url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-on-state-of-the-union-political-leaders-need-to-start-talking-about-the-emotional-state-of-america,Murphy on State of the Union: Political Leaders Need to Start Talking About the Emotional State of America,2023-12-31,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Sunday joined CNN’s State of the Union to discuss how government can help tackle the loneliness epidemic and why it’s important for Americans to have a national conversation about rebuilding community and connection.

“Last year, we had more suicides in the United States than in any year in our lifetime. Rising rates of violence. More people taking withdrawal drugs and overdosing. It feels like people are having a harder time finding purpose and meaning than ever before. And part of the reason for that – a lot of people are lonely and feeling alone. 20 years ago, only 3% of Americans reported having no friends. Today, 12% of Americans say they have not a single friend. We report spending half as much time as we used to on a daily basis with family and friends. We’re withdrawing into ourselves, and with that comes a real sickness, emotionally, spiritually, physically. And it's something that I think political leaders need to start talking about because it impacts everybody in this country on the right and the left. And it's actually a wonderful unifying conversation because everyone in this country is feeling alone,” said Murphy.

On bipartisan support for regulating social media, Murphy said: “The social media companies absolutely are determined to protect their addictive technology. Their entire business model is centered around trying to get us to look at our phones six to eight hours a day. They make less money if we're talking to each other rather than looking at our phones. But the good news is this conversation about social media regulation is one that actually brings Republicans and Democrats, the right and the left together. You talk to parents out there – it really has nothing to do with their ideology as to whether or not they want more help in trying to keep their kids off of TikTok, off of Instagram, especially when they see those sites really taking their children into a dark rabbit hole.”

Murphy discussed how the political discourse is disconnected from what Americans are really feeling: “I think when you don't have leaders that are sticking up for you and plugging into the things that matter most to you, that makes you feel alone, right? You want a champion. You want somebody that understands what you're going through and is fighting for you. That's why I think we have to talk about the emotional state of America because that's a way for political leaders to directly plug into the actual things that people are feeling. And so when we just sort of talk about the price of health care or the unemployment rate – that isn't directly connected to the spiritual, emotional state of the country in a way a conversation about loneliness or purpose or meaning would be. I know that those are topics that feel very unfamiliar and distant to political leadership, but it actually, I think, would scratch the American public where they itch and make them feel less alone if they thought political leaders were actually talking about the way that they feel.”

Murphy added: “You can’t just have a conversation simply about how people are feeling. You’ve got to say ‘how are you feeling,’ and then what can government do to make it better. If you talk about loneliness, part of the policy is social media regulation, but it's also free time and leisure time, right? Giving people the space where they can go join a church or a social club. It's about connection. I want a four-day work week. I want more functional third places. I want more community pools. And I want more vibrant churches. I want places where people can meet. You have to start the conversation around purpose and meaning and connection, but then I think you need to move pretty quickly to policy, but make sure that that's one conversation.”

Earlier this month, Murphy authored an op-ed for the New Republic to make the case for a political realignment oriented around a set of solutions that would address America’s spiritual unspooling and enable Americans to have more economic control over their lives, more social connection, and more moral markets.

Murphy and U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) introduced the Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults (SILO) Act, legislation to establish a grant and training program for community-based organizations working to address social isolation among older adults and adults with disabilities – two populations at greater risk for loneliness. Earlier this year, Murphy introduced the National Strategy for Social Connection Act, which would create an Office of Social Connection Policy within the White House to work across federal agencies to develop effective strategies for improved social infrastructure and issue national guidelines for social connection similar to existing guidelines on sleep, nutrition, and physical activity. It would also provide funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to better understand the epidemic of social isolation and loneliness.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-brauns-bipartisan-slow-down-move-over-resolution-passed-by-the-senate,"Blumenthal & Braun's Bipartisan Slow Down, Move Over Resolution Passed by the Senate",2023-12-29,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, DC] – The Senate passed the bipartisan “Slow Down, Move Over” resolution led by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Mike Braun (R-IN). The resolution raises awareness of Slow Down, Move Over state laws to reduce struck-by-vehicle injuries and fatalities and to recognize the important role fire and rescue personnel, emergency medical services personnel, law enforcement officers, tow truck operators, and transportation workers play in road safety.

“I’m proud the Senate has unanimously passed our bipartisan Slow Down, Move Over resolution,” said Blumenthal. “Tragic collisions that injure and kill first responders and roadside assistance workers like Corey Iodice continue to happen. This resolution amplifies the simple yet effective way to keep workers safe on the roads: Slow Down and Move Over.”

“Too many first responders and roadside assistance workers are killed in accidents on our highways,” said Braun. “This resolution is inspired by Corey Iodice, who was killed in such an accident, and is a reminder to all of us of the simple thing we can do to prevent these accidents: slow down, and move over.”

All 50 states have Slow Down, Move Over laws that direct motorists to reduce speed or change lanes for stopped emergency and maintenance vehicles. Despite these laws, many motorists are unaware of them and roadside fatalities and injuries continue. On average, an emergency first responder is struck and killed every 4.65 days working on America's roadways, with 51 deaths occurring in 2022.

The Slow Down, Move Over resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Mark Warner (D-VA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Jon Tester (D-MT). It is inspired by Corey Iodice, a tow truck operator for his family’s business, who was tragically struck and killed on the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut in 2020 while assisting a driver. Following his death, his sister Cindy Iodice launched Flagman, a non-profit organization focused on raising awareness and educating drivers about the roadside dangers faced by first responders and highway workers.

“Emergency responders are the unsung heroes of our nation’s roads,” said Iodice, “so it’s important to keep the message of Slow Down Move Over in the motoring public’s eye. This resolution does just that. It serves as a clear reminder that emergency responders and highway workers operate in dangerous situations to keep the roads open and safe for the traveling public. Prioritizing their safety is essential.”

The resolution is supported by a number of organizations, including Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA), American Automobile Association (AAA), American Association of State Troopers, American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Eastern Transportation Coalition, Governors Highway Safety Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), National Association of Police Organizations, National Association of State EMS Officials, National District Attorneys Association, National Safety Council, National Sheriff’s Association, and National Volunteer Fire Council.

The text of the resolution is available here.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-releases-2023-end-of-year-report,Murphy Releases 2023 End of Year Report,2023-12-29,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"HARTFORD–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Friday released his End of Year Report outlining the work he’s done for the people of Connecticut during 2023. The report details Murphy’s legislative priorities this year, including implementing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, tackling the fentanyl crisis, rebuilding community and connection, protecting kids and holding social media companies accountable, supporting workers, making housing more affordable, and more. Murphy also helped deliver billions of federal dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act to create good-paying jobs in Connecticut.

This year, Murphy and his office:

Introduced or co-sponsored more than 200 pieces of legislation, including 24 bills or resolutions as the lead sponsor.

Completed his seventh Walk Across Connecticut: four days, 67 miles, 17 towns, and hundreds of people along the way.

Traveled across the state, hosting 139 town halls, roundtables, listening sessions and more with Connecticut residents.

Responded and reached out to Connecticut residents through over 529,883 calls, emails, and letters.

Returned $3,189,384 to constituents, including owed Social Security payments, veterans’ benefits, tax refunds, and other savings from federal agencies.

Helped over 8,100 constituents work through federal issues and get their owed benefits.

Click here to download Senator Murphy’s 2023 End of Year Report.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-markey-call-on-tesla-to-recall-all-vehicle-components-that-pose-known-safety-risks,Blumenthal & Markey Call on Tesla to Recall All Vehicle Components that Pose Known Safety Risks,2023-12-27,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – After alarming reporting on Tesla safety flaws, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) called on the company to immediately recall all vehicle components that pose a risk to consumers. A recent Reuters investigation revealed that Tesla knows about existing flaws in its cars, including serious issues with steering control and suspension caused by component failures, but conceals the causes of the flaws from U.S. regulators while blaming its customers for them.

“We write with extreme concern following recent reporting about Tesla’s knowledge of safety flaws in its vehicles and concealment of the causes of these flaws from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),” wrote Blumenthal and Markey to Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk. “This reporting puts your statement from January that ‘Teslas are the safest car on the road’ at stark contrast with reality. We call on you to swiftly recall all Tesla components that pose a safety risk and correct the record with NHTSA to ensure it can properly do its job.”

NHTSA is currently conducting investigations into one suspension connection point, the fore link, and power steering after failures experienced by Tesla drivers. In 2020, Tesla recalled the front suspension aft link and rear suspension upper link in China, suggesting the company is aware of these flaws in its vehicles, but no recall has yet taken place in the U.S. or other countries.

“[W]e are disturbed that you would blame your customers for these failures. Reporting notes that Tesla repeatedly attributed the suspension failures to ‘vehicle misuse’ or ‘driver abuse,’ including when justifying to NHTSA why it was not pursuing the aforementioned suspension recall in the United States,” continued the senators. “It is unacceptable that Tesla would not only attempt to shift the responsibility for the substandard quality of its vehicles to the people purchasing them, but also make that same flawed argument to NHTSA.”

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Blumenthal and Markey have long pushed for autonomous vehicle (AV) technology safety. In August 2021, Blumenthal and Markey sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), calling for the agency to launch an investigation into Tesla’s advertising of driving automation systems. The full text of the letter can be found here. In February 2022, Blumenthal and Markey sent a letter to Tesla Co-founder and CEO Elon Musk following numerous reports of dangerous braking flaws in Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems and amid several federal safety investigations, voicing serious concerns with the implementation of the company’s technology. The full text of the letter to Musk can be found here. In June 2022, Blumenthal and Markey issued a joint statement applauding the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for upgrading its investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot system from a preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis after identifying additional crashes at first responder sites. In October 2022, Blumenthal and Markey issued a joint statement on a reported DOJ investigation into Tesla’s misleading advertising of driving automation systems. In February 2023, Blumenthal and Markey issued a joint statement on Tesla’s recall of its vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta software due to crash risk, and in December 2023, the senators issued a joint statement on Tesla’s recall of 2 million vehicles with Autosteer, an Autopilot feature.

December 27, 2023

Mr. Elon Musk

Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer

Tesla

3500 Deer Creek Road

Palo Alto, California 94304

Dear Mr. Musk,

We write with extreme concern following recent reporting about Tesla’s knowledge of safety flaws in its vehicles and concealment of the causes of these flaws from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This reporting puts your statement from January that “Teslas are the safest car on the road” at stark contrast with reality.[1] We call on you to swiftly recall all Tesla components that pose a safety risk and correct the record with NHTSA to ensure it can properly do its job.

An alarming Reuters report last week outlined repeated failures in steering control and suspension parts on Tesla vehicles shortly after purchase. The report detailed complaints about suspension connection points, including fore and aft links, and sudden losses of power steering – often while a vehicle was in motion.[2] We are encouraged that NHTSA is conducting investigations into the fore link and power steering.[3] However, it appears that Tesla knew about the flaws in its components and failed to take action: in 2020, Tesla recalled the front suspension aft link and rear suspension upper link in China after pressure from regulators, but no such recall occurred in the United States or elsewhere in the world, putting countless Americans and others on the road at undue risk.[4] We urge you to swiftly issue a recall for any component – power steering, suspension, or otherwise – that poses a threat to the safe functioning of a vehicle.

Moreover, we are disturbed that you would blame your customers for these failures. Reporting notes that Tesla repeatedly attributed the suspension failures to “vehicle misuse” or “driver abuse,” including when justifying to NHTSA why it was not pursuing the aforementioned suspension recall in the United States.[5] It is unacceptable that Tesla would not only attempt to shift the responsibility for the substandard quality of its vehicles to the people purchasing them, but also make that same flawed argument to NHTSA. NHTSA exists to ensure roadway safety, but it cannot do its job with incomplete or incorrect information.

In light of these apparent false and misleading representations, we demand that you correct the record in every respect and that you commit to providing accurate and truthful statements in the future. The credibility and reputation of your company is at stake – and even more importantly, the safety of motorists and others on the roads.

As you are well aware, no company is above the law. We appreciate your urgent attention to this important matter, and we await your written response.

Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-courtney-statement-president-bidens-signing-fy24-national-defense,Rep. Courtney Statement on President Biden’s Signing of the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act,2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"NORWICH, CT – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement after President Biden signed the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act into law – the 63rd consecutive year in a row the annual defense authorization bill has been signed into law. Last week, Rep. Courtney, the Ranking Member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, joined a bipartisan coalition in the House to pass the FY24 NDAA by a vote of 310-118.

“Today’s signing of the bill codifies the tireless efforts of a bipartisan coalition to strengthen our national security and support our servicemembers and their families,” Courtney said. “Of particular note, the bill provides a 5.2% pay increase – the highest increase in decades – for active duty, national guard, reserve, and civilian personnel at the Department of Defense. That increase will go into effect on January 1, 2024, regardless of whether a defense appropriations bill has passed, and benefits the thousands of military personnel across Connecticut. In eastern Connecticut, home of 9,000 military personnel at Groton Sub Base, this is welcome news. I thank President Biden for his support of this year’s bill.”

To read more about House passage of the FY24 NDAA, clickhere.

To read more about the priorities Rep. Courtney secured to support eastern Connecticut, click here.

To read more about the priorities Rep. Courtney secured to support our seapower capabilities, click here.

To read more about the priorities Rep. Courtney secured to support the AUKUS mission, click here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/the-voices-behind-the-kids-online-safety-act-lori-schott-from-colorado,The Voices Behind the Kids Online Safety Act: Lori Schott from Colorado,2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – The bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, led by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), is strongly supported by a broad coalition of parents who have tragically lost their children or whose kids have been severely harmed by Big Tech, young people who want to regain control over their online lives, and experts and advocates who study and see the negative effects of social media firsthand in their communities. The “Voices Behind the Kids Online Safety Act” series will amplify their stories as they call on Congress to pass the legislation to help protect themselves online and to hold Big Tech accountable. The bill has the support of nearly half of the U.S. Senate.

Lori Schott

Lori Schott’s interview with Denver7

The full interview & story can be found HERE

The Schott Family’s Story:

The Schotts lost Annalee on November 15, 2020. She was just 18 years old when she died by suicide. Her mom, dad and brothers were left brokenhearted, and at a complete loss as to what led her to such a dark place.”

But as Lori came to learn, Annalee left behind clues.

…

Scrolling through the videos, Lori said she found video after video of young people sharing — and at times glamorizing — self-harm and self-hate. Many had tens of thousands of likes or more.

Lori Schott’s Mission:

“At that moment is when I decided that pain has to be purpose, that I don’t want to see what happened to our daughter impact any other children,"" Lori said.

Stories like Annalee Schott’s have inspired a rare bipartisan mission in Washington, D.C. to hold social media companies accountable for the content their algorithms serve to our young people. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) is before Congress and has cosponsors from both parties, including Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper.

…

But in Lori Schott’s eyes, KOSA is a vital first step to making the internet safer for our kids and building her daughter’s legacy. Annalee left her journal entries, Lori said, so we all could “see the impact and to dig down deep to do something about it.”

“Our kids deserve better,” Lori said.

The full Denver7 story and Lori Schott’s interview with Denver7 can be found here

Blumenthal and Blackburn are the lead sponsors of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, which would provide kids and parents with better tools to protect themselves online, hold Big Tech accountable for harms to kids, and provide transparency into black box algorithms.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-tillis-urge-cms-to-clarify-guidance-protect-medicare-advantage-beneficiaries-access-to-long-term-care-facilities,"Murphy, Tillis Urge CMS to Clarify Guidance, Protect Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries' Access to Long Term Care Facilities",2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure urging public clarification that critically and chronically ill Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries will have the same access to Long-Term Care Hospital services as traditional Medicare beneficiaries, as required by law. Murphy and Tillis detail how MA plans’ prior authorization practices are used to deny coverage of medically necessary care at Long-Term Care Hospitals (LTCHs).

“Long-Term Care Hospitals (LTCHs) are hospitals that provide specialized care for high-acuity patients who require an extended hospital stay. These facilities are designed to care for severely ill patients who require complex medical treatment, such as mechanical ventilation and wound care. To be recognized as an LTCH, CMS requires hospitals to satisfy the conditions of participation of a short-term acute care hospital (STACH) but have an average Medicare length of stay greater than 25 days. In contrast, the average Medicare length of stay in a STACH is about 5 days,” the senators wrote. “Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are less than half as likely to receive LTCH care compared to traditional Medicare beneficiaries. Recent research suggests that these practices may be worsening the outcomes of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries; a 2021 peer-reviewed study found that delays in the transfer of mechanically ventilated patients to an LTCH decreased a patient’s likelihood of being successfully weaned from the ventilator and breathing on his or her own.""

“We have heard concerns from LTCHs in our states, as well as patients, that LTCHs regularly receive denial letters from Medicare Advantage plans stating that an LTCH transfer was not required because the patient could receive all necessary services in the short-term acute care hospital, even though the provider referred the patient to an LTCH and the patient met all of the medical necessity requirements for LTCH care,” the senators added.

The senators concluded: “We write to ask CMS to confirm this interpretation is correct and to request such information be publicly clarified to eliminate confusion for Medicare Advantage plans and ensure that LTCHs are treated the same as any other post-acute care provider under the Medicare Advantage regulations. We appreciate CMS’s commitment to improving Medicare Advantage enrollees’ access to Medicare-covered benefits and we look forward to working with you to ensure that Medicare Advantage beneficiaries have access to the services they are entitled to by law.”

Full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Administrator Brooks-LaSure:

We thank the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for taking steps to ensure that Medicare Advantage beneficiaries receive the same services they would under traditional Medicare, as required by law. With the Contract Year 2024 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs Final Rule (CMS-4201-F) (the Final Rule) taking effect January 1, 2024, we are writing to ensure that critically and chronically ill Medicare Advantage beneficiaries will have the same access to Long-Term Care Hospital services as traditional Medicare beneficiaries.

Long-Term Care Hospitals (LTCHs) are hospitals that provide specialized care for high-acuity patients who require an extended hospital stay. These facilities are designed to care for severely ill patients who require complex medical treatment, such as mechanical ventilation and wound care. To be recognized as an LTCH, CMS requires hospitals to satisfy the conditions of participation of a short-term acute care hospital (STACH) but have an average Medicare length of stay greater than 25 days. In contrast, the average Medicare length of stay in a STACH is about 5 days.

Unfortunately, Medicare Advantage plan prior authorization practices are creating significant barriers to LTCH care for critically and chronically ill patients. A 2022 report by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General concluded that Medicare Advantage Organizations “sometimes delayed or denied Medicare Advantage beneficiaries' access to services, even though the requests met Medicare coverage rules” and that these denials sometimes delayed beneficiaries from receiving medically necessary care or prevented them from receiving the care altogether. Sadly, LTCHs are also subject to this trend. Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are less than half as likely to receive LTCH care compared to traditional Medicare beneficiaries. Recent research suggests that these practices may be worsening the outcomes of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries; a 2021 peer-reviewed study found that delays in the transfer of mechanically ventilated patients to an LTCH decreased a patient’s likelihood of being successfully weaned from the ventilator and breathing on his or her own.

We were pleased to see CMS respond to these practices by including language in the April 2023 Final Rule that specifies that Medicare Advantage plans must comply with general coverage and benefit conditions included in traditional Medicare coverage policies. The Final Rule also codifies previously released CMS guidance that Medicare Advantage plans must: (1) make medical necessity determinations based on traditional Medicare coverage criteria; 2) consider if a service is reasonable and necessary; 3) consider the patient’s medical history when making medical necessity determinations; and 4) where appropriate, plans’ medical directors must be involved in ensuring the clinical accuracy of medical necessity determinations.

The statute allows Medicare Advantage plans to create contracted networks, but the Final Rule specifies that Medicare Advantage plans must align with traditional Medicare in terms of covering different provider types and settings. This means that if care can be delivered in more than one way or in more than one setting, and a practitioner has ordered a covered item or service for a Medicare Advantage enrollee, then the Medicare Advantage plan cannot deny coverage. CMS provides the following example in the Final Rule:

“[I]f an MA patient is being discharged from an acute care hospital and the attending physician orders post-acute care at a SNF because the patient requires skilled nursing care on a daily basis in an institutional setting, the MA organization cannot deny coverage for the SNF care and redirect the patient to home health care services unless the patient does not meet the coverage criteria required for SNF care….” See 88 Fed. Reg. at 22190 (April 12, 2023).

We have heard concerns from LTCHs in our states, as well as patients, that LTCHs regularly receive denial letters from Medicare Advantage plans stating that an LTCH transfer was not required because the patient could receive all necessary services in the short-term acute care hospital, even though the provider referred the patient to an LTCH, and the patient met all the medical necessity requirements for LTCH care.

Based on the specifications included in the Final Rule and given that 42 CFR §412.3 covers admissions to an LTCH, we write to ensure that the Final Rule requires Medicare Advantage plans to apply traditional Medicare standards and requirements in assessing prior authorization requests for LTCH admissions. That is, a Medicare Advantage plan – like a traditional Medicare plan – cannot deny admission to an LTCH if the patient is being discharged from an acute care hospital, the patient’s attending physician orders post-acute care in an LTCH, and the patient meets the coverage criteria for inpatient admissions under 42 CFR §412.3.

We write to ask CMS to confirm this interpretation is correct and to request such information be publicly clarified to eliminate confusion for Medicare Advantage plans and ensure that LTCHs are treated the same as any other post-acute care provider under the Medicare Advantage regulations.

We appreciate CMS’s commitment to improving Medicare Advantage enrollees’ access to Medicare-covered benefits and we look forward to working with you to ensure that Medicare Advantage beneficiaries have access to the services they are entitled to by law.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-congresswoman-delauro-ongoing-israel-hamas-war,Statement of Congresswoman DeLauro on Ongoing Israel-Hamas War,2023-12-21,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa L. DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,delauro,https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"NEW HAVEN, CT – Today, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro released the following statement:

“On October 7, Israel faced the most devastating terrorist attack in its history. I continue to stand with Israel in the wake of this horror and unequivocally support its right to defend itself and defeat Hamas. I have also long said, even before this current conflict, that it is imperative that we create the conditions for peace and a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinian people.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is allowing unacceptable loss of civilian lives and humanitarian and health crises that is producing growing hunger and starvation on his watch. That has to stop.

“Netanyahu has also made clear that he wants Palestinians to play no role in Gaza’s governance and has shown no intention of ending settler violence that further oppresses Palestinians. Therefore, I strongly support Secretary Blinken’s urgent efforts to lay the ground work for a two-state solution.

“I am calling for a sustained pause in fighting so Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government protect civilians and get a dramatic, immediate increase in delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. This pause must include the release of hostages from Hamas.

“Everyone will be hurt if Hamas remains in control of Gaza. However, this war is against Hamas – not the Palestinian people – and it cannot end in an indefinite Israeli occupation of Gaza. I will work to make sure the moment the violence ceases, that all our efforts move toward the creation of a Palestinian state.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=408C0CE0-ADED-4E4A-BE7D-37197E237B26,"Himes, Simmons announce $2.73 million to upgrade Stamford hurricane protection barrier and pump stations",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,James A. Himes,H001047,himes.house.gov,himes,https://himes.house.gov/press-releases,page_html,"Stamford, CT – Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) and Mayor Caroline Simmons announced that Stamford would receive a $2.73 million Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to upgrade the city’s hurricane protection barrier and pump stations.

“With climate change driving increasingly frequent and intense storms towards Connecticut, it is more important than ever for our coastal communities to have the proper infrastructure to mitigate damage,” said Congressman Jim Himes. “This $2.73 million in federal funding will go directly to upgrading Stamford’s aging stormwater pump stations and the hurricane protection barrier so that the thousands of people who live along Stamford’s coastline can sleep peacefully knowing that when the next hurricane or tropical storm strikes, their city’s infrastructure is strong enough to protect their homes and businesses.”

“The Stamford Hurricane Barrier provides critical protection against hurricanes to 600 acres across the city,” said Mayor Caroline Simmons. “I want to thank Congressman Himes and our federal delegation for their advocacy and support for this critical funding. It will provide emergency power generators for the pump stations and upgrade the aging pumps and electrical equipment to comply with current building codes, enhancing our protection and resiliency against storms.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-03-30T11:08:25Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-calls-for-justice-thomass-recusal-in-trump-january-6th-case,Blumenthal Calls for Justice Thomas's Recusal in Trump January 6th Case,2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to ensure Justice Clarence Thomas recuses himself in proceedings in United States v. Trump given his wife Ginni Thomas’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Blumenthal’s letter comes as the Supreme Court considers special counsel’s request to rule on former President Trump’s immunity in the January 6th case and as Trump has been requested to respond to the Court on an expedited basis.

“I urge you to ensure that Justice Thomas abides by federal statute and the Court’s own Code of Conduct and recuses himself from participating in United States v. Trump,” wrote Blumenthal, citing Eastman v. Thompson as an example of a previous instance in which Justice Thomas had rightly recused himself and calling on Thomas to provide an explanation if he does not recuse himself in this case.

“No proceeding could be graver than the prosecution of an attempt to undermine our sacred electoral process,” Blumenthal stressed. “Justice will be done only if such a case is heard by judges whose impartiality cannot reasonably be questioned.”

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

December 20, 2023

The Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr.

Chief Justice

Supreme Court of the United States

1 First Street NE

Washington, DC 20543

Dear Chief Justice Roberts:

The Supreme Court is currently weighing whether to decide a critical question in United States v. Trump, a criminal case arising from former President Trump’s role in the January 6th insurrection. Last week, the United States urged the Court to fast-track its consideration of “a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy”: whether former President Trump is immune from charges of conspiring to obstruct the certification of the 2020 electoral vote and overturn the results of the election.[1] The Court has asked former President Trump to respond on an expedited basis—by today at 4:00 PM.

I write to urge you to take appropriate steps to ensure that Justice Clarence Thomas recuses himself from consideration of the petition for certiorari and any future proceedings in United States v. Trump, or otherwise provides the public an “explanation of [his] recusal decision”[2] showing how his participation comports with judicial ethics and federal law.

The federal recusal statute requires that any “justice, judge, or magistrate judge … shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned.”[3] In addition, recusal is required when a Justice “or his spouse … is known by the judge to have an interest that could be substantially affected by the outcome of the proceeding; [or i]s to the judge’s knowledge likely to be a material witness in the proceeding.”[4]

In October, Justice Thomas followed this statute in recusing himself from participating in Eastman v. Thompson.[5] That case concerned whether attorney-client privilege shielded emails by defendant John Eastman regarding strategies to overturn the 2020 election results.[6] Eastman was a personal lawyer to former President Trump who received correspondence from Justice Thomas’s wife, Virginia (“Ginni”) Thomas, about efforts to overturn the election.[7] In fact, Mrs. Thomas has been deeply involved in former President Trump’s attempt to overturn the most recent presidential election, including by attending the January 6th rally whose other attendees later stormed the Capitol,[8] sitting on the board of an organization that led the “Stop the Steal” movement,[9] and sending dozens of text messages urging White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to prevent certification of the election results.[10]

Given Mrs. Thomas’s involvement in challenging the 2020 election results, Justice Thomas’s impartiality in a related case “might reasonably be questioned,” giving rise, at a minimum, to an appearance of a conflict of interest.[11] Justice Thomas’s recusal in Eastman v. Thompson was therefore proper.

The same is true in United States v. Trump. Mrs. Thomas’s close interactions with senior Trump administration officials about overturning the 2020 election results—the very subject of the litigation—certainly creates circumstances where Justice Thomas’s “impartiality might reasonably be questioned.”

The Supreme Court’s recent adoption of a Code of Conduct only underscores the importance of recusal.[12] Although the Code very unfortunately does not provide any enforcement mechanism, it mirrors the statutory standard for recusal. In lieu of an enforcement mechanism, the Code states that Justices themselves “must bear the primary responsibility for requiring [appropriate] judicial behavior.”[13] With trust in the Supreme Court near historic lows,[14] the need for this judicial responsibility has never been higher. As the Chief Justice, it is incumbent upon you to assure that the Code is followed to “dispel the misunderstanding” that “Justices … regard themselves as unrestricted by any ethics rules.”[15]

I urge you to ensure that Justice Thomas abides by federal statute and the Court’s own Code of Conduct and recuses himself from participating in United States v. Trump. No proceeding could be graver than the prosecution of an attempt to undermine our sacred electoral process. Justice will be done only if such a case is heard by judges whose impartiality cannot reasonably be questioned.

Sincerely,

[1] Petition for Writ of Certiorari at 2, United States v. Trump (No. 23-3228).

[2] See Letter from Supreme Court Justices to Richard J. Durbin at 2 (Apr. 25, 2023), https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Letter%20to%20Chairman%20Durbin%2004.25.2023.pdf.

[3] 28 U.S.C. § 455(a).

[4] 28 U.S.C. § 455(b)(5).

[5] Eastman v. Thompson, No. 22-1138, 2023 WL 6379015 (U.S. Oct. 2, 2023).

[6] Jacqueline Alemany et al., Trump Lawyers Saw Clarence Thomas as Key to Stop Biden Electoral Count, Emails Show, Wash. Post (Nov. 2, 2022), https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/02/trump-clarence-thomas-emails.

[7] Id.

[8] Danny Hakim & Jo Becker, Ginni Thomas Says She Attended Jan. 6 Rally, N.Y. Times (Mar. 14, 2022), https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/14/us/politics/ginni-thomas-jan-6-rally.html.

[9] Id.

[10] Bob Woodward & Robert Costa, Virginia Thomas Urged White House Chief to Pursue Unrelenting Efforts to Overturn the 2020 Election, Texts Show, Wash. Post (Mar. 24, 2022), https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/24/virginia-thomas-mark-meadows-texts.

[11] 28 U.S.C. § 455(a).

[12] U.S. Sup. Ct, Code of Conduct for Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States (hereinafter Code of Conduct) (2023), https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/Code-of-Conduct-for-Justices_November_13_2023.pdf

[13] Id. at cmt.

[14] Megan Brenan, Views of Supreme Court Remain Near Record Lows, Gallup (Sept. 29, 2023), https://news.gallup.com/poll/511820/views-supreme-court-remain-near-record-lows.aspx.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-braun-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-conduct-a-new-review-of-currently-approved-opioids,"Murphy, Braun Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Conduct a New Review of Currently Approved Opioids",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), both members of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, on Wednesday introduced bipartisan legislation directing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish a plan to review all currently approved opioid medications. The Opioid Review Act would require the FDA to consider information that was not available when the drugs were first approved, such as addiction and overdose rates, and to publish a public report detailing next steps.

“The United States is five percent of the world’s population, and yet we account for between 70 and 80 percent of the world’s opioid prescriptions. In the years since these drugs were first approved by the FDA, we’ve learned just how addictive they are and far too many families have paid the price. Taking a hard look at whether the current guidance needs updating is one way we can begin to tackle this crisis. I’m glad our bipartisan bill was included in this year’s SUPPORT Act reauthorization, and I’ll keep pushing to ensure it lands on President Biden’s desk,” said Murphy.

“Drug overdose deaths continue to rise in the United States and we urgently need to take action to stop these devastating and preventable deaths. The bipartisan Opioid Review Act would direct the FDA to review approved opioids while considering important public health implications, like addiction and overdose rates,” said Braun.

Specifically, FDA’s report must be published online and must include:

Public comment on the FDA’s regulation of opioid drugs

An explanation of the actions the FDA has already taken to review the effectiveness, safety, benefit-risk profile, and use of approved opioid analgesic drugs

A timeline for an assessment of the potential need for changes in an opioid drugs’ labeling, revised or additional post marketing requirements, enforcement actions, or withdrawals from market

An overview of the steps that the FDA has taken to support the development and approval of non-addictive medical products intended to treat pain or addiction, and actions planned to further support the development and approval of such products

An overview of the consideration by the FDA of clinical trial methodologies for analgesic drugs, including the enriched enrollment randomized withdrawal methodology, and the benefits and drawbacks associated with different trial methodologies for such drugs, incorporating any public input received

The Opioid Review Act was included in committee passage of the SUPPORT Act Reauthorization last week.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/permanent-subcommittee-on-investigations-demands-swift-response-to-inquiry-into-sexual-assault-and-sexual-harassment-at-the-coast-guard-academy,Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Demands Swift Response to Inquiry Into Sexual Assault & Sexual Harassment at the Coast Guard Academy,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, DC] – Today, U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) Chairman Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ranking Member Ron Johnson (R-WI) demanded that the Coast Guard immediately provide all records responsive to PSI’s probe into sexual assault and harassment at the Coast Guard Academy. This letter follows PSI’s hearing last week with current and former Coast Guard Academy cadets, who experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment, or retaliation at the Academy and in the Coast Guard.

“It is clear from this testimony, and the Subcommittee’s inquiry to date, that the Coast Guard’s culture of cover-up has allowed sexual assault and sexual harassment to persist for decades, both at the Academy and in the Coast Guard,” wrote Blumenthal and Johnson in a letter to Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan. “It is equally apparent that accountability and systematic change at both the Coast Guard and the Academy are necessary to address past failures and to ensure that future cadets are protected. Full compliance with the Subcommittee’s inquiry is a necessary component of these actions.”

“You have expressed a commitment to investigate reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment, hold perpetrators accountable, support victims, and be fully transparent with Congress and the American people. It is imperative that you live up to that commitment and ensure that the Coast Guard provides all requested documents and information to the Subcommittee without further delay,” continued the senators. “Should the Coast Guard continue to withhold or redact requested records, PSI will have no choice but to utilize other means to ensure compliance with congressional oversight.”

In September 2023, PSI opened a bipartisan inquiry into the Coast Guard Academy’s mishandling of sexual assault investigations and its failure to reveal Operation Fouled Anchor, and its associated report, to Congress or the public. The full text of the senators’ initial letter to the Coast Guard is available here.

The full text of today’s letter can be found here and below.

December 19, 2023

The Honorable Admiral Linda Fagan

Commandant

U.S. Coast Guard

2703 Martin Luther King Junior Avenue, SE

Washington, D.C. 20593

Dear Admiral Fagan,

On September 12, 2023, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (“PSI” or the “Subcommittee”) sent you a letter as part of an inquiry into the mishandling of sexual assault and sexual harassment cases at the United States Coast Guard Academy (the “Academy”), as well as the United States Coast Guard’s (the “Coast Guard”) failure to reveal Operation Fouled Anchor, and its associated report, to Congress and the public.[1] In the three months since the Subcommittee’s initial letter was sent, the Coast Guard has failed to provide critical records responsive to our request.

Since launching its inquiry, PSI has received outreach from numerous survivors who have recounted their harrowing experiences of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and retaliation at the Academy and in the Coast Guard. On December 12, 2023, the Subcommittee heard from four of these individuals, who testified that the failures of Coast Guard and Academy leadership amplified the trauma of these events, in some cases leading to mental health struggles, suicide attempts, tarnished or lost relationships, or the decision to leave the Academy.[2] It is clear from this testimony, and the Subcommittee’s inquiry to date, that the Coast Guard’s culture of cover-up has allowed sexual assault and sexual harassment to persist for decades, both at the Academy and in the Coast Guard. It is equally apparent that accountability and systematic change at both the Coast Guard and the Academy are necessary to address past failures and to ensure that future cadets are protected. Full compliance with the Subcommittee’s inquiry is a necessary component of these actions.

You have expressed a commitment to investigate reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment, hold perpetrators accountable, support victims, and be fully transparent with Congress and the American people.[3] It is imperative that you live up to that commitment and ensure that the Coast Guard provides all requested documents and information to the Subcommittee without further delay. Should the Coast Guard continue to withhold or redact requested records, PSI will have no choice but to utilize other means to ensure compliance with congressional oversight. Please provide all records, without redactions, that are responsive to our requests, including but not limited to unredacted email records related to the decision of whether to disclose Operation Fouled Anchor to Congress and all other items identified in Enclosure A. To ensure that the Subcommittee’s inquiry can continue without further delay, all requested information should be produced by no later than January 19, 2024. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-colleagues-push-to-keep-anti-lgbtq-and-anti-abortion-provisions-out-of-critical-government-funding-bills,"Murphy, Blumenthal, Colleagues Push to Keep Anti-LGBTQ+ and Anti-Abortion Provisions Out of Critical Government Funding Bills",2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined 48 of their Senate colleagues in a letter to U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) urging them to reject any new poison pill policy riders in the fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills, including the anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-abortion policy provisions that House Republicans inserted into their appropriations bills.

“The Senate has had tremendous success both passing bipartisan bills in committee and on the Senate floor because these bills are free of new poison pill riders. Unfortunately, the House appropriations bills are filled with new highly partisan provisions, including anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ riders, that should be removed from any final appropriations bills,” write the Senators.

These poison pill policy riders aim to make changes to laws that would fail to withstand scrutiny of congressional debate by attaching them to “must-pass” measures like appropriation bills.

“Our country is facing a reproductive health care crisis, one that has been accelerated by the Supreme Court’s extremist decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization,” the Senators write. “House Republicans have proposed several new anti-abortion policy riders. These riders include a provision to force back in place medically unnecessary restrictions on medication abortion, a measure to stop the implementation of the Biden administration’s executive orders to protect access to abortion care, and a measure that would jeopardize access to essential postgraduate medical training in abortion care,” their letter continues.

“House Republicans have used the appropriations process to push extremist anti-LGBTQ+ measures, which threaten to disrupt the lives and fundamental dignity of the LGBTQ+ community,” the letter states. “Against this backdrop, House Republicans have introduced more than 50 anti-LGBTQ+ provisions across all 12 appropriations bills. These provisions include those allowing the government to discriminate against married same-sex couples as well as language to prevent the administration from enforcing laws to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination. Seven of the House’s twelve appropriations bills also contain dangerous riders that ban access to gender-affirming care, which would deprive transgender people of medically necessary and often life-saving healthcare,” the Senators note.

