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/in-the-news/murphy-blumenthal-call-for-further-probe-of-russia-after-sanctions,"Murphy, Blumenthal Call For Further Probe Of Russia After Sanctions",2016-12-31,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Murphy, Blumenthal Call For Further Probe Of Russia After Sanctions Stamford Daily Voice Saturday, December 31, 2016 FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. — U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal (both D-Conn.) are praising the sanctions authorized by President Barack Obama in response to Russia's attempts to interfere with the U.S. presidential election. ""All Americans should be alarmed by Russia’s actions,"" Obama said in a statement. The Russian government’s aggressive harassment of U.S. officials and cyber operations aimed at the U.S. election followed ""repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government, and are a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm U.S. interests in violation of established international norms of behavior,"" he said. Murphy applauded the sanctions and also called for a bipartisan investigation into Russian interference. Russian President Vladimir “Putin's aggression is a direct attack on our democracy and our institutions of government, and the sanctions and expulsions announced today send a strong, clear message that these actions have consequences,” Murphy said. Murphy said his Republican colleagues in the Senate have long called out Obama for being too weak on Russia. “I encourage them to now work with Democrats to conduct a thorough, bipartisan public investigation into Russia’s interference, and make it clear that the United States will not hesitate to impose additional consequences if their illegal, destabilizing actions continue,” said Murphy. Blumenthal echoed Murphy's stance. ""These sanctions are a well-deserved and well-delivered step, long overdue and only the beginning of necessary action in response to Russian cyber attacks on our nation,"" Blumenthal said. “A strong, immediate bipartisan Select Committee investigation is vital to buttress additional steps and reveal the full scope and scale of Russian aggression,” he said. Blumenthal said the American people deserve a thorough, comprehensive inquiry to determine the full extent of hostile action by the Russian government — and to develop appropriate, ongoing enforcement actions and countermeasures. He added that it will also be the responsibility of the Trump administration “to rigorously enforce these sanctions — a responsibility I hope the President-elect takes with the seriousness it deserves.""‎ As part of the sanctions, Obama expelled 35 Russian intelligence operatives and sanctioned five Russian entities and four people: two Russian intelligence agencies, four officers of the intelligence agency GRU, and three companies that support GRU's operations. This was in response to the alleged Russian cyberattacks on Democratic political organizations during the 2016 presidential campaign. The U.S. is also shutting down two Russian compounds, in Maryland and New York, used by Russia for intelligence-gathering purposes. ""Russia’s cyber activities were intended to influence the election, erode faith in U.S. democratic institutions, sow doubt about the integrity of our electoral process, and undermine confidence in the institutions of the U.S. government,"" said a statement from the White House.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-russian-hacking-sanctions,Blumenthal Statement on Russian Hacking Sanctions,2016-12-29,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Statement on Russian Hacking Sanctions Print Tweet Thursday, December 29, 2016 (Hartford, CT) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) issued the following statement today regarding the announcement of enforcement sanctions against Russian officials and entities involved in election-related cyberattacks:   ""These sanctions are a well-deserved and well-delivered step, long overdue and only the beginning of necessary action in response to Russian cyberattacks on our nation. A strong, immediate bipartisan Select Committee investigation is vital to buttress additional steps and reveal the full scope and scale of Russian aggression. The American people deserve a thorough, comprehensive inquiry to determine the full extent of hostile action by the Russian government - and to develop appropriate, ongoing enforcement actions and countermeasures. It will also be the responsibility of the Trump Administration to rigorously enforce these sanctions - a responsibility I hope the President-elect takes with the seriousness it deserves.""‎ ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/sen-murphy-calls-aca-repeal-plan-cruel-and-inhumane,"Sen. Murphy Calls ACA Repeal Plan ""Cruel and Inhumane""",2016-12-29,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sen. Murphy Calls ACA Repeal Plan ""Cruel and Inhumane"" WNPR Thursday, December 29, 2016 Connecticut's U.S. Senator Chris Murphy is sounding the alarm about the future of healthcare under the new Republican congress and the Trump administration. ""Right now it looks as if in early January, Republicans are going to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and replace it with absolutely nothing,"" he told a Wednesday press conference. ""For the 250,000 people here in Connecticut who rely on it, the result will be chaos."" He said even if a repeal is passed but suspended for a year, the market could collapse as insurers pull out of exchanges, and raise premiums even on private policies. ""We are trying to rally support all around the country to make the case to Republicans to take a breath, step back and wait, before doing something as cruel and as inhumane as ripping healthcare away from millions of Americans and throwing the entire healthcare marketplace into chaos,"" he said. Murphy highlighted the stories of several Connecticut residents who have benefited from the Affordable Care Act. Isabelle Endicott’s second son was born with a congenital heart condition that required a quarter of a million dollars worth of treatment within his first few weeks of life. Before the Affordable Care Act he could have been denied insurance once he reached a lifetime cap on coverage. ""I worry that lifetime caps will be reintroduced,"" said Endicott. ""For families with a medically complex child, this terrifies us. Our children could meet these caps very early in their lives, and then how will we manage?"" Josh Scussell was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at the age of 23. He underwent two stem cell transplants, over years of treatment. Because of the Affordable Care Act, he was able to be treated under his mother's health insurance policy. ""I stand here today alive, and almost essentially cured, because of many facets of the Affordable Care Act,"" he said. ""For anyone else that is in my position, or will find themselves in my position, it truly is a matter of life and death."" Murphy is urging congressional Republicans to wait to consider all of the implications before enacting a repeal.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/sen-murphy-to-help-the-homeless-in-winter-weather,Sen. Murphy to help the homeless in winter weather,2016-12-29,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sen. Murphy to help the homeless in winter weather WTNH News 8 Thursday, December 29, 2016 U.S. Senator Chris Murphy will head to Waterbury on Thursday in an effort to help the homeless escape from the cold. As the cold weather begins to settle in Connecticut, Senator Chris Murphy is reaching out to the homeless. He will be at the CHD Hospitality Center in Waterbury to speak with homeless individuals first hand. The hospitality center welcomes those looking to escape from the harshness of living on the street and get some of their basic needs fulfilled. They can take a shower, use a phone or computer, collect mail, and get information to help them transition out of homelessness. Senator Murphy will shadow CHD workers to learn how the federal government can better support service providers. He will also have the opportunity to participate in group activities and ask individuals who are homeless about the struggles they face as they try to transition out of their situation. The event will start at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday at the CHD Hospitality Center, which is located on 693 East Main Street in Waterbury.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-us-sanctions-against-russia,MURPHY STATEMENT ON U.S. SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA,2016-12-29,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY STATEMENT ON U.S. SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA Thursday, December 29, 2016 HARTFORD — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, applauded the Obama administration on Thursday for announcing sanctions against Russian officials, intelligence agencies, and institutions for cyber attacks during the 2016 presidential election. Murphy also called for a bipartisan investigation into Russian interference and for further action, as necessary, to prevent future cyber attacks against the United States. “I fully support the Obama administration’s decision today to impose sanctions against Russia. Putin's aggression is a direct attack on our democracy and our institutions of government, and the sanctions and expulsions announced today send a strong, clear message that these actions have consequences. “For years, I’ve listened to my Republican colleagues in the Senate eviscerate President Obama for being too weak on Russia. I encourage them to now work with Democrats to conduct a thorough, bipartisan public investigation into Russia’s interference, and make it clear that the United States will not hesitate to impose additional consequences if their illegal, destabilizing actions continue.”  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://larson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/larson-encouraged-israels-proposal-accept-refugees-aleppo,Larson Encouraged By Israel's Proposal To Accept Refugees From Aleppo,2016-12-28,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,John Larson,L000557,larson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Hartford, CT - Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT -01) released the following statement about Israel’s proposal to provide medical care to wounded refugees from Aleppo: “I was encouraged to hear that Prime Minister Netanyahu is exploring ways to accept wounded refugees from Aleppo and to provide them with medical care in Israel’s hospitals,” said Larson. “These refugees are victims and are innocent. I hope that the United States will follow Israel's example and put forth a similar proposal.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://larson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/larson-proposed-amendments-house-rules,Larson On The Proposed Amendments To The House Rules,2016-12-28,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,John Larson,L000557,larson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Hartford, CT - Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01), released the following statement on the proposed amendments to the House Rules: ""House Democrats will not be silenced when it comes to speaking up on behalf of the American people. Gun violence unfortunately impacts all of our communities and the need for reforms can no longer go unanswered. ""I am incredibly disappointed that instead of listening to the American people and simply giving us a vote, a vote on common sense bipartisan changes like keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists, and again a few extremist Republicans are seeking to further silence the minority with the hopes of protecting the gun lobby. ""At a time when America is wracked with division the answer is not Putinesque rules. The answer is greater discussion, more votes, increased transparency and efforts to ensure that Americans at least feel that they were heard even if they disagree with the outcome. Continued vitriolic attacks on the press and the rise of fake news remind us we cannot turn the cameras off and cast the people’s chamber into darkness. “This unprecedented move, of fining Members of Congress for speaking up for their constituents, when all other avenues have been blocked, is ill considered and may run afoul of Article I of the Constitution. That article holds that each House may punish its members for disorderly behavior. For more 200 years this has been interpreted to mean any contested sanctions must be approved by the full House with a floor vote. “We will continue, no matter the attempts to prevent it, to speak out on behalf of victims,"" said Larson. Rep. Larson helped lead the sit-in on the House floor in June. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-secretary-kerrys-remarks-on-israel,Blumenthal Statement on Secretary Kerry's Remarks on Israel,2016-12-28,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Statement on Secretary Kerry's Remarks on Israel Print Tweet Wednesday, December 28, 2016 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement today in response to the remarks of Secretary of State John Kerry on U.S. - Israel relations:   “While I respect the Administration's steadfast efforts to seek successful negotiations aimed at a two state solution, I continue to be deeply disturbed and disappointed by its recent UN Security Council abstention. Secretary Kerry's speech failed to dispel my strong concerns. Our steadfast ally Israel has sought since its founding to live at peace with its neighbors. Amidst horrific terrorist attacks, economic boycotts and the most virulent anti-Semitism aimed against it citizens, the lone Jewish state has throughout its history made enormous sacrifices in pursuit of peace. Kerry's address today was remarkably remiss in recognizing Israel’s record of seeking peace and did nothing to advance it. Support for Israel must remain bipartisan, and I will work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance productive measures that strengthen our commitment to our critical ally. Through robust foreign aid and defense cooperation with Israel, as well as opposing one-sided efforts to a target Israel at the United Nations, the United States can encourage direct negotiations between the parties to achieve long-sought peace for Israel, the Palestinians and the much troubled region. Most importantly, at this tumultuous time, I will work hard to assure that support for Israel is protected from partisan division and distrust. Bipartisan support is an enduring and essential element of our historic alliance.”   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/murphy-other-ct-democrats-working-to-empower-states-latinos,"Murphy, other CT Democrats, working to empower states Latinos",2016-12-28,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Murphy, other CT Democrats, working to empower state’s Latinos CT Mirror Wednesday, December 28, 2016 The growth in political clout of Connecticut’s Latino community is not keeping up with its population growth, so U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and members of the Hispanic Democratic Caucus in the Connecticut legislature are trying to do something about it. They established the Latino Leadership Academy last summer to introduce promising Hispanic community leaders to the rigors of politics and a network of people who can serve as mentors. “The idea was simple,” Murphy said. “Connecticut Latinos are growing in both numbers and power, but sometimes it’s hard for community activists to make the leap to political activism.” Connecticut’s population is 15 percent Hispanic, the 11th- largest proportion among all states. But only about six percent of the members of the state’s General Assembly are Hispanic. No member of the Connecticut congressional delegation is Hispanic – or black. Murphy says only “a handful” of the 18 individuals who graduated from the leadership academy this year – the ceremony was in November – will run for political office. “But they will know how to speak up to right a wrong,” he said. Members of the first class at the academy, who come from every congressional district in the state, were addressed by various Latino leaders – and by Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen. Jorge Cruz, who moved as a child with his mother and siblings from Puerto Rico, was among the first to apply for the academy. “I signed up and was happy that I was chosen,” he said. A recovering heroin addict who lives in Bridgeport, Cruz now does outreach to other addicts and works largely with the homeless. He ran for city council last year and lost by 23 votes. He said he plans to run again next year. The academy helped him “get acclimated” to politics, which he says is foreign territory to many Latinos. “Politics is a culture,” he said. “You need thick skin. You need to have commitment, focus and vision.” Cruz said Latinos are disillusioned with politics and don’t take their right to vote seriously. “They don’t understand that they need to be involved,” he said. Statistics bear this out. According to the Pew Research Center, there are 280,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Connecticut. (California ranks first with 6.9 million.) But that represents only 52 percent of Connecticut’s Hispanics. Some don’t have  U.S. citizenship or are disqualified for other reasons. By contrast about 8 in 10, or 79 percent, of the state’s white population is eligible to vote. Besides lower eligibility, there is evidence Latinos who can vote often don’t. According to Pew, 48 percent of Hispanic eligible voters turned out to vote in 2012. By comparison, the 2012 voter turnout rate among blacks was 66.6 percent and among whites was 64.1 percent. Murphy used money from his leadership PAC, to bring all 18 graduates of the first class of the Latino Leadership Academy to Washington, D.C., for two days in early December. For some it was their first trip to Washington, and for most it was the first time they’d spent any time in the U.S. Capitol, getting a first-hand look at how Congress works. Graduates of the Hispanic Leadership Academy with HUD Secretary Julian Castro, center, and members of the Connecticut Hispanic Democratic Caucus. Enid Vasquez, who drives a school bus in Trumbull, had never been to the nation’s capital. She said she attended the Leadership Academy because she is thinking about working as a liaison between the police and the Hispanic community. “I want to break the stereotype that Latinos are always in trouble with the police,” she said. Leo Navarro, who has worked on a local political campaign, said the academy and the trip to Washington – which included a meeting with Julian Castro, the secretary of Housing and Urban Development – was a chance to hone his skills for a future career. “I see myself eventually running for office,” he said. Locking Latinos out of the system Norma Rodriguez-Reyes, the head of the Connecticut Hispanic Democratic Caucus, and Yolanda Castillo, a longtime activist, helped Murphy establish the academy. “Our numbers are growing, and we need to be part of the political process,” Castillo said. Frank Alvarado of North Haven, who is on the executive committee of the Connecticut Hispanic Democratic Caucus, said it’s always been a struggle for Latinos to break into certain professions, including politics. But things change, he said. “You had to fight for everything, he said. “I was a Vietnam vet, and when I came home, I couldn’t be a cop. They always lock Latinos out of the system.” For Connecticut Democrats, creating a farm team of future Latino political leaders – who will presumably be Democrats – is a smart idea. Connecticut has become more Democratic as its Latino population has grown because Hispanics lean Democratic. The academy will help cement that relationship. But to Murphy, the academy is a way to make sure Latinos are at the political table, something he says has concerned him for some time. “I’ve had this idea rattling around in my head for a couple of years,” Murphy said.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/murphy-slams-gop-plans-to-quickly-repeal-obamacare,Murphy Slams GOP Plans To Quickly Repeal Obamacare,2016-12-28,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Murphy Slams GOP Plans To Quickly Repeal Obamacare CBS Connecticut Wednesday, December 28, 2016 Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy today slammed Republican plans to quickly vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The Democratic lawmaker says if the Republicans repeal Obamacare without putting something else in place first, insurers will leave the healthcare exchanges, and millions of people will lose health insurance. “Everyone’s rates will go up. Everyone will be in jeopardy of losing their healthcare.  This will leave no one untouched, if they unwind the Affordable Care Act without any plan for what comes next,” Murphy said. The senator says even if Republicans make the repeal effective several years in the future, the health insurance exchanges could still collapse, as insurers leave a market that would soon cease to exist. Murphy says the repeal would be ‘cruel and brutal,’ because it could undo protections provided under the law. Obamacare required insurers to provide coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions, and it ended lifetime limits on what a health insurance policy would pay for coverage for a person. Republican lawmakers are united on getting rid of the Affordable Care Act, but they are divided on what — if anything — should replace the health care law. Some GOP lawmakers say Obamacare must be eliminated as soon as possible because it is a threat to the nation’s health care system. Donald Trump’s election gives Republicans control of the White House and both houses of Congress — and a clear chance to overturn Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law without a veto by the departing Democratic president.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/courtney-larson-delauro-statement-f-35-discussions-0,"Courtney, Larson, DeLauro Statement on F-35 Discussions",2016-12-23,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Hartford, CT – US Representatives Joe Courtney (CT-2), John Larson (CT-1) and Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) issued a joint statement today responding to recent comments by President-Elect Trump regarding the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: ""Any suggestion that there is a substitute for the F-35 is total non-starter. This is a program that has been vetted ad nauseum by the Pentagon, the Congress and independent experts. There is simply no aircraft in production today that can compare with the F-35’s advanced avionics, networked capabilities and integrated stealth. ""Many years of hard work by industry and our military leaders have gotten this program on track and on a path of declining costs. Rather than waste time and money interrupting our nation's upgrade to a 5th generation fighter, it's time to work together to find more savings and efficiencies for the American taxpayer."" Courtney is the Ranking Member of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. Larson is a co-chair of the bipartisan F-35 Caucus. DeLauro is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/courtney-larson-and-delauro-issue-joint-statement-f-35-discussions,"Courtney, Larson, and DeLauro Issue Joint Statement on F-35 Discussions",2016-12-23,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,,,legacy,"HARTFORD, CT — U.S. Representatives Joe Courtney (CT-02), John Larson (CT-01) and Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) issued a joint statement today responding to recent comments by President-Elect Donald Trump regarding the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. “Any suggestion that there is a substitute for the F-35 is total non-starter. This is a program that has been vetted ad nauseum by the Pentagon, the Congress, and independent experts. There is simply no aircraft in production today that can compare with the F-35’s advanced avionics, networked capabilities and integrated stealth. “Many years of hard work by industry and our military leaders have gotten this program on track and on a path of declining costs. Rather than waste time and money interrupting our nation’s upgrade to a 5th generation fighter, it’s time to work together to find more savings and efficiencies for the American taxpayer.” Courtney is the Ranking Member of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. Larson is a co-chair of the bipartisan F-35 Caucus. DeLauro is a member of the House Appropriations Committee. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://larson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/larson-condemns-un-security-council-vote-israel,Larson Condemns U.N. Security Council Vote on Israel,2016-12-23,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,John Larson,L000557,larson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Hartford, CT – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement after the U.N. Security Council’s vote on Israel: ""Today’s resolution is a misguided attempt to isolate Israel and undermine the peace process. I am disappointed that the United States did not exercise its veto, but I am confident that our leaders will continue to support our greatest ally in the region. We are firmly committed to a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict, but that can only be achieved by bringing all parties to the table and recognizing the acts of terrorism Israel has endured.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-calls-for-recall-of-exploding-e-cigarettes-ban-from-us-skies,"Blumenthal Calls for Recall of Exploding E-Cigarettes, Ban From U.S. Skies",2016-12-23,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Calls for Recall of Exploding E-Cigarettes, Ban From U.S. Skies Print Tweet E-cigarettes use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, like the recently recalled fire-catching Galaxy Note 7 phones. Blumenthal asks major U.S. airlines to take immediate voluntary action to protect travelers by banning devices in aircraft cabins. Friday, December 23, 2016 [WASHINGTON, DC] – Following numerous incidents of exploding and smoldering e-cigarettes dangerously injuring users – including the hospitalization of a Stratford, Connecticut man whose e-cigarette exploded in his mouth, knocking out several of his teeth – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) wrote to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today calling on the federal agencies to recall the exploding devices and establish clear safety standards for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries used in the devices. “These dangerous devices are exploding mid-use—maiming users and endangering the lives of anyone nearby. I am calling on the FDA and CPSC to immediately recall these defective e-cigarettes, and to establish clear safety standards for e-cigarette batteries,” Blumenthal said. Blumenthal also wrote to major U.S. airlines today urging the industry to take immediate voluntary action to ban e-cigarettes from aircraft cabins. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation banned e-cigarettes from checked luggage, but stopped short of banning the devices from cabins, where they continue to pose serious safety risks. There is precedent for airline action—last year Delta, United Airlines and American Airlines all banned hoverboards from carry-on and checked baggage due to fire concerns. “Particularly on airplanes, e-cigarette explosions pose an immediate and alarming threat to public safety,” Blumenthal said. “I am calling on the airlines to take immediate voluntary steps to protect travelers from this hazard, including banning e-cigarettes from all aircraft cabins.” The full text of Blumenthal’s letter to the FDA and CPSC is available here. The full text of Blumenthal’s letter to major U.S. airlines – Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, Island Air, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country, United, and Virgin – is available here. Both letters are copied below. Dear Commissioner Califf and Chairman Kaye:                   I write to urge the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to address the serious safety risks associated with defective, exploding electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Last week, a local ABC affiliate reported that a man from Connecticut was hospitalized after an e-cigarette exploded in his mouth, while in use.[1] Witnesses saw the blast blow his two front teeth twenty feet in the air and knock him unconscious. Such incidents involving faulty e-cigarettes are happening with alarming regularity. As federal agencies charged with protecting consumer safety, the FDA and CPSC have an obligation to take prompt and meaningful action to protect individuals—a soaring number of which are young people, according to a recent U.S. Surgeon General report—from this danger. E-cigarettes with faulty batteries pose not only a threat to individual safety, but to public safety—endangering all that work, live, commute, or even study in the vicinity of their users. Earlier this year, a high school sophomore in Alabama was severely burned after a classmate’s e-cigarette exploded and he was struck in the face by the hot battery.[2] According to research from the FDA, there have been 134 reports of overheating, fires and explosions of the devices in the U.S. between 2009 and January 2016.[3] These incidents have resulted in house and car fires, in addition to severe personal injury. As Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data Security, I have noted that there have been a number of past recalls involving lithium-ion batteries and in a wide range of consumer products—ranging from flashlights and hoverboards, to laptops. Despite frequent accounts in the media of exploding e-cigarettes, there has yet to be a single recall by any e-cigarette manufacturer. I am troubled by this lack of action to date, and also concerned that the e-cigarette industry is cutting corners and not taking appropriate steps to ensure the electrical safety of the products they are manufacturing and marketing.             Unlike other electronic devices, there is no consensus standard—national or otherwise—for testing and ensuring the safety of the lithium-ion batteries in e-cigarettes. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a standards-setting body, has developed product-specific design standards for the rechargeable batteries in cellular phones and laptops. Both of these standards were developed through a consensus process and required the commitment and dedication of diverse parts of the respective industries to prioritizing customer safety.[4] In contrast, the e-cigarette industry has failed to even initiate a process to create a standard for rechargeable batteries in e-cigarettes, suggesting they are much more interested in profits than prioritizing consumer safety. Even worse, it is unclear if e-cigarette manufacturers are even in compliance with any general lithium-ion battery standards, such as the ones created by UL.[5] Furthermore, as noted by the U.S. Fire Administration in a 2014 report, e-cigarettes “are different from other electronic consumer devices” as they have a unique cylindrical nature and are “more likely than other products with lithium-ion batters to behave like ‘flaming rockets’ when a battery fails.”[6] These realities about e-cigarette product design make it ever more pertinent that the industry ensure compliance with any safety standards and create standards to guarantee consumer safety. Cell phones and laptops have product-specific safety standards for their batteries, and given the high rate of incidents involving e-cigarette batteries, so too should e-cigarettes.             Accordingly, I urge the FDA and CPSC to take action to protect consumers from the significant safety hazards posed by e-cigarettes. First, all e-cigarette models that have exploded should be immediately recalled. Such dangerous products must also be removed from store shelves, online marketplaces, and out of the mouths and pockets of consumers. Second, I urge you to work with the e-cigarette industry to create a consumer safety focused standard for the rechargeable batteries in e-cigarettes and ensure the industry’s compliance with any applicable existing battery standards. Third, I respectfully request FDA and CPSC to transmit to my office all incident reports (filed either through FDA’s Safety Reporting Portal or CPSC’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System) involving explosions of e-cigarettes, from January 2009 to December 2016. This information is critical to understanding the magnitude and scope of this issue, and will help guide our follow-up efforts. Finally, I urge your two agencies to work together, leveraging your respective expertise, to effectively address the peril of exploding e-cigarettes. Thank you for attention to this important matter. I respectfully request a response no later than January 20, 2016. Dear [Airline]: Last week, an American Airlines flight traveling from Dallas to Indianapolis was forced to make an emergency landing when an electronic cigarette in a passenger’s carry-on luggage caught on fire mid-flight.  Had it not been quickly contained, the fire could have caused catastrophe for all 137 passengers aboard.  This troubling incident is not uncommon, and the increase in e-cigarette use means the likelihood of in-flight fires is only going to grow, creating a terrifying risk for all who rely on safe air travel – as well as disrupting the lives of everyone inconvenienced.  In recognition of this severe and totally unnecessary risk, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has banned e-cigarettes from checked luggage.  As Americans take to the skies this week to visit friends and family for the holidays, I write to demand that you follow DOT’s lead and ban e-cigarettes being taken into your aircrafts’ cabins, whether in carry-on luggage or otherwise.  The use of e-cigarettes is reportedly rising, particularly among young people, creating a growing and unique safety threat to those in proximity to the devices.  While other electronic products have lithium-ion batteries – like laptops and cell phones – e-cigarettes are manufactured differently and function differently.  The U.S. Fire Administration noted in a 2014 report that e-cigarettes are “are different from other electronic consumer devices” as they have a unique cylindrical nature and are “more likely than other products with lithium-ion batteries to behave like ‘flaming rockets’ when a battery fails.”  Moreover, there are no safety standards governing these devices.   The American Airlines episode is just one of several recent alarming incidents documented by the FAA involving e-cigarettes causing fires in or near aircraft cabins: In June 2016, an e-cigarette in a Spirit passenger’s carry-on bag began smoking at the gate.  The fire department was called to put out the fire In June 2016, an e-cigarette in a Spirit passenger’s carry-on bag began smoking mid-flight, requiring the fire to be put out by a flight crew member using a fire extinguisher  In March 2016, an e-cigarette in a Delta passenger’s carry-on bag caught on fire during the boarding process before being extinguished by a flight attendant  In December 2015, an e-cigarette battery in a JetBlue passenger’s carry-on bag experienced a “thermal runaway,” catching on fire at the gate before being extinguished  In September 2015, an e-cigarette battery in a Mesa Airlines passenger’s carry-on bag ignited at the gate, causing smoke to travel through the cabin, requiring the fire department to come aboard and extinguish the burning bag.  In June 2015, an e-cigarette in a Southwest passenger’s pocket ignited in-flight, burning the passenger and causing the battery to “shoot out of the device.” Incidents like these should not be the new normal in air travel.  Thankfully, the federal government has already taken some important steps to protect air passengers.  In May 2016, DOT issued a rule banning these devices from checked luggage, deeming it necessary to address “the safety risks posed by battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices.”  That rule, however, does not go far enough.  While it is prohibited to use or charge an e-cigarette in flight, DOT continues to allow their presence in the cabin, where they can spontaneously explode.  DOT justifies this because “flight crew can quickly intervene in the case of overheating, short circuit, or fire.”  But an e-cigarette is just as dangerous in an overhead bin two feet above a passenger as it is in the luggage compartment two feet below.  A fire may not be quickly identified and contained by passengers or flight crew members.  The fire could happen on a red-eye flight, when passengers are asleep or when flight attendants are busy addressing other in-cabin needs.  Moreover, an e-cigarette could ignite in a carry-on bag next to other permissible but still combustible materials, like paper, creating a conflagration that moves too quickly to contain. I sought to ban e-cigarettes from aircraft cabins in the aviation bill Congress considered earlier this year.  Unfortunately, that bill instead merely extended aviation programs for the short term instead of advancing new aviation safety measures.  I will push again for a ban next year when Congress reconsiders the bill with an eye toward longer-term reforms.  I will also continue to call on DOT to use its authority to effect this ban across the industry.  In the meantime, you can assert your proactive commitment to safety – and potentially save lives – today.  There is precedent for such action.  Last year, the country’s three largest carriers – Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines – decided on their own to ban hoverboards from both carry-on and checked baggage.  