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    <title>Joe Courtney RSS Articles</title>
    <description>Joe Courtney RSS Articles</description>
    <link>http://courtney.house.gov/</link>
    <lastBuildDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT</lastBuildDate>
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      <title>Representative Courtney Votes To Extend Unemployment Insurance, First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit and Provide Tax Relief To Small Businesses</title>
      <description>&lt;span style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Congressman Joe Courtney announced that he has voted in favor of H.R. 3548, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act, which extends an additional 14 weeks of unemployment assistance to all states, including Connecticut, and extends the homebuyer tax credit for first-time buyers and military families. The legislation also provides relief to businesses by extending a five year net operating loss carryback to 2009. The bill passed 403-12.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/HR_3548.pdf"&gt;Click here to download a full summary of the legislation and Connecticut specific facts&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;"Many of Connecticut’s families are still struggling to make ends meet as the economy slowly begins to recover, which is why extending unemployment benefits is the right thing to do," stated Courtney. "As the economic engine once again begins to churn, I believe that extending the first-time homebuyer tax credit will prove to be one spark that helped to make recovery happen. The credit has been extremely successful in Connecticut and impacts multiple industries within the housing sector. Today, Congress has taken an important vote that moves our economy in the right direction."&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Congressman Courtney led an effort in the House to extend the FTHB Tax Credit. &lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Extend_Homebuyer_Tax_Credit_Letter.pdf"&gt;Click here to read a bipartisan letter that he wrote with Republican Congressman Ken Calvert&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Congressman Courtney also spoke on behalf of the legislation just prior to the vote. &lt;a href="http://www.youtube.com/repcourtney#p/a/u/0/EDL_ZK1XTAk"&gt;Click here to speak to view the Congressman’s statement on YouTube&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;Unemployment Insurance Extension&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Unemployment insurance will be extended by 14 additional weeks for all states. In addition, the legislation creates a new tier within the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program providing 6 additional weeks for states with an unemployment rate over 8.5 percent. Connecticut is not currently eligible for that increased rate, as the unemployment rates for the previous three months have been 7.8, 8.1, and 8.4 percent.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;In addition, on October 21, 2009, Congressman Courtney joined with Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) to send a bipartisan letter being sent Wednesday to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader John Boehner urging an extension of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit. Including the authors, 165 bipartisan Members of Congress signed the Courtney-Calvert letter.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;As amended by the Senate, H.R. 3548 extends the Homebuyer Tax Credit for first-time buyers and creates a new "step-up" program for homeowners.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;em&gt;First-time Homebuyers&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
    &lt;span&gt;    &lt;span&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;The measure will extend the first-time homebuyer tax credit until April 30, 2010. In addition, those who have signed a contract before May 1, 2010 will have 60 days to close on the home. &lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Increases the income limits to $125,000 on a single return and $225,000 on a joint return (from $75,000 and $150,000, respectively). As with the current credit, the extended credit has a $20,000 phase-out after those limits are reached. &lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Those who purchase in 2010 will be able to claim credit on 2009 tax return. &lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Definition of first-time buyer remains the same as those who have not owned a home in the last three years. &lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;The credit will remain at $8,000. &lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
    &lt;span&gt;    &lt;/span&gt;
    &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;em&gt;Step-up Buyers&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
    &lt;span&gt;    &lt;/span&gt;
    &lt;ul&gt;
        &lt;span&gt;        &lt;span&gt;
        &lt;li&gt;Those who have owned the same home for 5 consecutive of the last 8 years will be eligible for a $6,500 tax credit. &lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;li&gt;The $6,500 tax credit will be eligible for purchases between December 1, 2009 and May 1, 2010. The same opportunity to close within 60 days applies. &lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;li&gt;The income limits are also $125,000 on a single return and $225,000 on a joint return and have a $20,000 phase-out thereafter. &lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;li&gt;Those who purchase in 2010 will be able to claim the credit on 2009 tax return. &lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
        &lt;span&gt;        &lt;/span&gt;
        &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;em&gt;Other provisions regarding the homebuyer tax credit in the bill.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
        &lt;span&gt;        &lt;/span&gt;
        &lt;ul&gt;
            &lt;span&gt;            &lt;span&gt;
            &lt;li&gt;No homes over $800,000 will be eligible for the tax credit. &lt;/li&gt;