U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also signed the letter.

The letter is endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Guttmacher Institute, Human Rights Campaign, National Center for Transgender Equality, National Council of Jewish Women, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, National Women’s Law Center, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America), Whitman-Walker Institute.

Full text of the letter can be found here and follows below:

Dear Chair Murray and Vice Chair Collins:

We write to urge you to keep the FY24 appropriations bills free of any new poison pill policy riders. Partisan, discriminatory, and harmful policy riders have no place in appropriations bills. The Senate has had tremendous success both passing bipartisan bills in committee and on the Senate floor because these bills are free of new poison pill riders. Unfortunately, the House appropriations bills are filled with new highly partisan provisions, including anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ riders, that should be removed from any final appropriations bills.

Our country is facing a reproductive health care crisis, one that has been accelerated by the Supreme Court’s extremist decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. As of November 7, 2023, 14 states are enforcing abortion bans at any point in pregnancy and seven states have imposed abortion bans with limits that range from six to 18 weeks. These bans leave 1 in 3 women, as well as transgender and nonbinary people, without access to abortion and disproportionately impact people of color, people with disabilities, young people, people living in rural areas, and people with low incomes.

Yet in the midst of this crisis, House Republicans have proposed several new anti-abortion policy riders. These riders include a provision to force back in place medically unnecessary restrictions on medication abortion, a measure to stop the implementation of the Biden administration’s executive orders to protect access to abortion care, and a measure that would jeopardize access to essential postgraduate medical training in abortion care. If adopted, these provisions would seriously undermine pregnant people’s ability to make decisions about their bodies and providers’ ability to provide necessary care.

At the same time, House Republicans have used the appropriations process to push extremist anti-LGBTQ+ measures, which threaten to disrupt the lives and fundamental dignity of the LGBTQ+ community. Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is already on the rise; in 2023 alone, more than 575 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced across 41 state legislatures, and more than 80 of those bills have been signed into law.

Against this backdrop, House Republicans have introduced more than 50 anti-LGBTQ+ provisions across all 12 appropriations bills. These provisions include those allowing the government to discriminate against married same-sex couples as well as language to prevent the administration from enforcing laws to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination. Seven of the House’s twelve appropriations bills also contain dangerous riders that ban access to gender-affirming care, which would deprive transgender people of medically necessary and often life-saving healthcare.

Controversial poison pill provisions like those riddled throughout the House appropriations bills will severely undermine Congress’ ability to push forward must-pass funding measures to keep the government open and working for the American people.

Sincerely,

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/senators-blumenthal-and-markey-applaud-dot-settlement-with-southwest-airlines,Senators Blumenthal & Markey Applaud DOT Settlement with Southwest Airlines,2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a $140 million settlement with Southwest Airlines over its mass flight cancellations during the 2022 holiday season. As part of the settlement, Southwest will provide $90 million in vouchers to future passengers whose flights are delayed at least three hours due to a problem within Southwest’s control.

“Southwest made critical mistakes in its response to last year’s holiday meltdown, and this settlement is a clear reminder that passengers must come first when airlines cancel or delay a flight. Although Southwest’s new program to compensate passengers for airline-caused delays is an important step forward, Southwest should provide cash, instead of vouchers, to passengers, and we urge the Transportation Department to require all airlines to adopt similar programs. Consumers should not be forced to cover the costs of airlines’ mistakes.”

In December 2022, as Southwest canceled thousands of flights, Senators Blumenthal and Markey called on the airline to provide monetary compensation to passengers for the cancellations, in addition to the ticket refunds and reimbursement for hotels, meals, and alternative transportation that Southwest already agreed to provide to impacted customers. In January 2023, they led 13 of their colleagues in a letter to Southwest Airlines CEO Robert E. Jordan seeking answers for its mass flight cancellations. Also in January 2023, Senators Blumenthal and Markey led the introduction of the Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights and the Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous (FAIR) Fees Act, bills to expand protections for air travelers. In March 2023, Senator Markey, along with Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), introduced the Airline Operational Resiliency Act, which would require the U.S. Comptroller General to investigate airlines on their capacity to prepare for and respond to extreme weather events and natural disasters.

In November 2022, Senators Blumenthal and Markey along with Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) submitted a comment to DOT urging the agency to strengthen its proposed rule on ticket refunds, including requiring airlines to cover secondary costs — such as hotel rooms, food and drink, and transportation to-and-from the airport — when an airline causes a flight cancellation or significant delay.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-38-democratic-senators-introduce-resolution-affirming-support-for-fdas-scientific-judgment-that-medication-abortion-is-safe-and-effective,"Murphy, Blumenthal, 38 Democratic Senators Introduce Resolution Affirming Support for FDA's Scientific Judgment that Medication Abortion is Safe and Effective",2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined 38 of their Democratic Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution in support of equitable, science-based policies governing access to medication abortion.

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, reproductive rights have been increasingly under attack, with more than a dozen states banning or restricting access to abortion care, and anti-abortion extremists attempting to ban medication abortion nationwide. Medication abortion is currently used for over half of all abortions.

This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that the scientific judgment of the FDA that mifepristone is safe and effective should be respected, and that law and policy governing access to life-saving, time-sensitive medication abortion care in the United States should be equitable and based on science. The resolution affirms that mifepristone is safe and effective, while acknowledging the significant harm that would be posed to both health care providers and patients across the nation if mifepristone were sharply curtailed.

This action comes as Americans continue to grapple with the reversal of Roe v. Wade, and follows this week’s announcement that the Supreme Court will hear a challenge to medication abortion access.

“Mifepristone is a safe, effective drug approved by the FDA more than 20 years ago that millions of women rely on, so it should come as no surprise it’s been chosen as the right wing’s next target. Cutting off access to medication abortion would bring us one step closer to a national abortion ban. I will keep fighting to keep government out of women’s health care,” said Murphy.

“Our resolution resoundingly reaffirms the need for abortion medication to remain accessible. This medication has been used safely and effectively for twenty years, and is the most common form of abortion care. With Republicans imposing draconian restrictions on reproductive care across the country, we must ensure abortion medication remains available to all who need it,” said Blumenthal.

“I am fed up with extremists trying to turn back the clock and deny women reproductive health care – especially after decades of science that show that medication abortion is safe and effective. Any threat to the accessibility of this drug would be devastating to both health care providers and patients across the country, and Senate Democrats are demonstrating with this resolution that we're determined to fight back,” said Warren.

“In Wisconsin and across the country, the right to comprehensive health care is under attack. We need to fight on all fronts to restore and protect the freedom of every American to make their own health care decisions, and that includes protecting access to medication abortion. Mifepristone is a safe, effective, and sometimes lifesaving medication, and it’s high time politicians and judges leave women alone and allow Americans to make their own decisions about their health, families, and future,” said Baldwin.

“MAGA Republicans have been clear they’ll stop at nothing to enact a national abortion plan – even questioning the scientific expertise of FDA. Make no mistake, Mifepristone is safe and effective. And Congress gave FDA the authority to evaluate and ensure the safety and efficacy of drugs. Democrats will never stop fighting for women’s health,” said Schumer.

""The district court's decision earlier this year to invalidate longstanding approval for mifepristone contradicts scientific evidence and threatens Americans' access to essential health care. Medication abortion remains safe and legal in Colorado, and I'll keep fighting to keep it that way,” said Bennet.

“In a post-Roe world, we must follow the science and maintain access to lifesaving abortion medication,” said Butler. “Generations of women are watching their rights get stripped away in real-time, and this resolution underscores the need to protect their reproductive freedom. The Supreme Court must preserve access to essential reproductive health care and the right to bodily autonomy.”

“Health care decisions should be made between women and their doctors, and we must protect women’s access to all FDA-approved treatments, including Mifepristone,” said Carper. “This resolution reaffirms that access to lifesaving, time-sensitive medication should be equitable and based on science.”

“More than two decades ago, the FDA determined mifepristone to be safe and effective. Since then, this medication has been widely and safely used by women to end early stage pregnancies and help manage miscarriages,” said Durbin. “If the Supreme Court upholds the Fifth Circuit’s decision, which ignored science and the law in turning back the clock on mifepristone regulations, it would upend the FDA review process, jeopardize access to a host of critically important medications, and impose new restrictions on abortions even in states where the procedure remains legal. This Resolution restates the obvious: that the FDA, not politically-motivated organizations, should be trusted to make determinations about what drugs are safe and effective. And that, ultimately, reproductive health care decisions ought to be made between women and their doctors, not politicians or judges.”

“It’s plain and simple: abortion is health care, and health care is a human right,” said Markey. “Pregnant people and their health care providers are facing escalating attacks on their care including the criminalization of abortions. Our government has a moral obligation to protect not only the right but also the ability to access abortion medication — safe and effective medication that is backed by science. Let’s keep medical decisions between patients and doctors—not between patients and the GOP.”

“Reproductive freedom is a fundamental right, and we must stand resolute in affirming access to lifesaving abortion care,” said Padilla. “With the Supreme Court and MAGA Republicans constantly threatening longstanding, essential reproductive freedoms, it’s imperative that safe, science-based drugs like mifepristone are equitably accessible and protected to the fullest extent under the rule of law.”

“Mifepristone is a safe, effective, and FDA-approved drug. I helped introduce this resolution because it is dangerous to restrict access to this critical medication,” said Stabenow.

“Individuals’ health care decisions should be grounded in science and made along with their doctors – not left to the whims of far-right judges and politicians. As Trump-appointed judges and Republican lawmakers continue their ruthless attacks on reproductive freedoms – and the health care providers and resources that support them – we will keep fighting to ensure scientifically tested, safe, and effective options remain accessible to everyone who needs them,” said Van Hollen.

The resolution was also co-sponored by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ron Wyden (D-Wyo.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-N.M.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

The resolution has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Power to Decide, National Council of Jewish Women, The Century Foundation’s Health Equity and Reform Team, National Partnership for Women and Families, Guttmacher Institute, Center for Reproductive Rights, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America), In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, and the EMAA Project.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-schumer-lujan-and-tonko-introduce-bicameral-legislation-to-stop-cyber-grinches-from-ruining-kids-holidays,"Blumenthal, Schumer, Luján & Tonko Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Stop Cyber Grinches from Ruining Kids' Holidays",2023-12-15,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – With holiday shopping underway, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and U.S. Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY) introduced the Stopping Grinch Bots Act. The bicameral bill would prevent use of “bot” technology to quickly buy up entire inventories of popular toys and re-sell them at marked up prices. Third-party sellers use bots to manipulate online sales to buy toys, making inventory shortages worse and price gouging families shopping for the holidays.

“Our measure aims to stop cyber Grinches from stealing the holidays,” said Blumenthal. “New tools are necessary to block these online grifters from buying up popular toys to resell them to parents at exorbitant prices. We must have zero tolerance for Grinch bots price gouging hot holiday toys.”

“We cannot allow grinch bots to steal Christmas joy or money from hardworking Americans,” said Schumer. “These cyber scrooges systematically snatch up popular toys and gifts and then gouge parents who are desperate to get their loved ones the gifts they most want. No American should have to fork over hundreds – or even thousands – of excess charges to buy holiday gifts for loved ones, and this critical legislation makes sure that regulators have the tools to go after these bad actors.”

“As the holiday season hits full swing, too many Americans are left vulnerable to the malicious practices of Grinch bots that manipulate the market and inflate prices,” said Luján. “The holidays are a time meant to be spent with family and loved ones. Americans should not be stressed financially by online algorithms that hoard high-demand toys and goods and resell them at huge margins. This critical legislation will protect New Mexico families during the holidays and year-round.”

“Too many Americans have felt the disappointment and frustration of losing a popular toy to Grinch Bots — of spending hours scouring online stores in the hopes of finding an affordable gift or paying exorbitant prices for a single toy,” said Tonko. “These bots don’t just squeeze consumers, they pose a problem for small businesses, local retailers, and other entrepreneurs trying to ensure they have the best items in stock for their customers. Our Grinch Bots Act works to level the playing field and prevent scalpers from sucking hardworking parents dry this holiday season. Let’s pass this bill at once and ensure that Americans can spend their time this holiday season with their loved ones, not competing with Grinches.”

The legislation is supported by Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Reports, and the National Consumers League.

“Consumers shouldn’t have to fight armies of bots to buy the products they want from the online retailers they want to do business with,” said Erin Witte, Director of Consumer Protection for Consumer Federation of America. “We support outlawing sneaky tactics that shady operators use to corner the market on popular items and then charge consumers excessive prices for them.”

“Shoppers shouldn't have to compete with unscrupulous cyber Grinches who use automated bots to snatch up hundreds of products in a matter of seconds and re-sell them at outrageous prices,” said Chuck Bell, Advocacy Program Director at Consumer Reports. “This bill will help stop this predatory practice and create a more level playing field so everyone has a fair chance of buying popular products at reasonable prices when shopping online.”

“Competing with other shoppers for in-demand gifts is frustrating enough for hard-working families,” said John Breyault, Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications, and Fraud for the National Consumers League. “Resellers employing bot software can make it almost impossible to check off all the items on consumers’ shopping lists. The Stopping Grinch Bots Act is common-sense consumer protection legislation that gives consumers who just want to buy a present a fair chance against the professional resellers.”

Bots are software programs that can automatically spot and snap up inventory on sale online. In seconds, third-party vendors can purchase hundreds of items, squeezing out parents and children. In 2016, Blumenthal, Schumer, and Tonko’s Better Online Ticket Sales Act (BOTS Act) was signed into law to ban “ticket bots” that intentionally bypass security measures on online ticketing websites to unfairly outprice individual fans. This new legislation would apply the mechanism of the BOTS Act to e-commerce sites to ban bots bypassing security measures on online retail sites.

The text of the Senate bill is available here, and the House introduced a similar version of the bill.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-courtney-votes-send-annual-defense-bill-president-bidens-desk,Rep. Courtney Votes to Send Annual Defense Bill to President Biden’s Desk,2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Joe Courtney voted to pass the final FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and send the bill to the President’s desk for the 63rd consecutive year. The bill passed 310 to 118.

As Ranking Member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee and a member of the Conference Committee that negotiated the final bill, Rep. Courtney secured new forms of support for American servicemembers and their families, authorized a record level of funding for shipbuilding and submarine procurement, and cleared the pathway to execute the AUKUS mission.

“The passage of the negotiated FY24 NDAA is the result of a careful, months-long assessment of our national security needs and the increasingly challenging global security environment. Democrats and Republicans worked together to build on the President’s budget request and advance a bill which delivers results for America’s servicemembers,” Courtney said. “As Ranking Member on the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, I helped secure historic investments in shipbuilding and the submarine industrial base. This funding is critical to meeting Navy fleet requirements and clearing the pathway to fulfilling the trilateral AUKUS agreement. At a time when division and partisanship continue to be the prevailing narratives around Congress, the NDAA is proof that bipartisan compromise is the only viable path forward.

“For eastern Connecticut, the FY24 NDAA bill will help maintain our region’s role as the submarine capitol of the world and strengthen the nationwide submarine industrial base. It authorizes full funding for both the Virginia-class and Columbia-class programs – and provides the Navy with the authority to exceed the two-per-year build rate for Virginia-class submarines. That’s coupled with continued, steady investments in submarine suppliers, shipyard infrastructure, and workforce development initiatives,” Courtney continued.

“The inclusion of the historic AUKUS provisions in the NDAA will rebalance deterrence in the Indo-Pacific in favor of free, democratic nations that today are being pressurized by the aggressive actions of the world’s biggest Navy, namely the Chinese PLAN. The intent of AUKUS is to guarantee the peace and freedom of navigation that has prevailed in that part of the world for the last 78 years. This year’s NDAA will be long remembered for this effort,” Courtney said of the AUKUS mission.

“While the NDAA makes strong authorizations to ensure our national security, House Republicans are adjourning Congress without allowing a vote on supplemental funding for the tools and equipment Ukraine needs to stop Putin. As I have said before, the consequences of failure in Ukraine would be devastating to all nations. I know from my time on the House Armed Services Committee that anything less than full-throated support for Ukraine plays directly into Putin’s hand. I will continue to do all I can to ensure Ukraine's success, and the defeat of Putin and his regime, in this fight,” Courtney concluded.

To read more about the priorities Rep. Courtney secured to support eastern Connecticut, click here.

To read more about the priorities Rep. Courtney secured to support our seapower capabilities, click here.

To read more about the priorities Rep. Courtney secured to support the AUKUS mission, click here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-statement-house-passage-national-defense-authorization-act,DeLauro Statement on House Passage of National Defense Authorization Act,2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa L. DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,delauro,https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act, legislation that authorizes investments to strengthen our national security and support our troops. The legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

“I am proud to support this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes investments in the core strength of our national defense: service members, civilian workers, and their families,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “It also supports our domestic industrial base, particularly the union workforce right here in Connecticut, while strengthening our military readiness through support to our allies and partners and paving the way for investments in innovation and technology. I am also pleased that 147 House Republicans just voted to authorize the funding levels determined under the bipartisan budget agreement, and I look forward to Speaker Johnson taking that bills passage as a sign that it is time to move forward with appropriations bills under those levels. We must immediately get to work negotiating a final 2024 defense funding bill.”

This bill authorizes funding for key projects that grow and sustain thousands of jobs in Connecticut:

CH-53K Helicopters – funding to build 15 Sikorsky helicopters.

Blackhawk Helicopters – funding to build 50 Sikorsky Blackhawk.

F135 Engine Modernization –$431 million for the F135 Engine Core Upgrade.

Virginia-class Submarine – $10.3 billion to support the two-per-year build rate of Virginia-class submarines along with $7.1 billion in 2024 for two submarines and $3.2 billion in support of future submarine construction in 2025 and 2026.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=57A75646-119D-4E84-A9B3-4CC51CFF9FAD,Hayes Applauds USDA Announcement of Final Rule to Increase Access to Baby Formula During a Shortage,2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Jahana Hayes,H001081,hayes.house.gov,hayes,https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculturepublished a final rule codifying provisions of the Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022, legislation led byCongresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) during the height of the 2022 baby formula shortage in the United States.

“When the baby formula shortage began last year, many parents were left wondering how they would feed their children. For parents enrolled in WIC, there was an added pressure of having to purchase specific formula based on program requirements. I know first-hand how critical WIC is to families, but the shortage revealed how dangerous those limitations can be,” said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture. “My Access to Baby Formula Act and the new USDA rule, will help families in the face of crisis. This rule helps strengthen a program that has historically been associated with improved infant health outcomes and reduced infant mortality.”

“All families in America should be able to keep their children fed and healthy. Regrettably, the devastating shortage of infant formula last year disproportionately hurt families that rely on WIC benefits to secure infant formula, leaving them with few options to purchase safe formula for their infants,” said Congressman Bobby Scott, Ranking Member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee.

“That is why Congresswoman Hayes and I led House passage of the bipartisan Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022 to ensure that—during public health emergencies, supply chain disruptions, product recalls, and other emergencies—families relying on WIC can use their benefits to purchase any safe infant formula products available on the shelves.

“With today’s final rule, our nation’s families can rest assured that, in times of crisis, they will be able to continue providing their infants with the nutrition they need. I applaud the Biden administration for faithfully implementing this law and ensuring that—no matter the circumstances—we support our most vulnerable families and infants.”

The Access to Baby Formula Act amended the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to:

Establish a waiver authority to address emergencies, disasters, and supply chain disruptions by ensuring states that contract with companies for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) can secure supplies from additional manufacturers.

Waive requirements that can slow down the process to get formula back on the shelves, without sacrificing safety standards.

Strengthen coordination and information sharing between the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Health and Human Services regarding any supply chain disruption, including supplemental food recalls.

The final USDA rule will:

Add requirements to State agency infant formula cost containment contracts.

Establish waiver authority to the Secretary of Agriculture to address certain emergencies, disasters, and supply chain disruptions impacting WIC.

Require WIC State agencies to develop a plan of alternate operating procedures, commonly referred to as a disaster plan.

Approximately half of the baby formula purchased in the United States is purchased through the WIC program. During a crisis, it is essential we have an infrastructure in place to help families feed their newborn babies and infants.

Congresswoman Hayes worked hard to ensure the Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022 passed in the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support – a vote of 413-9. The legislation passed in the Senate unanimously by voice vote and was signed into law by President Joe Biden in May of 2022.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=7C50BF26-3C03-4FB9-9A6E-6275ECB5F672,Himes Votes to Pass National Defense Authorization Act of 2024,2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,James A. Himes,H001047,himes.house.gov,himes,https://himes.house.gov/press-releases,page_html,"Washington, DC – Today, the United States House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2024. The NDAA funds the United States’ defense related programs and is one of the major pieces of legislation that Congress passes annually. This year, the bill includes $886 billion in discretionary spending for national security related programs, including significant investments in defense industrial base suppliers and technology from Connecticut based companies.

“This year, with our allies in Ukraine and Israel still reeling from violent attacks, a robust defense program is more critical than ever,” said Congressman Jim Himes. “The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act bolsters our traditional military presence while also investing in modern technology to combat the ever-evolving threats to our nation. I am particularly glad that this legislation contains significant funds for Connecticut-based companies, expanding our state’s role as a leader in defense technology development and bringing jobs to our district.”

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2024 invests billions of dollars in funding for Connecticut companies. This includes:

A significant investment in the U.S. submarine industrial base as part of the AUKUS pact between the U.S., U.K., and Australia;

The first increment of funding for the second boat in the Columbia-class program;

The purchase of:

83 F-35 aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps

15 CH-53K heavy lift helicopters for the Marine Corps

24 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters for the Army

26 UH-60 L and V Black Hawk helicopters for the Army

2 Combat Rescue Helicopters for the Air Force

2 Virginia- Class Submarines.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-03-30T11:08:25Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-schakowsky-introduce-new-bicameral-front-of-package-food-labeling-legislation-to-bolster-americans-health,Blumenthal & Schakowsky Introduce New Bicameral Front-of-Package Food Labeling Legislation to Bolster Americans' Health,2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) introduced new bicameral legislation to provide American consumers with clear information about the nutritional content of foods and beverages. The Transparency, Readability, Understandability, Truth, and Helpfulness (TRUTH) in Labeling Act would direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop new front-of-package labels for foods and beverages sold in the United States.

“This measure ensures foods have clear front-of-package labels that highlight high levels of concerning nutrients,” said Blumenthal. “Standard in many other countries, front-of-package labels help consumers have accurate, interpretive information about the food they buy. With prominently displayed salt, sugar, and saturated fat content, consumers will be able to make healthy choices for themselves and their families.”

“Food companies have led the American people astray for too long. If consumers could see how much sodium, sugar, and saturated fat is in their food, they might think twice about what they are purchasing,” said Schakowsky. “I am proud to introduce the TRUTH in Labeling Act with Senator Blumenthal. Our bill will create a consumer-friendly nutrition labeling system on the front of food packages. A poor diet is one of the leading causes of preventable disease in the U.S. We must do all we can to create transparency in food labeling and empower consumers to make informed dietary decisions.”

A recent survey shows front-of-package nutrition labeling has broad support from U.S. consumers, with 75 percent of respondents in favor of a mandatory front-of-package nutrition labeling policy.

The TRUTH in Labeling Act amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require a standardized front-of-package nutrition label that helps consumers differentiate between foods of greater or lesser nutritional value. The labels must also show the amount of calories a food contains. With Americans’ consumption of salt, sugar, and saturated fat far exceeding recommended levels and linked to various chronic diseases, the new labels would be required to have clear information about nutrients of concern, including salt, sugar, and saturated fat to help consumers make healthier choices. The Nutrition Facts labels will still be displayed on the back or side of the package. The legislation allows FDA the flexibility to determine the specific format of the labels, but suggests several considerations for their implementation, including enabling consumers to quickly and easily understand the label and encouraging FDA to evaluate the effectiveness of the labeling system.

The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Edward J. Markey (D-MA).

The TRUTH in Labeling Act is endorsed by a number of advocacy groups, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Advocates for Children's Diets, Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators, Association of State Public Health Nutritionists, ChangeLab Solutions, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Reports, Corporate Accountability, Food & Water Watch, Hattie Maw & Pals Foundation, Healthy Food America, Interfaith Public Health Network, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Association of School Nurses, National Center for Health Research, Public Health Advocacy Institute, Redstone Global Center for Prevention & Wellness, Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, Society for Behavioral Medicine, and Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior.

“It’s about time that the United States joins our neighboring countries in adopting simple, mandatory front-of-package nutrition labeling,” said CSPI Executive Director and President, Peter Lurie. “The TRUTH in Labeling Act will make nutrition information more accessible to all consumers and prompt industry to create healthier foods. We’re thrilled that lawmakers are taking concrete steps to address the epidemic of diet-related disease and to transform our food supply.”

The Senate version of the bill is available here. A similar version of the bill was introduced in the House.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/connecticut-congressional-delegation-announces-66-million-for-traffic-and-road-safety-improvements_studies,Connecticut Congressional Delegation Announces $6.6 Million for Traffic & Road Safety Improvements & Studies,2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[HARTFORD, CT] – Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) and U.S. Representatives John B. Larson (D-CT), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Jim Himes (D-CT), and Jahana Hayes (D-CT) announced $6.6 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support eight traffic safety projects across Connecticut.

The funds are awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program established to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries.

“This unprecedented investment will make Connecticut’s roadways safer for all, particularly walkers, cyclists as well as motorists. More people are dying on Connecticut’s roadways than ever before, and this $6.6 million in federal funding will help towns plan and make serious safety improvements to prevent these senseless tragedies,” said Sen. Blumenthal.

“I every year spend a week walking across the state from one end to the other, and so I get to see firsthand how many roads in our state are unsafe for pedestrians. This $6.6 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help towns across the state implement evidence-based solutions to save lives and make their streets safer for pedestrians, bikers, and drivers,” said Sen. Murphy.

""This federal funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is allowing us to support the City of Middletown’s efforts to assure safer, more accessible and inclusive transportation for pedestrians and cyclists across the city”, said Rep. DeLauro. “This is an investment that will work to eliminate serious and fatal accidents along Middletown’s four main corridors which comprise over 12 miles of roadway and provide primary access to and through Middletown from all four directions. These federal dollars will accommodate and encourage safe multi-modal methods of transportation, and better serve residents - such as children, the elderly, persons with mobility issues, and people living below the poverty line - that rely on methods of transportations other than cars.”

“Traffic and pedestrian safety have unfortunately become a more pressing issue in the past several years, not just in our region, but nationwide. Increased economic activity brings all sorts of new jobs and career opportunities for people in our region, but it also means we may need to re-think local traffic safety plans as our thoroughfares see greater use. This additional round of federal infrastructure funding is going to kick-start efforts in both Glastonbury and across southeastern Connecticut to improve traffic and pedestrian safety in towns throughout eastern Connecticut, and it’s another great example of how the IIJA is paying dividends in eastern CT,” said Rep. Courtney.

“This is an important investment in eliminating traffic deaths and improving the walkability of our communities. Everyone should feel safe on our streets, whether you are walking, biking or traveling in an automobile. I’m grateful that the City of Hartford and the towns of Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Middletown, and Glastonbury are receiving federal funding to help address the nationwide rise in traffic deaths. Thanks to the Biden Administration and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Connecticut roads will be safer for everyone who uses them,” said Rep. Larson.

“Miles from my home, people are dying in avoidable traffic accidents because of dangerous intersections and lack of proper signage or traffic markers. That’s why we urgently need the millions of dollars in federal funding headed to our streets and roadways. This investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will mean greater safety for everyone in our communities, from school children in the morning and commuters in the evening to bicyclists on their weekend ride,” said Rep. Jim Himes.

“Connecticut commuters were on my mind when I voted for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Our state will receive over $6 million in funding from the federal Safe Streets for All program to support eight traffic projects. In the Fifth, Danbury will receive a $400,000 Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Grant to outline a path forward for improved commutes. I look forward to working with state and local leaders to make Connecticut roads safe for all commuters,” said Rep. Hayes.

$140,000 for the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments for a regional transportation safety plan

$624,800 for Wethersfield and Rocky Hill for a Silas Deane Highway Corridor Study in Wethersfield and Rocky Hill, Connecticut

$408,000 for the City of Hartford for sidewalk inventory and safety planning

$720,000 for the Middletown CT Comprehensive Traffic Safety Plan

$400,000 for the City of Danbury, Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Grant

$320,000 for the Town of Ridgefield Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Grant

$3,959,346 for the Western Connecticut Council of Governments for Safety Improvements including new crosswalks, curb extensions, bus stops and speed reduction efforts

$96,000 for the Glastonbury Connecticut Community Road Safety Action Plan

The SS4A program supports the Department of Transportation’s goal of zero deaths and serious injuries on our nation’s roadways. This comes at a time where traffic fatalities are at the highest level in decades.

In June 2023, Blumenthal reintroduced the Road to Zero resolution to reduce traffic fatalities and improve roadway safety for drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and others on the road. Introduction of the resolution follows yesterday’s announcement by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that over 9,000 people died in traffic crashes during the first three months of 2023. By improving data collection and promoting access to safe, reliable transportation, the Road to Zero resolution aims to end roadway fatalities by 2050.

Traffic fatalities are the leading cause of death for Americans under 54, killing over 100 people every day.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-colleagues-urge-department-of-education-omb-to-prioritize-funding-for-open-textbook-pilot-in-fiscal-year-2025,"Murphy, Blumenthal, Colleagues Urge Department of Education, OMB to Prioritize Funding for Open Textbook Pilot in Fiscal Year 2025",2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Thursday joined 13 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Shalanda Young, urging the agency leaders to include strong funding for the Open Textbooks Pilot (Pilot) in the Biden Administration’s Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget request.

The Pilot is a competitive grant program to support the creation and expansion of open college textbooks – textbooks that are freely available under an open license, allowing professors, students, researchers, and others to freely access the materials. The grant program aims to significantly reduce the cost of higher education for students.

The Senators began their letter by emphasizing the importance of open textbooks and how they lower financial barriers to accessing higher education. According to the College Board, the average student at a four-year public college spends roughly $1,240 on books and class supplies. Additionally, U.S. PIRG found in a 2020 survey that 65 percent of students skipped buying a textbook because of the cost, and 90 percent of those students were worried it would affect their grade negatively.

“As the cost of college continues to rise, it is crucial to ensure college is affordable for all students. With a single textbook potentially costing hundreds of dollars, textbook costs, unlike tuition and other college costs, are often overlooked. However, they can create an unnecessary barrier to attaining a college education,” the Senators wrote. “The high cost of textbooks disproportionately impacts low-income students and students of color who are unable to purchase required course materials, placing them at an academic disadvantage.”

The Senators reminded Secretary Cardona and Director Young that open textbooks offer benefits to students and faculty while promoting competition in the textbook market.

“Open textbooks—education resources that are licensed under an open license and made available free of charge to the public—offer quality, cost-effective alternatives to traditional textbooks. When open textbooks are used, students save money. Further, faculty members have greater flexibility to adapt and customize materials to meet their specific needs. The expanded use of open textbooks also has the potential to promote healthy competition in the traditional textbook market, which would reduce prices overall,” the Senators wrote in the letter.

The Senators concluded their letter, highlighting the popularity of open textbook programs and urging the Biden Administration to consider the Pilot as a strong priority while drafting the FY25 budget.

“Colleges and universities increasingly are seeking to utilize open textbooks programs, such as those supported by the Pilot. Since the creation of the Pilot in FY 2018, the Department of Education has received 69 applications for projects while only being able to fund 18 projects. Further, programs supported by the Pilot are estimated to have saved students $250 million,” the Senators wrote. “Additional funding would increase these savings for students.”

“We urge you to continue to work to make college affordable for students by including robust funding for the Pilot in the Administration’s FY 2025 budget request,” the letter concluded.

U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) also signed the letter.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Cardona and Director Young:

We write to request that you include robust funding for the Open Textbooks Pilot (Pilot) in the Administration’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget request.

As the cost of college continues to rise, it is crucial to ensure college is affordable for all students. With a single textbook potentially costing hundreds of dollars, textbook costs, unlike tuition and other college costs, are often overlooked. However, they can create an unnecessary barrier to attaining a college education. According to the College Board, the average student at a four-year public college spends approximately $1,240 on books and supplies. According to a 2020 survey by U.S. PIRG, 65 percent of students skipped buying a textbook because of the cost, and 90 percent of those students were worried it would affect their grade negatively. The high cost of textbooks disproportionately impacts low-income students and students of color who are unable to purchase required course materials, placing them at an academic disadvantage.

Open textbooks—education resources that are licensed under an open license and made available free of charge to the public—offer quality, cost-effective alternatives to traditional textbooks. When open textbooks are used, students save money. Further, faculty members have greater flexibility to adapt and customize materials to meet their specific needs. The expanded use of open textbooks also has the potential to promote healthy competition in the traditional textbook market, which would reduce prices overall.

Colleges and universities increasingly are seeking to utilize open textbooks programs, such as those supported by the Pilot. Since the creation of the Pilot in FY 2018, the Department of Education has received 69 applications for projects while only being able to fund 18 projects. Further, programs supported by the Pilot are estimated to have saved students $250 million. Additional funding would increase these savings for students.

We urge you to continue to work to make college affordable for students by including robust funding for the Pilot in the Administration’s FY 2025 budget request. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-kaine-smith-introduce-bill-to-modernize-public-health-data-infrastructure,"Murphy, Kaine, Smith Introduce Bill to Modernize Public Health Data Infrastructure",2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) reintroduced the Improving Data Accessibility Through Advancements (DATA) in Public Health Act, legislation to modernize our nation’s public health data infrastructure. This bill would increase timely and accurate information sharing between local, state, and federal public health departments to improve our preparedness and response to emerging public health threats.

“Accurate, real-time data is key to an effective public health strategy – a major lesson learned from the pandemic. This legislation would bring our public health data infrastructure into the 21st century and make sure local, state, and federal public health departments have the information they need to monitor and quickly respond to future emergencies,” said Murphy.

“The pandemic underscored the importance of having an effective public health data sharing system for tracking cases, responding to public health emergencies, and providing live-saving care for those in need,” said Kaine. “While we’ve made some progress to strengthen public health data sharing since COVID, we still have much more to do to better connect local, state, and federal public health systems. The Improving DATA in Public Health Act would help us do that.”

“We need collaboration across all levels of government to ensure that our public health experts have the information they need to make the best decisions,” said Smith. “Addressing the information gaps in public health data is crucial, and this bill provides a much-needed update to the way local, federal, and tribal authorities communicate, ensuring that we are ready to respond to the next public health crisis and keep our communities safe.”

The United States’ early response to the COVID-19 pandemic was hindered by gaps in public health data, varying definitions of data across government agencies, and difficulties accessing data. These barriers made it more difficult for health care professionals to access the data they needed to make timely, evidence-based clinical decisions, and prevented public health officials from accurately monitoring and responding to disease outbreaks. Our public health system learned from these gaps in data and we must make permanent these data sharing requirements. The Improving DATA in Public Health Act would help save lives and prepare the U.S. for future public health crises.

Specifically, the Improving DATA in Public Health Act would improve public health data sharing by:

Directing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish uniform data standards for sharing public health data across local, state, and federal public health systems. Without uniform standards, it’s difficult for federal agencies like the CDC to aggregate public health data and for local and state health systems across the country to respond to public health threats;

Allowing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to strengthen data sharing processes between public health entities, like health care facilities, laboratories, and public health departments;

Creating a grant program for health care providers, academic medical centers, and state and local public health systems to develop best practices on soliciting demographic information used for public health purposes to strengthen the quality and completeness of demographic data collection; and

Establishing an advisory committee of experts to ensure that public health data reporting processes are carried out effectively.

Full text of the bill is available here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-on-the-eleventh-anniversary-of-the-sandy-hook-shooting-the-senate-must-do-more,"Murphy: On the Eleventh Anniversary of the Sandy Hook Shooting, the Senate Must Do More",2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday spoke on the U.S. Senate floor on the eleventh anniversary of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School to honor the twenty children and six educators who were senselessly killed that day.

“Today is a day when we are thinking about all of those parents, about all of those brothers and sisters who this morning had to relive the morning that they went through 11 years ago, December 14, 2012, when 20 sets of parents kissed their first graders goodbye. They dropped them off for school. And never ever saw them again,” Murphy said. “It's a fate that none of us would ever wish on another human being. For those of us who have never experienced the death of a child, there's no way for us to understand what those parents and what those families are going through.”

He continued: “And in Connecticut, we wear our hearts really heavy, but we also get to celebrate all of the things that have happened because so many of these families took their grief and they turned it into action, and they turned it into change. So many of these families have started not-for-profit organizations, have started charities to try to change other people's lives. Many of these families have been deeply engaged in the work of trying to make sure that mass shootings never happen again. There has been a lot of joy and many miracles that have resulted from this awful tragedy. It does not square the moral order of the universe, but it is important to pay tribute to the way in which so many members of the Sandy Hook and Newtown community as well as so many families who are directly affected by this shooting have been able to manage through the grief and perform miracles at the same time.”

On the work ahead and reasons for hope, Murphy said: “This is also a day in which I recommit myself to the notion that I, as a member of the United States Senate, have something to contribute to the work necessary to make sure that kids never, ever, ever face this fate again. And today on the 11th anniversary, I have a little bit more hope than I had on the 10th, or the ninth, or the eighth, or the seventh to the sixth, the fifth of the fourth, [the third], the second, or the first anniversary. Why? Because last year, Republicans and Democrats came together in this Senate in the wake of another mass school shooting, tragically reminiscent of Sandy Hook, the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and we acted. We put aside our political differences. We passed the first serious gun safety measure in 30 years.”