Delta noted, “While occurrences are uncommon, these batteries can spontaneously overheat and pose a fire hazard risk.”  The same rationale applies to e-cigarettes, as we saw just last week and saw repeatedly in earlier incidents.      I appreciate your attention to this vital safety matter.  After so many warnings and red flags, it is imperative for your industry to act to ensure these dangerous devices remain permanently grounded.  [1] WABC-TV, “Man Speaks Out After E-Cigarette Explodes in Mouth,” December 14, 2016, accessed December 21, 2016, http://abc7ny.com/news/exclusive-man-speaks-out-after-e-cig-explodes-in-mouth/1656673/. [2] CNN, “E-cigarette explodes, burns high school student.” May 10, 2016, accessed December 21, 2016, http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2016/05/10/e-cigarette-explodes-in-classmates-face-pkg.waff/video/playlists/e-cigarettes/. [3] Sara Randazzo, “E-Cigarette Users Sue Over Exploding Devices,” Wall Street Journal, July 3, 2016, accessed December 21, 2016, http://www.wsj.com/articles/e-cigarette-users-sue-over-exploding-devices-1467538202 [4] IEEE Standards Association, “IEEE-SA Mobile Battery Standards,” accessed December 21, 2016, https://standards.ieee.org/develop/corpchan/mobilebat.pdf. [5] Tom O’Hara, “Navigating the Regulatory Maze of Lithium Battery Safety,” Battery Power, November 2013, accessed December 21, 2016, http://www.batterypoweronline.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Intertek_Regulatory-Maze-WP.pdf. [6] U.S. Fire Administration, “Electronic Cigarette Fires and Explosions,” October 2014, 5, accessed December 21, 2016, https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/electronic_cigarettes.pdf. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-to-window-covering-manufacturers-produce-data-supporting-latest-revision-of-safety-standard,Blumenthal to Window Covering Manufacturers: Produce Data Supporting Latest Revision of Safety Standard,2016-12-23,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal to Window Covering Manufacturers: Produce Data Supporting Latest Revision of Safety Standard Print Tweet Friday, December 23, 2016 [WASHINGTON, DC] – Ahead of an end-of-year goal to develop critical new safety standards for dangerous window covering cords, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data Security, criticized major window covering manufacturers for failing to provide data that provides key support for the latest version of the voluntary standard for window coverings. The new standards are being developed in response to a letter from Blumenthal and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) calling for strong child safety protections, but the most recent draft does not require all window coverings to be cordless. Rather, the draft standard includes a cordless requirement for “stock” products, but not “custom” products.   “WCMA’s decision to revisit the voluntary standard represents a significant opportunity to put an end to the tragically predictable and over two-decade long trend of one child dying each month from window covering cords,” Blumenthal said. “To ensure that the new updated standard is truly effective, it is critical that we know what portion of the market will be affected by the new standards. I am disappointed WCMA has not been transparent with this information, and has not yet heeded my call to produce data that is fundamentally important to developing new safety standards. I urge them to do so immediately. “   Blumenthal wrote to the Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) and Springs Window Fashions requesting information “to have a clear understanding of the current window covering market and its trajectory, including what share of the market is sold as “custom” and as “stock,” including online sales in both categories, so that we can accurately assess to what extent the new standard will effectively protect young children.”                                                      In June, in response to a letter from Blumenthal and Klobuchar, as well as pressure from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, WCMA announced it would revise its voluntary safety standard for window covering products to address the strangulation risk posed by accessible cords. Nearly every month for decades, at least one child has strangled to death on a window covering cord. The Consumer Federation of America reported yesterday that four children have been killed in the last six weeks.   Blumenthal has also led efforts to protect children of military families and families seeking federal housing assistance who may be particularly vulnerable to this hazard. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Blumenthal included a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 directing the Secretary of Defense to remove and replace window coverings with accessible cords from military housing units in which children under the age of nine reside.   In April, Blumenthal wrote the Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro, urging them to take action to protect children from dangerous window covering cords in military housing and federally assisted housing. Enclosed in the letter to the Department of Defense was information Blumenthal’s office previously requested from the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Parents for Window Blind Safety on window covering injuries and deaths related to military housing.   The full text of Blumenthal’s letter to Ralph Vasami, Executive Director of WCMA is copied below. A similar letter was sent to Scott Fawcett, President and Chief Executive Officer of Springs Window Fashions.   December 16, 2016   Mr. Ralph Vasami Executive Director Window Covering Manufacturers Association 355 Lexington Avenue 15th Floor New York, New York 10017   Dear Mr. Vasami:                         In June, I welcomed your announcement that the Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) would revise the current voluntary window covering standard to effectively address the significant strangulation risk to children posed by accessible window covering cords. Your commitment to develop and submit for ballot, in accordance with American National Standards Institute guidelines, a revised standard by the end of 2016 is commendable. However, as we near the end of 2016, and in the midst of four recent window covering cord child deaths, I write requesting the data supporting your proposal to segment the market and the applicability of the voluntary standard based on whether the product is “stock” or “custom.” This data is critical to helping those involved in the standard-setting process to understand your reasoning behind this proposal and to keep us on schedule to finalize a revised standard by the year’s end.   As you know, I have pledged to do all I can to comprehensively eliminate the preventable danger posed by dangerous window covering cords. Part of my work has included working with relevant federal agencies, including the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), both of whom provide housing to particularly vulnerable segments of the population. I have urged both agencies to replace window coverings in the housing they oversee in order to safeguard young children from such dangers. Despite progress on these fronts, WCMA’s revisiting of the voluntary standard represents a significant and important opportunity to put an end to the tragically predictable and over two-decade long trend of one child dying each month from window covering cords.   According to the most recent draft of the standard, only “stock” window coverings will be required to be cordless. Any so-called “custom” window coverings will be exempt from cordless requirements that would significantly reduce the strangulation hazard posed to children by corded window coverings. A “custom” order may include any window covering orders for an irregular window size, particular material, an order of a large quantity, or any order where the window covering is fabricated after the order is made by the consumer. Such “custom” orders are often made online, where customers can be presented with many options. Thus, it is important to those involved in revising the current standard to have a clear understanding of the current window covering market and its trajectory, including what share of the market is sold as “custom” and as “stock,” including online sales in both categories, so that we can accurately assess to what extent the new standard will effectively protect young children.   Accordingly, I respectfully request any data and reports supporting WCMA’s assertions that this proposed segmentation of the market into “stock” and “custom” would allow the standard to address the vast majority of the window covering market. This information should include what percent of sales are made online and in-stores, units for any data, such as whether it is in terms of sales volume or sales dollars, as well as methodology explaining how data was gathered.   Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this request. I respectfully request the data requested no later than Wednesday, December 21, 2016.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/sen-murphy-talks-mental-health-reform-act-in-westport,Sen. Murphy talks Mental Health Reform Act in Westport,2016-12-23,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sen. Murphy talks Mental Health Reform Act in Westport Westport News Friday, December 23, 2016  U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy brought his victory tour to town this week, celebrating the passing of a bill he helped author that could substantially improve mental health care and substance abuse treatment in the country. On Wednesday, Murphy stopped at St. Vincent’s Behavioral Health Services in Westport to explain aspects of the Mental Health Reform Act, a bill included in the 21st Century Cures Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama on Dec. 13. Murphy teamed up with U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., to write the bill. The package received overwhelming bipartisan support in the House and Senate. It includes a $1 billion grant to help states combat the opioid crisis and $4.8 billion for research at the National Institutes of Health. A portion of the NIH money will focus on brain research to uncover new treatments. The new law updates substandard mental health parity laws, and thus requires insurance plans to provide comparable benefits for mental health and substance abuse as for physical health issues. “Your statement of benefits today will tell you that you have mental health coverage,” Murphy said to the audience, which included health care professionals. “But as you all know, when you try to go access that benefit, it’s often not there, or you have to go through hurdles and hoops that, frankly, you don’t have to go through when you are trying to get reimbursement for a cancer treatment or for an orthopedic procedure.” “It’s just a lot harder to get treatment for the part of your body above the neck than the part of your body below the neck,” he said. The newly passed bill enhances the ability to enforce parity laws by mandating federal agencies to report such violations and provides them with methods by which to crack down on that wrongdoing. If a health plan is found to violate those laws, the government is required to conduct an audit. An example Murphy gave was if a health plan is found to be rejecting prior authorizations on mental health treatment at a noticeably higher rate than prior authorizations on physical treatment, it is in violation of the law and subject to an investigation. “There’s a new audit tool that’s automatically triggered after a certain number of consumer complaints. There’s new guidance that’s required to be put out to insurance companies to give them specific examples and guidance on when they are in violation of parity laws and when they are not,” Murphy said. The senator is confident the guidelines for insurers will open hundreds of millions of dollars in new mental health care authorized by insurance companies. He believes it will make the reimbursement process for patients easier. Murphy said whether the changes will be implemented is dependent on how the Donald Trump administration chooses to proceed. The bill creates a new position, assistant secretary for mental health and substance use in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The office is responsible for better coordinating mental health services across the federal government, a position that oversees billions of dollars spent on mental health and addiction. Murphy said the bill did not accomplish everything he wanted, nor does he feel the legislation will cure more than 5 or 10 percent of issues in the system, but it does serve as the foundation for future bipartisan success. The bill passed 94 to 5 in the Senate and 392 to 26 in the House. But according to the New York Times, it drew criticism for failing to address the high cost of prescription drugs. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., was one of the five senators who opposed the 21st Century Cures Act because of its concessions to the pharmaceutical industry, the newspaper said. “This bill didn’t solve every problem,” Murphy said. “Clearly, the pharmaceutical companies have a lot to answer for when it comes to the opioid and heroin epidemic, but this is a really important bill with very significant money to combat the opioid epidemic. No bill is going to get 100 votes. This one got 95, and we still have work to do to hold the drug companies accountable for their decades of pushing pills on the American public.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://himes.house.gov/press-release/himes-leads-letter-requesting-qualified-science-advisor,Himes leads letter requesting qualified Science Advisor,2016-12-22,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Jim Himes,H001047,himes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04), along with nine other Members of Congress, sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump asking him to quickly appoint a qualified Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, usually known as the President’s Science Advisor. “There is a fear and concern among the American people that the incoming Administration is going to disregard the advice and recommendations of the scientific community,” said Himes. “America’s strength has always stemmed from our ingenuity and commitment to fact-based decision making. We now face a situation where decisions that will affect the future of our country – in areas including climate change, national security, exploration, health and the economy – could be made by individuals who are not just lacking a scientific background, but are, in fact, aggressively anti-science. A qualified Science Advisor would be a key component in mitigating any ideologically-driven, destructive decisions.” “A highly respected science advisor and an Office of Science and Technology Policy fully engaged in evidence-based policy decisions are essential to good government and protecting the health and safety of the American people,” added Dr. Andrew Rosenberg, director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists. The Science Advisor’s role in the White House since 1976 has been to guide the President determining effective ways to use science and technology to address major national challenges. Joining Congressman Himes on the letter were Representatives Raúl Grijalva, Adam Schiff, Tim Ryan, Bill Foster, Betty McCollum, Jerry McNerney, Rick Larsen, Elizabeth Esty and David Cicilline. The full letter is attached and below.    December 22, 2016   Mr. Donald J. Trump President-Elect Trump Tower 725 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10022 Dear Mr. President-Elect: As members of Congress who understand the importance of science to our economic strength, national security and efficient government, we write to respectfully request that you prioritize the appointment of a universally-respected scientist as Assistant to the President for Science and Technology within your first 100 days in office.  When you take office in January, you will be charged with leading our nation’s response to global climate change, maintaining American economic competitiveness, keeping our citizenry safe, advancing energy independence, and curing disease. It is critical that you inform your decisions on these matters with scientific knowledge and expertise. In 1976, Congress established the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to facilitate scientifically-sound policy decisions by the Executive Branch. The Assistant to the President for Science and Technology – known colloquially as the President’s Science Advisor – is responsible for leading this office. As a senior-level White House staff member, your science advisor’s responsibilities will be to assist you in determining effective ways to use science and technology to address major national challenges. More broadly, the OSTP he or she will oversee will provide scientific and technological input to agencies regarding rulemakings, budgets, interagency coordination, and other matters of consequence. We must also remember that federal investments in scientific and technological research have emboldened our nation’s entrepreneurial spirit and driven innovation for decades. Federal grants have enabled generations of scientists to make discoveries and breakthroughs that have helped the United States ascend to the top of the global economy, including life-saving vaccines, the MRI, laser technology, touchscreens, and GPS. To continue our path forward, we must recognize that scientific research is a force for good and merits our attention and investment. In conclusion, we agree with our predecessors in the 94th Congress regarding the role of science in our government. We believe that it is imperative for you to choose, early in your administration, a nationally-respected individual with the appropriate engineering, scientific, management and policy skills. Thank you for your consideration.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-un-security-council-resolution-vote-on-israel,Blumenthal Statement on U.N. Security Council Resolution Vote on Israel,2016-12-22,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Statement on U.N. Security Council Resolution Vote on Israel Print Tweet Thursday, December 22, 2016 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), the author, released the following statement today ahead of an expected U.N. Security Council vote on Israel:   “Support for Israel on this issue has been and will continue to be strongly bipartisan. Consistent with past policy, this Administration must now veto this most recent misguided and one-sided attempt backed by the Palestinian Authority to isolate Israel and weaken the peace process,” Blumenthal said. “The draft United Nations resolution directly contradicts the Senate resolution I authored – and passed unanimously last year – condemning Palestinian terrorism and calling on all parties to return to the negotiating table immediately and without preconditions. Direct discussions remain the best avenue to ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This United Nations resolution would undermine, if not undo, the chances for productive discussions between the two sides.”   Blumenthal authored Senate Resolution S. 302, a bipartisan resolution that expresses solidarity with Israel and condemns Palestinian terrorist attacks. This resolution passed the Senate by unanimous consent in November 2015, with 68 cosponsors.   In September 2016, Blumenthal also introduced a bipartisan resolution with U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) expressing support for and reaffirming longstanding United States policy in support of a direct bilaterally negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and opposition to United Nations Security Council resolutions imposing a solution to the conflict.   In recent months, Blumenthal has joined his colleagues in sending multiple letters opposing any one-sided actions seeking to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the United Nations instead of direct negotiations.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://esty.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/esty-murphy-blumenthal-courtney-applaud-usda-steps-help-connecticuts,"Esty, Murphy, Blumenthal, Courtney Applaud USDA Steps to Help Connecticut's Dairy Farmers, Call for Further Action",2016-12-21,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Elizabeth Esty,E000293,esty.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), U.S. Representative Joe Courtney (CT-2), and U.S. Representative Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) released the following statement on Wednesday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that they will gather in-depth information on production practices, costs, and financial well-being of American farm families for the final phase of the 2016 Agricultural Resource Management Survey. The results of the survey will help USDA and other policymakers analyze the Dairy Margin Protection Program, which has not provided adequate support to Connecticut’s dairy farmers.   “Dairy farmers in Connecticut have been getting the short-end of the stick for too long,” said Murphy, Blumenthal, Courtney, and Esty. “They’ve been hit hard by falling milk prices and the Dairy Margin Protection Program has not provided the safety net Connecticut dairy farms were promised. Collecting data is an important part of fixing the problem, but it’s not close to doing enough unless the protections are improved and the markets are stabilized. We won’t stop fighting until Connecticut’s dairy farmers get the real, tangible support they need.”   Farm milk prices have dropped almost 40% in the last few years, and Connecticut dairy farmers are struggling to bring in the revenues they need to stay afloat. Murphy, Blumenthal, and Courtney have been outspoken in urging USDA to provide emergency assistance to dairy farmers and to take greater action to support Connecticut’s dairy producers. Earlier this year, Murphy, Blumenthal, Courtney, and Esty requested that the White House Office of Management and Budget assist dairy farmers struggling with decreased milk prices. Courtney introduced bipartisan legislation with Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY) this year to bring fairness to the federal system used to determine the price dairy farmers are paid for their milk called the Dairy Margin Insurance Location Calculation (Dairy MILC) Act of 2016. The bill would amend the Farm Bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture to use data from each state to calculate average feed cost and actual dairy production margins. Murphy and Blumenthal also urged appropriators to fund a survey on the average feed costs on dairy farms by state to help gather data to improve the Dairy Margin Protection Program in the upcoming Farm Bill.###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=07966BE3-2808-42D4-B025-FEC2FC50F89F,Himes leads letter requesting qualified Science Advisor,2016-12-21,2016,2016-12,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), along with nine other Members of Congress, sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump asking him to quickly appoint a qualified Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, usually known as the President’s Science Advisor. “There is a fear and concern among the American people that the incoming Administration is going to disregard the advice and recommendations of the scientific community,” said Himes. “America’s strength has always stemmed from our ingenuity and commitment to fact-based decision making. We now face a situation where decisions that will affect the future of our country – in areas including climate change, national security, exploration, health and the economy – could be made by individuals who are not just lacking a scientific background, but are, in fact, aggressively anti-science. A qualified Science Advisor would be a key component in mitigating any ideologically-driven, destructive decisions.” “A highly respected science advisor and an Office of Science and Technology Policy fully engaged in evidence-based policy decisions are essential to good government and protecting the health and safety of the American people,” added Dr. Andrew Rosenberg, director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists. The Science Advisor’s role in the White House since 1976 has been to guide the President determining effective ways to use science and technology to address major national challenges. Joining Congressman Himes on the letter were Representatives Raúl Grijalva, Adam Schiff, Tim Ryan, Bill Foster, Betty McCollum, Jerry McNerney, Rick Larsen, Elizabeth Esty and David Cicilline. The full letter is attached and below. December 22, 2016 Mr. Donald J. Trump President-Elect Trump Tower 725 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10022 Dear Mr. President-Elect: As members of Congress who understand the importance of science to our economic strength, national security and efficient government, we write to respectfully request that you prioritize the appointment of a universally-respected scientist as Assistant to the President for Science and Technology within your first 100 days in office. When you take office in January, you will be charged with leading our nation’s response to global climate change, maintaining American economic competitiveness, keeping our citizenry safe, advancing energy independence, and curing disease. It is critical that you inform your decisions on these matters with scientific knowledge and expertise. In 1976, Congress established the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to facilitate scientifically-sound policy decisions by the Executive Branch. The Assistant to the President for Science and Technology – known colloquially as the President’s Science Advisor – is responsible for leading this office. As a senior-level White House staff member, your science advisor’s responsibilities will be to assist you in determining effective ways to use science and technology to address major national challenges. More broadly, the OSTP he or she will oversee will provide scientific and technological input to agencies regarding rulemakings, budgets, interagency coordination, and other matters of consequence. We must also remember that federal investments in scientific and technological research have emboldened our nation’s entrepreneurial spirit and driven innovation for decades. Federal grants have enabled generations of scientists to make discoveries and breakthroughs that have helped the United States ascend to the top of the global economy, including life-saving vaccines, the MRI, laser technology, touchscreens, and GPS. To continue our path forward, we must recognize that scientific research is a force for good and merits our attention and investment. In conclusion, we agree with our predecessors in the 94th Congress regarding the role of science in our government. We believe that it is imperative for you to choose, early in your administration, a nationally-respected individual with the appropriate engineering, scientific, management and policy skills. Thank you for your consideration.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-03-30T11:08:25Z https://larson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/larson-meets-local-winners-congressional-app-challenge,Larson Meets with Local Winners of the Congressional App Challenge,2016-12-21,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,John Larson,L000557,larson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Manchester, CT – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) recognized Fabrizio Lazo, Isaiah Powell and Brandon Reed with Certificates of Special Congressional Recognition for designing the winning app of the First District’s 2016 Congressional App Challenge (CAC). All three are seniors at Howell Cheney Technical High School and residents of East Hartford. Their app, BoomTanks, is a multiplayer action-based game featuring quiz questions about the history of tanks. “Fabrizio, Isaiah, and Brandon blended action and education in a truly creative and impressive way,” said Larson. “I am so proud to see such talent in our local students. The Congressional App Challenge is a testament to the vitality of ideas. The winning app all started from a single idea, developed and improved upon by the entire group. I know Fabrizio, Isaiah, and Brandon all have bright futures ahead, possibly as part of Connecticut’s vibrant technology ecosystem. Certainly the skill and creativity they showed today will serve them in all their endeavors. Congratulations again to them all on a job truly well done.” The CAC is an opportunity for local high school students in the First District to highlight their STEM skills and apply what they have learned in the classroom. Larson’s office received 10 app submissions from across the First District. Nationwide, over 2,100 high school students participated in the Challenge and 650 apps were designed.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-to-continue-fighting-for-connecticut-priorities-in-senate-committee-assignments,Blumenthal to Continue Fighting for Connecticut Priorities in Senate Committee Assignments,2016-12-21,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal to Continue Fighting for Connecticut Priorities in Senate Committee Assignments Print Tweet In the upcoming Congress, Blumenthal will continue serving on Veterans Affairs, Judiciary, Armed Services, Commerce, Science & Transportation, and Aging Committees Wednesday, December 21, 2016 (Hartford, CT)—Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) released the following statement announcing his Senate committee assignments for the upcoming Congress. Blumenthal will continue to serve on the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, Committee on the Judiciary, Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Special Committee on Aging. “There is a great deal of hard work to be done in the next Congress – and it starts the day I return to Washington. I will be giving the President-elect’s cabinet nominees serious and exacting scrutiny during their confirmation hearings. I will defend the gains we’ve made over the last eight years, but I will also push forward for greater investments in infrastructure and our national security, better protections for consumers, and a social safety net that doesn’t let anyone fall through the cracks. And above all, I will be fighting to represent the values and priories of the people of Connecticut.”  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-courtney-esty-applaud-usda-steps-to-help-connecticuts-dairy-farmers-call-for-further-action-,"MURPHY, BLUMENTHAL, COURTNEY, ESTY APPLAUD USDA STEPS TO HELP CONNECTICUTS DAIRY FARMERS, CALL FOR FURTHER ACTION",2016-12-21,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY, BLUMENTHAL, COURTNEY, ESTY APPLAUD USDA STEPS TO HELP CONNECTICUT’S DAIRY FARMERS, CALL FOR FURTHER ACTION Wednesday, December 21, 2016 WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), U.S. Representative Joe Courtney (CT-2), and U.S. Representative Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) released the following statement on Wednesday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that they will gather in-depth information on production practices, costs, and financial well-being of American farm families for the final phase of the 2016 Agricultural Resource Management Survey. The results of the survey will help USDA and other policymakers analyze the Dairy Margin Protection Program, which has not provided adequate support to Connecticut’s dairy farmers. “Dairy farmers in Connecticut have been getting the short-end of the stick for too long,” said Murphy, Blumenthal, Courtney, and Esty. “They’ve been hit hard by falling milk prices and the Dairy Margin Protection Program has not provided the safety net Connecticut dairy farms were promised. Collecting data is an important part of fixing the problem, but it’s not close to doing enough unless the protections are improved and the markets are stabilized. We won’t stop fighting until Connecticut’s dairy farmers get the real, tangible support they need.” Farm milk prices have dropped almost 40% in the last few years, and Connecticut dairy farmers are struggling to bring in the revenues they need to stay afloat. Murphy, Blumenthal, and Courtney have been outspoken in urging USDA to provide emergency assistance to dairy farmers and to take greater action to support Connecticut’s dairy producers. Earlier this year, Murphy, Blumenthal, Courtney, and Esty requested that the White House Office of Management and Budget assist dairy farmers struggling with decreased milk prices. Courtney introduced bipartisan legislation with Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY) this year to bring fairness to the federal system used to determine the price dairy farmers are paid for their milk called the Dairy Margin Insurance Location Calculation (Dairy MILC) Act of 2016. The bill would amend the Farm Bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture to use data from each state to calculate average feed cost and actual dairy production margins. Murphy and Blumenthal also urged appropriators to fund a survey on the average feed costs on dairy farms by state to help gather data to improve the Dairy Margin Protection Program in the upcoming Farm Bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-maintains-seat-on-appropriations-health-education-labor-and-foreign-relations-committees,"MURPHY MAINTAINS SEAT ON APPROPRIATIONS, HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEES",2016-12-21,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY MAINTAINS SEAT ON APPROPRIATIONS, HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR & FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEES Wednesday, December 21, 2016 WASHINGTON— The Senate Democratic Steering Committee announced that U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) will maintain his seats on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The committee assignments are expected to be ratified by the whole caucus in the coming weeks. Murphy is the first U.S. Senator from Connecticut to serve on the Appropriations Committee since 1987. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Murphy will continue to focus on securing funding for Connecticut’s priorities, such as defense manufacturing, transportation infrastructure, and federal safety net programs. As a member of the HELP and Foreign Relations Committees, Murphy will also continue to be a strong voice in pushing back against Republican attempts to defund the Affordable Care Act, anti-gun violence programs, and U.S. diplomatic efforts abroad. “I’m honored to be keeping each of my committee assignments – they have served as perfect platforms from which to fight for Connecticut residents and priorities over the last couple years,” said Murphy. “I’m looking forward to continuing my work on these committees to bring more money home to Connecticut to grow jobs, to make sure all our kids get a quality education, and to push for a foreign policy that prioritizes diplomacy and keeps all of us safe.” Murphy will also maintain his seat on the Senate Democratic Steering & Outreach Committee. This Committee helps drive the Democratic agenda in the U.S. Senate by convening advocacy groups, intergovernmental organizations, and members of Congress around key policy priorities.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/letter-trump-house-democrats-draw-line-women-s-right-choose,"In Letter to Trump, House Democrats Draw Line on Womens Right to Choose",2016-12-20,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC (December 20, 2016) — This week, 105 Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to President-elect Trump urging the elimination of the Hyde Amendment. Federal restrictions prevent millions of women, including low-income women, servicewomen, federal employees, Native American women, and residents of Washington, D.C. from exercising their constitutional right to abortion care. The letter was co-led by Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro, Barbara Lee, Jan Schakowsky, Gwen Moore, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz. “Over the last 40 years, the Hyde Amendment has been used to deny low income Americans Medicaid coverage of reproductive health care. Whether a woman has private or government funded health insurance, every woman, in concert with her family and doctor, should be able to make her own health decisions,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “We must promote and protect the rights of every woman to make her own family planning decisions, and to have access to a full range of healthcare services. The time to repeal the Hyde Amendment is now.” “It’s past time for Congress to end the discriminatory Hyde Amendment once and for all. With this letter, House Democrats are sending a clear message: we will not back down from defending women’s constitutional rights,” said Congresswoman Lee. “No woman should ever be denied reproductive health care because of how much she earns or the type of her insurance. The EACH Woman Act would end this discrimination and ensure that all women, including low-income women and women of color, can make the health care decisions that are best for them and their family.” The letter calls on President-elect Trump to end decades of health care discrimination and adopt reproductive health care policies based in dignity and respect for women. The letter notes, “For too long, low-income women and women of color have shouldered the burden on our country’s restrictive reproductive health laws. Together, we ask that you send a strong signal that this will no longer be the legacy of the United States.” Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky said, “The Hyde Amendment denies crucial health care coverage to women who serve in our military, work in our federal government, and join the Peace Corps, as well as those who depend on Medicaid and the Indian Health Service. All women, no matter their income level, zip code, health insurance plan, or career path should have access to the full range of reproductive health services, including abortion services. It is unacceptable that this constitutional right would be denied to women because Republican politicians refuse to allow them to make their own choices. It is time to get rid of the Hyde Amendment once and for all.” “For far too long, low-income, particularly women of color, have been disproportionately affected by the implementation of Hyde. Such blatant discrimination not only limits critical access to reproductive health services, but can also have a crushing impact on a woman’s economic mobility,” said Congresswoman Moore. “If President-elect Trump is serious about creating economic opportunities for the most vulnerable among us, it is imperative that we end this archaic policy and stop those who continue to restrict women from making their own personal reproductive decisions.” “We will hold President-Elect Trump accountable every step of the way as we protect access to women’s health care and the constitutionally-protected right to an abortion. The Hyde Amendment overwhelmingly affects low-income women and women of color, and we will not stand quietly by should the Trump Administration continue supporting this destructive and discriminatory amendment that denies them the coverage they need,” said Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. The full letter is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://esty.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/esty-malloy-congressional-delegation-applaud-445-million-federal-grants,"Esty, Malloy, Congressional Delegation Applaud $44.5 Million in Federal Grants to Help State Reach Goal of Ending Homelessness",2016-12-20,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Elizabeth Esty,E000293,esty.house.gov,,,legacy,"(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy and the members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation are applauding an announcement made today from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that the State of Connecticut will receive approximately $44.5 million in federal grants to help support the state’s goal of ending homelessness. “Over the last several years, with our partners in local, state, and federal organizations, Connecticut has created a system that is successfully working to provide housing when the need arises.  These partnerships are helping us ensure that whenever a new episode of homelessness does occur, it is brief and nonrecurring.  Ensuring and delivering housing is critical to building stronger communities for everyone, everywhere,” Governor Malloy said.  “I want to thank HUD and our local partners for working with our state to ensure these services are available so when one our residents need assistance, it is there for them.” The grants come under HUD’s Continuum of Care program, which provide critically needed support to local programs on the front lines of serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness. “Connecticut has led the nation in its efforts to reduce homelessness in our communities.  But despite these gains, every night thousands of people in our state will seek refuge in an emergency shelter or fall sleep without a roof over their heads, a heartbreaking number of them children.  In a state like ours – and in a country like ours – that is unacceptable,” the members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation said in a joint statement.  “The $44 million in federal grant announced today brings critical additional resources to help Connecticut build on its past success and bring us closer towards achieving the goal of ending homelessness for all.” “Under Governor Malloy, Connecticut has been recognized as a national leader for its efforts to prevent and end homelessness,” Connecticut Department of Housing (DOH) Commissioner Evonne M. Klein said.  “It is because of the strong partnerships that have been formed with governmental, non-governmental agencies, and non-profit providers that we have achieved unprecedented investment and success.  I thank HUD for recognizing our efforts.  This funding will continue to support and allow us to expand on our goal of ending homelessness.” Among the awards is a brand new allocation totaling almost $1 million dollars for DOH, which will allow Connecticut to build upon its existing infrastructure dedicated to ending homelessness.  This is the third year in a row that Connecticut has received new allocations under this funding round.  The two new awards that occurred in previous years allowed the state to add approximately 400 new units of permanent supportive housing dedicated towards ending chronic homelessness.  This next allocation will allow the state to expand its existing resources, bringing us one step closer to effectively ending homelessness altogether. Since 2011, DOH – together with the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority – has completed 8,572 affordable units, with another 3,053 under construction and funding in place for approximately 5,200 more affordable units.  In total, almost 17,000 units of affordable housing have been created, rehabilitated, or preserved in just the past six years alone.  Connecticut has also helped to create another 1,500 market rate units in that same time.  These units have come online through joint investments with the private sector and have helped to increase the supply of housing in areas where they would have otherwise not been built. Earlier this year, Connecticut become one of only three states to have been certified as having effectively ended homelessness among veterans.  Connecticut was one of only four states to sign on to the Zero: 2016 initiative, with the goal of ending all chronic homelessness by the end of this year.  These additional vouchers will allow the state to expand on the nationally recognized system that was established to combat homelessness. **On the Web: Complete list of state and local homeless projects awarded funding under HUD’s FY2016 Continuum of Care program grants ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphys-mental-health-reform-act-signed-into-law,MURPHYS MENTAL HEALTH REFORM ACT SIGNED INTO LAW,2016-12-20,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY’S MENTAL HEALTH REFORM ACT SIGNED INTO LAW Murphy hosted 30 town halls & roundtables with CT families, professionals & advocates to craft bipartisan mental health reforms Tuesday, December 13, 2016 WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, attended the bill signing ceremony at the White House on Tuesday where President Obama signed his bipartisan Mental Health Reform Act as part of the 21st Century CURES Act into law. Murphy’s bill will comprehensively overhaul America’s mental health system, expand federal resources, and improve coordination for mental health and substance abuse treatment programs across the nation. The bill, which Murphy authored with U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), passed the Senate 94-5 last week. “Today marks a breakthrough for people with mental illness and their families,” said Murphy. “It was an honor to stand behind President Obama at his final bill signing ceremony and watch him enact the most significant reforms of our mental health system in decades.” “Mental illness and addiction do not discriminate, so our health care system shouldn’t either. It should be as easy to access a doctor or get prescriptions for an illness of the mind as it is for an illness of the body. It’s that simple principle that motivated all the work I put into this bill,” Murphy added. “I will keep working with Republicans and Democrats to make sure our bill is implemented as Congress intended, and to keep our bipartisan coalition engaged in mental health until we finish the job we started.” After months of collaborating with mental health professionals, policy experts, consumers, and family members, Murphy and Cassidy introduced their bipartisan Mental Health Reform Act of 2015 to expand federal resources and improve coordination for mental health and substance abuse treatment programs. The Senators worked closely with U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to craft an updated bill, the Mental Health Reform Act of 2016, which passed the HELP Committee unanimously earlier this year. The Mental Health Reform Act of 2016 served as the basis for the mental health language passed last week. A fact sheet on the bill can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-calls-chairman-cole-end-gag-order-hhs-drug-price-report,DeLauro Calls on Chairman Cole to End Gag Order on HHS Drug Price Report,2016-12-19,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC (December 19, 2016) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement to urge Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Tom Cole to revoke his hold on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Report: Prescription Drugs: Innovation, Spending, and Patient Access. “By blocking the American people from seeing the HHS Drug Price report, Chairman Cole is denying the public critical information on spiraling drug spending in Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health programs,” said DeLauro. “This report shows that spending on prescription drugs is skyrocketing across all the federal health programs and deserves to see the light of day.” The 2016 Omnibus required HHS to submit a report to Congress analyzing federal spending on drugs in Medicare, Medicaid, and the Veterans Affairs health program. The full report is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-reiterates-call-for-senate-select-committee-investigation-of-russian-interference-in-2016-elections,Blumenthal Reiterates Call for Senate Select Committee Investigation of Russian Interference in 2016 Elections,2016-12-19,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Reiterates Call for Senate Select Committee Investigation of Russian Interference in 2016 Elections Print Tweet Senator has raised concerns regarding the safety of critical infrastructure – including election systems – against cyberattacks in Senate Committee hearings Monday, December 19, 2016 [WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) reiterated his call today for a Senate Select Committee investigation of Russian interference in the U.S. election – joining a growing chorus of bipartisan Congressional leaders, including Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), in urging action to address the overwhelming evidence of foreign intrusion in the election. “Russia’s cyberattacks on our election system should be investigated aggressively and comprehensively‎ by a bipartisan Senate Select Committee beginning immediately, as proposed by Senators McCain and Schumer yesterday,” Blumenthal said. “I support also a prompt, powerful response to these attacks suggested by President Obama, based on indisputable intelligence showing Russian interference to influence the outcome of our democratic process. The Committee should also review more broadly cyberattacks by China and North Korea, as well as Russia. My hope is that it will make encompassing recommendations with a detailed strategy for deterring and defending against such attacks. Our nation urgently needs to be better prepared to counter and repel hostile action in this advancing world of cyber conflict.” Blumenthal has supported bipartisan efforts to defend critical infrastructure against cyber-attacks, and has led efforts to protect online personal information against data theft. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Blumenthal also helped elevate U.S. Cyber Command to a unified combatant command, allowing for a faster and more robust response to cyber threats. Over the last several weeks, Blumenthal has been vocally supportive of a bipartisan investigation into growing evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 election. “That investigation of [Russia’s] most recent effort to interfere in our elections is one that really should be done soon, it should have bipartisan support, and it should be sufficiently resources that it can be effective,” Blumenthal said at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee in early December.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-highlights-seymour-manufacturer-microboard-processing-inc-as-murphys-monday-manufacturer,"MURPHY HIGHLIGHTS SEYMOUR MANUFACTURER, MICROBOARD PROCESSING INC., AS MURPHYS MONDAY MANUFACTURER",2016-12-19,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY HIGHLIGHTS SEYMOUR MANUFACTURER, MICROBOARD PROCESSING INC., AS “MURPHY’S MONDAY MANUFACTURER” Monday, December 19, 2016 HARTFORD – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced on Monday that Microboard Processing Inc. (MPI), a woman-owned manufacturer in Seymour, is this week’s “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturer.” Craig Hoekenga founded MPI in Stratford, Connecticut, in 1983. In 1995, Craig moved the company to a 60,000 square foot facility in Silvermine Industrial Park in Stratford. Today, Craig’s three children, Nicole, Ashley and Craig II own the business, with daughter Nicole as President & CEO. MPI provides Electronic Manufacturing Services to customers, such as the U.S. Department of Defense, in the aerospace, medical, defense, telecom, and industrial industries. Some of MPI’s products include defibrillators, radar systems for helicopters, weapons elevators and GPS landing systems for aircraft carriers, periscope detection systems, and high speed telecom adapters. In the last several years, MPI has successfully grown their revenue, expanded the size of their workforce, and purchased new equipment. In December 2015, MPI employed 89 full-time workers. Today, MPI employs 104 full-time workers and 16 part-time workers. MPI also recently invested approximately $8 million in new equipment and software to offer their clients the most advanced services. With the help of a grant through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s Small Business Express Program, MPI installed new LED lighting, replaced the ceilings in their facility, renovated the building exterior, and purchased sophisticated 5D X-ray equipment. MPI President & CEO, Nicole Russo, was selected as a 2015 Woman of Innovation by the Connecticut Technology Council. “MPI is one of the many family-owned manufacturers in our state making it possible for large Connecticut companies, like Pratt & Whitney, Electric Boat, and Sikorsky, to deliver the highest quality products,” said Murphy. “Every day, MPI manufactures the critical parts that save lives and help make our military the most advanced and powerful in the world.” “Without the innovative programs that the State of Connecticut has been able to offer MPI, we are quite sure we would have had to leave Connecticut. Recent developments with Sikorsky and Electric Boat should be a blessing to many companies such as ours here in Connecticut,” said MPI President & CEO, Nicole Russo. The manufacturing industry plays a crucial role throughout Connecticut communities, creating new jobs and accelerating our state’s economic recovery. Today, Connecticut’s 4,600 manufacturers account for 10% of the state’s jobs and 87% of the state’s total exports. In order to protect and grow manufacturing jobs in Connecticut, Murphy has introduced two pieces of legislation that aim to strengthen existing standards and prioritize the purchase of American-made goods, the 21st Century Buy American Act and the American Jobs Matter Act.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/connecticut-officials-respond-fra-plan-eastern-shoreline-rail,Connecticut Officials Respond To FRA Plan For Eastern Shoreline Rail Realignment,2016-12-16,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,,,legacy,"HARTFORD, CT —Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement after the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released their Tier 1 final environmental impact statement for the Northeast Corridors FUTURE plan: ""The FRA's report released today continues to ignore strong and consistent concerns expressed by the State of Connecticut and local citizens about the eastern shoreline realignment plans. We specifically asked FRA to limit the NEC Future Tier 1 EIS to identify a service and investment strategy to achieve state-of- good repair and maximize the capacity, frequency and speed of existing rail lines. By continuing to include plans to bypass the current route, the FRA has inflamed impacted communities stretching from Fairfield County to Stonington where the proposed alignment will eviscerate neighborhoods, historic landmarks, and real estate values. ""As the FRA itself has confirmed, this new proposed alignment cannot ultimately receive the permits, rights of way and other critical elements without the support and approval of the State of Connecticut. To this end, we will continue to do all we can to remove this bypass from the final FRA plan in order to provide our communities with the certainty they deserve. Should the FRA continue in its pursuit of its proposed alignment, we will work to ensure that Connecticut exercises every tool at its disposal at the state and federal levels to stop any effort to move forward with this misguided plan."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ranking-member-courtney-welcomes-new-navy-force-assessment,Ranking Member Courtney Welcomes New Navy Force Assessment,2016-12-16,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,,,legacy,"NORWICH, CT —Today, Congressman Joe Courtney, ranking member of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, released the following statement today on the Navy’s new Force Structure Assessment (FSA), which calls for an increased fleet size of 355 ships. It also increases the current requirement for attack submarines from 48 to 66. “The Navy’s new assessment is confirmation of the clear reality that a larger fleet is both necessary and vital to the nation’s security,” said Courtney. “Given the changing dynamics around the world, the growing demand for our ships, and the increasing strain on our fleet, I welcome this reassessment of our force structure requirements. This new fleet target will require the Navy, industry, and Congress to work together to build on the work we’ve done over the last several years to lay the groundwork for a larger fleet. If we are going to achieve the goal this plan calls for, we must continue to prioritize the funding, efficiencies, and authorities that will help us achieve it. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the House to achieve this important bipartisan goal. “I am particularly pleased that this plan reflects a larger attack submarine force structure. This reflects the reality that the demand for submarine capability, and their value to our national security objectives, is only going to increase. The feedback from military leaders who have routinely testified to me about the increasing demand for submarines in the Seapower Subcommittee, as well the sailors and officers I have spoken to about the pace and length of their deployments due to high operational demand on a overstressed fleet, confirms the findings of this analysis. This makes sustaining the two a year build rate as we also build the Columbia-class SSBN a national imperative, while also taking advantage of every possible opportunity to add to that build rate. I look forward to building on my bipartisan work to grow the submarine force and ensuring that the Navy has the tools and support it needs to get this done.”   # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/bill-blumenthal-helped-lead-to-protect-speech-in-online-reviews-signed-into-law,Bill Blumenthal Helped Lead to Protect Speech in Online Reviews Signed into Law,2016-12-16,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Bill Blumenthal Helped Lead to Protect Speech in Online Reviews Signed into Law Print Tweet Friday, December 16, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) issued the following statement applauding news that bipartisan legislation he cosponsored to ensure free speech in online reviews was signed into law by President Barack Obama on Wednesday. Businesses had attracted national scrutiny after using “gag clauses” to punish or silence honest criticism of products and services. The Consumer Review Freedom Act will outlaw the use of gag clauses in non-negotiable form contracts. “This law is a victory for free markets and free speech—outlawing anti-consumer clauses that have censored shoppers and undermined online reviews,” Blumenthal said. “From toys and tools to hotels and services, consumers rely on online reviews to decide how and where to spend their money. Consumers have a right to expect that these reviews are honest and uncensored—not muzzled by insidious contract language buried in the fine print of contracts and invoices. This success should be viewed as a model for how bipartisan collaboration can protect and advance consumer interests.” As consumers increasingly rely on online reviews for all types of purchases from toys and household goods to hotels and even doctors, some retailers are sneaking “non-disparagement” clauses into contracts that allow them to exact harsh penalties on consumers for honest, negative reviews. In one case, a New York hotel threatened to penalize newlyweds $500 for every negative review posted by anyone attending their wedding. In another case, an online retailer demanded $3,500 and from a consumer who posted online – truth – that the company had failed to send a Christmas present she had ordered for her husband. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-markey-slam-anti-consumer_anti-safety-ftc-settlements-allowing-used-car-dealers-to-advertise-cars-with-unrepaired-recalls-as-safe,Blumenthal & Markey Slam Anti-Consumer & Anti-Safety FTC Settlements Allowing Used Car Dealers to Advertise Cars with Unrepaired Recalls as 'Safe',2016-12-16,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal & Markey Slam Anti-Consumer & Anti-Safety FTC Settlements Allowing Used Car Dealers to Advertise Cars with Unrepaired Recalls as 'Safe' Print Tweet Final settlements between the FTC and used car dealers allow dealers to continue advertising used cars as certified and “safe” even if those vehicles have unrepaired safety recalls Friday, December 16, 2016 [WASHINGTON, DC] – A final consent order issued by the Federal Trade Commission is anti-consumer and anti-safety, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) said today after the FTC announced a settlement allowing auto dealerships to continue to advertise used cars as “safe,” “repaired for safety issues,” and having been rigorously and extensively inspected, including that they are certified—a term that connotes safety—even if those vehicles have unrepaired safety recalls. “FTC’s unsound decision to finalize this deeply flawed consent order is disappointing and anti-consumer. It finalizes a dangerous decision that permits car dealers to promote cars with unrepaired recalls as safe or certified. Under no circumstances should potentially deadly vehicles be advertised as safe,” Blumenthal said. “The disclosure requirements do more to deceive than fully inform, and worse, could protect unscrupulous dealers. Consumers must stay vigilant and always check any used car in www.safercar.gov for unrepaired defects.” “Instead of ensuring safe cars for consumers, the FTC is ensuring safe harbor for used car dealers who provide false and deceptive assurances,” Markey said. “The FTC is supposed to protect consumers, but this settlement only makes it easier for dangerous cars to remain on the road, endangering American families. I urge all consumers to continue to check www.safercar.gov to ensure they aren’t buying a car with unrepaired defects.” In November, Blumenthal led a letter with Markey, and U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) calling on the FTC and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to ensure used car dealers cannot advertise a car as ‘safe’ if it has an unrepaired safety recall. Recent proposed settlements between the FTC and used car dealers allow dealers to continue advertising used cars as certified and “safe” even if those vehicles have unrepaired safety recalls. The Senators also called on the FTC and NHTSA to redraft the proposed settlements to ensure consumers have the critical safety information they need when buying a car. The text of the Senators’ letter is available here and copied below: Dear Administrator Rosekind and Chairwoman Ramirez: We write with serious safety concerns regarding the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recent proposed settlements with General Motors Company, Jim Koons Management, and Lithia Motors Inc, regarding their failure to adequately disclose unrepaired safety recalls when advertising their used car inspection programs. The proposed settlements would allow dealers to continue to advertise used cars as “safe,” “repaired for safety issues,” and having been rigorously and extensively inspected, including that they are certified—a term that connotes safety—even if those vehicles have unrepaired safety recalls. As such, in their current form, these proposed settlements would fail to address the wrongdoing at hand. We understand that, at our behest, your two agencies have discussed these proposed settlements. Nevertheless, we remain concerned that this important public safety and public policy matter has not received the heightened scrutiny it deserves. Congress has long debated whether dealers should be allowed to sell used cars subject to open safety recalls. We firmly believe that the law should prohibit such sales, as it currently does for new cars with open safety recalls. These proposed settlements wade into this contentious public policy debate, and we believe they would establish an anti-consumer, anti-safety precedent with far-reaching policy implications. Accordingly, we urge you to work together, and in good faith, to leverage your respective agency’s expertise and redraft the proposed settlements so they ensure that consumers receive meaningful information regarding the safety of their potential used vehicle purchases and that public safety is not compromised. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has publicly stated time and time again that all recalls are safety recalls that need to be fixed. In 2011, a spokeswoman for NHTSA said, “All safety recalls resulting from defects present an unreasonable risk to safety and we believe it is inappropriate to suggest that some defects are not risky enough to require repair.”[1] In a 2013 hearing, former Administrator David Strickland testified, “All NHTSA safety recalls address an unreasonable risk to safety and should not be ignored.”[2] In addition, NHTSA’s current FAQ on vehicle recalls explicitly states, “A recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle, equipment, car seat, or tire creates an unreasonable safety risk or fails to meet minimum safety standards.”[3] There is no question that any vehicle with an outstanding recall is an unsafe vehicle. In contrast to NHTSA’s longstanding position, the FTC’s proposed settlements would allow dealers to continue committing the same wrongdoing that was the impetus for the Commission’s actions. Car dealers would still be able to represent that a pre-owned vehicle is “safe,” has been “repaired for safety issues,” and has passed a “rigorous safety inspection” or to label a pre-owned car as being certified even when it is being sold with an unrepaired safety recall. A certified used vehicle with an unrepaired safety recall is inherently misleading. Perhaps more alarming, the proposed settlements would only require dealers to make a blanket statement that their rigorously inspected and certified used vehicles “may be subject to unrepaired recalls.” Consequently, this “disclosure” arguably amounts to nothing more than a legal disclaimer that could absolve dealers from their responsibilities and would likely do little, if anything, to meaningfully convey to consumers the existence of an open recall and dissuade them from purchasing such vehicles due to their safety risks. The sale of any car with an unrepaired safety recall is a threat to public safety. We support the concerns raised in the comments recently filed by a number of consumer groups that no dealer should be able to advertise that a car is certified or any similar terminology connoting safety, if the car is subject to an outstanding recall.[4] Please report back by August 10, 2016 on how you intend to cooperate and work together to amend the proposed settlements and ensure that car dealers cannot mislead and deceive consumers about the safety of their prospective purchases. [1] Christopher Jenson, Faced With Recalls, Rental Companies Sometimes Decide to Wait, N.Y. Times Wheels, Apr. 19, 2011, http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/19/faced-with-recalls-rental-companies-sometimes-decide-to-wait/. [2] Hearing on S. 921, the “Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2013” Before the Subcomm. on Consumer Protection of the S. Comm. Commerce, Science, and Transp., 113th Cong. (2013) (statement of David Strickland, Adm’r, Nat’l Highway Traffic Safety Admin., available at https://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/492dcbd0-de37-4ea6-9810-8b72d07bb4c0/F2BA003C793F45BA47EB84D6116C92BD.strickland.pdf. [3] Nat’l Highway Traffic Safety Admin., Vehicle Recalls: Frequently Asked Questions, Safercar.gov, https://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/faq.jsp (last visited June 10, 2016). [4] Letter from Consumer Groups to Federal Trade Commission (Feb. 29, 2016), available at https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_comments/2016/02/00011-100830.pdf. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-murphy-welcome-navys-commitment-to-submarine-force-in-new-force-structure-assessment,Blumenthal & Murphy Welcome Navy's Commitment to Submarine Force in New Force Structure Assessment,2016-12-16,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal & Murphy Welcome Navy's Commitment to Submarine Force in New Force Structure Assessment Print Tweet Friday, December 16, 2016 [HARTFORD, CT] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) welcomed the U.S. Navy’s strong commitment to submarine investment outlined in the 2016 Navy Force Structure Assessment (FSA) released earlier today. The FSA recommends an additional eighteen attack submarines for the Navy – increasing the total number of submarines from forty-eight to sixty-six, as part of an overall 355-ship Navy.‎ “The U.S. Navy’s assessment reinforces our strong view that submarines are critical to the overall strength of our military and the long-term future of our national security. We are proud that Connecticut’s skilled defense manufacturing workforce produces the most dominant undersea force in the world,” the Senators said. “Supporting our submarine fleet is not only critical to naval preparedness, but to jobs and economic growth in our state. We are committed to working with the incoming Administration to maximize investments in our submarine force within the constraints of our national budget and our overall security needs.”  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-fra-plan-to-route-rail-through-old-lyme-is-dead-on-arrival-but-investments-in-new-haven-harford-springfield-line-and-existing-track-upgrades-are-welcome,"Blumenthal: FRA Plan to Route Rail Through Old Lyme is ""Dead on Arrival"" but Investments in New Haven-Harford-Springfield Line and Existing Track Upgrades are Welcome",2016-12-16,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal: FRA Plan to Route Rail Through Old Lyme is ""Dead on Arrival"" but Investments in New Haven-Harford-Springfield Line and Existing Track Upgrades are Welcome Print Tweet Friday, December 16, 2016 [HARTFORD, CT] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement today in response to a proposal issued by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to route rail straight through Old Lyme as part of a massive, multi-million dollar undertaking to develop a vision that will meet the passenger rail needs of the Northeast in 2040. The proposed rail line realignment outlined by the FRA would shift the main rail line northward ahead of the Old Saybrook Station and run through several Connecticut and Rhode Island shoreline communities before reconnecting to the existing segment in Kenyon, Rhode Island. “I am going to fight with every ounce of energy and power to stop this half-baked, hare-brained proposal. Make no mistake: it can and must be stopped. A rail line that avoids urban downtown areas and proceeds through historic and environmentally sensitive areas is a non-starter—dead on arrival. FRA resources should be devoted to making rail improvements in the region, not a destructive plan facing strong, well-merited opposition,” Blumenthal said.  “Instead of spending enormous capital and threatening environmental and historic areas, the FRA should upgrade existing lines and focus on further enhancements to the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield line.” In July, Blumenthal joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT) in sending a letter to the FRA reiterating their strong opposition to any proposal that would route a new rail line through Old Lyme and calling on the Administration to attend a public forum there so that community leaders can explain how to meet our region’s rail needs while honoring historic preservation and environmental protection priorities. In August, Blumenthal convened a meeting with community leaders and representatives from the FRA to discuss local opposition to the proposed rail line. At a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation subcommittee hearing earlier in the summer, Blumenthal pressed Amtrak Vice President Stephen Gardner to ditch any plans to build a new route through Southeastern Connecticut that would be strongly opposed by residents of the region.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/senators-call-for-investigation-after-trump-transition-waves-off-reported-attempts-to-discriminate-against-federal-employees,Senators Call for Investigation After Trump Transition Waves Off Reported Attempts to Discriminate Against Federal Employees,2016-12-16,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Call for Investigation After Trump Transition Waves Off Reported Attempts to Discriminate Against Federal Employees Print Tweet Friday, December 16, 2016 [WASHINGTON, DC] – Following reports that transition officials for President-elect Donald Trump requested information about civil service employees who have worked on certain climate change policies, prompting widespread outcry, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) led a group of nine Senators in calling on the Office of Special Counsel to investigate the apparent attempt to retaliate or discriminate against federal employees. As the Senators wrote, “These requests appear to have violated long-standing federal laws designed to protect civil servants against coercion for partisan purposes.” Reports last week showed that the Trump transition team had submitted a questionnaire to the Department of Energy requesting “…a list of all Department of Energy employees or contractors who have attended any Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Carbon meetings” as well as a list of “Department employees or contractors who attended any of the Conference of the Parties (under the UNFCCC) in the last five years.” Another question demands “a list of the top twenty salaried employees” at National Laboratories.  The Trump transition team’s opaque response to concerns regarding the questionnaire – indicating only that the staff member who made the request had been “properly counseled” – only increases the need for an independent investigation to ensure that appropriate action is taken in response to any violations of federal law. “We urge you to investigate whether this questionnaire, or any similar questionnaire being circulated by transition officials, violates federal law and to hold accountable those responsible,” the Senators wrote. “We also ask that you publicly communicate to Congress clear guidance on the circumstances under which the Office of Special Counsel will investigate instances of retaliation or discrimination against career civil servants for implementing the policies of any previous administration.” The letter was signed by U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), and Patty Murray (D-WA). The full text of the Senators’ letter is available here and copied below. December 15, 2016  The Honorable Carolyn N. Lerner Special Counsel U.S. Office of Special Counsel 1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 218 Washington, D.C. 20036 Dear Special Counsel Lerner: It has come to our attention that President-elect Donald J. Trump’s transition officials have asked the Department of Energy through a questionnaire for a list of the individual personnel who have worked on certain climate change policies, as well as for lists of the publications and associations of scientists at the National Laboratories.  These requests appear to have violated long-standing federal laws designed to protect civil servants against coercion for partisan purposes.  We ask that you take immediate action to review these deeply troubling requests.  The questionnaire, which may be just one of many such documents, required the Department to “…provide a list of all Department of Energy employees or contractors who have attended any Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Carbon meetings” as well as a list of “Department employees or contractors who attended any of the Conference of the Parties (under the UNFCCC) in the last five years.”  