            &lt;li&gt;Included revised language from H.R.3590, the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act which passed the House on October 8 and which JDC cosponsored. It will extend the tax credit for the military and other Foreign Service Officers serving abroad through April 30, 2011. It also waves the recapture fee for all military personnel should the individual move and sells the home within 3 years. &lt;/li&gt;
            &lt;li&gt;Cuts down on tax credit fraud by providing authority to the IRS to do greater electronic oversight and requires that the taxpayer claiming the credit be 18 or older. &lt;/li&gt;
            &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
            &lt;span&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;
            &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;Extension of Carryback Net Operating Expenses Losses&lt;br /&gt;
            &lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;The bill passed today also extends carryback for net operating losses for up to five years for losses incurred either in 2008 or 2009, but not both (at the election of the taxpayer). Businesses will be able to offset 50 percent of the available income from the fifth year and 100 percent of all income in the remaining four carryback years. Small businesses that have already elected to carryback 2008 under ARRA may also elect to carryback losses from 2009. This proposal is estimated to cost $10.4 billion over 10 years.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
            &lt;span&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;
            &lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;# # #&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
            &lt;span&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=153470</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=153470</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Congressman Welcomes The American Legion's Support For The Post 9/11 Troops To Teachers Enhancement Act</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Congressman Joe Courtney welcomed The American Legion’s support this week of H.R. 3943 and S. 1932, the Post-9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act of 2009, which were introduced by Representative Courtney and Senator John McCain, respectively, and announced during a press conference that included Courtney and McCain, and Representatives Tom Petri and Doris Matsui, and Senator Michael Bennet.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/American_Legion.pdf"&gt;Click here to download the Legion’s letter of support to Rep. Courtney&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;"The American Legion is one of our nation’s most respected veterans’ organizations and the support of its membership on behalf of this important legislative initiative is appreciated," stated Courtney. "I am fighting to make sure that when our military men and women return from Iraq and Afghanistan, they have the ability to transition back to civilian life with ease, which means having good jobs waiting for them. The Post-9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act will improve an already successful program that helps members of the military become teachers and creates a win-win situation for our schools and our service members."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In its letter to the four original sponsors of the legislation, The American Legion wrote, "The American Legion salutes you for your leadership on this important matter and stands with you in support. The Post-9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act not only helps veterans transition to a new career as educators, but also provides excellent role models for the youth of this nation."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The American Legion boasts nearly 3 million members and 15,000 American Legion Posts worldwide.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The Post-9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act would:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Make the Troops to Teachers program more accessible to those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan by reducing length of service requirements for participation; &lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Expand the number of school districts in which participants can qualify for a $5,000 stipend towards the costs of becoming a teacher; &lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Create an advisory board charged with improving awareness of the program, increasing participation, and ensuring that the program meets the needs of our schools and our veterans. &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Other organizations, including the Air Force Sergeants Association, Association of the United States Army, Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States, American Military Retirees Association, Military Order of the Purple Heart, and American Federation of Teachers, have endorsed the bipartisan legislation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;# # #&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=153003</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=153003</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Congressman Answers Constituents' Health Care Questions and Concerns On YouTube</title>
      <description>&lt;span style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In an effort to expand the Second Congressional District dialogue on health care reform, Congressman Joe Courtney has begun a series of videos directly responding to constituent questions about H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Congressman Courtney released the first segment today, which includes questions from constituents residing in Ledyard, Mystic, Coventry, and Groton. &lt;br /&gt;