“And why this year I feel more hopeful and more confident is because we now have data, we now have results in the wake of the passage of last year's legislation. Right now, as we speak, we are tracking for there to be a 12 percent reduction in gun murders in this country from 2022 to 2023. That would be the biggest ever one-year reduction in gun murders in our lifetime,” he added.

Murphy concluded: “So today is a day when I relive that moment 11 years ago today. It's a day when I reach out to my friends in Sandy Hook to tell them how much of my heart is with them. But this year, on the 11th anniversary, it's a day in which I have confidence that if we continue to do the hard work of changing our gun laws to make it harder for dangerous people to have weapons and harder for anybody to have the most dangerous weapons, the kind of weapons that were used to kill these kids and teachers, than we can save lives. In one year, we've seen the biggest drop in gun murders in our lifetime. It's a result of legislation that we passed, and it is a signal to us of what we can achieve in the future.”

A full transcript of his remarks can be found below:

“A few days ago, I was with one of the parents from Sandy Hook Elementary School who lost her son 11 years ago today. And she talked about this being the time of the year where she starts to spiral.

“Today is a day when we are thinking about all of those parents, about all of those brothers and sisters who this morning had to relive the morning that they went through 11 years ago, December 14, 2012, when 20 sets of parents kissed their first graders goodbye. They dropped them off for school. And never ever saw them again.

“It's a fate that none of us would ever wish on another human being. For those of us who have never experienced the death of a child, there's no way for us to understand what those parents and what those families are going through.

“One mother of a child who was lost in Sandy Hook had a tactic that she would use in those early days. She would pretend that her son was just at a friend's house on a playdate. She convinced herself, as best she could, that he wasn't dead, that he was just visiting a friend around the corner. It was the only way that she could clean up the house, get through her daily work.

“But then all of a sudden, it would come flooding back to her. He wasn't at a friend's house; he wasn't around the corner. He was never ever coming home. The things that you have to do on a daily basis to try to process the loss of a child, they are unfathomable to most of us.

“Mr. President, I've kind of run out of things to say about these amazing kids and these amazing adults. The adults who protected them that day, the children who would be turning 18 this year. And in Connecticut, we wear our hearts really heavy, but we also get to celebrate all of the things that have happened because so many of these families took their grief and they turned it into action, and they turned it into change.

“So many of these families have started not-for-profit organizations, have started charities to try to change other people's lives. Many of these families have been deeply engaged in the work of trying to make sure that mass shootings never happen again.

“There has been a lot of joy and many miracles that have resulted from this awful tragedy. It does not square the moral order of the universe, but it is important to pay tribute to the way in which so many members of the Sandy Hook and Newtown community as well as so many families who are directly affected by this shooting have been able to manage through the grief and perform miracles at the same time.

“We just need to make a decision as a country as to whether we want to live in a world in which this carnage continues. This isn't an accident; it isn't bad luck. It's a choice. It's just a choice we've made to put our kids in jeopardy every single day that they go to school. For kids that live in my neighborhood in the south end of Hartford, to put them in jeopardy every day when they walk to and from school. It's a choice that we make, and we could make a different choice.

“So today is a day for me that I think about all of my friends in Sandy Hook, that I think back on that day being there at the firehouse that was serving as the emergency response hub, being outside the room as parents were told that their children are lying down on the floor of their elementary school.

“But it's also a day in which I remember that we are not helpless. This is also a day in which I recommit myself to the notion that I, as a member of the United States Senate, have something to contribute to the work necessary to make sure that kids never, ever, ever face this fate again.

“And today on the 11th anniversary, I have a little bit more hope than I had on the 10th, or the ninth, or the eighth of the seventh to the sixth, the fifth of the fourth, the second, [the third], or the first anniversary.

“Why? Because last year, Republicans and Democrats came together in this Senate in the wake of another mass school shooting, tragically reminiscent of Sandy Hook, the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and we acted. We put aside our political differences. We passed the first serious gun safety measure in 30 years. Even though forces outside of this building opposed it, we decided to come together.

“Because we thought we had an obligation to make this country safer, to try to make it a little bit less likely that a parent has to wake up on a morning of the anniversary of their child's death and try to figure out how to survive it.

“And why this year I feel more hopeful and more confident is because we now have data, we now have results in the wake of the passage of last year's legislation. Right now, as we speak, we are tracking for there to be a 12 percent reduction in gun murders in this country from 2022 to 2023. That would be the biggest ever one-year reduction in gun murders in our lifetime.

“Now, what does that mean? It means that eight or ten fewer people are dying every day from gun violence. What does that mean? 110 rather than 120 people are dying of gun violence. That's not an acceptable result, but it is proof of concept. When we change the laws to honor the death of so many innocents, we prevent the death of innocents in the future.

“So today is a day when I relive that moment 11 years ago today. It's a day when I reach out to my friends and Sandy Hook to tell them how much of my heart is with them. But this year, on the 11th anniversary, it's a day in which I have confidence that if we continue to do the hard work of changing our gun laws to make it harder for dangerous people to have weapons and harder for anybody to have the most dangerous weapons, the kind of weapons that were used to kill these kids and teachers, that we can save lives.

“In one year, we've seen the biggest drop in gun murders in our lifetime. It's a result of legislation that we passed, and it is a signal to us of what we can achieve in the future.

“I thank my colleagues for what we did last year. I thank my colleagues for making it possible to show the families in Newtown, the victims of gun violence all across this country what's possible, and on the 11-year mark of that tragedy in Sandy Hook, I compel my friends in the Senate to do more.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-courtney-votes-advance-bipartisan-bills-expand-americans-access,Rep. Courtney Votes to Advance Bipartisan Bills to Expand Americans’ Access to Workforce Training,2023-12-13,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Rep. Joe Courtney, a senior member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, voted to advance two bills out of the Committee that will help workers access affordable, high-quality training and ensure employers have access to a strong talent-pipeline. As the manufacturing supply chain rapidly expands across eastern Connecticut, these bills are critical for workers and employers in the region.

The bipartisan A Stronger Workforce for America Act makes critical improvements to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) that will expand the skills development provided under the law, strengthen the relationship between employers and the workforce system, and put more Americans on the pathway to successful careers.

The Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act provides opportunities for students and workers looking to gain skills in high-demand fields by allowing Pell Grants to support students enrolled in high-quality, short-term workforce programs that will lead to career advancement.

“Workforce training is the backbone of eastern Connecticut’s economy. Since 2016, more than 4,000 workers in eastern CT have graduated from the WIOA-funded Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative, leading them to high-quality careers at Electric Boat and suppliers across the region. Unfortunately, while the U.S. labor force has grown by roughly half over the past four decades, federal spending on workforce development has fallen by two-thirds,” said Rep. Joe Courtney. “The bills I enthusiastically voted for today will deliver overdue investments in WIOA-funded programs, make training opportunities more affordable for learners, and ensure employers can access high-quality candidates for years to come. As our local economy, particularly the submarine industrial base, rapidly expands, these bills will help ensure we have a workforce that can meet the moment.”

“The passage of this bill by the House Education and Workforce Committee is an important first step toward updating our nation’s primary federal workforce development legislation. The draft proposal contains several elements that address shortcomings in the current law while adding innovative approaches, including concepts that have been critical to the success of our award-winning Eastern CT Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Connecticut Workforce Development Council and our federal congressional delegation to refine the elements of the draft that require modification to optimize our system’s capacity to promote economic growth and equitable opportunity,” said Michael Nogelo, President and CEO of Eastern CT Workforce Investment Board.

Since coming to Congress, Courtney has been a champion for WIOA programs, like Connecticut’s Eastern Workforce Investment Board’s (EWIB) Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative, and has worked to increase federal funding to expand the programs’ reach, which has paid dividends in eastern Connecticut. Earlier this year, Bloomberg News featured how Groton, CT has successfully leveraged WIOA to help workers across the region gain in-demand skills and help employers, like Electric Boat, recruit qualified candidates into rewarding careers.

A Stronger Workforce for America Act:

Upgrades the skills of American workers.

o Dedicates 50 percent of the adult and dislocated worker funding toward upskilling workers through “individual training accounts” (ITAs) and on-the-job learning while redirecting an existing funding stream toward ITAs for displaced workers.

o Prioritizes employer-led initiatives that equip workers with the skill sets to fill jobs in critical industries and help the currently employed workforce upskill to avoid displacement and advance their careers.

Delivers greater efficiency and accountability to WIOA programs.

o Streamlines the “eligible training provider list” to focus on outcomes and ensure eligible programs are aligned with the skill and hiring demands of employers.

o Strengthens and fully implements the performance accountability system in the law to hold states and local workforce boards accountable for achieving positive labor market outcomes for program participants.

Strengthens pathways to economic opportunity.

o Places a greater emphasis on work-based learning for youth, codifies and strengthens a program to help individuals released from incarceration transition back to employment and access career pathways, and strengthens workforce education programs at community colleges that align with in-demand jobs.

Fuels innovation for a skills-based economy.

o Establishes a demonstration authority to provide several states and local workforce boards the flexibility to reimagine their workforce system and innovate in pursuit of better outcomes.

o Facilitates skills-based hiring by validating workers’ competencies gained through prior experience and authorizing state and local boards to provide technical assistance to employers on implementing skills-based hiring practices.

The Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act:

Helps low-income students participate in short-term programs to move into a job quickly.

Creates a quality assurance system for Workforce Pell Grant programs—allowing any institution of higher education to participate as long as they meet all the requirements.

Guarantees that program prices are aligned with economic value, so students and taxpayers receive a positive return on investment.

Ensures programs provide students with relevant education and competencies necessary for employment in in-demand industries.

Outlines a process for recognized accreditors to oversee Workforce Pell programs at the institutions they accredit and supports the on-ramp of new expert accreditors to oversee Workforce Pell programs, minimizing the time it will take to implement Workforce Pell fully.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=E104D7F7-E0B7-4AD6-82E9-0027199B3792,Hayes Introduces Original Legislation to Launch and Expand Violence Intervention Programs in Schools,2023-12-13,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Jahana Hayes,H001081,hayes.house.gov,hayes,https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05), introduced the School Violence Prevention Act, which provides organizations grants to create or expand school-based programs to support children at the highest risk for involvement in gun violence. In Connecticut, juveniles make up 16.7% of Weapons Violation arrests.

An estimated three million children witness a shooting each year. These traumatic incidents have been linked to poor academic performance including lower grades and increased absences from school in comparison to their peers. Those who have been exposed to violence are more likely to engage in crime as adolescents as well.

“Under my legislation, kids who are at risk for involvement in gun violence would receive education-based programs that address gun violence,” said Congresswoman Hayes. “Instances of gun violence committed by children often stem from a deep cycle of violence. Without intervention, these tragedies will persist. By connecting youth to mental health professionals, counselors, and mentors, and increasing healthy community engagement we can better address the root causes of violence and stop the escalation to devastating tragedies. The School Violence Prevention Act builds on years of community violence intervention efforts, expanding those same strategies into schools will keep students safe.”

“It is unconscionable that guns are the number one cause of death for children and teens 19 and younger. Keeping children safe in all the places they may be harmed—and especially in school—is critical. We thank Representative Hayes for introducing the School Violence Prevention Act to invest in programs that will help protect the children who are most at risk of gun violence,” said Adzi Vokhiwa, GIFFORDS Federal Affairs Director.

“It’s abhorrent that guns are now the number one killer of American children and teens. Congress must pass a set of comprehensive policies including the School Violence Prevention Act to reduce gun deaths and injuries among children. Children from all corners of our nation deserve to feel safe in their schools and grow up without getting shot,"" said Po Murray, Chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance.

To qualify for grants funded by the School Violence Prevention Act, organizations must facilitate partnerships between youth and their communities, increase teacher professional development for trauma support services, and use evidence-based programming that is effective at preventing or reducing violence among children.

For years, firearms have been the leading cause of death among children and teens ages 1-19. Firearm homicide rates are highest among teens and young adults ages 15-34 and among Black, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hispanic populations.

In the 118th Congress, as Deputy Whip of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, Congresswoman Hayes has prioritized addressing the growing issue of gun violence on school grounds.

In May, the Congresswoman introduced the School Shooting Safety and Preparedness Act to allow the public and policy makers to gain a complete, accurate picture of gun violence in and around school campuses and provide actionable data to help prevent these tragic incidents.

In order to urge House Republican Leadership to address the gun violence crisis, Congresswoman Hayes also signed three discharge petitions in an effort to force a vote on three common sense gun violence prevention measures – the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, Enhanced Background Checks Act, and the Assault Weapons Ban.

Read the full text of the bill HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-markey-joint-statement-on-teslas-recall-of-2-million-vehicles-with-autopilot-system,Blumenthal & Markey Joint Statement on Tesla's Recall of 2 Million Vehicles with Autopilot System,2023-12-13,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) issued the following joint statement after Tesla recalled more than 2 million of its vehicles equipped with Autosteer, an Autopilot feature, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigates nearly 1,000 crashes in which Autopilot was reported to be engaged:

“This recall is critically needed to make Tesla’s cars safer, but it is egregiously overdue. We have long sounded alarms about Tesla exaggerating the true capabilities of Autopilot and other flawed features. We urge NHTSA to continue its investigations to spur necessary recalls, and Tesla to stop misleading drivers and putting the public in great danger.”

Blumenthal and Markey have long pushed for autonomous vehicle (AV) technology safety. In August 2021, Blumenthal and Markey sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), calling for the agency to launch an investigation into Tesla’s advertising of driving automation systems. The full text of the letter can be found here. In February 2022, Blumenthal and Markey sent a letter to Tesla Co-founder and CEO Elon Musk following numerous reports of dangerous braking flaws in Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems and amid several federal safety investigations, voicing serious concerns with the implementation of the company’s technology. The full text of the letter to Musk can be found here. In June 2022, Blumenthal and Markey issued a joint statement applauding the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for upgrading its investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot system from a preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis after identifying additional crashes at first responder sites. In October 2022, Blumenthal and Markey issued a joint statement on a reported DOJ investigation into Tesla’s misleading advertising of driving automation systems. In February 2023, Blumenthal and Markey issued a joint statement on Tesla’s recall of its vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta software due to crash risk.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-applauds-wins-for-connecticut-in-senate-passed-national-defense-authorization-bill-bringing-bill-one-step-closer-to-being-signed-into-law,Blumenthal Applauds Wins for Connecticut in Senate-Passed National Defense Authorization Bill– Bringing Bill One Step Closer to Being Signed into Law,2023-12-13,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on the Senate’s approval of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024 conference report, which includes a number of significant provisions he championed to invest in Connecticut’s defense manufacturing workforce and enhance national security. The bill passed by a vote of 87-13 and will now be considered by the House of Representatives.

“Historic investments in defense platforms made in Connecticut show continued unshakable confidence in our state’s spectacular workforce. This strong bipartisan national security package protects against threats to America now, and in coming years. It underscores a strong commitment to bolstering advanced technologies—submarines, helicopters, and fighter jets—investing in workforce development, and taking care of our military families. I fought for the authorization of the trilateral AUKUS agreement –proving the world-class talent of our workforce in Groton constructing Virginia-class submarines,” said Blumenthal. “I am especially proud to have included provisions named in honor of Connecticut servicemembers – Sergeant First Class Michael Clark and Seaman Xavier Sandor – that will make critical improvements to the lives of military families and service men and women.”

As a member of the Committee tasked with crafting the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, Blumenthal championed the following provisions to increase jobs and support critical industries in Connecticut:

Delivering Impactful Investments to Connecticut’s Submarine Industrial Base: Blumenthal fiercely advocated for broad funding for Connecticut’s submarine industry that guarantees our nation’s strategic advantages in undersea warfare while growing Connecticut’s jobs and economy. Blumenthal secured:

1. $5.8 billion to fund ongoing design and construction of the Columbia Class ballistic missile submarine, including $400 million for the submarine industrial base workforce development, shipyard infrastructure, supplier development, and technology opportunities that assist the growing demand for investment in these assets.

2. $10.3 billion to fully fund two Virginia Class submarines in Fiscal Year 2024 and additional funding for advanced procurement of two ships in Fiscal Year 2025 and two ships in Fiscal Year 2026; an additional $244 million in industrial base analysis and sustainment support that will ensure continued growth for the submarine industrial base.

Bolstering Production of Cutting-Edge Helicopters: Blumenthal pushed for strong funding of helicopters, including the CH-53K King Stallion, HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter, UH-60M Black Hawk, and Future Vertical Lift Program. Funding of these programs supports continued investments in Sikorsky helicopters and countless other Connecticut businesses that support the helicopter industrial base. Blumenthal secured:

1. $1.698 billion to fund a total of 16 CH-53K King Stallion Helicopters.

2. $48 million for HH-60W capability upgrades and modernization developments.

3. $669 million to fund 24 UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters.

4. $92 million in UH-60M advanced procurement funding.

5. $153.1 million to fund 26 UH-60L and UH-60V Black Hawk Helicopters.

Increasing our F-35 Fleet: Blumenthal has prioritized the expansion of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, the only fifth generation fighter in production, which Connecticut’s Pratt and Whitney is the sole engine-manufacturer of. Blumenthal secured:

1. $9.42 billion for 83 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters across the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps.

2. $613 million in F-35 advance procurement funding.

Prioritizing Workforce Development: Blumenthal championed a provision that calls for the Department of Defense to leverage existing relationships with the Joint Defense Manufacturing Council to support workforce development. This effort will lead to additional research and development and increase workforce capacity in areas such as supply chain management and contested logistics.

Blumenthal also fought for key provisions to support servicemembers and improve defense policy, including:

Improving Living Conditions for Sailors: Blumenthal fought for inclusion of the Seaman Xavier Sandor Support Act, which would provide new rules, resources, and conditions for sailors when their ships are in for overhaul or refueling. Specifically, the measure would provide Sailors with a Basic Allowance for Housing and enhanced mental health services. The measure is named in honor of Seaman Recruit Xavier Sandor from Shelton, who passed away last year on the USS George Washington while it underwent extended maintenance overhaul in a shipyard.

Increasing Servicemember Pay: Blumenthal championed a 5.2 percent pay increase – the largest in decades – for our servicemembers and DOD civilians to recognize their sacrifice, impact, and contributions to our national defense.

Extending TRICARE Survivor Benefits for Guard and Reserve Families: Blumenthal secured a provision that would extend the timeline for survivor benefits for Guard and Reserve families from the current six-month window to three years. The measure is based on legislation Blumenthal introduced in honor of Sergeant First Class Michael Clark of Bolton, Connecticut, who died during a training exercise in Georgia last year. Under current law, survivors and their families only retain their health benefits for six months following the death of a servicemember. This provision would amend the existing law to provide parity for Guard and Reserve survivor benefits to that of active-duty personnel.

Supporting Medical Care for Wounded Ukrainians: Blumenthal led the charge for language to expand a program established by a Blumenthal-led provision in last year’s NDAA to provide military trauma care for our allies in Ukraine. This provision would support treatment and rehabilitation for Ukrainians suffering from traumatic extremity injuries, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injuries, amputations, and other mental health conditions suffered as a result of Russian aggression.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/after-statewide-housing-listening-tour-murphy-announces-support-for-five-bills-to-address-housing-crisis,"After Statewide Housing Listening Tour, Murphy Announces Support for Five Bills to Address Housing Crisis",2023-12-13,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–Following the completion of his statewide housing listening tour, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Wednesday announced his support for a slate of five pieces of legislation aimed at expanding access to affordable housing. The tour included town halls in Windham, Waterbury, Wethersfield, and Fairfield where Murphy gathered feedback from constituents on the unique housing challenges they are facing, including the rising cost of rent, shortage of housing stock and lack of affordable housing, gentrification, blighted homes and poor housing conditions, and barriers to home ownership.

“The number one issue I hear about all over Connecticut is the cost of housing. That’s why I launched a statewide listening tour to learn more about the challenges facing people in cities, suburbs, and the more rural parts of our state. I talked to renters, homeowners, landlords, and people experiencing homelessness, and while there’s no quick fix, I heard loud and clear that the federal government must do more to find solutions to this nationwide problem. These five bills won’t alone solve the housing crisis, but would help address our country’s massive shortage of affordable housing and provide resources so more families can afford a safe place to live. I’m committed to working with my colleagues in the Senate, the administration, and the state legislature to make sure we are pulling all levers of government to solve this problem,” said Murphy.

Murphy co-sponsored the following bills:

Fair Housing Improvement Act: Would expand housing protections for low-income individuals and veterans by designating source of income and veteran status as protected classes

Choice in Affordable Housing Act: Would incentivize landlord participation in the Housing Choice Voucher Section 8 program through one-time incentive payments to landlords, security deposit payments, bonuses to public housing agencies employing landlord liaisons, and other amounts for recruitment

Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act: Would create a new type of housing voucher aimed at ending homelessness among families with children

Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) Act: Would encourage localities to eliminate discriminatory and burdensome zoning and land use policies to increase supply of affordable housing

Housing Alignment and Coordination of Critical and Effective Supportive Health Services (ACCESS) Act: Would direct the Departments of Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Treasury to issue joint guidance on connecting Medicare beneficiaries to housing-related supports and services

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-reps-courtney-houchins-bipartisan-bill-lower-prescription,"House Passes Reps. Courtney, Houchin’s Bipartisan Bill to Lower Prescription Drug Costs",2023-12-12,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House passed the bipartisan Lower Costs, More Transparency Act which included legislation led by Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Erin Houchin (R-IN) that shines a light on the fees Americans pay at the pharmacy counter.

Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are the middlemen between pharmacies, drugmakers, and health insurers who negotiate the price Americans pay for prescription drugs. Currently, PBMs are not complying with the rules that require they disclose the profits they make from deals with drug companies, often leading to bonuses for PBMs and higher costs for patients.

The lawmakers’ legislation strengthens requirements to ensure PBMs disclose their compensation and business practices to health care plan fiduciaries (those responsible for administering employee-sponsored health care). Employers and their employees deserve to know that the insurance products they are buying were negotiated in their best interests.

“As Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said, ‘sunlight is the best disinfectant’ to fight corruption. This bipartisan legislation takes an important step to achieving that goal by improving the transparency of the middlemen, or PBMs, who set prescription drug costs,” said Congressman Courtney. “I am pleased the House took decisive action to pass Rep. Houchin’s and my bill, and ensure employer sponsored insurance gives patients access to care and treatment that is valuable to them, not to commercial entities.”

“I was proud to introduce the Hidden Fees Disclosure Act with Representative Courtney and am glad to see its inclusion in the Lower Cost, More Transparency Act. This bipartisan legislation is the first step toward affordability in healthcare. Prescription drug pricing is among the issues I hear about most from constituents. We can’t drive down cost without the benefit of full transparency. I look forward to continuing our work together on healthcare affordability. Until that is achieved, I’ll keep contending on behalf of patients in the ninth district,” said Congresswoman Houchin.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=B4869EAB-4D77-4C88-B6F4-96FEC40BEAA9,Hayes Joins 115 House Members in Requesting Increased Home Heating Assistance Funding for Connecticut Families,2023-12-12,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Jahana Hayes,H001081,hayes.house.gov,hayes,https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) joined 115 House members in a letter to House and Senate Leadership requesting increased funding totaling $1.6 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In Connecticut, eligible households typically receive benefits ranging from $180 to $530 paid directly to the utility or fuel provider.

The request comes as the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bill presented by House Republicans proposes a roughly a 65% percent cut to the program.

“According to recent reports, approximately 424,000 Connecticut households face unaffordable home energy costs. For these families, LIHEAP is a critical lifeline that prevents them from making the impossible choice between buying groceries, keeping the lights on, or heating their home,” said Congresswoman Hayes (CT-05). “I joined my colleagues in requesting additional LIHEAP funding in any government funding bill to ensure all Connecticut families can have a warm home every winter.”

In Fiscal Year 2023, the LIHEAP program distributed a total of more than $4.5 billion in home heating assistance to families across the United States, including $100 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding and an additional $1 billion from the government funding package passed in September 2022.

Despite significant federal investment, LIHEAP continues to be underfunded, with just 20 percent of eligible households currently receiving assistance through the program.

Connecticut was recently awarded a total of $7,081,189.00 in LIHEAP funding for this winter, including $70,040,439 in formula funding and an additional $2,040,750 from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. To assist households seeking to determine their eligibility for LIHEAP funding, HHS recently released a tool in English, Spanish, traditional Chinese, and simplified Chinese for households to quickly determine their eligibility.

A copy of the request sent can be accessed HERE.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-op-ed-in-the-new-republic-the-spiritual-unspooling-of-america-a-case-for-political-realignment,Murphy Op-Ed in the New Republic: The Spiritual Unspooling of America: A Case for Political Realignment,2023-12-12,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Tuesday authored an op-ed for the New Republic to make the case for a political realignment oriented around a set of solutions that would address America’s spiritual unspooling and enable Americans to have more economic control over their lives, more social connection, and more moral markets. First, Murphy lays out the four sources of our collective unease: a loss of control over economic and family life; an acute loneliness and disconnection from community; a frustration with the pace and nature of technological change; and an exhaustion with suffocating consumerism. Murphy argues Democrats should seize the growing opportunity for left-right convergence to build new coalitions that will advance policies to raise wages, support families, rein in Big Tech, and promote connection.

“I think that rather than continuing this alternating obsession with intractable partisan battles and issues that feel distant from their quality of life, Americans want their political leaders to take a step back and ask two simple questions: What makes a good life, filled with purpose, meaning, and happiness? And what does government need to do—and not do—so that more people have access to this life? If more of us asked these questions, we might find that America is not actually as divided as the outrage industry would have us believe. Indeed, there exists a set of shared feelings and fears, on both the right and the left, that could provide a road map for anyone committed to developing policies that address the spiritual unspooling that is happening in many Americans’ lives,” Murphy wrote.

On the opportunity to find left-right consensus on a different set of issues than those that have traditionally divided the two parties, Murphy wrote: “To resolve this growing crisis of spiritual health, I believe Americans badly want our politics to be organized around a shared national project. Instead, our politics today are ordered to serve a set of issues where the two sides—right and left—are hopelessly divided. Abortion and reproductive rights, immigration, and health care are all vital issues, and as a progressive who believes in LGBTQ rights, reproductive freedom, and universal health care, I don’t plan on backing down on any of these fights. But our decision to base our political groupings on these issues masks a potentially massive, hidden alignment between Americans on both the right and left—an alignment that could potentially address the set of spiritual problems I have outlined here. “

He added: “Still, the fact that growing constituencies on both the right and left—whether secular or religious—are calling for the elevation of nonmarket values and the centering of the common good in our national life suggests an opportunity to find common ground. We should not be so certain that there is not some overlapping space in the Venn diagram of virtues that the right and left hold sacred.”

“Maybe I am hopelessly naïve. Maybe too many on the right are so stubbornly wedded to their anti-gay, anti-choice, pro-gun, or patriarchal views that they will not entertain overtures to join our coalition. Again, I am not suggesting that the left compromise our commitment to equality or justice for women, children, or LGBTQ individuals in order to expand our coalition. What I am proposing is that outreach is worth the try, even if the chances of success are far from certain. What I’m guessing is that some conservative voters who might not agree with me on the question of an assault weapons ban might actually be more concerned with higher wages than with access to AR-15s. Instead of dismissing such people, we should try to win them over,” he wrote.

Murphy concluded: “Imagining and executing a political realignment to address our spiritual unspooling will not be easy. But our great nation is coming apart at the seams; too many of our people are unhappy and unfulfilled, ready to be set against their fellow Americans over the slightest grievance by unscrupulous demagogues. Americans on the right and left want a politics built around a new set of issues that can unite, not divide, our nation. A realignment that will infuse vibrancy and relevancy back into our politics is there for taking. We should stop ignoring it.”

Read the full op-ed here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-casey-introduce-eviction-prevention-act,"DeLauro, Casey Introduce Eviction Prevention Act",2023-12-11,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa L. DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,delauro,https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Eviction Prevention Act, legislation that would help low-income individuals get access to legal counsel if they are being evicted.

“It cannot be understated how devastating an eviction can be for individuals or families.” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “I understand it very well, as my family and I were evicted when I was growing up. Eviction turned our world upside down, and I know all too well how it can completely upend someone’s life. That is why I am so proud to introduce the Eviction Prevention Act with Senator Casey, legislation that will help individuals facing eviction get connected with legal counsel that can help them and their families stay housed. My home state of Connecticut has already enacted a Right to Counsel and in just a short amount of time, we have kept people in their home. The Eviction Prevention Act would build on this success and expand this critically needed program nationwide.”

“Far too many Americans are at an increased risk of eviction and homelessness because they don’t have access to legal representation to help them and advocate for them,” said Senator Casey. “This bill will help families stay housed and level the playing field between tenants and landlords. It’s past time we devoted more federal resources to helping families in Pennsylvania and across the Nation keep a roof over their heads.”

“The National Housing Law Project is pleased to endorse Representative DeLauro and Senator Casey’s Eviction Prevention Act. The US affordable housing crisis is reaching a fever pitch, and evictions have risen above pre-pandemic levels. As renters navigate this dangerous market, they increasingly face rent gauging, significant rent burden, and frequent and unjust evictions. And they are taking on these challenges without adequate representation in housing court. The Eviction Prevention Act would authorize new grants to provide representation to tenants, create the nation’s first federal evictions database, and generate a government report on the evictions landscape in America. The bill is essential to understanding the depth of our evictions crisis and necessary to reduce future evictions.” – Shamus Roller, Executive Director of National Housing Law Project.

“Even before the pandemic, millions of the lowest-income and most marginalized households were just one financial shock away from falling behind on their rent, losing their homes, and, in worst cases, experiencing homelessness. Today, many of these same households are even more precariously housed,” stated Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “The long-standing eviction crisis – which predominantly harms Black women – underscores the need for both urgent action and long-term solutions, including the ‘Eviction Prevention Act” from Representative DeLauro and Senator Casey.”

The legislation is endorsed by National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, National League of Cities, Public Justice, A Way Home Aerica, Community Legal Services Philadelphia, the Connecticut Fair Housing Center, and True Colors United.

A Connecticut renter facing eviction is 49 percent less likely to be forced to leave their home if they have a lawyer. Sadly, only seven percent of tenants in Connecticut have a lawyer representing them in eviction proceedings. A Connecticut program offering free legal representation to low-income tenants facing evictions saved the state millions it would have otherwise spent on emergency shelters.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-urges-ftc-investigation-of-vanilla-gift-card-maker-following-reports-of-scams,Blumenthal Urges FTC Investigation of Vanilla Gift Card Maker Following Reports of Scams,2023-12-11,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[Hartford, CT] –U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urging an investigation into the practices of Incomm Financial Services, a payment technology company whose failure to properly secure its Vanilla gift cards have left consumers susceptible to monetary theft.

“Incomm has been aware of this problem for a decade but took no action to improve the packaging design of their cards or to swiftly reimburse victims of card draining,” wrote Blumenthal in a letter to the FTC Chair Lina Khan.

A recent lawsuit filed by the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office (SFCAO), with the help of the San Francisco Affirmative Litigation Project (SFALP) at Yale Law School, reveals that the insecure cardboard packaging makes Vanilla gift cards susceptible to “card draining,” a criminal practice in which an individual obtains card information without leaving signs of tampering. Once consumers purchase and activate these gift cards at a retail store, fraudsters then empty the card of all funds.

In the letter, Blumenthal urges the FTC to work with the SFCAO to investigate the business practices of Incomm Financial Services that have led to widespread fraud, including cases in Connecticut.

“These instances of card draining will likely continue unless Incomm enhances the security features of their prepaid gift cards. As the SFCAO complaint demonstrates, this fraud has impacted Americans across the country, calling for complementary action from the Commission to ensure vigorous enforcement of our consumer protection laws,” Blumenthal wrote.

During a press conference in Hartford today, Blumenthal joined Connecticut resident, Lesley Gustafson, a victim of the Vanilla gift card scams, to warn consumers of these common card draining practices.

A copy of the letter can be found here and below and video from today’s press conference can be found here.

December 11, 2023

The Honorable Lina M. Khan

Chair

Federal Trade Commission

600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20580

Dear Chair Khan,

As consumers prepare to purchase prepaid gift cards for their friends and family this holiday season, I strongly urge the Federal Trade Commission (Commission) to investigate the practices of Incomm Financial Services (Incomm), a payments technology company whose negligent failure to properly secure its Vanilla gift cards have left consumers susceptible to monetary theft. It is critical that the Commission protect consumers against fraud and significant financial loss by holding Incomm accountable for their unfair and deceptive business practices.

A recent lawsuit filed by the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office (SFCAO) reveals that Incomm failed to secure the packaging of their popular Vanilla gift cards, allowing anyone to obtain a card’s information from beneath its cardboard sleeve. As a result, bad actors targeted consumers through “card draining,” a practice in which an individual obtains card information without leaving signs of tampering. Once consumers purchase and activate these gift cards at a retail store, fraudsters then empty the card of all funds.

Incomm has been aware of this problem for a decade but took no action to improve the packaging design of their cards or to swiftly reimburse victims of card draining. By contrast, Incomm’s competitors have taken simple and cost-effective measures to protect their gift cards against fraud, such as through tamper proof packaging. Further, Incomm frequently failed to quickly remediate fraud and reimburse consumers for their losses as a result of their negligent failure to adequately protect their Vanilla card. Consumers across the United States, including Connecticut residents, have been victims of this fraudulent action.

In the past, the Commission has brought enforcement actions and civil suits against financial institutions that have turned a blind eye to consumer fraud, citing violations of the FTC Act among other statutes. For instance, in January 2017, the Commission charged Western Union with failing to implement an anti-fraud policy for their money transfer system, in some cases even facilitating those acts of fraud. More recently in June 2022, the Commission sued Walmart for failing to secure its money transfer system and allowing bad actors to scam consumers out of hundreds of millions of dollars. These examples are no different than the practices of Incomm, whose neglect and refusal to implement improved security features have unjustly harmed consumers.

These instances of card draining will likely continue unless Incomm enhances the security features of their prepaid gift cards. As the SFCAO complaint demonstrates, this fraud has impacted Americans across the country, calling for complementary action from the Commission to ensure vigorous enforcement of our consumer protection laws at a state and federal level. I therefore urge your agency to coordinate and support the efforts of SFCAO, and to work with them investigate the business practices of Incomm leading to this widespread fraud. It is time we put an end to this practice and offer justice to the consumers who have been harmed as a result.

Sincerely,

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/witness-announced-permanent-subcommittee-on-investigations-to-hold-hearing-on-sexual-assault-and-harassment-at-the-coast-guard-academy,Witness Announced: Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations to Hold Hearing on Sexual Assault and Harassment at the Coast Guard Academy,2023-12-11,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) Chairman Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ranking Member Ron Johnson (R-WI) will convene a hearing next Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 10:00 AM in 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building titled “Coast Guard Academy Whistleblowers: Stories of Sexual Assault and Harassment.”

The hearing will include testimony from:

· Commander Jennifer Yount, United States Coast Guard (Ret.)

United States Coast Guard Academy, Class of 1981

· Caitlin E. Maro

Former Member of United States Coast Guard Academy, Class of 2008

· Lieutenant Melissa McCafferty, United States Coast Guard (Ret.)

United States Coast Guard Academy, Class of 2011

· First Class Cadet Kyra Grace Holmstrup, United States Coast Guard

United States Coast Guard Academy, Class of 2024

· Colonel Lorry Fenner, United States Air Force (Ret.)

Director of Government Affairs, Service Women’s Action Network

In September 2023, PSI opened a bipartisan inquiry into the Coast Guard Academy’s mishandling of sexual assault investigations and its failure to disclose the results of its sexual assault investigation to Congress or the public.

The full text of the senators’ initial letter to the Coast Guard is available here.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-op-ed-with-tim-ryan-people-are-sick-of-feeling-like-their-own-time-no-longer-belongs-to-them,Murphy Op-Ed with Tim Ryan: People Are Sick of Feeling Like Their Own Time No Longer Belongs to Them,2023-12-11,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) this weekend authored an op-ed with former U.S. Representative Tim Ryan (D-Ohio-13) for MSNBC making the case for a new economic vision that recognizes the importance of leisure and free time. Thanks in part to longer work hours and wages that haven’t kept up with living standards, Americans have fewer hours to spend with friends and family, engage in hobbies, and build community which comes at a cost to our mental, physical, and spiritual health.

“People today feel like they’re stuck on a hamster wheel. As corporate profits soar, wages have failed to keep pace. Millions of Americans juggle multiple jobs to make ends meet. Today, the average worker has to clock 70 hours a week to sustain the same quality of life that 40 hours of work afforded 50 years ago. And for many, cellphones and laptops have made it impossible to ever escape the grip of work, even at home. With one income no longer enough to sustain an average family budget, parents’ days are lengthened by the extra time necessary to shuttle children to and from child care,” Murphy and Ryan wrote.

“Less and less free time leaves Americans feeling more on edge, more anxious, and more alone than ever before. We are disconnected from each other mentally, physically and emotionally, and we witness the ripple effects in the erosion of civility, the growth of fringe politics, and the increase in violence, suicide and overdose rates. The nation’s emotional health is spiraling in part because there is less and less time for leisure and connection,” they continued.

