\r\nclassified information detailing Russia's plan to disrupt the 2020 election, Murphy\r\nwrote. On the administration's repeated attempts\r\nto conflate Russia, Chinese, and Iranian efforts to interfere in our election,\r\nMurphy wrote: [T]he White House, often with the help of political\r\nappointees at the intelligence agencies, istrying\r\nits best to cover up Russia's octopus-like disruption operation. Over and\r\nover, public statements from the Office of the Director of National\r\nIntelligence try toconflate\r\nRussian election interference withIranian and Chinese efforts and\r\nsuggest that while Russia may prefer Trump, Iran and China back Biden. We saw\r\nthis false equivalencyunfold\r\njust last week, when Director of National Intelligence Ratcliffe hastily\r\ncalled a press conference, taking no questions, to disclose an Iranian effort\r\nto contact and intimidate registered Democrats. Despite the fact that the\r\nemails told voters to support Trump, DNI Ratcliffe tried to make the case that\r\nthe intent was to hurt Trump. It was just another effort by the administration\r\nto try to clumsily lump Russian and Iranian and Chinese efforts all together. [T]he more Americans know\r\nabout Russia's intent and capability, the less likely Russia's desperate,\r\nlast-minute attempts at interference and disruption will be. Those who care\r\nabout the future of democracy will press the Administration to reveal what they\r\nknow, before it's too late, Murphy concluded. Click here\r\nto read the op-ed in full. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/media/press-releases/hayes-sponsored-legislation-improve-mental-health-care-veterans-included-0", "HAYES-SPONSORED LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS INCLUDED IN LEGISLATION SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT", "2020-10-26", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Legislation introduced by Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05)to strengthen mental health care for veterans was signed into law by the President of the United States. The bipartisanVA Mental Health Staffing Actand provisions from theVA Mental Health Counseling Act were included in the CommanderJohn Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, Public Law 116-171.\nTheCommander JSH Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Actis a comprehensive approach to bolster mental health care for veterans and address veteran suicide,said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes.Too many veterans, in Connecticut and across the country, do not have access to affordable and effective mental health care and this bill addresses that issue.\nSocial isolation and anxiety has worsened for many veterans and their families as a result ofthe Coronavirus pandemic. While this legislation ensures critical care and services that will support veterans, my hope is this law will serve as an indication to our veterans and service members that they are not alone. This legislation aims to reach every veteran, including those who live in rural and hard-to-reach areas.\nWith this legislation we are taking another step to provide veterans with greater and earlier access to mental health care and end veteran suicide.\n###\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 yearsand was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut's 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=6F0E6A57-1E1E-44D3-9B67-73F3099378E1", "HAYES-SPONSORED LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS INCLUDED IN LEGISLATION SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT", "2020-10-26", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", "hayes", "https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Legislation introduced by Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) to strengthen mental health care for veterans was signed into law by the President of the United States. The bipartisan VA Mental Health Staffing Act and provisions from the VA Mental Health Counseling Act were included in the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, Public Law 116-171.\n\n\u201cThe Commander JSH Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act is a comprehensive approach to bolster mental health care for veterans and address veteran suicide,\u201d said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes. \u201cToo many veterans, in Connecticut and across the country, do not have access to affordable and effective mental health care and this bill addresses that issue.\n\n\u201cSocial isolation and anxiety has worsened for many veterans and their families as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. While this legislation ensures critical care and services that will support veterans, my hope is this law will serve as an indication to our veterans and service members that they are not alone. This legislation aims to reach every veteran, including those who live in rural and hard-to-reach areas.\n\n\u201cWith this legislation we are taking another step to provide veterans with greater and earlier access to mental health care and end veteran suicide.