Press Releases

“We expect health care and social service employees to care for us in our times of need, but we know that each year, these men and women are faced with rising rates of violence, often from patients and their families,” said Courtney. “This legislation compels OSHA to do what employees, safety experts, and Members of Congress have been calling for years – create an enforceable standard to ensure that employers are taking these risks seriously, and creating safe workplaces that their employees deserve.”

“The report published this week paints a stark picture that our nation’s strategic advantage is severely at risk,” Ranking Member Courtney said. “The report also makes clear that the Administration’s 2018 National Defense Strategy lacks the depth and coherence necessary to link our military strategy to the resources needed to address the national security challenges our country is facing today. The report presents an invaluable ‘second opinion’ on the direction the Department of Defense and Congress should take in the coming years.

“Blue Water Navy Vietnam war veterans have already waited far too long for recognition of the medical conditions they have suffered due to exposure to the Agent Orange toxin,” Courtney said. “The House worked for months to negotiate a bipartisan compromise that passed the House unanimously in June and which the Senate has had nearly five months to consider. As we honor and celebrate the contributions our veterans have made this Veterans Day, it is critical that we remember our Blue Water Navy Vietnam veterans and honor their sacrifices by providing the care and compensation they clearly and fairly deserve. It is time for the Senate to act.”

In advance of Veterans Day, Representative Joe Courtney (CT-02) announced that the American Legion has endorsed the Agent Orange Exposure Fairness Act (H.R. 6566), legislation he has introduced to remove onerous manifestation requirements from certain diseases, which the VA has linked to Agent Orange exposure.

“We want to get the word out that IRS will be holding a free webinar that tax preparers and homeowners can learn more about recent development on tax deductions for foundation repairs,” said Courtney and Larson. “Last week, we announced that the IRS has made it clear that homeowners can “carry forward” or “carry back” a net operating loss under the casualty loss deduction for crumbling foundations repairs. This clarification means that even if the net loss suffered by a homeowner exceeds their annual tax liability, they can carry forward the loss for up to 20 years and can carry back for two years. This development will provide significant help for middle-class homeowners, and we want to get the word out about how they can start using this deduction when they go to file next spring.”

“Today, the federal government has once again said ‘yes’ to helping homeowners struggling with the cost and damage of crumbling foundations. This clarification of the tax revenue procedure that we announced last year is going to have significant implications for middle-class homeowners whose repair costs exceed their annual income,” said Courtney and Larson. “It also builds on the critical development we announced last year that the IRS would allow homeowners to claim a casualty loss on their 2017 return to recoup the costs of repairing a home foundation.