Murphy and Ryan laid out a series of policies to build community and give people back their free time: “To return to a time when work matters less and leisure matters more, we need to build a new economy where a full-time job provides a living wage. One 40-hour-a-week income should be able to support a family of four. This would assure the worker has adequate free time, and allow one parent in two-parent households, should he or she choose, to be out of the workforce and engaged in full-time family work. The easiest way to reach this goal would be to raise the federal minimum wage. If the federal minimum wage had simply kept up with inflation, today it would be $27 an hour, instead of the current $7.25. Perhaps a nearly $20 increase would be unrealistic, but we need an aggressive effort to help workers make up for all this lost ground.”

They added: “We can give unions the boost they need by ensuring federal dollars support union jobs, repealing so-called right-to-work laws that undermine workers, and passing the PRO Act. And we can build on a famous union victory — the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which set up the 40-hour workweek.”

On restoring third places, they wrote: “We also need a national strategy to reinvest in the physical infrastructure that connects communities. We need public investments and tax incentives to rebuild and reinvigorate old downtowns, expand neighborhood parks and athletic facilities, build bike and walking trails, and clean our waters to encourage outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking and canoeing. In other words, invest in the projects that get people out of their homes and offer opportunities for us to connect with each other in communal spaces — all while creating a good number of jobs.”

“Finally, we also need to acknowledge that there is a growing industry devoted to exploiting our leisure time. Social media platforms are obsessed with occupying every second of our free time and profiting off the data they collect on us. Recent advancements in AI have only accelerated this trend. In 2013, the average American spent about four hours per week on social media and 6 ½ hours per week with close friends. By 2021, we were spending almost 16 hours per week on social media and just 2 hours and 45 minutes with our friends. Regulating social media and artificial intelligence to make these products less addictive can restore leisure time that enhances spiritual health, rather than companies’ bottom lines,” they wrote.

They concluded: “For too long, policy has failed to realize the metaphysical value of free time and play — even for adults. We need a new economic vision that prioritizes leisure and social connection. That’s the only path to recover the spiritual health of our nation.”

Read the full op-ed here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-on-meet-the-press-putin-is-delighting-in-republicans-insistence-we-tie-immigration-reform-to-ukraine-aid,Murphy on Meet the Press: Putin is Delighting in Republicans' Insistence We Tie Immigration Reform to Ukraine Aid,2023-12-10,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Sunday joined NBC’s Meet the Press with Kristen Welker to discuss talks with Republicans on immigration reform, the dire situation in Ukraine, and the stakes of the 2024 election.

“First, I think it's absolutely tragic that Republicans are tying the resolution of maybe the most difficult issue in American politics, immigration, to support for Ukraine and Israel. Vladimir Putin is delighting right now in Republicans’ insistence that we get a deal on immigration reform. And if we don't, then they are going to allow Vladimir Putin to march into Ukraine and perhaps into Europe. I think this is one of the most dangerous moments that I've ever faced in American politics, and I wish Republicans weren't holding Israel aid and aid to Ukraine hostage to the resolution of immigration reform,” said Murphy.

Murphy continued: “That being said, we are still in the room trying to deal with Republican demands. We are not going to put Donald Trump's immigration policies into statute. We're not going to do that. That would be bad for the country. But we do need to do something to try to resolve this crisis at the border. We have too many people crossing, too many people that don't have valid asylum claims. And if Republicans are serious about trying to control that crisis, while also still allowing into the country people who are legitimately fleeing terror and torture and violence, then we can come to a resolution.”

On the state of negotiations, Murphy said: “Right now, Republican demands are unreasonable. They don't actually get Democratic votes. If I were a cynic, I would say that Republicans have decided to tie support for Ukraine to immigration reform because they want Ukraine aid to fail. But, I'm not a cynic. And so we are still trying to resolve some pretty big differences that remain.”

“I think the bottom line for Democrats and the bottom line for my constituents is pretty simple. We don't want to shut off the United States of America to people who are coming here to be rescued from dangerous, miserable circumstances in which their life is in jeopardy. That's the best of America is that you can come here to be rescued from terror and torture. So we are not going to support anything that shuts down the border completely to people who are legitimately coming here to have their lives rescued. But we are willing to talk about tightening some of the rules so that you don't have 10,000 people arriving a day. Our resources are not equipped to be able to handle that number of people. So let's reduce the number of people who are coming here, but let's not shut down the border completely to legitimate claims,” Murphy added.

Murphy highlighted the importance of getting aid to Ukraine in this moment: “It can change the outcome of this war because at the very same time that we are making a renewed commitment to Ukraine, Russia's ability to continue to fight this war is in jeopardy. You look at the revenues from oil sales, the projections for the next year, Russia is going to have a hard time coming up with the resources necessary to keep this fight going. In the end, will there likely have to be a negotiated solution? Absolutely. But if we cut off Ukraine now, the outcome is certain. The outcome is certain. Ukraine loses this war, maybe not next month, but sometime next year, because Europe will not stick with us if the United States abandons Ukraine. This is a decision moment for Ukraine, for the United States, and for the world.”

On the stakes of the 2024 presidential election, Murphy said: “What I am absolutely certain of is that the American public are going to see a distinct contrast between Joe Biden and Donald Trump and are not going to be interested in a Trump presidency that's going to criminalize abortion, that’s going to give more handouts to billionaires and the wealthy. They're going to see President Biden who has invested in the middle class, who has helped this economy recover. That will be the contrast that will matter to the American people.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-courtney-annual-defense-bill-advances-aukus-trilateral-security,Rep. Courtney: Annual Defense Bill Advances AUKUS Trilateral Security Agreement,2023-12-07,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement upon the completion and release of the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by the House and Senate Conference Committee. The bill includes authorization for the transfer of Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, the training of Australian private sector defense personnel, the integration of Australian financial contributions to the U.S. defense industrial base, and the sharing of technology and information between the three nations to safely streamline security cooperation. The bill also includes a provision for the Navy to enter into a contract for up to 13 Virginia-class submarines in the next contract.

“After weeks of negotiations within the NDAA Conference Committee and over a year of advocacy from Canberra to Washington, the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act reported out today advances the AUKUS trilateral security agreement. For the first time since the launch of the USS Nautilus in 1958, this NDAA authorizes the US Navy to sell three conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines to another nation—our steadfast ally Australia. In addition, it streamlines technology sharing among the three AUKUS allies under the umbrella of the Defense Production Act to strengthen deterrence in the Indo-Pacific. Lastly, it includes authority for the Navy to purchase up to 13 Virginia-class submarines in the next block contract which will guarantee a steady demand to boost production capacity and thus meet our fleet requirements.

“I thank leaders of the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees, as well as Australian Ambassador Kevin Rudd and UK Ambassador Dame Karen Pierce, for their advocacy and unwavering support of my efforts to see these provisions included in the final FY24 NDAA.

“I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this bill on the House floor and sending it to the President’s desk for the 63rd consecutive year. At a time when division and partisanship continue to be the prevailing narratives around Congress, the National Defense Authorization Act proves that we can work together to ensure our national security and support our allies.”

Text of the conference report can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=3B58B068-32B0-4648-8A18-CFA0EBE2C87C,Hayes Statement on Vote to Censure Representative Bowman,2023-12-07,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Jahana Hayes,H001081,hayes.house.gov,hayes,https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, following the vote to Censure Representative Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) released the following statement:

“Today, I voted YEA on a resolution to censure Representative Jamaal Bowman for pulling a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building on September 30th, 2023. While I disagree with the decision of the Republican majority to put the resolution on the House Floor, and the watering down of the censure process, I believe what Representative Bowman did was wrong and as Members of Congress we should be held to a higher standard.

Representative Bowman has been a champion on educational issues, and we have worked side by side to advance childcare, healthcare and access for students and I look forward to continuing our work on the Committee of Education and the Workforce to address the historic underfunding in our K-12 schools, the teacher shortage, and many of the other issues plaguing our nation's education system.

In my hometown of Waterbury, Connecticut, we continue to mourn the lives of two firefighters who died, and another who was seriously injured, when their fire truck slammed into a tree while racing to respond to a false alarm. I have spent the better part of the last decade, working with the families of those firefighters and the Waterbury community, to honor their memory and educate our children on the work of first responders.

After the vote, I met with Representative Bowman and had the opportunity to share with him the work of the Rivera-Hughes Memorial Foundation, which was created to memorialize Waterbury Firefighters Heriberto ""Eddie"" Rivera & Howard Hughes and empower youth toward positive academic, social, and healthy outcomes by offering afterschool programs, summer camps, job hunting seminars, and high school internships.

While there may be some who do not understand this vote, I cannot set an example for these children by saying one thing to them and doing another – and party affiliation should not matter. Representative Bowman has expressed interest in supporting the work of the Rivera-Hughes Foundation and I look forward to making that contact.

I wish the Republican majority would stop with these nonsense, political theatre votes and begin to work on behalf of the American people.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-advancement-of-national-defense-authorization-bill,Blumenthal Statement on Advancement of National Defense Authorization Bill,2023-12-07,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on the completion and release of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024 conference report, which includes a number of significant provisions he championed to invest in Connecticut’s defense manufacturing workforce and enhance national security. The bill will now head to the Senate floor.

“Historic investments in defense platforms made in Connecticut show continued unshakable confidence in our state’s spectacular workforce,” said Blumenthal. “This strong bipartisan national security package recognizes threats to America now, and in coming years. It underscores a strong commitment to bolstering advanced technologies—submarines, helicopters, and fighter jets—investing in workforce development, and taking care of our military families. I proudly fought for the authorization of the trilateral AUKUS agreement –proving the world-class talent of our workforce in Groton constructing Virginia-class submarines. I look forward to voting on this bipartisan measure in the coming days, and sending it to President Biden’s desk.”

The text of the conference report can be found here.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/permanent-subcommittee-on-investigations-to-hold-hearing-on-sexual-assault-and-harassment-at-the-coast-guard-academy,Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations to Hold Hearing on Sexual Assault and Harassment at the Coast Guard Academy,2023-12-07,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) Chairman Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ranking Member Ron Johnson (R-WI) will convene a hearing next Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 10:00 AM in 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building on “Coast Guard Academy Whistleblowers: Stories of Sexual Assault and Harassment.”

In September 2023, PSI opened a bipartisan inquiry into the Coast Guard Academy’s mishandling of sexual assault investigations and its failure to disclose the results of its sexual assault investigation to Congress or the public.

The full text of the senators’ initial letter to the Coast Guard is available here. The witnesses for next week’s hearing will be announced at a later date.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-casey-introduce-bill-to-fight-social-isolation-and-loneliness-among-older-americans,"Murphy, Casey Introduce Bill to Fight Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Older Americans",2023-12-07,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) on Thursday introduced the Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults (SILO) Act, legislation to establish a grant and training program for community-based organizations working to address social isolation among older adults and adults with disabilities – two populations at greater risk for loneliness.

""There are tons of local organizations already doing the important work of helping older Americans and adults with disabilities - two gorups most at-risk for social isolation - combat loneliness, and we should be in the business of making sure these programs reach as many people as possible. This legislation would create a new grant program dedicated to supporting community-based organizations focused on helping their neightbors feel a little less alone. It's a simple way the federal government can be a part of the solution,"" said Murphy.

“The COVID-19 pandemic showed us all just how devastating social isolation can be for our mental and physical health,” said Casey. “However, for older Americans and people with disabilities, isolation and loneliness have long been serious issues. The Addressing SILO Act will fund new programs to improve social connection and reduce loneliness among older Americans and help ensure that Americans do not have to spend their golden years isolated and alone.”

More than 1 in 3 adults aged 45 and older feel lonely, and forty percent of adults with a disability reporting feeling lonely or socially isolated. This comes with serious health impacts, including an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, by 29% and 32% respectively, and an increased risk of developing dementia by approximately 50% in older adults. Social isolation among older adults accounts for an estimated $6.7 billion in annual excess Medicare spending.

Specifically, the Addressing SILO Act provides $62.5 million in annual funding to support community-based organizations’ work to:

Train their staff to better address and prevent social isolation and loneliness;

Conduct outreach to individuals at-risk for social isolation and loneliness;?

Develop community-based interventions to mitigate social isolation and loneliness;?

Connect at-risk individuals with social and clinical supports; and??

Evaluate the effectiveness of the programs developed and implemented through the grants.??

Earlier this year, Murphy introduced the National Strategy for Social Connection Act, which would create an Office of Social Connection Policy within the White House to work across federal agencies to develop effective strategies for improved social infrastructure and issue national guidelines for social connection similar to existing guidelines on sleep, nutrition, and physical activity. It would also provide funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to better understand the epidemic of social isolation and loneliness.

A one pager is available here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-submits-public-comment-in-support-of-doj-rule-to-expand-background-checks,Murphy Submits Public Comment in Support of DOJ Rule to Expand Background Checks,2023-12-07,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday submitted a public comment in support of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) proposed new rule to specify the definition of “engaged in the business” as a dealer in firearms. Murphy’s Bipartisan Safer Communities Act clarified the definition of who is “engaged in the business” of dealing in firearms as a person doing so with the intent to “predominately earn a profit.” The proposed rule amends the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) regulations to conform with the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, clarifying who must register as a federally licensed firearms dealer and conduct background checks on gun sales.

The public comment period ends today, and the rule is expected to be finalized sometime in the new year.

“I co-led a bipartisan group of members of Congress who negotiated the eventual legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden in June 2022, which included changes to the statute that are the subject of the EITB NPRM. I write in strong support of the proposed rule, which will increase the efficacy of BSCA, strengthen our background check system, and keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who should not have them, exactly as Congress intended when it enacted BSCA,” he wrote.

Murphy highlighted the deadly toll of current loopholes in our background checks system, writing: “Ultimately, this resulted in countless firearms sales to persons who should not have had access to a gun, which sadly became a common and deadly occurrence. For example, one study in 2017 found that one in five gun sales occurred outside the background check system, predominantly carried out by individuals who did not believe they were engaged in the business of dealing firearms.”

Murphy, in his role as the lead Democratic negotiator, also made clear Congress’ intent in passing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, noting: “Clearly, Congress meant something when it changed the definition of who was engaged in the business, and merely restating existing law seems inconsistent for the product of a bipartisan negotiation. I made public comments during the BSCA negotiations which helped clarify what that something was and which provided additional clarity about the tough negotiated outcome in BSCA: something substantially less than universal background checks, but something more than current law at the time.”

He added: “I am pleased to see the ATF propose a rule interpreting this section of the law as a direct result of BSCA negotiations. This rule is an important and necessary step to ensuring our background check system works as effectively as possible. Based on the text alone, it is plainly obvious that this NPRM aligns with our intent in BSCA.”

The full text of the public comment can be found here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-we-know-background-checks-work-and-90-percent-of-americans-support-them,Murphy: We Know Background Checks Work and 90 Percent of Americans Support Them,2023-12-07,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Wednesday spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to seek unanimous consent to pass the Background Check Expansion Act, legislation to expand federal background checks to nearly all gun sales. Senate Republicans blocked his request.

“I have lost count of the number of times I've come down to the floor of the Senate to talk about this immoral anomaly in which you are subject to the risk of death by gunshot wound in the United States at a rate ten times higher than any other high-income nation,” Murphy said.

Murphy highlighted the popularity of background checks among Americans: “90 percent of Americans supporting universal background checks, checks on every gun sale. 89 percent of Republicans, 89 percent of gun owners, 70 percent of the NRA members. Because even the gun owners, even the people who feel so fired up about this issue that they want to come talk to me in the middle of a county fair, we're not disagreeing about that simple policy: just make sure that people who shouldn't have guns don't get their hands on them.”

Murphy detailed how criminals use loopholes in the background checks system to illegally buy guns online or at gun shows: “One study showed that there were 1.2 million online ads offering firearms for sale that would not require a background check to be done. That same study showed that one in nine prospective buyers of guns online would not pass a background check. That is a rate seven times higher than the denial rate of gun stores. And the reason is that criminals are going online and going to the gun shows because they know they will fail the background check if they go to a brick-and-mortar store.

Murphy continued: “That's what Seth Ator did. He failed a background check when he tried to purchase a gun in 2014. But he went to a private seller online. He bought a gun, and then he used it to kill seven people and wound 25 others in a mass shooting in Odessa. This is not theoretical. This happens. How do you think all these guns get into our cities? It's because the criminal traffickers who have serious criminal records who can’t buy guns at a brick-and-mortar store go to a state that doesn't have universal checks. The criminals, the traffickers buy the guns online or at a gun show and then they drive them up to Hartford, Connecticut, and they sell them on the black market.”

On how background checks save lives, Murphy said: “The data just tells us that people believe in background checks. They want us to pass universal background checks, and the data also tells us that it works. And the numbers vary, but even the least generous studies tell us that in states that have universal background checks like Connecticut, 10 percent less people are dying from gun homicides. And of course my law can’t fully protect the people in my state because those guns get trafficked into Connecticut from states that don't have universal background checks. And so the numbers would be even bigger if we didn't have all these loopholes.”

Murphy concluded: “I got to tell you; something does seem pretty wrong if democracy can't deliver on a 90 percent consensus. And not a 90 percent consensus about whether your road gets paved. A 90 percent consensus on whether kids live or die. 90 percent consensus on an existential question of survival.”

A full transcript of his remarks can be found below:

“I’d like to thank Senator Warnock and others for coming to the floor today to raise this truly existential crisis put it in front of our colleagues. I have lost count of the number of times I've come down to the floor of the Senate to talk about this immoral anomaly in which you are subject to the risk of death by gunshot wound in the United States at a rate ten times higher than any other high-income nation.

“I wish there was a truly complicated set of factors that play into the reason why we have so much more gun violence here than in other nations, but it probably isn't that complicated. We don't have more mental illness in this country. We don't spend less money on law enforcement. We don't have angrier people.

“We just have a lot more guns, and we are much more permissive in this country about allowing felons, dangerous people, the mentally ill to get their hands on guns. And we are much more permissive around the question of which kind of guns get in the hands of private citizens, especially guns that are designed to kill as many human beings as quickly as possible.

“As you can imagine, because I have a pretty high profile on this issue when I'm back in my state, I get confronted a lot by supporters of the Second Amendment, NRA members, you know who want to have a conversation with me about why I believe what I believe. And that conversation normally starts with the assumption that I want to take guns away or ammunition away from law abiding gun owners.

“And almost without exception, when I get confronted by somebody who wants to talk about guns with me, who comes from that gun rights side of the debate, as quickly as I can get the debate to background checks is when we start agreeing.

“Because I have found very few of those conversations in Connecticut, where even in the most heated of arguments, we don't find quick agreement on the simple idea that before you buy a gun, you should have to prove that you're not a criminal or you're not seriously mentally ill. Why? Because law abiding gun owners have gone through background checks.

“They know that in 90 percent of the cases those background checks are processed instantaneously while you are in the store. And for most of the people who are talking to me who aren't mentally ill and don't have criminal histories, that's their only experience – is that the background check is not a barrier to purchasing a gun.

“And so it's just not surprising to me to hear the data that Senator Warnock is talking about. 90 percent of Americans supporting universal background checks, checks on every gun sale. 89 percent of Republicans, 89 percent of gun owners, 70 percent of the NRA members. Because even the gun owners, even the people who feel so fired up about this issue that they want to come talk to me in the middle of a county fair, we're not disagreeing about that simple policy: just make sure that people who shouldn't have guns don't get their hands on them.

“Some people will say, well, it's a hassle. It's an unreasonable barrier. Well, I just told you that in 90 percent of the cases, they're resolved instantaneously. In the ten percent of cases where it takes more than five minutes that's normally because there's something on that person's record that we need to find out. And what we know is that there have been millions of gun purchases that have been denied because felons or seriously mentally ill individuals did try to buy those guns.

“But we also know that 99 percent of Americans live within ten miles of a gun store. There are 60,000 licensed gun dealers across this country who can perform background checks. That's four times the number of McDonald's restaurants in America. It's just not true that this is an unreasonable restriction of your liberty to just make sure you get a background check before you buy a gun.

“Now, what are we talking about? We're talking about guns that are largely sold online and through gun shows. Because the law today, the federal law, that I think we still all agree on. I don't hear a lot of my Republican colleagues proposing legislation to repeal the requirement that you should get a background check if you go into a gun store. All we're talking about is extending that requirement to the place where a lot of guns are now sold in a way they weren't when we pass the National Instant Criminal Background Check law in the early 90s. Today a lot more guns are sold to gun stores. A lot more guns are sold online.

“And the studies that have been done about gun sales online are really troubling. One study showed that there were 1.2 million online ads offering firearms for sale that would not require a background check to be done. That same study showed that one in nine prospective buyers of guns online would not pass a background check. That is a rate seven times higher than the denial rate of gun stores. And the reason is that criminals are going online and going to the gun shows because they know they will fail the background check if they go to a brick-and-mortar store.

“That's what Seth Ator did. He failed a background check when he tried to purchase a gun in 2014. But he went to a private seller online. He bought a gun, and then he used it to kill seven people and wound 25 others in a mass shooting in Odessa.

“This is not theoretical. This happens. How do you think all these guns get into our cities? It's because the criminal traffickers who have serious criminal records who can’t buy guns at a brick-and-mortar store go to a state that doesn't have universal checks. The criminals, the traffickers buy the guns online or at a gun show and then they drive them up to Hartford, Connecticut, and they sell them on the black market.

“The data just tells us that people believe in background checks. They want us to pass universal background checks, and the data also tells us that it works. And the numbers vary, but even the least generous studies tell us that in states that have universal background checks like Connecticut, 10 percent less people are dying from gun homicides. And of course my law can’t fully protect the people in my state because those guns get trafficked into Connecticut from states that don't have universal background checks. And so the numbers would be even bigger if we didn't have all these loopholes.

“And so, I agree with Senator Warnock. This just feels like a test of democracy. It really does. How does democracy survive if 90 percent of Americans, 90 percent of Republicans 90 percent of Democrats want something and we can't deliver it?

“You want to know why people are flirting with autocracy and dictatorship? It's because even when they agree and a 90 percent rate, they can't get what they want from their government. I got to tell you; something does seem pretty wrong if democracy can't deliver on a 90 percent consensus. And not a 90 percent consensus about whether your road gets paved. A 90 percent consensus on whether kids live or die. 90 percent consensus on an existential question of survival.

“And so, Mr. President, as in legislative session, I'm going to ask Mr. President that we pass a bill that will require universal background checks in this country. I'm going to ask my colleagues to respect the wishes of 90 percent of Americans and do something that we know works. So I'm going to ask as in legislative session for unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 494 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration. I further ask consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and motion to reconsider be considered made, and laid upon the table.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-courtney-co-sponsors-bipartisan-legislation-address-immigration,Rep. Courtney Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Address Immigration Crisis,2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement after co-sponsoring the bipartisan Dignity Act to fix our nation’s broken immigration system. This historic bill is the first serious bipartisan immigration solution proposed by Congress in over a decade.

“On both sides of the political aisle, there is widespread agreement that the present immigration system is broken—morally and economically.

“People seeking a new life in the United States have been met with unnavigable processes and, at times, cruel treatment. As a nation founded by refugees with a legal system centered on due process, we must ensure immigrants have a humane and achievable path to legal permanent residency and citizenship.

“In eastern Connecticut, farmers, restaurants, and hotels struggle to hire legal immigrant workers, families and spouses of U.S. citizens are needlessly separated, and foreign students educated at universities in Connecticut and across the nation are caught in the maze of contradictory rules that have not been updated to respond to the current immigration crisis since the 1980s.

“Since then, both parties have offered their own reform policies to no avail, reaffirming that a bipartisan pathway is the only way forward in a divided government to responsibly address our overburdened immigration system and the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

“Congress must find commonsense agreement, which is why I have joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers to co-sponsor the Dignity Act—the only bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform bill introduced in the House this Congress—led by Congresswomen Veronica Escobar (D-TX) and María Elvira Salazar (R-FL).

“While this bill reflects bipartisan compromises, it takes meaningful steps to improve the currently dismantled asylum system which has overwhelmed border communities; offer a reliable path to legal permanent residency and eventually U.S. citizenship; provide resources for effective and focused enforcement of our immigration laws; and target investments for updated technology to prevent the flow of fentanyl and other illegal substances.

“Our nation has a checkered history of welcoming new immigrants, but I believe our country is stronger because of the recurring infusion of energy and talent immigrants bring. The Dignity Act is important progress in our work to make our nation’s immigration system fair, humane, and well-functioning.

For a one-pager on the Dignity Act, click here.

For a more detailed summary of the Dignity Act, click here.

For a section-by-section breakdown of the Dignity Act, click here.

For the full text of the bill, click here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-courtney-responds-new-actions-address-sexual-misconduct-coast-guard,Rep. Courtney Responds to New Actions to Address Sexual Misconduct at Coast Guard Academy,2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement after the Coast Guard released a new report, requested by top Coast Guard chief Admiral Fagan, providing recommendations for internal actions to address and prevent sexual misconduct at the Coast Guard Academy and ensure cases are properly investigated.

“Admiral Fagan’s release of the Accountability and Transparency Review represents a healthy course correction for the Coast Guard in dealing with this persistent problem affecting the service. This clearly demonstrates a fundamental change in leadership, and I strongly support the Commandant’s vision for how the service prevents and responds to incidents of sexual assault and harassment. Notably, the report recommends implementing the “Safe-to-Report” framework which prevents cadets from punishment for minor offenses, like violating curfew, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice when reporting an incident of sexual assault. This policy is perfectly aligned with legislation I introduced earlier this year, and which was codified for other military academies two years ago. I will continue to work with the Coast Guard to ensure that codification will be enacted in the upcoming Coast Guard Authorization Act in the 118th Congress.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=F8A6C843-020B-4C3E-A92E-D61EE88CF606,"Hayes, Markey Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Reauthorize Vital Educational and Workforce Development Program for Vulnerable Youth",2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Jahana Hayes,H001081,hayes.house.gov,hayes,https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the YouthBuild for the Future Act to reauthorize the YouthBuild program, a national program that equips opportunity youth – people ages 16 to 24 who are disconnected from school and work opportunities – to education, employment, and leadership skills.

YouthBuild services more than 5,000 opportunity youth in more than 40 states, including Connecticut. Participants often left school without a diploma and are homeless, foster care youth, migrants, disabled, or an offender.

“Each year, YouthBuild helps thousands of youth earn their high school diploma while learning skills in trades like construction, healthcare, information technology, and logistics,” said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05). “The YouthBuild for the Future Act improves and invests in the job training program to allow more disadvantaged, rural, and low-income youth in the Fifth to confidently join the workforce and have successful futures.”

“Young people are left to carry the weight of generational and systemic failures,” said Senator Markey (D-MA). “YouthBuild helps lift those burdens by investing in young people’s potential and offering them the resources, opportunities, and support to succeed. The investment works: YouthBuild has allowed thousands of young people in Massachusetts and around the country to access life-changing education and workforce development training while serving their communities. Just as YouthBuild champions young people’s potential, Congress must champion YouthBuild.”

Specifically, the YouthBuild for the Future Act will:

Reserve grants for programs serving rural and Tribal communities;

Extend the allowed period of follow-up services to 24 months;

Expedite the provision of services to out-of-school youth by reducing the waiting period to the minimum amount possible;

Allow funding for participant meals;

Allow grantees to count YouthBuild funds towards the matching requirement under the National Community Service Act; and

Require States to share Unemployment Insurance wage data with YouthBuild programs.

“In YouthBuild programs across the country, young people create the next best versions of themselves through skills training, workforce development and education reconnection,” said John Valverde, President and CEO of YouthBuild USA. “Lives are changed, careers are grown and America is strengthened when they gain access to these resources. It is our continued duty to unleash the leadership and untapped potential all around us.”

“Service Year Alliance is happy to support the YouthBuild for the Future Act to reauthorize YouthBuild and implement common-sense policy solutions to improve the YouthBuild experience for opportunity youth and local programs,” said Kristen Bennett, CEO of Service Year Alliance. “In addition to changes that will provide increased services and benefits for YouthBuild participants, the Act will allow funding from the Department of Labor to be used as match for AmeriCorps grants - a desperately needed change that will strengthen YouthBuild programs across the country and increase opportunities for young people. Service years through YouthBuild transform young people’s lives and strengthen communities; Service Year Alliance applauds Representative Hayes for sponsoring the YouthBuild for the Future Act.”

“YouthBuild provides a much-needed opportunity for thousands of young people who are too often overlooked as valuable members of society. Securing YouthBuild funding is critical for our country’s future,” said Terry Moran, Executive Director of Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition.

“The New North Citizen’s Council’s leadership team and our Connecticut River Valley YouthBuild Program is fully supportive of Senator Markey’s YouthBuild for The Future Act. We believe that these much needed modifications to the pre-existing legislation will enhance our services in a way that will be extremely beneficial to the young people that we serve,” said Isaiah Delmoral, Co-Director of NNCC Youth Services.

Read the full text of the bill here.

This bill was included in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022, which passed the House during the 117th Congress. YouthBuild taps into the tremendous potential of young people in our country. These critical updates ensure more youth finishing their education, finding work, and leading happier, safer lives.

Endorsements: YouthBuild USA, The Forum for Youth Investment, Service Year Alliance, The Corps Network, Voices for National Service, Jobs for the Future, National Youth Employment Coalition, Center for Law and Social Policy, Northwest Regional Investment Board, Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition, and New North Citizen's Council Youth Services

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-raises-serious-concerns-over-weighted-sleep-sacks-and-swaddles-for-infants,Blumenthal Raises Serious Concerns over Weighted Sleep Sacks & Swaddles for Infants,2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – In letters to two weighted sleep sack and swaddle manufacturers, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) raised serious concerns about the products’ safety in light of numerous unverified claims made by the companies, strong opposition from child safety experts, and lack of current government oversight.

“I write today regarding the weighted sleep sacks and swaddles developed and sold by your company, Dreamland Baby,” wrote Blumenthal in a letter to Dreamland Baby founder and CEO Tara Williams. A similar letter was sent to Nested Bean founder and president Manasi Gangan. “The Dreamland Baby website claims that these products were developed in partnership with pediatricians. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently shared their opposition to weighted sleep products for infants explicitly saying that ‘weighted swaddle clothing or weighted objects within swaddles are not safe and therefore not recommended.’ That is why I am deeply concerned by your company’s decision to continue selling these products to vulnerable and unsuspecting parents who are ‘sleep-deprived, stressed and desperate for help,’ all while lacking reputable research to back the safety of these items.”

Blumenthal pointed out several dubious safety claims made by the companies, including the claim by Dreamland Baby that their products “exceed all CPSC standards” and a similar claim by Nested Bean that “all Zen Sleep products have undergone extensive tests to meet both mandatory and voluntary safety standards.” Blumenthal emphasized that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) does not have an existing standard for the use of weighted sleep products for infants and stressed that “the lack of comprehensive research and testing into the safety of weighted sleep products for infants is troubling.”

Blumenthal further highlighted the alarming lack of thorough research into these products, including comments by Nested Bean founder and president who stated they were hopeful that the AAP would change its opposition once the products were researched more thoroughly.

“It is clear that there is not yet enough understanding of the impact of weighted sleep products on infants and they should not be marketed as ‘safe’ especially since medical professionals have expressed such serious concerns,” Blumenthal wrote, asking the companies to answer a series of questions into the research and safety precautions taken during the development of the products.

The full text of the letter to Dreamland Baby is available here and below. The letter to Nested Bean is available here.

December 6, 2023

Tara Williams

Dreamland Baby

3338 Deer Hollow Drive

Danville, CA 94506

Dear Ms. Williams,

I write today regarding the weighted sleep sacks and swaddles developed and sold by your company, Dreamland Baby. The Dreamland Baby website claims that these products were developed in partnership with pediatricians.[1] However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently shared their opposition to weighted sleep products for infants explicitly saying that “weighted swaddle clothing or weighted objects within swaddles are not safe and therefore not recommended.”[2] That is why I am deeply concerned by your company’s decision to continue selling these products to vulnerable and unsuspecting parents who are “sleep-deprived, stressed and desperate for help,”[3] all while lacking reputable research to back the safety of these items.

In June 2023, the AAP sent a letter to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urging oversight of weighted sleep products for infants and children. In this letter, they outlined significant health concerns with the use of these products, including the fact that an infant’s ribcage is flexible and not fully ossified so prolonged weight and pressure from these type of products may compress their chest, affecting their breathing and heart rate.[4] Pediatricians have also linked Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) to infants’ inability to startle themselves awake and re-stabilize their system.[5] The deep sleep that is promoted by weighted sleep products may inhibit their natural ability to rouse themselves, putting them at a greater risk for SIDS. Further, infants have small stomachs and are supposed to wake up every few hours to eat. According to the CDC, in their early months, parents should expect infants to feed every 2 to 5 hours.[6] Telling a parent that it is safe for their baby to sleep uninterrupted for hours on end using your products is misleading and harmful.

In addition to the serious health concerns that have already been raised by the AAP, the lack of comprehensive research and testing into the safety of weighted sleep products for infants is troubling. Your company website claims that the weighted sleep sacks and swaddles are rigorously tested and “exceed all CPSC standards.” The CPSC does not have an existing standard for the use of weighted sleep products on infants. Further, the website states that you are working with researchers on a comprehensive study on the safety and efficacy of weighted sleep products.[7] As you know, the results have not been published or verified. In fact, there has been no evidence in peer-reviewed scientific literature evaluating the safety of weighted sleep products on infants and there have been no published studies regarding their use in an unmonitored setting.[8] Yet your company is actively selling these products, marketing them as safe.

One of the studies highlighted on your website was published in 2020 and examined the safety and efficacy of weighted sleep products for infants but the focus was specifically on patients in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) who were suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome. The sample size in this study was small, consisting of 16 infants who were under the weighted blanket for 30-minute sessions with constant supervision.[9] This study did not explain how infants would respond to this pressure over a longer period of time, namely the overnight sleep sessions the weighted sleep sacks are marketed for or how weighted sleep products would affect infants without an underlying condition. The study also acknowledged that additional research with larger sample sizes were necessary, but most importantly, it never advocated or promoted the use of weighted sleep products outside of a hospital setting.

The lack of adequate research into these products has even been underscored by the founder and president of Nested Bean, another weighted sleep sack company, who stated that they were hopeful that the AAP would change its position on the products once they were researched more thoroughly.[10] It is clear that there is not yet enough understanding of the impact of weighted sleep products on infants and they should not be marketed as ‘safe’ especially since medical professionals have expressed such serious concerns.

To better understand the research conducted and safety precautions taken during the development of this product, I request answers to the following questions by December 21st, 2023:

Have you received reports or reviews of incidents, injuries, or deaths resulting from the use of your products, including those that have not been formally reported to the CPSC? If so, please provide the reports for each category of complaints along with the dates of their reporting.

Have you shared any reports of incidents, injuries, or deaths with the CPSC? If so, when?

How do you follow up with consumers who experience negative incidents?

Have consumers returned products due to incidents or perceived hazards? If so, how many and what were the reasons listed for the return?

Which medical experts did you consult with when developing these products?

How many medical experts did you consult?

What background and qualifications do these experts possess?

What was the nature of the consultation?

Did this consultation include a safety assessment? If so, what did the assessment involve?

What were the specific conclusions reached by the experts you consulted?

If you have conducted research or studies into the efficacy and safety of weighted sleep products for infants, please provided details of the process and outcome including the following: the structure of the study and duration of the study periods, whether these studies were conducted with or without supervision, the pediatric experts who led the research, and any findings or reports that may illustrate the rigor of the study.

What information have you relied on to market these products as safe? If sales without injury are one source of information, please explain what safety metrics were used to determine safety when the products were first introduced?

How many Dreamland Baby products are currently in circulation? What levels of growth do you predict over the next fiscal year?

What hospitals are currently using Dreamland Baby products in their NICU?

Have you received any outreach from hospitals using Dreamland Baby products looking to dissolve the partnership given AAP’s recommendations?

Are hospitals recommending the use of Dreamland Baby products to parents or caregivers outside of the hospital setting? (See Exhibit A)

A Google search on November 1, 2023 for “Dreamland Baby weighted blanket” resulted in an advertisement that asserts the following: “Dreamland Baby is the world’s first safety certified weighted blanket designed for infants.” [See Attachment] Who certified this product and to what standard were they certified?

Does your product include any information for consumers that would remind them that young infants need to wake up every few hours to feed?

Your design distributes weight throughout the front of the sleep product, up to 10% of the recommended user’s weight. What medical research do you point to that shows that 10% of a newborn’s or infant’s weight is safe in a weighted product?

Thank you for your attention to this important matter,

Sincerely,

[1] Dreamland Baby, https://dreamlandbabyco.com/pages/faq-producty-safety-and-care

[2] Moon, Rachel, “Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations for Reducing Infant Deaths in the Sleep Environment.” (July 2022). https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/150/1/e2022057990/188304/Sleep-Related-Infant-Deaths-Updated-2022?autologincheck=redirected

[3] Dreamland Baby, https://www.dreamlandbaby.co.uk/blogs/news/the-key-benefits-of-weighted-sleep-sacks-for-babies

[4] Khimm, Suzy “Weighted sleep sacks are unsafe for infants, national pediatricians’ group says” (June 16, 2023). https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/weighted-sleep-sacks-american-academy-pediatrics-rcna89469

[5] Kirchner, Lauren “Pediatricians Warn That Weighted Baby Blankets, Sleep Sacks, and Swaddles Are Not Safe” (July 26, 2023). https://www.consumerreports.org/babies-kids/child-safety/weighted-baby-blankets-sleep-sacks-swaddles-are-not-safe-a6236206799/

[6] CDC “How Much and How Often to Breastfeed” https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/breastfeeding/how-much-and-how-often.html#:~:text=First%20Weeks%20and%20Months&text=On%20average%2C%20most%20exclusively%20breastfed,on%20the%20time%20of%20day

[7] Dreamland Baby, https://dreamlandbabyco.com/pages/safety

[8] AAP letter to the CPSC, https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23849624-aap-letter-61523

[9] Hernandez, Joe “Weighted infant sleepwear is meant to help babies rest better. Critics say it’s risky” (July 27, 2023), https://www.npr.org/2023/07/27/1190263995/weighted-infant-sleepwear-safety",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-senate-republicans-blocking-national-security-funding-package,Blumenthal Statement on Senate Republicans Blocking National Security Funding Package,2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement after the Senate failed to move ahead with a supplemental funding package for national security priorities, including the war in Ukraine:

“Champagne corks are popping in the Kremlin’s halls – celebrating this setback for Ukraine’s democracy and ours. I am still hopeful that my colleagues will come together to provide Ukraine with the tools it needs to turn back Russia’s savage assault. If this vote stands and our support falters, Ukraine may well fall and our own national security could be severely endangered. Let’s show Putin that our democracy still works. Not just Russia, but all of our adversaries and allies, indeed the whole world, is watching.”

