Press Releases | Congressman Joe Courtney
Skip to main content

Press Releases

Image
Supporters of the House Democrats sit in outside the U.S. Capitol building
June 23, 2016
“The outpouring of support from the public over the past 26-hours, praising the actions of House Democrats, demonstrates that the American people support what we are doing and stand firmly behind us,” said Courtney. “We have known for years that more than ninety-percent of Americans support common sense measures like a mandatory background check on all gun purchases. If you buy a gun at a Walmart, you receive a background check, but go online or walk into a gun show and all bets are off. Moreover, I cannot fathom what the rationale is for allowing people who are banned from flying on airplanes because they are suspected terrorists to continue buying firearms just like any other person."

Image
Courtney floor pic
June 22, 2016
“It is unconscionable that after 49 people were murdered last week in just the latest mass shooting that the only response by Speaker Paul Ryan and the majority party is a sixteen-second moment of silence,” said Courtney. “My Democratic colleagues and I will not be silent in the face of unrelenting gun violence on a daily basis. The Americans People are with us, with ninety-plus percent supporting the closing gun show and internet sales loophole. We will continue to demand up-or-down votes on common sense legislation until we get this done.”

June 21, 2016
“Congress’s inaction on protecting Americans and preventing gun violence is shameful, heartless, and irresponsible. The American people overwhelmingly support keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists and other dangerous individuals, yet the House has not held a single vote on gun violence prevention legislation."

June 17, 2016
"I am very pleased that this important piece of legislation which will help bring kidnapped children home received strong support from Congress and is now headed to the President’s desk,” said Courtney. “My colleague, Rep. Erik Paulsen and I first introduced this bill in 2011, and we have remained strong advocates for its passage since that time. Missing children investigations are incredibly complex and challenging for law enforcement officials to solve, and we should be providing them with every conceivable tool that can help bring children home safely."

June 16, 2016
“Yesterday, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy from the state of Connecticut reminded us of the truth in that statement when for 15 hours he stood on the floor of the United States Senate and refused to yield until he got a commitment from the Republican Leadership of the Senate to hold a vote on a no-fly, no-buy piece of legislation to restrict people on the terror watch list from buying firearms, and also for a common sense background check reform which allow internet sales and gun shows sales to be included in the background check system which is supported by 53% of NRA households. ... It is time for us to listen to Chris Murphy, to follow his example, to thank him for his leadership, and persistence, and courage, and let’s do what the American People are looking for which is ways to protect us from these mass shootings which are far too many, and far too damaging to the people of this country.”

June 16, 2016
“I was very pleased by the strong bipartisan support for the mental health bill passed yesterday which includes a section of my bill to add child and adolescent physiatrists to the National Health Service Crops,” said Courtney. “In the wake of the most recent mass shooting in this country, we are reminded of a time in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting when there was an extreme need for trained child psychiatrists to address the mental health needs of young people. We know that when children experience trauma or mental illness at a young age, it can have a profound impact on the rest of their lives. We owe it to our children to make sure we are providing enough psychiatric providers to care for them."
Issues:Health Care

June 16, 2016
“Defense related manufacturing is a central part of our region’s economic recovery and future, and the funding bill passed today invests the resources needed to keep the current trends on track. Coupled with the defense authorization bill I helped craft and pass in the House in May, this bill supports Virginia class submarines, the Ohio Replacement, and a range of other programs vital not just to Connecticut, but to the nation. It is a testament to the exceptional workers who supply and build the most advanced submarines in the world that we are continuing to prioritize these programs, even while making tough budgetary decisions about how to allocate limited resources.”

June 14, 2016
“We write to raise a growing concern of our constituents in the fishing industry who are facing extreme economic hardship related to the structure of fisheries management across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic,” the lawmakers wrote. “On several occasions during town halls and meetings in Connecticut with many of the fishermen who operate in the state, we have repeatedly heard concerns that black sea bass, summer flounder, and scup have migrated northward, but the state-by-state allocations for these species still reflect historical numbers when they were in greater abundance in the mid-Atlantic. These outdated allocations are disadvantaging fishermen in the Northeast."
Issues:Agriculture

June 3, 2016
“The roundtable at Grasso Tech this morning was a great opportunity to once again get all of the key stakeholders for the manufacturing pipeline into one place,” said the delegation members. “The discussion was focused on how we build upon the success of the first graduating class in order to make sure that we are training enough skilled workers to meet the growing need in high-tech manufacturing. With work at Electric Boat quickly ramping up, we need to be doing everything we can to prepare Connecticut workers to fill new positions at the shipyard and across the state-wide network of suppliers.”

May 26, 2016
"Admiral Davidson, it is a pleasure to see you again. You and your entire team did an incredible job hosting me and my staff in Norfolk earlier this year. It was a great chance to see firsthand many of the same issues we will talk about here today. Most importantly, thank you the witnesses here to share their deck plate perspective on the challenges that our Navy faces in operations and readiness. I know we will benefit greatly to get the on the ground view of the challenges facing our Naval forces."