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"While I am in Washington through the vote on H.R. 3962, I want to make sure that the questions and concerns of my constituents in Connecticut are being answered," stated Courtney. "I want to hear all opinions and views about this comprehensive legislation and urge residents to continue calling and writing because they are the greatest stakeholders of this reform," Courtney added.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Congressman Courtney will periodically post new videos answering more questions about the reform legislation at &lt;a href="http://youtube.com/repcourtney"&gt;http://youtube.com/repcourtney&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;During the August/September District Work Period, Congressman Courtney hosted or participated in dozens of discussions on health care reform and has continued meeting with constituents, medical professionals, senior citizens, and other groups to listen to their views and opinion on reform.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/DSC_1548.JPG"&gt;Click here to download a photo of Congressman Courtney reading H.R. 3962 with staff&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Photo Caption: Rep. Joe Courtney and Health Care Legislative Assistant Maija Welton review H.R. 3962.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span&gt;# # # &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;
</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=153071</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=153071</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Congressman Announces Retroactive Stop Loss Is Now Available To Service Members</title>
      <description>&lt;span style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Today, Representative Joe Courtney announced that the U.S. Department of Defense has begun to accept applications for Stop Loss special pay to service members who had their enlistment extended or retirement suspended due to Stop Loss between September 2001 and September 2009. Under the Congressionally-created program, eligible personnel will receive a payment of $500 per month for each month that they were retained on active duty due to the Stop Loss policy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Representative Courtney stated, "Since entering Congress, I have advocated for the termination of Stop Loss and compensation for service members who were subjected to this back door draft. I am pleased that Secretary Gates announced an end to Stop Loss for the benefit of our military personnel and their families, and now those service members who served extra time will receive just compensation."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Stop Loss is the involuntary extension of a service member’s active duty service under the enlistment contract in order to retain them beyond their initial end of term of service (ETS) date. For nearly 185,000 members of our military, this policy extended their already difficult tours of duty, placing extreme strain on them and their families. In March 2009, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced the phase-out of the Stop Loss program. The Army’s active component program is to end on January 1, 2010, while the Army Reserve and Army National Guard programs ended in August and September 2009, respectively. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Congressman Courtney has strongly supported the creation of the Stop Loss payment program in order to address the unfair burden this policy placed on our men and women in uniform. In 2008, Courtney cosponsored legislation to create a Stop Loss compensation program, H.R. 6205. In September 2008, Congressman Courtney voted to provide $72 million in compensation to service members extended through Stop Loss. The legislation provides $500 a month to service members for every month their deployment was extended in 2009. Earlier this year, Congressman Courtney voted to expand the program by providing $734 million to compensate service members who were extended through Stop Loss since September 11, 2001. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Service members, including members of the Reserve components, former and retired members are eligible for the retroactive Stop Loss pay. All pay claims must be submitted before October 21, 2010. Family members of deceased service members who had their military service extended through Stop Loss should contact the appropriate military service for assistance, or contact Representative Courtney’s Norwich office (860) 886-0139 for assistance.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Army: &lt;a href="https://www.stoplosspay.army.mil"&gt;https://www.stoplosspay.army.mil&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Navy: &lt;a href="http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=49196"&gt;http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=49196&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Marine Corps: &lt;a href="https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/stoploss "&gt;https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/stoploss &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Air Force: &lt;a href="http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/stoploss"&gt;http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/stoploss&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;# # #&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;
</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=152681</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=152681</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Representative: Transparency and Accessibility Are Critical Parts Of Health Care Reform Process</title>
      <description>&lt;span style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Congressman Joe Courtney announced that his website has been updated to include important resources for constituents to review the new health care reform proposal, H.R. 3962, The Affordable Health Care for America Act. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Second District residents may visit &lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/choice"&gt;http://courtney.house.gov/choice&lt;/a&gt; to read the legislation, download a section-by-section summary of the proposal, and find a list of frequently asked questions.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;"The Affordable Health Care for America Act is the most comprehensive reform to our health care system since the creation of Medicare and the public must have the same information and resources that I do so they too can understand what is in the bill," stated Courtney. "The transparency of this process must continue to match the enormity of the reform, which is why I have posted this information online as quickly as possible for my constituents’ scrutiny."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Congressman Courtney hosted or participated in nearly three dozen health care related events during the August/September District Work Period to answer questions constituents had about health care reform. Since then, Congressman Courtney has continued to meet with health care professionals and constituents to get their input on reform.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;# # #&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;
