Press Releases
WASHINGTON – Today, on National Missing Children’s Day, Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) announced introduction of bipartisan legislation, the Recovering Missing Children Act along with Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN), Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), and Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-OH) at a press conference. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who has similar legislation, spoke in support, as did advocates and a parent who experienced the abduction of a child.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Joe Courtney today released the following statement after Aetna announced that it is seeking to lower insurance rates in Connecticut. The decision is, in part, a result of new patient protections that are taking effect as a result of last year’s health care reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
WASHINGTON, DC – During a House Agriculture Committee hearing today, Congressman Joe Courtney introduced an amendment that would prevent a Republican effort to slow the implementation of rules to rein in gas prices. The legislation being considered would delay the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and slow down the process at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in limiting the influence of oil speculators who are driving up gas prices.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Joe Courtney today released the following statement after the U.S. Navy awarded $1.2 billion for the construction of the 14th Virginia-class submarine to General Dynamics Electric Boat:
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Joe Courtney today released the following statement after NOAA released a report critical of the management of the New England Fisheries:
WASHINGTON, DC – At Rockville Bank in Enfield, Congressman Joe Courtney today highlighted the bank’s participation in Connecticut’s Capital Access Program (CAP), or Urbank, and encouraged small businesses to participate in the lending program. Urbank, which allows community banks to extend greater credit to small businesses, is supported by the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) as part of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT), U.S. Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME) and Congressman Tom Latham (R-IA) today introduced legislation to fix an arbitrary Medicare policy that excludes coverage of skilled nursing care. Under current Medicare policy, a beneficiary must have an "inpatient" hospital stay of at least three days for Medicare to cover skilled nursing care. Patients who receive hospital care on "observation status" do not qualify for this benefit, even if their hospital stay lasts longer than three days.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Joe Courtney today announced that the Willimantic Fire Department and Montville Volunteer Fire Company have secured $82,809 and $99,750, respectively, in federal funding from the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA. The grants will be used to enhance operations and safety at each department.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Joe Courtney today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted to repeal the 1099 reporting requirement from the Affordable Care Act.
“Today the Senate followed the House of Representatives and voted to repeal the potentially-burdensome 1099 reporting requirement before it affected a single business. This requirement originated in the Senate’s version of the health care reform bill, and it is appropriate that it died there as well.”
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Joe Courtney today urged Connecticut employers to take advantage of the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP), which will not accept new applications after April 30. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), ERRP has provided more than 1,300 employers across all 50 States with nearly $1.8 billion in reimbursements for health benefits, as authorized by the Affordable Care Act. In Connecticut alone, close to $20 million in reimbursements have been paid.