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During his questioning, Courtney told Mattis that the 2018 budget request is “a 308-ship Navy budget that was sent over here, not a 350-ship budget.” In addition he expressed concern that “this budget…undercuts that demand signal” to the shipbuilding supply chain that is needed to build a larger fleet, and that “we've got to do better than what was sent over.”

"A giant has left us. The passing of Jackie Owens is a sad loss to all of us who were inspired by her integrity, compassion, and iron willed advocacy for education, fairness and democracy. It was a privilege to know her."

“With the cost of a college education and the debt needed to afford it growing every year, Americans are demanding action to lower the crushing cost of higher education. Unfortunately, the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget proposal would make college more expensive,” wrote the members. “As you know, subsidized student loans are utilized by low-income undergraduate students, many of whom would not otherwise be able to attend an institution of higher education. In fact, in the last school year, over six million students borrowed through this program. Subsidized student loans allow a student to earn a degree without needing to burden themselves with the crushing costs of student loan interest rates. We owe it to the next generation of college students to push for student loan policies that will not hold them back."

"“It’s clear that families preparing to send their kids off to college are worried about what the changes in President Trump’s budget might mean for their bottom line,” said Courtney. “With the level of student debt soaring right alongside the cost of a college degree, there is simply no excuse for undermining federal programs that are intended to relieve some of the burdens on families. Keeping college affordable must be a top priority in Washington. I am urging President Trump to reconsider many of the proposals in his budget, particularly those impacting access to college aid, and to uphold his campaign promises to fight for the middle-class rather than cutting their lifelines."

“Today’s decision puts the United States squarely on the wrong side of history,” said Courtney. “The United States is the second largest carbon emitter in the world, and the Paris Climate Accord proved that our nation, and the global community as a whole, has recognized that a zero-emissions, clean energy economy is the only path forward for a sustainable, sound future. In Connecticut, we’ve taken this to heart: over half of all electric power generation jobs are in the solar sector—more than natural gas or any other fuel. These jobs are not only going to dominate our economy in the future – they are already a major part of our economy today. Turning our back on the Paris Climate Accord leaves our nation without a seat at the table as the world determines climate and clean energy policies, raises troubling questions about whether our nation stands by its commitments, and undermines states like Connecticut that have longstanding commitments to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.”

"The tankers, bombers, and airlift programs that fall under the “projection forces” side of our panel’s oversight serve as the backbone of our nation’s ability to bring and sustain the power that preserves our nation’s interests around the world. As we know all too well, however, these important aircraft all share the common enemy of age. The tankers and bombers in service today are largely legacy aircraft. These aircraft, in most cases, are much older than the airmen and women who fly and service them. That is why it will be critical that we ensure that the 2018 budget properly invests in the refueling, mobility, maritime patrol and long-range strike programs under our purview."

“UCFS has become an indispensable component of our local healthcare community and I am very pleased that HHS has awarded them a substantial federal grant to support their work,” said Courtney. “I am very glad that we were able to help UCFS gain recognition as a Federally Qualified Health Center in 2015 and that designation is clearly paying dividends for them and our local community. I will continue to work with UCFS to review opportunities for federal support.”

We are encouraged that the National Taxpayer Advocate has committed to working with our offices and the IRS to secure relief for Connecticut homeowners impacted by crumbling foundations through the tax code. We still have a lot of work to do, but having a key federal official publicly acknowledge the merits of casualty loss tax assistance for local homeowners is an encouraging development. Our offices remain committed to investigating every possible source of federal assistance that could be used to homeowners with crumbling foundations.