</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=152678</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=152678</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Congressman's Advocacy Pays Off In House Health Care Reform Proposal</title>
      <description>&lt;span style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;WASHINGTON, DC&lt;/strong&gt; – Congressman Joe Courtney released the following statement in response to the release of &lt;a href="http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_ahcaa.pdf"&gt;H.R. 3962, Affordable Health Care for America Act&lt;/a&gt;, the amended health insurance reform proposal, H.R. 3200, in the House of Representatives.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;"I am pleased that the principles for which I have advocated have survived this long and arduous process. After reaching out and listening to my constituents, this bill moves us forward toward historic and positive change based on my preliminary review."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;"Since entering Congress, I have fought to close the infamous Medicare Part D prescription drug ‘donut hole’ for seniors and end the discriminatory practice of pre-existing condition exclusions. Thankfully, after three years of pushing these critical components of reform, I am grateful that Connecticut’s seniors and families will have greater access to more affordable health care than before, if we pass this bill."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;"Most recently, I have continued to lead the fight against the Senate Finance Committee’s shameful pursuit to tax the health care benefits of middle-class families in eastern Connecticut and across the country. An excise tax would target older workers, the self-employed and collectively bargained professions like firefighters, teachers and police officers. After spearheading the opposition in the House and collecting over 180 signatures from my Democratic colleagues in my fight against the excise tax, I am thankful that the House proposal rejects this approach." Click here to watch Rep. Courtney on ‘Opening Bell’ with Fox Business’s Alexis Glick on Thursday morning discussing his opposition to the excise tax.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uZNTAcAgi94&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;fs=1&amp;amp;" width="425" height="344" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;"As the process moves ahead, I will continue to carefully study the details of the new plan and pass judgment on the bill as a whole after I have completed my review. I will continue to fight for real reform that helps Connecticut and all Americans."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The House plan also includes a public option. Congressman Courtney has pledged to participate in the public option should one be included in the final health care reform package.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;To ensure transparency, the legislation was posted online today for public review. In addition, the House will not vote on a final bill until all Members have had at least 72 hours to review the final version.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;H.R. 3962, The Affordable Health Care for America Act, is the next step in the consideration of health insurance reform. It represents the combined work of the three House committees that considered H.R. 3200, The Affordable Health Choices Act, introduced in July. More information about the legislation is available below:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;    • &lt;a href="http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_ahcaa.pdf"&gt;Text of H.R. 3962 as introduced today&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;    • &lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Side_by_side_comparison.pdf"&gt;A side by side comparison of H.R. 3962 and H.R. 3200&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;    • &lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Ten_Major_Changes.pdf"&gt;An explanation of the major changes between HR 3962 and HR 3200 &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;    • &lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Provisions_Immediately_Enacted.pdf"&gt;Fourteen key provisions to take effect immediately if H.R. 3962 is enacted&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Congressman Courtney introduced legislation to fix the Medicare Part D ‘donut hole’ and legislation to end the practice of pre-existing condition exclusions:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;    • &lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=63830"&gt;Rep. Courtney announces Medicare Part D 'fix'&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;    • &lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=69659"&gt;Rep. Courtney calls for end to pre-existing condition exclusions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;# # #&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;
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      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=152075</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=152075</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Senators John McCain and Rep. Joe Courtney Lead Effort to Expand 'Troops To Teachers' Program</title>