\u201d\n\n###\n\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\n\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut\u2019s 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:34:36Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-us-senate-vote-to-confirm-amy-coney-barrett-to-the-supreme-court-of-the-united-states", "Murphy Statement On U.S. Senate Vote To Confirm Amy Coney Barrett To The Supreme Court Of The United StatesRead More", "2020-10-26", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy Statement On U.S. Senate Vote To Confirm Amy Coney Barrett To The Supreme Court Of The United States \n        \n        October 26, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Monday released the following statement\r\nafter the United States Senate voted to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the\r\nUnited States Supreme Court: Republicans just accomplished what they've been trying to do for\r\nyears: weaponize the courts to accomplish their hugely unpopular agenda that\r\nthey couldn't get done in Congress, said Murphy. The first stop is to take health care away from\r\nmillions of Americans in a case that will be seen by the Supreme Court in just\r\nover two weeks. Judge Barrett will now be seated on the Court in time to hear\r\nTrump and congressional Republicans' lawsuit to eradicate the Affordable Care\r\nAct and end protections for 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions,\r\ncreating a humanitarian catastrophe in the middle of a global health pandemic.\r\nAnd next on the chopping block, it is clear, is a woman's right to choose, gun\r\nviolence prevention measures, and campaign finance reform. I am both infuriated\r\nand devastated on behalf of our country. Murphy has\r\nbeen an outspoken\r\ncritic of the decision to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat on the\r\nSupreme Court before the next president is inaugurated, and has continuously\r\nemphasized the disastrous implications of confirming Judge Amy Coney Barrett.\r\nLast week, Murphy addressed\r\nRepublicans' decision to ram through Judge Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to\r\nthe United States Supreme Court, and push their unpopular agenda on health\r\ncare, guns, and campaign finance through the courts after they've failed\r\nlegislatively. Murphy launched\r\na campaign to invite people across Connecticut to share their health care\r\nstories and describe how they would be impacted if the Republican lawsuit to\r\noverturn the Affordable Care Act succeeded. Murphy took\r\nto the U.S. Senate floor last month to discuss the health care implications of\r\nher nomination. Murphy has also held numerous roundtables across Connecticut\r\ndiscussing how Judge Barrett's confirmation would impact people's lives, and\r\nhas also been outspoken\r\non Judge Barrett's radical views around gun violence prevention. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/republicans-are-ramming-through-judge-barretts-confirmation-vote-so-they-can-finally-destroy-peoples-health-care", "Republicans Are Ramming Through Judge Barretts Confirmation Vote So They Can Finally Destroy Peoples Health CareRead More", "2020-10-26", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S.\r\nSenator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health,\r\nEducation, Labor and Pensions Committee, along with Senators Richard Blumenthal\r\n(D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Bob Casey\r\n(D-Pa.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Protect Our Care's Chair Leslie Dach,\r\non Sunday highlighted what's at stake for health care and the Affordable\r\nCare Act (ACA) ahead of the final Senate vote for Judge Amy Coney Barrett's\r\nnomination to the Supreme Court. The\r\nSupreme Court is set to hear oral arguments inthe Republican lawsuit to\r\ngut the ACA on November 10th, and Senate Republicans are rushing\r\nthrough Judge Barrett's nomination so she can vote in their favor. On the press\r\ncall, Murphy discussed the catastrophic impact if the Republicans'\r\nlawsuit succeeds, stripping millions of Americans of their health coverage in\r\nthe middle of a global pandemic made worse by this administration's failure to\r\nprotect the American people. Stressing\r\nthe fact that Republicans are relying on the courts to overturn the ACA after\r\nthey failed to do so legislatively, Murphy said: It is hysterical to watch\r\nour Republican colleagues try to pretend that the confirmation of Amy Coney\r\nBarrett is about anything other than their decade-long attempt to repeal the\r\nAffordable Care Act. It's as if they think all of us have been asleep for 10\r\nyears. That we didn't watch while they tried to repeal all or part of the\r\nAffordable Care Act 70 different times. Like we were looking the other way when\r\nthey tried to repeal the entirety of the Affordable Care Act 31 different\r\ntimes. Murphy also\r\nlaid out how the Republicans' lawsuit to gut the ACAif successfulcould\r\nimpact Connecticut: There are going