Media Center

“The news that interest rates for federal student loans will drop is a direct benefit of the 2013 Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act,” Courtney said. “The new rate of 3.76% is not just a reduction from the current rate, but is also a full 3% savings from the rate hike we blocked in 2013. For the 15 million students who rely on Stafford, this will result in thousands of dollars in savings over the life of the loan. We must continue to do more, however, to address the growing education debt crisis in this country – and this news should not be an excuse for Congress not to take the action we know is needed to address this challenge.”

"I am pleased that this important piece of legislation was able to gain strong bipartisan support in the House,” said Courtney. “My colleague Rep. Erik Paulsen and I first introduced this bill in 2011, and have remained strong advocates for its passage since that time. Missing children investigations are incredibly complex and challenging for our law enforcement officials to solve. This bill will provide them with important tools and make new information available that can help to generate leads in these difficult cases. I hope the Senate will now quickly take up this legislation so that we can get law enforcement the resources they need to bring these children home safely." “Critical information that would help locate abducted children is right at law enforcement’s fingertips, but they aren’t able to access it,” said Paulsen. “The Recovering Missing Children Act fixes this problem by allowing investigators in missing children cases to use resources that could lead directly to the child and abductor. This bill is about bringing these children home and reuniting them with their loved ones.”

“Today, there will be votes and a lot of self-congratulatory rhetoric about the fact that we are moving on something, but remember: there is not a penny for law enforcement, for treatment, or for prevention and education. Until we do that, we are kidding ourselves that we are going to turn this alarming, disturbing trend around. “We have an epidemic in this country which far surpasses any challenge presented by a natural disaster. If we had an attack on the homeland that took the number of lives that these maps represent – this Congress would be on fire! “To be clear, there is not a penny in either of these measures to help law enforcement, the police and fire who are responding to these crises day in, and day out. There is not a penny for treatment beds, for detox for long-term care treatment. In Connecticut, it takes 4-6 months to get into treatment. And there is not a penny for education. “If we had a hurricane, or a forest fire, or tornado that was ravishing parts of this country, or an attack on the homeland, this place would not hesitate on getting resources out there to help folks respond to that type of a crisis. Yet, somehow we can turn a blind eye to the thousands of Americans who are suffering from some type of addiction, to the thousands of law enforcement and fire personnel who are responding to these calls as we speak right now.”

“Targeted federal grants like these Rural Development funds from the USDA go a long way toward helping small communities like Sprague make improvements for local residents,” said Courtney. “These two grants will help the town of Sprague save a significant amount of money on their annual energy bills, as well as provide safety and shelter to local residents during severe winter weather. Earlier this year, I held a seminar series for town leaders from across eastern Connecticut to help them learn more about how the Rural Development program works, and how to obtain this type of funding. Too often, rural communities do not have access to the credit required to launch long-term projects like upgrades to bridges, schools, or municipal complexes, and the loans and grants provided through Rural Development ensure our small towns do not get left behind. I want to thank First Selectwoman Osten for everything she does to support the people of Sprague, and her efforts in helping to obtain these grants today.”

“One of the most urgent requests we have heard from law enforcement officers, public health officials, and community leaders is for funding to address this growing epidemic,” wrote the members. “We must treat this problem like the emergency that it is, and give those responding to the crisis the tools, support and resources they need right now.

“We had so many great works of art entered into the competition this year, it was clearly a very difficult decision for our judges to choose one single winner,” said Courtney. “I am very impressed by the level of artistic ability and creativity shown by the young people who took part this year. It seems like year after year – the art works get even better. After the judges made a careful evaluation of the entries, I am pleased to announce that Alexandra Crampton of RHAM High School in Hebron is the winner for the Second Congressional District. Her entry was the standout piece of the night, and we are proud that it will represent eastern Connecticut in the Capitol building for the next year.”

“Plum Island is a scenic and biological treasure located right in the middle of Long Island Sound,” said the lawmakers. “The island is home to a rich assortment of endangered species, and should be preserved as a natural sanctuary – not sold off to the highest bidder for development. We have long supported federal legislation to remove the government requirement to sell Plum Island as a means to finance a new research facility. The sale of Plum Island is no longer financially necessary because Congress has fully appropriated the funds to build the new bioresearch facility in Kansas. Now that this legislation has been passed in committee, it is our hope that it will be quickly passed by the full House and taken up in the Senate. We are closer than we have ever been to permanently protecting Plum Island.”

“We are encouraged that the EPA was able to help locate a central site for the disposal of dredged materials in eastern Long Island Sound and look forward to public input to ensure the site will protect both the scenic beauty and biological diversity of the area,” the lawmakers said. “Long Island Sound waterways contribute more than $9 billion annually to our economic output in Connecticut, and maintaining navigable shipping channels is critical to the long-term health of our regional economy. From the New London Submarine Base to family-owned marinas, thousands of residents across our state depend on reliable access to local waterways for their livelihoods. We are particularly pleased that the EPA clearly articulates processes that will mitigate any harm to the environment and to the region’s fish and shellfish stocks.”