      <description>&lt;span style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;WASHINGTON, DC&lt;/strong&gt; –Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT), along with Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), Representative Tom Petri (R-WI), and Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA), introduced the bipartisan, bicameral &lt;strong&gt;Post-9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act, which seeks to expand the existing Troops to Teachers program to allow more troops to teach in America’s schools&lt;/strong&gt;, during a press conference today in Washington, D.C. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Troops_to_Teachers.jpg"&gt;Click here to download photo from ‘Troops to Teachers’ press conference&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/RepCourtney#p/a/u/1/QDTY8RO17VY"&gt;Click here to watch Troops to Teachers press conference on YouTube&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;"As we continue to seek ways to improve the quality of education in our country, we should encourage programs like Troops to Teachers to incite returning service men and women from Iraq and Afghanistan to go into the classroom," said &lt;strong&gt;Senator John McCain&lt;/strong&gt;. "Our veterans make excellent candidates to impart the virtues of service to the next generation and instill the value of learning as a means to self-improvement."&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;"Our men and women in uniform are among the most talented, public-spirited Americans in today’s workforce," stated &lt;strong&gt;Representative Joe Courtney&lt;/strong&gt;. "Expanding this program will direct their unmatched experience, discipline, and leadership skills into America’s classrooms. This is a win-win situation for our schools, military personnel, and especially our children."&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;"Our military is the strongest in the world not because of our weapons or tanks, but because of the men and women who serve in its ranks. With that in mind, we should be doing everything we can to create, support and enhance pathways to the teaching profession, and allow our military men and women to continue their service in classrooms across the country," &lt;strong&gt;Senator Michael Bennet&lt;/strong&gt; said. "Let’s enlist their skills and experience to once again make America’s system of public education the envy of the world and the driver of the American Dream."&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;"Teachers who have served in the military come with valuable life experience and character traits that are uncommon in the classroom. In an increasingly globalized economy, these valuable characteristics provide a vital resource for schools across the country," stated &lt;strong&gt;Representative Tom Petri&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="file:///Users/BFarber/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot.png" /&gt;"At a time when there is an overwhelming need for highly-qualified math and science teachers, expanding and strengthening the Troops to Teachers program has never been more important. This legislation is a crucial step in supporting our veterans and students by restoring the original intent of this program, and giving our nation's veterans the opportunity to serve their country again," stated &lt;strong&gt;Representative Doris Matsui&lt;/strong&gt;. In March, Matsui and Petri introduced the Troops to Teachers Improvement Act of 2009, which has now been incorporated into the more comprehensive reform introduced Tuesday.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Troops to Teachers program, originally created in 1994, provides qualified troops with financial incentives to teach in the nation’s neediest schools. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Troops_to_Teachers.pdf"&gt;Click here to download summary of the Post-9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Senate-House companion legislation, the Post-9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act, will make the existing program more accessible by reducing length of military service requirements for participants, expanding the number of school districts at which troops may receive a stipend to teach, and by creating an advisory board charged with continuously seeking ways to improve awareness and participation in the program. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;# # #&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;
</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=151594</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=151594</guid>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Representative Announces Eastern Connecticut To Receive $9,188,050 Federal Smart Grid Investment Grant</title>
      <description>&lt;span style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;WASHINGTON, DC&lt;/strong&gt; – Today, Representative Joe Courtney announced that the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative (CMEEC) will receive a $9.2 million federal Smart Grid investment grant from the Department of Energy. This significant investment is provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and part of a $3.4 billion investment by Congress to make Smart Grid technology a nation wide standard, which will result in a more efficient and reliable electrical system.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Representative Courtney stated, "This investment is great news for homeowners and businesses throughout our region. Eastern Connecticut’s energy prices have steadily increased over the last decade and this investment by the federal government and CMEEC will create new jobs by updating our aging energy infrastructure and save ratepayers money."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Maurice Scully, Chief Executive Officer of CMEEC, stated, "We certainly appreciate all the support that Congressman Courtney has given us, and we appreciate his support for increasing energy efficiency and reducing electric costs. This is a tremendous opportunity for southeastern Connecticut businesses and consumers to take advantage of this new smart grid technology. Additionally, this cost saving energy technology will be critical to helping small businesses throughout our region reduce electricity costs and increase profits."