Another question demands “a list of the top twenty salaried employees” at National Laboratories.  Taken together, these questions seem to demonstrate a clear intent to retaliate or discriminate against federal employees. Through the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA), Congress established that federal personnel management should be conducted consistent with merit system principles, which are codified in section 2301 of Title V.  This section establishes that employees should be protected against coercion for partisan political purposes.  Officials who violate this law are subject to disciplinary action.  The CRSA also created the independent U.S. Office of the Special Counsel to safeguard the merit system by protecting federal employees from prohibited personnel practices.  The primary basis for a personnel practice to be considered prohibited is the motivations behind it.  As stated in the Senate’s CSRA report, a “prohibited personnel practice is a personnel action which is taken for a prohibited purpose.”  We are alarmed by the requests in the Energy Department questionnaire because they strongly appear to be motivated by partisan political purposes, which are forbidden by the Act and are therefore impermissible actions by transition officials.  We urge you to investigate whether this questionnaire, or any similar questionnaire being circulated by transition officials, violates federal law and to hold accountable those responsible.  In your investigation, we ask you to take a close look at the motives of the transition officials in singling-out federal employees for implementing our nation’s climate change policies.   We also ask that you publicly communicate to Congress clear guidance on the circumstances under which the Office of Special Counsel will investigate instances of retaliation or discrimination against career civil servants for implementing the policies of any previous administration.  Given the seriousness and urgency of this matter, we ask that you provide a response to this letter no later than December 23, 2016.   We thank you for your dedication to public service and to the career civil servants who, on a daily basis, apply their skills and energy on behalf of our country.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/connecticut-officials-respond-to-fra-plan-for-eastern-shoreline-rail-realignment,CONNECTICUT OFFICIALS RESPOND TO FRA PLAN FOR EASTERN SHORELINE RAIL REALIGNMENT,2016-12-16,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"CONNECTICUT OFFICIALS RESPOND TO FRA PLAN FOR EASTERN SHORELINE RAIL REALIGNMENT Friday, December 16, 2016 HARTFORD, CT —Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement after the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released their Tier 1 final environmental impact statement for the Northeast Corridors FUTURE plan: ""The FRA's report released today continues to ignore strong and consistent concerns expressed by the State of Connecticut and local citizens about the eastern shoreline realignment plans. We specifically asked FRA to limit the NEC Future Tier 1 EIS to identify a service and investment strategy to achieve state-of- good repair and maximize the capacity, frequency and speed of existing rail lines. By continuing to include plans to bypass the current route, the FRA has enflamed impacted communities stretching from Fairfield County to Stonington where the proposed alignment will eviscerate neighborhoods, historic landmarks, and real estate values. ""As the FRA itself has confirmed, this new proposed alignment cannot ultimately receive the permits, rights of way and other critical elements without the support and approval of the State of Connecticut. To this end, we will continue to do all we can to remove this bypass from the final FRA plan in order to provide our communities with the certainty they deserve. Should the FRA continue in its pursuit of its proposed alignment, we will work to ensure that Connecticut exercises every tool at its disposal at the state and federal levels to stop any effort to move forward with this misguided plan."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-and-blumenthal-welcome-navys-commitment-to-submarine-force-in-new-force-structure-assessment,Murphy Blumenthal Welcome Navy's Commitment to Submarine Force in New Force Structure Assessment,2016-12-16,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"HARTFORD, CT – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) welcomed the U.S. Navy’s strong commitment to submarine investment outlined in the 2016 Navy Force Structure Assessment (FSA) released earlier today. The FSA recommends an additional eighteen attack submarines for the Navy – increasing the total number of submarines from forty-eight to sixty-six, as part of an overall 355-ship Navy.‎ “The U.S. Navy’s assessment reinforces our strong view that submarines are critical to the overall strength of our military and the long-term future of our national security. We are proud that Connecticut’s skilled defense manufacturing workforce produces the most dominant undersea force in the world,” the Senators said. “Supporting our submarine fleet is not only critical to naval preparedness, but to jobs and economic growth in our state. We are committed to working with the incoming Administration to maximize investments in our submarine force within the constraints of our national budget and our overall security needs.”  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenthal-murphy-delauro-esty-join-families-and-advocates-demand-action,"Blumenthal, Murphy, DeLauro, Esty Join Families and Advocates to Demand Action on Gun Violence Prevention",2016-12-15,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC (December 15, 2016) At a press conference today with more than eighty family members of victims and survivors of gun violence, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) and U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Elizabeth Esty (CT-05) called for action on commonsense gun reform measures. Coming together for the first time after the election, there would be good reason for people to be desolate or despairing. Our new President-elect is hardly committed to the cause of ending gun violence. But there is a moment of opportunity here for a President-elect who, much as President Nixon did in going to China, can defy the expectations, do the unpredictable, and respond to the rally of the American people clamoring for and demanding action, Blumenthal said. The people are on our side. History is on our side. There is hope. The gun violence epidemic continues to rip through communities across this country, and I know people are frustrated that we haven't been able to make more progress over the last four years. But don't get discouragedso much has changed. Referendums have passed, the gun lobby is in retreat, and we are starting to change the national political dynamic. As we honor four years since Sandy Hook, this is the point at which we need to put our foot on the accelerator and deliver the change that we know the American people want. We should be proud of the movement we have helped to build and of the change that we've already made, and we should expect and demand that the final changes that are needed to make this country safe are around the corner. We all are going to honor this loss with action, said Murphy. Four years ago, our hearts were broken by a senseless and unspeakable act of gun violence at Sandy Hook Elementary. For the family and friends of victims from Newtown and across the country who are standing with us today, you have endured unimaginable tragedy, but you show incredible strength and courage, said DeLauro. Today we must honor with action and continue to fight for common sense solutions that can help save lives. As Members of Congress, we have a moral responsibility to act and we will not stop our fight for universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons, allowing research on gun violence, and keeping guns out of the hands of potential terrorists. This movement is about fighting for America's children and America's families, Esty said. Each and every person lost to gun violenceover 30,000 lives every yearis a child of this country. We can and we must do better. Today's press conference followed the 4thAnnual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence, which was held last night at St. Mark's Episcopal Church. The vigil commemorated the fourth anniversary of the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, as well as the 400,000 American victims and survivors of gun violence since December 2012. Photos of today's press conference are available here. Video of today's press conference is available here. Footage of today's press conference is available for TV Stations to download here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-applauds-signing-marine-one-maintenance-contract,DeLauro Applauds Signing of Marine One Maintenance Contract,2016-12-15,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC (December 15, 2016) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement regarding the Marine One maintenance contract between the Navy and Sikorsky that will run from 2017 until 2021. “Sikorsky has built and maintained Marine One in Connecticut for the last 40 years. The workforce, who has the experience working with Marine One, is best equipped and prepared to ensure that the fleet continues to be safe and reliable,” said DeLauro. “Today’s news is a win for working families in Stratford and the highly skilled workers at Sikorsky. Connecticut has a rich history of being a leader in the defense manufacturing industry and this contract will ensure the maintenance work remains in Connecticut where it belongs.” DeLauro has been integral in securing this contract for Stratford. In July, DeLauro sent a letter to Secretary Stackley inquiring the status of negotiations; in August, she co-led a letter to Secretary Mabus urging for the Navy’s support for the program to remain in Connecticut; and in September, she led a Connecticut Delegation meeting with Secretary Stackley in Washington, DC regarding the topic. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://larson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/larson-visits-franklin-h-mayberry-elementary-school,Larson Visits Franklin H. Mayberry Elementary School,2016-12-15,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,John Larson,L000557,larson.house.gov,,,legacy,"East Hartford, CT – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) toured the health center at the Franklin H. Mayberry Elementary School. School-based health centers like this one offer comprehensive healthcare for children and adolescents—many of whom would otherwise run the risk of receiving no care at all.  “Now more than ever, we have to protect the health of our children,” said Larson. “The vast majority of the students at Mayberry Elementary rely on their school’s health center for their medical and dental care. This program does a tremendous jobs ensuring at-risk kids get the treatment they need, and it should serve as a model for the rest of the nation. “That’s why I will be introducing legislation to support and enhance school-based health centers like the one at Mayberry Elementary. Our children’s wellbeing is too important to jeopardize while Congress debates drastic changes to national health coverage. We must make sure school-based health centers continue to get the resources they need to give our kids the very best care.” 84% of students at Mayberry Elementary School are enrolled in the health center’s services. Most of these children are recipients of Medicaid, and they receive both medical and dental care in a trusted environment from qualified practitioners. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-lauds-marine-one-contract-for-sikorsky,Blumenthal Lauds Marine One Contract for Sikorsky,2016-12-15,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Lauds Marine One Contract for Sikorsky Print Tweet Thursday, December 15, 2016 (Hartford, CT) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) issued the following statement lauding news that the Department of Defense has awarded a $138 million contract to Sikorsky for the final leg of maintenance work on the current fleet of the Marine One presidential helicopters. Work will begin in January and will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut.  “This landmark victory is great news for jobs and national security-- a ringing testament to the unrivaled skills and dedication of Sikorsky's amazing workforce. I fought proudly to ensure that this maintenance mission for the nation's iconic helicopter would be kept in its rightful and historical site.  I will continue that fight to ensure that Connecticut‎ remains the arsenal of our democracy-- so critical to our national defense and our economy,” Blumenthal said. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Blumenthal fought hard both publicly and behind the scenes to keep this work in Connecticut. Blumenthal has met and discussed the work with Navy leadership multiple times. Blumenthal, Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) and Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) worked closely as a united delegation to prevent a possible plan to shift maintenance of the Marine One fleet from Stratford to a Navy facility in Florida, which would have impacted approximately 85 jobs in Connecticut. Blumenthal spearheaded a delegation letter to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus in August urging against any relocation of the work. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-applauds-138-million-marine-one-maintenance-contract-for-sikorsky,MURPHY APPLAUDS $138 MILLION MARINE ONE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT FOR SIKORSKY,2016-12-15,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY APPLAUDS $138 MILLION MARINE ONE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT FOR SIKORSKY Contract ensures that maintenance for Marine One remains in Connecticut Thursday, December 15, 2016 WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Defense announced a $138 million contract for Sikorsky that ensures that maintenance on the Marine One Presidential helicopter fleet will remain in Stratford, Connecticut. Work will begin in January. Earlier this year, Murphy, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) and Jim Himes (CT-4) urged the U.S. Navy to suspend any possible plans to shift maintenance of Marine One from Stratford. “Today is a great day for Connecticut’s workers. I strongly fought the Department of Defense’s plan to move this critical work on Marine One out of Connecticut, and I am extremely pleased that the united effort of Sikorsky, its workers, and our Connecticut delegation prevailed” said Murphy. “The Department of Defense has come to rely on Sikorsky’s unparalleled reliability and performance, and I’m thrilled that the men and women at Sikorsky will continue to keep our President safe.”  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-paul-franken-lee-applaud-decision-to-halt-some-military-arms-sales-to-saudi-arabia-call-for-further-actions,"MURPHY, PAUL, FRANKEN, LEE APPLAUD DECISION TO HALT SOME MILITARY ARMS SALES TO SAUDI ARABIA, CALL FOR FURTHER ACTIONS",2016-12-15,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY, PAUL, FRANKEN, LEE APPLAUD DECISION TO HALT SOME MILITARY ARMS SALES TO SAUDI ARABIA, CALL FOR FURTHER ACTIONS Bipartisan group of senators has voiced concerns over U.S. participation in Saudi Arabia’s military actions in Yemen Thursday, December 15, 2016 WASHINGTON— U.S. Senators Chris Murphy(D-Conn.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), and Mike Lee (R-Utah) applauded a decision by the White House to halt some military arms sale to Saudi Arabia, but urged further action to end military support for a war marked by humanitarian abuses. Saudi Arabia has led a military campaign in Yemen with devastating humanitarian consequences and a security vacuum that has empowered U.S. terrorist enemies, al Qaeda and ISIS. Murphy, Paul, Franken, and Lee have been outspoken about their concerns that U.S. participation in Saudi Arabia’s military actions in Yemen threatens our own national security interests. Murphy said, “Halting these weapons sales to the Saudis is the right call. But if we are concerned about U.S.-supplied bombs being dropped on civilians, we should also stop refueling the Saudi planes that are flying those missions. Both the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi-Saleh alliance have been responsible for killing innocent civilians and denying vitally needed humanitarian aid. Any further assistance – including weapons deliveries already in the pipeline – should be conditioned on prioritizing civilian protection and a willingness to compromise in political negotiations to end the war.” “I’m pleased to see the administration respond to growing pressure over its arms sales to Saudi Arabia,” said Paul. “Halting this $350 million sale is a positive start, but it is only a drop in the bucket of the administration’s total support. Until President Obama ends his unilateral, unconstitutional involvement in this regional war, our voices will only get louder.” “Thousands of civilians have been killed or wounded in the U.S.-backed war in Yemen,” said Franken. “This is a tragedy that we cannot continue to support. I’m hopeful that this decision begins to send the message that the United States is not going to turn a blind eye to Saudi Arabia’s indiscriminate killing of men, women, and children. This is an important step, one that we called for in Congress, but we need to keep pressing for more action.” ""While this announcement may signal that the administration is finally beginning to understand the contradictions of their policy towards Yemen, our military is still involved in a war without authorization from Congress with no justifiable strategy,” Lee said. ""From day-one Congress should begin to engage the incoming administration on reviewing the international entanglements in which our country has become involved."" In September, Murphy, Paul, Franken, and Lee introduced a joint resolution of disapproval, S.J.Res 39, to block the $1.15 billion U.S. sale of Abrams tanks and associated major defense articles to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In April, Murphy and Paul introduced a separate joint resolution to increase Congressional oversight of military sales to Saudi Arabia by requiring the President of the United States to formally certify that the Government of Saudi Arabia is demonstrating an ongoing effort to target terrorist groups, minimize harm to civilians, and facilitate humanitarian assistance before Congress can consider the sale or transfer of air-to-ground munitions to Saudi Arabia. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/navy-formally-designates-next-generation-ballistic-missile-submarines,Navy Formally Designates Next Generation Of Ballistic Missile Submarines As Columbia-Class,2016-12-14,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,,,legacy,"NORWICH, CT —Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), ranking member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, made the following statement after the U.S. Navy formally announced that the first Ohio-class replacement submarine will be named the USS Columbia (SSBN-826) in honor of the District of Columbia. By tradition, all of the following submarines will be known as Columbia-class. ""The decision to name new ballistic missile submarine after our Nation’s Capital is the highest compliment that the Navy can bestow on this critical program. The USS Columbia and the rest of the submarines in the class will patrol the seas until the 2080s in silent but critical service to our nation’s defense, and will carry with it the history of the shipyard that launched the ‘Forty-One For Freedom’ original class of ballistic submarines starting in 1957,” said Courtney. “Designation of the first submarine is another milestone that affirms the hard work of thousands of workers in southeastern Connecticut to replace the aging Ohio-class submarines. Hardworking men and women at Electric Boat and the hundreds of suppliers across our state have already been hard at work for years to support this program, and remain committed to ensuring its success. Southeastern Connecticut is ready to take on this task which the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral John Richardson has called ‘foundational to America's national security’."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-asks-congressional-leaders-support-national-infrastructure,DeLauro Asks Congressional Leaders to Support the National Infrastructure Development Act,2016-12-14,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC (December 14, 2016) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today wrote to the Ranking Members of House Committees that have jurisdiction over the National Infrastructure Development Act. In her letter, DeLauro argues that Congress must pursue clear, comprehensive infrastructure policy that addresses the scope of the problem and creates good paying jobs that cannot be outsourced. “While it is still unclear what President-elect Trump will pursue when it comes to infrastructure, we know that it could be at the forefront of his agenda,” DeLauro wrote to the Ranking Members. “When your Committee begins considering infrastructure, I encourage you to support the creation of a National Infrastructure Development Bank. It would be a bold step forward that addresses the tremendous shortfall in infrastructure investment, creates jobs, spurs long-term economic growth, and improves our competitiveness in a global economy.” DeLauro has introduced the National Infrastructure Development Act in every Congress since 1994. The legislation, modeled after the European Investment Bank, would leverage private sector dollars from institutional investors, such as pension funds, to supplement current funding in our nation’s infrastructure. It would provide loans and loan guarantees to projects, and issue Public Benefit Bonds with proceeds to fund projects. Her bill currently has strong Democratic support with 97 co-sponsors, and enjoys broad support from an array of organizations, including Blue-Green Alliance, Communications Workers of America (CWA), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), National Wildlife Federation (NWF), Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA), Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), United Auto Workers (UAW), and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) as well as Transportation for America. DeLauro sent the letter to the Ranking Members of the Committee of Transportation and Infrastructure, the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on Financial Services, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The full letter is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-statement-fourth-anniversary-sandy-hook-shooting,DeLauro Statement on Fourth Anniversary of Sandy Hook Shooting,2016-12-14,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC (December 14, 2016) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement regarding the fourth anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting. “Four years ago, our hearts were broken by a senseless and unspeakable act of gun violence at Sandy Hook Elementary. And while the grief and pain for the families who lost a child or parent endures, we can find hope and strength in the resilience of Newtown. We will never forget the 26 beautiful lives we lost on that cold December day and we must honor their memory with action, for no community should ever have to experience what happened in ours. “Following the tragedy at Sandy Hook, we said never again. However, from Charleston to Roseburg, and from San Bernardino to Orlando, countless other communities know the devastating and lasting effects of gun violence. We have a moral responsibility to address the issue of universal background checks, to keep guns out of the hands of potential terrorists, to allow research to be conducted, and to ban assault weapons. Congress must enact legislation that has the power to help save lives.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://esty.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/newtown-congresswoman-esty-marks-fourth-anniversary-sandy-hook-tragedy,Newtown Congresswoman Esty Marks Fourth Anniversary of Sandy Hook Tragedy,2016-12-14,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Elizabeth Esty,E000293,esty.house.gov,,,legacy,"NEWTOWN, CT – Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (CT-5), representative for Newtown, Connecticut, today released a video statement recognizing the fourth anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary and calling for bipartisan action to prevent gun violence. Esty’s video can be watched by clicking on the image below or visiting https://youtu.be/hN4JTVKn_fA. Scroll down for a transcript of Esty’s remarks in the video. “Today we mark the fourth anniversary of when 20 schoolchildren and six brave educators were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. And in that time, millions of you have joined with me and my colleagues in Congress and with folks all across America to say that we need to do better. We can and we must work to end the scourge of gun violence in this country. “Now, it’s been a tough election. People have been worried – I’ve gotten lots of calls in my office – and I’ve found it tough, too. We haven’t had a vote in the House of Representatives in the last four years. During that time, 130,000 – let me repeat that – 130,000 Americans have lost their lives to gun violence. “But here’s what you need to know: The American people stand with us. Millions of you have joined your voices, you’ve written, you’ve called, you’ve sent emails, you’ve voted, you’ve talked to your neighbors, and insisted that we do better, that we make America safer for all of us. “And so to my new colleagues in Congress, to the newly elected President, I ask you: Join us, work with us, because I know – and I know you know – it’s not OK that 33,000 Americans a year are dying from guns. We can do better than that, and with your help, if we all work together, if we commit to work with each other, we can save lives. “That’s what the American people are asking us to do – to do better, to work together, to work for the betterment of all Americans. Because we should be able to go to Church, to pray in a temple or a synagogue or a mosque or a church, to go to school, to play in a park, to go to a movie theater, to relax with friends on a front porch and not worry about being gunned down. “And I commit to you, and I ask you to commit to me and to each other. And to the new President and to my new colleagues, let’s resolve that 2017 is the year in which we can and we will do better for gun safety in this country. So enjoy your holidays and rest up, because we have a lot of work ahead.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://himes.house.gov/press-release/honoring-sandy-hook-action,Honoring Sandy Hook with Action,2016-12-14,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Jim Himes,H001047,himes.house.gov,,,legacy,"Statement of Congressman Jim Himes on the fourth anniversary of the shootings at Sandy Hook elementary: My heart still aches for those 20 children and six courageous educators who lost their lives four years ago at Sandy Hook Elementary School. This pain is felt throughout all of Connecticut and the nation, and I mourn with everyone who has been affected by this tragedy.  But the challenge we face calls for more than shared grief and heavy hearts. That’s why I pledge my unwavering commitment to action against the onslaught of gun violence. We cannot be complacent with the daily mass shootings that continue to plague our communities. We cannot refuse to implement even the most basic of gun safety regulations. We cannot allow partisan differences stop us from passing legislation that will prevent the next mass shooting. We cannot honor these victims if we do not act to stop the bloodshed. I’ve voiced my disapproval of Congress’s disregard for the thousands of people impacted by gun violence every year. We were sent to Washington D.C. to protect the public’s safety and implement meaningful change. Instead, Congress has done nothing. The American people expect us to do better. I’m proud of the example that Connecticut has set by enacting some of the nation’s toughest gun control laws. But we still have much more work to do. We need universal background checks and increased access to mental health services. I am encouraged by recent advancements including the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act, which expands federal resources for mental health programs. I’m also proud of the entire Connecticut Congressional delegation for supporting these endeavors. I know the fight is far from over. We must remain committed to these reforms and fight for them whenever possible. It is these actions that will honor the victims of gun violence. Families in Newtown and across the country deserve it.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://larson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/larson-welcomes-showdown-social-security,Larson Welcomes Showdown on Social Security,2016-12-14,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,John Larson,L000557,larson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington – In the wake of Rep. Sam Johnson (TX-03)’s Social Security Reform Act of 2016—which would drastically cut benefits for the middle class and raise the retirement age—Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) committed to reintroducing the Social Security 2100 Act. Larson’s plan would cut taxes for seniors, increase benefits, and prevent Americans from retiring into poverty. “It is time to stop talking about Social Security as an entitlement program; it is the insurance you paid for,” said Larson. “I commend Rep. Johnson for putting forth a plan to address our country’s retirement crisis—as our democracy thrives on the vitality of ideas—but slashing benefits and asking Americans to work harder for less is not the solution. “I introduced the Social Security 2100 Act to cut taxes—not benefits. My plan would in fact increase benefits across the board and ensure Social Security is actuarially sound into the next century. It has the support of advocacy groups like Social Security Works and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, as well as the vast majority of the Democratic Caucus. I look forward to a healthy debate about the future of Social Security, and I will keep fighting to protect the benefits Americans paid for throughout a lifetime of hard work.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-murray-applaud-final-rule-protecting-title-x-health-care-providers,Blumenthal & Murray Applaud Final Rule Protecting Title X Health Care Providers,2016-12-14,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal & Murray Applaud Final Rule Protecting Title X Health Care Providers Print Tweet Senators vow to fight extremist attempts to undermine reproductive health and family planning programs Wednesday, December 14, 2016 [WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, applauded a final rule released by the Obama Administration today that will reinforce existing protections in the Title X family planning program that prohibit states from excluding women's health providers for reasons unrelated to their ability to provide Title X services effectively. “I applaud the Obama Administration for taking long-awaited action to clarify outdated regulations that will help ensure that all people have access to critical healthcare services – no matter who they are, what they look like, or what their economic circumstances may be. The safety net providers who deliver these services are on the front lines of our healthcare system,” Blumenthal said. “Today, I am joining the women of American in putting Congressional Republicans on notice: if you prioritize the politicization of healthcare over access to services, we will fight you every single step of the way.” “Millions of women and men across the country depend on family planning clinics for basic primary care, from breast exams to HIV tests, as well as the full range of reproductive health care—and it’s completely unacceptable that elected officials would put access to that care at risk in order to impose their extreme, anti-abortion beliefs on women,” said Murray. “I’m glad that the Administration finalized a rule to ensure that quality of care, not partisan political beliefs, determine which providers get federal funding, and I look forward to working as hard as I can to ensure it is fully implemented.” Blumenthal and Murray have been vocal supporters of the Obama Administration’s efforts to update the regulations the Title X family planning program. In October, Blumenthal and Murray led a letter signed by 39 of their Senate colleagues in support of the rule ensuring that healthcare providers who also provide abortion services are not discriminated for the purposes of federal funding. The Senators’ efforts follow a disturbing trend of state-based political attacks that have limited access to critical health care services – including cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing and treatment, and well-woman exams. The full text of the Senators’ letter is available here and copied below: The Honorable Sylvia Mathews Burwell Secretary Department of Health and Human Services Attention: RIN 937–AA04 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201  Dear Secretary Burwell: Thank you for your commitment to protect reproductive health and family planning programs that serve millions of women and families. We applaud the Department of Health and Human Services (Department) updates to the Title X family planning program as outlined in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, “Compliance with Title X Requirements by Project Recipients in Selecting Subrecipients.” This regulation will clarify and reinforce existing protections in the Title X program, ensure no provider is excluded from eligibility for federal funding, and help guarantee that women and LGBT people have access to the care entitled to them by the federal government. The Title X family planning provider network is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services. Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, these safety-net providers have become critical partners in expanding access to health care for every individual in our country, no matter their income or other life circumstances. Last year, Title X provided basic primary and preventive health care services such as Pap tests, breast exams, and HIV testing to more than 4.1 million low-income women and men at over 4,100 health centers. In fact, four out of ten women who receive care at health centers funded by Title X consider it to be their only source of health care. It is important to support and strengthen this preventive health program because investing in it improves health and wellbeing for women, and reduces health care costs in the long term. Unfortunately, a growing number of states are targeting clinics that participate in federal programs and are abortion providers. For example, some states restrict specific types of providers from participating in the Title X program. These policies, and related Court decisions on their legality, create uncertainty among grantees and patients, lead to inconsistencies in program administration, and restrict access to services for women.[1] In Texas, for example, providers who offer abortion care are barred from participating in the Title X program. This leads to poorer health outcomes by reducing access to contraception and decreased use of preventive services, including cancer screenings, for some of the state’s most vulnerable individuals.[2] There are several other examples across the country, as the preamble to the rule points out: [In] New Hampshire, in 2011, the New Hampshire Executive Council voted not to renew the state’s contract with a specific provider that was contracted to provide Title X family planning services for more than half of the state. To restore services to clients in the unserved part of the state, HHS issued an emergency replacement grant, but there was significant disruption in the delivery of services, and for approximately three months, no Title X services were available to potential clients in a part of the state. Most recently, in 2016 Florida enacted a law that would have gone into effect on July 1, 2016, prohibiting the state from making Title X subawards to certain family planning providers. In one county alone, 1,820 clients are served by the family planning provider that would have been excluded, and it is not clear how the needs of those clients would have been met.[3] The proposed regulation would clarify that service delivery decisions by Title X grantees, including states, must be determined by a health care provider’s ability to effectively provide Title X services. Erroneous attempts by states to restrict the network’s providers as an attack on women’s health care will be clearly illegal and will no longer be allowed to jeopardize access to care for millions of vulnerable individuals including low-income women and LGBT individuals. We appreciate the Department’s efforts at advancing this vital rule to strengthen the Title X program. We urge you to finalize this rule as quickly as possible and look forward to working with you on this and other efforts to protect reproductive health and family planning programs for millions of women and families. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-shaheen-call-on-top-intelligence-officials-to-review-security-clearance-given-lt-gen-michael-flynn,"Blumenthal, Shaheen Call on Top Intelligence Officials to Review Security Clearance Given Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn",2016-12-14,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal, Shaheen Call on Top Intelligence Officials to Review Security Clearance Given Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn Print Tweet Letter sent to FBI Director James Comey, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and OPM Acting Director Beth Colbert draws attention to Gen. Flynn’s record of mishandling classified intelligence, potential conflicts of interest with foreign actors Flynn’s conduct “appears inconsistent with the professionalism such access requires” Wednesday, December 14, 2016 [WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) sent a letter to the nation’s top intelligence officials to ask that they review the security clearance given to retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, who has been selected by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as national security advisor. The letter, sent to U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Acting Director Beth Cobert, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey, and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, says that Gen. Flynn’s “conduct in positions that require access to national defense information, and his subsequent private practice, appears inconsistent with the professionalism such access requires.” In their letter, Blumenthal and Shaheen draw attention to Gen. Flynn’s reported record of mishandling classified intelligence, as first reported in the New Yorker, and his conduct following his military service, including a paid trip Gen. Flynn made to Russia to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Russian government’s propaganda arm, Russia Today. Blumenthal and Shaheen also highlighted potential conflict of interests related to Gen. Flynn’s ownership of the Flynn Intel Group, which was previously registered to lobby on behalf of foreign clients. The Senators write, “This ongoing business relationship of Flynn Intel Group, owned by General Flynn and operated by his son, creates the potential for pressure, coercion, and exploitation by foreign agents. In addition, any share of partnership profits he obtains from the Flynn Intel Group that are derived from its representation of a foreign government would appear to be a violation of his obligation as a retired general to abide by the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution.” The full text of the Senators’ letter is below: December 9, 2016 The Honorable Beth F. Cobert                                        The Honorable James Comey Acting Director                                                                Director U.S. Office of Personnel Management                            Federal Bureau of Investigation 1900 E Street, NW                                                           935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C.  20415                                                 Washington, D.C.  20535 The Honorable James R. Clapper Director of National Intelligence Office of the Director of National Intelligence 1500 Tysons McLean Drive McLean, VA  22102 Dear Acting Director Cobert, Director Comey, Director Clapper: We write to request that you review the security clearance given to retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn. Based on public reports, his conduct in positions that require access to national defense information, and his subsequent private practice, appears inconsistent with the professionalism such access requires.  General Flynn reportedly has a record of mishandling classified intelligence and repeatedly violated rules for protecting sensitive information. The New Yorker magazine published an article on November 23, 2016, that documented violations handling protected information by General Flynn, who “had technicians secretly install an Internet connection in his Pentagon office, even though it was forbidden.” He is also reported to have knowingly provided highly sensitive compartmented information and code word classified information about the Haqqani terrorist network to Pakistan. Further, he was investigated for leaking highly classified information to several other countries and recently made public comments defending and encouraging such illegal practices. We are also concerned by General Flynn’s conduct after his military service. On December 10, 2015, General Flynn was paid to attend an event in Moscow celebrating the tenth anniversary of Russia Today, a propaganda arm of the Russian government. Although he has not disclosed how much he received in speaking fees or who paid for the travel expenses, he dined with Vladimir Putin, just 18 months after leaving his position leading the Defense Intelligence Agency. As a retired general, he is prohibited from receipt of consulting fees, gifts, travel expenses, honoraria, or any kind of salary from a foreign government without Congressional consent. We request that you investigate General Flynn’s compliance with the requirements of 37 U.S.C. § 908 in this instance, and any other such occurrences, and provide us with all records held by the U.S. Army Human Resources Command of any such approval. In addition, General Flynn appears to have an unresolved conflict of interest in his ownership of the Flynn Intel Group. His company has previously registered to lobby on behalf of Turkish businessman Kamil Ekim Alptekin and received compensation to persuade U.S. public opinion in favor of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. General Flynn did this through an opinion piece published in The Hill on November 8, 2016. General Flynn’s firm also represented an Iraqi paramilitary organization trained by the Turkish government. Subsequently, he indicated that he would separate from his business representing foreign interests by having his son Michael Flynn Jr. remain in control and make a livelihood from such payments. This ongoing business relationship of Flynn Intel Group, owned by General Flynn and operated by his son, creates the potential for pressure, coercion, and exploitation by foreign agents. In addition, any share of partnership profits he obtains from the Flynn Intel Group that are derived from its representation of a foreign government would appear to be a violation of his obligation as a retired general to abide by the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution.  We trust you to investigate these matters thoroughly, and request that you provide us with the documentation we have requested. Please keep us apprised of any decision regarding this matter. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-fourth-anniversary-of-sandy-hook-shooting,Blumenthal Statement on Fourth Anniversary of Sandy Hook Shooting,2016-12-14,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Statement on Fourth Anniversary of Sandy Hook Shooting Print Tweet Wednesday, December 14, 2016 (Hartford, CT) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) issued the following statement regarding the fourth anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting: “Our pain and grief still feel fresh, but so too is our undiminished determination to make the world better and safer in their memory. We stood together that afternoon at the firehouse-- and we continue to stand with Newtown, a community that confronted unspeakable tragedy with unimaginable courage and strength. We must never cease striving to stop gun violence, inspired by Newtown's spirit. Since that horrific day more than 120,000 have perished due to gun violence, and Congress continues to be complicit by its inaction. Undeterred and undiscouraged, we can honor the 26 beautiful children and educators lost that day by resolving to do more and do better.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-the-4th-anniversary-of-the-sandy-hook-shooting,MURPHY STATEMENT ON THE 4TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SANDY HOOK SHOOTING,2016-12-14,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY STATEMENT ON THE 4TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SANDY HOOK SHOOTING Wednesday, December 14, 2016 WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) issued the following statement on Wednesday on the fourth anniversary of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. “Today is a hard day. It's a day of crippling sadness. And a day of impossible, unanswerable questions. I have had the honor over the past four years to become close with so many of the parents and family members of those who were lost that day. Their strength gives me strength. But there is no power that can make the pain visited upon us four years ago fade away.  “There’s nothing we can do that will make it right. Our world fractured four years ago and the pieces cannot ever be reassembled the same. But we can promise to be kinder to one another, to hug our loved ones and friends a little tighter, and reach out to those who may need a helping hand. And we can commit to never, ever giving up in the fight to fix our broken laws and make our country safer. No other family should have to endure the pain that too many in Sandy Hook are suffering today, and I won't rest until our schools and our streets are truly safe."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/courtney-statement-21st-century-cures-act-being-signed-law,Courtney Statement On 21st Century Cures Act Being Signed Into Law,2016-12-13,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,,,legacy,"NORWICH, CT —Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) made the following statement after President Barack Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act into law: “I am delighted that President Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act into law today. This legislation was packed with important changes to healthcare policy which will make a meaningful difference in eastern Connecticut and around the country,” said Courtney. “I am particularly pleased that following my bill to authorize emergency funding to fight the opioid epidemic, this law authorized $1 billion dollars for grants to individual states to combat addiction. The Cures Act also contains important changes to tick-borne and Lyme disease research, and incentives for pediatric physicians – both changes mirror provision in bipartisan bills I have been leading for several years.” Opioids Throughout the year, Courtney has been a leading advocate in the House for the immediate allocation of federal funding to help address the growth of opioid addition in Connecticut and across the country. Just last week, he urged House leaders to include federal opioid response funding in any final Cures agreement. Over the next two years, this measure allocated $1 billion in funding which will be directed toward creating a new account under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants to states carrying out the following activities to fight opioid addiction: • Improving state prescription drug monitoring programs • Implementing prevention activities and evaluating such activities to identify effective strategies to prevent opioid abuse • Training for health care practitioners such as best practices for prescribing opioids, pain management, recognizing potential cases of substance abuse, referral of patients to treatment programs, and overdose prevention • Supporting access to health care services, including those provided by Federally certified opioid treatment programs or other appropriate health care providers to treat substance use disorders • Other public health-related activities as the State determines appropriate, related to addressing the opioid crisis within the State. Tick-borne diseases The final bill includes elements of Courtney’s Tick-Borne Disease Research Accountability and Transparency Act of 2015 which he co-authored with Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY), including: • Creation of a “Tick-Borne Disease Working Group” to ensure interagency coordination, minimize overlap, and establish research priorities. • The working group will report every two years on the ongoing research on prevention, causes, treatment, surveillance, diagnosis, duration of illness and intervention for individuals with tick-borne diseases, as well as recommendations to the secretary regarding any appropriate changes or improvements to such research and solicit input from states. • Triannual reporting on NIH research progress on vector-borne diseases, including tick-borne disease. Pediatric Mental Health Subspecialty The final agreement includes a section of Courtney’s bill, Ensuring Children's Access to Specialty Care Act of 2015 which he co-authored with Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY), to incentivize physicians to enter the pediatric mental health subspecialty will be included in the bill. Specifically, this section adds the pediatric subspecialty of child psychiatry to the National Health Service Cops (NHSC), which was established in 1972 under DHS in order to provide student loan repayments for physicians who agree to work in underserved fields and high need geographic areas. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, in Connecticut there are only 237 practicing child and adolescent psychiatrists across the entire state to serve over 774,876 children between the ages of 0-17 years old. The average age of these doctors is 52 years old, which means that many of them will be heading towards retirement in a little over 10 years. This fact alone makes the need to build the pediatric psychiatrist workforce pipeline a vital goal now, so that children in the state are not even more underserved in the future. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://himes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=BCC9A2B1-5D06-482D-801A-AC029797B34B,Honoring Sandy Hook with Action,2016-12-13,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,James A. Himes,H001047,himes.house.gov,himes,https://himes.house.gov/press-releases,page_html,"Statement of Congressman Jim Himes on the fourth anniversary of the shootings at Sandy Hook elementary: My heart still aches for those 20 children and six courageous educators who lost their lives four years ago at Sandy Hook Elementary School. This pain is felt throughout all of Connecticut and the nation, and I mourn with everyone who has been affected by this tragedy. But the challenge we face calls for more than shared grief and heavy hearts. That’s why I pledge my unwavering commitment to action against the onslaught of gun violence. We cannot be complacent with the daily mass shootings that continue to plague our communities. We cannot refuse to implement even the most basic of gun safety regulations. We cannot allow partisan differences stop us from passing legislation that will prevent the next mass shooting. We cannot honor these victims if we do not act to stop the bloodshed. I’ve voiced my disapproval of Congress’s disregard for the thousands of people impacted by gun violence every year. We were sent to Washington D.C. to protect the public’s safety and implement meaningful change. Instead, Congress has done nothing. The American people expect us to do better. I’m proud of the example that Connecticut has set by enacting some of the nation’s toughest gun control laws. But we still have much more work to do. We need universal background checks and increased access to mental health services. I am encouraged by recent advancements including the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act, which expands federal resources for mental health programs. I’m also proud of the entire Connecticut Congressional delegation for supporting these endeavors. I know the fight is far from over. We must remain committed to these reforms and fight for them whenever possible. It is these actions that will honor the victims of gun violence. Families in Newtown and across the country deserve it.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-03-30T11:08:25Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/after-trump-delays-announcement-on-business-plans-blumenthal-and-senate-democrats-call-on-president-elect-to-divest-holdings,"After Trump Delays Announcement on Business Plans, Blumenthal & Senate Democrats Call on President-Elect to Divest Holdings",2016-12-13,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"After Trump Delays Announcement on Business Plans, Blumenthal & Senate Democrats Call on President-Elect to Divest Holdings Print Tweet Tuesday, December 13, 2016 In new letter, 23 senators urge President-elect Trump to follow advice of Office of Government Ethics and allow independent party to control assets Senators: “Whether the President of the United States makes decisions about potential trade agreements or sending troops into war, the American people need to know that the President is acting in their best interest.    [WASHINGTON, DC] – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined 21 Democratic senators led by U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) in sending a letter urging President-elect Donald J. Trump to follow the advice of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), an independent, nonpartisan ethics agency, and divest his business holdings in order to resolve potential conflicts of interest and deal with constitutional requirements before he assumes office. “As a businessman with interests in the United States and around the world, your holdings have the potential for serious conflicts between the national interest and your personal financial interests,” the lawmakers wrote. They continued, “Whether the President of the United States makes decisions about potential trade agreements or sending troops into war, the American people need to know that the President is acting in their best interest. Divestiture of your businesses and the establishment of a blind trust controlled by an independent party would provide assurances that you will put the interests of the American people first and are fully committed to the success of your presidency.” The letter was also signed by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Co.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Tom Udall (D-N.M), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). The text of the letter can be found below and in PDF form here. December 13, 2016  President-Elect Donald J. Trump Trump-Pence Transition Office 1717 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20006 Dear President-Elect Trump: We write today regarding the steps you should be taking to address ethical concerns related to potential conflicts of interest as you prepare to become the President of the United States.  As a businessman with assets around the world, your holdings have the potential for serious conflicts between the national interest and your personal financial interests. We understand that the Office of Government Ethics, an independent, non-partisan ethics agency created in the wake of the scandals of Watergate, has recently advised you that the only way to resolve these conflicts of interest is through divestiture of your businesses. In your public statements, you have referenced that the President is not subject to the restrictions of federal conflict of interest laws. However, we understand the Office of Government Ethics has advised presidents across administrations to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with federal conflict of interest laws and standards of conduct regulations.  The President also is subject to the Emoluments Clause of the United States Constitution, which will prohibit payments or gifts to your businesses by entities owned by foreign governments.  To address any conflicts of interest and constitutional requirements, we urge you to follow the advice of the Office of Government Ethics and divest your business holdings. Consistent with the practices of past presidents since passage of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, we also urge you to establish a qualified blind trust or an equivalent in which your assets are administered by an independent party and not controlled by members of your family.  Such actions are consistent with the steps called for in Senate Concurrent Resolution 56. Whether the President of the United States makes decisions about potential trade agreements or sending troops into war, the American people need to know that their President is acting in their best interest. Divestiture of your businesses and the establishment of a qualified blind trust controlled by an independent party would provide assurances that you will put the interests of the American people first and are fully committed to the success of your presidency. Sincerely,  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-the-nomination-of-exonnmobil-ceo-rex-tillerson-to-be-secretary-of-state,Blumenthal Statement on the Nomination of ExonnMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State,2016-12-13,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Statement on the Nomination of ExonnMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State Print Tweet Tuesday, December 13, 2016 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal released the following statement in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State: “This nomination has many serious negatives – Rex Tillerson’s close personal and financial relationship to Russian leaders, his conflicts of interest in ExxonMobil’s investments abroad, his anti-environmental positions, and his lack of diplomatic or public service experience,” Blumenthal said. “One of my major concerns is his leadership of ExxonMobil’s past efforts to derail the Iran Sanctions Act, just unanimously renewed again by Congress. His continuing commitment to the interests of his oil company and the oil industry could lead him to lessen necessary sanctions against Russia and other countries. Although I have reached no final conclusion, Tillerson will have a heavy burden of doubt to overcome in the hearings on his nomination – concerns that are strongly and widely held on both sides of the aisle.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-president-elect-trumps-nomination-of-rex-tillerson-as-secretary-of-state,MURPHY STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMPS NOMINATION OF REX TILLERSON AS SECRETARY OF STATE,2016-12-13,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP’S NOMINATION OF REX TILLERSON AS SECRETARY OF STATE Tuesday, December 13, 2016 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement on Tuesday regarding President-elect Trump’s nomination of Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State: “Rex Tillerson has spent his entire career putting oil company profits first and the interests of his country second. That’s not surprising – it was his job as the head of Exxon. But it’s fantasy to think he will magically change his stripes once in office. The people I represent in Connecticut deserve better. “Most concerning is Mr. Tillerson’s long standing alliance with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. As one of Putin’s closest corporate allies, Tillerson opposed U.S. national security interests by siding with Russia against Europe and the United States. Mr. Tillerson opposed sanctions levied against Russia in the wake of their invasion of Ukraine. When asked by President Obama to refrain from attending a major economic development conference hosted by Putin in the middle of the Ukraine crisis, Tillerson embarrassed America and our allies by sending his deputy and announcing major new contracts with Russia at the forum. It’s not surprising that Tillerson was awarded the Order of Friendship by Putin just three years ago. “For years, I’ve listened to my Republican colleagues in the Senate eviscerate President Obama for being too weak on Russia. No Republican who has called for a tougher line against Russia should ever be taken seriously again if they vote to put a Putin ally at the top of the State Department. “At Exxon, Tillerson also worked against American policy in the Middle East. Most notably, when the United States was trying to build a unified Iraq under the control of a central government in Baghdad, U.S. officials begged Exxon not to sign an oil agreement with the Kurdistan regional government, which would undermine Baghdad’s authority. Tillerson once again put oil company profits over U.S. interests and signed the contract over strong U.S. government objections. “Finally, and most obviously, putting an oil company executive in charge of the State Department dooms our climate. With an oil industry executive at the helm of U.S. climate policy, polluters will be rewarded and all the progress the Obama Administration has made to control global greenhouse gases will be destroyed. Further, putting an oil executive in charge of the State Department will alienate many nations who consider climate policy a priority, making cooperation on non-climate priorities harder. “There is no doubt Rex Tillerson is a successful businessman and a very smart person. But he has proven, many times, his willingness to put oil profits before national interests, and handing him the keys of U.S. foreign policy is a recipe for disaster. Republicans and Democrats must join to oppose his confirmation.”  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-urges-hhs-secretary-to-send-emergency-opioid-funding-to-connecticut-as-soon-as-possible,MURPHY URGES HHS SECRETARY TO SEND EMERGENCY OPIOID FUNDING TO CONNECTICUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,2016-12-13,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY URGES HHS SECRETARY TO SEND EMERGENCY OPIOID FUNDING TO CONNECTICUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE Tuesday, December 13, 2016 WASHINGTON— During a phone call with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell on Tuesday, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) inquired about next steps and urged HHS to allocate funding to Connecticut to combat the opioid crisis as soon as possible. Murphy spoke personally with Secretary Burwell over the phone just before President Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act, which authorizes $1 billion in emergency funding to fight the opioid epidemic, into law. Secretary Burwell and HHS are responsible for allocating the $1 billion to states across the country. Once states apply and receive the money, they would be eligible to spend it on improving prescription drug monitoring programs, implementing prevention activities, training for health care providers, and expanding access to opioid treatment programs. “Connecticut has seen over 700 drug-related deaths in just the last year. Treatment centers have months-long waiting lists and families looking for help have nowhere to turn,” said Murphy. “I called Secretary Burwell today because Connecticut needs funding to put an end to this epidemic. HHS and Secretary Burwell have been incredible partners to Connecticut in expanding access to treatment and fighting this crisis so far, but I made it clear today that Connecticut needs emergency funding to spare more families from the devastation of addiction.” Murphy is co-author of the bipartisan Mental Health Reform Act, which will expand federal resources and improve coordination for mental health and substance abuse treatment programs. Murphy also supported the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) signed into law this year, and has been a leader in calling for additional resources for federal programs that treat and prevent opioid use and addiction. Earlier this year, Murphy spent a “Day in the Life” meeting with patients, health professionals, law enforcement, and advocates around Connecticut to learn firsthand how he can improve federal efforts to combat Connecticut’s addiction crisis and save lives. In Connecticut, deaths caused by drug overdoses have skyrocketed. In 2015, 729 Connecticut residents died from drug overdoses, including 415 heroin-related deaths. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-passing-joseph-gingerella-groton,Statement On The Passing Of Joseph Gingerella Of Groton,2016-12-12,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,,,legacy,"NORWICH, CT —Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) released the following statement on the passing of Joseph Gingerella of Groton: ""The senseless slaying of Joey Gingerella is a terrible loss for his family and the Groton community. His courageous public battle with addiction - which he was winning - was both an example and inspiration to us all. My deepest condolences go out to his family. "" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://esty.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/esty-calls-full-investigation-russian-interference-us-elections,Esty Calls for Full Investigation of Russian Interference in U.S. Elections,2016-12-12,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Elizabeth Esty,E000293,esty.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) today released the following statement regarding the conclusion by the U.S. intelligence community that Russia interfered in the U.S. elections for the purpose of altering the outcome: “Russia’s efforts to disrupt our recent elections through cyber hacking and dissemination of false media reports present a grave danger to our democracy.  This national security threat demands a serious, bipartisan response. The sanctity of our elections – and the public’s confidence in their outcome – is fundamental to our nation’s very survival. “The available evidence shows that Russia has not only committed multiple cyberattacks against American political institutions but also deliberately spread lies and propaganda for the purpose of misleading the American people and undermining a free press that is a foundation of our democratic system. “I support President Obama’s call for a full report by our intelligence agencies on Russia’s interference, and I strongly urge President-elect Trump to support these efforts as well. In addition, Congress must fulfill its oversight role by conducting its own bipartisan investigation and ensuring that our nation’s response is proportionate to the extreme gravity of Russia’s actions. “We cannot let this assault on American democracy go unanswered.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://larson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/larson-importance-f-35,Larson on the Importance of the F-35,2016-12-12,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,John Larson,L000557,larson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01)—Co-Chair of the Congressional Joint Strike Fighter Caucus—released the following statement: “I’m looking forward to discussing the importance of the F-35 and the steps Lockheed Martin has already taken to drive down program costs with President-Elect Trump and his National Security team. As the nation’s premier fifth-generation fighter, the F-35 represents the very best of American ingenuity and capability. Given its pure superiority over all foreign aircraft, it will serve as a military deterrent for decades to come.  Despite growing pains, the program has cut costs significantly to date and is on course to continue achieving savings.  I’m confident in the future of the program.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://larson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/larson-joins-call-bipartisan-investigation-russian-interference-us,Larson Joins Call for Bipartisan Investigation on Russian Interference in U.S. Elections,2016-12-12,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,John Larson,L000557,larson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement on the Central Intelligence Agency’s report that Russia had interfered in the United States’ elections: “Any evidence of foreign tampering in our elections must be taken seriously. Free and fair elections are the foundation of our democracy, and the nation deserves to know that we are doing everything we can to safeguard the electoral process and protect the will of the people from outside influences. The report of Russian interference in our elections cannot be ignored. I stand with leaders on both sides of the aisle who have called for a full, bipartisan investigation into this attack on our democracy. The American public deserves to know the truth, and our institutions must be protected from further intrusions.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-highlights-torrington-manufacturer-seitz-llc-as-murphys-monday-manufacturer,"MURPHY HIGHLIGHTS TORRINGTON MANUFACTURER, SEITZ LLC, AS MURPHYS MONDAY MANUFACTURER",2016-12-12,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY HIGHLIGHTS TORRINGTON MANUFACTURER, SEITZ LLC, AS “MURPHY’S MONDAY MANUFACTURER” Monday, December 12, 2016 HARTFORD – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced on Monday that Seitz LLC of Torrington is this week’s “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturer.” Founded in Torrington in 1949, Seitz is a leading plastic-injection molding and custom contract manufacturer. The company designs, engineers and builds custom plastic gears and drives, advanced tooling and electromechanical assemblies. Seitz’s custom parts can be found throughout restaurant food and beverage systems, medical applications, money handling machines, and in many other consumer, commercial, and automotive products. Seitz’s 120 employees – many of whom are master-level engineers, managers, and machinists – operate 45 injection molding presses, which range in size from 17 to 787 tonnage capabilities, out of an 88,000 square foot facility in Torrington. Seitz recently added four new presses to its Torrington facility, and has plans to add three more in the coming year. These investments are part of the company’s ongoing commitment to quality, improving efficiencies and capacity, and striving to stay ahead of its customers’ needs.  In January and February of 2017, Seitz will be hosting two workshops in developmental training to inspire leadership, creativity, and culture in the manufacturing industry. The workshops are geared to help workers improve their managerial, engineering, sales, and marketing skills. “With Seitz’s products, hospitals can transport life-saving medications to patients quickly, and banks can safely guard customers’ valuables behind reliable vault doors,” said Murphy. “I’m excited to see Seitz investing in new machines and their skilled workforce – those are exactly the kinds of investments that boost local manufacturing and help Connecticut families.” Evan Berns, CEO of Seitz, said, “Our company is dedicated to manufacturing excellence in Connecticut. More importantly, Seitz’s focus is on the ‘customer first’. Our key principles are continuous improvement in safety, quality, delivery and value to our customers. We are making significant investments in training, apprentice programs and Lean Manufacturing skills to better serve our customers and make our company competitive while shaping our long term goals.” The manufacturing industry plays a crucial role throughout Connecticut communities, creating new jobs and accelerating our state’s economic recovery. Today, Connecticut’s 4,600 manufacturers account for 10% of the state’s jobs and 87% of the state’s total exports. In order to protect and grow manufacturing jobs in Connecticut, Murphy has introduced two pieces of legislation that aim to strengthen existing standards and prioritize the purchase of American-made goods, the 21st Century Buy American Act and the American Jobs Matter Act. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-applauds-senate-passage-of-legislation-to-bring-critical-resources-to-flint-water-crisis-and-national-water-infrastructure,Blumenthal Applauds Senate Passage of Legislation to Bring Critical Resources to Flint Water Crisis and National Water Infrastructure,2016-12-10,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Applauds Senate Passage of Legislation to Bring Critical Resources to Flint Water Crisis and National Water Infrastructure Print Tweet Legislation also includes Blumenthal provision to return local Saturday, December 10, 2016 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) applauded Senate passage of legislation the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, which was approved today in a strong bipartisan vote of 78-21. In addition to funding upgrades for our aging waterways infrastructure network, this legislation also includes $170 million to help address the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan.    “The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act is a down payment on the long-term viability of our national water infrastructure network – increasing opportunities for investments in ports like Bridgeport, New Haven and New London – and the future of our precious natural resources. Although I am disappointed that this bill undermines several key environmental provisions and slows efforts to support American manufacturing, I pledge to continue to fight for these priorities next Congress,” Blumenthal said. “And finally, after two years of devastating delays, the families of Flint, Michigan will receive the funding necessary to begin rebuilding their community. The suffering endured by the residents of Flint should never have occurred in a country like ours. The investments this legislation makes in upgrades and maintenance of our water infrastructure is critical to ensuring that it is never allowed to happen again.”    The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act also includes a provision to return local control of the Historic Stonington Wharf. The wharf is an historic landmark of great significance to Stonington and the region, symbolizing the community’s strong sea-faring and maritime heritage. It was built in the late 1820s and served Stonington as an essential resource, providing access to the town’s harbor and protection against storm surges. Over the past several decades, the wharf’s condition has deteriorated due to lack of maintenance and care.   