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-the-coast-guards-accountability-and-transparency-review,Blumenthal Statement on the Coast Guard's Accountability & Transparency Review,2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement in response to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Accountability and Transparency Review (ATR) report:

“I support any and all efforts to change the longstanding culture that tolerates and allows sexual harassment, assault, and abuse to persist with impunity at the Coast Guard Academy – including the recommendations in this report. But the Coast Guard’s “Accountability” task force did not, in fact, recommend any steps to hold accountable past perpetrators or generations of Coast Guard leaders who oversaw and enabled a culture of misconduct and cover-up. This is unacceptable. Perpetrators must know that their actions will be punished, and survivors must know that their accounts will be taken seriously, their safety protected, and that justice will be pursued on their behalf.”

In September, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) opened a bipartisan inquiry into the Coast Guard Academy’s mishandling of sexual assault investigations and its failure to disclose the results of its sexual assault investigation to Congress or the public.

The full text of the PSI’s initial letter to the Coast Guard is available here.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/videoblumenthal-seeks-passage-of-ethans-law,***Video***Blumenthal Seeks Passage of Ethan's Law,2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today on the Senate Floor, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) sought to pass Ethan’s Law, legislation requiring gun owners to safely and securely store their firearms. U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) objected to the unanimous consent request.

Loaded and unlocked guns kill or injure eight children or teens every day. Ethan’s Law would create federal requirements for safe gun storage and establish strong penalties for any violations. The legislation is named in honor of Ethan Song, a teenager from Guilford, Connecticut who was tragically killed in 2018 by an unsecured gun in a neighbor’s home.

“Ninety percent of the guns used in unintentional shooting deaths by children were left unlocked and loaded. The numbers are outrageous and depressing. But we can do something and we should do something, and that is why I am here today to urge that we pass a bill that ought to be common ground, bipartisan common ground and show that, in fact, democracy can work, we can pass measures that save lives, that should be bipartisan. There ought to be no Republican v. Democratic debate on this floor or anywhere else,” Blumenthal said on the Senate Floor. “It ought to be a matter of common sense and common agreement across the aisle.”

Video of Blumenthal’s remarks is available here. The full transcript is copied below:

You know, as I listened to the objection of my colleague from Utah, I am really struck by the absurdity and exaggeration involved in opposition to these commonsense measures that would simply save lives.

The idea that we haven't debated background checks? What could be more untethered to reality? We have debated background checks for as long as I have been in the United States Senate and before then when I was Attorney General seeking to champion universal background checks. We have debated them in the Judiciary Committee ad nauseam.

And we have shown through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that we can break the hold of the gun lobby that is the source of those absurd and ridiculous arguments. Background checks take no guns away from any law-abiding citizen. They simply assure that people who are dangerous to themselves or others don't have them.

That is the purpose of “red flag” laws, which I have also championed, and many of the other measures that we seek to pass. The repeal of PLCAA which guarantees unbridled immunity to gun manufactures. Ghost guns which we seek to ban because law enforcement finds them so dangerous. And numerous other commonsense measures.

I'm here on behalf of a bill, Ethan's Law, Senate 173, which ought to be common ground for everyone. It simply requires safe storage, and we know that 500 Americans every year, including more than 100 children, die from unintentional firearm injuries, many of them involving weapons that are unsafely stored. There are loaded and unlocked guns in the homes of 4.6 million American children, and many of them perish, because their parents or their neighbor's parents fail to safely store those weapons.

Nobody knows it better than Kristen Song. Her son died as a result of an unsafely stored weapon just after his 15th birthday. He was with a friend and a firearm stored in a Tupperware box was used in play by these two young boys. Ethan Song died.

And Ethan's Law, which I am seeking to pass by unanimous consent today, is in his memory. It was passed by the state House of Representatives in Connecticut and our state Senate. And 26 states – red, blue, purple – already have some form of safe storage and child access prevention laws on the books. We know from the record of these laws in Connecticut that they work, they save lives. And we know also that gun owners believe that safe storage ought to be the law, ought to be required, ought to be mandated so that lives are saved.

In fact, even the firearms industry, including the National Rifle Association, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, agree that safe storage is a critical part of responsible gun ownership. The NRA tells gun owners that, quote, strongboxes and security cases are impressive and give quick access to firearms in a defensive situation. The NSSF tells gun owners to, quote, always make absolutely sure that firearms in your home are securely stored, out of the reach of children, and unauthorized persons.

Ninety percent of the guns used in unintentional shooting deaths by children were left unlocked and loaded. The numbers are outrageous and depressing. But we can do something and we should do something, and that is why I am here today to urge that we pass a bill that ought to be common ground, bipartisan common ground and show that, in fact, democracy can work, we can pass measures that save lives, that should be bipartisan. There ought to be no Republican v. Democratic debate on this floor or anywhere else. It ought to be a matter of common sense and common agreement across the aisle.

And so, as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 173 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration. I further ask that this bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table, no single gun owner will lose a gun, none, as a result of this measure.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-failed-vote-to-pass-national-security-supplemental,Murphy Statement on Failed Vote to Pass National Security Supplemental,2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Wednesday released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked passage of the national security supplemental, which included aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, funding for border security, and support for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program:

“Republicans are playing a dangerous game with the fate of the free world. It's so reckless that they have decided to tie the future of Ukraine and U.S. support for Israel to their hardline demands to shut down the border. The stakes could not be higher, and so I am willing to continue working to find an actual compromise. But it’s time for Republicans to stop playing politics, ditch their unserious proposals, and come to the table with reasonable expectations.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-new-coast-guard-accountability-and-transparency-review-report,Murphy Statement on New Coast Guard Accountability and Transparency Review Report,2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, on Wednesday released the following statement on release of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Accountability and Transparency Review (ATR) report:

“Released one week after we learned the Coast Guard spent eight years covering up additional evidence of harassment, discrimination, and assault within the organization, this new report still does not hold anyone accountable for past failures—particularly those at the Coast Guard Academy. It does lay out a modest plan to improve oversight, training, and support for survivors, but a report is nothing more than paper until concrete steps are taken. I look forward to receiving detailed updates from leadership on implementation of these recommendations and their continued commitment to reforming the organization’s culture of cover-up.”

Murphy has a long pushed the U.S. Coast Guard to deal with harassment and bullying at the Coast Guard Academy. Last week, Murphy released a statement on statement on reporting about the Coast Guard’s 2015 “Culture of Respect” study, which details a culture of racism, hazing, discrimination, and sexual assault across the agency and was kept from the public. Earlier this year, Murphy released a statement on the report detailing decades of sexual misconduct at the Coast Guard Academy. In 2019, he criticized the Coast Guard for covering up allegations of harassment and for failing to appear before the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security and Oversight Committees investigating the allegations. That same year, following an OIG Whistleblower Retaliation Investigation and other reports of bullying, harassment and retaliation at the United States Coast Guard Academy, Murphy wrote a letter to the Coast Guard Commandant demanding reforms to the Academy’s climate of bullying, harassment and retaliation. In 2018, Murphy along with U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02) wrote to Admiral Schultz seeking information on racial disparities at the Coast Guard Academy.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/with-support-from-major-labor-unions-and-players-associations-murphy-sanders-warren-reintroduce-legislation-to-strengthen-college-athletes-collective-bargaining-rights,"With Support From Major Labor Unions And Players Associations, Murphy, Sanders, Warren Reintroduce Legislation To Strengthen College Athletes' Collective Bargaining Rights",2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Wednesday reintroduced the College Athlete Right to Organize Act (CARO), legislation that affirms college athletes are employees under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) who are entitled to the right to organize and collectively bargain for fair compensation and better working conditions. CARO would ensure athletes have full freedom to organize at their individual colleges, either by sport or across sports, or organize across colleges to negotiate collective bargaining agreements within their athletic conferences. U.S. Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.-16) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“All the breathless attention on this weekend’s College Football Playoff selection is a reminder that college sports are anything but amateur. There is no college sports industry and its $16 billion in annual revenues without the athletes' labor. It’s past time they get a seat at the negotiating table. Instead of fighting athletes' rights in courts and spending millions on lobbying Congress, the NCAA and its members should start negotiating directly with players on revenue-sharing, health and safety protections, and more. This legislation would make it easier for the athletes to realize their power, form unions, and start to collectively bargain,” said Murphy.

“We cannot wait for the NCAA to share its billions with the workers who create it,” said Sanders. “And those workers are college athletes. The College Athlete Right to Organize Act is a step in the right direction to giving these workers the rights and protections that they deserve.”

“College athletes put their lives and well-being on the line to make their schools and the NCAA billions of dollars each year – of course they should be able to unionize and make sure they’re paid their fair share of that pot. The College Athlete Right to Organize Act is a common sense next step to protect the young workers powering this industry and give them the rights they deserve,” said Warren.

“College athletes are workers, period. They are skilled and disciplined young people who deserve so much more than to be treated as sources of revenue by the colleges and universities they attend. Their lack of collective bargaining rights, pay, and ownership of their own image is a labor and civil rights issue that requires our immediate action. The College Athlete Right to Organize Act is the first step in bringing college sports into the 21st century by ensuring college athletes have the right to collectively bargain across teams and conferences, and that they are able to advocate for rights, protections, and compensation commensurate with the value they undeniably provide. College athletics are a billion dollar industry, and it’s time to treat those who make it run with the respect, rights, and pay they deserve,” said Bowman.

The legislation is newly endorsed by the major professional players associations including the Major League Baseball Players Association, Major League Soccer Players Association, National Basketball Players Association, National Football League Players Association, National Hockey League Players Association, and United Soccer League Players Association. Actors’ Equity Association, American Association of University Professors, AFL-CIO, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, American Federation of Teachers, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers National Employment Law Project, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and United Steelworkers (USW) also endorsed the bill.

""Collective bargaining has immeasurably benefitted the workers we represent and professional sports as a whole. Athletes enjoy elevated health and safety standards, medical benefits, fair compensation, and other rights both on and off the field. Leagues and teams can negotiate roster construction, player reserve, and other competitive regulations. And fans receive the most compelling entertainment product in the world. The same result is achievable at the collegiate level, and we applaud Sen. Murphy for his continued efforts in support of organizing and collective bargaining,” said the Major League Baseball Players Association, Major League Soccer Players Association, National Basketball Players Association, National Football League Players Association, and National Hockey League Players Association.

U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Mo.-5), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.-10), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.-4), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.-14), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.-5), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.-3), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.-13), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12) co-sponsored the legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Earlier this year, Murphy also reintroduced the College Athlete Economic Freedom Act, legislation that would establish an unrestricted federal right for college athletes to market their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).During March Madness, Murphy wrote an op-ed in USA Today warning that college sports will destroy itself if it doesn’t get proactive about reform.

Full text of the bill is available HERE.

Fact sheet of the bill is available HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-highlights-east-hartfords-skyre-as-innovator-of-the-month,"Murphy Highlights East Hartford's SKYRE as ""Innovator of the Month""",2023-12-04,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"HARTFORD–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced that SKYRE, based in East Hartford, was named “Innovator of the Month.” SKYRE uses patented electrochemical technology to build innovative, efficient clean energy products, working to decarbonize the energy system through hydrogen recycling, green hydrogen production, and carbon utilization.

“We need big, bold ideas to tackle the climate crisis, and the team at SKYRE is doing just that. It’s incredible to see how Connecticut’s talented workforce and experience at the forefront of innovation in this industry have helped SKYRE grow and thrive. I’m proud to recognize their work and look forward to seeing all that they accomplish,” said Murphy.

“Decarbonization initiatives are central to the majority of corporate and economic growth strategies. SKYRE's sole mission is to advance decarbonization through electrolysis to reliably produce ultra low-cost green hydrogen and fuels and chemicals. SKYRE's products function at the intersection of clean hydrogen and carbon reduction, helping customers address vital industrial productivity and energy challenges. The foundational technology for hydrogen and fuel cells, originated and refined in Connecticut, was initially developed for manned space flight and nuclear submarines. This rich history has allowed SKYRE to tap into a highly skilled workforce. We're grateful to have access to Connecticut's flagship university, UConn. Its second to none in experiential learning approach, enables us to hire graduates who can seamlessly integrate into our business. And we partner with the outstanding UCONN faculty members whose ideas have advanced our products – thus introducing new capabilities and improving overall performance. Connecticut's ready access to capital markets – including various investor networks, institutional funds, and Connecticut Innovations – has provided us with visibility that wouldn't be possible in other states. This remarkable ecosystem has played a crucial role in our successful growth and innovation journey,” said Trent Molter, founder and CEO of SKYRE.

Murphy believes entrepreneurship and innovation are the building blocks for a strong economy. In the U.S. Senate, he has introduced legislation to incentivize angel investors to put more money into startup companies—the Angel Tax Credit Act and the Helping Angels Lead Our Startups (HALOS) Act. Startup companies create an average of 2 million jobs each year.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-courtney-statement-aukus-ministerial-announcement,Rep. Courtney Statement on AUKUS Ministerial Announcement,2023-12-01,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement following a joint statement from Lloyd J. Austin, U.S. Secretary of Defense, the Honourable Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense, Australia, and the Right Honourable Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom, on action steps on the trilateral AUKUS security mission.

“Today’s meeting between U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, and Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps, demonstrates the clear progress our three nations have made in executing the AUKUS “Optimal Pathway” announced in March of this year and reaffirms the leaders’ ironclad commitment to ensuring peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

“The announcement is tangible evidence that the trilateral mission is moving forward to recapitalize Australia’s submarine fleet with conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines at the earliest date possible while upholding the highest standards of stewardship and transparency through continued and constant communication with the International Atomic Energy Agency. The announcement also provides a clear framework for future Australian submariners to continue their important education at Nuclear Power School as well as U.S. Submarine School at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, CT, deepening the relationship between Connecticut and Australia.

“The leaders were also right to acknowledge the importance of the AUKUS enabling legislation that is before the U.S. Congress ‘to ensure the success’ of the mission. I will continue to press my colleagues to pass enabling legislation as part of the FY24 annual defense bill.

“The leaders’ commitment to safely leveraging the expertise and resources of each ally in the AUKUS security agreement will also ensure we have the advanced technologies to strengthen our military capabilities and streamline our ability to secure stability and prosperity in the region without prohibitive roadblocks.

“I commend U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, and U.K. Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps, for continuing to achieve milestones at a cadence that demonstrates their unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

The announcement is also coupled with the State Department’s decision to clear a potential $2 billion sale of AUKUS-related training and training devices to Australia in support of enhancing their workforce’s capacity to safely operate and sustain their future submarine program.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-murphy-applaud-senate-judiciary-committee-approval-of-district-court-nominee-sarah-russell,Blumenthal & Murphy Applaud Senate Judiciary Committee Approval of District Court Nominee Sarah Russell,2023-12-01,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) applauded the Senate Judiciary Committee’s approval of Sarah Russell to fill a vacancy on the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. The Judiciary Committee approved Russell’s nomination yesterday by a vote of 11-10. Russell’s nomination will now advance to the full Senate.

“I’m delighted that the Judiciary Committee has moved Sarah Russell’s nomination to the Senate floor, where she should be confirmed promptly,” said Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “Sarah Russell has been a relentless champion of justice—making legal rights real for countless people needing an advocate, and giving voice to the voiceless and most vulnerable. In both the courtroom and classroom, she has led by example. Throughout her stellar career—as a teacher, public defender, and clinic head—upholding the rule of law has been her life’s work. She has earned esteem from opposing litigants as well as allies, including prosecutors, judges and defense attorneys.”

“I’m glad to see Sarah Russell’s nomination to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut approved by the committee. Her legal expertise, commitment to justice, and experience as a litigator make her extremely qualified for this role, and I look forward to voting for her confirmation,” said Murphy.

Blumenthal introduced Russell before her hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee in November. Video of Blumenthal’s remarks is available here.

Sarah Russell has served as a Professor at the Quinnipiac University School of Law since 2011 and as Director of the school’s Legal Clinic since 2019. Prior to her time at Quinnipiac, Russell was a Lecturer at Yale Law School and the Director of the Arthur Liman Public Interest Program. Russell also served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender from 2005 to 2007 and as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Chester J. Straub of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Honorable Michael B. Mukasey of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Russell is a widely respected member of Connecticut’s legal community, having been appointed by state and federal judges to serve on the Connecticut Sentencing Commission, the Connecticut Committee on Judicial Ethics, and the Federal Grievance Committee. Russell is also an active member of her community, serving on the board of the Hamden Juvenile Review and Connecticut Children’s Museum. Russell received both her undergraduate and law degrees from Yale University.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/icymi-op-ed-the-voices-behind-the-kids-online-safety-act-deb-schmill-from-massachusetts,ICYMI OP-ED: The Voices Behind the Kids Online Safety Act: Deb Schmill from Massachusetts,2023-12-01,2023,2023-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – The bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, led by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), is strongly supported by a broad coalition of parents who have tragically lost their children or whose kids have been severely harmed by Big Tech, young people who want to regain control over their online lives, and experts and advocates who study and see the negative effects of social media firsthand in their communities. The “Voices Behind the Kids Online Safety Act” series will amplify their stories as they call on Congress to pass the legislation to help protect themselves online and to hold Big Tech accountable. The bill has the support of nearly half of the U.S. Senate.

Deb Schmill

Read Deb Schmill’s full op-ed for the CommonWealth Beacon HERE and below

“My daughter Becca’s official cause of death is listed as an accidental drug overdose due to fentanyl poisoning. But what led her down this path, and ultimately helped end her life, was social media,” wrote Schmill. “Sadly, my family is not alone. Far too many other families have suffered similar losses because of the harms of Big Tech, which has been running a national experiment on our kids for far too long.”

“For years, these tech companies, including Meta (Facebook, Instagram), Google (YouTube), TikTok, and others have refused to answer to the government or parents like me who must bury their children because of the dangerous and toxic effects of social media. We are finally at a point in which Big Tech may have to answer for its greedy and misguided actions,” Schmill continued. “Each day this legislation is not passed is another opportunity for a cyberbully to push a vulnerable child to suicide, for a child’s attempt at an online prank to turn fatal, and for a teen who is feeling stressed to go online and purchase a counterfeit pill containing fentanyl.”

“Big Tech has hardly ever given us reason to believe it will hold itself accountable. For years they’ve been making business and design decisions that put profit over kids’ and teens’ wellbeing. We finally have a chance to stop them and create a safer, healthier digital world for young people,” wrote Schmill.

Deb Schmill holds a photo of her daughter, Becca, at a recent roundtable with Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn

Blumenthal and Blackburn are the lead sponsors of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, which would provide kids and parents with better tools to protect themselves online, hold Big Tech accountable for harms to kids, and provide transparency into black box algorithms.

Read Deb Schmill’s full op-ed below:

“My daughter Becca’s official cause of death is listed as an accidental drug overdose due to fentanyl poisoning. But what led her down this path, and ultimately helped end her life, was social media. I’ll explain.

At 15, Becca participated in an online party chat and met a boy who later raped her – taking a major toll on her mental health and self-esteem. The same year, she was the victim of a cyberbullying incident by her peers – a very public form of humiliation that leaves permanent scars. For Becca, these wounds never healed.

Eventually, Becca found an escape from her pain — the illicit drugs she could easily access using social media platforms. All of the support from family members, friends, her school counselor, and therapists could not compete. She was able to purchase the drugs that eventually killed her with just a few swipes on her phone. Becca died at age 18.

Sadly, my family is not alone. Far too many other families have suffered similar losses because of the harms of Big Tech, which has been running a national experiment on our kids for far too long.

For years, these tech companies, including Meta (Facebook, Instagram), Google (YouTube), TikTok, and others have refused to answer to the government or parents like me who must bury their children because of the dangerous and toxic effects of social media. We are finally at a point in which Big Tech may have to answer for its greedy and misguided actions.

The Kids Online Safety Act would put the onus on Big Tech platforms like Google, TikTok and Meta to design their products with kids in mind and protect them. We’ve seen example after example of Big Tech’s awareness of the danger of their products, even straight up lying to Congress about it, and it’s time they bear responsibility for the products they create.

Though the bill has wide, bipartisan support in Congress and sailed out of committee unanimously, standing up to Big Tech is never easy. That’s why I want to thank our Massachusetts senator, Elizabeth Warren, for cosponsoring the bill and fighting to repair a broken status quo that enables social media’s worst harms directed at our children.

Input from child advocates like Fairplay and community stakeholders, including LGBTQ+ groups, has strengthened the bill to ensure that all kids can be safe online. The updated bill boasts support from a range of mental health, pediatric, and children’s safety experts – including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association.

Social media companies have known about the dangers on their platforms for many years, but they have decided to prioritize profits over kids’ safety. We can no longer stand by silently as our youth become collateral damage to Big Tech’s greed. It’s time for parents to stand together – and to demand that Congress pass the Kids Online Safety Act. The tech companies spend millions of dollars on lobbyists to influence our politicians and avoid regulation. It is imperative that we don’t let their voices be the only ones our senators are hearing.

Each day this legislation is not passed is another opportunity for a cyberbully to push a vulnerable child to suicide, for a child’s attempt at an online prank to turn fatal, and for a teen who is feeling stressed to go online and purchase a counterfeit pill containing fentanyl.

Big Tech has hardly ever given us reason to believe it will hold itself accountable. For years they’ve been making business and design decisions that put profit over kids’ and teens’ wellbeing. We finally have a chance to stop them and create a safer, healthier digital world for young people.

All citizens should call their representatives and ask them to vote the bill into law. Call U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121- all you need is your zip code.”

Deb Schmill is founder and president of the Becca Schmill Foundation.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-courtney-statement-heartbreaking-infuriating-death-aviv-atzili,"Rep. Courtney Statement on the ‘Heartbreaking, Infuriating’ Death of Aviv Atzili",2023-11-30,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"November 30, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement after Kibbutz Nir Oz announced that Aviv Atzili, husband of Liat Beinin, was killed in the October 7 attack on Israel. “Today’s news that Liat Beinin’s husband, Aviv Atzili, was killed by Hamas attackers at the Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7 is heartbreaking and infuriating. The willful inability of Hamas to account for its despicable assault left Aviv’s family totally in the dark about his whereabouts over the last seven weeks. The relief Liat and her family in Israel and Connecticut experienced upon her release is now buried in grief. As Liat’s father powerfully stated, ‘Revenge, anger – certainly not religious fanaticism—are not parts of a viable agenda to end this nonsense in the Middle East. This can’t go on like this.’.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-how-can-the-richest-country-in-the-world-justify-leaving-working-families-unable-to-afford-child-care,Murphy: How Can the Richest Country in the World Justify Leaving Working Families Unable to Afford Child Care,2023-11-30,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, on Wednesday spoke on the U.S. Senate floor about the urgent need for Congress to take action to address the worsening child care crisis.

“When you are living on a more modest salary, not a poverty wage, but just a modest, lower- to middle-income salary, your entire world could fall apart if you lose access to a quality child care environment. People have to quit their jobs. They have to move back in with their parents. They have to move their entire family to a different city or a different state. Your entire life gets upended when you can't find care for your child. Because you will upend your entire life for your child. Nothing matters more than making sure that your child is safe,” said Murphy. “And so, what we are forcing our families to do, simply because we don't choose to do the right thing and provide funding to make sure that there are affordable, quality child care centers available, is sending our families into unnecessary crisis all over this country.”

Murphy laid out just how dire affording child care can be for a family in Connecticut making $42,000: “Let's say a family makes $42,000, doesn't qualify for our subsidy, is spending $22,000 a year on rent, is spending $15,000 a year on childcare, that's $37,000 a year. They make $42,000. $5,000 left. [$100] a week for everything else. For food, for your cell phone, for your clothes for your kid. If you're making above the rate of subsidy in Connecticut, just the cost of child care and rent, will leave you with just [$100] a week to survive. In the richest, most affluent country in the world, how can we justify leaving families who are doing the right thing, who are working in that position?”

Murphy concluded: “That's why I'm so glad to be here on the floor with my colleagues pleading with our Republican friends to do the right thing and support the President's proposed plan to support child care, affordable, quality child care in this country for the families I represent Connecticut.”

A full transcript of his remarks can be found below:

“Thank you, Madam President. I'm so glad to join my colleagues on the floor today to really emphasize how a family's life falls apart when they don't have access to good child care. I'm one of a handful of parents of young kids. I have no complaints. Obviously my wife and I make enough money so that we've been able to provide quality child care for our kids as we both been working throughout their life.

“But when you are living on a more modest salary, not a poverty wage, but just a modest, lower to middle income salary, your entire world could fall apart when you lose access to a quality child care environment. People have to quit their jobs. They have to move back in with their parents. They have to move their entire family to a different city or a different state. Your entire life gets upended when you can't find care for your child. Because you will have in your entire life for your child. Nothing matters more than making sure that your child is safe.

“And so, what we are forcing our families to do, simply because we don't choose to do the right thing and provide funding to make sure that there are affordable child care qualities available, it is sending our families into unnecessary crisis all over this country.

“In my state, I've had 124,000 parents report that their work has been disrupted by child care issues. That they've had to leave work. That they have had to leave employments because of interruption in child care. Our child care centers in Connecticut. We're a high cost child care state. We're a high cost state in general. 89 percent of them report that they've had difficulty hiring staff. 60 percent of them say that right now they are understaffed. And 70 percent of them say that they have waitlists for new families, which just shows you that all over Connecticut, we have a total mismatch between the number of slots and the number of families that need those slots.

“And of course, that delivers an enormous harm to families but also to our workforce. I met a young woman a few weeks ago who lives in Hartford, and she's got a very young child. They are on the waitlist for a subsidized child care slot. She wants to actually be a child care worker. She wants to help solve the workforce shortage, but she can't get into the workforce. Why? Because she has to stay home to take care of her young child.

“And so this cycle that ends up impacting not just families, but our economy writ-large is one that we have to break.

“I just want to leave you with this one last piece of math to just explain how serious the situation is in my state. So in Connecticut, we have a program called Care for Kids. And this is a program that does for lower income families try to give them some subsidy so that they can afford child care. But that program cuts off for a one child family at $41,500 a year in income. Now that's a lower middle income salary in Connecticut. That's a salary that's not unfamiliar in my state.

“Let me just do the very quick math for you. For a family of three, a two bedroom, a one bedroom house can be about $1,800 a month. Child care in Connecticut on average is going to be about $15,000 a year. Total of just the costs for a family that makes just above the threshold to qualify for our subsidy programs. Let's say a family makes $42,000, doesn't qualify for our subsidy, is spending $22,000 a year on rent, is spending $15,000 a year on childcare, that's $37,000 a year. They make $42,000. $5,000 left. [$100] a week for everything else.

“For food, for your cell phone, for your clothes for your kid. If you're making above the rate of subsidy in Connecticut, just the cost of child care and rent, will leave you with just [$100] a week to survive. In the richest, most affluent country in the world, how can we justify leaving families who are doing the right thing, who are working in that position.

“That's why I'm so glad to be here on the floor with my colleagues pleading with our Republican friends to do the right thing and support the President's proposed plan to support child care, affordable, quality child care in this country for the families I represent Connecticut.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-latest-damning-coast-guard-report,Murphy Statement on Latest Damning Coast Guard Report,2023-11-30,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, on Thursday released the following statement on reporting about the Coast Guard’s 2015 “Culture of Respect” study, which details a culture of racism, hazing, discrimination, and sexual assault across the agency and was kept from the public.

“I am in disbelief that we are once again having a conversation about Coast Guard leadership covering up evidence of pervasive harassment, discrimination, racism, sexism, and assault within its organization. How many more of these damning reports have been kept from Congress? This culture to avoidance and cover-up needs to end.”

Murphy has a long pushed the U.S. Coast Guard to deal with harassment and bullying at the Coast Guard Academy. Earlier this year, Murphy released a statement on the report detailing decades of sexual misconduct at the Coast Guard Academy. In 2019, he criticized the Coast Guard for covering up allegations of harassment and for failing to appear before the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security and Oversight Committees investigating the allegations. That same year, following an OIG Whistleblower Retaliation Investigation and other reports of bullying, harassment and retaliation at the United States Coast Guard Academy, Murphy wrote a letter to the Coast Guard Commandant demanding reforms to the Academy’s climate of bullying, harassment and retaliation. In 2018, Murphy along with U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representative Joe Courtney (CT-02) wrote to Admiral Schultz seeking information on racial disparities at the Coast Guard Academy.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/release-american-eastern-connecticut-ties-held-hostage-hamas-brings,Release of American with Eastern Connecticut Ties Held Hostage by Hamas Brings Relief,2023-11-29,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"November 29, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the second American citizen, Liat Beinin, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, has been released after being kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the attack on October 7. Liat’s family lives in Waterford and are active members of eastern Connecticut’s Jewish community. “My Beinin family from Israel spent five days in eastern Connecticut with us this August. We grew very close to them as they walked with us in Harkness Park, dined with us, and shared birthdays with us over lobster in Noank. As soon as we heard of their capture we reached out to our Congressman, Joe Courtney and he did everything possible to keep Liat and Aviv’s capture high on the agenda of the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. We cannot thank him and his staff enough for their dedication and diligence in the efforts to free the hostages,” said Jerry Fischer of Waterford and the former executive director of the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut. “After several weeks in captivity, it is a relief to see Liat Beinin back in safe hands. I applaud President Biden and his Administration for their steadfast commitment to brokering the deal that made Liat’s release possible. While this is surely joyous news to her loved ones in eastern Connecticut, who my office connected with the US State Department, we will continue assisting the family with locating and returning her husband Aviv Atzili who was also kidnapped,” said Rep. Joe Courtney. “I am wishing Liat and her family comfort as they reunite and join them in praying for Aviv’s safety.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/icymi-op-ed-the-voices-behind-the-kids-online-safety-act-zamaan-qureshi,ICYMI OP-ED: The Voices Behind the Kids Online Safety Act: Zamaan Qureshi,2023-11-29,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – The bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, led by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), is strongly supported by a broad coalition of parents who have tragically lost their children or whose kids have been severely harmed by Big Tech, young people who want to regain control over their online lives, and experts and advocates who study and see the negative effects of social media firsthand in their communities. The “Voices Behind the Kids Online Safety Act” series will amplify their stories as they call on Congress to pass the legislation to help protect themselves online and to hold Big Tech accountable. The bill has the support of nearly half of the U.S. Senate.

Zamaan Qureshi

Read Zamaan’s full op-ed for The Messenger HERE and below

“As a young person who’s used Instagram and Facebook for over 10 years, I can say that unwanted sexual advances on these platforms are far from anomalies,” wrote Zamaan in his op-ed.

“When I was around 14 years old, I got a follow request and then a DM from someone who I thought was a real person. It was from an Instagram account that appeared to be legitimate — we had mutual followers, and they claimed to attend a school near me. Yet, it eventually became clear they didn’t talk the way my friends and I did,” Zamaan continued. “I collected screenshots, reported the account (and several duplicates that I had discovered), asked my friends to do the same, and waited. Days later, I got an update: My request to suspend the accounts was denied. According to Instagram, the multiple fake accounts and their suspicious behavior had ‘not violated Instagram's terms of service.’ In my case, Meta looked the other way, and this person — whoever it was — was given free rein to keep contacting and preying on kids like me.”

“The bottom line is that I and many other younger users have lost faith that Meta will make necessary changes to protect us — unless lawmakers hold them accountable. Thankfully, despite historic levels of political polarization and congressional dysfunction, over half of the U.S. Senate has coalesced around a bipartisan bill to protect young people online — the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). KOSA does a number of things, including requiring social platforms to ensure that young users have the strongest-by-default privacy settings, which include reporting mechanisms so teens’ reports of accounts that engage in exploitative behavior are not swept under the rug,” Zamaan wrote.

Blumenthal and Blackburn are the lead sponsors of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, which would provide kids and parents with better tools to protect themselves online, hold Big Tech accountable for harms to kids, and provide transparency into black box algorithms.

Read Zamaan’s full op-ed below:

“Last week, the Wall Street Journal unveiled yet another Meta whistleblower who described alleged alarming negligence on behalf of Meta in their efforts to keep kids safe online. Arturo Béjar, a former safety engineer, brought forward what he says is internal research from Meta that painted a grim picture: 1-in-8 users under the age of 16 said they experienced unwanted sexual advances on the platform. Instead of addressing the problem, Meta reportedly buried the evidence. Last Tuesday, Béjar was called to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on social media’s impact on the teen mental health crisis.

As a young person who’s used Instagram and Facebook for over 10 years, I can say that unwanted sexual advances on these platforms are far from anomalies. The reality for too many users is that social media apps seem to have normalized vulgar and unwanted sexual advances as nothing more than “sliding into someone’s DMs (direct messages),” and an expected — but dreaded — part of the social media experience. Many in my generation — but particularly young women — have endured so much of it that they become numb to it. They say, “If I block him, that could make him angry.” Or, “We have class together. I don’t want him to say something.”They not only fear further harassment but also for it to potentially escalate off the platform, even in the form of physical violence.

This steady drumbeat of sexual harassment online has helped usher in what is called “sextortion,” a form of manipulation in which people — including kids — are blackmailed or extorted into sending money or nude photos to someone they met online. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, sextortion spiked nearly 98% from 2019 to 2020.

You would think social media platforms are working overtime to keep harassers and potential predators away from kids, but they seem to be doing the opposite and making it more difficult to report abuse.

In fact, CNN recently reported on allegations of Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg’s repeated vetoes of initiatives said to be designed to improve the well-being of young people on Meta’s platforms.

Although I’ve spent the past three years advocating for tech reform, I’ve struggled to share my own story about what so many of us experience.

When I was around 14 years old, I got a follow request and then a DM from someone who I thought was a real person. It was from an Instagram account that appeared to be legitimate — we had mutual followers, and they claimed to attend a school near me. Yet, it eventually became clear they didn’t talk the way my friends and I did. It was only after exchanging many messages that I realized whoever was on the other side of the account wasn’t who they claimed to be. Upon recognizing what I potentially had saved myself from, I set out to make sure others wouldn’t fall for this account.

I collected screenshots, reported the account (and several duplicates that I had discovered), asked my friends to do the same, and waited. Days later, I got an update: My request to suspend the accounts was denied. According to Instagram, the multiple fake accounts and their suspicious behavior had “not violated Instagram's terms of service.” In my case, Meta looked the other way, and this person — whoever it was — was given free rein to keep contacting and preying on kids like me.

The ordeal created feelings of fear and embarrassment that, combined, sent me spiraling, asking myself what could have happened or how did i not see the red flags?

My women-identifying friends are much more open about talking about this kind of stuff. Yet, for many young men, the toxic norms of masculinity (exacerbated by many influencers on social media) make it harder and likely result in the actual number of experiences like mine being far higher than what is reported.

So, when Béjar made the findings of his Bad Emotional Experience Findings (BEEF) survey of Meta public last week, I was not surprised at the statistics. Nor were my friends.

When Béjar went to Zuckerberg and Instagram executive Adam Mosseri with the findings of his BEEF survey, he was reportedly undermined and ignored. First, he was told to sanitize his results. When his findings were sent to his colleagues, the team responsible for addressing these problems reportedly got laid off. Even after the survey results were recognized, Meta's actions resulted in a process that appears to actually make it harder for young users to report harassment — which looks to me like a tactic to improve their internal metrics if the more cumbersome process lowers the number of reports filed.

The bottom line is that I and many other younger users have lost faith that Meta will make necessary changes to protect us — unless lawmakers hold them accountable. Thankfully, despite historic levels of political polarization and congressional dysfunction, over half of the U.S. Senate has coalesced around a bipartisan bill to protect young people online — the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). KOSA does a number of things, including requiring social platforms to ensure that young users have the strongest-by-default privacy settings, which include reporting mechanisms so teens’ reports of accounts that engage in exploitative behavior are not swept under the rug.

I’ve been involved in the policymaking conversations around KOSA since the bill’s first introduction in 2022. Refining the bill has been an iterative process and has included input from many advocacy organizations and community groups to ensure KOSA fulfills its goal of protecting kids online without unintended consequences. Some LGBTQ+ groups, in particular, have raised serious concerns about the legislation, and have helped the bill’s sponsors meaningfully address their concerns.