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CMEEC plans to match the federal Smart Grid investment grant and invest a total of $18 million to build a regional Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system which will provide CMEEC customers with the ability to control their electric energy use and costs. CMEEC will use the funds to better serve customers in Groton, Norwich, Bozrah, the Borough of Jewett City, and parts of Lebanon, Franklin, Montville and Salem that are serviced by Bozrah Light and Power. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This federal funding will enable CMEEC to build a regional smart meter network infrastructure that will increase efficiency of the electrical grid through enhanced communications and management. Additionally, individual consumers will benefit from the installation of at least 13,000 home meters, over the next 12-18 months, that will allow customers to control their electricity use through time-varying rates. For example, customers will be able to run their washer/dryers at off peak hours of the night, reducing the use of expensive inefficient peak electricity production saving money for all customers on the grid. Norwich Public Utilities will issue meters first to interested parties including residential, commercial and industrial customers through an application process. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The $3.4 billion investment in Smart Grid nationwide is the single largest energy modernization investment in U.S. history. This investment will not only empower consumers to cut their electricity bills, but it will also create tens of thousands of jobs. In eastern Connecticut job opportunities will include hiring additional engineering technicians, electricians and equipment installers, and business power system analysts. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;# # #&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;
</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=151597</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=151597</guid>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Reps. Courtney and Calvert Lead Bipartisan Effort To Extend First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Prior To November 30th Deadline</title>
      <description>&lt;span style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;WASHINGTON, DC&lt;/strong&gt; – Today, Representatives Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Ken Calvert (R-CA) delivered a bipartisan letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader John Boehner urging an extension of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit. Including the authors, &lt;u&gt;165 bipartisan Members of Congress have signed the Courtney-Calvert letter&lt;/u&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Extend_Homebuyer_Tax_Credit_Letter.pdf"&gt;Click here to download a copy of the Courtney-Calvert letter to Congressional leadership&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Representative Courtney stated, "The housing market is a critical part of our economic recovery because of its reach into many sectors that drive economic growth. During this critical economic period, Congress cannot afford to let the widely successful tax credit expire. Congressman Calvert and I are spearheading this bipartisan effort to move the conversation forward towards the goal of getting one of the prime economic engines moving again."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;"Our housing market, as well as the broader economy, is still in a fragile state. Extending the homebuyer tax credit will further stimulate housing demand, stabilize home values, and help slow the rate of foreclosures, all of which provide stability, increase confidence, and generate even more economic activity," said Representative Calvert. "I look forward to working with Congressman Courtney along with the rest of the members who signed our letter to bring an extension to the House floor so that Americans, and our economy, can continue to benefit from the homebuyer tax credit."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Ron Phipps, First Vice President of the National Association of Realtors stated, ""The housing market remains fragile. The market has improved and prices have stabilized in many areas, but the market has not fully corrected. Retaining the tax credit sustains that recovery."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John Bolduc, Chief Executive Officer of the Eastern Connecticut Association of Realtors explained, "Real estate led us into our current economic difficulties and real estate will lead us out. The $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit has been an unqualified success. Extending the tax credit will provide further economic stimulus, will create jobs, and will continue to assist in the recovery. I encourage Congress to act soon to extend and/or expand the tax credit."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Congressmen Courtney and Calvert believe that the homebuyer tax credit must be extended because of the important role it has played in stabilizing the housing market. &lt;strong&gt;The current $8,000 homebuyer tax credit, as passed in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), is set to expire on November 30, 2009.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Research conducted by the National Realtors Association suggests that as many as 350,000 sales (30 percent of all eligible first-time homebuyers) in 2009 can be directly attributed to the availability of the credit, and one third of all homebuyers in the past several months have taken advantage of the homebuyer tax credit. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;According to data collected by the Eastern Connecticut Association of Realtors, house sales in eastern Connecticut rose 14.5 percent during the third quarter of this year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;# # #&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;
</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=150851</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=150851</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Nonpartisan Analysis Shows Proposed Excise Tax On Health Care Benefits Will Burden Families, Individuals</title>