In an effort to revitalize this celebrated marker, the town created a commission to oversee the revitalization and maintenance of the wharf, and Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection granted permission to the commission to begin this process. The town was ready, willing and able to assume control, but the local commission could not begin their work until the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decommissioned the wharf so the town can assume control.   “The Old Stonington Wharf is an historic treasure—a proud symbol of the town’s sea-faring and maritime heritage. The wharf has unacceptably been allowed to deteriorate under inadequate stewardship by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and I applaud local efforts to reclaim and revitalize this celebrated marker. I was proud to help lead efforts to return the wharf back to its rightful hands,” Blumenthal said.     Blumenthal urged the authors of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act to include language that would decommission the wharf and provide Stonington the local control it needs to proceed with their historic effort. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-leads-senate-passage-of-bipartisan-veterans-reform-package,Blumenthal Leads Senate Passage of Bipartisan Veterans Reform Package,2016-12-10,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Leads Senate Passage of Bipartisan Veterans Reform Package Print Tweet Landmark Miller-Blumenthal Bill named for retiring House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman and Blumenthal Saturday, December 10, 2016 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, applauded Senate passage of legislation – the Miller-Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Act – to improve veterans’ access to health care, disability benefits, education and homelessness assistance, among other important benefits for our nation’s veterans. The bill passed the House earlier this week, and now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. “This bipartisan, comprehensive legislation continues our progress toward leaving no veteran behind,” Blumenthal said. “With 76 separate provisions, it is broad in scope and scale. Hiring more mental health counselors and emergency room doctors will mean more veterans receive quality healthcare. Expanding eligibility for homelessness prevention programs will provide critical support to veterans at risk of homelessness. Extending critical education benefits to surviving family members will further our promise of education. Beginning work to help descendants of veterans exposed to toxic substances will help heal the residual wounds of war. But on these issues and so many more, we are only taking another step in what must be a journey toward ensuring our veterans receive the benefits they need and deserve.” The measure is named after Blumenthal and retiring chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) in tribute to their years-long commitment to serving veterans in Congress. Blumenthal spoke on the Senate Floor earlier this week calling on the Senate to pass the bill, reflecting on the accomplishments he achieved as Ranking Member, and looking forward towards challenges yet unmet. “Our bipartisan success here sets a model for doing more and doing better for our veterans – and they deserve both,” Blumenthal said. “We need to do more to help veterans cope with opioid addiction, combat homelessness, protect veterans against identity theft, and make sure that our health care system for veterans continues to improve. We owe every veteran—regardless of the war or the conflict, regardless of the era—the basic guarantee that they will never be left behind. This body owes them the obligation to summon the political will to cross partisan lines to make sure that we keep faith with them.” The Miller-Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Act includes 76 bipartisan provisions that address a variety of areas in veterans’ services that are in need of reforms or improvements. It incorporates language from a number of previously introduced House and Senate bills, including several provisions from the Veterans First Act, which unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs in May. The legislation is supported by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Volunteers of America, National League of Cities, Community Solutions, Vietnam Veterans of America, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and the Congressional Black Caucus Veterans Braintrust. Specifically, the Miller-Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Act will: Streamline portions of the process for veterans, their families and their survivors to obtain disability compensation and benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); Expand the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims from seven to nine judges to help address the large backlog of veterans’ appeals that may soon arrive at the court; Make changes to the VA’s burial benefits and interment policies, including expanding eligibility for presidential memorial certificates to certain individuals who served in reserve units of the Armed Forces, among others; Provide a much-needed extension of education benefits for surviving spouses who lost a loved one on September 11, 2001, or during the early years of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; Improve how the VA administers and approves education benefits for veterans and allow mobilized reservists to keep their GI Bill eligibility when a deployment interrupts their schooling; Modify ownership requirements for small businesses participating in the VA contract assistance programs and require the Department of Labor to conduct a five-year study of job counseling, training, and placement service for veterans; Make improvements to the VA’s health care services and benefits to include: Ensuring preventative health services for veterans include access to adult immunizations for veterans who wish to receive them; Prioritizing access to care for medal of honor recipients; Ensuring veterans who served in classified missions can access mental health care without disclosing classified information; Requiring the VA to submit an annual report to Congress regarding the provision of hospital care, medical services and nursing home care by the Veterans Health Administration; Expanding the qualification criteria to make it easier to hire qualified mental health care professionals; Enhancing research on the potential health effects from toxic exposures to veterans and their descendants. Increase access to benefits for homeless veterans. A section-by-section summary of the legislation is available here.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/senate-unanimously-approves-moran-blumenthal-bill-to-reform-va-accountability,Senate Unanimously Approves Moran-Blumenthal Bill to Reform VA Accountability,2016-12-10,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senate Unanimously Approves Moran-Blumenthal Bill to Reform VA Accountability Print Tweet Saturday, December 10, 2016 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, the Senate approved legislation led by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Jerry Moran (R-KS) and to improve accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The Increasing the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability to Veterans Act includes provisions to: limit paid administrative leave for employees under investigation; hold VA leaders accountable for department mismanagement, hiring well-qualified people, and addressing employee performance; prevent employee conflicts of interest; improve manager training; and close the gap on whistleblower protections.   “This bipartisan bill would significantly strengthen veteran’s health care, and impose tough new accountability, where virtually none existed before,” Blumenthal said. “As veterans’ needs change and men and women return home with visible and invisible wounds of war to heal, VA is in desperate need of a culture change – one that roots out bad actors and incentivizes the very best care for our veterans. This bill serves as a roadmap for how to balance those goals and put our veterans first.”   “The VA has failed to demonstrate a willingness to eliminate corruption by holding individuals responsible for their corrupt behavior,” Moran said. “This legislation will help make certain VA senior executives and health care employees who violate the sacred trust of our nation’s veterans will not be rewarded with unjustly guaranteed benefits or linger on administrative leave at taxpayer expense.”   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-votes-to-increase-lead-poisoning-protections-return-old-stonington-wharf-to-town,"MURPHY VOTES TO INCREASE LEAD POISONING PROTECTIONS, RETURN OLD STONINGTON WHARF TO TOWN",2016-12-10,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY VOTES TO INCREASE LEAD POISONING PROTECTIONS, RETURN OLD STONINGTON WHARF TO TOWN Murphy: “Connecticut's shoreline gets a big boost from this bill.” Saturday, December 10, 2016 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement on Saturday after voting to pass the bipartisan Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. The bill authorizes critical Army Corps of Engineers projects throughout the country and contains $170 million of direct emergency assistance for communities facing threats from lead in drinking water, including Flint, Michigan. Further, the bill authorizes $60 million for lead reduction projects, including grants to low-income homeowners to replace lead service lines. The bill also includes language introduced by Murphy and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) that will return the Old Stonington Wharf back to Stonington, Connecticut, for future development. The U.S. Senate passed WIIN by a vote of 78 to 21, sending it to President Obama’s desk to be signed into law. “I’m glad Republicans and Democrats came together tonight to pass this bill. Our coastlines and waterways are the lifeblood of our state’s economy, and this bill authorizes significant money to improve harbors and ports all along our coast. Bottom line, Connecticut’s shoreline gets a big boost from this bill,” said Murphy. “This bill cuts through loads of red tape so Stonington can start to redevelop their wharf. That's a big deal.”    Murphy added, “The bill also funds lead remediation in Flint, a community that has been ravaged by the massive contamination of their water supply. There is also money that can be accessed by Connecticut to help us keep fighting to lower our lead poisoning levels in children. This bill is far from perfect, but it's a good step forward in rebuilding our coastlines and protecting our kids.” As the author of the Healthy Homes Tax Credit, Murphy has been working to reduce lead poisoning and to prevent the lead poisoning crisis in Flint from spreading to Connecticut. In Connecticut, a whopping 30% of housing was built before 1950, and therefore is most at risk for lead contamination. Nearly 1,500 children in Connecticut suffered from lead poisoning in 2014. Lead poisoning is the most common public health problem among children, causing irreversible damage to the nervous system, and leading to reduced IQ, behavioral problems, and learning disabilities.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-the-senates-passage-of-a-continuing-resolution-to-keep-the-government-open,Blumenthal Statement on the Senate's Passage of a Continuing Resolution to Keep the Government Open,2016-12-09,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Statement on the Senate's Passage of a Continuing Resolution to Keep the Government Open Print Tweet Blumenthal worked to include two provisions protecting Friday, December 9, 2016 [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 April 2017.   “This bipartisan measure is a stopgap to continue government services at current funding levels through the spring – but it has some big wins for Connecticut jobs and national security. I fought to ensure that the Continuing Resolution included two provisions protecting the future of the Ohio Replacement Program and authorization for Black Hawks. Funding these programs is a victory for Connecticut defense industrial base, which is so vital to our economic security and our national security,” Blumenthal said.   “I am disappointed that Congressional Republicans kicked down the road a key issue of coal miners’ pensions and benefits and slipped a complex national security issue that could challenge a bedrock principle of our democracy – civilian control of our military – into a funding bill during the dead of night. But I felt the good in this measure far outweighed the bad.”   The Continuing Resolution approved today by the Senate was passed by the House of Representatives earlier this week, and will now be signed into law by President Obama, averting a gap in federal spending. Although a Continuing Resolution typically funds the government at a level consistent with the previous year’s budget, rare exceptions can be made. Blumenthal worked to ensure that two such exceptions benefiting Connecticut defense manufacturing and our national security were included in this Continuing Resolution:   The Ohio Replacement Program (ORP): The ORP was granted an exception to allow for $773.1 million in a new funding account for shipbuilding, which will allow Electric Boat to begin advance work on construction. These submarines will replace the 14 Ohio-class submarines with 12 new strategic ballistic missile submarines in the coming years. Blumenthal led efforts calling on Senate appropriators to include such an exception in the final text of the Continuing Resolution, sending letters to both the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and the full Appropriations Committee.   Black Hawks: The Continuing Resolution also includes the authorization for the ninth multiyear procurement authority for Black Hawks. This provision allows the Secretary of the Army to purchase up to 268 Black Hawks over the next four fiscal years. The previous multiyear contract provided approximately $1 billion in savings by buying these helicopters in bulk. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Blumenthal fought to include language in the National Defense Authorization Act – approved by Congress earlier this week – which was necessary to ensure that the funding appropriated in the Continuing Resolution could be spent.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-bipartisan-senators-call-on-pres-elect-trump-to-stand-against-russian-aggression-support-nato-and-ukrainian-sovereignty,"MURPHY, BLUMENTHAL, BIPARTISAN SENATORS CALL ON PRES.-ELECT TRUMP TO STAND AGAINST RUSSIAN AGGRESSION, SUPPORT NATO UKRAINIAN SOVEREIGNTY",2016-12-09,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY, BLUMENTHAL, BIPARTISAN SENATORS CALL ON PRES.-ELECT TRUMP TO STAND AGAINST RUSSIAN AGGRESSION, SUPPORT NATO & UKRAINIAN SOVEREIGNTY Call for increased political, economic, and military support for Ukraine Friday, December 9, 2016 WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Vice Chair of the bipartisan Senate Ukraine Caucus and member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), member of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, joined U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and a bipartisan group of 23 other senators in calling on President-elect Donald Trump to continue America’s tradition of support for the people of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.  “In light of Russia’s continued aggression and repeated refusal to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereign right to choose its own destiny, we also renew our call for the United States to increase political, economic, and military support for Ukraine,” the senators wrote. “This includes defensive lethal assistance as part of a broader effort to help Ukrainians better defend themselves, deter future aggression, and implement key structural reforms. Similarly, we believe that Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea should never be accepted, nor should we lift sanctions imposed on Russia for its behavior in eastern Ukraine until key provisions of the Minsk Agreement are met.  Accordingly, U.S. leadership on maintaining such transatlantic sanctions should remain a priority.” In addition to Murphy, Blumenthal, Durbin, and Portman, U.S. Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Marco Rubio (R-Fl.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bob Casey (R-Pa.), John Boozman (Ark.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) signed onto the letter. Full text of the senators’ letter: December 8, 2016 President-elect Donald J. Trump Trump-Pence Transition Team 1717 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20006 Dear President-elect Trump, As Members and friends of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, advocates for a strong US-Ukrainian relationship, and backers of NATO, we write to convey strong, bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States Senate.  We look forward to working with you and your new administration to support our ally Ukraine and help it secure a peaceful and democratic future. Almost three years after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and military aggression in eastern Ukraine, daily ceasefire violations along the line of contact make a mockery of the Minsk Agreement and demonstrate that this conflict in the heart of Europe is far from over.  Russia has yet to withdraw its heavy weapons and continues its sabotage and subversion efforts.  It has not halted its disinformation war against Ukraine and the West, nor stopped its economic and political pressure aimed at undermining the Ukrainian government.  According to conservative estimates from the United Nations, approximately 10,000 people have been killed, over 20,000 wounded, and more than two million internally displaced since the conflict began.  And, unfortunately, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) observers still do not have full, unimpeded access to the Ukrainian-Russian border while Russia continues to supply weapons, equipment, and personnel to the separatists. Quite simply, Russia has launched a military land-grab in Ukraine that is unprecedented in modern European history.  These actions in Crimea and other areas of eastern Ukraine dangerously upend well-established diplomatic, legal, and security norms that the United States and its NATO allies painstakingly built over decades – a historically bipartisan global security framework that has greatly served US security and economic interests.  We believe it is in our vital national security interest to uphold these norms and values, and prevent America’s commitment to its allies and ideals from being called into question. In light of Russia’s continued aggression and repeated refusal to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereign right to choose its own destiny, we also renew our call for the United States to increase political, economic, and military support for Ukraine.  This includes defensive lethal assistance as part of a broader effort to help Ukrainians better defend themselves, deter future aggression, and implement key structural reforms.  Similarly, we believe that Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea should never be accepted, nor should we lift sanctions imposed on Russia for its behavior in eastern Ukraine until key provisions of the Minsk Agreement are met.  Accordingly, US leadership on maintaining such transatlantic sanctions should remain a priority. We look forward to continuing the tradition of bipartisan support for Ukraine in Congress, which has authorized meaningful assistance programs through the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, and other pieces of legislation.  We stand ready to work with you and your new administration on strengthening the US-Ukrainian relationship and look forward to learning more about your plans to engage on this important issue. Sincerely,   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-president-elect-trumps-nomination-of-andy-puzder-as-labor-secretary,MURPHY STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMPS NOMINATION OF ANDY PUZDER AS LABOR SECRETARY,2016-12-09,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP’S NOMINATION OF ANDY PUZDER AS LABOR SECRETARY Friday, December 9, 2016 WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, released the following statement on Thursday regarding President-elect Trump’s nomination of Andy Puzder as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor: ""It is simply unfathomable to me that a U.S. president would put someone whose calling card is attacking workers in charge of the agency that protects workers. Mr. Puzder is a well-known Department of Labor scofflaw - 50% of his restaurants were found to be in violation of wage and hour laws. It's as if the president-elect went out and looked for the business owner with the worst record of violating federal labor laws and put him in charge of those laws. Mr. Puzder also opposes an increase in the minimum wage, wants to repeal the Affordable Health Care law that provides health care for millions of low wage workers, and didn’t believe his workers needed meal and rest breaks. “It's hard to imagine a worse nominee for the Department of Labor. I won't support him, and I challenge Republicans of good conscience to explain why someone like this, who proudly opposes workers’ rights, should be put in charge of the very agency that Congress has charged with protecting workers.""  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-votes-for-bipartisan-bill-to-keep-government-open,MURPHY VOTES FOR BIPARTISAN BILL TO KEEP GOVERNMENT OPEN,2016-12-09,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY VOTES FOR BIPARTISAN BILL TO KEEP GOVERNMENT OPEN Friday, December 9, 2016 WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement on Friday after voting for the continuing resolution to fund the government through April 28, 2017: “People are sick of government business as usual. That’s why it makes no sense to me that – time and time again – Congress reverts to patchwork funding bills that rubber stamp spending that isn’t working. It’s time for Congress to get back to passing responsible, long-term budgets. That was my priority in the Appropriations Committee this year, and I’m disheartened that once again, we’re kicking the can down the road.  “But Connecticut deserves better than a government shutdown, and that’s why I voted for this short-term funding bill. I worked hard to make sure this bill includes important funding for Connecticut, including $500 million to combat the heroin epidemic and critical support for submarine production and our defense manufacturing jobs, but averting a crisis at the last minute can’t be our standard of success. Let’s gets back in the business of responsibly funding our government and improving the lives of the people we have the honor of serving.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/view/senator-murphy-on-msnbc-with-andrea-mitchell,Senator Murphy on MSNBC with Andrea Mitchell,2016-12-09,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Murphy on MSNBC with Andrea Mitchell Senator Murphy joins Andrea Mitchell to discuss Trump's nomination of Andy Puzder to lead the Department of Labor, the Obama administration's investigation of Russian influence in the election and the propagation of fake news.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-statement-president-elect-trump-s-plans-nominate-andrew-puzder,DeLauro Statement on President-Elect Trumps Plans to Nominate Andrew Puzder as Secretary of Labor,2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC (December 8, 2016) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement regarding news that President-elect Trump is expected to nominate Andrew Puzder, CEO of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s parent company CKE Restaurants, as Secretary of the Department of Labor. “As a CEO, Mr. Puzder has an extensive record of engaging in marketing tactics that degrade women, fighting against paying workers their hard earned overtime, opposing expansion of the Affordable Care Act, and even allegedly failing to pay some of his workers. It should come as no surprise then that President-elect Trump has chosen Mr. Puzder as the nation’s top labor official. “The Department of Labor has a long history as one of our nation’s most successful federal agencies, ensuring that every American who works hard and plays by the rules can enjoy dignified work and economic opportunity. From fighting against wage theft, to shielding employees from workplace hazards and discrimination, the Department of Labor is a lifeline for millions of Americans. “Rather than work to roll back eight years of progress—including employer sponsored health insurance and overtime pay for federal contractors—President-elect Trump should look to strengthen workplace protections. Whether it is expanding overtime pay, raising the minimum wage, establishing schedules that work, or enacting 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave, there are many steps he can take to make the U.S. a leader in labor. “However, with Mr. Puzder, the fox is in the henhouse. His nomination represents the greatest assault on workers that we have seen in a generation and President-elect Trump should immediately withdraw his name. I strongly urge my colleagues in the Senate to vote against Mr. Puzder’s nomination and I will do all that I can to fight for every American worker to have economic opportunity and security.” DeLauro is the Senior Democrat on the subcommittee responsible for funding the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://esty.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/esty-s-manufacturing-universities-act-passes-senate-be-signed-law,"Esty’s ‘Manufacturing Universities Act’ Passes Senate, To Be Signed into Law",2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Elizabeth Esty,E000293,esty.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Manufacturing Universities Act, a bipartisan bill authored by Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (CT-5), today was approved by the U.S. Senate and now heads to President Obama’s desk for signature. Esty’s bill was included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the House by a vote of 375-34 on Dec. 2 and passed the Senate today by a vote of 92-7. The Manufacturing Universities Act, which was co-authored by Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY), provides federal grants to support manufacturing engineering education programs – at institutions such as the University of Connecticut – and connect students with training and apprenticeship opportunities with local manufacturers. The bill is endorsed by a dozen major research universities, including UConn, the University of Pennsylvania, and the State University of New York, as well as the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, and manufacturing businesses including the Dow Company, the Dupont Company, and the Siemens Company. “Connecticut is full of innovative manufacturers, but many of these businesses struggle to find workers with the skills needed to fill 21st-century manufacturing jobs. That’s a drag on our economy and a barrier to job creation,” Esty said. “By supporting institutions like UConn that are working to train our future manufacturing workforce, the Manufacturing Universities Act will help businesses throughout the state grow and thrive. And it will help match workers with good-paying careers in high-demand fields. I’m thrilled to see our bill pass Congress with overwhelming support. Once it is signed into law, it will expand opportunities for working families both in our state and across the country.” “The Manufacturing Universities initiative is an exciting program that will transform high-tech manufacturing technologies and workforce development in the United States,” said Mun Choi, Provost at the University of Connecticut. “University of Connecticut is uniquely positioned to support this program through new investments in additive manufacturing, advanced materials characterization, composite fabrication and materials development in collaboration with aerospace, biomedical, electronics and energy industries. Together with leading industry partners, U.S. universities can create paradigm shifts in advanced manufacturing” The “Manufacturing Engineering Education Program” established in the NDAA expands the original Manufacturing Universities Act to provide grants to industry and nonprofits in addition to institutions of higher education. Eligible programs include: •    Multidisciplinary instruction that encompasses the total manufacturing engineering enterprise; •    Opportunities for students to obtain work experience in manufacturing through activities such as internships, summer job placements, or cooperative work-study programs; and •    Faculty and student engagement with industry that is directly related to, and supportive of, the education of students in manufacturing engineering. Esty has made supporting Connecticut’s manufacturing sector and expanding opportunities for Americans to enter good-paying careers a core focus of her work in Congress. Last year, her bipartisan STEM Education Act was signed into law. This measure strengthens science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) training for teachers and includes computer science skills in course offerings to help students prepare for 21st-century careers. Esty also last year launched the Connecticut STEM Advisory Board with state experts in fields including education, manufacturing, and labor. In August, the Advisory Board published a comprehensive set of recommendations for improving STEM education offerings and strengthening STEM industries in Connecticut. In March, Esty’s Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act passed the House. This bill, which is slated for an upcoming Senate floor vote, improves federal support for women in the STEM fields by directing the National Science Foundation to expand programs that help women extend their focus beyond the laboratory and into the commercial world. Finally, Esty is the author of the Technical Education Creates High-Paying (TECH) Careers Act, which would support job-training and apprenticeship programs at technical and community colleges, and the American Jobs Matter Act, which would ensure that taxpayer money spent on federal contractors is used to support American manufacturers and boost job creation here at home. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://esty.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/funding-esty-championed-child-summer-meals-lead-poisoning-prevention,"Funding Esty Championed for Child Summer Meals, Lead Poisoning Prevention Included in Year-End Continuing Resolution",2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Elizabeth Esty,E000293,esty.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) today applauded the inclusion of provisions to support summer nutrition for low-income children and prevent lead contamination in our water infrastructure in the continuing resolution to fund the government through April 28, 2017. “Every child needs and deserves healthy meals and clean water. These are not partisan issues,” Esty said. “This funding represents smart, critical investments in our nation’s children, and I’m proud we could work in a bipartisan way to make them a reality. “The Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program that this bill funds has proven to be effective in Connecticut and several other states to reduce childhood hunger and provide thousands more children with nutritious meals during the summer than traditional programs. “In Connecticut, corroding water infrastructure has led to elevated lead levels in a number of cities and towns, which is a health risk for kids and families in our state. The funds made available by this bill will help communities upgrade their water infrastructure to address lead and other contaminants and expand research and services to deal with childhood lead poisoning across the country.” In March, Esty led a letter to House leaders, co-signed by 66 of her colleagues, calling for continued funding for the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program, which provides children in low-income households with special debit cards that are redeemable at retailers specifically authorized to provide food assistance. In the eight states where it has been implemented, the program has reached between 30 and 75 percent of eligible children, compared with only 16-to-17 percent typically reached by traditional summer meals programs. In April, after the Associated Press reported that 14 water systems in Connecticut contained lead levels in excess of federal guidelines, Esty wrote to federal government leaders calling for funds to protect residents’ access to safe drinking water. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://larson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/larson-selection-linda-mcmahon-head-small-business-administration,Larson on Selection of Linda McMahon to Head Up the Small Business Administration,2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,John Larson,L000557,larson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement on President-Elect Donald Trump's choice of Linda McMahon to lead the Small Business Administration: As the co-founder and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, Linda McMahon has shown that she has business acumen and understands firsthand the needs of small business owners. She has also used her leadership and influence to encourage and support women in business through her Women's Leadership Live initiative. In Connecticut she is known for her candor and energy, both of which will serve her well in her new role at the SBA. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-applauds-final-passage-of-defense-authorization-bill-with-significant-victories-for-connecticut,Blumenthal Applauds Final Passage of Defense Authorization Bill with Significant Victories for Connecticut,2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Applauds Final Passage of Defense Authorization Bill with Significant Victories for Connecticut Print Tweet As a member of the Committee tasked with crafting the bill, Blumenthal fought for investments in submarines, helicopters, and joint strike fighters that will support national security and Connecticut jobs Thursday, December 8, 2016 [WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Conference Committee for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), released the following statement today after the Senate voted to approve the Conference Report: “This powerful bipartisan measure means thousands more jobs, stronger economic growth‎, and enhanced national security-- for Connecticut and the country. It's a victory in our fight for more submarines, helicopters and joint strike fighters-- made largely in our state and vital to our national defense. Quick signature by the President will mean 55 straight years of Congressional approval and cooperation across the aisle. In an increasingly dangerous world, the fight for next year's bill begins now.” As a member of the Committee tasked with crafting the bill, Blumenthal championed provisions that will boost jobs and support critical industries with defense contracts in Connecticut: Investing in Connecticut’s Submarine Industrial Base: Blumenthal worked to secure more than $5 billion for two Virginia Class submarines, including $85 million in advance procurement above the President’s request for items that will be built on Virginia Class submarines. Blumenthal also secured $1.9 billion for Ohio Replacement Program submarines. Ohio Class – ballistic missile submarines that are particularly valuable because they are the leg of the nuclear triad most likely to survive nuclear conflict – will soon begin to retire. Electric Boat has been selected as the Navy’s prime contractor to build the twelve replacement submarines. Blumenthal also secured funding for the Ohio Class Replacement Program in the proposed Continuing Resolution. In addition, the NDAA provides authority to purchase critical components for multiple years to support continuous production of the common missile compartment for the Ohio Replacement Program. Also included in the final NDAA is a resolution Blumenthal authored commemorating Connecticut’s Submarine Century, which passed the Senate earlier this year. Funding the Future of the F-35: Connecticut’s Pratt and Whitney is the sole engine-maker for F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. This year’s defense authorization bill includes over $8 billion in procurement funding for 63 Joint Strike Fighters across the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, and fully meets the President’s budget request. Ensuring Robust Production of Helicopters: Blumenthal fought for robust funding in the NDAA for helicopters including the UH-60M Black Hawk, CH-53K King Stallion, and MH-60R Seahawk. Blumenthal secured $929.3 million in funding – fully meeting the President’s budget request – for 36 Black Hawks, and also secured authority to block buy Black Hawks that allows the Secretary of the Army to buy up to 268 Black Hawks over the next four fiscal years. In addition, Blumenthal also secured the President’s request for $437 million for the first year of procurement funding for two Marine Corps’ new heavy-lift CH-53K helicopters. Also funded in the NDAA is $53.2 million for the MH-60R Naval Hawk helicopter, which will finish production the coming fiscal year. Supporting the Connecticut National Guard: Blumenthal secured $6.3 million in military construction funding for the Small Air Terminal at Bradley International Airport for the Connecticut National Guard. This funding will allow the 103rd Airlift Wing to have the facilities they need to support their recent conversion to the C-130 mission. It will consolidate several Logistics Readiness Squadron functions into one facility, conveniently located adjacent to the flight line to support the new C-130 mission. Buying American Products: For more than a decade, the Defense Department has supplied the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces with Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters, but ongoing sanctions resulting from Russian aggression have beleaguered the program and halted the flow of aircraft, parts, and supplies. Blumenthal worked to include $264 million to procure and modernize 53 UH-60A Black Hawks to replace the Mi-17 helicopters in the bill. The Army will divest UH-60As to make room for new UH-60Ms made in Stratford, Connecticut. Blumenthal has long advocated for this change, most recently sending a letter in July urging the Defense Department to develop a plan to field an American alternative to the Mi-17 helicopters. Blumenthal also fought for provisions to support servicemembers and improve defense policy, including: Supporting Servicemembers with Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS): Blumenthal included a provision requiring the Board for the Corrections of Military Records and Discharge Review Boards to publically disclose online the number of claims considered in which a mental health condition, including PTS, of the claimant could have contributed to the charges of dismissal. Blumenthal also supported a provision to ensure Discharge Review Boards give liberal consideration to discharge upgrade claims where PTS or traumatic brain injury potentially contributed to the circumstances resulting in a less favorable discharge from the military – as instructed in the 2014 Hagel memo. Modernizing Caregiver Leave: Blumenthal worked to help craft a provision to modernize caregiver leave by revising maternal, spousal, and adoption leave policies to ensure these policies are inclusive of non-traditional families. Updating outdated caregiver leave will help improve retention rates. This provision authorizes six weeks of convalescent leave and up to six additional week of uncharged leave for servicemembers who are primary caregivers in the case of the birth of a child. It also provides for six weeks of leave for primary caregivers in the case of the adoption of a child. Further, it allows for 21 days of paid leave for secondary caregivers in the case of the birth or adoption of a child. Window Coverings: Following the death of several children due to window-covering cords in recent years, Blumenthal included a provision that directs the Secretary of Defense to remove and replace window coverings with accessible cords from military housing units in which children under the age of nine reside. Medal of Honor: Blumenthal included a provision that waives the statutory time limitation for the Medal of Honor to authorize the President to award it to servicemembers identified in a review directed by the Secretary of Defense earlier this year. Waiving the statute of limitations for the Medal of Honor is of particular importance to Senator Blumenthal because the Secretary of Defense is currently considering the posthumous nomination of Air Force Sergeant John Chapman for the Medal of Honor. Raised in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, Sergeant Chapman courageously served and made the ultimate sacrifice to protect his fellow war fighters and our nation. If the President decides to award the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Chapman, this NDAA provision would provide the authority to waive the five-year statutory time limitation for him to receive the award. Senator Blumenthal not only fought for this provision, but also led a letter to the Secretary of Defense supporting Sergeant Chapman’s heroism and candidacy.