Not surprisingly, many social media giants oppose the bill. Big Tech, identifying critiques of KOSA as an apparent opportunity to stave off legislation, has exacerbated the growing pains that any bill would go through. The industry seems to be attempting to paint a fundamentally flawed dichotomy: Choose between safe tech or LGBTQ+ kids. But that’s not the case. Progressive stalwarts and champions of LGBTQ+ rights like Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and many more are co-sponsoring the legislation. Fundamentally, this is not a partisan bill nor a partisan issue — Americans from all across the political spectrum want kids to be able to develop free from exploitation and manipulation online. A whopping 86% of voters support congressional action, and 82% believe social media platforms should be required to take concrete steps to protect young people online, according to a poll by Accountable Tech.

KOSA is a strong starting point that finally puts the onus on Big Tech companies to prevent harm to kids. Navigating and exploring my sexuality while not knowing who to trust online was particularly difficult, and I know I’m not the only one fighting through this.

We cannot let the Big Tech manipulate the debate and pit us against one another. If Meta whistleblowers aren’t enough, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) should listen to the voices of young people instead. It’s time to bring KOSA to a vote in the Senate — and hold Big Tech accountable.”

Zamaan Qureshi is the co-chair of the youth-led coalition Design It For Us and a policy adviser for the Real Facebook Oversight Board.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/icymi-video-at-senate-judiciary-committee-hearing-on-the-gun-violence-epidemic-blumenthal-and-yale-school-of-public-health-dean-discuss-safe-storage-laws,"ICYMI Video: At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on the Gun Violence Epidemic, Blumenthal & Yale School of Public Health Dean Discuss Safe Storage Laws",2023-11-29,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – At a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee titled, “The Gun Violence Epidemic: A Public Health Crisis,” U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) spoke with Dr. Megan Ranney, Dean of the Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Connecticut, about the impact of safe storage laws on reducing gun deaths.

“I was very moved by your description and your testimony of the suicide victim that you tried to save – one of your first cases involving suicide by the use of firearms. There are loaded and unlocked guns in the homes of 4.6 million American children, like the son of that law enforcement officer you described,” Blumenthal said. “Could you speak to how secured storage helps reduce suicides or other supposedly accidental shootings?”

“Obviously, youth can’t legally purchase firearms, so they find a parent's firearm, which many of us think is stored safely, but when you actually ask kids, they all know where their parent has stored their firearm, the same way that our kids all know where all of their birthday presents are stored,” responded Dr. Ranney. “And, studies have shown they actually can access it quite quickly. States that have put safe storage laws in place see a 20 to 25 percent decrease in child firearm fatalities.”

In January 2023, Blumenthal, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced Ethan’s Law, legislation requiring gun owners to safely and securely store their firearms. The bill is named in honor of Ethan Song, a teenager from Guilford, Connecticut who was tragically killed in 2018 by an unsecured gun in a neighbor’s home. Ethan’s Law would create federal requirements for safe gun storage and establish strong penalties for any violations.

Blumenthal and Dr. Ranney also discussed the benefits of violence intervention programs, like the Yale New Haven Hospital's Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program. Speaking about a similar program based in Chicago, Dr. Ranney observed, “rigorous research has shown that the program correlates with decreased arrests for violent crime as well as decreased likelihood of participants being shot.”

Video of Blumenthal’s exchange with Dr. Ranney is available here. The full text of their exchange is below:

Senator Blumenthal: Thank you to the Chairman and Ranking Member for having this hearing. It may seem repetitive, but we need to continue this work because we face a public health crisis that is only expanding, as you have demonstrated, and we all know, simply measured in deaths and injuries. I've been working on it since the early 1990's when I first became Attorney General in the state of Connecticut. We advocated then for an assault weapons ban, which was passed and challenged in court. I defended it as Attorney General, and we have expanded in Connecticut, on the types of gun violence prevention laws that we have, showing that these laws actually work. They reduce deaths and injuries. Assault weapon bans, background checks, Ethan’s Law, laws providing for safe storage, and other kinds of measures like the red flag statute; Connecticut was the first in the nation to adopt it.

So, if we take the public health approach that Dr. Ranney has advocated, and we are data-driven, as the medical professionals in this room wearing the white coats use every day, respecting facts, making decisions based on science, I think that we will continue to build on the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which we passed, and showed that we can defeat the gun lobby; that the NRA and its allies are not implacable and vulnerable folks.

Dr. Ranney, in your testimony, you mentioned the importance of violent crime as an indicator of potential additional gun violence. I'm struck by the statistic that 41 percent of patients treated for violent injury are reinjured within five years. In other words, there is a cycle here, there is a repetitive phenomenon. I think we can and we should ensure that more victims of violent crimes do not become repeat victims. And, the Yale New Haven hospital’s violence intervention program has been very effective in a number of ways in preventing the kinds of repeat injury after trauma. In your firsthand experience, can you describe how these programs work in practice, and how we can maybe have some common ground in supporting violence intervention programs like the one that Yale New Haven has in practice right now?

Dr. Ranney: We are tremendously grateful for the Yale New Haven Health Violence Intervention program, which was started in 2020. I also sit on the board of the nonviolence institute in Providence, Rhode Island, and have worked closely with folks in Chicago and elsewhere in community violence intervention programs. These are some of the programs with growing data behind them.

I’ll particularly highlight the CRED Program led by former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in Chicago. They provide life skills training, mental health support, as well as community mentorship. And, rigorous research has shown that the program correlates with decreased arrests for violent crime as well as decreased likelihood of participants being shot. Similar statistics are available from programs in Missouri, from programs in D.C., and from elsewhere across the country.

Again, because of those limitations in the public health approach, which I outline at the beginning, we do still have limited data on how effective they are. We don't have those formal randomized controlled trials, but this combination of providing a caseworker, mental health support, and substance abuse treatment when needed, and helping getting folks into safe housing, help them get education, has a demonstrated effect on both future injury, but also long-term success.

Blumenthal: I was very moved by your description and your testimony of the suicide victim that you tried to save – one of your first cases involving suicide by the use of firearms. There are loaded and unlocked guns in the homes of 4.6 million American children, like the son of that law enforcement officer you described. I've been an advocate of Ethan's Law, passed in the Connecticut legislature, and introduced here in Congress along with Representative Rosa DeLauro on the House side, which would prohibit unsecured storage of firearms. Could you speak to how secured storage helps reduce suicides or other supposedly accidental shootings?

Ranney: Absolutely. So, the majority of youth suicides, and school shootings perpetrated by youth, including an article that just came out today in JAMA, are committed with a family member’s firearm. Obviously, youth can’t legally purchase firearms, so they find a parent's firearm, which many of us think is stored safely, but when you actually ask kids, they all know where their parent has stored their firearm, the same way that our kids all know where all of their birthday presents are stored.

And, studies have shown they actually can access it quite quickly. States that have put safe storage laws in place see a 20 to 25 percent decrease in child firearm fatalities. But I will emphasize, the legislation alone is not enough. It needs to be matched with community engagement, with education. Many of the firearm groups I work with are tremendous advocates for safer storage of firearms. There are ways to do this, again, without abrogating gun owner rights.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-himes-announce-47m-grant-from-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-for-new-battery-manufacturing-facility-in-bridgeport,"Murphy, Blumenthal, Himes Announce $47m Grant from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for New Battery Manufacturing Facility in Bridgeport",2023-11-28,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and U.S. Representative Jim Himes (D-Conn.-04) announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected a project in Bridgeport to receive $47,528,246 from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to accelerate clean energy manufacturing in Connecticut. The grant will help fund the construction of Nanoramic Laboratories’ new facility in Bridgeport, Connecticut to manufacture lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery electrodes for grid storage. This project is one of the seven selected by DOE for this award.

“This award is yet another example of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law making transformational investments in Connecticut. A new battery manufacturing facility in Bridgeport is going to create hundreds of good-paying jobs, bring a major economic boost to the community, and help us reach our climate goals. I’ll continue pushing for federal funding that will help ensure our state stays at the forefront of the clean energy economy,” said Murphy.

“The magnitude of this $47.5 million federal investment is truly breathtaking in importance and impact. It means significant progress in clean energy, manufacturing growth, good jobs, national security and much more. Nanoramic Labs will become a national center for lithium-ion battery development and production— immensely important to our nation’s future. I’m thrilled by President Biden’s continued commitment to Connecticut innovation and American clean energy,” said Blumenthal.

“I’m extremely pleased to help deliver $47 million in federal funding to an innovative and future-oriented company in Bridgeport. Connecticut has long been a leader in clean energy technology, and this manufacturing facility will further that mission while bringing jobs and opportunity to a formerly industrial community in Southwest Connecticut,” said Himes.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-on-state-of-the-union-this-is-a-president-showing-the-american-people-what-real-leadership-looks-like,Murphy on State of the Union: This is a President Showing the American People What Real Leadership Looks Like,2023-11-27,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism, on Sunday joined CNN’s State of the Union to discuss the Israel-Hamas hostage agreement and the rise of antisemitism on college campuses.

Murphy highlighted President Biden’s role in securing the release of at least 50 Israeli hostages: “Let's give credit where credit is due. President Biden and his team worked 24/7 with partners in the region to make sure that this release was possible and to set a framework through which we can see more hostages released. This is a president who is right now showing the American people what real leadership looks like. Hopefully, Hamas will accept the conditions that have been laid down that will allow for more hostages to be released. But if they don't, ultimately Hamas is going to be defeated. That's in Israel's interest. But it's also in the interest of the United States. We do not want terrorist organizations believing they can get away with the kind of murder that Hamas did on October 7.”

On his call for Israel to do more to minimize civilian harm, Murphy said: “I do believe that the level of civilian harm inside Gaza has been unacceptable and is unsustainable. I think there's both a moral cost to this many civilians, innocent civilians, children often losing their lives, but I think there's a strategic cost. Ultimately, Hamas will get stronger, not weaker in the long run, if all of this civilian death allows them to recruit more effectively and ably inside Gaza.”

On a two-state future, Murphy said: “My hope is that when [Israelis] do go to the polls that they choose leadership that is going to make good on the only future that guarantees the survival of a Jewish state in the Middle East, and that is a Palestinian state. Benjamin Netanyahu believed that you could ignore the Palestinians, that you could try to squash their desires for a state, and ultimately that would bring peace to the region of Israel. That's just not the case. Ultimately, the next government is going to have to put us back on a path to have a Palestinian state. That's not easy. But it is the only way forward for Israel is the only way forward for long term peace.”

On the rise of antisemitism on college campuses: “There's a direct line between some of the most vicious antisemitic speech happening on our campuses and threats of violence to synagogues and Jewish communities. I ultimately think we need to sort of think really hard about the way in which our young people are receiving information about this conflict. We need to hold accountable the social media sites, in particular TikTok, which is just full of virulent pro-Hamas and antisemitic material. The college campuses need to have a better means of accountability for this kind of hate speech. But we also have to recognize that these young people are getting their information from somewhere, often from a Chinese-controlled social media platform that has in its interest, trying to turn America against each other and one of the means they may be doing that is trying to promote a lot of pretty hateful and divisive material about the conflict in Gaza.”

Last week, Murphy released a statement on the announcement of the Israel-Hamas hostage agreement.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-statement-hostage-release-and-humanitarian-pause-gaza,DeLauro Statement on Hostage Release and Humanitarian Pause in Gaza,2023-11-22,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa L. DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,delauro,https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) released a statement:

“I am relieved that dozens of hostages will be released and returning to their homes. I also welcome a humanitarian pause in Gaza to allow humanitarian partners to distribute urgently needed supplies – like water, food, medicine, and shelter – into the region so innocent civilians caught in the middle of the conflict get the aid they need to weather this crisis. In the coming weeks, I will continue to push for the safe release of all hostages held by Hamas and will work to get vital humanitarian assistance into Gaza as soon as possible.

“I believe that we must create the conditions for lasting peace and a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinian people. That means we must end Hamas’s ongoing terror in the region. Everyone will be hurt if Hamas remains in control of Gaza. However, this war is against Hamas. The Palestinian people are not Hamas, and they have lost communities, neighborhoods, and loved ones because of this conflict and Hamas’s atrocities.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=1ABA56CD-155D-40A9-860D-CF649963DD26,Hayes Statement on Deal to Pause Fighting and Release Hostages in Gaza,2023-11-22,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,CT,Jahana Hayes,H001081,hayes.house.gov,hayes,https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WATERBURY – Today, following the news of a four-day temporary cease-fire in Gaza and the release of 50 hostages, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) issued the following statement:

""The humanitarian pause in Gaza announced yesterday is an important step in the right direction. This four-day pause will allow for the safe return of 50 civilian women and children and for a large number of humanitarian convoys and relief aid, including fuel designated for Gaza, to pass into the region. I thank the Biden Administration for their work in helping to facilitate this agreement and urge continued vigorous efforts to find a peaceful solution for the Israeli and Palestinian people, the release of the remaining hostages, and the defeat of Hamas.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=B6901E86-7408-4DC0-8CA3-77C038C2795A,Himes Statement on Release of Hostages and Humanitarian Pause,2023-11-22,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,CT,James A. Himes,H001047,himes.house.gov,himes,https://himes.house.gov/press-releases,page_html,"Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) issued the following statement regarding the release of 50 hostages being held by Hamas and the humanitarian pause in Gaza:

“I am deeply relieved by the news of a deal to free these hostages, and the accompanying pause of violence in the region. The civilian loss since the horrific attack on October 7th has been devastating. I am hopeful that this agreement represents a meaningful first step towards an improved humanitarian situation in Gaza even as Israel defends itself from a continued threat of Hamas terrorism.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-03-30T11:08:25Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-israel-hamas-hostage-agreement,Murphy Statement on Israel-Hamas Hostage Agreement,2023-11-22,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"HARTFORD–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism, released the following statement:

“This agreement represents a huge diplomatic breakthrough and is a testament to President Biden’s leadership and strong relationships in the region. Since Hamas’ horrific terrorist attack on October 7, hundreds of families have lived through the unimaginable nightmare of not knowing where their loved ones are or whether they will ever be returned. This deal will reunite dozens of families and lay the groundwork to bring more hostages home. We must urgently work to ensure everyone single one is released. Meanwhile, innocent Palestinians are struggling to survive the growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. A four-day pause in the fighting will enable significantly increased amounts of desperately needed humanitarian aid to reach people in need. I am hopeful this agreement will serve as a foundation for a path forward to end this conflict and ensures the long term safety and security of both Israelis and Palestinians.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/fight-against-junk-fees-the-senate-permanent-subcommittee-on-investigations-probes-airlines-on-sky-high-ticket-and-fee-costs,Fight Against Junk Fees: The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Probes Airlines on Sky-High Ticket and Fee Costs,2023-11-20,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, DC] – Ahead of the holiday travel season, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chair of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), announced a new inquiry into five major U.S. airlines, demanding justification for hidden, costly, and confusing junk fees, which cost Americans billions of dollars every year.

“U.S. airlines increasingly charge ancillary fees that obscure the actual cost of air travel… These itemized fees are often not disclosed to customers until well into the ticket purchasing process or after a ticket has been purchased, making it difficult for customers to know the true, total cost of a ticket and comparison shop prior to purchase,” wrote Blumenthal in his letters to American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.

“[A]irlines charge many of these fees for unavoidable aspects of flying, often for services that were once included in the price of a ticket, such as carrying-on a small bag or sitting next to a minor child. Further, it is not always clear how airlines justify certain fees—such as fees imposed on a reservation change made well in advance of the flight,” Blumenthal continued, stressing that airlines report that these ancillary fees represent a growing and significant portion of their revenue.

Blumenthal requested the companies provide documents and information related to how their fees are affecting consumers, including the reason for the fees, how they are determined, and when they are disclosed to a consumer.

Blumenthal has long been fighting to protect consumers from junk fees. In March, Blumenthal introduced the Junk Fee Prevention Act — new legislation to eliminate excessive fees and bring transparency to the marketplace as hidden fees cost Americans billions of dollars annually. This PSI action is part of the Subcommittee’s inquiries examining excessive fees imposed on consumers across industries, including airlines.

The letter to American Airlines is available here and below. Similar letters were sent to United Airlines, Delta Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.

Dear Mr. Isom:

U.S. airlines increasingly charge ancillary fees that obscure the actual cost of air travel. The practice of separating the cost of checked and carry-on bags, seat selection, ticket changes, and many other options and services from airfare advertised to customers is often referred to as “unbundling.”[1] These itemized fees are often not disclosed to customers until well into the ticket purchasing process or after a ticket has been purchased, making it difficult for customers to know the true, total cost of a ticket and comparison shop prior to purchase.[2] In fact, airlines charge many of these fees for unavoidable aspects of flying, often for services that were once included in the price of a ticket, such as carrying-on a small bag or sitting next to a minor child.[3] Further, it is not always clear how airlines justify certain fees—such as fees imposed on a reservation change made well in advance of the flight.

Ancillary fees are a significant and growing source of revenue for U.S. airlines. For example, between 2018 and 2022, across major U.S. airlines, total reported revenue from baggage fees increased from $4.9 billion to $6.8 billion.[4] According to one report, eight leading U.S. airlines collected an estimated $4.2 billion in seat selection fees in 2022.[5]

Pursuant to its authority under Senate Resolution 59 (118th Cong.), the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (“the Subcommittee”) is reviewing matters relating to how fees imposed on goods and services affect American consumers, including how airlines charge fees for specific options and services apart from the advertised price of airfare. To assist the Subcommittee, please provide the following information and documents by December 11, 2023. Unless specifically stated, the time period covered by this request is January 1, 2018 to the present. For the purposes of this request, the term “American” or “the Airline” includes, but is not limited to, American Airlines Group, Inc., American Airlines Inc., Envoy Aviation Group, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., Piedmont Airlines, Inc., and any other subsidiaries, divisions, partnerships, properties, affiliates, branches, groups, special purpose entities, joint ventures, predecessors, successors, or any other entity in which American Airlines Group, Inc., American Airlines Inc., Envoy Aviation Group, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. had or has a controlling interest.

1. State the amount of the fee (or, if the fee amount is dynamic, the range and average amount of the fee[6]) for each of the following products and services:

a. Carry-on personal item;[7]

b. Carry-on bag;

c. First checked bag;

d. Second checked bag;

e. Preferred seat;[8]

f. Seat with extra leg room in any cabin including, but not limited to, exit row seats and bulkhead row seats;

g. Advanced seat selection;

h. Flight change or cancellation;

i. Same-day flight change with confirmed seat;

j. Same-day flight change on standby;

k. Redeeming frequent flyer miles or points for air travel; and

l. Redepositing frequent flyer miles or points.

2. For each fee listed pursuant to Request 1 above, please provide:

a. The reason for the fee;

b. How the fee amount was determined;

c. The total cost or average cost per passenger incurred by the Airline for providing the service or product for which the fee is charged; and

d. Whether the product or service for which the fee is charged was at any previous time included in the cost of airfare, and, if so, the date when the Airline began charging a separate fee.

3. For each dynamic fee listed pursuant to Request 1 above, please also provide:

a. Whether and the extent to which the amount of the fee is determined by algorithms, machine learning, artificial intelligence, or any combination thereof;

b. Any factors that influence the amount of the fee for a specific flight segment or itinerary; and

c. What information a customer must provide during the ticket purchasing process before being informed of the fee amount for their specific itinerary.

4. For each fee listed pursuant to Request 1 above, please provide:

a. The point in time at which the fee is disclosed to the customer during the ticket-booking process;

b. Whether the fee is disclosed through and whether a customer may pay the fee when purchasing a ticket through a third-party travel agent using a global distribution system;

c. The circumstances under which the fee may be waived or refunded to the customer, including, but not limited to, whether and the extent to which seat selection fees are waived to accommodate adjacent seats for a child 13 or under and an accompanying adult; and

d. Whether and the extent to which the Airline pays a commission, incentive, or other per-fee compensation to any Airline personnel for assessing or collecting the fee.

5. State the Airline’s total annual revenue, and for each fee listed pursuant to Request 1 above, please provide:

a. The total annual revenue from the fee; and

b. The percentage of total annual revenue derived from the fee.

6. All internal policies, memoranda, guidance, decision documents, presentations, business strategy documents, reviews, analyses, and studies referring or relating to decisions on:

a. Whether to charge a fee for a product or service that was previously included in the cost of airfare.

b. Whether, when, and how much to increase or decrease fees.

c. Maximizing ancillary fee revenue generally and by use of dynamic pricing.

7. All internal policies, memoranda, guidance, decision documents, presentations, business strategy documents, reviews, analyses, and studies referring or relating to the disclosure or marketing of fees to customers, including, but not limited to, when and how to disclose fees and fee-related changes to customers and website and mobile application user interface design.

8. All reviews, analyses, or studies conducted or relied upon by the Airline to ensure the Airline’s marketing practices, disclosures, and customer interactions related to fees are transparent—or reasonably known and understood by the average customer—and free from unfair and deceptive practices.

To expedite the Subcommittee’s review, I ask that you submit the material responsive to this request as it becomes available, rather than waiting to provide it all at once. To avoid any unnecessary delays in connection with this production, I ask that you carefully review the attached Procedures for Transmitting Documents to the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Please contact [REDACTED] with any questions. Thank you for your attention to this request.

Sincerely,

[1] Stacey Mumbower, Susan Hotle, & Laurie A. Garrow, Highly debated but still unbundled: The evolution of U.S. airline ancillary products and pricing strategies, J. of Revenue and Pricing Management, May 18, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1057/s41272-022-00388-5; Enhancing Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service Fees, 87 FR 63718, Oct. 20, 2022, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/10/20/2022-22214/enhancing-transparency-of-airline-ancillary-service-fees.

[2] Brian X. Chen, Watch Out for ‘Junk’ Fees When Booking Travel Online, N.Y. Times, June 15, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/15/technology/personaltech/travel-booking-junk-fees.html; see Enhancing Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service Fees, 87 FR 63718, Oct. 20, 2022, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/10/20/2022-22214/enhancing-transparency-of-airline-ancillary-service-fees.

[3] Mumbower, Hotle, & Garrow, supra note 1; see U.S. Dep’t of Transportation, Airline Customer Service Dashboard, https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/airline-customer-service-dashboard (comparing ten major airlines’ policies on guaranteed adjacent seats for a child 13 or under and an accompanying adult at no additional cost).

[4] Bureau of Transp. Statistics, Baggage Fees by Airline 2018, https://www.bts.gov/baggage-fees-airline-2018; Bureau of Transp. Statistics, Baggage Fees by Airline 2022, https://www.bts.gov/topics/airlines-and-airports/baggage-fees-airline-2022.

[5] Jay Sorensen & Eric Lucas, Airlines Assign Big Revenue Priority to Seat Selection 5, IdeaWorksCompany, May 23, 2023, https://ideaworkscompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Airlines-Assign-Big-Revenue-Priority-to-Seat-Selection.pdf.

[6] “Dynamic fee” means a fee generated whenever the Airline “charge[s] different customers different prices for the same set of products, as a function of an observable state of nature. . .” Mumbower, Hotle, & Garrow, supra note 1. This includes, but is not limited to, a fee for which the amount is determined in whole or in part by algorithms, machine learning, artificial intelligence, or any combination thereof.

[7] “Personal item” means a small carry-on bag including, but not limited to, a purse, bookbag, briefcase, or other carry-on item capable of being stored in under-seat storage.

[8] “Preferred seat” means a seat in economy class that does not have extra legroom but is located in a desirable area of the aircraft or cabin, including, but not limited to, a window or aisle seat or a seat near the front of the aircraft or cabin.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-courtney-applauds-congressional-action-ensuring-continued-funding,"Rep. Courtney Applauds Congressional Action Ensuring Continued Funding for Submarine Industrial Base, Columbia-class Submarine Program",2023-11-16,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement after the House and Senate passed a Continuing Resolution which ensures continued production of the Columbia-class submarine program and submarine industrial base.

“Last night, with the Senate’s 87-11 vote, Congress sent a Continuing Resolution to the President’s desk to avert a government shutdown and ensure critical programs and services remain online, including submarine construction and the submarine industrial base.

“The measure includes continuous support for the Columbia-class submarine program by extending funds for construction of the USS Wisconsin, while also providing an additional $3.3 billion for the Navy to procure materials with extended delivery times—or long-lead materials—to prepare for construction of future Columbia-class boats. Importantly, the measure also sustains critical investments in the submarine industrial base to ensure shipyards can continue recruiting and training workers, modernizing their facilities, and sizing up production across the supply chain.

“In eastern Connecticut, this means that Electric Boat’s talented workforce and aggressive hiring goals will not skip a beat in carrying out their crucial mission to deliver for the Navy’s future fleet of submarines.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/incymi-new-polling-shows-overwhelming-public-support-for-the-kids-online-safety-act,ICYMI: New Polling Shows Overwhelming Public Support for the Kids Online Safety Act,2023-11-16,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – In case you missed it, a new poll shows that the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act has overwhelming support from the American public. The poll, released today by Issue One’s Council for Responsible Social Media and Fairplay, found that 86 percent of U.S. voters support the legislation. Support for the bill crosses partisan lines, with 84 percent of Republicans, 92 percent of Democrats, and 81 percent of independents in favor of it. Only 8 percent of poll respondents expressed opposition to KOSA.

The poll found the public has serious concerns about Big Tech’s harms to kids. Eighty-seven percent of respondents said they believe it is important for the president and Congress to take action to combat social media platforms’ harms. Nearly all voters (94 percent) agreed that mental health challenges facing young people today are a serious problem, and 73 percent blame social media, saying the platforms have had a negative impact on youth mental health over the past two decades.

More information about the newly released poll can be found here.

U.S. Senators Blumenthal (D-CT) and Blackburn (R-TN) are the lead sponsors of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, which would provide kids and parents with better tools to protect themselves online, hold Big Tech accountable for harms to kids, and provide transparency into black box algorithms. The bill has the support of nearly half of the U.S. Senate.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-courtney-marks-two-year-anniversary-federal-infrastructure-law,Rep. Courtney Marks Two Year Anniversary of Federal Infrastructure Law,2023-11-15,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Joe Courtney marked the second anniversary since President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law and highlighted projects across the region made possible by the new law.

“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is allowing towns in every corner of eastern Connecticut to make critical projects a reality that have been on the “to-do” list for years. From fixing roads and bridges, to upgrading airports, expanding broadband, creating new housing, and much more, the Infrastructure Law is making eastern Connecticut safer and more resilient for decades to come – all while creating thousands of good paying jobs. As our region attracts more businesses and a record number of new employees, the infrastructure law is also pivotal in ensuring we can expand infrastructure to meet growing demand,” said Rep. Joe Courtney.

Since enactment, the federal government has announced $4 billion in funding from the federal infrastructure law for 114 specific projects across the state of Connecticut. Thanks to Rep. Courtney’s ongoing advocacy and urging, $3.7 billion of federal funding will support projects across the Second Congressional District. For example:

Transforming transit infrastructure in downtown New London

Expanding access to broadband

Preserving the Long Island Sound

Improving regional airports

Repairing the Gold Star Bridge

Replacing the CT River Bridge

Removing lead pipes from water infrastructure

Repairing Forge Hill Road Bridge

Transforming abandoned land into residential and commercial space

Expanding EV charging networks

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/01/29/2024/blumenthal-statement-on-passage-of-a-continuing-resolution-to-keep-the-government-open,Blumenthal Statement on Passage of a Continuing Resolution to Keep the Government Open,2023-11-15,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement today after the Senate voted to approve a Continuing Resolution to fund the government through early next year:

“This continuing resolution accomplishes the bare minimum – it keeps the government open and funded – but it was passed with clear bipartisan majorities and without egregious partisan brinksmanship. I am hopeful that we can move ahead with a full spending bill – including robust funding for both Israel and Ukraine – in the same spirit of cooperation.”

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/bipartisan-senators-demand-documents-from-mark-zuckerberg-after-newly-unsealed-court-filing-alleges-meta-hid-evidence-of-harms-to-kids-from-congress-and-public-supporting-whistleblower-testimony,"Bipartisan Senators Demand Documents from Mark Zuckerberg After Newly Unsealed Court Filing Alleges Meta Hid Evidence of Harms to Kids from Congress & Public, Supporting Whistleblower Testimony",2023-11-15,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – A bipartisan group of Senators demanded Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg provide documents related to senior executives’ knowledge of the mental and physical health harms associated with its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. The Senators’ letter follows last week’s hearing with a new Facebook whistleblower and after a newly unsealed complaint filed by the Massachusetts Attorney General against Meta alleged Zuckerberg and other Meta executives knew firsthand the serious harms its products were causing to kids, but failed to act to remedy them and deliberately misled the public and Congress.

“Meta’s representations to the public and in response to Congressional inquiries concealed and misrepresented its extensive knowledge about the threats to young people on its platforms,” wrote U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Josh Hawley (R-MO), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law.

Last Tuesday, former Facebook executive Arturo Béjar testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law about his efforts to inform Zuckerberg and other Meta executives about alarming internal research data on harmful experiences young people have on Instagram. “Rather than act on the stunning findings, Meta hid this information from the public and Congressional oversight while providing misleading statistics, ignoring recommendations to protect teens, and even rolling back safety tools,” continued the Senators.

Newly unredacted allegations in the lawsuit filed by the Massachusetts Attorney General corroborate Béjar’s testimony, suggesting the mental health risks of Facebook and Instagram were known widely within the company. “[E]xecutives are alleged to have repeatedly made decisions to implement changes to a product that they knew would harm teens and shelved safeguards based on concerns about their impact on revenue,” wrote the Senators, citing excerpts from the unsealed complaint in which Zuckerberg is alleged to have personally vetoed a new safety feature and the company’s continued underinvestment in platform safety staff. “It now seems clear that the root of Meta’s repeated failure to act to enhance the safety of its products starts at the top.”

The Senators called on Zuckerberg to provide to Congress directly a number of documents related to safety, including communications with Béjar and other communications between senior executives cited in the Massachusetts suit.

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

November 14, 2023

Mark Zuckerberg

Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

Meta Platforms, Inc.

1 Hacker Way

Menlo Park, CA 94025

Dear Mr. Zuckerberg:

We write seeking documents regarding Meta’s research into, knowledge of, and response to the mental and physical health harms associated with its products, including Facebook and Instagram.

Members of Congress have repeatedly asked Meta for information on its awareness of threats to young people on its platforms and the measures that it has taken, only to be stonewalled and provided non-responsive or misleading information. For example, in response to a question about teen mental health at a March 2021 House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing, you testified that “overall, the research that we have seen is that using social apps to connect with other people can have positive mental health benefits and well-being benefits.”[1] In a response to a letter sent in August 2021, when asked a direct question about whether “Facebook’s research ever found that its platforms and products can have a negative effect on children’s and teens’ mental health or well-being,”[2] Facebook responded “we are not aware of a consensus among studies or experts about how much screen time is ‘too much.’”[3]

Meta’s representations to the public and in response to Congressional inquiries concealed and misrepresented its extensive knowledge about the threats to young people on its platforms. Whistleblower documents provided to Congress in September 2021 directly contradicted your testimony, finding that a significant amount of teens on Facebook and Instagram “have an addicts’ narrative about their use,” “have only ‘a little control’ or ‘no control at all’ over how Instagram makes them feel,” and attribute to it suicidal ideation and body image concerns.[4] Despite these documented disclosures, Meta executives continued to downplay possible harms to young people in Senate hearings and inquiries.

We are troubled by recent disclosures that shed further light on Meta’s knowledge of the harms its products cause teens and its unwillingness to take appropriate steps to prevent and mitigate these harms. Last Tuesday, former Facebook executive Arturo Béjar testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law about his efforts to inform you and other senior executives at Meta of the dangerous and harmful experiences of teenagers on Instagram based on data collected by its internal researchers. As a result of Mr. Béjar’s efforts, Meta executives — including you, Sheryl Sandberg, Meta CTO Chris Cox, and Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri — knew that over half of Instagram users report having one bad or harmful experience each week, including a quarter of young teens reporting having received unwanted sexual advances. Rather than act on these stunning findings, Meta hid this information from the public and Congressional oversight while providing misleading statistics, ignoring recommendations to protect teens, and even rolling back safety tools.

Mr. Béjar’s testimony and documents were corroborated by newly unsealed allegations in a lawsuit filed by the Massachusetts Attorney General. According to the complaint, the mental health risks of Facebook and Instagram were well-known within Meta. However, executives are alleged to have repeatedly made decisions to implement changes to a product that they knew would harm teens and shelved safeguards based on concerns about their impact on revenue. In one exchange, you are alleged to have personally vetoed a proposal to “disallow effects that mimic plastic surgery” that had significant support from Meta’s senior management and outside experts, despite a clear warning from Instagram’s Head of Policy that Meta would be “actively encouraging young girls into body dysmorphia.”[5] Additionally, while executives themselves acknowledged “wellbeing work is both understaffed and fragmented,” “currently underinvested,” and that Meta had been talking “about this for a long time but ha[d] made little progress,”[6] proposals to fund wellbeing work were denied, and safety staff has been subsequently cut from Meta. It now seems clear that the root of Meta’s repeated failure to act to enhance the safety of its products starts at the top.

Given Meta’s apparent willful disregard for, and profiting from threats to, the safety and wellbeing of young people, as well as its misrepresentations to Congress, we write to request the following documents concerning your and other senior executives’ consideration of the requests for additional safety investments and tools detailed in Mr. Béjar’s testimony and in the complaint filed by the Massachusetts Attorney General. Please provide the following documents no later than November 30, 2023.

All communications related to Arturo Béjar’s October 5, 2021 email to Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, Chris Cox, and Adam Mosseri, including:

All responses to and forwards of Arturo Béjar’s email;

All communication between executives regarding Arturo Béjar’s email; and

All communication between executives and other Meta personnel regarding Arturo Béjar’s email.

All communications related to Arturo Béjar’s October 14, 2021, email to Adam Mosseri, including:

All responses to and forwards of Arturo Béjar’s email;

All communication between Meta executives regarding Arturo Béjar’s email; and

All communication between executives and other Meta personnel regarding Arturo Béjar’s email.

All correspondence related to David Ginsberg’s April 2019 email to Mark Zuckerberg recommending investments to fund additional engineering staff focused on building well-being tools, including:

Mr. Ginsburg’s email to Mark Zuckerberg and Susan Li’s response referenced in paragraph 181 of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s complaint;

All communication between executives regarding Mr. Ginsburg’s email; and

All communication between Meta executives and other Meta personnel regarding Mr. Ginsburg’s email.

All correspondence related to the August 2021 outreach from members of Instagram’s Well-Being Team to Nick Clegg and Chris Norton, recommending additional investment and staffing to address “‘currently underinvested’ teen well-being areas,” as cited in paragraphs 181-193 of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s complaint, including:

The Well-Being Team’s initial outreach to Mr. Norton and Mr. Clegg;

Mr. Clegg’s forwarding of messages from the Well-Being Team to Mark Zuckerberg and Mr. Clegg’s November 2021 follow-up email to Mr. Zuckerberg;

All correspondence involving Mr. Zuckerberg and Meta CFO Susan Li concerning the outreach from the Well-Being team;

All correspondence between Pratiti Raychoudhury, Adam Mosseri, Emily Dalton Smith and Kang-Xing Jin concerning the request; and

All other correspondence between Meta executives regarding the Well-Being team’s request.

Any documents, memoranda, analyses, or presentations prepared by or for, or shared with, Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, Chris Cox, Adam Mosseri, Nick Clegg, and Chris Norton concerning the emails and outreach referenced in questions 1 through 4.

A list of any meetings convened to discuss the emails and outreach referenced in questions 1 through 4, specifying when the meetings took place and who attended, along with a copy of any agendas, summaries, or minutes of those meetings.

We look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-bipartisan-group-of-senators-introduce-resolution-supporting-us-efforts-to-deter-iran,Blumenthal & Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduce Resolution Supporting U.S. Efforts to Deter Iran,2023-11-15,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[Hartford, CT] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal, Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada), Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) introduced a resolution recognizing deterrence is most credible when the President keeps all options on the table, including the use of military force in accordance with constitutional processes, to deter attacks from Iran and its proxies.

“Iran is a toxic, malign influence. The purpose of this resolution is very simply to deter Iran by showing we’re behind the president as he seeks to stop the war in Israel from escalating. Iran is responsible for the actions of its surrogates and must pull them back. There is strong bipartisan common ground here at home and consensus in the region: deterrence it is critical to prevent a widening war,” said Blumenthal.

“Our resolution urges the Biden Administration to keep all options on the table, including the military option against Iran, if there is continued escalation against our forces in Syria and Iraq by Iranian proxies or an effort by Hezbollah to expand in the north of Israel, which would also be supported by Iran,” said Graham.“The bipartisan resolution urges peace, but is prepared to hold Iran accountable for terrorist activities and any escalation. If Iran escalates, the set of targets should be in Iran – not Syria or Iraq. In addition, our resolution encourages Saudi Arabia and Israel to continue their effort to normalize relations between their two nations. I, along with most in the region, believe the barbaric attack by Hamas was designed to stop this effort, because it would be a nightmare for Iran.”

“There’s no disputing the malign influence of Iran in the Middle East, nor the role the regime has played in recent attacks on Israel,” said Sullivan. “There is no Hamas without Iran. There is no Hezbollah without Iran. There are no Houthis without Iran. All of these terrorist organizations are funded, trained and supplied by the Iranians. It’s also important for the American public to remember that, for decades, Iran’s Quds Force and their proxies have targeted and killed American citizens—including wounding or killing over 2,000 American service members. I have been critical of the Biden administration’s policies toward Iran, but today, we are looking forward. This resolution builds on the strong bipartisan support for reimposing a broad suite of sanctions against Iran—including on oil and ballistic missiles—and being prepared to use military force against Iran if they kill Americans.”