to be 23 million people in this country\r\nwho will likely lose their insurance in the middle of a pandemic that is on its\r\nway to killing 300,000 Americans. In Connecticut alonewe're a small state, we\r\nhave about three and a half million people260,000 people in our state rely on\r\nthe Affordable Care Act for coverage. There's no way that the state government\r\nor hospitals or health centers could pick up health insurance for a quarter of\r\na million people in our state. Murphy has\r\nbeen an outspoken\r\ncritic of the decision to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat on the\r\nSupreme Court before the next president is inaugurated, and has continuously\r\nemphasized the disastrous implications of confirming Judge Amy Coney Barrett.\r\nLast week, Murphy addressed\r\nRepublicans' decision to ram through Judge Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to\r\nthe United States Supreme Court, and push their unpopular agenda on health\r\ncare, guns, and campaign finance through the courts after they've failed\r\nlegislatively. Murphy launched\r\na campaign to invite people across Connecticut to share their health care\r\nstories and describe how they would be impacted if the Republican lawsuit to\r\noverturn the Affordable Care Act succeeded. Murphy took\r\nto the U.S. Senate floor last month to discuss the health care implications of\r\nher nomination. Murphy has also held numerous roundtables across Connecticut\r\ndiscussing how Judge Barrett's confirmation would impact people's lives, and\r\nhas also been outspoken\r\non Judge Barrett's radical views around gun violence prevention. A full\r\ntranscript of Murphy's opening remarks can be found below: Well,\r\nthanks for convening us, Leslie, I think my colleagues have covered this very\r\nwell. So I'll be relatively brief. It is hysterical to watch our Republican\r\ncolleagues try to pretend that the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett is about\r\nanything other than their decade-long attempt to repeal the Affordable Care\r\nAct. It's as\r\nif they think all of us have been asleep for 10 years. That we didn't watch\r\nwhile they tried to repeal all or part of the Affordable Care Act 70 different\r\ntimes. Like we were looking the other way when they tried to repeal the\r\nentirety of the Affordable Care Act 31 different times. Like we didn't see that\r\nthe moment when they had finally, finally failed in the summer of 2017 in their\r\nlegislative repeal efforts that they snuck a provision into the 2017 tax bill\r\nthat made the Affordable Care Act, all of a sudden, vulnerable to attack. That\r\nwe didn't notice, when a few months later, the Republican establishment, led by\r\n20 Republican attorneys general, filed a lawsuit attacking the Affordable Care\r\n[Act], surprise, based on that change made in the 2017 tax law. And that we\r\nwere looking the other direction when Donald Trump broke with precedent and\r\ntold his Justice Department lawyers to join that lawsuit. And let's\r\njust be clear what this lawsuit that Amy Coney Barrett is being rushed on to\r\nthe court to hear asks. It doesn't ask, as Donald Trump would have you believe,\r\nonly part of the Affordable Care Act to be struck down. It doesn't leave the\r\nprotections in place for people with pre-existing conditions. No, it reads, 'Once\r\nthe individual mandate and guaranteed issue and community rating provisions are\r\ninvalidated, the remainder of the ACA should not be allowed to remain in\r\neffect.' That is what the Trump administration, the entire Republican\r\nestablishment is asking. In a court case that is pending as we speak, before\r\nthe Supreme Court that Amy Coney Barrett will be able to rule on because we are\r\nhere, a week before the election, getting ready for a rare Sunday night vote,\r\nbecause of the Republicans' 10-year desire to destroy people's health care. And let's\r\njust remember what this means. This is going to happen in the middle of a\r\npandemic. There are going to be 23 million people in this country who will\r\nlikely lose their insurance in the middle of a pandemic that is on its way to\r\nkilling 300,000 Americans. In Connecticut alone, we're a small state - we have\r\nabout three and a half million people260,000 people in our state rely on the\r\nAffordable Care Act for coverage. There's no way that the state government or\r\nhospitals or health centers could pick up health insurance for a quarter of a\r\nmillion people in our state. And on top of that, we have 70,000 people who have\r\nbeen diagnosed with COVID, who will all have a pre-existing condition that will\r\nallow insurers to deny them care. There are 8 million people all across the\r\ncountry who have a COVID diagnosis, that they know about. That's 8 million\r\npeople on top of the 130 million that already have pre-existing conditions that\r\nwill be discriminated against because of that diagnosis. So it's\r\njust really charming to listen to our Republican colleagues try to claim that\r\nAmy Coney Barrett's nomination is about something other than the repeal of the\r\nAffordable Care Act. We have been watching them chase and chase and chase and\r\nchase this bus for a decade. And they are a couple days away from catching it.