      <description>&lt;span style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;WASHINGTON, DC&lt;/strong&gt; – Responding to a request by Connecticut Congressman Joe Courtney, the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) analyzed the impact of the Senate Finance Committee’s proposed 40 percent excise tax on high-cost health care benefits on families and individuals, a proposal which Courtney has led the opposition to in the House of Representatives.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;"Generally, we expect the insurer to pass along the cost of the excise tax to consumers by increasing the price of health coverage," states the review by the nonpartisan JCT. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;"The JCT analysis confirms what has been obvious since the unveiling of this ill-advised excise tax on health benefits, which is that a tax on insurers of high-cost plans is without question a tax hike on working families, businesses, and individuals," stated Courtney.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/JCT_Excise_Tax_Review.pdf"&gt;Click here to download JCT analysis of Senate proposed tax on benefits&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The review of the excise tax proposal by the JCT shows (&lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/JCT_Analysis_Charts.pdf"&gt;click here for charts/graphs&lt;/a&gt;):&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;The total number of individual and family plans impacted by the excise tax grows from 19% to 30% and 14% and 31% respectively between 2013 and 2019. &lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;The total number of family plans affected by the excise tax grows from 12.7 million to 31 million between 2013 and 2019. &lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;The average tax increase for all households grows from $918 to $1,318 between 2013 and 2019. &lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;For the middleclass income brackets, the number of households hit by the tax doubles, and in some income brackets nearly triples, by 2019. &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;One major concern of Representative Courtney’s outlined by the JCT is that "consumers will seek less costly policies that would reduce their exposure to the excise tax. Cost reductions could be achieved through several strategies, ranging from managed care plans and limited provider networks to more out-of-pocket cost sharing by the consumers." The analysis continues, "When employers offer employees less costly plans, the employees will have less compensation in the form of non-taxable health care benefits and more in the form of cash compensation." &lt;strong&gt;The result, according to the JCT is that, "the insurance consumer indirectly pays the tax as taxable income increases with the increased cash compensation."&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Congressman Courtney spearheaded a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging the House leader to reject the Senate tax proposal. &lt;a href="http://courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/10.7.09_Excise_Tax_on_High_Cost_Health_Plans.pdf"&gt;The letter has been signed by 180 Democrats&lt;/a&gt;, more than 70 percent of the House Democratic Caucus. (Full list of cosigners available upon request) &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;# # #&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;
</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=150728</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=150728</guid>
      <pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Rep. Courtney addresses Air Force’s selection of the Northrop Grumman/Airbus tanker over Boeing.</title>
      <description>Rep. Courtney addresses Air Force’s selection of the Northrop Grumman/Airbus tanker over Boeing.</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Rep. Courtney urges the President to act on gas prices.</title>
      <description>Rep. Courtney urges the President to act on gas prices.</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 01 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Rep. Courtney Seeks Answers from Comptroller General Walker during a HASC hearing on Iraq. </title>
      <description>Rep. Courtney Seeks Answers from Comptroller General Walker during a HASC hearing on Iraq. </description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 05 Sep 2007 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Rep. Courtney Speaks in Support of Wounded Warriors Act</title>
      <description>On the House Floor</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 28 Mar 2007 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Rep. Courtney Appears on C-SPAN</title>
      <description>Rep. Courtney Appears on C-SPAN</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 22 Mar 2007 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>HEARING UPDATE: Chairman Taylor Questions Vice-Admiral Donnelly</title>
      <description>HEARING UPDATE: Chairman Taylor Questions Vice-Admiral Donnelly</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 11 Mar 2007 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>HEARING UPDATE: ELECTRIC BOAT PRESIDENT JOHN CASEY OFFERS OPENING STATEMENT</title>
      <description>ELECTRIC BOAT PRESIDENT JOHN CASEY OFFERS OPENING STATEMENT</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 09 Mar 2007 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>HEARING UPDATE: REP. COURTNEY BEGINS QUESTIONS TO NAVY PANEL </title>
      <description>VIRGINIA-CLASS HEARING UPDATE #2</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 08 Mar 2007 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>HEARING UPDATE: REP. COURTNEY BEGINS QUESTIONS TO NAVY PANEL (continued)</title>
      <description>VIRGINIA-CLASS HEARING UPDATE #2 (continued)</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 08 Mar 2007 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>HEARING UPDATE: REP. COURTNEY OFFERS OPENING STATEMENT</title>
      <description>VIRGINIA-CLASS HEARING UPDATE</description>
      <link>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</link>
      <guid>http://courtney.house.gov/multimedia/</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 08 Mar 2007 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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