“Make no mistake, as the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, Iran cannot successfully be appeased. The regime in Tehran funded and trained Hamas before the barbaric October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel, fuels the proxies that have attacked American troops in Iraq and Syria, and continues to funnel resources to Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other terrorist groups across the region. Peace will only come through strength, and this bipartisan resolution sends a clear message that the United States will not tolerate attacks on Americans in the Middle East and across the globe,” said Britt.

“Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, and its actions are destabilizing the Middle East,” said Rosen. “Iran’s support has been instrumental for terrorist groups like Hamas – which carried out brutal attacks on innocent Israelis – and its proxies who attack U.S. troops and pose the greatest threat to their safety. The U.S. must continue to stand with our allies and keep pushing back on Iran’s support of terrorism and attempts to thwart regional normalization and peace.”

“We must send a strong message of deterrence to Iran as Israel defends themselves following the horrific Hamas terrorist attack on October 7th, and to ensure this war does not further escalate in the Middle East,” said Manchin. “I am proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to introduce this bipartisan resolution that advocates for meaningful steps to make very clear that the United States will not tolerate Iran’s continued attacks. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I will continue to explore all avenues to stand with Israel and prevent a regional conflict.”

The resolution:

Supports the President’s efforts to deter the Islamic Republic of Iran, the IRGC, Hamas, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, PIJ, and other proxies from expanding the ongoing conflict, and recognizes deterrence is most credible when the President keeps all options on the table, including the use of military force in accordance with constitutional processes.

Recognizes Israel’s right to self-defense and its operations to ensure Hamas can never again terrorize innocent Israelis and Palestinians.

Encourages the President to work to secure the safe release and return of all hostages held by Hamas.

Commends the President’s decision to position military and diplomatic assets in the region to deter escalation of the conflict by the Islamic Republic of Iran, the IRGC, Hamas, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, PIJ, and other proxies of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Iraq or Syria.

Recognizes that all responsible nations agree that Hamas is a terrorist organization that must be fought, dismantled and prevented from having the capacity to further terrorize Israel and the region.

Urges the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Israel, with the support of the United States, to continue diplomatic negotiations to normalize relations and establish lasting peace, prosperity, and stability in the Middle East.

The full text of the resolution is available here.

Senators Graham, Blumenthal, and Sullivan discussed the resolution on Monday in Washington.

Video Available Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6MBMfCh8ok&t=2s

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-americas-greatness-is-connected-to-our-willingness-to-lead-in-moments-of-crisis,Murphy: America's Greatness is Connected to Our Willingness to Lead in Moments of Crisis,2023-11-15,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday spoke on the U.S. Senate floor in opposition to a Senate Republican effort that would abandon Ukraine, eliminate all humanitarian aid to Gaza, and protect billionaire tax cheats by cutting funding for the IRS.

On Republicans’ plan to tie aid to Israel to a giveaway for ultra-rich tax cheats: “I don't think you can ignore the fact that a large swath of the Republican Party is using this crisis in Israel in order to deliver yet another gift to the very small slice of Americans who don't need any more gifts. There are 700 billionaires in this country who have more net worth than 50% of all Americans. The rules are already rigged in favor of the super wealthy. And so the idea that we would facilitate a plan in the House of Representatives to use Israel aid as a means to continue to rig the rules in favor of those ultra-rich Americans is just incredibly distasteful. And it's a signal about where the Republican Party priorities are today.”

Murphy pushed back on Republicans’ fatalistic view of the war in Ukraine and the United States’ ability to help: “America's greatness is connected to our willingness to stand up and lead in moments of crisis. And this is a unique moment of crisis without precedent, which is why it requires the United States to stand against Russia's aggression. Listen, for thousands of years, we know this because you read about it in your history books growing up, for thousands of years prior to the establishment of the post-World-War II order, this world was defined by state-on-state, civilization-on-civilization violence and conflict. People labored under the constant threat that their entire world would be ended by another one of these civilization-on-civilization conflicts.”

“We live in a very different era today, where we frankly have to be more, not less worried, not permissive and fatalistic about the consequences of re-entering a world and a paradigm in which states enter into conflict against other states. Why? Because we now live in a world filled with weapons of mass destruction. Not just nuclear weapons, but other highly sophisticated weapons,” Murphy added. “And so now, this kind of conflict that Russia and Ukraine are engaged in, that's the kind of conflict that can wipe out millions in a day. That's why the United States of America has stood up for the post-World War II order. That's why we have fought and sometimes died to maintain it. And this is the most significant affront to that order. An order that has protected this country. An order that has protected our economy. An order that has saved millions of lives in our lifetime.

Murphy concluded: “In a short term 'satisfy me now' culture, I understand that many of my Republican [colleagues] get phone calls from their constituents saying 'Ukraine hasn't won this war tomorrow, I’m not interested any longer', but this conflict matters and it matters that we stick with Ukraine. Because if we lose, if we lose, we're living in an entirely new world. The cap is off on state-on-state violence and pretty soon America will be in one of those conflicts with another nuclear nation. We won't be talking about thousands of Ukrainians dying. We will be talking about millions of Americans.”

A full transcript of his remarks can be found below:

“Thank you very much, Mr. President. I want to thank Senator Murray and Senator Reed for leading us in this time. I want to make two relatively brief points to that the discussion, and then I'll turn it over to others of my colleagues.

“First, I understand that my Republican colleagues want to avoid the question of Republican priorities. The fact of the matter is an Israel only funding bill passed through the House of Representatives and attached to it was a massive giveaway for the richest Americans – millionaires and billionaires who don't pay their taxes.

“And so, as we chart the path forward for a bill that only funds Israel we know that in the House of Representatives it has to be matched with a massive, massive giveaway for millionaires and billionaires. And I don't think you can ignore that fact that a large swath of the Republican Party is using this crisis in Israel in order to deliver yet another gift to the very small slice of Americans who don't need any more gifts.

“There are 700 billionaires in this country who have more net worth than 50% of all Americans. The rules are already rigged in favor of the super wealthy. And so the idea that we would facilitate a plan in the House of Representatives to use Israel aid as a means to continue to rig the rules in favor of those ultra-rich Americans is just incredibly distasteful. And it's a signal about where the Republican Party priorities are today.

“Second, I do want to talk about what Senator Vance and others talked about – about the lazy precedent-referencing, sloganeering that they accuse Democrats of engaging in.

“So it is correct that what is happening today in Ukraine does not have a modern precedent. Because never before in our lifetime, in the post-World War II order, has a large nuclear nation like Russia invaded another large neighboring nation with the purpose of annexation. What Russia is trying to do is to fundamentally change the rules, fundamentally shift international norms that have been in place since World War II. At the foundation of it is that countries don't change their borders [through] force, through aggression.

“It is important to understand that these are the rules that undergirded the last 70 years of U.S. growth and U.S. national security. So we don't believe that we should support Ukraine because we just believe that Vladimir Putin is Adolf Hitler. We don't believe we should support Ukraine to perpetuate some slogan about American greatness. No, we believe that we have an interest – because as the most powerful nation in the world, as the nation that has benefited most from the post-World War II order – to defend those rules because if we don't, no one else will.

“And it just strikes me that my Republican colleagues who have this fatalistic view of what is going to happen in Ukraine just really view America as weak, as impotent, and as [powerless] in the face of this unprecedented aggression from Vladimir Putin.

“America's greatness is connected to our willingness to stand up and lead in moments of crisis. And this is a unique moment of crisis without precedent, which is why it requires the United States to stand against Russia's aggression. Listen for thousands of years, we know this because you read about it in your history books growing up, for thousands of years prior to the establishment of the post-World-War II order, this world was defined by state-on-state, civilization-on-civilization violence and conflict. People labored under the constant threat that their entire world would be ended by another one of these civilization-on-civilization conflicts.

“But this was back in the time when weapons were crude. They were swords. They were bows and arrows, and then, they were simple firearms. Millions died, but millions also survived. We live in a very different era today, where we frankly have to be more, not less worried, not permissive and fatalistic about the consequences of re-entering a world and a paradigm in which states enter into conflict against other states.

“Why? Because we now live in a world filled with weapons of mass destruction. Not just nuclear weapons, but other highly sophisticated weapons. And so now, this kind of conflict that Russia and Ukraine are engaged in, that's the kind of conflict that can wipe out millions in a day. That's why the United States of America has stood up for the post-World War II order. That's why we have fought and sometimes died to maintain it. And this is the most significant affront to that order. An order that has protected this country. An order that has protected our economy. An order that has saved millions of lives in our lifetime.

“It is hard. Ukraine's mission is difficult. In a short term 'satisfy me now' culture, I understand that many of my Republican [colleagues] get phone calls from their constituents saying 'Ukraine hasn't won this war tomorrow, I’m not interested any longer', but this conflict matters and it matters that we stick with Ukraine. Because if we lose, if we lose, we're living in an entirely new world. The cap is off on state-on-state violence and pretty soon America will be in one of those conflicts with another nuclear nation. We won't be talking about thousands of Ukrainians dying. We will be talking about millions of Americans.

“So I appreciate my colleagues being here today, and I think this is as important as it gets. I think we really are deciding the future of this world and the rules that govern it. And I join my colleagues in objecting to this motion.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/extreme-gop-spending-cuts-would-kick-1900-connecticut-teachers-out,"Extreme GOP Spending Cuts Would Kick 1,900 Connecticut Teachers Out of Classroom",2023-11-14,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Republicans brought an extreme partisan funding bill to the House floor that decimates K-12 education and does not meaningfully prevent a government shutdown before the November 17 deadline.

The 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill (H.R. 5894), cuts funding by 80 percent for Title I education funding—which will butcher the public-school budgets of 95 percent of K-12 schools in eastern Connecticut. Congressman Courtney released a new report that demonstrates the devastating consequences of the cuts for almost all 69 school districts in Connecticut’s Second Congressional District.

“House Republicans’ education funding bill is exactly the opposite of what our region needs to give students a chance to succeed in life. An 80 percent cut to funding means slashing staff, increasing class sizes, and decreasing resources to almost every K-12 student in eastern Connecticut. In fact, this measure would lead to 1,900 Connecticut teachers losing their job,” said Rep. Joe Courtney, a senior member of the House Education and Workforce Committee. “This bill sends a clear message that Speaker Johnson is unwilling to prevent a government shutdown and put forth a serious budget that can actually pass. Bipartisanship is the only proven method to govern in a closely divided Congress—not partisan spending bills like the one before us today.”

Read how the proposed cuts will hurt school districts across the region here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-courtney-votes-avert-government-shutdown,Rep. Courtney Votes to Avert Government Shutdown,2023-11-14,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,courtney,https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement after voting for a short-term spending package that allows the federal government to remain open.

“Today, I joined a collation of Democrats and Republicans to avert a government shutdown and ensure the services eastern Connecticut residents rely on remain uninterrupted. In eastern Connecticut, the short-term spending bill will also ensure that federal employees, including roughly 9,000 sailors and officers at the Groton submarine base, will not have their pay disrupted, as well the Coast Guard Academy staff in New London. Their important work will continue uninterrupted.

“Importantly, this package continues support for the Columbia-class submarine program by extending funds for construction of the USS Wisconsin and providing an additional $3.3 billion for the Navy to procure long-lead materials, while sustaining critical investments in the submarine industrial base. This is a critical exception for the Navy’s number one acquisition priority that will ensure construction remains on schedule as our shipyards and suppliers dramatically ramp up capacity.

“To pass a full fiscal year budget and ensure we meet the needs of Americans and our allies, the House leadership must return to the established center-left, center-right coalition that prevented a default on the full faith and credit of the US Treasury notes in May and prevented a shutdown on September 30. As I have said before, this bipartisan path is the only proven way to govern in a closely divided Congress.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=C219B333-444A-4DA6-97F6-239A3D02C135,Hayes Statement Following Vote on Continuing Resolution to Fund the Government Through Early 2024,2023-11-14,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,CT,Jahana Hayes,H001081,hayes.house.gov,hayes,https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON– Today, following the House vote to pass the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) issued the following statement:

“Today, I voted to pass the Continuing Resolution to avert a government shutdown.

The laddered continuing resolution will fund Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Energy and Water Development, Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration until January 19th, 2024.

The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, Defense, Financial Services and General Government, Homeland Security, Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Legislative Branch, State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs will be funded until February 2nd, 2024.

Additionally, this proposal will extend the Farm Bill through September 30th, 2024, at current spending levels.

209 Democrats and 127 Republicans voted in support of this funding bill. Once again House Democrats came together to ensure our government does not shut down. However, despite pushing the deadlines into early next year, the threat of a shutdown continues to loom and the confidence and stability of our nation remains at stake.

The Republican majority cannot continue to legislate in this way with the threat of a shutdown or funding cliff every few months.

I remain committed to working to pass appropriations bills focused on fully funding the government, investing in working families, and keeping our nation safe.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-tillis-sinema-reintroduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-support-startups-small-businesses,"Murphy, Tillis, Sinema Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Startups, Small Businesses",2023-11-14,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) on Tuesday reintroduced the Helping Angels Lead Our Startups (HALOS) Act, legislation that would ensure that individuals who want to invest in startups do not face burdensome regulations, and allow those startups to get the investments they need to grow their business and create jobs.

In order for startups to secure capital and grow their businesses, entrepreneurs commonly attend “demo days”, or conferences that allow startups to showcase their business model in front of valuable startup investors, such as “angel investors.”

The HALOS Act would codify provisions finalized in SEC rules to ensure that startups can continue to present at demo days without facing onerous regulations, and instead preserve the same investor vetting process that angel investors have been using at demo days for years. This bipartisan legislation will enable startups to continue to get the investments they need to grow and create new jobs.

“Startups play an important role in Connecticut’s economy, creating hundreds of new jobs each year and securing our state’s future as a national center for innovation. Getting a new business off the ground is tough work and requires capital – that’s where angel investors come in. This bipartisan legislation will make it easier for local entrepreneurs to get the support they need to grow and thrive,” said Murphy.

“Arizona is home to the best growing and innovative startups. Our bill makes it easier for entrepreneurs and small business owners to access investments so they can open their doors, grow our economy, and create strong careers for Arizonans,” said Sinema.

“Small business investors play a crucial role in allowing start-ups to grow and create more jobs, but too often face unnecessary regulatory requirements that deter investment,” said Tillis. “This bipartisan legislation will remove burdensome regulations so we can invest in our small business and continue to grow our economy.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-celebrates-womens-health-research-initiative,DeLauro Celebrates Women’s Health Research Initiative,2023-11-13,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa L. DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,delauro,https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) released a statement praising the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research. Announced by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, the initiative seeks to fundamentally change how the United States approaches research on women’s health with the goal of improving health outcomes and the lives of women across the country.

Dr. Carolyn Mazure, a constituent of Congresswoman DeLauro and a doctor at Yale-New Haven, will chair the initiative. In 1998, Dr. Mazure created Women’s Health Research at Yale, an interdisciplinary research center that has been a national leader for research, sharing health information, and more on women’s health and the interplay of gender, health, and sex.

“When I first came to Congress, we had to fight to get women included in the health research trials at the National Institutes of Health,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “A novel concept at the time, the inclusion of women in these health trials led to breakthroughs in disease research and improved health outcomes for millions of American women. Dr. Carolyn Mazure has been a trusted ally and friend in this fight. She came to me when I took the pen of the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations subcommittee, and said the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) needed a line item to significantly increase resources for this Office. So that is what I did, and we have grown the Office’s funding to more than $64 million and empowered ORWH with grant-making authority in my time as Chair of the subcommittee. That is why I am so proud that the Biden administration is leading the charge to improve health outcomes for a new generation of American women. I applaud them for taking this step forward and will work closely with the administration to support this new initiative.”

The Initiative charges federal agencies with a number of directives, including:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-statement-congressman-brian-higgins-decision-not-seek-re,DeLauro Statement on Congressman Brian Higgins Decision to Not Seek Re-Election,2023-11-13,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa L. DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,delauro,https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) released a statement following news that Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) will leave Congress in February 2024.

“Since being elected to Congress 19 years ago, Congressman Higgins has been a close ally and good friend in the work of serving the hardworking people of the United States. He has accomplished so much on behalf of our nation’s veterans, transportation safety, and strengthening America’s crumbling infrastructure by moving needed, bipartisan investments into law.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-supreme-courts-adoption-of-a-code-of-ethics,Murphy Statement on Supreme Court's Adoption of a Code of Ethics,2023-11-13,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Monday released the following statement on the Supreme Court’s adoption of a binding code of conduct:

“Trust in the Supreme Court is at an all-time low because justices on this increasingly radical Court have seized every opportunity to roll back racial equality, reproductive rights, LGTBQ rights, and more while hiding their conflicts of interest and accepting luxury vacations and trips on private jets. This new code shows the Chief Justice is beginning to understand the seriousness of having a Supreme Court so lacking in credibility and is a good first step toward restoring public confidence. I have introduced legislation every Congress since 2011 to increase transparency and enforce accountability for the Court, and now is the time to pass the Supreme Court Ethics Act to create an enforcement mechanism for this new code of ethics.”

Murphy has introduced legislation to apply a code of conduct to the Supreme Court every Congress since 2011. Most recently, he introduced the Supreme Court Ethics Act, requiring the Judicial Conference of the United States to create a code of ethical conduct for the Supreme Court of the United States. It would also require the appointment of an Ethics Investigations Counsel and require justices to publicly disclose recusal decisions.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/-murphy-joins-colleagues-in-urging-inclusion-of-full-humanitarian-assistance-in-supplemental-funding-package,Murphy Joins Colleagues in Urging Inclusion of Full Humanitarian Assistance in Supplemental Funding Package,2023-11-11,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism, joined 25 colleagues in sending a letter to Democratic and Republican Senate and Appropriations leadership urging the inclusion of the full $10 billion in humanitarian assistance requested by President Biden in the national security supplemental.

“Beyond the moral significance of continuing our country’s tradition as the world’s leader in delivering life-saving humanitarian aid, this assistance promotes global stability and security by helping manage and provide for displaced populations, preventing recruitment to extremism, and mitigating economic pressure on partner governments,” wrote the Senators.

The letter highlights the ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East and the devastating impacts these global crises have on millions of innocent civilians caught in the middle. The Senators urge U.S. leadership in ensuring aid reaches sick, wounded, and displaced civilians.

“Without these funds, global efforts led by the United States to address ongoing and expanded crises in Sudan, Nagorno-Karabakh, Burma, Syria, and other humanitarian responses will suffer reductions in support. This would directly threaten U.S. national security and the security of our partners,” the letter continues.

The letter was signed by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii),Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Full text of the letter can be found here and follows below:

Dear Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Chair Murray, and Vice Chair Collins:

We urge you to ensure that the final package for the national security supplemental includes the full $10 billion in humanitarian assistance requested by the President, including for refugee and emergency food aid. This funding would roughly match U.S. emergency spending on humanitarian assistance appropriated since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and would come at a time when global needs are only rising. Beyond the moral significance of continuing our country’s tradition as the world’s leader in delivering life-saving humanitarian aid, this assistance promotes global stability and security by helping manage and provide for displaced populations, preventing recruitment to extremism, and mitigating economic pressure on partner governments.

Without these funds, global efforts led by the United States to address ongoing and expanded crises in Sudan, Nagorno-Karabakh, Burma, Syria, and other humanitarian responses will suffer reductions in support. This would directly threaten U.S. national security and the security of our partners.

If these funds are not included, U.S. assistance for displaced Ukrainians could be reduced by as much as 75 percent. As you know, Ukrainians have valiantly fought against Vladimir Putin’s unjust and unprovoked invasion of their country. To sustain their heroic struggle, Ukrainians not only need weapons and ammunition, but also basic humanitarian support for the families and communities they are fighting to defend. An estimated 16 million people in Ukraine and more than 6.3 million Ukrainian refugees in the region rely on humanitarian assistance.[1] While other donors have provided the majority of total humanitarian and economic assistance that has been delivered to Ukraine (roughly double U.S. support), U.S. leadership has been critical in this effort. We must continue to lead the way in ensuring aid reaches sick, wounded, and displaced Ukrainians suffering as a result of Putin’s brutality.

As supporters of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, we believe Israel has the right and obligation to defend itself against Hamas – a terrorist organization whose horrific attacks on October 7 and long history of violence against Israelis and Palestinians make clear its total disregard for innocent human life. We also know from our country’s own experiences that protecting civilians and ensuring access to desperately needed food, water, medical care, and shelter for innocent civilians caught in the middle of conflict is critical for strategic success. Preventing Hamas from ever again threatening Israeli lives does not depend solely on Israel’s ability to degrade Hamas militarily. It also requires giving Palestinians hope for a better future, starting with making sure that humanitarian aid continuously reaches vulnerable civilians in Gaza. This is why the United States and our implementing partners, working closely with the Israeli government, undertake extensive oversight procedures so that U.S. assistance flows only to its intended recipients.

The ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East have impacts beyond their borders. The proliferation of global crises is putting pressure on millions of innocent civilians who are bearing the brunt of the fighting, and key U.S. partners, including in Europe and the Middle East, continue to grapple with how to manage the outbreak of violence in their regions. These realities underscore the importance of the United States maintaining its indispensable leadership role in support of assistance that effectively responds to dire humanitarian needs and prevents further instability.

We thank you for your consideration of this important request.

Sincerely,

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-and-colleagues-urge-usda-and-usaid-to-provide-food-aid-to-palestinians-in-gaza,Murphy And Colleagues Urge USDA And USAID To Provide Food Aid To Palestinians In Gaza,2023-11-11,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism, Peter Welch (D-Vt.) Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Thomas Vilsack and U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator (USAID) Samantha Power to request the immediate release of crucial food aid administered by the agencies, including from the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, for Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Programs such as the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust were created to respond to food relief needs internationally in times of crisis.

Over half of Gaza’s population was food-insecure before October 7. The conflict following Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel has displaced one and a half million Gazans and Israel’s limitation of aid trucks has put civilian Palestinians at risk of starvation.

“Gaza is home to approximately two million Palestinian civilians, including more than one million children. Since Hamas’s brutal October 7th attacks on Israel, and the ensuing war in Gaza, more than one and a half million Gazans have been displaced. In addition, Israel’s near-total siege of Gaza and the ongoing bombing campaign has turned a humanitarian crisis into a full-blown catastrophe with acute shortages of water, food, medicine, and fuel,” wrote the Senators. “We need to facilitate and provide additional emergency assistance to Gaza to prevent a deepening of the humanitarian disaster and help save countless lives.

“Though the United States has provided financial assistance for humanitarian relief in Gaza and the West Bank, additional aid is necessary to address the intensifying food emergency faced by Palestinians in Gaza. We should do all we can to alleviate that burden,” the Senators wrote. “We strongly urge you to utilize the [Bill Emerson Humanitarian] Trust and other available resources to save the lives of Palestinian citizens during this unprecedented time.”

According to the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP), stocks of some essential food items in Gaza, including rice, vegetable oil, and pulses, are nearing depletion. Even prior to October 7th, 63% of Gazan residents were food insecure, and 80% of Gaza’s population relied on humanitarian assistance. The WFP, which is already facing funding shortages, recently warned that an additional $74 million is needed in the next three months to provide necessary food assistance for Gaza. The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to release resources from the Trust, at the request of the USAID Administrator.

Read the full text of the letter here and below:

Dear Secretary Vilsack and Administrator Power,

We are writing to request the immediate release of resources from the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, along with other resources available to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), to provide food aid to Palestinians in Gaza. We believe the current situation in Gaza necessitates the utilization of the Trust, which was established to provide emergency assistance for populations facing acute hunger needs, among other resources created to address acute hunger needs.

Gaza is home to approximately two million Palestinian civilians, including more than one million children. Since Hamas’s brutal October 7th attacks on Israel, and the ensuing war in Gaza, more than one and a half million Gazans have been displaced. In addition, Israel’s near total siege of Gaza and the ongoing bombing campaign has turned a humanitarian crisis into a full-blown catastrophe with acute shortages of water, food, medicine, and fuel. According to the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP), stocks of some essential food items in Gaza, including rice, vegetable oil, and pulses, are nearing depletion. Even prior to October 7th, sixty-three percent of Gazan residents were food insecure, and eighty percent of Gaza’s population relied on humanitarian assistance. We need to facilitate and provide additional emergency assistance to Gaza to prevent a deepening of the humanitarian disaster and help save countless lives.

The Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust was created to respond to aberrant food security needs in times of unparalleled food crisis abroad. The WFP, which is already facing funding shortages, recently warned that an additional $74 million is needed in the next three months to provide necessary food assistance for Gaza. Though the United States has provided financial assistance for humanitarian relief in Gaza and the West Bank, additional aid is necessary to address the intensifying food emergency faced by Palestinians in Gaza. We should do all we can to alleviate that burden.

The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to release resources from the Trust, at the request of the USAID Administrator. We strongly urge you to utilize the Trust and other available resources to save the lives of Palestinian citizens during this unprecedented time. We also ask that your agencies provide a staff-level briefing by Wednesday, November 22nd to explain the steps you have taken, and plan to take, to provide food and other humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

Sincerely,

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=20E2588D-368A-4E8F-AB6C-DD85E0003174,"FACT SHEET: Fighting For Our Veterans, Hayes Prioritizes Veterans and Military Families",2023-11-10,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,CT,Jahana Hayes,H001081,hayes.house.gov,hayes,https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Since taking office, Congresswoman Hayes (CT-05) has secured the inclusion of essential resources for veterans and military families in broader legislation signed into law by both Democratic and Republican administrations.

VA Mental Health Staffing Act – requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit a plan to address the staffing of mental health providers at its facilities. Among other elements, the plan must address the filling of any open positions.

H.R. 8145 – requires the VA and the Office of Personnel Management to develop an occupational series for licensed professional mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Surviving Families Benefit Expansion Act - authorizes monthly Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses who remarry after the age of 55.

Palomares Veterans Act - removes barriers to compensation for the veterans who responded to the 1966 nuclear accident in Palomares, Spain.

In the 118th Congress, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) introduced key legislation to address an issue voiced by veterans and military families in the Fifth District.

The bipartisan, bicameral Caring for Survivors Act of 2023, would adjust monthly benefits for family members and survivors of veterans who lost their lives in service to the United States by increasing Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC).

The Waterbury District Office of Congresswoman Hayes is also the only Purple Heart Congressional Office in all of New England – recognizing the dedication of Congresswoman Hayes and her office to veterans and their families.

This year, the office has opened 85 military and veteran-related cases and closed 82. Since taking office in 2019, 469 military and veteran-related cases have been successfully resolved, spanning nearly all 41 towns in the Fifth District.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-colleagues-blast-student-loan-servicer-mohela-following-repeated-billing-mistakes_failure-to-inform-25-million-borrowers-of-payment-deadline,Blumenthal & Colleagues Blast Student Loan Servicer MOHELA Following Repeated Billing Mistakes & Failure to Inform 2.5 Million Borrowers of Payment Deadline,2023-11-09,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"(Hartford, CT) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal joined colleagues U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in sending a letter to Scott Giles, chief executive officer of the Higher Education Loan Authority of Missouri (MOHELA), demanding that the loan servicer immediately update borrowers on its most recent error that resulted in 2.5 million borrowers placed into administrative forbearance.

The senators also expressed concern that MOHELA has caused confusion and financial distress by failing to inform borrowers on actions taken by the Department of Education to provide additional consumer protections during the administrative forbearance period, and in some cases, peddling contradictory information.

MOHELA services 8 million of the more than 40 million borrowers who have recently returned to repayment after nearly three years of paused payments and interest accrual. MOHELA has made repeated mistakes since the pause was lifted, including using outdated poverty guidelines and billing low-income borrowers’ higher payments than necessary. Recently, MOHELA failed to meet requirements to send billing statements to 2.5 million borrowers on time, leaving 830,000 borrowers delinquent on their loans in the first month of repayment. As a result, the U.S. Department of Education directed MOHELA to place all affected borrowers on administrative forbearance, adjust to zero any interest that accrues during the forbearance, and count time spent in forbearance towards public service loan forgiveness and income-driven repayment plan subsidies.

“This is not the first time MOHELA has failed to provide clear, timely, and accurate loan-status information to borrowers. We demand that MOHELA immediately update borrowers of its most recent error and the impact on their loans, and take concrete steps to improve overall customer service and communication,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Borrowers rightly rely on MOHELA for timely and accurate loan information to ensure they make timely and accurate loan payments. Your failure to meet this basic and fundamental loan-servicing responsibility places hundreds of thousands of borrowers at risk of financial anxiety and insecurity. MOHELA must get its house in order immediately,” the lawmakers continued.

In the letter, the lawmakers called on MOHELA to respond to the following questions by November 21, 2023:

Please describe MOHELA’s planned outreach to borrowers on administrative forbearance regarding:

MOHELA’s errors that resulted in the administrative forbearance;

The consequences of administrative forbearance;

the additional protections that the Department has offered to affected borrowers, including zero-interest accrual and credit towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Income-Driven Repayment;

the timeline to transition borrowers off administrative forbearance and back on repayment; and

ensuring notice to borrowers at least 21 days ahead of their return to repayment, including the date of their next payment and the amount.

Please provide copies of all notices, factsheets, customer service scripts, or any other information provided by MOHELA to borrowers regarding these errors, their implications, and how they will be resolved.

How many borrowers have declined or requested to end their administrative forbearance since October 1, 2023, if they were placed in forbearance for MOHELA’s mistakes rather than as is standard for pending income-driven repayment applications?

How many complaints about errors with calculating monthly payment amounts has MOHELA received from its borrowers since September 1, 2023?

Your response to our July 18, 2023 letter stated that, to ensure the accurate calculation of monthly payments, MOHELA utilizes “a system of record” that “calculates the appropriate payment amount based on data, and the calculations are embedded in the system of record to comply for the particular plan for any Income Driven plans or Standard Repayment (Standard, Graduated, etc.), plans.”[1] Given evidence of incorrectly calculated monthly payments, what steps has MOHELA taken to evaluate the system of record or the calculations?

Please describe how MOHELA obtains the information that it uses to calculate borrowers’ monthly payments and any policies or procedures used to ensure the accuracy and completeness of that information, including whether this information is received from prior student loan servicers as part of any account transfer or whether the information is provided by the Department.

Ahead of the return to student loan payment after three years, the senators sent letters to MOHELA and other loan servicers on September 28th and July 19th, requesting information about whether the servicers were prepared to support borrowers amid reports of widespread errors and confusion.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-durbin-colleagues-urge-biden-administration-to-designate-palestinian-territories-for-temporary-protected-status-or-authorize-deferred-enforcement-departure-for-palestinians-in-us,"Murphy, Durbin, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration To Designate Palestinian Territories For Temporary Protected Status Or Authorize Deferred Enforcement Departure For Palestinians In U.S.",2023-11-09,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, joined U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chair of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, and 105 of their colleagues in a bicameral letter to President Joe Biden calling on his Administration to designate the Palestinian territories for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and/or authorize Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Palestinians present in the United States. TPS and DED offer temporary relief from removal and work authorization for eligible foreign nationals already in the United States who are unable to return safely to their home country.

“In light of ongoing armed conflict, Palestinians already in the United States should not be forced to return to the Palestinian territories, consistent with President Biden’s stated commitment to protecting Palestinian civilians,” the lawmakers wrote.

Following the horrific October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas and Israel’s ensuing military response, conditions in the Palestinian territories have greatly deteriorated. According to reports from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of November 6, at least 10,000 Palestinians have been killed. This includes more than 4,100 children, which, according to Save the Children, is more than the number of children killed in all of the world’s armed conflicts on an annual basis since 2019. The United Nations reports that almost 1.5 million of Gaza’s population of 2.2 million have been displaced. Thousands are unable to access clean water and nutrition; access to medical care has become increasingly difficult, with some health facilities in Gaza hit by bombardment and many others crippled by a lack of fuel for electricity. And in the West Bank, unrest and settler violence have resulted in the deaths of 149 Palestinians and the forcible displacement of hundreds more.

“Given these conditions, it is no surprise that the U.S. Department of State extended a Level 4 Travel Advisory for Gaza due to ‘terrorism, civil unrest and armed conflict’ and a Level 3 Travel Advisory for the West Bank earlier this month for terrorism and civil unrest,” the lawmakers wrote. “Providing TPS and/or authorizing DED would protect Palestinians in the United States from being forced to return to these clearly dangerous conditions.”

The lawmakers’ letter continues, “U.S. Department of State statistics indicate that 7,241 nonimmigrant visas were issued to individuals holding Palestinian Authority (PA) travel documents in 2022, the most recent year for which such data is available. While the number of non-immigrant visas issued cannot provide an exact approximation of the number of Palestinians that would be eligible for TPS or DED, it makes clear that the number of beneficiaries would be small, while the benefit could be lifesaving. TPS or DED would enable Palestinians currently present in the U.S., including students, tourists, and workers, to be protected from a dangerous return to their homeland while affording them the ability to remain safely in the U.S. and to work legally to support themselves and their families.”

The lawmakers’ letter concludes, “As such, we urge your Administration to designate the Palestinian territories for TPS and/or to authorize DED for Palestinians in the United States without delay.”

Along with Murphy and Durbin, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

The letter is endorsed by the following organizations: Arab American Institute, African Communities Together, American Civil Liberties Union, American Friends Service Committee, American Immigration Council, American Immigration Lawyers Association, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, American Muslim Empowerment Network, Americans for Peace Now, America's Voice, Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, Church World Service, Climate Refugees, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, Communities United for Status & Protection, Every Campus A Refuge, Friends United Meeting, Immigration Hub, Indivisible, International Refugee Assistance Project, J Street, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, MPower Change Action Fund, National Network for Arab American Communities, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, OneAmerica, People's Action, Refugees International, TPS-DED Administrative Advocacy Coalition, T’ruah, and UndocuBlack Network.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear President Biden:

We urge your Administration to designate the Palestinian territories for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and/or authorize Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Palestinians present in the United States. As you know, TPS and DED offer temporary relief from removal and work authorization for eligible foreign nationals who are unable to return safely to their home countries or part of a country. In light of ongoing armed conflict, Palestinians already in the United States should not be forced to return to the Palestinian territories, consistent with President Biden’s stated commitment to protecting Palestinian civilians.

Following the horrific October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas and Israel’s ensuing military response, conditions in the Palestinian territories have greatly deteriorated. According to reports from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of November 6, at least 10,000 Palestinians have been killed. This includes more than 4,100 children, which, according to Save the Children, is more than the number of children killed in all of the world’s armed conflicts on an annual basis since 2019. The United Nations reports that almost 1.5 million of Gaza’s population of 2.2 million have been displaced of which nearly 725,000 are sheltering in 149 UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East] installations” across the Gaza Strip. Further, OCHA reports at least 42 percent of all housing units in the Gaza strip as damaged or destroyed since October 7. Thousands are unable to access clean water and nutrition; access to medical care has become increasingly difficult, with some health facilities in Gaza hit by bombardment and many others crippled by a lack of fuel for electricity. And in the West Bank, unrest and settler violence have resulted in the deaths of 149 Palestinians and the forcible displacement of hundreds more. Such forcible displacement from the West Bank is of serious concern, and we also share the Administration’s opposition to the “displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.” At the same time, we believe that Palestinians currently in the United States who cannot safely return home at this time should have the option of seeking temporary protection.

Given these conditions, it is no surprise that the U.S. Department of State extended a Level 4 Travel Advisory for Gaza due to “terrorism, civil unrest and armed conflict” and a Level 3 Travel Advisory for the West Bank earlier this month for terrorism and civil unrest. Providing TPS and/or authorizing DED would protect Palestinians in the United States from being forced to return to these clearly dangerous conditions.

There is precedent for analogous designations. In 1998, there was a designation of only the Province of Kosovo in light of ongoing armed conflict. Montserrat was designated for TPS in 1997 when volcanic eruptions caused nearly two-thirds of its population to flee. At the time, Montserrat was a colony of the United Kingdom, and Montserratians did not enjoy British residency rights or citizenship. Similarly, DED is currently authorized to defer the removal of certain residents of Hong Kong present in the United States.

U.S. Department of State statistics indicate that 7,241 nonimmigrant visas were issued to individuals holding Palestinian Authority (PA) travel documents in 2022, the most recent year for which such data is available. While the number of non-immigrant visas issued cannot provide an exact approximation of the number of Palestinians that would be eligible for TPS or DED, it makes clear that the number of beneficiaries would be small, while the benefit could be lifesaving. TPS or DED would enable Palestinians currently present in the U.S., including students, tourists, and workers, to be protected from a dangerous return to their homeland while affording them the ability to remain safely in the U.S. and to work legally to support themselves and their families.

As such, we urge your Administration to designate the Palestinian territories for TPS and/or to authorize DED for Palestinians in the United States without delay. Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-blackburn-statement-on-unsealed-massachusetts-complaint-against-meta,Blumenthal & Blackburn Statement on Unsealed Massachusetts Complaint Against Meta,2023-11-08,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), lead sponsors of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, issued the following joint statement on the newly unredacted complaint filed by the Massachusetts Attorney General against Meta. The Massachusetts complaint is complementary to the lawsuits filed by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general against Meta for unfair and deceptive practices that harm young people.

“This damning, newly unsealed complaint alleges that Mark Zuckerberg was directly in charge of Meta’s decisions to put profits over young people’s lives. Zuckerberg reportedly ignored or personally overruled numerous safety concerns and recommendations from other Meta executives and advisors. Among the many disturbing internal communications cited in the complaint, Zuckerberg denied requests to fix problems that were ‘actively encouraging young girls into body dysmorphia’ and Instagram executives themselves acknowledged their product was unsafe for teens. Instead, Meta staff was fixated on creating a ‘pipeline’ of teens, remarking internally, ‘The young ones are the best ones. You want to bring people to your service young and early.’ Meta must immediately make these and other related documents available to the public.”