\r\nThe result is going to be a humanitarian disaster in this country in the middle\r\nof a pandemic. And while it may be so late in the game that our chances are\r\nslim to be able to stop it, their voters will remember in 10 days. And then we\r\nwill be left in January with the task of picking up the pieces. So\r\nLeslie, thank you very much for bringing us together to talk about the just\r\ntremendous, tremendously high stakes of this decision that the Senate is about\r\nto make. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-lamont-himes-and-courtney-announce-over-144-million-in-federal-funding-for-rail-bridges", "Murphy, Blumenthal, Lamont, Himes, & Courtney Announce Over $144 Million In Federal Funding For Rail BridgesRead More", "2020-10-23", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "HARTFORDU.S.\r\nSenators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard\r\nBlumenthal (D-CT), Governor Ned Lamont, U.S. Representatives Jim Himes (CT-4),\r\nand Joe Courtney (CT-2) today\r\nannounced that Connecticut has been awarded more than $144 million from the Federal-State\r\nPartnership for State of Good Repair Grant Program to help fund the replacement\r\nof the Walk Bridge in Norwalk and the Connecticut River Bridge between Old Lyme\r\nand Old Saybrook. The U.S. Department of Transportation funding we\r\nsecured today is big deal for Connecticut. The Walk Bridge and the Connecticut\r\nRiver Bridge are both over a century old, and they are major chokepoints on the\r\nNortheast Corridoraffecting travel within our state and well beyond our borders.\r\nConnecticut's economic competitiveness depends in large part on its connection\r\nto Boston and New York. This funding represents a big step towards modernizing\r\nthe Northeast Corridor, and I will continue to work to protect and enhance\r\nConnecticut's transportation infrastructure, said Murphy.\r\n\r\nThis $145 million grant will provide Connecticut with the urgently needed\r\nfunding to replace both the Walk Bridge and Connecticut River Bridge  vital\r\nstructures that have long outlived their intended lifespans. Rail passengers\r\nalong the Northeast Corridor deserve speedy and reliable service on Amtrak, New\r\nHaven Line, and Shoreline East. I will continue to fight for every federal\r\ndollar for Connecticut's rail and transportation infrastructure to help grow\r\nour state's economy, said\r\nBlumenthal. \r\nOne of Connecticut's many strengths is the state's access to rail and the\r\nmajor cities to our East and South. Fixing our aging bridges is about public\r\nsafety and speeding up our transportation system. Our Department of\r\nTransportation will do a great job in making these improvements for our rail\r\npassengers.Thank you to the Connecticut Congressional delegation for\r\ntheir support of the state'sapplications, said Lamont. The Walk Bridge is a critical juncture for commerce\r\ntraveling along the East Coast. But, for too long, we've been trying to\r\naccommodate a 21st Century economy with 19th Century technology. Securing these\r\nfunds has been a top priority of ours because we need critical infrastructure\r\ninvestment to keep Connecticut thriving and competitive for years to come, said Himes. Today's\r\nannouncement of a long overdue modernization of the Old Saybrook bridge is\r\ncritical to ensure passenger safety and faster transit of rail service. As the\r\nregion knows, the existing structure has long outlived its life span. The\r\nupgrade will also provide a shot in the arm to the building trades and I look\r\nforward to working with Federal Rail to target local contractors and skilled\r\nworkers when the time comes to award this sizable contract, said Courtney. The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), in\r\npartnership with Amtrak, was awarded $79.7 million in federal funds to assist\r\nwith replacing the existing movable Norwalk (Walk) River Bridge, built in 1896,\r\nwith two independent two-track vertical lift rail bridges in Norwalk,\r\nConnecticut, including supporting rehabilitation work on the bridge approach\r\nembankments and retaining walls, installation of new catenary structures, and\r\nsignal system upgrades. Amtrak, in partnership with CTDOT was awarded $65.2\r\nmillion in federal fund to assist with replacing the existing, 113-year-old\r\nConnecticut River Bridge with a modern and resilient new moveable bridge\r\nimmediately to the south of the existing structure. The replacement bridge\r\nwould maintain the two-track configuration and existing channel location, and\r\nprovide a bascule moveable span with additional vertical clearance for maritime\r\ntraffic. Murphy, Blumenthal and Himes sent a letter\r\nin support of funding for the Walk Bridge. Murphy, Blumenthal and Courtney sent a letter\r\nin support of funding for the Connecticut River Bridge. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-urge-va-to-follow-through-on-promises-to-end-veteran-suicide-epidemic", "Murphy, Blumenthal Urge VA To Follow Through On Promises To End Veteran Suicide EpidemicRead More", "2020-10-23", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murphy, Blumenthal Urge VA To Follow Through On Promises To End Veteran Suicide Epidemic \n        \n          \n             Following historic signing of veteran suicide prevention bill, Senators raise alarm over Administration's refusal to fully implement provisions under President Trump's Executive Order to expand critical mental health resources to nation's heroes \n          \n        October 23, 2020\n      \n        \n          WASHINGTON Following the\r\nsigning of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care\r\nImprovement Actthis\r\nweek, U.S. Senators Chris Murphy\r\n(D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal\r\n(D-Conn.) joined Senator Jon Tester\r\n(D-Mon.) and 28\r\nof their colleagues in a push for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)\r\nto follow through on authorities under President Donald Trump'sExecutive Order (EO) 13822to\r\nincrease veterans' access to mental health care. The senators also urged the\r\nAdministration to aggressively implement critical provisions and new\r\nauthorities under the law to provide more veterans with the mental health\r\nresources they need and earned. More than 6,000 veterans\r\ndie by suicide annually, and each loss of life is immeasurable,the\r\nsenatorswrote to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie.Congress\r\nhas done its part by providing consistent and robust resources for VA's mental\r\nhealth budget and developing and passing comprehensive veterans' mental health\r\ncare legislation, most recently theCommander\r\nJohn Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act. Hopefully\r\nthe issuance of EO 13822 was more than a hollow press opportunity by the\r\nAdministration, and we can expect it to do right by our nation's military and\r\nveterans by fully implementing the EO and all laws passed by Congress focused\r\non mental health and suicide prevention. In parallel with Congress'\r\neffort to end the veteran suicide epidemic, President Donald Trump signed EO\r\n13822 on January 9, 2018, promising to make significant changes to improve the\r\ntransition experience and connect servicemembers to mental health resources.\r\nHoweveralmost three years after the EO was signedVA failed to complete\r\ncritical authorities under this order. The senators highlighted,At the EO signing, Secretary\r\nShulkin stated this expanded mental health care benefit would be available by\r\nMarch 9, 2018. However, almost three years later, the Department has not\r\nincreased access to mental health care, leaving up to 60 percent of newly\r\ntransitioned servicemembers without access to life-saving care. Also troubling,\r\nthe Joint Action Plan for implementing EO 13822 contains no references or\r\ncommitments to providing transitioning servicemembers with this one year of\r\nmental health care. When can veterans expect to receive access to the essential\r\nmental health care promised to them by the Trump Administration? The full text of the letter can\r\nbe foundhere. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-warren-khanna-and-133-democratic-lawmakers-to-senate-and-house-leadership-we-must-take-bold-and-comprehensive-action-to-prevent-the-next-pandemic", "Murphy, Blumenthal, Warren, Khanna, And 133 Democratic Lawmakers To Senate And House Leadership: We Must Take Bold And Comprehensive Action To Prevent The Next PandemicRead More", "2020-10-23", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S. Senators\r\nChris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.),\r\nand 133 Senate and House lawmakers in sending a letter\r\nto House and Senate leadership urging them to prioritize the development of\r\ncomprehensive policy plans to prevent and mitigate the impact of future\r\npandemics. In the letter, the lawmakers outline the steps necessary to prevent\r\nfuture pandemics while also noting that Congress must act to provide relief to\r\nAmericans suffering from the current economic downturn and public health\r\nemergency. As the United States continues\r\nto weather the disastrous COVID-19 pandemic, we write to ask that Congress take\r\naction to learn from the mistakes of our nation's preparation and response and\r\nlay the groundwork to prevent and mitigate future pandemics. The current\r\nAdministration's response has exposed serious flaws in the country's ability to\r\ncombat large scale public health challenges, wrote the lawmakers. In\r\naddition to passing a robust package to address the current crisis, we must\r\ntake bold and comprehensive steps now to ensure the nation is better prepared\r\nfor the next pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has\r\nwreaked havoc on communities across the country and has devastated the nation's\r\neconomy. Currently, the United States leads the world with more than eight million confirmed cases\r\nand 220,000 dead, out of over one million