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-backed-provision-in-ndaa-to-help-clear-way-for-connecticut-raised-servicemember-to-receive-medal-of-honor,Blumenthal-Backed Provision in NDAA to Help Clear Way for Connecticut-Raised Servicemember to Receive Medal of Honor,2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal-Backed Provision in NDAA to Help Clear Way for Connecticut-Raised Servicemember to Receive Medal of Honor Print Tweet Blumenthal backed a provision that waives the statutory time limitation for the Medal of Honor. Air Force Sergeant John Chapman, raised in Windsor Locks, was killed in combat in Afghanistan in March 2002. Thursday, December 8, 2016 [WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Conference Committee for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), released the following statement today after a measure he backed to waive the statutory time limitation for the Medal of Honor in certain cases currently under review by the Department of Defense passed as part of the NDAA’s passage. The Secretary of Defense is currently considering Windsor Locks-raised Air Force Sergeant John Chapman posthumously for the Medal of Honor. If the President decides to award the Medal of Honor to Sgt. Chapman for his ultimate sacrifice in March 2002, this provision would provide the authority to waive the five-year statutory time limitation for Sgt. Chapman to receive the award. “Sergeant John Chapman is a hero,” said Blumenthal. “He made the ultimate sacrifice protecting fellow war fighters while fearlessly fighting for our country after the tragic events on September 11 and I vow to continue to support his candidacy for the Medal of Honor. This provision, rightfully included in the NDAA, is a helpful step. We will never fully be able to repay Sergeant Chapman and his loved ones for his extraordinary sacrifice in Afghanistan, but we can honor his unparalleled heroism to the highest degree.” Air Force Sgt. John Chapman, 36, graduated from Windsor Locks High School in 1983. During Operation Anaconda – a March 2002 mission in the eastern mountains of Afghanistan – Sergeant Chapman was killed while serving as an Air Force technical sergeant radioman embedded with SEAL Team Six. Sergeant Chapman was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross in 2003 for his heroism when trying to rescue his fallen team member. If his nomination for the Medal of Honor is approved, he will be the first from the Air Force to receive this distinction since the Vietnam War. Blumenthal has been a steadfast supporter of Sgt. Chapman’s candidacy. In addition to fighting for the NDAA provision, Blumenthal led letters from the Connecticut congressional delegation and Congressman Jeff Miller ( R-FL.) to the Secretary of Defense and the Armed Services Committees in September 2016, which advocated for Sgt. Chapman’s heroism and candidacy.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-sponsored-legislation-would-help-states-improve-access-to-voting,Blumenthal-Sponsored Legislation Would Help States Improve Access to Voting,2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal-Sponsored Legislation Would Help States Improve Access to Voting Print Tweet The Fair, Accurate, Secure and Timely Voting Act would create a competitive grant program to encourage states to implement election reforms Thursday, December 8, 2016 [WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT),  Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) today reintroduced legislation to help states make substantial improvements in administration of their elections to make voting faster and more accessible to all voters.  The Louis L. Redding Fair, Accurate, Secure and Timely (FAST) Voting Act of 2016 would create a competitive grant program in the model of Race to the Top, encouraging states to aggressively pursue election reforms.  The states that demonstrate the most comprehensive and promising reform plans will earn a greater portion of the grant funding. In the 2016 election, long lines and voting-machine problems were reported in well over a dozen states, including Pennsylvania, Utah, Colorado, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Montana, Tennessee, Hawaii, Arizona, Rhode Island, and more.  There were also reports of confusion over new voter ID laws in Texas and Wisconsin, improper refusals of voter registrations in West Virginia, delayed absentee ballots in Pennsylvania and Alabama, and an absence of required bilingual support in Arizona and Florida. “Long lines, confusion, and mishaps at the polls aren’t simply an inconvenience – impediments to voting are a violation of Americans’ most basic civil right,” said Senator Blumenthal. “Instead of making it harder to vote, we should be making it easier. This bill gives states the resources and opportunity to implement more innovative ways to ensure that all Americans – no matter who they are or where they live – have access to a smooth, fair, and speedy voting process next election day.” “Too many voters waited far too long to cast their ballots in this last election,” said Senator Coons.  “Long lines are a form of voter disenfranchisement, a polling place running out of ballots is a form of voter suppression, and making it harder for citizens to vote is a violation of voters’ civil rights.  This is the United States of America and the right to vote is in our DNA: we have to do better.  The FAST Voting Act is a creative way to jumpstart states’ election reform efforts and ensure that every American can exercise their right to vote in the next election.”  “The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy. But during this last election, reports indicated that computer problems, long lines, poorly trained poll workers, and outdated equipment all made it harder for voters in some places to cast their ballots,” said Senator Warner. “The FAST Voting Act addresses these challenges by encouraging and helping states to make voting faster and more accessible through commonsense reforms like reducing long waiting times, expanding early voting opportunities, and eliminating other obstacles that prevent people from exercising their franchise.” “It is disheartening that in recent years, many Republican state legislatures around the country have been focused on passing discriminatory laws that make it more difficult to cast a ballot,” said Senator Durbin. “I’m proud to take a stand against this injustice and introduce legislation that would encourage states to make it easier for all Americans to exercise their fundamental right to vote.” “Our right to vote and have our voices heard on Election Day is sacred, yet because of institutional barriers to the ballot, from outdated voting machines to confusing voter ID and registration laws, many Americans still had severe difficulty casting their ballots in the last election,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The FAST Voting Act would give Americans easier access to the polls and a more efficient registration process, and would go a long way toward eliminating voter suppression. Every American should have their voices heard on Election Day, and I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.” The program tasks applicant states with creating a comprehensive and coherent plan to improve their election processes by: Providing flexible registration opportunities, including same-day registration; Providing early voting, at a minimum of 9 of the 10 calendar days preceding an election; Providing absentee voting, including no-excuse absentee voting; Providing assistance to voters who do not speak English as a primary language; Providing assistance to voters with disabilities, including visual impairment; Providing effective access to voting for members of the armed services; Providing formal training of election officials, including state and county administrators and volunteers; Auditing and reducing waiting times at polling stations; and, Creating contingency plans for voting in the event of a natural or other disaster. The program also requires an assessment of steps the state has taken to eliminate statutory, regulatory, procedural, and other barriers to expedited voting and accessible voter registration.  The bill is named for Louis L. Redding, a prominent civil rights advocate who became the first African American to be admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1929.  He challenged school segregation in court and was part of the legal team that challenged Brown v. Board of Education before the U.S. Supreme Court. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-urges-sessions-to-respect-longstanding-precedent-and-recuse-himself-from-voting-on-his-own-nomination,Blumenthal Urges Sessions to Respect Longstanding Precedent and Recuse Himself from Voting on His Own Nomination,2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Urges Sessions to Respect Longstanding Precedent and Recuse Himself from Voting on His Own Nomination Print Tweet Blumenthal also calls on Attorney General nominee to avoid appearance of bias, impropriety and recuse himself from voting on future potential Cabinet colleagues Thursday, December 8, 2016 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote to U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) today to urge him to recuse himself from voting on his own confirmation. In a letter to President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as the Attorney General, Blumenthal also called on him to recuse himself from voting on the confirmation of his potential Cabinet colleagues. “If confirmed as Attorney General, you will serve as the nation’s most powerful law enforcement official, responsible for administering the law impartially and fairly, faithful to the Constitution above partisan or personal interest,” Blumenthal wrote. “Public confidence and trust in the administration of justice is indispensable. Your decisions will be held to the highest standard and should be unclouded by personal bias or conflict of interest – and that approach starts with the Senate confirmation process.” Only six sitting senators have been nominated and confirmed as department heads – including Attorney General – since 1960. None of them cast a recorded vote on their own nomination.  The full text of today’s letter is available here and copied below. Dear Senator Sessions, I write concerning your nomination as United States Attorney General and the longstanding precedent that Senators nominated to Cabinet positions recuse themselves from voting on their own confirmations. All six sitting Senators, both Democratic and Republican, to be nominated and confirmed to cabinet level positions since 1960 have declined to cast a recorded vote on their own nominations.  If confirmed as Attorney General, you will serve as the nation’s most powerful law enforcement official, responsible for administering the law impartially and fairly, faithful to the Constitution above partisan or personal interest. Public confidence and trust in the administration of justice is indispensable. Your decisions will be held to the highest standard and should be unclouded by personal bias or conflict of interest – and that approach starts with the Senate confirmation process. If the Senate votes on the confirmations of your potential Cabinet colleagues while your nomination is pending, I urge to recuse yourself from these votes as well. Such recusal is essential to avoid any appearance of bias and impropriety. Judges routinely recuse themselves from any matters where they may be seen as having a personal interest. So too you should allow your colleagues to evaluate all Cabinet-level nominees without your participation. Notably, the Code of Conduct for United States Judges encourages judges to recuse themselves from matters where even the appearance of a conflict of interest arises. This practice is critical to public confidence and trust. I respectfully urge you to send a strong signal that your work as Attorney General, if you are confirmed, will be conducted with necessary impartiality and fairness by voluntarily recusing yourself from voting on your own nomination, and the nominations of your potential future Cabinet colleagues, when these votes come before the Senate. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-welcomes-surgeon-generals-report-on-youth-and-young-adult-e-cigarette-use,Blumenthal Welcomes Surgeon General's Report on Youth and Young Adult E-Cigarette Use,2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Welcomes Surgeon General's Report on Youth and Young Adult E-Cigarette Use Print Tweet Thursday, December 8, 2016 [WASHINGTON, DC] – Following the release of a new Surgeon General’s Report on Youth and Young Adult E-Cigarette Use, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) called on regulators and public health officials to heed the report’s call to action, and implement additional protections against youth e-cigarette use. Today’s report raised serious public health concerns regarding e-cigarette use among young people and the dangers of nicotine addiction, following in the footsteps of the first Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Tobacco Use released nearly fifty-three years ago. Today’s report, which was written and reviewed by more than 150 experts, is the first comprehensive federal review of the public health impact of e-cigarettes on youth and young adults in the United States. “Contrary to what the tobacco industry would have you believe, e-cigarettes are not trendy and cool, they are a deadly hazard to the people who smoke them, and to everyone in their air space. Put simply: these products are dangerous, and they are particularly dangerous to youth,” Blumenthal said. “E-cigarettes are not only unsafe when used on their own, they also threaten to lead users, especially young people, down a perilous path to tobacco addiction, a lifetime of disease, and early death. To curb this growing public health crisis, we should look to the successful tobacco control efforts that have already saved the lives of millions – enforcing minimum age-of-sale laws, restricting marketing to children, and expanding education and cessation efforts.” The Surgeon General’s Report on Youth and Young Adult E-Cigarette Use found that while nicotine is a highly addictive drug at any age, youth and young adults are uniquely vulnerable to its long-term consequences of exposing the brain to nicotine. The report also found that secondhand aerosol that is exhaled into the air by e-cigarette users can expose others to potentially harmful chemicals. Among today’s report recommendations are several steps that Blumenthal has advocated for, including: Continuing to regulate e-cigarettes at the federal level to protect public health: Blumenthal was among the most vocal Members of Congress in calling for a rule to regulate e-cigarettes and other forms of tobacco. Congress gave the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the power to oversee various forms of tobacco products when Congress passed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act in June 2009. However, it took until April 2014 for FDA to issue draft “deeming” rules that would bring e-cigarettes, cigars, and other forms of tobacco products under the FDA’s jurisdiction. When the rule was finalized two years later, Blumenthal and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) welcomed the Administration’s action, and called for “strong enforcement of the new regulations, additional action to protect our youth from e-cigarettes, and ongoing scrutiny of the tobacco industry.” Raising and strongly enforcing minimum age-of-sale laws for all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes: Blumenthal joined U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in introducing legislation that would prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21. Regulating e-cigarette marketing: Blumenthal and U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) sent a letter to FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez asking for an annual marketing disclosure report and urging the FTC to investigate the marketing practices of e-cigarette manufacturers. The Senators called on the FTC to provide more information to the public about these practices and to pursue enforcement action against companies that make false or misleading health claims in their advertising. Blumenthal, Boxer, Durbin, Brown and Markey then praised the Federal Trade Commission after it began a study of the sales and marketing of electronic cigarettes in America. The data will provide the basis for a report on the expenditures and targeting tactics of e-cigarette companies. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/isakson-murphy-neurological-research-bill-heads-to-presidents-desk,ISAKSON-MURPHY NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH BILL HEADS TO PRESIDENTS DESK,2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"ISAKSON-MURPHY NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH BILL HEADS TO PRESIDENT’S DESK Bill will advance understanding & treatment of neurological diseases afflicting millions of Americans Thursday, December 8, 2016 WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), both members of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, applauded final passage of their bipartisan legislation – the Advancing Research for Neurological Diseases Act – to advance medical research of neurological diseases, which affect millions of Americans. The bill will be signed into law by President Obama as part of the 21st Century Cures Act. The Advancing Research for Neurological Diseases Act allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to collect information on the incidence and prevalence of neurological diseases to facilitate research and improve public health. This data will include the demographic information, such as age, sex, geographic location, family history, and risk factors such as potential genetic and environmental factors. This information could then be centralized through the establishment of a registry to better connect patients and researchers working to address neurological diseases. “We are now one step closer to restoring hope to the millions of families impacted by neurological diseases,” said Murphy. “Senator Isakson and I introduced this bill because we must do more to learn about diseases like MS and Parkinson’s. By creating a national system to track these horrific diseases, our bill will finally help researchers better understand their root causes and support the vital research to bring us closer to cures.” “The neurological disease registry provision within the 21st Century Cures Act compiles data for diseases such as Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis, which are more prevalent than ever before, into a registry to help in more early diagnosis, earlier treatment and advancement toward a cure,” said Isakson. “As one who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, I can tell you that the more researchers discover about one of these conditions, the closer we get to finding new and effective treatments. I’m pleased that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta will head up this positive initiative.” Research and nonprofit groups, including the Parkinson’s Action Network, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the Tourette Association of America, have announced their support of the legislation. Isakson announced his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in June 2015.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-votes-to-support-connecticut-defense-manufacturing-jobs-counter-russian-propaganda,"MURPHY VOTES TO SUPPORT CONNECTICUT DEFENSE MANUFACTURING JOBS, COUNTER RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA",2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY VOTES TO SUPPORT CONNECTICUT DEFENSE MANUFACTURING JOBS, COUNTER RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA Bill passed today includes Electric Boat submarines, Pratt & Whitney engines & Sikorsky helicopters Thursday, December 8, 2016 WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) voted on Thursday to support the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report, which passed the Senate by a vote of 92-7. The bill authorizes significant investments in Connecticut’s defense manufacturers and includes the bipartisan Countering Disinformation and Propaganda Act, which Murphy introduced with U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) earlier this year. As a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Murphy successfully worked to pass a U.S. Department of Defense Appropriations bill through Committee earlier this year that appropriated higher levels of funding for Connecticut F-35s and Black Hawk helicopters. Murphy vowed to use his position on the Senate Appropriations Committee to fight to pass the Defense Appropriations bill through Congress next year, and secure higher levels of funding for Connecticut’s defense manufacturing industry. “Today’s bill is good for Connecticut workers and families,” said Murphy. “It supports good jobs making subs, helicopters and jet engines, and provides the world’s best military hardware for our Armed Forces. Murphy continued, “I’m proud that Congress solidified Connecticut’s role as a national leader in American defense, but we must do more for the men and women who work hard for a living at the more than 4,000 manufacturing companies across Connecticut. I will keep working on the Appropriations Committee to create new opportunities for Connecticut’s skilled workers.” The NDAA includes the following priorities for Connecticut: $5 billion for two Virginia Class submarines, including an additional $85 million for advanced procurement for the Virginia Payload Module $1.9 billion for Ohio Replacement Program submarine $8 billion in procurement funding for 63 Joint Strike Fighters $437 million for the CH-53K helicopters $264 million to procure and modernize 53 of a planned 159 UH-60A Black Hawks from the U.S. Army to replace the Mi-17 helicopters for the Afghan National Defense Force $6.3 million for the Small Air Terminal at Bradley International Airport for the Connecticut National Guard A resolution co-sponsored by Murphy and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) commemorating Connecticut’s Submarine Century. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-major-murphy-portman-counter-propaganda-bill-as-part-of-ndaa,Senate Passes Major Murphy-Portman Counter-Propaganda Bill as Part of NDAA,2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senate Passes Major Murphy-Portman Counter-Propaganda Bill as Part of NDAA Murphy/Portman Bill Promotes Coordinated Strategy to Defend America, Allies Against Propaganda and Disinformation from Russia, China & Others Thursday, December 8, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) today announced that their Countering Disinformation and Propaganda Act – legislation designed to help American allies counter foreign government propaganda from Russia, China, and other nations – has passed the Senate as part of the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report. The bipartisan bill, which was introduced by Senators Portman and Murphy in March, will improve the ability of the United States to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation by establishing an interagency center housed at the State Department to coordinate and synchronize counter-propaganda efforts throughout the U.S. government. To support these efforts, the bill also creates a grant program for NGOs, think tanks, civil society and other experts outside government who are engaged in counter-propaganda related work. This will better leverage existing expertise and empower local communities to defend themselves from foreign manipulation. “The passage of this bill in the Senate today takes us one critical step closer to effectively confronting the extensive, and destabilizing, foreign propaganda and disinformation operations being waged against us. While the propaganda and disinformation threat has grown, the U.S. government has been asleep at the wheel. Today we are finally signaling that enough is enough; the United States will no longer sit on the sidelines. We are going to confront this threat head-on,” said Senator Portman. “With the help of this bipartisan bill, the disinformation and propaganda used against our allies and our interests will fail.” “Congress has taken a big step in fighting back against fake news and propaganda from countries like Russia. When the president signs this bill into law, the United States will finally have a dedicated set of tools and resources to confront our adversaries’ widespread efforts to spread false narratives that undermine democratic institutions and compromise America’s foreign policy goals,” said Murphy. “I’m proud of what Senator Portman and I accomplished here because it’s long past time for the U.S. to get off the sidelines and confront these growing threats.” NOTE: The bipartisan Countering Disinformation and Propaganda Act is organized around two main priorities to help achieve the goal of combatting the constantly evolving threat of foreign disinformation. They are as follows: The first priority is developing a whole-of-government strategy for countering foreign propaganda and disinformation. The bill would increase the authority, resources, and mandate of the Global Engagement Center to include state actors like Russia and China in addition to violent extremists. The Center will be led by the State Department, but with the active senior level participation of the Department of Defense, USAID, the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the Intelligence Community, and other relevant agencies. The Center will develop, integrate, and synchronize whole-of-government initiatives to expose and counter foreign disinformation operations and proactively advance fact-based narratives that support U.S. allies and interests. Second, the legislation seeks to leverage expertise from outside government to create more adaptive and responsive U.S. strategy options. The legislation establishes a fund to help train local journalists and provide grants and contracts to NGOs, civil society organizations, think tanks, private sector companies, media organizations, and other experts outside the U.S. government with experience in identifying and analyzing the latest trends in foreign government disinformation techniques. This fund will complement and support the Center’s role by integrating capabilities and expertise available outside the U.S. government into the strategy-making process. It will also empower a decentralized network of private sector experts and integrate their expertise into the strategy-making process. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/what-theyre-saying-leaders-and-advocates-praise-mental-health-reform,WHAT THEYRE SAYING: LEADERS AND ADVOCATES PRAISE MENTAL HEALTH REFORM,2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: LEADERS AND ADVOCATES PRAISE MENTAL HEALTH REFORM Mental Health America: “The most comprehensive mental health systems reform legislation in more than fifty years” Thursday, December 8, 2016 President Barack Obama: “The bipartisan passage of the 21st Century Cures Act is an example of the progress we can make when people from both parties work together to improve the health of our families, friends and neighbors…the Cures Act takes important steps to improve mental health, including building on the work of my Administration’s Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Task Force.” Mark Barden, co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise who lost his first-grade son, Daniel Barden, at Sandy Hook Elementary School: “The passing of this bill is such a monumental success for us at Sandy Hook Promise and all of the mental health organizations that we partnered with who have worked tirelessly for nearly four years to pass mental health reform. I applaud the outstanding leadership of our Senators and Representatives, as this bill will help millions of people in need. This legislation begins to do the critical work of prioritizing early intervention and increasing access to mental health services and suicide prevention programs. And we are ready for the work ahead.” American Psychiatric Association: “This long-awaited and much needed mental health reform will help to increase access to care and improve the quality of care for people with mental health and substance use disorders, especially for the 13 million Americans living with serious mental illness. The bill will toughen enforcement of existing parity laws, helping to ensure that mental health care services are covered just like other health care services.” American Psychological Association: “This legislation will improve the lives and health of countless Americans. It will increase access to effective, evidence-based care, particularly for those with serious mental illness.” National Alliance on Mental Illness: “This is a pivotal milestone on the road to mental health reform…By passing HR 34, the House and Senate have shown that they consider fixing our nation's broken mental health system to be a national priority.  We are grateful for their dedication to getting this important legislation passed.   This momentum must be sustained and strengthened as Congress moves forward."" Mental Health America: “Today, MHA and mental health advocates around the nation are celebrating the passage of the most comprehensive mental health systems reform legislation in more than fifty years. We applaud the bipartisan action of the Congress, the support of the President, and the commitment of our elected officials to improving mental health services and supports in our nation…For too long, our behavioral health policy has been mired in post-crisis, deep-end, stage four thinking. We have spent far too much time and far too many resources dealing with mental illnesses in courtrooms, jails, and prisons, maintaining a 21st century revolving door of routine hospitalization, frequent incarceration, and chronic homelessness…Now this will begin to change. As a result of this legislation, we are laying a new foundation for comprehensive mental health services and supports beginning when most mental illnesses begin – during childhood – and continuing through the life span.” American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: “We applaud Congress for passing the 21st Century Cures Act. This legislation is a great step in the right direction. Within the legislation there are many provisions that will bring critical resources to the fight to prevent suicide. The legislation includes $6.3 billion for new funding of medical research at NIH, as well appropriating $1 billion over two years in opioid addiction and treatment programs. In addition it will create a new position of Assistant Secretary for Mental Health, and reauthorizes key mental health and suicide prevention programs such as the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. On behalf of AFSP we'd like to thank Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA), Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) for their leadership in getting the bill passed.” Eating Disorders Coalition: “Today is a historic day for the 30 million Americans experiencing an eating disorder in their lifetimes. For the first time in history, Congress passed legislation specifically designed to help people with eating disorders. The bill will reach President Barrack Obama's desk within the week and is expected to be signed into law given the President's recent support statement for the legislation. American Academy Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: “We are pleased to see the U.S. Senate pass this important bill, which will help to fix a broken mental health care system. We urge President Obama to sign this bill into law so that millions of children and family members can begin to get the help that they so desperately need.” National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems: “This is historic. In a divided Congress, mental health and substance use disorders stood out as bipartisan issues. Having both issues included – and passed – in the Cures Act shows the need for these services and confirms that addressing mental health and substance use disorders must be part of the solution to improving overall health. This broad legislation passed today looks to the future, and there is no future without attention to the tremendous impact of mental health and substance use disorders. These disorders affect millions of Americans of all ages, cost our economy billions of dollars in lives lost, lives interrupted, and lost productivity.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/courtney-announces-winner-2016-congressional-app-chalenege,Courtney Announces the Winner of the 2016 Congressional App Chalenege,2016-12-07,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC —Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) announced that Peter Dentch, a senior at Fitch High School in Groton has won the annual Second District Congressional App Challenge.  Dentch’s app is titled Mini Robot Control. The app challenge is designed to inspire high school students to learn how to code by creating their own applications. The competition is also intended to demonstrate the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education and encourage students to engage in these fields. “I am very pleased to announce that the winner of the 2016 Congressional App Challenge for Connecticut’s Second Congressional District is Peter Dentch from Fitch High School in Groton,” said Courtney. “Once again this year we had a number of remarkable submissions to the Second Congressional District App Challenge, but Peter’s creation really stood out. Our panel of judges from the University of Connecticut was impressed by Peter’s advanced understanding of computer programming, and believe that his app can help make robotic control less intimidating and more accessible for the average person. I applaud Peter and all of our student competitors this year for their aptitude and time dedication to create these incredible programs. This nationwide app challenge is designed to engage high school students in computer science and learn how to code by creating their own applications. We need to demonstrate the value of computer science and education and encourage students to engage in these fields.  