“Make no mistake: this is Big Tech’s Big Tobacco moment. We now have mounting proof that Zuckerberg and Meta executives know very well how their platforms hurt and endanger kids. Instead of working to fix it, they fail to act, cover it up, and inexcusably mislead the public and Congress—all in the name of profit.”

“The Kids Online Safety Act will finally hold Big Tech accountable and make clear that young people are not a product to enrich executives like Zuckerberg. The time to pass it is now and we will continue pushing for a swift vote on this measure.”

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/icymi-200-advocacy-groups-call-for-senate-floor-vote-on-the-kids-online-safety-act,ICYMI: 200+ Advocacy Groups Call for Senate Floor Vote on the Kids Online Safety Act,2023-11-08,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – In case you missed it, a broad group of 217 advocacy organizations conducted a day of action today to urge Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act. The groups represent a coalition of mental health, privacy, suicide prevention, eating disorder, and child sexual abuse prevention experts and advocates. The coalition sent a letter to Senate leadership, calling for bringing the Kids Online Safety Act to the Senate floor for a vote by the end of the year.

“With this bipartisan legislation, Congress has the potential to significantly improve young people’s wellbeing by transforming the digital environment for children and teens,” the groups, including the American Psychological Association, the Eating Disorders Coalition, Fairplay, Common Sense, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, wrote in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). “After numerous hearings and abundant research findings, the evidence is clear of the potential harms social media platforms can have on the brain development and mental health of our nation’s youth, including hazardous substance use, eating disorders, and self-harm.”

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

U.S. Senators Blumenthal (D-CT) and Blackburn (R-TN) are the lead sponsors of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, which would provide kids and parents with better tools to protect themselves online, hold Big Tech accountable for harms to kids, and provide transparency into black box algorithms. The bill has the support of nearly half of the U.S. Senate.

November 8, 2023

The Honorable Charles Schumer,

Majority Leader

322 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Mitch McConnell,

Minority Leader

317 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Majority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McConnell,

On behalf of the over 215 undersigned national, state, and local organizations signed below, we are writing to urge you in your leadership capacity to move the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (S. 1409) as well as strong privacy protections for kids and teens online to the U.S Senate floor for a vote by the end of the year.

As you know, the bipartisan legislation passed out of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation unanimously on July 27, 2023 and currently has 48 co-sponsors. With this bipartisan legislation, Congress has the potential to significantly improve young people’s wellbeing by transforming the digital environment for children and teens.

Overall, youth have been faced with a growing mental health crisis in recent years. For instance, depression rates for teens doubled between 2009 and 2019. This is happening at a time when suicide is the second leading cause of death for U.S. youth, with one in five teens considering suicide during the pandemic, and eating disorder emergency room admissions for teen girls 12- to 17-years- old doubling since 2019. While declines in youth mental health are attributable to numerous factors, the growing use of social media platforms designed in ways that increase exposure to harmful content and encourage unhealthy patterns of use have contributed to these trends.

After numerous hearings and abundant research findings, the evidence is clear of the potential harms social media platforms can have on the brain development and mental health of our nation’s youth, including hazardous substance use, eating disorders, and self-harm. Below are just some of the stark national findings:

Instagram includes 90,000 unique pro-eating disorder accounts with a reach of 20 million followers.

Children as young as 9 and 10 follow three or more pro-eating disorder accounts.

Meta derives an estimated $230 million annually from pro-eating disorder accounts.

Fifty-nine percent of U.S. teens report being bullied on social media, an experience linked to increased risky behaviors such as smoking and increased risk of suicidal ideation.

Twenty-five percent of 9- to 17-year-olds report having had an online sexually explicit interaction with someone they believed to be an adult.

It has been long established that adolescence is associated with neurological changes that promote cravings for social attention, feedback, and status. Aberrations in our brain growth during these periods may have lifetime implications. While research on associations between social media use is emerging, there are data to suggest possible developmental benefits from online social interaction. However, several distinct lines of inquiry also suggest pathways that link social media use to maladaptive outcomes, including engagement in risky behavior, psychological symptoms, illegal behavior, and aberrant brain development

The Kids Online Safety Act seeks to hold social media companies accountable after their repeated failures to protect children and adolescents from the practices that make their platforms more harmful. The bill establishes a duty of care for social media companies to protect minors from mental health harms, sexual trafficking, and narcotics. Additionally, the bill requires companies to go through independent, external audits, allows researcher access to platform data assets, and creates substantial youth and parental controls to create a safer digital environment.

The lack of transparency into the inner workings, policies and measured impacts of these platforms must be addressed now. The impact of social media algorithms on the user experience is woefully understudied due in large part to the lack of visibility by researchers into the data and how algorithms work. The enormity of the youth mental health crisis needs to be addressed as the very real harms of social media are impacting our children today.

The Kids Online Safety Act of 2023 builds on the version from the 117th Congress by clarifying key definitions and rules to better focus on urgent harms to kids, particularly the harms we know dramatically impact the LGBTQ+ communities.

The Kids Online Safety Act of 2023 builds on the version from the 117th Congress by clarifying key definitions and rules to better focus on urgent harms to kids, particularly the harms we know dramatically impact the LGBTQ+ communities.

Through your leadership, you both have the power to contribute to tackling this growing issue through advancing the Kids Online Safety Act and strong privacy protections for kids and teens online, as the wellbeing of future generations depend on it.

We thank you for your attention to this issue and look forward to continuing to work with you.

Sincerely,

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/videoblumenthal-and-murphy-join-senate-colleagues-to-introduce-the-puerto-rico-status-act,***Video***Blumenthal & Murphy Join Senate Colleagues to Introduce the Puerto Rico Status Act,2023-11-08,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"A video link to today’s press conference announcing the legislation is available here

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – At a press conference today in Washington, DC, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) joined U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi and several colleagues to introduce the Puerto Rico Status Act, legislation that lays out a process for the people of Puerto Rico to determine the future of the island’s political status.

“This important legislation empowers the people of Puerto Rico to decide what future they want for themselves – bringing together a wide variety of stakeholders on one path forward,” Blumenthal said. “Whether the people of Puerto Rico choose statehood, independence, or sovereignty, they deserve the full benefits of citizenship.”

“Puerto Rico’s political status is a decision for the people of Puerto Rico. Too often, the Puerto Rican community in Connecticut has watched the federal government fall short of supporting their friends and family on the Island when faced with devastating natural disasters and economic crises. This bill is a commonsense compromise that would ensure Puerto Ricans are no longer relegated to second-class citizenship and are granted the long overdue right to self-determination,” said Murphy.

The legislation is co-led by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV). U.S. Representatives Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Darren Soto (D-FL), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), and Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón (R-PR) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

The Puerto Rico Status Act authorizes a federally sponsored plebiscite to resolve Puerto Rico’s political status. The legislation details the transition to and implementation of a non-territory status for Puerto Rico – Statehood, Independence, or Sovereignty in Free Association with the United States – that is chosen by a majority of voters in Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico Status Act was drafted with extensive input from members of Congress; local elected government officials; citizenship, immigration, and constitutional law experts; and hundreds of residents of Puerto Rico.

More information on the Puerto Rico Status Act, including a fact sheet, bill text, and one-page explainer of the legislation, can be found here.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-colleagues-introduce-the-puerto-rico-status-act,"Murphy, Blumenthal, Colleagues Introduce the Puerto Rico Status Act",2023-11-08,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–At a press conference today in Washington, DC, U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and joined U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi and several colleagues to introduce the Puerto Rico Status Act, legislation that lays out a process for the people of Puerto Rico to determine the future of the island’s political status.

“Puerto Rico’s political status is a decision for the people of Puerto Rico. Too often, the Puerto Rican community in Connecticut has watched the federal government fall short of supporting their friends and family on the Island when faced with devastating natural disasters and economic crises. This bill is a commonsense compromise that would ensure Puerto Ricans are no longer relegated to second-class citizenship and are granted the long overdue right to self-determination,” said Murphy.

“This important legislation empowers the people of Puerto Rico to decide what future they want for themselves – bringing together a wide variety of stakeholders on one path forward,” Blumenthal said. “Whether the people of Puerto Rico choose statehood, independence, or sovereignty, they deserve the full benefits of citizenship.”

The legislation is co-led by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). U.S. Representatives Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), and Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón (R-P.R.) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

The Puerto Rico Status Act authorizes a federally sponsored plebiscite to resolve Puerto Rico’s political status. The legislation details the transition to and implementation of a non-territory status for Puerto Rico – Statehood, Independence, or Sovereignty in Free Association with the United States – that is chosen by a majority of voters in Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico Status Act was drafted with extensive input from members of Congress; local elected government officials; citizenship, immigration, and constitutional law experts; and hundreds of residents of Puerto Rico.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-discusses-urgent-need-to-fund-nonprofit-security-grant-program-with-dhs-secretary-mayorkas,Murphy Discusses Urgent Need to Fund Nonprofit Security Grant Program with DHS Secretary Mayorkas,2023-11-08,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, on Wednesday spoke at a U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on the Biden administration’s supplemental request for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Murphy discussed the role of FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) in keeping communities safe as well as the Department’s request for increased USCIS funding to improve efficiency in the asylum system.

Amid the rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia, Murphy raised the importance of increased funding for NSGP: “I know how much you believe in this. I know that you have been very vocal about the incredible increase in antisemitic rhetoric and violence as well as threats of violence against our Muslim communities. This program is badly underfunded compared to the amount of need. Talk to us about the gap that exists right now between the amount of money that's in that account and the amount of demand in particular from synagogues, Jewish community centers, and mosques to upgrade their security.”

Mayorkas emphasized the demand for the program: “The Nonprofit Security Grant Program is tremendously oversubscribed. The demand for these funds from large and small institutions of all faiths far exceeds the amount of funding that we have. And it is critical funding that enables faith based institutions and other nonprofit organizations to secure their facilities – it’s places of worship, it’s religious schools, and the like – whether it's personnel, cameras, gating, whatever the needs are in a particular jurisdiction, the demand is extraordinary in all sized institutions.”

On Congress’s failure to pass any meaningful legislation on immigration in 40 years, Murphy said: “We have tried many times to engage in that process, most recently in 2013 when we came to a conclusion in the Senate, but Republicans in the House of Representatives refused to take up our measure. This could all be a lot easier if we would decide together to come together and fix part of this problem, half this problem, all of this problem, but most of the complaints here are because these laws haven't been updated in 40 years. And this administration, and every administration has been stuck with a mess caused by congressional inaction. And so this is a little bit of transference, as they say, in the discipline of psychology.”

As Chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Murphy has led bipartisan efforts to increase funding for NSGP, calling for additional funding for FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) to be included in any supplemental funding package Congress may consider.

A full transcript of Murphy’s exchange with Secretary Mayorkas:

MURPHY: “Thank you for being here to both of you. That’s the first time that I've heard a four second interrupted answer be described as a filibuster. I mean I think the most important part of these hearings is hearing the answers from our witnesses. I don't know that it serves this committee very well to give you literally three seconds to answer very complicated questions before asking the next one.

“And so I'm going to ask you a question, Secretary Mayorkas, and I'm going to give you the time to answer it. I think that you get a lot of criticism for implementing the law. It's been 40 years since we've come to a bipartisan agreement on how to change the law. We have tried many times to engage in that process, most recently in 2013 when we came to a conclusion in the Senate, but Republicans in the House of Representatives refused to take up our measure. This could all be a lot easier if we would decide together to come together and fix part of this problem, half this problem, all of this problem, but most of the complaints here are because these laws haven't been updated in 40 years. And this administration, and every administration has been stuck with a mess caused by congressional inaction. And so this is a little bit of transference, as they say, in the discipline of psychology.

“So you've asked for $745 million for [United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)] in this budget. Typically, when we have been trying to push for money for this account in prior years, and I know this as chairman of the subcommittee that oversees the Department of Homeland Security, it has been Republicans who have pushed back. But tell us the consequences of underfunding USCIS at the level that it is underfunded today. Tell us how your hands are tied to try to efficiently manage the border if you don't have the resources you need to properly do all of the functions that USCIS is engaged in at the border and throughout our legal immigration system. Why is this really important? And why is it important for Republicans and Democrats to come together to support that funding?

MAYORKAS: “Senator, thank you for your inquiry. When we have more asylum officers, and when we have more support personnel to assist them in accomplishing the mission that they are expert in performing, then what we are able to do is drive greater efficiency in the asylum system, including shortening the time in between the time of the credible fear interview and the ultimate adjudication, including in between the time of initial encounter and the credible fear interview.

“We can conduct more credible fear interviews, and we can advance the system because we have discussed already in this hearing the unacceptable fact that it is far too slow process, the asylum adjudication process, that is because the system is broken. And critically, we are terribly underfunded and under resourced, And this supplemental gets to that latter point.”

MURPHY: “One of the things my Republican colleagues have talked about in this hearing is adjustments to the asylum standard. And I think that's a legitimate conversation to have, but that will necessitate to the extent that there is more or different work being done by USCIS some pretty significant new resources. And so I just put that on the table for my Republican colleagues who are coming to the table in good faith for a conversation about changing the laws.

“Last question, Secretary Mayorkas, just to talk for a minute about the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. I know how much you believe in this. I know that you have been very vocal about the incredible increase in antisemitic rhetoric and violence as well as threats of violence against our Muslim communities. This program is badly underfunded compared to the amount of need. Talk to us about the gap that exists right now between the amount of money that's in that account and the amount of demand in particular from synagogues, Jewish community centers, and mosques to upgrade their security.”

MAYORKAS: “Senator, very, very quickly. The rise in antisemitism, the latest data point I saw is that it is increased 388% since October 7. The Nonprofit Security Grant Program is tremendously oversubscribed. The demand for these funds from large and small institutions of all faiths far exceeds the amount of funding that we have. And it is critical funding that enables faith based institutions and other nonprofit organizations to secure their facilities – it’s places of worship, it’s religious schools, and the like – whether it's personnel, cameras, gating, whatever the needs are in a particular jurisdiction, the demand is extraordinary in all sized institutions.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-joins-van-hollen-schatz-and-reed-in-leading-majority-of-democratic-caucus-in-push-for-more-information-around-strategy-to-defeat-hamas-protection-for-civilians-in-gaza,"Murphy Joins Van Hollen, Schatz, And Reed In Leading Majority Of Democratic Caucus In Push For More Information Around Strategy To Defeat Hamas, Protection For Civilians In Gaza",2023-11-08,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, on Thursday joined U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) in leading the majority of the Senate Democratic Caucus in a letter to President Biden condemning the brutal terror attacks by Hamas, expressing support for immediate funding to replenish Israel’s defensive systems, and seeking information on two clear U.S. priorities: supporting an Israeli strategy that will effectively degrade and defeat the threat from Hamas and taking all possible measures to protect civilians in Gaza.

In addition to Murphy, Van Hollen, Schatz, and Reed, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.).

“We have joined you in condemning the brutal terror attacks that Hamas conducted against Israel and agree with you that Israel has the right to defend itself and hold Hamas accountable. We applaud your actions to secure the release of two American citizens held hostage and support your continued efforts to free the remaining hostages. In the days and weeks since these attacks, you have rightly demonstrated America’s commitment to support Israel in this dark hour,” the Senators begin.

They continue, “The attacks of October 7th brought back chilling memories of the United States’ own confrontation with terror twenty-two years ago. In light of our own experience, we want to underscore how critical it is that Israel: (1) learn from the mistakes the United States made in our fight against terrorism by focusing on realistic and achievable military goals; and (2) abide by the laws of war, including the protection of civilians. Doing so also offers Israel the very best chance of success against Hamas in the days and weeks ahead. These steps are also necessary to create the conditions for a lasting peace, including two states for two peoples.”

“We believe the United States should immediately provide Israel with the funding it needs to replenish its defensive systems, including Iron Dome and other air defense capabilities. But to better understand the efficacy of U.S. funding that supports Israel’s operations inside Gaza, we respectfully ask your team to provide us with information relative to these two clear U.S. priorities: supporting an Israeli strategy that will effectively degrade and defeat the threat from Hamas and taking all possible measures to protect civilians in Gaza,” the Senators write.

The Senators go on to ask for responses on a series of wide-ranging points, including an assessment of the viability of Israel’s military strategy in Gaza, and whether it prioritizes the release of hostages, whether there is an achievable plan for governing Gaza when the Israeli military operation ends, and if Israel supports the conditions necessary to ultimately achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Senators also ask what specific mechanisms the Administration is putting in place to ensure that Israeli military operations conducted inside Gaza are carried out in accordance with international humanitarian law and to ensure that any U.S.-provided equipment is used in a manner consistent with U.S. law. They request an assessment of whether Israel’s military rules of engagement, particularly regarding mitigation of civilian casualties, align with U.S. policy and practice. And they ask the Administration to seek immediate public assurances from Prime Minister Netanyahu that his coalition government will immediately stop the escalating extremist settler violence directed against unprotected Palestinians there, as well as assurances from President Abbas that his government take steps to quell any violence against Israelis.

Lastly, in their letter, the Senators press for answers on how assistance will advance our efforts to engage with Israel, Egypt, and the broader international community to address the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, noting, “we must not only do our part to provide urgently needed humanitarian relief to Gaza, but also insist that Israel take all necessary measures to help us facilitate such relief to the two million civilians living there, half of them children. That includes fully restoring water, electricity, and communication services, expediting fuel deliveries through already well-established systems for avoiding diversion to Hamas, and opening the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Israel to increase urgently needed humanitarian relief to Gaza. Aid workers and civilian sites like schools, hospitals, and UN facilities must be protected.”

They close, “We support additional assistance to Israel that: 1) aligns with an Israeli strategy that you believe will effectively degrade and defeat the threat from Hamas; 2) prioritizes the release of hostages; 3) advances a viable and achievable military plan that supports a long-term vision for peace, security and Palestinian self-determination in the form of a two-state solution; 4) abides by U.S. and international law, including the protection of civilians; and 5) advances efforts to provide desperately needed humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. The information requested in this letter will help us assure that U.S support for Israel’s operations inside Gaza achieves these objectives.”

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear President Biden:

We have joined you in condemning the brutal terror attacks that Hamas conducted against Israel and agree with you that Israel has the right to defend itself and hold Hamas accountable. We applaud your actions to secure the release of two American citizens held hostage and support your continued efforts to free the remaining hostages. In the days and weeks since these attacks, you have rightly demonstrated America’s commitment to support Israel in this dark hour.

The attacks of October 7th brought back chilling memories of the United States’ own confrontation with terror twenty-two years ago. In light of our own experience, we want to underscore how critical it is that Israel: (1) learn from the mistakes the United States made in our fight against terrorism by focusing on realistic and achievable military goals; and (2) abide by the laws of war, including the protection of civilians. Doing so also offers Israel the very best chance of success against Hamas in the days and weeks ahead. These steps are also necessary to create the conditions for a lasting peace, including two states for two peoples.

We believe the United States should immediately provide Israel with the funding it needs to replenish its defensive systems, including Iron Dome and other air defense capabilities. But to better understand the efficacy of U.S. funding that supports Israel’s operations inside Gaza, we respectfully ask your team to provide us with information relative to these two clear U.S. priorities: supporting an Israeli strategy that will effectively degrade and defeat the threat from Hamas and taking all possible measures to protect civilians in Gaza.

First, it is in America’s interest to ensure that any military plans to fight Hamas do not produce the same strategic mistakes as many U.S. military operations over the past few decades. As we review the Administration’s supplemental request for military assistance to Israel, we respectfully ask that you share with us your assessment of the viability of Israel’s military strategy in Gaza, and whether it prioritizes the release of hostages. We would also like to better understand whether there is an achievable plan for governing Gaza when the Israeli military operation ends. We further seek to understand if Israel supports the conditions necessary to ultimately achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Second, we ask you to inform us about what specific mechanisms you are putting in place to ensure that Israeli military operations conducted inside Gaza are carried out in accordance with international humanitarian law and to ensure that any U.S.-provided equipment is used in a manner consistent with U.S. law. Relatedly, we would like to know your assessment of whether Israel’s military rules of engagement, particularly regarding mitigation of civilian casualties, align with U.S. policy and practice. In addition, to prevent another front from opening in the West Bank, we ask that you obtain public assurances from Prime Minister Netanyahu that his coalition government will immediately stop the escalating extremist settler violence directed against unprotected Palestinians there, as well as assurances from President Abbas that his government take steps to quell any violence against Israelis.

Finally, we request information on how our assistance will advance our efforts to engage with Israel, Egypt, and the broader international community to address the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. As we consider additional military assistance to Israel, we must not only do our part to provide urgently needed humanitarian relief to Gaza, but also insist that Israel take all necessary measures to help us facilitate such relief to the two million civilians living there, half of them children. That includes fully restoring water, electricity, and communication services, expediting fuel deliveries through already well-established systems for avoiding diversion to Hamas, and opening the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Israel to increase urgently needed humanitarian relief to Gaza. Aid workers and civilian sites like schools, hospitals, and UN facilities must be protected.

We support additional assistance to Israel that: 1) aligns with an Israeli strategy that you believe will effectively degrade and defeat the threat from Hamas; 2) prioritizes the release of hostages; 3) advances a viable and achievable military plan that supports a long-term vision for peace, security and Palestinian self-determination in the form of a two-state solution; 4) abides by U.S. and international law, including the protection of civilians; and 5) advances efforts to provide desperately needed humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. The information requested in this letter will help us assure that U.S support for Israel’s operations inside Gaza achieves these objectives.

Mr. President, your leadership at this time of crisis has been vital. We appreciate your attention to these urgent matters.

Sincerely,

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-this-is-an-existential-moment-for-ukraine,Murphy: This Is an Existential Moment for Ukraine,2023-11-08,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,chrismurphy,https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Wednesday spoke at a U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on U.S. national security interests in Ukraine. In his question to Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien and Assistant Secretary for Energy Resources Geoffrey Pyatt, Murphy asked how the United States can support Ukraine by making it more difficult for Russia to be able to sustain the current level of their military operation.

Murphy highlighted the urgent need to support Ukraine: “Listen, I don't understand the games our Republican friends are playing with Ukraine aid. I think this is an existential moment. We're at the zero hour with respect to Ukraine's needs.”

On Russia’s reliance on oil and gas revenue to finance its war effort, Murphy said: “Russia started out spending about 4% of GDP on military endeavors. This budget for the upcoming year will have them spending 6% of GDP on their military. That puts them in the top five in the entire world in terms of the percentage of their economy dedicated to military spending. Note that number one on that list is Ukraine, that is spending 33% of its GDP. Thirty-three percent of its GDP on the military. But the IEA projects Russia’s share of globally traded oil is going to fall 50% by 2030, and their net income from gas sales is going to fall from $75 billion to $30 billion. You're spending already 6% of your GDP, and you have a potentially catastrophic fall coming in oil and gas revenue. That is one of the things, maybe the primary factor that may push Russia to the table to try to drive a conclusion to this conflict.

A full transcript of Murphy’s exchange with O’Brien and Pyatt:

MURPHY: “Thank you very much, Senator Shaheen. Thanks to all three of you for being here today and for your great work on behalf of the United States in our interest in supporting an independent and sovereign Ukraine.

“Listen, I don't understand the games our Republican friends are playing with Ukraine aid. I think this is an existential moment. We're at the zero hour with respect to Ukraine's needs. I want to pass comprehensive bipartisan immigration reform as badly as anyone, but to hold Ukraine hostage to unlocking that very difficult knot is dangerous for us and the world. But I'm there in good faith trying to listen to my Republican friends to try to find a path forward here.

“But this is really one side of the equation, the support Ukraine needs, and I hope that we find a path in the next two weeks to be able to get Ukraine the supplemental assistance it needs. The other side of this equation is what we can do to make it harder for Russia to be able to sustain this level of operation. And so I wanted to ask maybe both you, Ambassador Pyatt and Ambassador O'Brien, about how Russia's long term prospects look to be able to afford this war and what the United States can do.

“Here’s a note, Russia started out spending about 4% of GDP on military endeavors. This budget for the upcoming year will have them spending 6% of GDP on their military. That puts them in the top five in the entire world in terms of the percentage of their economy dedicated to military spending. Note that number one on that list is Ukraine that is spending 33% of its GDP. Thirty-three percent of its GDP on the military.

“But the IEA projects Russia’s share of globally traded oil is going to fall by 50% by 2030, and their net income from gas sales is going to fall from $75 billion to $30 billion. You're spending already 6% of your GDP, and you have a potentially catastrophic fall coming in oil and gas revenue. That is one of the things, maybe the primary factor that may push Russia to the table to try to drive a conclusion to this conflict. So what can we do as members of Congress? And how can we support your efforts to continue to make it harder for Russia to finance this war? And how much of that is dependent on our allies in India and our adversaries in China making different decisions than they are today? I'll stop there and ask both of you to comment on that quickly.

PYATT: “So quickly, Senator, thank you for the question. And you're exactly right, in terms of the structural decline in oil and gas revenue that Russia is confronting. We are working as hard as we can to accelerate that trend. We do that through two mechanisms; One is by accelerating our energy transition, both here in the United States but also globally, as the Biden administration has done through the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels.

“But the other aspect of this is what we are doing systematically to reduce Russia's future energy revenue. Just last week, for instance, we leveled new sanctions against a project in the Arctic, Arctic LNG 2, which is Novatech's flagship LNG project, which Novatech set in motion with the aspiration of developing Russia as the largest LNG exporter in the world. Our objective is to kill that project. And we're doing that through our sanctions working with our partners in the G7 and beyond.

“I think the other aspect of this, and it goes back to Senator Shaheen’s point about the Black Sea, is how we work with the countries that have historically depended on Russia and on Russian energy and have been paying into the Kremlin's resources. We have done that quite successfully in Europe. We need to keep focusing on the on the Asian front. We do that through the price cap coalition. And I think it's important also to recognize that the price cap has worked in its dual objectives of reducing the Kremlin's revenues, while also keeping Russian crude oil on global markets in order not to destabilize further a global energy market that the Kremlin has profoundly destabilized. But let me invite Jim to add.”

O’BRIEN: “I completely agree with what Geoff has just said. I'll try to focus a little more on the future here that Russia's losing its lucrative markets. That's what got it rich enough to afford this war. It's losing out in the sectors of innovation that are going to drive economic development in the future.

“So we look at this and say, ‘does it put pressure on Putin to get to the table?’ Well, yes, it does. It's going to take a little time. He started the war with $640 billion in a rainy day fund. By the start of this year, despite record profits last year, he was down around $580 billion. We immobilized $300 billion of that, and he spent down further from there. So that gives him a year, two years maybe of run room on that rainy day fund that all came from selling oil and gas. So that's gone.

“The second thing is that we don't see Russia able to play in the sectors that are going to drive innovation and economic growth in the future. The areas of quantum mechanics, artificial intelligence, the energy transition, including the new nuclear technologies that are coming on board, and Senator Risch, your work on this I really appreciate because Russia entangled countries in these long term networks of corruption, with generation-long ROSATOM contracts. We're now competing for those again and taking those sectors away from Russia. That changes the long term prospect from what it was.

“The result of all this is we anticipate that Russia's GDP is going to be at least 20% smaller by 2030 than it would be if Putin had not started this war. So it's a long term strategic loss for him, and it creates a great opportunity for us in a number of important sectors.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-delivers-opening-statement-at-hearing-with-meta-whistleblower,Blumenthal Delivers Opening Statement at Hearing with Meta Whistleblower,2023-11-07,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, delivered opening remarks at a hearing with whistleblower Arturo Bejar, former Director of Engineering for Protect and Care at Facebook:

“We are gathered today to hear testimony from a whistleblower, an engineer widely respected and admired in the industry, and not just any expert but an engineer hired specifically by Facebook to help protect against harms to children and make recommendations for making Facebook safer,” said Blumenthal in his introduction of Bejar. “We have known for more than a decade that rates of teens suffering from suicides, hospitalization for self-harm, and depression have skyrocketed. As he knows, these numbers are more than statistics, they are real people, and his daughter is one of them.”

“He resoundingly raised an alarm about statistics showing Facebook’s prevalent and pernicious harms to teens. Telling Mark Zuckerberg, for example in a memo, that more than half of Facebook users had bad or harmful experience just within the last week,” Blumenthal continued. “Instead of real reform, he will testify that Facebook engaged in a purposeful public strategy of distraction, denial, and deception. They hid from this Committee and all of Congress, evidence of the harms that they knew was credible. And, they ignored and disregarded recommendations for making the site safer, and they even rolled back some of the existing protections.”

Emphasizing the urgent need for Congressional action, Blumenthal said: “We can no longer rely on social media's mantra, ‘Trust us.’ We can no longer depend on its’ putting the blame or responsibility on parents. What is needed now is legislative reform. The Kids Online Safety Act. Senator Blackburn and I have enlisted more than 45 of our colleagues, almost half of the United States Senate, in favor of the Kids Online Safety Act.”

Video of Blumenthal’s opening remarks can be found here. The full transcript of Blumenthal’s opening statement is available below.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): This hearing of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Technology, Privacy, and the Law will come to order. Thank you everyone for attending. My thanks to Ranking Member Hawley and particularly the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Dick Durbin for giving us this opportunity. And, he is vitally interested in this topic and I will call on him after Senator Hawley for his remarks. We are gathered today to hear testimony from a whistleblower, an engineer widely respected and admired in the industry, and not just any expert but an engineer hired specifically by Facebook to help protect against harms to children and make recommendations for making Facebook safer.

We have known for more than a decade that rates of teens suffering from suicides, hospitalization for self-harm, and depression have skyrocketed. As he knows, these numbers are more than statistics, they are real people, and his daughter is one of them. Arturo Bejar is the former Director of Engineering for Protect and Care at Facebook, and he will tell us about the evidence he brought directly to the attention of the top management of Facebook and Meta; Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, and others, in meetings and memos. He resoundingly raised an alarm about statistics showing Facebook’s prevalent and pernicious harms to teens. Telling Mark Zuckerberg, for example in a memo, that more than half of Facebook users had bad or harmful experience just within the last week. Instead of real reform, he will testify that Facebook engaged in a purposeful public strategy of distraction, denial, and deception. They hid from this Committee and all of Congress, evidence of the harms that they knew was credible. And, they ignored and disregarded recommendations for making the site safer, and they even rolled back some of the existing protections.

Now, Mr. Bejar is not the first or the only whistleblower to come forward. We heard from Frances Haugen, who showed that Facebook's own researchers described Instagram itself as a “perfect storm.” And that it, “exacerbates downward spirals of addiction, eating disorders, and depression.” Mr. Bejar is the first to show in documents, not just in his recollection, but in documents how he warned the top management of Facebook and Instagram of the ongoing harms their products were causing.

We are going to present those documents for the record, and they show, for example, that over a quarter of young teens, 13 to 15 years old report receiving sexual advances on Instagram. Nearly a third of young teens have seen discrimination based on gender, religion, race, and sexual orientation. A quarter of young teens report having been bullied or threatened, and nearly a quarter of young teens report experiencing feeling worse about themselves, about their bodies, and their social relationships. The type of experiences that lead to serious depression and eating disorders, and when users reported harmful content to Facebook, it took action only 2 percent of the time. Remedies only 2 percent of the time.

There’s a history here. In August of 2021, Senator Blackburn and I wrote to Facebook about the impact of their products on kids. We asked “has Facebook research ever found that its platforms and products can have a negative effect on children's and teens' mental health or well-being?” Facebook refused to answer. In October 2021 Senator Blackburn and I held a hearing. We heard from Frances Haugen about Instagram’s harms. And on that same day, Mr. Bejar sent an email to Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, Adam Mosseri, and other executives validating Ms. Haugen's testimony. That email actually demonstrated even greater harms than were then public. A chilling and searing indictment of Instagram and Facebook, and I’m going to ask that it be made part of the record without objection. In December of 2021, Mr. Mosseri then testified to the Committee, to our Subcommittee, after he met with Mr. Bejar discussing these numbers and statistics relating to suicide. And during that hearing, a number of us asked him about Facebook promoting suicide. Mr. Mosseri knew, but he did not disclose, that on a weekly basis, around 7 percent of Facebook users overall encounter content promoting suicide and self-harm, with 13 to 15-year-olds seeing it more often than others. There is a pattern here with Facebook. It hides risk by saying things like “bullying and harassment is only .08 percent of content,” when in reality, Meta executives know that 11 percent of those 13 to 15-year-olds face bullying every single week—every single week on Instagram. And, just to be absolutely clear, that’s millions of children and teenagers.

It is not just a number. Behind every one of those numbers is a real person, a teenager, a child, whose life is changed, maybe forever, by that searing experience of bullying, eating disorder content, suicide promotion. We can no longer rely on social media's mantra, “Trust us.” We can no longer depend on its’ putting the blame or responsibility on parents. What is needed now is legislative reform. The Kids Online Safety Act. Senator Blackburn and I have enlisted more than 45 of our colleagues, almost half of the United States Senate, in favor of the Kids Online Safety Act.

And, the final point I would make is, social media in particular, Facebook, still fails to take these threats seriously. This June, the Wall Street Journal found that Instagram was posting open markets for child-abuse material, even recommending pedophiles to each other. Young teens were being extorted and coerced into sexual acts. Instagram was complicit.

Mr. Bejar, you provided Mark Zuckerberg, Adam Mosseri, and others in management with specific recommendations to prevent teens from experiencing this unwanted sexual contact and harassment. Those recommendations were never adopted. You have put your career on the line to come forward. An experienced and trusted industry expert, whose job was to make Facebook safer, and your recommendations were purposefully ignored or disregarded or rejected. I’m just going to remind my colleagues that we’ve heard from young people, as well as parents, about these harms, and one of them told me “how many more children have to die before Congress will do something?” That is why we are here today, and I want to thank all of my colleagues who are present. Truly a bipartisan group on behalf of this cause, and I turn to the Ranking Member, Senator Hawley.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-joins-members-of-congress-in-introducing-legislation-to-prevent-bulk-sales-of-ammunition,Blumenthal Joins Members of Congress in Introducing Legislation to Prevent Bulk Sales of Ammunition,2023-11-07,2023,2023-11,Democrat,Senate,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,blumenthal,https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press,scraper,"[Hartford, CT] — U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA) and U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) to introduce the Ammunition Modernization and Monitoring Oversight (AMMO) Act, legislation that would restrict bulk sales of ammunition, require businesses who sell ammunition to obtain the same federal license as gun dealers, and require businesses to conduct a background check on buyers. Additionally, the legislation would apply the same prohibition on straw purchases for ammunition that currently exists for firearms, restricting individuals from purchasing ammunition to then sell illegally to others and requiring data sharing on ammunition sales. Currently, there is essentially no regulation governing the sales of ammunition. Businesses are not required to possess licenses in order to sell ammo and can sell to any buyer, in any quantity, without a background check, and with no recordkeeping or data sharing.

“Regulating ammunition sales is critical to ending the gun violence epidemic. Ammunition sales should be subject to the same legal requirements as firearm sales, including rigorous background checks. This commonsense measure will save lives by cracking down on illegal trafficking of ammunition and making sure it stays out of the hands of dangerous people,” said Senator Blumenthal.

“The bottom line is no individual should be buying bulk amounts of ammunition without a federal background check from places like gas stations, pharmacies, and convenience stores – especially without any sort of regulation and no record of the sale,” said Congressman Garcia. “If we’re ever going to really take on the gun violence epidemic in this country, we need to regulate ammo accessibility. This bill aims to protect the American public from the devastating violence that occurs when individuals have access to unlimited amounts of weaponry.”

“We have a moral responsibility to treat gun violence in this country like the crisis it is,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren. “The Ammunition Modernization and Monitoring Oversight (AMMO) Act is a common-sense step to restrict ammunition sales, strengthen federal oversight of those sales, and help end the epidemic of gun violence in America.”

“No family should endure the pain of losing a loved one to gun violence,” said Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz. “I'm proud to work with Congressman Robert Garcia and Senator Warren to introduce comprehensive legislation closing the ammunition loophole in our gun safety laws. This bill will save lives.”

“Right now, any person can legally purchase tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition in a single transaction with no questions asked, not even a background check. It defies common sense that individuals can amass a huge amount of munitions with more ease than they can stock up on medication for cold and flu season. By limiting ammunition transactions and requiring dealers to obtain licenses and complete background checks on ammunition sales, the AMMO Act will stop the rapid stockpiling of ammunition and prevent ammunition trafficking which is crucial for preventing gun violence in America. Brady thanks Congressman Garcia and Senator Warren for introducing this legislation to help address the unlawful diversion of ammunition to our streets and across our borders with this supply-side approach to prevent gun violence,” said Kris Brown, President of Brady.

“As the tragedy in Lewiston underscored, delay equals death when it comes to addressing America’s gun violence crisis. We applaud Rep. Garcia for introducing life-saving legislation that would make ammo dealers abide by the same rules as gun dealers, which is the very definition of common sense,” said John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun Safety.

The bill prohibits bulk sales of ammunition based on the type of ammo. It specifically limits individuals to 100 rounds for .50 caliber ammo, the most deadly, potent military grade, and 1000 rounds for all other ammunition within a 5-day period. The full text of the bill can be found here.

The AMMO Act is endorsed by Everytown for Gun Safety, Brady, Giffords, March for Our Lives, Community Justice Action Fund, Newtown Action Alliance, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR), Voters of Tomorrow, Sandy Hook Promise, Orange Ribbons for Gun Safety, and Guns Down America.

-30-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z