worldwide. Millions are out\r\nof work and struggling to make ends meet. It is clear that pandemics are\r\nalready rapidly accelerating: animal-to-human outbreak prevalence grew six-fold from\r\n1980 to 2010, and experts predict they will become even more common in\r\nthe future. It is imperative Congress take bold and comprehensive steps now to\r\nprevent and mitigate future pandemics. Specifically: \r\n Congress must invest in domestic programs, systems, and\r\n     supply chains that will help improve Americans' health outcomes, combat\r\n     the spread of new disease, and ramp up public health capacity during\r\n     global health emergencies. This includes robust investments in state, local, and\r\n     tribal public health departments; improvements to the Strategic National\r\n     Stockpile; and the development of support systems, such as affordable\r\n     housing, that reduce chronic health conditions and boost health\r\n     outcomes.  \r\n Congress must support global public health efforts to\r\n     identify and mitigate the spread of new diseases before they become global\r\n     pandemics.\r\n     This includes ensuring the Administration protects the public by\r\n     fulfilling its international commitments to organizations such as the\r\n     World Health Organization; investing in global surveillance programs, like\r\n     USAID, to identify emerging disease threats; and combating antimicrobial\r\n     resistance.  \r\n Congress must create 250,000 permanent, high-paying\r\n     public health jobs to rebuild our depleted public health workforce and\r\n     ensure the rapid deployment of contact tracers and other support workers\r\n     during future pandemics. These workers should be trained in key public health\r\n     initiatives, such as contact tracing and disease surveillance, and should\r\n     be prepared to deploy to their communities in public health emergencies.\r\n     Congress must ensure these workers have access to health and safety\r\n     protections, can unionize, receive universal paid sick leave and family\r\n     leave, and have access to health insurance and childcare services.  \r\n Congress must address the systemic racism embedded in\r\n     our health care system and pass legislation ensuring that health care\r\n     treatments, pandemic countermeasures, vaccines, and primary disease\r\n     prevention measures are accessible for all. This includes ensuring\r\n     that everyone in America has access to high-quality health care, mental\r\n     health and substance use disorder treatment, and primary disease\r\n     prevention measures; eliminating race and socioeconomic disparities in\r\n     health care access; addressing the social determinants of health; and\r\n     requiring companies that receive federal funding to produce pandemic\r\n     countermeasures offer their products at reasonable prices.  \r\n Congress must halt the environmental degradation\r\n     increasing the likelihood of global pandemics. This includes combating\r\n     climate change, protecting and restoring land and inland water areas to\r\n     their natural state, and preventing dangerous practices contributing to\r\n     the spread of zoonotic diseases with pandemic potential. The letter was signed by Sen.\r\nJeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sen. Angus King (I-Maine.), Sen. Edward J. Markey\r\n(D-Mass.), Sen. Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.), Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sen.\r\nCory A. Booker (D-N.J.), Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sen. Bernard Sanders\r\n(I-Vt.), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Sen. Tina\r\nSmith (D-Minn.), Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Sen.\r\nSherrod Brown (D-Ohio.). The letter was\r\nalso signed by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.),\r\nRep. Max Rose (D-N.Y.), Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay\r\n(D-Mo.), Rep. Ral M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Rep.\r\nAndy Levin (D-Mich.), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas.), Rep. David N. Cicilline\r\n(D-R.I.), Rep. Adriano Espailla (D-N.Y.), Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Rep. Paul\r\nTonko (D-N.Y.), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Rep. Jerrold Nadler\r\n(D-N.Y.), Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Rep. Mark\r\nDeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Rep. Daniel T. Kildee\r\n(D-Mich.), Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Rep.\r\nAyanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Rep. Susan Davis (D-Calif.), Rep. Judy Chu\r\n(D-Calif.), Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-Calif.),\r\nRep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D. Pa.), Rep. Mark Pocan (D- Wis.), Rep. Donna Shalala\r\n(D-Fla.), Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio.), Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Rep.\r\nGregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), Rep. Alan Lowenthal\r\n(D-Calif.), Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Rep. Nydia M. Velzquez (D-N.Y.), Rep.