I am looking forward to meeting Peter soon and seeing his app in action.” The 2016 Congressional App Challenge took place between July 18, 2016 and November 2, 2016. It was open to all U.S. high school students in participating congressional districts, and one winner was selected per district. Challenge participants were invited, either as individuals or as teams of up to four students, to create and submit their own software application, or ‘app’ for mobile, tablet, or other computing devices on a platform of their choice. In the Second Congressional District, the submissions were judged by members of the University of Connecticut School of Engineering. Courtney will be visiting Dentch’s class at Fitch High School on Friday, December 16, 2016. Additional information on this event will be made available to the press prior to that date.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/courtney-welcomes-inclusion-needed-funding-columbia-class-submarine,Courtney Welcomes Inclusion Of Needed Funding For Columbia-Class Submarine Program In Year-End CR,2016-12-07,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.  —Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), ranking member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, highlighted the inclusion of an anomaly providing a critical funding boost for the Columbia-class submarine program in the Continuing Resolution (CR).  “This is great news for eastern Connecticut and great news for the U.S. Navy,” said Courtney. “The Columbia­-class program would face critical delays and ballooning costs without this needed adjustment to the CR. I was encouraged by the bipartisan cooperation that ensured the inclusion of this provision, and will continue to do all I can to support the design and construction of these submarines that are vital to the United States’ strategic deterrence capabilities.” On November 17, Courtney led a bipartisan group of 33 members in sending a letter to the chairs and ranking members of the full House Appropriations Committee and Defense Subcommittee to ask for the funding levels in the CR include an anomaly for the Columbia-class program.    ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-statement-new-report-detailing-impacts-repealing-aca,DeLauro Statement on New Report Detailing the Impacts of Repealing the ACA,2016-12-07,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Rosa DeLauro,D000216,delauro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC (December 7, 2016) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement regarding the Urban Institute’s new report, which details the consequences of the Republican’s plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act without providing a replacement. “For years, Republicans have touted their plans to ‘repeal and replace’ the Affordable Care Act, deriding the law as an assault on the American people. While Republicans have had more than six years to develop a replacement, they are still empty handed. Next year, when Republicans finally make their goal a reality and roll back parts of the ACA, they will be making an enormous mistake in stripping health care from nearly 30 million Americans and more than doubling the nation’s uninsured rate. “This new report from the Urban Institute exposes the shocking consequences of Republican action and the real world effects that repealing the ACA will have on the American people. By eliminating subsidies to small businesses and individuals that buy insurance in the marketplaces, repealing the ACA will leave the most vulnerable Americans without care and do lasting damage to our health care system. When American lives are at stake, we need a plan that is more than half-baked. The American people deserve better and I am going to fight any attempts to repeal the ACA.” DeLauro is the Senior Democrat on the subcommittee responsible for funding the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://esty.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/courtney-esty-applaud-new-opioid-funds-year-end-continuing-resolution,"Courtney, Esty Applaud New Opioid Funds in Year-End Continuing Resolution",2016-12-07,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Elizabeth Esty,E000293,esty.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-2) and Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) today applauded the inclusion of $500 million in new funding to combat the opioid crisis in the year-end continuing resolution that the House is expected to vote on tomorrow. “Both of us represent communities that have been devastated by opioid addiction and that don’t have the resources they need to deal with the crisis,” Courtney and Esty said. “At long last, this bill provides real, tangible funds to help our cities and towns prevent folks from becoming addicted to opiates and to help families affected by this epidemic recover and move forward. We will work hard in the New Year to ensure Congress renews this investment in the wellbeing of our communities and continue fighting for bipartisan reforms that will help Connecticut finally turn the tide on drug addiction.” The continuing resolution, which will fund federal programs through April 28, 2017, appropriates $500 million to the account created by the 21st Century Cures Act to support grants to states to respond to the opioid addiction crisis. On Nov. 21, Courtney and Esty led a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) urging them to fund opioid treatment and enforcement programs in the coming year. Reps. John Larson (CT-1) and Jim Himes (CT-4) joined that effort as well. The 21st Century Cures Act, which passed the House on Dec. 1 and the Senate this afternoon, authorized the funding Courtney and Esty asked for, and this week’s continuing resolution makes that funding available through April 28, 2017. Both Courtney and Esty served on the conference committee that crafted the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, a bipartisan legislative package to respond to the nationwide opioid epidemic that President Obama signed into law in July. In addition, both Courtney and Esty have been leaders in the fight to secure additional federal resources to address the growing prescription opioid and heroin epidemic. In February, Courtney introduced H.R. 4447, the Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, which would appropriate $600 million in emergency supplemental funds to law enforcement and public health efforts to address the opioid crisis in local communities. In March, Esty introduced H.R. 4697, the Prevent Drug Addiction Act, which would provide much-needed federal assistance to help communities in Connecticut and across the country prevent opioid addiction from happening in the first place. Both Courtney and Esty serve on the House Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-applauds-senate-passage-of-bipartisan-bill-to-combat-opioid-crisis-support-mental-health-reform,"Blumenthal Applauds Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Combat Opioid Crisis, Support Mental Health Reform",2016-12-07,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal Applauds Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Combat Opioid Crisis, Support Mental Health Reform Print Tweet Wednesday, December 7, 2016 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today applauded the Senate’s passage of the 21st Century Cures Act, which includes emergency federal funding to combat the opioid and heroin epidemic, significant reforms to the mental health system, and funding for medical research on cancer and other diseases. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives last week, and now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. “Today’s passage of the 21st Century Cures Act puts America’s money where its mouth is when it comes to public health,” Blumenthal said. “Investment is key to saving lives, and this measure invests in critical initiatives that will make a real impact in the daily lives of people across Connecticut. It takes meaningful steps to combat the opioid epidemic currently plaguing our communities. It improves access to vital mental health services to ensure mental health care is readily available without stigma or additional hurdles. It spurs landmark action in the effort to address Lyme Disease, and increases support for groundbreaking medical research.” “This legislation is a major milestone, but the fight’s not over yet. I will work to ensure these lifesaving resources are used the way this legislation intends—and that they are fairly and effectively allocated in Connecticut. Our state, our communities, and our families are suffering at the wicked hands of the opioid epidemic. We must ensure Connecticut receives the support it needs to ferociously fight back, and provide our loved ones with the treatment they need to claim back their lives. Moving forward, we must continue to invest robust resources to support patient safety, prevent disease, and protect public health.” The 21st Century Cures Act will help address the following issues that Blumenthal has consistently worked on: Combatting the Opioid Epidemic: Blumenthal has held numerous roundtable discussions across Connecticut on the opioid epidemic, culminating in a report titled “Opioid Addiction: A Call to Action” that was released in April. Listed below are the major recommendations in his report that will receive federal funding through the 21st Century Cures Act: Expand funding for state-operated prescription drug monitoring programs; Fund training to reduce opioid over-prescribing and encourage alternatives; Expand access to quality substance abuse programs and behavioral health services (including through medication assisted treatment and mental health parity); Provide flexibility for states to use federal funds for other public health initiatives related to the opioid epidemic, including naloxone and first responder training for this treatment. Improving Mental Health Services: Congress passed the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act in 2008 to ensure that no American be denied mental health coverage. The 21st Century Cures Act seeks to expand on these efforts by improving Federal and State coordination of mental health parity enforcement by establishing an enforcement “action plan” that will be informed by key stakeholders in the mental health community. Blumenthal has long called for robust and transparent mental health parity laws. The legislation includes provisions of the Mental Health First Aid Act, which Blumenthal helped introduce to provide assistance to train school administrators, first responders, teachers, and others to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and addiction disorders. Fighting Lyme Disease: The 21st Century Cures Act includes language similar to the Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education, and Research Act that Blumenthal authored. It will establish a Tick Borne Diseases Advisory Committee comprised of physicians, scientific experts, patients, and Lyme disease advocates. The Committee is to advise the HHS Secretary on interagency communication and coordination with Lyme constituency groups, identify opportunities for collaboration between federal agencies and private organizations, ensure that a broad spectrum of scientific viewpoints are represented in public health policy decisions, and highlight priorities related to Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. Addressing Antibiotic Resistance: The legislation includes a bill Blumenthal supported known as the Promise for Antibiotics and Therapeutics for Health (PATH) Act to establish a new pathway for antibacterial and antifungal drugs intended to treat serious or life-threatening infections in patients with unmet need and within a limited population, such as those with antibiotic-resistant infections. Investing in Research: This legislation provides increased funding for NIH, including funding for the Cancer Moonshot Initiative and Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. Blumenthal has been a proponent of higher funding levels for NIH, signing on to a letter to appropriators each year calling for a stronger investment. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-threat-to-use-antitrust-enforcement-to-silence-news-coverage-is-abhorrent,Blumenthal: Threat to Use Antitrust Enforcement to Silence News Coverage is Abhorrent,2016-12-07,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal: Threat to Use Antitrust Enforcement to Silence News Coverage is Abhorrent Print Tweet At Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to consider the AT&T-Time Warner merger, Blumenthal questioned CEO’s on their commitment to a free and independent press Wednesday, December 7, 2016 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – In a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy & Consumer Rights held to discuss the impact of the proposed AT&T-Time Warner merger, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) rigorously questioned Randall Stephenson, Chairman and CEO of AT&T, and Jeffrey Bewkes, the Chairman and CEO of Time Warner, regarding their commitment to independent journalism in the face of threats made by President-elect Donald Trump. “What concerns me is the reason that he gave [for opposing the merger], which is that he is very unhappy with CNN’s news coverage. For a public official to use the blunt, heavy instrument of law enforcement to try to silence or change coverage by a news department of any company is, for me, absolutely abhorrent,” Blumenthal said. A video of Blumenthal speaking at today’s hearing is available for download here. In response to a question from Blumenthal regarding the President-elect’s proposed enforcement of laws targeting specific companies, Mr. Bewkes dismissed the President-elect’s well-documented remarks, attempting to compare them to dissimilar statements made by other Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates. Blumenthal responded, “My point here is not that other candidates may have commented or not about this merger. It is perfectly appropriate for a public official or a candidate to comment on the merits of antitrust enforcement. But to threaten more vigorous or adverse enforcement against a particular company because he doesn’t like the news coverage is a threat to the First Amendment. That’s the fundamental point here.” In October, President-elect Donald Trump justified his opposition to the proposed AT&T-Time Warner merger by deriding media coverage of his campaign and accusing media companies of “trying to poison the mind of the American voter.” Under the antitrust laws, the President’s view of a media company’s political perspective is legally irrelevant, and government action based on such criteria is questionable under the First Amendment. President-elect Trump specifically highlighted the negative campaign coverage produced by CNN – a Time Warner subsidiary – before announcing that the AT&T-Time Warner merger is “a deal we will not approve in my administration.” In contrast, Senator Sanders requested that the Justice Department enforce antitrust laws and block the proposed merger, while Secretary Clinton pledged to conduct a thorough analysis before making a decision. President-elect Trump has also threatened enforcement action against other media companies who conduct coverage he does not agree with. In the same speech, President-elect Trump criticized the Comcast-NBC merger, basing his argument not on antitrust grounds, but on NBC, a news organization, “trying to tell voters to think and what to do.” President-elect Trump also threatened to bring an antitrust case against Amazon following reports that the Washington Post, which is owned by Amazon, had assigned a group of reporters to investigate the President-elect’s background.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-applauds-department-of-labor-for-new-action-to-protect-healthcare-workers-from-workplace-violence,MURPHY APPLAUDS DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FOR NEW ACTION TO PROTECT HEALTHCARE WORKERS FROM WORKPLACE VIOLENCE,2016-12-07,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY APPLAUDS DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FOR NEW ACTION TO PROTECT HEALTHCARE WORKERS FROM WORKPLACE VIOLENCE Murphy: “Connecticut doctors and nurses should never have to worry about their safety being threatened at work.” Wednesday, December 7, 2016 WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, applauded the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on Wednesday after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced they are looking to create new workplace safety standards to protect healthcare and social assistance employees from workplace violence. OSHA’s announcement comes after Murphy called on DOL Secretary Labor Thomas E. Perez to develop a new workplace safety standard that would protect workers in healthcare settings from workplace violence. “I called on DOL to take action last year because Connecticut doctors and nurses should never have to worry about their safety being threatened at work,” said Murphy. “I’m glad that OSHA and DOL are finally taking action to learn more about the severity and prevalence of workplace violence in healthcare settings, and I promise to work side by side with them in doing everything we can to put an end to it.” Murphy encourages Connecticut residents to submit comments to OSHA before the April 6, 2017 deadline on issues related to workplace violence in healthcare settings that might be considered in developing the new standard. Comments can be submitted online here. Constituents with questions should contact Murphy’s Hartford office at 860-549-8463. Healthcare workers are at an increased risk for workplace violence and existing workplace safety standards do not adequately protect individuals working in healthcare settings. From 2002 to 2013, incidents of serious workplace violence (those requiring days off for the injured worker to recuperate) were four times more common in healthcare than in private industry on average. Murphy called on DOL to develop the new workplace safety standard last year in response to reports of violence in hospitals and other healthcare settings around Connecticut. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-applauds-white-house-approval-of-first-ever-northeast-ocean-plan,MURPHY APPLAUDS WHITE HOUSE APPROVAL OF FIRST-EVER NORTHEAST OCEAN PLAN,2016-12-07,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"MURPHY APPLAUDS WHITE HOUSE APPROVAL OF FIRST-EVER NORTHEAST OCEAN PLAN Wednesday, December 7, 2016 WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) applauded the President’s National Ocean Council on Wednesday for approving the first-ever Northeast Ocean Plan by the Northeast Regional Planning Body. The plan – which provides a blueprint of the northeast region’s marine life, cultural resources, commercial fishing, maritime economy, and recreational use – will help to inform policymakers and private sector leaders as they make decisions impacting the region’s ocean and coastline. The plan will be implemented immediately.  “Today’s announcement shows that when people work together, they can solve problems,” Murphy said. “We will now be better able to protect the thousands of species of wildlife, the fishing and aquaculture industries, and simple family afternoons on the beach that the Atlantic provides. I’m proud that New England is the first in the nation to step up to the plate and make this plan a reality. I’m thrilled to have been a leader in the effort to finalize it.” Established by Presidential Executive Order in 2010, the National Ocean Policy called for the formation of nine regionally-focused boards to better manage the nation’s oceans and coasts. New England was the first region in the nation to launch a planning board. Murphy encouraged Connecticut residents to provide feedback on the Northeast Ocean Plan when the first draft of the plan was released earlier this year. He also led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the White House, which was signed by twenty-nine Members of Congress from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, expressing support for the Northeast Ocean Plan.  Murphy is committed to protecting Long Island Sound and Connecticut’s coastline. Murphy’s  Long Island Sound Investment Plan supports federal programs that invest in Long Island Sound’s coastal habitats, coastal resilience, clean water and beaches, and fishing industry. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-landmark-mental-health-reform-new-funding-for-opioid-crisis,"SENATE PASSES LANDMARK MENTAL HEALTH REFORM, NEW FUNDING FOR OPIOID CRISIS",2016-12-07,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Christopher Murphy,M001169,www.murphy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"SENATE PASSES LANDMARK MENTAL HEALTH REFORM, NEW FUNDING FOR OPIOID CRISIS Murphy hosted 30 town halls & roundtables with CT families, professionals & advocates to craft mental health reforms Wednesday, December 7, 2016 WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), author of the bipartisan Mental Health Reform Act and members of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, applauded Senate passage of mental health reforms, $1 billion in emergency funding to address the opioid and heroin crisis, and increased investments in cancer treatment and medical research. The bill passed 94-5, and is now heading to President Obama’s desk to be signed into law. “This is the most comprehensive reform of our nation's mental health laws in a generation, and I'm so thrilled that we drafted it and passed it with support from both Democrats and Republicans. In Connecticut, I've met too many people struggling with mental illness who can't find the care they need, or can't get their insurance company to approve the care once they find it. This bill means millions of dollars in new treatment, and it creates a pathway to a better integrated, more coordinated system for people with serious mental illness,” said Murphy. “I’m incredibly grateful for Senator Cassidy’s partnership and friendship. He brought a doctor’s knowledge and a dogged determination to our effort, and a lot of people will be better off because of it.” After months of collaborating with mental health professionals, policy experts, consumers, and family members, Murphy worked with U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced their bipartisan Mental Health Reform Act of 2015 to expand federal resources and improve coordination for mental health and substance abuse treatment programs. The Senators worked closely with U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to craft an updated bill, the Mental Health Reform Act of 2016, which passed the HELP Committee unanimously earlier this year. The Mental Health Reform Act of 2016 served as the basis for the mental health language included in the bill passed today. “The 21st Century Cures Act marks a giant step forward in fixing our broken mental health system. It institutes comprehensive mental health care reform and makes resources available to the millions that have been previously denied treatment due to a lack of access. I want to thank all those who helped make mental health a priority in Congress, but I especially thank my colleague Senator Chris Murphy. We have been working together to fix our country’s broken mental health system since day one. Without him and the bipartisan effort he has brought to this legislation, we would not be here today. I urge the President to sign this bill and help the millions of individuals and families affected by mental health become whole,” said Dr. Cassidy. Highlights from the bill passed today are included below. A fact sheet can be found here. Mental Health Reforms Integrates Physical and Mental Health: The bill encourages states to break down walls between physical and mental health care systems by requiring them to identify barriers to integration. States will be eligible for grants to promote integration between primary and behavioral health care for individuals with mental illness along with co-occurring physical health conditions. Strengthens Transparency and Enforcement of Mental Health Parity: The bill strengthens the enforcement of existing mental health parity protections to ensure that physical and mental health are covered equally by insurers. It requires federal agencies to report on enforcement actions related to the mental health parity law and establishes an enforcement “action plan” informed by key stakeholders. It also requires the government to audit a health plan if it is found to have violated existing mental health parity laws. Establishes New Programs for Early Intervention and Improves Access to Mental Health Care for Children: The bill establishes a grant program focused on intensive early intervention for infants and young children who are at risk of developing or are showing signs of mental illness. A second grant program supports pediatrician consultation with mental health teams, which has seen great success in states like Massachusetts and Connecticut. The bill also ensures that children covered by Medicaid have access to the full range of early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services. Strengthens Suicide Prevention: The bill continues the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program, and provides information and training for suicide prevention, surveillance, and intervention strategies. It reauthorizes Youth Suicide Early Intervention and Prevention Strategies grants to states and tribes, and establishes suicide prevention and intervention program grants for adults. Establishes New National Mental Health Policy Laboratory: The bill establishes a new entity to fund innovation grants that identify new and effective models of care, and demonstration grants to bring effective models to scale for adults and children. Reauthorizes Successful Grant Programs: The bill reauthorizes key programs like the Community Mental Health Block Grants and state-based data collection. It modernizes the mental health and substance use disorder block grants, streamlines the application process, and promotes the use of evidence-based practices within states. It continues grants to states and communities to help train teachers, emergency services personnel and others to recognize signs and symptoms of mental illness. Additionally, it reauthorizes grants to train mental health providers such as psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and paraprofessionals. Strengthens Leadership and Accountability for Federal Mental Health and Substance Use Programs: The bill creates an Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services who will be responsible for overseeing grants and promoting best practices. The Assistant Secretary will work with other federal agencies and key stakeholders to coordinate mental health services across the federal system and help them to identify and implement effective and promising models of care. The bill also establishes a Chief Medical Officer to advise on evidence-based and promising best practices emphasizing a clinical focus. Develops New Educational Materials on Privacy Protections: The bill requires HHS to develop educational materials to help patients, clinicians and family members understand when personal health information can be shared to clear up confusion. Opioid Treatment & Prevention The bill provides $1 billion over 2 years for grants targeting opioid abuse prevention and treatment activities, such as improving prescription drug monitoring programs, implementing prevention activities, training for health care providers, and expanding access to opioid treatment programs Funding for NIH & the Cancer Moonshot The bill provides over $4.8 billion over 10 years to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the Precision Medicine Initiative, the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative, cancer research, and regenerative medicine using adult stem cells. The bill provides $500 million to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over 10 years to implement provisions in Title III to move drugs and medical devices to patients more quickly, while maintaining the same standard for safety and effectiveness.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/epa-publishes-final-rule-elds-federal-register,EPA Publishes Final Rule For ELDS In The Federal Register,2016-12-06,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Joe Courtney,C001069,courtney.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC —Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) made the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published their final rule for the Eastern Long Island Sound Dredging Disposal Site (ELDS) in the Federal Register: “It’s hard to overstate how important dredging and dredging disposal is to the maritime economy across the Long Island Sound region,” said Courtney. “Without the regular dredging of ports and waterways, a vast array of economic activities in our region ranging from recreational boating to commercial maritime transportation, shipbuilding, the Coast Guard Academy, and the submarine base could not function. Today’s publication of the final rule for the eastern Long Island Sound represents the final step in a long process to create environmentally responsible and manageable disposal sites across the entire length of the Sound. This eagerly awaited action follows years of intense environmental reviews, robust public engagement and diligent consideration of all views with regard to the future of dredging in our region. I want to thank the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their hard work throughout this process. Courtney added, “Over the past two months, we have seen important developments that underscore the need for this site. For example, the New England Central Rail broke ground on new upgrades to existing rail lines which will greatly increase the freight capacity in the Port of New London adding to the need for regular dredging of the harbor. The U.S. Navy has also committed over $5 million to plan and design a major pier replacement at the base – a project that will need dredging and, without this site, could see significant increases in costs. The final designation of this site could not come at a more important time for our region.” On Sunday, The Day newspaper published an opinion editorial written by Courtney on the importance of dredging top the local economy in eastern Connecticut. Courtney has actively advocated for the designation of a final eastern disposal site. For example, he testified at the [date] public hearing on the DMMP, stressing the need for an eastern disposal site. He also coordinated letters from the Connecticut and Rhode Island Delegations in support of the plan. To read a letter sent by members from the Connecticut and Rhode Island delegations to the EPA in July, click here To read a letter sent by members from the Connecticut and Rhode Island delegations to the EPA reaffirming support for the new site in October, click here Designation of the ELDS has been a particular priority for the regions military and defense industrial base stakeholders, noting how vital access to a dredge disposal site is to submarine construction and national security. To read a letter of support for the ELDS proposed rule from Groton SUBASE commander Captain A. Whitescarver, click here To read a letter of support for the ELDS proposed rule from Electric Boat President Jeffrey Geiger, click here Additional Background: Following the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ final Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP) issued in January, the EPA determined that a new site was necessary for long-term open-water dredged material disposal in the Long Island Sound region. The two dredging disposal sites currently in operation, Cornfield Shoals and New London, are both short-term sites managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers which are set to be closed later this year. According to the DMMP, Long Island Sound waterways contribute more than $9 billion annually to the economic output in the Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York Long Island Sound region and support more than 55,000 jobs. The periodic dredging of harbors and channels is essential to ensuring safe navigation. All dredged material placed in the Sound must pass stringent EPA testing requirements to determine whether the material is toxic. Any material that does not pass these tests will not be eligible for open-water disposal in Long Island Sound. EPA will require similar restrictions for the ELDS as those that were recently finalized for central and western Long Island Sound disposal sites. The new restrictions notably include a mandate that alternative means for disposal of dredged material, such as beach nourishment, be used whenever practicable before turning to open-water disposal. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://himes.house.gov/press-release/himes-introduces-reclamation-war-powers-act,Himes Introduces Reclamation of War Powers Act,2016-12-06,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Jim Himes,H001047,himes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) introduced the Reclamation of War Powers Act, a bill that would explicitly return the power to declare and wage war back to Congress as the Constitution requires. “The power to make and execute war is explicitly granted to Congress in article I section 8 of the Constitution,” said Himes.  “In the years following 9/11, however, we have ceded that power more and more to the President to the point where, now, we operate in state of perpetual pseudo-war where neither the executive or Congress is ultimately responsible. That has to end. It’s Congress’s right. It’s Congress’s duty.” The bill has three main provisions: ·         Congresses won’t fund the introduction of US armed forces into hostilities without a declaration of war, specific statutory authorization, or a national emergency created by an attack or imminent threat of attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Armed Forces. ·         Following a declaration of war or an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), the President must issue a report every 90 days outlining the threat faced, the objectives and justifications of the conflict and a description of the anticipated scope and duration of the action. In the event of emergency action, the report must be issued within 48 hours. ·         Prior Authorizations for Use of Military Force, including the AUMFs for Iraq and Afghanistan will be repealed 180 days after enactment of this bill. Several comments from President-elect Donald Trump have raised concern about the scope and circumstances in which the Armed Forces will be used in the future, especially with regards to the conflict with ISIS and honoring our country’s NATO experience. “Donald Trump has no foreign policy experience, has signaled to the world that he plans to use his unpredictability as a deterrent and claims to have a secret plan to defeat ISIS,” continued Himes.  “Congress should have reasserted its war-making authority a long time ago, and I have voted to make that happen even under President Obama, but it’s more important to do it now that we’re going to have such a volatile President in the White House. Putting our soldiers’ lives at risk is an incredibly important and serious decision and the Constitution has wisely said that decision shouldn’t be left in the hands of a single individual, whoever that may be.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-markey-respond-to-autonation-decision-to-resume-sales-of-deadly-cars-under-recall,"Blumenthal & Markey Respond to Autonation Decision to Resume Sales of ""Deadly"" Cars Under Recall",2016-12-06,2016,2016-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,www.blumenthal.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Blumenthal & Markey Respond to Autonation Decision to Resume Sales of ""Deadly"" Cars Under Recall Print Tweet Senators Call on Auto Retailer to Fully Inform Consumers of Broken Promise Tuesday, December 6, 2016 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA), authors of the Used Car Safety Recall Repair Act, issued the following statement after AutoNation, Inc. – the nation’s largest new auto retailer – announced that it is reversing its policy to stop selling cars with recalled safety defects until the defective parts are repaired. “AutoNation’s decision to resume the sale of deadly used cars in the wake of this presidential election is deeply troubling, and will lead to tragic consequences on our nation’s roads and highways. After reversing course on its widely-advertised pledge to not sell defective cars, AutoNation now bears the responsibility of informing consumers about its broken promise. The company now has an obligation to publicize its decision to reverse course as widely as its original move towards better safety,” the Senators said. “Unfortunately, until Congress acts to ensure there is a level playing field for used car dealers who want to do the right thing for their customers, we will continue to see cars with deadly defects on our roads. In the wake of this announcement, we plan to double down on efforts to protect consumers from the worry that they might be buying a used car with unrepaired recalls.”‎ In 2015, Blumenthal and Markey introduced the Used Car Safety Recall Repair Act, which would require used car dealers to repair any outstanding safety recalls in used automobiles prior to selling or leasing and the Repairing Every Car to Avoid Lost Lives (RECALL) Act that would require owners of vehicles with open safety recalls to be notified and help ensure defects are repaired. The Senators have also urged auto manufacturers to take necessary action to protect consumers after defective parts are identified and recalled. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z