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“Incredibly, on Friday, with one stroke of the pen, President Trump slammed the door shut on that program because he cancelled all visa programs from Iraq. If anyone could imagine a more demoralizing way to undercut the anti-ISIL alliance at such a critical time, Friday’s order won the prize and we are hearing from military commanders who are over there in Iraq talking about the blowback that’s come from our allies that were literally underway in real operations in real time. We in Congress need to stop this order for the sake of our standing in the world as a beacon of hope and freedom, and if for nothing else, to support our troops and our allies in harm’s way.”

“President Trump’s new executive order freezing refugee arrivals and entry of all people from a number of predominately Muslim countries, including law permanent residents of the United States traveling abroad, will boomerang against us both morally and practically,” said Courtney. “The new President signed the order on Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day when we reflect in part on how our country failed to protect Jewish refugees from Nazi atrocities during World War II. This is not who we are as Americans: we do not discriminate against any religion, and we do not shut our doors to suffering people seeking a better life."

“There was a rate reduction that was slated to go into effect on January 27th from .85 percent down to .65 percent – President Trump canceled that reduction. So what does that mean? The National Association of Realtors, which is hardly a partisan group, has in the wake of that order released numbers that about 750,000 to 800,000 homeowners are going to be adversely affected by losing those savings – that are just going to go to the government by the way. Those mortgage premiums are basically paid into the government and right now there is a surplus in that account and that’s why the rate reduction was slated to go into effect – there is no reason for the government to be overcharging for mortgage insurance given the healthy balance that exists in that mortgage insurance account."

“I am pleased that today Governor Malloy has announced promising new steps that the State of Connecticut is taking to address the increasingly urgent problem of crumbling home foundations in northcentral Connecticut,” said Courtney. “As my office determined last August, federal assistance is available immediately through the Department of Housing and Urban Devolvement Small Cities CDBG and HOME block grant programs, and I’m glad that the Governor indicated today that these funding sources will be used. Nothing could fall more squarely within the mission of CDBG to promote community development than stopping this threat to northcentral Connecticut’s housing market. I encourage the General Assembly to support these efforts and continue to investigate the potential use of additional money that is available through HUD. This is a good first step, but much more work will need to be done in order to get a handle on the urgent issue of crumbling foundation which is threatening local families, our communities and the region’s economy.”

“These savings are providing critical relief to local seniors who previously had to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars out-of-pocket to obtain their prescription drugs,” said Courtney. “For many eastern Connecticut seniors on fixed annual incomes, the average savings of more than $1,808 per year can often mean the difference between purchasing medication or food, and being able to live with dignity in retirement. This data shows how the Affordable Care Act is working for eastern Connecticut’s seniors, and what is at risk as the debate over repealing law continues in the weeks ahead.”

“One of the top priorities for my staff and I is to work one-on-one with constituents who struggle with federal agencies,” said Courtney. “Almost every day we hear from a local resident who faces a crisis in their life because government red tape prevents them from receiving their hard-earned benefits. Whether we are helping to secure retroactive benefits for a retired veteran, or helping a young family obtain a mortgage modification, each of these cases is about more than a dollar figure – they are real people trying to make ends meet, and I am proud that we are able to help make that happen. I urge any eastern Connecticut resident facing difficulty when working with the federal government to contact my office to see if we can be of assistance.”

“The F-35 joint strike fighter program received a major boost today when ten brand new jets were deployed to the U.S. Marines operating in Japan,” said the members. “The vertical take-off jets delivered today combine a unique set of technologies including stealth, highly specialized radar, and electronic warfare systems that are unrivaled by any other aircraft in the world. It has taken years of hard work by the aerospace industry and our military leaders to get this program on track and on a path of declining costs. The simple fact of the matter is that there is no other aircraft in production today that can compare with the F-35’s advanced avionics, networked capabilities and integrated stealth.”