\r\nSusan Wild (D-Pa.), Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Rep. James P. McGovern\r\n(D-Mass.), Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Rep. Joseph D. Morelle\r\n(D-N.Y.), Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), Rep. Henry C. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Jr.,\r\nRep. Brendan F. Boyle (D-Pa.), Rep. William R. Keating (D-Mass.), Rep. Yvette\r\nD. Clarke (D-N.Y.), Rep. Brenda L. Lawrence (D-Mich.), Rep. Jamie Raskin\r\n(D-Md.), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), Rep. Joseph\r\nP. Kennedy III (D-Mass.), Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Rep. Juan Vargas\r\n(D-Calif.), Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.), Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.),\r\nRep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio.), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Rep. Suzanne\r\nBonamici (D-Ore.), Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), Rep. Stephen F. Lynch\r\n(D-Mass.), Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee\r\n(D-Texas.), Rep. Denny Heck (D-Wash.), Rep. Andr Carson (D-Ind.), Rep. Chellie\r\nPingree (D-Maine.), Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.), Rep. Henry Cuellar\r\n(D-Texas.), Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.),\r\nRep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.), Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.),\r\nRep. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.), Rep. Nanette Diaz\r\nBarragn (D-Calif.), Rep. Al Green (D-Texas.), Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), Rep.\r\nTim Ryan (D-Ohio.), Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas.), Rep. Donald M. Payne\r\n(D-N.Y.), Jr., Rep. Jess G. \"Chuy\" Garca (D-Ill.), Rep. Karen Bass\r\n(D-Calif.), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Rep.\r\nDavid E. Price (D-N.C.), Rep. Peter A. Defazio (D-Ore.), Rep. Albio Sires\r\n(D-N.J.), Rep. Val B. Demings (D-Fla.), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.), Rep.\r\nMike Thompson (D-Calif.), Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Rep. Robin L. Kelly\r\n(D-Ill.), Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Ma.), Rep. Alma S. Adams. Ph.D\r\n(D-N.C.), Rep. Jos E. Serrano (D-N.Y.), Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Rep.\r\nBradley S. Schneider (D-Ill.), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Rep. Katherine Clark\r\n(D-Mass.), Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), Rep. J. Luis Correa (D-Calif.), Rep.\r\nAlcee L. Hastings (D-Fla.), Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Rep. Linda Sanchez\r\n(D-Calif.), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr.\r\n(D-Va.), Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Rep.\r\nDerek Kilmer (D-Wash.), Rep. Ami Bera, M.D. (D-Calif.), Rep. Jahana Hayes\r\n(D-Conn.), Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas.), Rep. Ted W. Lieu (D-Calif.), Rep.\r\nAnn Kirkpatrick (D-Ariz.), Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-Northern\r\nMariana Islands.), Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas.), Rep. Tom Malinowski\r\n(D-N.J.), Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.), Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 1429, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "House", "p1": "CT", "p2": "2020"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=CT&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 1429, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=CT&year=2020&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=CT&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 1429, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=CT&year=2020", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=CT&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "CT", "label": "CT", "count": 1429, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&year=2020", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=CT&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "2020", "label": "2020", "count": 1429, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=CT", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2020-10-23,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Emurphy~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fmurphy-blumenthal-warren-khanna-and-133-democratic-lawmakers-to-senate-and-house-leadership-we-must-take-bold-and-comprehensive-action-to-prevent-the-next-pandemic", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=CT&year=2020&_next=2020-10-23%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Emurphy~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fmurphy-blumenthal-warren-khanna-and-133-democratic-lawmakers-to-senate-and-house-leadership-we-must-take-bold-and-comprehensive-action-to-prevent-the-next-pandemic&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 234.53838797286153, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}